CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The meeting behind closed doors in Steel’s office lasted for over three hours. By the end, Jake needed to stretch his muscles and get some air. This mission wouldn’t be like any other he had faced. They were going up against a global corporation that was renowned for its influential connections everywhere. Only a small covert team was being sent and he agreed this was the best tactic. Marcus slapped his shoulder as he reached the bottom step outside Steel’s house.
“Are you okay? You seemed distracted in there,” Marcus asked.
Ella and Sparkles were approaching from behind and he glanced back at the cause of his loss of focus—the green-eyed witch—and smirked at his friend.
“Sort it out. Tomorrow—well, who knows what it will bring, but waiting never helped anyone. Talk to her.”
Jake flexed his shoulders and waved his head from side to side to ease the stiffness in his neck. “I will.”
Ella reached his side and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. “Why don’t you come over for dinner, you two?”
He smiled down at her. “Another time. Sparkles and I have plans.”
Isabella glared at him with her bright-green eyes that made his stomach clench. “We do?”
He extricated himself from between his friends and after studying the beauty before him, was nervous for a moment she might resist. Not willing to give her time to analyze his request, he pulled her hand from her side and laced his fingers with hers. It was now or never, and quite frankly, he couldn’t function without resolving his conflicted feelings, come what may.
“Yes, Sparkles, we do.”
Her green irises flared and he knew, despite the fact he wasn’t a witch or anything other than a plain boring human, this incredible woman wanted him. That was enough for him to take the risk and find out what this bloody Roman was to her. Urgent footsteps made him look up.
Steel, with his rigid and military-style short haircut, bobbed down the steps toward them.
“We leave at one o’clock. Shadow, Bear, and the others are going now to observe and keep an eye on the facility. Any changes—I will be in touch. Do not leave the compound.”
“Sir, is that absolutely necessary? I made plans,” Jake said. It was true; he had brought along a picnic basket in his truck and he had picked out just the right spot down the coast, off the beaten track, where he would wine and dine Isabella with the intention of casually asking her who the fuck was Roman. He swept his hand through his short hair, glancing back at Sparkles, and she squeezed his hand reassuringly.
“It’s okay, we can find somewhere here to talk. Come on.” She tugged his hand and pulled him away. He looked back at Marcus, but let her guide him away.
“Damn it, Meadows! Not another bloody couple. You know the rules!” Steel shouted.
“Steel, this is one you’ve broken yourself. You know when you work closely with team members, feelings develop,” Marcus said.
“Don’t talk to me about feelings, Drayton. Christ, you better be focused on the task at hand in the morning, Meadows, or I’ll have your balls.”
“I will, sir.”
Jake turned his back on them and stomped off toward the cliff top with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Isabella stole his concentration. Before he took another step, there was something he needed to do. He grabbed her waist, which brought her to an abrupt stop, and twisted her around to face him. All her fiery-red hair swung around, hanging like a river of lava over her chest. He captured her face in both his hands and noted the sharp intake of breath. By the rise and fall of her round breasts, she was surprised by his action. He knew her heart beat fast. No, he wasn’t a witch or any magical being. He was simply a man. Jake leaned in close, watching her cheeks flush and her head tilt back just enough that her mouth lifted at him. For once, his gaze fixed on something other than her hypnotic eyes. Those wicked and luscious plum lips beckoned to him like fruit asking to be devoured. He leaned his forehead down on hers.
“Just where are you taking me, Isabella?”
She leaned her body into his and placed her hands on his waist as if to steady herself.
“My home, if you want?”
Her clear eyes sparkled up at him, and he swore a shadowy island echoed there in the green of her eyes, bewitching and tempting him. He lifted his forehead away and moved his thumb to caress her full lower lip. He swept it gently across her sensitive skin, gaining her complete attention. Tempting, so tempting. He removed his finger.
“Steel said we weren’t to leave the compound,” he said.
“Technically, we won’t. Come with me, Jake. Don’t you trust me?”
He cocked his head to the side. There weren’t many he did, but he trusted each member of his team, including her. “Don’t be putting me under a spell and ravishing my body—because I know how much you want to, Sparkles.”
“Ha, you’re funny. I wouldn’t need to waste my magic on you for that. You want me more than you can begin to understand, and I know that without question, lover boy. Now we need to go because time is of the essence and I need to be ready for tomorrow.”
