by Mikayla Lane
“I can promise you that no one is coming to harm anyone. I know you aren’t going to believe me, but we’re the good guys,” Nik said.
It bothered him to see the disbelief and disappointment in BJ’s eyes before she carefully masked her expression.
“He’s telling you the truth,” Traze interjected, sounding a little defeated. “I could have just as easily gone in there and killed you and Mojo then got Nik out, but I didn’t. Neither did Nik on the drive here. You’re safe from us.”
BJ looked a little surprised by Traze’s words, and she studied both men carefully for a moment.
“What about the guy Nik killed out there? Who is he? Why did you kill him?” BJ asked, hoping one of them would answer.
Traze snorted and leveled his dark gaze on BJ.
“That was one of the worst, most senseless killing machines on this planet . . .” Traze began before Nik jumped up and stared at him. His gaze telling him to shut his mouth.
BJ narrowed her eyes at the two men but couldn’t stop herself from trying to find out why they killed that man.
“Who was he? Was he a gang member? Mafia? Hit man? Murderer? Talk to me. If you did it in self-defense, then we may be able to get you out of here,” BJ said.
She knew that self-defense was going to be hard for them to justify when she watched Nik shoot the man in the back as he was fleeing, but she found herself actually hoping it would work.
Traze stood and looked as if he was going to speak when Nik stood as well and turned on him.
“We have nothing more to say about it until our lawyers get here. They will work all this out,” Nik ground out as he stared at Traze.
“Look, guys, I want to help you if I can. Can’t you at least tell me who he was so I can notify his family,” BJ asked. “Your cooperation will go a long way with the district attorney.”
Traze snorted again and glared at Nik’s furious face.
“You don’t have to worry there. Animals like that don’t have families,” Traze said, looking defiantly at Nik.
“OK, it’s your choice. You got a few hours you can sleep before breakfast gets here. We’ll ring the circuit judge at 9 a.m. and get your arraignment out of the way via video. Will your lawyers be here by then?” BJ asked.
Nik nodded his head, still glaring at Traze and BJ sighed.
“You need anything to drink?” she asked.
“Water if you have it, please,” Traze said.
His politeness surprised BJ, but she shook it off and nodded as she headed out into the office and opened the fridge. She grabbed four bottles of water and went back into the holding area.
She passed two bottles to Nik and moved over to the other side to hand Traze his bottles so he wouldn’t have to venture too close to Nik.
“I need to take your fingerprints. Will you let me?” she asked the volatile young man.
“I’m not going to harm you,” Traze assured her as he placed his hands outside of the cell bars.
BJ ran into the office and grabbed her kit before running back into the holding area. She did his prints as fast as she could in case something pissed him off again and he became uncooperative.
“You OK?” she asked both of the men as she handed Traze some wipes for his fingers.
When they nodded their heads she went back out into the office area and handed the fingerprint card to Mojo.
“Put a rush on this one, even though I know it’s going to come back the same as Nik’s,” BJ said.
Mojo nodded his head and set to work scanning in the card while BJ pulled the evidence bag containing the strange stone out of her pocket.
“What is that? Is that what lit up the room?” Mojo asked as he got up from his desk and moved to look at the stone.
“I don’t know what it is, Mojo, and I know it’s going to sound crazy,” she whispered as she looked around to make sure no one was listening, “but I think it’s what cremated the body too.”
Mojo held his hand out for the evidence bag.
“I gotta see the thing. I can even look at it without taking it out of the evidence bag,” he assured her and grinned when BJ dropped it into his hand.
Mojo went to his desk and opened up a small case containing his microscope as BJ sat down to finish logging in all the weapons.
“Hey, who’s going to strip search them and get them showers?” Mojo asked, hoping BJ wouldn’t pick him. He’d seen more than enough of the strangers already.
“No need until their arraignment, but after that we’ll take them one at a time to the showers. We’ll let Doc do the strip searching so he can check where the Taser barbs went in,” BJ assured him. “They’ll be transferred to the county in a few days anyway.”
