PS02 - Without Regret (41 page)

The demon currently sniffing Izzy’s wrist frowned. “He didn’t say anything about a mate.”

“I don’t think this is her,” the one sniffing her neck said with a firm shake of his head.

Chris moved patiently, making sure that he had the wall at his back as he moved further into the room. One thing he knew about

Djaeho demons, it took them a fucking long time to come to a decision or notice anything once something had their attention.

“This can’t be her. Jonathan would have told us if she were mated and pregnant,” the last one said, standing up as he released

Izzy’s hand with a frustrated sigh.

“But she smells like the shirt Jonathan gave us,” the one who’d been sniffing her stomach said.

Izzy threw him a pleading look, but he shook his head slightly as he continued slowly towards them. The last thing he wanted to

do was startle the hell out of four Djaeho demons since they had a tendency of panicking before thinking things through.

“No, she smells stronger than the tee shirt and pregnant. It’s not her!” the one who’d been sniffing her wrist said shoving him

and Chris nearly groaned when he realized that he was looking at four almost identical brothers who no doubt shared a brain.

They all had sandy brown hair with streaks of red, dark beady eyes, hulking builds and were apparently slow on the uptake

since they looked startled when they finally saw him.

Yeah, Djaeho demons were great trackers, but shitty mercenaries.

“You need to step away from my mate. Now,” he said, taking aim.

Instead of moving all four demons shared a very confused look. “What are we supposed to do now?” one of them asked, which

one he really wasn’t sure and didn’t care as long as they moved their asses, but this was Djaeho demons he was talking about

here and could very well still be standing around here five hours from now just as confused.

“I have a suggestion,” Izzy piped in and he swore he was going to spank her ass not only for allowing herself to be torn from

his side, but for scaring the shit out of him with this stunt. “Since the hotel appears to be on fire and you followed this scent

here then perhaps you should be outside waiting for her to come out?”

The four demons all looked down at her. To her credit his little Munchkin did her best to appear calm and relaxed, but he could

tell by the way she ran the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip that she was scared out of her mind and he didn’t blame her.

Djaeho demons were not only stupid, but very unpredictable.

“If you don’t want to upset this Jonathan person then you should probably go and look for her,” Izzy suggested and damn if all

four men didn’t nod in agreement and storm out of the room without another word.

“I can’t believe they fell for that,” Izzy mumbled as he reached out and grabbed her hand.

“They’re not very bright, but whoever’s running the show will figure out what just happened quickly enough. We need to haul

ass, Munchkin, before they come back,” he said, pulling her towards window.

“Umm, the door is that way,” she pointed out, coughing.

He looked over his shoulder and swore as he saw gray smoke pour in from the bottom of the door. “We have to go this way,

Munchkin,” he said, tightening his hold on her as he dragged her towards the closed balcony door.

“Are you crazy?” she demanded as she tried to yank her hand away from him. “We’re on the third floor!” she pointed out

almost desperately as he yanked her the final five feet onto the small balcony overlooking a pretty goddamn steep drop.

Why the hell had they built this damn hotel on the top of a steep rocky hill? he wondered as he tossed his bag over the side and

watched as it hit, tumbled and picked up speed as it raced down the hill, hitting rocks and small trees until if finally came to a

halt several feet from a wide raging river. It made for beautiful scenery, but with all those rapids, rocks and no doubt the bone

numbing temperature of the water it was going to be hell on their bodies.

“No!” she cried out as he grabbed her bag and tossed over the side to join his. “My Netbook was in there,” she said, pouting

and looking so damn cute at the moment that he couldn’t help but kiss her on the tip of her nose.

“Was there anything important in it?”

“No,” she grumbled, still not sounding too happy about it. “But it had this really cute picture on it,” she mumbled, looking

down and then promptly taking a huge step back.

