Turbulence (19 page)

“Ross. But why do you care? You made it clear that I was the
favored son. Yet I’m being held prisoner. You’re killing my mate!”

Both of Philip O’Day’s brows rose to his hairline. “Mate? I
didn’t realize it was that serious. That is very disappointing news. From what
I heard about the infamous Greyson, women were like bubble gum to you. You
chewed them up and spit them out when you were done.”

To think, Greyson used to be proud of his past prowess with
women. Now he was ashamed and wished to erase it along with this man he called
father. “You taught me to be that person. I regret ever listening to you. How
did you even know I was your son?”

“I didn’t until you got here. I was just looking for a face
to face with the leader of the Jhetan people.” He bared his teeth in a chilly
version of a smile. “You make me proud. I raised you to be a leader and you
didn’t fail me.”

Philip O’Day raised him to be many things. Things that
probably cost Greyson more than he cared to think about.

Greyson shifted impatiently on his feet. “What did you bring
me here for? This family reunion is getting rather dull.”

“Your answer. Have you made it? As you said, your mate is
dying. I would hate for my daughter-by-joined-blood to die so soon. The
antidote can be yours.”

 “You can kiss my ass,” Greyson replied. “I’m not helping
you do anything.”

“The antidote?”

“I know a healer who can make it.”

“Not with the ingredients we used. They were extremely
rare.”

Greyson held up his middle finger. If that didn’t tell O’Day
how he felt, then he’d be happy to show him another way. He knew plenty of
methods to say ‘eff off.’ “Take me back to my cell. I’m done here.” He kept his
eyes on his father, hoping the man felt every ounce of loathing he had for him.

O’Day nodded toward the soldiers standing closest to
Greyson. “Take my son back. He needs time to digest what he has just heard. I’m
sure he’ll change his mind before long. His
mate
means too much to him,”
he said with a sneer.

The hood went back over Greyson’s head. His emotions were in
too much of a whirlwind for him to do more than let himself be dragged back.

----

Greyson looked as dead in the eyes as the Department X
cronies who pulled the dark hood from over his head and locked the cell door
behind them. Avalon knew something was wrong when an intense rush of emotions
flooded through the bond they shared not long ago. The connection was still so
new to her that she couldn’t decipher what exactly Greyson was going through.

Avalon pushed herself up to sitting. She was feeling a bit
weak, but she didn’t want to alarm him. He obviously had serious issues on his
mind. Worrying him with her health wasn’t worth it.

“Greyson, what’s wrong?”

He looked at her and his lips parted, but no sound came out.
He took a couple steps then collapsed to his knees. Avalon willed her strength
not to fail her and crawled over to him. She placed her hands on both sides of
his scruffy face.

“I’m here, Greyson. Whatever it is, I’m here for you. What
happened?”

“It’s my dad,” he whispered.

“What about him?” Greyson loved his father. He had a great
deal of influence over him, but he was dead. What did he have to do with their
situation now?

“He’s…” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “His
name is Philip O’Day.”

“That’s an Earth name.”

He nodded grimly. “He’s not dead. He’s in charge of
Department X.”

“What?” she exclaimed.

“Yes. Crazy, huh?” He placed his hands on top of hers. “Guess
that’s why he hasn’t killed or experimented on us yet.”

“I’m so sorry,” she told him. It was shocking to her. Had to
be more so to him.

No wonder Greyson looked like he was ill. She would feel
down in the dumps as well were it her father doing this. But she knew her
parents were gone. They died before she even left Jheta. Her grandmother was
all that she had left until Greyson came along.

He sighed. “My dad isn’t the person I have been thinking he
was my entire life. He’s a monster. You’re not safe. I might get through this
relatively unscathed. The same can’t be said for you. I’m not turning over the
Jhetans to him, Avalon. If whatever he gave you doesn’t kill you first, he’ll probably
try to kill you himself.”

 “You must feel horrible. What can I do to make it better
for you?”

He snorted. The ghost of a smile teased his lips. “I just
told you that my father is the leader of the freaking hell gang and he’s
planning to off you one way or another and you’re concerned about me.” She
shrugged. “You are freaking incredible. Do you know that?”

