Tangled Redemption

by Tina Christopher

  Something else suddenly occurred to her. “It’s her moon, isn’t it? The one you ended up on after you lost your friend?”

  Miguel did not respond, but she could have sworn deep inside he flinched.

  Jayden slowly straightened and studied the image hovering midair. “That is ambitious. We haven’t gone after anything this close to the core before.” He looked at Miguel. “Are we coming out?”

  Miguel nodded. “That is his plan.”

  Jayden rolled back and forth on his feet, his expression thoughtful. “Do we have a company hidden away somewhere? I don’t see how we can take Kajaani with our current troop number.” He turned to Miguel. “Do we have a secret weapon up our sleeves?”

  Sydney forced herself to continue eating. She watched her two men, aware of strong undercurrents but unsure what they meant.

  “Computer, show delivery system and breakdown of Cattle Dope.”

  She leaned forward as the image of a missile joined the holo image of the moon. Numbers and formulas filled the wall, drawing her in. She pulled back when Miguel shared more details.

  “Cattle Dope is a drug Nasir has killed a human scientist and his family for. The human was working on research to do with the Rantago Flu. This formula was supposed to bring down the fever in infected patients, but it has the unfortunate side effect of making a human completely malleable.”

  Sydney pushed back the plate. Her stomach curdled. “So he plans to gas the humans and then take them as slaves.”

  “The ones young enough to be of value.”

  She swallowed. The look in his eyes told her she wouldn’t like what he had to say next, but Jayden took the words out of his mouth.

  “The rest will be sport for the troops.”

  Miguel nodded.

  Jayden pursed his lips. “What kind of numbers are we looking at?”

  Sydney stopped listening. Helplessness and rage roared through her.

  Here she was listening to the two men—no, Feral Vampires she had sex with—calmly discuss the destruction of a whole town. How could she have ever thought that they had true emotions, compassion or a conscience? She wanted to scream long and hard. Instead she clenched her fists and dug her nails into her palms deep enough to draw blood.

  Instantaneously both men turned to her.

  Fuck, she was an idiot. Great plan! Bleed while in the company of monsters.

  She rose as Miguel strode up to her and grabbed her fists. He gently but irrevocably forced her to open them and studied the damage.

  Sydney expected him to lean down and lick away the smears. Instead he nodded to a narrow metal shelf in the corner. “Jayden, get me the heal-all.”

  The other man immediately complied and brought over a small tube. Miguel tilted her flattened palm and Jayden smeared the ointment across the impressions. They watched with great attention as the damage disappeared and her palms were healed again.

  Why in Jade’s name would two monsters heal her instead of using the opportunity to take her blood? Every time she thought she knew where she stood, one of them changed the picture completely.

  Unable to cope with the situation and not caring about their response, she dove into the numbers. The formula was complex, but once she’d identified the key, easy enough to disassemble. Her knowledge of human physiology was limited, but she believed she’d identified the two chemicals that would attach themselves to the RNA in their bodies.

  It was actually quite ingenious. There was something about the composition…the percentages meant that…

  “Sydney!” A loud bark that was her name pulled her back.

  She yanked her wrists out of Miguel’s grip and took a step back. “Damn it, why did you do that? I was so close.”

  The two men frowned at her.

  “To what?” Jayden asked.

  “I don’t know. You pulled me out too soon.”

  “What have you found?” Miguel studied the formula with an eagle eye.

  Jayden’s gaze jumped between the two of them. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “Sydney has found something in the formula, something we may be able to use.”

  She whirled to him. “Use for what?”

  “For a hypothetical exercise.” His expression was completely impassive, but deep down inside him it was as if a dam cracked and light shone into his darkness for the first time in years.

  As quickly as the insight came he shut her out again.

  Jayden crossed his arms over his chest. “What kind of exercise?”

  Miguel turned his back on them and strode up to the holo image of Baikal. “As second-in-command and therefore in charge of strategy it is up to me to imagine every single thing that could go wrong with our plan. I need to think of every single way we could fail and lose hundreds of men.” He waved at Sydney. “I believe you were just about to come up with an issue that could cost us the campaign.”

  She tried to use their link, but he had shut down completely. Nothing came from their bond. He only looked at her, his brows slightly raised.

  Jade, she hated bloody subtext. She much preferred to say the things swirling through her mind, but right now that didn’t seem to be an option. She shook her head and grumbled under her breath before she once again sank into the numbers.

  Of the two chemicals that would attach themselves to the human messenger RNA one had to be in a very specific percentage to fight the fever. The scientist’s notes were detailed and gave her a good picture of how the chemical worked. She remembered something about this chemical. Something to do with Vampires. “Do Vampires have a reaction to babote?”

  The two men stilled.

  “Hypothetically speaking, of course.” Damn them. It was obvious no one in this stupid room was who he pretended to be. If they all had the same plan they needed to share some trust. And she needed this info to establish a plan that could save the humans.

  “Hypothetically speaking, babote can be poisonous to us,” Jayden said.

  She raised her brows. “In what concentration? Why?”

