Redeemed In Shadows (19 page)

Royce grabbed Bell’s hands. They were still wrapped around his waist as they’d made their way down to the river. He pulled her arms tighter around him thankful she was now talking to him.

“Stay close to Ronin and me baby. No lip okay.”

Head resting on his shoulder, he felt her nod in agreement.

“Deva, listen to him. I agree with Royce, something about today is off.”

They hadn’t seen Dietrich’s people either. Had something gotten to them? Or maybe they were just lost. It was crowded as hell in Cairo. Bells stepped from behind him to stand in front of Ronin, cupping his face. She stepped closer kissing the underside of his jaw.

“I promise not to leave your sides.”

Royce watched as his brother looked down at their mate, the love evident in his eyes as he placed a hand on her belly and kissed her forehead.

“Alright you three, it looks like our ride is finally here.” Sam said stepping towards two men who were leading what looked to be a caravan of some sort. Cleopatra and her consort sat on a top two camels with canopies. What the hell happed to the river barge?

“Shall we ride? It’s a day’s ride by camel.”

“What happened to the boat?”

Cleopatra smiled down at the four of them as she clucked her tongue, face raised in thought and said. “There was a leak in the barge. We didn’t have time to get a new one. I float in style. I’m as you would say, a diva?” She winked and gestured to the waiting camels. The broad was definitely off her rocker.

“Royce, there is no other way to reach the temple. Those that protect the land are wary of modern modes of transportation, otherwise we would have taken a… what are those metal contraptions called again?”

Everyone looked at Bell’s aunt like she was literally, stupid.

“You mean a car?”

She clapped her hands once smiling. “Yes, a car. If you wish to get to this temple and get the information you seek, we must hurry.” Cleopatra fanned herself before smiling wide and batting her long dark lashes. “No harm will come to your loved one, she is after all my blood. Come and let’s get started. We have a long journey ahead of us.”

Royce still hesitant, watched as everyone in their group mounted a camel. A freaking camel! They all had canopy’s, which
would keep the sun from bearing down on them and plenty of supplies. Freaking Egypt! He knew things were going to go from fucked to fucked up. He just didn’t know when.



Xee stretched her arms above her head. Yesterday sucked hairy ass donkey balls. She wasn’t going to fall for Gabe’s shit today. Motherfucker had worked her last nerve. From now on, it was going to be about the job and making his life hell until he left to go back to wherever it is Death lived. Quickly she jumped in the shower, washed, and pulled on some clothes. The ache between her legs was still there, but it was bearable.

“It’s about time your lazy ass woke up.”
Micah said, checking in. Since starting her new job, they really hadn’t spent quality alone time together. Micah normally would be okay, but she was starting to miss the annoying punk.

“Morning to you to.”

“Whatever.”

Xee turned to the mirror grinning. She quickly brushed her teeth, threw her hair in a messy ponytail, and sighed. She needed to get the sides trimmed. Good thing the Unit didn’t have a dress code. Today she’d work the communication’s room in her jammies.

“Today, were checking in on the group? Tracking progress?”

“That and I think I may have cracked another code with the location of the Sahidic, something about an ancient arena.”

“Sounds promising.”

She thought so too.

“What about what the Seraph said? Think we’ll get anymore visits?”
Her Para-housed tried for nonchalant, but failed miserably. Grey had scared him, but she didn’t know why.

“If the guy comes back I’ll just ignore his ass. I really don’t have time to decipher guy talk. More your area than mine.”

“I don’t talk dude.”

“Sure you do. Dick is the universal language for all males.”

Totally true. Micah most of the time was a dick. Gabe, defiantly a dick. Dietrich was probably the biggest dick of the all, but at least he didn’t sling his dickness her way.

“You’re so mean, but I like it.”
Micah chuckled.

Xee stepped out of her bathroom and was about to head out when she heard stumbling in the hall, curious, she opened the door to see a small brunette in a clench with none other than Gabe.

Her Gabe!

My Gabe?

What the hell was wrong with the universe!

