Kiss of Midnight_ A Midnight Breed Novel - Lara Adrian [402]
“Tegan, promise me,” she said, forcing him to look at her. “Don’t do anything heroic.”
The corner of his mouth quirked into a wry grin. “Me, heroic? Not a chance.”
She smiled with him, but her feet felt leaden as they walked the rest of the way up the corridor to where the Order, and Tegan’s role among them, waited.
Everyone else was already gathered. Elise met the serious faces of the other Breedmates, Tess and Gabrielle holding on to their mates as the departure time drew near. It had been agreed that Gideon would stay behind at the compound where he could monitor the operation from base and be a touch point for the others while they were in the field.
The biggest surprise was Rio. The recuperating warrior was dressed in combat gear and waiting with the rest of them, the look in his topaz eyes nothing short of fury. His muscled body radiated pure malice—white-hot and volatile—and Elise suddenly understood Tess’s concerns about him. He was terrifying, even simply standing still.
Elise resisted the urge to hold on a little tighter to Tegan’s hand when she felt his arm flex as he prepared to join his brethren.
God, but she didn’t want to let him go.
Not when they’d just found each other.
“All right,” Lucan said, his gaze steady as it lit on each of the warriors in turn. “Let’s do this.”
CHAPTER
Thirty-one
Andreas Reichen was waiting with two Mercedes SUVs on the tarmac at Tegel Airport as the Order arrived in Berlin. Tegan made quick introductions while the warriors threw their gear into the vehicles and got situated for the ride out to Reichen’s Darkhaven estate, which was to serve as the operation’s temporary base.
“I’m honored to assist,” Reichen told Lucan and Tegan as the three men loaded the last of the bags and weaponry. “I’ve often wondered what it might be like to stand among the Order as one of your own.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” Lucan drawled. “Depending how things go, there’s a good chance we could end up knighting you on the field.”
“Try not to look so enthused,” Tegan said, catching the glint of eagerness in the civilian’s eyes. “What’s the word out of the containment facility?”
Reichen shook his head. “Dead end, literally, I’m afraid. Odolf went from bad to worse as it turns out. He slid further into Bloodlust—went into violent convulsions. He even started foaming at the mouth. The attendant I spoke with said it was very strange, as if Odolf had gone rabid. A few hours later, they were wheeling him down to the morgue.”
“Shit.” Tegan exchanged a glance with Lucan, his hackles rising. The report had Marek written all over it. “What about this foam Odolf was spitting? Was it pinkish, foul smelling?”
Reichen frowned. “I don’t know. I could make some more inquiries, do some more investigating—”
“No, forget it. I’ll take it from here,” Tegan said.
Lucan knew exactly where this was heading. “You don’t suppose that Rogue was fed Crimson…”
“Only one way to find out. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
“It will be dawn in about that long,” Lucan warned.
Tegan glanced up at the still-dark sky, the moon well into its westward slide. “Then we better stop yakking about it so I can get out of here. I’ll catch you all back at the Darkhaven.”
“Tegan. Goddamn it—”
He heard Lucan’s terse oath behind him, but he was already across the blacktop and moving through the airport complex to the streets outside.
Director Heinrich Kuhn was in his office at the containment facility, writing up disposal documents for the body of his recently deceased patient, when the frantic call came in from security. There had been a perimeter breach. A Breed male—Gen One warrior, by the size and power of him—had infiltrated both the exterior and interior gates and was now somewhere loose in the facility.
“Shoot to kill, sir?” asked the head of security, anxiety edging his voice.
“No,” Kuhn replied. “No, he is not to be killed. But apprehend him by any means, then bring him to me.”
Kuhn hung up the phone. He had no doubt as to who the intruder might be. He’d been warned