Code Name: Fox / Mind Games (Syndicate Series Book 1)

by A. L. Kessler

  Kat groaned. "Yours would be faster."

  Celeste laughed. "But yours is better protected."

  "Good point," Kat muttered as the door behind them slammed closed.

  Reagan ran to her closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and sweater. Hopping on one foot and then the other to pull on her boots, she gathered up the book, the bundle and the vial, her jacket, and gloves on her way out the door.

  Her hand hovered over Celeste’s keys when the sound of shuffling feet caught her attention. Scooping up the keys she rushed out the door before anyone in the house would have a chance to spot her. She pressed the button on the key chain and a black town car flashed its lights. Her feet barely made a sound on the light layer of snow as she sprinted for the car and hopped in.

  After successfully leaving the compound the weather picked up. Snow showered down on the busy streets, but Celeste’s town car glided effortlessly over it. By the time Reagan made it to the work site, the sun was past the mid day point. From the flow of workers in the parking garage she could guess it was a shift change or maybe the end of their work day given all the snow that’d fallen. Cursing to herself, she parked on the ground level and ducked down until the last of the trickling workforce had left. She had no idea how she was going to find Liam without anyone seeing her, but with the crew leaving her only chance was right then. As she slipped out of the car another group of workers poured in. Her eyes were wide as she watched an entire new crew heading for the yard. "Crap."

  She melded in with the shadows, thankful that every wolf seemed to be intent on looking for their alpha and not worried about picking up any scents that didn't belong. The entire group turned away from the yard and headed into the building. One of them was complaining to the others about having to be briefed on what the other crew had or hadn't found and she breathed a sigh of relief. She'd have a few minutes on her own to look for him. As she broke away, someone caught her eye. He looked similar to the man who'd caused the explosion. Same scruffy facial hair, same dark eyes. A shiver went through her but she didn't have time to follow him. Her best guess was he was there to finish the job if they found Liam, which meant she needed to find the alpha first.

  The work yard was a mess. Debris and rubble littered the yard, and a quick scan of the building revealed exactly what Seamus had protected her from. Liam’s office was exposed and singed from the fire. She could already hear the wolves talking in raised voices in the building and turned away from the damage. “Liam?” She whispered.

  She wasn’t expecting an answer, but it still didn’t make her feel any better. Something at the edge of the farthest pile of rubble caught her attention. Squinting in the snow, she could faintly make out the outline of a wolf. Sprinting over there her heart sank. She’d expected to see the astral wolf, but instead it must have been her imagination. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, trying hard to find her center. As the noises of the outside world melted away, she concentrated on his mind. Every time she’d entered his Mindscape it had been easier and easier to find him, now without touching him she was going to have to find his wavelength. “Come on, Liam. Where are you?” She closed her eyes, hands out, and turning in a slow circle feeling for some vibration of the alpha wolf. When she finally felt it, Reagan opened her eyes to find herself facing the furthest corner of the work yard far from any of the rubble. She sprinted across the yard, the snow fell fast enough that any tracks she’d left were quickly covered and a familiar sight greeted her from an old shed. The astral wolf pawed at the ground as Reagan approached. The scene inside the shed flooded her with relief and horrified her at the same time.

  Liam was in human form but bloodied from head to toe. His clothes were in shambles with barely scraps holding them together, no shoes on his feet and the skin was starting to turn a slightly purple color. “Shit,” She whispered and dropped to her knees. “Liam? Liam, wake up.” His eyes fluttered open but quickly closed. Digging through her bag she clutched the tincture in her shaking hands, popped the top and held it against his lips. “Drink, Liam.” Again he gave no response other than a shiver. She dabbed a bit of the liquid on her finger tip and rubbed it against his lips. He instinctually darted his tongue out and licked his lips. “Wake up and drink this.” His lips parted and she emptied the vial into his mouth. “Swallow, damn it.” Her voice was shaking, she’d never imagine she’d see him like this. Practically unresponsive and weakened. He shivered but didn’t respond. “Liam, I need to get you out of here. Please wake up and tell me what to do.”

