Promises (Blood Brothers #1) (12 page)

"How?" He looked to his brother and Mercury, but both kept quiet for a minute.

"Oh for pete's sake. I watched the whole thing. Do you think I haven't gotten it yet that you guys are not entirely normal like most of us?" she growled herself this time, pointing at Rafe. "Tell the big guy here before he kills the creep again just for the hell of it."

"I like her," Gabriel commented from his position against the wall. He had not moved ten feet from Chayle until Kayne's arrival, so Chayle was surprised to see him so far across the room.

"Mine," Kayne growled again, his arm tightening around Chayle.

"Stop it!" she slapped his chest again. "Concentrate, will you?"

Kayne looked down at her in shock. She had slapped him again, in front of his brother and men. He heard Gabriel laughing against the wall and wanted to go put some serious hurt on the junior team member but he could not do that as long as Chayle was here. It seemed she liked the man and Kayne was not having any of that!

Taking a deep breath he looked around the room.

"Someone, anyone other than Chayle, had better tell me what happened here. Now!"

His order echoed in the room for several heartbeats before Rafe finally recounted what had happened, in complete detail. Chayle just stood there, nodding her head the entire time, or pointing in agreement like she knew exactly what Rafe was talking about. Which, once his brother got to the end, Kayne realized she had watched the entire thing.

"Are you telling me that you saw this interrogation?" He calmly asked Chayle.

"Well of course I did. He came after me, so why wouldn't I watch it?" Kayne realized she was perfectly serious and convinced that there was no earthly reason whatsoever why someone should have not allowed her in the viewing room. He could feel his blood pressure rising as she talked.

"Kayne, you cannot kill Gabriel." Rafe said it very calmly and carefully, like it was every day he told his twin something like this.

"Why in the world would you want to hurt Gabriel?" Chayle asked, moving away from Kayne and looking up at him. She noticed instantly that his eyes were a dark, stormy blue-grey, and his neck muscles were bulging.

"Gabriel can take care of himself," was all Kayne said as he took off out the side door. It was at that point Chayle realized Gabriel was no longer in the room with them, and Rafe was shaking his head.

.

Chapter 15

"Why is Kayne angry at Gabriel? He saved me from that man, he shouldn't hurt him." She started to go after the men and Rafe grabbed her around the waist, barely holding her.

"Kayne won't hurt him - much. He's just mad because Gabriel didn't get you out of the viewing room and allowed you to stay through the interrogation." Struggling to hold her in place.

"He didn't have a choice. I made him take me in there and I wouldn't leave." She screamed, trying to stomp on Rafe's foot.

Rafe took her back to the chair she had been sitting in and made her sit in it, standing in front of it so she could not move. When she could finally breathe, Chayle looked up to see a faint smile on those lips so much like his twins.

"What?" she growled.

"You will give my brother a run, but he so deserves you. Come, let us get you back up to the house before it gets too dark. The men are checking all of the grounds and check points. Kayne should be back within the hour."

Rafe took her hand and guided Chayle back into the house. Something smelled good coming from the kitchen and she realized just how hungry she was now. The kitchen was bright and filled with people as preparations were being made for supper. An older lady worked at the double stove stirring a couple of large pots. One looked to have pasta and the other a wonderful smelling sauce.

"Well, young lady. You must be Kayne's girl. I'm Clara and I’ve been on vacation for the last month to see my daughter in New Orleans. I do most of the cooking around here for this mangy lot." Clara's motherly arms encircled Chayle and pulled her against an ample bosom. "Welcome and come give a hand. These guys all have two left feet and several thumbs but they can help, too."

Clara handed Chayle the large spoon she was stirring the sauce with and moved over to one of the ovens. One of the younger men came over to assist her in taking out several large sheet pans of what smelled like garlic bread and Chayle's stomach growled again. In less time than it took to set the table, the bread was cut and ready for dinner, the sauce and pasta plated, and drinks poured. Just as everyone was washing up Kayne and Gabriel came in the back door.

