"We’re only five minutes away now, so hopefully we’ll get there in time."
They drove the rest of the way in silence, with Chester's occasional comments as to what Hunter was doing. He didn't want to hear what Hunter was doing, he needed to be there to see what was happening with his own eyes. Needed to be able to look at his mate and reassure him that everything was going to be okay and he couldn’t do that while he was busy driving.
They turned around the bend on Old Washington Road and saw the lights blanketing the area. He pulled to a stop and both he and Chester immediately exited the vehicle and ran over to where Silas stood.
"Update!" Tank demanded.
"Hunter’s pulling him out now. Looks like a head wound from where his head hit the side of the door, and he said he has a few aches and pains but doesn't think he has any broken bones.”
Tank stood and watched, his hand in at his hair as Hunter gingerly extracted Niles from the damaged car. Once he got in position, Hunter got Niles into the safety harness and they slowly moved up the embankment. Once they were safe, the paramedics immediately ran over and began assessing Niles as Hunter helped take the harness off.
Tank ran over to where Niles was and stood, staring at his mate, seeing the blood that covered the side of his face.
"Niles," he whispered.
"We're taking him in now. You can follow behind us."
"I'll meet you there, Niles," Tank said.
Niles nodded, and Tank watched as the paramedics shut the ambulance doors and then drove away. Jumping in his truck, Tank followed, keeping the ambulance in view.
I love you, Niles.
I love you too.
Chapter Fifteen
Niles woke up slowly, pulsing pain inside his head. He lifted his hand to gently touch the area, wincing slightly when he touched the wound.
He knew how lucky he was, the injury to his head the only injury he had suffered. He did have some scrapes and bruises, but that was the only serious injury to have occurred. He’d stayed overnight in hospital for precautionary measures because it was a head wound and he’d passed out, but other than that, he felt okay. The fact that his mate stayed with him through the entire procedure made him feel like they had a chance for the future, that they could overcome this — not bump, but hill, in the road — and he was looking forward to spending some time with him.
Niles looked around the hospital room, but his mate wasn't there. Targon. Niles waited, but there was no response and he tilted his head, trying to remember if Tank had said anything about not being there when he woke up. He was fairly certain Tank had said he would be there for him, that he would take him home when he was discharged, but he was nowhere to be found and he wasn't responding when he tried to speak to him.
Niles was certain things had changed between them after Tank admitted that he was in love with him and now there was nothing. He tried reaching out again, but it was like the connection had been severed, or the door had been shut on him, because Niles got nothing.
When the doctor came around, it was agreed that he could go home, and it wasn't long before Niles was back in his own home. The first thing he did was shower and get dressed into clean clothes. It felt like the night was ingrained on his skin and he needed to scrub it away.
He was in the kitchen making coffee when Targon finally contacted him.
Sorry, can’t talk right now. I’m on the mission to recover those slaves.
Have you found them?
We have a possible location. Just scoping it out now.
Be careful.
I will. I wanted to be there for you when you woke up, but I needed to do this.
I understand completely. Go and save those people. No one deserves to go through what they have.
I love you, Niles.
I love you too.
When I get home, we’ll talk more.
Please be careful.
I’m coming home to you, mate.
When you can, keep me updated.
I will. Gotta go now.
Targon broke off contact, and Niles slumped in a chair next to the kitchen table, trying not to worry about his mate. He knew Tank had performed this type of mission before, but it was only natural for Niles to worry about the man he loved. He wanted to be there, but the way his head was right now, there was last place he could be.
All he could do was sit and wait.
❊❊❊
They fanned out around the mansion grounds, covering all entrances. The Intel they were given had been spot on and the plans provided all the details they needed. They knew every entrance and exit to the mansion and the possible location of the slaves that had been taken from hospital.
Ale and Tank were in the van outside the area and Chester radioed in to check on positions of everyone to confirm all were at their designated locations.
It was only a matter of time before they made their move.
Hunter, Euan, and Dean have been watching the mansion and its grounds, keeping an eye on the guards and the rotations and shift patterns, and now they had everything in place. They were currently waiting for the changeover of shifts so that they could make their move.
They needed to be in and out without being seen, and they also needed to make it look like, somehow, the slaves had managed to escape. They didn't want any of the vampires to know what had happened and who was responsible. If they knew that someone was onto them they may change their plans and that was last thing anybody needed. As long as they could still access the information, they could prepare and wait to make their move.
“Go,” Chester muttered.
Like a well-oiled machine all of Rescue Inc moved, going to the locations they had chosen beforehand when planning this rescue.
Tank sat in the back of the van next to Ale, his foot bouncing as he tugged on his hair.
Ale reached out, placing his hand on his leg and holding it still."Patience," Ale muttered.
"I know. I just wish I was there with them."
"Now you know how I feel every time you go out into the field. They know what they’re doing, they’re well-trained. They’ll get this done."
