A sniffle and then an unladylike snort. “I’m not going anywhere, Vin. I have some sense.”
“Good.” Fourth floor. They all came to an abrupt halt. The dark gray fire door leading to this level lay on its side blocking the turn to the next set of stairs. Snapped hinges spoke of the force of the blast hitting this area.
Curtis tapped it with his foot to check how secure it was. It rocked under his boots.
“Over or remove?” The lean blond asked.
Vin tapped his ear com, muting their conversation from Helen. No need to freak her out more than necessary. “Over. We don’t have time to clear it.” The jump was at least a six foot leap. Easy for them with their enhanced musculature.
Curtis went first, landing with bent knees on the third step of the next level. Harkum went next, hitting the stairs with a loud thud. Nathan chuckled and the others joined in. Big bastard. Harkum stood an easy six-seven and had the muscled weight to support his frame. Tallest one of Alpha Squad and hell of a man to have in a gun fight.
Vin waved for Nathan to take his turn with Nathan’s twin brother a shadow at his side. Zander timed his jump and the dark haired brothers landed silently together right behind Harkum and Curtis. Vin shook his head. He still couldn’t figure out how the spooks did it. No matter the task, they were always in harmony as if more than the genetic mixed stew they’d gone through governed their actions.
“After you, sir.”
Rockland stood relaxed beside Vin, holding a modified G32. Whatever weapon the government issued their special ops group, Rock modified it. Vin had to give him credit. He’d seen Rock’s weapon in action in testing and would request they all got their weapons modified as soon as they had down time at Command Central.
“I’m last, Rock. Don’t argue.” Gray eyes glared in his direction but Rock took a running jump crossing the downed door in seconds. Vin prepared to join them when the low whine of engines at maximum thrust filled the air. Their glances darted around the stairway landing at the same time on the lone window six feet up from the corner wall of the stairs.
“Down, everybody.” Vin snapped the order out while dropping to his knees by the side corner wall. Pressed firmly against the concrete, he confirmed his command had been followed.
They followed his order instantly, huddling together back to back and providing cover for one another. The short stutter of Helen’s breath in his ear caused Vin’s throat to lock up. An unfamiliar sensation expanded in his chest and sweat trickled down his temple.
Vin unmuted his ear com. “Baby, you there?”
“Yes.” More rapid pants. She recognized the overhead sounds as well.
“I need you to get down on the floor and get under your desk if you can.” She had a huge beast in black taking up a fair portion of her luxury office. Some protection beat none.
He heard her scrambling around and then. “Are they coming back?”
Vin hoped not. “Shhh. Tuck your head down and make sure you’re covered.” He needed her to remain calm.
Laser fire sounded seconds later from outside. Engines whined and the sound of multiple air fighters joined the mix. An explosion boomed, causing the building to rock. Helen squeaked in his ear.
“Steady, hellcat,” he murmured, tightening his hold on his weapon. What he wouldn’t give to be at her side holding her. If she let him. So far neither of them mentioned Vin’s absence over the last six months. She’d texted him in the beginning. Voicemails followed her texts and with no less class than he expected, she acquiesced to his silent message to fade away.
Vince cursed the stupidity of his actions now. He missed her more than he’d ever missed any other woman who shared his bed in the past. Doing what was necessary cost him endless sleepless nights but his options at the time were limited and some days he still seemed to be paying. Helen deserved better than a worn out soldier with a dose of fuck up thrown in the mix. Vin still wondered why she’d ever made that first phone call to him.
But Vin was grateful. Like a dog trained to sit, whenever she called him in the middle of the night, he’d made the long drive from DC to Baltimore without qualm for the chance to spend a few hours in her bed. A few hours of escape that suited both of them over the last two years.
In her arms, Vin found peace and a small slice of contentment. Peace he probably hadn’t earned but he’d eagerly soaked it in. And it saved his soul. It was hard to believe how close he’d rode the edge until he wasn’t standing on the cusp of self-destruction any longer. Thanks to Helen.
She never complained. No feminine hints to change the status of what they had. No pressure when he didn’t talk about what he did for the military. Not once did she question his long absences. Helen gave Vin freedom to just be and in return he hoped he’d given her a small measure of the same.
Of course, all of that changed when Slade offered his whacked out version of a government pardon six months ago. Vin and the men on team Alpha Squad became something more. Something powerful and dangerous. Each day, they discovered abilities the doctors in the lab hadn’t predicted. Super strength only. Yeah, right. What about the psychic extra bullshit appearing left and right?
Too late to complain now. The junk in their veins was permanent. So Vin had purposely called it quits to any chance of a relationship with a woman. Specifically, with Helen.
Wind rattled the lone window above them followed by the screech of fighter jets. Gunfire sounded followed by silence as the battle traveled further away from them. “Let’s move,” Vin ordered, jumping to his feet. He wanted to get to Helen as soon as possible. That was too close for comfort. If the Rekabians decided to level the building they were all done.
“Helen?”
“I’m okay.” Clear and crisp.
Vin released a relieved smile. “That’s my girl. On my way, hellcat.”