Gabriel was sporting a black eye and a spit lip but he had a smile a mile wide when he saw what was for dinner. Kayne did not look much better. His clothes were ripped and muddy where Gabriel's were not and his mouth looked swollen.

"Oh no you don't, scamps. You are not sitting at my table all muddy and bloody. Off with you and wash!" Clara made shooing motions to both grown men.

"Well, are you happy now?" Chayle said loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. Both men looked embarrased for only a minute before bursting into laughter. She only shook her head pointed toward the door for them to go clean up. Laughter flowed around her as the men rushed out of the room. “Boys!” she whispered and shook her head.

It was a unique experience sitting at the large table with so many huge men eating. Clara sat next to her so she did not feel like the only female at the table. However, talk was of weapons and training, programs and sports. Typical testosterone-type conversation, to say the least, but once everyone had eaten Rafe motioned for silence.

"We need to double security for a bit, and check on the other outposts to ensure no one has tried to breach them." He looked around the table as everyone nodded except Chayle, who was stunned by the silence.

"What outposts?" she asked but no one answered.

"Kayne, you need to keep a closer eye on your woman. She’s a handful, to say the least. Especially if they still want to get their hands on her!" The grin Rafe shot Chayle was payback for the foot stomp, she was convinced but she did not take offense.

"No worries, brother. She's mine. They can't have her!" was all Kayne growled.

"Good, because I'm afraid we haven't heard the last of the one called the Master, and we still have to figure out what they wanted with Chayle and those other young girls." Everyone agreed as they helped clear the table and drifted in their own directions for the evening.

Chapter 16

Chayle leaned against Kayne's broad chest as they curled up on the chase lounge under the stars on the balcony, listening to night sounds on the warm evening. Somewhere in the distance, an owl called its mate and was answered not long after. Chayle shivered, and Kayne wrapped his strong arms around her. She couldn’t believe that only a short while ago she was alone and terrified, unable to free herself. Now she had a mate, someone who could feel her inner most emotions, thoughts, and dreams. It terrified her even more that she might not measure up to what might be ahead of them.

"What has you so quiet, my heart?" Kayne's warm breath brushed her ear lobe and made her shiver again, this time with something more.

"You know I have to find this maniac, don't you?"

"Love… "

"No!" she stopped him. "I have to be a part of this, no matter what, Kayne!" Chayle turned so she could look into those unique blue eyes that had captured her soul so he could see how serious she really was about this, how much it meant to her.

"He tried to take something from me that wasn't his to take and I have to make sure he can never do that to another person again! You have your honor that you live by! So do I." She touched his cheek and kissed those lips that drew her every time she looked at them. "This is my honor code, and I have to be a part of it, too."

"On my life, I will protect you no matter what happens. You know that, right?" he whispered, taking her lips in a crushing kiss. When they could breathe once more, Kayne realized his woman was smiling up at him.

"Well of course! Why else would you be my hero?"

Kayne proceeded to remind her of just why she loved this man so much.

Chapter 17

Rafe tossed and turned on his large bed, his dreams filled with the memory of a tiny woman who fought like a demon even though the odds were against her. He watched from a distance like a voyeur watching the scene unfold before him but couldn’t stop the events as they unfolded.

He saw himself step out of the shadows of the temporary med-vac tent set up by the team and watch as med techs frantically worked to clean their patient up as best as they could before she could be transported on the Team’s Pave Hawk helicopter. It was imperative they get her stabilized before trying to move her again, triage her injuries and determine what could be done in the field before moving her. He watched, detached as they cleaned as much blood and gore from her small body as they could to take care of any serious wounds before moving her. His gut told him to ensure her safety, get her out of here as quickly as possible before their location was compromised. A niggling at the back of his neck warned him that time was running out and he had to get all of them moving, they couldn’t spend any more time here.

