Sweet Peril (38 page)

“G-guys,” I whispered pathetically through chattering teeth. “We’re all upset. Don’t do this.”

They ignored me, nose to nose, ready to fight. I was in no shape to try and stop them.

I mustered enough energy to call for Blake. He came flying down the steps, and I wondered how he managed to move so well. He dove between the Ks, pushing against their chests.

“Chill,” Blake told them. “I think enough damage’s been done tonight.” His body trembled from the lingering effects of cold.

Kope and Kaidan continued staring, but Kai took a step back. All three of them were shaking.

“Go,” Blake said to Kai. “Take care of Anna.”

That seemed to fully snap him from his jealous trance. With one last glare at Kope, he shouldered past them and came to me. Zania helped hold the blanket over me while we got my shirt off and Kaidan picked me up with the blanket around me, carrying me to the bed and laying me in the middle, throwing another blanket on top. Everything ached down to my bones.

The room was too quiet and the awful tension was still there. One look at Kope told us why. He stood with his eyes closed, fists like rocks, breathing hard, about to lose it. His badge was larger than I’d ever seen it. We all glanced around at one another, eyes wide. None of us was sure how to diffuse this ticking bomb.

And then Zania’s voice rang through the room, clear as a bell despite her trembling.

“Brother Kopano.”

We all stilled, surprised. Kope kept his head down, but with slow force he opened his eyes and shifted them to her. He was barely containing his rage. Nobody moved. Zania met his fearsome gaze, and in a bold voice she asked, “Warm me?”

I’d stopped breathing at that point, waiting. She had succeeded in morphing the room’s angry tension into something expectant.

Kope stared at her, a steely expression on his face. He never took his eyes from Zania as he stepped across the small space to her. I still couldn’t breathe when he stood in front of her chair and pulled the shirt over his head. I shouldn’t have stared at the two of them, but something big was happening and I was riveted. We all were.

They stared at each other, unsure, and then she began unbuttoning her blouse. Kope watched her face,
really
watched her with that intense, serious way of his. When she struggled to wiggle out of the wet garment, he gently pulled it from her arms. Then, without a word, he grabbed a sheet from the shelf to cover her then helped her pull off her tan slacks. I looked away when he unbuttoned his wet jeans, but I heard him tugging them off. And then he was carrying her to the bed, laying her next to me. He climbed in beside her and raised the blankets over them, spooning close behind her.

I saw him shoot one last scowl toward Kaidan, who stood at the end of the bed, but his anger vanished as he put his face in Zania’s neck and closed his eyes. She looked at me with a faint smile of disbelief and my lips rose in return.

I finally looked at the other two, who were both standing there as amazed as me. Blake shrugged, pulling off his T-shirt and dropping his shorts. He stood there in his boxers.

“Ready to s-snuggle?” he asked Kaidan, a slight chatter in his voice. Only Blake could joke on a night like this and get away with it.

Kaidan shook his head and undressed down to his boxers, too, the tension finally shedding away from his frame.

“I swear, mate. If I feel something poke me in the back . . .”

Blake’s laugh was dry. “I’m pretty sure my junk froze off, man, so don’t worry.”

Kaidan climbed into the bed next to me. I put my back to Zania, pressing as close as I could to her. Kaidan faced me, and Blake lay behind him. It was a tight fit, but we were all skin to skin under layers of blankets, which is what we needed. I slid a leg between Kaidan’s thighs and I felt him take a jagged breath before relaxing. Together we all shivered while our body temperatures rose.

Blake got up after some time, claiming he was sweating because of Kaidan, the human furnace. As my internal thermometer stabilized I fell in and out of sleep. I seemed to recall a visit from Azael, saying the Dukes were at the airport, headed back to Vegas. As the boat began to move, my mind registered that we were safe and I passed out hard.

I dreamed of Flynn “the Ghost” Frazier bouncing on the balls of his feet in the middle of the ring. His giant smile. Our fearless ally. I dreamed that Kaidan told me he loved me, just before Rahab and Pharzuph pointed guns to our heads. And all the Dukes laughed.

