TAKE NO PRISONERS

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Man . . . did you ever think me and you would be standing up here in the hills, looking down on your house in the daylight?" Yonnie laughed and came up to Carlos to give him a brother-to-brother chest bump hug. "Not exactly how I envisioned the thing, but this works for me."

"Yeah, man," Carlos said with a sad smile. "This works for me, too."

"Oh, so you trust a brother now, huh?" Yonnie opened his arms and laughed.

"Why? Shouldn't I?" Carlos smiled and shook his head.

Yonnie stepped back and appraised Carlos while rubbing his jaw. "You one crazy motherfucker, you know that? Gotyourself busted up pretty good inHarlem . Wasn't sure youwas coming back from that."

"Shit . . . me either," Carlos said, chuckling from the memory. "But I wanna thank you for the heads-up on a lotta details that coulda got me and my lady smoked, feel me."

Yonnie's smile faded. "We ain't gonna discuss that. You woulda did it for me, so I did it for you. But even thinking about getting caught in that particular lie gives me the shivers." He pounded Carlos's fist and turned his gaze toward the house.

What was there to say? Even though they were standing outside in broad daylight, his boy still worked for the Darkness, and messing with Lucifer in a double-cross was probably the stupidest thing anyone could attempt-dead or alive.

"Appreciate the property sanctuary, too. It's nice to have a fallback position, if a brother gets ass-out." Yonnie hadn't turned when he'd spoken; his gaze was on the house.

"I can't drop the house barrier, man," Carlos said. "Not with the hybrid in there and my Guardian brother still having issues."

Yonnie nodded; his back remained straight and his voice was nonplussed."Yeah, family politics. I can dig it . . . but she's fine, though. Who woulda thought thatboth of us dawgs woulda wound up with some serious good girls?" He turned to Carlos with a big grin and shrugged. "Now that's some crazy cosmic shit."

"Thatis some crazy cosmic shit, man." Carlos had to laugh. But as Yonnie crested a little fang to begin staring at the house again, his mood sobered. "So, did you tell her yet?"

"Tell her what, man?"

"C'mon, Yonnie.Sooner or later you're gonna have to tell Val about your condition-ask me how I know."

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you. I was just waiting to let things get a little more solid between us,then I'd drape it on her."

"More like put it on her," Carlos scoffed and then rounded Yonnie.

Yonnie gave him a sly smile and materialized a toothpick in his mouth.

"I remember not so long ago when you were telling me to be real. So, this morning, before me and the family bounce, I'm going to return the favor."

Yonnie shrugged and studied his new manicure. "Fair exchange is no robbery."

"All right then, here's the thing . . . she doesn't have Neteru antibodies and girlfriend is wide-open for you-you know it. I don't even know if she's ever been with anybody, except on an intellectual basis, seeing as how she came over from Nod, and they didn't roll like that."

Unable to resist, Yonnie turned to glimpse the house. "She's hot as hell, man . . ."

"Yeah, that's my point. So, if this Viking-angel female warrior drops shields for you, and climbs up your torso, if you bite her and turn her, you and I will cease to be boyz. You know that, right?"

"Okay, Daddy Rivera."

Carlos hesitated. "I'm serious, Yolando."

Yonnie held his hands up in front of him. "Yo . . . we cool. But I'm Yolando now? All right, I respect her as family. I won't bite her, but that's about all I can promise."

"She ain't a quick lay, either," Carlos said, folding his arms over his chest, eyes beginning to burn silver.

"Hey, hey, watch the angry-eye,holmes . You need to chill, relax a little. I know she ain't no coven ho'," Yonnie said, backing up. "You look like you're under a lot of stress, but I ain't the one stressing you, man."

Carlos rubbed the back of his neck and walkedaway, trying to make his fangs retract and his eyes stop burning silver. "You ain't the only one that has to answer to a management team that doesn't play. My side will hot me in a minute, if they think I knowingly allowed an angel hybrid, with a human soul, to get turned right out of Nod by the darkside."

