Текст книги "Wicked Edge"

Автор книги: Rebecca Zanetti

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

Chapter 32

Felicity gaped as the veins in Daire’s neck turned a shocking, sizzling red. He threw back his head, tightening the muscles along his jaw and elongating his jugular.

Pain rode the air around them. She glanced at Logan, her lungs seizing. “Go get your brothers.”

He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you.”

“We’re fine. Go now.” She used her best mom voice. Logan faltered but then turned to do as she said.

She immediately pushed forward to straddle Daire’s legs. Her hands shook, but she pressed them to his furnace-hot cheeks. Her heart hurt to the point her ribs vibrated. “Listen to me, Daire Dunne.” She leaned in. “I finally found you, I love you, and I’m keeping you.” Risking the burn, she pressed a hard kiss to his scalding lips.

He shook his head, sweat pouring down his rugged face. Red cut into the whites of his eyes, and with the green created a Tim Burton distortion of Christmas. “Get off me, Cee Cee.”

“Never.” She lowered her chin, keeping his gaze. “You mated a demon, witch. So suck it up, use whatever power you can get from me, and fight this planekite.”

He blinked, and blood trickled from the corner of his right eye.

She pressed harder. This had to work. The man meant everything. “Listen to me. Planekite doesn’t hurt demons. You mated a demon and should be able to tap into my powers, such as they are. Close your eyes and imagine a cooling balm inside your veins and around your organs.” She would not lose him now. “I love you. Use that.”

His gaze softened. “I love you,” he whispered.

“Right back at you. Now concentrate.” She closed her eyes and tried to visualize every ounce of power she should’ve had in life going to him. To saving him. The walls around them were weak, and he had to beat the drug inside his veins. That was the one that mattered.

He began to shake, low mutterings escaping from his mouth in an ancient language she couldn’t interpret.

She kept in the moment, trying to help him. Instead of words, she tried to force a healing balm into his brain. Since she could hurt him just by communicating telepathically, why couldn’t she help him with images? They’d mated, and she could help him.

His face heated to the point that her palms burned, but she still held on. Smoke billowed up from his jeans. Blood flowed, already burned, from his ears.

Yet she held on.

Finally, with one final shudder, he fell back.

“Daire?” Panic clogged her throat as she followed him down, peering at his face.

He blinked open his eyes. Green and white with black pupils. Beautiful green. “Cee Cee.”

She smiled and fell flat on top of him, kissing him with everything inside her. The relief flowing through her nearly made her sway. He was all right.

He wrapped his bare arms around her, taking over the kiss, overwhelming her with sensation. One hand palmed her butt, rubbing her against him.

“Jesus,” came a low exclamation. “Get a room.”

She leaned back, and amusement bubbled up. Glancing over her shoulder, she took quick inventory of her three sons. “Everybody all right?”

Zane, a purple bruise across the right side of his face, winced. “Mom. Get up.”

She rolled her eyes and crawled off Daire to stand. “You okay?” she asked.

He accepted her outstretched hand and stood, wavering only for a moment. “I’m fine. Thanks to you.”

Logan snorted. “Could we get out of here, then?”

She cleared her throat. “Ah, would you all mind just staying here for a few moments? I have something to do.” Without waiting for an answer, she turned and started for the lift.

A chorus of male protests echoed behind her, so she turned to face her family. “I said I’ll be right back.”

Sam wiped blood off his arm. “What is happening right now?”

Logan shook his head. “She’s gone nuts.”

Zane poked at a hole in his wrist. “Mom?”

She glanced at Daire, who was watching her intently. “Well?” she asked.

His lips twitched. “I’m just guessing here, but I think your mom has plans one level down. Right?”

She smiled and nodded. “I swear I’ll be quick.”

He chuckled, love definitely glinting in his eyes. “I’ll come with you.”

“What’s the plan?” Zane exploded.

Felicity sighed. “I’ve always planned to blow up this place, and since we’re here . . .” Her sons looked at her like she’d gone completely insane, their eyes wide, their mouths open.

Zane finally turned his wrath on Daire. “You’re okay with this?”

Daire studied her.

Felicity held her breath. Either he got her, or he didn’t.

Finally, his grin widened. “Aye.”

Her heart swelled. She smiled so big her cheeks hurt.

Logan shoved away from the wall. “You’re as crazy as she is.”

“I hope so,” Daire returned, sauntering over to her and holding out an elbow. “Shall we?”

