Devil Hath Come (an FBI/Romance Thriller ~book 7) (16 page)

No, this was a miracle
that he never expected to find in his life and he’d been given a treasure. It was one that he never took for granted.

Breaking the kiss, Elizabeth
stared up into his face and saw everything she was feeling too. There was love, passion, and togetherness. When she found herself pressed between her two Native men, everything in the world seemed perfect. “I just want you to both know, that before us, I didn't believe I could love two people at the same time. Thank you for proving me wrong. You are both the loves of my life and always will be,” she promised.

Ethan understood
how she was feeling. “When I left the Rez because of what happened, I always thought that I’d be unable to allow someone this close to my other half. Then, I experienced what it feels like to have two people I love this much be a part of me, and I’ve never been happier in all my life. You both mean so much,” Ethan said, staring into his brother’s eyes. Yes, the man had once betrayed him, but the act of forgiving had been healing. This was where he was supposed to be all along. Here were his two best friends.

Callen could feel the emotion bubbling up. “When I lost you, Ethan, I wanted to die inside. Then you came back and you
offered me redemption and love. My heart belongs to you both. Not only are we a family, but we’re a completed circle. I’d die without either of you.”

Elizabeth turned her head to give Callen a kiss. “Same here
, my love. There is no Lyzee without Callen and Ethan.”

Accepting her kiss next,
Ethan knew the truth. “We’ll be together for a very long time,” he answered as he promised to keep his family safe at all costs.

The threesome
remained in the embrace, as time ticked by, to relish the moment as a couple.

Finally, it was Elizabeth that spoke first. “How about I buy the two sexiest men in the world dinner?”

Ethan left little kisses across her jaw. “You’re buying, huh?” He found that entertaining, since they all shared a single account, just like any other couple.

“Absolutely,” Elizabeth replied as she headed
for her purse. “Oh, and boys?” she drawled.

T
hey both looked over at her and answered at the same time, “Yes?”

“
Since I’m buying dinner, I fully expect you both to put out,” she teased.

Callen started laughing.

“Yee haw,” stated Blackhawk as he winked at his wife. Yeah, he and his brother were the luckiest men in the whole damn world. “I hear Callen’s fairly easy once he has a beer or two.”

The man winked. “Damn right I am.”

Elizabeth just linked her arms through both of theirs and exited their suite. Tonight, she’d focus on them and try to forget the foreboding feeling that had a hold of her heart.

For now
, they were safe.

Cyra Austin was a ball of nerves. This was the moment she’d been dying to have happen. She was getting an official redo on a colossal mistake in her past.

If this didn't go right, she
may just cry. It had been a long time since a man made her feel this way. Chris Leonard had that power over her.

Standing in the bathroom, she checked to make sure everything was just right.

Her hair was perfect.

The m
akeup was done and immaculate.

Even the dress
that she had picked was ideal for the night. There was something so amazing about the prospects of a second date. This was quite possibly the best night of her life.

At the knock at the door, she rushed to
wards it and yanked it open to greet him. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right man.

Shit
!

“Oh, hello Tommy,” she said
as the nerves began stirring up her stomach.

“Hey, you’re all dressed for dinner
! There’s a place downstairs, and we can grab something to eat there.”

Oh crap!

“I actually have plans tonight,” she stated, praying that the man didn't ask any more questions. “I’ll have to take a rain check on that offer, but thank you for thinking about me.”

He didn't look happy.

“Who are you going out with?” he demanded possessively.

As the hair on the back of her neck bristled,
Cyra didn't want to divulge that little bit of information. In fact, she was scared shitless to tell the man anything. In her heart, she believed her partner was a few bricks shy of a full load. “I don’t think who I have dinner with is any of your business,” she stated unequivocally.

Thomas Rickard
vibrated in anger and frustration. For three months, he had been trying to get her to see him as more than just a partner. Each time, her excuse had been that they worked together, and it wasn’t professional. Now, the truth had escaped. Cyra had to be seeing someone at FBI West. It was that or one of the police officers they had just met.

It made him want to punch something.

“I think it is my business. I’m here to take you to dinner. We always end our day together when we’re out in the field.” Then it occurred who it must be. “It’s the death doctor! You’re always staring at him like some lovesick teenager!”

She stood her ground. “
I think you should leave, Tommy. This discussion is closed and as I said before, it’s none of your damn business.”

He grabbed her arm
and squeezed. “We’re not done discussing this!”

Cyra was scared shitless. “I’ll scream and every single person in this hotel will hear it,” she threatened.

At her words, he stepped back far enough that she could slam the door and lock it. Her heart was thundering in her chest and she wanted to cry.

Oh God, what was she going to do? Cyra made a mental note to tell Elizabeth what
had happened when she got a chance. This was bad. Her partner was insane!

At the knock on her door, she froze. “Go away!”

“Cyra? It’s Chris. Are you okay?”

Immediately
, the door opened and she rushed out and into his arms. “Oh Chris!”

He didn't know what was going on, but if the woman was going to hug him in the middle of the hallway, he was game. “Hey, are you okay? You’re shaking,” he stated.

