by April Zyon
****
When Thomas said that they were almost to the Farm, Pepper perked up. He told her that they were only two little towns away, and that had her smiling. “I can’t wait to get there. I think that the first thing I’m going to do is take a shower. I hate feeling all nasty like I feel now. All sweaty smelling and stuff.” She saw the look Thomas tossed her and laughed. “There are some ways to get sweaty and it wouldn’t be such a big deal, but this time it is. Sitting in a car and sweating sucks ass.”
“We’re not so sweet-smelling right now either, darling. Trust me, we aren’t judging in any way at all.” His grin had her heart lurching a little. He rolled his head around on his neck and let out a breath. “I will be glad to get back though. Sleeping in this tiny ass backseat has done nothing for me at all.”
“Tell me about it,” Lincoln said. He was driving the last stretch to get them home. His mood had improved greatly after getting some food into his belly. The man had even apologized for being testy prior to them getting to the gas station.
“I think that we will all feel better once we are somewhere that we don’t have to worry every moment about attack, right? I mean, I don’t know about you guys, but worrying about stuff like that is for the birds.” She hated to stress about those things, but she had been since they showed up at her motel room. She worried for them and what they would do to keep her safe.
Lincoln shrugged, and propped an elbow on the window frame. “Doesn’t even bother me anymore. It’s part of the job, and keeps us all alive so I really can’t bitch about it too much.” He shot her a quick look, and smiled. “You’ll be able to fully relax at the house though. And get a full night’s sleep in a real bed that isn’t on wheels. I plan on having a long, hotter than hell shower before I pass out tonight.”
“That sounds like a plan to me.” Pepper chewed her lower lip. “I have found on our trip that I can sleep like the dead when I’m being held by one of you guys. Can I sleep with one or both of you? Please?”
“You don’t even have to ask, sweetheart,” he said. “Of course, you can sleep with us. I insist, actually. I rather like cuddling up with you.” Lincoln grinned again, and then suddenly he sat up straight.
“What?” Thomas asked. He looked around them, on edge, too.
“Don’t know, bad fucking feeling just hit me though. Keep your eyes open,” Lincoln said. He tightened his hands on the steering wheel even while he darted looks around.
Pepper looked around. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but knew she would find it as soon as it came into her view. She had to battle her emotions to keep a storm from breaking out. That wasn’t what they needed right then. “Is it just me or has that truck one street over passed along as if it’s driving beside us?” There were buildings, but she had caught a glimpse of the truck each street that they passed.
“She’s right,” Thomas said. “Whoever it is, they’re pacing us. Slow down, Lincoln, I don’t like this.”
“Son of a bitch,” Lincoln muttered. He slowed the car, and then whipped them left around a corner. Speeding up again, he took them a couple of streets over before he took them to the right again. “We need to figure out who it is before we hit the highway again, Thomas. I fucking don’t want to be caught out on that thing.”
“Slow down some more, and pull over under one of these big trees. Let’s see if they come looking for us.”
Doing as suggested, Lincoln pulled to the curb and stopped under a tree. He turned the car off, and then slouched down in the seat. “Slide down, sweetheart. We don’t want to give them any idea that we’re in here.”
Pepper did as Lincoln told her to and slid down in the seat. She looked at him and reached for his hand. “How will we know when they’ve passed or whatever? We can’t stay here forever, can we?” She was nervous and afraid, two things she hated being.
His hand was on hers a moment later, squeezing. “We’ll hear them, and I can see over the dash enough to know if they are coming our way. Depending on if they come looking for us we’ll call the Farm to get some help out here. If nothing else, Ares can come and take you back to safety while we deal with whoever these yahoos are.” He looked to her, and smiled. “It could be absolutely nothing, Pepper. Could be a guy going to work, or some kids out joy-riding around. We don’t know for sure, which is why we’re waiting to see.”
She nodded and took comfort from his touch. “I thought you said that Ares couldn’t poof me anywhere because of the shield that Hera put around me?” She clung to his hand. “I’m ever hopeful that it’s just kids out playing in their parents’ truck. That would be the best thing.” Anything but what she was thinking.
