Chapter 16

 

EXHILARATION RACED THROUGH her body.

Marissa was enjoying the ride in Sean’s car.

It was an older model, red Mustang convertible, and it drove like a dream. She watched as he shifted gears and increased the speed. This was the only way to travel. She would be able to meet her brother in record time. She pushed her hair back from her face and turned to Sean.

“Is this your car or the casino’s?” Marissa shouted above the wind.

“Mine,” Sean said. “I’ve had it since I was a kid. Do you like it?”

“Absolutely.”

Marissa smiled. It was amazing how the little things could make you whole again. Only this morning she was fighting for her life and now she was leaning back in a snazzy sports car speeding down the highway. Life was wonderful.

She felt a twinge of guilt about what was happening to Firbin. His talk of bonding and being connected had set off warning alarms inside of her. She didn’t have time for men and certainly not those who said they were from another planet. It wasn’t that she didn’t like men. She had four brothers after all.

She just didn’t want a commitment.

Not now.

Maybe never.

She’d had her share of failed relationships and she wasn’t ready for another. Her high school boyfriend had insisted that they needed space from each other, so they’d parted after graduation and went to different colleges. She’d been shocked when a month later he’d called to say he was getting married. He’d never once mentioned marriage when they’d been dating.

Her next relationship had been in College. They were both taking business administration and they had even talked about marriage until he’d met the daughter of a CEO of a major manufacturing company. He’d dumped her with a text message, saying he had to think of his career. She’d been bruised, but still hopeful of finding Mr. Right.

Her first job after graduation had cured her of that.

Her boss had pursued her and then dumped her.

That’s when she decided that a career was all she wanted. She’d put everything into her studies and moving up the corporate ladder. Men were not part of her plans.

She had too much to achieve to be caught up in the drama of another’s life. Firbin, even though he was cute, in a hunky, dangerous kind of way, was caught up in a battle that might not end well. Besides, he was young. Way too young for her. He looked to be twenty, maybe younger.

She frowned as she remembered what Vadim had said. He was over forty and he didn’t look to be thirty yet. That meant she couldn’t judge his age by his looks.

Firbin had been in control of himself during the battle with the Albireons. He hadn’t hesitated to kill or protect her. That meant he’d seen a lot of battle. That much she knew from her brothers.

They’d both returned different men after their first deployments.

Firbin had the same look.

A soldier who’d face a trial by fire and passed.

She rubbed her arms as a chill raced through her. He’d said they were connected. She wondered if that was true. She’d sensed him at the casino and having him beside her had made facing the danger easier. He’d made certain she was safe too. She pushed her feelings away. There was no point dwelling on them. Firbin was going into battle and he might not return.

A wave of sadness filled her.

How unbearable if she didn’t see him again.

She inhaled a quick breath. Sometime in the last few hours, she’d become attached to Firbin. She didn’t know how or why it had happened, but the thought of him dying was causing her pain. Her chest had tightened and her stomach churned with nausea. It didn’t make sense, but somehow she knew he had to survive.

She closed her eyes and willed him to live.

He’d said they were connected on a telepathic level, so she sent him a wave of positive energy. No matter what happened in the future, she wanted to know that he was alive. He might not be able to sense the energy she sent him, but she felt better knowing she’d tried.

With a sigh, she turned back to the road.

The scenery was beautiful. Desert and highway raced past and she forced herself to let go of her worries. It was a beautiful day and she was going to visit her brothers. She hadn’t seen them since she started working in Vegas, which was crazy, because she was so close. Work had kept her busy and now she understood why. KT Oil had their hands in more than oil.

Jack and Charles would know what to do.

They’d keep her safe.

They arrived at the outskirts of Indian Springs in under an hour. There was a small gas station just as they entered the town and Sean turned into it. He pulled up to one of the gas pumps and shut the engine off.

“Is this where your brother said he’d meet you?”

Marissa scanned the other vehicles in the parking lot until her eyes caught sight of Jack. He was standing beside a black decked-out jeep. The car was his baby, and she remembered how proud he’d been when he bought it over five years earlier. She pushed herself high in the mustang’s seat and waved to him.

It took him a second to realize it was her and then he smiled.

“He’s here.” Marissa opened the car door. “Thanks for the ride.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Sean’s voice was hesitant. “Vadim was adamant that I remain with you and make certain you were safe.”