Jake glanced around the vicinity, unsure how Isabella would manage to keep them here and take them to her home at the same time. He scratched his head, wanting to ask her and at the same time not wanting to appear stupid. He had never dated a witch before. Come to think of it, he had never dated before. He blew out a breath. “Is this a date, Sparkles?”
“Do you want it to be?”
“I want to know who Roman is to you before I go anywhere.”
“It’s complicated, but I will explain when we get there.”
Jake stood back, distancing himself from her delectable body. That word froze the blood in his veins. He didn’t want complicated. It sounded nasty and painful to him.
Isabella sighed and pressed her lips together. “He saved me. I’m a witch, but I’m not immortal. I have real blood in my veins. I was somewhere I shouldn’t have been, and there was an altercation with a vicious and sadistic monster who is drawn to children. You see, Jake, I’m a hunter—it’s what I do. It’s what I was raised to do. To keep my kind and those like us safe. But this time it was a human. A child. Afterward, I ended up injured, badly. The girl died. I couldn’t save her. Roman smelled the blood from miles away. I would have died too, but instead, he took a risk and exposed who he was. He killed the monster—and saved my life.”
Isabella heaved out her story and he stood, listening to every word and watching every expression she made. He believed her. Hell, with everything he had learned over the past months, he’d learned anything was possible, but he crossed his arms. “Okay, so why does this hero of yours believe you belong to him?”
She huffed out a long breath and pouted. He liked it when she did that to her lips—it made him want to kiss her senseless—but he needed to know it all.
“You’re a stubborn man. I could have explained all this on the island.”
Now, his curiosity piqued. “Island? Where is this island?”
Isabella swept her arm wide out to the Atlantic Ocean and some miles south arose a rocky island surrounded by white mist. It wasn’t there before, and he was certain it didn’t exist on any official map. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her—he did—but he didn’t understand why she felt it better to explain about Roman there and not standing right where they were. Something inside him insisted he keep asking and he wouldn’t move until he did.
“Nice. Is that where all your people live?”
Isabella nodded as she looked at the island. “It’s our sanctuary. A place of peace where no one can harm us. It’s my home, but I have many places that I stay. Here at Steel’s mansion, for one. I’m the sort of girl who, wherever I lay my hat, is my home, but the isle is different.”
Staring down at the lush green grass, he sat down, and Isabella followed. He leaned back with his arms stretched out behind him for support; she sat with her legs crossed over in front of her as she picked a dandelion and blew the white petals at him.
“I like the sound of your island, Isabella, but before I go anywhere, I need to know why you feel unable to explain everything to me here.” This time, he sat forward and he peered deep into her eyes, resisting the lure that tugged at his heart, not wanting to be captivated by her charms.
“On the island, you would have to hear me out. You wouldn’t be able to simply walk away.”
He shook his head. Wow, Sparkles wanted to kidnap him. He smiled, but noted behind her eyes a sadness he had never seen before and he leaned over to take her hand. “Thanks for being honest with me, but I’m not going to walk away. Now, tell me.”
“I was dying, and he’s a vampire. He made me drink his blood, it healed me, but it also linked us in a way I cannot break. I’ve tried. He thinks we are fated in some twisted way to be together, and that I’m his prize. I have told him that my feelings are not what his are, but he refuses to listen. He claims that will change, and that I belong to him, but I’m not a possession. I don’t accept what he says.”
Jake listened and understood her situation. The man had saved her, and although he wasn’t a mind reader, he saw conflicted feelings shuttered behind those arched brows. She was right; it was complicated. He pulled her hand and stood, drawing their bodies together. He brushed her long, wavy hair back over her shoulder and ran his thumb along the edge of the pale skin of her neck. Two brown circles stared at him like moles at the base of her collarbone. Roman had marked her, and instinctively she reached her hand up to cover them.
“When I was at the psychiatric hospital, he knew my energy was failing. The bond we share allows him to know where I am unless I’m on the island. The magic shields it from all eyes and no one can enter unless they are invited.”
Jake held the sides of her arms and watched as she played with her mouth, chewing the top lip as if nervous, and again he pushed for more.
“So, Roman saved you by giving you his blood. That was honorable, and yet I didn’t get that sense from him or from you. What did he ask for in return, Isabella?”
Her face paled and she twisted out from his hold. She walked toward the ocean with her back facing him. Jake followed but remained a short distance behind her.
