Page 40 of Red Marked

We land and shift. We’re both standing on two feet in the firelight. He’s all bronzed skin, hard muscle, and black markings. They wind over his upper chest and down his arms. There’s one between his shoulder blades.

His gaze dips for just a moment before returning to my face.

I throw a log or two into the fire, and we sit.

“You’re late,” I state the obvious. I note tension in the way he is holding himself. In the tightness of his jaw.

“We ran into trouble.”

“What happened?”

“We got caught leaving the rehabilitation facility tonight without permission.” He rests his forearms on his knees. “Dr. Pryce, the male who runs the clinic, was not happy. Long story short, I’m here on a technicality.” His jaw tightens for a moment. “What I’m getting at is that it has to be tonight, Star. I want to take the Draig females back with me when I leave.”

The warmth drains right out of me.

“I still don’t trust you. I can’t just let them go with you. I won’t!”

“There is no other option. I don’t know when I’ll be able to return. If I take them and things pan out the way I’m hoping, it’ll open up possibilities.”

“What kind of possibilities?” I frown.

“Regular night training opportunities, which means I’d be able to return. Or we might all get fired, and then my hands would be tied. I would be sent back to Draig, and I wouldn’t be able to help you again. If I leave without the females, they would potentially be stuck here. I can’t guarantee that anyone would come for them.” He shrugs.

“Right now, we don’t matter. The three Draig females do.”

His eyes brighten, and he sucks in a breath. “Three. All three are here?”

I nod once.

Shit! Shit! Shit!

I shouldn’t have told him that.

“I can help them. Please let me help them.” He sounds desperate. “I promise to get them back to Draig Island safely. I already spoke to Magma, and he can have them extracted in the morning.”

“Not that I’m agreeing to this, but what is the exact plan?” I narrow my eyes at him.

“On paper, my team and I are flying night training maneuvers, fully documented and authorized.” One corner of his mouth lifts. “And while we were out, Dane, one of my males, spotted movement below us. He was certain it was a female, so we went down to check. It wasn’t one female, but three. The missing Draig females, alive, with a feral male who’d been looking after them. He fled when we landed. We gathered them up and brought them in.” He spreads his hands. “It’s simple and will work. We’ll bring them in legally.”

“I don’t know.” I lean toward him. “They haven’t been briefed. You put those three in a room with clinic staff and Council people, and one of them might slip up. In fact, it’s bound to happen. They’ll expose us by accident. It’ll put the rest of us in danger, and I can’t allow that.”

“We need to keep all of it really simple. The less they say, the safer they are. The safer you all are. They were taken, they were held in the jungle, a male kept them alive. That’s all. Nobody is going to push three traumatized females for more, and I will not allow anyone to try. There will be no interviews or questioning. They have been through enough.” The firelight sharpens the lines of his face. “By morning, I’ll have a Draig party at the clinic to collect them. Magma will arrange it. Mistveil has no jurisdiction over Draig citizens. I, or one of my trusted team members, will be with them until the moment they’re in the air. I will protect them, Star. You have my word. This is the safest thing to do for all involved. The only other option is for you to bring them out into the jungle to a location where we will be able to ‘find’ them during the day. A location far away from this mountain. That will take multiple meetings to orchestrate. It’ll be extremely dangerous for you and your females, as well as for the Draig females. Sneaking around at night will be tricky for us. This is the safest option. We’re here now. My males are waiting at the entrance to the ravine. I will get those females back safely.”

It’s risky, but Flint is right; it’s the least risky option we have without giving ourselves away. Koa needs to go home. It can’t wait.

“Fine, but I will only allow this if you agree to my terms.”

“What terms would those be?” His voice is gruff, and he frowns.

It’s clear he doesn’t like it. Scarlet will like it even less, but I don’t care. I have no other choice.

15

Flint

I have a feeling I’m not going to like these terms.

She looks at me with those catlike eyes. I realize that Star looks nervous.