"I've got a few minutes," Zoey hinted.
"Always time for you," he said and drew her into his arms. He kissed her hard, anticipating a hot, fast quickie.
Expecting the bond to open between them, he was surprised when it didn't. His body didn't immediately respond to the stimulation of holding her in his arms, either, and he wasn't able to feel her arousal. It was like she wasn't really there. But she was. Declan closed his eyes. He deepened the kiss, another thought forming in his mind. He once doubted any Halfling would be able to keep up with him. Was this a sign that Zoey couldn't all the time?
"What's wrong?" she whispered.
"Nothing," he said and slid his hands up her shirt. "Come inside."
In the elevator, Zoey frowned suddenly. Something felt...off. She shook her head, aware she was in a building where there were nothing but Incubuses and Cambions. Of course her instincts would be tingling! She glanced at the text that popped up on her cell.
Professor is doing well.
Her eyes went up, towards Declan's apartment. She wasn't certain what it was she felt through their bond; it wasn't as easy for her to interpret as it seemed to be for Declan.
The elevator dinged, distracting her. Vikki and Wes appeared as the door opened to the sub-basement of the building.
Zoey grinned. Vikki snickered and Wes shook his head.
"Thank god," Wes said.
She stepped out, body humming and calm. Wes handed her an earpiece with a look of warning. She put it in place, then met Vikki's gaze.
"Welcome to the family, I think," Vikki said.
"Omigod, that was an awful one." Zoey grimaced. "I thought someone from the Sucubatti would be here. How did you pull babysitting duty, Wes?"
"I'm the most patient of the Enforcers," he replied.
She started to laugh then realized he was serious. Vikki was smiling.
"This is a self-initiated mission. Olivia wasn't available to talk this morning. You have one mission today," Wes said. "Then we're out. Nothing wild." He looked between the two. "I've been told the Zoey-Vikki combo is a nuclear holocaust waiting to happen. No bullshit. One fuck up from either of you, and your soul-mate gets a phone call. Got it?"
They nodded.
"We're grabbing the Sucubatti records. They're on hard drives the size of my hand. There are five, all black, in a building that's now possessed by Cambions. You can guess what might happen if they fall into the wrong hands."
Whose hands are the wrong ones? Zoey wanted to ask, her mood growing troubled. She tried hard not to show it, but she couldn't help thinking that handing over the Benefactors' records to the Incubatti was somehow...wrong.
"Why do you need those?" By Vikki's puzzled tone, she thought the same.
"The history of the Succubus society is important to everyone," Wes said. He led them off the elevator.
Zoey and Vikki exchanged a look. They climbed into a van equipped to be a mobile armory. Impressed, Zoey started picking out weapons. Uniforms sat in small lockers; the clothing and boots were in their sizes. Wes closed the van door and waited a few minutes. They changed and armed themselves, speaking in sign language about the hard drives.
"Ready?" Wes's voice came over the radio.
"Ready," Zoey replied. "How did you guys get all the funding? This van, the underground lair."
"We need something like that," Vikki agreed.
"Ask the boss. You're meeting him this afternoon to talk about funding for your vigilante group," Wes suggested. He climbed into the driver's seat.
"Which boss?" Zoey asked, confused.
"Their father," Vikki answered.
"This is so twisted."
"Just wait. There's a lot more."
Zoey shook her head, not wanting to know yet. Wes drove them for ten minutes while she sat in thoughtful silence. He spoke to someone over the radio, his words too quiet for her to hear.
My father has nine sons, six of which are Enforcers. I'm the youngest. Declan said. Wes is my brother and yes, he was chosen so he could deal with you and Vikki without resorting to force. Almost worked as planned.
She laughed. Vikki glanced at her.
"It's strange to be able to talk to someone else in your head," Zoey said, considering. "Is there any soul-mate-to-soul-mate privacy privilege or something?"
"It's a matter of discretion," Wes said. "Something I didn't appreciate until this week."
"That does not bode well for me," Zoey replied. "I take it there's a price tag tied to discretion."
Exactly. And it's steep. Remember that if you try something with those hard drives.
She covered the microphone portion of her earpiece. "You didn't say no," she said.
I like having a bargaining chip.
She rolled her eyes and lowered her hand. Vikki gave her a knowing look. They signed to each other, stopping when Wes glanced at them through the rearview mirror.
"I didn't expect that," he said. "If you two weren't the only ones who could do this..."
They refrained the rest of the way to keep from raising his suspicions. Wes stopped two blocks from the campus.
"Science and Technology Building, room fourteen, second floor corner. No windows. The Cambions are looking for this info, but they don't know where it is," Wes said, glancing down at his phone as he read the notes. "The police have cordoned off everything around the campus for a block, but are caught up in the red tape that Olivia and our father managed to create with the local government to keep everyone off the campus. Anyone there is fair game. Once again, you're after five hard drives in the central server room. Serial numbers all end in twenty three. You've got four and a half hours to make it in, retrieve them and make it to Site Z."
