Cleaning Up the Company (Black Ops #4)

Chapter 1

PICK YOUR POISON, PARKER

The sinister aura that clung to Ro like a second skin was unmistakable. He was the puppeteer, the grand deceiver pulling strings behind the twisted government agency we had been entangled with.

"Surprised to see me?" Ro's voice slithered through the room, slick as oil on water.

"Hardly," I shot back, savoring the irritation that flickered across his face. "You always did have a flair for the dramatic entrance."

His dark eyes narrowed, a silent promise of retribution. But I knew his game… could sense the malevolent glee he derived from weaving webs of corruption. It was time to cut through the deceit.

"Did you really think you could hide in the shadows forever, Ro?"

Mr. Smith's boss stood, shocked into silence. The humbling realization disappeared from his face and stance as he realized I wasn't afraid of the demon he'd sold his soul to. For a moment, I almost felt pity for the man who thought he held power.

"Let's not pretend," I continued, holding back the well of demonic energy that surged just beneath my skin. "You're the rot at the core, aren't you? The big bad wolf among sheep."

"Careful, Parker," Ro warned, a venomous smile spreading across his face. "You wouldn't want to lose control now, would you?"

"Me? Lose control?" A laugh bubbled up, dark and dangerous. "Oh, Ro, that's where you're wrong. It's when I'm out of control that you should be worried."

Rhiot gave me a long look before he stepped between Ro and me, making his stance clear. He didn't want us to get into anything.

Ro apparently didn't like that. Swirls of colorful magick lashed out against Rhiot, but deflected off an invisible protection.

Then all hell broke loose. Grayson pulled me between him and Kearan as Ro and Rhiot got intense. The air crackled, thick with magick and malice as Rhiot squared off against Ro. His incantations sliced through the tension, each syllable a targeted strike against the corrupt force Ro lashed at us.

But Ro merely smirked, his confidence unshaken. "Is that all?" he taunted, his voice a low purr that held the weight of darkness. "You'll have to do better."

Trux stepped in then, his gruff demeanor giving way to fierce concentration.

He muttered curses under his breath, fingers weaving intricate patterns in the air, a dance of power meant to bind and break.

Glowing shapes appeared on his arms, which I'd never seen before and filed away to ask about later.

"Try this on for size," Trux growled, hurling a charm with precision. It hit Ro squarely in the chest, but the smile never left the demon's lips.

"Amusing," Ro laughed, spreading his arms wide. Suddenly, the room filled with copies of him, each one identical and mocking. My eyes darted from one to the next, trying to discern reality from illusion.

"Pick your poison, Parker," multiple Ros chimed in unison. Their voices slithered around me while promising pain.

"You annoying little shit of a demon." I grumbled.

My heart hammered, but I tried to contain it.

I lunged at the closest Ro, my powers surging forth uncontrollably, a torrent of demonic energy that craved destruction.

The air shimmered with heat as my attack connected, only to pass through an apparition. Damn it.

"Strike one," Ro jeered, stepping closer.

"Try again." Another leaned in, his breath hot on my neck.

"Enough games!" I snarled, spinning to face the real threat. I could feel him… somewhere among the fakes, reveling in the chaos.

"Find him," Trux snarled as he and Rhiot took out copy after copy of Ro, which didn't seem to be helping. Each one that disappeared seemed to reappear somewhere else, like a hydra.

"Working on it," Rhiot replied, his voice edged with frustration. He chanted faster now, the words blurring into a potent force.

"Stay sharp," Trux added, charms flying from his hands like bullets.

The fake Ros laughed, their cackles ringing in my ears, a symphony orchestrated to drive me to madness. I clenched my fists, drawing on the inferno within. This time, I wouldn't hold back. Let them see what happened when I unleashed hell itself.

"Come out, Ro!" I spat the challenge, my skin burning with barely restrained power. "Or are you too cowardly to face us head-on?"

"Patience, darling," a single Ro stepped forward, the others vanishing like smoke. "I wanted to savor this, but if you insist on rushing towards your pet's demise..."

"Bring it," I hissed, bracing myself for whatever he threw at me next.

A blinding light pierced my brain, burning through my retinas as excruciating pain stopped me in my tracks.

Unable to bear it, I dropped to my knees while covering my face with one arm while the other braced on the floor so I didn't lose my balance.

From the sudden hisses followed by silence, I wasn't the only one affected.

Unknown arms covered me, protecting me from whatever the hell was happening.

When my vision finally cleared, every single person in the room who was still conscious stared at a person who hadn't been there before. Ro seemed to be solely focused on the newcomer.

Actually, everyone looking at her displayed a wide variety of emotions, ranging from fear, awe, and anger.

When I focused on Trux, anger and frustration rolled off him in smothering waves.

His gaze didn't move, but everything cut off.

Not a single wisp of the emotions pouring off of him from before were still there through the mate bond.

Who was this woman and why did she have such an effect on my mates?

The woman stepped toward me, forcing me to look her up and down for any hint of threat.

She was tall and lean in a deceptively strong kind of way.

As she walked, her single braid draped down her shoulder to her waist. While her face was free of wrinkles or signs of aging, a feeling deep in my gut told me she was quite old. And powerful.

When I looked at Trux, who still appeared to be fuming at the woman's arrival, he somehow kept himself in place and didn't say a word.

His emotions shut down through the bond, preventing me from feeling anything new.

Which meant that this woman was in a position of power…

one that would make Trux hold his own temper.

Definitely, she was someone who I didn't want the attention of.

My gaze returned to the new woman as she stepped into my personal space. Her hand reached out, pressing her fingers and palm against my sternum. A low growl started. Probably from Trux, if I had to guess. The touch didn't feel threatening. Though I felt immediately connected to her.

For a moment, everything disappeared as her gaze held mine in some kind of standoff I didn't fully understand, other than I couldn't look away.

Not yet. My chest tightened, air struggled to get into my lungs as it became harder to breathe.

The weight of the world bore down on my shoulders until I was sure my knees would buckle.

Then, as if it were never my weight to bear, it all disappeared.

She blinked, and her hand no longer touched me.

I glanced at Trux, who looked like he might erupt.

Red crept up his neck and into his cheeks.

His emotions were still cut off, preventing me from knowing what smaller emotions he felt or even seeking out his thoughts.

I tried to convey that everything was alright, but I couldn't tell if he got my meaning.

Until she grasped my chin and guided me to look up at her. While the touch was something I would only expect from one of my mates, I didn't necessarily dislike it either. Like when she touched my sternum, it felt neutral. Then something changed, and ice formed in my veins as my spine straightened.

"Parker Hansley." The woman finally spoke, revealing a slight Russian accent. "If you had better control of your powers, it would be fun to duel. As of right now, it wouldn't be fair to you."