“She’s right, Ares can’t get her out of here,” Thomas said from the backseat.
“He can damn well come with a car, and drive her back if all else fails. Or take this one, and leave us here to deal with this shit. Either way, I want her out of danger if there is any,” Lincoln said. He leaned toward her, and gave her a gentle kiss. “I don’t want you hurt,” he whispered against her lips.
“I don’t want to be hurt, but I don’t want you guys hurt either.” She brushed her nose to his and nodded. “So, we will think positive thoughts, and we aren’t going to think bad ones. I know, that’s kind of a blind way to view things, but it’s going to keep me calm so I’m using it.” Because if a storm popped out and there was someone following they would only have to look for the storm.
“Calm is very good,” he said softly. He smiled at her, and lifted her hand to press a kiss to her fingers. Then he started to nibble on one as he stared into her eyes.
“It’s awfully quiet up there. What the hell are you two doing?” Thomas asked.
Chuckling, Lincoln wiggled his eyebrows at her. “I’m making eyes at our girl,” he said.
“Ahh, good deal. How you doing up there, Pepper?”
“Better now that Lincoln is relaxing me,” she said while grinning at Lincoln. “He’s a calming and soothing soul, you know. Plus, he plays with my fingers and nips at them with his teeth, and I like it. It’s good enough to keep me from being worried.”
“Did he ever tell you which god he’s related to?” Thomas asked. It seemed like an odd turn of the conversation until he said the next part. “It makes so much sense as to his calming nature the moment you find out. At least to me.”
“No, he didn’t.” She looked at Lincoln and lifted a brow in question before voicing it. “So, which god are you related to?” She knew which one Thomas was related to, and now she was curious who it was that Lincoln was related to. “It honestly doesn’t matter because I adore you anyway, but I am curious.”
He had his nose wrinkled up slightly. “Poseidon,” he said softly. “Most of the guys say it makes total sense. I don’t let much get to me, and have always been the calmest one of the team. Thomas, jackass that he is, likes to put his ear to my head and claims he can hear the ocean.”
“For the record, I swear I can,” Thomas said. “I usually end up being punched shortly after. Don’t know why but he doesn’t seem to find it funny.”
She laughed, and it was good to laugh. “I love the water. I love swimming and being in the ocean, so it makes sense that I would be with you.” She ran her hand up and down Lincoln’s thigh. “Thomas, no making fun of one of the men in my life if you don’t mind. At least don’t pick on him too much.”
“It’s not picking on him if it’s the truth, damn it.” She could hear him trying to smother a laugh. He cut it off suddenly. “Heads up, truck’s cruising up the street toward us.”
Lincoln shifted a little to lift his head to peer around. He put a hand on her head, and pressed her down to the seat. “Stay low, sweetheart.” He left his hand on her head, stroking her skin lightly with his fingers. “Call the house, Thomas. We’re not getting out of here without a fight.”
“On it,” he muttered. “Ares, Thomas. We’re in a bit of trouble and could use some serious help. Bring a couple of the guys if you can, and m
ake sure they are armed.” He gave their location and then hung up.
Pepper began to panic. She could hear the thunder rolling and looked up at Lincoln with wide eyes. “What do you need for me to do?” She would fall apart later, but right now she had to ensure that her men were okay as well. She adored them, maybe even loved them, so she needed them to remain safe and whole if she was ever going to find out.
“Stay calm for me, sweetheart,” he said, sliding low again. He brushed a kiss to her lips, and smiled. “Stay low, and know that we know what the hell we’re doing. We’re not going to take any chances, okay? Let’s not give them any idea where we actually are if we can avoid it. At least not until the others get here.”
“Five minutes. Shit, they’re turning around at the other end of the street.” Thomas opened the back door, and slid out. She heard her door open, and Thomas waved her out. “Slide out baby, and stay tight to the car.”
