As she watched the screen flicker to life, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the flash drive and cell. She placed them on the desk in front of her. She had turned on the cell earlier, making sure that it was connected to the network so she could call Jonah if she needed him.
A brushing sound to her right made her freeze, causing her breath to trap in her throat. She watched the huge office doors creep open and prayed it wasn’t the guards.
As a slim female entered the office, Alana exhaled deeply and smiled at her as she passed. She was one of the typists that worked in the accounts department and was quite a shy girl. She wore a long, blue fitted dress and was quite pretty in a normal sort of way. She had always been friendly to Alana and nodded as she passed.
Alana tried hard to look calm. She placed the flash drive into the machine in front of her. As the icon indicating that the program was uploading flashed across the screen, she prayed.
“Come on…Come on…” she whispered, her anxiety threatening to break her already edgy control.
As the flashing thread of the icon completed, Alana smiled. Now all she had to do was make her way to the front of the Headquarters and walk straight out of the main security gates. Just as long as those guards stayed exactly where they were she could escape. For the first time in her life, she could be free.
Chapter 9
Alana opened the office door, glancing back at the female who had entered earlier. She was busy at her desk, engrossed in files and readying herself for a day’s work. She hadn’t taken any notice of Alana’s movements as she’d reached for her cell and walked round her desk. Alana was grateful for her shyness. The last thing she needed was to have a great long conversation, when all she wanted was to get out of the Headquarters as quickly as she could. She walked cautiously through the door and out into the corridor, quietly pulling the door closed behind her.
Alana had glanced through the blinds and saw The Order’s vehicles waiting in the distance for her to exit through the front doors. It would be cold outside, but she hadn’t wanted to create suspicion by wearing her coat. She’d chosen her thickest sweater so it would keep her warm but look casual enough for a day’s work. Soon she would feel the cold air against her skin, but first she had to make it past the guards.
As she turned, Alana’s breath froze in her chest. Standing paralyzed in horror, her gaze traveled up the vast muscular frames of the two guards that stood directly in front of her. They were even larger that she’d imagined, their colossal size towering over her and panic rose rapidly through her mind. How far was she going to be able to get with them blocking her way?
“Harvey wants to see you,” one of the guards said, his voice as hard as the eyes that bore into her.
Alana stared at him. The vibrancy of his glare blinded her as she slowly reached her hand into her pocket to grab for the cell. She had to find a way to let Jonah know she was cornered. She felt over the buttons, her hands shaking as she tried desperately to call for her rescue. She found it and pressed it hard, hoping Jonah would understand she needed him urgently.
“You must come with us now.” The guard moved forward, making Alana step backward.
“Tell him to take a running jump. I’m not going anywhere with you.” Alana’s felt her breath come in hard rasps as she stood firm. She wanted to push past them and run for her life. She had no intention of letting them take her anywhere, especially not to that piece of scum. She may be terrified out of her mind, but she would fight them if it came to it. Not that she would win, they were far more powerful and could forcibly take her if they wanted to. But not without a bloody good fight.
The guard grabbed Alana’s left arm, making her cry out at the strength from his grip. She tried frantically to pull at his clasped fingers as she attempted to push at his tremendous muscular arms, but it was no use. He was too big and too strong for her to break free.
“Let me go…you’re hurting me,” Alana cried, her voice faltering as pain soared through her arm.
“Harvey wants you in his office. Our instructions are to get you there, in anyway necessary.” The vacant tone of his voice scared her.
“Let me go…I’m not one of his guards that he can order around. I’ll go see him when I’m good and ready.” She hoped her answer would make him release his grip but it only made him squeeze harder.
“Not your choice,” he stated as he started to drag her across the entrance hall.
Alana fought against his pull, tears spilling from her eyes as her hair swung wildly across her face. She tried hard to push her feet against the hard oak floor, hoping that some strength in her legs could possible free her, but the guard pulled harder against her refusal to follow willingly.
