Green fell to his knees next to Wilson, looking as confused as Wilson felt.
“Melanie stabbed you,” Wilson said, pushing to his feet, ignoring the pain in his leg. “Her smell is different. Her eyes aren’t blue anymore, they’re gray and she’s nuts.”
Green grabbed his good leg and Wilson thought for sure he’d rip it off. “Melanie’s not in control of herself. Don’t hurt her. It’s Elizabeth. Not her.”
Wilson glanced at Melanie and found her licking the bloody knife. A smile came over her. “He really is a genius, isn’t he?”
“Leave her alone, Elizabeth,” Green said, sounding winded.
“Green, you okay?” Wilson asked.
Melanie laughed. “I imagine he’s in some pain. I did just pierce his lung. That has to hurt.” She lifted the knife. “Wait and see what happens when I pierce his heart.”
Melanie’s eyes flickered to blue and she screamed, throwing the knife far in the other direction. “No! I won’t let you hurt them!”
Now that sounded like Melanie’s voice.
She screamed once more and went to her knees. Her body contorted and the next thing Wilson knew, a blonde woman seemed to roll right out of Melanie’s body. This one looked as if she could be Mel’s sister. Her eyes were gray though, and she was shorter than Mel. His eyes widened. “Elizabeth?”
The woman next to Melanie pushed to her feet. “Wilson, so nice to finally meet you face-to-face without this bitch interfering.” She kicked Melanie in the chest.
Wilson went to charge her and she threw power at him, sending him hurtling into the air. Green seized hold of him a second before he would have struck the wall again. The second Green let go of Wilson, Green charged Elizabeth. He tackled her, taking her over the top of the table and crashing onto the floor with her.
Rushing to Melanie’s side, Wilson smoothed her hair from her face. “Mels? Mels, can you hear me?”
She didn’t budge. Deciding it was best to get her to the others to watch over while he grabbed Eadan to help fight another Fae, Wilson lifted her into his arms and ran as quickly as he could.
He made it about three steps out of the kitchen building when he found himself surrounded by a circle of men carrying automatic weapons. Each one was trained on him. A tall man with long black hair stepped forward. Wilson didn’t need to be told who the guy was. Eadan had done a great job jarring Wilson’s memory. The man was Ferdian.
“Give her to me and only you die. Continue to hold her and you sentence her to death as well.”
Melanie was his friend, the only friend he’d had outside of the I-Ops, and he couldn’t allow harm to come to her. His options were limited. One thing was for sure, he had no doubt Ferdian would kill her if he kept hold of her. Reluctantly, Wilson handed Melanie over to Ferdian carefully.
The second he backed away, shots rang out. It felt as if his body was on fire as he crumpled to the ground. Darkness swept in around him as he felt people lifting him into the air.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Melanie woke slowly, her head aching and her chest feeling as if she’d been struck with a bat. She moaned as she opened her eyes and sunlight hit them.
“Ah, there you are. I was wondering when you’d awaken.”
She froze. “Ferdian?”
Turning, she realized she was in a bed near a window and that Ferdian was lying next to her. She went rigid and he laughed, running his hand over her bare back. For a moment, Melanie thought she was naked. It wasn’t until his hand skimmed over her ass that she realized she was in some sort of long skirt. She glanced down and exhaled as she found her breasts contained in a bra-like white top.
Ferdian chuckled and pressed his mouth to her ear. “Oh, fear not, Melanie. I want you awake when I enter you. I’m guessing sex with you will be divine.”
She drew in a sharp breath.
“I can sense your fear. I’ll be gentle.” He laughed. “At first.”
“I won’t let you touch me,” she said, unsure what exactly she could do to stop him, but knowing she’d never willingly submit to him.
“Oh, I think you will.” He nudged her and pointed toward the end of the bed. In the back corner there was a slumped figure. A figure she knew well—Green. Elizabeth was next to him, jerking his head up and slapping his bloody face.
“Wake! Watch your mate give herself to another, Thaddy. See what a whore she truly is. See what you forsook me for.”