"Four and a half hours," Vikki repeated. "Kinda pushing it, isn't it?"
"If I have to pull Declan and Liam onto the radio to keep you in line, keep in mind they'll be pissed and you get to tell them why," Wes added. "Zoey, no meltdowns. Vikki, stay on target."
Zoey looked at Vikki. They trotted away from the van down a street they used to walk down every day. Zoey felt a pang of sadness as she took in the damage to the campus from a distance.
You have a new home. His emotion hit her hard across their bond.
She covered the mic. "Maybe I'll come by again tonight."
Damn right you will.
"On your left, Z," Vikki said.
Zoey sensed the Cambions lying in wait at the edge of campus. She whipped out her weapons and met the two head on.
"First blood or most kills?" Vikki asked.
Zoey chopped the second down. "How about first blood today?" She rejoined Vikki. Something hot sliced through her arm. "What the hell?"
"I drew first blood," Vikki said, giving her a glare. "In case we both get killed. That's for telling the Enforcers about the football team. That made it back to Liam. Go north."
They trotted onto the campus, eyes roving for Cambions as they moved then broke away, Zoey heading north along the building they wanted and Vikki covering the south side.
"I was sort of set up," Zoey retorted quietly. "North entrance compromised."
She peeked around a corner and spotted Cambions moving in and out of the building, carrying computers and equipment. Easing back, she looked up the side of the building. A hundred meters away was an emergency fire escape.
"Double or nothing on total kills?" Zoey asked, running to the fire escape. It started one floor up. She clenched a knife between her teeth and pulled herself up to the first window sill.
"South compromised. Yes to kills."
"Go up," Zoey said.
"Roger," Vikki replied. "I didn't dime you out at my hearing."
"You got nothing on me." Zoey grunted and stretched for the fire escape. It looked rickety and rusted. Her fingers brushed it. "I wasn't ... under inquiry either for sleeping with an Incubatti."
"Up is a bad idea," Vikki said. "It's rusted through. Going in."
"On three," Zoey replied. "One."
"Two."
"Three."
They smashed the windows simultaneously. Zoey dropped into the classroom that had been trashed. The door was closed, and she saw the shadows under the door from Cambions walking in the hallway.
"For what it's worth, I was trying to defend you," she whispered, inching the door open. "What room are you in? I'm in Dante's."
"Mr. Pember's. Stairwell in five?" Vikki asked, referring to the set of stairs leading to the upper floors in the center of the hallway.
"Might be more like ten," Zoey said as she watched the Cambions pass her room.
"Lame."
"Seriously? Didn't you call your Incubus boyfriend to get you out of the bind in the alley?"
"I didn't go down after thirty kills that night!" Vikki challenged. "You got four minutes, or I start spilling secrets over the radio. Things I don't think Declan knows. Like "
"I only need three!" Zoey barked and ripped the door open. She had the element of surprise at first and hacked through three before the others realized what happened. Zoey's daggers flew as she lined up the Cambions. She pulled their magic to her, surprised when it didn't overwhelm or drown her. She felt centered, calm, focused.
You're welcome.
She smiled to herself and fought hard.
"Forty five seconds, Z," Vikki said.
Zoey looked down the hallway and saw her friend standing in front of the stairwell. She had three more to kill and the front door to block. Zoey ran towards the front, fighting as hard as she could before she reached the door, barred it, and barreled to the stairwell.
"Two seconds late," Vikki said as she approached. "If you beat me to the top ..." Vikki took off up the stairs.
Zoey pumped her arms, enjoying the chase. She vaulted up the stairs. Vikki was a landing ahead. Zoey closed the distance, but couldn't pass her by the time they got to the top.
"So, Declan," Vikki started with a wink. "Before you and before Eric, we had a competition."
"Goddamn it, Vikki!" Zoey flushed. "Four on your left."
"Got it."
Zoey hacked down two. The hallway was clear, and they both looked towards their destination. It was impossible to tell how many Cambions were in the rooms of either side. They looked at each other and smiled.
"Decoy." Vikki said.
"Oh, no."
"Rock, paper, scissors on three."
"Who makes operational decisions like this?" Wes snapped. "Get your asses to the destination."
"Lydia will turn out the same," Zoey replied. "Do you know who will be the first laughing at you, Wes?"
"That's it, Zoey. You got your warning yesterday. When you get back here, you're getting your ass kicked again," Wes replied.
"Most patient?" Vikki teased. "One, two, three."
They held out their hands. Zoey had rock and Vikki scissors.
"I'll take care of it, Wes." Declan's soft voice made her freeze.
Vikki laughed.
"Hi, sweetie," Zoey said in a syrupy voice. "I didn't know you were on the line."
"Take your shots now, kitten," Declan replied. "You won't get a chance later."
Her face grew hot. She strode forward down the hallway to draw out any Cambions hiding. Vikki remained in place.
"Freeze," Vikki ordered.
Zoey heard the thud of two bodies hitting the ground behind her.