The Vampire SEAL Collection, page 62
Webb managed to separate Sam from Peterson. I had no clue what just happened. What was the MP trying to do? I only wanted to be near my dad.
“Sam,” Webb grunted. “Step aside.” I could tell his eyes were on the verge of changing as he glared at my brother.
Dad touched my shoulders before he leaned down. “Are you okay?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Petty Officer Peterson, apologize to my daughter.” Dad’s voice had a deep timbre to it, not one I’d heard from him before.
Peterson bent down and picked up his military cap. He brushed off the white fabric lining the top.
“Why would you attack my sister?” Sam spat out, still angry with the MP.
“I’m…I’m sorry. I thought she was going for the dagger in Commander Mason’s leg holster.” His voice cracked as he looked at me with soft eyes.
“That’s our father, you idiot,” Sam barked, pacing back and forth, struggling to keep his vampire caged.
“Son, his instincts kicked in as they’re supposed to in a soldier,” Dad said, keeping his hands on me.
“Screw instincts. He had no right coming into our home and thinking Jo was going to attack.” Sam’s voice resonated, deep and commanding.
Webb pulled Sam into the kitchen.
With the misunderstanding out of the way, Dad turned me so I was facing him.
“Look, I need to go with these folks,” he said. “It’s protocol. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Dad struggled to keep his eyes from changing to silver, the deep green in them slowly fading. “I’m also sorry about earlier today. I know I told you that already, but… We’ll talk more when I get back. Okay?”
I nodded, trying to keep from tearing up. Dad’s voice held so much regret, and I didn’t think it was just because he threw me in a prison cell out of blind rage.
Then something clicked inside me. I wasn’t sure if it was the buzzing in my head or if my heart somehow locked into place. Our relationship was far from solid. Hell, it was a wild rollercoaster ride of decent moments, tender moments, and fiery moments. However, all that aside, a chill settled in me, and I didn’t want Dad to leave with these men.
“No, I don’t want you to go.” I hugged him tightly. The little girl in me wanted her daddy; the teenager in me wanted to be strong. I was caught in a storm of confused feelings.
He wrapped his arms around me, and rubbed his hand up and down my back.
“It’ll be okay. I know a lot is going on, but I must go with them, sweetie.” He took one step back. “I promise, I’ll be fine,” he said.
A tear slid down my cheek.
“Hey.” His broad hand swept the side of my cheek, taking the tear with it. He wasn’t as gentle as Webb, but nonetheless tenderness sparked through his fingers. “Nothing is going to happen to me. You’re strong. You’re a Mason. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Dad turned to Webb. “Lieutenant, we need a team down at the shipyard. Make sure you have Snow and Viking II accompany the Sentinels. Also, I want Tripp and Sloan interrogating the young brunette woman. Find out everything you can about what she wanted with Jo. I shouldn’t be long.” Dad began removing all his weapons.
I stiffened. “The brunette is here…on base?” I grabbed Dad’s hand before he walked away.
“She is,” was all he said before turning his attention back to the MPs. “I need to lock these up,” he said, indicating his weapons. “I’ll be just a second.”
“How? She was at school the last I saw her.” I looked at Webb now.
“We had her brought back from the school to question her,” Webb replied.
Dad didn’t give the MPs a chance to respond, nor did he give me a chance to ask more questions about the brunette. He just walked down the hall into his bedroom. The MPs followed behind him, stopping at the door, which Dad slammed in their faces.
One of the MPs tried to open the door but to no avail.
Yeah, they weren’t getting through that door.
The air in the room grew thick. An ominous tickle slithered along the back of my neck. The bitch of a brunette was on this base. My mouth watered, images of her flashing into my head. Not sugar plum versions either. More like pictures of me strangling her that had my pulse racing with excitement.
The door to Dad’s room opened and pain stung me.
You will not go anywhere near her. Do you hear me, young lady?
Gone was the regretful and sorrowful voice that he’d used earlier. In its place…soldier, commander, and strict father.