Laughter rumbled up from deeper than her physical body as she slid her hand along his arm. “We shall.” She glanced over her shoulder. “We’ll be right back, boys. By the way, after we finish off the planekite mines and maybe rob a bank or two, I’m thinking about having more kids. Say a few girls?”

Her boys paled.

“Demon-witch hybrid girls?” Sam said slowly, shaking his head. “As our sisters? We’ll never get to sleep again.”

Daire patted her hand. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

She nearly hopped as they reached the lift. “I never thought I’d say this, but it’s so good to be alive.”

“I agree.” Her mate pressed the button, and within moments, they were at the right level.

They studied the explosives, which were fairly simple. Setting one to blow would blow them all, and there were enough piled high that the entire mountain would go.

Daire carefully engaged one with a timer and gave them five minutes.

Felicity’s chest felt way too full. She paused at the control section of the level but did the right thing. Flipping several buttons, she grabbed the microphone and made sure all speakers in the mine and adjoining business part were fully on. “Hello. This is your one warning. Since all of you can teleport, if you haven’t already done so, you’re gonna want to in the next four minutes. This place is going to blow.”

Daire clapped. “Nicely done.”

“Thanks.” She slid out from behind the console and ran to take his hand. They hustled up the lift and to where the boys were pacing frantically.

“Mom—” Zane started.

She walked right into his arms. “The mountain is going to blow in about three minutes.”

He shook his head and grabbed Logan in a half hug. “Sam? Get Daire.”

Then he whisked them from danger.

Daire left Felicity sleeping peacefully in a guest bedroom in Simone’s penthouse after a long shower. A very long shower where he’d made sure all the blood was washed off her for good. He stalked out to the living area and paused to take in the Seattle skyline. Stunning and sparkling. Just like his mate.

The Kyllwood three lounged on sofas and chairs in the massive room after having eaten what looked like several pounds of cheeseburgers.

“Transporting takes protein,” Sam said around a mouthful of French fries.

“I wouldn’t know,” Logan muttered, grabbing for a plate of what looked like mini-tacos.

At this point, Daire would need another job just to keep the kid fed. “You have plenty of time to learn how to teleport. Stop worrying about it.”

Zane finished texting something on his phone and glanced up. “How’s Mom?”

“Exhausted.” Daire padded barefoot around the sofa, grabbed a lone cheeseburger, and dropped onto a chair. “I figure we all should talk.”

“We’ve already been talking,” Logan said, pulling a beer from a bucket and tossing it at him.

Daire caught it one-handed. He’d figured. He studied the three men. Black hair, green eyes, and their mama’s stubborn chin. He could do worse for family. “What did you all decide?” Not that it mattered, because he was keeping Felicity for good. But getting along with her kids would probably be a good thing, and truth be told, he liked all three of them.

“Nobody is good enough for our mom,” Sam said, eyeing the fries still on Logan’s plate.

“Agreed,” Daire said evenly.

Zane breathed out. “If she has to be with somebody instead of being a nun like I suggested, then we talked, and you’ll do.”

High praise indeed from one of the most powerful men on the planet. Daire took a drink of his beer. “Thanks.”

“Truth be told, I’m glad somebody else can be looking out for her,” Zane said, leaning forward. “I’m not sure, but I think she has completely lost her mind.”

Logan snorted. “Nah. She just feels safe for the first time in her life, and now she’s exploring a little bit.”

Zane sobered. “I guess she feels safe because of you, Dunne.”

That warmed him all over. “I won’t let anything happen to her. You have my word.” It was heartfelt and the least he could promise.

“I can’t believe she killed Bychkov all by herself,” Logan breathed.

Pride lifted Daire’s chest. “She had a plan.” The woman was amazing with a good plan. “She said she was going to take him down, and she did exactly that.”

“Your mating will secure an alliance between the demon nation and the Coven Nine,” Zane said.

“No.” Daire tipped back his beer and allowed the local brew to cool his throat. “I mean, aye, it probably would, but my mating is not a political issue, and it’ll remain private.”

Zane grinned. “Nicely said.”

Sam snorted and swiped a couple of Logan’s fries. “You know she’s a grandma, right?”

Daire lifted an eyebrow. “So?”

“Welcome to the family, Grandpa,” Zane drawled.

Daire blinked. He wasn’t old enough, not by a long shot, to be a grandpa. Hell, he wasn’t even a dad yet. “Can’t wait for your mom to give birth to a sibling for you three.” His grin even felt a little dangerous. “You know, twins run in my family.”