He felt the gut wrenching pain as they sedated her, but it was for the best as he stared down at such a tiny body. God, she was so beaten and abused. It was a miracle she was even alive, much less able to fight anyone once they got her out of there. Looking down at her, she was engulfed in the dirty t-shirt Davy had managed to get around her naked frame when extracting her from the kennels. Davy had rushed her out of there after he and Kayne managed to pull Chayle Owens out of the cabin in the nick of time. It was a miracle she or Chayle was even alive. At first Rafe and Kayne had only found Chayle in the main cabin shortly before the entire compound was blown sky high.

Davy was lucky to find her while doing a parameter search. A quick fingerprint check identified her as Jollie Sanchez, chained in what must have once been kennels behind the structure. After the team met at the rendezvous point, it was decided to separate the two and take the females out individually. Hopefully, this would keep any trackers from locking onto them and get the women to safety as quickly as possible. Both of them needed medical attention, but Jollie continued to fight anyone who touched her.

Kayne had already taken their other patient into the hospital, and after evaluations, Jollie would be taken care of with just as much reverence, but the brothers had decided to keep them apart until both could be debriefed. It was vital that they gather as much information as possible so they could bring this monster down.

“Sir, she’s ready to be moved,” one of the medic’s whispered as he tucked a thermal blanket around the young woman. “She’s suffering from dehydration, severe and multiple bruising and contusions much like the other victim.” The young medic shivered and then gulped. Rafe had squeezed his shoulder with a nod.

“She’ll make it, sir, but she may never get over the psychological trauma,” the young man added. “I don’t think I could if this happened to one of my sisters.”

“Let’s get her loaded up and to safety. Kayne has already left with the other victim and I’ll accompany this one. Well done.” Rafe watched as the young medic brushed back the young woman’s hair and gulped again.

“Sir,” he whispered, then looked up at the older man. “Please - get whoever did this.”

“Oh, I promise you - they’ll pay!” was all Rafe had managed to say as he followed the gurney out of the makeshift medical set-up to the waiting stealth helicopter. He boarded the military-style Hawk, and said a silent prayer for the silent aircraft. The best equipment the military had to offer, its enhanced stealth technology got them airborne and heading to the private location not far from his family compound.

Rafe still couldn’t explain why he felt it necessary to take the woman there, and when he tried to explain it to Kayne, his twin simply smiled and had walked away.

He abso-fucking-lutely hated it when Kayne did that! Yet, looking down at the porcelain complexion marred with bruising cuts, long inky lashes, and full lips that were cracked and bleeding yet tempting none the less, this small woman strapped to the gurney called to every protective genetic instinct Rafe carried. In the middle of a helicopter silently winging its way toward the secluded safety of the medical facilities, he hadn’t been able to keep his fingers from brushing back the long wisps of dirty hair on her bangs that fell across her forehead. When she moaned as if in pain, Rafe’s gut cramped. It hurt as if Merc or Gabriel actually manage to land a series of kick punches during one of their sparing matches instead of the tiny sounds from this woman lying on the floor next to him. The thought terrified him!

Instinct kicked in, some primal craving that had long since been denied, and Rafe knew beyond a single doubt that he would give his life for this woman just as he would for his twin or Kayne’s mate. Gods, he was afraid Destiny had finally found him.

Unbelievably, he watched as Jollie managed to rise above the drugs the medics had given her, her eyes hazy and unfocused. Rafe felt the tingling of someone reaching out to him with mental fingers, reaching…

“
Why couldn’t she see his face?”
He closed his eyes and realized it was Jollie, still heavily sedated but fighting it hard enough to get past and touch his mental blocks. Her mind was reaching out because her body couldn’t as she searched for information verifying that she was finally safe.

“Rest, girl. You’re safe and no one can get to you now,” Rafe had whispered close to her ear, smoothing the hair back from her face. He felt the mental touch recede and he pushed into her thoughts to see a hazy membrane, which concealed everything except a shadowed veil. Never had he been able to reach out to another soul other than with his twin or the men with which he served. This small woman should not be able to feel this connection with him on such a level, nor should Rafe be able to feel her painful link. Suddenly, Jollie managed to push through even the drugs and Rafe’s ability to calm her, fighting those trying to hold her down.