by Maddie Wade
“I’m sorry hunny,” Kanan said taking her hand as he sat beside her on the chair.
She pulled her hand away tucking it under the covers. “It’s okay,” she said smiling to take the sting out of her actions.
Zin watched her and knew by her face that her hearing everybody else’s thoughts and being privy to their feelings on top of how she was feeling would be too much. “Why don’t you start at the beginning and we will keep quiet,” Zin said softly.
She looked at him and gave him a tentative smile. His heart soared from that one smile. He knew he would do anything to keep her safe.
Glancing up she began. “After the wedding, I was feeling a little restless and decided to walk Samson before I went to bed. I took my phone as I always do, I use the torch on it,” she explained with a shy look at her brother. “We walked on the lawn and then veered towards the wood that curves and meets up on the road side. I had been out about fifteen minutes when my phone rang. I wouldn’t normally answer a call with no caller ID, but with everything happening, I thought I should.” Zin watched the slender arch of her pale peaches and cream throat as she swallowed nervously and shrugged.
“Go on Pixie,” he encouraged his voice soft. Her eyes met his, and he nodded his encouragement.
“I answered the call, and for a second I couldn’t understand what was being said or by whom, they were so upset.” Celeste looked at Lucy, and Zin felt his stomach bottom out. Fuck this was bad, really bad. Zack must have sensed it as well because he shot a look at Lucy and his body braced.
“I’m so sorry Lucy,” Celeste said as she began to weep.
Lucy looked confused, then her face seemed to blanche of colour. “What the hell is going on?”
“I answered the call. At first, I thought I was imagining it because it couldn’t be her. As she talked, I knew it was.”
Lucy stalked to the bed and stood over Celeste, hands on her hips, face imposing. “Who. The. Fuck. Was. It?” she demanded, and Zin could see she was hanging on to her control by a thread.
Celeste looked up at Lucy, her hand reaching out to stroke Samson who wasn’t there. Her big eyes swimming with tears as she answered. “Lizzie, it was Lizzie.”
Kanan caught Lucy as her legs went from under her and a feral cry tore from her throat. “No, no, it couldn’t be her, you’re lying,” Lucy said in a strangled voice. Kanan settled Lucy in the chair, and Zack moved over to her settling a supportive hand on her shoulder. Roz looked on, her face hardly showing a reaction to the news and Zin could see by the slight strain around her eyes that she was furious for her friend. Zin sent a text to his sister so that he didn’t have to speak across the room.
Find Jace ASAP.
Roz nodded and left quietly.
“How?” Lucy asked as Zack handed her a glass of water from the bedside cabinet. Her hand shook as she held it and Zack cupped her hand in his.
“Take a sip Luce and let’s let Celeste finish,” he said gently as if soothing a scared animal. Lucy took a sip and some deep breaths, and all the while Zin watched Celeste. His poor pixie had been through so much. What a shock that must have been for her.
“Continue please, Celeste,” Zack instructed.
Celeste nodded and cast a look at Lucy who tipped her head that she was ready. “When I heard Lizzie, everything stopped. She was crying and telling me not to listen to them and to tell her family she loves them.” Lucy hiccupped a sob and Celeste had tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
“I didn’t know what to do,” she said brokenly, “but then a man came on the line. He said if I met them at the roadside they would release her. I knew it was a lie, but I had to try,” she implored as she looked at Kanan and then him.
Zin bit back the need to berate her for being so foolish, because overriding that was a sense of pride in the bravery she had shown and the love she felt so deeply for others. Himself included he now realised. He only hoped he hadn’t left it too late to convince her that he had strong feelings for her, too.
“I tried to get Samson to leave, but he wouldn’t obey me. I ran to the road, as they said if I wasn’t there in two minutes they would leave. When I got about three hundred yards away, I saw Samson was eating something on the road. That must have been when they poisoned him. A man grabbed me, and I started to struggle. The next thing I knew I felt a needle in my neck and I was out.”
“Sweet Pixie you must have been so scared,” Zin said as he reached for her hand and then stopped. Instead, he ran a large hand over hair, fingering the tendrils.