  Jayden snorted and shrugged. “I have no bloody clue how much is enough to kill me. All I know it attaches itself to something in our cells and this somehow results in a toxin that shuts down all bodily function. It isn’t something that is on the regular curriculum and I don’t build bombs or assemble poisonous gas.”

  She turned to Miguel. He shook his head.

  She growled and sank into her gift. In humans it attaches to the mRNA…Vampires are a different species, but have humanoid characters. Could it have a similar…creation of protein that is toxic to the Vampire organs…but what if…would that affect innocents…

  Sydney didn’t know how much time had passed when she resurfaced. Both men were talking and going over details she couldn’t quite identify; she was too tired. She looked at the screen projection and froze. Numbers, abbreviations, comments and notes were spread across the wall. She realized she held an old-fashioned black pen in her hand, smears of ink covering her fingers. “What—”

  She coughed, her throat dry. Miguel handed her a glass of water.

  “What time is it?”

  “You’ve been working for the last four hours.”

  No wonder every muscle in her body ached. She slumped into her chair. Using her gift was like working out three times as hard as she was used to. She studied her results.

  Would increasing the concentration of babote change the composition of the gas? She was no chemist. Sydney scrolled through the scientist’s notes. He had experimented with higher and lower concentrations and had landed on the one in the current formula because that had worked best to attack the fever.

  But a higher concentration had not destabilized the gas nor changed anything else.

  She sat up straight and rubbed her eyes before raising her gaze to Jayden and Miguel.

  There was no way for her to reach Duncan or any of his friends in time to get them to Kajaani to prevent or alleviate the attack. Her two options were to try in
a suicidal attempt to get a warning out…somehow, in a manner she could not imagine right now.

  Her other option was to trust the two men before her. The two men who’d kept secrets, who’d turned her heart into one giant tangle, who’d continued to keep her world topsy turvy with no firm leg to stand on. The same men who’d taken care of her, who had protected her since her arrival, who did not appear to be who they pretended to be.

  But that could just be her imagination. Her deepest wish that she hadn’t fallen for monsters.

  This is it. Sydney took a deep breath. “To answer your theoretical question from earlier, if one was to change the gas composition and increase babote to 458ppm the negative effects on human nerve receptors would be minimal, but the gas would have deadly effects on Vampires.”

  Jayden’s hazel eyes flashed. Miguel pressed his lips together.

  They exchanged a look.

  Sydney could only hope that they would use the information the way it needed to be used. If they didn’t she would have to find a way to stop the attack. Somehow.

  Miguel studied the man before him. If he progressed the way he planned it could blow up in his face. It could be the end of everything.

  He hadn’t trusted another person in more years than he cared to count. The other Vampire did not give anything away.

  For a second he hoped he wouldn’t have to kill Jayden. He cared for the other man in a way he had not expected. Not releasing Jayden from his gaze he tapped his comp and began to give instructions.

  Jayden rolled from heel to toe and back as he was prone to do when he was deep in thought, his hazel eyes filled with darkness. But not hate, surprise or anger.

  He couldn’t believe he was about to risk five years in hell on a chance, but he saw no other way. Miguel nodded to Jayden, turned around to sit at his comp and began hacking into the gas manufacturer.

  Jayden stepped up and looked over his shoulder. Usually he hated having someone behind him, but Jayden didn’t raise the hairs on the back of his neck. On the contrary, he exuded support and strength.

  Sydney tugged on the shimmering link between them. Every time she did that he wanted to scream in rage and agony. He wanted nothing more than to accept their connection, to open himself completely, including the good, the bad and the ugly, to her.

  Miguel didn’t know if she’d be able to accept all of him, but deep in the darkest part of him he prayed she could. He dreamed of someone forgiving him the atrocities he had to allow.

  Believe him worthy of redemption.

  He didn’t know why he had to find his other half now and here, but keeping her safe was more important than anything. Even if it meant giving up his one chance of redemption.

  “Cross out this section and give it the disguise control app. That way you will avoid leaving a trail, even one as infinitesimal as the one you’re working on.” Jayden’s breath teased his ear. His words low and nearly subvocal. He thought over the suggestion and made the necessary changes.

  Sydney stepped beside Jayden, her hand on his shoulder. Her position completed the triad they were with Miguel at the front, the leader and protector.

  He continued his work of changing the manufacturing instructions for the gas. At one point Sydney pointed out how his encryption could be turned around and used to track him down. Other than that no one spoke. Everyone understood the significance of the moment. They worked together, as a team, to stop Nasir. They sabotaged Nasir’s biggest attack yet, the one that would catapult them into the galactic limelight. The one that could very well ignite another war.

  For the first time in more years than he cared to count, Miguel was not alone.

  Now he just had to find a way to keep all of them safe.

  Sydney stared at her two men, hardly believing what she saw. No one had come right out and said it, but all three of them were working to sabotage Nasir and stop his attack on Baikal.

  She watched Miguel and Jayden.

  Maybe her instincts were not as bad as she thought. Maybe feeling what she did for both Miguel and Jayden was all right. She couldn’t stop her smile nor the lightness invading her body. Relief spread through her and the permission to allow her feelings free rein.

