by Nikki McCoy
Daneya panted heavily, caught in a whirlwind of sensation. In that moment, she knew there would be no one who could replace him, and she didn’t want to try. Despite what everyone else thought, she hadn’t spent the last nine years alone out of personal choice. It just wasn’t in her to settle.
For a missed opportunity. For something that might be if she gave it a chance. With Saden, there was no second guessing. He had been a part of her life before she’d ever met him and she would give all that she could to keep him with her.
If only…
Her thoughts scattered as Saden flipped them over and spread her legs beneath him. He clutched her hips and delved past her threshold, setting up a vigorous pace. It was all she could do to hold onto his shoulders as the pressure building within became overwhelming. Her pleasure rose swiftly to a peak, the force of her climax crashing wave after wave of ecstasy over her body.
Saden leaned forward to swallow her cry, quickening his strokes until he released a raw groan. His cock pulsed with his orgasm and muscles tensed around her.
She floated in a haze of bliss, too content to move. After a while, Saden lifted her to the top of the bed and covered them with the blanket. The first wisps of pre-dawn light brightened the darkness through the open balcony doors. In the silence, she laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart beating. Sleep should have taken her but the thoughts she’d been avoiding gradually crept in. It was the start of a new day that would decide their fate and she knew Saden could no longer put off his decision.
“Do you know what you’ll do yet?”
Saden heaved a deep breath and kissed her forehead. “I’ll have to work out a deal with Serrakus. If he agrees to let me organize a group of Drakons to investigate Gabriel’s accomplices, I’ll hand over Gabriel and extend my sentence. Taking the accomplices into custody one at a time over a period will minimize the attrition of the house of Avram.”
She frowned up at him. “Extend your sentence. You sound as if you would be done if it weren’t for this setback.”
A long pause followed, then he replied, “It doesn’t matter now. I couldn’t rest until I knew you and Mckenzie were safe.”
Rest. It was such a peaceful word when in reality, the end of his sentence meant death. Her emotions warred with logic. While she didn’t want him gone forever, knowing what he would endure under the control of his Drakonem seemed just as severe. It would be so much easier if she could join his team to take down the accomplices, but that wasn’t an option. They might report his relationship with her and all of this would be for naught.
“Will you keep in touch?” she tried. “Let me know how things go.”
Before he could answer, the bedroom door swung open and Blade stepped inside. He was fully dressed with a grim expression. “Playtime’s over, kiddies. I’ve detected three Drakons on their way here and by their speed, I’m bettin’ they’re warders come to bring you in.”
Saden jumped out of the bed and tugged on his jeans and boots then tossed Daneya her clothes. “How far out are they?”
“Three minutes. Maybe less.”
“Get Roshon and his men out of here. Daneya, Cherri and Kennie will go to the DCM compound.”
Blade nodded then took off. Daneya’s heart pounded with adrenaline-laced fear as she got dressed. She couldn’t understand what was going on. Saden wouldn’t send her away unless it was absolutely necessary. “What’s happening?”
Saden snatched her robe then clamped a hand around her wrist and pulled her from the room. “Warders only come out when they’re sent to retrieve a rogue Drakon.”
She had to jog to keep pace with him. “Why are they coming after you? You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“I’ve done plenty.” In Daneya’s room, he handed her the robe then picked up Mckenzie. “Grab a gun. You might need it.”
Instinct kicked in and she covered herself with the robe then tucked her favorite gun into one of the pockets. They took the stairs two at a time, followed by the Rakshasas.
Mckenzie clung to Saden’s neck, her face pale and eyes wide with fright. Her voice was small and barely audible over the clamor of confusion. “Mom, where are we going?”
“It’ll be all right, sweetie. Don’t worry.” She couldn’t say more than that, unsure of the plan herself.
Roshon ran to meet them from the area of the living room. “Your friend tells me I’m to take my men and head out.”
Saden paused long enough to extend a hand to the chief, who shook it falteringly. “It seems our paths end here. I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done. Blade will be in contact with you later.”