BJ was almost sad at the thought that Nik would have to be sent to the county jail with Traze once transport and logistics could be arranged. Her small jail had never been meant to hold anyone for longer than what it took for them to sleep it off after too much homemade moonshine. Major crimes just didn’t happen in places like this, until tonight.
“You aren’t buying the self-defense theory?” Mojo asked with a grin.
“I don’t know what to believe,” BJ admitted as she looked at the sword in the box of Nik’s weapons.
Who uses a sword these days? she wondered.
There was a whispering chime and Mojo spun around in his chair with a grin and began typing on his laptop.
“OK, girl, we got a Nicholas Jeffries, 38 years old, six foot five, and a security expert with Freedom Security International,” Mojo relayed as BJ came over to read the information over his shoulder.
“Nicholas?” BJ asked as she read the information. “He said his name was Niklosi.”
“He’s a mercenary, Beeg. He’s like a politician and probably doesn’t know how to tell the truth,” Mojo said with a shrug.
BJ knew Mojo was probably right, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Nik had told her the truth. It didn’t explain why his prints came back as Nicholas though.
“You got anything on the other one yet?” BJ asked.
“I just put his in; it shouldn’t be much longer though because I have it running through the satellite and not the dial up,” Mojo answered as he turned back around to look at the stone.
“It says he lives in D.C.,” BJ said as she read aloud from the information on Mojo’s laptop.
Mojo snorted.
“If he’s working for that bunch of criminals, then you know he’s guilty,” he said, his disgust clear.
“It doesn’t fit. I can’t explain it, but none of it makes sense,” BJ muttered.
“How did you get this thing to light up?” Mojo asked as he held the stone up to the light.
“I don’t know. I remember thinking that I wished I could see, and then it lit up,” BJ admitted, knowing how crazy it sounded.
Mojo laughed for a moment until he realized BJ wasn’t kidding.
“Seriously?” he asked with a doubtful look.
BJ nodded and shrugged her shoulders. She had no other explanation.
Mojo cleared his throat and held out his hands, the stone and evidence bag held above his head as he grinned.
“Lo, I say to you, let there be light!” Mojo mocked and dropped the bag when the stone lit up in his hands.
“What the fuck?” Mojo screamed as he jumped back and stood on the seat of his chair, staring down at the brightly shining stone on the floor.
“Yeah, that’s unnerving,” BJ admitted as she reached down and grabbed the corner of the evidence bag and put it on the desk.
“Turn it off! It’s creeping me out!” Mojo said as he backed away from the desk.
“I don’t know how to turn it off,” BJ said and her mouth hung open as the stone’s light went out.
“Oh hell, girl, what kind of crazy shit you brought home? Momma’s gonna kill you if you brought home trouble,” Mojo warned her, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Knock it off,” BJ said as she tentatively picked up the evidence bag and looke
d at the stone. “Maybe it’s some kind of new technology?”
“Beeg, you know damn well I know my technology, and that shit ain’t nothing I’ve ever seen or heard of,” Mojo was adamant.
“Maybe it’s new defense technology. The military comes up with crazy stuff all the time,” BJ suggested even though she didn’t believe it herself.
Mojo cocked an eyebrow at her, his facial expression making it clear he didn’t believe a damn thing she said.
“OK, OK,” BJ said, admitting she had no idea what it was, but she knew who did.
Without another word she grabbed the evidence bag and headed into the holding cell area and held it up to Nik and Traze.
“I need to know what this is, or I’ll have to call the FBI in order to ensure this isn’t some form of dangerous weapon,” BJ said, noting the way the two men stared at one another for a moment before Nik spoke.
“It is merely a stone that I found that lights up once in a while. I’ve had it for years, for good luck, but don’t have a clue how it works,” Nik almost choked on the lie.
He hated lying to anyone, but lying to BJ seemed to affect him much more than it ever had before. His heart actually ached from it, and he mentally shook himself as he stared unblinkingly at her disappointed hazel eyes.
