Chapter 16 #2
THE NIGHT WAS DARK and oppressive. The frigid bite of the air made Sully tremble as he pressed a finger to his lips in a shushing motion, his other hand clasped Private Smith by the side of the neck.
Crouched in a shell hole, musty ruined earth, acrid cordite, and smoke filled their nostrils.
Made it hard to breathe. Sully’s entire body ached with effort of staying upright.
He could hardly focus on what he was supposed to be doing—casting an illusion that kept them hidden.
He and this soldier who’d been next to him when their plan fell to fucking shite.
Sully wasn’t even supposed to be here. Orders had come from above and he was being reassigned to some special French Army unit of skilled soldiers. Only he’d been sent out for one last mission after barely enough sleep to function.
If he’d been more focused, less exhausted, he might’ve recognized the sensation of the German alertness.
The anticipation of an impending assault had been there, but he’d been too busy following orders to pay it any mind.
His limited resources were occupied weaving an illusion as wide as he could possibly stretch it.
Making the Germans believe they were still engaged in a firefight, stretched every scrap of him thin as the rest of their troops began a calculated retreat.
It hadn’t lasted ten minutes when the Germans charged them.
He’d watched as the man to his right was shot in the chest, and Sully had doubled down on his efforts, pushing out more energy than he ought to, impossible to maintain.
The Germans faltered for a moment, but it didn’t stop them.
They shook it off too fast, squared their shoulders, and marched forward into the false suppression fire he was showing them.
They knew.
It was the only explanation. Betrayal and impotent fury burned in Sully’s gut.
They were lambs to the slaughter, those left to pull up the rear.
He’d grabbed Smith, standing to his left, and pulled him into a nearby shell hole, concentrated his illusion on a smaller area, concealing them.
Then he wasted bullets fruitlessly attempting to give their troops a chance to retreat, but they’d stood ground.
In a matter of moments all was lost. The British were overrun, surrounded by enemy troops pushing forward. Guttural German shouts rang out around them. It was all Sully could do to maintain the tenuous illusion keeping Smith and himself hidden.
Darkness helped. He made the shadow deeper. Slowly drained his reserves until he’d been forced to clap a hand on Smith to keep him inside the illusion.
Sully didn’t know if Smith understood what was happening, but he was scared enough to follow Sully’s lead.
Thoughts sluggish, he struggled to come up with a plan to save them.
If— when — they left this dank hole, they were separated from their own troops by innumerable Germans ready to cut them down the second Sully’s illusion faltered.
They’d doubtless be on the lookout for him if they’d known enough to march right through his false firefight.
Whether someone sold them out, or they’d picked something up with their listening posts, they’d known.
This is bad. I’m fucked. We’re fucked. I couldn’t save any of them, and I won’t be able to save this poor sap either. He’ll die just like the rest, and so will I.
A shout caught his attention. Sully’s brows shot up. He had to be hallucinating. What idiot would be out here yelling his name for all the world to hear? Was it a trap? Did the Germans know his name? But even if they did, there was something familiar about that voice.
No.
Could it be?
Sully shifted. Smith sucked in a panicked breath.
Giving him a reassuring glance, Sully slipped to the edge of the hole and peered over.
The stillness of the forest was eerie. Moonlight cast the world in glowing shades of gray.
Headless trees threw long shadows over charred frosted earth, but nothing moved.
Distant gunfire echoed, but there wasn’t a single person in sight. No voice calling him.
He must’ve imagined it. But, they might not get a better chance. If they stuck to the shadows, maybe they could skirt the firefight. What else were they supposed to do? Wait for a laughable figment of Sully’s imagination to charge to their rescue?
No one was coming. No one was even looking for them. If they were going to survive this, they had to act.
He was about to say so when out of nowhere two people appeared, suddenly standing a few feet away. Smith made a startled squeak before clapping his hands over his mouth.
