Great. Needing her would just get him killed. The fresh air felt good on her cheeks. She hadn’t realized how stressed she was until that moment. She’d painted the small deck off the back door a cheery white and yellow with a daisy pattern on the floor because she’d wanted nothing but happiness in this house. In the dark the pattern was invisible, taking on a sinister cast as shadows blended with the darker paint distorting them. Perception. She realized. It was everything.
Slade caught up to her easily, his long legs eating up the distance between them. “Where are we going?”
“To the happiest place on Earth.”
“I read that on your laptop notes.”
When he’d been hacking her system. “And you didn’t think it sounded out of place?”
“I figured it was a clue.”
But he hadn’t been able to figure it out. Apparently, his ability to read her mind wasn’t as complete as he would have her believe. It was reassuring.
“What’s that little smile about?” he asked.
“Oh nothing.”
“Sure.”
She stopped at the base of a small tree at the edge of the yard. It stood just within the light thrown from the spotlight above the deck.
He looked at the tree. “This is it?”
She touched the side of the bluebird house precisely six feet off the ground, just as the article she’d read said was important. Before she’d done anything else after she’d moved in, she’d put up the birdhouse. It symbolized everything she’d hoped for her future. Everything she’d wanted her research to accomplish.
Slade shook his head. “The bluebird of happiness.”
“Yes.”
“The flash drive’s in the birdhouse?”
“Yes.”
When he would have taken the box off the tree, she grabbed his wrist. “No. There’s a bird on the nest.”
“We’ll only disturb her for a minute.”
“We have to get it without disturbing her, otherwise she’ll abandon the eggs and the babies will die.”
“She’ll build another nest. Lay more eggs.”
Surprisingly, it was Tobias said, “But those lives won’t replace these.”
“No,” she agreed. “They won’t.”
Derek stepped forward. “I’ll take care of it.”
She wasn’t about to let him wreck this little home any more than she was about to let Slade. “Get back.”
He brushed her aside as if she were nothing. The strength of these men was all the more irritating for the way they combined it with gentleness.
A strangely focused energy came off him. Peaceful even. Inside the box, the mother’s restless chirps calmed.
“When I tell you to, slowly and gently reach in with those tongs that you brought and get that flash drive.”
“You’re putting them to sleep?”
“Her to sleep,” Derek corrected. “It’s a female.”
The box was quiet. Keeping his hand on the top of the box, fingers spread, Derek stepped to the side. “Do what you need to.”
It was awkward getting the tongs in the hole, but she’d placed the bag on the bottom right side just in case this scenario occurred. Plastic rustled as she caught the edge. Very gently she pulled. It was hard to tell whether she had it. Flash drives weren’t that heavy.
The bag came out without incident. As she clutched it in her hand, energy bombarded her. All male. All eager. They wanted the flash drive.
Was it her imagination or had Slade, Tobias, and Derek moved closer? “It wouldn’t do you any good even if you did take it from me,” she informed any would-be thief, her nerves screaming a warning. She fully expected to feel claws in her back at any moment. “It’s encrypted.”
A twig snapped. Slade was definitely closer. So close her nerve endings started tingling for a whole other reason. He turned her around. Her breath lodged in her chest as his fingers stroked down her cheek. His eyes glowed with that strange light. She couldn’t look away. “No one is going to take it from you.”
Calming pulses of his energy surrounded hers. She shook her head and backed away, coming up against the tree.
“I won’t be hypnotized, either.”
“Too bad,” Tobias drawled. “That would make things easier.”
The energy stopped. “You’re not helping, Tobias,” Slade barked over his shoulder.
“I wasn’t aware I was trying to.”
A chuckle rippled among the men. The tension in Jane eased. Slade backed up. She stepped away from the tree.
Not taking his eyes from hers, Slade ordered, “Make sure it’s also clear around the car.”
