KnightForce Damian (La Patron's KnightForce Book 4) (13 page)

Moonlight gleamed off the metal cross. What was Ivona expecting, Vampires or something.

"What's that?
" he asked.

Gem passed the cross to Damian.

His heart slammed in his chest as memories of his time in the lab crashed over him. The cross had been used to teach them to focus and he'd spent many hours staring at it.
"I've seen this before at the lab where I grew up. What's she doing with this?"
He looked at Gem.

Chapter 20

After leaving Ivona and her bag, minus the red book, box of herbs and cross, at the next town, Damian, Gem, and Quentin continued toward Barticus' den while the second van veered off to go home. Gem couldn't forget the look on Damian's face when he’d looked at the cross. He mentioned a lab. She'd heard rumors about the KnightForce agent, who hadn't? But she hadn't heard anything about growing up in a lab, which would explain his odd behavior with pack. Even now he held himself aloof, slightly apart, as if watching a play.

Looking out the window, her thoughts tossed and tumbled over every possible scenario of a young Damian living in a lab, and she couldn't see it. Not the inflexible man she'd seen in the past 48 hours. She yawned and stretched as they sped down the road. Maybe she could rest before seeing Lamia again. Gem bit her lip and glanced at Damian. She still hadn't mentioned the connection she had with the Lamia and wasn't quite sure why. Maybe it was the intimacy of being chosen, or having someone inside to share ideas, if that was even possible. Gem shook her head to chase away those thoughts, recognizing she cared more for the notion of not being alone rather than sharing head space.

"How much longer?" she asked.

"Another hour and a half," Quentin said. "We need to stop and eat."

Damian nodded but didn't add anything.

"What's open this late?" Gem asked. Looking out the window she didn't see many lights.

"In the next town there'll be restaurants or pubs open," Quentin said.

Gem glanced again at Damian and battled her curiosity. Had Damian been raised from a pup in a lab? Or had he meant something else?

Quentin put on the turning signal and turned off the highway. "Ah, just as I thought, several places to eat." He drove a short distance and pulled into a half-empty parking lot. "The variety is better here." After turning off the car, he stepped outside the SUV, stretched and yawned. His bald plate gleamed beneath the parking lamp before he pulled his cap from his pocket and covered his head.

Gem and Damian left the vehicle and followed him inside. Soft music played and a human hostess greeted them as they stepped across the threshold.

"Three?" she asked.

"Yes," Quentin said, looking around and then following the willowy female to a large wooden table with four chairs.

She removed the extra place setting. "Your waiter will be with you in a moment, enjoy."

Gem sat first. Damian took the seat directly across from her, and Quentin sat on Damian's left. Her stomach growled and she picked up the menu.

Damian glanced at the menu and placed it on the table. Quentin did as well. Gem felt their eyes on her, but she hadn't finished reading all the choices.

The waiter appeared, offering drinks and appetizers. Damian and Quentin ordered beer. Gem ordered a glass of white wine. The waiter turned to leave but Damian stopped him.

"I'll have the large steak medium rare and the roast beef."

The waiter stared at Damian for a brief second and then nodded. "What sides would you like?" He went on to name the sides and Damian chose two. Quentin ordered the same entrees but changed the sides. All three of them looked at her.

"Roast beef medium rare and the stuffed chops." She told him her sides and sat back meeting Damian's gaze. After the waiter left, Damian's fingertips tapped the table in an odd rhythm. "Barticus sent his best trackers to find Raoul, so far no luck. They're searching everywhere, but his scent has disappeared."

The waiter came back and placed their drinks on the table.

Gem took a sip of wine, enjoying the flavors on her tongue. "Didn't you mention that happened when you and Raoul were at Sheila Heights’ home?"

Damian had just taken a long pull of his beer and nodded slowly. "Yes, Ivona's scent disappear--" his gaze met hers. "She was with us."

"She walked into the woods after doing something to make the deer stop," Gem said.

"That's right, I saw her," Quentin said, wiping his mouth with the back of his arm. "She came back a short while afterward."

"But long enough to spray or sprinkle something on him to get rid of his scent," Gem said, warming to the idea.

"Could be why she didn't argue too much when she got out, she might be with him now," Quentin said,

"I don't think that's the right track," Damian said. "There was no reason for her to leave her mom's with us if she had him. Besides, if she had him, she'd let him communicate with me, if only to say he was with her."

Gem could see Ivona wanting to flaunt her control of Raoul in front of Damian. "Good point. But it doesn't help find him."

"No, but we will," he said with a promise in his gaze. A few moments later the waiter and two others arrived at their table with their food. Hearing the sizzle of the steaks and the tantalizing aromas wafting from the food, she stopped talking and paid attention to her meal. After arranging everyone's food on the table and providing fresh drinks, the waiter stood back with a smile.

"Enjoy," he said and walked off.

Conversation ceased as they cut into the large pieces of meat and ate with appreciation the perfectly prepared meal. When both of Damian's plates were empty and he'd finished his third bottle of beer, he pushed away from the table and asked the waiter for the direction to the restroom.

Gem continued eating and a few moments later placed her fork on the empty plate. The waiter removed the empty plates and offered desserts, which Gem declined. He topped off her wine, emptying the bottle, and placed the check on the table. Gem glance at the total and gave him her card as Damian returned.

"Did you want dessert?" she asked him.

"No, I'm good," Damian said and pulled out his wallet. "We can leave after I take care of this."

"I put it on my card
," Gem said. "
La Patron gave me an expense account too
."

He nodded and put his away.

"Were you raised in a lab?"
Heat raced to her face at the surprised look he gave her. Goddess what was the matter with her? Why would she blurt something like that? Now he'd think she was some nosy bitch intruding in places she didn't belong.

