Chapter 25
The entire flight back to Apex, Tyce kept Briel on his lap. She didn’t complain, and it was a good thing, because he’d have ignored her. He needed to be close to her right now. He had to touch her, and he couldn’t stop scenting her to ensure she was okay.
“You were bleeding,” he spoke into his headset knowing she’d hear his words easy enough through the pair she had on.
His eyes dipped when she rubbed her arm over the coat he’d bundled her into as they’d left StoneCrow. “They shot me with a tranquilizer dart. I tore my skin ripping it out, but their Doctor, Jenny, took care of it. It was a scratch.
A scratch! The thought of a single drop of Briel’s blood being shed, or any injury to her beautiful body at all, was enough to have to throttle the growl that wrenched its way up his throat.
Since he’d taken Briel and Fena from DC, he’d promised them at least a half-dozen times that they were safe. And then what had happened? Briel had been taken from right under his nose. Worse, because he still hadn’t fully claimed her, there’d been no hope of his halo leading him to her. His hand inadvertently tightened on her thigh as he realized Conn had been right. Damn this waiting and taking things slow. Briel needed to become his now!
It was as if the finality of the thought was a trigger. A loud ‘boom’ sounded seconds before alarms in the cabin blared to life. The helicopter rocked violently, and Briel shrieked, throwing her arms around his neck even as his arms around her waist tightened.
“Report!” he commanded.
“Holy hell!” In the pilot’s seat, Bronco’s hands worked feverishly to keep the chopper airborne. In the seat beside him, Conn yelled, “We take a hit?” He didn’t wait for a response before pulling a weapon from beneath his seat.
Tyce’s gut clenched hard. His hold on Briel became almost brutal, and he knew it was because he was terrified. He wasn’t going to lose her now, he couldn’t. Not like this!
James, Shane, Bragg, and Lok had opted to shift and fly back to Apex, so Tyce yelled, “Get the team back here!”
They were still closer to StoneCrow than home so he swallowed his pride and barked, “And contact Monroe!”
“Already done!” York yelled. “The boys are on their way, and Monroe says his teams at Apex still have eyes on the mercs there. This must be someone new!” Shouldering a weapon, he held one out to Tyce.
The Dominant’s eyes dipped to the rifle and he was torn. To defend his Angel, he’d have to release her and he wasn’t sure his inner beasts would let that happen. Hell, even the man in him wanted to keep her held tightly to him.
The choice was taken from him though when the chopper slammed to the side and Bronco declared, “We’re going down. We’re going down. Brace! Brace! Brace!”
Tyce wrapped his hulking frame as best he could around Briel, her head held tightly to his chest with one hand as his heart thundered in his ears. Like an idiot, he hadn’t buckled her in when he’d hauled her onto his lap. Now, the only thing keeping her from being flung about the cabin was his hold on her. Fear for her safety seized him, but was nearly buried under the tidal wave of his regret. She could die right now never knowing what she was to him, how much she meant to him.
“Briel…”
He only got the one word out before the chopper hit the ground with a jarring impact.
***
Briel clung to Tyce’s frame, his arms almost crushing as they held her. He said her name and she barely heard it over the blare of the alarms, and then they hit the ground. The impact was violent, but Tyce never let her go. The sounds died down and smoke filled her nose causing her to cough, but still, she clung to Tyce.
“Briel! BRIEL!”
She was shoved back and relief hit hard when she looked up at Tyce.
Light and cold flooded the cabin as one of the doors was opened and then men were pouring out.
On his way out the door, Conn stopped to ask, “Tyce?”
Without taking his eyes from where they scanned her body for injury, he barked, “Secure the perimeter!”
Conn rushed out and then Tyce and Briel were alone with Bronco. The pilot hit several switches, and Briel didn’t understand why. The helicopter was dead.
“Are you alright?” Hurriedly, Tyce unbuckled himself and grabbed Briel’s hand while his other reached for the weapon York had left near his feet. It had slid under the bench seat in front of him and he bent to pull it free. When Briel didn’t immediately answer, his gaze jerked back to her and he demanded, “Briel! Are you alright?”
She nodded. “Are…are we under attack?”
