Chapter Eight

Ryker.

I watch her walk out of the building and get into her sleek car from where I'm standing at the window. This last hour has been the longest of my entire life.

Every second in her presence that I couldn't touch her, kiss her, hold her was physically painful. I couldn't bring myself to look at her because it hurt too bad. I gave in at the last minute when she was talking to Gabe and my heart shattered.

She is so beautiful, and the leathers and jeans she wore today looked incredibly sexy. I'd been hard since she walked in and I heard her sweet voice, but as soon as I looked at her I was harder than I'd ever been, painfully so.

"Do we need to talk about it again?" Drew says behind me.

"Nothing to say." I shrug. "She shot me down."

"I don't believe that." Drew comes to stand next to me and looks down to where she's sitting in her car. "I can see the way she looks at you."

"Fine, she didn't shoot me down, exactly," I admit with a heavy sigh. "She said she can't be with me."

"Why?" He turns to look at me.

"No future. No possibility for normal, whatever that is." I watch as she pulls the car into traffic and drives away. "And apparently, there's a high possibility The Community will kill me."

"Well, the first two are bullshit, but the last one is concerning." He's frowning when I turn to face him. It's such a foreign expression on my good-natured friend, I almost want to laugh.

"Why doesn't she leave The Community?" he asks.

I give him a 'get serious' look, but he holds his hands up. "No, really, listen. She said that the only reason she hangs out with The Community is for insight on Sato, right? Well, Sato is as good as dead. Once we wrap this shit up, she could cut ties with The Community and you guys could... I don't fucking know, live happily ever after or some shit."

I laugh and pat his shoulder. "Don't hurt yourself, brother."

I walk away, and then I realize Drew has a damn good point.

Maybe once we get this Sato thing wrapped up, Emma would be willing to leave The Community. I don't even care if that would mean we'd have to run away. I'm going to kill for her, I would willingly die for her, if running away means she'll be mine, then I'll do it.

I suddenly feel lighter than I have in weeks. I know this is a completely certifiably insane way to think. I’ve only known her for a couple of months, and I don’t know much about her beside how she became a vampire and that I like spending time with her. But it doesn’t even matter. If she loves me half as much as I love her, I’d risk everything and do anything to be with her.

First, we need to get this Sato mission behind us. With that in mind, I call Luis. I know he’s at work, away from his wife, and when I explain what's going down, he agrees to come to the meeting.

Next, I go check on Archie. He’s working on the collar. He thinks he figured out how to tweak it so it doesn’t feel like her eardrums are going to explode when someone talks right next to her.

He shows me the new remote, and it has a few buttons which is weird since it only really needs an ‘off’ button, but I don’t ask about it.

He also says he's ready for a second test on the aerosol, but I tell him that Fox isn’t available today. She would probably come back for Minion, but I’m just not ready to see her again yet. I need to get my head in the game and come up with a plan.

I check in with Gabe and Drew, they’ve talked to all the guys, and we schedule the meeting for five days from today.

I pull out my phone to text Emma. I want to tell her that she looked beautiful. I want to tell her I miss her. I want to beg her to come to my place tonight so I can hold her. I don’t say any of that though, I text her the date and time.

She replies seconds later ‘I’ll be there’.

I head to the lockers, change into my workout clothes and take out all my frustrations on the gym equipment. I spend a lot of my time in the gym over the next few days. I have a lot of frustration.

***

Five days later, Drew and I drag a table next to the wall in the conference room, and I jump up on it to remove the camera the janitor, Paul, installed in the duct. I've been looking for it since Fox told me, and I finally found it a few days ago, but since we don't use the room often, I haven't had a reason to remove it, until now.

I quickly open the duct using a screwdriver, remove the electronic device, and replace the duct.

"What are you doing?" Gabe asks as he enters the room for our meeting with the team.

"Blinding the spies," I answer, jumping down from the table, with the device in my hand.

"Why are there spies in my conference room?" Gabe frowns and puts his hands on his hips.

"That's classified," I joke.

Paul is at least seventy years old, and completely harmless. If we really were hunting aliens, he'd probably ask to join the team, but he doesn't need to know what we really do. Unless Gabe decides to tell him, he'll have to stay in the dark, because I'm sure not going to.