She didn’t have time to really process her thoughts because she was too damn busy watching him make out with the brunette, and it was sloppy. His hands were on both ass cheeks, squeezing while he pulled her into his body. She could see all the bite marks marring the other woman’s flesh. Angry red marks from his lips and teeth covered the side of her neck. To her, that was a damn clear sign of you’re-no-longer-needed-and-have-been-replaced-by-the-newest-upgrade kiss.

From behind, she could tell the woman was curvy as hell. She had the kind of curves even Xee was partial too. The Angel’s eyes were closed so he hadn’t seen her yet, but she could tell the moment he realized they weren’t alone. His body tensed and his hands quickly released the other woman’s ass.

Busted.

His eyelids opened as he peeled the woman off his body. Those eyes she thought were gorgeous now looked remorseful. Eyes she wanted to gouge out with her fingers. Not even twenty-four hours ago, she’d had his dick in her mouth and now he was with the brunette. Of all the things to see at four in the morning.

Xee looked down at her feet and realized she was still barefoot.

“She’s hot Xee. We could totally tap that, help the Angel out.”
Her punk ass Para-housed said on an exaggerated moan.

“Fuck off Micah.”

The woman turned and smiled bashfully at Xee as if she were shy, even embarrassed she was caught kissing the Angel out in the hall. She looked from the curvy brunette back to Gabe. His hands were clenched at his side, his jaw working as he ground his teeth together. That jaw would look marvelous disconnected from his face.

“It’s time for you to go.” Gabe said his voice dark and full of authority.

“He must be talking to you,” the girl said. Her grin showing pointed teeth.

“Get lost bitch. I fucking live here.”

The brunette laughed.

“Aaah how cute, is she the reason you were at the club last night Gabriel?” The woman purred leaning into his chest.

She had him looking for pussy? Ha! That was funny. Tears stung her eyes, and her throat burned with the rage she wanted to unleash.

“Walk me out, yeah?”

She turned dragging the dickless Angel by his hand as she passed Xee in the hall.

“I expect you working when I get back Hale.”

Well if he thought that, he didn’t know her very well.

Xee turned in the opposite direction, heading for Dietrich’s room. She stepped in front of the other man’s room and let herself in. He was there, a blanket strewn across his lower half, chest exposed to the world and looking peaceful.

“Yo D!”

“Get the fuck out Hale. Sleeping now.”

“Yo D! I need you to work the communications room with me today. Get up fool!”

She watched as he reached for his glasses and sat up.

“Hale, it’s early in the morning. Like the sun is still down early. I’m still waiting for my morning wood. You hear to appease me sexually, because if so you best come back in an hour. Morning fucks are a great way to start the day.”

UGH!

What the hell was with the men in this outfit anyway, they were either too in love or just down right idiots.

“You going to work the communication room with me today or what?”

“Or what?” He replied. His voice thick and slow.

When he finally rolled out of bed, she could see all the scars. The ones he covered up and the ones he didn’t bother with. He had patchwork all over him, some thick and noticeable and others thin, blending into his mocha colored skin.

“What the hell happened to you?” Xee whispered.

He pulled a discarded shirt off the floor and pulled it quickly over his head.

“Mind your business girl. Now what do you need me to do with you today.”

“Gabe brought another woman home.” She blurted.

D tilted his head to the side and shrugged. “So.”

“Just the night before he was with me.”

That got his attention.

“Tell me you’re joking Hale. Tell me you’re smarter than that. You don’t fuck with an Angel. Everyone knows that. Especially Death.”

“Yeah, well, too late there. You gonna work with me today or what?”

“Yup, gonna beat the fucker senseless.”

Well that’s not what she had in mind, but it definitely had merit.

“Just work down there with me today. You know you could be trying to contact your team or something.”

“Or something.” He mumbled.

Happy he was willing to work with her this morning, she turned and headed out the door letting him know to come down when he was ready.

Xee made her way down to the H.I.V.E hoping she beat her now nemesis downstairs. She walked in and gave up a silent ‘thank you’ as she hit all the lights. She went to the bank of monitors and pulled up one of her favorite streaming sites, found her station and turned that bitch up full blast. Three minutes into the self-righteous empowering vocals of Nicki Minaj’s Beez in the trap, she noticed the sat phone going off.

