CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Yesterday revealed what Ella had suspected for some time. Her baby lived. Last night, after they returned home, a discussion ensued until the wee hours of the morning. At times, Marcus lost his control at her suggestion of ways to track and find their child. In the end, both exhausted, they went to bed. Marcus fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow and although Ella closed her heavy eyes, sleep didn’t come. She drifted away to another time. Another body.
The rank smell of damp invaded, but a soft, delicate scent of lavender touched her instantly as she opened her eyes in the old world.
“I’m pleading with you by all things holy, if you use the leeches, Megan will die,” Gwen said.
Her instinct drove her to beseech the woman once more, who by her distance and stance toward the intimidating priest, was scared to voice her opinion in case he judged her harshly.
“Woman, if you do not leave, I will have you dragged away. Your presence is no longer required.”
The priest stepped in front of Mary, taking over and hiding the mother from her view. This wasn’t new; the vicar was renowned for his controlling behavior, his strict sermons about sin and the consequences of not following a holy life. He may well say that God had chosen him among all men to do his bidding, but Gwen never believed that any merciful God would punish those for their weaknesses. After all, God created all mankind. Gwen didn’t believe the teachings of this man. She didn’t trust him one bit, and his desire to inflict leeches on a sick child brought her to react like never before.
“No, sir, I will not. I have been treating her sickness. You must wait for the fever to break.”
A determination to see her ministrations through to the bitter end come what may took over. A strength she didn’t know she had brought a new fire to her. The priest lowered his head to peer narrowly at Gwen.
“Very well, I will leave this place, but mark my words: if the child dies, your fate is sealed. I will make sure of it,” he snarled.
With that, he swiveled around. His long black cape swirled behind him as he exited through the small doorway and Gwen breathed out. She had made an enemy of him, she was certain. One that no matter the outcome would find a way to gain his revenge one way or another, she was sure. A high-pitched moan from the corner made her swish around.
“Mama.”
Mary squealed and darted toward the child. “My child, you’re awake.”
The woman looked back at Gwen and nodded at her with flushed cheeks and tears streaming down her face. As she studied the woman, the love shined on her face. All she wanted was for her child to be well. Would she ever feel that kind of love?
Ella slid out of bed and watched as Marcus lay asleep. In all her previous lives, she had never given birth, until now. She wrapped her arms around her narrow waist and stepped away until she was near the bedroom door.
“Ella, where are you going?” Marcus spoke with a calm and clear voice.
She twisted around to see him sitting up straight in bed. Waves of annoyance washed over her from him, and he stepped out from the bed in all his glory, totally naked. Her perfect warrior ready to battle and conquer at any given time. Without putting on any clothes, he strode confidently toward her and she knew it was pointless to resist.
“The gray hairs you said I have not long ago are down to you, woman. Why do you insist on taking everything on alone? Have you forgotten we can hear each other’s thoughts? I may close my eyes but I am tuned into you all the time.”
Marcus grabbed her shoulders and eased her body into his. She pressed her head against his beating heart, loving the warmth his body offered. The tension that filled her veins vanished as his rich scent filled her.
“Now, I know you want to rush headlong into this, but we need to take one step at a time. You said when I was in Mexico, you could visit me. It’s how you were able to let the team know when to go in, right?”
She lifted her head back and stared up at his dark, soulful eyes. “Yes.” Her voice was hoarse and dry.
“You also said that you needed something of mine to do this?”
“Yes,” she said, knowing what was coming.
“Baby, we have nothing of Nate’s. How is that going to work in this situation? Look, Steel has a team that’s focused on tracking the location of the professor and there’s intel from the women we rescued. They’re looking at video feeds from the road and traffic cameras around the hospital’s vicinity. If we can identify a number or a plate, or catch him that evening, it’s a starting point. A dot that will lead to another and another. We will track and locate him. He will surface somewhere in the system. He can’t simply vanish.”
Hearing Marcus use their son’s name squeezed her heart. She desperately wanted an end to this. She needed an end, and one that involved Nate in her arms. Pressing her lips tight, she held the sob that rose inside and willed herself to stay calm.
“I know all of that, but I need to try this. Time is of the essence. They will use and test him. He will be no more than an experiment or a guinea pig to them. If Nate is calling out, there’s a connection. A bond—stronger than anything material I could hold of his. It doesn’t involve me going anywhere. I can sit here with you. All I have to do is focus on the morning he was born.”
