Christine Feehan: Conspiracy Game

“He needs a medic right now. He’s losing blood.”

“Get in the helicopter, Briony,” Kadan ordered.

It was the safest place on the mountain for her and the babies, but she didn’t even consider it. Instead, she turned without hesitation and raced back to Jack.

The battle raged-two strong men well versed in hand-to-hand combat. The fight was the most brutal thing she’d ever witnessed-the two men punching and kicking, making every effort to literally smash each other into pieces.

She was in Jack’s mind and she felt his deadly resolve. He was detached from the fight, but his implacable purpose wasn’t. He was going to kill-there was no other thought in his head. He was going to smash his foot through Luther’s chest-and he did. Briony heard the crunch of bones as Luther went down.

Her stomach lurched at the sound. Don’t kill him-my sister. He can lead us to my sister.

Even wheezing and gasping for breath, Luther was lethal, drawing a long, razor-sharp knife from his boot and driving it up toward Jack’s belly. Jack jumped back, circled, and went in for the kill. Briony closed her eyes, but she heard the punch as Jack drove his fist-with every bit of enhanced strength behind it-through Luther’s skull, shattering it. The second punch smashed through Luther’s face, reducing the nose and eye sockets to pulpy splinters. It was a methodical, brutal, and deliberate kill, and never once did Jack’s mind shout for him to stop.

He knelt beside the body and looked up at her. I’m not apologizing for who I am. You can either live with me or you can’t. But he was holding his breath. Terror robbed him of his ability to breathe. If she left him, his life was worthless.

A soldier ran toward them, leaping over a fallen log. His gun was gone and his shirt torn and bloody, but she suspected he was enhanced. Jack looked exhausted as he knelt beside Luther, looking up at her with a dark, unfathomable expression. Briony didn’t hesitate, reaching past him to jerk the knife from Luther’s fist. She turned and threw it in one smooth motion, using her strength as she never had. I’m not apologizing for loving you. I can live with everything you are, Jack, and then some.

He stared up at her face, there in the midst of blood and death, with his heart pounding and his mouth dry. I absolutely love you, Briony, and I’m on my knees. So we’re getting married-right? But say it fast before we get shot.

Only Jack would ask-if you could call it asking-in the middle of a battlefield, with a man lying dead at his feet. You idiot. Get up and let’s get out of here. I love you too, and of course I’m marrying you. I’m not about to let you get away.

He caught her to him and crushed her mouth beneath his. They turned and ran toward the helicopter and the tough-looking men, armed to the teeth, spreading out to cover them.

“He all right?” Jack asked the medic as he examined his brother lying on the floor, strapped to a board. “How bad is he hit?”

“He’ll live; lost a lot of blood, but we’ve got some plasma going in,” the medic assured him.

“Nice to see you in one piece, Jack,” Kadan said to them. “Lily’s going to be happy to see you, Briony. She considers you a sister.”

Briony made a small sound of despair. Jack sank down, pulling Briony into his arms. She promptly burst into tears. He turned his body to shield her tears from the others. Once they were on board, the helicopter banked and made a wide turn, swinging out and away from the trees to climb a little higher. Smoke clouded the air, and far below them it looked like a battleground. Briony buried her face against his chest, silent sobs wracking her body. His fingers tangled in her hair as he held her to him, looking over her head at his brother.

“We’re safe now, Briony. With all of us guarding you, he can’t touch you,” he murmured soothingly, stroking her hair.

“But she’s not safe-my sister. With Luther dead, there’s no way to find her. She’s totally alone and I can’t get to her.” Briony covered her face with her hands. Marigold might at that very moment be praying for Briony to come-but it would be impossible. Her only hope to find Whitney’s laboratory had been Luther. “I know it was necessary, Jack, don’t get me wrong, you had to kill him-but I feel so lost.”

“Listen to me, baby.” He caught her chin and forced her to look into his eyes-eyes that were flat and as cold as ice-eyes that could warm her like the afternoon sun. “I never break my word- never . It’s a matter of honor with me. We’ll find your sister. We’ll move heaven and earth if we have to, but we’ll find her, and we’ll take her away from him. You have my word on that.”

Ken put his hand on her shoulder, ignoring the medic’s scowl. “I’m in all the way, Briony. We’re family. We stick together. We’ll get her out.”

Briony wiped at the streaming tears and looked from one man to the other. They were tough and scarred and could be difficult to live with-but she wouldn’t trade them for anything. She nodded. “Okay. Okay then. We’ll find her together.” Because she believed them. “I love you, Jack. Very much.”

“Hell of a time to tell me, babe.” We’re in a helicopter surrounded by men and there’s not much I can do about it now.

Briony smiled in spite of the circumstances. That was meant to be emotional, idiot, not sexual.

Don’t say sexual-you’ll give me a hard-on.

Ken sighed. Shut up, you two.

Jack and Briony both looked at Ken, then at each other, and burst out laughing.