by Lara Adrian
No, of course his mate wouldn’t have forgotten. Aside from the fact that Tavia’s unique extrasensory gift was a flawless photographic memory, no one in the Order would forget the circumstances of La Notte’s club owner’s murder by Atlantean soldiers, or the kidnapping of Jordana soon afterward.
Tavia rested her hand on Chase’s forearm. “We raised two very strong-willed, hard-headed children, my love. If we wonder where it came from, we only have to look in the mirror.”
At his grumbled acknowledgment, Tavia leaned toward him and kissed his cheek. “We have guests in the other room. Come back inside and try to be sociable. Leave that scowl out here in the hallway and let’s spend some time with our friends.” She smiled at the pair of warriors. “Eli, Jax.”
“Ma’am,” they replied in unison.
After Tavia had slipped back into the living room, Chase asked, “Have you seen Nathan and Jordana tonight?”
Jax nodded. “They were in the command center operations room with Aric when we came in a minute ago.”
Chase had deliberately kept Carys’s twin brother off the patrols that would take him to the club where Rune fought. Aric shared his father’s opinion that Carys was only going to get hurt. Not long ago, he’d tried to discourage her from seeing Rune and as a result, his children were hardly speaking to each other anymore.
Chase heaved a sigh. “Ask Jordana and Nathan to come see me in about an hour. I have a favor to ask of them.”
With the two warriors dismissed, Chase went back to the room where Tavia was chatting with Mathias Rowan and his Breedmate, Nova, who had arrived a short time ago from London.
Chase had known Mathias from their days together in the Breed’s Enforcement Agency in Boston. That was more than twenty years ago, but the two men had remained close friends and both now served the Order as district commanders of their respective regions.
Chase had never seen his comrade more obviously contended and happy than he was sitting next to Nova. The contrast between the couple was striking—straitlaced Mathias and the tattooed, blue-and-black haired spitfire at his side. Nova’s colorful inked arms were encased in a sheer black blouse tonight that made the unusual beauty look both elegant and rebellious. And Mathias was clearly smitten with her. He’d been holding Nova’s hand all night, hardly able to take his eyes off his mate.
The Darkhaven’s third guest was also from London, and had been visiting Tavia and Chase for the past couple of days. Pretty, sable-haired Brynne Kirkland was an investigator with the Joint Urban Security Taskforce Initiative Squad. While the Order and members of the Breed/human law enforcement group had a prickly relationship at best, Brynne’s trip to Boston hadn’t been in an official JUSTIS capacity.
She had come to spend time with her half-sister, Tavia.
The women had found each other about a decade ago, both Breed females born in a madman’s lab as an experiment in blending various Breedmate DNA with the DNA from the last-surviving Ancient forebear of the Breed. The result had produced the Breed’s first females in existence.
There had been several daywalkers like Tavia and Brynne from that experiment who had survived to adulthood, but all were raised apart from one another in secret and most remained lost. Tavia and Brynne had been working to locate their sisters, and in the process had forged a special bond.
Tonight’s gathering was supposed to be pleasant, casual. Chase’s expression must have resembled a thundercloud.
“Problems in the city?” Mathias asked.
Tavia arched a brow, a smirk dancing at the corner of her mouth. “Some of us are still trying to adjust to parenthood, even after twenty years of practice.”
Mathias and Nova shared a look. His grin widened. “In that case, I guess we’d better start collecting tips and advice now.”
Chase gaped.
Tavia drew in a surprised breath. “You mean—”
Nova’s cheeks flooded with color. Mathias beamed like a son of a bitch and pulled his expectant Breedmate closer. “We’ve only known for a few days.”
“Oh, my God,” Tavia exclaimed. “We’re elated for you!”
Nova’s blush deepened as she murmured her shy thanks.
Mathias looked at Chase. “We’d like you and Tavia to be godparents. That’s why we wanted to stop in to see you before we headed on to D.C. to meet with Lucan.”
