Skin Walkers Conn (12 page)

He knew very little about the delicate creature asleep in his bed, but he knew with all certainty that he wanted her protected.  From whoever was tracking her, from Monroe and Mason, from other Walkers, hell even from himself. 

Anger tore through him then, that he should be so concerned with someone he’d only just met. 
I’m a
merc
, I don’t have time for this love
y
-dove
y
bullshit
!
 

He stood then and paced to stare ou
t his window.  Surely, the other
Walker
’s that had been afflicted hadn’t tried to fight it
.  They weren’t as strong as he was
, they didn’t have the will or capabilities to control
the beasts within.  But he did.  He turned to frown down at Aries.  H
e would.

***

Aries woke in the morning and was instantly mortified to discover herself
still
in Conn’s bed. 
She’d come in late last night unable to sleep.  She wanted answers about Walkers, and when she’d discovered the
suite empty
she’d opted to wait in his room for him until he’d returned.
She’d never imagined she’d fall
asleep in his bed.  She slapped a hand over her eyes
in humiliation
,
Shameless! 

Sitting up she shoved the hair back from her eyes and paled
at the pain that greeted her.  It was always strongest in the morning before she had the opportunity to tamp it down.  She swallowed hard and
threw up the
mental
barriers she’d learned to erect
over the years
that made
it possible for her to not only function through the constant pain that hounded her, but to almost forget it was there
entirely
. 

She quickly surveyed the room and was more than a little relieved to find that Conn had
n’t returned.
  God only knew how she’d explain herself
if he had
.

She crept
out of the bed and snuck to the bedroom door, pulling it open a mere fraction
to peek
down the hall.  The coast was clear.  With any luck, she’d just crawl back into her own bed and Conn would never be the wiser.

She was tiptoeing across the hall to her room when
Conn’s voice stopped her.  “Coffee’s on.”

Her head snapped to the end of the hall where his voice had come from, but he wasn’t standing there
smirking
at her as she’d expected.  Instead she heard the clang of a
pan
.  She inhaled and the scent of freshly brewed coffee was much more enticing then climbing back into bed, so she shrugged one shoulder and strode casually down the hall to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Conn was lining strips of bacon in a skillet.  The toaster
rattled
on the counter behind him as
two slices of toast shot up, and a pan of scrambled eggs sizzled next to the now hissing bacon. 

“Got your appetite back I see.”

Conn didn’t look up when A
ries entered and at her comment
his brows drew tighter together. 

Aries dipped her head, trying to get a better look at his face, “Aw come on.  You can’t still
be fasting
?
”

Conn reached up and retrieved a single coffee mug from the cupboard before turning and filling it with steaming fragrant coffee.  “Believe me, it’s not self-induced.”

Aries
fingered the white streak at her temple
, “It-it’s been days Conn.”

He looked at her then, noticing how comfortable his name sounded on her lips.  “I know.  It’s alright.  I’ll just…”  He looked around the kitchen, not
quite sure what
it was he could do to bring back his appetite
or to placate her on the matter
.  “I’ll try some toast a li
ttle later.  In the mean time,”
he crossed to the table and set the mug of coffee he held at the lone place setting, “you want cream?”

Aries
followed slowly, reluctantly taking her seat at the table.  “If you’ve got it.”

Conn turned to retrieve the cream and Aries shoved a stray strand of hair behind her ear.  “You don’t need to go through all this trouble just for me.  I could just have toast too.”

Conn placed
the creamer on the table
near her elbow
before returning to the kitchen to finish preparing her breakfast.  He talked as he worked, “There’s no sense in you starving simply because I’ve lost
my
appetite.”

“Maybe you
are
coming down with something?”
Her
statement
earned her a grunt.

“I don’t get sick.”

Aries turned to eye him over her shoulder as he carried her plate to t
he table.  “We all get sick
.”

“Yeah,” he responded setting down her plate.  “Just eat.”

Aries frowned up at him, but when the scent of cheesy eggs wafted up to her, she opted to take up her fork and enjoy the breakfast.

She was halfway through her food when a knock sounded at the door.

Conn, who’d been washing breakfast dishes
, turned off the sink and strode to the door.  Aries couldn’t see who it was, but noticed the frown deepen on Conn’s face before he stood aside and held the door open. 

Aries swallowed the food that was in her mouth before setting down her fork to stare up at the man
she remembered as
Mason.

“Good morning Aries.  I trust you had a restful evening.”

Aries’ eyes slid from Mason to Conn.  She could tell by Conn’s demeanor that he didn’t want the other man in his suite.  When Ar
ies opened her mouth to respond
, Conn cut her off. 
“Aries, get dressed
,
” h
e commanded without taking his eyes from Mason.

She opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it just as quickly.  She was getting to know the tone
s
he used, and
this was
one that brooked no refusal. 
She
shoved away from the table and disappeared down the hall.

