Clarity (The Admiral's Elite Book 3) (16 page)

Her eyes closed briefly, shutting him out. “I’m not asking you to share what you can’t,” she said softly, “But that doesn’t mean you get to treat me like your dog.”

His hands dropped to his sides, they slid into his pockets and he dipped his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Kenneth has a way of getting under my skin.”

Becca’s arms went to her sides, some of the angst coming out of her posture. “I see why, he’s a real asshat.” Her lips curved into a smile briefly then straightened. “But I don’t like being treated like I’m your pet, to heel when you command. Especially in front of the others. It’s hard enough worrying they think I’m lesser because I’m a human or that I slept with you to cement my position.”

Carefully, he schooled his features into a guarded expression. The woman was naturally very good at reading situations, though she didn’t always trust herself. Whether that was her clairvoyance, witch nature, or just female intuition he couldn’t be sure. It certainly didn’t give him much confidence he could keep this secret from her long term. Hopefully he wouldn’t need to. But there would always be the next one and the next till the day he died. Plus he needed to keep the admiral’s confidence and stay in control so he didn’t threaten her safety any more than it already was. If Black thought she was too close, knew more than he trusted that would be very bad. He had to be ready should that day come. It might kill him, but he could get her to safety. He was working on a plan.

“I understand, Becca.
”
I understand more than you know
.
Michael took a hesitant step, then, when she didn’t object, took another and another until he was close enough to touch. Hand to her cheek, he felt the vampire inside him reach as well.

Min
e
, it nearly purred.

Eyes closed again, she leaned her head into his hand. He could nearly feel the adrenaline leaving her body, taking more of her ebbing strength with it. Raised in a Catholic Italian household, Michael grew up with prayer. Once turned and taken from his human life, he’d rejected God and been angry for a long time. Over time the anger had faded, though he’d not prayed since that night. Now he did.

Please don’t let what we’re asking of her kill her. Don’t let what I did kill her. Don’t le
t
m
e
kill her, this one shred of light in my dark existence.

“Come on, it’s been a long day.” He leaned in to kiss her softly on the mouth. “Let’s get some rest.”

Then he felt it when their lips touched, the buzzing. He smelled it on her skin, and elsewhere as her body responded to the touch of their flesh. Vampiric lust raced through her, demanding she satisfy a need that, in turn, would steal more strength.

“Just sleep, Becca. My head still hurts.”

Sounding disappointed, Becca frowned. “Okay.” Struggling to keep her eyes open, she took the hand he offered and followed him to collapse on the bed. Fully clothed, she was unconscious before her body was done bouncing.

Please don’t let me kill her.

Chapter 13

0905.

Next mornin
g
.

Michael took a deep breath, willing his fangs to stay retracted. They were already running late, and in this town where meetings were conducted on the fly that could cost them their face time with their contact. Add to that the last fifteen minutes anyone with the ability to hear through sheetrock had been subjected to, and he was done.

“We’re late. You’re fed. I don’t care that it’s not up to your standards. Now quit your bitching and let’s go.”

“Has service with the bald bastard domesticated you so much you’re satisfied with a cold breakfast?” He whined, flouncing down on the bed like a child in a pout.

A knock on the door.

Gabrielle moved to open it and Becca’s scent wafted in, followed closely by Ryan’s canine odor. For once Michael was disappointed the wolf’s woodsy smell wasn’t enough to mask Becca’s warm, sweet perfume.

Kenneth’s expression shifted. Michael braced against the rising ire of his own vampire in the face of a very real threat to his love. Its teeth gnashed.

“Maybe I don’t have to settle for a subpar continental breakfast after all.” His cold smile turned toward where Becca came to rest inside the short hall opening up to the double queen room.

It was Ryan who shifted, using his considerable bulk to send the message: this one is protected.

But Becca, on a huff, leaned out and took a step. “Look, Kenneth, Admiral Black wants us to work together so we should probably try to get along. To do that, you’re going to have to drop the whole ‘I’m going to eat you’ thing. Plus,” she rolled her eyes, “it’s getting old.”

Gabrielle snorted.

“Shut up
,
bitc
h
.” The sneered emphasis on the last word gave rise to the question of whether Kenneth was mocking Gabrielle’s dual nature or just being a misogynistic asswipe.

His intention was a moot point. Ryan moved, and Kenneth went flying over the foot of the bed where he was pinned to the floor in a flash. Again. Ryan’s huge hands wrapped around the vampire’s relatively tiny neck.

The vampire in Michael squealed with sick glee, licking its lips, expecting blood. Savoring it
.
Want
.
It demanded violence, thrived on it.

Pressure seeped into his consciousness, tightening the invisible band around his skull. Man had to rule the monster.

“That’s enough, Hallbeck.”

