BLACK MAMBA
TIERNEY JAMES
Copyright © 2018 - Tierney James
Cover Design by Sweet ’N Spicy Designs
All cover art copyright © 2018
All Rights Reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, businesses, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. The publisher does not have any control over or assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their contents.
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Dedication
To my incredible brave friend who fought the enemy until the end.
Glenda Mitcherson Coleman
I will miss you forever.
Acknowledgments
This is the time I get to thank all those who stepped up and made this book possible. The amount of encouragement and support along the way has meant the world to me. Without you, I may have given up on Captain Hunter and Tessa Scott. Your hilarious comments and ideas kept me in stitches while giving me inspiration to keep the chaos going between these two.
Lipstick and Danger Street Team – You guys never fail me. A big hug and lots appreciation to all of you who promote, read and review my work. My heart is full of love for you. Thank you.
Wizards of Publishing – Sometimes it is painful to have you as my editors. However, you are always right and because of you I am a better writer. I feel like I’m going to a writing class every time I jump into your life. A big, big thank you to Kate and Nan.
Sleuths’ Ink Mystery Writers – These writers have encouraged me for a number of years. They have educated, promoted and encouraged me when I didn’t believe I could get the job done.
Writers of the Purple Page – Every day we meet in cyberspace over coffee and the latest news in our lives. Along the way, we have pushed each other to be better writers, find new ideas and laugh at ourselves when we screw up.
Paperback Press – Thanks for being my number one hand-holder when I get paranoid or my technical skills fail me. You give my book life in all that you do on the publishing end. I shutter to think how hard this journey would be without you.
BLACK MAMBA
Black mamba: With coffin-shaped heads, this is one of the most dangerous snakes in the world. They are brownish in color and get their name from the color of the inside of their mouths. Black mambas have been found as large as fourteen feet long. Capable of striking a victim multiple times, it only takes two drops of venom to kill a human. Their potent venom shuts down the nervous system and paralyzes the victim. Death can occur in twenty minutes if not treated with anti-venom.
Chapter One
The woman paced then glanced toward the mirror to admire her image. Sometimes she paused long enough to fling her black tresses back then push out her full lips to appear pouty. The call of peacocks in the garden drew her to the second-floor window. A dark-skinned man in a suit stopped his evening security check to stare up at her half-naked form. Even from this distance, such admiration could get him killed. He waited in some kind of expectation for only a few seconds before moving into the darkness. She broke off the connection as her bedroom door opened.
“Where have you been?” She pivoted and moved toward the man she’d married. His stocky physique hid an agility that could strike a man to the ground with little effort.
“I am the president. I am always busy.” His eyes traced her tall, slim form with admiration.
An impatient stomp of her foot started her pacing again. “I have been waiting for hours. You ignore me when I return and complain when I leave. What do you want of me?”
“To be a mother to our son instead of a spoiled socialite.” The calm, even tone was a warning sign.
She moved toward him and circled his neck with a tender embrace. “I have missed you.” He set her aside, walked to the window, and looked down. She pulled him back to her and pressed her body closer. “Come to bed. It is late.”
“Did you visit our son? He has been asking for you.” He allowed her to remove his jacket.
“I will see him in the morning. I’m sure that old woman can manage one more night. Besides, I have other plans for you, my husband.”
He buried his smiling mouth against her throat and whispered, “And I have plans for you.”
President Baboloki dressed in comfortable clothing and returned to his office on the first floor of the mansion the government of Botswana had provided for him. He poured a brandy before lighting a cigar, having dismissed most of the staff for a surprise night off. His son’s caretaker remained in the attached cottage, seeing to his needs. The chief of security also stayed on property to do some training with his men in one of the classroom buildings.
After staring out the window for nearly twenty minutes, the president phoned someone outside his inner circle.
“Is everything ready?” He puffed a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling.
“Yes. The package is wrapped and waiting, Mr. President. It will be given to her at the designated time.”
He clicked off and decided to go to his bedroom to get a few hours’ sleep. Glancing down at the newspaper on his desk, his attention shifted to the obscure article about a missing diamond called the Kifaru; nonsense about some legend and ruling Botswana. Tomorrow, he’d focus more on that problem.
~ ~ ~
The plane bounced a little as it always did when it crossed the equator, alerting the wife of President Baboloki they were over the Democratic Republic of Congo. She had been in Botswana for only twenty-four hours before flying into one of her rages about living in a Third World country. It was too much to bear. She reminded him she was French and Ethiopian, raised in Europe, not some dried-up watering hole in Southern Africa. The president had suggested she fly back to Paris, do some shopping, and return in a couple of days. Her ability to control the pompous dictator gave her great satisfaction.