"
Excuse me?"

"Nothing. Just... you mentioned that when you looked at the cross earlier and I thought... no, I wondered. Nothing. Forget I asked.
" Face on fire, she stood and took a couple steps to the door.

"Miss... Miss Okla," the waiter called, waving her credit card and the check at her.

She forced a smile as she stopped and signed the slip, leaving him a large tip. Damian placed a large bill in the waiter’s hand as well, and they left.

A few moments later they were back on the highway. Quentin seemed revived and played light jazz on the radio. Gem wished she could sit on the third row of seats instead of the one behind Damian. What would he think? That she was interested in him or something? It was the ‘or something’ that bothered her most. Shifting her position to directly behind him, she stretched out, grabbed her jacket from the back, balled it up and placed it behind her head, fully intending to try to rest. Or hide so he couldn't see her pretend to sleep.

"Yes, I was born and raised in a lab."

Gem froze and looked at the back of Damian's head. Swallowing the pity rising from his stark words she had no comeback, nothing to say to his answer.

"
Speechless?"

"In a way. I'm not sure if you'd appreciate questions, you seemed offended before."

"Surprised, not offended. I'd forgotten about the cross."

She nodded and pushed her hair behind her ear. "
Did you know your mother?"

"No. I may have seen her but didn't know who she was."

"Who raised you then?"

He chuckled but it lacked humor. "
Raised me? That's the $20.00 or $2,000,000.00 question. I had several instructors over the years. When I was older, a man named Gordon took interest in me and we bonded."

"Human?"

"Sort of. He was a member of the Liege. They had similar powers as us in healing and long life. Something to do with a covenant with Alphas a long time ago. My sire, Hawke, was taken as a pup and bred. I was one of his offspring."

She swallowed her gasp. "
Did he know? About you?"

"Not until the Liege thought it'd be fun to pit me against him. He knocked me on my ass and slapped sense into me. It wasn't pretty at the time, but it was the best thing to happen to me."

Gem smiled.
"I can only imagine."

"What?"

"I’ve talked to Hawke and he is super-intelligent. Hearing he's a warrior makes it better."

"After several experiments on his body he's almost impossible to kill, so he rarely fights. He thinks it's unfair. And as long as his mate or den isn't in danger, he's peaceful."

"What about you?"

"I love to fight."

"I know that. I meant has your body been altered?"

He was silent for a long moment.
"Yes, metal in my arms and legs."

"That's why your hybrid is so big?
" Gem recalled him moving the tree from the road.

"I suppose."

"What about the cross?"
she asked, sensing his alterations were a sore spot.

"Cross?"

"The one we took from Ivona's bag."

"Oh, it was in the laboratory on a shelf, he used it in training. I asked Gordon about it and he said it had been a gift from someone. Later I found out he'd had a Mistress and she'd given it to him. Strange, he never said who she was and I never asked. I never saw the woman and haven't thought about it until now."

"That's a huge coincidence. Maybe that just looked like the cross on the shelf. There's got to be more than one, right?"

"Maybe. I don't know. Ivona would've been too young for his Mistress."

"Perhaps her mother?"

"Could be."

"There's a younger child, a daughter."

"Yeah, there is. The only kids he mentioned were his two sons."

"He came from an era where male offspring were the only ones mentioned,"
she reminded him
.

"Good point."
He paused.
"That would suck big time if it turns out Gordon's daughter is Ivona's sister."

"That would explain her knowledge of pack and breeds,"
Gem said
.

"Yeah, it would,"
Damian said
. "But I don't want to think of her when I think of him. He was the one bright spot in my life growing up. Now that I know what a sire is, I can say he wasn't that, but at the time I would've died for him."

"I understand. I don't know my sire, my mam refused to ever speak of him. They had a tempestuous relationship at best. She ran away, relocated, changed our names, and hid from his pack. When she met her mate, he accepted me, but I always sensed mam was ashamed of my connection to her past. We don't talk much and when we do, it's brief, as if she has little to say unless it's to brag on the little ones."
She inhaled and covered her mouth. What had gotten into her? She never discussed mam or her home life. Her chest tightened in shame. She'd said too much.

"
Well, I don't know your mam or sire, but I doubt either of them have the ear of La Patron as you do. He's extremely pleased with your work and he's seen a lot of doctors over the years. If your mam is ashamed of you, La Patron certainly isn't. In my way of thinking that's a higher praise."

Gem's chest warmed as she basked in the sincerity of his words.

Damian stiffened and looked at Quentin.
"I'm sorry, Sir. What did you say?"
he asked La Patron.

"I just received a ransom note, for lack of a better word, from Agatha, the head of a coven over there. The gist of it is she says we overstepped and took the Lamia, and they took Raoul. Now they'd like to switch."

"Switch? But we don't have the Lamia, she's in Barticus' compound surrounding his den."

"Yes, but at my request. I am waiting for Barticus to contact me so we can determine how to answer this threat. Continue to the compound and wait my instructions. Be careful, I'm sure they're watching. The last thing I want is to start an international incident with witches for attacking my representatives, but I've made it clear that's what will happen if they touch a hair on your bodies.
"

Damian appreciated the support. "
And Raoul?"

"Barticus is his Alpha but I'm sure he feels the same. Stay alert."

"What happened?
" Gem asked, watching expressions chase across his face.

He repeated what La Patron said.

A sharp pain lanced Gem's head and she held it tight in both hands, screaming in agony.

The car swerved as Quentin jerked at the noise.

"
Gem,"
Damian yelled. "
What’s wrong?"