Celeste shrugged and tilted her fractionally as if seeking comfort like a kitten, “It all happened so fast,”
Lucy sniffed and seemed to have regained some of her composure. “Was my sister there?”
Celeste shook her head. Before Celeste could continue, Jace came flying through the door as if the hounds of hell were after him.
“Luce,” he said as he went to his knees in front of Lucy, his hands cupping her face, that now crumbled as sobs shook her entire body. “Oh baby, don’t cry, please don’t cry,” he crooned as he held her in his arms and rocked her, kissing her face and tears away. “We’ll get her back baby, I promise you,” he vowed.
It was almost painful to watch so much heartbreak mixed with a love like Lucy and Jace shared. The determination and devout belief that he could do this for Lucy was humbling. Once again, Zin found himself wishing he had that. He glanced at Celeste and saw she was looking at him. She looked away quickly with a blush, and he knew if he could have it with any woman, it would be this little stick of dynamite that would take on the bad guys to save her friends despite the odds being stacked against her so horrifically.
“Finish your story please Celeste,” Jace said as he lifted Lucy on to his lap and took the chair.
“When I came around, I was in a room that was all white. I had an IV in my arm and pain in my neck. A few minutes later Rhea Winslow walked in. She was with the man that abducted me. She told me that the IV was saline and not to worry. She said she didn’t know what the Viper saw in me and my tattoos.” Her eyes stayed focused on the sheet as she pleated it in her fingers nervously.
“Then she said that I would be the one to start Armageddon. The chip in my neck has a large dose of the virus they are using to kill people or turn their latent gift live. The chip will detonate in six weeks. When that happens, I’ll be blown up causing the virus to disperse. I have to wait for instructions on what to do next,” she finished.
“Can’t we just remove it?” Kanan asked, a desperation in his voice that Zin recognised as the same one he was feeling.
Celeste shook her head. “We can’t. If I remove it, they will know and will kill Lizzie. That’s not all, she has pictures of the twins.”
A sharp indrawn breath was heard, and Lucy’s red-rimmed eyes found Celeste. “So that fucking bitch is threatening my sister and my niece and nephew?”
Celeste nodded. “But don’t worry. I won’t let that happen. I will do what they say,” she said reassuringly.
“Like fuck, you will,” Zin said standing abruptly, knocking the chair backwards.
“I have to, Zin. We can’t let Lizzie die, she has a family, a son who needs her and those babies are just that; babies, they are starting out in life. I just have Sampson, and K and I have only just gotten to know each other.”
Zin couldn’t detect an ounce of her feeling sorry for herself in her voice. She truly believed that was all she had. He felt like the biggest bastard that ever graced the earth for letting her think that.
“How did they get a picture of the babies?” Zack asked.
“I don’t know that, but it looked like they were in a hospital crib.”
“K, get everyone in the office. I want a meeting now!” Zack said, anger evident in every word he said. “Celeste, let me say this,” Zack continued in a serious and almost proud tone. “You are one brave woman, but no way on earth am I letting one of mine be blown up, and make no mistake you are one of mine. You have
people here who love you and care about you. You’re Fortis now. Fortis looks after their own, come hell or high water. So, get the idea out of your head that you’re dying because it ain’t fucking happening,” he finished with barely contained rage. “And I for one want to say sorry! Sorry for not making you realise what you mean to us all,” Zack said.
Lucy nodded and sliding off Jace’s lap went to Celeste and looped her arms around her neck.
Kanan did the same and kissed his sister, before ruffling her hair affectionately. “I won’t let you die, baby sis,” he said softly, and his pixie burst into tears. She swiped them away and then laughed as he handed her a tissue to dry her tears.
“Go ‘round up the troops,” she laughed. Jace, Lucy, and Zack followed K out the room, leaving Zin and Celeste alone.
With no other thought than easing her pain and to some extent his fear, Zin sat on the bed beside Celeste and hauled her into his arms so that she was lying ankle to hip against his side. Her arm came across his chest as she cuddled into him, taking comfort from him. The feeling was one he liked. He wanted to be this for her—her comfort and her sanctuary; Fuck he wanted to be her everything.
