Nico's Heart (RARE Book 1) (6 page)

Chapter 18

Nico woke up to the feeling of sweet, soft woman in his arms.  He breathed in their combined scents and sighed in contentment.  When a couple mated combining blood and sex, their scents became one and let everyone else know they were taken.  Now everyone would know Jenna was his.  Supreme satisfaction flowed through him.

He noticed the alarm clock said it was 2am and wondered what had woken him up.  Slowly he untangled himself from his mate and slipped out of bed.  Grabbing his pants off the floor and
yanking them on, he palmed his Glock off the nightstand and silently made his way out into the hall.

He crouched low to the floor and moved quietly towards the kitchen where he could hear noises.  Going slowly in case it was Lily, he stopped against the wall and peered around the doorway.  His eyes met Phoenix’s as Phoenix took a big swallow of diet coke.  “Ya know, your mate really needs to get some of the loaded shit in here.  Or better yet, some beer.  This taste like crap.”

“What the hell are you doing here, Phoenix?” Nico asked as he thumbed the safety on the Glock and shoved it in the back of his pants.  Then he pulled out a chair with his foot and straddled it facing Phoenix with his arms over the back of it.

“The condo was lonely without your ugly mug,” Phoenix replied.  Nico looked at him carefully, “No man, what are you really doing here?

“Guarding your happy ass because obviously no one else can do it,” Phoenix stated.  “Do you know how easy it was to sneak in here?  First off, it was child’s play to get over the fence.  And how many enforcers are watching this place?  I counted six and that’s including the council enforcers.  Granted, they were a little bit harder to maneuver around, but I did it.  I’m sorry, Nico, but that’s fucked up.  This is your mate and child we are talking about.  I made it in here so someone else can, too.  We need to keep them safe, my brother.” 

“There aren’t many as good as you, Phoenix, but I get what you’re saying.  Crash on the couch the rest of the night?  Help me protect my family?”

“You got it,” Phoenix nodded.  That was it.  That was all that needed to be said.  Nico got up and walked out heading towards Lily’s room to check on her while Phoenix leaned back in his chair and finished his soda.

Nico stopped in Lily’s doorway and just watched her for a moment.  Then he silently moved over by her bed and whispered, “What’s wrong, Princess?”  Lily looked up at him with tear filled eyes.  “I’m scared,” she whispered.  He reached down and picked her up, scooping up her blanket and Shadow, too.  Kissing her softly on the forehead, he moved towards Jenna’s room.  “You never have to be alone when you are scared, honey.  Your mommy and I are right here.”

Jenna woke up as he entered the room and scooted over in the bed when she saw them.  Nico leaned down and placed Lily beside her, pulling the covers up over them.  “Where are you going?” Jenna asked as Nico picked up his shirt and moved towards the door.  “Just out for a bit.  I want to check on things.  You two rest and I’ll be back soon,” he said.

Chapter 19

As Nico made his way past the living room again, he saw Phoenix in the recliner kicked back like he was taking a nap with a baseball cap over his face.  But Nico knew that by now Phoenix would be tuned in to every noise in the house and if anyone tried to come in, it would be the last stupid thing they ever did.

“I’m going out back,” Nico said.  Phoenix nodded once.  Nico walked out the back door and over to the swing set.  Putting his hand on the slide, he just waited.  He did not have to wait long. 

“Phoenix make it inside ok?” Storm asked softly.  Nico chuckled.  “Yeah, yeah he did.  Anyone else see him?”

“Nope.  He snuck in on this side and Ryker was at the front of the house.  I recognized him, so figured you wouldn’t mind if I let him go.  Didn’t want to raise a fuss and risk waking the whole house up.” 

“Thanks, Storm,” Nico said.  “Nice to know at least one of you isn’t sleeping on the job.”  She chuckled.  “Go in to your mate and child, Nico.  Ryker and I got this.  And obviously you have Phoenix on the inside.  Go and enjoy the few hours you can right now.”

Nico smiled as he made his way back into the house.  Crossing over to where Phoenix was sprawled out he said, “Guess you didn’t quite make it like you thought.  Storm made ya, buddy.”

