by Erin R Flynn
“Those are our laws. That is international law, so I can absolutely have a foot to stand on as I threaten you. If people want to seek refuge in Greece or Iran, you will allow it, and if I find you sold one more prey shifter I will let them bathe in your blood.” I stared him down until he nodded. “Now, if you want to facilitate them leaving Russia I know many who would pay for that service.”
His eyes filled with interest and I knew I had him. “I will see if there are any who wish to leave. Prey are hard to get out of certain areas.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not as uneducated as to the terrain as you think. We have lots of intel. I have my own pack and people to worry about and my job keeps me busy. If you send me a bill for a million dollars to get out a dozen prey, I will send people to smack you for treating me like an idiot.” I glanced around. “Where are your Betas, so I can give them contact info?”
Rage filled the room but he swallowed it down fairly fast. “You are meeting my Betas now. You take one with you.” He gave the guy a look that he better remember who he was loyal to.
Uh-huh.
I glanced at the same guy. “Oh, well he’ll be an enforcer in my pack but that’s cool; who can’t use more of them?” I raised an eyebrow at the Alpha when he snorted. “I already said I could use another one. That’s the problem with people who think they’re king and locked into their area. They don’t know what else is out there, and where we’re accepted and thrive, there are a lot of contenders.”
He ground his jaw and gave a swift nod. “I believe our business is done. I wish you a safe journey home.”
I snorted. “I already know your government wants to nab or assassinate me. Don’t get in the middle of that and risk your very precarious place here, as my government has heard chatter that you have humans in your organization that the Russians would much rather have in charge than a dirty, foul supe.” I nodded it was true like I was giving him a gift.
No, it was a lie and he bought it so score one for me.
However, I didn’t doubt it was true as the Russian government hated supes. We were the absolute evil that their authoritarian government demonized and constantly.
“Thank you for my apology. I will enjoy him immensely.” I took the guy’s hand and pulled him with me, winking at the Alpha before leaving. He took over when we reached others, leading me as I played the part like I was his latest fling so we could leave without raising eyebrows.
He let out a huge breath when we reached his car and got in. “You were amazing, Alpha. I’ve never seen anyone put Alpha Oleg in his place like that.”
“Everyone has someone who can smack them back in place. I’ve had it done too.” I waved off his response. “We need to get out of Russia and fast so you need to pack light and leave the car if you want out.”
“Yes, fuck, I want out. I don’t have much. I was trying to find the right way to run already. I couldn’t take any more of here, him, or the way Russia hates us.” He quickly wiped his eyes as he pulled out of the main gate. “I love my country but my country does not love me, and for that my heart will always hurt, but the gods would not want their people to suffer for it.”
“Amen to that,” I muttered, not thinking any sort of higher power or deity that was worth anything would want people to suffer.
I pulled out my phone and cursed under my breath at the messages I had. The people interviewing Brian at our FBI office were screwing with him now that I had taken off. They were being much more careful about it as it was all on our record, but it would delay our getting out of there as they assumed I would go there.
Yes, because I was that stupid.
I texted back and quickly threw my hair up in a winter hat that everyone was wearing given how cold it was in Russia in the beginning of December. Then I pulled up Haton on my phone and connected the call.
“It went well?” she asked as her greeting.
“About as well as expected, except apparently the wolf elder wasn’t just implying Eugene took over or would, but did, as they thought I was his Alpha Bitch. So please punch that douche for me as it made this much, much harder for me. I’m now stowing a Beta who needed out and—just seriously fucking shit. So seriously, punch him and I want some notice sent it out it’s not true.”
“I might be able to swing something that it was a misunderstanding given it risked you there and giving that message helped us,” she said after a moment.
I figured, which was why I played it up. “Yeah, fine, a misunderstanding is better than nothing, but it needs to get squashed. I want that punch.”
“Yes, yes, I will gladly deck him,” she sighed. “What else?”
“I planted the seed we might pay for him getting people out of Russia.”
She chuckled. “Tell me he was stupid enough to jump on it?”
“Of course, he’s smarter than all of us,” I snickered.
“Good, that will help us track down all his accounts and piece together enough that the US will back us going to get him.”
“My good deed for the day for sure.” I glanced over at the Beta, who seemed to only be catching part of what I was saying. “Well, my second one.”
“Yes, have fun with that,” she chuckled.
She burst out laughing when I grumbled not every man wanted to sleep with me. She hung up still laughing.
Thanks. I think?
2
“Are you okay?” Brian asked from my phone as the wolf let me into his apartment.
“I’m fine, not a scratch,” I promised. “Annoyed I didn’t get to smash their faces in but it was amusing to finally burst their bubble that I understood every shit thing they said about me.”
“Galvin said it was a lot,” he seethed.
“Yeah, it was,” I sighed. “It’s sad I not only expected it but I’m used to it, right?”
“Yeah, it is but not on you,” he sighed as well.
