Dark Flame (29 page)

When Juliet knew that Brannick had wrapped everyone up in his vampire shield, her heartrate began to climb. If this didn’t work, they could all get killed.

They moved together to the front entry. Brannick had everyone line up off to the side just in case the moment he opened the door, the officers started firing.

When they were all in position, she nodded to Brannick. He moved to the door, gave it a shove, then levitated back in place out of harm’s way.

As she waited, her heart pounded in her ears. But no gunfire returned. Instead, she heard an officer call out, “Steady. Wait ‘til we see who comes out. We don’t want Roche killed.”

She could barely breathe.

Brannick once more invoked group telepathy.
Levitate just above the floor so we don’t make a sound, and stick close.

Glancing at the wolves, she saw that each one had a determined look in his eye. Brannick led the way outside. She followed, careful to levitate but not so high as to hit the upper doorframe.

Surveying the border patrol, she realized none of the officers saw them.

The lead officer called out again. “Steady, men. Hold your fire.”

Brannick’s voice hit the group telepathy once more.
We’ll rise slowly together on three. Again, I’ve got you all shielded, but stay close. We’ll fly straight up about thirty feet, I’ll call a halt, then we’ll turn to the northeast and head out over the Graveyard. On three … two … one …

Juliet levitated alongside Brannick as did the wolves. Once high in the air, he drew everyone to a stop well above the strip center. Glancing below, she saw that the Revel Border Patrol remained in position, still waiting for someone to come out of the house.

Brannick had done his job.

He lifted his arm and let it fall in the direction he wanted the group to move. As soon as he took off, Juliet stuck right with him as did Fergus and his men.

When they were at least two miles away from the front of Roche’s home and well over the Graveyard, Brannick called another halt. “I’m going to remove my shield now.”

As Brannick released it, Juliet once again felt his vampire cloak slide away from her.

Silence reigned for a few moments. Everyone exchanged glances. She felt the shifters’ energy rise, which seemed to ignite her own. Smiles emerged and eyes glittered.

The first whoop hit the air, then another and another. Though levitating, the men lifted their fists and kept shouting. They’d all made it out alive and Roche, that bastard, was dead.

Juliet joined in, adding her very female voice to the mix.

Brannick, however, soon tamped down the celebration, but he was smiling. “You know someone will hear us. How about we take this to the White Flame and finish our celebration there. I for one could use a Goddamn righteous drink.”

Wolves, being gregarious by nature, expressed their approval with more raised fists and another round of shouts.

To Brannick’s credit. He didn’t try to stop them. He merely set the example and flew east toward the club.

Fergus settled the most important matter with his men as he called out.
I’m buying the first round.

The White Flame had a back room Brannick reserved for the impromptu celebration. Of course, it was near dawn, so the club had emptied of most of its night-loving creatures, especially those who couldn’t speed home with a quick levitating dash to avoid the sunrise.

Standing beside Brannick, Juliet almost took his hand, then decided not to. They’d been through an awful lot over the past few hours and had survived an impossible situation. But she needed to remind herself that though he’d made love to her, he’d also done his usual and left her abruptly. He might have owned up to his part in initiating the lovemaking, but he was still conflicted.

Besides, more than anything, she needed to respect their partnership and not to do anything that would put it in jeopardy. Working toward a better world was far more important than anything else right now.

~ ~ ~

Brannick held a mug of beer in his hand, as did the entire team. He’d loved working with Fergus and his men as well as with Juliet. Everything felt new to him, and his spirit was lighter than it had been since he’d come to Five Bridges.

He slid his arm around Juliet, but he felt her stiffen next to him. She didn’t exactly pull away, but he could feel how uneasy she was.

As the server passed around another tray of beers, Brannick leaned close to her and whispered, “Is everything okay?” His fae senses told him she had her guard up, and not without reason.

She turned into him, avoiding eye contact. “Of course.”

He had a lot he wanted to say to her, but now was not the time. “We need to talk.”

She lifted her chin slightly and this time met his gaze. “I’m always willing to engage in conversation with you. You’re my partner.”

