From The Ashes (Life After War) (6 page)

“
Yes. You've honored her. She'll return the favor.”

Cynthia shifted against the hardness of the floor that her feet hardly ever touched now. Adrian had said the same thing to her, and she would never lose the sound of his voice in her head.

Marc's troubled gaze went to the door where Angela was being kept warm by Billy. It wasn’t hard to share these hours with the men that he couldn’t help but partially hate. Her agony was a torment they deserved to experience, too.

Cynthia pulled Adrian’s shirt closer around her shoulders, flushing darker at the smells. “If I had to, I’d do it again, only I’d be faster.”

Her pitch lowered to an achingly familiar tone of determination.

“
Next time, I
will
be faster.”

Marc snorted bitterly. “He sure found some strong women to play these roles.”

Cynthia’s chin went up. “To fight for his dreams!”

Not letting Brady’s churning emotions rub off, the reporter stepped around him, moving to where she had her bedroll wedged between two long tables. She was one of them now, and that was enough. Her need to see Adrian hanged had vanished the instant she’d saved Angela, and unlike the muttering man now going outside, Cynthia already knew they were a set. You didn’t get Angela without Adrian, and when that bloody fighter recovered, she’d make that clear.

Content for the first time in her life, Cynthia drifted to sleep with the magical sensation of Adrian’s touch lingering on her skin and in her heart.

6

As the sun sank under a crimson sky, Marc found Adrian standing on the porch–in the open and once again tempting fate.

“
She's wondering why you haven't taken a shift–worrying over it like she's done something wrong.”

Adrian didn’t turn from his post in the darkness, and Marc moved to his right–the place he was more worthy of than Kenn, but didn’t want.

“
She thinks she's not an Eagle without her gun.”

“
She’ll always be an Eagle,” Adrian stated firmly.

Marc hated him for it. “Yes.”

“
What do you need, Marine?” Adrian pushed, wanting this moment out of the way.
Two mutts and one perfect bone...

“
I know why you’re avoiding her right now–with those weak mental walls that she’ll blast through. I know what you're hiding. I always have.”

Silence.

Marc was grateful she hadn’t been taken–so much that the jealousy was barely there. “What matters is, does Angie know how you feel?”

“
No. That was never among my reasons for her special attention. It still isn’t,” Adrian replied stiffly.

“
And when she does? There’s no way you’ll hide it forever.”

Adrian looked at him, expression saying everything Marc had feared and more.

“
I won’t ever do that. Unless...”

The rest of the warning rang as thickly as the promise, and both men understood the battle line. As long as she was happy, Adrian would stay back. If she called out, even once, another war would start.

Marc, who had said something similar to Neil when they’d first joined Safe Haven, understood completely. He blew out a stream of smoke, respecting the honesty and the control it would take to stand by such a promise. “I’ve got your post. Go take a shift.”

7

“
Thank you.”

The sound of Angela’s slightly energized voice had Adrian’s mind calming as he entered her room. John hadn’t lied to give them all hope.

“
I enjoyed it.” Billy didn’t censor his words as he rose up, understanding Adrian was his relief. “Even covered in two-day-old blood, you still smell like vanilla.”

Her careful chuckle was a wonderful sound.

“
You're biased.”

“
Yep.” The Eagle slowly untangled himself. “She’s all yours, Boss.”

Adrian locked down on the moment with Marc, but too late. Her startled gaze flew to his.

Before either of them could break the spell, Billy’s joking quip drove it in.

“
Until she calls for Brady in her sleep, anyway.”

Angela dropped her eyes. She knew it all with that one glance, but her choice had been made decades ago. “It’ll always be like that.”

Adrian took Billy’s place as her heater, good energy swaddling her in strength before they even touched. “He’s a lucky man.”

Angela tensed, like she had with the others who had provided this intimate service for her, but there was no urge to distract him with meaningless chatter. Adrian had saved her life. They now had a bond that would never be broken. She even hoped he let himself enjoy being so close–something that would never happen again–but doubted that he would. The Eagles and Marc might worry over Adrian’s persuasive charm, but as he carefully covered her up with his jacket, Angela was sure that Adrian would never destroy them all that way.

Unable to resist taking his only chance to feel what could have been, Adrian let his guard down, power reaching out.

Brilliant blue and gold met hesitantly… and then connected in a breath-stealing match of indescribable perfection.
The world they could have created together! The love she had to give!
Adrian’s hardened heart broke from the loss.

Angela tried to keep her walls in place, but that golden light sank into her like it belonged there. It rattled doors to every place in her heart, including those already marked with Brady’s name. She didn’t allow any of them to open.

Adrian refused to acknowledge the anguish of her choice. He’d known it would be this way from the minute he’d realized he wanted her. Her love for Brady was too strong to allow
any
other man to slide into his place.

Billy paused on his way out. One vivid blond, the other deep ebony, the sight of Adrian and Angela being so close was striking.
They look like lovers who’ve been kept apart for a tormenting amount of time
, Billy thought, softly closing the door. What a pair they would have made.

“
I'm sorry you were injured,” he stated when they were alone.

Angela didn't answer. She didn't need Adrian's apology, only his words of her future.

Adrian hid a grin. She still wanted to be treated like an Eagle.
Good!
“You'll use the recovery time to pick a team from the recruits that will come out of the woodwork now.”

“
Don't want my own team,” she protested lightly. “I like being with Kyle. He's good.”

“
He's lethal. So are you, Angie–or you will be when you let go of society’s rules and start really following mine.”

