Clarity (The Admiral's Elite Book 3) (7 page)

“She makes you weak, Michael. At times I question my wisdom in adding her to our team and insisting you take such a personal interest in her.”

A sharp pang in Michael’s chest made him clench his fists.

He can’t take her away
.
His vampire clutched his spine. Fear pierced his heart, and he went rigid.

Something passed behind Black’s eyes and he canted his head. “Our kind possesses, we do not love. Love is a human emotion. The wolves can love because they are both parts animal and capable of feeling.” Glancing down at his large pale hands, splaying them on the dark wood of his desk, Admiral Black let out what Michael was tempted to call a sigh.

“In my human life I had no experience with love. My mother hated me because I resembled the Viking who fathered me. She was shrewd, the woman who gave birth to me. Thinking to lay with the raider who would otherwise have killed her while his shipmates burned our village. In his post-coital weakness, she killed him.” Black’s eyes returned to Michael’s, no hint of emotion leaked into his ghostly features. “Her actions saved her belongings, and quite possibly her life, but they set my fate the moment I was born.

My mother’s mate was dark, like her. Away with a hunting party when the raiders had come, he had his questions. Then, at my birth he could clearly see that I was not his son. What could the woman do but cry rape? It was not uncommon and quite an easy story to sell.” One shoulder rose in a rare shrug. “As soon as I was of an age to care for myself I was sold to a neighboring chieftain and put to work. They traded me in my teen years and I was sold once more before my sire found me. Taking pity on me as I lay dying from what was most likely pneumonia, he turned me.” Black’s tone held no more emotion than if he was reading a soup can label. “I have fought as a gladiator for money and been given in service to my sire’s allies as well as enemies. Slavery was my existence until he was killed, ironically enough, by a slave trader in Istanbul four centuries ago.” Black’s hands returned to his lap before he stood. “I tell you this not for sympathy. I share my story to remind you of your purpose. We work to protect humans because someone must, and only we are strong enough. Also, someone must control those like us against injustice and subjugation from those who would see us as beasts to be used for their own purposes. We cannot do these things if we lose our focus because our bodies do our thinking for us.” Power bled into the admiral’s tone and he stood.

Blink.

Michael didn’t dare move. Anything he did could be construed as argumentative.

“If you want to satisfy your urges with the human, I do not object. As you know, I encourage the loyalty it inspires in her. They are, after all, emotional creatures. And her talents are a definite boon to us. I would like to keep her for those alone, any enjoyment you gain is of value as well.”

He watched Michael closely for any signs his temper would rise at the intimation that Becca was nothing more than a means to an end. Michael’s features remained carefully passive.

“Provided judgment does not get clouded and our agendas do not waver, of course.” He stepped around the desk in two long, sweeping strides. “There will be no blood shed within our ranks. With the opposition we face currently, we cannot afford to appear less than we are or we lose the power necessary to fulfill our duty. You know that better than anyone, Michael.” Admiral Black crossed behind Michael’s chair to stand on his right side. “How many days’ leave did I grant?”

This is going to hurt
.
“You weren’t specific, Sir.”

“I believe I mentioned ‘a few days,’ is that correct?”

Blink.

 
He’s sparing her. I can take this for her. It won’t be the first time
.
“Yes, Sir.”

“And your bones require a full day to mend completely, correct?”

“Yes, Sir.” Michael braced himself.

Black’s hand shot out before even Michael’s keen eyes caught it.

Crack

Damn, that bastard was fast. Air hissed through his teeth, his fangs broke through his gums out of instinct and he bit his lip to keep from groaning. Blood ran down his chin to drip onto his black shirt. The bone broke clean just below his right shoulder. Thankfully it didn’t pierce the skin.

“I trust you will consider what we’ve discussed here today ‘in confidence’ and will not share it even with your human.”

Michael felt the band around his skull, the physical manifestation of Black’s hold over him, tighten. “Yes, Sir,” he ground out.

A slight curve of his thin lips and Black returned to his chair. “Good.” He waved toward the door. “Enjoy your time off.”

Chapter 5

“What happened to you?”

“Nothing.” His hand jammed in his pocket to provide support, it still hung too awkwardly not to be noticed by someone trained to look for weakness. Before she joined the admiral, Gabrielle served as a nurse with the Air Force. Hard to picture these days, what with her less than impressive bedside manner. Outside Black’s office, he turned his wounded side away from the blonde sitting at the computer in the center of the open war room. “What are you doing here?” He nodded toward the giant monitor in front of her. “Does Black have you working on something?”

Directly fed by satellites owned by several nations, not all of them friendly to American ideals, the one at the helm had access to intelligence that would make the NSA weep with envy. Gabrielle had the monitor split into six screens, at least half focused on an all too familiar spot. Michael’s beast stirred.

She leaned back in the black leather office chair and spun to face him. Gabrielle’s golden features and amber eyes were deceptively serene as she folded her hands over her flat stomach and crossed one long leg over the other. Black fatigues and tshirt, combined with dim lighting, hid the admirable shape she was usually so quick to show off. Interest flickered in her eyes as she dipped her chin at the hand in his pocket.

