Trace's Temptation (RARE Series, #3) (13 page)

“I don’t understand,” Rikki said in confusion.  “What do you mean when you say you couldn’t block them out? Did you connect with them like Angel does?  Were you inside their minds?”

Shaking her head, Jade said, “No.  I do have that ability, but I’m also an empath.  A very strong empath.  I can sense feelings and emotions in everyone, sometimes from a great distance.  That’s how I am able to help calm others.  With my empathic gift.  I can also hear people’s thoughts.  Normally I can block them out like Jinx taught me, but sometimes the feelings overwhelm me.”

“How the hell do you function like that?” Flame asked incredulously.  “I would go crazy if I had to know what others were thinking or feeling all of the time.”

“I don’t know any different,” Jade said shrugging.  “I’ve always been like this.”

“Always?” Angel asked softly.

“Yes,” Jade said glancing over at her mother.  “Always.”

“So all of the pain I felt when you were so young?”

“I felt it all as well,” Jade confirmed.  “Your grief when you thought Dad betrayed you.  The pain you felt daily over losing Jinx.  I felt it all from a very young age.”

“But you never said anything,” Angel whispered, clutching tightly to the seat beside her.  “I could have hidden it from you somehow.”

“I didn’t know what was happening to me back then.  I kept it from you because you were always so sad, and I didn’t want to make it worse.  I was so young, I just thought I was sick.  Jinx is the one that explained it to me.”

“We’re here,” Jaxson yelled from the front of the plane. “Buckle up.  We’re getting some turbulence.  Landing in two minutes.”

As Angel moved back to her seat and buckled in, Trace asked softly, “When you kill, do you feel any backlash?”

“Yes,” Jade admitted.  “It’s painful.  But I’m learning how to suppress it so it’s not as bad as it was at first.”

“Are these some of the things you’ve been afraid to tell me, Jade?” Trace questioned as he brushed a piece of hair back behind her ear.

“Yes,” Jade admitted as she leaned forward and rested her head on his chest.  “I’m a trained killer.  But not by the General.  He has no idea what I can do.  Jinx trained me.  He said if he was ever able to get me away from the General, then he knew I would stand a fighting chance on my own."   

“We are all trained killers,” Rikki said softly.  “All deadly in our own right.”  Jade’s eyes widened as she lifted her head to look at Rikki.

“Exactly,” Trace agreed.  “You were stuck in hell, Jade.  You did what you had to do to survive.  I am so damn proud of you.”

“But I killed by the General’s orders,” Jade said.  “They were Jinx’s orders, but I carried them out in my training.”

“Have you ever killed an innocent?” Phoenix asked.  “Have you ever put a bullet in someone that didn’t deserve to die?

“Well, no,” Jade admitted.  “They had all wronged the General in some way, but the people that back him or run in his circles are into illegal drug trafficking and selling women.  Things like that.”

“Then, I for one am glad you sliced and diced that bastard,” Phoenix said with a shrug.  “I don’t care if you were trained by the devil himself.  As long as you don’t go after the innocent, you are golden in my book.”

Jade thought about what they said as the plane touched ground.  They were right.  Every person on that plane was trained to not only protect, but to kill when needed.  In their eyes, all of her killings were justified.  And Trace was proud of her; her heart swelled with that knowledge.

Waiting for Trace to get dressed while everyone disembarked from the plane, Jade did something she hadn’t done since she was a child.  She prayed.  She prayed their mission would go smoothly.  She prayed for Gypsy and Sari.  And she prayed for Jinx.  Because if she could find her way away from the General and into the arms of someone like Trace, maybe Jinx would too.

M
oving quickly through the small housing development where Trace had hidden Sophia and Starr for the past year, RARE fanned out making sure to stay in the shadows.  Trace was managing to stay with the team, but it was a fight to keep up.  His entire body hurt like crazy, but he fought through the pain.  His mother and sister needed him.

Slow up,
Angel ordered. 
Something’s off.
  The team cautiously moved closer, slowly clearing the area around the house they were silently stalking.  When they had formed a barrier around the house a number of yards out, Angel said,
Find a home Rikki and Storm.  Let me know what you see. 
She’d known it was useless trying to keep Trace from his family, so Angel was allowing him to infiltrate with them this time instead of finding a place to hide with his sniper rifle.  However, she’d warned him that if he felt the need to draw back at any time, he damn well better do it.  Like that was going to happen, Trace huffed to himself. 

