“How did she come to work at the Phoenix Corporation?” It seemed strange to Jonah that she had taken such a different career path.
James thought about Alana’s reply to his same question. “Not sure, she said that her life had changed direction and that she’d found herself working there.”
Jonah frowned. “Do you think you will be able to get her to help us? Do you think we can trust her?”
“We’ll see, she’s just walked into the bar.” James smiled as he stared down at her.
As Jonah turned, Alana stood breathless. She was staring straight at the male who had been held captive in the cells. His vibrant amber eyes and his immense size were exactly as she remembered but he looked different somehow. Bigger. The last time she’d seen him, he’d been in a blood-soaked T-shirt and shorts and had been covered in bruises. Now, he looked amazing in his tight fitting T-shirt and jeans. His blond hair fell gently to his shoulders and his sharp facial features made him strikingly handsome.
The sight of him now was a stark difference from that day in the cell. Her mind pictured the terrifying moment when she’d first seen him being restrained aggressively against the cell wall. She’d hated the thought of him being hurt and had felt helpless to stop it. When he’d sent the guards flying across the cell, she’d suspected he was one of her kind. His immense power had been incredible. She’d been afraid he would hurt her, but he hadn’t.
Now he stood at the end of the bar and Alana could feel a strange pulling grip her heart. She’d never expected to ever see him again and found it hard to control her emotions. She was scared, but her insides writhed at the same time. The sensation overwhelmed her as she felt it build from deep inside her.
Jonah turned and spotted the female as she walked out into the bar. He stood, shocked, instantly recognizing the female from the cells. Her long dark hair and chocolate brown eyes were still as beautiful as he’d remembered, and her petite frame as feminine as his visions had evoked. The pounding through his veins had his head spinning, and he tried hard to draw his mind back to reality. The female was here, a living, breathing reminder of his past.
Anger rushed through his system. She had been there, been part of his suffering. She had stood next to the doctor and had carried the tray that would lead to more testing. She was a connection to his past that he’d never been able to escape from. Even in his dreams, she had torn at his emotions and now she stood before him. A deep growl erupted from his throat.
As Alana stepped toward them slowly, her legs shook. Her heart was racing at Jonah’s cool stare. He must have recognized her and she doubted he was pleased to see her, but that would be a given. The deep tone of his growl scared her.
As he stood towering over her, Alana gazed at his broad shoulders. They dominated his enormous frame and she watched as he crossed his arms over his huge chest. She felt his eyes bore into her and she looked away, trying hard to control her anxiety. All she could hear was her blood as it rushed through her veins.
“Alana, this is Jonah. I work with him and we need your help.” James had seen the fear on her face and assumed that the sight of Jonah had caused it.
“Hi,” Alana said cautiously.
Jonah remained silent. He was keeping a control on his anger but it was boiling close to the surface.
“Why do you need my help?” Alana kept Jonah in her vision as she stepped around him to sit down. He was a terrifying sight towering above her and she waited for him to say something, anything, instead of just glowering at her.
“Have you ever heard of a race called Mist?” James watched Alana intently.
Alana stared from James to Jonah.
“She knows exactly who we are!” Jonah’s voice was deep and sharp.
“What?” Jonah’s statement surprised James.
“She knows we are Mist. She was there in the cells the day Elijah and I escaped. She was working for Harvey,” Jonah stated, staring straight at Alana.
Alana looked from Jonah to James. The pounding in her heart hurt. Her skin ran cold and she knew by the look on James’s face that he was shocked by Jonah’s statement. She would never be able to explain to them that she had no choice. She knew they would want answers, but it would be too dangerous for her and she couldn’t take the risk trusting anyone. “I’m sorry, Jonah, I didn’t know what was going on.”
Jonah continued to stare at her. He could see the sadness in her eyes and his heart pained, but he couldn’t let two little words forgive all the pain and suffering he and Elijah had suffered at the hands of those evil bastards. She had been there and had been involved.
“Why were you working for Harvey?” James was still confused at how the situation had changed so rapidly.
“I had no choice. It was the first time I was there to take the blood samples with the doctor. I was never involved in any mistreatment of the males in the cells. I was shocked when I went there that day.” She tried hard to keep her voice from wavering.
“What do you mean you had no choice?” James asked.
“I was working as a nurse...and they had me taking some blood samples. I never knew they had anyone imprisoned.” Alana held her hands in her lap so they couldn’t see them shaking. She knew she was repeating herself, avoiding answering his question, but she couldn’t tell him the truth.
“Why are you still working for him now?” James felt confused.
Alana sat silent. Panic was clouding her ability to think and it didn’t help that Jonah’s gaze burnt through her. She lowered her head. Her hair fell around her face, hiding the sadness in her eyes. She couldn’t tell them the truth. What could she say that would make them understand without risking everything? She slowly looked at James.
“Why are you still there?” Jonah’s angry tone made her jump. He wanted answers.
“I’m sorry for being part of the cruelty that you suffered. I was glad when you escaped. It was wrong what they did to you but I didn’t know what they were doing.”