“My blood. The first time, I didn’t realize the bastard was drinking from me. I was weak from the injury. When he explained, he made out I was too tempting to resist. Either way, by that action, he caused a bonding to take place against my will.”
She dipped her head and he turned her around to pull her into his arms, unable to stop himself, knowing that she needed his comfort. Isabella molded her body into his and he groaned. His body throbbed with need for her.
“Have you two ever kissed or done anything else? Does he have a right to make a claim on you?”
She shrugged out of his clasp and shook her head. “No, we haven’t, but you don’t understand. In a world of different entities, there are laws. Laws we must adhere to. The laws of our world are fragile, just like here with you humans. At any moment, the balance can be disrupted and therefore my sisters agreed to his claim on me. They said I broke our rules that said we weren’t to interfere with humans in the first place. I put my family in jeopardy and I must pay.”
Okay, his head ached. Isabella was right; it was complicated, and not something that would be resolved overnight. The desire that had been building vanished. Usually, he could indulge in casual sex; looking over at Isabella’s curves made his mouth water, but he backed away. He couldn’t do this. Not now.
“Look.” He shrugged. “I need to go and run, work off some tension, lift some weights. I can’t think straight.”
Isabella strode away from the edge of the grass and headed back to the mansion. He charged after her. No one was around; everyone had left, carrying on with whatever plans they had for this afternoon knowing tomorrow they needed to be focused only on the mission.
“Isabella, stop. I have listened to all you had to say. Don’t you dare walk away from me.”
“I’m a witch, Jake. I can read your emotions and if I try real hard, hear your thoughts. You’re looking for a way out. I get it. I do. You want me, but you don’t want the shit that comes with me. You said you wouldn’t walk—well, here’s the thing, you don’t have to. I’m going. See you at one o’clock.”
He stared after her as she strode away with a straight and determined swing to her hips. God, she was sexy when she was angry. But he didn’t stop her. He couldn’t. He raked his hands through his hair and swiveled around.
“Shit,” he said to the air quietly.
****
Ella stood next to the fireplace, ready, in her navy trouser suit and starched white shirt, with her hair pinned back into a conservative chignon. Resting at her waist was her Glock, secured in the holster. She had been ready since midnight. It was now one thirty in the morning. Jake and Isabella sat in the chairs that flanked the mantelpiece. Marcus had been discussing the step-by-step mission they were undertaking this morning. She pressed her sweaty palms together and blew out a short breath. She could do this. She could.
“Okay, the complex is designed in a large U shape. Ella and I have identification passes to get us past the military police and inside the building. Isabella and Jake, you’re going to disarm the surveillance camera system. The team, including Shadow and Bear, are all situated, ready to move when the live feed goes down. We will meet them in the laboratory to collect the professor and recover Nate. Any questions?”
Ella swallowed. They had been reviewing their plan for the last thirty minutes. Marcus sounded focused on the task, but this was their baby. A million “what-if” scenarios raced in her mind. What if they were caught? What if the security badges and clearance didn’t come through on Black Hawk’s computer? What if Nate wasn’t there? What if…
“Shah. Stop thinking about all the ways this can go wrong. Steel penetrated their computer system, and when they scan our identification cards, the fake identities will appear. We’re two FBI agents performing an investigation of the facility, which is authorized and sanctioned by headquarters in Boston. As part of an ongoing and active case file, we want to interview Professor Simon Cohen in relation to the murdered Professor O’Connor. We know he will be in the building because we have been given that information by another employee, which we are not at liberty to discuss in any detail. By the time they are able to get confirmation, it will be too late.”
Ella sighed and nodded. When Marcus went over the plan, it sounded feasible—almost easy. Earlier at Steel’s house, they had each rehearsed their parts and acted out the scene a million times until everyone knew the part they were to play. Her heart thudded in her chest. Hopefully, after everything, she would hold her baby in her arms. A swell of panic rose again.
“The nursery isn’t set up. We don’t have anything ready for him…”
Marcus grabbed her hand. They needed to leave in five minutes, and she stared toward the stairs leading to the nursery that only a couple of months ago had been waiting for their son’s arrival.
“Ella, it’s not too late to back out. I understand how hard this must be for you. I can do what needs to be done with the team if you want to stay here. Just say the word, but know that Ava is here, and when I give the order, she is going to set Nate’s room up.”