Dad strode toward me with the MPs right on his heels. He stopped at the small table near the door and picked up his keys.
She stabbed me, I told him.
And you think that warrants revenge? You have a lot to learn in this life. I expect you to listen to Webb while I’m gone.
“Sir, we need to frisk you before we leave,” Peterson said.
“Go ahead, MP,” Dad said, glaring at me.
Don’t worry, Dad. I won’t touch her. But I will protect myself, just like I did in the bathroom at school. Unless, of course, you want me to stand there while others beat on me.
He growled, raising an eyebrow.
Yeah. I didn’t think so.
“Lieutenant, you have my permission to utilize Sam’s combat skills. He’s ready. I don’t want Jo out of your sight. Are we clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Webb said.
“You know where I’ll be. Again, I shouldn’t be long,” Dad said.
The MPs pulled his hands behind his back, locking his wrists in human handcuffs, and without any struggle Dad allowed himself to be escorted out of the apartment. I wanted to laugh at the act. Clearly these two human military soldiers had no idea that Dad could snap those handcuffs in two if he wanted. Nevertheless, Dad had to abide by the human laws when he was working alongside the human government.
As soon as the door clicked shut, I bent over and sat straight down on the wood floor. What was happening to my life? My world was crumbling around me. My brain swam with confusion. I’d been accused of killing Blake, Ben was missing, Dad had just left in handcuffs, and oh, I got my first kiss, all in the span of a day.
I traced my lips with the tips of my fingers as I sat on the floor pondering my last thought. My first kiss. I recalled how Webb’s hair tickled my face as he bent down, his lips touching mine, ever so lightly. Goosebumps pebbled my arms.
A hand touched my head. I glanced up and into what seemed like the deep waters of the Caribbean Ocean.
Webb extended his hand. “Come on. Sit on the couch.”
I looked around the apartment.
“Where’s Sam?”
“He went to change.”
I grasped his strong hand as he pulled me upright.
“Is he really going to help the Sentinels?”
“Your father’s right. Sam is ready. He’s been training non-stop since he turned vampire. He’s going to be a great fighter.”
I had no doubt my brother would make a great fighter. Our training sessions were always intense. His focus was sharp. His precision was exact, and his moves were executed with the grace of a panther—lithe and sleek. While a part of me was excited for my brother to jump into battle, I was downright scared that something would happen to him. It was time for him to stop protecting me, though. I believed he needed to take this step, although it wasn’t a step my heart was ready for.
Webb guided me to the couch. His alluring scent instantly erased all worries from my head.
I dropped down onto the cushion, keeping my eyes on him. A heat skated through me. It was just him and me. There were no swords to worry about or cell doors to break through.
Suddenly, I was scared. Not that Webb would hurt me, but that he would kiss me again. While I could still feel his lips from the last kiss, I was afraid that I wouldn’t know how to kiss him back.
He sat down next to me, breaking me from my thoughts and that soul-stealing stare he had me locked into.
“Who’s the Secretary of the Navy?” I asked.
Gee, I was an idiot. Why was I asking about some Navy guy? I wanted to ask him to kiss me again.
“The Secretary is in charge of the entire Navy. Your father had a meeting with him and some of his colleagues today.” He scooted closer to me.
“Do you think my dad…you know?” My hands trembled and not because we were discussing Dad.
He draped his left arm over my shoulder. A frisson of excitement coursed through me.
“No way. Your father is the most upstanding man I know. He is and has always been honest and he cares about protecting people. He would never take someone else’s life unless it was in self-defense.”
Self-defense, huh? The word, the idea, slapped me in the face. I sure hoped Dad remembered it when we resumed our conversation about Blake.
“Why is all this happening to us, Webb?”
He lightly tugged me to him. Like iron being drawn to a magnet, I rested my head against his chest.
“I don’t know. We’ll figure it out.” His fingers traced a path up and down my arm.
His heartbeat thrummed against my ear, lulling me into a world I was beginning to like very much.
