Chapter Nine – Arabella
What had Kennedy been thinking, actually calling and threatening Grayson directly? The mission was going to be successful – at least the endgame was – but the organization would want to know why they changed the script. Kennedy calling Grayson changed everything.
At least now Arabella had a good reason for saying that it was too dangerous to steal the kids and volunteer herself as the kidnapping victim instead. It didn't really matter who they kidnapped. They just needed to make sure that he would stay away from White's vote and she needed an escape.
Her phone rang.
Arabella glanced at the big, burly security guard who was standing by the window. Grayson may have overdone it. This guy was one of the half-dozen who now resided at the tree-top house. But then again, considering the organization itself, there was no such thing as overdoing safety.
Her phone continued to ring. She answered it, slipping into another room as she did so.
"Hiya, sis," Kennedy greeted brightly. "I was hoping that we could talk. The vote is happening and we need to get our two most important voters where they can do their job."
"Oh, is that still happening?" Arabella replied, anger simmering in her voice. "Here I thought that you had gone ahead and made the vote without me."
There was a beat. "What are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You were supposed to wait."
"And you think I haven't?"
"What do you think?" Arabella rubbed her temple. "Look, I can't talk about this right now. I'll see you at the wedding and we can talk there."
Arabella could almost hear Kennedy rolling her eyes. "Fine. But you better hurry it up. I'm about done waiting for you and this vote can't wait – the groom has to know what kind of flower to wear, after all."
"I'll be there soon."
If Kennedy thought that Arabella still could get the children away from the Shifter community without causing a scene . . . well, that would be discussed later. All she had to do was play up how her plan was ruined and she might have a chance to protect the twins after all.
***
She met Kennedy at a house in town, a bright yellow structure that reeked of over-cheerfulness. Arabella marched in without knocking. Her colleague was in the living room, watching old sitcom reruns while cleaning her gun collection. A weapons display? Was Kennedy making a power play?
"Arabella, glad you could make it." Kennedy frowned as she glanced behind her. "Where are the kids? Didn't you bring them?"
Arabella laughed. "Really? How did you expect me to get them out of there after that stunt you pulled?"
"Stunt? What stunt?" Kennedy's brows drew together. "What are you talking about, Bella?"
"Don't call me that." She had always hated being called 'Bella.' Her hands clenched. "So what is your end game? You call up Alexander to tell him that if he doesn't step down his children will pay the price and then you act like I should have taken them anyway? I told you from the start to follow my lead and you have done nothing but put this plan in jeopardy again and again."
Kennedy put the gun she was cleaning down and stood. "One, I didn't make any calls. I've been sitting here with my hands under my ass, waiting for you to give the signal. Two, you were supposed to bring the kids. I don't see any kids."
Arabella stared at her for a moment. The other woman seemed to be genuine in her confusion about what she was being accused of. Could it have been another group that made the threat toward Grayson? Maybe their employers were growing impatient and made the threat themselves. She shook her head.
"Somebody made a threat against the children and Alexander isn't taking any chances. He's stepped down from politics and he's hired a bunch of extra security. If we're going to still go ahead with the plan, then adjustments have to be made. Namely who the target is."
Kennedy narrowed her eyes.
"I've worked on seducing the dragon," Arabella continued, keeping her voice flat. "He's developed feelings for me, so we stage my kidnapping instead. It will have the same effect."
Kennedy started laughing. "Are you for real right now?"
Arabella pressed her lips together, itching to have a gun in her hands.
"Working on seducing. Really? That's what you call getting all weepy when he starts confessing his love to you? See, I thought that was something else. Something like . . . you developing feelings for a mark. Honestly, Bella, it's pathetic. You've always been a little too emotional to be really good at your job, but actually falling in love? Did taking care of those brats trigger some latent maternal instincts that you latched onto Grayson Alexander?"
How did Kennedy know about their discussion? The walk in the woods. Of course. Somebody must have been watching. There couldn’t have been any sort of bugs in the house. The security was too good for people to get in without being noticed, especially since it was on the top of a tree. And she had checked her own belongings very carefully.