“Xee. Gabe? Either of you guys there?”

She grabbed the phone and placed it to her ear. “What’s your position?”

“So professional,” Royce countered, “and our position is fucked.”

“What? How?”

“We’re not the only ones searching for the Sahidic. Someone has been tailing us. Knows what we know. Any clue how that is Hale?” The Feral’s tone was accusing.

Her? How would she even know that?

“None. What should I do?”

“Nothing, but when I get back your ass is mine. I told Gabe anything happen on this trip while my woman was with me shit would go down. Well shit is going to go down.”

“Not my problem Ace. What’s going on out there?”

“We’ve come full circle and somehow ended up back where we started, I think. But this time we’re like in an arena. There are some nefarious characters watching us, and I want to say it feels like I’m in that movie with Brad Pitt only it’s not fight club. It’s something altogether fucked, because I’m not Tyler Durden and I could have sworn that in the movie Spartacus, Kirk Douglas wasn’t wearing cargo shorts.
”

Right, and all of this was supposed to be her fault? No way.

“Are you serious?”

“Fuck yeah. Now get D into action and get our asses out of here. We’re going to try and make it back the way we came, but I shit you not kid, we keep ending up in the same fucking place, and these dune people are about to catch a case if they don’t stop scoping us out.”

“Anything else?”

The phone went dead. Xee did the only thing she could and went about alerting the others.

Chapter 16

“There’s an arena, as in fighting?” Dravaggio asked for what seemed like the hundredth time. Xee was tired of answering the same damn question over and over again.

“How many damn times must we go over this? Royce contacted me via the sat phone, said something about an arena, nefarious people. Tyler Durden, Kirk Douglas, and Dune people. The natives are restless and our team wants out,” she hesitated only a moment before she yelled, “Now!”

The testosterone in the room was overpowering. Draven was actually growling. She couldn’t even look at Gabe who sat there staring up at the ceiling. His grey wings flexing as his shoulders stretched.

“Can you pin-point their location Gabe?”

The Angels head snapped in the direction of the Captain.

“I’ve already got a lock on their location but there is a slight problem.”

No one said a word as they waited for him to drop his news.

“And…” Dravaggio said with restrained irritation.

“They’re in the sixth hour, trapped in the Realm of Light.”

Oh, well, that didn’t sound too bad. The sixth hour was part of the Book Of Gates. One was located just below in the H.I.V.E. Some immortal being guarded all the gates. The sixth hour was actually the Throne of her Lord and was protected by the All Seeing Eye, a serpent like creature who also had mummies for guards.

“Shit is going to get real Xee. The All Seeing Eye isn’t like the guardian here. She’s pissed for being charged with keeping an eye on the gate.”

“How the hell are we going to get through there? That bitch never offers passage into her realm.” Dravaggio slammed his hand down on the table in front of him. Draven pushed back from his chair and started pacing.

“That would be our problem. Royce and the others were captured, and they probably don’t realize that they’re in another realm.”

Well how the hell did the sat phone work?

“We’ve got to go after them.” Xee said. She didn’t know them, not really but they were still her teammates.”

“Little girl, how do you suppose we do that?” Adam asked. He’d been quiet up till now.

“You should have considered this as a possible outcome. We could go in with the team already based there in Egypt, maybe they can get us access.”

“It’s worth a shot. We already have some of D’s family on standby. They made contact already, but can’t find a way in.”

Dietrich nodded backing up what the Captain had already stated.

“My involvement in this is limited. I can only navigate. I can’t offer any more help than that.”

“Pussy. You could help, you’re just not going to help.” Xee said loud enough for all the men to hear.

The Angel stood from his place at the table, his wings brushing the ceiling as he made his way to her.

“You don’t know shit girl.” Why was everyone calling her girl? “You think because I’ve had my dick in you, that gives you any type of say?” Gabe said in an acerbic voice, his words loud in her head.

Taken off guard by his outburst, she stood there in silence, thinking of all the ways she was going to kill him.