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Reyes shouldn’t have been surprised, but he was. Angelica had almost been raped, tortured, and killed, but the moment she was free of peril, she addressed the critical issue of the mission, just as she always had.
He didn’t try to argue. He knew she was right. And because of the deepening Ancestral bond between them he also sensed that she was healing swiftly, just as she said she was.
He changed course.
If he’d doubted that he’d risen to Ancestral status, he didn’t anymore, because the moment he thought about the location of Sweet Dove’s office, he knew exactly where it was.
Within seconds he penetrated the preternatural shield around the space and touched down in front of the desk.
But Sweet Dove had guessed his maneuver and held the laptop in her hands. “By the look of all the blood on you and the fact that Angelica lives, Engles wasn’t so fortunate.”
“He’s dead.”
“Well, that’s too bad, but you and I can still continue.”
Reyes stared at her in profound disbelief. He sensed from her what he’d always felt, that somewhere in the early years of her life her psyche had become so corrupt that she truly believed Reyes wanted to be with her, that he wanted to be her slave.
On the other hand, she held the laptop, so some part of her must have known the truth.
Reyes knew that she could destroy the laptop right now, with a single preternatural charge from her hands. If she did, the mission would fail.
He ignored the computer and tried a different tack. “I’m bonded with Angelica now, a double-chain bond. And she’s staying with me in our world.” He turned toward Angelica and saw the glow in her brown eyes.
Angelica nodded. “I am.” She smiled and leaned up and kissed him. Then turning to Sweet Dove, she said, “You can’t have Reyes, not ever. He’s powerful and you can feel his power, which means you’ll never be able to capture him or hold him. You’re finished, Sweet Dove.”
The woman still ignored Angelica, but as if in a fog, she set the laptop on the desk.
Reyes forced himself to stay focused on Sweet Dove.
He felt something powerful emanating from his former captor, a heavy vibration that he knew well, that became a painful tingling on his skin.
Hold steady, he telepathed to Angelica. Looks like the bitch is going to throw a fit.
Reyes held Angelica close to his side and created an impenetrable disguise around them both, then levitated away from the desk near the waterfall.
She can’t see us, can she?
No, she can’t.
Sweet Dove became a whirlwind and tore around the room with tremendous speed. “Where are you?” she shouted.
She screamed obscenities. Froth poured from her mouth. Her eyes were wild and her hair, freed from the usual clip, flowed in angry waves around her body.
“Reyes!” His name came like a hiss from her lips. Her fangs descended, and she began tearing at her arms with the sharp points, pulling out chunks of flesh in her rage.
Reyes was stunned. She was a monster.
Angelica’s voice moved through his mind, offering a sensible suggestion. While she goes all whirling dervish on us, why don’t we grab the laptop?
Good idea.
With great care, he tried to maneuver around Sweet Dove, but when she almost hit them, he shifted to altered flight, left the room, then reentered behind the desk.
Angelica whisked the laptop into her arms. Reyes, look at the ceiling. The fissure is widening. I think the roof of the cave is about to collapse. I think she’s doing this without knowing it.
Reyes glanced at the long chandelier made of swords. It swayed overhead.
Let’s get out of here.
Returning to altered flight, he hovered not far from the room, close enough to watch as within seconds the ceiling collapsed, burying Sweet Dove.
He waited, expecting her to rise from the rubble, but she didn’t.
Should we leave? What if she pops up out of there and attacks us? Angelica sounded worried and he didn’t blame her. Sweet Dove had been the author of so much misery, she wouldn’t stop now, not if she had the chance to do otherwise.
I think something might have happened to her. I want to have a look, but I’ll keep the disguise tight around us and I won’t leave altered flight.
Sounds like a plan.
With great care, he passed through the tumbled rock and found her buried. When the ceiling collapsed, the artful chandelier’s couple of dozen blades had cut her up, one of them severing her head from her body.
He couldn’t believe it, but his captor was finally dead. Scorpion, the founder of Starlin, the woman known as Sweet Dove, was no more.
The feeling of relief that went through him was so profound that he felt light-headed.
She’s gone. Angelica’s voice gave him substance once more. She’s actually dead.
I believed her immortal.
She seemed immortal, but there’s nothing like a beheading to change a perception.
Reyes glanced at her and saw the wry curve of her lips. Thank you.
For what? Angelica’s brows rose in surprise.
For being here, for saying exactly what you just said, for making it real when I’m not sure I would ever have believed it.
With one arm gripping the laptop and her other slung around his neck, she kissed him. Take me home, Reyes. Take me out of this nightmare and back to your bedroom, where I belong.
He wasn’t sure she could have spoken sweeter words.
As he launched them away from the cave-in, she said, I just realized that no one else will ever know that Scorpion is dead. And Engles was her only contact. So not a single member of Starlin will have a clue that we have the laptop and therefore the means to do with this organization anything you want to do. Reyes, you did it! You’ve achieved what you set out to accomplish. You have everything you need now to take down Starlin. You could even pose as Scorpion while you get everything set up.
Drawing near his home, he squeezed her waist. You’re right, but you know something, I’m not thinking about that right now. He touched down in his bedroom near the table and took the laptop from her, setting it aside.
She didn’t seem to be aware that she was completely naked, which made him admire her all the more. Engles had almost had her, almost taken her life, but she’d kept her wits and brought them both here to this moment.
No, he wasn’t thinking about his mission right now, only about her.
And right now he wanted her in his bed.
* * *
Angelica wasn’t surprised that Reyes had something specific on his mind, so she said the only thing that made sense. “How about we get you out of your bodyguard clothes, although I must say I like you in a snug T-shirt.”
