“It can be,” Vaulcron admitted. “I will not lie. Especially for the sick and elderly. But it did not cause the destruction that now sweeps the land.”
Mallory turned back to the camera, finishing up the interview with the information about the CDC and President Howell’s knowledge of the virus’s mutation that she’d acquired from Doctor Sutherland before his death.
With an inward sigh of relief, Mallory swiped her hand beneath her chin in a signal to stop rolling the cameras. “I believe that’s a wrap.”
Jackson scurried around, unplugging cords, grinning like a kid on Christmas day. “That was amazing, boss. When are you planning on running it?”
Mallory stood. “I’ll want to see it once you’re done editing it. I’m thinking we can have it ready for tomorrow evening’s news.”
Jackson’s mouth dropped open. “You don’t want to run it tonight?”
“No,” Mallory barked, removing her shoes before skirting the couch. “I’ll wait until Vaulcron has returned safely home. Call me as soon as you are done with editing.”
“But—”
“Just do it, Jackson,” Mallory ground out, effectively cutting him off. “And not a word to anyone.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jackson gathered up his equipment and nodded for Griffin to precede him from the room.
Mallory waited until the door closed behind them before speaking. “You did a great job, Vaulcron. You have no idea how grateful I am that you agreed to do the interview.”
Vaulcron rose to his full height. “It is I who am grateful. I am indebted to you, Mallory. Perhaps now the military will cease fire on Aukrabah.”
More guilt tightened Mallory’s gut. She knew damn good and well that her interview wouldn’t remove the Bracadytes from the line of fire. But maybe it would humanize them enough to staunch some of the public panic and shift the blame where it needed to be. On the government.
“Let’s hope so, Vaulcron.”
Chapter Five
Mallory’s sudden shift in emotions wasn’t lost on Vaulcron. He could sense her guilt as surely as he’d sensed her earlier desire for him.
He trailed behind her as she strode off to the kitchen. “Mallory?”
“Hmmmm?”
“Is everything all right?”
She refilled their wineglasses without looking at him. “Everything is fine. I see that you ate all your sushi. Would you care for dessert?”
Perhaps later. I am hungrier for knowledge at the moment.”
Mallory took a sip of her wine. “What would you like to talk about?”
“You.”
That brought her head up. “Me?”
“I want to know everything about you.”
Her nervous energy assailed him. “There’s not much to tell. I’m a reporter. I travel a lot. No pets, children, or husband. Pretty boring, huh?”
“And your family?” Vaulcron pressed, accepting the glass of wine she offered him.
Mallory drifted back into the living room and took a seat on the couch. She patted the cushion next to her, signaling for Vaulcron to sit.
“My parents divorced when I was five,” she began, taking another drink of her wine. “My mother remarried a couple years later, and Amy was born.”
Vaulcron sat next to her and placed his glass on the wooden table in front of him. “Where is your mother now?”
“She passed away a few years ago.”
“I am sorry,” Vaulcron offered, wanting to remove the sadness in her beautiful blue eyes.
“It was sudden death by supraventricular tachycardia,” Mallory continued, staring at a place over his shoulder. “Mom had been diagnosed at an early age with Wolff-Parkinson-White-Syndrome. While most people with this defect can be treated, there is a small percentage that isn’t so lucky. Mom happened to be one of the unlucky numbers.”
“The medical terms are foreign to me, but I do understand the pain of death. I am truly sorry, Mallory.”
Mallory blinked a couple of times before meeting his gaze. “Thank you. It was a long time ago.”
“And your father?”
“He and my stepmom moved to Chicago when I was still in college. They visit during holidays.”
“And your sister?”
Her father became an alcoholic after my mother passed. He couldn’t take care of Amy by himself. She lived with me for a few years until she became an adult and eventually moved into Piney Point when an apartment became available.”
Vaulcron glanced down at his hands before lifting his gaze once more. “Life has not been easy for you, Mallory Cahill.”