The team stilled as they waited for Rikki and Storm to report. 
I’ve got one woman, two men.  They’re in the living room, front part of the house,
Rikki quietly responded from her position on the south side of the house. 

One woman, one man,
Storm replied. 
Second floor, far room on the east side.  She’s on her knees on the floor.  Asshole has a gun to her head. 
 

Looks like they are waiting for something, boss,
Rikki said. 
Think that’s us?

I know it is,
Angel growled. 
Well, let’s give them what they’re waiting for. 
As Angel started issuing orders, the team quickly complied. 
Jaxson, Ryker, Flame, you take the second floor.  Take that bastard out if you can.  If you can’t get to him, have Storm take the shot.  Phoenix, wire the place to blow.  I don’t want to leave bodies, and there will definitely be two by the sounds of it.  The rest of you are with me.  We go in after we know the others made it.

Trace watched as Jaxson, Ryker and Flame shimmied up the house using whatever means they could find. 
It has to be Starr upstairs,
he said quietly. 
If Perez found my mother, he won’t let her out of his sight.
 
And he won’t be without at least one body guard. 
Eyes narrowing, he muttered,
I could be wrong, but I swear that son of a bitch, Titus, knows I’m a shifter.  It comes from my mom’s side of the family, but we have always kept it a secret from my father. 

We’re in boss,
Flame murmured through their link. 
But you better hurry.  I think we might have a problem.

Talk to me,
Angel demanded as she slipped through a window in one of the back rooms, Trace and Jade right behind her.

Starr is pissed.  I think she’s about to make a move. 
Jaxson said. 
I’m unable to get her attention. 

Shit,
Trace growled,
my sister has a temper.  She’s not trained though.  She’s gonna get herself killed.

No she’s not,
Jaxson promised. 
I got your sister, T.  You get your mom.

Even though it was hard to place his trust in anyone, Trace knew Jaxson would do everything in his power to keep Starr safe.  Pulling his Glock from his side holster, Trace silently followed Angel down the hall, stopping when he heard his father’s voice.  “Oh, see, that’s where you are wrong, Sophia.  My son will be here soon.  And when he gets here, I am going to do what I should have done when I had the little prick in my Dungeon.  I’m going to put a bullet between his eyes.  No one steals from me!” 

Peering around the corner Trace saw a guard standing on the far side of the room, his back to a wall.  Trace’s mother was sitting on the couch, Perez towering over her.  “I haven’t seen Trace in over a year, Philip,” she insisted.  “Wait,” she paused, “What do you mean you had him in your Dungeon?”

Laughing cruelly, Perez moved to stand in front of her.  “I caught your precious son, bitch.  He was in the jungle killing off my men.  But I caught him.  The little shit never knew what torture was until Titus got a hold of him.”

“You have Trace?” Sophia whispered, her eyes filling with tears.  “You hurt my son?” she questioned, her voice rising.

“I should have killed him,” Perez sneered, “but I was hoping he would turn on you and give up your location.  No matter what Titus did to him, he refused to talk.  Funny thing is, Sophia, he seemed to be feeling much better just a few short days after each session with Titus.  Any idea why that might be, my bitch of a wife?”

Standing, Sophia placed her hands on her hips, her body trembling in outrage.  Ignoring his question she demanded, “Where is my son you bastard?”

Trace froze as Perez slapped his mother hard, sending her flying back onto the couch. Before Trace could move, a small white wolf leaped over him, attacking Perez, pushing him back away from Sophia. 

Shit!  Now Trace!
Angel ordered as she entered the living room and went after the guard.  Trace snarled and leaped for his father, taking him to the floor.  He saw the wolf, his magnificent mate, move to stand in front of his mother, her fangs bared, lip curled on a snarl.  She would protect Sophia while Trace ended the bastard that had made his life a living hell.

Turning back to Perez, he yanked him up by the front of his shirt and shoved him against the wall.  “You will never hurt my family again, you son of a bitch.”  Slamming a fist in Perez’s face, Trace grunted in satisfaction at the sound of bone breaking.  Blood seeped from his nose, but the psychotic grin his father sported never left his face.

