by T. S. Ryder
***
Arabella's tracker brought them to an empty brick building that had once been a theater in a town an hour's flight away. Grayson kept as high as he could although he was mindful of not suffocating Arabella as she clung to his back. As previously planned, he tore open the roof of the building and dropped in, shifting as he went.
The first thing he noticed was the sound of Olivia crying. Before Arabella even had the chance to regain her footing, he was off. She shouted after him, but he ignored her, heart in his throat. His baby girl was here, alone and frightened. And where was Hudson? Why wasn't he crying? He tore through the rooms until he got to the ticket booth, where the crying was coming from. He ripped off the door—
It was empty.
Arabella quickly caught up with him. She had two guns out, gazing around them. They entered the booth together. Sitting on the counter was a computer, large speakers hooked up to it. A video clip played, showing Olivia sitting by herself in a dark room, a single bright light shining on her. Her hands were tied together with a strip of green cloth, and tears streaked down her face. There was no sign of Hudson. Grayson cried out, his heart clenching.
"They're not here," he whispered. "They're not here."
"Bomb!" Arabella shouted.
Her arms wrapped around him and she dragged him backward. Grayson didn't see the bomb or any indication there was one. He merely reacted on instinct.
The dragon turned to Arabella and picked her up. Tucking her into a ball in his arms, he shifted. His wings wrapped around both of them just as the bomb went off. Scorching fire burned along his back, shards of debris pounding into his wings. He dropped, holding Arabella under his body, as the whole place creaked and groaned.
When the burning stopped, he only paused long enough to make sure Arabella was uninjured before he leaped from the building. He flew hard to get away from the fire and smoke. Arabella hung limply in his claws though her eyes were wide and he could see her chest heaving.
He landed some distance away, setting Arabella on her feet. He shifted once more, searching her for any injuries. She fended off his attentions and then focused on him. Most of the debris that had hit him had glanced off his hard scales, but there was a large burn on his left leg where a piece of glass managed to embed itself.
"You need to go to a hospital," Arabella said, inspecting the injury. "I don't think it's deep, but—"
Grayson pulled her back to her feet. His heart still hammered and adrenaline coursed through him, clouding his reasoning. All he could think of was that if he hadn't come with her, she'd be dead. If she had been killed in that explosion, she would have died thinking that he hated her, that he saw her as nothing more than an assassin. That was unacceptable. He seized her and brought her to his lips before he could remember why this shouldn't happen.
Both of them pulled away even as their lips met. They stared at each other wide-eyed. Arabella's form molded to his. For a moment, all Grayson wanted to do was pull her back and kiss her deeply, passionately. But instead, he released her and pulled the glass from his leg.
"I'll heal," he mumbled. "They weren't there. What's our next move?"
His voice shook, but Arabella didn't comment on that. "I think I saw something in the video that might be helpful. I can't guarantee it, but—"
"But if it can be helpful, then we follow it." Grayson let out a deep breath, letting go of his confusing emotions. He couldn’t allow himself to be distracted by his feelings. "So, what do we do?"
Arabella hesitated a moment. "Grayson, it might be best if you sat out of this one. Get the money put together and—"
"Henry is doing that."
Her shoulders slumped. "Okay. But just so you know, we might get arrested for this."
Chapter Thirteen – Arabella
Breathe in. Breathe out. Feel nothing.
Arabella sat cross-legged in the center of the cave that Grayson had picked out for them. This wasn't exactly a smooth, 'hidden in the shadows' sort of move she usually liked to make, but what other choice did they have? Nerves flowed through her like a tumultuous river. She knew what she was going to have to do. Give her a clean bullet through the head – instant death – any day. But that wouldn’t help them now.
The situation demanded information. And information demanded torture – or at least the threat of it. It depended on how much the target resisted.
Breathe in. Focus. He is not a man. He is an obstacle. His eyes are empty. There is no soul inside.
