by Fall, Carly
And he still hadn’t gotten that whiskey.
Chapter 30
After Hudson and Blake left the War Room, Noah asked, “Okay, people, what do we do?”
Rayner absently ran his hand through Faith’s hair. “I don’t know, man. The way I see it is that we have two options: we believe him and take him to this Area 2 place with us, or we kill him. Since Liberty and Jovan gave him the thumbs up, I vote for option one.”
“But what about after?” Noah asked. “Do we keep him around like a pet, or do we trust him that he’s not going to say anything or just kill him?”
“Noah,” Abby chastised him. “Don’t even think about killing that man.”
“If it protects you and everyone in the house, I won’t hesitate, Abby.”
“There has to be another way besides ending his life, Noah,” Abby said.
It was quiet for a moment, and then Neptune, Abby’s big black cat, announced his presence with a howl.
“Isn’t one pet around here enough?” Jovan said as Neptune jumped in his lap. “I’m sure as shit not letting Blake sit on me.”
There was a beat of silence, and then Liberty said, “If I may speak, Noah.”
“Of course you can speak, Liberty. Anytime you want to, as a matter of fact.”
Liberty smiled. “Thank you. The male is being truthful. And isn’t getting our people out of Area 2 the number one concern?”
Noah nodded.
“May I suggest that you use him to retrieve our people from this Area 2 and go from there? Perhaps he would make a nice edition to your team of Warriors, or perhaps he would like to go on his way and act as though he is none the wiser of our people. However, I do agree with Abby in that he should not be killed because of what he is, that which cannot be helped and is no fault of his own.”
Jovan listened to her soft tenor, the voice of reason in the room.
Of course, she was right. It just didn’t sit well to have a son of a Colonist in such close quarters. If Blake had failed all the truth testing he and Liberty had done, the guy would be dead by now. But he hadn’t, and Jovan reminded himself that it was possible for the offspring of Colonists not to show any Colonist tendencies.
“You’re right, Liberty,” Noah said. “Step one has to be getting our people out of Area 2. We can deal with step two and three later.”
There was a beat of silence. “And I want everyone out of there,” Noah said.
“Even if there are members of The Platoon in there?” Jovan said. “Remember, they want to snuff your ass. All of our asses.”
Noah nodded. “I know. But if they are in there, I want them out. No one should be put through that. We know what the government is doing to them in the name of science or national security or some other bullshit. And maybe if we rescue them, it will give us some bonus brownie points with them and they’ll think twice about wanting to put us six feet under.”
Jovan nodded. Noah was going a little soft.
“Okay, then it’s settled,” Rayner said. “Looks like we’ve got a new pet named Blake for a while. Let’s just make sure we keep him on a tight leash.”
Chapter 31
Liberty sat next to Jovan at an early dinner listening to the chatter around the table. The human male, Blake, seemed to fit right in to the group once they decided he was trustworthy, possibly even better than she did.
She moved her food around the plate, not particularly caring for the green beans. The roast was nice and flavorful, but she would have preferred some macaroni and cheese.
Glancing over at Jovan, she thought back to her talk with the other females. Goodness, what an education that had been. She had found the ache in her lower belly and the wetness between her legs meant she was sexually attracted to Jovan. She was shocked to learn about the semantics of sexual activity in a human body. It seemed to be such an invasion, but the females assured her it was wonderful pleasure, especially with the right male.
Doctor Beverly had also given her a package of pills that she promised to take on a daily basis to prevent pregnancy.
Jovan laughed at something that Blake said. It seemed those two were starting to get along famously.
Liberty was certain that Jovan was the right male for her to experience the sex with. When the other females had described the tremors of delight their males gave their bodies, Liberty blushed. When Faith had turned the channel to something called “porn” and she saw the act very up close and personal, her body warmed to uncomfortable levels, and Liberty knew she wanted that.
But how to go about it all, she wasn’t so sure. All of them had told her to be forthright and let him know her feelings for him and her desires, but she wasn’t sure how to phrase those words. Perhaps the most honest way was the best.
On another note, being called into the War Room to evaluate Blake had brought her much pride. Of course she harbored a little fear for the male who was half-Colonist, but she pushed that aside knowing that the Six Saviors were in the room with her, and they wouldn’t let any harm come to her.
As she touched the half-human, she knew that she had found her place within this house. Her gift was so much stronger than Jovan’s, that she would gladly volunteer to help in the many fights she saw coming for the Six Saviors.
She was feeling strong for the first time in her life. She wanted to be part of this amazing group and use her gift to help in any way she could. Finally, she understood that the days of servitude were gone, and she was a powerful female. Having heard the phrase “Don’t take shit from anybody,” she was determined to make that her new motto. No, she would no longer serve, but she would be a part of something important and use her gift, and somehow she would figure out what to say to Jovan to make him understand her feelings.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he leaned in.
Instead of bowing her head as she would usually do, she lifted her chin and met his gaze, her cheeks hot. “Yes, thank you, Jovan.”
His eyes narrowed as he studied her. “Something’s different about you,” he murmured. “What’s going on?”
