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I paced the breakroom, furious. “I’m going to kill them,” I snarled after reading Devon’s latest text.
“I’ll hold them down for you,” Phoenix replied from the table where he and Jemini sat. “Sick assholes trafficking kids and now kidnapping Devon. I say we make it nice and slow.”
I chewed my thumbnail. “I agree.”
“You should cut their dicks off first,” Jemini said. “Just in principle for being perverts.”
Cringing at the thought, I simply nodded. “I’ll let you do that part.”
She grinned. “Happily.”
“You are not going, so you won’t be doing that,” Phoenix said to Jemini.
“I know,” she replied with a pout. “A girl can dream.”
“You gotta stay here and hold down the technology portion of this fort,” I replied, still pacing.
Phoenix patted the chair next to him. “Sit down. It’ll calm you.”
I stared at the chair and reluctantly obeyed. “Once she reaches the Virgin Islands and gets online, I’ll be able to easily track her location. This waiting game is fucking killing me.”
“I know,” Jemini said. “I’ve never seen you so wound up.”
Venom walked in and opened the refrigerator. He pulled out food to make a sandwich. “What are you guys talking about in here?”
“Just trying to plan for when we hear from Devon.”
“Yeah?” Venom replied, rifling through the drawer for a knife. “What’s the plan?”
“We kill them,” I said through gritted teeth.
The wolf chuckled. “I mean, before that.”
“Hop on a plane, swoop in, save the girl, kill the bad guys,” Phoenix replied.
“You make it sound so easy,” Venom replied, pushing the bread together on his sandwich and lifting it to his face. “Life isn’t an action movie.”
“How’s baby?” Jemini asked. “I want to meet him so bad!”
He swallowed his bite and smiled. “He’s perfect. Kalissa’s an amazing mom. I offered to hire a nanny to come in during the day to help, but she refused. She’s stubborn like that.” He grinned and shook his head. “She’s exclusively breastfeeding and said she’s fine.”
“Is she able to keep her weight up and all that? I know you have to, like, double your calorie intake when you’re nursing,” Jemini said. “I hope that doesn’t sound insensitive.”
Venom shook his head. “No, not at all. I appreciate the concern, actually. She’s doing great. I’ve become quite the cook and make her finish her food. She looks so much healthier now with some curves and a little bit to grab onto.” He winked.
Gag.
“That’s great, I’m so happy for you. Auntie Jemini is ready for a visit when she’s up to it.” She rubbed her hands together.
He laughed again. “Soon, girl.”
I set my phone on the table, face-up, and stared at it.
“Okay, we need to get your mind off of this,” Jemini said. “Tell me a story.”
“Ooh, I wanna hear a story,” Bloome said as she wandered in with Shadow trailing behind her.
I looked up at them. “What kind of story? I’m a computer geek, not a novelist.”
“Why don’t you tell them how you met us?” Shadow said. “I remember the day like it was yesterday.”
“Me too,” Venom said around a mouthful.
I looked at the girls. “Fine.”
“What are we talking about in here?” MyAnna asked, walking in. She began tidying up and cleaning. I remember her complaining but I secretly thought she liked being the mama boss around here.
“Face is gonna tell us how he got into the Nighthawks.”
“Ooh!” MyAnna said. “Yes, please!”
I chuckled and shook my head. “Well, you guys know I used to model, right? Of course you do,” I said, glaring at Shadow who had a mischievous glint in his eye since he was the one who’d put my underwear ad up in the breakroom. “Well, the guy who turned me was a movie producer. He tricked me into being turned, actually. Told me the vial of vampire blood was some immortality elixir. It was just his blood mixed with mine. I was so stupid and naïve.” I blew out a breath.
“You were only twenty-one. Nobody’s very smart at that age,” Bloome said, her hands folded on the table.
