S.A. Price (26 page)

“Same here. Aside from Remy, I don’t talk much with the other snakes. Though to be honest, since Remy became a dad it’s been few and far between that I have interacted with anyone, let alone sat on the back porch and had a beer in the dying summer sunshine.”

"Sounds like fun. It’s been a long, long time since I did anything that free. Not counting the past few days... I don’t think being kidnapped counts." She grinned and it was true, everything she did was always planned out, where she'd be, whom she'd be seen with. Her agent pretty much had her whole life planned out for the next three years. It had been like that since she'd first started modeling at sixteen, of course her agent had changed a few times since. See bad relationship number one. She'd never grudged or regretted the things she had to do to be her; it was never like she'd ever had anything better to do. Sometimes she did wonder though.

“Well then you need to come to Knossos and hangout. No one will bother you there; Knossos is the only nest that hides in the open and because of that we don’t have issues. Spend like a month with us, it would be cool to have you about, and you could meet all the kids. I love the kids.”

"You know I might just do that... It'll be good to spend some time with real people. Of course the papers will tell everyone that I'm in rehab, they better give me a proper addiction. Not something like painkillers or lighter fluid. Though I'd rather be an alcoholic than a junkie. You know they might even give me an abortion, which could be interesting. It’s always amusing to see what they come up with next."

“Living in the public eye sucks I’m sure. I’m occasionally in the news with my work but nothing as bad as that.”

"It's not so bad, it's just when someone forms an opinion of you based solely on what they read or see. They think they know you when they really don’t. Men tend to act like it’s my fault when they find out that I'm not the slut whore that they've built me up to be. I guess that’s why I like Homer so much, he gave me a chance, Evelyn Rose, not that half naked pin up. I've never even driven a motor bike the whole thing just looks far too dangerous to me."

“We rarely are what the world makes us out to be. And like I said, maybe Homer will surprise you.” she turned and looked at Evelyn. “So, is he hot?”

She beamed at her, her cheeks burning. "Uh huh... very. His body’s perfect, tall, lean, hard in all the right places. One of the hottest men I've ever laid eyes on and I don’t even think he knows it."

“Those are always the best ones. The ones that don’t know they got that ass you can bounce a quarter off of.”

"I'll have to test that theory." Evelyn grinned, "It is a great ass... and boy can he kiss."

“Umm those are the best. You know if they can kiss they are dead ass amazing in bed.”

"I plan on finding out." She blushed violently again.

“Yeah I bet. I could say the same about Aiden, but I already know.” She shivered.

She giggled. "So is he really god’s gift like he claims?"

She blushed and shuddered. “Aiden is exactly what I like and wanted in a man, sexually at least. I haven’t ever thought it could feel like that.”

"Interesting," she chuckled. "I honestly didn't think he had it in him." Looking out the window she could see that they were getting closer. They only had fifteen minutes before the attack started.

“He does. Now if I could just get a coil out of him he would be perfect.”

"Ah well good luck with that one. The circus messed with him and Kira's heads; he'll never get over that fear. I don't blame him either."

“True, but I don’t need to get him over the fear, just ok with being with my snake. Regardless of how perfect he might be for me, from his amazing scent to the way he plays my body like an instrument, my snake needs to be appeased too.”

"I hope he manages it, for both your sakes. Thank god all my snake needs is a few trees and some brightly colored birds, it’s hard enough finding a man." She smiled looking back out of the window.

“Hell yeah. So you ready to do this? How are we getting in?”

~105~

"Same way I got out I guess. Pull over up here we'll get ready and wait for the noise to start... then we'll sneak in."

“How far is the building housing the girls from here?”

"About twenty minutes, I ran it in ten... so we should have plenty of time. We don’t want to run into anybody on their way to fight."

“I agree. Now the big question, what kinda weapons do you want? I brought knives, they are my specialty, but I also brought two sets of Glock-9mm and a Tazer. I know, it’s scant, but I’m more of an up close and personal kinda girl.”