“It would be an honor,” Chase said, humbled by the gesture of trust and friendship. He rose to take Mathias’s hand, then decided the occasion merited more than the stiff gestures of his upbringing. He clasped the other male in a brief embrace. “You honor us well, my old friend.”
Tavia went to Nova and hugged her too, delight shining in her eyes. “A baby is the most wonderful news.”
Although Brynne’s smile was more reserved, her dark green gaze was warm as she reached out to grasp Nova’s tattooed hand. “Congratulations to you both.”
As they all resumed their seats, Tavia asked, “Have you told anyone else?”
“Only Eddie,” Nova said, referring to the nine-year-old human boy who’d worked in the tattoo shop with her when Mathias had first met her. The couple had taken Eddie in when they mated, and the boy now lived in the London command center with them.
There was a time when no human would have been permitted inside a Breed household. A lot had changed in the twenty years since First Dawn had brought the human and vampire worlds together.
Chase met Mathias’s gaze. “How’s the boy adjusting to life among the Breed?”
“Very well, actually. Thane and the other warriors have practically adopted him along with Nova and me. If they have their way, they’ll probably turn him into an honorary Order member in a few years.”
Nova tilted her head. “Not if I have anything to say about that.”
Mathias shrugged, chuckling as he stroked his Breedmate’s right hand.
Chase couldn’t help but notice the Egyptian eye symbol on the back of Nova’s hand. He’d been told that beneath that mark was another one—a black scarab forced on her when she’d been just a little girl, branding her as the property of Fineas Riordan, her adoptive father.
The Order was currently conspiring to take the bastard out for his apparent affiliation with Opus Nostrum.
Mathias seemed to follow Chase’s line of thought. His face turned grave as he met Chase’s look across the room. He wanted to discuss Order business, but there was a question in his eyes—one that Chase caught on to with the subtle flick of Mathias’s gaze toward Brynne.
She caught the glance too. “I should allow you all to speak privately. I’m sure you have much to catch up on.”
Tavia frowned when Brynne started to rise. “You’re not here on official JUSTIS business, Brynne. You’re my sister. I trust you the same as I would trust anyone else in this house.”
Chase nodded, completely comfortable in Brynne’s integrity and discretion. In fact, since he’d come to know Tavia’s sister, he considered her an ally the Order would be fortunate to call their own. “There’s no need for you to leave. Your word to treat anything you hear as confidential is guarantee enough for me.”
Brynne nodded. “Of course, you have my word.”
Mathias acknowledged her promise as well. “Lucan has told me to prepare my team to be called in to move on Riordan at a moment’s notice,” he told Chase. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that taking down that bastard and everyone loyal to him will be my personal pleasure.”
Chase grunted. “We all feel the same way. But we have to make sure every piece of intel is in place first. There can be no room for error. If we move too hastily, or miss the mark in taking Riordan out, we could drive the other Opus members to ground. The Order needs to unmask every last one of them first, if we have any hope of obliterating the organization.”
Brynne seemed twitchy at the mention of Opus’s other members. She started to say something, then stopped.
“What is it?” Chase demanded.
When she frowned and shook her
head, Tavia held her pensive look. “Tell us what you’re thinking, Brynne. We’re trusting you, so you have to trust us now too.”
“I don’t have any actual proof, but . . .” She sighed and blew out a curse. “I’ve had a hunch for some time now. Nothing actionable. Nothing but a suspicion . . . about Neville Fielding.”
“The GNC director in London,” Chase murmured. “What kind of suspicion?”
Brynne tilted her head. “I have a feeling he’s on the take. It’s got to be someone with deep pockets, because a couple of weeks ago, Fielding moved into a pricey townhouse that’s way above his means.”
Seated on the sofa, Mathias leaned forward onto his elbows. “A couple of weeks ago, that container of Russian arms went missing from the Thames docks.”
“The container that was supposed to go to Riordan,” Chase added.
Mathias inclined his head. “Would have gone to him, if Gavin Sloane hadn’t double-crossed his and his gang of scarab-tattooed thugs.”
Brynne’s frown deepened. “Wait a minute. JUSTIS Officer Sloane was killed in the line of duty, according to the official reports.”