Laughing, Perez said, “I know what you are, Trace.  I figured it out after I met someone just like you.”

Ignoring his mother’s gasp, Trace growled, “Who?”

“A prisoner,” Perez sneered.  “No matter what I did to her, given enough time, she always healed.  I thought maybe Gypsy was like her, but it turns out I was wrong.  Although, Gypsy was fun to experiment on.”

“And just where is this prisoner?” Trace asked incredulously.  “The only female prisoner you had when I was there was Gypsy.”

Shrugging, Perez laughed again.  “I sold her.”

“To who?” Angel growled as she made her way to them, the guard’s lifeless body left on the floor behind her.

“There’s a man looking for people like you,” Perez sneered, his gaze going to where Jade stood, her glorious white coat shining brightly in the dimness of the room.  “I bet I could get a pretty penny for that one,” he said as he watched her hungrily. 

Trace’s claws sprung from his fingertips, but Angel’s voice stopped him before he tore out Perez’s throat.  “I want a name,” she said in a low, deadly  voice.  Slipping a knife from a sheath on her leg, she moved closer.  Placing the tip of it into Perez’s jugular she growled, “A name, you sick fuck.”

On a slow smile, Perez said, “I don’t know his name.  All I know is he goes by the General.  I sold him Raven last year, although I’m still not sure what that pretty little thing can actually shift in to.  No matter what I did to her, the most I saw were some fangs.  But, I promised him, Trace.”  His eyes narrowing, Perez said, “And his men should be here any minute to collect him.”

Eyes widening in shock, Angel pulled back with a nod to Trace.  Not wasting another second, Trace sliced through Perez’s throat with his claws, letting his body slide to the ground. 
We need to go.  Now!
Angel ordered as she motioned for Trace, Jade and Sophia to follow her quietly.  Gently helping his mother off the couch and placing a finger to his lips, he slipped his fingers into Jade’s coat, silently thanking her.

I have your sister,
Jaxson said. 
Damn, she is a wildcat, Trace.  Are you sure she isn’t a shifter?

No she’s not, and keep your damn hands off her,
Trace retorted as he guided his mother out of the living room and back the way they came. 

We need to hurry,
Angel interjected. 
Perez has been working with the General.  He knows we’re here.

Let me know when you are all clear,
Phoenix said. 
I’m ready to light this place up!

Clear,
Ryker and Jaxson responded as Trace was helping his mother out the window.  Stepping back, he waited for Jade to jump through, before slipping quickly out himself. 
Clear,
he told Phoenix as they ran through the back yard.  

Meet back at the vehicles,
Angel ordered at the first sound of an explosion.

Scooping his mother up in his arms, Trace raced to where they’d hidden the SUV’s.  Once there, he gently set her on her feet.  “Mom,” Starr cried from where she stood by Jaxson.  Rushing over, she folded Sophia close, before murmuring, “I’m so glad you’re safe.”

Looking up to see Trace standing there, Starr pulled away from her mother and moved to stand in front of him.  Placing her hands on her hips she spat, “Where the hell have you been?  You fucking left us here alone for over a year, Trace.  That bastard almost got us!  He almost got mom.  And where were you?”

A low warning growl slipped from Jade as she stepped in front of Trace.  Baring her teeth, she backed closer to Trace, her dark green eyes flashing in anger.  “Oh,” Starr said snidely, “I see.  You left us here while you were out screwing...”

Before she could finish Angel stepped forward and interrupted, “You better rethink what you are going to say right now, Starr.  If you insult my daughter, your brother’s mate, you will have to deal with me.  I don’t give a shit who you are.”

Turning wide, surprised eyes in Angel’s direction, Starr took a step back at the power flowing from the Alpha.  “And maybe you should ask your brother where he’s been instead of jumping his ass.  I’m sure he would much rather have been here looking in on you then sitting chained up in your father’s Dungeon getting beaten and tortured.  But don’t worry, he didn’t give up your location.  I have no idea how Perez got it, but it wasn’t through your loyal brother you are yelling at and ridiculing in front of everyone.  I know him and trust him, even if you don’t seem to.”