Chapter Nineteen
brICK’S KIT bag sat by the bedroom door, all packed and ready for the flight the following morning.
Ready to take me a step closer to finding Seth.
“I don’t need to tell you to be careful, do I?” Aric hugged his knees, the pillows piled high behind him.
Brick glanced at him. “The same way I don’t need to tell you not to worry?”
He huffed. “I’d worry less if I was going with you. I’m not suggesting going up against the bad guys—I may only be a cat, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid—but at least I’d be at the base camp. You know, when you get back there with Seth.”
Brick sat beside him, lifted Aric into his lap, and wrapped his arms around his mate’s slim form. “Let’s get one thing straight. You are not only a cat, you got that? You’re smart, you’re intuitive—” He kissed Aric’s hair. “—and I know you were with me the last time in Texas, but that was different.”
“How? How was it different?”
Brick stroked his back. “We were miles from their camp. We had more guys. I knew you’d be okay. This mission? It feels way more dangerous, and I want you safe.” Aric stiffened in his arms, and Brick sighed. “I know, baby. You want to be around when we take Seth and Jake—and all the other prisoners—out of there. But we’ll be bringing them back here, I promise.”
Aric sagged against him, and Brick knew he’d seen sense. “Fine. I’ll just give up sleeping until you’re home with our mate.” He sighed. “Waiting is gonna kill me, though. I want it to be the three of us, together.”
“I know. I want that too.” Then he chuckled. “Give up sleeping? That’s supposed to make me feel guilty and change my mind? Sorry, but it ain’t gonna work. Nice try, though.” He planted another kiss on Aric’s head. “And speaking of sleep, how about we hit the sack? I’ve gotta be up awful early in the morning.”
“As long as you fall asleep holding me.”
Brick smiled. “I was gonna do that anyway.” He set an alarm on his phone, stripped down to his shorts, then climbed beneath the cool sheets.
“Wait!” Aric lurched off the bed and disappeared into their closet. He appeared a moment later, carrying a folded garment. Aric went over to Brick’s duffel, opened it, and placed the item inside.
“What are you doing? I’ve got my packing down to a fine art.”
Aric got into bed. “I wasn’t packing any of your stuff—it was mine.”
Brick arched his eyebrows. “One of your shirts wants to go to Maine? Does it need a vacation? Because I can think of far better locations.”
Aric froze, his chin held high, his eyes unusually flinty. “One of my mates is about to go in, guns blazing, to save another. Or maybe to find his body. And all the while I’ll be here, scared out of my mind, waiting to get a call from Horvan where he might tell me neither of you will be coming home.” He was trembling. “Please, tell me what’s funny here, because I’m not getting the joke.”
Brick pulled him close. “I’m so sorry, baby. I was trying to lighten the mood. Please, forgive me.”
Aric rested his head against Brick’s shoulder.
“And as for why I’m sending you out with one of my shirts? You don’t have a romantic bone in your body, do you?” He craned his neck to look Brick in the eye. “So you can smell it. You know, to help you remember who you are and who you belong with.”
That was the sweetest fucking thing. Sweeter still seeing as Brick had told him he couldn’t come.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Aric leveled a keen glance at him. “Use it to help keep your head on straight so you can find our mate. Okay?”
“Sure.” This was all so weird. Aric was like a third the size of Brick, but he could make him feel loved and cherished. Something Brick hadn’t had in forever.
And telling him how I feel before I go on a mission is no bad thing.
Brick pulled him close. “I love you. I hope you know that.”
Aric smiled, then leaned in and gave Brick a kiss. “Just keep that in mind. It’ll come in handy later.” He wriggled until his back was pressed against Brick’s chest, and Brick’s nostrils filled with his delicious scent.
“You really think it’s going to work?”
Brick made sure to lock away any doubts or misgivings before replying. He didn’t want to spook Aric. Telling him nothing was ever written was not an option.
“We’ve got the best people. We’ve got Milo in the camp. Yeah, I think it’s gonna work.”