Green blinked and then opened his swollen eyes. His emerald eyes locked on Melanie and she tried to run to him. Ferdian snaked his arm around her waist and yanked her back to him.
“Shame, shame. Trying to run out on your commitment, Melanie.” He pinched her breast and pain went through it. “For that, you will be punished.”
“No,” Green said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ferdian laughed. “Please, you cannot stand up to me. Hell, you cannot even stand on your own two feet at the moment. You got lucky the last time. It won’t happen again.” He flicked his wrist. “Elizabeth, you may play with him. I fully intend to enjoy her, so you may as well enjoy one last time with the bastard before I kill him.”
The idea of Elizabeth touching Green intimately enraged Melanie. Her power began to build.
Ferdian ran his hand over her lower abdomen. “Please know, Dr. Thaddeus Green, that I will be keeping her as my wife and that your child will be raised as my own, never having any knowledge of you.”
Elizabeth’s gaze shot to him and Melanie could see the jealousy in her eyes. Deciding now was as good as time as any, Melanie fought back. Her first weapon of choice, words and sexual prowess. She smiled. “What’s wrong, Aunt Elizabeth? Upset you’re being replaced by a younger model?”
Laughing, Ferdian pulled her against him, rubbing the length of his body against hers. “Mmm, I knew it wasn’t all an act. I can smell the sex nymph in you, Melanie. It desires a Fae lover, as do I.”
“You already have a Fae lover, Ferdian,” Elizabeth said, her voice harsh. Jealousy gleamed in her eyes. “You said you wanted to make Green think you were going to fuck his precious wife before you slit her throat in front of his eyes. You told me you’d kill him too and that we’d—”
“That we would what, Elizabeth?” Ferdian laughed. “Ride off into the sunset? You are alive because my power wills it. You’re not truly back. Not unless you take Melanie’s body as your own, but you weren’t strong enough to do that, were you? She pushed you out. As much as I enjoyed having you around all those years ago, I got my revenge on you for leaving me. In fact, I will continue getting it every time I sink my dick into Melanie and make her scream my name as she comes. You got your wish, Elizabeth, you are rid of me. I have found a replacement for you.” He put his hand on Melanie’s chin and she bent her head to suck on his finger.
It sickened her but it was necessary for him to believe she would have him. “Mmm.”
“No!” Elizabeth shrieked. “You lie! You swore!”
“Oh, come off it, Elizabeth. Green replaced you with Melanie as will I. Face it, you just don’t compare.”
Elizabeth charged at them. Ferdian had his body in front of Melanie’s before she could blink. “I will not allow you to harm her.”
Elizabeth spat at him. He laughed and snapped his fingers. Elizabeth grabbed her throat as her eyes widened. It was easy to see he was choking her with his power, and if Melanie felt even the tiniest portion of the good Elizabeth she’d once known was there, she would have intervened. She didn’t.
Ferdian glanced over his shoulder. “What shall I do with her, Melanie? You are to be the lady of the house. It is your decision to make. Do you wish for her to live?”
“No,” Melanie said evenly.
Smiling, Ferdian clicked his fingers and Elizabeth went up in flames. Her screams filled the room, sinking deep into the pit of Melanie’s gut. She forced her face to remain steady as Ferdian leaned over her body and stared down at her. “What shall we do now that she is out of the way?”
/> A flash in the corner of the room alerted Melanie that Green was there and moving. She cupped Ferdian’s face and raked her gaze over him slowly. “I think we should…” Tugging on his head, she guided him toward her more.
He licked his lower lip. “You think we should what?”
“Call for reinforcements,” she whispered a second before she slammed her forehead into his. Pain shot through her head but she held strong. “Daddy! Eadan!”
Ferdian was ripped free of her body by Green a second before white light flooded the room. Her father appeared, as did Eadan. Both looked toward Green as he lifted Ferdian off the floor with one hand. He growled, tightening his grip on Ferdian’s throat. “How dare you think you could lay a hand on my wife! The mother of my child. My mate.”