  “Seamus.” He whimpered.

  “Seamus is hurt, bad. I’m all the help you’ve got, now wake up I need you.”

  “You, okay?”

  “Damn it, Liam. Not now. I was hurt but I’m better and I need to get you out of here.”

  “Call pack.” He coughed and blood tinted his lips.

  “I can’t. Listen, we are in danger, help me.”

  His eyes opened and a wild frenzy lit his face. “Danger?”

  “One of those McGregor guys is here, he’s part of your work crew. I think he’s going to try to kill you if they find you alive. Celeste said I need to get you to a safe-house and let your pack think you are still missing until you can heal, otherwise the McGregor’s are going to strike again and hurt you.”

  “Or you.” He growled. “You need to leave me, Reagan.”

  “I don’t care about that. Now tell me how to get you to the parking garage without anyone seeing us.”

  “I care.” He practically roared the words and she clamped her hand over his mouth.

  “Would you shut up with the macho bullshit. I’m here to protect you, that’s what you hired me for, remember? Now stop with this Jane and Tarzan crap and help me get you to the safe-house.”

  He cracked a smile, or at least she assumed it was a smile and although his bloodied lips weren’t a very inviting sight it still made her body warm. In the time it took her to get him to his feet and steady him enough to move, the work yard was filled with wolves digging through piles. The healing tincture worked enough to give him strength to stand, but not on his own. Celeste had been right, he’d be able to do some of the work on his own, but she’d have to do most of it.

  He’d told her there was an entry to the garage about thirty feet from the shed and while most of it was hidden from sight the last ten feet or so would leave them completely exposed. He leaned against her, his weight nearly making her knees buckle. Their progress was slow, Reagan held on to his arm that was slung over her shoulders and her other arm snaked around his waist; and while Liam did his best to help move them along she still had to stop every few feet to readjust her grip on him and catch her breath. As they made their way, she was grateful for the wolves’ tenacity. Not a single one was doing anything other than keeping their heads buried in the rubble searching. Even the McGregor wolf was too busy digging to be a hassle.

  Getting Liam in the car was a struggle, but as soon as they were several blocks away Reagan finally felt safe enough to relax a bit as she drove. Liam was passed out and the wolf form who’d helped her had vanished long before they’d left the shed. One day she was going to have to figure out how to put it back inside Liam’s head and a part of her worried that maybe with it being out and on the loose it might be slowing Liam’s healing down. But for the moment she’d focus on one task at a time, and task one was getting to the safe-house and healing Liam.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Reagan checked and double checked the address of the nondescript office building. Nothing out of the ordinary stood out to denote how this building could be any safer than the secure compound the pack maintained as their central home. In fact, Reagan felt more exposed out here. Liam growled as she blew out a sigh, “Where do I go?”

  He opened one eye and pointed, "Go around back, there's a garage."

  "A garage?"

  "Yes, we don't want to leave the car out here to be spotted."

  She snorted. “How are we protected here?”

 
"Magic." He coughed.

  "Magic what?"

  "The building is protected, warded, no one will see or hear us, but they will notice a car parked on the street."

  He made a good point, she wrenched the steering wheel and slowed the car to a crawl. The least amount of trouble they ran into the better. After pulling the car around back, she stared at a bare brick wall. "How the hell do I get in?”

  “Phone,” He barked.

  Liam held out his hand, but she shooed him off. “I’ve got it.” Pulling out the paper from Celeste she dialed the number and waited for the automated prompt to ask for the code. After punching in the code, the brick wall parted and a steel door lifted up. Reagan pulled inside letting out a low whistle as rows of lights flickered on, illuminating a hidden garage big enough to park a fleet of vehicles. Liam reacted the same as Kat did to the whistle, wincing and making a grunting noise. She turned her attention away from the marvel of their hiding place and tried to hide her grin. "Oops, sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

  "Uh huh." He muttered.

