He doesn’t need to explain. We all know what he isn’t saying. The Pride took the vampire's life without informing the proper authorities. I can’t blame them for their actions, regardless of the number of laws they broke in their vigilante justice.
“I’m sure that's why Ridge helped them. Anything to take down a creator, one of the illustrious seven Blood Angels,” Leif adds a twinge of sarcasm in his tone.
“Can we get back to our findings and the formulation of a plan? Or do you guys want to continue bickering?”
I nod at Sky. He does have a point. Our fighting is just a symptom of the stress we are all currently under. Cole, a man of few words, pulls out his laptop and an aerial view of the area where they are holding Maitlin and Ridge appears.
He taps his finger on the screen and enlarges a section. “This is the first area we thought they were keeping her, and where your permitting issues are. But since Colebrook Enterprises doesn’t own any piece of that, there is no way she could be there.”
“Okay,” I agree, although skeptical as to where he is going with this.
He pans the image to the left, through the construction area that I am familiar with until all I see is a blue trailer — the type used as a temporary office for the GC and me on occasion.
“I don’t understand. They have them locked in the trailer?”
“No. Under it.” Sky answers.
It’s not exactly where we thought, but close enough that all the info we already amassed will still be useful. We were able to get all the layouts of the buildings in the area already, which means we know where an ambush could be waiting.
“We watched four people go in—Neiland, his son Neil, Dannella, and Ridge. They stayed for about an hour and all but Ridge left,” Cole reports.
“Where did they go?” Mason is quick to ask.
“Colebrook head office over on Beacon Hill. Dannella and Neil stayed outside, talking for a few minutes. Then went in as well.”
“Did you hear what they said?” I asked.
A wicked smile spreads across Cole’s usually stoic face. “I did.”
JAXON
The five of us split up. Leif, and Sky head into the old Slade Shipping building scheduled for implosion in less than twelve hours. Cole, who is better at being the lone-wolf than any of us, moves in closer to the entrance of the make-shift office. And Mason and I hunker down adjacent to the Slade building with a perfect view of both the trailer and the demo building.
It has been over a millennium since I picked up arms to fight, or more correctly, have something worth fighting for. Maitlin is someone worth fighting for.
I spare a glance toward Mason, who has his nose raised into the night, scenting the air, trying to pick up any trace of an ambush. My battles are now fought in an office or boardroom. The stakes are high, but no one's life ever hangs in the balance. But I am a born warrior and will fight to the death to protect. I may no longer defend all of humanity, but those I love…
I let out a frustrated sigh. When did the “L” word ever enter into my vocabulary?
“Problem?” Mason whispers.
“Yeah,” I reply, although my problem currently stands in front of me and I am in love with his mate, I answer with a more pressing issue. “I don’t like this. We should go in. Fuck Neiland. If this is about property or zoning rights, or whatever the fuck he wants, he can fucking have it.”
Mason and I stare at each other. I know he is thinking the same thing. Who gives a shit about Colebrook? Let's get Maitlin and Ridge out of there. But the reality is, if we don’t stop him, he will try this again. And I know neither of us wants to take that chance.
It is well past the time when we have Kap scheduled with the General Contractor. We anticipated someone coming to the meeting. We, of course, knew Kap wasn’t going to be there, but they didn’t.
When midnight comes and goes, there is an air of unease settling over us. Have we been found out? I didn’t think it possible, but here we sit, waiting. With each minute that passes, our trepidation grows.
“Are we even sure this is the right place?” Mason asks just after midnight.
As if on cue, a white Lexus SUV pulls into the small lot next to the trailer and a long-familiar set of legs steps out onto the gravel. Dannella exits the SUV and looks around, and I’m sure she’s well aware she isn’t the only predator out tonight. Without another glance, she walks into the building.
We opted to keep quiet between the five of us and remain hidden until we are ready to move in on Colebrook or his cronies. But the vibration of an incoming text on Mason's phone breaks the silence of the night.
He holds up his phone so I can read the messages pinging through.