All of the men except Slade and one of the “pups” left. The energy coming off the younger man was intense and when Jane focused on it, it struck out like a blow. Controlling her flinch with effort, she asked, “Can I help you?”
Before he could answer, Slade stepped in front of her, pushing her back with a mental shove. Only stopping when her back was once again against the tree. “What do you want, Broderick?”
“They’ll be coming for her now.”
“We know.”
“You’re going to need help.”
“If we need more guards, Jace and the D’Nally will see to it.”
“They don’t trust me.”
Jane blinked at that honesty.
“With reason,” Slade retorted.
“We had no pack. No purpose. It’s different now.”
“Miri or Jace give you that excuse?”
Broderick went still.
Slade growled in his throat.
Good God, were they going to fight here? Now? “Cut it out,” Jane snapped, the fragile flash drive suddenly heavy in her hand. “We don’t have time for your testosterone moments.”
With another mental push, Slade pinned her against the tree as he squared off against Broderick. “That’s all this will take, a moment.”
She rolled her eyes, a gesture totally wasted on Slade considering he had his back to her. “Not hardly. If you kill him it’s going to take forever to find out what he wants.”
“Who cares.”
For some reason, she did. “I do.”
Muscles bunched in Slade’s jaw. He was probably gritting his teeth. Derek stepped into the small circle of light with a low growl. Slade nodded and motioned to Broderick. “Have your say.”
Derek growled again. If a “make it quick” could be squeezed into a rolling snarl, she’d just heard it.
Broderick looked her straight in her eyes. The impression of youth on fire flowed over her. “They’re going to come after you hard now.”
“Lovely.”
“Shut up.”
Broderick ignored Slade. “You don’t need pet wolves to protect you.”
“True.”
“You’re going to need wolves willing to sacrifice all.”
“Are you saying you’re willing to die for me?”
“Not you, what you can do.”
That was honest.
“She doesn’t need you, pup,” Slade snapped.
“You’re useless to her in daylight,” Broderick snapped back.
That was brutal but true.
Slade took a step toward Broderick. Jane leapt into the small space between the two men, placing her hands on Slade’s chest. Fire rushed up her palms. Over her shoulder she asked Broderick, “He’d die for me. What are you offering?”
“My life and the life of my pack.”
That was quite an offer. “Why?”
“You can’t trust him, Jane,” Slade interrupted. “Up until two months ago he was packless.”
That might explain the edge to Broderick’s energy. Anyone new to a group tended to have a need to prove themselves. “Who is your leader?” Jane asked.
He didn’t hesitate. “Jace.”
She turned to Slade. “Your brother trusts him.”
“Not with his wife.”
“Well, you won’t be either as we’re not married, so I gues
s that makes this okay.”
Slade grabbed her hand. There was no breaking the grip. “No.” Slade watched the were. “What prompted the offer, Broderick?”
The big D’Nally werewolf called Creed came back through the yard. In one glance he took in the tension. “This pup stepping out of line?”
Slade’s “yes” coincided with Jane’s “no.”
Jane smiled into the younger were’s set expression. “I do believe he’s just declaring himself.”
“As what?” Creed asked.
“My protector.”
14
THE shit hit the fan on that one.
Talons came out. Fangs flashed. Energy whipped around her. The porch light flickered as the men clashed. Creed stood calmly in the midst of it all. “That was a poor choice of words on your part.”
Jane looked between Broderick and Slade and then back to Creed. “Apparently, but who knew vampires could be so excitable?”
“A woman can have only one protector,” Creed explained.
That hardly seemed fair. “Who says?”
“Pack law.”
“Slade’s a vampire.”
“An accident of bite.” Creed jumped back as Slade leapt to avoid Broderick’s right cross. The thud as it connected with Slade’s jaw made Jane wince. If both men weren’t hugging the shadows, she would be worried, but if they were in control enough to remember to stay hidden, then they were in control enough not to kill each other. Slade landed a nasty gut shot. She winced as Broderick went flying backward.