Phoenix pushed his hat up off his eyes and a
self-satisfied grin showed up on his face.  “Good for her.  But then, all the girls notice me, don’t they?” he joked.  Nico laughed, “You always were a cocky son of a bitch.  Get some rest.” 

He teased Phoenix, but they both knew that even though he might act like it sometimes, that wasn’t really Phoenix.  Hell, he hadn’t been laid in at least nine months.  He was tired of fast women.  He wanted to find someone that would love him for who he was.  He wanted someone for himself like Nico had found in Jenna.  A woman or mate that would love him unconditionally, scars and all. 

Phoenix wasn’t a shifter.  Nope, he was all human.  But he was all badass human.  He had grown up in foster homes and learned quickly that you either became the biggest, meanest, badass around, or you got the shit kicked out of you all of the time. 

Well, he definitely wasn’t a pussy.  He had tangled with some pretty mean fuckers, both humans and shifters, and won.  He had spent years in the military out in the jungle tracking and eliminating the enemy.  But he was tired. 

He wanted a chance to be himself for once.  Yes, he was a big bad mother, but he was also a deep gentle soul.  An artist.  He loved to draw and paint and could see beauty in things most people couldn’t. 

Phoenix just wanted someone to really know him and to want the real him.  That was why he hadn’t been laid in over nine months.  He was holding out for that one woman.  He knew she was out there and he vowed to wait for her no matter how long it took.  No more fast hookups.  No more one night stands.  He was going to find his one and only, his soul mate.

Chapter 20

Jenna rolled over in bed and sat up quickly when she realized it was empty.  Where were Nico and Lily?  She closed her eyes and listened, and then she heard the voices in the kitchen area.  There was Nico, Lily, and one other voice she didn’t quite recognize.  Nico and Lilly were laughing at something.  And she smelled bacon.  Yum! 

She jumped out of bed and threw on some clothes.  Then she headed towards the kitchen to see what was so funny.  As she pushed open the door, she saw a tall man with very broad shoulders facing the stove.  He had a shaved head and a tattoo of some kind of tribal design that ran up the nape of his neck.  When he turned to look at her she saw another tattoo
peeking out of the top of his tee shirt.  He was wearing her pink frilly apron and she couldn’t help grinning at him.  He looked like such a big mean bastard, but then he was in pink. 

He winked at her and flipped the pancake up in the air catching it on the way back down. 
Lily giggled again.  “That one is mine, Mommy,” she said.  “Phoenix is making it look like rabbit for me.” 

“A rabbit?” Jenna asked. 
“Of course, all wolves eat rabbits!” Lily said.  There were peals of laughter all around.  

Jenna picked Lily up in her arms and swung her around, making her giggle even harder.  Then she sat down with Lily on her lap and leaned into Nico giving him a soft kiss and rubbing her cheek against his. 

Of course, she knew who Phoenix was now.  Part of Angel’s team.  She had been under so much stress before that she doubted she would be able to recognize and name the whole team. 

“When did you get here,
Phoenix?” she asked.  She did not remember hearing the doorbell ring that morning.  Of course, she had been so out of it, she hadn’t even heard Nico and Lily get up.

“I slept in the chair in the living room, ma’am,” he said politely.  Wow, she thought.  This man was definitely not the man you would think he was at first glance.  “In the chair?” She asked him in confusion.

“Phoenix showed up late last night,” Nico told her.  “He and I live together in the city.  Big guy was lonely without me.  I wasn’t there to watch Lifetime with him.”  Phoenix actually blushed, “Hey, they have good shows on sometimes!” 

“Mommy watches Lifetime,” Lily piped up.  Nico and Phoenix burst into laughter.   Jenna watched Phoenix as he turned around and made Lily’s plate for her.  “Thank you for protecting us,” she said softly.  He turned toward her and nodded once with a smile, then he handed Lily her plate and started to make another one. 

The man was full of contradictions, Jenna thought.  A big badass full of tattoos that liked to cook, helped his friend protect his family, and blushed when being teased about watching Lifetime.  And let’s not forget that he looked pretty in pink she thought with a giggle.  “Stop checking out my brother,” Nico growled playfully.  Jenna just laughed at him.  She was his now.  The bite on her shoulder proved it.  She would never stray and would never leave Nico, just as he would never do anything like that to her.  Mates did not cheat and they could not stand to be apart for a long time.