It had better. His mate’s life depended on it, as well as Jake Carson’s and Jamie Matheson’s. Plus Milo’s own mate had to be another priority since the man was risking his life to help.
Brick closed his eyes, relaxed his body, and waited for sleep. Except it took a while. He couldn’t shake the notion that he’d just missed something important.
Go. To. Sleep.
He chuckled. You’re a bossy little kitty. Are you gonna be this bossy when you’re waving me off in the morning?
Aric rolled in his arms. “About that… I can’t be there when you leave.”
“Why not? It’ll be the first time I go on a mission without you. You’re telling me I don’t even get a fond farewell?”
“No, you don’t, because I’ll cry, you’ll get upset, and then you’ll have Horvan being, well, you know… Horvan.”
“Yeah, that makes sense.”
Aric snuggled in. “Besides, I don’t want you going off to fight remembering me with a blotchy face, red eyes, a wobbly lower lip, a—”
“Okay, okay, I get the picture.” Brick kissed him. “In that case, I’ll say my goodbyes in bed.”
With extra cuddles.
“WILL SOMEONE stop that goddamn ringing?” Crank growled. He’d been having such a fantastic dream. He and Saul had been swimming with Vic, only Vic had shifted back into a human, and Crank’s arms were suddenly full of a smooth, slippery, lithe body, Vic’s legs wrapped around his waist while Saul kissed Vic’s neck.
The same Saul who reached over him toward the nightstand. “It’s your phone. Mine’s on silent.” He grabbed it, then nudged Crank. “Hey, sleepyhead. Wanna talk to a certain shark?”
That woke him up fast.
Crank sat upright in bed, and Saul clicked on Answer. Vic’s handsome face filled the screen. From the background, it seemed he was in a hotel room.
“ There you are.” He froze. “Aw fuck. My time zones are all out of whack. Did I wake you?”
“Sure you did, but we’ll forgive you.” Saul tugged Crank closer, until both of them were on camera. “Hey, baby. How are you? Any news on when we’re likely to get you back here?”
“Do you want the good news or the bad news?”
“Gimme the good news first.” Crank rubbed his eyes.
Vic beamed. “I’m done. I’m coming home.”
Crank let out a whoop, and Saul clamped a hand over his mouth. “Do I have to remind you what time it is? You’ll wake everyone up. And seeing as we all have to be out of here in a few hours, they will not thank you.” He grinned. “Awesome news.”
“I’m gonna reserve judgment until I’ve heard everything,” Crank groused. “What haven’t you told us yet?”
“I got a call from Luciano Orsini. He’s the archivist I went to see. He wants me to visit him again, so I’ll stop off in Rome on my way back.”
“You think it could be important?” Saul asked.
Vic hesitated before replying. “If I share something with you, I need your word that you won’t tell a soul. Not yet at least.”
It was as if someone had unloaded a glass of icy water all over Crank. “You got it.”
“Me too,” Saul added.
“Okay.” Vic took a deep breath. “Orsini has an artifact that could shake the foundations of our world. I’m talking the shifter world, all right?” They nodded. “What if I told you I’ve seen evidence the two brothers weren’t as diametrically opposed as we’ve been led to believe? And what if I also told you that whole part of our history might have been… manufactured?”
Crank gaped. “But… why the everlovin’ fuck would anyone do that?”
Saul snickered. “Why does anyone start a war? Because they like war and the power that comes with it. So do you know why Orsini wants to see you?”
“He says another artifact has come into his possession, and I need to see it.”
“That’s all he’s told you?” Saul frowned. “You sure you can trust this guy?”
Vic smiled. “Hell yeah.”
Crank relaxed a little. “Okay, then. When’s your ETA here? Only asking because we leave for Maine in the morning, and it looks as if we’ll be gone a few days.”
“I’ll be in Homer Glen when you come home. Make sure you both come back with all your bits and pieces.”
He grinned. “You like our bits and pieces.”
Vic chuckled. “You know it. And when I get the two of you alone, I want all those bits at once.”
