“I don’t like games, Rupert.” Bitter bile rose in the back of her throat when he popped the key into his top pocket and leaned forward, touching her knee. His hand slid suggestively up her bare thigh. Reba slammed her legs together and Rupert laughed, withdrawing his hand.
“Oh, come off it, Reba, don’t be a spoilsport. I was looking forward to a quickie before we got there.” He leaned back, sipping his champagne. “So who is this chap you get all wet about in your dreams, anyway?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She looked away from him, knowing she was a terrible liar.
Rupert’s laugh was like a bark, and Reba flinched.
“Every time we fuck, I know he is in your head and not me, but no matter, my work with you is done, anyway.”
“What work with me?” Reba’s dark brows bunched together. “God, Rupert, what is that stench?” She sniffed at the air and her nostrils flared with revulsion.
“Aww,” Rupert whined, pulling a dramatically sad face. “Don’t tell me you don’t like the Marigold garland I had specially woven for you.”
“I hate Marigolds?” Reba snapped, irritated by their foul odor. “I told you before I’m allergic to them.”
Rupert shrugged, “Too bad my darling, but Mr. Mysterious Moneybags said it was essential you were wearing it.”
“Mr. who?” Reba wriggled in her seat, fighting her restraints. “What the bloody hell are you talking about? Who told you to put them on me?”
Rupert wriggled his brows and placed a finger on his lips. “It’s a secret, baby.”
“Where are we going?” she looked out of the tinted windows, but there was just the flash of lights as the limo sped along the highway.
“Not so much where sweetness,” Rupert drawled, “but to whom.” He wiggled his brows. “Your amazing feats in the line of duty have caught the attention of a rather important man, and he is eager to meet you.”
“What amazing feats?” she snapped. “What bullshit are you talking about?”
“Hey, I’m just the middleman, Sweets.” He held up a hand, silencing her. “You see, I come from old money.” He rolled his eyes. “We’re rich in class, education and property, no ready cash flow though. So, when I was offered a couple of million to seduce you and get you to London. It was a no brainer.”
“Bastard!” Reba spat the word at him, hating herself for not seeing through his charade.
“I was guaranteed I would be a sure in.” He threw back his head, chuckling. “What is it about slim black-haired Englishmen with pale skins that excites you so, Reba?” He cocked his head to the side, studying her. “You were drawn to me like a moth to a flame.”
“We all have our types, Rupert. Clearly, I have really bad judgement.” She clenched her jaw so tight it ached.
“It’s like you’re trying to recreate a past lover.” He skewered her with a curious look. “How did I measure up to him, by the way?”
“Fuck you, Rupert,” Reba snarled the words. “You could never hold a candle to him!”
His thin lips drew back into a mirthless smile, and he changed the subject. “I have heard your colleagues say you do the devil’s work, that you bring back the dead from impossible circumstances.”
“I do what I’m trained to do, there’s no devil’s work in that!”
“They say you have the ability to tear the soul from the living, hence the unexplained deaths of some of your healthier patients. For example, the drunken drivers that kill the innocent and survive the accident but are unlucky enough to catch an ambo ride under your care. You have a reputation for being the Angel of Death, my sweet.”
“Superstitious crap they feed each other. I’m a young female who was promoted over them, and they couldn’t stand it.”
“Well, Mr. Moneybags believes them and wants to meet you anyway,” Rupert shrugged.
“You don’t have to do this, Rupert.” She tugged at the cuffs again.
“For a million pounds on your safe delivery, oh my dear, I really do have too.”
The watch at his wrist lit up and Reba watched him twist the dial and read the message.
“We arrive in twenty minutes.” He rubbed his hands together, and when he looked at her, his eyes were bright with anticipation and greed.
Danjal
“The guards on the Basildon side of the Arrack Bridge just waved the limo through,” Phenix reported. “It’s on its way into David's Town now. Shall I continue the pursuit?”
“Stay well back, Jequon. Blue will stop the driver as it enters the city. I’m rather curious to know what her plans are.”
“Very well sir,” Phenix replied.