Her father glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. She nodded and he seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding his approval. Eadan just looked shocked by what was going on.
Ferdian’s power surged, filling the room. Melanie, her father, and brother all drew upon their magik, ready to protect Green and kill Ferdian. To their shock, Green tipped his head back and laughed.
“Think again, asshole. It’s not going to work. I could have killed Elizabeth, but the second I realized you’d taken Melanie, I needed her to find my wife so I let Elizabeth think she’d bested me.” Green lifted his other hand and let claws extend. “When I ‘got lucky’ and bit you, your blood merged with my shifter DNA, giving me power similar to yours. Taking Melanie as my mate allowed her power to merge with mine as well.”
Ferdian’s eyes widened as he mouthed the word “no”.
Green swept his clawed hand out, yanking his other hand away from Ferdian’s neck just as his razor-sharp claws made contact. In an instant, Eadan was there, cradling Melanie to his chest, blocking her view of what was transpiring. She pushed at him to move but he didn’t.
“Let me go! Green! I need to see if Green’s okay!”
Eadan held her tight. “He is, Mel. He’s fine, but not in control of himself right now. He wouldn’t want you to see him like this. Come on,” he wrapped his power around her, “Dad will calm him down and bring him to us.”
With that, Eadan used his magik to transport the two of them back to the compound. He released her, and in an instant Peren and Missy were there, hugging her tightly.
“You’re okay!” Peren began checking her over.
Missy kissed her cheek. “We were scared to death.”
Lukian stepped forward. “Green?”
Eadan nodded. “Is fine. My dad is calming him down. He killed Ferdian and, umm, let’s just say he needs to unwind a bit before he’s around anyone else.”
The rest of the I-Ops nodded. It was then Melanie noticed the sadness in their eyes. Since they’d just been told about Green and that he was fine, she knew it was something else. It hit her then. “Where’s Wilson?”
Jon closed his eyes and turned away. Roi clasped his shoulder and squeezed it tight. “Jon, he died protecting Green’s mate. The same as you would have done. It was an honorable death.”
Her breath caught. Wilson was dead? No. He couldn’t be. She took a tiny step back and shook her head. “No. He’s not dead. No.”
Missy tried to calm her but she side-stepped her friend. “No. He can’t be dead. I won’t accept it. I’d have felt it. I shared my blood with him. A tiny piece of him is forever bonded to me. I would know.”
Eadan nodded. “She’s right, she would feel it if he were truly dead.”
Lukian glanced at Roi and then sighed. “I understand that Fae magik is powerful, but we’ve combed the area. His body is nowhere to be found, and with the amount of blood left behind, he couldn’t survive. Not with being injured to start with. From the count of rounds, they put at least fifty bullets into him.” He swallowed hard and Peren wrapped her arms around him. “None of us could have survived that, Eadan.”
Melanie refused to accept it, regardless what Lukian said. “He’s not dead.”
“Who’s not dead?” Green asked from behind her.
She swung around to find Green standing beside her father. She rushed into his arms and hugged him, savoring how safe he made her feel. “Wilson.”
Green stiffened. “Melanie, honey, he’s gone. I don’t know what they did with his body, but I got a fairly good idea of what they did to him. He couldn’t survive that.”
She pressed her forehead to his sweaty chest. “You knew before you let Elizabeth capture you. You knew he was dead?”
“Yes,” he said, his voice low. He held her to him and rocked her gently. “Wilson was a great man and a remarkable soldier. More than that, he was like a brother to us—a brother who would sacrifice himself to save one of our mates.”
“He’s not dead, Green. He’s not.”
“Melanie, calm down. Please. You’ve been through enough.” He slid a hand down and over her abdomen. “The baby needs you to calm down. So do I.”
“Captain,” Jon said. “I’d like permission to stay on for a bit, even though we’ve collected all the Intel we came for on Krauss’s compound.”
Lukian was silent for a moment.
Melanie’s father cleared his throat. “Since I’m sensing my son wants to stay as well, and I know full well that you can’t operate three men short, I’d like to volunteer to stay and help look for Wilson. I’ll call Melissa’s father and see to it additional men are sent down. From what I hear, you boys are in charge of stopping a madman.”