She let her nerves flow out into the bedrock beneath her. Her pounding heart slowed until it was beating one great thump every few seconds. Emotion drained from her body.
A thump behind her told her that Grayson landed and the curses from the man in his talons told her his mission had been successful.
When she opened her eyes, she didn't look at the man, his face white, terror and fury mingled in his expression. He wasn't a man. He was a way to complete the mission. Senator Jeremy White stumbled forward, still shouting curses. A ham sandwich was still clutched in his hand, a large mustard splotch on his white shirt.
Arabella unfolded her limbs and stood.
"You'll go to jail for this, Alexander!" the senator shouted at Grayson. "I'll make sure you never see the light of day again after this!"
"Good evening, Senator," Arabella said, her voice low and calm. She ignored Grayson's presence. If she looked at him, all of her emotion would come flooding back. She couldn't have emotions right now. She picked up a whip and wrapped it around her hands. "Take a seat."
She pointed at the chair waiting for him to be chained into.
The senator looked at her as though she was crazy. "Who are you?"
Arabella smiled at him. "I'm the person you hired to steal Grayson Alexander's children. You may be wondering why I'm here, then. The rules have been changed and my colleague decided she was going to take over. Now, I can't have that, and you are going to help me find her."
White's face lived up to his name. It was as pale as the clouds outside. "I don't know what you are talking about."
"We saw a video of little Olivia sent by my former colleague. She was bound by a man's suit tie. A green tie. Exactly like the one you wore when you were sworn in as the senator. I remembered an interview that you did when you mentioned it was a handmade gift from your wife . . . " Arabella tilted her head to one side and gave him a small smile. "How did you explain it to her that you no longer had it?"
The senator pulled himself up, swelling like an angry toad. "Look here, I don't know who you are or what you think I've done, but if you don't let me go right now—"
Arabella flicked the whip out. It cut through the senator's clothes, leaving a welt behind. No skin was broken, but it was painful nonetheless. Whips were a bit messy for her liking, but these were desperate times. She pointed at the chair. He sat, whimpering and looking at her with renewed fear. She quickly chained him into place and pulled off his shoes and socks. Making a big show out of choosing a pair of pliers, she knelt before him, still smiling.
She only hoped that he didn't end up being more iron-willed than he looked.
Release emotion, she ordered herself, and let the rising dread be washed away.
"Tell me where the twins are, or I start ripping pieces off your body," she said.
Sweat blossomed over his face.
Arabella clamped the pliers over his pinky toe.
"Don't!" The senator wiggled in the chair. "Don't! I don't know where they are. I never hired anybody. Some crazy woman came to my home and said that the mining companies I'm working for hired her to kidnap the kids to make Alexander back off from politics and unless I wanted my involvement in their activities made public, I'd help. But I didn't hire her, I swear!"
"If you didn't hire us, who did? What corporation?"
"I don't know. All I did was help her to get her out of my house. I've made some less than legal deals with companies over the years, and I'll be ruined if they came to light. I would never have
put those children in danger, but she threatened me and my wife. What could I do?"
Grayson snarled. Arabella held a hand out towards him, stopping him from entering.
The senator inhaled deeply and continued. "That crazy woman had the children. She made me help her tie them up and . . . they weren't hurt when I saw them, I swear. I haven't heard anything from her since."
Arabella removed the pliers. Grayson huffed angrily behind her, but she continued to ignore him. The senator panted heavily, sweat trailing down his ashen face. Reactions that couldn't be faked. He seemed to be telling the truth . . .
"But you have a way to contact her?"
The senator moaned but nodded. "She told me that another woman would come asking about her. I guess it was you. Her number's in my phone."
Arabella dropped the pliers and fished the senator's phone from his suit jacket. A large dark spot was rapidly spreading from his crotch. Yuck. Arabella rolled her eyes and unlocked the phone with one guess (his election date) and scrolled through the numbers until she found Kennedy's own. Arabella’s cold, emotionless façade crumbled rapidly and her heart started to pound again as she dialed.