She stared at his serious and unsmiling face, understanding instantly. He was determined and confident but underneath he was realistic and couldn’t predict the outcome. Marcus had thought of everything, but held off assembling Nate’s room until he was certain. It brought everything to the front of her mind. Everything the professor had put her and her family through: the drugging, the abduction, taking her baby. Anger overtook her fear. She needed to go. Ella wanted to face the man she hated and loathed. She lifted her head higher. “I’m ready.”
Marcus stepped closer. “As much as I want him dead, we need the bastard alive, Ella. You have a gun, but we need him. He can help us get at the heart of the Elusti.”
There was no way to hide her emotions, but she agreed killing the man wouldn’t help in the overall goal, which was to defeat the organization behind him.
“I know.”
Jake and Isabella stood, both quiet. Marcus swept his glance over to them, noticing the odd silence too.
“Is there a problem, you two?”
“There’s no problem, boss.” Jake’s determined steel-gray eyes gave nothing away.
“No problem, just focused on the task at hand, sir,” said Isabella.
They each spoke with a clipped, business-like tone. It was obvious they weren’t talking to each other. They had arrived at the house separately and neither smiled, but now wasn’t the time to delve into why, even if she felt some empathy toward them.
“Good, because this isn’t an ordinary mission. This is about bringing my son home,” he said.
Ella studied Marcus as he clenched his jaw and a fine bead of sweat covered his forehead. He was controlled but the weight of the mission and its success lay on him like a dead weight. Ella felt for her gun; feeling the cool metal at her side was enough to push her to move.
“Let’s go.”
She wanted to squeeze Marcus’s hand and hold him, but the tension he felt swirled inside her, and neither closed the gap between them. They needed all their attention on what they were going to do. Marcus lifted his navy fitted jacket and shrugged his arms through the sleeves, covering his white shirt. Marcus led the way, with Ella and the others close behind. The drive into Andover would take around forty minutes. With it being dark outside, it wasn’t expected to encounter much in the way of traffic. Ella left the house and stared at it for a moment; when they returned, their life would change completely. Butterflies fluttered in her belly, but she strolled away and slid into the back seat of the Humvee.
Marcus turned the engine on and it purred to life. He maneuvered the vehicle out of Steel’s estate, sliding his security card through the gate at the entrance, and drove down the dark, quiet road.
“Shadow, Bear, how’s it looking at Black Hawk?” He spoke through his headset.
“Quiet, boss.”
Ella sat behind Marcus next to Isabella, who seemed preoccupied and quiet. Jake sat in the passenger seat with his headset on but he was focused on the iPad screen in front of him.
Isabella slid closer to her and touched her hand. “I have a gift for you to wear under your shirt. It’s a blue agate crystal necklace. It will help calm your mind. You’re dealing with a lot of stress and hearing all the voices is setting you off-balance. This will help you to tune everything out except for what you need to hear.” Isabella leaned over her and threaded a black ribbon around her neck. Dangling at the bottom was an oval milky-blue stone.
“It’s beautiful, Isabella. Thank you.”
She blinked back tears. Ella hadn’t really had a girlfriend before and, studying Isabella’s wide green eyes, acknowledged how much her friendship meant despite having been sent to befriend her. In many ways, they were alike—both guarded and unwilling to trust others.
“What happened with Jake the other day?” she whispered.
“What usually happens when men find out about Roman.”
Ella nodded in understanding, imagining how anyone would be put off by such an intimidating character, but Jake was like Marcus. He didn’t lose interest easily.
“I get it but he,” she nodded in Jake’s direction, “has real feelings for you.”
Isabella sat back. “It doesn’t matter—it’s better this way. You’re lucky. You and Marcus are the same and yet different. Jake would never be able to accept the real me twenty-four seven—my family, my heritage, and the baggage that comes with that. It would never work between us. And anyway, my sisters would forbid it.”
Once before, Ella had sensed a terrible sadness about her friend and considering her emerald eyes, the secrets she held were buried there.
“Surely, your sisters want you to be happy?”
Isabella turned, hiding Jake from her vision. “Like I said, you’re lucky you get to choose for love. My fate is sealed. Otherwise, I risk offending a prince. Roman isn’t just a vampire. He’s the leader of his people and the line of friendship between our races is a fine one. The balance can be broken at any time. I’m a peace offering. One that isn’t of my choosing, but nonetheless, I’m responsible for this mess as I broke the rule of our people.”