She admired her slender fingers and manicured nails before twisting her diamond ring off. “No need for that.” She dropped it in her designer handbag and kicked off her shoes.
Her male companion, or Baboloki’s snoop as she liked to call the middle-aged servant, brought her a beautifully wrapped box, trimmed in gold. “What’s this?”
“A gift from your husband. I was told to give it to you when we crossed the equator, ma’am.” He waited for a thank you. He got none.
Like a delighted child at Christmas, she tore the ribbon off only to pause with her hands on the lid of the box. His gifts in the past were expensive and in good taste. Maybe this first lady job would have to be endured a little longer. She threw the lid on the floor to find black tissue paper covering a curled object. With abandon, she reached in and grabbed something slick and cold.
A scream of revulsion escaped her throat as the black mamba struck h
er twice, once in the face, the second time on her collarbone. She staggered out of her leather seat and cried for help.
Her companion dropped the tray of coffee he carried when the snake raced forward. He backed toward the cockpit, shrieking for help. The serpent followed him and lifted the front third of its body, striking the arm he held in front of him.
The wife extended a hand toward the cockpit when the sound of chaos brought the pilot into the danger zone. In the throes of agony, she watched him fall victim to the venomous snake’s repeated strikes until he fell backward inside the cockpit. Her body rolled to the side when the plane turned into a lopsided plunge toward the rainforest below. Her last conscious thought was the jungle would swallow up one of the president’s problems…the bastard.
Chapter Two
Tessa felt a rocking motion against her shoulder then a touch to her cheek. Darkness refused to release its hold on her dreams as she adjusted her body by stretching out her legs. When her bare toes touched something long and hard, she felt a hand grasp her foot. A finger slid from toes to heel and brought her to a state of fitful consciousness.
When she tried to jerk away and push to a sitting position, her eyes fluttered open to stare into the amused expression of Captain Chase Hunter who sat across from her. He held her foot, flexing his hand to tighten and release. She relaxed enough to trick him into loosening his grip then immediately landed a kick to his lower leg.
He emitted a quiet, almost-throaty chuckle. He’d reminded her of the Big Bad Wolf on more than one occasion. He grabbed her again before she could land another kick and ran his finger up and down the bottom, tickling her into uncontrollable laughter. Attempting to escape, she slouched down farther into the leather seat she’d secured when boarding the plane.
“Stop it,” she gasped then slapped at his hand.
Others of the Enigma team roused from their slumber as well and cast sleepy glances at her and Chase. Two years ago, they would have gathered around and watched their boss act more human than cyborg. These days, they expected the two of them to make each other uncomfortable.
Chase slid his finger one more time before she jerked away. “I said stop.” She tried to catch her breath then landed another kick on his knee.
“I tried to wake you up, but you were in your usual coma-state. You sleep sounder than anyone I know.”
“I’m catching up. You try being at the beck and call of three kids and a demanding husband.”
Chase winked. “No thanks. You’re enough of a pain in the neck for me. Are you saying, if I get you out of my life, I’ll sleep again?”
Tessa yawned and nodded.
He leaned closer when she lowered her head to rub her face. “Fire me, will ya? I have no business going on these ridiculous trips.” His nearness reminded her of his interest.
Creases formed at the corners of his eyes. “What would be the fun in that, Tessa? I have too much fun saving your butt every time you get into trouble. And whether you admit it or not”—he searched her face— “you like being rescued.”
The overpowering urge to deny the accusation washed over her. She decided to surprise him. “You’re right about that, Chase.”
“Maybe I can do it again when we get back home. This time something a little more personal.”
“I’ve got the perfect idea.” She met the amusement in his eyes with what she hoped reflected her distrust and annoyance.
“Care to share?”
“I’m thinking you can rescue me by babysitting my three kids and ensuring Robert does some of the honey-do jobs he never has time for so I can go shopping with my girlfriends.” She tapped him on the nose as his amusement faded.
“Ouch.” He leaned back in his leather chair. “I can do that. You’ll see what a prince I am.”
“Prince of Darkness, maybe.” She stood and edged out into the aisle, smelling coffee. “Want a cup?”
He nodded before slipping his hands behind his head and stretching out his long legs. The flight attendant hired for their private charter arranged a tray of the chocolate chip cookies Tessa had brought along for the trip. Cups of steamy brew caused her to inhale deeply. She volunteered to take it herself.
“Thanks, Tess,” he said pulling his legs back for her to sit across from him. He turned up a small shelf table and watched her add cream and sugar to her cup. He scarfed down two cookies then sipped from the Styrofoam cup. “So, how exactly did you get Robert to be okay with this trip?”
“Sex,” she said bluntly.