“I can see the headlights approaching.” Jequon was next to report in. “Blue and I will pull them over at the intersection.”
“Cassian and I are parked on Cathedral Drive. We will just hang out here and wait for your report, Jeq.”
“Ok, they’re here now. Blue just stepped out and is flagging them down.”
“Can you see inside the vehicle?” Danjal asked.
“Nope, the windows are one-way tint,” Blue joined the conversation.
“Bludon, approach with caution.” Danjal chewed on his lip, afraid Blue might let his guard down in a moment of weakness. “I know you’re buzzed about meeting her.”
“I got this.” Danjal heard the excited hitch in Blue’s voice. “The car is slowing down!”
“Ahh Fuckit!” Jequon yelled. “Bludon watch out! Get out of their way. They aren’t stopping!”
“Report, report!” Danjal’s hand slapped impatiently at the steering wheel. “What the fuck is going on, Jequon?”
“Bastards, they’re not friendlies.” Jequon reported his rapid breathing loud in Danjal’s ear. “I repeat, they are not friendlies.”
“Bludon, speak to me!” Danjal roared as the truck fired to life beneath his hands. He took the turn onto Deepdale Avenue on two wheels.
“I’m okay,” Blue replied. He sounded breathless. “That was close. They accelerated when I stepped out, they tried to run me down. Jeq and I are giving chase now; our bikes are better equipped for these roads than their heavy car.”
“They’re turning!” Jequon shouted into his Bluetooth speaker. “They’re taking Carnation Way. They are not heading for the Churchlands.”
“What business does she have in Archways?” Danjal glanced over at Cassian.
“The ambulance depot where she worked was there, and she lived in a flat in the outer suburbs.”
They drove in silence for several minutes, Danjal maneuvering the four by four along the treacherous curves and bends of the unlit road.
“Oh, Christ!” Blue bellowed. “They’re going too fast. They’re going too fast for the bend, they won’t make it. They are going to crash.”
“Oh my God, oh Christ, they’ve crashed through the guardrails!” Jequon’s panicked voice filled Danjal’s ears. “They’re going over Danjal, they’re going over!”
“Get the Medics,” Blue yelled. “There are going to be some serious injuries!”
There was a lot of the noisy panting coming through his speaker. “They’re at the bottom of the ravine and I can’t see the car.”
“That’s a long way to fall,” Cassian whistled.
“I’m going down,” Blue’s voice cracked. “I’m going to shadow jump. I’ll report back once I’ve checked out the damage.”
“I’ll call Roharn. He is the duty doctor tonight. I’ll get his team out here ASAP,” Danjal promised, his head spinning from the unexpected turn of events. His cold fingers gripped the wheel as he sped along. This wasn’t supposed to happen; just how the fuck did things go so wrong?
“Blue’s jumping,” Jeq’s voice pushed past his thoughts. “I’ll wait up here and secure the area.”
“We’re minutes away.” Danjal leaned into the wheel, as if that could make the truck go faster.
Beside him, a tight-lipped Cassian held on for dear life as the tires squealed on the gravel, kickin
g up dirt and stones as the truck powered along.
Reba
“We have a problem,” the driver’s disembodied voice cut through the tension in the cabin. “There’s a checkpoint ahead, they will want me to stop.”
“Well, don’t stop, just blow through the bastards. I was warned about them. Just follow the GPS’s instructions, we are not far from the rendezvous point. Just think of your payment, how you’re going to spend it and put your foot down hard!” Rupert looked over Reba’s shoulder into the rear window. “Fuck it Freddy. We have a tail as well. I’ve just caught a glimpse of vehicle behind us!”
“Don’t worry,” the driver replied, “This baby might look like a tank, but it’s got grunt. I’ll show them what it can do!”
Reba was thrown back into the seat as the driver stomped on the accelerator and the limo surged forward. “What is going on, Rupert?” she shouted and sank her fingers into the seat to cling to something as the car picked up speed. “Who are you running from?”
“No, my sweet, it’s to whom we are going to that matters now.”
“Fuck you, Rupert. I’m not a commodity you can sell!” She tried to move forward again but the seat belt held her fast. Her short nails dug into the leather seat, and she hissed her frustration.