“Well, tonight you will stay in the guest room,” she stated.  He grinned at her.  “Thanks, ma’am.”

Chapter 21

Angel pulled up in front of the little cottage and parked.  She and the rest of the team jumped out and walked up the sidewalk, checking out everything on the way.  They knew exactly where every enforcer was and where the weak points in their protection detail were by the time they
made it to the door.  It was not that the way they had things set up was wrong necessarily, but it was not the way RARE would do it.  They obviously had not had the same training as the team.  They had weak areas that RARE would not have had. 

The door opened when they reached it, Phoenix on the other side.  “Chase swapped his enforcers out with fresh ones at 6am,” he said, “But the council enforcers are still out there.  They haven’t taken a rest since they showed up yesterday.” 

“Go tell them to take a break.  You guys can stay here while I meet with Chase, then I will come back here for our meeting,” Angel told him.  “Tell them to come back later this afternoon after they have had some sleep.  We will be here until at least 6pm.”

As Phoenix took off, Angel moved on into the house.  Lily came running and threw herself at Angel.  When she picked her up, Lily latched her arms around Angel’s neck in a tight hold.  “You’re leaving again tonight,” she whisper
ed against her neck.  “You and Daddy and Phoenix.”

Angel held her tightly and responded, “I wasn’t planning on leaving for a couple of days, sweetheart.”  Lily shook her head.  “No, it has to be tonight.  If you don’t go tonight, they will all die.”

Everyone froze as Lily’s words reached them.  “Who will die, Lily?” Nico asked.  “The mommies and kids,” Lily said.  “It’s going to blow up and everyone is going to die.”  Angel looked at Jenna and said, “Get Chase here now.” 

Phoenix, get your ass in here now, Lily said we have to leave tonight.  She said if we don’t a lot of people are going to die.  Tell Ryker and Storm to get some rest, but to be back here by 1pm.  We need them to watch Jenna and Lily while we are gone. 

Then she sat on the couch cuddling Lily closer and said, “Lily, I need to see what you are talking about, ok?  Close your eyes while I take a peek inside and see.”  As Phoenix burst through the door, all of Angel’s team surrounded her as she made herself vulnerable connecting with Lily.

When Angel merged her mind with Lily’s, she told her,
I need you to show me what you saw. 
Immediately Lily pulled up the vision so Angel could follow along.  They were in what looked like some kind of a huge warehouse building.  There were cages on one wall and rooms with windows on another.  Angel saw a little bear cub in one cage, and two others had wolf pups in them.  In one of the rooms was an extremely pregnant woman sitting on a bed with her head bowed.  She was rubbing her stomach and it looked like she was singing. 

Another one had a woman with long red hair.  She was pregnant, but didn’t look as far along as the first woman.   And she was pissed off.  She was yelling at the guards on the other side of the window who in turn were laughing at her.  As she yelled, her eyes seemed to widen in surprise as she stared straight back at Angel.  She immediately schooled her expression and kept yelling.  Angel tuned into what she w
as actually saying and heard, “Nothing but a bunch of dickless cowards.  You think you can keep us in this godforsaken place and breed us, then steal our babies and hurt them?  Fuck you all!  You don’t think anyone is looking for us?  You don’t think they will look here in Mexico?  We are in freaking Tijuana, you stupid fucks.  Someone is going to find us!  And when they do, I will make you all pay for what you have done to us!  I will gut you like the spineless bastards you are!”  She looked one more time in Angel’s direction, then turned away and muttered, “Seriously, hiding us right in the middle of Tijuana.  If I could just get out of this building, I could get help.  There are so many tourists around this place, someone would help me.  My God, we are right by the freaking market place.” 

Then the vision moved on quickly
, showing the guards drinking and laughing.  Two guards went in after the red haired woman, grabbing her and forcing themselves on her, then there was a huge boom and the place just blew apart. 

Everyone was caught in the blast and killed.  The cub, the pups, the women and the guards.  No, Angel wasn’t going to let that happen.  No way in hell.  That last woman with the fiery red hair, she couldn’t let her die.  Her mate was waiting for her.