"Are you messing with me?" Gabe scowls.

"No, we'll tell you," Drew smiles mischievously, "But it'll cost you the meaning of N.W.E."

"Forget it," Gabe huffs. "You assholes can keep your secrets, and I'll keep mine. Just remove the camera."

"You're no fun, boss," Drew teases. "Just give us a hint."

"N.W.E.," Gabe says flatly as he walks further into the room and straightens a few chairs needlessly. "That is your hint."

"Nuclear Weapon Effect?" Drew guesses.

"New World Empire?" I put in.

"Nasty Women Everywhere," Drew says, and I burst out laughing.

"Northwest Empire," a new voice says, and we all turn to see Zeke filling the doorway. His hair is overgrown, almost to his ears now, I don't know if he's cut it since we left the Marines. He's wearing jeans and a t-shirt, like the rest of us, but he's wearing a leather jacket and his motorcycle helmet is under his arm.

Drew and I both rush forward and give Zeke one-armed hugs. We see each other at least once a month, but it's never enough.

Gabe approaches Zeke and gives him a fist bump. "Thanks for coming."

"I knew you missed me, boss," Zeke teases, setting his helmet on a chair and throwing his jacket over the back. "I've been waiting for your call."

"You're the one who insisted on building hogs instead of coming on board," Gabe reminds him. "I don't have time to miss you when I got the other two Stooges here giving me hell every day."

Drew snickers. "I want to be Curly. Whoop whoop whoop." He runs his hand down his face and then whacks Zeke upside the head.

Zeke responds by punching him in the stomach, and he grunts out a gust of air. Zeke and I laugh.

"You're all dumbasses," Gabe tells us.

"It's just like old times," I point out brightly.

"Quite a few things have changed though," Gabe reminds me.

"We're hunting vampires," Drew tells Zeke playfully, even though he's well aware. Then he adds, "for Ryker's girlfriend."

Oh hell.

Zeke's eyes widen as a mischievous smile paints his face. "Ryker's got a girlfriend?"

"She's not…" I begin, but Russell marches in and saves me.

"You know, in my day we didn't meet in fancy office buildings like this," Russel says gruffly. "Who ever heard of Marines in a conference room?"

I want to make a joke about how his slacks and button-down shirt would look out of place in the field, but Luis walks in next, wearing his work clothes, and looking nervous. He works as a construction foreman, and his wife gets nervous when he has to use explosives there too.

"My wife said that if she found out I was working with you again, she'd have me neutered, so if you guys see her, don't tell her anything. She thinks I'm still at work."

We all chuckle and assure him we won't say anything, and then Tyson's intimidating form shadows us. We all exchange variations of fist bumps or handshakes.

"Who do I get to kill?" Tyson growls, his white teeth bared in a snarl. He came prepared in came cargo pants and a black t-shirt. With his dark complexion, he just needs an assault rifle, and he's field ready. I'm sure he has a few pistols and knives already hiding on his person.

Zeke, Drew and I laugh. That's Tyson for you, crazy motherfucker.

"Vampires," Gabe tells him.

Tyson nods once and moves into the room. Not a second later, we hear voices approaching the door.

"She was smiling at me."

"She didn't even look at you!"

Axel and Asher push each other in their attempt to get into the conference room and wrestle their way through the doorway. We all stand back and watch the show.

"What the hell?" Jack yells as he tries to enter the room and gets tangled up in their feet, managing to land between them somehow.

"The hot blonde was smiling at me!" Axel demands. Even though they're identical twins, both built like tanks, and they're dressed similarly in tan cargo shorts and t-shirts, you can always guess which one is Axel because he always speaks first for some reason. The only other difference between them that I've found is that Asher is left-handed.

"She was smiling at me!" Asher roars back, trying to get at Axel but Jack is in the way.

We're all bent over laughing hysterically at this point, and none of us are willing to offer a hand.

"Shut up, you morons!" Jack yells, trying to free himself from the fray. "Neither one of you ugly louts probably stood a chance anyway."

