by Aliyah Burke
“Not a chance.”
Somehow she had to get him off guard. She didn’t see anyone else, but knew if he was here, then there were others creeping along the grounds. A fierce need to protect it all filled her.
“Why not?”
“You’re with them.”
“I’m a teacher, I teach when and where I can get work. How did they get you?”
“The New Order knows who will be faithful to the cause.”
“What’s the cause?” She moved her hands and couldn’t even describe her relief when the smooth cylinder of her batons rested in her palms.
“You know I served my country for years,” he said gesturing her back to her feet.
“And?”
“And I know when someone is trying to stall.” He narrowed his gaze. “That’s exactly what you’re doing.” He no longer held the weapon on her, but off to the side.
She didn’t respond verbally, just struck. With a singular move, she withdrew, expanded, and hit him with both batons. On the arm that held the gun. She knew how to break bones and she did that now. In less than five seconds, he lay on the ground, his right arm broken in two places, left wrist snapped and legs shattered at the knees.
Her chest heaved as she kicked his gun out of his reach and stood over him. “Leave my family alone. Y’all won’t win.”
His grin was ugly. “By now, they’re close to the house. Why do you think we’re attacking during the day?” Tears lingered in his eyes, but it was the smugness that bothered her.
“Why?”
“Because they’re sleeping now.” He spat. “Vampire scum do that.”
She drew back. “Vampires?” With a scowl she shook her head. “Need to do your homework, man, or get a better boss. They’re not vampires and they’re sure as hell not asleep.” She cracked him along the jaw and was off and running even before his head stopped rocking on his neck as he lay there, useless.
Why the hell did I leave without my phone? She berated herself as she hauled ass back to the house. Skidding to a stop as she came upon two more, she spun and flattened herself against a tree, heart pounding and lungs on fire from running.
They were between her and the house. Goosebumps burst out on her skin as she tried to slow her panic. She had to find a way to warn them. Perhaps she could head off to the left and circle around to the front, go in that way.
Now it seemed every step she made was loud and would surely give away her position. It sucked and her heart was in her throat as she continued to try to get through the line before it converged on the mansion. She needed to hurry. Picking up her pace, she thought she had got clear when a large, meaty hand grabbed her around the neck.
Holy hell! She’d almost stepped on him. The guy lifted her, his face a sneer that sent chills up her spine. Grappling with his lone hand that choked her, she gasped for breath as she hung there. He was big, not as big as Inaki, but large enough it kicked her ass to have his hand cutting off her air supply.
Spots flickered in and out before her eyes and she knew she was about to pass out. No! She couldn’t do that.
Don’t panic and remain calm. Dracen’s words hit her and she sucked in the last bit of air she could manage then dropped her hands from clawing at his log-like arm. She grabbed one of her batons and snapped it open as she sent a swing right at his groin. As expected, he dropped her and himself to the ground.
Taylor landed on one knee while he fell fully, hands on his crotch and moaning loudly. Struggling to get air back in her lungs, she extended the other one and attacked. He threw a knife at her and it sliced along her upper arm, but he couldn’t get up, for she’d broken his legs as well. Putting the batons away, she wheeled around and ran flat out for the house. The other intruders knew she was there as well and she had to warn her friends if she could.
Bursting from the tree line, she hauled ass over the manicured lawn. She didn’t veer to go around items in her path—she jumped them. Stone benches. Hedges. All of them were hurdled.
In her periphery, she saw another rise up and turn his gun on her. She altered direction and began to run in a zigzag pattern.
“Cale!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Cale! New Order!”
The bullet slammed into her side, knocking her to the ground. She struggled to get back to her feet and found her legs wouldn’t work. Clutching a hand to her side, she pulled it away and found it covered with blood. Not good. Using the ground, she dragged herself to the nearest bench and slid her body beneath it, opting for the best protection she could get for herself. People in camouflage poured from around the house. A siege.
A loud roar filled the air and she peered out in time to see Tiarnán slice the head off the man nearest him. The severed body part hadn’t even hit the ground before he was on the next man with close to the same result.
She could see the others and another loud yell filled the air. Cale. She knew his voice anywhere. He jumped from a balcony and took out the one running up on him.
“Taylor!” he called.
More dark spots filled her vision. She tried calling out to him but didn’t think her voice carried anywhere. “Cale. Cale!” Even from the distance, she could read his fury. And he held nothing back.
Her last image was of him fighting through two more, still hollering her name. Then her world went black.
Chapter Fourteen
He couldn’t find her. Cale continue to battle through the endless wave of New Order fanatics that had come to the mansion. Each one he took care of, two more seemed to replace.
“Do you see her?” He asked the question to all his brethren who battled.
No one came back with an affirmative. Hearing her scream his name with such fear had nearly stopped his heart. The second time, when it had been followed by The New Order, he hadn’t been able to move fast enough. He hadn’t even had time to wonder how they’d got onto the property. All that mattered was getting to her and doing so in as little time as possible.
