Heat filled his heart and for a moment he couldn’t speak. “I love you, too.” Pure, raw need for her ripped through him
Talen stomped inside, and with a small smile, Emma left.
Dage tossed a vest toward his brother. “Emma had a vision. The trap awaits us in Idaho and for now, our mates are safe here.”
“Good. With Caleb’s forces meeting us, the trap will be on the Kurjans,” Talen said, shrugging into a vest.
Dage nodded and took a good look at his brother’s bleeding mouth. “What the hell?”
Talen secured the sides of the vest. “I had to throw Kane into a wall.”
“I take it he bounced back?”
Guns slammed into pockets as Talen nodded. “He hit me first actually. Wanted to go on the raid.”
“Don’t blame him. But I need him to deal with the virus.” Kane was a fine fighter. Cold, precise, and deadly. Right now they needed the scientist. Plus, Dage felt better having one of his brothers nearby protecting his mate.
“Yeah. I had to say please to get him to back off.”
Dage fought a smile. “Bet that hurt.”
“Yep.” Talen twirled a double edged knife in his hand before plunging the weapon into his cargo pants pocket. A trio of guns soon followed into various holders. “Ah, Cara’s getting worse. Weaker.”
Dage lifted his head. “That’s not good.”
“No.” Fierce determination etched across Talen’s face. His mask as a soldier. “Let’s go kill us some Kurjans.”
Now that was a plan.
Chapter 15
Emma leaned against the old pine tree and dug her shoes into the dirt, her gaze on the empty tarmac. The cement sparkled in the sun, returning waves of heat to the bleached white sky. The helicopters had lifted into the air with barely a swish of sound, taking Dage to war. To blood and death.
Her hands trembled and she sought her center. The cool forest behind her failed to provide the peace her sister always found in such depths. While Cara had sought safety from their father in the trees and bushes, Emma had often left a safe haven to put herself in front of the monster who’d raised them so he’d hit her instead of little Cara or their lost, beaten mother. Emma had sought counseling in college and understood her anger toward both parents was normal. But sometimes memories still clawed at her.
The door to the residence opened and Devon hustled out, his hands full of papers and his glasses askew on his face. With a wary glance at the huge soldier accompanying him, he hurried toward her. “Dr. Paulsen? Something’s not right.” He shoved a piece of paper in her hands.
“I’m sorry, Dr. Paulsen.” The soldier’s gravelly voice rumbled with irritation. “This guy insisted we find you.”
“That’s all right.” She glanced down, quickly reading the paper. Damn it. Devon wasn’t to have seen this. “What is this?”’
“I found it with the new cancer data.” Devon shrugged. “There’s a clear genetic profile of something with more than twenty-three chromosomes. There are thirty here.”
She cocked her head to the side, attempting to settle her racing heart. Would the vampires harm a human who held too much knowledge? “Well, since that’s impossible, what logical solution could there be?” She forced a grin.
Devon exhaled. “Seriously. Someone’s playing a joke?”
“What else could it be?” She wrinkled her nose, shaking her head. “You totally fell for it.”
“Dang it.” He laughed, the sound filled with relief. “I did not fall for it. I was just afraid someone on my team royally screwed up. A joke, huh?” He rubbed his chin. “I’ll bet it was Sandy. She’s been working so hard on the proteins that I’m sure she needed a break.” A blush filled his high cheekbones. “She’s got such a great sense of humor.”
“Yeah, she does.” The scientist was in love, no doubt about that.
He glanced with resignation at the silent soldier. “All right. I’ll head back to work.”
Emma kept hold of the papers. “Sounds good. “I’ll meet you in the lab later today.” She didn’t allow worry to cross her face until the soldier had escorted Devon around the building to the public side of the lab. She needed to be more careful with her data.
Her knees felt weighted. She sighed, her mind spinning. The residence door opened again and Janie skipped out, the formidable Max on her heels. Spotting Emma, he gave a short nod and pressed his back into the wooden siding.
Janie shouted in recognition and ran in new electric pink tennis shoes toward her aunt. Clouds of dust rose along the small path.
Emma tilted her head, stunned once again by the beauty of the little girl dashing through the sunshine. Blue eyes sparkled with a clarity that only came from a pure soul, and tiny patrician features lifted in joy. Light brown ringlets cascaded around her delicate shoulders. Shoulders that would one day carry the fate of the world. She smiled and tiny white baby teeth flashed.
Baby teeth.
Determination crashed through Emma with a strength that snapped her spine in place. She was here for a reason. To protect the child. And she would.
“Auntie Emma,” Janie yelped, throwing both arms around her middle.
“Hi pretty girl,” Emma murmured, returning the hug. Sweet powder wafted up.
The little girl leaned back. “Don’t worry ’bout Uncle Dage. He’s fine.”
Was he, now? Emma slid down to sit, allowing the shade to cool her. A soft tug had Janie perching next to her. “Have a vision, did we?”
“Nope.” Janie reached out and plucked a stick from the ground, drawing a happy face in the dirt. “Sometimes I just know stuff. Like ...”
“Like what?” Emma brushed wild curls off her niece’s face.
“Like you’re about to have a vision, Auntie.” The cheerful smile failed to match the serious adult glint in those otherworldly eyes.
“Really? Well, maybe we should go get some ice cream first.” Ice cream sounded good. With chocolate syrup.
“Nah. Let’s stay here.” Janie patted her knee. “On the ground.”
Emma smiled. “No, let’s ...” Nausea washed through her. The tree swayed behind her. “Hey—” Pain slashed into her brain, and she shut her eyes before they could shoot out of her head. An image of Janie came into focus—a Janie at least two decades older. Beautiful, feminine, and strong. A carved out hall, firelight, and groups of men. A symposium of sorts. A murmur of voices and then ... an explosion. Fire.
She shook her head to escape the smell of burning flesh. Her eyes opened wide on her niece.
“It’s okay. I get out.” Janie reached up and wiped tears off Emma’s face. “I’m pretty sure.”
A dull ache set up in Emma’s neck and she groaned.
Janie brushed two fingers across Emma’s throat. The pain wafted away.
What the hell? Emma frowned, focusing on the little girl. “How did you make the pain go away?” Janie’s eyes were clear and her color healthy—she didn’t hurt.
Janie shrugged. “Dunno. Just did.”
“Does your head hurt?”
“Nope.” She grabbed her stick to scratch a puppy into the ground. “Did you see Zane in the vision? He sat across the fire from me.”
“Zane? No, I don’t think so.” The puppy stared back at Emma with big eyes, providing no answers. “Are you sure you get out?”
“Yep. We all do.” A cat began to take shape next to the dog. “Zane reminds me of Uncle Dage as a grown-up.”
“Because he’s big?” Her niece could do worse than the King of the Realm. Maybe Emma should try to track this mysterious Zane down.
“Yeah. The black glow around Uncle Dage’s skin sometimes will try and swallow Zane when he’s a grown-up.” Janie tried to straighten the cat’s triangular ears. She sighed. “I think I’m ’posta stop it.”