BJ deflated at his obvious lie, but his expression gave her hope that he was still reachable, and she stepped up to the cell, put her hands on the bars, and kneeled down in front of him. She looked deep into his eyes.
“Listen to me. If you’re in danger, I can help you. Please trust me with what happened, and I promise I can help you,” BJ said, trying to convince him to talk to her.
“You’re so fucking clueless,” Traze said with a chuckle.
“Don’t laugh. I’m dead serious,” BJ snarled at Traze before she turned back to Nik.
“Please, talk to me. Tell me what happened out there,” BJ asked him as her eyes pleaded with him.
BJ could have sworn she saw a flicker in his strange, dark eyes and thought he might talk to her until Mojo ruined it.
“Beeg! Holy shit, girl, get out here!” Mojo screamed out then muttered more quietly, “Momma’s gonna kill you! Momma’s gonna kill us both! I knew you brought back trouble! You’re a damn trouble magnet!”
BJ sighed and stood, not bothering to look back at Nik as she left the holding cells and stormed over to the desk where Mojo was staring at the computer screen.
“What is your problem?” BJ ground out as she looked over his shoulder.
The flashing pop-up on the screen immediately grabbed her attention.
HOLD FOR MILITARY AUTHORITIES!
“What the hell?” BJ asked aloud.
“You ever seen this before?” Mojo asked, gesturing to the screen with both of his hands.
BJ shook her head slowly as she tried to understand what was going on.
She’d been in law enforcement for 12 years and had seen a lot of different agencies issue holds on suspects, but she’d never seen this kind before.
“Where is it coming from?” she asked.
“This is coming from a military IP address. It’s legit, Beeg. What does it mean? Are they military? AWOL or something? Is the military sponsoring their mercenary group?” Mojo asked.
BJ looked to the holding area and knew Nik and Trey must have heard the conversation because she could hear movement and whispers.
“You’re using the satellite and the dial up aren’t you?” BJ asked.
“Yeah, I was doing several things at once. Why?” he asked.
“Because they’ve probably been trying to call. Our information is given as the arresting agency as well as what they’re charged with,” BJ said.
“Damn, I’ll log off,” Mojo said moving to disconnect one of the laptops.
“No, don’t,” BJ said, surprising herself. “Let them wait. These guys aren’t going anywhere. Find out where the nearest military base is; I want to know when they’re getting here.”
“What are you doing?” Mojo asked her in surprise. “These guys are probably dangerous as hell! We need to let the military get them the hell out of here quick, and you know it!”
“Something isn’t right, Mojo, and you know it too. When is Momma getting here?” BJ asked, knowing he’d called their mother by now.
Mojo growled and rubbed his hands over his face in frustration.
“She left home 20 minutes ago after I told her you brought in the big guy for murder and he cremated the body in the woods. She’s bringing them food,” he admitted.
BJ sighed in relief as she headed back into the holding cell area and saw Traze and Nik facing each other as if they were talking. Only they weren’t saying a word.
“You heard that I’m supposed to hold you for military authorities. If there was ever a time to talk, it’s now-before they get here. Are you military? Are you mercenaries?” BJ asked, still hoping Nik would talk to her.
She knew it was crazy but she could feel a connection with him. She knew he wanted to talk to her and didn’t understand what was preventing him from doing so. All she knew for sure was that her heart didn’t believe he was a bad man, and she had an urge to protect him—from what she didn’t know, but she had a really bad feeling about the notice on the computer.
“You want us to talk to someone who called their momma? Are you fucking serious?” Traze asked throwing his arms out dramatically.
“Gods damn you, shut up, Traze!” Nik roared in frustration.
He had way too many people talking in his head, and he didn’t need Traze and his mouth complicating things further. It was far too late for lawyers and dealing with it quietly, and as happy as he was that he’d be out of the cell soon, he was a little surprised to find that he wanted to learn more about the pretty cop too.
