34. ~Caleb~

A job well done.

More sick motherfuckers taken down.

More innocents liberated.

And no blood had been spilled on my end. My team had come out of it completely unscathed.

That was a lot more than could be said for the demented shits we’d taken down.

None of them had survived.

Fuckers like them couldn’t. They were beyond redemption. Given the chance, they’d just be back at it again. Something I’d never allow.

As I watched my team drive off in their transport vans with the hostages, taking them to my North Rehabilitation Facility where they’d be treated and cared for, I dragged hard on my smoke. I needed to let the adrenaline from the fight earlier ebb a little before I got back in my Audi and drove.

I leaned against the warehouse we’d just taken and looked out through the dark night at the cornfields that extended for miles, along with a couple of farmhouses in the distance.

As I spaced out and allowed myself to calm down, it hit me that maybe Cas had been right.

Maybe I was strategically-minded after all.

My input on the tactical plan for tonight and the changes I’d made to Sven’s approach had actually been what had prevented any of us from sustaining injury.

And, yeah, that suspicious fuck, Dante, was right too. About me being afraid of making that call to lead my people into battle on my plan knowing the risks that came along with it.

But tonight I’d done it, I’d moved past that fear. I just hoped I could continue in that vein going forward, that it wasn’t just a one-off.

I smiled to myself.

I couldn’t wait to tell Caspian all about it.

I couldn’t wait until he returned home victorious from his years-long mission against Elijah fucking Bane.

There was so much to celebrate.

Bastian would be graduating soon too.

Skylar was getting back to her career.

Everything was finally looking up.

And I couldn’t wait to get back to King Manor and bask in it all with them.

Back home.

As I stubbed out my smoke, rustling from the cornfields caught my attention.

I frowned, noting that there was no wind whipping through the area.

Animals, maybe?

I scanned the area for several moments, just to make sure.

Nothing.

It was probably just the aftermath of that takedown fucking with me, making me extra paranoid or something.

I rolled my eyes at myself, then made my way over to my Audi.

My phone buzzed in my tactical jacket and I pulled it out to see a message from a certain somebody that I’d been waiting on.

Ash: Working on it. Based on what you’ve told me, suspicion regarding Mancini is valid, my friend. Trust your instincts.

Caleb: Appreciate it, Ash.

Ash: Like I said, you need anything down the road, I’ve got you. Getting you intel is the least I can do.

Caleb: Incredibly hard to obtain intel, though.

Ash: Then you came to the right persistent bastard, didn’t you?

Caleb: I never doubted it.

Ash: Miss you.

Caleb: You’re much more emotionally available than usual. That victory worked wonders.

Ash: Something I’m working on. Just with my inner circle of course.

Caleb: Of course. Miss you too.

Ash: It’s good for you being back with King and your loves, though. You belong.

I smiled. Yeah. Yeah, I did.

Caleb: Talk to you soon.

Ash: Don’t be a stranger. So long as King allows it.

I rolled my eyes at that last part. Of course he had to go there.

I went to pocket my phone when it started ringing.

I looked to see Cas calling.

Excitement thrummed through me.

He was finished with his op too.

It was over.

He’d done it!

Definitely so much to celebrate.

I answered, “Cas, hey. How did—”

“Get out of there now.”

Adrenaline sparked at his tone, then a chill rolled down my spine. “What? What’s going on?”

“I know you’re out in the open right now. I can’t get my people to you yet. Get in your car and drive like hell for King Manor.”

“Okay, but what’s—”

“Elijah isn’t down. He’s—”

My signal dropped, the call abruptly ending.

I stared at my phone seeing that I had absolutely no reception.

That wasn’t possible… at least, not without direct interference.

A signal jammer, for instance.

That rustling sounded again.

As I went to spin around, a sharp whizzing sounded around me.

A moment later, a stabbing pain tore into the side of my throat.

Instinctively, I slapped my hand to it.

And then I was grasping something and ripping it free to see that it was a fucking tranq dart.

I tossed it on the ground, then pocketed my phone in my jacket and hurried to my car.

Just a few steps in and I felt the fucking shit hit.

The dosage had to be huge for it to impact me this quickly.

Rustling sounded from the cornfields.

It didn’t stop this time.

I looked over my shoulder as I staggered forward toward my car, and that was when I saw a whole unit of shadowed figures emerging and making their way over. I tried to count them, but they blurred into one another.

Shit.

I was gonna lose consciousness really soon.

If I could just get driving and evade these fuckers and then—I stumbled and smacked into the side of my Audi.

Move! Move! Keep fucking moving!

I fumbled for my fob, managing to pull it out.

The footsteps drew closer.

I activated the fob, opening the car.

I struggled to haul open the door and somehow managed it, then went to slip inside, throwing out my hand and grabbing the steering wheel for support as I did.

I fumbled again to start up the engine.

“Bane wants a word,” a voice sounded, a moment before my arm was snagged and I was wrenched from the car.

I lost my balance in my fucked-up state, the entire world around me a blur now, as I hit the ground on my side, my tactical gear cushioning some of the fall.

I was panting, fighting to stay awake, and I could feel myself losing.

Fuck.

I tried to grab my gun, but my fingers barely even brushed the butt before it was ripped from my grip and tossed hell knew where.

And then I was wrenched onto my back.

The shadows loomed over me.

I tried to kick them back, but I didn’t even know what or where I was hitting.

What felt like so many hands were grasping me then and forcing me back to my feet.

I fought, flailing as best as I could.

But it was no use.

In the struggle, I managed to grab at my necklace and rip it from my throat, while they were busy trying to subdue me. I let it fall from my grip.

There was no way I was gonna let Elijah use me against Cas.

No fucking way.

I’d handle this.

Whatever happened, I wouldn’t let the burden fall on his shoulders.

He’d already carried so much for me, for all of us.

I’d find my own way out.

Even if I had to let the dark swallow me in the process.

First, though… first… I just needed to sleep… just for a little while.

My eyes fluttered closed.

And that was that.

To be continued inCRAVE ME