But Kennedy was leading up to something big. Something Arabella knew she wasn't going to like.
"I'm the emotional one?" she scoffed, keeping a steady gaze on her colleague. "You're the one who lost the organization a million dollars last year because you lost your temper and shot your mark."
Kennedy's smirk disappeared. She reached for a gun and it was all the threat that Arabella needed. She sprang toward Kennedy and brought her knuckles crashing into the other woman's ribs. Kennedy stumbled back, gasping. But when Arabella reached for the same gun, she growled and threw herself forward.
Her arms wrapped around Arabella's waist and they fell back. Arabella smashed into the coffee table, its legs snapping under their combined weight. Kennedy pressed her elbow into Arabella's throat and leaned onto it; Arabella grabbed a handful of her colleague's hair and yanked hard, jerking her head to one side.
Kennedy scratched at Arabella’s eyes, but Arabella punched out her elbow, knocking the other woman off balance. She grabbed a gun and smashed it into the side of Kennedy's face. Kennedy growled and threw herself onto Arabella again, but Arabella was able to roll her off. Both women sprang to their feet and circled each other.
Sweat beaded Arabella's brow. Her heart pounded and she watched Kennedy closely. She was at a disadvantage here. She didn’t know what guns were loaded and which weren't; Kennedy did. One wrong move and she was dead. She tested the one in her hand; it clicked hollowly.
Kennedy grinned at her. "You know, this was a delightful mission for me. I've wanted to see you go down for a long, long time. You're so . . . incompetent. So weepy."
"Better weepy than someone with no self-control."
"At least I don't go around falling in love with every mark I am paired with!"
Arabella growled in her throat. "I have never fallen in love with a mark."
"Just Grayson then?" Kennedy pulled a disgusted face. "He's not even the best looking mark you've had. Remember the guy in Cairo? Now he was worth wasting your panties for. But a dragon?"
"I wouldn't expect you to understand. You've never known anything but this life and you don't care if the world burns. Anything goes as long as you get your paycheck."
Kennedy shrugged. "That's better than moping around to pay for your freedom. As if you'll ever be free from the organization. Once a killer, always a killer. What would you even do if you didn't have the organization telling you every move to make?"
Arabella swung. Kennedy ducked and slammed her fist into Arabella's sternum. The air fled from her lungs and her heart skipped a beat. Her colleague trapped her in a headlock, squeezing her throat. Arabella fought against her, but it did no good.
"It will be delightful to know what the boss has planned for you."
Arabella punched at Kennedy; she swung her body around, did everything she could to break the other woman's grip. Nothing worked and slowly the world went black.
***
Light stabbed into Arabella’s eyes. It cut into her brain, sending white-hot shots of agony down her spine. Every inch of her felt bruised, especially around her ribs. Her heart still beat an unfamiliar pattern and it was difficult to pull in a breath of air. The light blinded her, but there were sounds. Muted sounds. They came from so far away that Arabella dismissed them.
She swiveled her head to one side, trying to spare her eyes from the light. Didn't they always say to go into the light when you were dying? So that meant she wanted to stay as far away from it as possible.
Her vision cleared once she was no longer being blinded. Something large and black lay next to her. A body in a suit. Her fluttering heart stopped. Grayson! Bile rose in her throat, choking her. She forced herself to find the face. Not Grayson. Relief washed over her. But it still looked familiar. She blinked. The burly guard from Grayson's house.
Whatever relief she had felt disappeared in an instant. Grayson's house. The guard's shirt was stained with blood, a surprised expression in his blank eyes. The sounds that had been muffled and indistinct suddenly became clear.
Olivia was calling for her father. Hudson was crying. Arabella pushed herself up but a foot collided with her face and she went down again. Kennedy bent over her, pressing a gun to her forehead. The scowl was heavy on the other woman's brow, a sneer on her lips. "I guess you were right, Bella. I do have too much of a temper. But that doesn't matter now. Not where you're going."
She buried her gun into Arabella's stomach and pulled the trigger. Once, twice, again and again. Pain exploded through Arabella's brain and the darkness claimed her again.