He couldn’t help but smile as he held her gaze. “Talking is good.” He felt devilish. “So is something else I can think of.”

A startled expression flashed in her eyes. “Brannick, I can’t do this.” He saw the flush on her cheeks, and he felt the depth of her fear.

He got it. How many times had he made love to her in real-time then left her alone? The last time he’d made his escape, Roche had hijacked her from her dreamglide. She had reason to be wary of him.

He also knew how she felt about him, which prompted him to drop down and kiss her on the lips.
I’m not at all satisfied with our partnership. We have a few details to hammer out.

This time, she frowned.
What do you mean?

He feigned innocence.
Just as I said, we need to talk.

Brannick, what are you saying?

Sensing her exasperation, he turned toward her more fully.
Let me be more direct, when we get back to the cottage, we’re going to talk about everything and get things settled between us once and for all.

She blinked several times.
What things?

He smiled again, and took a swig of his beer.
Just things.

Okay, now you’re getting on my nerves.

I plan to get on a lot more than that.

He didn’t wait for her to respond, but turned his attention to the wolves. He lifted his mug. “To Fergus and the brave warriors of Savage. We got the bastard!”

The cheer that went up was a roar no doubt heard several streets over in every direction. A couple of the wolves even howled.

When Brannick had taken his revenge during the first few weeks of his arrival in Five Bridges, he’d been alone. More than that, he’d been warned repeatedly by some of his fellow officers that he couldn’t kill off high level cartel members without repercussion.

He hadn’t listened to them. He’d been wild with grief and uncontrolled.

And … alone.

What had happened tonight, however, had been different in every possible respect, even down to letting the corrupt chief of the Revel Border Patrol take possession of Roche’s factory. If Brannick had let Fergus have his way and they’d destroyed the dark flame factory, the cartels would have retaliated.

But now Brannick and Juliet could move forward in secret and begin a slow, progressive assault on the fae underworld. The first order of business would be shutting down Roche’s club. Of course it was possible with Roche gone, the club might lose its clientele all on its own. Either way, Brannick would do everything he could to rescue the women involved.

He would include Fergus, if the wolf wanted to join in. But Fergus had already mentioned that there were a few heinous institutions in Savage that needed a correction or two. Brannick thought it likely Fergus intended to start cleaning house as well.

After the last beer was consumed, Fergus sent his men home, since wolves were nocturnal as well and dawn was coming. He didn’t go with them, however. Instead, he asked to accompany Brannick and Juliet back to Agnes’s compound.

Brannick wasn’t certain why the wolf had insisted on coming with them. But he wasn’t about to refuse the man who had not only helped to bring Roche down, but who had saved his ass in Roche’s dreamglide.

As soon as Brannick touched down in front of Agnes’s compound, he turned to bid Fergus goodnight. One look at the flaring of Fergus’ nostrils, told him something else was going on. He just didn’t know what.

Juliet, however, had more of a clue. She drew Fergus apart from the guards at the front entrance and spoke in a low voice. “Do you want to know about Mary?”

Fergus’s lips drew into a tight line as he nodded.

Brannick should have guessed, but it still seemed unusual.

Juliet smiled softly. “Mary is recovering extremely well, though given the amount of dark flame in her system, it put her into a tough recovery process. Otherwise, she’s in very good spirits.”

When Fergus glanced at the guards at the exterior of the building, Juliet added, “For my sake and Mary’s, Agnes has doubled security on the roof and around the entire exterior of the compound. She also added several snipers to the tops of the surrounding buildings. Mary couldn’t be safer.”

“Good. That’s good. I’ve been concerned. Roche isn’t a threat anymore, but there are a lot of forces at work.”

“You’re absolutely right.”

Brannick caught a strong scent of wolf musk, a reminder Fergus was entering his annual mate-hunting cycle. It was also clear that whatever was going on with the shifter, it wasn’t simple.

Fergus planted his hands on his hips and kept nodding long after Juliet stopped talking. He glanced in the direction of the front door to the compound, his brow heavily furrowed. “Please tell Mary that I asked about her.”