“Traze? Another interesting name,” BJ noted, bringing Nik from his thoughts.
“Fuck,” Nik whispered.
“And you tell me to shut up!” Traze growled out as he rounded on Nik.
“Oh, hell! BJ!” Mojo called out.
BJ only had time to turn to the office door before a beautiful, tall, thin black woman breezed into the holding cell area carrying two large brown bags.
“Momma! What the hell! You know the protocol!” BJ grated out from gritted teeth.
Bess Markson, BJ and Mojo’s mother, stopped just inside the holding cell area and dropped the brown bags the moment she saw Nik and Traze, the contents bursting across the floor. She clutched her hands to her chest and took slow, measured steps to Nik’s cell.
“Momma?” BJ asked curiously as her mother ignored her.
BJ turned when Mojo came in the room and shrugged her shoulders at his confused look before turning back in time to see Nik smile and lean towards her mother’s outstretched hands.
“You’re really here,” Bess whispered as tears sprang into her eyes.
Nik smiled at the energy that enveloped him the moment the beautiful woman had come into the room. Nik felt a rush the moment her fingers touched his cheeks. Even Traze was struck silent by the intensity and power that surrounded them when the elegant woman walked into the room.
“It is good to see one of my mate’s people. He would have loved to see this day,” Bess whispered in Nik’s mind.
Nik’s eyes widened, and he stared into the same beautiful hazel eyes that BJ had.
Bess smiled and pulled her hands from Nik’s face.
“It is our gift to remain unnoticed. We have no beast marks in our eyes, and our energy remains completely hidden unless we want others to feel it,” Bess explained at his unspoken question.
“Momma, what the hell!” BJ ground out in shock.
Bess turned to her daughter and son with a beautiful smile.
“Bessemiah, Jeremiah, these are your father’s people. The Valendrans,” Bess said, leaving the entire room staring at her with their mouths open.
Unfortunately, Traze was the first to recover.
“Bessemiah? What the hell kind of hor
rible name is that? I thought it was Blow Job,” Traze said.
Everyone watched in shock as Bess threw her arm out, and Traze was slid across the floor and thrown into the bars on the opposite side of the cell. He screamed out in anger as he kicked his feet, and his arms flailed as he tried to break himself of the invisible hold.
“Child, although you cannot hear your brother at the moment, he’s screaming at you to shut your mouth. I believe, what is it . . .” Bess paused, her hand still reaching out to keep Traze pinned against the bars. “Yes, Grai! Grai said he’d not like to see you shot again for your stupidity. So calm yourself child and try not to make me change my mind about helping you.”
The moment she finished speaking Bess lowered her hand and Traze tried to act cool as he shook out his limbs and flexed his fists to prove he could move again. His face was flamed in embarrassment.
“How the hell do you know that? What the hell are hybrids doing in the middle of the inbred capitol of the country?” Traze asked, a little concerned now.
Bess laughed heartily at Traze, not putting him at ease at all.
“You don’t really think that all those things said about these parts are true do you? What better way to hide than to make people fear coming near you?” Bess asked with a grin before she turned to BJ. “Come, honey. Let them out.”
BJ looked at her mother like she’d lost her mind.
“Momma, how the hell do you know they’re Valendran? I don’t think we have enough facts to let them go anywhere yet,” BJ told her mother through their private path on the shengari’.
Bess smiled and hugged BJ and a still shocked Mojo.
“Children, I told you this day would come. Your father knew they would return, and he was right. Now, let them out so we can figure out how to fix the problem with the government coming for them,” Bess said.
Without another word, Bess walked out into the office area, leaving BJ and Mojo staring at each other in shock. They were still standing there when Bess came back in with a dustpan, broom, paper towels, and cleaner. She set everything down near the dropped bags of food and flashed her hands at BJ and Mojo.
“Go get the key and let them out. We need to figure out what we’re going to tell the government when they come for them and find them gone,” Bess said, then knelt to clean up the mess.
