Page 81 of Act of Brotherhood
Garth tensed.
Edee cast him a soft look and took a seat that faced Garth. She had a tablet on her lap. “They’ll send the records as soon as they get their hands on them. If you give me any details you have on your woman, I’ll make sure the girls begin mining the off-the-books sites for any chatter that might involve her.”
Garth lowered his head, doing his best to stay in control of his wolf. It was far harder than it should be.
The plane hit some turbulence, and Duke let out a string of obscenities that could only be labeled a masterpiece as he held firm to the arms of his seat on the jet. The man’s eyes were closed tight, his body rigid. It was a well-known fact that the wolf-shifter hated to fly. Truthfully, there were very few things the man didn’t hate. Technology was up there at the top but flying had to take the cake. From the expression on Duke’s face, the man was hanging on to sanity by a thread.
Garth didn’t mind flying in the least. But given the choice, he preferred being on a boat rather than any other form of transportation. Sailing the ocean was in his blood. Something his people had perfected. He’d never dreamed that man would be able to take flight. That great distances would one day be able to be covered in hours, rather than days, weeks, or even months.
The advancements of mankind continued to impress him. And he welcomed learning new things. Duke, and a number of other supernaturals Garth knew, did not share his open-minded view. They clung to habits of old and saw every step mankind took forward as a challenge they weren’t willing to take on.
Boomer walked past Duke’s seat and gave it a good shove, making it rock.
Duke yelped and nearly ripped the arm off the chair as his eyes shot open. “Ohmygod, we’re all gonna die!”
Rurik, who had managed to nod off on the plane ride, kicked awake three seats back and rubbed his face. “Is the American shitting himself again?”
Boomer bent and laughed. “No, but I think he nearly wet himself. Does that count?”
“Fuck you,” snapped Duke as he eased his grip on the chair arms. “I hate you both.”
“Americans are cowards,” said Rurik, glancing lazily out the window.
“Bite me,Ivan.” Duke growled but made no move to attack the Russian. No surprise. Duke firmly believed if all the men sat on the same side of the jet, it would make it tip and they’d all plummet to their deaths.
So far, no one had bothered to do much to dispel that theory. In fact, a number of the men seemed to perpetuate it, going out of their way to make up stories about how planes they’d been on had gone off-kilter due to uneven weight distribution of passengers. It was too amusing to watch the man freak out. And freak out he did.
Duke stood slowly, and Boomer began to jump up and down in the center aisle. Instantly, Duke dropped to the floor, like his weight might do something to counterbalance Boomer’s.
Edee laughed until she teared up. It was good to see her finding a happy spot. As her focus returned to the tablet in her hand, her smile faded quickly, and a somber expression settled over her.
Striker, who had kept quiet for the majority of the trip thus far (making Garth wonder if the man had something terminal), moved from his seat to the one next to Edee. The Scot draped his arm around the back of Edee’s chair and crossed his ankle over his knee.
It was impossible to keep from noticing the changes in Striker around the young woman. He was famous for lewd remarks and coming on to women endlessly. And Garth could recall him doing just that in Egypt five years prior when it came to Edee. But the Scot was reserved around her since they’d reconnected—since they’d learned what she’d lived through. It might very well be his first real friendship with a woman.
That was saying something.
Maybe there was hope for the Scot after all.
Her pulse slowed steadily with the closeness of Striker. The Scot met Garth’s gaze.
She’s doing better than I thought around you, said Striker on the mental pathway they’d all spent years perfecting. Nearly all of the men with PSI could speak telepathically. It was easier to do it with some than others. Garth found it far easier to communicate in that manner with fellow shifters. Vampires took more effort on his part.
Yes. But I make her nervous. I can’t blame her,returned Garth, wanting Edee to feel at ease around him. He’d never harm her, and he’d kill anyone who dared to lift a hand in her direction.
Tut tells me she’s nae sleeping well,pushed Striker, his attention on the beauty next to him.I found her taking a catnap in the labs earlier in the day. She shouldnae have to steal sleep throughout the day.
Garth locked gazes with Striker.We’ll find my brother, and when we do, he’ll pay for what he’s done to her.
Guid.
That one word hung between them for what felt like minutes.
We’ll find yer woman. She’ll be fine. I feel it in my bones.
Garth let out a long breath.From your lips to Odin’s ears.
Edee leaned slightly into Striker as she held the tablet to her chest, hugging it gently. She then exhaled slowly and extended the tablet in Garth’s direction. “Here you go. Like I mentioned before, it’s everything we could pull up on Landros’s niece and her friend thus far. I’ll check in with Brooke in a minute to see if they found anything else. How about I ask about your woman?”