His only answer was a barked, “Stay in here.” He shoved her to her knees and then palmed the back of her head, forcing it down too. “Stay low.”
Alarm colored her tone when she lifted fear-filled eyes to his. “You…you’re leaving me?” She could tell he didn’t want to, she knew he needed to go help his men, but selfishly she begged, “Stay! Stay with me.”
Looking from her to the door, she could almost see acquiescence in his eyes when Conn stuck his head in. “We’ve got company! They’re coming in fast!”
“Son of a…” Tyce pushed her head back down. “Stay low, Briel.”
He rushed the door just as Bronco yelled, “TYCE!”
He didn’t stop though and worry filled Briel when Bronco cursed and hurried to unbuckle himself before clambering over the seat and racing out the side door shouting, “TYCE!”
Alone on her knees in the helicopter, Briel didn’t know what to do. She wanted to listen to Tyce and stay inside, but she didn’t want them outside risking their lives for her. She could only assume they’d been shot down because those men Monroe had told her about had been trailing her and had seized the opportunity.
Straining her ears, she expected gunfire to erupt any second. That fear had her eyes scanning the floor. Tyce and his men pulled weapons from beneath the seats. Maybe there was an extra rifle. Tears filled her eyes as she realized she wouldn’t even know how to use one, but she had to check. She had to try. Hiding in the helicopter feeling helpless wasn’t an option. She needed to move, she needed to help, she needed to find Tyce. Because right now, the thought of him outside risking his life to protect her ripped something open inside. What if he gets hurt? What if he dies?
Her hand hit something hard and she pulled. Two seconds later, a large bad-ass looking rifle rested in her lap. She knew enough to know that there was a safety she needed to disengage. Quickly, her eyes scanned the weapon and thank God! There on the side was a little lever next to two words. Fire and safety. Currently, the lever was clicked to fire so she assumed it was hot and ready to shoot.
Standing, she hauled the weapon up with her. It was heavy. Still, she lifted it and braced it against her shoulder like she’d seen her father’s soldiers do when she’d been out to see him at the base. Taking in several calming breaths, she steadied herself with hardened resolve. Tyce wasn’t going to die protecting her. If anything, he’d die fighting beside her.
Briel used her foot to slide the door of the helicopter open and pinched one eye shut, squinting into the scope, ready to let loose.
Both eyes snapped open when Tyce, Conn, Bronco and York whipped their heads around to stare at her.
Bronco canted his head and murmured, “Well that’s sexy as all get out.”
Tyce grinned and held up a hand. “Lower the weapon, beautiful. False alarm.”
The trees behind them exploded with movement and Briel’s slowly lowering weapon shot back up. Tyce was to her in a flash and gently pulled the weapon from her hands before handing it off to York. “Those are our boys.”
James, Shane, Bragg, and Lok stepped into the clearing where the helicopter had crash landed. “Everyone alright,” James called.
Conn rushed to talk to the men, but Tyce dipped his head and looked at her. “The helicopter crashed due to a rotor malfunction. No one’s here, Briel. You’re safe.”
All the air left her in a relieved whoosh as she threw herself into his arms.
He chuckled. “What do you think you were doing with that weapon?”
“I…I was gonna help.”
He looked down at her with a frown.
“She wasn’t going to help much.” York held out the weapon so Tyce could see it. “Damn think wasn’t even loaded.”
Briel’s mouth dropped open. “It…it said fire.”
Tyce smirked and shook his head once. “They all say fire until their loaded. It’s the only time the safety action works.”
“Oh my God.” She shook her head in disbelief. “I didn’t know. I’ve never used one before. I’m sorry, Tyce. I…”
“Hey.” Tyce cut her off, smoothing a thumb under her eye. “Listen, Briel. There’s something I’ve gotta tell you and I’m not waiting a second longer.”
She watched as his expression turned serious. “I…”
Suddenly, vehicles surrounded them and Tyce released her to shove her behind him.
“What in the fuck!”
She recognized the voice and when she peeked around Tyce’s large frame, she was relieved to see King and a dozen men from StoneCrow climbing out of blacked out military looking vehicles.
“False alarm,” Tyce shouted. “But we need a lift.”