Jack finally disentangles himself and stands up, straightening his navy suit and red tie. Jack actually works in the financial district, but he jumps at any chance to get behind the scope of a high-powered rifle.

"What's a lout?" Axel asks, getting to his feet.

"I don't know, but he also called us ugly." Asher and Axel both scowl at Jack. He turns away quickly and bumps into Derek.

"Hello, good to see you," Derek says politely, and comes in, shaking everyone's hand, and effectively puts an end to the slapstick comedy routine. Derek paired his jeans with a button-down shirt, but that's as casual as I've ever seen him.

"Jenny offered to walk me down here, but I told her I'd just follow the smell of Icy Hot," Keegan jokes, strolling in, looking like he just came from the gym, in basketball shorts and the sleeves cut off his t-shirt, which reads 'It's not polite to stare, but I understand’.

The room explodes with variations of 'show some respect', 'baby-faced rookie', 'I'll lay your ass out, boy', and 'go do some more push-ups’. Keegan just laughs and flexes his bicep.

"Where'd you find him, boss?" Zeke jokes. "I thought you needed real killers, not some kids with gym muscles."

"Better be careful, Zeke." I elbow him playfully. "Baby boy is a Seal."

"A Seal?" Zeke's eyebrows shoot up but his eyes dance with amusement. "You know what they say about seeing a Seal?"

"What's that?" Keegan asks, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

"Somebody’s about to have a bad day," I deliver the punchline with a wide smile.

Keegan relaxes and nods, joining our group and giving us all fist bumps.

I feel the moment the air shifts, and I know she’s arrived. I turn to see her standing in the doorway, looking simply gorgeous in skinny jeans, a red long-sleeved t-shirt, and red heels. Her hair is piled on top of her head in a messy bun and her bright blue eyes take in the room full of seasoned veterans.

Drew is already moving towards her. He gives her a fist bump, and she smiles at him.

“Hey guys!” Drew yells to the room. “This is our girl, Fox. Be warned, her bite is worse than her bark.” He winks at her, and she laughs.

I hear Axel and Asher whisper behind me that she's ‘the blonde’. Jack informs them that after seeing her, he can guarantee that neither one of them would ever have a chance.

Her eyes find mine, and I hold her gaze and give her a small smile. The smile she gives me in return lights up her whole face and warms me to my toes, giving me hope.

Drew leans down and whispers something in her ear. She blushes and shakes her head. He nudges her forward, and she rolls her eyes, breaking eye contact with me, and then scans the team.

“Okay, then. Hi, Zeke, it's a pleasure to meet you. I hear you make a badass motorcycle.” Emma gives him a little wave and then turns to the twins. “Which one of you is Axel and which is Asher?”

They point to each other and say, “He is.” Emma smiles at their antics.

“Fine, I was smiling at both of you to be friendly because I knew you were on the team. Jack is right, neither of you stand a chance.” She looks pointedly at Jack. “Neither do you.”

She turns to Keegan before addressing Russell. “I’m relieved to know nobody in this room has to use Icy Hot yet. Keegan must have been mistaking it with the smell of Russell’s Old Spice, which is what all men wore back in the day when meetings were held in tents.”

Emma turns to the last of the group. “Luis, your wife will never hear a word from me. Tyson, you get to kill a bad motherfucker. Derek, you didn’t give me anything to work with, so I’ll just say it’s nice to meet you.”

“She’s a vampire,” Keegan blurts as everyone else just stares at her.

Gabe is hiding a smile, Drew is grinning like an idiot, and I’m just watching her.

The door bursts open and Minion comes running in.

“What did I miss?” He looks around, spots Emma and rushes to her. “Fox! I’m so happy you’re here. Can you come down to the lab when the meeting is over?”

“Of course, Archie.” She gives him a warm smile. “And you didn’t miss anything. Drew just asked me to show off some party tricks.”

“Looks like she’s already spoken for, boys,” Jack whispers to the twins.

“She is,” Gabe says and tilts his head minutely in my direction. “But not by Minion.”

They elbow each other and give me knowing looks as I scowl at Gabe.

"Afraid of the competition, Ryker?" Axel teases me.

