Burned In Shadows (Shadow Unit) (21 page)

At least they were prepared for this.

“Why is she sleeping now? We thought it wasn’t supposed to happen for a few more months.”

The plan was
to acclimate her into their relationship. Ronin knew there was going to be an issue with her having two males in her life, but he’d thought that could easily be solved by stepping aside. Now he knew there was no way in hell he was letting her go, and he neither would Royce. They were in it for the long haul.

“Her nesting can be brought on for any number of reasons, it could be a memory that triggers it from her past, or Bena and Lady Ignis could both experience the passion of a true joining.”

“True joining?” Royce asked.

“You mean sex?” Ronin followed up with.

“No, not sex, the connection.”

“Ryan you’re starting
to piss me off with your talk around. Explain.”

“It’s n
ot for me to tell. It’s sacred.” Ryan looked Ronin and his brother in the face clearly eyeing them, and just as quickly dismissing them. He didn’t see them as a threat.
Interesting.

“
No shit. So we basically bonded with her on like a sacred level.”
Royce said into Ronin’s mind.

“
Seems that way.”

“If the Matria wishes to explain further she and her consort will give you that honor.”

Ryan quickly shut the door and drove for what seemed like hours before he pulling into a ghetto ass neighborhood. For fuck sakes, they didn’t have time for this shit. They needed to get her to the Enclave. Words were exchanged with two men that stood outside the door. They quickly nodded and then opened the door to reach in and grab Belinda, who was now in Royce’s lap.

“Don’t,” Royce growled.
Ronin placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder to calm him. If these fuckers wanted a fight he would gut them.

“They will take Lady Ignis to sanctuary.”
Ryan said.

Ronin stepped out of the car and looked at the neighborhood
. It was littered with trash. Suspicious men were hanging around. It was their style of dress that made him weary. D was a thug through and through, but it was the look in their eyes that gave him a bit of pause when it came to the safety of Belinda.
Fuck, a kwiky mart? Seriously?

“The
Enclave is in the middle of fifth fucking ward?” Royce asked, looking around.

“Yes, what better way to hide from those who would seek to steal our immortality?”

“I wasn’t expecting to see this shit? Do they know who you are?”

“Yes and we make sure they are well taken care of.”

Ryan sounded like a pompous ass.

“Our girl fucking lives in the fifth ward!” Fifth
ward wasn’t too bad. Although the buildings looked worn down and empty, they were actually a carefully placed cloaking.

“This place
isn’t ghetto,” he said to his brother loud enough for Ryan to hear.

“There are fucking people on the buildings with A.K’s and shotguns.”

“Standard protocol.” Ryan said as he entered a code on what looked to be a main apartment building. The gate opened, and he watched as men carried Belinda inside. Every immortal was different. He knew this. Vampiri found their mates when they shared their blood. For wolves, it was a mark that was given to their females. For ferals, there were different signs. One of the signs was not hearing their intended’s thoughts. There was also the constant need to claim ones mate, but because he wasn’t the only one affected by her, it was touch and go. They were the only set of twins he knew of that needed to share their woman.

As they passed through
an entryway they were greeted by a tall woman. Taller even than Belinda. Surelle Ignis. She had straight black hair with multi colored crystals attached on the end of each strand. Her skin was darker than Belinda’s, no laugh lines or crinkles on her face. It was like the woman was cut from marble stone. She had the look of nobility. Belinda’s origins were Egyptian descent, a classic statue like quality with a frailty she did her best to hide. On her mother, it was out in the open for everyone to see.

There was a gentleman standing next to her.
He had creases and laugh lines, he knew how to live.

“Welcome to the Enclave,” Surelle said in a
regal voice, her arms extended out in welcome.

Ronin nodded and
knew it was too much to ask his baby brother to keep his mouth shut.

“Nice place you got here,” was
Royce’s response to her greeting. Surelle barely acknowledged their presence after her first official salutation. Her crystal clear eyes were directed towards Belinda.

“Let’s get her to sanctuary, Harper
, show these men to their rooms. Ryan, I need you to brief me on everything.”

“Please, come this way,” Harper gestured in the opposite direction. He didn’t want to leave her, but he
’d play it cool for now. There was no reason to get ugly. Yet.

Chapter 23

Z
ea woke in a cold sweat. She was dreaming again. Dreaming about Marcus. She hadn’t given him a second thought in months. Now that she was here, she kept seeing snippets of her old life when she closed her eyes. Royce still hadn’t contacted her, and with no directive from Dravaggio she was flying blind. She quickly got up and dressed. There was an all-night coffee shop a few blocks over. She could make contact with the captain there.

Sneaking out of the
compound wasn’t hard. With the ability to absorb anyone’s appearance she simply walked by a guard and quickly took his form. As soon as she made it out of range and out of the public’s eye she changed back to her appearance as Zea.

When s
he reached the coffee house she went directly to the pay phone in the back. It was two in the morning, and the place was still packed. The captain picked up on the first ring.

“Yeah.”

“It’s me.”

“Why are you calling?

She took a deep breath. It didn’t matter if you heard his voice over the phone or in person. It packed a powerful concentration of fuck me vibes. She knew he gained energy from it, but she wished he would drain outsiders and not skim what little he did off the top from his fellow teammates.

“Fix your voice, and I’m calling to check in.”

“Wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I’m pulling you and Adam out. I can’t make this anymore clear.” He talked right over her. Didn’t give her the chance to say a damn word. “I’m trying to prevent devastating casualties. You get out tonight or all communication will go dark.”

