by Jade White
A tiny door led to a simple, windowless bathroom. Grace turned the water on, splashing her face with the ice cold liquid and cupping her hands to drink. A plunger sat in the corner, the rubber dry and cracked from over-use. Grace grabbed the plunger, using her foot to hold the rubber down so she could twist the handle out.
She tucked the handle under her arm, returning to the sink to wash her hands and drink some more of the ice cold water. Her lips and throat were dry after spending hours without a drop of water passing her lips. She drank greedily, keeping one ear cocked to listen for Tom’s return.
When she’d had her fill, she left the bathroom and continued her investigation of the tiny room. There were no furnishings and nothing handy she could use for a weapon. The room looked like it had once been used for storage, but had been left empty since then.
The front door opened and heavy work boots clomped across the wooden floor. Searching the room frantically for a place to hide, Grace ducked behind the door. Tom moved around the house, his heavy footsteps echoing across the hollow floors. She held her breath, willing her heartbeat to quiet down while she waited for him to move closer to the door.
It felt like an eternity before Tom walked towards the door, jiggling the key into the old lock and working it before the lock clicked open. He threw open the door and was a few steps into the room before he realized she wasn’t where he’d left her. He turned around, his face registering shock at seeing her free and a split second before her foot connected with his groin.
He went down hard, howling in pain and writhing on the floor. Grace hit him hard with the handle of the plunger and tossed it across the room. She ran out of the room, heading straight for the door as he gagged and heaved in pain. He attempted to scream after her, but her footsteps drowned out the pitiful noise.
She flew out the door and leaped off the short porch, stumbling to regain her footing in the uneven dirt. The car was sitting in the driveway, parked haphazardly. She wrenched open the door, hoping that Tom had been careless enough to leave the keys in the ignition. Coming up empty, she closed the door and took off for the woods. The sun was heading for the horizon and it would be dark soon. With any luck, she could hide out in the woods until morning and then find a highway, and hopefully some help. She’d keep moving all night, running parallel to the highway and praying Tom didn’t have a dog somewhere on his property. She could hide from a human all night, but if Tom had a dog, all bets were off.
She took a narrow trail, heading straight into the woods and up a small incline. A quick look over her shoulder confirmed that Tom wasn’t following her. He probably assumed she would head for the highway. If he did, that would buy her some time while he wasted his searching the roadway for her.
Grace fell into an easy run, trying to head east every time the trail split to keep close to the highway. She was sore and tired, but her adrenaline was coursing through her veins. Tom had underestimated her, but she wasn’t ready to celebrate yet. Until she was safe with Olivia and Sable, she couldn’t trust anyone.
She came to a hard left bend, sending her further away from the road than she wanted. She slowed down, scanning the trees for an alternate route. Finding none, she raced around the corner and slammed into something solid, falling backwards onto the ground.
Grace looked up at the man, his face grotesquely scarred. One eye was milky white, the scar running from his hair line, through his eye and to his chin. She stifled a scream and the man held out his hand. His smile was ugly and twisted, pulled to one side in a sneer.
“Well, hello, Grace. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” A man to Laskin’s left stepped forward and threw a black sack over her head. She fought and kicked, but the strong man held her fast.
“I would suggest you hold still, my dear. Unless you want me to give Tom free reign with you after what you did.”
Grace stilled. Of course these men were with Tom. Grace closed her eyes, hot tears flooding out in anger. She’d been so close and now she was right back where she started.
“I imagine you’re wishing that Olivia and Sable were here to save you right now. Don’t worry, you’ll see them soon enough. It won’t take them long to figure out where we’re hiding you, and they’ll come to your rescue. In fact, I’m counting on it.”
A chill ran down Grace’s spine. Olivia and Sable were walking right into a trap. And there was nothing she could do to warn them.
CHAPTER 15
Sable shook Olivia gently, sitting beside her on the couch in the library and pulling some food out of a bag. “I thought you might be hungry, and I remembered you liked this place.”
Olivia stretched, rubbing her eyes and ogling the delicious feast on the coffee table in front of her. She grabbed the nearest sandwich, unwrapping the yellow paper and folding it around the Panini sandwich. The first bite was heaven, and she moaned softly in spite of herself. Sable laughed, handing her a napkin and pulling out his own meal.
They talked easily between bites, purposely avoiding the more serious topics. Olivia watched Sable, enjoying his strong profile and watching him as he enjoyed every last bite.
“When are you leaving?”
“It will be dark soon. We have a few places to check, but we’ll have to be careful. Curfew is strictly enforced, and if we get caught, we’ll all spend the night in jail, or worse.”
Olivia didn’t know what to say. So many of the shifters were putting their own lives on the line for her friend, a human. If only the humans that were fighting so hard to push shifters out of society could see the truth.
A single tear slid down her cheek. Sable reached out and rubbed it away with his thumb.
“Don’t worry about the guys, they’re doing this because they want to, not because they feel obligated. The movement isn’t just about shifters, but also about human allies being treated fairly. What happened to Grace is everything they’ve been fighting against, and they won’t stand by and just let the world dissolve into chaos.” He placed a single finger under her chin, pulling her head up to look into his eyes. “We’re going to put things back the way they were, when everyone was safe and people didn’t face death for loving the wrong species.”
