Wining Celeste (Book 4) Jacobs Broken Mercenaries

chapter 6

Grayson


“Do you want to tell me why he’s become our hostage? You know we’re walking into a trap, don’t you?”
I get down to business to distract myself from the kiss. Just a taste, that’s all I wanted. Ha, un-fucking-likely. She’s my own personal drug, and I can’t wait for my next fix. If her lips get me this hard, I can only imagine what other things could do. Her stone wall fractured. A hairline crack, but enough to confirm the sexpot lingering underneath. Her mewls… fuck me! 
“Of course, I do, that’s our plan.”
What? Oh yeah, I asked him something. I shake off the memory and put my head back on business. 
“I know he’s got a team together, but I also know who he has. Military. That’s his only play available. It’s like pitting birds against lions. You don’t need a degree to see the results.” Jacob sounds confident, me? Not so much. 
“Okay, good point, but are you sure?”
He rubs the stubble on his chin in thought.
“No. I can never be a hundred percent sure about anything, but my instincts tell me he’s not the threat he thinks he is. Nor this team he talks of.”
Well, it’s a good enough to go on for me. Besides, it’s not like I’d run from a fight. Any day, any time. That’s my motto. 
“So, why did you tell him he was coming with us?” I ask. Jacob gives me a shrug.
“Just judging his reaction. I know he’s deceiving me; I just haven’t figured out the how.”
Now that my brain is working again, I make an absurd but possible connection.
“Do you think they’re behind recruiting the freshly turned vamps?”
Jacob’s brow lifts at my question. 
“It’s a far stretch, but possible. It would help if we knew what this group’s aim is. Maybe they’re the ones running experiments. John, west, and peter could just be moving parts to a bigger, maybe less powerful machine.”
I chuckle.
“Your dead set on military, aren’t you?” 
Jacob keeps his face emotionless as if he goes off in thought again. What’s his history with these guys?
“It reeks of them. It’s dangerous when humans go corrupt. They have all the emotion we lack and can be passionate about the oddest things in their temporary lives. I’ll never understand it.”
Him and me both. Tally comes out with a head full of wild red tangles and puffy eyes. Jacob smiles and I can see the relief ease his shoulders.
“You slept?” he asks.
Tally snorts and rolls her eyes.
“Like the dead, remind me to never go without sleep again.”
She seems to be dramatically better overnight... or nights. I guess I’ve been distracted. Jacob kisses her on the head in a fatherly way. She’s the closest thing to a kid he has. They even look similar. Well, not really just the hair and the eyes. Everyone begins to pile in the hallway, unaware of our guest sequestered in the basement or the day’s events Jacob is about to unravel. For once I’m in the know before anyone. Don’t I feel special. 
He waits for everyone to eat before announcing the developments that went on in their sleep. The only one with a real problem seems to be Amanda. Jacob takes her into the library to have words in private. Austin follows, of course. The rest of us; me included. wonder back in the hallway to eavesdrop. Amanda doesn’t want peter anywhere near her, says he’s dangerous. She’s threatens to leave. 
“Drama!” Elliot says in a singsong voice, causing Jolene to elbow him in the ribs. I look longingly in their direction. Even when she gives him shit, I can see the adoration in her eyes. The only feelings Celeste throws my way is contempt. Except today. Today I saw lust. When she looked at me like she was dying to taste me. I was drawn to her. Wild horses couldn’t have pulled me away. It may have lasted just seconds, but it’s a start. 
They exit the library, and we all scatter like a bomb is about to detonate. Amanda witnesses Jacob’s commitment to his decisions first hand and the result is less than desirable. Austin looks torn between appeasing his wife and following Jacob’s orders. 
“Don’t sweat it, he’s not going anywhere. Celeste put the MOJO on him, he’s stuck.”
Amanda shakes her head as her lips turn white with anger. 
“How could he work for them? The things they did to us… anyone that twisted should be shot for principle.”
She’s got a point, but it won’t help us in the long run.
“Just try to see the bigger picture. Jacob is keeping him around to keep him out of our way. You know he doesn’t approve of the guy.” 
Trying to justify his decision would be a hell of a lot easier if I knew what he was planning when this all goes south. 
“Yeah, well, I don’t approve of his methods.”
She walks off in a hurry and Austin follows. Everyone else except Estevan has cleared the area to prepare. Being daylight, Estevan will have to sit this one out. 
“She is a worrisome soul but she’ll get there.” Estevan says the afterthought out loud. I agree and watch him do that weird floaty thing on his way out of the room. What’s up with him? Estevan never speaks unless he has to. That was so out of character...