She smiled at him. “Nothing, Jovan. Let’s just say that my talk with Doctor Beverly was very . . . enlightening.”
As he stared at her, she felt the coil in her belly again. Normally she would have looked away, but she couldn’t. She felt an energy fuse between them, and she realized that it must be the sexual attraction Beverly referred to. She latched on to it, and let it build.
Letting down her shield, as Jovan liked to call it, she thought, I would like to have the sex with you, Jovan. She wondered if he would pick up on it.
His eyes widened. Apparently, he had gotten the message.
“That’s a really bad idea,” he said in a low voice.
I rather like the sound of it. Doctor Beverly told me the ache in my stomach is because I am sexually attracted to you.
Jovan blanched, and Liberty smiled at him.
“We can’t do that, Liberty.”
“What can’t you and Liberty do?” Noah said. “I have a long list, but I’d like to hear yours.”
Liberty tore her gaze from Jovan and looked down the table at her brother. She harnessed her newfound strength and got ready to confront him. Holding her chin high, she said, “Noah, with all due respect as leader of these great Warriors and head of this lovely household, as well as you being my brother, I do have to say that it is none of your business.”
All eyes were on her, but she didn’t look away from Noah’s gaze. She half expected him to yell at her or tell her to mind her place, but he smiled widely instead.
He bowed his head to her and said, “You’re correct, Liberty. My apologies. Yet, it is my duty as your brother to protect you from harm.”
“I understand that, Noah, and if I feel that I am in harms way, I will let you know.”
This new stronger side of herself was working out well.
She turned back to Jovan, who was studying his plate of food.
We can discuss it later.
&nb
sp; “We can discuss it all you want, Liberty, but it’s not going to happen,” Jovan said under his breath.
She smiled and went back to pushing the food around on her plate.
After it was deemed Blake was indeed telling the truth and for now they would trust him, Hudson had brought Blake back up to the War Room where a plan had been devised. Jovan, Blake, and Rayner would go down to Phoenix to rescue those who were being held captive by the government. Faith wanted to travel with them as well, but Rayner had said no. Faith had pulled him outside of the room, and hushed and angry whispers could be heard. When they returned to the room, Faith was smiling and Rayner didn’t look happy at all.
It had been interesting to watch the two of them through the glass. Liberty thought of opening her gift up and listening to their thoughts, but decided against it. She always allowed people their privacy. It seemed to her that Rayner had been so determined to keep Faith away from the situation, and Faith had been determined to go. Faith did not stop until she received what she wanted.
Liberty decided that she would follow Faith’s footsteps and declared that she would be going as well, but Jovan and Noah said no.
“No, I must go,” she said.
Jovan shook his head. “It will be dangerous, Liberty.”
She explained to him that one of the detainees was blind. “Her human body is dysfunctional. She is blind during the daylight hours, but can see when the sun goes down. Her eyes burn a brilliant gold. She is one of the best fighters our race has seen, Jovan, and she was the one who shielded me from The Platoon on our journey here. The one I had to leave behind. I want to be there when she is free.”
“What does she look like?” Blake asked.
“Her hair is long and black, her skin is a deep chocolate brown.”
“I’ve seen her there.”
Liberty felt tears well in her eyes. “Is she . . . well? As well as can be expected in her situation?”
“Last time I saw her, yes, she was, Liberty. She was very angry and had a lot of fire in her gut.”
Liberty let the tears fall, but couldn’t help smiling. “That’s Annis.” Sheer joy coursed through her at the knowledge that her friend was alive.
“So we’ll go in at night. It’s probably better that way.”
Blake shook his head. “At night, they have them locked up tighter than a virgin’s...” He looked around the table. “Excuse me. Tighter than a drum. We go in, we go in during the day.”
“I must be there when she is granted her freedom. She will be wary of you since she will be blind, but knowing that I am near will put her at ease.”
Jovan shifted in his chair and looked at Liberty. “I don’t like this, Liberty,” he mumbled. Liberty pretended she didn’t hear him.
She took another bite of the roast and pushed around her green beans some more. They would be leaving in the morning, and once there, the Warriors and Blake would come up with a plan to rescue those trapped by the government.
Chapter 32
Blake sat in the War Room alone, waiting. The dinner had been phenomenal, and he was surprised to learn that Hudson was responsible for it. So the guy could cook and kill.
Efficient.
He was happy to have a minute to himself to ponder everything that had happened. He felt so incredibly ordinary around these extraordinary people. A guy who could see dead people? And two others who could read emotions and thoughts? It was amazing.
His mother had always told him that everyone has a special gift, and he wondered what his was. He thought he was doing pretty well surviving his father and making it as an FBI agent of a special unit, but these people blew that accomplishment out of the water.
He often wondered what his life would be like if it hadn’t been for the owner of the restaurant, Henry, giving him a job, a place to live, and a chance at life. At seventeen, when Blake started looking into how he could go to college, Henry had been there to help him navigate the murky waters of scholarships and loans. Halfway through college when Blake mentioned he’d like to look into law enforcement, Henry had offered encouragement for Blake to pursue his dream. When Blake decided on the FBI, Henry had stood up for Blake through the extensive background checks. Blake had stuck with the story that he had run away from home when he was fifteen, which was true, and he had no idea where his parents were, which wasn’t. However, he wasn’t going to share with the FBI that he had buried his mother and killed his father, who then disintegrated into a pile of ash.