“Perhaps we ought to wait for daylight?” A feminine voice asked. Was that a woman in a male soldier’s uniform? “He could be anywhere. If he’s using an illusion to conceal himself, we won’t spot him. And if he’s dead, there are too many of them to examine each one in the midst of the fighting.”
“He’s not dead. He’s too smart for that,” Elliot said.
Sully stared. How? What?
This can’t really be happening. He can’t really be here. You’re cracking up, Sullivan.
The woman braced her hands on her hips as she stared at Elliot. “And you know that from reading his file?”
“I—” Elliot seemed to catch himself. “Yes.”
“Would you care to attempt that in a more believable tone?”
This was real, even though it was goddamn impossible. And Elliot needed a rescue too before he stepped in it. Sully dropped the illusion. “Looking for me, huh?”
The two of them flinched at the unexpected voice, both tensing momentarily before Elliot grinned at him.
Even in the faint moonlight it was glorious, the most beautiful thing Sully had ever seen.
A warm feeling spread in his chest, so much deeper than it should’ve, winding under tissue and bone.
A crushing tightness gripped him, at odds with the wild flutter of his pulse.
“Corporal Sullivan?” The woman asked.
“That’s me, ma’am.” Abruptly, he remembered the German soldiers all around. “It’s dangerous to be out there like that. I can’t keep up an illusion around you, maybe you should get down.”
The woman nodded and climbed into the crater followed by Elliot after he’d glanced around. Checking that no one was approaching?
With a small burst of renewed energy, Sully concealed them all. He turned to Smith, who was plastered back against the dirt wall. “It’s okay. They’re on our side.”
“They appeared out of thin air!” Smith hissed with dismay.
“Would you like to be saved or not?” The woman asked, scorn dripping from her clipped words.
“Bellona,” Elliot chided. “The boy’s in shock. Try not to frighten him all the way to death. I’m sure this has been enough of an ordeal.”
“They’re safe,” Sully said, infusing his voice with certainty. Why was he so convinced he was in the clear? Just because of Elliot? He hardly knew the man. What was it about Elliot that after spending one night with him, Sully felt completely secure?
Memories swept over him. Intense longing threatened to drown him. So much emotion flooded in all directions. He had no hope of picking apart which were his or even what they were. He was too damn exhausted.
A battle waged in Smith, reflected across his features. Sully felt him come to a decision, relax a fraction.
“What now?” Sully peered at Elliot for guidance.
The naked heat in Elliot’s eyes was near incendiary.
He looked like he had thousands of ideas, none of them remotely related to their immediate situation.
Sully fought the responding blush that rushed to his cheeks.
Then Elliot reined himself in, expression settling into neutrality.
“Right. Well, Bellona can only take two at once.” He contemplated them. “Corporal Sullivan isn’t likely to leave a man behind, even temporarily.”
She raised an eyebrow and Sully practically heard her ask how the hell would you know? How did he? How would Elliot explain? They were from entirely different worlds. Their circles would never have crossed. It was obvious as the differences between their uniforms.
Could they say Sully had worked for him? Investigated something on his behalf? Maybe she wouldn’t ask?
“He’s right, I won’t leave Smith here undefended.
” Sully resolutely crossed his arms. If all he did today was save one man, he might be able to tell himself he wasn’t useless.
He might be able to look Anne in the face again when he got home.
Might not feel like such a damn coward. “I stay behind, you two take him. I can conceal myself easy enough.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie. He could hold out a while longer. If they were quick about whatever it was they were doing. No one had to know how weak he was, how he was pushing himself too far keeping this entire conversation silenced.
Elliot’s expressive mouth pursed. Sully saw the argument coming before he opened it. Bellona got there first. “I’m not leaving you behind, Captain. Not alone. Corporal Sullivan is correct. He has the best chance.”
Jaw clenching and unclenching, Elliot glanced up at the night sky.
Sully followed his gaze; twinkling stars dotted the dark blue.
Smoke drifted around, obscuring them in patches.