“Let me go!” she shouted.
Alana saw the guard turn toward her. The straight line of his lips gave him an aggressive, dark look. Nothing was going to stop him, definitely not her. She was small and fragile and she knew he could pick her up with one hand if necessary. His instructions had been simple. Get her to Harvey, voluntarily or not.
“You can walk or we can do this the hard way, your choice!” he warned her.
The sneering smile across his face made her anger explode as she continued to pull against his grip. The pain in her arm was excruciating, but that wouldn’t stop her fighting him. She would use any and all her energy to try and free herself, even if meant a few broken bones in the process.
“Fuck you!” she spat at him. He was just a lackey, not worth a piece of shit. She would rather die than return to Harvey.
A swing of the guard’s hand came crashing across Alana’s face, blinding her and sending her flying across the entrance hall. Bright flashes flew across her eyes as her head hit the dense surface of the wall. She tried to focus on the paralyzing blast of pain that seared across her jaw. Feeling disoriented and sick, she leaned forward, struggling to fathom what had happened.
A loud roar erupted through the entrance hall as Jonah smashed through the main doors, followed by Lucian and James. Rage scorched through him as he gazed at Alana, blood covering her face from the impact of the guard’s hand. He watched her desperately struggle to sit up, his anger intensifying as he stared at her. His muscles clenched and the hard line of his jaw strained at the sight of her injured face. He turned and faced the guards who stood, rigid in surprise.
“Stupid move, you fucks!” Jonah’s voice was laced with vengeance.
The guards understood the threat as they bent, hunched, ready to fight.
Jonah leapt, flying across the expanse of space between them. One of the guards jumped toward him, lunging forward as Jonah crashed full into his chest, sending him falling backward onto the stairs. Jonah raised his arm and pounded his fist across his face. Blood splattered across the white stone stair, making the guard cry out. The sound of the impact vibrated through the air as Jonah impaled his fist again.
Alana saw James rush toward her and watched as Lucian leapt for the second guard. The sight of the huge male roaring at immense speed across the reception area shocked Alana and she gasped as Lucian’s fist speared into his stomach.
The guard flew across the hall into the solid wall, slumping to the floor, coughing violently.
Lucian stood, his stare venomous and ready to attack again but the guard remained on the floor, unable to catch his breath. Lucian turned to see Jonah stand and walk to Alana. He watched as Jonah knelt in front of the small, shaking female.
“You okay, beautiful?” Jonah asked, distress deep in his eyes at the sight of the swollen cut on her lip. Her skin was pale and the terrified cast in her eyes had his heart aching.
Alana stared at Jonah, her heart filling with gratitude for his presence. If he hadn’t arrived when he did, there was no telling what would have happened to her. She tried to lift herself from the floor and winced as pain shot through her arm from the impact of landing on the hard, cold floor.
Jonah growled. She was injured. He moved forward and placed his arms under her legs. He
slid his other arm around her back and lifted her into his arms. She was so light and fragile, and he felt a glow seep through him as he pulled her into his embrace. He hadn’t gotten to her quickly enough to stop the guards from hurting her and it stabbed at his heart. As he walked toward the exit, he turned to stare at the guards.
“Tell your boss that he hasn’t seen the last of us. If he wants a fight, he’s got one.” Jonah’s feral stare backed up his threat.
Jonah walked through the remains of the smashed door and out into the grounds of the Headquarters, holding onto Alana tightly. He felt her wrap her uninjured arm around his broad shoulders and nestle her head into his chest. He growled softly in his throat. She was still shaking and he could feel her breathing quickly as he gently caressed his thumb up and down over her soft sweater. She was terrified and he wanted nothing more than to ease her fear. When he got her safely protected by The Order at Genesis, he would hold her in his arms for as long as it took to make her feel safe.