He didn’t see that little nugget of truth getting him very far in psych evaluations.
He rocked in the leather chair, reminding himself he also wasn’t on an equal playing field when these people were concerned. Although they looked it, they weren’t human.
He was glad he had earned their trust. The leather chair creaked beneath his weight, and he looked around the room. It was quite a technical set-up with the bank of computers in the corner and the large white screen up on the wall. These guys meant business in their hunt.
He thought about the hunts that him and his fellow agents had been on. There was a distinct underbelly of civilization that most people didn’t know about, or if they did encounter it, they disregarded it. Yes, Virginia, vampires did exist.
He never would have believed it if he hadn’t seen one go up in smoke. The guy was being cuffed for killing a woman, and Blake was surprised, but not shocked, when he burned up in the early morning night.
And there was significant evidence that Fairies and Werewolves hung around the outskirts of humanity as well, but he’d never witnessed either one up close.
Being in the special unit had done two things: it had assured him that he wasn’t the most fucked-up thing walking around, and that he was certain he belonged with a different tribe than just your average everyday run-of-the-mill humans.
Yeah, he was the spawn of a sub-human, the baddest of the bad from SR44.
Go him.
He rubbed his face, trying to erase the negativity. Man, it sucked being the son of such evil. Really—Jeffrey Dahmer? Saddam Hussein? Jack the Ripper? Those were the cocksuckers equal to his father?
Oh, man.
He swiveled in his chair as he heard voices outside the glass door. Noah came in with a man who looked like he would rather be dead.
“Blake, this is Talin,” Noah said.
Talin just gave a nod and headed to the bank of computers.
“Blake, help Talin figure out where the semantics on Area 2 are in the FBI database, or whatever database you need to get in to. Don’t mess around; just let him do his job and let him get back to bed.”
Noah turned and left.
Talin was in bad shape. His feet were bare, and he wore black sweatpants and a t-shirt that read, There is intelligent life on Earth, but I’m just visiting. His black hair stood on end and looked like he hadn’t showered in a while. Deep bags were under his eyes, and his skin was a pasty white. He walked as if he was ninety years old, even though he didn’t look a day over thirty-five.
Blake wondered what was wrong with him.
“Quit staring and come over here,” Talin said.
Blake did as he was told and pulled up a chair next to him. He had been right. The guy needed a shower.
Noah and Blake had discussed the importance of getting the layout to Area 2. Yes, Blake had spent some time in the facility, so he knew the general design. But this was the government they were talking about, and nothing was ever as it seemed.
“My guess is that they have back rooms, hidden halls, and tunnels underneath that connect to another building somewhere,” Blake had said.
“We need to know about all of it then,” Noah had said.
“Agreed.”
For the next two hours, Talin and Blake worked together, and finally they found the layout of Area 2 buried deep within the FBI’s files.
“That’s it,” Blake said.
The printer came to life and the image appeared on the big, white screen on the wall. Blake turned to
study it.
“Son of a Colonist, huh?” Talin said.
Blake turned and shrugged. “What can I say, man. I got the short end of the stick in the DNA department.”
A small smile tugged at Talin’s lips, but never made it to his face. His eyes were dark and . . . dead.
“And an FBI guy. I don’t know how you talked your way in here. You are the walking billboard of everything we try to avoid or kill.”
“Jovan and Liberty did their little voodoo on me and said I was solid. If they had said otherwise, I’m sure Hudson wouldn’t think twice about putting a bullet or four in me.”
“You’re right on that one,” Talin said, sitting back in his chair and putting his hands on his head. He stared at the map of Area 2 for a few minutes.
“Are there really more of our kind in there?” Talin said in a quiet voice.
“Yeah.”
Talin met Blake’s gaze. “Thanks for helping us get them out.”
Blake nodded.
“There aren’t many of us left now,” Talin said.
No, there wasn’t. Jovan had told Blake about the whole planet being gone. “Did you lose someone?” he asked.
Blake watched as tears welled in Talin’s eyes. “I lost my everything,” he said as he stood up and made his way to the door.
Chapter 33
The plane ride had been uneventful, although Jovan’s nerves were humming so hard he felt like he had just survived a plane crash. And a lightning strike. And being run over by a bus. All in the same day.
Liberty was making him crazy.
He remembered just a short time ago how she was a subservient little thing who could barely look anyone in the eye. How times had changed. It was almost as if she had gone from a scared, little girl to a strong woman in a matter of days.
When she had told him she wanted to have sex with him, or as she had said, “the sex with him,” he had almost choked on his green beans. He couldn’t imagine the conversation that she had had with the other females in the house, and he had a feeling he really didn’t stand a chance in his plan of not sleeping with her. He had a shot at it when he was certain she wouldn’t want anything to do with the likes of him. But she had come right out and told him that she wanted to have sex with him.