"Hello, sister," Kennedy drawled when she answered. "It's so good to hear from you."
"If you've harmed those children—"
"They're fine," Kennedy interrupted. "They're sleeping right now. You took longer to find me than I thought you would. Almost thought you might actually be dead. But you're alive and kicking. Shame. If you were dead, I'd give the kids back to Grayson as soon as I got my money."
"You'll get your money," Arabella interrupted.
Kennedy laughed. "I want you dead more."
Arabella glanced at Grayson for the first time. He was still in his Dragon form and his eyes were anxiously fixed on her. She took a deep breath and looked away. "We can arrange that. You can even do it yourself. As soon as the twins are back safely, I'll make sure you get what you want."
There was the briefest of pauses. "So easily? Do you really care about them that much? Or . . . are you just saying that? Did the organization tell you to kill me?"
"No, but they are going to kill you. You had to know they would before you started this."
Kennedy laughed again, this time the sound bitter. "They already have killed me. I got radiation poisoning on my last mission. I'm dead by the end of the year. I just want to make sure to take you, Miss Emotional Golden Girl, with me."
"It's a deal, then," Arabella replied coldly. "As long as the twins aren't hurt. If they are? Then I will make you suffer. I'll make you wish you were never born."
Kennedy hung up without replying.
Arabella closed the phone. "Let's get this waste of air to a jailhouse," she said, not looking at Grayson. "And then let's get your children back."
***
Grayson finished double-counting the money and stuffed the last bills into a duffle bag. Arabella strapped the bullet-proof vest around Henry's torso, trying to keep her face blank. This whole plan was risky, but what choice did they have? Kennedy was out of control. Who knew when the organization would come in and take her out?
"If we found Kennedy's connection with the senator, so can they," she mumbled. "Although they might not be able to get at him in a shifter jail. I don't know."
"Take the money in and get back," Grayson said, ignoring Arabella's words as he focused on Henry. "Don't stick around chatting. Understood?"
"Aye, aye captain," Henry said with a small grin.
Arabella opened her mouth to scold the dragon for being so casual but stopped herself. She could see the sweat beading his brow and the slight shake of his hands. Kennedy had called again to demand that Henry, not Grayson, make the money drop. Arabella guessed it was because of Henry's state of health. He was weak for a Dragon and thus was less of a threat.
"The vest will protect you a bit if she decides to shoot," Arabella said, finishing securing the vest. "But if you see a gun, run. We were always taught to aim for the head. There's nothing to protect you if you get shot in the skull. This is a risky move."
"Right." Henry glanced at her. "And trusting the kidnapper-assassin isn't risky at all."
A spike of annoyance went through her, though she knew she didn't have any reason to be so annoyed at his lack of trust. He was quite right and the whole stupid situation only proved it. If it wasn't for her, the twins would have been home safe with their father . . . or would they? If the organization had sent somebody else, that person might not have developed these feelings and then where would the twins be?
Doesn't matter. Right now I am to blame for their current situation, and I have to get them back.
"How do we know she's still not in on it?" Henry asked, repeating the accusation he'd brought up since they came to him with the plan.
"You don't," Arabella said shortly. "But what do you want to do, wait for me to fetch the Golden Fleece to prove I'm on your side while Olivia and Hudson are kidnapped? I love those children. I would die to make sure they get back safely."
And the way things were heading, she would.
"Henry, I've had enough of your paranoia," Grayson said, his voice calm. "This is our best chance at getting the twins back. Now let's go."
Arabella opened her mouth, looking at Grayson's departing back. There was so much she wanted to be able to tell him . . . but right now, she had no right. Holstering a gun at her thigh, she followed after him, Henry taking up the rear.