As fast as he was, Tiarnán still beat him. His brother in arms hadn’t seen her, however, and had jumped into the largest swarm of attackers. Cale desperately sought her. Power raced along his skin and he listened to his sign, dispatching those who got in his way.
He reached a bench and crouched down. Beneath the large stone seat lay Taylor. The metallic scent of her blood reached him and he panicked. She was hurt.
“Taylor?”
She didn’t move nor did she respond.
He stood and tossed the heavy bench off her. The sight waiting for him wasn’t pleasant. She lay in a pool of growing blood, unconscious. For the first time in his life, he was torn. He wanted to fight and yet…
“Taylor’s been shot.”
“Get her to safety.” Tiarnán sent the order.
“What about fighting?”
“Until she is safe, you will not be paying attention anyway. We’ll handle this.”
“Thank you.”
Crouching down, he scooped her up into his arms then ran like hell towards the mansion. Bursting in through one of the side doors, he saw Lian waving him over.
“We have the operating room set up. We’ll fix her.”
He ran down to the room and placed her on the table. Lian wasn’t far behind. The man washed his hands and looked at him.
“Hurry!” Cale snapped.
“Aren’t you the healer?”
“I can’t heal her.” Cale touched her and the sparks began, surrounding her entire body so she looked like she lay within a rainbow.
“You are the healer, Cale.”
Doubt assuaged him. “What if I mess it up?”
“Trust yourself. Do what you can until I’m ready.”
So like he would for one of his brethren, he sent his power through her. Wave after wave of healing energy, all the while praying for the best. Lian was there shortly after and took out the bullet before stitching her up. Through the entire process, Cale continued to rest his hands on her, keeping her bathed in the rainbow spa
rks. To him it took forever, but he knew that wasn’t the case.
“Done,” Lian said, pulling off his gloves.
“Is she all right?”
“Yes. You need to trust yourself more, Cale. I will stay with her.”
The sparks faded when he removed his hand. His power rippled and stirred. “Keep her safe.”
Lian looked at him but didn’t say a word. Just gave him a nod. Cale bent down then passed his lips over Taylor’s and whispered, “I’ll be right back, babe. Then we need to talk about you keeping yourself out of harm’s way.”
He ran with the same speed as he’d come in with until he was back in the last of the battle. Cale didn’t take any prisoners. As far as he was concerned, everyone who’d dared to do this today deserved to die. And he would do his best to send as many as he could to Hell.
When he got shot, his sign healed him and he didn’t slow. Just continued, hunting them down and killing them. He tracked one to the woods and as the assailant’s lifeless body slumped to the ground, Cale turned his head to see another one lying there. The man wanted to move, that was obvious, but he couldn’t.
Couldn’t talk either, for the broken jaw. Cale could pick up a faint hint of Taylor’s scent and knew she’d been the one who had done this. He crouched beside him, tipped his head to the side and stared.
“Got your ass kicked by a woman. A woman another of your men shot. My woman.”
Aminta walked into view, her tiny body covered in sweat and blood. “How is she?”
“Safe now. With Lian.” He gestured with his hand. “Taylor did this.”
She didn’t look at all surprised.
He stood. “You knew?”
“There are no blood injuries, at least not visible. He’s bleeding to death inside, but she works with batons, so there wouldn’t be cuts like we get. It makes sense.”
“Batons?” How had he missed this? “Who taught her?”
“Dracen.” Aminta stared at the man by their feet. “I know him.”
“Dra— Wait, you know him?”
“Used to fly with him, occasionally. I can get him to talk.”
“She broke his jaw.”
Aminta’s grin was evil. “He’ll still tell me what I want to know.” She bent down and grabbed the man’s strap on his pack. “I’ll take him. Go see your woman.”
She walked off without another word, dragging the much larger man after her. Cale fell into step behind her. He didn’t want to leave Aminta alone, but he had this pressing need to be with Taylor. So he ran.
She’d been moved to a different room and when he pushed in the door, he found Dracen and Roz standing there, staring at her. Both women looked at him, anger and strength on their faces. Without hesitation, he walked up to Dracen and kissed her.
“What the hell, man,” Dracen said pushing him away.
Then he did the same to Roz.
“Aminta told me you trained her with batons. You saved her life. I found some men in the woods that she used the knowledge on.” He turned to Roz. “And you. I know you were in on it as well. Thank you both, for seeing what I was unable to, that she had to be able to protect herself.”
“You’re welcome,” Roz said. “Just no more kissing.”
“You got it.” Brushing by them, he went to the bed and saw Taylor lying there. Again, that strange stranglehold on his heart happened—like a fist closing over it. He rubbed his chest. Cale looked over to find he was alone in the room. He dragged over a chair and sat down to wait.
It took her a few hours before her eyes opened, but when they did he was right there. “Hey, babe,” he said.
“Cale.” She struggled to sit up. “The children?”
“Are fine. So are you, in case you were wondering.”
Her smile was gentle. “Wasn’t worried about me.”
“I was.”
“I have a healer to look after me.”
“You sure do.” He brushed some hair away from her face. “Can you not get shot again?”