Tank nodded and stared at the monitors that the cameras from the house saw. Hunter had managed to hack the system and now they knew exactly what mansion security knew.
There was a long, tense few minutes, until Euan muttered, "We're out."
The van started, Silas getting the message from Chester, and he pulled away, heading towards a prearranged meeting point. One that was deliberately chosen so as it wasn't too far away from the exit point in case of any injuries, but far enough away that they wouldn't be seen.
They pulled up next to another van, and Jensen jumped out, opening the backdoors, ready for the team.
They came out of the woods, silently approaching and Tank glanced over at them all, seeing that they had managed to rescue all the former slaves. He sighed in relief and immediately reached out to Niles.
We got them all.
Injuries?
Unknown. We need to load them up into vans and change locations and then will be able to assess them.
If necessary, bring them here and I will treat them. The last thing we need is the vampires to know that they are back in hospital and attempt to take them again.
I’ll pass the message on. Speak later.
"Niles said if necessary we can go back to his place so he can treat any injuries there."
Ale nodded. "We might need to do that. We can't have any records showing that they went to a local hospital."
"That's what Niles thought too."
Chester approached, a grim look on his face. "They've been used again."
"Best contact Niles and get him to check them out."
"Got somewhere for them to go after?" Tank asked.
"Yes, we’ll put them up in the cabins. Troy suggested it, and I believe Jacques is going to be there as well."
Chester nodded again. "That’s a good idea. They’ll recognize Jacques and h
is presence should help to get them settled."
"Let’s load them up and head over to the cabin then." Chester turned to Tank and said, "Can you get Niles to meet us there, instead of going to his place? It would be better if we just moved them once rather than getting them treated in one place then moving them again. There’ll be less chance of them being seen."
“I’ll ask him now.”
Niles. Can you come over to Ale and Troy’s cabin? That's where we’re going to take them. Chester doesn't want to risk them being seen if we have to move them twice.
That's a good idea. I’ll pack my equipment and drive over there now.
I love you.
Love you too, Targon.
"Niles is going to pack his medical equipment and anything else he might need and meet us there."
"Right, let's get going."
Everyone got loaded up into the two vans and they left the area, heading towards the cabin, and hopefully, a better future.
Chapter Sixteen
By the time they reached the cabin, Niles' car was already there. The door stood open, light spilling out into the darkness where Niles stood waiting along with Troy.
The van stopped and everyone got out, helping the former blood slaves into the cabin. Tank caught a glimpse of Ale and Troy hugging before the two walked in and closed the door behind them. Then everyone got to work.
Tank watched in amazement as Niles assessed and treated every slave, taking minutes to treat each one before moving onto the next.
Troy had food and drink prepared and after being treated by Niles, he made sure all of them had something to eat and drink.
Jacques appeared minutes after they had and was sitting quietly talking to some of them, holding their hands and whispering words of encouragement. Miguel stood nearby a tense look on his face and Tank approached him and reached out, hand on his shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
"Jacques is struggling but he won’t leave them. They thought they were free, and when each one of them left the hospital, they were there to pick them up. They know exactly what they were. Poor bastards had no chance of escape."
"Well, we’ve got them now. The vampires won’t get hold of them again."
Miguel nodded as he looked down at his feet. "I wish we could have done more sooner."
"So do I, but we’ve got them now. At least they’re out of that ring and can hopefully one day move forward with their lives."
Niles walked over to them and Tank hugged him, kissing him on the cheek. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he looked up at the deepening bruise on his forehead.
"I'll be all right. Better than them anyway. I think if we can keep them here for a day or two to give them chance to recover and then look to move them, that would be the best thing. They need at least that long just to regain some strength and put on a bit of weight. Some of their injuries need time to heal."
Chester walked over and reached out a hand to Niles, who shook it. "Thanks for being here, Niles. How much time do they need before we can move them to a safer location? A couple of days or longer?”
"I was just saying you’re probably looking at a couple days at least and then we can look at moving them. They need that long just to recover. They’re underweight, malnourished, and have been fed on as well. Plenty of good food, drink, and rest and hopefully in a couple days they’ll be ready. Have you got somewhere lined up for them?"
Chester nodded. "Several locations actually. We don't want to have them to move all together in case they are found, so they’re going to be separated into groups of two and then we’ll spread them out over the State."
“Good plan," Miguel commented.
"How’s Jacques handling this?" Chester asked, his gaze on Jacques as he sat with the former blood slaves.
Miguel shrugged, watching Jacques as well. "He wants to be here to help them, and whatever comes after that, we’ll deal with."
"Don't forget we’re all here for him if you need some support."
Michael nodded again. "I know, and thanks, guys."
Miguel walked over to Jacques and when Jacques saw him, he stood and hugged him, burying his face in Miguel’s neck.
"Right, they’ve been treated, they’ve had food, water, and medication. Let's get them all to bed and give them a few hours of rest and then we can start again in the morning."