“I’m scared, Zin,” she whispered.
“Oh Pixie,” he said in anguish. “I won’t let them take you from me, if it’s the last thing I do, I will fix this.”
Chapter Eight
Celeste had insisted on being part of the meeting about her future and the team’s plan for her. After her weakness where she had embarrassingly cried all over Zin, allowing him to offer her comfort she was sure he didn’t want to give, she had pulled up her big girl pants and pulled her shit together.
She normally wouldn’t fall apart like that, but she missed her dog, and the emotions in the room had been tangible and intense. Samson’s presence would have calmed her as she ran her hands through his fur, feeling the strong, beautiful love from her dog grounded her somehow. Without that comfort, she had fallen apart, and she was no match for her heart and the ridiculous, unreciprocated feelings she had for Zin.
So, she had lain in his arms, cried, and sucked up the warmth from his strong hard body as if his very touch could make her strong, and it had somewhat. She felt much better now. Zin had not been pleased when she decreed she was attending the meeting, but he hadn’t tried to stop her, oh no, he had sent somebody else to do that, the big jerk.
She eyed the terrifying woman who sat across from her and crossed her arms in defiance, her chin tilting stubbornly. “I don’t care what they say, it is my body, my life, and I will be part of any decisions that are made regarding my future,” she stated, with only a minor wobble in her voice. This woman was scary and cold, and not for the first time Celeste wondered what had made her that way. Roz was standing beside the door, her arms crossed, legs shoulder-width apart as if braced for a fight. She had a cigarette tucked behind her ear, like a damn blankie and Celeste wondered if she’d recently given up.
“I totally agree,” the Zenobi leader said, her mouth tilting slightly at the corners. Celeste was so braced for a fight that she didn’t speak at first, trying to get her bearings with the conversation. “Well good. That’s good,” she said with a nod
“I mean who are these people to tell you what to do? What the hell do they know about life and death? They have never faced down death or been in extreme situations, they have never dealt with evil and won. You tell them how it is Celeste, your life, your rules. If they want to protect you and give advice then stuff that, they have no say in it.”
Wow, way to go Roz. Make her feel like a selfish, spoilt bitch. She could see what a formidable adversary she was as she assessed the clever woman. Oh, how she wished she was like her. Deciding that now was a good a time as any, Celeste tried on her new attitude for size, maybe being murdered by Roz would be quicker than getting blown up. “Don’t be a bitch, Roz” There was only a tiny bit of fear in Celeste’s voice as she spoke.
Roz’s face went stony, Oh, fuck, so this was how she died? At the hands of the Roz in this Country Estate/
Roz stepped forward until she was close enough to touch, and Celeste went stock still, her heart hammering. Roz fingered Celeste’s hair, much like Zin had, but where he had given her comfort, Roz scared the bejeezus out of her. “You know, I like you, Pixie,” she said using the name Zin used for her. “I can see why Zin is falling for you,” she mused almost to herself.
Celeste snorted and then laughed without humour. “Your brother has no feelings for me. He has made that abundantly clear. You know, I wish I was like you, cold and hard and not afraid of anything,” Celeste said.
“You know nothing about me, and if you did you certainly would not want to be like me,” Roz said almost sadly her back stiffening.
Celeste titled her head as she looked at the woman and saw an infinite sadness that was buried so deep nobody saw it, a vulnerability that was heart-breaking. “Well, maybe we can be friends?” Celeste said with a grin. “You know if you like me.”
“Steady on Pixie. I like you and don’t want to shoot you, but I’m not sure we are friends yet,” she said sternly but with a smile in her voice that made Celeste feel hopeful.
“Sure, we are,” Celeste grinned, and Roz laughed back. “So, where can I get a bike like yours? she asked as she threw on a pair of denim shorts and a white peasant blouse Ava had lent her, the top was a bit big and kept falling off her shoulder, but it would do until she went home. “Will you teach me some cool self-defence tricks? Where did you get your sexy as shit leather trousers? Ooh, can I have a go on your bike?” Celeste continued excitedly and with a slight hysteria, as she finished dressing.