Cyra nodded. “Yes, I just had a disagreement with my partner, and I thought it was him at the door again.”

Something about that sentence set off warning bells in his head. “About what?” he asked, staring into her eyes.
Normally, the cornflower blue color would distract him and suck him in, but now they were filled with such terror that he wanted to protect her.

She led him into the room, unsure if the man was
still out there watching her. “He’s been a little too possessive lately. Tonight, he wanted to get dinner.”

“Oh, and you have a date.”

She nodded. “Elizabeth knows about the situation. She’s reassigning me as soon as we return to FBI West. I just have to avoid him and stay out of his way.”

Chris didn't like this at all.
Granted, he was thrilled her partnership was coming to an end, but he still made a mental note to talk to Elizabeth tomorrow. In all of his years as an ME, he had seen this type of situation end badly. Chris was going to make sure nothing else happened to frighten Cyra. “Come on. Let’s go get something to eat and get your mind off all of this.”

That was the best
idea that she had heard all night. “Thank you, Chris,” she whispered, leaning in to leave a delicate kiss on his lips. God, the man smelled so damn good.

When she finally pulled away, he couldn’t think straight. This was goi
ng to be a very long night. “Cyra?”

“Yes?”

He didn't even know what to say to her. There was so much whipping through his brain, and he was on beautiful woman overload. All he wanted to do was protect her from whatever terrified her. It was ironic, since she was the more likely defender between the two of them, but something still pulled it from deep within him. His mother always taught him to be chivalrous towards women and treat them like ladies.

“Never mind. Let’s head down.” Chris took her hand in his
and held her to him for both his sake and hers. She needed the comforting, and he needed the reassurance Cyra would be safe.

There was
this unfamiliar knot growing in his gut, and he wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. Never before had he experienced anything like it.

That alone made him a nervous wreck.

             
                  *   *   *

The first part of his plan was well underway. He had managed to lure her there.

If anything, that was the easiest part of the entire situation. Now that Elizabeth Blackhawk was in town, his plan could be implemented.

Since she came willingly, it was time to move forward and get himself and his master what they both desired most. The woman was the key, and it was about to begin. Already, he could feel the balance of good versus evil beginning to stir in Circle Rock. The beauty would be the catalyst who set it all off. It was now in motion and no one could stop it.

Not even her.

The holiday was fast approaching, and the day where the veil between life and death was thinnest was almost upon them. It was time to assure that nothing went wrong in the last moments of the ritual.
There would be only one opportunity.

Now that she was
here, it was time to give them one more sacrifice. He had already picked the altar and it was ready. It was a matter of going out and grabbing the next victim. In his head, it was a matter of simply scanning his mental list. Her fate was already sealed.

Since the first sacrifice, he was aware of
the darkness that was creeping into him.

The energy
had coursed through him.

The evil was taking hold and making him
just like his Lord.

It was time to claim another life, taking one more step to his ultimate goal.
Soon, he would have it all.

Power.

Authority.

Supremacy.

Through it all, the truth remained. He was meant to control the darkness and balance life and death in his hand.

The voice had told him so…

That meant it couldn’t be a lie.

             
                  *   *   *

After they were
finally seated in the steak house, Chris Leonard stared across the table at his date. This was his wildest fantasy come true. He couldn’t even count how many dreams started like this and ended with her in his arms in bed.

“What are you thinking about, Chris
topher?” she asked, getting nervous. He was staring at her with a blank look on his face.

“I’m sorry. I was just hoping that I didn't screw this up. I’m horrible with women and I know
that if it’s going to be a travesty, it’s likely my fault due to social ineptitude.”

She found his honesty endearing
and decided to keep that going. “Have you been avoiding me the last few months?” Cyra inquired.

Chris
didn't want to answer, but he knew that they needed to be open with each other. “Yes, I have been. After the Christmas party debacle, I didn't have time ask you out on a second date. I know now that I should have gone home with you that night. If it’s any consolation, that one decision is really the biggest regret of my life.”

Cyra didn't know what to say
to that, but it touched her. “You called a couple days later and explained, and I understood. Well, mostly. I really thought you didn't want anything to do with me. Sometimes, I can come on strong. Maybe it’s from being a cop and having to be aggressive.”

Th
ere was laughter from her date, and she stared at him wondering why he found her statement funny.

“I didn't want anything to do with you? That’s so
far from the truth, Cyra.” Chris decided to tell her everything and go for broke. “When I was young, my dad died. So, I was raised only by my mom. She isn’t the average mom. Let’s just say that she’s eclectic.”

Cyra was with him so far. “Okay, Chris
topher.”

“One of the things
that she instilled in me was that if you were really, truly interested in someone, then you didn't jump into bed with them on a whim. You nurtured it and let if flourish until it all fell into place. When you asked me to come home with you, all I kept thinking was that I wanted more than just a one night stand.” Yeah, like he told Doctor Tony Magnus on the day that he first saw Cyra; he was going to marry her. That little piece he held back, so she didn't run away screaming in terror.