"Tazer and the Glock will do me fine. I only use knives for food." She grinned getting out of the car. "Is it wrong of me to feel so excited about this?"

“Hell no. Normally I’m not so blood thirsty, but my snake, she likes a good fight. So this is another way for me to appease her. So where do you think Homer will be?”

"With the girls, it’s his job to guard them and such."

“So that’s where we should go straight to. Mow down anyone in our path. You ready?” The sounds of the battle reached them with a large explosion, and Myra looked at Evelyn, gripping two small but lethal looking blades. “Shall we?”

She grinned taking the gun out and checking it. "Damn right I am."

~106~

TWENTY-FOUR

Merrick sat in the car watching the battle ensue. Marcus’s helicopter landed just in time unloading its men and taking flight again. Others filtered in through the trees and before the cult knew what was happening they were in the middle of a battleground.

True to his word Merrick had stayed well out of the way opting to sit next to the van they’d placed for the girls. Aiden was with him and if he was pissed off about being left out of the action he didn’t show it. He was sitting quietly setting up his equipment and checking his charges. Mer had no idea what he was working with, he’d tried to help once but only managed to distract Aiden which was apparently a bad idea considering he had enough stuff with him to blow up a whole city block.

“You gotta admit that black hawk came in handy.” Aid commented from his work.

“I’m not getting one Aid, we’d have nowhere to park it… or drive it.”

“I’d learn, it couldn’t be too hard.”

“If you want a shot on one you could borrow Trent’s. Elise would kill me if I came home with a helicopter, it wouldn’t even come in handy.”

“What about that time we had to drive across the desert because we had too much weaponry to get on a plane? It would have been useful then.” He pointed out reaching into his bag and pulling something out.

“Yeah it would have been but we’re still not getting one.”

“Suit yourself.” He shrugged. “How long do you think it’ll take to clear this place out?”

“They said about half an hour then another just to check everyone’s out. We go in after the first half. Is that going to be enough time for you?” He asked looking at the pieces his protégé was fitting together.

“Sure we’ll have time to spare. What’s the cover? Military hospital?”

“Nah, Ed said it didn’t fit with the area. Tonight it’s an old missionary.” He grinned knowing Aiden was going to get a kick out of that news.

Ed was the man they used when they needed to cook something. The man was a genius when it came to records and computers, if you needed something invented or to disappear he could do it in a matter of hours. He charged an arm and a leg to get it done too; thankfully Trent had him on the books. That and he and Aiden were good friends, they were always trying to out do themselves. Once when they needed a cover for something similar he’d practically invented a whole town complete with people and a history dating back as far as anyone cared to look.

“Never blown up a missionary before.” Aiden remarked with a look of glee in his face.

“Still haven’t.”

“Eh,” he shrugged. “It works on paper.”

“Paper lies… ask Ed.”

“I guess. You think Myra’s ok?”

“I’m sure she is.” Merrick smiled at his friend. “She looked like she was pretty handy with those knives.” He’d been wondering when Myra was going to come up. “Just concentrate on what you’re doing. It won’t do her any good if you blow her up worrying about her.”

~107~

Aiden glared at him for even suggesting that he’d be that sloppy but opted not to say anything returning back to his work. Merrick went back to watching the battle which seemed to be going their way, though it was hard to tell who was on who’s just at the moment.

~108~

TWENTY-FIVE

Homer growled and then looked over at Catherine, who was now dressed in fatigues and a green shirt, a pair of boots on her small feet. They heard the explosion and Homer nodded at her to take her position. The girls, the ones that had woken up in the past twenty minutes, were briefed and ready, most of their cages already unlocked but the doors still closed. Homer was leaving nothing up to chance.

The plan was to get the girls out as soon as humanly possible, but he knew it wasn’t going to be easy at all. They were going to have to be sneaky, and it required patience, and timing. They heard running on the upper level, and the radio on the far table was alive with chatter.

