by Nina Bangs
She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Let me count the reasons. First, my sister. Second, my sister. And last, umm, my sister.” And maybe you.
Now where had that come from? He was a great-looking guy with a predator’s soul. Incredible in an alpha kind of way, but not the man she was looking for. There wouldn’t be any steady job or home back in Texas for him. Life with Al would be unpredictable, dangerous, and…exhilarating. No, scratch the last. She didn’t want that kind of excitement.
“There’s nothing I can say to change your mind?”
“Nope.”
With a muttered curse, he pushed himself away from the doorjamb and walked off.
She smiled as she crawled back into bed. A magnificent ass. But he wasn’t much of a persuader. He could be, though. Once he learned how to use all his assets.
Chapter Seven
Well, that had been a half-assed job of persuasion. He should’ve tried harder. He had a tough job concentrating, though, when he was so hot for her that he probably melted Fin’s damn security cameras at the end of the hall with the heat generated by 65 million years of sexual abstinence.
Al needed to cool down. Climbing the stairs to the roof, he stared out over the sleeping city. Fin had raised all of the Eleven back on November eleventh of 2011. Eleven, eleven, eleven. Their leader’s obsession with the number eleven never ended. He’d brought them straight to Houston where they’d gotten rid of Nine. They’d spent December cleaning up the mess that Nine had left behind him before moving on to Philly.
He shivered in the January dawn. Not the temperature he was used to. Houston had been a lot warmer. But the cold sure cleared his mind.
Al’s thoughts returned to Jenna. Okay, cooling-down period was over. Houston might have had warmer weather, but it didn’t have Jenna. And she heated things up just fine.
Leave it to him to decide he wanted sex with a female who not only feared him but also didn’t like him much. Now he’d be babysitting her until she did decide to leave. Then he brightened. His first night on the babysitting brigade had sort of sucked. Maybe Fin would stick someone else with the job.
Fin. Thinking about Jenna had taken his mind off the bone he had to pick with their freaking fearless leader. Now was as good a time as any to confront Fin with what Jenna had let slip. As he headed for the stairs, he reviewed the implications of Fin’s power.
All the way to Fin’s office he reminded himself to control his temper. Fin wouldn’t let him hunt again until he showed he could hold it together.
But as he stood outside the door, his rage was close to liftoff. He raised his fist to knock, not for a minute doubting Fin would be there. Al didn’t think the guy ever slept. He knocked. Not a pounding, just a plain knock. Al was proud of that.
“It’s open.”
Al didn’t need more of an invite. He turned the knob and stepped into Fin’s office. Fin was seated behind his big-ass desk, but he’d swung his chair to face the windows. He didn’t invite Al to sit down.
“Every time I see you, you’re staring out those windows.” Not what Al had thought he’d say first.
Fin didn’t turn to look at him. “The sky never changes. Yes, I guess stars come and go over millions of years, but who’d notice? When I look up there, I can pretend everything’s the same as it once was.”
That observation silenced Al for a moment. It had never entered his mind that Fin might have feelings about his past. Fin wasn’t a nostalgic kind of guy. Come to think of it, he didn’t have a clue what Fin’s past was. Al had been an Allosaurus with a dinosaur’s needs, and he hadn’t wondered about much of anything beyond his next meal, his next mating, and his pack. Fin had been nothing more than a voice in his head that he’d obeyed.
“What were you back then?” Why hadn’t Al ever asked that question before? Probably because he’d assumed Fin was a dinosaur like the rest of them.
Fin finally swung to face him. “I was a voice.”
Al grunted his disgust. A typical Fin answer. But he wouldn’t let Fin get away with it this time. “What was your physical form?”
“My form doesn’t have a name in this time because my fossilized remains were never found. There were only a few of us, so chances are they’ll never be found. But I was big, bad, and liked to kill.” He shrugged. “Not much different from you.”
Hah. Al would bet that whatever Fin was, he wasn’t like anyone else. But enough small talk. Time to get down to business. “Jenna said you could wipe her memory. You never told us you had that power.”