“Cool your heels, Pixie,” Roz said in a gentler voice. “Let’s go down and see what the score is?” she said. “And don’t worry, I’ve got your back when my baby brother loses his mind.”
Celeste straightened and frowned. “I don’t care what he says, we aren’t even friends according to him, so he can go swing for all I care. And anyway, he won’t lose his mind,” she denied a little too hotly.
Roz nodded and looked her up and down. “Believe me, he is going to lose his mind,” she murmured.
~~~
Pacing like a caged animal, Zin waited for everyone to assemble in the library of the Cunningham Estate. Turning he saw that Kanan wasn’t fairing much better than he was. The man looked ravaged, anguish, and a million other emotions seemed to be leeching out of him. Zin looked at Kanan, and for the first time saw him not as an adversary but as a brother and as someone who cared for Celeste as much as he did.
Zack had decided to speak with Dane privately not knowing how his volatile Team Leader would react to the shocking news that his sister was alive, and his babies were in danger. Zin thought of how he would feel, and his gut tightened and twisted at the thought.
Roz meant the world to him. The thought of her dying and then rising from the dead, then being in the hands of such evil made him feel ill. Add to that the man’s babies being in danger and you had a man on the edge.
Zin pivoted as the door opened, and Lucy and Jace walked in with Drew and Nate. Lucy looked destroyed. Jace looked ready to take the face off the next person to upset his woman. Zin understood he liked Lucy a lot.
Lucy was the perfect partner for Zin. They clicked. She was the right blend of fun and seriousness, and she put up with his long silences and knew just when to shut up and leave him the hell alone.
He wondered if he had worked with a better operative and thought he probably hadn’t, except maybe Roz and he knew himself well enough to know he wasn’t neutral enough to make that call.
Lucy walked right up to him, Jace a step behind. “Hey,” she called.
“Hey.”
“How is Celeste?”
“Fine. She wanted to come to the meeting, so I sent Roz to talk her out of it,” he said as if his word was final.
“You see, baby,” she said turning to Jace beside her, “this is why I like working with Zin, he is so funny.”
Zin wasn’t sure if it was shock or what, but he had no clue what she was talking about.
Jace laughed and turned to Drew and Nate. “Hey Drew, put me down for a twenty on Zin being next,” said Jace as Drew laughed before taking out his phone and typing something in.
What the actual fuck was happening?
The door opened, and Celeste walked in next to Roz, a smile on her face that made his dick harden and his eyebrows drop. What in god’s name was she almost wearing? Those shorts were obscenely short, almost flashing the curves of her ass and that top was hanging so low off her shoulder he could practically see the curve of her breasts. He felt a growl bubble in his throat as he clenched the table in front of him and felt it crack under his hand. Shit! He’d forgotten about this enhanced strength he’d woken up with. He looked at the piece of wood and frowned. He looked up at Lucy’s voice.
“Make mine fifty.”
What the fuck was Roz doing and why was everyone shouting out bets? She was meant to have talked his Pixie out of this idiocy not escorted her down here like a date. Ignoring Lucy and Jace who were just being weird, he stalked over to Celeste and grabbed her by the arm, ushering her into a corner as he scowled at his sister. “What are you doing?” he growled.
Celeste pulled her hand out of his grasp, and he winced inwardly. “Hey meathead, hands off,” she spat, and Zin took a step back. His little Pixie had never spoken to him like that.
“What the hell has gotten into you?” he asked confused.
“Oh, let me think.” she hissed. “I’ve been rejected by you, my dog was poisoned, I was kidnapped, drugged, my life threatened, I dislocated my shoulder which bloody hurts, and now you think after rejecting me and my friendship that you can boss me around! So, in answer to your question, lots has gotten into me, and I suggest unless you want a knee to the balls, you back the fuck up,” she shouted angrily, and he could feel the tension thrumming through her.