The next hour was spent ensuring the location was safe and secure before they settled down to get some sleep. It was agreed that Ale and Troy would stay and would contact Miguel and Jacques if needed. They planned to meet up the following day to finalize the details.
Tank left, walking Niles over to his car, and when they reached it, Niles turned, and asked, "You coming back to mine?"
Tank nodded, leaning his hip against the car. "Yeah, I'd like that."
"We can talk more when we get there."
Tank pushed away from the car and watched Niles get in and drive off. He got in his truck, and with a last glance at the cabin, he too pulled away.
❊❊❊
Niles threw his keys on the kitchen table and opened the refrigerator, grabbing two bottles of beer. He heard the front door close, and Tank’s footsteps as he walked along the hallway. When he reached the kitchen, he paused at the door and they looked at each other across the room.
"So, how are we doing this?" Tank asked. He tugged on his hair and when he realized what he was doing, he dropped it with a grimace.
Niles chuckled. "We are going to have a drink, talk, and then, I believe, make up sex. I've heard that it's very good and I want to try it, to see if it's true."
Tank flashed a grin. "Okay, but I want you to know I told my family about you and, as I suspected, they disowned me."
Niles dropped his head. "God, I'm so sorry, Targon. If you don’t want this or you just want to talk..."
"No, it is the way they are." Tank shrugged. "But you know what, I think I’m better off without them because, with them, my future isn’t my own. It’s a future where they choose who I marry, and have my life all planned out for me, but it's not one I want. My future involves you. I meant it when I said I loved you, Niles. I'll do whatever I have to do to get you back."
"You told your family about us, and you’re here now. That's enough for me. All I’ve ever wanted was my mate. I love you too, Targon."
Tank glanced at the bottles in Niles’ hands, and murmured, "I don't really want the beer, do you?"
Niles put the bottles on the side and slowly walked over to Tank. When he reached him, he stared into his eyes, and said, "No, I only want you."
Tank lifted his hands, his fingers running over Niles ‘cheeks and he brushed his lips over Niles’. "I've missed you." The emotion was evident in the words.
"Missed you too."
The next thing Niles knew was Tank pushing him up against the wall as he ravaged his mouth, his hands tunneling into Niles' hair and holding him tight.
Niles opened up, letting Tank's tongue in and moaned deeply. He'd missed this, his mate, his touch, his scent.
Niles broke the kiss and grabbed Tank's hand, dragging him behind him as he ran up the stairs and into the bedroom. They stopped and stared at each other before Tank closed the distance between them and took Niles' face in between his hands.
"I love you," he murmured before kissing him again.
They kissed hungrily, pulling at the other's clothes, desperately trying to strip each other naked. When they finally had nothing but bare skin between them, they tumbled onto the bed and Niles' hands touched him everywhere they could reach. He needed to feel his mate’s skin under his hands, needed to touch him and stroke his flesh.
He rolled Tank over onto his back and moved down his body. He needed too much, wanted too much, as he sucked Tank's dick into his mouth, getting it nice and wet. He couldn't wait to feel his mate in him. He needed to feel him now.
This was where he was meant to be, and who he was meant to be with.
Epilogue
"So, the slav
es are doing well?" Tank asked, watching Niles walk around the bedroom as he got ready for work.
"They're recovering fine and I know both Troy and Jacques have kept in touch with them."
“I can’t tell you how relieved I was when we moved them to the safe houses. At least now they have a chance to recover and rebuild their lives.”
“Families?” Niles asked.
“None so far. Looks like they were picked up off the streets. People that wouldn’t be missed. It doesn’t help that they don’t really trust us yet.” Tank shrugged. “I’m hoping they’ll realise we’re there to help.”
“They’ve suffered, Tank. It’s going to take them time to learn to trust again.”
Tank sat up, the covers pooling in his lap, and leaned back against the headboard. “I know, and to think there’s god knows how many more out there still being held and abused. We need to do something.”
“We do, but we can’t go rushing in without having all the information. We could cause more damage that way.”
“I know, Niles, I’m frustrated by the delays. I need to be doing something.”
“And you will, when the time is right.”
Niles walked over to him and sat on the edge of the bed. Reaching out, he held Tank’s hand. “I love that you want to go in there and save them all, but do it the right way. When we get them out — and we will — they are going to need all of us and then some. Who knows how long they’ve been used for? We need to be strong for them.” Niles squeezed his hand.“We can do this.”
“We can, and we won’t fail.”
Niles stood and finished getting dressed and Tank sighed when all that glorious skin was covered up. The past month had been everything he’d heard it would be. Yes, they’d had some difficult conversations, but regardless, Tank was exactly where he was meant to be.
He missed his parents, but he had his mate and, surprisingly, his sister Bronwyn, who’d reached out to him and congratulated him on his mating. She’d even been over and met Niles, the two of them getting along well. It helped a little that he hadn’t lost everyone.
Please Be Mine Page 10