“I warned you against dropping that right, pup,” Creed called out to Broderick before turning back to her. “The Johnsons might as well be wolf the way they love.”
“So?”
“You’re Slade’s mate.”
“I don’t believe in mates. In time Slade will move on—”
Creed cut her off. “Being human, you’ll move on.” He pushed her back against a tree as the men stumbled closer, shielding her with his body. “He won’t.”
There was a distinct sneer to the word “human.” With a start, Jane realized the solemn, contrary werewolf was actually protective of Slade. “You can’t know that.”
Creed’s strange brown eyes with their flecks of gold burned into hers. “I know.”
She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “I don’t want forever.”
She wanted a bed and a good eighteen hours of sleep, but she didn’t want to pay the price she’d have to pay for forever.
Creed cocked an eyebrow at her. “But you want Slade.”
It wasn’t a question. “Yes.”
“Then you need to make a choice.”
“I’ve made my choice.”
He glanced at Slade as he circled Broderick. “Then you need to make another one.”
“Would you?”
Creed didn’t even hesitate. “A mate is worth any sacrifice.”
An image of herself as vampire popped into her mind. Face ghastly white and distorted, fangs dripping blood. A shudder went down her spine. Slade’s head snapped around. She felt his probe as clearly as she felt his touch. She’d projected her distress.
“Damn.”
Slade straightened.
Broderick spat blood and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “This mean you’re done being reactionary?”
His gaze still on her, Slade answered, “I haven’t worked up to a reaction yet.”
“Then what was that all about?” Jane asked, blocking his mental probe and the knowledge of the weariness dragging her down. This mission was too important for her to be weak.
Slade frowned, obviously not happy with her success at shielding her thoughts. “A warning.”
She rolled her eyes as he got closer. “Good grief. For a logical person you can be so caveman.”
“When it comes to you. Absolutely.”
With a shake of his head, Creed blocked her impulse to check on Broderick. Putting her hand on her hips, she faced Slade instead. “Well you might want to consider I’m the one who called him my protector.”
“He didn’t deny it.”
“It was probably hard for him to talk with your fist in his mouth.”
Slade shrugged.
“I don’t want you as my woman,” Broderick cut in.
“That might just keep you alive,” Slade countered.
Jane ignored the comment. “Is this where I say thank you?”
“Say whatever you want as long as your research continues.”
“Watch your tone, pup.”
The pup didn’t look the least intimidated by Slade’s growl. Creed, however, did lose a bit of his nonchalance. Jane didn’t want another fight. Angling herself between Slade and Broderick, she asked, “Why is my research so important to you?”
Jane just couldn’t help it, Slade decided as she put herself in harm’s way yet again. The woman just couldn’t stay out of a fight. He pulled her back a safe distance as the werewolf answered, “Because it matters.”
The deliberate lack of inflection in Broderick’s voice caught Slade’s attention. He made a note to dig deeper into the were’s background. “It’s a little brassy to be demanding trust when you don’t give it.”
Creed stepped forward. “Are you challenging the honor of the Tragallion weres?
“Just this pup’s.”
“This pup is Tragallion. Part of the D’Nally pack.”
Shit. That was going to complicate things. “I thought the rogues were on probation?”
“It ended.”
About ten seconds ago, he’d bet from the way Broderick tensed. “Does Jace know?”
“It’s pack business.”
Which implied everything and said nothing. Boundaries had gotten a bit vague when it came to Jace and the pack he’d adopted. It was no longer the Johnsons against the world. It was the Johnsons filtered through the Tragallions, D’Nallys, and McClarens. Cocking an eyebrow at Creed, Slade asked, “You think he’s going to spout the party line against his brothers?”
“Yes.”
That confidence was irritating. “He’s a fucking vampire and a Johnson. His loyalty should be with us.”
Creed smiled that smug werewolf smile that just made a man want to punch him in his mouth. “But he’s our fucking vampire.”