“A little wrist slap for the whole ‘that’s my woman’ bullshit earlier?” She didn’t bother to hide her distaste.

The urge to throttle her forced his other hand into a tight fist. “What, were you lurking?”

She rolled her eyes. “You two were pretty loud.”

He didn’t want to get into it with her. The admiral’s little “wrist slap” was already mending. Painfully. Blood and a tight bandage were his top priorities. He could get both in the kitchen. Inwardly he groaned. Somebody had to clean up the mess in there. Moving boards around and hauling out garbage one handed were not tops on his list for the day.

Already somewhat sour, his attitude was taking a fast nosedive. “You can thank your boy Ryan for that. Becca’s human, he needs to watch himself around her.” Taking a step, he decided it would be best for everyone if he put some distance between himself and, well, everyone.

But Gabrielle wanted a go. “I doubt it had anything to do with Ryan being to
o
anything
.
You can’t think clearly where that girl’s involved and it’s going to get someone killed.” Her eyes found the admiral’s door behind him. “Black knows it and so does everyone else. That’s why he’s callin
g
hi
m
back.”

Michael went still. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Inside, he turned to ice
.
It’s happening now. So soon
.
His creature steeled for battle. It clamped down on his spine and gnashed its teeth.

A knowing smile twisted her lips. “I know I’ve been tasked with bringing him in. And Black wouldn’t be interested in him unless he had his doubts about the one we’ve got now.” Her expression turned cold. “Nobody gets to be happy for long around here, Captain. You were lucky to have what you did.”

Another shooting pain raced up his arm and straight into his brain as his muscles went hard, shifting broken bones, pressing on nerves. Weakened, tested, unable to count on controlling himself any longer, Michael stalked past her in an impotent rage. Maybe h
e
shoul
d
let his arm heal crooked so he had to re-break it. Focusing on the physical pain that bit of rehab offered was far more palatable than what Black’s move threatened. The monster that shared his mind rattled the cage he kept it in
.
Mine. Mine. Mine
.
It howled.

It was official. Black was bringing Kenneth out of storage. Now. There was no more time; he couldn’t stall any longer. Kenneth was the first witch the admiral tried to incorporate into their ranks, only he’d made the mistake of turning him. Sure, the man was more damage resistant, but the desire for blood drove him mad. It had clouded his visions until he was useless, able to see nothing but the results of his endless hunger. All he’d been able to see was blood and destruction, with himself as the cause. It was Michael’s strongest argument against Black turning Becca. Thus far, her mortal status remained intact. Barely.

The admiral might have little consideration for the players involved in his plans, but he was unfailingly loyal to his cause. It seemed at odds, his apparent disregard for others paired with a duty to serve the greater good. However, Michael was more familiar with the admiral than most and saw a purity of purpose he’d only ever seen in other great leaders. Not great as in wonderful, but great as in incredibly powerful and effective at what they did. And no one would argue that the admiral was anything but powerful or exceptionally good at what he did.

***

Arm bandaged tight, two pints of fresh blood in his system, and somewhat pain free for the moment, Michael leaned against the kitchen counter sipping yet more healing enhancing blood. Someone had picked up the wreckage, formerly known as the kitchen table. Guessing by the size of some of the chunks of wood he recalled seeing lying around and how badly Becca had been shaking, Michael owed Ryan a big thank you. With his blood now calm, he had to admit he’d been out of line. Ryan was hurting. Michael knew that. He would never intentionally hurt Becca, they’d grown pretty close over the last few months. As much as the vampire within him felt the need to affirm she was his when another came close, the man who ruled his emotions most of the time knew there was no real threat from the overlarge Marine. The monster did not, he was pure instinct.

His creature stirred. That didn’t mean Ryan didn’t need a reminder to treat Becca as a human and not wholly one of their kind. One of the team, she’d earned their respect. That didn’t make her physically their equal.  Nothing would. Maybe during the period she’d been enhanced by his blood infusion had allowed them to forget. That time was clearly passed. And the way she’d struggled to get to her feet earlier after her fall told him she was worse off now than before the massive blood ingestion.

That wasn’t good. If she had to face off against Kenneth to secure her place, any weakness could mean death. Michael couldn’t watch that. He wouldn’t survive it.

Boots on stone drew him from his thoughts long before they reached the kitchen.

“Hey,” he called out.

“Ryan,” Michael saluted with his glass, tipped his head at the room. “Thanks.”

Visibly relaxing, Ryan eased himself against the counter on Michael’s left so he was facing the same scene, surveying his cleanup job. “It gave me something to do.” He sighed. “Listen, Mike, this thing with Gabs,” he began then stopped, rubbing his forehead. “I’m edgy, that’s all.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Michael took a drink and wiped his upper lip with a roll of his lower. “Love will do that to you.” He felt Ryan tense and shrugged. “Look a
t
m
e
, I was ready to rip your arms off because of an accident.” Michael let his friend off the hook. He was already struggling. Punishing him further over an “oops” would have just made him an asshole.