“That belt is engineered,” his mouth turned down in mock sympathy, “so don’t struggle. It will only tighten, a bit like the coils of a python,” he explained. “So be a good girl.” He winked. “I want to get you there breathing at least.”
The bloodcurdling howl of the limo’s brakes silenced the tirade of fury Reba unleashed on Rupert. He was still laughing at the futility of her anger when the limo crashed through the barricade. The impact catapulted him upwards, his head striking the roof of the limo’s cabin. A crunching sound followed before he fell to the floor at her feet. There was a surreal silence as the car continued its momentary forward trajectory before its nose tipped and it began its decent.
Instinct kicked in, and Reba curled herself into a tight ball, the seat restraints holding her fast. The tail end of the car hit ground with a jarring thump, before they were airborne once again, flipping the car over and over as it bounced. Windows burst. Shattered glass bit at her skin. Metal crunched around her.
Rupert’s body collided with her. Her hoarse screams filled the air as momentum tossed his limp form about the cabin.
Once the tumbling stopped, the twisted engine of the limo creaked and groaned as it spewed diesel, and steam hissed softly from the radiator. Fragmented glass fell around the wreckage like hailstones to the ground. Trapped within the confines of the rigged seatbelt, Reba had by some miracle survived the crash. Soft whimpers broke the eerie silence that settled around her.
“Rupert, Rupert.” Her call was frantic; the coppery scent of blood enveloped the cabin. She knew it wasn’t hers. Her skin tingled from the bite of glass, and she ached in a thousand places. She had movement and sensation in her fingers and toes, and she clearly remembered the events before the crash.
“Rupert, can you hear me?” Tears of frustration ran down her cheeks. “I’m jammed in this seat. Where are you?” she wailed.
She lowered her feet to the floor, her toes finding Rupert; his skin was warm and slick under her foot.
“You should have put your seatbelt on.” She sniffed. “Was a few million pounds really worth your life?” Reba swallowed down bitter bile, as her stomach rejected the smell of diesel and death. “I hate you for playing me and getting us into this predicament.”
Anger ignited like a spark within her, and she curled her legs up to stop the overwhelming urge to stomp her bare foot on Rupert’s head. With extensive training as a rescue paramedic, she’d learned to control her emotions. Focus on breathing, on inhaling, hold for three seconds, exhale slowly, counting to three. Think of nothing but the act of breathing. Repeat until the pain, fear, or fury passes.
“Hello!” A deep called. “Are you okay in there?”
Reba startled. “Oh my God, please, please help me.” She whimpered. “I’m trapped.”
“Who else is in the car with you?”
“Rupert.” Her voice broke. “But I can’t get to him and he is badly hurt. He didn’t have his belt on.”
Rupert had been silent for a while now, and Reba was certain he was dead. Strange how that realization left her cold. After six months of dating, she surely should have felt something other than hatred.
“Hold on for a second.” The car rocked back and forth, and metal screeched he ripped the door from its hinges. “I’m coming in now.”
The car dipped under the stranger’s weight and Reba inhaled the clean scent of pine needles and earth as he drew closer. The darkness inside the limo was so thick she could almost touch it.
His large shape loomed closer. “I’m going to cut you free. Hold still.” The soft reassurance of his baritone instantly put her at ease.
“How can you see in this darkness?” She pulled her arm away and felt his fingers slide between the belt and her body.
It only took a few seconds for him to cut through the strap, and he pulled her into his arms and backed out of the wreckage.
“Thank you.” She buried her face into his shoulder and sniveled softly. “I didn’t think anyone would find me. The car just flipped and rolled over and over. I thought it would never stop.”
“You’re okay.”
His arms tightened around her, and a large hand stroked her shoulder and arm.
“I’ve got you, and you’re safe now.”
He let go with his one hand and brought it to his left ear. “I’ve got her, Commander. She’s pretty banged up, but she’s okay. We are just clear of the limo now. I’ll wait with her until you guys get here.”
He paused for a few seconds as if listening. “It’s her, but I’ll check.” He chuckled softly. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“I’m Rebecca, but call me Reba.”