Once she was out, Lincoln wiggled out, and then strapped on his holster. She noticed then that Thomas had his on already, and was staring up the street, heading to a line of vehicles. “We’re going to move over to that minivan parked over there real quick. It’ll give us more cover in case they recognized the car.” Lincoln went first, and then turned to wave her over to him. Thomas stayed right behind her, his hand on her lower back as she crab-walked to the other vehicle.
Once she had her back to the van she turned to look at the men. She was taking any and all cues from them, and when they ducked, she ducked. She didn’t rise to look up however. She had learned the hard way to keep her head down in dangerous situations. She did notice that both men seemed to reach out to touch her at least once while they waited for whatever trouble was coming their way. And she knew there was trouble. She saw it in the way that the men had gone from playful to deadly in the blink of an eye.
“Couldn’t wait to see us I hear,” a new voice said suddenly.
Lincoln snorted, and threw a look over his shoulder to where four men had appeared. Ares she recognized instantly. The other three were familiar, but she couldn’t put names to the faces. “Pepper, you remember Gareth the smartass. The other two are Mikhail and Victor,” he said pointing to each of the men.
“What’s the situation?” Ares asked.
“Truck coming down the street toward us. It’s like the one a group of assholes were around during one of our stops. They were eyeballing Pepper pretty closely at the rest stop. We lost them for a while there. How they found us again I can’t even guess at,” Thomas said.
“Hera,” Ares said the goddess’s name like a curse.
Pepper looked at each of the men that were there to help protect her, and she felt humbled. “Can’t you just pop them back to Hades or whatever?” Pepper asked Ares. “Wouldn’t that be fun? It would keep the people of this town from seeing a fight and people being hurt, and the guys being pulled into court.”
Ares looked at her, and grinned. “As fun as that sounds, it doesn’t quite work that way. Hades has locked us all out of his domain to keep us from figuring out his great master plan. I’d also have to get my hands on them to move them anywhere. That’s a little difficult in a vehicle. As to the residents, they aren’t going to see, or hear, anything. I’m shielding everything up and down the street. Anything that gets damaged I’ll fix before we clear out. Best I can do since I’m not really allowed to interfere in the natural order of things.”
“Right, Hera sending a bunch of assholes to hurt our girl is the natural order of things?” Thomas asked.
“She couldn’t make them do anything they weren’t open to do. She can suggest it, but they have to agree with it to make it come to fruition,” Ares said. “It’s a very fine line she’s toeing, but she hasn’t gone over yet.”
“So basically you are saying she found the biggest scum on the Earth to be the ones to come after me. Men and women who love to prey on those weaker than they are? Ones that love to see other people’s pain?” That was just downright pissing her off. “Bloody bitch,” Pepper grumbled.
“Anyone with loose morals, psychopaths, and those that like hurting others are Hera’s bread and butter for her war. I couldn’t tell you which these ones are, but it doesn’t really matter. They are here to do you harm,” Ares said. “Speaking of which, here they come again.”
Lincoln looked to her and squeezed her hand. “Ares, stay with her. We’ll deal with these assholes.” He leaned in to kiss her before he moved away to pull on a vest one of the guys handed to him.
Thomas gave her a kiss, and she noticed he already had a vest on. “Keep your head low, and do not move until we come back for you.”
Pepper nodded and watched the men all move out to different positions. She looked up at Ares and asked, “They are going to be okay, aren’t they? I can’t lose them now that I have them in my life. I’m due something good after all the shit I’ve had to deal with.” She knew it, and so did her men. They had to be okay. For her, they had to be.
Crouching next to her, Ares nodded. “They’ll be fine. They don’t take risks these days,” he said softly. “We’re going to sit here, and let them do their jobs.”
“Mik, nail that driver if you would,” Lincoln said. He was checking his weapon while Mikhail finished screwing on the barrel to one seriously large rifle. In a quick move the other man lifted the weapon, stepped out from cover, and then pulled the trigger.