“How long until we can get the fuck out of Russia?” I let out another, heavier sigh when he didn’t answer right away. “I messed something up, didn’t I?”
“No, we just didn’t think they’d press us and throw such a fit when you bailed,” he admitted. “I guess it’s out of the bag this was all to get at you and have you admit something and now that you recorded it all, they’re not worrying about being polite. Which is stupid. They can’t seriously think to try for you now that you showed you’re nowhere near as dumb as they assume, right?”
“I have no idea,” I admitted. I plopped down on the older-looking, but well-cleaned chair he had in the tiny living room. “I don’t know the play now.” I locked gazes with the Beta, who seemed more about me than packing. I slid off my shoes and tucked one leg under me as I took off my cap and jacket. “What’s the plan now?”
“They assume you’re coming here and are trying to delay until you do,” he answered.
“Fine, play with them a bit more and then take another call from me and let them hear I’m at that Alpha’s place. That would be fun for sure as I bet he won’t call in that he saw me.” I watched the Beta as he moved over to me and knelt down, taking my foot in his hand. He waited until I nodded, licking my lips as he gave me a heated look and started using those strong hands to massage my foot.
“Why are you moaning?” Brian asked, clearing his throat. “The happy kind.”
“Um, so I sort of stole a Beta,” I admitted, sliding out my other foot so he had access.
“Well, I won that bet,” Brian chuckled. “I knew you’d rescue someone. You always do.”
“Yeah, I do,” I agreed, not even able to deny it or make light of it, especially when his tone was full of love like he adored that about me. “Fine, you play with their people and apparently I’m going to get a foot massage here.” My nostrils flared as I smelled the Beta’s desire as he moved my legs a bit apart and kissed the inside of my knee as he kept massaging. “Or more.”
“Every man wants more with you, babe,” he murmured. “Don’t have too much fun. I’ll hurry.”
“Grigori Alexeev, and I wanted to help destress my new Alpha who I wish to be very, very loyal to and thank repeatedly for helping me,” he responded, his voice even deeper, which was amusing giving he was six-six and built so he came with a pretty deep voice.
“I love hearing you speak Russian,” Brian said in my ear. “What’s he doing to you?”
“Whatever I’ll allow him apparently,” I chuckled. “Let’s go home and you can watch if you want, Bri.” I couldn’t hide my distress, as heading to the plane was what triggered me worst after being abducted. I wanted to get it over with right after I was clear of what I had to do, not have down time.
“You’re okay, Sera,” he whispered gently. “We’ll get home just fine. Meet us at the airport in an hour. I’ll give them a bit to fuck around and then the lead they’ll want.”
“Thanks. I don’t mean to be a baby, I just want to go home.”
“Me too, and you’re not the only one feeling this,” he admitted.
Which made me feel worlds better. I felt weak having this issue. It wasn’t like I wanted others to be upset and suffer too, but if I wasn’t the only one… I wasn’t the only one then.
“See you in an hour. If you’re late I’ll let Grigori here tire me out completely.”
“We can’t have that,” Brian chuckled before hanging up.
“We have to be at the private flights part of the airport in an hour and we’re not going in through the normal way given they’ll be looking for us,” I told the Beta.
“It will take us less than a half an hour to get there, ten minutes for me to pack, so twenty to give attention to my Alpha if she wishes.”
“It would be rude not to give you a taste if I’m interested in maybe having you as my moon mate.”
He searched my eyes a few moments. “Nothing more?”
“I have a full plate for more than that.”
He nodded, spreading my legs further apart. “As my Alpha wishes.” His one hand kept massaging as the other slid up my thigh and under my skirt. His fingers teased my thong and then more as he kept my gaze, kissing along my skin. “Your scent is more enticing than any female wolf I have ever met.”
“You should have a taste and see if you really like it.”
So he did. I thought he would lick his fingers but he pulled me to the edge of the chair and spread me wider, moving my thong out of the way and licking as he fingered me.
It was an interesting way to spend twenty minutes and a great distraction. I was much more mellow and even less angry when he was done having his taste.
Which I realized had been part of his plan.
“You understand more English than you let on,” I accused.
He shook his head. “Very little actually, but I know repressing feelings well and you were repressing so much anger that I wanted to help. It simmered around you like heat off a fire.”
“Most cannot tell when I get that angry.”
“I know repressing to keep moving well,” he admitted, sounding sad. I hoped he was happy he wouldn’t have to do it anymore, but it was also scary to leave what someone knew. Which was why I thought he packed faster and faster like if he didn’t do it quicker, he might not be able to do it at all.
Not that he had all that much to pack, but he was circling the small apartment like he could be missing something.
“Would you like me to help pull everything out of cabinets and drawers so you don’t miss something?”
He shook his head. “I have it all. The only other things I would take with me are dead. It is why the Alpha was so quick to let you have me, as he is dismissive of other people and forgot my family died a few months ago. There is no one here to hold over my head if I didn’t spy for him.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. How did they die?”
