Sloan hit a button. The wall began to move. As it opened, elevator doors appeared. Within seconds, they opened, revealing three surprised females staring at them.
“Shit!” they all said in unison.
Jill started to hit a button inside the elevator, but Sloan’s loud, booming voice stopped her. “Don’t even think about it.” Sloan waved the women out of the elevator. “What in the hell is going on?”
Jill was the first to exit, her eyes going to Steve. “I’m going to kill you.”
“Yeah, get in line.” Steve sighed with defeat, knowing the jig was up.
With one last hiss at Steve, Jill straightened her shoulders. “I’ll tell you what’s up.” Jill looked at the Warriors present. “I’m not part of the cock club, and I’m getting pretty damn sick of it.”
The Warriors around Damon moaned, though he stayed stoically silent, his eyes firmly on his mate who was pointedly not making eye contact with him. There was also a snicker from Becky who, after a look from Sloan, quickly got back to what she was doing.
“The ‘cock club’?” Sloan shook his head, looking away from Becky to Jill.
“Actually, I think we’d all like to be a part of the club.” Jill gave a firm nod. “Isn’t that right, ladies?”
Steve shook his head. “I’m about ready to hand in my cock card. This shit is just too fucking much for me.”
Jared and Sid laughed. Damon watched as a smile formed across Nicole’s face, her beauty striking. He allowed himself a moment to get lost in her smile until he remembered he was pretty pissed off right now. Finally looking at him, Nicole’s smile disappeared. Shame. But tonight, after all this shit was taken care of, he’d make damn sure he saw that smile again.
Chapter 11
Nicole continued to stare at Damon, but quickly looked away once she realized she was thinking how damn sexy he was standing there all alpha-like with his arms crossed, glaring at her. Clearing her throat, she stepped beside Jill.
“This was all my idea,” Nicole said, then glanced at Steve who was nodding. With a sigh, she glanced back at Sloan. “Jill and Katrina were only showing me where to go. And we forced Steve to give us the code, with Mira’s help.”
“Yep, they forced it outta me,” Steve agreed with a nod, then sealed his lips shut when Sloan’s eyes slammed toward him.
“It would help me out a great deal, Nicole,”—Sloan brought his attention back to her—“if I knew what idea exactly this was and why in the hell you were in the cell quarters without a Warrior present?”
“What in the hell do I look like?” Jill slapped her chest. “I was with her. I am a Warrior or was all that mumbo-jumbo initiation stuff just for shits and giggles? Am I or am I not a Warrior?”
“Where’s Slade when you need him?” Jared whispered under his breath, but they all heard and chuckled, other than Damon and Sloan.
Nicole watched as Jill deflated in front of her eyes, and it pissed her off. “That’s not funny.” She pointed in Jared’s face. “This is exactly why we did what we did.”
“Nicole.” The warning in Damon’s voice was clear, but she refused to abide by it.
“Rosenstein is part of my case. I am the one who the bastard pulled into the house. I am the one who fought him, was tackled through a wall and continued to apprehend the big bastard. Not one of your Warriors did that. I did, yet I’m refused the opportunity to talk to him. I’m refused inside a meeting that clearly had something to do with Carly’s death.” Nicole was now standing in front of Sloan’s desk.
“This is Warrior business. You aren’t a Warrior yet,” Sloan answered. They were the words she didn’t want to hear. Now she knew exactly what she needed to do, and it broke her heart a little bit.
“Nor will I ever be.” Nicole straightened herself up, her head snapping back proudly. “As of this moment, I withdraw from the training program. You obviously don’t need the help that I can bring.”
Katrina stepped next to Nicole. “I also withdraw.”
Surprised, Nicole glanced at Katrina, but she kept her mouth shut as her eyes shifted to Blaze who was frowning, but remaining silent. “I’ll make sure my office gets the correct paperwork together so I can talk to Rosenstein,” Nicole replied, trying to sound strong and sure, but at the moment, she was praying she was making the right decision. She loved being a part of the VC, but Jill was right. She wasn’t part of the club and never would be.
