The Vampire SEAL Collection, page 111
Sam’s face blanched with fear. “Hence, the reason Edmund wants us badly.”
I would guess he was remembering how Edmund and my uncle Patrick had drained his human blood. I certainly would never forget how I’d found my brother on a sterile table in a glass room on his deathbed. The only way for Sam to survive was for me to change from human to vampire so he could drink my vampire blood.
“Given everything we just discussed, the twins are more exposed if they’re with their father,” Olivia said.
Crysta rose. “I have an idea.”
All heads turned toward the pretty wolf.
“I’ll hide the twins. They can leave with me. I have the perfect place in mind, where no one will find them, not even my cousin. And if Edmund or Bruno do, then they’ll meet their deaths.”
I raised an eyebrow. I didn’t want to go back to the base, where my father would lock me up tight until he could kill Edmund, and it could be years before our battle with Edmund was over. I also didn’t want to be hidden away where no one could find me. I wanted to fight. I wanted revenge more than any of the sentinels or anyone in the vampire community.
Edmund had made my life miserable. He’d almost killed my brother. He’d almost killed Ben and Darcy. Not to mention, Edmund had left me to die in a bad storm at sea. Then he’d tortured Sam and Webb at the mansion in Newport. And the icing on the cake was that I had almost gone to jail for murdering a boy whom Edmund had changed into a monster. The man wasn’t stopping until he built his army of vampires. We couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let that happen. Mere humans who didn’t carry the natural-born vampire gene didn’t deserve to be lab experiments or die. For that matter, no one did, whether born with the vampire gene or not. The only way to stop Edmund was to kill him. And since the only way to do that was to get close to him, I had an idea. But Webb wasn’t going to like it.
I took in a breath. “If we want to kill Edmund, then let him capture me.”
Dead silence filled the room as everyone turned to me.
“The plan is simple,” I continued. “He takes me. I kill him.”
Sam finally blinked. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”
“He’ll kill you,” Olivia said.
Webb stood statue-still with his lips pressed into a thin line. His blue eyes changed to black, and his face darkened to a deep red.
Then everyone shifted their gaze to Webb, including Crysta, who didn’t have that What the hell look like the rest of them.
I stepped up to Webb then placed my hand over his racing heart. “We can’t keep running. They want Sam and me. So let’s give him one of us. My powers are strong.”
Webb peered down at me. “How will you combat the sedative? That will be the first thing they do so you don’t use your powers.” His voice was soft, but his expression was anything but.
“I’ve been thinking about that. Dr. Vieira has been working on an antidote to stave off the effects of the sedative. When I haven’t been practicing my powers, I’ve been learning things in the lab. That USB drive that we confiscated from our raid on the mansion showed the ingredients of the sedative.”
“Does he have the antidote ready to go? Is this something we are given before or after we’re hit with the sedative?” Excitement laced Webb’s tone.
“I’d forgotten about that,” Sam said.
I had as well. Even when Webb had brought up the sedative at the cabin, I wasn’t thinking straight. My concern had been focused on not being shipped back to my father.
I lifted one shoulder. I only knew a little about it since I wasn’t in the lab with Dr. Vieira and Dr. Case every day. “I don’t know. Dr. Vieira and Dr. Case are testing out the formula on rats at the moment. But it is working.”
“While that is great news,” Olivia said, “remember your powers won’t kill vampires.”
I didn’t take my eyes off of Webb. “True, but if I can arm myself with the antidote, then I can kill. I’ll take my human uncle out first since he’s the brainchild. Without him, Edmund won’t have a serum. Therefore, he can’t build his perfect vampire army.”
Kraft finally spoke. “We could plant a GPS chip in her.”
Both Kraft and Kodiak had been super quiet. My guess was they were still surprised at learning that Sam and I were just as powerful as our father.
Webb released a breath. “Enough. Jo isn’t walking into the hands of the enemy, and we’re not planting a chip in her.”