“You’ll have to keep telling me,” she said.

“I will. Every day. But we have to get out of here first.”

Avalon didn’t have the slightest clue as to how Greyson
planned to escape. She still intended to make sure he made it out alive. If she
did too, it would be a bonus, but Avalon wasn’t counting on it.

He gently removed her hands from his face and stood up. He
paced, hands on his waist. “Do you remember when you asked me whether I could
turn into air like Dex can turn into fire?”

“Yes. Can you?”

Greyson shook his head as he continued to walk back and
forth across the small length of their prison. “I’ve never tried before. Never
had a reason to. But I need to do something. Philip O’Day needs to be stopped
and I can’t do that by sitting in here and with you slowly dying in front of
me.”

“So what are you saying?” Avalon thought she knew, but
needed him to confirm her suspicions.

“Become the wind. I can figure out where they’re keeping the
antidote. We can get out of here. I just have to try.”

“I’ll help however I can.”

“I know you’re not feeling well. Don’t lie to me by saying
you feel all right.” He thumped his chest when she opened her mouth to refute.
“I can feel it, sunshine. But I’m going to need you to kick some ass like we
talked about.”

A smile spread on Avalon’s lips before she could stop it.
She never thought she’d look forward to being violent before, but that went to
show how much she hated Department X and how much of an influence Greyson had
on her. She couldn’t be a spineless mate. Greyson was brave and assertive.
Avalon wouldn’t let him down.

She watched him practice transforming into air over and over
again to no avail. He remained just as solid as she did. He cursed, ranted, and
complained that if it was possible for Dex then anybody should have been able
to it. There wasn’t much she could do to help him except to remind him to calm
down and focus.

Greyson released a long line of expletives that made Avalon
want to cover her ears. She knew he had a love affair with curse words. She
just never heard so many at one time. And she was pretty sure he made up a few
of his own.

“It’s okay, Greyson.”

He pegged her with a glare of irritation. “It’s not okay. A
lot is riding on this. I have to do it.”

“You will. Give your mind time to rest. Your emotions are
all over the place. Come over here.”

“I don’t have time to whisper sweet nothings in your ear,
Avalon.”

“I never said you had to. Just come over here.” She patted
the spot beside her on the floor.

Greyson sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes to the top of
his head. But he didn’t refuse again. He dropped down on the ground and cocked
his head to the side.

“Now what? We talk about our celebrity crushes?” he asked
sarcastically.

He was being a jerk. Fortunately, Avalon was used to it and
didn’t allow it to bother her. He was having a rough day. She was going to make
it better. Maybe. Hopefully. She reached down and unbuttoned his pants.

“Whoa!” He stilled her hands. “What do you think you’re
doing?”

“Taking your mind off your problems,” she answered.

“This is ridiculous. We don’t have time.”

She pulled away from him and leaned back on her elbows,
pulling her dress up. She wasn’t wearing any underwear since he’d shredded them
days ago. At first, she felt so exposed and naughty without them on. Those
things worked to her advantage now. She spread her legs so that he could see
how hot she was for him. He groaned.

“Are you still going to say no?” Avalon asked him. She
brought her legs back together, sliding them against one another provocatively.

Greyson squeezed his eyes shut. “You know I’m not. Damn you,
Avalon. Come here.”

She snickered and crawled over to him. She unzipped his pants.
His hard shaft popped out like a spring waiting to uncoil. She couldn’t believe
all of that fit inside of her and that she liked it.

With Greyson, it was easy to see why he had so many women
lusting after him. The man had a real talent in the lovemaking department.

With her dress pulled up to her waist, Avalon lowered
herself onto him. She used his shoulder to muffle her cry of delight. Her core
was still tender from all the times they’d made love, but the pain added to her
pleasure. Knowing that he’d been there, that he was the reason she was so
sensitive at that spot made her moan with gratitude.

Greyson palmed her butt. “You’re in charge, sunshine.”
Avalon lifted up and sat back down on him, taking him deep. She bit into his
shoulder. “Yeah. Just like that.”

She used her instincts to make them both lose themselves in
the heat, the passion of love. He never said it to her, but he didn’t have to.
Greyson showed it to her in the way he reverenced her body, took her to heights
never before experienced. The way he allowed her to take control despite her
inexperience.