“She didn’t waste any time telling you that.” Fin sounded mildly surprised.
“Stuff the surprise. You can jump into any of our minds. Are you telling me you didn’t know she’d told me?”
Fin pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers. That very normal sign of weariness shocked Al. Twice now in the last two days Fin had looked tired. If Fin felt normal emotions like everyone else, he’d never before shown them to his men.
“Here’s the deal, Al. Zero is headed for Philadelphia. I can’t stop him from coming. The best I can do is annoy him with a few psychic jabs to the brain. That takes more energy than you can imagine. Then I have to keep track of everything that’s happening out on the streets, especially when some of you get too enthusiastic about your job.”
Al glanced away. Fin would never forget the demon thing.
“So I don’t use my spare minute or two checking into everyone’s thoughts.” His smile was no smile at all. “I even sleep once in a while.”
Al refused to admit he’d thought of Fin as this all-seeing omnipotent godlike figure. No, he’d always believed their leader was just like the rest of them only…more so. He scowled. Lying to himself left a bad taste in his mouth.
Al got himself back on track. “If you can wipe minds, why didn’t you wipe Jenna’s? That way you wouldn’t have to worry about her writing about us for her tabloid or telling me things you don’t want me to know.”
“First, I don’t think she’ll write her story. Yes, the temptation will be there, but it would put her sister in even more danger than she’s in now. Jenna’s a smart lady. She’ll figure out that her sister and the future of mankind are a little more important than a byline. Once we take care of all the immortals, I don’t care what she writes.” He shrugged. “And maybe I don’t care if you know.”
That all sounded great. Too bad Al didn’t believe it. Fin always had layers and layers of motivations. He’d just given Al a peek at the top layer. Not good enough.
“Now what’s your real reason?”
Fin actually laughed. It sounded pretty normal to Al. But he’d never make the mistake of believing that laugh.
“You’re a suspicious son of a bitch. That’s a mixed bag. You’re always looking for a reason to nail me. So that makes you a pain in the ass. On the other hand, suspicion is one of the most important survival skills. You’ll live when others around you die because you don’t believe anyone.”
Al frowned. It sounded like Fin had just complimented him. A moment to be savored. Okay, moment over. “I’m waiting.” He did some virtual finger crossing. Fin didn’t have to tell him anything, and they both knew it.
Fin shuffled a few papers around on his desk. Al decided Fin was trying to decide what lie to use.
“I didn’t wipe her memory because she’s the key to Eight’s trip home.”
Fin’s admission was a fist to Al’s jaw that rocked him back onto his heels. He didn’t ask if Fin was kidding because Fin never joked about the immortals. Al’s instant reaction was disbelief followed closely by fear and then anger. And wasn’t that a freaking shock. All those emotions centered on a woman he hardly knew. Warning bells almost deafened him.
“Getting rid of Nine came close to killing Kelly.” Al clenched his fists at his sides, digging his nails into his palms to keep from lashing out at Fin.
Fin’s expression was calm, detached. “We all do what we have to.”
“Kelly won’t let her sis
ter walk into danger.” Neither will I.
“What’s meant to happen will happen. Kelly can’t stop it.” His gaze clawed a ragged hole in Al’s gut. “You can’t, either.”
Cold bastard.
Only a brief twist of Fin’s lips acknowledged that he’d heard Al’s thought. “I know you tried to get her to go home. If you’d succeeded, I just would’ve had to go after her myself. She can’t leave until we take care of Eight.” Fin abandoned his papers to stare at Al. “You have no other job from now until Eight is gone except to keep Jenna safe. When she’s not in this condo, you’ll be with her.”
“What about Kelly and Ty? Kelly will tear your head off if you try to keep her away from her sister,”—Al paused to enjoy the mental picture—“and Ty can take care of them both.” Jenna wouldn’t need him. Why did that scenario bother him? And why did he hope Fin rejected it?