“I’ll find you another picture, Munchkin, but we really have to get the hell out of here,” he said, reaching for her again. When

she slapped away his hands he had to stop himself from wincing. Oh yeah, his Munchkin was definitely coming into her

abilities, he thought proudly.

It wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference in the end, but at least he knew she’d be able to protect herself if something were to

happen on the island Eric sent her to, and nothing better fucking happen to her.

“Yeah, that’s not really what I’m worried about at the moment.”

“Then what is?” he asked, dragging her closer to the edge.

“Your little vacation from sanity,” she said, gasping when he threw a leg over the ledge. “There is no way that I’m jumping,

Chris, and if you think that I am then you’re as crazy as those four,” she said, gesturing towards the smoke filled hotel room.

He looked pointedly passed her. “Doesn’t look as though you have much of a choice there, Munchkin.”

She followed his eyes and swallowed nervously.

“Time to go, Munchkin,” he said, pulling her until she had no choice but to put one leg over the cement banister.

“C-Chris,” she said nervously as she chanced a peek down. She noticeably paled as she shot the smoke filled hotel room a

wistful glance. “Is there a chance that we can fly and you’ve forgotten to tell me?”

“Nope, but I’m pretty sure we won’t die from this height.”

Her eyes narrowed on him. “I. Hate. You.”

“Puhlease, everyone fucking loves me,” he said, pulling her into his arms before she could stop him and pushed off from the

wall, praying they didn’t hit one of the jagged dark grey rocks to their right.

*******

I’m going to have seven teams set up around the city to create diversions and help you get her into the city.

Once you’re in I’m going to need you to-“

“This is the team you’re sending after my son?”

Ephraim asked as he stormed into the meeting room which also housed half of the compound’s weapons.

“Yes,” Eric said, gesturing to a group of ten Sentinels, two woman and eight men. He looked them over and shook his head.

“No,” he simply said as he walked past Eric and helped himself to the holy weapons table.

“What the hell do you mean by ‘no’?” Eric demanded.

“We don’t have time for any bullshit. I need to get them in here now.”

“They’re not going,” he said, not bothering to look over his shoulder as he grabbed a small box of holy oil tipped bullets. “I’ll

go and get him myself. I don’t need ten Sentinel’s drawing attention to them.”

“You’re dismissed,” Eric said to the small group. “I’ll call you when I need you.”

Ephraim shook his head. “You won’t need them.”

Eric stepped in front of him as he turned to leave and it took more patience then he had at the moment to remind himself that this

was his friend and not throw his fucking ass across the room.

“Get out of my way, Eric,” he bit out calmly.

“Look,” Eric said, taking a healthy step back, smart man, “I know you want to make sure that Chris gets back safely, but you

need to let us handle this, Ephraim. We’ll have them back here before nightfall.

You have my word,” Eric promised.

If it was anyone else, anyone else’s child he’d say fuck it and let them do their jobs, but this wasn’t. This was his son, his

daughter-in-law and a possible grandchild. He still couldn’t wrap his mind around that one and probably wouldn’t believe it

until he scented it on Izzy, but that didn’t mean he was going to sit on his ass and wait around.

“No deal. I’m going after my kids,” he said, stepping past Eric only to have the infuriating man cut him off once again.

Eric thrust his fingers through his hair, looking exhausted, which wasn’t too surprising since everyone had been busted their

asses here nonstop for several days. It was another reason why he wouldn’t allow that group of Sentinels to go after his son.

They were exhausted and would be in too much of a rush to get back to Boston to protect their city to keep their minds on

keeping his children safe.

“I didn’t want to have to say this, but I need you here,”

Eric said, dropping his hands by his side and looking like he’d rather be doing anything else, but having this conversation.

“Why?” He knew the city was going to shit. There’d been over a hundred deaths in the last forty-eight hours. Demons, shifters

and vampires were having a free-for-all when they weren’t tearing the city apart looking for Isabella and humans were scared

out of their minds. Those who weren’t hiding in terror in their homes were out causing problems, looting and taking advantage

of the chaos going on in the city. Hell, he’d just gotten off a twelve hour patrol in the city and he was fucking exhausted, but he

had to get his children to safety.