"I feel you, man," Yonnie said carefully."Awful ironic how we also both wound up in the same situation-you dancing on the edge, me dancing on the edge, the rules real fuzzy, about to be smoked at any time.Just a case of which side gets us first."

"Don't bite her, man," Carlos said, letting out a weary breath.

"I'm not going to bite her. Damn."

Carlos closed his eyes and inhaled slowly before speaking. "Thatis a lie." He opened his eyes and they were pure silver, but no beam hunted Yonnie. "You are talking to me, remember? You want to bite her so bad that just thinking about it makes your dick hard. Now I'm only going to say this once, she has no immunity. Her system is like a human's-red blood carrier, no silver tracer to back the vamp plague up." Carlos dropped his voice as he came closer to Yonnie. "I'm her big brother and therefore her silver carrier. If you get any vampire bullshit into her system, I will silver hot yours."

"Damn, man, and I thought we was boyz!" Yonnie walked away and began pacing. "What am I gonna do, Carlos?" His voice became strident and all amusement was gone from his tone. "She's . . . like . . . different than all the others. First off, she's aboutme . You hear me, man? Just about me. For once, I'm not coming behind some old baggage from her previous life. You know what that feels like, brother."

Carlos did understand, but his face remained impassive as Yonnie paced.

"None of them, especiallyTara , cared about me to this bonedeep level. I haven't even touched Val yet . . . and she's got this pure love-jones that's-"

"Intoxicating," Carlos said flatly, remembering Damali.

"Yeah . . ." Yonnie closed his eyes and allowed a brief shudder to claim him. "You know what I'm saying."

"That's why," Carlossaid, his voice calmer, "I know that if you get with her, you'll bite her. Problem is, she won't wake up in the morning . . . worst yet, if you can't pass the daylight bite, you'll have her banished to the Darkness. Man, as much as she turns you on, I can't sanction it. I just can't."

"Can't you do something?"Yonnie said, arms outstretched. "Like, give her some kinda silver seal, something, I don't know?"

"I know I can do a lot of shit, man," Carlos said with a half-smile. "But I do not know how to make a silver dental dam, if that's what you're asking."

"Kiss my ass," Yonnie said, walking away peeved. He spit out his toothpick and dragged his fingers through his Afro. "I really care about her, man."

"You just met her."

"Don't discount my shit like that, Rivera. Don't."

"All right, my bad," Carlos said, holding up his hands. "I just want you to think about this and to care about her enough not to throw caution to the wind. She's really good people, Yonnie. Really good, ya know?"

"Yeah, I do," Yonnie said quietly, now staring at the house with his hands behind his back. "You know what she said to me when I was on my way to council?" He didn't wait for Carlos to respond, but pressed on as though speaking to himself. "She said, 'Bevaliant, be victorious.'" He shook his head and chuckled sadly. "Funny thing is,she really makes me want to be that."

"That ain't funny," Carlos said, causing his friend to look at him. "That's real. Now you're being real. So, as boyz who go way back, let me be honest and tell you the truth about me and Damali." Carlos let out a long breath. "I had to wait for her for five years."

Yonnie winced.

"Yeah," Carlos said. "If you're dealing with a sister with wings, and you're bad to the bone, you've got one of three choices-wait for her, and do what you've gotta do on an extremely discreet basis; ruin her, which you and I both know is unacceptable and a punk move at best; or walk."

"Guess I'll be headed toTijuana this morning."

Carlos chuckled. "Sheeit, that's where I used togo ."

Yonnie pounded his fist. "It was worth it though, right?The wait."

"She turned twenty-one on me at midnight in Hell, man, in a demon firefight with Fallon Nuit, and I wasn't even a councilman." Carlos looked back at the house, the memory full in his mind. "She was trailing Neteru ripening-blazing it, but all those people in that house were about to get slaughtered. And she looked up at me, a vampire then, man . . . with those big brown eyes, blade in her hand, and begged me in her eyes to save her family."

"Tell me you hit it, man, and then saved the family." Yonnie closed his eyes and leaned his head back, laughing to keep from crying.