“Thank you,” Sam blurted out. “Look, we appreciate everyone’s concern for us. Jo and I are strong, physically and mentally.” Sam set his stern expression on Webb. “I know you love my sister. I know you want to protect her. I do too. But she has amazing fighting skills. Give her a set of daggers, and she’ll kill.”
I wanted to hug my brother. For so long, he had protected me while we were in foster care. He’d beaten a foster dad or two. He’d gotten into fights with boys in school to the point where he was carted off to jail. He hadn’t wanted me to fight. But now, we were equals.
“Crysta,” Webb said. “Thank you. But the twins stay with us. In fact, Jo, Sam, and I will drop off the radar. I want you three”—Webb pointed to Olivia, Kraft, and Kodiak—“to stay and meet Tripp and the commander. Crysta, I need your truck and some cash.”
Olivia narrowed her dark gaze at Webb. “The commander will throw you in the brig for going AWOL.”
With no expression on his handsome face, he continued to look at Crysta. She nodded.
“We have your back,” Kraft and Kodiak said together.
I didn’t care what Webb had planned. He considered me an equal, and that made me puff out my chest. Even my brother believed in me. I couldn’t ask for anything more, except maybe convincing my father that I was capable of holding my own. But that feat would have to wait.
15
Webb
I stood under the scalding shower at my house in Maine while the water pounded down on my back. It would take multiple showers to rid myself of the crud that had taken up a permanent home on my skin. The water felt amazing as the pressure beat my muscles. After the plane crash and being drugged for three solid months, I was exhausted—even more so since I hadn’t slept in more than four days. We’d laid low in the event that we ran into Commander Mason or our enemies. When I had felt that the coast was clear, I finally contacted the pilot that Crysta had recommended.
I tipped my head back and let the water massage my face, when footsteps padded in. The scent of musk told me it wasn’t Jo, although her lavender scent lingered. She’d taken a shower earlier. Man, I would give anything to have her in here with me. But I wasn’t certain she was ready for more than my kisses. I also needed some alone time to think of the plan that had been brewing since she’d told me about Dr. Vieira’s breakthrough in an antidote to combat the effects of the sedative.
“Webb,” George said.
The man was my champion and lifelong family friend, who stuck by me every step of the way. He was the only person outside of one or two of my team members who I trusted implicitly, and he was the only one who knew me better than I knew myself.
I turned off the shower, pulled the towel down from the stone barricade that separated me from the bathroom, then wrapped the terry fabric around my waist before I emerged.
George’s tall and lanky body blocked the mirror over the sink. “You look like yourself again.”
I rubbed my clean-shaven jaw, basking in the freeness of losing the beard.
His brown eyes appraised me. “You even cut your hair.”
“First thing I did before I stepped into the shower.” I grabbed a leather tie off the shelf near the sink and pulled my shoulder-length hair into a low ponytail. “I feel a thousand times better. Where are the twins?” I wasn’t exactly worried about them. Our enemies were in Alaska. Their father was too. At least I assumed they were all still there. And this town on the coast of Maine was tight-knit. The residents knew when someone out of the ordinary graced the streets and roads of the sleepy community. Plus, I had a good friend who was the sheriff in town, and Stan would alert me if he suspected trouble.
George’s smooth features belied the fact that he was a century-old vampire. “Did you tell your team where you were going?”
“Negative.” I knew my team wouldn’t give me up, but the commander had mind-reading capabilities. “The commander will think I’m somewhere in Alaska, and Sam planted that in Crysta’s mind just before he erased her memory of her telling me about her pilot friend.” The kid had some unique abilities to be able to erase one memory, which was a large feat in itself. His father had the ability to wipe out all of someone’s memories, but not just one.
Shaking his head, George chuckled. “Sam did the same to the pilot after I paid him, which is what I came in to tell you. The pilot is all taken care of. He shouldn’t be a problem.”