“I’ll be okay with Jack.”

Marissa grinned as she watched her big brother saunter toward her. He was three years older and at thirty-one, he still hadn’t settled down. He was well over six feet tall, handsome with short-cropped blonde hair and the same light-blue eyes as she had. Growing up, he’d been closest in age to her and they had always defended each other. It was fitting that he was here to help her.

She ran to her brother and threw herself into his arms. He lifted her off the ground in a bear hug. He let her down and then put an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her close in a protective gesture of comfort. Suddenly, her problems drifted away.

“What trouble have you been getting into?” Jack’s voice was filled with concern.

“It’s nothing.” Marissa walked him over to the Mustang. “This is Sean. He brought me here from Las Vegas.”

The two men shook hands.

“I’ll take it from here.” Jack’s deep voice was filled with command.

Sean hesitated and then looked at Marissa. “You know where to find me. If there is any problem let the boss know.”

He handed her a cell phone.

“This will give you one call to the boss. Destroy it afterwards.”

Marissa reached for the phone, but Jack stopped her. “I think its best if she doesn’t have any more contact.”

Marissa frowned. “Are you certain?”

“Definite.” There was no mistaking the warning in Jack’s tone.

Marissa turned back to Sean. “Tell your boss that I appreciate his help. Perhaps it is best that I distance myself for now.”

“The others will be concerned.” Sean’s voice held doubt. “The boss is not a man to go back on his word.”

A shiver went through Marissa. Jack squeezed her shoulder tight and she sensed that he was impatient to leave. A quiver of discomfort banded across her chest. Perhaps it wasn’t wise to have accepted help from Vadim or his men. He did run one of the biggest casinos in Vegas and that often meant some unsavory connections. Maybe this was what had Jack so nervous.

“He knows I will be in touch with the others.” Marissa kept her tone light. “You need to get back. Thank you again for giving me a ride.”

Sean nodded. “As you wish.”

Marissa stepped back from the car and waited until Sean had driven off before turning to Jack.

“What was that about?”

“It isn’t safe to involve others.” Jack cleared his throat. “I don’t know what nest of vipers you’ve stumbled across, sis, but you’re in a load of trouble.”

Marissa stepped away from her brother. “What do you know about it?”

“It’s obvious.” Jack started walking toward his jeep. “You call me out of the blue and ask to visit. The last time we spoke, you were excited about your new position with K.T. Oil.”

“Well Douglas Norcott proved a bust,” Marissa mumbled. “Things are pretty complicated. Do you want me to explain everything right now?”

“Yes.” Jack stopped walking and turned back to her. “I’ve got the brass all over my ass because of you.”

Marissa halted. She’d been right to think her brother was acting strangely. “What are they saying?”

“That an FBI agent was found dead and you’re the lead suspect.”

Marissa’s chest constricted with panic. “You can’t possibly believe that?”

“That you killed someone?” Jack exhaled a deep breath. “No. But I do think you’ve got yourself involved in something that has law enforcement and the government up in arms.”

“You should have let me go back with Sean.” Marissa looked down the highway, but the red Mustang was out of sight. “I would never have called you if I’d known.”

“I sent that guy away so he wouldn’t become involved.” Jack ran a hand over the top of his head. “It’s best if we sort this thing out alone.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You need to turn yourself in.” Jack took her arm as he started walking again. “Answer the authorities’ questions so that they know you’re not involved.”

“It’s not that easy.” Marissa quickened her pace to keep up with her brother. “These people are connected to everything and some of them aren’t even human.”

Jack started to laugh. “That’s good, sis. Keep talking like that and you’ll be able to make an insanity plea.”

“I’m not joking.” Marissa pulled on her brother’s arm. “I’m not going to the police. They won’t believe anything I say.”

“Can you blame them?” Jack stopped and turned to her. “I don’t have a choice in this.”

Marissa’s eyes narrowed. “What did you do?”

“I’ve taken an oath to serve this country. I can’t go against the law, not even for my sister.”

“I wasn’t asking you to.” Marissa pulled her arm away from Jack. “I asked for a place to stay. I thought you’d be able to do that.”