Saul groaned. “Great. Now you’ve made us both horny as fuck. We need to sleep, dammit.”
“Fuck first, sleep later.” Vic’s eyes sparkled as he held up a small bottle of lube. “I’ll watch the first part.”
brICK WAS calm in mind and body, but then again, he always was when he dreamed of Seth. “Where are we?” The beach was long, the sand soft, and the breeze warm. Palm trees rose up, tall and majestic, and the air was filled with the sound of waves crashing upon the shore.
“Somewhere I went as a child,” Seth told him. “And if I ever find out where it was, I’ll take us there.” He glanced at the clear sky. “I needed to be someplace that wasn’t here. This is where my mind took me.”
Seth’s hand in his was the best part.
“We’re coming for you,” Brick told him in a low voice. “In a few hours’ time, we’ll be leaving here for Maine.”
“When will you be here?” Seth’s chest heaved.
“Sometime over the weekend. We won’t know exactly until we hear from Milo.” Brick squeezed Seth’s hand. “But we’ll be together soon. And once you’re home with us, I’ll keep you safe, away from harm.”
Seth let go of Brick’s hand. “And what if that’s not what I want?”
Brick stared at him. “What do you mean?”
Seth wandered over to where pieces of driftwood lay in a heap and perched on a sturdy one. “How many camps are there?”
“A couple of hundred, maybe?”
He nodded. “Exactly. Who knows how long it will take to bring them all down? And I want to be a part of that.”
Brick’s heartbeat raced. “You want to fight?”
Seth shrugged. “Maybe not fight, but I want to work in Intelligence. I can be useful.” He cocked his head to one side. “Will you give up fighting then? After everything they’ve done?”
Brick didn’t hesitate. “Fuck no.”
He nodded, smiling. “So we both want to do our part.”
“And what about me?”
Seth laughed. “About time you joined us.” Aric ran to him, and they hugged. “Hi, honey.”
Aric took a step back. “I’m not a fighter. I don’t have your gifts, so what do I do when you two are off God knows where?”
Seth put his arms around Aric. “You give us something to fight for.”
Brick enveloped both of them and kissed Aric’s head. “You give us something to come home for.”
Then Seth smiled. “Besides, you’ll have your hands full taking care of our kids.”
Brick blinked. “Excuse me?”
Aric’s smile reached his eyes. “We used to talk about having kids.”
Seth kissed him. “You’ll make an amazing Mom and Dad all rolled into one. So maybe this is something we should discuss—when Brick brings me home.”
Aric peered at Brick. “I’m not going to wait that long. I need to know now if you like the idea.”
Brick’s head was full of the most delightful images: the cutest little polar bear cubs, tiger cubs rolling around on the grass, and adorable kittens mewling, all soft fur and huge eyes.
Seth grinned. “I think we just got our answer.”
THERON ANSWERED the call on the second ring, and waited for the caller to speak.
“Vic Ryder is going back to Rome. To the archive.”
He frowned. “Do you have any information as to why he needs a repeat visit?”
“No, sir. He got a call. That’s all I know.”
Theron didn’t like this at all, not when it came hot on the heels of disturbing news from Germany. The tomb of Berengar, discovered only weeks ago. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if word got out about what lay in that noble and ancient shifter’s tomb, apart from his bones.
What I need is a distraction.
Then it came to him.
Theron smiled. “Vic Ryder is not going to make it back to his mates or his friends, do I make myself clear?”
“Understood, sir.”
“I don’t want him harmed, okay? He’s far too valuable for that. Let me know when you have him and you’ll receive more instructions.”
“Yes, sir.”
Theron ended the call. It was time to play his ace.
And while everyone is reeling from the news and demanding action, we employ misdirection and move swiftly to bury the truth before anyone has a chance to see it.
He gazed at the stone caskets behind the wall of glass.
And it will stay buried until the right moment.
When Gerans would cease to be the villains they were portrayed as and instead be hailed as a unifying force, bringing peace and harmony to all in a universe where every shifter knew their place.
Their superior place.