I’d thought to use Sam to compel the pilot into flying us across country then decided against it. Even though he had been successful with Crysta, I’d wanted to be cautious. Questions would have mounted if the pilot had gone home to a wife and family he didn’t know.
I snagged my clothes from the counter and dressed. “So the pilot took the hundred thousand without the blink of an eye?”
A door clicked open and shut before Sam’s and Jo’s voices trickled upstairs.
“Affirmative,” George said. “So are you worried that you’ll get court-martialed for disappearing?” Concern glistened in his brown eyes.
“If my fate is to be behind bars for the remainder of my life, then so be it. As long as Jo is safe, that’s all I care about. Besides, at the moment, I’m more worried about Jo’s infallibility. She’s developed this enormous amount of bravery overnight.” Not that she’d been lacking in confidence before, but when I’d first met her, she was timid and shy. Even so, she was new at fighting. She needed to learn that strategy was just as important as the tactical part of a battle. Nonetheless, whatever my fate would be, it was time to make some changes in my life.
“I believe the twins are the ones who will be giving orders in our world,” George said. “They’re the ones that the elders will be looking up to.”
I slipped on my watch. “I don’t want Jo in the middle of chaos. I don’t want her ruling the vampire nation.” Sure, I was being selfish. I wanted the vampire beauty all to myself. “I want to retire from the military and live a quiet life.”
Pushing off the counter, he chuckled. “Good luck with that. You know, Sam and Jo might do some good. It’s been ages since the vampire government has made any changes. Human society is evolving, and we need to change with them. We can’t be stuck in laws and rules that were put in place a century ago.”
Buckling my belt, I let out a heavy sigh. I didn’t know if I agreed with him. Our laws protected us as well as humans. If anything, I would mandate stricter laws. I headed for my bedroom. The French doors were open, and the cool saltwater air wafted in.
George sidled up to me. “I love when the ocean is calm and the moon is rising.”
I couldn’t argue. The Atlantic was peaceful as the waves rolled in lazily. I missed spending time here. I missed the sound of the waves lulling me to sleep. I also missed quiet nights as I sat out on the deck and chatted with George and Stan.
Sam laughed.
“Let them know I’ll be down in a minute,” I said.
“Sure.” George padded across the honeyed wood floor and out the door.
I abandoned the serene view for the inside of my walk-in closet. I moved shoeboxes out of the way then dialed the combination to my safe.
Jo giggled at something George was saying.
I smiled as I removed a burner cell phone. The sound of her voice had a way of calming me. Tonight, I would soak up all her energy and lightheartedness before I put my plan into place. Once I pushed that proverbial button, all the calm and quiet would be history. Hopefully, when the battle was done, I would still be alive and free to whisk Jo away to a secluded place.
I pocketed the burner phone then snatched a cobalt dagger. I always liked to keep a weapon on me just in case. I removed it from its leather housing and ran my finger over the blade on one side then the other. Satisfied that both sides of the blade were sharp, I replaced it back into its housing. Once the dagger was securely tucked into the back of my jeans, I closed the safe then went downstairs to join the others.
Jo was sprawled out on the cushioned window bench that faced the Atlantic. The entire back of my house was lined with accordion glass doors except the large comfy seat that Jo occupied in the living room.
Sam was lounging on one end of the couch opposite Jo, and George sat at the other end.
“What’s all the laughing about? Is George telling jokes again?” I made a beeline toward Jo. Her long black hair spilled around her shoulders. Her silver eyes beamed with happiness, and her tight-fitting sweater accentuated her curves, making my heart tick a bit faster as I approached.
She swung her legs off the couch, giving me room to sit. I cuddled up next her as she tangled her legs with mine. Now this, I could definitely get used to. Only I wanted to be alone with her.
“So what’s the plan?” Sam asked with a crease in between his thick eyebrows.