  Several minutes later she had helped him out of the garage and they stood in an underground level of the building with Reagan struggling to bear most of Liam’s weight. “Where do we go?”

  He pointed down the hallway. “My father’s rooms are over here.”

  At the door Liam slapped his hand over a scanner. The sound of tumblers falling into place made an eerie echo down the empty hallway and the door unlocked. She helped him inside and made their way to the only bedroom. Sitting him on the edge of the bed, Reagan set out to find what supplies Liam’s father might have for helping bandage up the Alpha wolf. The rooms Liam had referred to were laid out more like a small apartment. Complete with a bedroom, kitchen, living room, and bathroom. The gas fireplace that separated the bedroom from the living room, so that both rooms could enjoy the view, was easy enough to start and within seconds Reagan had a roaring fire going to help warm up Liam. She had to admit the inside looked far better than the outer appearance of the drab office building. The furnishing were all modern in sharp colors with clean lines and looked like it should be featured in some fancy architecture magazine. Reagan's apartment look like a hovel in comparison.

  Liam’s bloody clothes and body would be the first thing she'd tackle, then she'd work on reading the grimoire to find a spell to help heal him and possibly one to help her shove his astral wolf back inside his mind where it belonged. Although to its credit, the projection of the wolf was the only way she'd been able to help Liam a couple of times. Sending it away seemed wrong, but it seemed more wrong to let it stay out where someone might at the very least feel its presence and banish it from its master once and for all.

  When he half opened his eyes again she pinned him with a stare. "You're bloody."

  "That's what happens when someone tries to blow you up."

  "Well, you need a shower so I can see the damage." Reagan paused. "Can you stand on your own?” He tried to stand but his legs refused to cooperate after a few seconds and Reagan groaned. "Well, I'm not taking a shower with you."

  "Oh come on, be a sport and help a guy out."

  She snorted. "No way in hell is that happening."

  "Afraid of what will happen?" he said with a smile.

  She rolled her eyes. "I'm afraid I won't be able to hold you while you're soaking wet and still be able to clean all your wounds out."

  "Sponge bath?" He slyly asked.

  Reagan glared over her shoulder at him. “You're injured and you think it’s appropriate to try to flirt with me?"

  "Well, if I'm on the verge of dying why not try to go out with a smile on my face."

  ”You aren't on the verge of dying, you big baby." She tried to hold the conviction in her voice, it wasn't a lie, he wasn't about to die, but he did have some nasty wounds and would need extra time to heal and cleaning him up would go a long way to getting him recovered.

  With a groan, she dug through her bag, grabbing the herbs Celeste had given her. She made her way into the bathroom and started to draw a bath. As she sprinkled the lavender, heather, and sage in the water she glanced over to see him shaking his head. “What?” she snapped.

  ”I’m not taking a bath."

  "The hell you aren't. I need to clean you up and I can't do that and hold you up in the shower."

  As she turned around to face him a predatory gaze coated his eyes making her swallow involuntarily. Her hand shook as she turned off the water. Making her way over to him she slipped her arm under his and draped his muscular arm around her shoulders to help him to his feet. She was amazed at how a limping injured man could still look like a stone-cold killer. “Brace yourself on the edge of the tub and get undressed. I'm going to, um, get a towel."

  Liam quickly stripped off the torn clothing and sunk into the tub. Reagan did her best to avert her eyes but couldn't help but discreetly steal a glance in the mirror. Her breath hitched, he was stunning naked. Every muscle danced beneath his tanned skin.

  When he was fully submerged, he gripped both sides of the porcelain tub and lowered his head under the water for a moment. She knelt by the edge of the tub and soaped up a washcloth. Water dripped from his hair as he emerged and smiled in a way that made her squirm. If this is how he looked at female wolves it was a wonder he wasn't mated. Any woman would melt under that gaze. She wanted to melt, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to forgive herself for going down that road. The wanton side of her coaxed from the corner of her mind. "Just once, to see what all the fuss is about. It's not like you'd be mated. Perfect timing. No one around. No one would know." She bit her lip and ran the cloth over his chest carefully cleaning a huge gash. “Is Celeste’s potion and the herbs helping at all?”