Olivia nodded, resting her forehead against his and taking a deep breath. “It’s hours before the sun sets, I just can’t get the doubt out of my head. What if you guys get caught? What if you don’t find her?”
Sable set his food aside and pulled Olivia into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He nuzzled her throat, his warm breath caressing the soft skin over her collarbone. He kissed her softly, letting his lips run across her skin and planting tender kisses around her shoulders and neck.
“Sable, not here.”
“The others left to gather supplies while there’s still daylight. No one is here but us.” He arched an eyebrow, a wicked smile tugging at his lips.
Olivia looked around at the library, which was nearly the same as it had been when they’d fled five years ago.
“I guess it would be like old times.”
Sable chuckled, unbuttoning her blouse and pushing it off her shoulders. She wore a lacy, pink bra under her shirt, the delicate fabric coming off in a whisper when he unhooked the latch. Her breast spilled out, smooth and round, heavy in his hands.
Sable ran his thumbs over her nipples, blowing softly over the tightening buds, causing them to harden in response. He kissed her throat, continuing to stroke her breasts. Trembling fingers ran through his hair. Her breath quickened and she slid her legs apart, resting her knees on either side of his hips in the plush sofa.
Olivia pulled Sable’s shirt up and over his head, pushing the fabric up over his head. He held his arms up to help her, letting go of her for a split second before he went back to the sweet torture. She moaned low in her throat, pumping her hips, frustrated with the thick fabric of both their jeans between them.
Olivia stood and unbuttoned her jeans, letting them fall to the floor, taking her panties with them. The lacy fab
ric slid down her smooth skin and landed silently on the carpeted floor. Her fingers delved into the waistband of his jeans and worked on the buttons, pulling him towards her and forcing him to stand. He kicked off his jeans unceremoniously and grabbed her hips.
He walked towards the wall with her legs wrapped around him, her soft core rubbing against his rigid member while he moved. He braced her between himself and a built in bookshelf. His strong hands moved her up, slowly lowering her onto himself. She moved against him, tensing and relaxing, driving him insane with her movements. She wrapped her arms around his neck and bent down to kiss him deeply.
Sable turned, backing into the book case and leaning back to get better leverage. He thrust into her, slowly at first, then faster as her breath came out in short gasps. Reaching out, she grabbed the heavy bookcase with both hands and used it to drive herself faster on his shaft. Holding on as she was, she was able to lean back, angling his hardness and sending fits of pleasure through her body. She glistened with heat as she rode him, the waves of pleasure over taking her quickly and powerfully.
Sable planted his feet and drove into her, finally releasing his tenuous hold on sanity and riding the passion with her. He buried his face in her neck and moaned into her damp skin. She slowed her hips, pulling everything he had out in agonizing slowness.
Carefully, she released her death grip on the shelf and wrapped her arms around his neck. His legs trembled with effort, and she giggled before sliding down to the floor. “That was amazing, Sable.”
“Are you surprised?” He winked at her and smiled.
“Of course not.” She punched him lightly in the arm and practically skipped over to her discarded clothes. Pulling her clothes on quickly, she tossed him his and he began dressing. “I’m going to try to call home and check on the boys.”
“Good idea.”
She pulled out the burner cell, dialing the number and waiting on the answering machine. As before, it picked up on the fifth ring. She hung up and tried several more times, panic rising up inside of her. With each click of the answering machine, she came closer and closer to screaming in frustration.
Sable walked up behind her, pulling the phone gently out of her hand. “They’re probably out playing. Or watching a movie. Did you try Egan’s cell phone?”
“Straight to voicemail. The phone is off. Sable where is my child?” Olivia choked on a sob, thinking the worst. They left him behind to keep him safe, and now where was he?
“Olivia, give them a few minutes and we’ll try again.”
“Sable, I’ve been calling all day. They haven’t answered once. This isn’t the first time.”
Sable lips tightened. He was eager to dismiss her fears but he couldn’t deny that being out of pocket all day was concerning, especially considering their current situation.
An alarm sounded in the great room, letting Sable know that cars were approaching the gate. He hurried into the room, checking out the monitors and confirming that the approaching cars were Terrence and the rest of the crew. They had already returned with the gear needed to run surveillance that evening.
“Terrence is back. I’ll let him know what’s going on and will find a way to send someone to check on them. I’m sure they’re fine. You trust Egan, don’t you?”
Olivia nodded. “You’re right, Egan’s got it under control.”
She stepped into Sable’s arms and leaned into his strength. A big part of her wanted to believe he was right, that everything was okay. But the mother inside her knew something was wrong.
**
Sable left Olivia in the library, moving quickly to meet Terrence at the door. Terrence walked in, smile disappearing as he noticed Sable’s face. Motioning towards a small office just beyond the entryway, Sable walked away without waiting to see if Terrence would follow. Terrence closed the door behind him and flipped on the light switch. Sable typed quickly on his phone, his face contorting with rage when the screen popped up. Unable to see what was bothering him, Terrence waited patiently for Sable to speak.