"That depends." I turn to him. "Meatheads like you are a dime a dozen. But Minion isn't so easily replaced."

Jack laughs as Axel and Asher both give me the finger.

Jenny slips in, mostly unnoticed, and sits by the door.

“All right, now that everyone is here we can get started,” Gabe addresses the room. “Fox, can you give us background?”

“Sure, Gabe.” Emma approaches the front of the room.

This isn’t like our normal meeting room with chairs around a small table. This room has three rows of chairs facing a podium, we all find a seat and listen. Fox chooses to stand in front of the podium, instead of using it, and gives an abbreviated version of the story she told us of Sato’s history and the terror he reaps. She excludes the parts related to her.

“Bad motherfucker,” Tyson murmurs when she finishes, repeating her words back.

She nods to him and takes a seat.

“Drew, the interrogation,” Gabe says from his seat.

“We knew Sato had been with Community member Marcus Lott,” Drew says as he walks to the front of the room. “So we invited him over to ask him a few questions.”

“You invited him for tea?” Axel jokes, nudging Asher.

“Were there crumpets?” Asher jumps in.

“Now we’re jealous,” Axel continues.

“We never get tea invites anymore.” They both chuckle.

“Are you two idiots done?” Gabe tries and fails to hide his grin.

“Probably not,” they both say in unison.

We all laugh.

Drew goes over what we learned from Lott about Sato’s usual practices, how long he stays in an area, how he earns money and survives.

“Ryker, recon.” Gabe looks at me, and I nod.

I cover the properties in Sato’s control, the vampires who travel with him, the basic layout of the house and surrounding area. I mention the number of vampires who are always at the house, the number of guards, and the potential for how many more.

I keep Emma in my peripheral vision, and I know she’s watching me, but I don’t turn to her and make eye contact. I want her to see me. I like feeling her eyes on me.

I finish and take my seat as Gabe approaches the front.

“This is not going to be easy, there are a lot of variables and unknowns. But we’re going to run this right, we’re all coming home from this and everyone gets hazard pay,” Gabe begins and then starts breaking down the plan. “Jack, you’ll need to scout the area and find a nice little nest. Take your pick of the toys in munitions.”

“I love toys,” Jack says and winks at Emma.

Several chuckle when she rolls her eyes.

“Luis, think you can give us a distraction?” Gabe turns to the man.

“Done.” Luis nods. I’m waiting for him to mention not telling his wife, but he refrains this time.

“Derek, can you get eyes inside the house?” Gabe tilts his head.

“Eyes inside a vampire's house?” Derek considers this. “I’ll see what I can do.”

It would be a difficult task to accomplish in a human's house in a short period of time. A vampire's house is probably impossible.

"Minion can get you geared up," Gabe says.

"I got some great new stuff." Minion bounces excitedly in his seat.

“Great.” Gabe looks around. “Ryker will run a team with Zeke, Drew and Fox. Russell, Tyson, and Keegan with me.”

“What about us, boss?” Axel asks.

“Here’s the way I see it, boys.” Gabe explains. “I can’t run in all ten of us cocksure commandos into a house of twenty to forty vampires. There may be twenty in the house when we run in and then twenty more follow behind us. You two are going to have our six to make sure we don’t have swarms coming up our asses. Jack can pick ’em off from the nest, but if we got some running in the front and others running out the back it could turn into a shit storm really fast.”

“Sounds good.” Axel nods.

“We got your back,” Asher agrees.

“Who kills Sato?” Tyson asks.

Gabe looks to Fox, but I don’t see her reaction.

“Anyone,” Gabe answers.

“I’ll buy a new car for whoever kills him,” Fox says.

A few of the guys start talking excitedly. I smile at her tenacity.

Gabe groans. “Great. Thanks for that, Fox. Now I’m going to have a bunch of greedy bastards competing over who gets the kill shot.”

“Sorry, Gabe.” She looks chagrined but determined. “I just wanted to add a little motivation for someone to put a few bullets in his head.”

He nods in understanding.

"All right guys, we'll let you know when we make further decisions." Gabe dismisses us and everyone stands.

I see Fox and Minion walk out together.