“Oh God,” Zane breathed, falling back in his seat.

Daire nodded with just a hint of smugness. None of them, and that included him, were ready for witch-demon crossbred girls. God help the world. Take in their slightly crazy mother, add in a cranky witch for a father, and life would definitely get interesting. “Speaking of wild plans, what happened with the Sjenerøse mine?”

“Completely destroyed, set off a nine-point earthquake, and soon the entire island will be in the sea,” Sam said.

Daire grinned. His mate was damn dangerous, now wasn’t she? He couldn’t even imagine being with somebody calm and docile. How boring. Thank goodness fate had other plans than what he thought he’d wanted. “I love her. Just so you know.”

“Yeah. We caught that,” Zane said. “Welcome to the family, Enforcer.”

Chapter 33

Felicity snuggled down in the thick bedclothes not feeling an ounce of guilt for eavesdropping on the men in her life. Daire would be good for the boys. He was experienced, tough, and incredibly sweet. The boys would be good for him, too. There wasn’t time to get cranky and stuck in one place when the boys were around, and Daire needed that, whether or not he realized it at the moment.

Her body ached, and her muscles pounded, but she’d never been happier. Who knew when she embarked on her crazy plan to drug an enforcer and glean information that she would’ve found love and happiness? Once again, she shook her head at the oddity of life, grateful beyond measure.

A tablet dinged from the bedtable, and she sat up, swiping a finger across the screen.

“Cee Cee Cee Cee,” exclaimed a joyous toddler.

“My baby, Hope,” she responded, just as much joy filtering through her as she took in Hope Kyllwood. At about fourteen months, the girl was adorable beyond words with huge blue eyes, curly brown hair, and very pink cheeks. A rim of green surrounded her blue eyes, and a prophecy marking climbed down her neck, but for now, she was just a kid happy to see family.

The girl clapped her pudgy hands together. “Cee Cee Cee.”

Felicity laughed. “It’s good to see you, too.”

The baby gurgled, delight dancing across her face.

The screen widened, and Janie Kayrs, Hope’s mom, came into view. “Hi, Felicity. I hope it’s okay we called. Hope has been chanting your name for hours.”

Felicity nodded at her daughter-in-law. “Always call. Any time and any place.” Janie looked very much like her daughter, pretty with very intelligent eyes and was the perfect mate for Zane. “Zane will be home soon.”

Janie grinned, flashing a dimple. “He says you’re robbing banks these days.”

“Um, yeah.” That probably wasn’t a good example to set for her granddaughter, was it?

“Awesome. If you ever need backup, please call on me. I’d love to rob a bank.” Janie tugged on Hope’s curls. “Mom wants to come, too.”

Hope edged her way in front of the camera again. “Cee Cee Cee.”

Daire slipped into the bedroom, and Felicity scooted over so he could sit on the bed. “You’ve met Janie, but this is Hope.”

Daire leaned over and smiled into the camera.

Hope clapped her hands together. “Daire, Daire, Daire. Daire, Cee Cee, Daire, Cee Cee, Daire, Cee Cee Cee Cee.”

Felicity laughed. “I see you’ve told her about Daire.”

Janie’s eyebrows drew down. “Um, no. I haven’t said anything about Daire to her.”

Felicity blew out air. Janie was psychic, so it wasn’t a stretch to think Hope had inherited the gift. “For now, don’t worry about it,” she said softly. Hope’s future was a worry for another day.

Janie nodded and hugged her daughter close. “All right. Say night, and we’ll go call daddy.”

“Night,” Hope said, grinning. “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy . . .” The tablet shut off.

Felicity sighed and put it on the night table. “So, that’s Hope. I’m young, really young, but I guess that you should know—”

“I know she’s your granddaughter,” Daire said, shoving down his jeans.

Felicity’s cheeks burned. “Yeah.”

“You’re young Cee Cee, and we can have tons of kids.”

“So I heard.” Her heart actually warmed.

He slid underneath the covers. Warmth and the scent of fresh rain surrounded them. “Were you eavesdropping when I talked to your boys?”

She grinned and rolled into his side to play with the ripped muscles along his torso. So much strength, and it was all hers. He was all hers. “I have no problem eavesdropping or confessing to such. Looks like we just formed a solid family.”