“Did you know about the Mist before you met Jonah?” James could tell that Jonah was angry. He knew Jonah’s stance on loyalty and felt the animosity in his tone.
Alana opened her mouth to speak then paused. She knew if she admitted to knowing about Mist then they would suspect her of being one of their kind. She inhaled deeply before answering. “Yes.”
“I can sense when others of our kind are close. I sensed you the moment I sat next to you in the car,” James stated.
Alana felt shock grip her. “What is it that you want from me?”
“Harvey is dangerous. We want to stop him,” James answered cautiously.
Alana knew exactly how dangerous Harvey was but wasn’t sure how she was going to be able to help. “What can I do to help you? I only work in the office. What use could I be?”
“We want to access the camera systems at the Headquarters. If we can control them, we can gain access and stop him. One of our Order has a flash drive that contains a program that we would like you to upload on the computer network. We can then control the cameras remotely,” James explained.
Alana listened intently as she stared at Jonah. His frozen gaze continued to send ice through her veins. She would be able to gain access to the computer on the reception desk without suspicion and if they could access the cameras they may be able to help her. The idea of finally being able to find the one she was searching for made her heart leap with hope. “If I help you, I’d like you to try and locate a place for me.”
“We can try. Does Harvey have other premises that belong to his business? What is it you’re looking for?” James asked curiously.
Alana hesitated before answering James’s question. “Harvey has something of mine and I want it back.” That was all she was prepared to offer as an explanation and hoped they wouldn’t press her for more information.
A crease formed on Jonah’s face. “Does he have more of our kind imprisoned?”
“I wouldn’t put anything past him. He’s done it before. What’s to say he hasn
’t done it again?” Alana replied, unable to keep her anger from sounding in her tone.
Jonah could sense that she was hiding something. He could tell that she was angry about something that had been done to her, but knew she wasn’t going to tell them any time soon.
“Luca, one of The Order will be here shortly. He has the flash drive that just needs to be inserted into a hard drive. It will upload the program automatically. No one will know that we have any access to the cameras until we turn them off to gain access to the Headquarter,” James explained.
“What if I get caught? There are guards placed throughout the Headquarters that I’ve never seen before. I think they’re Mist by the size of them.” Alana knew she wouldn’t be able to defend herself against them if she was cornered.
Jonah felt confused. “What do you mean? The guards are Mist?”
“They arrived yesterday and set up in the Headquarters. They are huge and their eyes are like yours, vibrant. I think they’re Mist.” Alana had guessed they were and if so, they were going to be hard to battle against.
“Where did they come from?” James asked.
“I don’t know. They were there today and had set up a security desk in the reception area,” Alana replied.
“We can be close. If you find yourself in trouble, we will come in and get you. Will you help us?” James knew the danger this would put her in and that they were asking a lot of her.
Alana considered what The Order could do if she uploaded the program on the flash drive. This could be a chance to finally find what she was looking for, but could she take the risk? For so long she’d wished for a miracle that would end the torment that Harvey had inflicted, and now that an opportunity lay at her feet, could she refuse?
She took a large gulp of her wine as she stared at Jonah. She could still see the anger across his face and understood. It saddened her to think that she had played a part in his suffering and didn’t blame him for being angry with her. She hoped one day he would forgive her but understood he may never get over her involvement in his suffering.
“OK.” Alana nodded as she pulled her coat over her slim shoulders. She watched as another male entered the bar. He was as large as Jonah and James, and she knew he must be Luca, the other member of The Order James had spoken about. A broad smile spread across his face as he approached.
“Hi there.” Luca held out his hand to take Alana’s.
Jonah growled as he shot Luca a warning look. He may be angry with her, but his heart ached at the thought of anyone else near her.
“This is the flash drive that I need you to insert into the hard drive, easy as that,” Luca explained to Alana as he stepped back, taking heed of Jonah’s warning.
“Okay. I won’t be able to get into the offices until the morning, so it won’t look suspicious. James, you know the front of the Headquarters, I’ll stand by the front door to let you know it’s done.”
James smiled at her. She may be little, but she was brave. “When you’re done, make your way out and we’ll pick you up. It won’t be safe for you to stay there any longer.”
Alana knew the time had come for her to find a way out of her miserable life, but felt terrified of the consequences if anything went wrong. Harvey would retaliate if he found out she was conspiring against him and it made her heart constrict. He never reacted well when anyone worked against him and they usually got hurt. She’d seen that with the guards and didn’t relish the prospect in being on the receiving end of one of his tantrums. She didn’t like her odds if he caught her uploading the program but then she lived a life of hell anyway. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and the only way she’d have any success in locating the premises she was searching for would be by getting The Order to help her.
Jonah knew she would be in danger when she returned to the Headquarters as he felt his growing need to protect her build inside him. His heart pulled toward her as if they were connected by an invisible force. He struggled to control the conflict roaring inside him.
There were so many things he couldn’t make sense of. Why was she there at the cells? Why was she still there now, working at the Headquarters, and why now was she willing to help them? This was not what he needed.
