Page 87 of Deadly Reckoning
He smiles, “That’s okay, everyone else does, and you’re with us.”
“Rookie move, Love,” Coen teases.
“I am a rookie,” I retort and stick my tongue out at him, making him laugh.
I’m strangely okay with this new development.
“Are you okay?” Ransom asks, studying me closely.
All of the other guys stop what they’re doing in order to hear my response.
“For the moment, yes, I am,” I reply. “Actually, it’s kind of good news, at least we know why he’s after me now, and it’s not the other, more complicated reason,” I say, being careful not to say too much in case someone is listening. We’ve already technically given away a lot with the whole me dying thing, so I really hope that no one is listening. Although, according to the dead guy,Casimir already knows that I’m capable of that, so I guess it doesn’t really make that much difference.
“I think this might be worse,” Griff says. “With the other thing, he probably would have just used you as a bargaining chip. With this, he’s going to want to . . .”
He pauses, he doesn’t continue his sentence, but I know what he’s going to say.
“I know,” I reply. “But he’s not going to get his hands on me.”
The Voices stir in agreement, and I am actually feeling pretty settled and confident in that statement. Not only do I know that the guys, and several other people, wouldn’t let him anywhere near me, but I am not helpless, I haven’t been helpless for a really long fucking time, and I will do whatever it fucking takes to survive.
“No, he’s not,” Coen snarls.
“The team will be here in five minutes,” Evander says as he looks up from his phone.
“You should probably move the van, or we’re going to be stuck here until they’ve finished processing the scene. We’re already going to have to stick around for longer than I’d like to fill them in on what happened,” Ransom says to Doc.
Doc nods, “Shit, yeah. I’ll put it in another alley.”
He puts his hand on the van instead of getting inside, and then they both disappear.
“That is always so much more impressive when you watch it happen, rather than experience it,” Reed mutters. He glances at me, “Come here.”
I don’t even ask why, I just send Asael home, step over the dead guy, and move to Reed’s side. I do briefly question how easy it was for him to order me to do something when usually I hate doing as I’m told, but that thought iscompletely obliterated as he pulls me into his side, his fingers gently holding my chin as he tilts my face up so my gaze can meet his.
“I promise that he will not get his hands on you,” he tells me sincerely, his power swells, growing stronger than I have felt before, and he adds, “you’re not alone, and we won’t let anything happen to you.”
There’s sounds of agreement from the other guys as Reed pulls in his power and locks it down again, since we’re about to have company, and then bends to kiss me.
“Guys, agents approaching,” Doc says with a smile in his voice as we pull apart. He must have gotten back while Reed and I were otherwise engaged.
Reed doesn’t let me get far, and his hand stays locked around mine. I’m grateful.
“Hey, guys,” one of the agents greets with a smile.
“Greg, how’s it going?” Ransom asks.
“Not too bad,” Greg replies, while the other agents with him move toward the body. “What happened?”
Evander takes over the conversation and explains what’s going on and what happened.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Neith
“I’m going to come in with the body,” Doc says. “He was being controlled by something, that much was obvious in his behavior. I’d like to see if I can find out whether that was a spell or a substance.”
Greg nods, “Sounds good to me.”