Avalon rode him until she was sure he forgot about all the
things wrong in the world, forgot about his father, forgot about her dying.

She cried out and clenched around him, coming. Avalon
continued to grind on him until Greyson roared with his climax and squeezed her
bottom, his hips bucking. He shot his seed inside of her.

Then he was gone. Disappeared.

Avalon caught herself on her hands and knees. Her brain was
still too fogged from the experience she just had to process what happened. All
she knew was the warm breeze that fluttered between her legs then ruffled her
hair.

Chapter 19

Greyson could barely wrap his mind around what just
happened. He’d been having sex with Avalon, feeling as free as air when he
turned into it. Yeah, he hadn’t expected that.

Yet it seemed so simple now. Shifting was all about
molecules and energy. When he was a person, the molecules that consisted of his
solid shape were more closely packed together and thus moved slower. The air
state involved energetic molecules, which moved around freely. All he needed to
do was get his blood pumping, racing. Visualize the molecules. Become them.

Greyson pushed the molecules that consisted of his solid
form together. He transformed back into his human form. Avalon was staring at
him in admiration or maybe it was shock. Hell if he knew. Greyson stuffed his
shaft back into his pants and zipped it up since he hadn’t gotten the
opportunity before he involuntarily changed forms.

“You did it,” she said with a smile on her pretty face.

Greyson helped Avalon to her feet then pulled her into his
arms. “I did. Thanks to you.” He kissed her.

“I knew you could. You can do anything. That’s why I love
you.”

He held her tighter. How did he get so lucky? Avalon was much
too good for him and he would not let her go for anything in this world. That
included his worthless father’s attempt at killing her.

Greyson pulled back but kept her close. “I’m going to do
some reconnaissance. I’ll be back soon. If anyone comes in here before I get
back, scream. I don’t care if they’re bringing you water. I don’t want you
alone with anyone. Okay?”

“Okay. What about you? You could get hurt.” Her blue eyes turned
purple before his attentive gaze.

“Don’t worry about me, Lonnie Girl. I’ll be fine. We’ll have
a definite plan when I get back and then we’ll be out of here before long.”

Avalon reached up on her tiptoes and pressed a soft, tender
kiss onto his lips. No tongue. Not even much movement. But he felt her love
right down to his toes. They stood like that for a moment, embracing and lips
connecting.

She stepped back. “Go on. I promise to be here when you get
back.” She gave him a trembling smirk.

“Ha ha ha. Funny. You have no other choice.” This was his
girl trying to make light of the situation.

If Greyson kept looking at how strong she was trying to be
instead of how scared for him and unwell she felt through their bond, he’d
never leave. He turned his back on Avalon and concentrated on speeding up the
molecules of his body, spreading them out. His heart rate picked up,
accelerating to dangerous levels. Then he burst free of his earthly body and
became the air he breathed into his lungs.

“Greyson? Did you leave?”

He could not speak to Avalon, but he let her know he was
still there by wrapping her body in a column of air like a gentle tornado,
hugging her the only way he could in this form. She shivered.

“Be careful, Greyson. I love you.”

Greyson ruffled her black tresses before slipping under the
space between the floor and the door.

He’d been right in his guesses. The floor outside of the
cell was made of some type of stone or cement. It looked as if they were in
some sort of old dungeon or basement. There were other cells too. He couldn’t
tell whether they were occupied or not, but if they were, Greyson would send for
someone to release the captives whenever he finally got away from this place.

The farther he drifted away from his cell, the less
dungeon-like it became. The facility changed into a medical center and lab
area. One room had an unconscious male hooked up with wires while green liquid
pumped into his body.

The sound of soles slapping against the floor almost made
Greyson search for a place to hide until he remembered that no one could see
him. The person turned out to be Nile. The male was coming from the opposite
direction.

It took every ounce of Greyson’s being not to suck the air
right out of Nile’s lungs. He might have been one of his people once upon a
time, but he’d been brainwashed and turned into something sinister. It was best
for everyone if Greyson killed him.