When Sloan just continued to stare at her, Nicole started to leave but stopped when Jill stepped forward.
“I also withdraw,” Jill said, but her voice gave a little crack.
“Jill, what in the actual fuck are you doing?” Steve hissed, shaking his head. “You can’t do this.”
“Actually, Jill,” Sloan began, his eyes narrowing. “You are a Warrior and just can’t withdraw. There are certain protocols that need to be followed if that’s really what you want. You know too much information and need to be declassified.”
“Well, that shouldn’t take long now, should it, since no one ever trusted me enough to tell much, like the fucking codes.” Jill practically spat. “I tried to prove myself to you. Yes, you, Mr. Murphy.”
Nicole actually gulped at Jill’s tone toward Sloan, but honestly, she felt her frustration. Jill got the short end of the stick more than any of the females.
“Unless I grow a two-incher between my legs like the rest of your Warriors, then it’s just not fucking worth it to me. I’d rather join and help out where I’m needed and wanted, just like the rest of the mates.” Jill glared around at the Warriors. “And yeah, I said two inches, bitches.”
Steve snorted with a roll of his eyes. “Two inches my ass.” Steve crossed his arms, glaring at Jill. “And what are you going to call yourselves, the Warriorettes?”
Nicole actually thought about that for a minute and glanced at Katrina and then Jill, whose lips formed into a small smile as their eyes met. “Damn, Steve. That has a good ring to it.”
“Jill, once the process starts, and you’re out, then you’re out,” Sloan warned. Nicole thought she heard a tinge of regret in his tone. “Is that what you really want?”
“Honestly, no, it’s not what I want,” Jill said, her voice low. “But until the cock club is gender friendly, I’m out. I’m done. I’ve been shot at, I’ve stripped at a nightclub full of horny assholes, I’ve excelled in all training, and yet I’m the last to know, the last picked for games and all that shit. May sound self-pitying to you, but to someone who wanted this more than anyone, it just sucks, and I’m finished wasting my time, especially when I can go somewhere that my worth isn’t constantly questioned simply based on my lack of a dick.”
Nicole glanced back at Damon, who remained where he was just staring at her. Her eyes said sorry, but her mouth remained closed. Turning, she started for the door. Well, that was that, and in the same sentiment of Jill’s words, it sucked.
“You want to question Rosenstein?” Sloan’s voice stopped them.
“Pretty much what this was all about.” Nicole sighed, tired of the back and forth. “You know all the years I worked for Mitch, never once did I have a problem with the police when I wanted to question someone in custody.”
“Well we do things differently here,” Jared growled, his eyes narrowing.
“Different isn’t always right, now, is it?” Nicole glared back at him. “Listen, are you going to let me question him or not? I have a date with my mate if he’s still talking to me, and it’s getting late. So either it’s yes and I get it done, or it’s no, and I go to my boss and get the correct paperwork set in motion.”
“Take her.” Sloan looked at Damon.
“Us,” Jill added with a grumpy look on her face.
“Them,” Sloan growled, then pointed at Jill. “I want to see you as soon as you’re done. Alone.”
Jill gave him a nod just as the song “Baby Shark” started playing in the room.
“Fucking Adam.” Steve tried shutting his phone off, but before he co
uld, Jill, who was still halfway across the room, shot her hand out and Steve’s phone flew from Steve’s hand into hers.
Without looking away from Steve, she smashed the phone in her hand as the song mumbled to a dying stop. Walking past Steve, she shoved it in his chest. “You’re lucky it was your phone.”
“Thank you!” Sid and Jared both shouted at the same time.
Nicole felt Damon’s hand on her back as he led her, as well as Jill and Katrina, out of the room. “Jill, go to the interrogation room and wait for us there. Jax should be there.”
Nodding, Jill and Katrina continued as Damon stopped Nicole.
“Damon, I’m really not in the mood right now.”
“Yeah, well, tough.” Damon stared down at her. “Why in the hell would you go behind my back like this, Nicole? All you had to do is—”
“Is what? Ask? I did that, Damon. I also wanted to stay during your little meeting, but I got pushed aside. I’m done with that.”