“He bought two tickets to Florida. What is he doing?”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Sable. Care to fill me in?”
“I left Morgan with Egan. I left them in Canada so they would be safe, but he’s coming here. Why is he coming here?”
“I can’t even begin to answer that. What does Olivia think?”
“I didn’t tell her. It was all I could do to convince her that our child isn’t lying dead in a ditch somewhere. I’m not about to tell her that he’s on a plane at this very moment, headed to the last place we want him.”
“Do you have a way to access the actual tickets?”
Sable clicked on the link to the website where the charge originated. Typing in Egan’s information, an itinerary pulled up immediately.
“They’re on their way to Montreal right now. They’re scheduled to land at Jacksonville tomorrow afternoon.”
“I can go get them. You don’t have to tell Olivia. If we’ve found Grace by then, you and Olivia can take a team to save her and I’ll go to the airport to meet Egan and Morgan. Egan won’t make a scene in such a crowded place, and I’m sure I can convince him to come with me, knowing all that I know about you both. When you return, they’ll be safe here and Olivia won’t know they were in danger until they’re already safe.”
Sable relaxed a little bit. “Okay. Yes, that can work. What do we need to do before we leave tonight?”
“Nothing. Everything is done. We just have to wait for the sun to go down and we’ll head out.”
“Sounds good. Is anyone staying behind?”
“Just Olivia. I’m a little worried about that. If we give her a gun, will she be okay? Can she shoot?”
“She can, but I don’t know if she will. She’s never taken another life. I know she would if Morgan’s life hung in the balance. But on her own and cornered, I don’t know what she’ll do. There’s a panic room off my old office. It’s cozy and she can stay in there until we return.”
Terrence looked startled. He’d been in that office daily for over a year and saw nothing that indicated that there was another room located there.
Sable chuckled. “The look on your face says you had no idea there was a room hidden just off the office. It’s not in the plans; none of them are.”
“Sable, I’ve been all through this house, I know I haven’t found half of the hidden rooms you had built into this place.”
“She’ll be safe in there.” Sable opened the door and the two men headed out into the hall and to the great room.
Guns of all types and sizes were spread out on the conference style table. A large man stood in the middle of the supplies, handing tactical gear to each man as they filed passed him. They grabbed their gear and settled in around the room to rest while they waited. Sable and Terrence moved into line and picked up what they’d need for the night: a small firearm, black fatigues, night vision goggles and bullet proof vests.
“The news reports weren’t exaggerating then?”
“No, Sable. It’s quiet during the day, but at night, it’s practically a war-zone. There are shifters trying to bring back peace, but there are almost as many that want to see the humans removed from this area. The human resistance has so many off-shoots it’s doubtful any two groups have the same cause. It’s only gotten worse since the elders died.”
“Does anyone know how they died?”
“No. The human politicians had their bodies transferred to a secure facility for autopsy but the results were never made public. The violence started shortly after Aldrich’s death.”
“And those same politicians. Where are they now?”
“They’re the ones that changed the laws, making practically any human-shifter relationship punishable by death.”
Sable shook his head in amazement. For hundreds of years, shifters had lived peacefully among the humans, though for most of that, humans were blissfully unaware of the shifter presence. Once the knowledge bec
ame public, politicians from both sides rushed to capitalize on the unrest, manipulating the masses and shaping laws to suit their needs.
The system had been fragile at best, which was why Sable and Olivia’s love had so easily destroyed the delicate infrastructure. It was never about the species. It was about power.
**
Sable sat in a large recliner, resting his head back and closing his eyes while he waited. Olivia had gone to the master bath to shower before the men left. Until then, Sable needed to get some shut eye before they set out.
He was drifting in the darkness when someone shook him roughly. “Sable. It’s time to head out.”
Sable blinked Terrence’s face into focus. He sat up quickly and scanned the room until he found Olivia. She was sitting at a table, talking animatedly to one of the men, her voice rising above the din and floating towards him. She caught him staring and smiled. Sable stood and walked to Olivia, leading her down the hall and towards his old office.
“There’s a bathroom in the safe room and a television with a DVD player. You should be comfortable until we return.”
“How long will you be?”
“Not more than a few hours, hopefully. But we have to be back by sunrise. So ten hours at the most, probably closer to six. I’ll call the hardline phone in the safe room when we return so you know it’s safe to come out.”
He stopped in front of the office door and led her in, flipping on the light switch and moving to a window to close the blinds and the drapes. He walked over to a small closet, opening the door and moving aside the small collection of suits. He reached into the corner and there was an audible click before the back wall swung inward. An automatic light turned on in the room beyond.
Sable led the way through the narrow door. A small foyer led to a bank vault style door and into a much larger room. The room was bright, lit from all sides by expertly recessed lighting fixtures that were nearly invisible.
A single vent fed oxygen into the airtight room and regulated the temperature. Sable showed Olivia how to work the door and where the mini fridge and supplies were.