It was a reminder. The Johnsons owed the Tragallion weres. And their overpack, the D‘Nallys. Jace would be dead except for the Tragallion weres who’d come to his rescue in the battle for little Faith’s life. The Tragallions had done more than back Jace. They’d given him a place. After years of senselessly risking life, his brother was alive, calm, and happy. He owed Creed D’Nally and all the Tragallions for the sense of purpose that took all that reckless energy and gave it a focus.
“Shit.”
Creed just smiled, which pissed Slade off more. Jane’s look said she was out of patience. The voice through the transceiver said they were out of time.
Wiping the blood from his already healing mouth, he jerked his head in the direction of the SUVs. “Time to go.”
Broderick took a position behind Jane. Creed took the position ahead. From the shadows came Broderick’s fellow rogues. Young men without pack who’d gone wild to fend for themselves. Young men who now wore the Tragallions’ fighting spirit with pride. Young men Slade was supposed to trust. Creed met his gaze, those distinctive D’Nally eyes narrowed in challenge.
“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt your little charge’s feelings.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Jane muttered. “Do you have to antagonize everyone?”
Slade didn’t break gazes with Creed. “It’s family talent.”
“Lovely.” Jane picked up her laptop case.
The corner of Creed’s mouth tipped up in a smile at Jane’s defiance. “Seems to me, Johnson, you’d be better focused on getting your woman to the safe house.”
Slade cast the former rogues a jaundiced eye, wondering if he’d ever been that young and that full of fire. He didn’t doubt they were tr
ained well. Jace wouldn’t have sent them otherwise, but still ... they were damned young. Or maybe he was just getting damned old. He reached for Jane’s case. She shook her head.
“If we’re attacked, they’ll go for the case,” Creed pointed out.
“If they get the case through all of you, it doesn’t matter anyway.”
She had a point, but Slade wasn’t taking chances with her safety. “Give Creed the case, Jane.”
She clutched it tighter. “No.”
He didn’t have time to argue. It was getting close to dawn and his senses were starting to agitate in that way that said trouble was coming. “Take it.”
Creed snatched the case from her grasp. Slade caught Jane’s arm before she could go for the were. He palmed his gun, a combination weapon of silver bullets and lethal spectrum sunlight, as the rogues stepped forward. “What the hell is in there?”
Jane didn’t take her eyes from the case. “My life.”
He could feel her stress. He didn’t doubt she was telling the truth. The agitation in his senses increased. “Let’s go.”
As a unit they moved forward.
“And, Creed?” Slade called.
“What?”
“Don’t lose the case.”
THE safe house was giving Slade the creeps. Which was something for a vampire. There was nothing about it to signal trouble. It was a small nondescript cape set at the end of a long street populated with equally nondescript capes. To the rest of the world it was abandoned. A property trapped in probate. None of the fortifications made to the structure showed. The filtered glass in the windows. The high-tech cameras. The special energy mat that detected vampire presence. But it was all there. He’d designed it himself. The little house was the safest anyone could be outside the Renegade compound, but every time Slade looked at it, it looked ... wrong.
If they’d had any other choice, he would have pushed on, but he couldn’t take the coming sunlight and Jane flat refused to go without him, claiming no end of troublemaking if he tried to force it. And when he’d called her bluff, the rogues had stepped to her side. Clearly, their instructions were to protect her. He and Jace would have to talk about that when he got back home.
Through the window he could see Jane standing by the kitchen table, her laptop open before her. He couldn’t see the screen, but the energy coming off her was tense. In her right hand, she clutched the flash drive. She reached for the keyboard and then stopped, pulling her hand back and rubbing her fingers together. Whatever was on that screen tempted her. Greatly. Whatever was on it scared her. Whatever was on it needed to be revealed. It was a threat, and whether she thought it relevant or not, he needed to be aware of it.
Slade Page 20