“There are things that I can’t involve you in,” Damon hissed down at her. “The less you know, the better.”
Shaking her head, Nicole gave him a small push, a small ball of fury growing in her gut. “And that is exactly why I’m going on my own, Damon. If I can’t find out what is going on with my case from you, then I will find it out from someone else. You aren’t keeping me safe by keeping me in the dark. I’m doing this with or without your approval. Though I would love for you to be behind me on this, it’s not necessary. I’ve made it through long before I met you.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” Damon’s eyes widened before they narrowed again.
“It means that I love you, but we will go our separate ways during work hours.” Nicole softened her tone slightly. “This is who I am, Damon. I’ve lost my way somewhere, but I’m back, and this is me. It’s what I need to do.”
Damon cursed, turning away from her. Panicked, she almost took back her words but stopped herself. If she did that, she would end up hating him. She had to be strong and do this. She jumped when he punched the wall, cursed again, then turned toward her. “Let’s go.”
Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. No! This would work. She could do both, and dammit, she would prove it to him. Her fingers itched to reach out and touch him, but she held herself back. She needed to get in the right frame of mind to face Rosenstein.
Damon reached up and knocked on a dark glass window as they passed. He then opened the door, blocking her path as he checked things out inside. A moment later, he opened the door, allowing her, Jill, and Katrina to walk inside.
“Make one move toward her or them, and you die,” Damon warned Rosenstein as he closed the door, leaned against it, crossing his arms and glaring at the man.
“Can I please have something to drink?” Rosenstein asked Nicole as she sat across the table from him. His lips were bloody and cracked, making her wonder if that was from her or if the Warriors had done a number on him too. His swollen left eye was probably from her elbow she’d smashed into his face.
“Did you foster Carly for the reason of feeding the vampires you had caged in your basement?” Nicole ignored his request.
His only answer was a shake of his head. “Please, I’m so thirsty. My lips hurt.”
“How long were you using Carly?” Nicole asked, disgusted this man thought she would even think to give him something to ease his discomfort. “Did your wife know what you were doing?”
Rosenstein’s head bowed as he started to cry. Nicole sighed as something caught her eyes. A single line of ants crossed the table toward Rosenstein. She glanced past Katrina, who gave her a grin and a shrug.
“Did you give Carly water when she was crying and thirsty?” Nicole glared at the top of the man’s head. “You’re disgusting. To treat a young girl as you have. You’re not a man. You, Rosenstein, are a worthless piece of—”
Nicole had seen his anger building as she hurled insults at the bastard. She knew he was playing her, so she called him on it. She was ready when he tried to lean across the table toward her. With a solid right hook, she knocked him back into his seat, splitting his cheek wide open. Blood poured out.
Damon had moved closer to the table. Slade and Blaze also walked into the room, each standing behind their mate. The ants crawling across the table stopped as if waiting for orders.
“Why did you have the vampires caged?” Nicole continued. This time she leaned over the table toward him. “Who are you working for?”
“I’m not answering you, bitch.” Rosenstein slammed his hand on the table, but his other one was handcuffed to the chair. He tried to spit at her, but his lips were so damaged the spit just ran down his chin.
Damon growled, but to Nicole’s surprise, he didn’t interfere.
“Oh, but I think you will, asshole.” Jill slowly stood. “See all these ants?”
Rosenstein’s one good eye looked down at the table. “Yeah, so fucking what?”
“Have you ever seen what ants can do to a carcass?” Katrina grinned. “And they’re really hungry.”
His eyes shot to them, then back down to the ants. He then shook his arm as one crawled up it. “You’re crazy. You can’t control them.” Rosenstein glanced at the floor then back at Jill.
“You’re right. I can’t.” Jill sneered with a wicked smile, and nodded toward Katrina. “But she can. Go ahead, Katrina. I’m curious to see how long this asshole can take it.”
The ants were actually leaping from the table, some falling to the floor, but making their way up the legs of the chair and his shoes.
“Guess the guys are going to know where the spiders came from.” Nicole grinned glancing at Damon.
