Fire's Touch (The Enlightened Species Book Three) (11 page)

Mattie must have made the same connection he had to Queen Della’s interference. “I’ll wait for your call.” To be caught in a battle between her mother and sister would not be an easy thing for Mattie.

His next call was to Herme in Greenland. Herme answered the phone on the second ring. “Yo.” Hard to believe Herme was an ancient and brilliant Healer . The guy acted like a kid when it came to anything non-medical. Hans shared his suspicions with the healer. “Damn. I’ll get on the testing right now. Thanks, man.” The healer disconnected the line.

Hans glanced back at the house one last time, hoping to catch another glimpse of Cassie. She was nowhere in sight.

Chapter Ten

It’s Cassie?
Stacey’s stomach dropped.
Johnny!
Stacey barely got the vial passed from her hand to Mattie’s. The stunned expression on Mattie’s face when she realized what she’d been given and by whom was blurred with the moisture that sprung into Stacey’s eyes. When she tried to ask about her son, a cry caught in her throat instead. Conlon immediately ended his wall staring event to pull her into a much-needed hug.

“What happened to Cassie?” Conlon asked

Mattie glanced from Stacey to Conlon, then to her fist. Her fingers slowly opened to reveal the vial. Her gaze returned to Stacey’s face with a look of incredulous gratitude that far exceeded such a small gift. “You are Cassie’s colony.”

Stacey wanted to strangle the female. “What the fuck happened to Cassie?” Stacey’s heart was pounding in her chest; unhurriedly, Mattie opened the vial and tossed back the contents. “Mattie! Is my son okay?” She could feel her heat rising. Beads of sweat became visible on Conlon’s brow. Stacey shoved him away from her with everything she had.

Realization washed over Mattie’s face, sobering her. “Oh, Fates, I’m sorry. I didn’t … Yes. Yes he’s fine, Cassie’s fine … that’s not it. Oh man.” She dropped her head in her hands again. “Stacey, I never meant—”

The overwhelming relief turned Stacey’s knees to jelly and she plopped down hard on her ass. “Oh, thank the Fates.” Residual fear tremor and the cooling of her skin caused goose bumps to cover her flesh. She looked up, up, up the length of Conlon, who was staring at her wide-eyed. His chest flamed red where it had been touching her. The mixture of curiosity, awe, and stark desire in his eyes constricted Stacey’s chest. His nostrils flared from the residual scent of her blood wafting from the uncapped vial still clutched between Mattie’s fingers.

Only Cassie knew of Stacey’s abilities. Damn it! If he hadn’t figured it out on the plane he most definitely knew the truth now. Would Conlon report back to the SOSC? Stacey tore her gaze from Conlon back to Mattie. The Tellus felt bad enough without Stacey grinding it in, but Stacey had a reputation to maintain. “Now that you scared the living shit out of me for no damn reason … what happened?” She didn’t quite have the bite in her voice she wanted, though it would have to do.

Mattie pursed her lips. “Do you know who Prince Hansi Alba is?”
Cassie’s lost love.
A new concern, this one for her friend, gripped her as Stacey nodded. “I asked him to go talk to Cassie to see if he could find out why she ran away twenty years ago. She wouldn’t tell him … she told him she wanted to talk to me.” Mattie’s hurt and anger dripped from her voice. “I don’t want to talk to her. I want to beat her to a bloody pulp.”

Conlon opened his mouth and then quickly shut it. He knew Mattie had it all wrong. He would be no help in this situation. “Are you really that blind?” Stacey snapped, indignant on Cassie’s behalf.

Mattie’s glare shot daggers at her. The dark color faded out, leaving the true bright amber color of her eyes.
I am royalty
. She didn’t need to say the word to project the intent. Stacey could care less if Mattie’s bloodline made her one of the most influential and powerful females in her species. Right now her demeanor was that of a hurt sibling.

“I see just fine.” Mattie’s voice dropped an octave in warning.

“I can’t imagine why she’d want to talk to you anyway. You’re like a spoiled rotten viper. I get that you’re hurt, Mattie, but did it ever occur to you that maybe your sister is hurt too? Would it kill you to get off your high horse and give her the benefit of the doubt? Cassie didn’t
run away.
Your mother cast her out. I guarantee she believes you knew that. How could she think any different? It devastated her that you never sought her out after her expulsion.”