“Firefight on the south…” the words cut off with the shrill of static only to be replaced by others from another voice.

“Code seven! Lock down assault! Under fire, repeat,…” again the voice died out in static and Homer smiled. Whoever was here was thorough, systematically taking out the outlying sentries before giving away their positions. A few more garbled messages came through the airwaves, then the walkie went to straight static and he nodded once again at Catherine.

“Okay, don’t forget, the seven of you need to stay close. It sounds like the end of the world out there.” He pulled out a Beretta and cocked it, throwing it at her. “Shoot for the kneecaps if you can, and the dogs, go for the heads. One shot, one kill, as we like to say in the service.”

Evelyn had to be there, and no doubt she was on her way down as he spoke to Catherine. “Get the girls in the far cages out. Ladies? I believe we have our opportunity!” he said and banged on the nearest cage, going over to the table and grabbing some shoe polish, smearing it on the side camera, so that Cristof, if he was watching wouldn’t know what was going on. He knew now that if they were watching, the girls would only have a small window to get free before some of the men came to finish the job he was supposed to start.

Several of the girls slipped out of their cages and stretched quickly, then helped the others out that were too weak to do it on their own. Homer looked at Catherine who grabbed the last girl, a slip of a thing no more then eighteen, and nodded. “Ready? Ladies? Tazers and a few guns are on the table. Recapture is not an option, you hear?” he said just as the door opened. Turning he was stunned, ready for the surprise attack, but not the shock.

Evelyn beamed at him a gun hanging loosely at her side. "Well you seem to be fairly organized...

not going to shoot me are you?"

He grinned and winked, going to her and pulling her to him. The relief that flooded him at seeing her safe, having her near again, hell it was much too much for him to bear. He kissed her hard, possessing her fully with the kiss alone. His one wild card was back, and damn if she didn’t kick some ass.

She groaned into his mouth her body melting into him. "Mmm I take that as a no then." She whispered pulling back to look at him. "Miss me?"

“Well talk about that later Ms. Rose. Right now I believe we have had all the free time we are going to get. How the hell did you manage this?” He looked her over and his body tightened. The

~109~

woman was battle messy, her hair stuck in strands to her face from the sweat, her cheeks ruddy and her eyes glassy from the adrenaline. She couldn’t have looked sexier in her life. The woman at the door with her winked at him, a small secret smile on her face as if she knew something the rest of the world didn’t. She was spinning a throwing knife in her fingers, and had that kinda deadly beauty that one associates with danger. Whoever she was, Evelyn had picked the right people for the job of the extraction. The war zone was getting closer and their window of flight was diminishing quickly.

Evelyn shrugged. "I blackmailed some people... well they were planning on coming here anyway I just withheld the location till I got to come along. There’s a van with a medic about a mile from here that we're to get the girls to. The helicopters gonna take the seriously injured back but that'll be after the fight."

“Well then we have to move the weak ones to a somewhat secure location. And anything at this point is better then the compound. We need to keep track of seven of the girls especially, Cristof wants them for the possible vessels.” He pointed to the seven. “And we need to get them out of here and into protective custody now. Once we get away from here I can call my aunt to help with that.” He swallowed, unsure on how to tell her the next part.

"Your aunt?" She asked carefully. "She's not a cop is she? That wouldn't be so good..."

“Hardly, the woman is as crooked as can be. But she does for her people.”

"People? Like... you?" She smiled at him. "Its ok, I think we got it covered. We'll take the girls out to the van and you try not to get shot." She smiled at him patting his arm.

He grinned. “Trust me, Aunt O can help in a way others can’t.”

She frowned then nodded. "Ok Hun. We'll give her a call... after we get them to the van."

“Then let’s get them to the van, love.” he grinned. She really had no clue what she was in for with him, but it didn’t matter, right now they needed to get the girls out of there. “You ready?”