“How? When?” I placed my left hand on his stomach. The same stomach I touched at school when he was wiping the blood off my hands with his shirt.
Oh heaven. I wanted to feel more of him. My heartbeat kicked into high gear, pounding in my ears.
Christ! What was I doing? I immediately lifted my hand. He caught it and placed my trembling hand on his chest then guided it down to those strong, hard abs. My world stopped again. Everything around me faded, except him.
“I don’t have all the answers,” he said, still caressing my arm.
Like his lips, his touch electrified me.
“Dad said the Plutariums might be responsible for the explosion. Do you think they have something to do with Ben being missing too?”
His body stiffened.
Did he know something about Ben? Or was it something else?
Then he relaxed. “I’m not sure,” he said.
“I hope not,” I whispered.
“Me too,” he added.
I looked up at him with wide eyes.
“What? I don’t want to see him hurt, Jo.”
“Really,” I said.
Boots scuffed against the wood floor.
I sat up when Sam appeared in the family room. He was dressed in all black. His green eyes sparkled with a wildness—a need to fight.
“Where the heck did you get that uniform?” I asked.
Sam growled.
“What?” I looked at Webb, then down. My hand was on Webb’s thigh. “Oh, don’t start, Sam.”
Webb rose, making his way to my brother. “First, you need to get over your angst about me being close to your sister. I know you’ve protected her. I know you love her. But now you’re entering into a world where your mind needs to be clear. Your sister is strong. Stronger now than when she was human. She can take care of herself. If you’re going to help out, I need you focused. Is that clear?”
Webb was right. I could take care of myself. But did Webb know that Sam and I shared an extremely strong bond as brother and sister? It was a bond that no one could break.
“Oh, we’re clear. My focus will be solid. But like I told my father—if he, you, or any of the Sentinels— hurts Jo in any way, that person will have to answer to me. Are we clear?” Sam said, glowering at the gorgeous vamp.
“You have my word,” Webb responded in an unwavering voice.
“Hey, I’m right here, you know,” I said.
My words died when the building rocked for the second time today. Windows rattled. Kitchen cabinets opened.
“Son of a bitch,” Webb snapped, tapping his right ear. “Report.”
Sam strode over to me. “Will you be okay, sis?”
Nerves made me laugh. His voice brought tears to my eyes. My brother was about to go into battle or whatever it was Webb wanted him to do.
“I’ll be fine,” I said, frowning.
“I don’t have to go if you don’t want me to,” Sam whispered.
“It’s not that.” I swallowed. “It’s just…our lives are changing. And, yeah, I’m a bit nervous.”
The building shook again, this time harder than before.
“Lock it down. I’m headed there now,” Webb said, then tapped his ear communicator again. “We need to get down to the control room,” Webb said.
The day had been a doozy, and I wasn’t sure I could handle anything else, especially since Sam was dressed to kill.
The NASA-like control room buzzed with activity. It hadn’t changed since the last time I was in here. Computer monitors, small, and large sat on top of desks and tables. The most impressive thing about this room was the large wall screen that was divided into sections. Each section had a different picture. Right now, five sections showed various places around the base while five other sections showed different views of the shipyard. One picture, in particular, focused on a ship with a large hole in the side of it.
Sam and I stood behind a waist-high solid divider that was elevated behind the entire command center. We were instructed to remain behind the barricade until Webb got a handle on the recent explosion.
I scanned the room, like I could see Sam doing. It was a habit now, assessing a room when we entered. Vampires typed frantically on keyboards, some talked on the phone, and two vamps in the far corner scribbled pictures on a whiteboard. I’d remembered Kate doing the same thing not that long ago when they were preparing to rescue Sam. I swept my gaze back and forth, looking for Kate. She wasn’t here. Webb did mention he’d given her two more days off. I wanted to thank her for helping me out of my uniform and sparing me some embarrassment.
