Adam (The Protectors #5)(34)
The Mayor remained still, looking at the pictures. “Have all of these people been turned?”
“It looks that way,” Jared replied, his eyes narrowing as he also glanced at the pictures.
“What in the hell are you going to do about this?” The Mayor demanded, turning to Sloan.
Purposefully ignoring the Mayor, Sloan jumped toward the ceiling door, landing perfectly on a beam, and then headed downstairs. Jared followed suit, and then turned to look at the large hole.
“You know you probably could have used your power to stop yourself from hitting the floor.” Jared looked up at Jill.
Jill shrugged, wondering if she could have actually done that. “I really wasn’t thinking clearly with a two-hundred pound man on my ass,” Jill replied, a grin forming on her lips when Jared chuckled at her. Once he disappeared, she jumped, passing the Mayor again as he tried to make his way to the door not paying any attention to them at all.
Sloan and Jared stood at the bottom talking, until she headed toward them. “Finish up with them,” Sloan ordered her as she passed. They all ignored Alice, who remained at the bottom of the steps; the expression on her face clearly indicated she was pissed and didn’t like being ignored.
“Where are they going to go?” Jill asked. “They can’t go home yet. Anne has a young son. It would be too dangerous until she is sure she’s under control with feeding.”
“We got room at the compound,” Jared supplied, raising his eyebrows at Sloan. “Other Warrior groups have taken the others.”
“Shit!” Sloan cursed running his hand through his hair. “Okay, but you guys are responsible.”
Everyone jumped out of the way as a loud noise sounded above them. Looking up, they watched as the Mayor’s shiny black dress shoe came through the floor. “Alice!” he yelled from above.
Jill laughed loudly along with Jared and even Sloan let out a deep laugh. They all walked away; no one saw Alice whose fangs had grown as she watched Jill follow the Warriors.
Chapter 13
Walking out on the porch, Adam glanced at his watch. It was almost midnight, and according to Slade, they were still starting their training in the morning. Even though he was half-vampire, his other half needed sleep. His feelings about Angelina were still mixed. He loved her; that he had no doubt, yet there was something keeping him from her. Guilt maybe that he had left her, just turned and walked away when she was in danger.
Slade came out on the porch and stopped next to him. “Good job tonight.”
“This should have happened when I first came here,” Adam replied, his eyes finding Angelina as she stood next to Jill and Anne, who was hugging her husband. Sid also stood close by, making sure things went smoothly before they ushered the women to the compound to help with their transition. “I just walked away.”
“You said you read her.” Slade leaned against the porch railing, also looking out over the yard toward the scene below.
“Yeah, I did and I read her as happily married,” Adam shook his head in confusion. “I can always read people, even when they try to hide something from me.”
Slade sighed, rubbing his eyes. He then ran his hand through his hair. “You can’t always depend on your powers, Adam,” Slade warned. “Many things can affect the outcome.”
The expression on Adam’s face was tense with frustration. “But why didn’t she warn me, why not send me a message that she was in trouble instead of filling her head with being happily married to the f*cking *?”
“That I can’t answer.” Slade pushed himself away from the railing. “But she can.” He nodded toward Angelina before disappearing back into the house.
Adam looked on as she stood back a little from Anne and her family, but close enough if Anne needed her. His Angel was a good woman with a good heart. Knowing he had to talk to her, he took a step in her direction, but Jared shoved a large box against his stomach.
“Stop standing around mooning over your woman.” Jared rolled his eyes. “We need to get this shit loaded and back to the compound, and I’ll be damned if I do it all by myself.”
Adam glared at Jared and took hold of the box before it hit the ground. Not knowing which vehicle to put it, he placed it in the backseat of his car. Just as he was heading back, he saw the Mayor limping toward Angelina, with Alice and five uniformed officers following.
“Take the women as well as the male breed downtown.” The Mayor ordered, his tux covered in white drywall dust and insulation.
Jill’s head snapped around. “They’re going with us.”
“Ah, shit.” Adam picked up his pace stopping next to Angelina.
“All half-breeds are being rounded up—” He began to speak again, but Jill walked up pausing in his face stopping him in mid-sentence.
“Round up?” Jill hissed, her golden eye blazing black. “What the hell do we look like, cattle? I don’t know what you are trying to accomplish, but these women are going with us, and then back to their families. And if you ever try to round up me, I will—”
Sid stepped up, pulling Jill away. “Calm down, little hothead.” Sid grinned down at her, but when he raised his head to the Mayor, his whole attitude changed in a flash. “I’d advise you to turn, get in your limo and rethink what you are trying to do. If you continue with your campaign of putting half-breeds into concentration camps, you will lose. Look in your history books, Mr. Mayor, because history will tell the story and it’s not pretty.”