“I’ve found an apartment for Ty and Kelly in the same building with Q. Partners need to stay together for mutual protection. Besides, North Philly will keep both of them busy.”
Way to go, O Great Dispenser of Bullshit. Remind me that I don’t have a partner.
Fin’s stare was one part amusement and two parts frustration. Good, he was still tuned into Al’s thoughts.
“Kelly will want Jenna to stay with her, but I’m giving that a thumbs-down. She’ll be pissed, but it can’t be helped. This condo is a lot safer than any apartment. And by the way, why don’t you stop blaming me for everything you think has gone wrong with your life? If you weren’t here with us, you’d be dead.”
Al’s impulsive side wanted to throw the I’d-rather-bedead line at Fin, but the honest side of him admitted he didn’t want to be dead at all. In fact, since Jenna had arrived, his interest in living had improved a whole lot. He wasn’t sure if that was because she drove him crazy in a good way or because he wanted her body. Maybe both. So Al decided to ignore Fin’s challenge.
“What if Kelly refuses to accept your order?” Ty’s wife was a force to be reckoned with.
Fin’s gaze grew intent, the silver going molten and the hint of purple darkening. Without moving a muscle in his face, Fin suddenly became frightening enough to give even Al pause.
“I lead the Eleven. I protect the Eleven. And I make the final decisions.”
Al nodded. Okay, he had two more questions and then he was outta here. “You can erase memories. Why didn’t you ever tell us?” How many times had Al seen bits and pieces of things half remembered only to have them fade away? He asked the second question before he could lose his nerve. “Did you ever take away any of our memories?”
And in the silence stretching between them was the understanding that Fin could take away Al’s memory of even asking the question. Al waited to see what Fin would decide.
Finally, Fin answered. “Yes.”
Yes? Just yes? “What memories?”
“Ones that are better left forgotten. Right now we have one goal—to save humanity’s butt.”
Al was too mad to stop his question from popping out. “Why? I don’t think you give a crap about saving humanity. I think all you care about is bringing down the immortals. You’re all about revenge.” He waited for the fist of Fin’s anger to drive his ass into the floor. Nothing happened. Figured. Fin didn’t react to insults.
“Wrong. I care a lot about humanity’s butt, because no matter what our souls are, everything else about us is human. From here on, it’ll always be human.” He held up his hand to stop Al’s denial. “And here’s a secret. In the end, your soul is what you want it to be.”
That didn’t make a hell of a lot of sense. He’d always want his soul to be Allosaurus. He couldn’t imagine anything else. “Forget the humans. Who gave you the right to take my memories?”
“I don’t need permission from anyone to do what I think is right. The memories I hold might well tear us apart. I won’t sacrifice that for you or anyone.” There was no give in Fin’s gaze.
As much as Al might rage against Fin’s arbitrary decision, he knew he couldn’t force him to explain. “Will you ever let us remember?” Al felt like a guitar string being tightened and tightened and tightened. At any moment, he might snap and catch someone in his whiplash.
“After it’s all over, if that’s what you want.”
Why the hell wouldn’t he want his memories? Good or bad, they were his. “Does anyone else know this?”
“Ty and Kelly.”
“And they never told anyone?” He worked to control his surge of anger. Ty was one of the Eleven. He should’ve shared what he knew.
“Ty didn’t share because he knew how the rest of you would react. We’re not fighting an ordinary enemy. A moment’s distraction could be your last. Sure, you won’t be dying from natural causes anytime soon. And yes, you’re pretty much invulnerable when your soul’s in control. But if someone takes your head while you’re in human form, you’re dead. Or at least your body is.”
Al noted the distinction Fin made, but he didn’t bother commenting on it. Turning, he headed for the door. “I need some space.” He didn’t offer a good-bye as he left the office, but he didn’t slam the door behind him either.
He made note of two things: Fin had let him keep the memory of their conversation, and he hadn’t made Al promise not to tell the others what he’d learned. Right now, Al wasn’t sure what he intended to do beyond falling into bed.