As I diverted my gaze from the frantic activity on the floor to the adjoining outer rooms, I stilled. Tripp and Sloan were in one of the glass-walled rooms talking with the brunette.
I nudged Sam. “Look in the glass room to your right.”
He turned just as the brunette smiled in our direction. Both Sloan and Tripp then turned toward us, and closed the blinds. What was that all about?
Webb stood below us, behind a vamp seated at a computer terminal. “Where’s Viking II?”
“They’re in the war room, sir,” the vamp said, not even turning to look at Webb.
“And Snow?”
“Same place, sir.”
“How about Kate?”
The vamp stopped typing. “Sorry, sir. She left thirty minutes ago when the commander gave the all clear. By the way, is the commander going to return? Is everything okay?”
Webb placed a hand on the vamp’s shoulder. “The commander will be back shortly. No need to worry. Just a misunderstanding.”
God, I hoped Webb was right. Not that I really wanted to have the Blake conversation with Dad, but I was worried. After sixteen years of not having him in my life, I wanted to at least get to know him before...
“Any word on where the AT4 was fired from?” Webb asked, looking at the screen.
The vamp’s fingers flew across the keys, and in an instant, a cluster of ships floating in the middle of nowhere came into view.
I leaned into Sam. “What’s an AT4?”
I wasn’t sure if he knew, but he had been working with Tripp on weapons.
“The AT4 is what the military calls LAW, which stands for light anti-tank weapon. It has a range of over two thousand meters,” he whispered, not taking his eyes off the computer screen.
Okay. I was thoroughly impressed he knew.
“It couldn’t have been fired from there.” Webb pointed to the screen. “Those ships are way out of range for the AT4 to reach the shipyard.”
“You’re right, sir. Our intel shows that the warhead was fired somewhere between these mothballed ships and our docks.” The vamp planted his finger on the screen, showing Webb the exact spot.
Webb pulled out his cell phone and dialed. “Kate, where are you?”
Sam straightened.
I opened up my senses while I kept focused on my brother.
“What is it with her?” I leaned into Sam.
“Shh,” was all he said.
A fire sparked within me. He told me to be quiet? No way.
“Hey,” I snapped.
“Jo?” He raised both eyebrows, raising his finger to his mouth.
Okay. I would play along for now.
“I need you back here,” Webb said into the phone.
I heightened my hearing.
“I can’t. I’m halfway to Boston,” Kate said.
“You told me you weren’t leaving until this evening. We have a crisis. I need you back here now.”
“Too late, brother. I’m almost to Nicki’s place,” she spat.
Webb stiffened, then growled. “I didn’t know you were going to Nicki’s. I told you to stay away from her.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do. Besides, it sounds to me like you’re still in love with her.”
Silence.
Sam and I exchanged surprised looks. Heck, the look on my face had to be one of shock. Webb in love with someone? The blood rushed to my feet. Suddenly, I wanted to run far away. In fact, I had to get out of here before my heart stopped pumping blood. Tears stung my eyes.
“Damn it, Kate. Get your ass back to base—now.”
“Sorry. I’m a big girl. I don’t answer to you anymore. You’ve protected me long enough.”
“Kate, I’m warning you.”
“See you soon.”
The line went dead.
“Damn,” Webb muttered under his breath, raking his hands through his hair. He tapped his ear. “Tripp? I need you and Sloan in the war room. ASAP.”
I tried to take a step back to get away from the anger dripping off him, but my hands seemed glued to the partition I was standing behind. I was afraid that if I let go, I’d fall. Not from his anger, but from the shock galloping through my body like a thoroughbred racing around the track. Webb London was in love with someone. Why did that surprise me? He was gorgeous. Heck, the more I thought about it, the more I was surprised he didn’t have a girlfriend. Still, hearing the phrase ‘in love’ leveled at Webb hurt.
Webb turned, glancing up at Sam and me. “Sam, in the war room.” He flicked his head to the right. “Something wrong, Jo?” he asked, those cobalt blue gems looking at me.