Sky: We have about six vehicles parking behind the building.
Sky: Fifteen men, all human, all armed, entering the building on the north side.
Sky: No sign of Neiland or his son.
Mason: We have Dannella entering the trailer.
Mason: Also no sign of either Colebrook.
Cole: I’m on it!!!!!
I already know what Cole is planning. It’s related to what he heard Neil talk to Dannella about. The asshole couldn’t help but brag about some connections his family has. If he only knew her “family,” he probably wouldn’t be so friendly with her. So we know all about the “ambush” about to happen.
What the men entering the building don’t know is that they aren’t going up against a band of street thugs, they are going up against a group of predators that at this moment hold no regard for human life. With one exception—the one we came to save.
The only unknown is where and when they will arrive. Cole is most likely the most lethal of all of us, and no one ever suspects the quiet ones. He’ll be like a kid in a candy store, and fifteen men will only be a warm-up for him.
“You sure he’ll be okay without Sky and Leif to back him up?” Mason asks when he reads Cole’s overly excited text.
“Not even I would want to meet Cole in a dark alley. Why do you think he’s the head of my security team at The Lenox? No one’s going to fuck with the Angel of Death.”
I watch as Mason’s eyes widen in understanding. “He’s a…he’s the…”
I give him a nod. “Yeah.”
“Well, fuck.”
“Think he can handle it now?” I joke. I’m not sure how many people realize Cole isn’t your run-of-the-mill, everyday human. My guess is probably most. Sure, he looks like someone you wouldn’t want to fuck with, and as a Lenox employee, he isn’t allowed to kill patrons, but from time to time, he does scare the shit out of some.
A movement draws my attention back to the trailer, and when I see Dannella practically dragging Maitlin, I want to leap out of the shadows and rip her throat out. She looks tired, with dark circles under her eyes, and she is thinner than she was only a week ago. I can see from here that her long chestnut hair that is usually full of shine and bounce looks limp and dirty.
Ridge is behind them, his hands casually inside his pockets as they make their way across the dark street and into the Slade building. He may be Mason’s brother, and he played a part in getting us here with the information he gave Sky, but I still don’t trust him. Not when Maitlin’s life is on the line.
We still haven’t seen any sign of Neiland and his son, but if they’re moving Maitlin, I can only guess they’ll be here soon. We don’t have to wait very long. As if scripted, my phone vibrates. When I look at the screen, it’s Neiland’s number, so I answer. Showtime.
“Colebrook.”
“Krieger, are you ready to do business like a man, or are you going to send the rest of the litter in after me?”
“Where are you?” I ask, clearly tired of his games. I want to kill him and his no-good son and then… My thoughts stop when I look up from my phone to see Mason. And then hand over the woman I love.
“Well, see, I had to wait until all the parties were here, that’s why this little meeting of ours is a bit late. I apologize for that. It’s no way to d
o business, as you know.” I’m not liking the way this conversation is heading, and when he continues, my heart sinks into my gut even further. “Kap has finally made it in from New York. The traffic was murder, but she’s here.”
I feel my blood begin to boil in pure rage. This man has no idea what the hell he just unleashed on himself, his family, and his entire fucking company.
My voice is far too calm for the answer I give him, and I see Mason’s reaction. “I will kill you and your son, but if you harm a hair on either of their fucking heads. I will do it very fucking slowly.”
“I don’t think you’re in a position to be making threats, do you?”
This man has no idea what I am capable of when my love and my family are in danger. I never thought that I would find someone who speaks to my heart again after Marra. But from the moment I laid eyes on Maitlin, I knew. I knew she was the one my soul was healing for all this time.
“Where are you?” I feel my fangs extend as the most primal part of myself begins to take over, any restraint I thought I possessed, gone.
I hear the amusement in his voice as he speaks, and I want to rip his still-beating heart out of his body. “Kap and I are here in my office, enjoying a nice cup of tea. Neil will meet you at the Slade building. We’ll conduct our little meeting via video chat. This way, you can see both assets, and I can see you.”
