off with his teeth.”
I could see Gabriel fighting with himself, wanting to say no, but knowing I was right.
“I need to do this,” I said. “Please. Otherwise I’m going to think about all the ways I could have stopped what happened to Kai from happening.”
“If that was anyone’s fault, it was mine,” he said.
“No.” I shook my head. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. Tony and Kai were my team, under my command. You were right about what you said yesterday. We weren’t taking things seriously, and it got Kai killed.”
“Ash...”
I held up a hand.
“I don’t want to hear it right now. If you really want to make me feel better, let me go with you now.”
* * *
I sat between Gabriel and Nathan in the front seat of Nathan’s black monster truck, grateful for a chance to be near Gabriel without having to do more than shut my eyes and enjoy the warmth of his body. I would probably have drifted off to sleep, except for Nathan’s uncanny ability to ram the gearshift into my left thigh every time I started to go under.
Nathan didn’t say much. I guess he already knew what went down with Kai. Gabriel didn’t say much either. It was a silent thirty-minute drive to our location.
We pulled into yet another cedar chip-paved driveway that led to a small yet expensive looking vacation “cabin” up in the mountains. Another military Hummer and an ambulance were parked in the expansive driveway, four armed soldiers standing guard out front. A carved wooden sign reading “Mountain Haven” decorated the lintel above the front door. Clumsily carved grapevines decorated the wooden posts at the foot of the stairs.
I nudged Nathan on the arm.
“Isn’t this near your place?”
“Other side of the summit,” Nathan replied. “This is the popular side. One of those microclimates perfect for growing Pinot or Cabernet or some other winey shit. Mine’s on the side that gets the worst of the wind. Keeps the amateur winemakers and the tourists out of my hair.”
I almost smiled at the thought of unsuspecting tourists, intent on wine-tasting, showing up at Nathan’s uninviting compound and demanding his best “winey shit.” The smile didn’t make it past a mental snapshot of Kai.
We got out of the truck and all four soldiers immediately saluted. Gabriel returned the salute.
“Where is he?”
“Inside, sir.” The private nodded. “He’s been subdued and contained.”
“Any other civilians?”
The soldier swallowed.
“Yes, sir. One still alive.”
“That’s good, right?” I asked, but got no answer.
We went inside.
I recoiled as the smell hit—an olfactory assault made up of blood, meat, and yet more rotting flesh. Whatever happened here had been beyond bad.
Unlike the trailers, this vacation getaway was decorated in what I thought of as Mountain Man chic, furniture made of logs, lots of dark plaid fabrics, and trophy heads on the wall. A giant flatscreen TV took up most of one wall, a pile of DVDs was scattered on the table and floor below. Someone had been having a Lord of the Rings marathon. What didn’t fit the decor were the smears and puddles of blood—dried, gelatinous, and fresh—on the walls, furniture, and hardwood floors. A man sat on the couch, hands cuffed behind his back, head hanging forward. Three soldiers surrounded him, two on either side and one holding a gun on him from behind the couch. All three looked as green in the gills as the two out front.
I couldn’t blame them. Even after the trailer park cleanup, the smell in the cabin was enough to make my stomach churn.
“Ashley, can you verify the identity of the prisoner?” Gabriel nodded toward the man on the couch.
I stepped forward, already certain I knew who he was.
“Jake?”
The man raised his head and smiled at me, bloodstained lips, gums, and teeth even more disturbing because the smile was genuine.
“Hi there,” he said. “Do I know you? I must if you know my name, right?”
I nodded, trying
I could see Gabriel fighting with himself, wanting to say no, but knowing I was right.
“I need to do this,” I said. “Please. Otherwise I’m going to think about all the ways I could have stopped what happened to Kai from happening.”
“If that was anyone’s fault, it was mine,” he said.
“No.” I shook my head. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. Tony and Kai were my team, under my command. You were right about what you said yesterday. We weren’t taking things seriously, and it got Kai killed.”
“Ash...”
I held up a hand.
“I don’t want to hear it right now. If you really want to make me feel better, let me go with you now.”
* * *
I sat between Gabriel and Nathan in the front seat of Nathan’s black monster truck, grateful for a chance to be near Gabriel without having to do more than shut my eyes and enjoy the warmth of his body. I would probably have drifted off to sleep, except for Nathan’s uncanny ability to ram the gearshift into my left thigh every time I started to go under.
Nathan didn’t say much. I guess he already knew what went down with Kai. Gabriel didn’t say much either. It was a silent thirty-minute drive to our location.
We pulled into yet another cedar chip-paved driveway that led to a small yet expensive looking vacation “cabin” up in the mountains. Another military Hummer and an ambulance were parked in the expansive driveway, four armed soldiers standing guard out front. A carved wooden sign reading “Mountain Haven” decorated the lintel above the front door. Clumsily carved grapevines decorated the wooden posts at the foot of the stairs.
I nudged Nathan on the arm.
“Isn’t this near your place?”
“Other side of the summit,” Nathan replied. “This is the popular side. One of those microclimates perfect for growing Pinot or Cabernet or some other winey shit. Mine’s on the side that gets the worst of the wind. Keeps the amateur winemakers and the tourists out of my hair.”
I almost smiled at the thought of unsuspecting tourists, intent on wine-tasting, showing up at Nathan’s uninviting compound and demanding his best “winey shit.” The smile didn’t make it past a mental snapshot of Kai.
We got out of the truck and all four soldiers immediately saluted. Gabriel returned the salute.
“Where is he?”
“Inside, sir.” The private nodded. “He’s been subdued and contained.”
“Any other civilians?”
The soldier swallowed.
“Yes, sir. One still alive.”
“That’s good, right?” I asked, but got no answer.
We went inside.
I recoiled as the smell hit—an olfactory assault made up of blood, meat, and yet more rotting flesh. Whatever happened here had been beyond bad.
Unlike the trailers, this vacation getaway was decorated in what I thought of as Mountain Man chic, furniture made of logs, lots of dark plaid fabrics, and trophy heads on the wall. A giant flatscreen TV took up most of one wall, a pile of DVDs was scattered on the table and floor below. Someone had been having a Lord of the Rings marathon. What didn’t fit the decor were the smears and puddles of blood—dried, gelatinous, and fresh—on the walls, furniture, and hardwood floors. A man sat on the couch, hands cuffed behind his back, head hanging forward. Three soldiers surrounded him, two on either side and one holding a gun on him from behind the couch. All three looked as green in the gills as the two out front.
I couldn’t blame them. Even after the trailer park cleanup, the smell in the cabin was enough to make my stomach churn.
“Ashley, can you verify the identity of the prisoner?” Gabriel nodded toward the man on the couch.
I stepped forward, already certain I knew who he was.
“Jake?”
The man raised his head and smiled at me, bloodstained lips, gums, and teeth even more disturbing because the smile was genuine.
“Hi there,” he said. “Do I know you? I must if you know my name, right?”
I nodded, trying
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