“How many of you were in the limo?” he asked again.
“I’m not sure, three I think with the driver.”
“Reba says the male in the back with her is Rupert and the driver I haven’t seen yet. I suspect he was flung from the car as it tumbled,” he relayed back to his commander.
“I’m going to set you down over here.” He stopped walking and smoothly lowered her to the ground.
Cold hard stone met her bottom, and she shivered, wishing she’d worn jeans instead of the flimsy little yellow dress, which sat high on her thighs. Reba looked up at the night sky. A thick layer of cloud covered the moon, but the heavens twinkled brightly.
He hunkered down beside her. “There’s a full moon up there, though you wouldn’t see it. The clouds should pass in a moment and the moon will light the valley again.”
“Thank you,” Reba whispered. “Are you a cop, I heard you call someone commander?”
“We’re a reaction unit.” His chuckle was soft. “I’m Lieutenant Bludon Shax, and I saw the limo lose control on the bend. You are one incredibly lucky lady to have survived that crash.”
“Not my time, I guess.” Reba shivered, thinking of Rupert lying dead in the car. “The driver started driving really fast.” She decided not to inform him of the real reason the limo had gone off the road. She had no idea who this man was or what the hell was going on. “Rupert wasn’t wearing his seat belt.” She moved her hand to brush away a stray curl that fell from her bun and the chain chinked at her wrists.
“Why are you in cuffs?” He grabbed her hands.
Reba turned her head towards him just as the clouds moved away from the moon. The shadows lifted from his face and she saw a strong jaw, covered by a fair beard, black glasses and a beanie pulled low over his ears and forehead. Those glasses must be the reason he saw in the dark.
He was a big man with broad shoulders and thick forearms. Dressed in black fatigues, he’d tucked his pants into thick, chunky boots. There was no insignia on his uniform, but he looked the part of a soldier. Although the truth burne
d her lips, Reba played her cards close to her chest.
“My boyfriend’s a prankster; it was his way of welcoming me to his hometown.” The lie slid glibly from her tongue.
“The dead guy in there is your boyfriend?” The pitch of his voice changed an octave as he stared down at her.
“Yes.” Reba wrapped her arms about herself, rocking her body back and forth, her gaze trained on her bare feet. “I’ve just got off a flight from Durban. I just want to get to my hotel and sleep.” Her shoulders hunched forward, and she pressed her hand to her lips to hold back the sobs threatening to pour from her lips.
“Do you know where your boyfriend lives, where we could contact his family?”
Reba shook her head vigorously, and the chains clinked at her wrist. “I really don’t know.” At least that was true.
Bludon was silent for several seconds, and she knew he was watching her face from behind those glasses.
He sighed deeply and blew out his cheeks. “Let me have a look at those.” He indicated to her wrists and Reba held both hands out to him.
“Ahh.” He gave a gruff chortle. “These are cheap shitty things.” His hands covered her wrists, and he tugged hard. The links snapped, freeing her. “There you go,” he announced triumphantly.
“Oh my God, how did you do that?” She stared at her free hands, turning her palms up, then down and back again.
A wide smile spread across his face. “The chains were poorly made.” He smirked. “But the bracelets will have to stay for now.”
Reba nodded as a shiver rode its way down her body.
“I don’t have a jacket for you, but my vest will keep you warm.” He rose and quickly pulled the tactical top he wore over his head. The vest was heavy as it rested over her shoulders. It carried both his warmth and pine scent. Bludon tugged at the side straps, adjusting it to fit her smaller frame.
“My commander is making his way here along with the medical team.”
“I can’t thank you enough.” Reba bit her lip to hide the overwhelming emotion that swept over her.
Hot tears burned the back of her eyes. Tomorrow every bone in her body would ache, but she was alive, and she was free. Whatever Rupert had in store for her wouldn’t happen. Reaching up, she ripped the garland from her hair and threw it to the ground. “I hate Marigolds, Rupert...”
Run Angel Run: A Steamy Dark Fantasy Romance (The Angels of David's Town Book 1) Page 4