“You thought wrong.” Jack leaned closer. “The first people they contact when they have a fugitive is family. Both Charles and myself were dragged into our CO’s offices and questioned about your whereabouts.”

Marissa crossed her arms. “You should have told me before I drove out here.”

“What difference would it have made?”

“I would have stayed with the guys who were already protecting me.” A shiver went through Marissa. “At least they care about what happens to me.”

“Are these the same guys who got you messed up in this business?” Jack’s voice was a low growl. “I’d like to meet them and give them a piece of my mind.”

“They helped me.” Marissa turned and started walking toward the road.

Jack followed. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Back to Vegas.”

“The place is swarming with police. They have an alert out for you.”

”How do you know?” Marissa’s tone was mutinous.

“Because you’re all over the news media.” Jack’s voice was filled with exasperation. “You’ve made the headlines as a cop killer. How far do you think you’ll get?”

That stopped Marissa.

Her body started to shake.

“Did you know this when I called?”

Jack put his hands on his hips. “Yes.”

“How could you?”

Marissa clenched her hands into fists. Never had she thought her own brother would deceive her. She’d trusted him her whole life, and now when she needed him the most, he’d gone to the police. The pain of betrayal was almost too much to bear. She had to force herself to breath.

“I can see you’re upset.”

“Do you think?” Marissa didn’t bother to hide her sarcasm. “You’re family. The one place I should be able to go when I need help.”

“We are trying to help.” Jack grabbed her arm and started to lead her back to his jeep.

Marissa struggled against his grip. “I’m not going with you.”

Jack grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her over his shoulder. “You have no choice. They’ve already surrounded this place.”

“Is that why you let Sean go?”

“Yes. The poor guy gave you a lift. He didn’t need to be involved in this.” Jack held onto her squirming body. “I’ll let you down if you promise to stay with me.”

“I’ll run.”

“Have it your way.” Jack kept walking ignoring Marissa’s struggles. When they reached his jeep, he plopped her back down on the ground. She tried to escape, but his arms kept her pinned between him and his vehicle.

“This is for the best.” Jack leaned close and lowered his voice. “Charles has contacted Sam and he took the first flight out of Los Angeles. You’re not to say anything without him present.”

“Sam is going to be my lawyer?” Marissa rolled her eyes. Sam was her younger brother and a recent graduate. “He does corporate law.”

“He knows people who can help.” Jack’s voice was coaxing. “We’re trying to help you.”

Marissa looked into her brother’s eyes and saw desperation there. She doubted this situation could be fixed through the legal system. Jack didn’t understand the odds she was up against. She leaned her head against his chest and sighed. There was no point in fighting this. She would have to go with him and hope that the people who wanted to speak with her understood. It was the only way she would ever be free.

She had to clear her name.

“These aren’t normal people I’m up against.” Marissa leaned away from her brother. “If you really think the system will work, then I’ll go with you.”

“I’ll be with you every step of the way.” Jack’s voice was filled with sincerity.

Before she could reply the sound of screeching brakes and the smell of burning rubber filled the air. Ten police cars, marked and unmarked, stopped within a few feet of where Jack and she were standing. Men jumped out of their vehicles with their guns aimed at her.

“Hands in the air.”

She had barely enough time to comply before her arms were being dragged behind her and handcuffed.

“Gently.” Jack was screaming. “She’s coming with you willingly.”

Two men grabbed her arms and marched her to one of the waiting squad cars. Before they could load her into the back seat, a dark SUV pulled up beside them. Two men dressed in black suits exited the vehicle and stopped the officers from putting Marissa into the car. One of the men showed an identification badge.

“We’ll take it from here.” The first man took Marissa’s arm and started walking her toward the SUV.

“Where are you taking her?” Jack demanded. “We’ve got her lawyer on the way.”

The man holding Marissa looked back with a scowl. “She won’t need a lawyer.”

He motioned to his partner who grabbed Jack and started to drag him to the black SUV. “You’re coming with us too.”

Marissa started shaking. These were not the police or the FBI. Instinctively, she knew that these people were connected with Douglas Norcott’s organization. They were part of the Shadow Government that Firbin had insisted was running this planet and now they had her too. Images of the creatures who’d held her captive rushed through her mind. She fought back the bile that rose in her throat.

She couldn’t go through that again.

Every cell in her body screamed out to Firbin for help.