She appeared flustered by his assessment. “I manage. Besides, I have a wonderful career that I love, and my sister is near. What more could I want?”
“A family of your own. Children.”
Mallory took another sip of her wine before responding. “I can’t imagine myself as a mother. Not to mention, my job wouldn’t allow me the time to care for a child.”
A strange feeling overcame Vaulcron. One that felt awfully close to disappointment. What had he expected her to say? “Yet you made time for your sister.”
Mallory cleared her throat. “Would you like to watch some television?”
Ah, a subject change, Vaulcron noticed, leaning back against the couch. He’d obviously struck a nerve. “If that is what you would like.”
“I’ll grab us a movie, after I change clothes once again.” Mallory finished off her wine, and hurried from the room.
Vaulcron watched her go until she disappeared from view. He couldn’t get enough of looking at her.
What was it about Mallory Cahill, that tied his stomach in knots? He didn’t know, but he had a very short time to figure it out. Once he returned to Cuba, he might never see her again.
No, Vaulcron silently swore. He would see her again. Even if it meant staying in the states to be near her.
* * * *
Secretary of Homeland Security, Douglas Jefferies, arrived in Fort Walton Beach, a little before eight pm. He remained seated while his men scoured the area for potential threats.
Very few people were aware of Jefferies trip to Florida, for which Doug couldn’t be more thankful. The last thing he wanted or needed at this point, was a team of reporters, ambushing him as he stepped off the jet.
“It’s all clear, sir. The car is waiting,” Glenn Anderson, announced from the exit door.
Doug stood and made his way toward Anderson. “I need a drink.”
“The car is stocked, sir. As is your room.”
“Thank God,” Jefferies muttered, glancing around before stepping off the plane.
Two large men stood on the stairs, shoulder to shoulder, quiet and alert. Anderson descended behind Jefferies.
Once inside the limo, Glenn poured the secretary of homeland security, a scotch. “The house we rented is directly on the beach. It’s more private than a hotel.”
Doug nodded and downed the drink. “Sounds good. Do you know if Kerik has arrived yet?”
“He has,” Glenn responded, refilling Jefferies glass. “He would like to do a briefing tonight, if at all possible.”
Jefferies turned to stare out the window. “The sooner the better.”
The lights reflecting off the water, sparkled like diamonds amidst the rolling waves of the gulf, mesmerizing Doug with its beauty. “She’s out there, Glenn. I know she is.”
“Who’s out there, sir?”
“Doctor Abbigail Sutherland.”
Anderson cleared his throat. “I don’t see how she could be, sir. These waters have been searched extensively. There are no boats, no underwater bubbles…nothing. There’s no way she could—“
“There is a way,” Doug barked, cutting off Glenn’s words. “I don’t know how they did it yet, but she’s down there. You can bet your ass on it.”
Glenn didn’t look convinced, Doug noticed, abandoning his view to meet the soldier’s gaze. “When did Kerik arrive?”
“He got here yesterday,” Ande
rson replied. “He’ll be staying at the house with us, sir. It’ll be safer for everyone.”
Jefferies laid his head back against the seat. “None of us are safe as long as those things are still breathing. None of us…”
Chapter Six
Mallory exchanged her uncomfortable skirt and pumps for a pair of soft cotton shorts. She pulled a matching T-shirt over her head and padded barefoot down the hall to the living room.
The sight of Vaulcron, lounging on her couch was a vision she’d never forget.
His long legs were stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. Muscles bunched along his thighs, emphasizing the substantial bulge in his shorts.
“Is everything all right?”
Mallory nearly gasped at the sound of Vaulcron’s voice. She jerked her gaze away from his well-endowed lap and hurried toward the television.
“I— Yes. Sorry, my mind was somewhere else.” On your impressive package, she thought, fighting a blush. Mallory Cahill had never blushed a day in her life.
