Embrace the Night (13 page)

Tatiana looked around for Wyatt, and saw him crawling away toward the east. The way he dragged his right leg behind him indicated he’d been injured by the dart Junjie had fired at him.

The urge to shift grew strong, as the tigress inside her delighted in the idea of making a meal of him. Her better judgment told her to maintain her human form, since PHOENIX had rules against using unnecessary force. Besides, a man as rotten and foul as him would probably upset her stomach for weeks to come.

Taking off at a run, she caught up to him easily. She gave his hooded jacket a hard jerk, pushed his face down into the rough asphalt, and climbed onto his back.

Pulling a zip tie off of her tactical belt, she bound his wrists. “There is nothing I’d like more than to shift right now, and shred your ass like paper. But I’m going to do the right thing, and turn you over to my bosses.”

He tried to say something, but the pavement she kept him pressed to muffled his words.

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear it. I’m sure you’ll make lots of new friends in the PHOENIX pen. You never know what kind of powers your cell mate will have.”

Attaching a rope to the zip tie around his wrists, she unceremoniously dragged him, belly down, across the lot. Once she’d reached the young girl, she bound her wrists as well, and let her walk to the containment truck.

**

John stood rigid, his back pressed against the aging metal wall along the south side of the shipping terminal's warehouse. The grayish blue paint peeled, revealing the rusted steel beneath. A breeze blew off the Atlantic, carrying with it the scent of salt and metal that curled up his nostrils. As he stretched his neck to peer around the corner, he could see the petite female shape. She stood in the shadows, just outside an orb of yellowish light cast on the asphalt by an overhead light.

“Where's the Merchant? He should be here by now,” the women commented in a harsh whisper. She was talking on a cell phone. “We just have to wait for Ariel and Juno to make the drop.”

Those names...he knew those names, but for the life of him, he couldn't recall what their significance was. But she kept talking, and he kept listening.

The woman spoke again.“Man, after we make this one, Mama can finally get her nurse.”

It occurred to him that it was pretty strange for an antiquities smuggler to be standing around, having such an inane conversation. Then again, to each criminal, her own.

Taking a few steps back, he engaged his communicator. “J, I've got one female in my sights, and I'm eavesdropping. I think the guy you've got may be the Merchant.”

“You're probably right,” Junjie answered. “Plus the Lieutenant says she knows him. I'm taking on his form to take down one of the other two ladies.”

His muscles were locking up on him, from holding his position so long. Wanting to stretch his legs, he backed up a few more steps. He moved toward the rear of the building, where another light shined down on the pavement.

And backed right into someone.

Whirling around and drawing his handgun at the same time, he faced the person. They were right in the circle of light, so it was easy to see her.

She looked at him for a moment, then crossed her arms over her chest.

One word escaped her lips, and it was tinged with anger and surprise. “You.”

Taking in her face, and the smug expression she wore, he thought he might pass out from shock. “Miranda? What in the name of Sam Hill are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” she shot back, waggling her index finger in his face.

Immediately, he recalled why he'd broken up with her in the first place. He swatted at the dangling finger, taking in her all black clothes. “Don't do that. Now, explain yourself.”

“I've got business.” Miranda looked down, as if noticing his tactical suit for the first time. “And I don't even want to know why your ass is out here in that getup.”

Synapses began firing in his brain.
I've got business.
Her words echoed in his head. Then he remembered the high pitched voice he'd heard a few moments ago, referring to “Ariel and Juno.”

Fragmented memories came flooding back in an instant, and he knew what was going on. “Tempest,” he murmured allowed.

Miranda's eyes widened. “Wh..what are you talking about?”

“You told me years ago, when we dated.” As he spoke, he switched his firearm for the water pistol containing Marcelo’s potion in one smooth, swift motion. “ I hadn't thought about it again, until now. You and your sister's names all came from Shakespeare's play, 'The Tempest'.”

Her eyes darted around nervously, but she tried to play if off. “What are you going on about, John?”

Aiming the water pistol at her forehead, he poised it to fire.

She snorted. “A water pistol? Really, isn’t that a little juvenile?”

Before her words died on the night air, he pulled the trigger.

The liquid hit her above her right brow.

The yellowish glow Marcelo had described appeared on the spot where she was hit, like the beam of a flashlight passing through a sheer curtain.

A look of confusion came over her face.

“Let's go, 'Randy'.” Securing her wrists behind her as she mewled a weak protest, he concentrated on moving her. Making a lifting motion, his hands stretched wide, he raised her up off the ground and propelled her toward the containment unit about 100 yards to his east. As he lowered his hands, she lost altitude in the distance. A flashing green light, the signal, told him she'd been taken into custody.

A high pitch shriek erupted behind him, splitting the night air like a sharp knife through canvas.

As he turned to the source of the sound, he saw Iris leaping at him. The glint of something metal caught his eye.

He sidestepped as she entered his space, but not far enough.

A sharp pain pierced his left shoulder, and he groaned aloud.

He stumbled, looking to see what was causing it.