“Spiders?” Rosenstein yelped as he tried to brush the ants off, but they were now swarming him. “Okay! Stop!”
“Nope, not until you give some information.” Jill leaned even closer. “I wonder if we can hear them eating away at his wounds.”
“You’re crazy!” Rosenstein continued to slap at himself.
Nicole glanced at Katrina with a nod. Katrina looked back at Rosenstein, and the ants stopped moving. “She’ll get rid of them as soon as you answer the question. Who were you working for and why?”
Rosenstein stopped smacking at the ants. His eyes glazed over as he stared straight ahead.
Snapping her fingers in front of his face, his glazed eyes shifted toward her. “You really want to know?” His voice came out different; it was rough and deep with an edge of madness.
His eyes immediately turned black. Not just the color, but his whole eyeball. It was as if a black shield snapped over them. He quickly stood and grew in height.
“Get them out of here!” Damon shouted, but it was too late. Rosenstein reached for Nicole, but Damon pulled her away, putting himself between them. Rosenstein, or who used to be Rosenstein, grabbed Damon like a rag doll and threw him toward the wall, but Damon was back up on his feet heading toward him again.
“You cannot defeat me!” the possessed Rosenstein bellowed, his eyes taking them all in. Warriors were streaming in the door, trying to reach him, but it was as if an invisible force stopped them. He looked directly at Nicole. “Save the children… if you can, Nicole.”
A wicked laugh sounded throughout the room as Rosenstein’s head fell back and his mouth opened wide in a silent scream. Nicole watched in horror as the man’s head snapped to one side then another with a sickening sound before his body collapsed underneath him.
Chapter 12
Nicole stood just outside the interrogation room staring inside as Jax and Blaze picked up Rosenstein. She stepped back, letting them pass. Rosenstein’s eyes stared lifelessly at her as he went by. Dread and frustration swarmed her mind. A moment later, Damon walked past her without saying a word. Releasing a deep breath, she pushed off the wall and followed him.
“You guys aren’t strangers to demons, are you?” Nicole walked quickly, trying to keep up. Since everything went down inside that small room, Damon ha
d made sure she was okay, but that was it. He hadn’t spoken to her or even looked her way. She could tell by the way he carried himself he was angry, but that didn’t stop her from asking her questions.
Viktor and Bishop were heading along the hallway toward them. “Did you see the black breath?” Viktor asked Damon, dismissing her completely.
“No,” Damon announced with a shake of his head.
“Black breath?” Nicole wedged her way into their conversation. She’d be damned if she remained there standing like an idiot, quiet and ignored.
“That’s good,” Bishop replied as he moved to pass them, heading in the direction Nicole and Damon had just left. “But we need to get Mira and Kira down here to see what they can pick up on.”
Nicole frowned. “But they’re witches.”
Viktor finally glanced down at her. “Witches have a sense of good and evil. How strong and powerful. Demons also have rankings that witches can detect.”
Before Viktor could continue, Damon cut him off. “Let me know what they find.”
“Will do,” Bishop replied with a frown. “They also need to get a stronger protection spell. The one they’re using for Orjyll obviously didn’t work.”
Nicole frowned as Bishop and Viktor continued along the hallway opposite of her and Damon. She glanced to see Damon continuing on his way, and once again, she hurried to catch up with him.
“Could this be connected with Orjyll?” Nicole almost slammed into the back of him when he stopped suddenly.
“Do you have any idea what we are dealing with?” Damon growled, his eyes narrowed in on her.
Nicole leaned back, shocked at his tone. “Obviously not since you haven’t told me anything, so I would if you told me,” she shot back. “That would be a hell of a lot clearer than me trying to pull it out of your stubborn ass.”
An expression Nicole had never seen on Damon crossed his face. She opened her mouth to say something, but when he slowly closed then opened his eyes, they were back to their golden hue. That was odd. She knew he was irritated with her, angry at what had just happened in the interrogation room. His eyes would be black, wouldn’t they? And why in the hell did that matter at this moment, she didn’t know.
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