In her room, Aries dressed quickly.  She didn’t know where they’d come from, but a pair of jeans, socks, shoes, underwear, and t-shirt were sitting on the bed when she entered. 
The clothes were a pretty close fit
and quite fashionable, she doubted Conn had selected them
. 

Once dressed, she left the room and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.  Inside
she found a toothbrush still in a cellophane wrapper sitting next to th
e sink.  Assuming it was for her
, she quickly unwrapped it and began brushing her teeth.  When raised voices floated to her from down the hall, she turned the water off to
listen
.

“I’m not playing these fucking games with him Mason.”  Conn’s angry words could be heard clearly.

Aries stopped brushing and inched closer to the door.

“Look,
you should know that
Monroe’s contacted
Tyce
.”

Aries flinched when she heard glass shatter in the other room.  She quickly returned to the sink and turned it back on, brushing her teeth quickly before washing her face and finding a comb to run through her long satiny hair.  She threaded her fingers through her locks before
lacing
her hair into a loose side braid.  Then she exited the bathroom and rejoined Conn in the living room, only to discover that the party of two had grown.

“Aries.”
Monroe greeted when she crept into the sitting room.  “You remember King, and Bishop.”

She didn’t.  Her
eyes slid to Conn, who stood near the window sco
wling at Monro
e.

Aries
cleared
her throat.  “Will I be traveling home today?”

All eyes tur
ned to Monroe
and Aries could tell by their expressions that whatever
ne
ws the CEO was about to relay
wasn’t good.

“Actually, there’s been a slight hiccup.” 
Monroe’s attempt at a smile failed.

“W-what do you mean?”  Aries couldn’t steel herself against the trepidation that slowly
seeped into
her.

Monroe took a step closer to her and Aries instinctively
backed away
.  She heard Conn growl from his place by the window, and whether he was growling at her or Monroe she wasn’t sure.

“It’s come to my attention
that highly classified I
ntel has been leaked to you.”

Aries shook her head
slowly.

“Unfortunately, I am not in a position to ignore any such breach of security where the safety of my people is concerned.”

Aries
lifted her hands, palms out.  “I
f
this
is
about Walkers…
”

She could tell by Conn’s wince and Monroe’s smile that she’d just buried herself.  “
I don’t know anything Monroe.
  Conn hasn’t told me anything.”  She rushed on, “And if he had
,” she looked in turn to each
Walker
, “I-I wouldn’t tell anyone.
  I swear it.
”

The corner of Monroe’s mouth lifted in what appeared to be admonishment.  “You’ll need to remain with us for just a bit longer.”  He raised his hand and
King and Bishop moved
,
staling
toward Aries.  She thought she saw Bishop brandish a pair of h
andcuffs before Conn shoved passed
the two men and spun on them cutting off their path to Aries.

“
That’s
not happening,” Conn growled.

“
I’m the c
ommander here Conn
,” Monroe cut in smoothly
, “and what I say, goes.”

“You might be the c
ommander
here
,” Conn argued, “but you’re no c
ommander of mine.”

“Actually,” Monroe’s velvety tone held the slightest hint of humor, “I spoke with
Tyce
this morning.  And while I may not b
e your c
ommander,
he
certainly is.  Funds
have been
deposited into his account for the successful retrieval and receipt of one Ms. Aries Bracken.” 

There was silence for several deafening moments before Monroe continued, “Which means you
r
job here is finished. 
Tyce
would like you and you
r
men back
at Apex
within the next twenty-four.  As for Ms. Bracken, she’ll remain her
e
with us.”

Aries felt Conn tense in front of her
.  She barely kept from curling her hands into his shirt to steady herself.  She had no idea what was going on, but it sounded like she’d
just been sold to Monroe.  Worse, it appeared
Conn was being forced to leave without her
.  She peeked around
Conn
to see King and Bishop slowly advancing.

“The fucking handcuffs aren’t necessary!”

Aries backed up then, her eyes sliding down
the
empty hall.  She’d have only seconds to get to a window and find a way down.  If she jumped, she might make it.

“On the contrary,” Monroe replied to Conn’s challenge.
“If she can escape the great
and might
y
Commander
Conn
Drago
and his platoon of mercenaries, than I’d be a fool to
take the risk, wouldn’t
I
?
”

The door opened then and
four more large and imposing men entered the room silently.

“Is that all you got?” Conn challenged.

“Don’t make this hard Conn.  We
are
taking her, and you
are
leaving.”

“And what’s to stop me from calling my men and
turning
this into a proper dance?”  The harsh rasp of Conn’s tone sent shivers down Aries’ spine.  She barely recognized his voice for the anger threatening to overwhelm him.

“Nothing at all.  Save for the fact that if your men and mine get into it now, she’ll surely be injured in the fray.
  None of us want that.”