Chapter Two
Jared sat on the hospital bed, groaning in frustration. It was a scratch. A few stitches. He should be on his way home right now and not sitting here, waiting for some doctor to tell him he could leave.
He hated hospitals. That horrendous antiseptic smell. It reminded of sickness and death. Too many times he’d sat in similar rooms watching the people he cared about recover or die.
He’d been a Marine, enlisting straight out of high school. He didn’t want to go to college as he never wanted to be an officer in the Marines. It never appealed to him. He wanted to go out and serve his country and that was it.
He could still remember the excitement when he went to boot camp. That soon changed, but nevertheless, he loved the routine and discipline, making friends with the other trainees, learning how much his body could take, how powerful it was. What he could mentally take, how strong his resolve was in any given situation, but also discovering what his limits were and how he could overcome them.
He knew one day he might see combat, but no amount of training prepared you for the reality of it. The constant stress of watching your back and those of your team, the never-ending threat, constantly monitoring your surroundings even with civilians.
He’d seen too much, done too much, and when the time had come, he left.
He glanced at the cell in his hand, rereading the text Sacha had sent him and wondered how he knew about Jared’s injury. That weird sixth sense of his, probably his vampire genetics.
Jared chuckled softly. Sacha was a good friend. Someone he’d known for years. They’d met years ago when Jared was on leave, and they’d struck up an immediate friendship. Neither the fact that Sacha was a vampire or gay bothered him.
They lived together in Sacha’s house. Jared moved in not long after meeting him and hadn’t looked back. When he was on leave, he could sit back and relax, then party the night away with the company of plenty of women.
As soon as he got home, he was going out, getting drunk, and then laid. He seriously needed to get laid. He needed to work the stress of this mission from his body, and a warm, wet and willing body was just the answer.
He didn’t need a relationship, and he certainly wasn’t looking for one.
The door opened and Alejandro Martin, one of the owners of Rescue Inc, walked in, closing it quietly behind him. What was it about hospitals that made everyone quiet? The nurses spoke quietly; even the furniture was quiet, all except for the plastic sheet on the bed that crinkling every time he moved.
“How ya doing?” Ale asked as he sat on the plastic chair next to the bed. “Could they make these any more uncomfortable?” he muttered, wincing.
Jared grunted, shifting his injured arm to ease the pain. “It’s a scrape. I’ll feel better when I get out of here.”
Ale stretched his long legs out in front of him and winced, rolling his head from side to side. Jared knew how he felt. The tension still coiled in his muscles.
“You’ll leave soon.”
“Not soon enough for me. You know how much I hate hospitals.”
“Yeah, I do. Never liked them much myself. So, what plans do you have when you get home?”
“Fuck.” Jared grinned. “Shower, then go out and fuck.”
“Looking for a hole to fill for the night.”
“Jesus, your mouth.” Jared shook his head, staring at Ale, who grinned back at him.
“Plenty of men have said the same thing.”
Jared dropped his head into his hand. “Please, stop,” came his muffled reply.
Ale laughed, throwing his head back. “No way, man. How many times have you gone on about some pussy you fucked?”
Wincing, Jared said, “Yeah, okay. I get it.”
“Respect, man. Even if she’s a one-nighter. Respect.” Ale closed his eyes then hummed. “So, Sacha.”
“What about him?” Jared asked warily. Ale better not be thinking of hooking up with Sacha.
“He single?”
Jared growled, and Ale laughed. “No way, man.”
“So easy, J.”
“He’s off limits.”
“But he’s single and from what you’ve said he’s been single for a while. I might give him a call.”
“No fucking chance. I live with the guy. How fucking awkward would it be? No, forget about him.”
“Okay, but why haven’t you-”
“Not gay.”
Ale raised an eyebrow and stared at him. Jared squirmed on the bed, pointedly refusing to look. Finally, he sighed. “Okay, so I experimented when I was younger.”
“And?”
“And a little later.”
“So, Sacha...”
“Is my friend. I’m not ruining my friendship for a fuck.”
Ale grinned. “Look at you, all protective and shit.”
“Fuck off, Ale.”
“What was that song? Sacha and Jared, sitting in a tree-” Ale began to sing.
“Oh my god! How old are you?” Jared stared horrified, his eyes widening. “Just stop.”
Ale laughed again. “Too easy, man.”
“Sometimes I really don’t like you.”
“Nah, you love me.”
Jared stared at Ale, taking in his Hispanic looks. Yeah, Ale was fit. A hard body he worked to keep fit, black hair and deep brown eyes. A full sleeve tattoo on his right arm covered him from shoulder to wrist and his hands and fingers were littered with scars, just like Jared’s.
Jared knew he also carried the scar from a gunshot above his left nipple. A wound he’d barely survived. He’d joined the army and trained hard to become Delta.
“How long do you think I’ll be-?”
The door opened, and the doctor walked in, smiling at both of them. Glancing at the paperwork, he said, “Right, Mr. Warszawski, you’re free to go.” The doctor smiled up at him. “I figured you know the routine.”
“Yeah, yeah. Take your meds, keep the area clean and watertight for twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Don’t pull the stitches-”
The doctor held up his hand. “Here are your meds and antibiotic cream.”
Jared stood and took the bag from the doctor. “Thanks.”
“No, thank you. My daughter goes to the high school.”