His duty was to protect his race and she was going to become a distraction if he didn’t get a hold of his emotions. He couldn’t allow himself to care for her. He couldn’t lose anyone else, but it was getting more difficult to control the growing feelings he had toward her.
Alana turned to Jonah. She knew she was asking a lot after what she’d done to him, but she needed his help. “Please, Jonah, please believe that I am sorry for what I was involved in. I need your help. If I do this, all I ask is for you to locate a premises for me, then I will leave you alone.”
Jonah stared into her deep brown eyes. Sincerity shone through them, but it would be difficult to look at her and not see the torment he had suffered. His head told him to agree to her request but his heart couldn’t face the thought of her going back to where the enemy could hurt her. He knew he had no choice. “Very well. Upload the program and we’ll find the information you want.”
“Thank you.” Alana felt a stab of pain jolt through her. She felt hurt at his cold answer. He may never forgive her, but it didn’t stop her wanting to go over to him and touch him. She had no right to show him any affection, but her heart wanted to comfort his suffering. She’d never felt any emotions toward anyone other than hatred for Harvey and it surprised her that she felt such a connection to him.
“I’d best get back.” Alana walked toward the bar door and out into the cold air as the males followed her. The ground was thickly covered with a white blanket and the temperature had dropped, making Alana pull her coat tightly around her. The outside air may be freezing, but Alana felt warm. She had a flicker of hope in her heart that her life was about to change.
“Alana.” Jonah’s deep voice made her turn. Her insides tingled at the sound of her name from his lips.
Jonah handed her his cell. “If you get into trouble, press one on the speed dial and we’ll come in and help you.” He needed her to know that he was there for her if she needed him.
“Thank you,” she replied, smiling at his concern for her safety.
Jonah nodded and turned, walking back to his SUV, and climbed into the driver’s seat.
Alana watched as he pulled out of the parking lot and drove off down the street. She’d seen the concern on his face and had felt heat build inside her as he’d said her name. An emotion flared inside her like it had in the bar, the feeling of pleasure that she’d not felt in a long time. She knew she couldn’t get close to him though. It would be too dangerous for all of them. She climbed into the SUV with James. It was insane, but she was going to do what The Order had asked her do. She was going find a way to locate the premises that held what she’d been looking for and The Order was going to help her succeed where she’d failed for years. The time had come for her to take back the freedom that had been stolen from her and she was going to grab it with both hands. She just hoped now that she didn’t get caught.
Chapter 6
Jonah pulled up the drive of Genesis and pushed the remote to open the large garage doors. The lights from inside flickered as the strip lights lit up the enormous space, and he drove inside, pulling up into one of the vacant spaces. He watched in the rear view mirror as the doors closed automatically and turned off the engine staring ahead. He couldn’t tear his thoughts from Alana.
She had been stunningly beautiful, more so than when he had last seen her in the cells, and his heart pined to be close to her. Her long hair had shimmered all the way down her back and her deep brown eyes had sent his mind into a whirl of emotion. He hadn’t been able to control his feelings, no matter how hard he’d tried to push them deep inside and had felt the need to protect her. He sighed deeply as he laid his head on the steering wheel.
She had been involved in his torment. How could he have feelings intensifying for someone
who had hurt him? Frustration tore through him as he sat up and pulled at the handle of the driver’s door. He stepped out onto the white tiled floor and slammed the door shut, locking it remotely. He would have to stop thinking about her before he went mad with irritation at his own weakness.
The side door to the garage opened and Jonah stared at the tall male who walked inside. Jenson, his friend, and another Lord walked toward him, smiling as he always did. He was so cheerful that Jonah couldn’t help but smile back, even though he had an emotional battle going on inside him. Jonah tried hard to clear his thoughts.
“How did it go?” Jenson asked.
“Okay. She’s agreed to help us. James took her back to the Headquarters, so it just a case of waiting now for her to upload the program.” Jonah hoped that Jenson wouldn’t try and read his thoughts, or this conversation was going to nose dive quickly.
“That’s great. What’s she like then? James was really excited to meet her.” Jenson got along well with James and thought it was nice that he was taking a female out, even if it was to convince her to help them.
Jonah felt frustration flood his heart. He was well aware of James’s enthusiasm toward her and it didn’t sit well with him.
Jenson sensed the change in Jonah immediately and couldn’t help but scour his thoughts. His smile dropped as he listened to the animosity of Jonah’s view about James’s interest in the female.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Jenson asked, cautiously.
“No!” Jonah replied adamantly.
“She was there, with you and Elijah.” Jenson couldn’t help blurting it out. He was shocked that Jonah already knew her.
“I said I didn’t want to talk about it.” Jonah’s patience was wearing thin. He had held it together all evening and didn’t know how long he could keep a hold of his anger. He didn’t want to take it out on Jenson.
“You need to let Elijah know. The King has a right to know that she was involved in your imprisonment.”
Jonah's Salvation [The Order of the Mist 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 6