Half of us pile in Austin’s truck and the rest of us in Elliot’s Hummer. Jolene’s nervous tone breaks the silence first. 
“So, this is it, hey? We’re going into the fray.”  
Jolene is the newest to our cause and is still learning, but her knowledge in magic makes her a natural.
“Don’t worry love, I won’t let anything happen to you.” Elliot assures her, and takes her hand; kissing it tenderly. I should have gone with Austin. I’m in the third row with Jacob and Tally in front of me. Jacob doesn’t allow Tally to stay behind anymore. Instead, he instructs her to stay in the vehicle. Elliot punches in the coordinates, and I mentally prepare for any outcome. 
The location is similar to the camp they hauled Austin to when he was undercover. The first oddity is the empty lot. I see Jacob come to the same conclusion. We exit the vehicle cautiously and we all take points around the building. Austin takes the front door and counts down from three. The moment the door busts open, we all pile in, but the place is empty. The first thing I do is look for surveillance, but it’s not bugged. it’s obvious someone’s been here. There’s empty cans kicking on the floor, piles of garbage in the corner and a bag of shredded papers. This was occupied with at least a dozen people, but they’ve been gone for days. What is the point of this? What in the world would Peter have to gain by sending us here? Unless...
“I think we need to go back.” I tell Jacob. a quick nod from him lets me know he’s thinking the same thing. Peter wanted us gone, but why?
Jacob heads to the basement while we clear the house. No one has been here, that much is obvious. I make my way to the basement and listen behind the door, not wanting to interrupt. The guy swears up and down that they should have been there. He tells Jacob he doesn’t know where they would go. There is no other place for them. Something is afoot but I have a feeling we won’t find out until it’s at our door...
Me, Austin and Elliot hit the streets. It’s like old times before the women showed up and turned them into lap dogs. I’m one to talk. Were out getting the scoop of the underworld. I’m loaded on demon brew and all I can think of is celeste and her beautiful soft lips surrendering to me.
“Get in the game man, you’re supposed to be swapping stories.”  
I glare at Austin; this task is grating on my nerves. I know Jolene is with celeste right now and it’s killing me. Maybe I should take magic lessons? I would if I thought she’d teach me. Not for the skill, of course, I’m not into that, but just to be near her. Austin elbows me and I begin to tell a fictional tale, hoping to draw out information. I’ve said this one so much I nearly believe it happened. I’m at the part about summoning a malĺgo demon when the guy next to me starts to talk. He’s relatively new. I might have seen him once or twice. Austin, who has pretended to be drinking the majority of the night, takes a keen interest. He shoots off about the demons he’s killed, not knowing Elliot is among some of them. I look over at Elliot his poker face is firmly in place. There’s no mention of any military, but something of interest does come up. There’s a big player in town that he’s working for. Goes by the name ‘V’ apparently, he’s got fresh bloods working for him, crashing every party in town. The three of us share a look.
“Hey, I know a real good place to party where the nymphs hang. They’re always aiming to please.” I suggest this in hopes to lure him to the compound, but it’s a no go.
“Raincheck boys, as good as that sounds; I’m back to work in a few... if I don’t show up-” The guy swipes his thumb across his neck.
I move to follow him, but Austin shakes his head, motioning for me to sit. I make a mental sketch, memorizing his features. The night’s a bust with no relevant information. These guys don’t make the cut. Which I suppose is a good thing, less for us to worry about.  
We relay the name V to Jacob but its unfamiliar to even him. I stay behind and wait for Jolene in the kitchen. I noticed she likes to eat apples and peanut butter before bed. After a few minutes of waiting, I almost give up, but she appears. I sit patiently, waiting for her to notice me. She washes, cores, and cuts her apple without saying a word. Just when I think she’s about to leave, I jump up and the chair falls back, making a loud crash.
That’s when I notice Jolene’s silent and dramatic laughter as she bites her fist.
“Hardy, Har, Har… just tell me what I want to know.” I warn. Jolene takes her time, catching her breath. 
“She said to keep the subject of the mutt a galaxy away from our meetings… sorry champ.”
I deflate Like a balloon.
“But there’s something I noticed personally. She got a little flushed at the mention of your name.” 
She says this like it means something, then adds;
“Women don’t just get bent out of shape at the mention of a man’s name, unless there're intense feelings behind the thought of him.”
Jolene leaves the kitchen stuffing apples in her mouth two at a time ... if that’s true, why does she push me away at every opportunity?