  He nodded and closed his eyes for a moment. “Yeah, I feel a bit of strength coming back.” He grinned. “I think you washing me is help more though.”

  She slapped his arm with the washcloth. “Oh, would you be serious for five seconds, please?”

  “I am.” He growled and she rolled her eyes.The air grew still in the silence that stretched for longer than Reagan was comfortable with, then without warning Liam’s hand covered hers. She held her breath as their eyes met. “Reagan..."

  "Yes," she responded breathlessly.

  "Would you regret it?"

  Her face drained of all color. "Regret what?"

  "What you are clearly thinking about?"

  "Liam, I am not thinking about sleeping with you."

  "I never said you were." His hand traveled up her arm, caressing her shoulder and neck and finally cupped her cheek. She adverted her eyes and the alpha wolf growled. "Look at me, Reagan."

  When she did, all of her resolve crumbled. Just like before when he'd kissed her she felt that growing familiar feeling of losing all self-control when she was near him. He drew her closer, lips lightly brushing against hers. He slipped his other hand out of the tub and wrapped it around her waist to pull her closer. Reagan's breasts touched the water, soaking her shirt in an instant. The warm water was nothing compared to the heat pooling between her thighs. The carnal part of her subconscious was screaming yes and yet the scared and angry part of her that had shaped so much of her life dug its heels in. Her lips trembled as her thoughts were torn in two different directions. "Liam, I..." His teeth grabbed her lower lip tugging it softly in resistance. "I can't do this."

  He released her lip and stopped pulling her forward. However he didn't let her go either. Instead he rested his forehead against hers and touched her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

  "I won't hurt you if that's what you're afraid of. I would never hurt you.”

  She did a quick internal check. Was she afraid he'd hurt her? Honestly she could say it hadn't crossed her mind. Something about him radiated safety. If she were a betting woman she'd stake her life on the fact that he would do everything in his power to keep from hurting her. That wasn't the problem. The problem was betrayal. Betraying her anger, her hatred. Hatred kept her warm at night. It
gave her purpose. "I don't think you'll hurt me."

  "Then what is it?" His grip on her tightened. "You can feel this, can't you? You can't tell me it's one-sided."

  "I just--" Her hand trailed down his chest. "I can feel something, yes. But you hired me to help you; I'm not here for sex."

  He laughed. "It wouldn’t be sex."

  She arched a brow. "Oh?"

  "Well, I mean, there would be sex, make no mistake about it." His cocky grin faded. "But there's more to it than that. I want to know you; I want you to know me."

  Mulling that over was going to take some time. From everything she knew of wolves, that wasn't their typical M.O. They were base-animals. Food, fucking, and fighting were the three staples of pack life. Getting to know a person wasn't on the list. "I need to clean your back. Sit up." Even to her ears her voice sounded more cold than usual. It was the look of his injuries on his back that melted the frost from her tone, "Oh, damn, Liam. You're a mess."

  "That bad, huh?"

  She nodded. No point in sugar coating it. His back was a mess. There wasn't an inch of skin on him that wasn't torn up, lacerated, or burned. After re-soaping the washcloth she gently cleaned each wound, starting at his shoulders and working all the way down to his tail bone. It took draining and refilling the tub twice before the water turned from dark crimson to a light red hue from all the blood. "Liam, I don't know if I can heal all of this."

  "The full moon will help."

  "I know, but that's not for a few more hours.."

  “I can already feel the effects of the moon. Even though it’s not up yet, it’s still working it’s magic.” He leaned back blocking her from seeing his back any longer and cupped her chin. “And you can heal me the rest of the way, I believe in you. You healed me before."

  "From a mental wound. I'm not a healer, I don't have any experience. Spells in the mind and physical spells are totally different.”