Roshon furrowed his brow but didn’t argue. “Good luck to you, then.”
By the time they reached the garage, Blade and Cherri had caught up to them. Saden opened the garage door, kissed Mckenzie’s cheek then loaded her into the back seat of the sedan with Cherri. When he tried to pull Daneya to the front passenger seat, she twisted her arm out of his grip and planted her feet on the floor.
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s happening.” She could almost hear him grind his teeth in impatience.
“My Drakonem wants me back. I don’t know why and the warders aren’t likely to stop and answer my questions. They’re dangerous and will hurt any innocents who get in their way. I can’t guarantee your safety.”
“When will I see you again?”
“Saden, they’re here!” Blade shouted from behind the wheel.
Saden’s expression changed to one that made her chest seize with emotion. He crushed his lips to hers then shoved her into the front seat and slammed the door behind her. She was about to open it again when a large figure appeared several yards in front of the car. The ground exploded at his feet, throwing him back at the same time Blade punched the gas and swerved around him.
Daneya rolled down her window and climbed halfway out of the seat to look back. Another figure materialized out of the gray light of dawn and cast a bolt of blue fire at Saden. He dodged it and sent one of his own, though it was already too late. A third Drakon took form some distance away and shot out a blinding arc of fire. It struck Saden in the back, hurling him to the ground.
“No!” Daneya screamed. She saw Saden rise to his hands and knees then crumble once again when all three Drakons hit him repeatedly with bursts of fire.
Within seconds, the horrifying scene faded into a background of flames that engulfed the garage and slowly extended to the rest of the manor. She looked at Blade, unable to keep the accusation from her tone. “They’re killing him. Aren’t you going to stop it?”
Blade glanced at the rearview mirror, his face a rigid mask of stone. “I can’t. The warders would take me in as well if I tried. They can’t kill him. Serrakus is the only one with the power to do that.”
When they reached the main road, Blade took a left while the Rakshasas’ vehicles turned in the other direction. Daneya’s mind was reeling from what had just happened. This couldn’t be how she and Saden parted. There were still things to be said and done. What of the deal he’d planned on arranging with Serrakus, or the Rakshasas? She couldn’t go back to the DCM now.
Somehow she knew if she did, all of this would be over and her connection to Saden lost.
“Why would his Drakonem demand he go back like this?”
Blade shrugged. “It could be any number of reasons. Because he healed you, involved the Rakshasas. Serrakus might’ve just gotten fed up with waiting for him to complete his assignment.”
Her thoughts traveled back to the conversation she’d had with Saden earlier in his room. “Or because Serrakus found out about his relationship to me.”
His face softened a measure. “My man knew what he was doing when he took you from Vincent’s house. He was prepared to take the consequences. You were always more important to him.”
The words were meant to be supportive, yet they filled Daneya with guilt. Was she partially to blame for the warders’ attack? The idea caused acid to churn
in her stomach. “What will Serrakus do with Saden?”
Blade’s hands gripped the wheel until his knuckles turned white. “I don’t know. Serrakus must be really pissed off to send three warders. Saden might be gone for a year at least.”
“A year!” she exclaimed. “For punishment?”
His expression told her it was nothing unusual. “Time is irrelevant to the Drakonem. They can keep us for as long as they want if they choose to. I’ll find out what I can.”
A year, she repeated silently, feeling ice creep into her veins. So this was it. The point where she returned to her old life and forgot about Saden. She’d known it was coming. Saden had given her no illusion that he could prevent it from happening. Somewhere along the way, though, she had refused to acknowledge it. Her life had changed and she wasn’t ready to go back to the way things were.
No. Screw that, she thought bitterly. She didn’t want any part of her previous life, now or ever. Those days were gone. Saden had made her a different person and she still needed him. In her life, at her side.
“Don’t go there,” Blade said quietly. When she remained silent, he focused his gaze on her. “I can tell what you’re thinking. You’ve got to let him go. It’s what he would’ve wanted.”