“I don’t think I can guarantee the amount of protection your family needs. I’ve got patrols going round the clock, we’re short

staffed and there’s no one to call in to help,” Eric explained.

“As long as they stay in the compound they’re fine, Eric. Madison is a Pyte and can tear the throat out of anyone who fucks with

one of her babies,” he said, grabbing a black backpack and filling it with supplies.

“Marc won’t go anywhere without her. Chris personally trained Jill so I’m not too worried about her,” he said with a wink,

earning a wince from Eric.

Chris hadn’t pulled any punches or made it easy on Jill and Madison. When they tried to rebel and beg him to teach them

instead of Chris he’d flat out refused. He knew he wouldn’t be able to be as firm with them as he needed to be. Then of course

they begged Eric to come up and train them for a few days. Reluctantly he did, but he’d taken it too easy on the women, Jill

because she was human and Madison because he was worried about hurting Madison and pissing Ephraim off.

After Eric said the hell with it and left, the women were left with Chris, who’d never stopped grinning as he pushed them to the

point of going for a weapon. His son was good, really good and everyone knew it. There was already talk of him taking control

of the training for this area, but he knew Chris wouldn’t go for it.

Sometimes he was too damn stubborn. He could be living anywhere in the world and enjoy his life while he did his duty and

the stubborn bastard refused to leave home, because of some bullshit guilt he’d believed for far too fucking long. He had a mate

now and god willing a child on the way. It was time for Chris to live his own life and allow himself some happiness for once.

“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”

“No,” he said, throwing his pack over his shoulder.

“We’re heading out now,” he said as he headed for the door.

“We? Who are you taking?”

“Joshua.”

“You turned down ten Sentinels for a human?” Eric asked, not bothering to hide the disbelief in his tone.

“Joshua’s scent can help mask Isabella’s whereas your little group of soldiers would have drawn every fucking Alpha and

demon for miles,” he explained as pressed the code to open the door.

“True, but they weren’t exactly going to drag their asses back here to give anyone a chance to lock onto their scent.”

Ephraim shrugged. “I’m also less likely to tear his throat open if he pisses me off.”

Chapter 35

“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Chris asked in a chipper tone as he gently, but quickly pried her off of him. “As much as I’d

love to cuddle, Munchkin, we have to haul ass.”

“I. Hate. You,” she bit out, wishing her damn body would stop trembling so that she could kick his ass and she was pretty damn

sure that she could do it now. She felt stronger and faster now.

Okay, maybe not right now. Right now she wanted her body to stop shaking and her heart to stop trying to beat its way out of

her chest. She shoved her hair out of her face and chanced a look up and almost passed out right then and there. She could not

believe they dropped, no correction, jumped from that the third floor.

It had forty or fifty feet up.

They should have been killed or seriously hurt, but she didn’t have a mark on her and was pretty sure that she wouldn’t have a

single bruise later. She was pretty damn sure it had nothing to do with being a Sentinel and everything to do with the way Chris

took them down. He held her tightly against him as they dropped and when they landed he turned over, taking the hit and rolled

them down the hill. It was the craziest and scariest thing she’d ever done in her life and she never wanted to do it again.

“Aw, thanks, Munchkin. That was really sweet, but we have to get going now,” he said, grabbing a Ziploc baggie out of his bag

and tossed his cell phones and wallet in it before stuffing the baggie in his front pocket. As he walked over to her bag and

picked it up she couldn’t help but notice that he was limping or that his jaw was set firmly.

“Are you okay?” she asked, wondering if maybe they weren’t so lucky with that jump after all.

He shrugged it off as he grabbed her bag and handed it to her. “Just a few aches, Munchkin. Nothing to worry about, besides the