He brushed the hair away from her face, his touch gentle from a deadly hand. “I love you, Felicity. No matter what crazy scheme you come up with next.”

She leaned up and kissed him on the chin, smiling as stubble tickled her chin. “I love you, too.” For the moment, she allowed herself to bask in him. He was right in that she wasn’t crippled or less than anybody else. Abilities were abilities, and she had her own. By viewing herself through his eyes, she’d finally gotten a clear picture. “We’re going to have an adventurous life.”

“I know.”

She smiled.

“That smile. All mine.” He brushed a kiss across her forehead.

Her smiled widened. “You, ah, don’t see me as a bad person since I killed Ivan?”

“’Twas self-defense.”

She sobered. That wasn’t exactly true. “I planned to kill him, and I did. Even if he hadn’t kidnapped me and tried to hurt me, I would’ve killed him.”

Daire’s lips twitched. “He killed your mate, and he would’ve harmed your sons. If you have an enemy, a real one, you take them out in order to protect your family.” He brushed a gentle kiss across her lips. “I’d expect nothing less from the mother of the kids we’ll have someday.”

Her heart swelled so large she was afraid her ribs would break. “I love you.”

“Love you more.” He tickled down her rib cage.

She chuckled and shoved his hands away. How was it possible to be so happy, even while the world remained unsettled around them? Maybe having her kids in one place and all safe was something to celebrate, even if for only one night. “Any news on Simone?”

He traced her bottom lip, his eyes glittering. “Aye. She and Nick are on the coast, fighting it out. I believe they’re safe for a while, and we have a little time to figure out who’s after her.” He breathed out. “I mean, if they don’t kill each other first. That would take care of the entire problem.”

She chuckled. If the tension vibrating through the room when Nick and Simone had been in one place was any indication, they were either fighting or making love at that very moment. “I’ve e-mailed all my research on the Coven Nine and planekite holdings throughout the world to you.”

He grinned. “Thanks.”

She believed him. If he said that Simone wasn’t involved in those companies, then she trusted his judgment. “What about Titans of Fire?” she asked. “Was Kellach able to find out who’s distributing Apollo?”

“Not yet, but basically because Pyro is still in jail.” Daire sighed. “We’ll figure out Fire next week. For now, let’s just enjoy us.”

How wonderful that they had an us. She’d never thought to find love again, and the reality of her good fortune made it difficult to concentrate on anything but the incredibly sexy body that was hers to touch. Forever. “All right, but I have to ask, is there going to be an issue with an enforcer mating a demon?”

He lifted a shoulder. “I don’t care in the slightest, so no, there’s no issue.”

She grinned again. “I figured you’d think all of this happened way too quickly.”

“Does anything happen in slow motion when you’re around?” His warm palm caressed down her back to rest on her butt.

“Nope.” She maneuvered herself on top of his strong body. Desire and love commingled inside her to create a comfortable craving she’d always associate with the enforcer. “So you’re okay with everything?”

He placed a kiss on her nose. “You are everything.”

Her heart jumped hard against her rib cage. Sometimes he was the sweetest person. “Are you sure we have time for a night off?”

He smiled. “I’m sure, and right now, I’m only thinking about you. We can return to reality tomorrow. For now, let’s enjoy the fact that we’re here, in a bed, and you’re naked.”

She chuckled, not missing the darkening of his eyes at her hoarse voice. “I’ve been thinking about robbing a bank I read about in Switzerland that hides money for criminals. It’d be a tough one, but I think I can come up with a plan. You in?”

He leaned down and kissed her, deep and strong. Finally, he lifted his head. “Oh, baby. I’m definitely in.”

Read on for an excerpt from Rebecca Zanetti’s novella

On the Hunt,

an introduction to her heart-pounding post-apocalyptic

SCORPIUS SYNDROME series!

Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.—Carl Sagan

WEEK 1

Eight people dead

Likelihood of Scorpius Containment: Definite

Wind whistled a mournful tune around aluminum buildings and across the jagged concrete tarmac. Dr. Nora Medina shivered in the damp night air and ignored the water splashing over her flip-flops. The soldiers around her, armed to the nth degree, merely added to the pressure building in her chest.

Her nearly bare chest.

She fought to keep her balance while hustling up the metal steps to the third private plane of her day.

Enough.

She might be the only unarmed person on the quiet tarmac, and the only woman, but enough was fucking enough, because she was also the only person wearing a borrowed white blouse over a bright pink bikini top, barelythere wrap around her bikini clad butt, and sandals.