“What if I don’t want to believe that?”
“You have to. Those warders saw you before we left and they’ll report it to Serrakus. Saden will be lucky if he doesn’t get transferred to another region and a new Drakonem.” He lowered his voice so that only she could hear him above the hum of the engine. “Everything he did was for you. If you care about him, you’ll go on with your life and find happiness.”
Tears stung her eyes as she bit her lip in frustration and stared out of the side window. Images of Saden falling to the warders in his effort to distract them flashed before her blurred vision. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t think of a way around the situation. Saden was going to be trapped in a realm she had no access to for who knew how long and she still needed protection from Gabriel. The DCM was the only place that could provide it.
Daneya wiped her eyes briskly. “What of Gabriel?”
“I’ll take the evidence we found to Serrakus. Even if he closes the case on Gabriel, I’ll find a way to reopen it or bring new charges against the bastard. You have my word.”
She gave a cursory nod then glanced at her daughter’s tear-streaked face. Mckenzie was wrapped in Cherri’s arms, her lower lip trembling. Cherri’s expression carried a mixture of concern and satisfaction. “Maybe this is for the best,” she whispered.
Daneya had to look away. She couldn’t contemplate that right now. Not with Saden in the hands of his sadistic Drakonem.
Sometime later, Blade pulled into the rear lot of a gas station roughly five minutes from the DCM compound. Daneya got out of the car with him and met him by the trunk. He handed her his cell phone, saying, “Call Vincent. Tell him to keep you at the compound for the next month. It won’t be safe enough for you at his house.”
“Will I see you again?”
“No. I’ll keep the promise I made to Saden to watch over you and Mckenzie, but it’ll be from a distance. I can’t risk Serrakus finding out that I’m still in contact with you.” He hesitated, then said, “Tell Kennie she’s going to be a hell of a warrior one day. I’ll miss her.”
Daneya smiled tightly then stared down at the phone, her throat too tight to speak. When she looked up again, there was only empty space in front of her.
Chapter Fifteen
The call to Vincent was short and succinct. To her surprise, he arrived in less than ten minutes, apparently never having left the compound after the previous day. Warm comfort seeped into her at the sight of his familiar face. Even with a cast on one arm and sweats instead of a suit, he looked better than she remembered.
No questions or complaints fell from his lips. He simply marched up to her and encased her in a firm hug. After the morning she’d had, his solid presence nearly unraveled her determination to keep it together. She sank into his embrace and allowed the brief respite to calm her nerves.
When they drew apart, he brushed the moisture from her cheeks she hadn’t known was there. “Is Mckenzie with you?”
She tilted her head toward the car. “And Cherri. We’ll need to stay at the compound for a while. It won’t be safe for us anywhere else.”
Again, he made no enquiries about her circumstances. Merely gave a nod then told her to follow him. They drove to the back of the DCM compound where a separate area housed new recruits in a series of town houses. She and Cherri had lived in one for years while they were both being trained in their respective fields. The apartments were basic and efficient for short- or long-term stays.
Vincent led her to the last set of town houses on the right. As soon as she got out of the car, a streak of pale skin and red hair shot from the front door of the middle apartment and barreled into her. Erin threw her arms around Daneya’s neck and squeezed as if her life depended on it, letting out breathless peals of laughter.
“I’m so glad you’re back! I’ve missed you like crazy. We all have. Floyd and the others wanted to be here but Vincent has them out on patrol. They’ll come by later. How are you doing? Where’s Kennie and Cherri?”
Daneya mustered a thin smile. It was good to see her friend after being away for so long. Although Erin was petite and—in the words of most of the men at the compound—a bombshell, she was loyal to a fault and an expert at tactical maneuvers. They had met during Daneya’s second year there and been friends ever since. She and Floyd had one child who’d grown up with Mckenzie. The pair was inseparable whenever they were together.