In all the time they had talked, Ella hadn’t learned very much of Isabella’s background. She believed her friend didn’t talk about her family and her life for a good reason. She hoped that one day she would let her in and had never wanted to pry, but now, she wished she could help in some way. She lifted her friend’s hand. “What rule?”
“I put myself at risk. I risked exposing my kind, by trying to save a human child. It was a situation my kind deemed an unnecessary intervention. Anyway, I failed, but in that moment, I was vulnerable. Roman found me. Saved me. I can’t go into all the details now—we haven’t got time and we should be focused on what we’re about to do.” Isabella heaved out her short tale and she knew there was more.
Ella wanted to ask the several questions that percolated in her head, but to press her now wouldn’t be a good idea for either of them. Her friend was right. Marcus took the exit off the highway; they would be at the facility soon. Ella lifted the crystal and kissed it. The butterflies from earlier vanished; in its place, a steel-like resolve burned in her belly. The landscape of residential homes vanished and in its place a long line of trim bushes appeared. They were close.
“We’re here. I’m dropping off Jake and Isabella. They will hack into the surveillance system and disrupt the live transmission. He will manage your tactical movements from there on in. Be ready,” Marcus said to the team through the headset as he pulled over.
“Shadow, I will stop the live footage ten minutes into play and then the show begins. I will guide you through the building to ensure you head in the right direction. Isabella is going to disarm the alarm system and I will show you which exits and entrances you can use. I’m getting a visual now of your positions and all your GPS tags are lit, which is good. Stay alert. The plan is to switch off the live broadcast for twenty-five minutes. That should give you enough time to get in and out. So early in the morning, hopefully, the guards will be half asleep,” said Jake.
Ella pulled her jacket closer.
Marcus turned around to face her. “Okay, this is it. If you set yourselves up just inside the woods, you’ll get the cover you need away from any cameras but you’ll be close enough to run the operation.”
Isabella bent forward and kissed her on the cheek; as she gripped both her shoulders, a sudden fear gripped her.
“Be careful.”
The beautiful witch gave a wide smirk. “I always am.”
Jake and Isabella exited the car and Ella slipped into the passenger seat. She watched as her friends set off in the darkness, their outlines absorbed into the inky blackness of the woods.
“Are you ready?” Marcus’s voice was soft but steady.
“Yes.”
He put the gearshift into drive and moved away from the curb. She let her mind wander to thoughts of Nate. A short while later, they reached a turning point on the right side of the road. Ahead was a six-foot red brick wall and the first security checkpoint. A tall man dressed in a military uniform was visible through the window of the small waiting room. He stepped outside as they pulled into position alongside him. The stern-looking man with a buzz cut approached the car. Marcus lowered the window as the guard stepped closer to inspect the vehicle, walking from the front down toward the back. He signaled for him to open the trunk, which Marcus did, and the soldier lifted the door to search inside. After a moment, the man closed the trunk and returned to the window to face Marcus.
“Sir, what is your business here?”
Marcus pulled out the security identification paperwork confirming who they were and showed him their FBI badges.
“I’m here to interview Professor Cohen for an active case we’re involved in.”
The young soldier studied the photographs, flicking his gaze over at the two of them and back at the information. He stepped back and fed the paper through a machine to scan it and check the identification details. The moment of truth arrived. Would they get through? The seconds ticked and Ella stared ahead, not willing to risk losing her calm sensation by looking at the soldier with his weapon holstered and on display at his waist.
“All set, sir. Drive up to the main entrance and park on the left side. Someone will greet you at the entrance.”
Everything happened quickly. Marcus parked the Humvee with the altered license plates in the allotted position and they exited the car to make their way to the entrance. At the glass entryway, a pair of heavyset, suited men greeted them. The blond man with classical and clean-looking features took their paperwork and scanned it on the computer just inside at the front desk. The darker man with ink crawling up his neck glanced at their FBI badges before he handed them back. Ella fixed her eyes on the computer screen as it swirled through myriad faces and again her heart thudded in her chest. A moment later, their faces appeared and the blond guard passed the paperwork back.
“I’ll take you straight to the laboratory to see Professor Cohen. Follow me.”
Ella slid a glance over at Marcus, but he looked focused on the man ahead, not meeting her eyes.
Stay alert, Ella. That was too easy.