He’d do just that when the time came. Right now, Greyson had
to find the exit and figure out where they kept the antidote for Avalon. He
followed the path Nile had taken down the hall. There were more rooms, a set of
stairs, and an elevator. Judging by the guards in front of another room, his
father used that one as his office/lair. It made Greyson livid just thinking
about that evil bastard.

He still wasn’t sure what this building was or where it was.
Wherever he was, he was on a lower level at the moment. He surged up a set of
stairs.

Greyson eventually got to a set of double doors. Two other
“soldiers” guarded these doors. He’d have to take them down when the time came.
On the wall beside the exit was a keypad with an indicator light glowing red.

He would bet there was another keypad on the other side of
the doors as well. Couldn’t let just anybody into this place now, could they?
He stayed and watched for anyone to go out, to press in the code. Just his luck
that nobody left or entered. Greyson would just have to try the old-fashioned
way of getting the code. He’d beat it out of one of them. Or pulverize the
alarm.

He drifted back the other way to the clinic area. Though he
was only air, this lab area creeped him out. He felt the vileness in the air.
But he had to go there. It was the most logical place to hide the antidote.

Three rooms looked like viable options. One was occupied by
that asshat Larsen and the male hooked up to the wires. The others were empty.
Greyson took the first one on his left. He slid underneath the door. The lights
were off and he wasn’t going to expose himself by turning them on. Thanks to
superior Jhetan vision, he could see pretty well—not perfectly—in the dark.

Greyson took his human form. Poking around was much easier
with fingers. He pulled out drawers, looked through cabinets and in the
refrigerator which had what looked like bags of blood.  No antidote.

He wasn’t all together sure what it would look like. It
wasn’t as if there would be an arrow pointing to it with a sign that read
“Avalon’s Lifesaver.” Greyson knocked a set of papers onto the floor in
frustration. He had to find it. He had to.

He had just made it to the other room when the piercing
scream of a woman reached his ears. Fear raced through his blood via the bond. Greyson
took off at a dead run, not bothering to mask himself. The door to the cell he
and Avalon were kept in hung open.

Fury filled him when he saw Avalon struggling on the ground,
a big male pawing at her dress. Greyson rushed in, throwing the bastard
straddling her clear across the room. His head bounced against the cement wall
like a basketball, knocking him out. That wasn’t enough for Greyson. He stalked
over and wrapped his hands around the male’s thick neck, wringing it until it
looked like the neck of a rubber chicken. He wouldn’t be touching his mate ever
again.

Greyson stood back up, wiping his hands on his pants. Avalon
gaped at him with a mixture of relief and disgust on her face. He probably
shouldn’t have been so barbaric in front of her, but he wasn’t going to apologize
for defending his woman.

“Are you all right?” he asked a little more rough than he
intended.

She blinked and then blinked again.

Greyson grasped her shoulders and gave her a little shake.
The poor thing was in shock. “Avalon, sunshine, did he hurt you?”

This time she actually appeared to see him. She swallowed. “N-no.
He tried to…”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say. Why was he in here? Can
you tell me that?”

“Yes.” She took a deep breath. “He was bringing our meal,
but I guess he looked through the sliding panel and didn’t see you. He came in
and demanded I tell him where you were. When I wouldn’t, he threw me down and
said that after he was done with me, I’d tell him whatever he wanted to know. I
screamed, Greyson.”

“You did good, sunshine. Just like I told you to do.” He
pressed her face against his chest. If they had the time he would have tried to
soothe her more, give her his complete attention, but time was one thing they
still did not have.

“We have to go,” he told her.

“Now? We can’t.” Her eyes grew wide in alarm.

“We can. Stick close to me.”

He hadn’t intended to escape just yet, but circumstances had
forced his hand. They would just have to do the best they could.

Before things got better, they were going to get worse. A
whole lot worse if the sound of feet pounding on the floor in their direction
was any indication.

----

Avalon pushed the assault that nearly happened moments ago
out of her mind. Being the scared, sickly mate wasn’t going to fly if Greyson
expected them to escape this place. She called up the reserve energy left in
her body.

Greyson blurted out a short version of directions on how to
get to the exit before flinging her behind him. She would have preferred to
stand at his side, but there was no time to argue when all hell broke loose in
the cell.