“I know, but still. I wanted fame so badly, I just wasn’t thinking. Well, this man, this movie producer, I believe he thought he had a shot at me. Turned me and then spent two years guilting me into staying. Saying I owed him, and that we would make a great team. He made passes at me, but I just wasn’t the one for him. I truly only think he wanted me because of my looks.” I winced inside. I hated even bringing up my appearance. “I told him several times that I was straight, but he thought he could convince me otherwise or something... I don’t know. Anyway, one day I just left. Packed my shit while he was on the set and took a car down to the nearest Greyhound station. The bus to New Orleans was the next one leaving, so I bought a ticket and disappeared from Southern California.”
“That sounds like Vane’s story. Very similar,” MyAnna commented.
I smiled at her. “It is. He did the same thing after being turned. California is no place for vampires. The Lost Boys be damned.”
They all chuckled.
“I enrolled in online classes for computer science with a minor in engineering and worked an online job doing IT repair remotely while I finished schooling. I got my degree in three years and landed a sweet job with the biggest tech company in the area. I told them I could only work at night for personal reasons, and they let me work remotely.
“One night about a year ago, I saw a listing on the supernatural job listings site, and—”
Andy—Eagle—wandered into the breakroom. “What’s a supernatural job listings site? That’s seriously a thing?”
I looked up at him to see amusement dancing in his light-blue eyes. “Yes, it’s for supes who only hire other supes.”
“Interesting. So, I have a question. How are you that tan?” Eagle asked, pointing at my arms.
“Spray tans,” I murmured.
“Why?” he asked, folding his arms across his cut.
I blew out a breath. “Because I like them, okay? I fit in better with humans when I look like them.” I looked at Jemini and Phoenix. “Anyway, Vane had put in a listing for an IT guy. We met at the Devil’s Den for a quick interview, and I was patched and tatted the next week. The rest, as they say, is history.”
Viper came into the breakroom. “True story.”
Smiling at him. “Vane saved my ass. I was severely depressed at my new existence, and he showed me I could live a mostly normal life despite all the negatives that came with vampirism. That we could do good in the world, in spite of our sunlight problem. I have not regretted one day being a part of this Nighthawks family. Not once.”
MyAnna wiped a tear. “That was amazing. Thank you for sharing with us.”
Viper kissed the top of her head and squeezed her to him. “Face has been a godsend. We’ve saved so many people thanks to his knowledge of computers. Us old geezers have no idea how to navigate that shit.”
“Speak for yourself, Gramps. I ain’t no geezer,” Shadow quipped, chuckling.
“No, you’re not,” Bloome replied, leaning over to kiss him on the mouth.
Damn, I missed Devon so much. My stomach lurched again at the thought of her in any sort of danger or being hurt.
“Looks like y’all saved each other,” Jemini added.
“It’s true,” Viper said. “We wouldn’t be the strong club we are now without that big brain of his. We were a force to be reckoned with before. But now? We’re un-fucking-stoppable.”
Nods and sounds of agreement came from the group.
Just then, my phone chimed with a text. I snatched it up and read the message.
Devon: We’re in Charlotte Amalie. Orange mansion, number 23 on the gate.
I stood, the chair squeaking behind me. I read the group the text message.
“Let’s go. I’ve got a plane waiting at the airport,” Viper said, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I’m texting the pilot now to meet us there.”
We quickly ditched the cuts and jeans and changed into all-black tactical gear we rarely used. I felt empowered in the cargo pants, zip jacket, a balaclava, and boots. We were also armed to the teeth with pistols, pepper balls, and mini grenades.
The ride to the airport was nerve-wracking. I had no idea what to expect. A quick check of my phone showed it was one a.m.
Since we rarely ever left New Orleans, Viper had to pay a pretty penny to charter a plane. Phoenix parked the van at the edge of the tarmac. We sprinted to the waiting aircraft and hopped inside.
“Charlotte Amalie, Jerry,” Viper said to the pilot.
“You got it,” Jerry replied, and we were up and off.
I stared out the window, chewing on my thumbnail. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Harlan giving me a fatherly look. “It’s okay. We’re going to get your girl. Those assholes are no match for us.”
I nodded and blew out a breath. “I know. Thank you for coming. I know you have a lot going on.”
He grinned. “Ride or die, brother.”