“
I don't like violence,” Angela argued, hating that it was a lie. She adored violence if it had a righteous purpose.

Adrian didn't snort. “Good at it for someone who doesn't like it.”

Angela scowled. “I could be good at murder, but should I?”

“
Yes. For this time and place, we need it.”

He waited for another protest. When it didn't come, he wasn't sure to trust that as acceptance. Women didn't usually work that way. “You'll always be a part of Kyle's team, but these recruits will be yours, the way Kyle is mine–all of them, willing to do anything for you. Imagine the possibilities.”

Angela was. How could she not? Once again, he was offering her everything. “Why not have Neil do it? The trooper's heart is pure enough to make good calls despite his confusion about Sam.”

Adrian smiled, showing beautiful white teeth. “Would you like to pass this honor to someone else?”

Trapped, Angela chuckled lightly. “No. I wanted it weeks ago, when the senior men started talking about how to blend females into the teams.”

Adrian gently shifted so he could look down at her. “I told you that we would do great and terrible things together. You've survived the terrible, Eagle. Now, it's time you got some of the great.”

Angela teared up, so beholden to him that she couldn't find the words.

Adrian wiped them from the corners of her eyes with a loving touch. “You've done your duty. Take this time off to enjoy what was accomplished. You've earned it.”

“
And so has Brady,” he stated, steeling himself. “He's coming around to the dream, though he may never admit it to me, and there's no longer a jealous Marine standing between you. This is your time.”

Angela frowned, suddenly feeling extremely sleepy. “Always hated that saying. Doesn't make sense.”

Adrian recognized the defensive response, but didn't comment on it. “That means your happiness comes first for a while. Think you can do that?”

She let her heavy lashes close. “Unlikely. Someone will have to show me how.”

Adrian slammed the door between their minds before she caught his thought–
“I'd give almost anything to have that honor.”

“
Marc has it covered. Trust him.”

“
I do.” Angela drowsed in Adrian's warm embrace, drugged and starting to heal. For the first time since being shot, she wasn't in agony, puking, or crying. It was wonderful.

Adrian didn't say more, instead watching as she drifted. Her strength was amazing. She would have been the perfect woman to help him lead the herd.

That thought followed Adrian as he rested his head on his arm and tried to sleep. Fate hadn't gifted Angela to them to be claimed–she'd been sent to protect his people–and he would keep that in mind when the longing grew. Angela wasn't meant to be his or even Brady's. She belonged to Safe Haven.

8

“
Gunfire in the perimeter! Shots fired!”

“
Shit!”

“
Look out!”

Angela jerked awake, groaning, and found Adrian sitting up with his gun drawn.

She turned her head to find Marc in a set position between them and the door, and groaned again–this time in groggy frustration. “We didn't get them all?”

Neither man bothered to answer, since it was obvious that they hadn't.

“
I need a gun!”

Adrian nudged her left hand, and her fingers curled awkwardly around the butt of her backup.

Bang! Bang!

“
Fall back!”

“
Get her outta there!”

Crash…

“
Fire!”

Marc motioned sharply to Adrian. “Let's roll.”

Adrian swung Angela up into his arms.

She gasped, painfully molding herself into his grip as their radios lit up again.

“
Here, Boss!”

Marc shoved a vest over her head as Adrian carried her toward the window. The front of the country club was in flames as eerie shadows ran through the foggy smoke, firing at each other.

Angela tried to help as they lowered her out of the window between vested Eagles. Her single left-handed shot, aimed at a Mexican sombrero, went wild and plunged into the hood of their vehicle.

Angela was quickly shoved inside the truck as the Eagles surrounded it. When the door slammed, but her driver didn’t leave, Angela realized Adrian was making a stand with her in the center. She stayed low and rode the waves of pain, knowing there was no safer place she could be.

A volley of gunfire lit up the night, sharp and loud. Men screamed, and more shadows flew through the darkness. It forced their attackers into the light of the burning country club. It was another of Brady's plans–one that made the enemy think there were less men. Those Eagles were hidden around the perimeter. They moved in to trap the enemy in a barrel-shoot.

Behind Angela, another rig pulled up. The rest of the Eagles ducked inside the opening back door–Jeremy guiding Cynthia out of the line of fire before turning around to join his team.

It had only been days since they'd been in this situation and Jeremy was instantly reminded of the carnage at the rest stop.
All those screams!

He flashed back in despair and guilty excitement.

“
Kill them all!”

Adrian’s roar swung his hands into action, and Jeremy strode forward with his finger squeezing in short, flat pops that splattered blood. Next to him, Frank laughed, giddy with that dangerous edge of chaos they were leading. “Some fun, huh, Jerem…”

Frank slid to his knees in shock, freezing in a grimace of disbelieving panic. Fresh blood dripped to the muddy ground as he drew in a last shuddering breath, spoke a final order. “Kill them a...”

Frank fell forward into the mud.

Self-preservation kept Jeremy’s feet moving and his hands delivering more of what his friend had felt. As he went, there wasn’t anything in his mind except blind anger and a furious determination to do as he’d been bidden.

Jeremy tried to shake it off and was only partially successful. It was still hard to believe it was over, that they’d won… that he’d survived. None of his years as an MIT Grad and computer genius had prepared him for this. His mind went to their other fallen Eagle, to Daniel. The man had once told him that he was living the life he’d been too afraid of before the War. Now, ducked behind the truck and firing those short little pops that were so effective, Jeremy understood completely.