Hearing him inside her head on this occasion helped reassure her and confirmed they were both thinking the same thing. They walked over a sea of glossy cream granite floor tiles, past the mahogany wall panels toward a black round table with an enormous crystal vase and blood-red roses set upon it. The entire reception area reeked of luxury and wealth. They were led to two elevator doors and a shiver raced down her spine. The building was eerily quiet aside for the tapping their footsteps made. The men positioned themselves, one in front and one behind. The first guard pressed the button to call for the elevator.
“Do you normally get visitors this early in the morning?” Ella asked. She couldn’t help herself. The silence made her skin itch with nervous tension, and she played with her pendant, willing it to help her.
“You would be surprised. Normally, however, we have more notice than this,” the man behind her said.
She turned to examine his face and caught him checking her out. His gaze rested on her bottom and rose to meet her eyes. Ella smiled at him sweetly. Flirting with the guard was part of the plan. She wet her lips as the guard continued to appraise her body, and ground her teeth as his explicit thoughts of what he wanted to do to her filtered into her brain, making her cheeks flush. An impulse to slap his face rose.
Ella, don’t react—stay calm. I’m here.
Marcus growled inside her head, showing his own reaction to the man’s thoughts. Turning her back on the guard, she unbuttoned her white shirt a little lower to expose her cleavage more, knowing it would help distract him.
Ella.
I can handle myself, Marcus. I’m just trying to unbalance and distract him.
You’re doing that, all right!
The elevator arrived and they stepped inside. Ella stood at the back with Marcus to her left side and the guards on either side of the door. The elevator descended and the blond guard gazed over at her breasts just as the lights flickered and the lift shuddered to a stop.
“What the fuck,” the guard shouted.
After a moment, the lift moved and the lights came back on.
He doesn’t like confined spaces. That was Isabella disarming the alarms; she said it may cause some electrical loss of power.
They’re concerned about the power outage. Time for the show.
“God, even now, you can’t help yourself, can you?” Marcus shouted at Ella.
“What the hell do you mean? I’m not the one who has sex with every woman they ever laid eyes on,” she spat back at him.
Both guards stared at them. The elevator rattled and stopped as they reached the bottom. Ella smiled at the blond guard and he gave a wide smile back.
“Anyway, why do you care? We’re not married anymore, so get over it. You will never be able to touch me again.” She ran her hand over her exposed skin above her lace bra.
They had rehearsed the argument over and over, but performing it before two strangers who looked confused and pissed off added to the performance. The doors opened and the guards exited but the blond one waited for Ella, holding the doors as she passed through.
“As if I would want you when you flaunt yourself the way you do to anyone with eyes and a dick. I knew this was a mistake. I’m asking Henderson to transfer you as soon as we return. I’m not taking this shit anymore. You’re like a bitch in heat wherever we go. I don’t need you for this stay here,” Marcus bit out, stomping after the guard down the corridor.
The lights flickered again and dimmed. Ella sniffed and put her hand on her shirt, but the guard stepped into her shadow and placed his hand over hers.
“Don’t. He’s an ass. Why don’t we let them carry on and we can pass the time here? I can find us somewhere dark and quiet where I can give you what you crave.” He leaned into her body and pressed his aroused manhood into her belly.
She swallowed and stared down the now empty corridor and up at the large man who pushed her hand away and started to unbutton the rest of her shirt. His blue eyes glinted with silver and the corners of his mouth lifted into a wide smile. Ella knew his excitement wasn’t going to stop and he wasn’t looking to take her anywhere private. He would carry out his intentions right here.
Marcus, where the hell are you?
There was no response. Sizing up the man, who cupped his hand around her breast and squeezed, she knew he was heavier and stronger than she was. If she kicked out, she assessed the man would fight back and win hands down. This could get out of control quickly if Marcus didn’t surface. The guard pushed her back against the wall and tugged her shirt out.
“No need to rush. I thought you said somewhere private…”
Before she could finish, he kissed her and squeezed her breast roughly. Outrage poured through her; she lifted her knee and slammed it into his crotch. The man cried out and released her. She pushed away from the wall and darted away, but he grabbed her hair and pulled her back to face him.
“You bitch. If you think you can tease me and walk away, you’re mistaken.” He raised his hand to hit her, but she jerked back and struggled to free herself. His hand gripped her hair and tilted her head at an angle. Burning pain seared in her scalp, and she lashed out with her hands. Before she could sink her teeth into his arm, the bull of a man let go of his hold on her and was hoisted away from her. His body flew several feet down the corridor, where he slammed into a wall and dropped to the floor, unconscious. Re-buttoning her shirt, she dashed over to help Marcus secure the guard. They taped his mouth and secured his hands before dragging him into a side room to hide him.