“Sir, you don’t understand I’m close.”

“Did you hear me? I’ve already made contact with Adam. He is fully aware of the situation. Dietrich knows where to retrieve the both of you. Don’t fuck this up.”

He couldn’t be
serious. She was not pulling out. Enri had given her time with him. Had assured her if she convinced him to leave, there was a chance they’d make it out of this alive in one piece.

“When is pick-up?”

“Twelve hours. Meet up with Adam. He’s got the coordinates.”

“How’s Faith?” She had to know.

“She’s adjusting with Mara and Antony but misses you. I spoke with her yesterday and promised a five year old I’d bring her mom back in one piece. Don’t make me a liar.”

The phone went dead
, and Zea breathed a sigh of what small relief she could get from his statement. She’d be back, just maybe not on time.

She walked up to the front of the lobby and walked right into the bane of her existence and
love her life. It was a total mind fuck! There were days she loved Draven so deeply it hurt, and other days like the past three weeks, she’d wanted to kill him dead. Had he heard her phone call?

“Black, what are you doing here? I didn’t know you were a coffee drinker.”

His forehead was ceased and the frown around the corner of his mouth deepened.

“Leaving the compound without per
mission is a direct violation.”

His hand reached out and painfully wrapped around her
arm. She wasn’t going to let him intimidate her.

“Yeah, well I don’t handle rules very well.”

She walked into his chest and placed her free hand on his shoulder and pulled in a deep breath. He hadn’t slept with Melissa. Her scent was nowhere on his body.

“Have
coffee with me.” Black growled.

He didn’t give her a chance to explain, just dragged her over to a
booth and shoved into the seat.

“That’s not nice Black.”

“Not trying to be.”

Zea moved closer to the window
while Black sat next to her.

“Thought
you were getting some ass tonight.”
Take it down Zealand, don’t provoke him.

That was going to be hard because
at every turn around every corner that dumb ass, broad was on him.

He looked tired, and if it wasn’t for his eyes being drowned out with black, she could
have almost felt sorry for him. His head snapped around at her remark, and he didn’t respond for long seconds. Acknowledging that he was going to sleep with that female caused her throat to burn from keeping down the frustration of having to cope. Containing her emotions at this point in the game had almost become second nature. Almost. At night in her room, she would cry herself to sleep. Despair trying to take over at the injustice of it all. She’d felt as if the there was no end in sight to this horrible nightmare.

“It hurts,” he mumbled so low, she almost had missed.

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t know why the fuck I’m telling you this,” he scrubbed a hand down his face and began rubbing at the stubble on his jaw. “It hurts with her, will probably be just as bad with you. It’s a waste of time.”

“No one would ever mistake you for sweet Black.”

He didn’t respond to her with a comeback. He sat there with his head bent and eyes downcast looking at the table.

“Coffee?” A waitress asked.

“Yeah, I’ll take one with cream and sugar and could you add some chocolate syrup and whip cream?” Zea asked.

“Sure, and for you sir?”

“Black,” was all he said.

They didn’t say anything for long minutes
. He kept his head down, and she tried to console herself with the fact that he hadn’t slept with Melissa. Maybe there was hope. How the fuck did she pull him out in less than twelve hours and then make it to the rendezvous? Dietrich’s ass wouldn’t hesitate to leave them the moment he got the chance.

“I followed you.” Black said into the silence.

“Figured.”

“Why did you sneak out?”

“Don’t like to be locked down, it makes no sense.”

He nodded in
understanding.

“Is that why you’re always in the gym.” He turned and locked onto her with those
penetrating black eyes. She missed the green, gold gaze. Longed for the old Draven. She only nodded, lost in the way his lips moved when he talked. Full and moist, sinfully kissable. He’d cut his hair recently and was sporting two day old growth. Somehow he’d moved closer, and she hadn’t heard a word he was saying because she’d been so caught up in his features.

“Zea, did you hear me?”

“Uh no, sorry.”

The corners of his mouth tilted into a semblance of a smile.

“I was saying, me and you won’t happen.”

What the fuck did he mean by that?
There was going to be a
them
. There was going to be a family kind of them.

“Who says I’m even interested?”

His nostrils flared, and the black of his eyes seem to shrink.

“I’m not stupid girl.”

“There you go.”

“There I go what?”

“Maybe you want me to want you. It’s happened before.” She went for nonchalant and shrugged a shoulder.

His jaw worked
back and forth, and she knew she had him. He wanted her to want him and so much more.

“Look, obviously we’re not going to have this conversation.” She leaned in closer to him and got right in his face.

“Maybe, I’m the one that should be telling you, there’s not gonna be an us.” She was so close to him. All she had to do was talk, and they’d be kissing.

“I know when s
omeone wants me.” He growled.

H
is forehead was touching hers. His lip touching whispering over hers. The warmth of his breath across her mouth soothed her. To be this close felt amazing. But she wasn’t through with him yet.

“Yeah, well let me know when you
’ve figure it out.” She’d placed her hand on his thigh and squeezed. Black moved back and quickly got out of the booth, allowing her a chance to stand up and move out of his way. A hand on her arm stopped her from leaving.

“There’s something not right about you.” His gaze was direct
, and Zea wanted so badly to show him Jes. To show him the real her.

“Again, when you
figure it out, come and find me. We’ll talk then.”

She pulled out of his grasp and headed towards the exit.
She didn’t have time for coffee. Twelve hours. She only had twelve hours to convince him to leave with her.