Mattie blinked, holding Stacey’s gaze with a non-subtle challenge, trying to deny what she’d just heard. Stacey refused to look away first. “If that's true, why’d she place the ‘do not disclose’ clause on her SOSC file that made it impossible for me and Hans to find her,” Mattie gritted out through clenched jaw.

What?
Cassie would have never hidden from her sister or Hans … especially Hans. Stacey knew that without question. Why didn’t Mattie? “Cassie never hid from you. Cassie believes the people she loved most wrote her off like a bad debt. Neither of you are on the same page, and if you keep posturing you never will be. I care about Cass—my employees. If you can’t be objective, then leave her the hell alone. Trust me, she’s been through enough shit without you piling it on.”

Mattie sat up straight, squaring her shoulders, and let out a long, determined breath. She looked up at Conlon. “Could you find a new partner for this assignment?”

The phone in Conlon’s pocket chimed with a new call. Conlon turned, putting his phone to his ear. “Conlon.”

That is no way to answer a phone,
Stacey thought, annoyed. The conversation was brief with few comments from Conlon. Stacey heard the word bloodmate from the deep voice on the other end of the call. She held her breath. Conlon’s gaze met hers and he sighed before stating, “Yes, it’s true.” He snapped the phone closed with more force than necessary. That was way more than Stacey could deal with right now. She pretended like she hadn’t heard anything, schooled her features so hopefully Conlon wouldn’t see her inner conflict.

“Was that the SOSC?” Mattie asked the question before Stacey did.

“Yeah, Sargon was already sending in reinforcements,” Conlon informed Mattie before turning those dark-hazel, female-slaying weapons on her. “He’s also sending in a team to transfer Meg, Cassie, and Johnny to the SOSC base in Mesa, Arizona. There’s another new threat, and the SOSC isn’t letting you call the shots on this one. They are intervening for your protection.”

New threat? Her home? Was the threat against Johnny this time?
Stacey felt an urgency to find out what was going on immediately. She’d spent two years at the SOSC base/housing after her rescue. She knew how secure they were. Honestly, she felt grateful the SOSC was taking steps to protect her son. “Why are they uprooting my son, Conlon?” She clenched her jaw to hide her fear.

“A bunch of medical records were pilfered, yours included. Whoever took them infiltrated SOSC headquarters. Mesa has incredibly reinforced weaves.” His answer put Stacey somewhat at ease.

“Mattie, where are you going?” Selfishly, she hoped it wasn’t to see Cassie. Right now she needed Johnny’s chief of security focused.

Mattie gave her a look of understanding. “Johnny’s in good hands, Stacey. My sister will protect him.” Stacey knew that—otherwise she wouldn’t have entrusted Cassie with Johnny in the first place. It was nice to hear it, however. “I’m going to confront my mother.”

“Right now?” Conlon asked. Mattie nodded and Conlon took her elbow, helping her stand.

She shook him off. “I’m fine … now.” Mattie handed the empty vial back to Stacey. “Thanks to you.”

Stacey rose and took the offered vial. “Don’t thank me. I just wanted you to get off my bed. Every time I turn around, one of you two are invading my space.” She pivoted before they saw how she really felt reflected in her eyes.

“Hey, Stacey.” Stacey glanced over her shoulder at Mattie. “That whole ‘viper’ thing? It takes one to know one.”

Stacey grinned. “You better believe it.” She shifted her line of sight to Conlon, who quirked a disbelieving brow at her. Great, how was she going to get him to hate her now? Especially since she wasn’t sure she still wanted his hatred.

The door shut silently behind them, and Stacey sighed. Fates, he was a handsome devil. His ass made her mouth salivate. She tried to think about his back instead, which had been only slightly less decadent while he had been turned. After he was partnered with a shifting Tellus, Stacey doubted there was much about Mattie left to his imagination, and yet he remained sensitive to her modesty.
Quit softening to him.
His reddened chest flashed into her mind, cooling her ardor and filling her with guilt.

Frustrated with herself, she lifted the receiver to call upstairs. No doubt her “surprise” visit had lost its impact. The phone picked up on the first ring by the CEO of her holdings company personally. Figures. “Michael, put together a video conference with all the COOs
except
Brinker. I will be up to meet them and you in thirty minutes.”

Michael cleared his throat. “Yes, Ms. Winkel.” He paused. “What about the companies across the globe? It’s the middle of the night.” Stacey remained silent looking at the ceiling. “Right. Okay. I’ll have everyone online and on time.”