The squeal of tires told her something had happened. “Fucker is determined,” Mikhail said. He pulled the trigger again, and then a crash sounded. Flipping the rifle up he tossed it to Ares, who caught it with one hand. Pulling a handgun out, Mikhail disappeared around the van with the others.
“Deep breaths, Pepper. You’re going to turn blue if you keep holding your breath like that, little one,” Ares said with a frown at her.
“I can’t help it. I’ve never been in the middle of a gunfight before.” She was panting. She knew she was hyperventilating and couldn’t stop it if she tried. “We brought vans to run over the guys with guns. I’m not sure who’s better prepared for this.” She closed her eyes and winced again as the sound around her amplified them all fighting. “This is seriously going to suck if any of them get hurt.” She was not only forcing herself to be calm for Ares, but also to be calm so she didn’t brew up a hell of a storm that the men would have to work through.
“Oh, I’m pretty sure the acolytes think they are all that, and then some. But, really, they have nothing on the guys. They might be outnumbered three to one, but it won’t stay that way for long. Your men are good, Pepper. Believe in them, and know that they will come back to you because they wouldn’t have it any other way. Yes, they are still mortal, but they are a level of perfectly planned out crazy that even I can’t understand fully. In my book crazy wins hands down.”
“As long as you are sure.” She put her back to the vehicle again and closed her eyes. “I don’t think I want to watch this. I don’t think that I would survive seeing one of my guys get hurt.” She flushed then and cocked her head to the side. “They are mine.” It was something she had told them, but was confessing to someone else now.
“Of course they are yours,” he said with a chuckle. “They’ve always been yours, Pepper.” He got distracted by something, stood slightly, and pulled a face. Then his eyes went wide, and he ducked as a hubcap went winging through the space he’d only seconds before been occupying. “So they are treating you right, I take it?” he asked like nothing had happened.
“They are being good to me.” Holy crap balls, she couldn’t believe she was sitting here holding a conversation with this man as if nothing at all were happening. “I couldn’t ask for better men than the two that I have.” Which was the truth. Lincoln and Thomas were amazing men, ones that she hadn’t been able to get out of her mind since she met them.
“I wish you could have connected better when you first met them. I only hope you understand that it wasn’t our choice to push you all on to separate paths for a time. Sadly, the Fate
s run that particular three-ring circus. At least they are now out of the loop for the keys.” Something in his tone had her wondering if the Fates would be sitting on the sidelines. “Heard you went and got yourself a degree, is that right?”
“Yes, it is.” This had to be the strangest conversation she had ever held, mostly because it was in the middle of a warzone. “Holy balls.” She winced when she saw a man flying through the air, bloody and beaten. “Good gravy, how can people not know that this is going on?” And then she remembered what they had said moments earlier. Ares was keeping the area sealed so no humans were hurt. No innocents, that was.
He grinned at her, and winked. “See, you’re starting to get it now. While I can’t actually help them in any way to win this fight, I can protect the innocents around them from harm, and from the knowledge. It might seem a small distinction, but it’s huge in my world.” He popped up to take another look and rolled his eyes. “Seriously? Now your guys are just fucking around. Finish this up already. Keeping everyone from seeing what’s going on is exhausting, and I still have cleanup to do. Fuckers,” he muttered, settling back down in a crouch before her.
She had to agree. “And I’m really not liking being here with all kinds of monstrosities going on around me. So please hurry.” Pepper shouted so that they heard her. “I just want to go home,” she said a little quieter. She wanted to leave this destruction so that she could snuggle with her guys and think that the world was finally okay once more.
Ares reached out to touch her arm gently before withdrawing. “They get that. They’re burning off a little steam is all. This has been hard on them all. We knew we were asking a lot of each of these men when we got them to agree to work with us. I have to tell you they have surpassed all expectations. They might be a bunch of juveniles on the best of days, but when the chips are down, there is no one else I’d want at my back in a fight.”
“Lincoln and Thomas had to wait even longer for me. I can’t imagine how hard it was for them to see their friends finding happiness, while they were hanging in the wind. They’ve waited a very long four years for me, haven’t they?”
