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Which is why you’re still driving away. Remember, if you die, I’ll be right behind you.He was a selfish bastard, manipulating her with his life, but at this point he’d do anything to keep her alive.
I know. I don’t plan on dying. We’ll get through this.
Marek stayed until the car was but a tiny speck on the horizon. With the mating bond, he could always sense Olivia’s general location, even if she was an ocean away. They were forever connected. The thought soothed the ragged edges tearing him apart.
You’ll never see her again,his father sneered. Marek brushed it aside without a second’s hesitation. While his father’s taunts hadn’t completely disappeared, his sense of worthlessness and guilt had lessened with the return of his soul and Olivia’s love.
Marek flew to the North Las Vegas Airport and landed beside a hanger where his CDI team had set up a temporary workstation. Sascha was bent over her computer console, typing furiously. Rowan and Andrea had set up a game of chess, and Andrea whooped with delight when she knocked one of Rowan’s bishops off the board. Nikolas leaned against the hanger door, his arms crossed, a scowl on his stoic features as he watched Andrea like a hawk. Darren and a few others, who hadn’t been there when Marek and Olivia had left, stopped sparring when he strode inside.
“What are you doing here?” Marek halted before Darren’s group. Darren and Joachim shot him identical insouciant grins. Like Marek’s leg, Joachim’s arm had regrown after their Denver mission. Tall and broader-shouldered, with bronze sun-kissed skin and thick black hair down to his shoulders, Joachim looked like a pirate captain from those historical romances Sascha loved.
With his ivory skin and braided golden hair, Fallon was Joachim’s exact opposite, including his broodiness and perpetual scowl versus Joachim’s easygoing manner. A series of convoluted and elegant interlocking Celtic knots were inked onto his right arm. His sparring partner, Vanesh, was the only one who showed a hint of trepidation under Marek’s scrutiny. With his lean frame, serious brown eyes, and mild demeanor, Vanesh looked like he belonged behind a desk. Marek had been doubtful about his request to join the CDI’s field agents, but he’d proven himself a capable fighter with great instincts. Vanesh also didn’t radiate danger like most vampires, and Marek could use that to CDI’s advantage.
Three feet away, Aaron half sat on a crate, flipping his dagger repeatedly while popping his gum. Black tattoos, ranging from snarling tigers to hissing snakes tangled in various thorny vines, covered his powerful arms to his back and up his neck to right below his jaw. Combined with his military buzz-cut and the nasty scar over his right eye, Aaron emanated menace like he’d been born in it.
Bianca, the shortest among them, her hair dyed a bright pink, blinked up at him with her large blue cornflower eyes. A hurt pout graced her pretty face as she said, “We heard you’re going to Brazil, and you weren’t even going to invite us?”
As if Marek would fall for her pitiful act. She might be small and compact, but she had the shrewdest instincts and could disembowel a vampire twice her size in a blink.
“Maybe he didn’t want to pay for our air fare,” Joachim joked.
“It’s not like he’s flying first class,” Fallon grumbled and pointed to the waiting cargo plane. “He’s going in that piece of shit. It can fit all of us.”
They shut up at Marek’s low growl, even though their smiles stayed in place. “This isn’t a game. I didn’t ask you to come because I don’t know what we’re walking into.”
“Oh, gee, thanks,” Rowan muttered without looking up from his game. He’d been the only one Marek asked because he was the oldest and strongest among the CDI field agents.
The last thing Marek wanted was for a repeat of Denver. Their destination was on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, which was shifter territory, further complicating everything.
“You mean we get to go in blind? How exciting!” Bianca’s enthusiasm didn’t abate at Marek’s dark scowl.
Darren clapped a hand over Marek’s shoulder. “Remember what you said when you recruited us? That we’re all in this together? So, we’re going with you, whether you want it or not. If you don’t let us on that plane, we’ll just get on another one after you.”
“I should have Julian lock all of you next to Bryan,” Marek mumbled.
“Nah, Julian won’t,” Aaron said. “He told us in no uncertain terms to bring you back or don’t come back at all.”
Julian,Marek sent his displeasure to the Vegas’ mayor.
You can’t do everything alone,was Julian’s cool response.We established the CDI to help all vampires, including you.
Marek felt a tug in his heart as he stared at his comrades. His friends. He cleared his throat and said, “Alright. Did anyone brief you on the mission?”
“Rowan already did,” Vanesh said.
“Good. Well, until we leave, you’re free to do whatever. Just be ready to go at a moment’s notice.”
“Got it.”
Marek strode over to Sascha and asked, “How’s Olivia doing?”
“She’s almost at the rendezvous point.” Sascha pointed to the blinking light over a street map on the right screen.
“Let me know if anything changes.”
“Will do.”
He should ask Nikolas for a sparring match to pass the time, but in his distracted state, Nikolas would make short work of him, and he didn’t need the embarrassment. So, Marek paced like a caged beast, occasionally throwing a glance at the screen.