Chapter Fourteen – Grayson
Grayson's hands clenched and unclenched as he watched the video feed from the camera connected to Henry's vest. He and Arabella sat in a café across the street, a laptop propped between them. Arabella had wanted to have a better setup, but Kennedy had only called them with the drop-off point an hour ago and they had just barely made it to the park on time.
"I don't see her," Arabella mumbled to herself. "But she might wait until after we're gone to pick up the cash."
His stomach twisted. "What if—"
"She'll come and she'll tell us where the twins are," Arabella interrupted. Her gaze was fixed on the screen.
"But if she gets what she wants—"
"Shh." Arabella pressed a finger to his lips, though her gaze didn't move from the screen. "She'll tell us where the twins are. She's not stupid enough to cross me now."
Grayson clutched her hand, grateful for her reassurances. She ran her thumb over his knuckles, and a soft sigh escaped from her lips. Despite what happened between them, he wanted to kiss her. It was ridiculous. Henry was right, it was Arabella's doing that they were here now in this situation. What happened between them was a lie. He shouldn’t be having these feelings – like he just wanted to pick her up and carry her to bed and forget about everything that went wrong between them. It was making him crazy.
Even if there weren't those lies hanging between them, she had made it clear that she didn't actually want anything. Hadn't she? He shook his head to clear his racing thoughts and pulled his hand away. There would be time to figure this out after his children were returned safely. Not before.
"There she is," Arabella whispered urgently.
A mousy-looking girl in a loose tank top and tight biker's shorts jogged over to where Henry was walking. Grayson tensed, his hand seeking out Arabella's once more. Kennedy stopped at a bench and pretended to do a few stretches before falling into step next to Henry. Her position was so that the camera couldn't catch her face.
"Is that my money there?" she asked in a bright, chipper voice.
"Give her the bag, don't say anything," Arabella coached. "Just keep walking."
He turned to face her. The growl was obvious in his voice when he spoke. "Where are Olivia and Hudson?"
Arabella groaned. "No! We went over this. You don't push her. Give her the bag, now."
"You're not getting this money until after we know where the children are."
"Stop!" Arabella hissed.
Kennedy grinned. "Is that so? Well. They're safe and sound.
You'll find them here."
She dropped something to the ground. Henry bent over. Arabella gasped. Grayson didn't see what happened next. Arabella flew to the exit of the café and charged towards the park. The sound of gunshots came from both the laptop and from outside. Grayson threw himself from the booth and crashed through the door. He may have broken it, but he didn't care. He overtook Arabella. Henry lay on the ground as Kennedy's form ran away from him, carrying the bag of money.
Grayson wanted to go after her, but his friend was lying motionless on the ground. He skidded to a stop by Henry and was relieved to hear his friend moaning. There was no sight of blood, but Grayson still ripped off Henry's shirt, looking for the injury.
Moments later Arabella was next to them. She bent over Henry, then shook her head.
"Vest stopped it," she said. "You're lucky she didn't aim at your head, you idiot!"
"I feel like I was kicked in the chest by an ox," Henry gasped out.
"Getting shot close-range will do that." Arabella snatched the thing Kennedy had dropped and peered at it. It was a key with a tag attached to it. She read what the tag said and stood. "Storage locker. You should get him to a hospital in case he cracked a rib. I'm going after Kennedy."
"I'm going with you." Grayson scrambled to his feet. "My children could be with her."
Arabella shook her head. "Or she could be setting another trap."
Grayson grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. "Don't you remember how you survived last time?"
She hesitated and licked her lips. Her glance went to Henry, and the other dragon laughed.
"This isn't bad," he grunted. "Broken rib? It'll heal in no time. Don't use me as an excuse."
"I'm going with you," Grayson added, his voice low. "They're my children."
Arabella ran her hands through her hair then nodded. "Okay. Just do what I tell you to. No running off this time, got it? If Kennedy and I end up fighting, you need to take the children and run. Understood? No waiting around. Just get them out of there."