Temper roared through her, and she planted her feet at the top of the stairs, only to slide across the wet surface.

“Ma’am,” said the nearest faceless soldier, reaching for her arm.

She jerked free and rounded on him. “I swear, if one more person calls me ‘ma’am’ or apologizes for the inconvenience of dragging me off a very nice beach in Maui several hours ago, I will take his gun and shoot him.”

The man’s expression didn’t change. “Yes, ma’am.”

She bit down a scream. “All right. Listen up. We are in Seattle, and I know we’re in Seattle.” She pressed her hands against chilled hips and tried to stand taller. “Do you know how I know?”

“No, ma’am.” Well trained, definitely at ease, the soldier kept his gaze above her right shoulder.

“I know,” she said slowly and through gritted teeth, “because I looked out the bloody window when we were landing. The next time you kidnap somebody, you might want to blacken out the windows.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded his head, ever so slightly, toward the doorway to the plane.

“This is kidnapping, and I’ve had it. We’re in Seattle, and yep, guess what? I live here. So I’m going to head home, take an incredibly hot shower, change my clothes, and then call—well, somebody. Anybody who will tell me what the hell is going on.” Her rant would end perfectly if she could just get past him on the steps, but he easily blocked her way.

“All apologies, ma’am, but our orders are to escort you. Please embark.” He kept his voice level and polite.

She swallowed. There were six of them, one of her, and no way would she win a physical altercation. “Not until you tell me where we’re going.”

“Nora?” A voice called from inside the plane. “Get your ass in here.”

Every nerve she owned short-circuited. Her gut clenched as if a fist had plowed into her solar plexus. Slowly, spraying water, she pivoted toward the opening. It couldn’t be. It really couldn’t be.

The voice she knew so well. Male, low, slight Scottish brogue a decade in the States hadn’t quite banished. Her heart thundered, and fire skidded across her abdomen to flare deep. How was this even possible? She steeled her shoulders and approached the opening of the plane as if a bomb waited inside. So many thoughts rioted through her brain, she couldn’t grasp just one.

Warmth hit her first when she stepped inside, followed by another shock wave. “Deacan Devlin McDougall,” she murmured.

He stretched to his feet from one of the luxurious leather chairs, standing in the aisle—the only place high enough to accommodate his six-foot-four frame.

All the thoughts zinging around her head stopped cold.

Nothing. Her brain fuzzed. The years had been good to him, experience adding an intriguing look of danger to his masculine beauty.

His green gaze, dark and piercing, scored her see-through shirt, light wrap, and bare legs. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for the extraction.”

Her chin lifted. Heat seared through her lungs, lifting her chest, and she slowly tried to control her body. No way would she let him see how difficult he made it for her to breathe—even after all this time.

He wore faded jeans over long legs and a dark T-shirt across a broad chest—no uniform. But the gun strapped to his leg was military issue, now wasn’t it? The weapon, so silent and deadly, appeared at home on his muscled thigh.

His dark brown hair, glinting with red highlights, now almost reached his shoulders. Very different from the buzz cut he’d had years before. His eyes, the green of a Scottish moor, held secrets, unplumbed depths, and promise. Chiseled face, hard jaw, and definite warrior features proudly proclaimed his ancestry, and even now, she could see the Highlander in him.

The door banged shut behind her, and she jumped.

He gestured toward the seat across from the one he’d occupied. The engines roared to life.

She faltered. “Where are we going?”

He reached into an overhead compartment and drew out a plush blanket. “D.C.”

The plane lurched forward, and she stumbled. He grasped her arm, shooting an electrical jolt up her bicep.

His eyes darkened. “I’d wondered.”

“Me too.” As kids, they’d been combustible. So she hadn’t imagined the spark from years ago. She blinked confusion from her vision and allowed him to settle her into the seat. The second he covered her legs with the warm blanket, she finally took a deep breath.

He sat down, gaze somber. “You haven’t responded to my proposition.”

Her head jerked back. “This isn’t, I mean, you—” She gestured around the luxurious plane.

His lips twitched. “No. I did not execute a military extraction and secure three private jets to force you into making up your mind to meet me in person now that I’m settled in the States. Finally.”

She plucked at a string on the blanket. They’d kept in touch through the years, and when he’d sent her an e-mail two months ago saying he wanted to meet up with her, she’d needed time to think about it. “I didn’t think so.”