He’d been sitting in the Range Rover, waiting, when he’d felt the vibration of his cell in his pocket. Reaching for it, he’d stared at the emergency call from the cell he’d given Alana. He knew she was in trouble. His heart had raced and he’d jumped from the vehicle, calling for Lucian and James. They’d run full pace toward the entrance. The thought of not getting there in time had chilled him to the core.
The sound of alarms pierced Jonah’s ears. He walked briskly across the frozen grass toward the small opening that James had led them through. Climbing back through the small gap in the fence, he heard heavy footsteps racing toward them. Angry shouts traveled through the air and the sound of a shot flew past Jonah’s ear.
Alana screamed out.
“Fucking asshole just shot at us!” James shouted as he climbed through the gap in the fence.
Lucian turned and pointed his gun toward the oncoming force. He fired, narrowly missing the closest guard as he re-aimed and fired again. They were gaining distance and it wouldn’t take long until they reached them. Lucian climbed through the gap that James had just been through. The size of them assured Lucian that the guards were indeed Mist and out of the eight they saw the previous night, at least five of them were heading their way. He turned and ran for the Range Rover, dodging another barrage of bullets that were being propelled in their direction.
The shots ricocheted off the metal post of the fence as Jonah turned and ran toward the Range Rover. His boots crashed against the sidewalk as he leapt to the passenger side of the vehicle. Pulling at the door, he climbed in, laying Alana across his lap as Lucian climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Let’s get out of here,” Jonah said as he pulled Alana closer to him.
She was shaking violently and he could hear her small sobs as she pressed her face into his jacket. He lowered his head into her long, silky hair and inhaled deeply. The scent of her filled his senses as he closed his eyes and savored the smell of lilies and cherries.
She felt so warm in his grasp and it radiated through him, making his heart melt. She’d been brave, had taken on the guards, and had fought back, but she was injured. He would call ahead for Luca to be ready to heal her as soon as they arrived at Genesis.
He held onto his anger over the guards hurting her, not wanting her to feel the eruption that was bubbling near the surface. Now wasn’t the time to feel his bitterness for them. He had to get her to safety. He would deal with his revenge later.
Alana heard the engine roar into life but couldn’t bring herself to pull away from Jonah’s safe embrace. His arms wrapped around her as the car pulled away, held her tight as they sped away from the Headquarters. She could feel his hand rubbing gently over her back, which soothed her from her uncontrollable shaking. She couldn’t, however, stop the tears as they fell onto her aching cheek.
The guard had hit her hard and pain still burned at her jaw. Her thoughts raced from the events of their escape. Harvey had wanted the guards to take her to him and now he would be really pissed. He would use the only thing he had to get back at her for leaving. The thought sent her world crashing.
She’d wanted to find a way to escape, to be free of Harvey’s hold, but had it cost her everything that had mattered to her? She leaned deeper into Jonah, hearing the hammering of his heartbeat. She knew he was enraged. What she wasn’t sure of was his reasons. Was it at her for being in Harvey’s employment for all these years, or was it because the guards had hurt her?
She needed Jonah, more than she’d needed anyone in her life, but would he forgive her for being there that day in the cells? Would he understand if she told him the truth or would he consider it inconsequential? Her emotions were racked, and all she wanted was to feel his strength, his power, and his love. More than anything, she wanted to be in his embrace. Even if was only for a short while, all she wanted to feel was him.
Chapter 10
They arrived at Genesis as the sun set overhead, disappearing occasionally behind a growing bank of clouds. Even though the sun gave a gentle warmth through the blacked out windows of the Range Rover, it was still bitterly cold outside. Lucian pulled through the security gates of Genesis and up the long drive, stopping outside the large garage that sat to the side of the main house.
The drive there had seemed like an eternity to Alana. She’d kept her face cloaked against Jonah’s chest, her hair covering the distress in her face as they’d driven through the streets and onto the highway. She’d seen lights flicker past them and glimpsed through the windows, seeing the sun flash on the cars as they rushed by.