“He was killed in the line of duty,” Mathias said. “By me. After the son of a bitch came after Nova and would’ve killed me in the process too.”
Chase shrugged. “The Order has its own back channels, Brynne. We made sure the official reports didn’t shine inconvenient light on Riordan before we have the chance to take him out on our own terms.”
She swore under her breath. “I can’t say I’m happy to be hearing this. But it only makes my suspicion about Fielding all the stronger. Opus Nostrum is everyone’s problem, not just the Order’s. After the disaster they tried to unleash at the GNC peace summit a few weeks ago, they must be stopped.”
“Seeing that you’re family, maybe you and the Order can start sharing intel,” Chase suggested. “Even hunches can prove useful.”
Brynne nodded. “I can do that.”
“Speaking of family,” Mathias said. “Have we been able to get anything promising out of the Order’s interviews with Reginald Crowe’s ex-wives?”
Chase had to chuckle at the term interview. They’d brought in Crowe’s widow and all five of his former wives one by one, trancing each human female and culling everything they could from the women’s subconscious minds. Only one had provided anything helpful. “None of them had any knowledge of Crowe’s involvement with Opus, but one former missus did mention a mistress that Crowe seemed to spend a lot of time with in Ireland.”
“Ireland?” Brynne asked. “You don’t suppose there’s a connection to Riordan too?”
“We don’t know,” Chase said. “The lead on the woman hasn’t gone anywhere. We don’t even have a name yet.”
“If there’s anything JUSTIS can provide you on that—officially or otherwise—just say the word. Opus Nostrum is the biggest terror threat this world has ever known. Anything I can do to help defeat them, consider me in.”
Even while he shook Brynne’s hand in appreciation, Chase couldn’t help thinking that she was wrong about Opus. They weren’t the biggest threat.
He wasn’t ready to share the real headline with his sister-in-law just now, but Chase and the rest of the Order knew all too well that there would come a time—and soon—when the threat of the Atlanteans and their vengeful queen would eclipse anything Opus could possibly dream up.
He only hoped the Order would be ready when that time came.
CHAPTER 5
The elevator slowed to a stop at the penthouse of the Back Bay apartment building. As the polished doors started to slide open, Carys took a step forward to disembark—only to be dragged back into Rune’s arms for another bone-melting kiss.
“Why don’t you come in and spend the night?” she murmured against his mouth. “Jordana’s living at the command center with Nathan now anyway. We’ll have the apartment all to ourselves.”
Rune groaned, amber light still glowing in his dark blue eyes from the hours of lovemaking back at his quarters at La Notte. “I’ll come in, but I can’t stay. I have things to do back at the club.”
“You mean feeding,” she murmured, knowing he took his regular nourishment from human blood Hosts, like most other unmated Breed males. Carys’s unique metabolism allowed her to eat and drink for sustenance, but she occasionally fed from Hosts too. Still, it was hard not to be jealous of the human women who knew the bite of Rune’s fangs and the suction of his mouth on their veins as he drank from them.
“I do need to feed tonight, love.” His fingers were tender on her cheek, soothing her sullen mood. “And then Jagger and a few of the other fighters have asked me to meet with them about some club business.”
“All right, I’ll let you make your escape.” She gazed up at him and slowly shook her head. “I hate that we hardly ever wake up together.”
He grunted, one dark brow rising. “Waking up together implies we’d let each other sleep.”
She laughed. “Well, that’s true. We don’t even go on proper dates because we never make it out of the club. Or rather, out of your bed.”
His mouth curved, a sensual bow of his full lips that barely hid the points of his fangs. “Are you complaining?”
By way of answer, she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down for searing kiss. Rune growled with pleasure, his strong arms wrapping around her as his tongue pushed past her lips to tangle with hers. Instantly, her blood roared in her veins, rekindling her desire and hunger for him. She tilted her hips and ground against the rigid bulge of his cock.
Rune drew back on a low curse. “Christ, you are dangerous, woman.”
She grinned. “Would you have me any other way?”