Lukian nodded. “We are, but regardless of our mission, we’re a family. One who won’t leave another behind.”
“He’s dead,” Roi said, his voice low, full of pain. He might have razzed Wilson, but it was easy to see he loved him like a brother.
“I know, but I’m still granting Jon permission to remain behind. Four weeks tops, Jon. Not a day more.”
“Yes, sir,” Jon said. “Thank you, sir.”
Eadan stepped forward. “With your permission, sir, I’d like to stay with Jon and help—”
Lukian gave him a hard look. “You’re filling in on our team, Eadan, and I have to say I want you on permanently, but I know your first loyalties lie with PSI. I also know that unless you can walk on water and clone yourself, you can’t be spread any thinner. Permission denied.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Green held Melanie, one arm draped around her as they lay in his room aboard the I-Ops private jet. Roi and Lukian were piloting so that Green and Melanie could rest. He was positive they were hoping they’d do more than rest, but Green wasn’t willing to risk Melanie or the baby to sate his needs.
She rolled into him and sniffed his armpit. Laughing, she pulled back and stared up at him. “I don’t know about you, but I’m damn happy we got to shower before boarding.”
“Are you saying I smelled bad?”
“Yep. You smelled like,” she bit her lower lip, “umm, death.”
He put his face in her hair and inhaled, savoring her scent. “You smell wonderful, honey.”
“Well, you smell better now.” She smiled and kissed his lips lightly. “I’m sorry about Elizabeth. I couldn’t let her live, Green, not with what she’d become.”
“Shh,” he said, pressing his finger to her lips. “Don’t apologize. I already told you that you are my true mate. No one else. She wouldn’t have wanted to live that way, Melanie. The Elizabeth I once knew would have been thankful not to be a monster. She would have been very happy for us.”
Melanie tucked into his arms and he got the feeling she wasn’t sure his love for her was true.
Green kissed her forehead and gave her a gentle squeeze. “What are you doing in about two months?”
She hummed slightly. “Most likely losing my waistline when I start filling out from your little one growing within me.”
He liked the sound of that.
“Why?” she asked.
“I was hoping you could stop by the church of your father’s choosing so I can marry you in front of your fam
ily and our friends.”
Melanie drew back and tears welled in her eyes. “What?”
“Melanie Daly-Green, will you marry me?”
She bit her trembling lower lip. “I-I already mated with you, Thad. I’m already your wife.”
His chest tightened. “I know. Now I want the world to know. Okay, maybe not the world or I’d have to explain how I don’t look a day over thirty-five when I’m really a hell of a lot older than that, but you get the idea. So, will you?”
“I will but,” she tipped her head a bit, “I want to wait until Wilson comes home. He has to be there with us.”
He nodded, not wanting to get back into the debate of Wilson’s death again. He was too thankful to have his wife and his unborn child safe and in his arms to spoil the moment. “That sounds perfect, honey.”
A slow, sexy smile moved over her face and he caught the gleam of mischief in her eyes. When she slid her hand down his torso, Green knew what his mate wanted. She wanted him. His cock hardened and his shifter side picked up on the smell of her arousal. It spurred him onward, making his palms tingle with the urge to shift, to release power, something, anything.
I want you so much, but if I touch you, I won’t be able to control myself.
He didn’t voice his concern. Instead, he took hold of Melanie’s wrist and brought her hand to his lips. Kissing it gently, he lowered his gaze. “Rest, honey.”
I could help you control it, Thad.
He stilled. Had she really just read his mind? It wasn’t a surprise when Missy and Peren began communicating with their mates mentally. They each carried shifter DNA within them.
Melanie stroked his cheek. “Did you figure it out yet, Dr. Green?”
Puzzled, his forehead crinkled.
She laughed. “You know how you gained power from our mating?”
“You licked my blood,” he said, astounded that he was able to transfer some of his DNA to her. “What else can you do?”
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