I disconnect the call and look at Mason. “They all die. But Neiland and his son are mine.”
“They have Kap too?”
I nod, trying to rein in my emotions. I can’t let Maitlin see me like this. She’ll be petrified, possibly putting herself in more danger, trying to escape from the monster coming to rescue her.
I shoot off a quick text to Cole before Mason, and I exit our spot and walk over to the Slade building.
The once eminent and impressive building is now nothing but a husk of metal and rebar crumbling, ready to make way for the new infrastructure. The infrastructure that JDL Holdings will be pioneering. The once-aging Boston waterfront is undergoing a transformation into a destination mecca with casinos, resorts, and theaters that will rival even Broadway.
I’ve never done dirty business, but JDL is one of the wealthiest companies in the world. So while Colebrook Enterprises is a profitable company, they cannot touch our buying power when it comes to real estate and development, and I did buy the waterfront out from under him in a fair bidding war.
His tactics to utilize Kap and Maitlin as leverage speak more to his character than to his business practices. Up until this point, Colebrook Enterprises was on the shortlist of companies I want to partner with. That, however, is no longer the case.
We round the final corner of the decaying staircase onto the sixth floor, which is now the top floor of the building. I instantly spot Maitlin standing alone nearly fifty yards away, her hands bound in front of her and standing far too close to the edge of the building for my liking.
But it’s the familiar broken look in her once vibrant eyes that is tightly gripping my heart. It’s the same look Marra had on the day she died.
Vivid visions of rounding the hillside and seeing Marra at the river's edge rush my memories and cloud my judgment. I’m yelling for her to step away from the side, my focus on her immediate safety. It isn’t until Mason grabs my shoulder that I notice movement in the shadows.
Neil and Dannella step out from behind a collapsing support pillar, and she’s holding a tablet, one I’m sure will be used to communicate via video with Neiland. I don’t see, hear or scent Sky and Leif. I can only hope they are tracking the movements of these two and know when to strike. There is also no sign of Ridge, which I find worrisome.
Neil steps into the dim light, and all I see is the light reflecting off what he’s so casually holding. My body freezes in place. He has my sword haphazardly resting on his shoulder, unaware of the power it possesses. Mason must notice the distress that momentarily shrouds my features.
“Problem?” he whispers so low no one but me will ever be able to hear him.
“That’s my sword.” The fucker must have been in New York while we made our way to Boston.
“And?”
I realize that no one outside of an Archangel knows the consequences of being pierced by an angelic blade. But I know the reality all too well. “It’s a pure blade, angelic steel, permanent death, even for me.”
“Got it. Stay away from the blade.”
I give him a sideways glare. “More importantly, keep Maitlin away from it. That asshole has no idea what he’s holding. If shit goes south, just get to her.”
He silently nods his head. Nothing else needs to be said. The only reason we’re here is for her. I don’t give a shit about my life, or the property, or the financial gains. Nothing matters but her safety.
“Jaxon!” Maitlin cries out as she finally sees us approaching.
When I notice the tears that are streaming down her face, my hands ball into fists, and the familiar prickle along my gums warns me I’m close to losing every shred of composure I have. But I also have to think of Kap’s safety. While she can take care of herself to a point, until I know she’s even safe, I can’t make a move. If I attack Neil, Neiland will have no choice but to harm or kill Kap.
I can’t speak, not even to reassure her that everything is going to be okay. I know that if I open my mouth, the only thing that will come out is a declaration of my love for her, which is unwise for many reasons.
So I give her a weak-ass smile and a wink and turn my attention to Neil and Dannella. “Let's get this started,” I demand.
I want to rip the smirk off his face, and when he reaches out and tugs Maitlin into him, I hear Mason let out a low, menacing growl. When Neil grabs Maitlin’s chin and pulls her face to his, kissing her lips that he forces to pucker under his grip, I take a step closer. I know my eyes must have a red glow to them by Maitlin’s shocked look, but I can no longer control my rage.