“That’s what I pay you for. Have a monitor stream ready to Brinker’s office. I’ll call him personally. No heads up from you or anyone else. And I want you to leak to everyone that I am planning to visit each location within the next few weeks.” She set the phone back in the cradle. The new threat made her inspections impossible, but the COOs didn’t need to know that. There’s more than one way to keep people on their toes. Brinker was in for a rude awakening. She’d chosen the meeting time for a specific reason.

The sound of Conlon and Jack talking to others in her front office had her curiosity peaked. An Aquatie male and female were the first two people she saw. Like all of their kind, they were aesthetically pleasing to look at and nearly naked, wearing only swimming wear. The fact that they wore anything … ever … went against their nature. Both had marine-colored hair and eyes, the eyes a shade darker than the hair, to round out their perfection—paired siblings, the tightest bond capable within their species. The female stood almost the same height as she did with her heels on. The male was easily six foot six and looking at her with interest. His gaze roved over her, taking her in from head to foot before returning to her face. An eyebrow rose in invitation.

Stacey schooled an annoyed expression, her hand on one hip, tapping her foot
. “Never gonna happen, fish boy. Not only no, but … hell no,”
she sent out telepathically.

Conlon snorted out a laugh, echoed by the others in the room, including fish boy’s sibling and Jack. Aquaties loved sex, period; from what she’d heard, they were really good at it too. That was not an experience Stacey had ever desired. They were nice to look at, but ... not like she could trust herself anyway.

Two male Volaticus stood to her right. Brothers or possibly father/son? The males had dark hair and a deadly air about them. One leaned against the wall, flipping a dagger and catching it. The other extended his hand to shake hers. “Hi, Stacey, I am Eros Sicarius.” He tossed his head in the direction of the dagger tosser. “This is my son Victor.” Ancient power rolled into her without the need to touch. Stacey stared at his hand. The bad part of her wanted to take his hand, feel his energy, and warp it. Her mouth went dry and she started to shake her head “no” when Eros grasped her hand anyway. Stacey gasped at the surge from where their hands connected. His silver eyes clashed with hers in surprise. Like a tap, the flow of energy turned off.
How did I do that?
Stacey’s eyes met the sterling silver of his. His look of surprise morphed into a grin of understanding. “It’s nice to meet you.” Eros lifted her hand to place a chaste kiss on the backside. Nothing. She got nothing from him. How? He released her hand without uttering a word about what had just transpired between them.

She turned her stunned expression toward Conlon when she heard him growling low in his throat. “Quit that.” She rolled her eyes at him.

Had she learned to control it? Could she touch Conlon? Cassie had told her that one day she’d be able to control it. Had that day come?

Mark stepped in behind her, breaking the spell. He took in one face after another, paying special attention to the female Aquatie, who grinned with amusement. Not many women looked like her; she probably had men falling at her feet. Stacey narrowed her eyes at Conlon. He’d probably slept with this one too.

“I'm Greycia and this is my paired sibling, Greyton.” Her melodic voice made Stacey want curl up and listen to her speak for hours. All Aquaties had somewhat musical voices, a product of their sonar gifts with sound. It had taken Stacey a while to grow accustomed to Jack's, but Jack had nothing on Greycia. And then …

“Nice to meet you.” The perfectly pitched baritone flowed from Greyton. Wow. Oh great frickin’ universe! Good thing she shot him down before she heard him speak. The attraction to Greyton still didn't hold a candle to Conlon … but it should. Damn it. Her gaze traveled unintentionally to Conlon, who wiggled his eyebrows up and down and quirked a grin at her.

She wanted to punch him. Instead she ignored him and introduced herself. “This is Mark, my personal assistant. Jack, bring them up to speed. I have a conference in a few minutes upstairs.” Stacey didn't bother to see if Jack followed her instructions. She needed to get away from the heat in Conlon's eyes. He was becoming difficult to deny.

“No, you’re going to Mesa in a few minutes.” Conlon caught her arm. His grip was surprisingly gentle.

Stacey jerked her arm free “When the meeting over, then I will go. I have
responsibilities
. Deal with it,” she hissed, her face an inch from his. The infusion of passion within the hazel depths deflated the wind from her sails.
Oh, Fates.
She stomped off before taking him to the ground and pouncing on him right in front of everyone. It was more than simple attraction. He didn’t take her shit. Called her on the carpet … challenged her. Honor, integrity, duty, SEX … the guy was like a walking billboard.