The carved handle of a knife stuck out of his shoulder.

Weakness overcame him, and he dropped down on the pavement. His eyelids felt heavy, but as he looked up, he saw Iris standing over him.

He also saw Marcelo, creeping up behind her with his pistol drawn.

As his eyes slid closed, he heard her gasp. Then, blackness fell over him like a heavy cloak.

CHAPTER 14

Tatiana stood over the gurney in the mobile medical unit, looking at John. His shirtless form lay stretched out on it's surface, a large bandage over the wound in his left shoulder. The medics had cut the top of his tactical suit away to access the site. She had to admit, she was enjoying seeing him half naked and sprawled out before her, she only wished he hadn't been hurt.

Now that Wyatt and the 'criminal sisters' were safely locked in the containment unit and on their way to a PHOENIX detention center, she could finally talk to him.

Thinking back, she still couldn't believe John's ex girlfriend had led all her sisters into a life of crime. Sure, Miranda had been a total bitch, but that didn't necessarily make someone a delinquent. In a way, she was relieved—Miranda would be locked away, and they'd never have to risk running into her and her loud mouth on the street again.

The medics had left him unconscious long enough to clean and bandage his wound. She'd volunteered to administer the herbs that would restore his strength. She hoped that if she were the first person he saw when he woke up, it would soften his anger toward her.

Releasing a pent up breath, she opened the pouch of herbs and pinched a small amount between her thumb and forefinger. Gently, she parted his soft lips, and placed the substance on his tongue.

As soon as she did, he mumbled something she couldn’t make out. Within a few seconds his eyes opened, and focused on her.

“Did we get them?”

She laughed. “That's your first question?”

He nodded, looking as if he were greatly concerned about having caught the bad guys.

“Yes, we got them.” She touched the bandage on his shoulder gently, not wanting to cause him any pain. “And one of them got you.”

He sat up, wincing a bit. “Yeah, I gathered that much.”

She picked up the paper cup of water and the tablets off the metal table nearby. “Here, this should help with the pain.”

He took the offered items, downing the pills and following with a swig of water. “Thanks, Lieutenant.”

She smiled. He still referred to her by her title, but his tone had softened considerably since their last conversation. She figured now might be a good time to mount her apology efforts again.

“Listen, John, I just wanted to...”

He raised his hand, stopping her. “Apologize? You already did that.”

Her gaze dropped, and she waited for what would come next.

To her surprise, he reached out with his good arm, pulling her to sit on the gurney at his side. With his strong arm wrapped around her, she looked into his dark eyes, and saw her future.

“It's my turn to say I'm sorry,” he said, his voice as soft as a caress. “You offered an olive branch, and I was too stubborn to take it.”

She could feel a tear spilling down her cheek.

He chuckled. “I'd wipe it away, but my other arm's busted,” he joked. “I don't want to let you go.”

“Good, because I plan on holding on to you as well.” She tilted her head up, and their lips met. His kiss was as sweet as chocolate, and just as sinful. Her hand went to his cheek as the kiss deepened, sending her senses spiraling into a sea of delight. Hot, carnal memories of being beneath him rose inside her.

In front of them, someone cleared their throat.

Reluctantly, she pulled back, and saw Junjie standing there, looking amused.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he quipped, “ but the chopper's here.”

She stood, and helped John to do the same. “Alright, let's go.”

Hand in hand, they followed Junjie out of the MMU and into the cool night air.

Epilogue

John rolled over on a winter morning, emerging from a deep sleep to answer the call of nature. He moved slowly, so he wouldn't awaken Tatiana, and tiptoed out.

When he'd finished, he planned to sneak back into bed. Through the frost covered window, he caught a glimpse of the gray December day outside. Immediately he knew he had no desire to leave the house, or the bed for that matter.

He had just settled back under the covers with his beautiful lady when the jazz themed ringer of his cell phone pierced the silence.

A quick look at the screen told him it was Junjie. Knowing his buddy must have a pretty good reason to be calling him at 7 am on a Saturday, he answered the call. “Hello?”

“John, you gotta get down here, man. Lalah's in labor!”

So much for his plans to hide out in bed with Tatiana all day. The way J ran his words together let him know his friend was nervous. “Calm down, man. I'll get there as soon as I can.”

“You know the address, right?” J referred to the house he and Lalah had bought together in the spring.

“Yep. Be cool, J. I'm on my way.”

Disconnecting the call, he turned to wake Tatiana, but she was already looking at him with sleep hooded eyes. “What's going on?”

The sheets were pooled around her waist, revealing her naked torso. Tearing his eyes away from the tempting swell of her breasts, he informed her of the situation. Within twenty minutes, they were both dressed in their warm clothes and coats. Travel mugs of coffee in hand, he led her out to his car parked outside her townhouse.

As he cruised down I-95 toward Fayetteville, he wondered what he would find once he arrived at his friend's house. All the 'surprises' J and Lalah had saved for the birth were about to be revealed. He had a feeling things were going to get interesting, and he planned to make use of his camera phone to capture the event.