Ella settled her erratic breathing and wiped her mouth with her hand. She fought for control as bile rose in her mouth.
“I’m sorry. I was longer than I thought. It took me awhile to find an unlocked room to stash him. Are you okay?” He cupped her face and ran his gaze over her.
She nodded as she readjusted her hair to restore some order.
I’m fine now.
Ella tapped her earbud to allow the team to know they were free of the guards. They charged down the corridor, taking a right and then a left.
“Jake, are you there?” Marcus said.
“Yes, boss. Keep going straight. You’re about two hundred meters from the laboratory. I can confirm there are several staff in the holding facility where the babies are. The professor is there. Shadow, Bear, Payday, and Preacher Boy will be there in three minutes. Isabella has switched off the alarms and the live feed has stopped. You have fifteen minutes.”
“Copy that,” Marcus said.
Ella charged down, taking the turns needed as Jake navigated their way to their destination. Signs also aided their search and moments later, they stood outside two locked doors that led into the laboratory and their child. Ella stared at the electronic keypad. It was all that stood between her and her baby. Her stomach clenched and she froze. She couldn’t move.
“Ella, come on. Now isn’t the time to fall apart. Jake, can you unlock the door? We’re right outside. Jake?”
“Confirmed, the door is open, boss. Two minutes to the troops arriving, boss.”
Marcus swung his gaze at Ella; she drew in a deep breath and pushed the door in a tentative action. The door yielded and moved a fraction. With that, she pushed harder and they both slipped inside. The room they entered looked like a typical laboratory, with long workstations and stools positioned in front of monitors, computers, and microscopes. There were three tall steel refrigerators and sinks in the rectangular room. White cupboards filled the walls and wire shelves with trays of medical supplies were stacked in immaculate order. Staring right at them was a large glass window that overlooked a bigger complex. The warehouse she had visualized in her dream. They were in the right place. The moment of truth.
The room beyond held the babies.
They approached as close as they dared without being spotted by anyone and scanned the area for the professor. Ella glanced at the door that led inside, and next to it was a rack of scrubs. Instantly, she dashed and grabbed one of the outfits. She tore off her jacket and donned the blue uniform over her clothes.
“Relax, Ella. Slow and steady. Remember, you’re supposed to be there. Deep breath.”
This part was hers alone. Marcus was the support and the backup. She was going inside and would make her way around while trying to connect with Nate. Marcus would wait for the boys and seize the professor. Once dressed and with her surgical mask covering her mouth and nose, she stood next to the doorway and pushed her palm flat against the white frame. She clipped her identity badge on the pocket and pushed the door, walking in with a determined tread. No one glanced her way. The warmth of the room comforted her. The steady hum and buzz of the machines made her focus on each tiny detail as she swept her gaze around the entire facility. Staff focused on their tasks. She counted seven people dressed in identical garb to her, but she blew out short breaths, keen to place the professor. Her heart flip-flopped inside her ribs.
Where the hell is he?
Stay calm, Ella.
She proceeded down the rows, aiming to focus her wandering mind on thoughts of Nate, but her hands started to shake.
I can’t do this.
Yes, you can.
Staring ahead, the edges of equipment and machines blurred and became fuzzy. She shook her head and dipped it low, not wanting to draw attention to herself. The sharp edges of the room softened. As she continued to walk, the bright light from the maximum-watt bulbs above dimmed to a shadowy inky darkness. Voices echoed and surrounded her. Cries beckoned. Baby cries. She darted her head around but the warehouse vanished; she wandered into a dark void of nothing.
Ella.
A chorus of female voices called to her and her body snapped to attention. Flashes of familiar faces swam in and out of her line of vision like the ghosts they were. Motherly, curvy Gwen. Beautiful, innocent Isabel. Baby Meg, and regal Lady Elizabeth Dempsey. Each vision whispered the same mantra over and over.
He’s your baby.
He cries for you.
Listen.
His eyes tell your story.
You will be a wonderful mother.
Each woman called her name and flew around her, guiding her path and leading her. She trusted the women whose bodies she had once lived inside, letting their words bathe her in a renewed confidence and strength.
We will always be here for you, Ella.
You are the light and hope of each of us.