The vehicle had taken sharp turns, making Jonah grab onto her more tightly and she’d inhaled sharply as he’d pulled his arm across hers. She hadn’t had time to tell him about the severe pain stabbing through her arm. He’d risked his life to get her to safety and hearing the bullets fly past them had scared her into shock. She’d tried to ignore the pain but now it was returning with a vengeance.
Jonah had not let her go the whole way. His arms had remained tightly wrapped around her as she’d cried until finally relaxing against his taut chest. Now she lay in his arms, listening to the thrum of the engine while she tried to push her worst fears to the back of her mind. Harvey would know she was gone and he’d be enraged that The Order had gone in and taken her.
Approaching the vast security fence that surrounded Genesis, Alana had watched as two enormous wrought iron gates had opened slowly. Security cameras lined the top of the metal pillars that held the gates firmly open, and she was taken aback with the stunning house that stood at the end of the long stone drive. The glass panes of the windows shone radiantly, reflecting the sharp rays of sunlight and above the main oak entrance, a low roof stretched the full length of the front of the building. Alana gazed at the huge pillars that stood at intervals along the veranda.
They reminded her of the home she’d grown up in. Her parents had bought a quaint single story house just outside of Rivergrove and she’d loved to swing around the tall pillars, dancing and singing. Memories of her childhood filled her mind, making sadness fill her eyes.
“This is Genesis, beautiful.” Jonah smiled at Alana. He noticed the threat of tears in her eyes again. He frowned, hating to see her anguish.
Alana smiled at him, hiding the effect of her memories.
“It’s beautiful. Do you all live here?” She stiffened at the thought of coming face to face with the King and other members of The Order.
“Yes, we all have our own quarters inside,” Jonah replied as he unclipped the seat belt.
Jonah felt Alana tense in his hold. He knew it would be hard for her, meeting the King and The Order. Elijah had been understanding about her and he knew the others would follow his lead. He just needed to get Luca to see to her injuries before introducing her to them.
He pulled at the door handle and shifted his legs across. Stepping out of the vehicle, he held Alana firmly in his arms.
“I can walk.” There was nothing wrong with her legs, just her arm hurt and her f
ace felt sore.
“You’re hurt. I’ll get Luca to heal you, then I’ll put you down.” It wasn’t up for discussion, no matter what resistance she put up.
“Isn’t he the one I met in the bar, the younger looking one?” Alana remembered how Jonah had snarled when Luca had tried to get closer to her. It made her glow inside. It had been a long time since anyone had been protective around her. Harvey always made her feel like a trophy, something to win or possess.
Jonah growled softly. “He’s our healer and the youngest of The Order. He has very strong powers and saved the Queen when she was shot.”
Alana stared at him in shock. Harvey had sent his men to shoot a female! The thought made her feel sick, but then Harvey made her feel that way every day of her life. The male was evil and didn’t care who he hurt.
Jonah carried Alana across the stony path and up the steps to the veranda.
She glanced at the large oak door, noticing the elaborate patterns that had been carved into the deep wood. Whoever had created the ornate design had done so with skill and passion. She wished she could be creative but had never had the chance to do anything remotely artistic.
As Jonah released one hand, he pushed the large gold handle, opening the door, and stepped inside.
The warmth inside the house enveloped Alana and she smelt the fragrance of fresh flowers. The walls had been painted a pleasant cream color which she thought was soft and inviting, and on each side, large elaborate arches surrounded entrances to two rooms. She stared at the warm cedar wood dining table, surrounded by tall matching chairs, thinking of the meals she had eaten alone in her room.
She’d never wanted to eat with anyone, preferring her own company and had grown used to eating small meals alone. She thought about the times she’d sat down with her own family, enjoying meals and chatting quietly to her parents. It had always been important for them to eat together, something she’d not done in a long time.
Jonah's Salvation [The Order of the Mist 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 9