He choked on his coffee then spilled it down the front of his red tee shirt. Tessa couldn’t resist letting one corner of her mouth turn up. “It’s for the good of the country.”
“You’re getting to be a little bit of a smart-ass.”
“I’m trying to fit in, Captain Hunter,” she mocked with a salute then grabbed a broken cookie off the tray.
His mouth widened into a genuine amusement. “What kind of sex?”
“Do you want the truth, or should I make it up?”
“Make it up. I’m sure it is better than the real thing in Robert’s case.” Chase’s solemn face hinted he wasn’t kidding.
Tessa narrowed her gaze at him. “Touché.” She wasn’t sure why conversations always gravitated toward things more personal with him.
Why did he insinuate he might be interested in her? Ridiculous, since he didn’t want any part of Enigma agents or married women. Tessa represented everything he avoided to remain footloose and fancy-free. At times, the two of them seemed so close: sharing books, music, ideas, and personal stories of their private life. He’d become her best friend. Muddying the friendship waters with a physical relationship wasn’t something she cared to explore. For both of them, this crossed the line between right and wrong.
“I’m waiting on the sex talk,” he teased then took another sip of the hot liquid. “Trying to figure it out, my sweet babe in the woods?”
“I’m not sure you can handle it.”
He set the cup down and propped his feet on the seat next to her as if to block any kind of retreat, a habit she’d acquired when things got uncomfortable between them. “I’m not sure I could, either.” The wolfish chuckle unnerved her. “Maybe we should stick to business.” He nudged her with his sock-covered foot but gave her hip an extra rub, drawing a frown back to his amused dark eyes.
Dangerous ground. Was he teasing her to see how fast her comfort level would tank, or did this back-and-forth they practiced have meaning? She shoved his foot away then grabbed it to pop his toe, forcing an angry groan.
“You deserved that. Why can’t you be normal for once?”
“It’s a little early in the morning to hurl insults at your captain, Miss High and Mighty. I didn’t know talking about sex made you uncomfortable. That explains so much.”
His tone resembled a scientist discovering a new chemical compound. Tessa bit her bottom lip but couldn’t hold back a warm chuckle. “I despise you, Chase Hunter.”
“Ditto, Tessa Scott.”
They paused long enough to try and stare each other down. “Friends?” he asked.
“Forever,” she said, lifting her cup in a salute.
Longtime agents, Zoric and Sam appeared at their side.
“Are we interrupting anything?” Zoric smirked then motioned for Tessa to slide across to sit next to Chase. The Serbian edged over to the window seat. Sam sat across from Chase, offering the captain her own brand of smoldering come-hither expression.
“As a matter of fact—” Chase started.
“Not at all,” Tessa finished. “What’s up? Sleep well? Did you get some cookies? I brought plenty. Vernon still sleeping? Where’s Carter?” Stopping her bombardment of questions to cover her guilt grew impossible. Did the heat spreading across her neck and jaw show red in the dim light? The others really didn’t understand their back-and-forth insults and friendship.
“My. My. Aren’t we a chatterbox?” Sam always sounded as if she might be ready to interrogate Tessa. �
��Slept great. I don’t eat sugar. Vernon is playing on his computer. Carter is in the cockpit trying to tell the pilot how to do his job. Or maybe hitting on the flight attendant.” She curled her legs under her, settling in. “What were you talking about?”
“Sex mostly,” Chase quipped and folded his arms across his chest.
Tessa squirmed under their stares.
“That isn’t exactly true. He’s making that up.” Tessa took a nervous sip of coffee.
Chase turned his head toward her and bit his bottom lip before shifting his focus back to the two agents. “Oh, right. Sorry. We were talking about the weather.”
Even though Zoric appeared amused, Sam’s frown deepened as she leveled a penetrating glare toward Tessa. She didn’t appreciate the concern Chase gave the newest recruit for the last two years. The senior agent had never shared the limelight with another woman, ever. This remained Tessa’s ace in the hole. If bodily harm mysteriously happened to her, Chase would make sure Sam paid the price. On the other hand, Tessa continued to admire the woman for her guts, beauty, and ability to control men with the curl of her little finger. Tessa sometimes wished to be more like her.
Vernon and Carter sank into the leather chairs across the aisle.
“We’ve started our descent,” Carter offered.
“Tessa, what did you learn last night when you were working?” Chase’s voice switched to his professional, no-nonsense tone, a signal given when their workday had begun.
This created a safe cocoon for her. At least when she talked shop, the captain wouldn’t be messing with her head.
“In February, Handsome traveled to Canada where we lost him in Vancouver. We spotted him at the Quebec airport a month later.”
“No one tried to stop him?” asked Carter.
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