“Erin,” Vincent called gruffly from the other side of the car, “quit running your mouth and help out.” He pulled Mckenzie from the back seat and hefted her into his arms.
Erin immediately rushed to him and began fussing over Mckenzie who remained oddly quiet. “Hurry and come inside. Everything’s ready for them.”
With a frown, Daneya moved aside to let Cherri pass by on her way into the apartment. “How did you know we would have to come here?”
Vincent surrendered Mckenzie to Erin then guided Daneya to the door. “This is closer than my house and going to yours is out of the question. I had Erin fix up the place as soon as I got your call.”
It seemed everybody was making the decisions regarding her welfare, whether she agreed with them or not. Currently, it was the latter, but she was too tired to care, both mentally and physically. Saden had kept her up all night, in her thoughts then later in his bed. The memory of the heat of his body surrounding hers echoed along her skin like an invisible blanket. It didn’t extend to the rest of her, however, or keep the chill from her bones.
Inside, she followed Erin to the downstairs bedroom. It held the basic necessities. A twin-sized bed, plain dresser and nightstand with an alarm clock and cast iron lamp on top. After Erin tucked Mckenzie under the covers of the bed, Daneya sat beside her daughter and kissed her forehead. “How are you feeling?”
Mckenzie didn’t say anything at first. Her face was ashen against the tangled locks of her auburn hair. “We’re not going to see them again, are we?”
A dull ache throbbed in Daneya’s chest. She wanted to tell her daughter everything would be okay. That Saden would be fine and Blade was watching over them. But the words clogged in a tight knot.
Truth was, she wasn’t sure of anything. Not anymore. Her life had been hurled precariously out of control and with Saden gone, there was no anchor to keep her steady. She filled her voice with reassurance despite her emotions and drew her daughter into a hug. “We’ll never forget them, I promise. Now go to sleep. I’ll wake you in a few hours for breakfast.”
On her way out, Cherri took her hand with a sorrowful expression. “I’m sorry. I really am. If you need me, I’ll be in the room upstairs.”
“And I’ll come back later,” Erin said. “I’m teaching a class on small arms maintenance. The fridge is stocke
d and the landline phone is connected in case you need to call me. Get some rest. You look like you’re about to fall over.” She pecked Daneya on the cheek then left the apartment.
Daneya wandered into the living room in a light fog and sat heavily on the couch. The ensuing silence was thick. Every muscle in her body was sore from tension. Just as her eyelids started to droop, Vincent entered the front door carrying a bottle of whiskey in one hand and two tumblers in the other. She chuckled and made room for him on the couch. The man had read her mind.
“I’m staying in the apartment next door,” Vincent said with a grin. “Thought you could use this.”
“You thought right.” She took a half-full glass, downed the contents in one swallow then handed it back for a refill. Liquid fire spread heat like a soothing balm along her insides. It was almost enough to warm the bleak cavity in her chest. Almost. “Why aren’t you at home?”
“My house needed some repairs after…well, after the incident.” He finished off his glass, scrubbed his face then leaned back with a sigh.
It was then Daneya noticed the wear on him that hadn’t been there before. The lines around his eyes and stubble on his jaw. His once cultivated appearance was now haggard, showing every day of his thirty-six years. When he looked over at her, his bloodshot eyes told her that the past several days had taken their toll.
He straightened and set his glass on the coffee table. “I won’t ask you to tell me where you’ve been or who the man was that you left with. I’ve been around you long enough to know when to push and when to keep my mouth shut. You should know, though, that I have missed you. And Kennie. Things have been…hard without you here.”
A wave of guilt washed over her. She should’ve called him, if for nothing else than to let him know she was alive and well. Saden wouldn’t have stopped her. After studying Vincent for long seconds, she decided to come clean. She owed him more than the silent treatment, no matter how reluctant she was to speak of where she’d been.
The story came out slowly, or most of it. There was no need to go into detail about certain aspects, like the extent of her relationship with Saden and her past connection to Gabriel. Some things were better left unsaid.