  She studied Jayden’s hard body as he leaned down and pointed something out to Miguel. Miguel turned his head and showed her his profile. He was just so damn gorgeous. The strong chin, now covered in a slight shadow, the high cheekbones and his flashing eyes. She could stare at the two of them for hours.

  It would be even better if they were naked. The thought took her only a little by surprise. Imagining their sleek and hard bodies rubbing against each other made her hot.

  Immediately both men turned to her.

  She really should remember they could scent her, but right now she didn’t care. Miguel’s black eyes blazed with hunger. Jayden’s whole body was tense and the bulge between his legs grew.

  Sydney smiled. Confidence and fire spread through her body. She loved that they had such an instant response to her hunger. Her heartbeat increased and her nipples hardened. She unzipped her jacket and stroked one finger across her collarbone and the top of her chest.

  Tension thickened the air in the room. Her breathing grew uneven.

  Miguel continued to type but didn’t stop looking at her. He finished up whatever he was doing and set the comp aside. To do that he had to reach behind Jayden’s back. As he pulled back his arm Jayden’s eyes widened.

  Sydney couldn’t see, but she had a feeling that Miguel had just cupped Jayden’s very fine ass.

  Jayden’s lids fluttered and he arched his back. His shirt moved, telling Sydney Miguel had pushed his hand underneath, stroking Jayden’s back. Her mouth grew dry. Part of her wanted to change position and watch them close-up. Another part found this peekaboo so sexy she couldn’t move.

  Jayden balled his fists but kept his eyes closed.

  Miguel’s expression grew tighter. He lifted his other hand and stroked Jayden’s rock-hard abs. Sydney loved the tight muscles. She moaned when Miguel lifted the shirt and caressed the skin beneath. She caught a glimpse of Jayden’s pale skin and remembered the sleek feel under her fingertips. Jayden’s arousal strained his trousers and a low moan escaped him.

  In the end she couldn’t stand it any more and stepped closer.

  Jayden’s eyes jumped open. The fire in them burned her to cinders. Moisture gathered between her legs. She shrugged out of the bulky jacket. The thin bra in the shirt did little to hide her peaked nipples. She sank to her knees before Jayden. Before she even touched him he moaned.

  She couldn’t stop the little laugh and shot Miguel a glance. Fire burned in his eyes, but she saw a spark of laughter as well.

  A funny feeling curled through her heart and for a moment the link between them shimmered with every red imaginable. She swallowed at the reminder that he didn’t want to take that step with her. She understood why, especially now as she began to understand what he’d sacrificed. But the little girl deep at her core still wished for that partner—or in her case partners—who accepted her unconditionally. She’d rather have a day filled with love and happiness than a life filled with emptiness. Miguel didn’t see it the same way.

  So she smiled at him, allowing her eyes to share the depth of her feelings.

  His widened. His hand clenched in Jayden’s shirt.

  The other Vampire covered that hand with his own and pressed it against his stomach. Miguel looked down and when he raised his gaze again he had retreated behind the wall again.

  Regret shimmered through her, but right here and right now was neither the time nor the place to have this battle. Things between the three of them were still too fragile and new. Instead she focused on Jayden.

  With a naughty smile she undid the top button of his trousers and pulled down the zipper. He groaned as his cock escaped the confines of the cloth. It looked delicious. She wrapped her hand around the base and licked along the thick member. It twitched in her grasp. She bent it back so
she could lick along the sensitive length and focused on the little spot just beneath its head.

  Jayden thrust his hands into her hair. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Miguel stroking up Jayden’s chest and teasing his nipples. She wanted to watch, but the treat before her was too delectable.

  Sydney wrapped both hands around the hard member and sucked the head into her mouth. She teased it with the tip of her tongue and sucked rhythmically. His grip tightened on her short strands of hair and she welcomed the slight pain.

  Miguel rose and stood behind Jayden, his fingers rolling and tweaking his hard nipples.

  Sydney loved how they’d sandwiched Jayden between the two of them, how their pleasure was shared among all three. She increased the pressure of her hands and sucked hard enough to hollow her cheeks. She rubbed her thumb over the fine skin and slid her hand down until she cupped his tight balls.

  He groaned and his whole body stiffened. “I’m close, love. Be sure this is what you want.”

  She nearly rolled her eyes. Dufus. Instead of responding she teased the sensitive sac with different strokes. When she circled the head of his cock with her tongue and increased the pressure on his balls, he broke.

  She swallowed and continued to stroke and caress his member until all tension drained from him and he stroked her hair with gentle hands. She met his gaze and released him with one final kiss.

  Jayden cupped her cheek. “Thank you, love. That was amazing.” He helped her to her feet and curled his arm around her waist. He thrust his other hand deep into Miguel’s dark hair and dragged the other man close for a hard kiss.

  Fire flashed through her when their tongues tangled and set her already oversensitive body aflame. She moved closer and wrapped an arm around each waist. They pulled back from each other, but their gazes clung.

  Jayden so pale and Miguel so dark were like night and day meeting. “Jade, you two are sexy together.”