Chapter 2
Helen tried to make herself as small as possible in the awkward curl under her desk. Not an easy task in the hip hugging gray skirt. She’d long since kicked off her heels though one bore a nasty scrape along the side from when she’d fallen during the onset of the Rekabian attack.
Pushing back a fall of hair behind her shoulders, Helen tightened her grip on the cell. With the phone pressed to her ear, her connection to Vin reassured her. Vin. Just his name created a haven in her mind and heart. He’d come get her, of that, she had no doubt. When Helen first met him, she’d been drawn to the brimming strength of purpose in his gaze.
Their eyes clashed in a coffee shop of all unlikely places. Confidence and stern military bearing had made him more attractive to her than any of the numerous suit clad men present. Not her usual type, Helen had stared nonetheless as he ordered a plain cup of coffee which he proceeded to drink black before even walking away from the counter.
When he caught her watching his every move, he’d winked one of his gorgeous blue gray eyes. Instead of ducking her head and pretending she hadn’t been ogling him, Helen had waved her finger at him in a come hither gesture while the heat of a blush burned her cheeks. The move surprised her because she liked men to approach first but something about his looks tempted her to tease.
His blond brow had hiked in surprise and then with a rueful shrug and the prowling walk she loved, he’d approached her. Nothing about the day had been normal. After mild flirting, mostly on her part as she chattered about nonsensical stuff while he’d continued to watch her as if trying to figure her out, awkward silence fell between them.
Helen refused to speak more. She’d been overly aggressive in making her interest known. Something she’d never done before. But every inch of him screamed come get me if you want and oh how she wanted. His looks possessed a hint of danger laced with an edge of strength Helen envied. Finally, he’d reached into his back pocket and handed her a small silver business card with only a number printed in black ink.
“Vin Michaels. Call me if you’re serious, baby and not playing games.”
Helen almost swooned on the spot. Instead of
being offended by the generic endearment, her panties had dampened. Then, he walked away without a backward glance, leaving her standing there mouth open and more turned on than she ever had been in her life.
Not one to waste time, Helen called him that night and the next. When he returned her call two days later, he’d extended a dinner invitation that she accepted immediately. Dinner led to other things and she’d fallen fast and hard.
Totally unlike the narrow focus and detail she applied to everything else in her life, Helen delved into the sporadic nature of their affair full on with no questions asked. Passion and hunger governed her actions and Vin as a lover exceeded her expectations with his instinctive ability to give her pleasure. Drunk on the feelings Vin invoked during the times they were together, Helen never questioned his past or his job.
She knew all about leaving unwanted thoughts of a tainted past behind. Eight years at her job and she still worried about the stigma of being the product of an unwed teenage mother living in specialized housing. But with Vin, Helen didn’t think about any of those things. She only worried over what she’d do if he ended their relationship.
Helen tapped her forefinger against the plush carpet under her legs. Could her time with Vin even be categorized as a relationship? They called each other, screwed and then he went home. A fiery blush heated her cheeks. In light of the way things ended, she constantly second guessed the decision she made two years ago.
Yes, Vin ranked as the best lover she’d ever had but with thirty looming over her head, Helen realized she didn’t have much to show for the life she’d built with such single minded determination. A fabulous condo in an upscale community in upper Baltimore County, a car worth more than the hefty balance in her bank account and her career.
Her time with Vin had her thinking that maybe she’d finally found someone to share all of that. His voice brought back memories of their hot delicious nights together. Nights when they’d spoken of random topics. Likes and dislikes. Helen truly believed they had something special until he’d stopped responding or calling.
The thought drove the ever present wedge in her chest deeper. She still had no idea what had happened. One moment things were fine and the next…nothing. He’d just refused to answer her calls or text and she’d gracefully accepted his less than subtle sign that what they had came to an end.
“Helen?”
Vin’s voice jerked her to attention. The sound of roaring jets overhead diminished. Helen straightened as much as possible bumping her head on the under side of her desk. Concern laced his tone after months of silence without any contact from him. Six lonely months. “I’m okay.” She made her tone as firm as possible.
Bad enough she’d almost fallen apart when he called.
“That’s my girl. On my way, hellcat.”
Helen jammed her fist in her mouth to muffle her cry. She hated his bratty nickname for her except the familiar term gave her something to cling to when she preferred to break down and bawl. But Helen Scott didn’t cry. She got herself together and marched on. Along those lines, Helen scrambled from beneath her safety spot and rose to her feet. Muscles twitched in her back from being cramped during those brief minutes. One more reminder about all the aerobic classes she promised to attend yet failed to schedule time for.
“We’re on the eighth floor. Shouldn’t be much longer. Are you injured at all?”
We? Who did Vincent have with him? Helen reviewed what she knew of her former lover, the list came up woefully short. His background was clearly military. A fact he’d confessed to after their second night together even if she hadn’t recognized the overly watchful and edgy restless look he never lost. But Vin never talked about which branch he belonged to or what he did. Helen read his ‘don’t trespass’ message loud and clear.
As for his family, Helen couldn’t recollect a single conversation involving mention of them. She, at least, talked of her mother. Not often, since she didn’t exactly see eye to eye with Carmen Scott. But she’d spoke of the woman who gave birth to her.