Jared nodded and remained silent until the doctor had left the room. Glancing at Ale, he asked, “Ready to go?”
❊❊❊
“Fuck, Donnie. Do you have to hit every single fucking hole in the road?” Jared grouched, grabbing his arm as pain lanced through it.
Jared winced again when Donnie hit another hole and glared over at him.
“Sorry, man. This road’s shit. We’ll be on the plane soon and then we can go home.”
“No shit, man. Can’t wait.”
Both men grunted when the car hit another hole and Jared gripped the overhead bar.
Jared needed to take his mind off the bumpy road. Twisting slightly in the seat, he asked, “So, how are the interviews going for the new team? You’ve done a few now, haven’t you?”
“Great, actually,” Ale answered from the backseat. “We’re down to the final six we want. Looking at some additional training to get them up to the level we want them at, and then they’re ready to go.”
“That’s great. It’ll take some of the pressure off of us.” They desperately needed the help. A good reputation meant more work, and they were all feeling the strain.
“We need it,” Donnie agreed.
Ale grunted. “We wanted Rescue Inc to be successful, but man, this has surpassed everything we thought the company would be.”
“Are they going to form their own team or are we mixing?” Jared didn’t want the team to break up, but he understood that the more experienced team members would need to be utilized.
“Probably mixing the teams.” Ale sighed.
“It’s the right thing to do. We have the experience in this field, and they don’t,” Donnie agreed.
“Yeah, and with Kerrie being on maternity leave...”
Jared grinned, excited for her. “When’s she due?”
“Any day now. Bitching last time I spoke to her. Something about wanting to see her feet again.”
“Lucky for us we don’t have to do that shit. Can you imagine giving birth?” Jared laughed at the look on Donnie’s face.
“The species would die out,” Donnie agreed, pretending to shudder.
The airstrip came into view, and it wasn’t long before they loaded all their equipment, strapped in, and were airborne. Jared sat with Donnie and glanced at him when he heard him chuckle.
Nudging him, he pointed to his head, and said, “Talking?”
“Yeah. Jeremy’s telling me about one of his regulars at the bakery.”
“Yeah? His business doing well now?” Jared genuinely liked Jeremy and couldn’t think of anyone more perfect for Donnie. After everything they’d endured at the hands of Jeremy’s ex, Patrick Snider, Jared was happy they were now settled and enjoying life together.
“Really well. Jeremy has lots of regulars now and getting busier. I’ve never seen him happier.”
“What’s it like?”
Donnie twisted in his seat to face Jared. “What? Talking telepathically?”
“Yeah.”
Donnie smiled, his eyes taking on a distant look. “Amazing. Whenever I’m away and I just need to hear from him, I can speak to him and know he’ll be there. No messing with signals on cells.”
“How does it feel?”
“Wow, I don’t know... it’s strange, yet comforting at the same time.” Donnie frowned. “That’s shit.” He glanced away, then tried again. “It’s like he’s there in the back of my head, a sense that’s comforting and familiar. He knows when things are shit and I can feel him being positive and it helps. Like at the school, he knew shit was going down, and he was there, supporting me, not with words but with feelings. Does that make any sense to you?”
“Like a blanket.” Jared grinned. Donnie laughed and punched his good arm.
“Yeah, actually.” Donnie nodded. “Just like that.”
“Really? Sounds great. To know no matter how fucked up the situation is, he’s there offering you comfort and support. That you’re not alone.”
“Yeah,” Donnie muttered quietly. “Yeah, it is.”
“It’s good, D.”
“So, what about Sacha?” Donnie waggled his eyebrows as he spoke.
“What is it with the questions about Sacha?” Jared asked, exasperated. “First Ale and now you. He’s a friend.”
“He’s the longest relationship you’ve ever had.”
Jared threw his hands in the air then winced at the pain in his injured arm. “What? We are friends! That’s it.”
Grinning, Donnie said, “If you say so.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing.”
Trying to change the subject, he asked, “You spending the night in with Jeremy?”
“Oh, yeah.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Groaning, Jared said, “Don’t please.”
Donnie raised an eyebrow. “Like you’re not going out and blowing off some steam.”
Jared grinned at him. “Sure am.”
Donnie shook his head. “Need to settle down, man. You’re not getting any younger.”
“Please, D. You sound like my parents now. It’ll happen... when I’m ready.”
Donnie grunted, and they fell silent. It wasn’t long before Donnie was asleep next to him, a small smile on his face.
Jared stared out of the window, watching the clouds float past. So, what about him and Sacha? Sacha was his closest friend. Had been for years now. He was family, not blood like his own, but still family.
Yeah, he was the first person he talked to about shit, but who didn’t talk to their friends when things fucked up? He wasn’t any different to any other man out there. And as for the sex, what was the big deal? He liked sex, and he went out and had it. Again, no different to any other guy out there.
Glancing at Donnie, he kicked his leg, getting a grunt in response, and stared back out of the window. Fucker.
Sighing, he crossed his arms over his chest, hissing slightly at the pain in his injured arm, and slumped down in his seat. A bit of shut-eye would do wonders, and then he’d be ready to go out and have some fun. After the clusterfuck of today, he needed to go out, and yeah, he knew Sacha would go out with him.
Grinning, Jared closed his eyes. Sleep, shower, and sex. Just what he needed.