“Not something I’d sign up to do on a weekly basis, that’s for sure.” She shifted. “So, did the X-Men prevail?”
He gave a snort of laughter. “Yes, we did. Despite my insistence, we’re not mutants.”
“Good.” She relaxed again. “All’s well then in the mansion.” She held his hand. “Any thought as to how they got in and past everything?”
“We’re running through the tapes. We would like to know what’s changed to have them attack during the morning like they did.”
“Easy,” she said, gesturing for some water. “They think you are vampires.”
He held the cup for her and watched her sip. “What? Vampires?”
“That’s what one guy told me, not sure where he got that idea from.”
“Me either.” But it was a piece of information they could use. “I saw what you did.”
“Hide beneath a bench?”
He stroked the side of her face. He could touch her forever. “No, to the guys with your batons.”
She looked away and he guided her face so they could resume eye contact. “Sorry.”
“Sorry?” He pulled back. “Why would you be apologising for protecting yourself?”
“I’m not. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what we…I was up to.”
“I already know about the women helping you.” Another stroke of his hand. “And I’ve already thanked them.”
“You’re not mad?”
“Only at myself for not protecting you.”
“Ah, Cale. You can’t keep me in a bubble. Besides, in the grand scheme of things, being shot is minor. Given what is coming.”
“You’re so calm about this.”
“What good will hysterics do? I flipped out enough when I met Inaki.”
“You met him?”
“I did, he made the batons for me.”
“Dracen.” He shook his head. “That man always had a thing for her and would put her wants above all others.”
“He scared the crap out of me, but I didn’t lose it in front of him. I think I would have succumbed to hysterics earlier, had I not passed out. I’m good now.”
“Babe, you’re better than good. And when you’re better, I’ll prove it to you.”
Her smile was sinful and he kissed her.
“Are you hungry?”
The flare of heat in her eyes had him adding another statement, “For food from the kitchen.”
“Can Tiarnán bring it for me?”
He arched an eyebrow. “Is that what you want?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll tell him.” He kissed her again. “Tiarnán.”
“What?”
“Taylor’s awake and wants some food from the kitchen.” He could totally imagine the man’s black eyebrow raising in disbelief.
“You’re telling me this, why?”
“She wants you to bring it to her.”
For a moment, he thought he’d lost the connection. Tiarnán didn’t involve himself in things like this and if he actually agreed to do it, Cale would be extremely shocked.
“I’ll bring her something.”
Call him shocked. He glanced back to Taylor, who had reclined again, this time with a smug look on her face.
“You didn’t think he’d do it, did you?”
“Not a chance in hell.”
“I’m his little sister.”
The confident way she said that warmed him. Tiarnán wasn’t the most outgoing, but the two of them must have come to some kind of understanding.
“I’m sure that’s it.”
Tiarnán entered about twenty minutes later and the sight of Taylor’s face brightening at the sight of him touched Cale. Their affection was mutual and totally platonic. He stepped back and watched the fiercest warrior of their six gently place a tray over Taylor’s lap and kiss her cheek.
* * * *
Leaving the winery, Taylor waved goodbye to the workers as she passed them and began the trek back to the mansion. She grinn
ed. The X-Mansion. No matter how many times Cale reminded her—and it was often he did so—they weren’t mutants.
She snorted. “Not sure what label you’d give to a group of people who were each given extra-worldly powers and can do freaky things. Me? I call them mutants. Granted, Lian is far from being Professor X, but still.”
The wind picked up, blowing little dust swirls around her, and she paused halfway up the rise. A black flock of birds rose from the forest and she gazed around. After a moment, she began walking again.
It had been two weeks since she’d been shot. Cale hadn’t wanted to leave her alone, but she’d drawn the line at him accompanying her everywhere. Taylor paused and looked about her. She allowed him to do it for the most part, because she knew he held extreme guilt about her injury. She didn’t blame him, but until he accepted that fact, she couldn’t change his mind. Hell, the man would have cut up her food if she’d let him, then fed it to her piece by piece. This week he’d given her more breathing room.
Taylor continued on when the wind faded back to a gentle breeze. She took her time and picked some wildflowers on her way—they were her favourite. A mishmash of beauty that had it in them to survive in all elements, not something cultivated in a room under the maintenance of perfect conditions and temperature. No, these sometimes had missing petals or were drooping slightly, but it didn’t matter, she loved them.
The mail vehicle was just pulling up the long, winding drive when she got there. She smiled and picked up her pace to meet the driver, waving as she stepped out.
“Hey! Afternoon, Haley.”
The fit black woman moved smoothly as she took the steps with a packet of mail. “Hi, Taylor.” She waved and jogged up the steps to place the mail in the box. “How are you doing?”
“Much better. What’s new for you?”
Haley sported an excited grin as she came back to the truck. “I asked him out.”
Taylor squealed softly and clapped her hands. “Really? That’s awesome.”
She and Haley had been talking since her second week here. It was natural for her to talk to the mail person—at her grandmother’s that had been her one consistent source of human contact who was nice to her all the time.