“Helen? Are you hurt?” His impatience nudged at her.
“Um..no… I don’t think so.” She did a quick check over her body. The silk blouse in pale pink looked worse for wear as she twisted her torso from side to side. Though wrinkled, the gray skirt to her suit had come through mostly unscathed. Wrinkles didn’t count in her opinion, all things considered.
Once more, Helen ran a hand over her loosened hair. Her neat bun of earlier long since gone leaving the shoulder length mass to fall about her face. She leaned over her desk and rifled through the neat rows of office accessories until she spotted the colorful box of rubber bands. Helen grimaced. Not her first choice but she needed to pin her hair up and this would have to do. Struggling to keep the phone propped between her ear and shoulder, Helen gathered it and twisted the band on the bulk and created a ponytail. It sagged along her neck but she didn’t let hair concerns distract her.
Next, Helen scanned the floor and slid her feet back into the expensive gray pumps that would never be the same again. When the attack first occurred, she’d finished a quick snack in the break room. A simple bag of chips to make up for the lunch she’d skipped and the dinner she’d probably bail on due to laziness.
Thunderous booms and the rocking building scared her more than she wanted to admit. Glancing out the windows over the sleek wooden tables revealed the oval shaped black space crafts which had become more and more recognizable as the Rekabians increased their visibility around Earth. Helen had no time to prepare as they suddenly open fired. Glass had splintered all around her.
People ran through the halls screaming. Some foolishly took the elevator while others bee-lined for the stairs. Helen didn’t know what happened to them or if they’d made it out. Instinct and self preservation caused her to run back in the direction of her office seeking some form of safety.
Originally, the space craft as large as a football field had caused great curiosity mingled with awe. Newsfeeds and social sites flooded with information about proof of life outside of their small world. Aliens, who initially seemed interested in forming a partnership of sorts with the Governments of Earth, sent a digital greeting referring to themselves as Rekabians. Within a month of contact, the aliens which no one had ever seen began sending out smaller sized crafts which hovered randomly over various cities. Unsure of their purpose, America responded by sending stealth fighters airborne as a precautionary measure.
Within weeks, the four or five space crafts numbered in the twenties and appeared around the world not just the US. For once, every country acted of one accord. Every worldwide military branch sent their fighter jets to meet the potential threat. It was Earth against the unknown. Nothing happened. The crafts just lingered around seemingly harmless. Now it looked like the Rekabians had decided to make their move.
“Why aren’t you in Hong Kong, hellcat?”
Helen pulled the phone away from her ear to glare at it. One of the frustrating things about their time together was the fact that Vin always seemed to know her schedule while she never knew his. No idea when he was state side or out of the country as she often suspected he was. Nestling her cell under her neck, she focused on the more obvious. “You know I hate that name.”
“But it’s so appropriate.”
“Hardly,” she snapped. The nickname implied a woman prone to hissy fits. Helen preferred the term vocal about espousing her ideas.
His warm chuckles greeted her sending an unexpected shiver down her spine. “Stop avoiding the question and tell me why you’re home early and at work.”
Demanding. How could he infuse a simple question with his demanding presence? As if he had the right to demand anything from her. Months of silence lay between any rights she may have given him, yet Vin acted as if they’d just talked yesterday.
Helen contemplated not answering but the move seemed juvenile and played into his stupid nickname for her. Telling him what he wanted was the easiest route. “I canceled the t
rip. The warehouse here had an issue with the samples so I didn’t have time to go and tour our new plants overseas.” In light of the attack, Helen wished she’d stuffed herself on the plane and headed off to Hong Kong. Which reminded her. “Did Vice President Stone make it out safely?” Security on the building down the street had been tight all week in preparation for his visit.
Vin grunted and she could hear him speaking with someone else. “Yeah, we got him out and on his way.”
Which explained why Vin was here. He and his infamous we. Hurt ticked at her heart but Helen blocked the sensation. Why should she be hurt that Vin wasn’t here specifically for her? What mattered was the fact he was in a position to help when she needed it most. Still, the pressure in her chest tightened.
“Talk to me, Helen. On the tenth floor and clearing our way. Might take a moment longer.”
While his tone remained neutral, Vin’s statement implied they’d run into some obstacle he wouldn’t discuss. Licking her dry lips, Helen blurted the thought foremost in her mind. “Why’d you stop calling?” As soon as the question escaped, Helen wanted to call it back. She banged the cell on her forehead before placing it back at her ear. Desperate, party of one please.
“Yeah, not exactly a good time for that talk.”
Anger rescued her. Forget desperate. Despite the conviction that she would accept they were over, Helen wanted to know his reasons. He owed her an explanation at the least. “On the contrary, I think it’s perfect timing. Clearly, neither of us is going anywhere. Consider me a captive audience.”
Laughter sounded. Multiple variations. Not his. Helen dropped her head and braced her hand on her desk as embarrassment rushed through her. “Is someone else on the line with us, Vin?”
“I have you on an open com with my team.” Amusement danced through his explanation. “I’m sure they’re pleased to meet you.”
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