The small chamber became a battleground. Avalon watched in
wonderment when Greyson took down two of the men in a matter of seconds. He was
a beast. No need for her to get involved just yet when he had the combat aspect
taken care of on his own.

She winced when a punch landed across Greyson’s face,
splattering blood along with it. He didn’t even appear to feel it. He kept
punching, kept body slamming, kept beating the heck out of everyone.

Avalon pressed herself against the wall to avoid being hit.
Keeping her eyes on Greyson, she bit back a scream when a body fell before her
feet, surprising her. The man didn’t move. She noticed a gun strapped to the
guy’s side. It could be of use to her and Greyson. She bent down to take it
from him when his eyes flashed open.

His arm reached up with lighting fast speed and grabbed onto
her wrist, trying to pull her down. Avalon panicked and stomped on his face
with all of her might in her low-heeled shoe until he looked like a bloody slab
of meat. She shivered at how brutal this situation had caused her to become and
prayed to God in heaven that he would forgive her.

Avalon snatched up the gun. She didn’t know how to use it
and wasn’t all together sure if the choice came down to it that she’d even pull
the trigger. But having a weapon was better than nothing.

She nearly dropped the firearm when someone yanked on her
arm. But it was only Greyson. He wiped at the blood splattered on his face with
the sleeve of his dirty shirt.

“Give me that before you shoot yourself.” He took the
pistol. “Come on. Run.”

He pulled her along. Avalon glanced back over her shoulder.
The men who came into the room were either dead or too hurt to chase them. A
part of her felt sad about the destruction they were leaving, even if it was
warranted.

Without warning, Greyson shoved her to the floor in the
hallway. “Cover your head!”

She did as he commanded. The crack of gunfire and thud of bodies
hitting the ground, exploded in her ears. Avalon had never been so afraid in
her life. Her heart pounded in her chest and she kept her eyes squeezed shut.
Forget about dying from the poison in her system; she ran a greater risk of
getting turned into Swiss cheese.

“Get up!” Greyson tugged her up from the floor with enough
force that it felt like her arm was about to rip out of the socket.

“Are you hurt?” she asked, searching his body for gunshot
wounds. She found one on his thigh, a jagged bloody hole. “You’ve been shot.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll live.” He gripped her shoulder.
“I need you to keep running. Just get out of here.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll see you soon. I’m giving you enough time to get out.
Go!”

This wasn’t how their escape was supposed to go. She was
supposed to ensure Greyson got out of here. From the serious and deadly look in
his brown eyes, arguing with him would do nothing but waste time.

Avalon didn’t want to, but she left. The last time he told
her to run away she’d turned back and caused them to end up here. This time she
listened and ran with no intention of turning back, keeping the directions
Greyson gave her on repeat in her head.

Like he’d been waiting on the ceiling in anticipation for
that moment, a man dropped down in front of her. It was like something from the
action movies Veeva liked to watch. He landed in a perfect crouch before
standing to his great height. He grinned and it was not the least bit friendly.
His teeth might as well have been knives for how sharp they were.

“Where do you think you’re going, girlie?”

Avalon gulped and tried not to show how afraid she was. She
had a feeling her eyes gave her away anyway. “You should leave me alone.”

“That right?” he said slowly, taking a step toward her. “Maybe
you can tell me why that is.”

“My mate will kill you.” Avalon had no idea where Greyson
was. He was still alive because she felt it in her blood. “Let me go and
Greyson won’t harm you.”

“That’s funny because I don’t see him anywhere around. And just
so you know, I’m not afraid of the boss’s son,” he replied with a sneer.

“Then you should be afraid of me.”

He found that hilarious. “You are—”

Avalon kicked him.

She drove her leg up in a high kick, connecting her foot
with his male region. His face distorted with pain and he hunched over, holding
himself. She made a fist with both hands and slammed them down against the back
of his head.

When he crumpled to the floor, she ran. He wouldn’t be down
for long, but it was long enough for her to gain some ground. She made it past
the clinic/lab quarters Greyson had indicated and kept running until she made
it to a set of stairs. She took them at a dead run. Up ahead were the doors,
but there were no guards like he said. They must have left when word reached
them that she and Greyson were trying to escape.