I
woke up sweating, covered in four blankets. I pushed them off and let out a little squeak when I realized I was in my bra and panties. I yanked a sheet back over myself and looked around, but it was only Zania and me. She’d kicked off all but the sheet, too. I sat up, spotting my clothes laid out across chairs. With stiff, painful movements I got up and grabbed the shirt and shorts. They were still damp, but dry enough, so I put them on. My phone sat on the tabletop where I’d left it the day before. I sent Dad a message:
A911
, then went up to the deck.

I shielded my eyes against the bright morning sun to see we were docked at the port outside Los Angeles, a warm breeze blowing through the sunny skies. Kope and Kai were both dressed, standing at opposite ends of the boat and looking out.
Kope’s arms were crossed, while Kai leaned against the side on his elbows. I shook my head, sad to see they were still at odds. With so much against us, we couldn’t afford any rifts.

I went to Kai and took his hand, winding my fingers with his. He continued to stare out at sea. I didn’t like the blank look on his face—the one that had always meant he was shutting down—shutting me out. I knew he was thinking about the things we’d heard last night. I squeezed his hand and he looked at me.

My insides unraveled in relief as his face softened.

“Nice hair, luv,” he said, tugging a dry, salted lock.

I snorted a laugh and leaned my forehead against his chest. He wasn’t leaving me this time. Whatever was going to happen, we’d face it together, no matter how many miles separated us. That brought me no end of comfort. And then Flynn’s face floated into my mind and I clutched Kaidan’s stiff cotton shirt. Tears welled and a sob stuck in my chest. Kai pulled me closer and rubbed my back. Realizing we were in public and whisperers could be about, I yanked myself away and dried my eyes. Kai seemed to understand.

My phone buzzed with Dad’s number.

“Still in L.A.?” he asked when I answered.

“Yes, sir.”

“Take the girl where you need to take her. The son of Alocer’s got a flight out this afternoon, and you’ve got one this evening. I’m on my way there right now to talk in person. Azael said something’s going on.”

“He’s right.” My voice was thick as I pushed down the sadness and anxiety.

Dad let out one of his frustrated sighs and told me he’d see me soon.

Zania came up the steps with her hair in a sleek ponytail and her clothes slightly rumpled. But she stood tall with her chin up. She and Kope made brief eye contact before both examining the water and anything else they could look at. Blake walked up the dock toward us.

“All right everyone. Boat’s turned in. Time to go.”

He tossed each of us a protein bar and we ate as we trudged to the parking lot. The bright sun was a strange contrast to our darkened moods. The car was quiet the whole way to the convent. We all wore glassy-eyed looks, minds overwhelmed.

We parked in the gravel lot and I led us to the entrance, where we were greeted by the nun I recognized from two years ago, Sister Emily. I could have sworn she was wearing the very same flowered dress. Kope, Kai, and Blake hung by the door while Zania and I walked into a sitting room. I explained that my father helped save Zania from dire circumstances in the Middle East, and now she was a refugee. Zania allowed me to talk, nodding to confirm facts about her struggle with alcoholism and a difficult past with men.

The fact that Sister Emily’s colors never wavered from those of compassion helped dissipate some of the fears I knew Zania had.

“This will only be temporary,” I told the nun. “My father is in the process of finding her a home.”

“I’m so glad you’re here with us, Zania. We offer counseling services, rooms, and meals. You’ll be safe here.” Her smile was endearing. She didn’t try to touch Z, but her eyes
promised warmth and affection to anyone in need. “I’ll let you say good-bye to your friends.”

We stood and went back into the hall, but Kope wasn’t there. Blake and Kai nodded to an open set of doors at the end of the hall. A chapel. The four of us walked down the quiet hall and looked in at the small sanctuary with five rows of pews.