Snatching up the DVD she sought, Mallory recalled the conversation she’d had about Hauke with Harold Newman, owner of Winchester Industries, during their interview a few weeks back. “Did the alien have reproductive organs?”
“Pardon?”
“It is a reasonable question, Mr. Newman. Perhaps I should rephrase it for you. Did the creature possess a penis?”
Recalling the sizable swell at the juncture of Vaulcron’s thighs, Mallory could attest to the fact that Bracadytes did, in fact, have reproductive organs.
She popped in disc one of Man from Atlantis and pressed play before moving to sit next to Vaulcron on the couch.
Mallory refilled her wineglass, watching Vaulcron over the rim as she took a sip. Her lips twitched with humor as he stared openmouthed at the television screen.
He suddenly shifted his gaze in her direction. “How is it that a human can breathe underwater?”
A laugh bubbled up, but she held it back. “It’s just a movie. He isn’t really breathing underwater. Special effects are used to make it appear that he is.”
“Special effects?”
Mallory set her glass on the coffee table. “You remember the camera that Jackson used during our interview?”
At his nod, she continued. “The cameras capture and record everything visible through its lens, where it can later be edited to appear however we want it to.”
“Fascinating,” Vaulcron murmured, returning his attention back to the movie.
The buzz of Mallory’s cell phone caught her attention. She snatched it up and noticed Jackson’s name on the caller ID.
“Will you excuse me?” Mallory muttered, getting to her feet. “I need to take this call.”
Vaulcron sent her a small smile. “Of course.”
Mallory rushed off to the kitchen and pressed the green button on her cell. “Hi, Jackson. What’s up?”
“I’m about to start editing the interview clip. Did you happen to get the location of their home?”
Mallory’s stomach clenched. If she aired the location of Aukrabah, she would be considered a hero to the world, a legend to her peers. But Vaulcron and his people would never be able to return to their home. “I did, but I’ve changed my mind. I’m not adding it into the clip.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Jackson breathed. “That bit of information has the power to take you to the top. You have to disclose it.”
“I don’t have to do anything, Jackson. We’ll run the clip without it. It’s still an incredible piece. Besides, the public has a right to know where the virus originated from, not where the Bracadytes reside.”
A loud sigh came through the phone. “What is wrong with you, Mal? You’re letting that freak of nature affect your judgment.”
“Careful, Jackson,” Mallory seethed. “You forget yourself. I make the decisions here. Not you. And I’m running the piece without Aukrabah’s location. End of story. Got it?”
There was a long pause. “Whatever you say, boss. It’s your career.”
“Exactly. I’d appreciate you not bringing it up again. Drop the final copy by tomorrow for my approval.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jackson bit out before ending the call.
Mallory lowered her cell and set it on the kitchen table, her stomach in knots over the decision she’d just made.
She glanced toward the living room where the Bracadyte prince sat watching a movie on her couch. She didn’t owe him anything, and yet everything inside her screamed to protect him.
“I’ve gone soft,” she mumbled to herself, striding back to her previous position on the couch.
Vaulcron’s brows lifted. “Are you speaking to me?”
Mallory shook her head. “To myself, actually. It used to annoy the hell out of my father.”
When Vaulcron continued to stare at her with a puzzled look on his face, Mallory changed the subject. “Are you enjoying the movie?”
“Very much so. I do not understand the readiness of humans to accept the concept of a man breathing underwater, yet are unwilling to tolerate the reality of it.”
“Because that is fantasy.” She pointed toward the television. “And you are a reality. People are quick to fear what they don’t understand, Vaulcron. They become prejudiced, biased idiots when faced with someone different than them. It is the same with color.”
“Humans are afraid of colors?”
Mallory smiled. For one so intelligent, his naiveté was endearing.
She held her arm close to his. “Do you see the difference in our color?”
Vaulcron nodded. “I am more pale than you.”