The darkness lifted and the warehouse appeared with crystal clarity. In a short space of time, she had moved across the large warehouse to the end of a row next to a baby of around two months old. Her heartbeat catapulted and her body burned. A soft whimper teased her senses. She stepped closer and closer toward the cot until her hand touched the ridge at the top. She bit her lower lip and held her breath as she studied the infant that lay with its wide blue eyes open. The chubby baby, with its button nose, wide, glossy rosebud lips, and soft white-blonde waves tuned into her. For a second, it seemed the room around her dimmed. An energy held her. She couldn’t move and as she stared deeper into the baby’s eyes, the faces of Gwen and the other women flickered there.
Nate.
A well of tears surfaced.
Ella, we’re coming in. Have you found him?
Without another thought or word, she lifted the small bundle into her arms, soaking in his fresh scent, and rubbed her nose against his cheek before she kissed his petal-soft skin. The warehouse didn’t exist anymore for her. Her only care or concern lay in her arms and no one would remove him from her ever again. She cuddled the baby as he gurgled against her chest and let out a deep breath. Raising her eyes to survey the scene, she prowled like a hunter, not willing to give up what belonged to her.
“Remarkable. I knew you would come. I didn’t know when or how, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt you would come. Tonight, when the guard phoned ahead to let me know that two agents requested an interview, I knew it was a ruse. They know you’re here, Ella.”
Cradling her child, she lifted her head and stared into the narrow eyes of her enemy. The professor stood in his long white coat, no weapon in sight and his dark spectacles perched on his nose as he examined her. A door banged, and heavy boots stamped into the warehouse. There were screams, but she didn’t dare take her eyes off the vile man before her.
I’m here, Ella.
“No matter what you do, you’ll never stop them, Ella. The Padre’s reach is all encompassing. All he cares about is power and your brother is helping him gather all those with magic. I could’ve escaped but I wanted to see you for myself. Only now, seeing the real you, do I believe what the Padre said all along. You’re not like the others. I have the DNA that proves you and your beloved are extraordinary individuals. Extraordinary.”
Brother? What is he talking about?
She couldn’t form words. Fear overwhelmed her at his revelation. She swallowed down her alarm and risked a quick glance as footsteps grew louder. Two camouflaged men charged at the professor, but he didn’t resist as he held his arms out in front. Bear snapped plastic tags onto his wrist and looped it onto a second one on the other wrist to secure him before they each grabbed his arm. They pulled him away and out of sight. She couldn’t move. It didn’t seem possible.
Ella.
She twisted around and Marcus stood there with his thick brows arched, his gaze intent on the baby in her arms. He lowered his head to kiss the quiet bundle on the forehead.
We need to go, Ella.
Marcus stepped back and grabbed the charts and notes that were in the folder at the end of the cot. There would be other records, bloods and files, but they didn’t have time to collect anything more. He motioned for her to move in front, which she did, careful as she clutched her precious baby tight. She raced toward the exit, flanked by Payday and Preacher Boy. As she stood at the exit, she paused and looked back at the babies left behind.
What about all the rest?
The authorities have been called, but we cannot intervene today. Nate was the mission. Once he is home and secure, we will put an end to what the Elusti are doing.
“Boss, you have one minute and counting. Get out of there, now.”
Ella ran as fast as she could holding Nate, who fell asleep in her arms. She couldn’t take a breath until it was all over and kept running. She watched the halls and doorways, nervous of an intervention. The door up ahead was open with Payday securing the exit as she dashed through and stepped outside into the glorious and sweet fresh air.
The sky was a gunmetal gray, lighter than the inky sky of earlier, and birds chirped. It felt as if they had been inside for hours when in fact it had been twenty-four minutes. Just steps away, the professor was held by the team. As Shadow open the back door, to push her enemy inside, he stumbled and fell back, dropping to the ground.
“Move. He’s been shot.”
Ella felt a hand push against her back and shove her into the Humvee, but she twisted to see what had happened. The professor lay on the ground. Blood saturated his white coat.
“I need to save him. We need him alive. Marcus, take Nate.”
“Ella—go.”
She handed the baby to him. Despite her feelings, she slipped out of the vehicle and charged over as the boys carted the professor into the back of the black van. More shots fired and the boys peppered the air with bullets. She jumped up alongside the professor as the door slammed behind her. Rapid gunfire continued as she pressed her hands over the wound, pushing all her energy into the still and lifeless body.