“She’s so sweet, isn’t she?”
My lip quivers, and I sneer, showing fully extended fangs. The look of fear I see in Maitlin’s eyes kills me, but I can’t hold back the monster any longer. It’s only when I hear Neiland’s voice coming through the tablet Dannella is holding that I come back.
“I know you want to rip my son's throat out, but I would highly recommend against it.” I’m faster than the eye can track when I grab the tablet out of Dannella’s hand. The video pans over to Kap, who is sitting calmly, a look of silent resolve on her face. She knows I will do everything in my power to protect her. It’s the asshole holding the gun to her head that gives me pause.
Before I can speak, I catch the rancid demonic scent that permeated the dead guy in the car and Maitlin’s apartment. I know Mason scents it as well. He turns around, trying to spot where it’s coming from, but it’s everywhere all around us.
Dannella laughs. “Surprise. I brought friends.”
Neil pushes Maitlin, and with her hands tied, she falls to the concrete floor. I move to catch her, but Neil pulls my sword and points it at my chest, stopping me. I step back, hands up in surrender.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I smile. “Remember what I said about shit going south?” I ask Mason while staring down Neil.
“Yup.”
“Welcome to the equator.”
I expect Mason to lunge forward and grab Maitlin, but the massive white blur that knocks into Neil isn’t Mason, but Ridge. Before I can yell for Maitlin to hide, we’re surrounded. I’m not sure what hole in hell the creatures Dannella summoned came from, but the fight breaks out all around us.
I can’t get to Maitlin, even when I hear her scream in terror. I also hear Kap’s distant voice from the tablet I tossed down, letting me know Cole is on his way. That can mean only one thing—Neiland is dead.
The sound of flesh ripping from bone permeates the night as we eliminate the demons. My fangs sink into flesh. I stalk toward Neil, who holds my sword outstretched with both hands. Fear is written across his face
as he retreats until his back pressed against a pillar.
“You seriously underestimated what you would be up against,” I divulge through gritted teeth and dripping fangs. “I told you I would kill you slowly,” I grab my sword from his trembling hands and whisper into his ear. “And I meant it.”
A blood-curdling scream draws my attention from killing Neil. It’s Maitlin, and Dannella is pulling her toward the stairs, a knife pressed against her neck. I can see the tears streaking down Dannella’s face as I make my way to them.
“I loved you. We can be so good together,” Dannella pleads. “She’s human. You don’t want her. You said you loved me.”
I’m slow as I stalk closer, cautious not to make any sudden movements. “You always wanted more than I could give you, Dannella. Put the knife down, baby,” I beg.
Movement catches my eye a moment too late, and the world around me breaks into slow motion.
The white flash of fur leaping through the air, the sound of a gunshot breaking into the silence, Maitlin’s scream as she falls to the floor and Dannella standing with a blood-soaked knife.
“Ridge!” Leif yells as he sprints across the expanse of blood and bodies falling to his knees next to his brother's body, whose lifeless blue eyes stare blankly back. “No!” he cries, pulling his brother to his chest, tears coating his face.
Mason runs to Maitlin, picking up her limp body, blood quickly soaking his hands as he covers a deep wound on her neck, trying to stifle the bleeding.
I lunge with my sword, red rage coursing through me as I pierce Dannella’s chest. I turn before her body even hits the floor. I’m nothing but a blur as I descend on Neil, my fangs ripping into his throat, the coppery tang of his blood on my tongue. I watch as life leaves his eyes, and I’m back at Mason's side, blood dripping from my mouth and chin.
I can hear Maitlin’s gasps as she struggles for life. “Can you save her, Jaxon?” Mason pleads.
I brush her dirty hair from her face, and her beautiful blue eyes dart back and forth between Mason and myself. I know she sees me covered in blood, my eyes holding their crimson glow. I know she’s seeing me as the monster I am damned to be. There is no choice, and I’d give my life to save hers.
Jaxon (Blood Angel Chronicles Book 1) Page 23