She could hear his heart rate jump inside his chest and he let her go. Marcus grasped her hand and directed her back to the bed. Watching his lean and rounded muscles in his arms and strong legs made her insides turn to mush. A fluttering of desire beckoned and rose, catching her breath. He always made her feel out of control and needy for his touch. Always.
He rubbed his thumb across her palm and her heart sped up. “I know how you feel, Ella. Let me get showered and dressed, because if I don’t, I’m going to give in to the rising desire you feel. I bet if I touched you right now, you would already be wet for me. Am I right?”
The backs of her legs touched the bed, and a quiver of anticipation thrummed through her belly at his sensual words. He was a master at seduction and as he leaned in close to her face, he brushed a soft kiss on her waiting lips. The beat of her heart tuned in with his, both succumbing to the rising need to be together. Marcus pressed his tongue along the seam of her mouth to gain entry, and she opened for him to deepen the kiss. A swirling of delicious sensations rippled through her body and she had no choice but to grip his arms as he devoured her mouth. She relished the warmth and spicy taste that was Marcus. He plundered her mouth and deepened the kiss. Ella couldn’t help but touch his skin and embrace his body as they shared this connection.
When he broke away, he planted soft kisses along her chin and neck. A shiver erupted down her spine as she clung to him. His hand left her waist and touched the soft skin at the base of her short chemise. She wanted to stop to focus on what she needed to do, but as his hand skimmed over her thighs and found her delicate silky folds, she lost herself in the exhilaration he created. A groan of pure need escaped her, and without another thought, they fell on to the mattress.
As the bed bounced with their weight, Marcus continued his assault on her senses. He lay by her side and kissed the sensitive skin behind her ear. She arched her body off the bed, riding the powerful sensations weaving through her blood. His fingers stroked her slick velvet folds, and her need soared. He thrust one finger deep inside her core and added a second, increasing the moisture already seeping from her sex. The need for him to fill her grew, and she dug her fingers into his back as he rose over her. His rigid cock prodded her thigh, and as she lifted her body up, wanting him, the pulsing sensation building in her core grew unbearable.
Marcus withdrew his fingers and lowered his body to touch hers. His cock jutted at her wet entrance, and he groaned as he thrust deep inside, filling her. Her muscles tightened around his cock. Waves of euphoria crashed, and her entire body pulsed as he rocked into her. She tilted her hips each time he thrust deep inside to match his need.
“You—are perfect for me, and you drive me to distraction,” he said.
The male scent of Marcus danced in the air and the feeling of him buried deep made every cell in her body tingle with awareness. She pressed her breasts against his sculptured chest and ran her hands down his spine to cup his rounded bottom, pressing hard to bring him deeper inside still. Marcus growled out loud, but slowed his fast pace.
“You’re my addiction,” Ella said. The climax that hit took her over the edge and Marcus followed, slumping his weight on her before he slowly withdrew.
She moaned at the loss of contact.
“I didn’t want to crush you,” he said.
She leaned over, grabbed his chin and planted a soft kiss on his lips. “I love you.”
“I know, and I love you. Go and shower because we need to discuss what you want to do before we go to Steel’s.”
She nodded and reluctantly moved from the bed. The love she held inside for Marcus overtook her sanity, and her heart burst with love for him and their baby.
After a shower, she dressed in her dark pants and a soft lilac T-shirt. Ella tidied the room and folded her arms to think about the professor and Nate. He couldn’t possibly know she could hear his thoughts. Or for that matter, that Marcus could. He may have let her go believing she had died, but he knew now that wasn’t the case. Focusing back to the scene at the hospital, she pushed all other thoughts away to concentrate on the morning she lay on the rigid and cold operating table, helpless.
The heart monitor alarm kept beeping, and her energy and fight deserted her.
“Do what you can, but make it fast. I’m leaving. I must report back to the Padre when they’ve finished with the baby. Dump her in the woods with the fetus.”
His cold, emotionless voice echoed around the room as he talked about Ella and her baby. The man who thought so little of her life or that of her child walked closer. She watched as he stroked the top of her head and gazed over her body. The surgeon continued to work to stop the bleeding, but the machines beeped in the background.