There was no change in the tension pinching Ryan’s shoulders. Michael watched the smaller man grab at his attacker’s thick wrists to no avail. There was no moving him, even for a vampire. A vampire who’d been indulging in copious amounts of blood. According to Gabrielle, the sick little fucker was practically bathing in it when she found him. So why was Kenneth unable to defend himself with any sort of vigor? Thinking back, Michael realized he’d encountered pretty much the same limp dick defense last night. That shouldn’t be. The band around his head tightened again reminding him of his duty, of his master’s demands. No questions, only loyalty.

“Ryan,” this time his warning was uttered on a growl.

Ryan rumbled back. Frustrated. But, like it or not, a soldier must follow orders and Ryan knew the admiral did not suffer fools or insubordinates. With a hard shove, he swung his leg off and regained his feet.

“Now that we’ve established Kenneth’s got no social skills, I’d like to get to our meeting.”

On his way out, he managed not to wrap an arm around Becca and pull her tight to him but only just barely
.
Who’s to say I’m not a bigger threat than Kenneth right now?

Averting his gaze from her before she could sense his struggle, he only just caught the fleeting expression on Gabrielle’s face when her eyes passed over where Ryan still struggled with his own control
.
Ryan better get his head out of his ass.

And with that rousing confidence boost in his team, Michael led his team into the lion’s den.

***

“Captain Rossi. Under different circumstances I would say it’s a pleasure.”

“Senator Jordan.” Michael took the senator’s hand with a hint of a smile and stepped back. “My team: Captains Ryan Hallbeck, Gabrielle Brion, Kenneth Williams, and Rebecca Sauter.”

“Sauter?” He asked the human, one brow raised, hands still shaking slowly.

“Yes, Senator.” Becca stepped forward to take her turn.

“Please,” he smiled easily, “Call me Bill.”

It was easy to see why the politician was so popular with his constituents. The human’s cheeks flushed and she ducked her face, probably awe struck like so many humans. “Pleased to meet you, Bill.”

Gabrielle stepped forward when it was her turn to shake the senator’s hand, noting with respect when he didn’t flinch at the temperature swings between their party’s members. The senator smiled broadly and took her hand. Humans usually did. She was beautiful. Pretty enough as a human, she’d had years to hone her body and look to accentuate her naturally willowy form. Men often ogled and she used it to her advantage. Beauty was a perfect camouflage for a woman. If a man was busy looking at her tits he wasn’t checking her hands for a knife.

Heat radiated at her back. There was no need to look to know who’d closed ranks. Her body automatically attempted to lean into him. Stiffening, she resisted. The senator raised an eyebrow but nothing was said. Subtlety was fundamental to success on The Hill, at leas
t
on
e
of the two men understood that. Her elbow shot back, connecting with muscle. A grunt and puff of hot air on the back of her neck told her she hit her mark.

“Bill,” Michael drew all eyes back to him. “When we spoke earlier this week you mentioned there’d been some movement in the committee.”

The senator’s head bobbed, a hand smoothed the front of his dark suit. Gabrielle caught the flag pinned to the lapel. Once it meant something, now it seemed customary post 9/11. As necessary a part of the uniform as pants
.
And about as heartfelt
.
Bitterness flowed through Gabrielle as freely as her blood
.
All those speeches but when the time comes for true sacrifice they hide behind the men and women who pledge their lives without knowing what vote will be cast tomorrow
.
Images of blood and torn bodies played on the backs of her eyes, fingers burned with the memory of digging graves by hand in the hot desert sand; tiny grains shoved unheeded under her nails so far they bled. Hot winds dumped grit in her eyes, her mouth; it was impossible to see through the tears, breathe through…

A warm shoulder brushed against hers, only briefly then retreating. Gabrielle felt the tightness in her chest loosen, her heartbeat slowing to its natural rhythm. Against her will her body followed, flowing with his movement like a dance before she stiffened, jerking herself into a tight frame and locking down. Fearing her body’s response she took a step to the side, removing herself from temptation.

“What do you think it means?” Michael was asking the senator.

Lips pursed then flicked to the side with a smack. “Well, Captain, I think it means one of two things.”

Eager to catch up on what was obviously crucial information she’d missed in her distraction, Gabrielle listened closely while still managing to appear bored.

Michael didn’t attempt to prompt the human as another would; he waited. Patient as only the undead can be.

“I’d say either Reese’s boy scout attitude is wearing thin.” He let his gaze float over their small group. Scanning the crowd was automatic, he’d been at this so long. “Or someone’s getting ready to leverage.”

“For what?” Becca asked, brow furrowed. Politics weren’t high on any of their agendas but they’d been at this a long time. The witch, if she lasted, would grow to see the patterns too.

“Power grab,” Kenneth piped up, surprisingly astute for a psychopath. When he caught the looks several team members were giving him, he shrugged. “What? Am I wrong?”

Blinking, Michael looked like he’d swallowed a dung beetle with a slow leak. “You’re right,” he growled.

If it weren’t Kenneth, Gabrielle would have been roaring with laughter. But it was. No way she was giving him that. She scarcely managed to keep her lips from curving by biting the insides.