I bring Jack, Luis and Derek to the meeting room to look at the maps and floor plans of the house. They jot down addresses and notes before heading out; Jack to the ammunition bunker, Derek to the gadget lab, Luis home to his wife, and I'm left standing here.

Gabe walks in a second later. "That went well."

"It did." I nod.

"Are you cool with your team?"

I know he's not asking me about Zeke and Drew. I've led many missions with those two, we work well together, and teaming us up is ideal. He's asking about Fox.

"My first thought was that she might be a distraction," I admit, honestly.

“I thought of that too,” he sighs. “But I thought it would be a bigger distraction if you didn’t have eyes on her.”

I nod, this had been my exact conclusion as well. “That’s why you’re the boss.”

“I thought it was because I signed the checks,” he quips, and I smirk. “You’re not really worried about Minion stealing your girl, are you?”

“No.” I laugh. “She told me she wanted to fuck me into the next century right in front of him, so I’m pretty sure he knows she’s mine.”

He gives me a skeptical look. “That doesn’t sound like something she’d say.”

“She might have been under the effects of one of his less successful inventions.” I smile at the memory.

“Hmm.” He frowns. “I have to remember to get down there to see what the hell he’s been working on lately.”

I nod, and he sighs before explaining. “With Minion, I usually give him free rein, and he just gives me the gadgets when I need them.”

“I check on him from time to time to see what he’s working on,” I supply. “Sometimes a second set of eyes doesn’t hurt. Sometimes I act as a sounding-board for him. Sometimes I test things out. Other times, it’s just a distraction.”

Honestly, I love going to the gadget lab. Minion is funny as hell, especially when he gets excited and starts babbling uncontrollably, and the shit he creates is amazing.

“Glad you got my back.” Gabe pats me on the back. “I’ll miss you when this is all over.”

I hesitate. I want to deny it, say I'm not going anywhere or ask him what he’s talking about, but Gabe is too smart for that. I have no idea how this is all going to play out, and I don’t want to give any false promises.

At the same time, I have no idea how Emma is going to react and if it’s even realistic for me to expect her to leave The Community to be with me.

“I don’t know what the future holds.” I sigh.

“I have a feeling everything will work itself out.” He smiles. “You deserve to be happy.”

“Thanks, boss." I frown, hesitating. "But I don’t think I was made for the picket fence thing.”

He laughs at me. “None of us were. There are all kinds of happy endings.”

“Did you talk to Drew?” I remember Drew saying something similar just last week.

“Not about this.” He shakes his head. “We just both support you.”

“I wasn’t sure if you were a fan of hers at first.” I watch him as he tips his head back and forth, considering how to respond.

“I’ll admit I was skeptical. It’s not every day a vampire walks into a vampire hunter’s stronghold and asks them to help her kill another vampire.” He pauses, a soft smile playing on the corner of his mouth. “But I like her. She seems to be genuine. She’s brave, strong, smart, and she’s in love with my best friend.”

“She’s not,” I argue, shaking my head. I poured my heart out like a giant idiot, and she said nothing and basically broke up with me.

“Of course she is, dummy.” He smirks. “She’s just scared. Do you need me to tell you that you’re in love with her too? Or did you figure that one out yourself?”

I roll my eyes. I think about arguing that point too, but it’s no use hiding from Gabe. “No, I got that.”

He nods his satisfaction with my answer. “Good, now down to business. I got two to one odds you kill Sato. Three to one odds on Drew, Zeke or myself. Five to one Jack clips him as he runs away from the fight. Even money Fox puts the bastard down herself. Who you want?”

“You started a betting pool?” I chuckle and shake my head.

“Fox put up a damn car.” He shrugs. “You know I can’t resist a good gamble.”

“I’ll put a grand on Fox.” I grin when his eyes widen. “I have a feeling shit’ll get pretty interesting when she gets him in her sights.”

He looks unconvinced, but I know her and I know her story. There won’t be anything or anyone who will be able to stop her if she gets in position to take him down. My little Emma will rip him apart.