“Bell, you’ll do as I say.” She narrowed her icy eyes but didn’t fight him.
She didn’t have grounds to since he outranked her.
“Get the private to safety, I’ll remain with Corporal Sullivan.
He can conceal us if need be, and the longer you spend arguing, the greater the danger. ”
Bellona scrutinized Sully. He tried to seem like he had no idea why Elliot would want to stay with him either.
Suspicion lit her eyes, and Sully cursed internally at Elliot.
He had no idea what game Elliot was playing, but it was obvious their connection shouldn’t be made blatant.
It wasn’t the most dangerous part of being out here, but it could still get a man discharged in humiliation.
Or more likely in Elliot’s case, court martialed.
Or would it be like Allison’s injury, not even bad enough to see their kind relieved of duty? Sully’s insides squirmed uncomfortably as Bellona continued to examine him. Finally she huffed an irate sigh.
“Right then,” she said to Smith. “With me. And you.” She fixed her fierce gaze on Elliot. “We are going to speak about this later, and you are going to explain yourself.”
Elliot nodded. “Be safe.”
She inclined her head slightly. “And you don’t be stupid.”
Sully was impressed she had the guts to talk to him like that.
A moment later she vanished from sight along with Smith. Sully stared at the space they’d been. “Huh. Can’t say I expected you to show up here, saving people willy-nilly.”
“Warren,” Elliot whispered. Sully looked at him, heart flayed open at the tender way he said it, so many feelings swelling inside of him that made absolutely no sense. It had to be relief after almost dying. Had to be. He was just confused.
Then Elliot’s hands cupped his face and those once silk-soft fingers were calloused and dry, and Sully couldn’t breathe with aching for him. Elliot must have changed so much in the last months, every hardship he endured altering him in ways that might never be reversed. Same as Sully had been.
“How are you here?” Sully asked, words full of too much meaning. Too much wonder.
Elliot’s intense gaze held his. An electric shock traveled through Sully’s weary body. It sped his heart and made his legs buckle before he caught himself. “I came for you.”
In a surge of motion, their mouths met. Crashed into one another, frantic.
Elliot kissed him and it was like that first desperate time.
Sully could almost feel the brick at his back as he yielded to the sweet pressure of Elliot’s tongue, parting his lips.
Barely enough sense left in his mind to throw up an illusion concealing them.
He would never leave Elliot unprotected.
He’d made a promise. He didn’t break those.
When they drew back, Sully gasped. Cold air rushed over where Elliot’s hot mouth had been. His whole body tingled, his knees on the verge of giving out. Elliot’s strong arms were all that kept him upright. “God,” Sully sighed.
Elliot flashed a satisfied smirk. “I cannot tell you how many times I’ve thought of doing that again.”
Something soared in Sully’s chest. Elliot still thought about him.
“Me too,” he admitted sheepishly. He tried and failed to suppress a yawn.
“Boring you, am I?” Elliot asked with a touch of wry amusement.
“Un-unh.” Sully yawned a second time and alarm flitted across Elliot’s face.
“You’re overworking yourself.”
It was nice Elliot was worried about him. Sully liked it. Liked the warm caring feelings wrapping him up as surely as Elliot’s body was.
How did he know about Sully’s limitations? Faint awareness prickled.
“Read about that in my file did you?” Sully sagged a little more in Elliot’s arms. Elliot took his weight easily, still stronger than he seemed.
A strange expression Sully couldn’t interpret tightened Elliot’s mouth. There wasn’t enough space in his mind or power to parse it. He was tired. So damn tired. Sleep was reaching out with open arms, curling around him, weighing him down.
“Mmm. Bellona ought to be here any moment, you may as well drop the illusion.”
He couldn’t give in. Had to stay awake a little longer. Had to protect Elliot.
“Said I’d keep you safe,” Sully mumbled.
The world went dark. He thought Elliot called his name, but he couldn’t have opened his eyes for anything.