“You’re such a disappointment, Ella. Somehow, I always expected more of you. In the end, you’re just like the others. You’re nothing special. Last time, it wasn’t magic that saved you; it was simply good timing. This time, your luck has run out. In the end, you’re no different than all the others. Good-bye, sweet Ella.”
The memory finished, and Ella shook.
“I heard that. Come here.” Marcus stood with his wet hair swept back and arms open wide, waiting for her.
She ran to him and savored the strength he provided as he hugged her tight. She rested her head on his chest and he swiped her hair away from her eyes.
“He thought you would die, didn’t he?”
Ella nodded.
“Now he knows you’re alive—his interest in you will be obsessive. I believe they left your body with the fetus to stop any further investigation or searching for the baby. He was tying up loose ends. I don’t understand why the DNA didn’t pick up the fact that the infant wasn’t ours. I’ll get Steel to check out who the medical examiner was. What’s clear is you’re not the only woman they have been using in this way. I believe there’s a connection with the missing women in Mexico. Ava has been working with the group we rescued to gather intel. Maybe she will have some news. Are you ready to try this?”
Standing there in his warm embrace, she knew she could try anything. “Yes.”
“Okay.”
With his arms pressed firm along her back and the heat from their fused bodies, she relaxed into his embrace. She let go of the fear and settled her mind. The professor couldn’t touch her here. He didn’t understand the power she held. She hadn’t, until she talked to Ariana. Pressing her eyes closed, she stirred her senses. The fresh scent of lemon and coconut waved around her. Marcus had been using her shampoo, and she smiled. She could do this.
Her mind wandered back to that morning. The vivid sounds and acrid smells in the operating room. Automatically, her stomach tightened and she guarded her belly. A quick and violent tugging pulled at her abdomen. The passing of a still bundle from her exposed womb to the nurse held her in absolute fascination. Time stalled. Her heart beat, beat, beat. Seconds ticked. No sound. No cries. The baby disappeared and a wave of bile rose.
Frustrated, Ella wanted to end this journey, and opened her eyes, but when she did, the view wasn’t of her bedroom.
Like a spirit wandering above, her gaze flicked over an enormous bright-white room with row upon row of sealed incubators. Inside lay tiny, doll-size sleeping babies with plastic tubes inserted in their noses and several blue stickers plastered across their naked chests. She didn’t recognize the surroundings. The machines monitored the babies’ every vital, and buttons flashed a bright red. Farther away, there were large open cots with older babies, some crying and some sleeping. Nurses in blue scrubs and gloves recorded the readings, changed diapers, and took blood from the babies’ feet.
The room seemed to go on forever, like a warehouse.
Counting the rows to estimate the numbers made her dizzy. Maybe a hundred. Maybe more. The wails of the babies surrounded her. How would she know hers? She studied the faces, noting a variety of complexions, hair and eye colors. She had never laid eyes on Nate. A well of panic burst and a sob rose inside at the futility of the situation. She scanned the room, the heat making her feel stifled. She darted her gaze at the faces of the nurses, both male and female. No one she recognized, but as she studied their name tags, there was a logo in the corner. A bird. A black bird with its wings spread out wide. The room faded but the cries followed her, and she covered her ears with her hands to drown them out.
Hands shook her shoulders gently.
“Ella, it’s okay. I’ve got you.”
She opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around Marcus’s neck, squishing their bodies together. Her body trembled and for a moment, she couldn’t speak.
He ran his hand over her hair and tucked a section behind her ear. “Talk to me, but could you loosen your hold a little?” He smiled down at her, but his brows dipped severely.
Ella eased herself away. She needed a drink and wet her lips, feeling thirsty.
Marcus clutched her hand and pulled her out of the bedroom. “Come on, I’ll make the coffee and you can spill all the details. I caught the sensations you experienced—the alarm and panic—but I couldn’t see what you were seeing.”
Once they reached the living room, he let go of her hand and marched into the open-plan kitchen. Marcus headed straight for the pale wooden Shaker cupboards and grabbed hold of a bag of rich coffee beans, which he poured into the grinder. Ella carefully relayed what she had seen in her mind of the building as he made the coffee. The rich aroma hit her senses and her stomach growled. She eyed Marcus and he smirked.