Three older nuns were kneeling in front of a crucifix. Their guardian angels stood over them, keeping a loving vigil. Candles flickered around the room. Kope sat in the third row with his head lowered. I stepped into the room and was immediately overwhelmed with emotion so pure, so peaceful, I had to bite back tears. After the previous night, it was hard to believe there was a crevice of the earth untainted by the Dukes’ hatred.

Zania joined me, and I motioned my head toward Kope. She swallowed, but nodded, walking forward and sliding into the pew next to him. I sat on the end beside her and she took my hand. I peeked back at Kaidan and Blake, who stood respectfully in the hall, leaning against the wall. They wouldn’t come in.

“I have never prayed,” Zania whispered to me. “Will you teach me?”

I clamped my mouth closed. Despite being capable of wielding the Sword of Righteousness, I still felt inadequate.

“I just . . . talk,” I explained in a whisper. “How about I do the talking and you can listen. Okay?”

She nodded, looking just as nervous as I felt. But when I bowed my head and she followed suit, we inclined toward each
other and together we became lost in the peace of the moment. By the end her face was wet and I instinctively wiped her tears with the back of my fingers.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You have done so much for me, sister.”

“You’re welcome. I’m so glad you’re here with us.”

I hugged her and she gave me a one-armed hug in return. I glanced down to see her other hand holding Kope’s. I didn’t know who’d initiated the contact, but it made me so happy. I gave her a wink and she bit her lip against an unsure smile. It was that moment when I knew for certain that though it would not be easy for Zania, she would make it. She would be okay. And so would Kopano.

We said our good-byes and took Kope to the airport. I hugged him, and he slapped hands with Blake, bumping shoulders. I was thankful to see he and Kai share a meaningful look when they shook hands. No smiles, but something apologetic passed between them.

Blake insisted on renting a car to drive himself back to Santa Barbara that day. I felt bad that he had to do that, but he was as laid-back as always, pleased about picking out a convertible. He lifted me off my feet when he hugged me, reminding me of Jay until he licked my cheek and said, “Yep, you’re salty,” before placing me back on my feet. Leave it to Blake.

Kaidan thumped Blake’s ear. “Keep your tongue to yourself.”

The two of them hugged, slapping backs. I was sad to see Blake go.

I didn’t let go of Kaidan’s hand the whole way to his
apartment. I knew he had to be as hungry as me, even hungrier, but when we got to his place we went straight to the couch, snuggling while we awaited my father. There would be time to eat later, but who knew how long it would be until we could touch again? I had a horrible fear Dad was going to pull some you-can’t-talk-to-each-other-again stunt. I tried to mentally prepare myself for that argument. Kaidan and I would have to take extreme care, now more than ever. For all I knew, there could be a hit against me this very moment. The Dukes could decide to have another Great Purge, cleansing the earth of all Neph. But we had Dad, and he had connections, so I refused to lose hope.

I jumped when Dad’s knuckles rapped on the door. Kai gave me one last affectionate look before getting up to open it. The two of them nodded at each other, and Dad came in without a word. He remained standing, appearing too agitated to sit. Kai leaned against the door with his arms crossed.

“I heard them talking when they got back to Vegas. Flynn is dead,” Dad stated.

I swallowed hard and nodded.

“What happened yesterday?” Dad asked me.

I got straight to the point, telling him how the Dukes came to the island and we’d had to hide. “They talked about the prophecy. Rahab knows I’m the one. They want to kill me and maybe kill us all. They know there’s a traitor, but Flynn wouldn’t tell them anything.”

“Tell me exactly what they said. Every word from the beginning.”

He sat next to me on the black leather couch now, listening
as Kaidan and I told every detail. Kai never moved from his spot against the door. A brutal look came over Dad’s face and we were quiet for a while.

“I’ll put tails on the Dukes,” Dad said, still staring off in thought.

“What about Jezebet and her daughter?” I asked. “The Dukes can use them to know you’re lying.” I gasped, feeling strangled. “They must already know! You lied at that summit!”