He chuckled darkly. “Our Alpha is so busy making money and selling prey in between punishing any who think to flee the persecution here, he doesn’t have the time to do anything he should like protect people. A whole house of wolves was burnt to the ground with hunters shooting them if they tried to flee. My family had been there for dinner that night and died with them.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered in horror, feeling his pain as I much as I scented it in the air. “Oleg will suffer, I promise.”
His eyes went wide, realizing there was more up my sleeve for the asshole. I blinked and he was on me, kissing me fiercely in between pledging his loyalty to me and my pack always.
“We have to go,” I reminded him gently. This time he seemed lighter and I understood that. I would want to stay and make someone feel the pain I did if I was in his shoes but now he wasn’t leaving the need for justice behind but living on as his family would have wanted, free from all of it.
I’d really done something good for once.
He only brought two bags, muttering clothes could be replaced and not worth slowing us down. Smart man. I did see how he focused more on taking pictures out of frames and whatever he could out of a few boxes… But there was a lot more in there which he probably already cleared from his family’s place.
“Give me your keys when we get to the airport, as I might be able to have someone from the local FBI office grab more and maybe sell your car but I can’t promise that,” I told him when we got in his car.
The relief and hope coming off of him as we pulled onto the street made me glad I mentioned it. I didn’t know if we could swing it, but… Why not try?
I felt better when Brian said he was on the way to the airport and Carter had already scouted the spot for me to come in as well. We were really getting out of Russia and I didn’t have to be scared of heading to the plane.
It would be really nice to push past that fear.
When we got closer I told Grigori where to go off the texts. We parked and I took a picture of his car that I could send to the local FBI people before heading to where I felt Carter.
Grigori slid in front of me when the ancients came into view. I thanked him but assured him they were mine.
Carter sighed as he looked over the wolf, shaking his head. “I lost the bet. I thought for sure you would want out of here as fast as possible and picking up a stray wouldn’t be on your agenda.”
“It never is but I picked you up that way,” I reminded him.
“Something like that,” he chuckled, rolling his eyes at me. Sander and Emilio went over the fence first and I tossed my bag over to them, nodding for Grigori to do the same before letting Carter toss me over.
“Should we ditch him?” I asked Sander when Carter was the only one left on the side of the fence.
He muttered something about getting even before he used a fallen branch to help him get the right leverage to easily clear the high fence with barb wire. He then took my bag and nodded the way we needed to go. I told one of them to hang back with Grigori since he didn’t have a vest and we were still worried about people trying for me.
“You’re at the airport,” Carter reminded me, all of us agreeing that someone would have to be insane to try for me there. It wasn’t like the movies where foreign countries were so easy to slip in, and Moscow was such a huge tourist spot that the government wouldn’t dare risk the flow of that with a foreigner getting hurt at the airport.
I mean, that would be really stupid and seriously ballsy when I was asked to come. Plus, one of their bragging points was the US’s crime rates and how much better they were than us.
Then again, we caught more criminals so there was that.
I relaxed when the plane came into view and I saw FBI from the local office still hanging around and checking things out along with the security team I had on Brian. I wasn’t taking any chances this trip and it seemed to have paid off. I was going to spank the idiot later when I saw him step back out of the plane without hi
s vest on.
He smiled brightly when he saw me and horror filled me as a red dot appeared on his chest.
And I was too far away to do anything about it.
I screamed his name as I dropped what was in my hands and still tried, pushing myself with all I had to get to him. That split second felt like forever as I watched my worst nightmare come to life but also too fast as I desperately tried to reach him, as he realized something was wrong.
He’d been mid-step and that was the only thing that saved him from instant death as he moved enough that the bullet hit just above his heart. I caught him as the blood blossomed on his shirt, fear and shock filling his eyes. I moved us behind the plane’s stairs as I fed him energy, not giving a shit who was around or could see as I felt his heart struggling to beat.
“Sera, there’s too much damage,” Theon shouted.
“No, no, I can save him!” I screamed before pushing more energy into Brian as my blood thundered in my ears. I couldn’t believe this. This couldn’t be real.
No, we’d been through too much for him to leave me, for it to end like this. I wasn’t losing anyone else. I could save him. I saved Dain from death and that had been worse even if Dain was a powerful fairy and could take a lot.
“It’s okay, I love you,” Brian wheezed, tears leaking out of his eyes as he smiled at me. “Love you, Sera.”
“No, don’t you fucking die on me,” I sobbed.
“Sera, you have to turn him,” Theon demanded.
“No, I can’t,” I whispered. “I can save him.”
“It’s okay, babe, it’s okay,” Brian whispered, his heart sputtering again as he coughed blood. He kept repeating it and telling me he loved me like it was okay to let him go. It wasn’t okay.
It wasn’t fucking okay for him to go!