“Sweetheart, you’re starving. Will a bacon and cheese omelet suffice?”
“Yes.”
She tiptoed behind him and hugged him around the waist, leaning into his broad back and loving the feel of him.
He peeked at her over his shoulder and twisted around to gather her in his arms. “Ella, we’ll find him. I feel your pain, and I wish I could take it away. I know you’re worried you will not recognize Nate, but I am confident you will. Even if it’s an issue, there will be records. Wherever this place is, there will be files.”
She stared into his dark, confident gaze that begged her to believe him. “It could be anywhere. All I saw was a symbol. Well, an image of a black bird on the name tags. I looked for a sign, but there wasn’t anything.”
Marcus smoothed her cheek with his hand. “Enough. Let me cook. You need to eat before we head over to see the others. We’re bringing him home, Ella.”
****
Ella strolled into the operations room with Marcus, who left her side to head over to Steel at the front. As soon as he left, the apprehension since hearing the professor’s words returned, and she stiffened. She wanted to be out there, searching for Nate, and couldn’t wait any longer. She rubbed her hands along her sides to diffuse her heightened frustration. The muted light in the room helped and it made the television and computer screen stand out, capturing her attention for a moment. She switched her line of vision around. Several people manned stations and observed video feeds. Jake stood by one of the computer stations with his back to her as he focused on the overhead screen. Isabella stood next to his side. She smiled over at Ella and laid her hand on Jake’s arm. Ella stepped over to them.
“It’s okay, Sparkles. You don’t need to explain. I get it,” Jake said without even turning his head to look at her.
Isabella glanced again in her direction and Ella smiled at her.
“Hey, it’s nice to see you’re okay. You gave us a scare yesterday. Who is Roman?”
Isabella opened her mouth, but snapped it shut as Jake butted in before she could speak.
“Morning, Ella. I would like that answer too, but it must wait.” Jake walked over to join Marcus and Steel.
Ella stared after him. “Okay, well, maybe he’ll wait, but I won’t. Who the hell is Roman? He was a piece of artwork, with all his tattoos. I was worried sick, especially when I didn’t get hold of you. I left like a million messages.”
Ella placed her hand on Isabella’s arm as she looked over at Jake.
“I’m sorry, but when I exert my energy the way I did yesterday, helping those spirits pass on, my magic is drained. You know—you must know when you use an excessive amount of magic how weak you feel afterward. Well, I fainted, and I needed to recover. Roman is a nightwalker, and to put it simply, he’s linked to me.” Isabella shifted her gaze to Ella.
“So, Jake’s right? He’s your boyfriend?”
“Is that what he thinks? Of course he does, and it’s why he won’t look at me this morning. Look, I’m not involved with Roman romantically. He saved my life. It’s how we met. It’s a long story, but he’s not my boyfriend.”
Ella smiled at her friend and glanced over at the men who were walking toward them.
“Well, from what I saw, Roman has a different view of things.”
Isabella moved closer and whispered, “It’s complicated.”
“He acted as if he owned you. He said you belonged to him.”
Isabella heaved out a long breath and looked away. “Damn him.”
“Come on, we can talk about this later. It looks like we’re moving.” Ella wanted to discover all she could about this Roman and help her friend, but she needed to find out what news they had of the professor. She walked to meet Marcus, and he nodded at them both.
But Steel stepped in front. “My office, now.” With that, he flashed each one of them a quick glance before he walked out.
Jake and Marcus followed him, and Ella joined them, with Isabella last to close the door. Her friend tugged her sleeve, and Ella stopped.
“I heard the cries yesterday at that horrible place. I know you did too. I know you heard the professor, but he could be setting you up.”
Ella sniffed. She knew her friend’s words were true, and she nodded. “We’ve thought of that, but he doesn’t know we can hear him. Either way, we must follow every lead and see where it takes us. You would if this was your baby.”
Isabella released her. “Yes, I would.”
She wet her lips and said quietly, “Isabella, I need to master blocking Marcus from my thoughts. He has, but I’m struggling.”
Her friend studied her face and nodded before they walked down the corridor to the elevator. Minutes later, they approached Steel’s office.
The door swung open and Marcus faced them. “Inside, now. Ava is here, and we have a lead.”