A short while later, as Al hovered between waking and sleeping, he thought about what it would take to keep Jenna safe from the immortals. He also wondered who would keep her safe from him.
His soul had never denied itself anything in his former life. It was into instant gratification. Sex had been a violent mating. Tenderness and caring were foreign concepts. How would he keep his soul from being the third party in any bed he and Jenna shared? He’d work on that problem. Sleep ended his planning session.
Jenna opened her eyes to late afternoon sun. A glance at her clock verified that fact. She never slept this late. But as the events of last night leaped gleefully into her memory, she decided she deserved that extra time.
Crawling out of bed, she staggered into the shower. A short time later, dressed and awake, she went in search of caffeine.
No one had told her when meals were served, so she figured she’d just slip into the kitchen and grab something from the fridge. Unfortunately, a tiger was guarding it. What Greer lacked in body size he made up for in ferociousness.
“Make some coffee? Fix a sandwich? Yourself?” Greer’s glare said to get her hand off his fridge or lose it. “Go.” He pointed in the direction of the dining room. “Sit.”
Beg, roll over, jeez. Jenna huffed and puffed herself to the dining room table and sat down.
A short time later Greer emerged with a huge plate of sandwiches complete with pickle slices, chips, and potato salad. He held a pot of coffee in his other hand. “I’ll be back.” He disappeared again.
While she considered drinking the coffee directly from the pot, Al walked in.
Forget the coffee, she’d just gotten a sensual jolt of wake-me-up. With all the excitement of the past few nights, she hadn’t had much time to sit quietly and study him. She did that now.
Worn jeans, a black T-shirt, and biker boots molded and accentuated the long muscular length of his body. Bottle whatever constituted “male” and it would have his picture on the label.
He was a sexual time bomb ticking down the final minutes till his personal detonation. She didn’t know how she knew this, she just did. It was in the sharp stabs of tension she felt from him along with a sense of heat and male arousal she couldn’t possibly be feeling. And overriding everything was her conflict—run from the impending explosion or fling herself onto the bomb.
His hair was still braided. “Do you ever wear your hair loose?”
He looked surprised at her question. “When I hunt.”
“No hunting to night?”
He moved with a litheness she didn’t associate with his soul
.
“I’ll be with you to night.” That said it all.
This had to be Fin’s doing. She couldn’t picture this man choosing to be with her when he could be out chasing enemies. “What if I decide to sit and watch TV?”
“Then I’ll watch TV with you.” He sat across from her.
Not by even a tic of his eye did he betray how much he’d hate that, but she knew he would.
Neither of them spoke as Greer returned with more sandwiches, along with everything else they’d need. Jenna waited until Greer disappeared back into the kitchen before returning to the subject.
“Why you? Why not one of the other guys?”
He shrugged. “I’m out of the hunting business until Fin says otherwise.”
“Why?” She watched as he reached for a sandwich.
He had strong hands with long fingers that could as easily strangle an enemy as paint a masterpiece. And that was a bunch of crap. He had hands, ordinary hands.
“I lost control of my soul. I didn’t return to my human form after a kill. Fin had to force me. So I won’t be hunting for a while until he’s sure I understand what’s at stake.” He delivered his speech calmly, but there was a bitter undertone woven through what he’d said.
“You don’t like Fin?”
“I don’t know if I trust him. Oh, I trust him to lead us. I don’t know of anyone who’d mess with him in a fight. But there’s just something…” He shrugged. “This isn’t a logical thing. It’s just a gut feeling.”
She nodded. “And what happened in the park last night?”
“Luck. I smelled blood, heard sounds of general merrymaking, so I took a look. Six ghouls were just finishing a late dinner.”
Her stomach turned over. “Ghouls?” She didn’t bother asking if they existed. Obviously they did.
“Eight must be encouraging his recruits to run wild. He wants to spread terror in the city. Terror leads to chaos. He’s all about chaos.”
“The slaughter last night?”
Al nodded. “I heard it was bad.”