“Never.” He stroked her face, his eyes crackling with fiery embers. “Let’s get you inside the penthouse before we give the old fella down in the lobby a show on the security cameras.”
She glanced up at the small monitor in the corner of the lift and laughed. “I have a feeling we wouldn’t be Seamus’s first peep show from in here. Jordana and Nathan will have already broken him in.”
“I’m sure we could shock him even more.” Rune smirked. “Come on. Before you give me a lot of bad ideas.”
Lacing his fingers through hers, he stabbed the OPEN button on the now-closed elevator doors. They exited together and walked through the iron gate to the vestibule of the elegant penthouse. Carys’s high-heeled boots echoed on the polished marble tiles as she and Rune entered the living area of the expansive apartment.
Her steps stopped short an instant later, when she found Jordana and Nathan waiting inside. It didn’t look like they planned to stay long.
No, from the serious looks on their faces, it appeared they’d come there on a mission.
“Let me guess,” Carys said. “When Eli and Jax reported me MIA to my father tonight, he sent the captain of his top team and my best friend out to drag me home.”
Jordana’s mouth twisted in a wry smile. “Not quite as bad as that.”
“But don’t think it won’t come to that eventually,” Nathan added, his deep voice low with warning. “Everyone is only concerned with your wellbeing, Carys.”
Nathan glanced at Rune as he spoke, giving the other male a curt nod that almost passed as friendliness for the lethal warrior.
Rune flashed a bit of fang, granting Nathan an equally reticent greeting. Not surprising, considering the last time the two Breed males had met in this apartment, Nathan had come right out and threatened to kill Rune if his involvement with Carys ended badly.
Jordana stepped between the two big men. “Your parents would feel much better knowing you were somewhere they could be certain of your security, Car. Things have gotten so dangerous lately, it would be one less worry for everyone while the Order is dealing with everything else right now.”
Carys crossed her arms over her chest. “And if I move back home, my father hopes it will minimize the time I spend with Rune.”
Jordana gave her a sympathet
ic look. “I’m not going to deny that’s part of it too. You have to know that when you dodge your father’s attempts to protect you, it only makes him grip the reins that much tighter.”
Nathan grunted. “He wasn’t happy to hear you pulled that disappearing act tonight at the club.”
Rune glanced at her now, his dark brows furrowed. “What happened?”
Carys shrugged. “Jax and Eli came in during your match. I didn’t feel like having my father’s watchdogs breathing down my neck all night—”
“So you bent the shadows and avoided them,” Rune said, shaking his head. “Jesus Christ, Carys. They were only trying to look out for you.”
Her temper flared at all of them now. “I’m a grown woman, for fuck’s sake. I’m also Breed.”
“Yeah, you are,” Rune agreed. “But this is no time to be tempting fate. Or did you forget that just last week you ran up against something none of us were prepared for?”
He was talking about Jordana’s abduction during a reception at the Museum of Fine Arts, where Jordana and Carys worked. The man who took Jordana had knocked Carys out when she’d tried to intervene and help her friend.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done if something worse had happened to you,” Rune said. “Or if those three fucks who killed Cass and Syn at the club had gotten their hands on you.”
Carys embraced him, reaching up to caress away the deep worry that had settled on his brow. “It wasn’t me they were after. The only thing that got hurt was my pride. And I was terrified for Jordana too.”
“We all were,” Nathan muttered.
He put his hands on Jordana’s slender shoulders, protective, possessive. The deadly warrior was devoted to his mate, a woman who turned out to be even more extraordinary than anyone could ever have guessed. Carys smiled to see her best friend and the Order’s most unreachable warrior so clearly devoted to each other.
“What the hell were those men?” Rune asked, leveling a hard stare on Nathan. “Not human, that’s for damn sure. Not Breed either. I’ve never fought anything like that before. No matter what I did, the bastards kept coming. Two of them got away, but the one I killed? I had to take his head off to stop him. And when I did . . . The light that poured out of his body was blinding. What the fuck are we dealing with, warrior?”