Sam had grown on me since I’d first met him. He hadn’t wanted me anywhere near his sister, and I couldn’t blame him. He hadn’t known me from the next vampire. As we had gotten to know each other, the walls he had built around him and Jo slowly crumbled. He’d begun to realize that my feelings for Jo were genuine, thanks in part to his ability to read emotions. More than that, he was a natural with weapons. The kid could fight. If what Sam had said was true about Jo’s ability to throw a dagger, then I would take my worry factor down two notches.
“I’m going to call my sister, Kate,” I said as a matter of fact. It was time to have a one-on-one conversation with her.
Jo’s legs flew off me as though I had some sort of virus. “She tried to kill you. Why would you call her?”
George wasn’t surprised. Sam didn’t display any signs that he was either.
Jo chewed on her lip as her sexy violet eyes emerged.
“Since Kate is with Edmund, I want to gauge her mood.” The situation called for a truce, at least for a family discussion. I’d lost sleep at night over many things, but none more than the scene where my sister had driven a cobalt sword into my chest, narrowly missing my heart. I wanted to strangle her for letting her emotions for a man get in the way of family. I couldn’t order her to fall out of love with Edmund. When it came to love, there were no rules, although Jo’s father would have argued otherwise. He wanted to control not only her life, but her heart too. I wasn’t surprised. After all, she was his little girl.
Jo tapped me on the leg. “Are you with us?”
I blinked.
“Do you think Kate will tell you where Edmund is?” Tears clouded her vibrant-colored eyes. “She’ll try to kill you again.”
I cupped her cheek. “Angel, slow down. First, I understand that if Kate tried to kill me once she could do it again. I also think she wants to talk to me. Before you ask, no, we haven’t spoken. But when I was in one of my groggy states under Bruno’s control, I swore I heard her voice. I can’t be sure, though. Anyway, she said that she had to clear the air with me before he killed me. Then Bruno laughed. I don’t know what to think. I might have imagined the entire conversation.”
“What do you hope to get out of talking to your sister?” Sam asked, still lounging leisurely on the couch, while Jo was tense as a tightrope.
“If she knows I’m not working for your father anymore, she might loosen up. I need to do this, and I need to talk to her alone.” Up until she had switched sides, I could always get my sister to tell me anything. Granted, she had sided with Edmund, so I didn’t hold out too much hope that she would tell me what he was up to. But at the very least, I could plant a tracking device on her.
“I still vote for sending me in,” Jo said without an ounce of fear in her voice.
George ran a nervous hand over his jaw. “You’re okay with Edmund getting your DNA and building that army of his?”
Jo snuggled into me. “No. But Edmund is building an army with or without us. I could kill him then my uncle Patrick.”
I dragged my fingers along Jo’s arm. She wasn’t thinking clearly. “It’s not that simple.” I so wished it was as easy as the words rolling off her lips.
Sam heaved a sigh. “Then what’s the plan?”
“When I speak with Kate, I’ll somehow plant a tracking device on her. Then we’ll find out where they’re operating from, and then we can plan an attack. Of course, that depends on whether or not she agrees to meet me.” My gut told me she would.
Jo huffed.
“Not a bad plan,” Sam said. “Then we can attack when they least expect it.”
George smirked. “I was worried for a minute that you would do something crazy.”
The crazy thing to do would have been to kidnap my sister and throw her to Commander Mason. But I needed her to get to Edmund.
“What makes you think Kate will meet you?” Jo asked. “Or that she’s even in New England?”
“I don’t to either question. But if I know my sister, she’ll be curious, and therefore, will make a point to meet me.”
Her expression softened. “I can’t lose you again.”
“You’re not,” I said softly.
George cleared his throat. “Webb, I made a few phone calls when you told me about Bruno. A buddy of mine has a nephew who he believes started working for Bruno about a month ago. I’ll confirm if that’s the case and see if I can get more information.”
“Be careful,” I said. “I don’t want you getting too deep into this mess.” I couldn’t lose George. Sure, he could handle himself, but he was like a dad to me.
Sam adjusted himself so he was resting his elbows on his knees. “Does his nephew happen to be Howell or Smith?” A look of disgust washed over his face.