“Yes,” Mallory agreed. “There are several different races of people on this planet. Some are darker than others. Some have slanted eyes and speak a different language, while others are fair skinned and wear socks with their sandals.”
Vaulcron’s eyes widened. “You are jesting with me.”
“I wish I were. It’s an unfortunate truth in our society. Racism and bigotry are alive and well.”
She laid her hand over his. “My point is this: as long as you have fangs and barbs, people are going to look at you differently. Like with Amy… She is mocked and avoided at all costs. It’s hard for her to make friends because no one wants the responsibility of a blind girl. In their eyes, she’s too much work.”
“I am sorry for your sister,” Vaulcron whispered. A Bracadyte would never shirk their responsibility to take care of one of their own.”
“You are very fortunate then. My people could actually learn from yours.”
Vaulcron turned his hand over until her smaller one lay in his palm. “You are not like that, Mallory. You are good and kind.”
Mallory’s heart clenched in shame. If he had any idea of the things she’d done, he wouldn’t look at her with such trust. “I’m not as good as you think I am.”
“You are the most beautiful female I have ever encountered. I will not soon forget the first time I saw you on the television. I could not bring myself to look away from your lips.”
Mallory’s stomach fluttered. “My…lips?”
“You were speaking, and yet I heard nothing you said. I became lost in watching your mouth move, your eyes sparkle. I saw the same strength in you then as I see now.”
Mallory found herself slowly leaning toward him, unable to look away from his hooded eyes. “I’m not so strong.”
His lips gently brushed against hers, igniting a fire low in her belly.
“You are everything I imagined you would be,” he whispered, his hands coming up to cup her face. “Intoxicating.”
The feel of Vaulcron’s mouth closing over hers sent a wave of desire scattering throughout her body, turning her muscles to liquid.
She melted against him, sinking her fingers into his hair, and kissing him back with a passion that stunned her.
The small voice inside her head telling her to pull back, to disengage, went unheeded as Mallory pulled him in closer. Heaven was the
only word she could think of to describe the feeling of being in Vaulcron’s embrace.
Chapter Seven
Vaulcron felt the instant Mallory went pliant in his arms. She fell back against the cushions, pulling his large frame down with her.
One of her legs fell off the side of the couch while the other hooked behind his back.
She kissed him like a woman starved. And damned if he wasn’t just as hungry for her.
He broke off the kiss and lightly raked his teeth across her cheek and down her throat, nipping and licking as she arched her neck back to give him better access.
Her skin tasted better than he’d imagined it would.
Mallory adjusted her hips, tugging him in closer with the heel hooked behind his back.
A groan escaped them both with the first touch of his shaft against the juncture of her thighs.
Blood rushed to his engorged sex as he ground against her, wringing a soft cry from her throat.
“Mallory…”
Vaulcron wanted her. Wanted inside her more than he’d ever thought possible. The throbbing of his erection became painful, resting against her wet heat, unable to penetrate her.
He flexed his hips, pressing down and up, dragging his thick shaft along the seam of her shorts.
She arched again, locking onto him with both arms and legs. Her uneven breaths came out in gasps as she brought her mouth to his ear. “Stop me before it’s too late.” She rocked her hips up to meet his downward grind. “I don’t think I can stop myself.”
Vaulcron lifted his head and met her passion-filled gaze. “Do you truly want me to stop?”
“No.”
That one word penetrated his very soul. Mallory Cahill wanted him.
Rising up on his knees, Vaulcron gripped the ties of his sharkskin shorts. “There will be no going back, Mallory. You will belong to me after tonight.”
A knock sounded from the kitchen, pulling Vaulcron up short. He searched Mallory’s glittering eyes. “Are you expecting anyone?”
Mallory shook her head and held her finger to her lips for silence. “I have a peephole,” she whispered, moving to get up. “I’ll be able to see who it is without them seeing me.”
Vaulcron (Enigma Series Book 3) Page 3