He nodded a couple more times and after meeting Juliet’s gaze, then Brannick’s, he said, “I’ll bid goodnight to you both.” With that, he turned on his heel, took a few steps, then shot into the air.

Two weeks ago, Brannick would have thought the man crazy for sniffing around a fae woman. But not tonight. Not anymore.

When he entered the compound, he saw Mary had come to the front entrance area. She was thinner than before the abduction. “Was that Officer Fergus?”

Juliet went to her and took her arm. “Yes, and he was asking about your recovery.”

“I wanted to thank him for getting me out of Roche’s prison.”

Brannick remained where he was and let Juliet walk Mary back to her room by herself. He heard Juliet’s soft, melodious voice as she no doubt shared the events at Roche’s home and the part Fergus played.

He was glad she’d gone with Mary, since he needed to think about what he should say to her once she returned. He hadn’t shared his heart with anyone since his arrival in Five Bridges, not in thirteen years.

It was about damn time.

After a few minutes, Juliet appeared at the end of the hall. She moved toward him slowly but his faeness could once again tell how guarded she was. He didn’t blame her.

When she drew close, he smiled then took her hand. He’d half expected her to pull away, but she didn’t. As he walked her to the cottage, she looked up at him once or twice. He squeezed her hand each time, but didn’t say anything. He wanted privacy for what he was about to say.

Once inside the cottage, he closed the door and before a word was spoken, he drew her into his arms and kissed her. He could feel her hesitation and that she held back, but he kept on kissing her, savoring her the way he’d done for five months in her dreamglide, only now it was in real-time.

Brann, you seem different or am I imagining it?

He drew back, but didn’t let her go. His heart kicked up a couple of heavy beats. How could he have thought, for even a moment, that he could live without this woman?

“Brann, you’ve got me really worried. What’s going on?” She laid her hands on his chest, her brow as furrowed as his normally was.

He thought for a moment, because he wanted to get this right. He decided to speak his heart straight out. “I’m in love with you, Juliet.”

Her lips parted and a soft gasp emerged. “What?”

He smiled. “I love you. I think I have from the time you sat across from me at the White Flame. You were so earnest and so damn beautiful, with your wild hair and dark blue eyes.”

“You love me.” It was a statement, but a shaky breath followed.

“I do.” He petted her hair, enjoying the feel of her soft, out-of-control curls. “And I’m done blaming you for the dreamglide. Because you broke the law, I can stand here now and be with you. I wouldn’t have otherwise. I would never have asked you out and I would have ensured that I kept my distance.

“Leaving you last week, however, became a death I knew I’d have to endure over and over for the rest of my life. I thought I was prepared to return to my solitary existence, until you showed up wearing a purple fringe and black leather. You took my soul by storm.” He slid his hand beneath her chin and kissed her. “I love you, Juliet, with all my heart.”

~ ~ ~

Juliet stared into Brann’s beautiful, green eyes. Even the line between his brows had eased. The fae part of her kept absorbing the phenomenal change in Brann. This was not the man who’d left her after they’d made love earlier in the cottage living room. He was no longer conflicted. In fact, what she felt most was that the man in front of her was exactly like the man she’d made love to in the dreamglide.

They were one-in-the same now.

And she was free to love him as much as she wanted.

She smiled. She caressed his face and kissed him in return. Her heart felt swollen with an abundance of affection. “I love you, too. So much.” Tears brimmed in her eyes. “You mean everything to me. And like you, I’d never expected to have love in my life again. I didn’t think it was possible here in Five Bridges.

“When you responded to me the way you did the very first time I took you into my dreamglide, I was hooked. You were the man for me, even though I lived in denial all that time.”

He searched her eyes. “So, we’ll be together, you and me?”

“From this night forward.”

An odd light entered his eye. “Will you marry me, Juliet, despite the fact that I’m a stubborn vampire?”

“Oh, yes.” The kiss that followed led Brann to pick her up and take her upstairs. He spent the next several hours, well past dawn, making love to her, speaking his love in his wonderful, deep voice, and promising to make every night special for her.