I have no doubt that before Sato, before she turned, before World War II, Emma was a sweet young woman. Probably had a boyfriend on every block and tons of friends. She’s charming, warm and genuine, and I hate Sato as much as she does for taking any of her innocence away.

I’m not ignorant enough to blame it all on Sato though. Her time as a nurse during the war also played a part in hardening her, and she would never have escaped unscathed.

“Is she footing the bill for this?” I ask suddenly.

He arches one eyebrow. “There was an extraordinarily large, anonymous donation made to The Company just before we met her.”

I nod my understanding and start towards my office, and then my feet turn towards the gadget lab instead. I tell myself I’m going to check on Minion and Derek, if he’s still here. I have no notions that Emma will still be there, she probably left already. But I still keep walking.

When I open the door to the lab, Derek and Minion are staring at Emma with bemused expressions on their faces. She’s laughing so hard tears are streaming down her cheeks. That answers my question about if vampires can cry.

“What did you do to her?” I growl at Minion, and if it’s possible, she laughs even harder.

Derek looks from me to Emma to Minion.

Minion looks down at the aerosol inhaler he’s holding. It looks like he’s debating hiding it behind his back. “I guess it needs a little bit more work.”

“This is why I won’t test your stuff, Minion.” Derek gestures to Emma.

She’s starting to get her laughter under control and wipes the tears from her cheeks.

“That’s not fair.” Minion puts down the inhaler. “This is completely outside of my normal wheelhouse. The gadgets for you are all my specialty, and I can guarantee no side effects.”

“Yeah, yeah, you already gave me what I need and then some.” Derek nods. “I’m going to go do some bird watching. Fox, it’s been… interesting meeting you.”

She giggles and nods. “Sorry you had to see that.”

“Don’t worry about it and hey, I won’t tell Ryker.” Derek winks, and she blushes.

I can feel the scowl souring my face. What the hell were they talking about? I don't like them having inside jokes. Derek walks towards the door, patting me on the shoulder and grinning as he walks by.

“Are you done with Fox?” I ask Minion.

He nods and turns to go work on a gadget.

“Call me later, Fox," Minion says over his shoulder.

“I will, Archie.” She waves. “Bye.”

She looks up at me. Her eyes look sort of unfocused, and I don’t know exactly the effects the aerosol concoction had on her this time. I take her elbow and lead her out of the lab.

“The side effects were different this time,” she says to me when we’re outside the lab.

“Does that mean if I pull you into an office you won’t fuck me into next week?” I say without thinking.

She doesn’t respond.

I turn to look down at her, and she’s biting her lower lip and avoiding my eyes. The effect goes straight to my cock, and I groan. I pull her into the first room I find, which happens to be my office, sweep her into my arms and plant my lips on hers. She squeaks in surprise but responds instantly, returning the kiss fervently.

I wrap my arms around her waist, and she arches her back and leans into me. Our tongues stroke and taste and explore. She moans into my mouth, and I lift her off her feet and push her back against the wall.

She pulls her lips away and pushes against me. “Not here.”

“I miss you.” I kiss her cheek, her jaw, her neck. I can't get enough of her. I need more.

She moans and her head tilts, giving me better access.

I nip and lick the curve of her shoulder. “Come over tonight.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Ryker.” She whimpers as I suck on her neck.

“I know.” I lift my head and kiss her lips.

I trace the line of her bottom lip with my tongue before nipping it and then do the same to her top lip. I dip my tongue into her mouth and stroke her tongue. I reach down and grab her ass, pulling her up until she wraps her legs around my waist. I continue to kiss her desperately, until, finally, we both break apart, breathing heavily.

I put my forehead to hers. “Promise me you’ll come over tonight, or I'm going to fuck you right here.”

She gasps and her eyes search mine. I keep my gaze steady and heated as I stare back at her.

I’m rock hard and aching against my pants, but it’s more than just wanting to fuck her. I need to taste her, I need to hold her, I need to feel her against me. I need to see her face as she comes undone around me, I need to feel the connection between us. I need Emma.

I see the instant she makes her decision as the resignation shadows her face. “I can’t.”

Anger and frustration overpower my mind as her legs slide down my body, and she stands on her feet.

She starts to turn away from me, and I lose it.