A knot twisted in Ella’s stomach. She knew Ava was pregnant and there was a sliver of empathy for the woman because of this, but she also knew she didn’t trust her one bit. Walking into the large room that smelled of cigars, her gaze rested on Ava’s pale face.
“Everyone, come in and get settled. There are a few issues I need to discuss.” Steel sat down at his desk, studying papers in front of him. “Firstly, a body was discovered just outside the Mexican border. It’s Philip Jackson.”
Ella shot a glance at Marcus, who stood next to Steel’s desk with his arms folded, not looking at her but studying the pictures on the desk.
“Next, and this is interesting—look at this picture.” Steel lifted up a color photograph of the professor exiting a restaurant.
A shiver rippled through her body. “It’s the professor, but where?”
“Well, this is the interesting part—it’s right where it all started, in Andover.”
That’s insane. It means that the professor has been in the same area all the time. Why wasn’t his location discovered before now?
“I don’t understand. The man who, by the way, was reported as murdered while I was marked as the prime suspect, has been living in the same place all along? How? It doesn’t make sense.”
Ella stepped closer, trying to piece all the evidence together but also noting that Marcus continued to remain quiet. Steel held up another sheet of paper and immediately, she grabbed it.
“Ava uncovered from the women she interviewed the name Black Hawk, which coincides with your description of the design you saw on the name tags, Ella. I know without a shadow of doubt Black Hawk is the name of a company that has the biggest military contract in the States and their logo is a black hawk. They work for DARPA. For those who don’t know what that stands for, it means Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.”
Steel stared directly at her as she took everything he said in and assembled it together. The professor was working for the government—well, for the military, more precisely. Which meant what he was doing was legal. Ella lifted her gaze toward Marcus and he stared at her with his mouth held in a tight line. He was holding it together, but barely.
She swallowed. “The date stamp on this shows the professor was in Andover yesterday. Do we know where he is now?” She leaned across the desk and looked at Steel but it was Marcus who spoke.
“Black Hawk’s main headquarters are in Andover. He’s still there,” he said.
“Right. Well, we need to go in now,” she said, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice. But as she stared at everyone in turn, she knew she hadn’t.
“You cannot be involved in this mission, Ella,” Steel said. She shot her gaze to him and then at Marcus, whose face was as serious.
“I don’t care what skills you bring to the table. One hothead is enough,” Steel said.
She knew without a doubt that meant Marcus was going, while she was left out in the cold. She couldn’t believe they would do this to her. She needed to be there. Ella slammed her hand down on the table, making the coffee mug wobble.
“No, damn it. I’m the lure. You need to use me as bait. He knows I’m alive. He knows I’m not like the other women. We need to know what he’s doing and not only get my baby back but put an end to this. If you all rush in, God knows what will happen.”
In seconds, Marcus left his position and grabbed her arms, making her face him as if no one else was in the room.
“Don’t you stop for one minute and think what may happen if we both go in and don’t come out? What the hell happens to our son? Are we right back at that moment where you have to choose who is more important?”
No one spoke and the silence lengthened. She pushed away from him as her heart sped up and surged along. Was he right? Should she stay? The bottom line was she wouldn’t die. They had mated, which rendered them immortal. If a bullet hit her, she would go down, bleed out, perhaps lose consciousness, but her body would heal. It was the same for Marcus, even if he didn’t believe it or truly accept it. She had stared death in the face twice and survived. They were immortal. She twisted around and stood in front of her husband. She placed her palm on his cheek.
“It’s time to face who we are. We’re immortal. I won’t die. Neither will you, but I’m not sure about our son. I know for sure that Jake could get hurt and others too. We are Nate’s best hope. Please say we are not still at the point where we must choose. We’re a team. We’re different and we need to use that to our advantage. I’m not and never will be the little woman who is happy to sit at home. That’s not me.”
“Damn right!” Steel spoke and Marcus’s head snapped up.
“We don’t have time to waste and quite frankly, I’m done with this bullshit. You all work for me. I think somewhere along the line that has been forgotten, even by me. I made it a rule that my employees didn’t date or get involved, and for this exact fucking reason, damn it. I’ve changed my mind. I agree with Ella. In view of the immortal shit, we really need to discuss your remarkable skill set. All of you. Drayton, you force me on this and I’ll kick your ass. She’s your other half—your partner. Accept the fact she’s not some delicate little rose. Ella deserves more than anyone to be there. She has more fire and guts than any woman I have ever known—don’t start with me, Drayton. Ella is yours, but mark my words, boy, if you mess this up, I will be there to pick up the pieces.”
A hushed silence descended and Ella gripped the table. Steel deliberately provoked Marcus, but he didn’t respond because as she stared at him, he knew she loved him unequivocally. He sighed in defeat.
You will do everything I say when we go. Understand?
Her heart squeezed and she nodded.
“Now, if you all can pay attention. Jake, dim the lights. I have aerial footage of the enormous Black Hawk facility that confirms that the professor’s there. I have a comprehensive internal map of the building, too, from my sources in the government. This is a secure military factory that has nearly five thousand employees and its square footage is one point seven million. It’s an enormous site. With state-of-the-art security at every step of the way. You can’t just walk in. Black Hawk is a technology and innovation company whose primary focus is defense and cybersecurity solutions. It’s the military’s number one contractor for missile defense, warfare solutions, precision weapons, and specialized training for high-risk areas. It has a global presence and its estimated sales last year was around twenty-six million dollars. The main man, chairman and CEO, is billionaire Mr. Larry Stein. His nickname is the Padre.”
The dimmed lights didn’t take away the enormity of the situation. Before, it was simply the professor and an unknown entity, but now the identity of the man at the center was revealed. Marcus came to stand next to Ella and placed his arm around her shoulder, squeezing it tight as Steel continued.
“Now we have a target.”
She looked at his face, stern and fixed on hers. His pupils wide and alert. He was focused and in total control.
“Is that good, when we know that he’s a man of considerable wealth and power?” she whispered.
“Stop. Jake, stop the video. Lights on. Okay, I need all eyes on the intelligence we’ve gathered, but if you need to talk before we do that, talk. Christ, it’s like being back in school,” Steel shouted.
The lights flashed on and Ella stared at Steel, who scratched his head.
“To answer your question, Ella, it’s good to have a name, but you’re right—getting to that target is not going to be quick or easy. Mr. Larry Stein, we suspect, is the leader of the Elusti. He’s the main target, but to get to him will be virtually impossible. There will be layer upon layer of security, plus his contacts are everywhere. He’s in bed with the military and the government. His power is far-reaching, with contacts in every organization that has influence, including the police and all aspects of the media. It means cover-ups, lost information, and corrupted files. Murder is easy and second nature to them. For this mission, however, we are concerned with the professor. We’re going to bring him and your son in.”
She swiped a look across at Isabella and pressed her lips together. Steel needed to know their collective talents and how they could help by disarming security systems, or influencing the environment to create a distraction. Isabella nodded at her and she stared at Marcus, who gave a quick nod too.
“Okay, sir, we need to discuss a few issues with you. You see, we have certain gifts that could help us in this situation. Marcus and I have heightened senses, especially for hearing and sight. Marcus is exceptionally strong, something you have already witnessed, and I can detect other entities such as vampires and ghosts. Isabella…”
“I’m a witch, sir. I can manipulate the weather, cast spells, and generally cause chaos,” Isabella said.
“I can vouch for that,” Jake stated.
Ella smiled over at Jake, who wouldn’t look at Isabella, and it was as clear as day he had feelings for the pretty woman. Relationships were never straightforward and easy.
“Right. Well, I hate to shatter your illusions but you haven’t fooled me. I have been aware from the beginning that the ladies are special. I’m a military man—nothing gets past me. As for you, Drayton, there’s a lot you don’t know about me, but believe me when I say that’s not the case where you’re concerned.”
Marcus pushed away from the desk and confronted the older man. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He folded his arms.
“It means I’m a patient man, but now is not the time for patience. It’s the time for action. Josephine came to me years ago. She tracked you down and paid me a visit. She opened my eyes to a few details about my life and well, it changed the direction thus. Now, this isn’t the time to catch up, but one day, we will sit down and have a real conversation. Now we need to formulate a plan and make sure there are no fuck-ups.”
Ella watched the interplay between Marcus and Steel. She could feel the mixed emotions he experienced, but it could wait. Steel was right; they needed to talk through all the surveillance footage and plan their execution of the mission with a military precision to make it fail-proof.