"No," Carlos said. "It woulda been her first time, and to ruin her in Hell with her family in body parts-come on, brother!"

"Aw'ight, what's the very insane moral to this story?" Yonnie stared at him, not amused in the least as Carlos started laughing.

"I got fucked up by demon legions. Disemboweled, arm tore out the socket, face crushed, jaw busted, and flung topside in the time before daywalkers, into the sun in the desert."

"Oh, this is getting more romantic by the minute." Yonnie spit and Carlos laughed hard, landing a hand on his shoulder.

"Then Icrawled my bloody dying ass into a cave, after a very foolish coyote thought I was carrion-"

"Eeiiw, stop!That'snasty, Rivera!"

"Uh-huh, but I was trying to live. I had a love-jones for my wife so bad I didn't care. I got in a cave, laid up until I knitted back together, and the rest is history-but believe when I came outta that cave, and she was old enough . . . sheeit . . . a brother was on a mission."

Yonnie nodded and pounded Carlos's fist again. "That's what I'm talking about!"

"That's what I'm talking about," Carlos said, grinning. "So, until you can find a way to have you cake and eat it, too, I suggestTijuana ."

"You keep working on cosmic loopholes, is all I'm asking," Yonnie said, flipping Carlos the bird when he laughed harder.

"All right, man, so . . . if I let her know you're up here, ten minutes, no nicks, and we're out." Carlos stared at him hard. "Don't make me have to come up here and get her, either."

"I hear you."

"Say it inDananu ," Carlos said in their old vampire contractual language.

"So, it's like that now? Damn!"

"Man . . ."

"Oh, and you never answered me when I asked you where you were taking my lady and how long you'd be gone." Yonnie folded his arms over his chest.

"You know I can't do that for your own good, and for the team's safety, should you get busted in council.But you still haven't answered my question-no nicks, ten minutes, and she comes back unmolested." Carlos waited with his arms folded, smiling. "I ain't got all day."

"No nicks, ten minutes, but don't ask me not to put my hands on her, man." Yonnie turned away and stared at the house.

"Ten minutes ain't a whole lotta time, bro . . . no sense in going there," Carlos said.

"You, my friend, are putting a serious strain on our friendship." Yonnie had spoken between his teeth but hadn't turned around.

Carlos swallowed a chuckle and began walking.

"You're not even gonna transport her up here?" Yonnie turned and walked behind Carlos, fuming.

"Saving my energy for the flight.Plus, I have some real wicked shit in a box in my driveway that's taking a toll," Carlos said, sounding amused.

Two huge, snarling dogs with black muzzles and bodies the hue of tea and milk blocked Carlos's path. He looked at Yonnie unconcerned.

"Hell dogs disguised as Fila Brasileiro Mastiffs-the national dog ofBrazil . They can guard whatever you've got in the yard, if you just hurry up and send my lady up here."

"I'll go get her, but, damn, man, that's the second or third time you've called Val your lady. You can do what you like, but before you go there in your mind, I suggest you talk to her about all that.Just my two-cent tip for the day." Carlos shrugged and Yonnie snapped his fingers, removing the dogs.

"You really need to talk to her," Carlos said, his tone serious. "You can't hide the situation from her forever."

"Let me break it to her . . . I'd appreciate it if nobody in the house did."

Carlos nodded. "You'd be surprised at how many people in the family got your back and are pulling for you, man.Tara didn't tell her while I was gone getting patched up. Damali didn't say a word, neither did Rider-who, of all people, I expected would. None of the other Guardians got in it. So . . . it's all on you, bro."

Damali leaned back against the large butcher block center island in the kitchen and listened toTara 's recount of the predawn hours in the house. All she could do was hug her Guardian sister, understanding what being torn was like and deeply appreciatingTara 's loyalty to her husband's best friend. Yet, as part of the dual Neteru leadership, she also had to look out for Val's welfare, another person she loved. Yonnie, as much as he was like a brother, was a potential hazmat to Val's life.

She wiped her palms down her face asTara slipped out of the kitchen. Damali stared behind her, knowing that very, very soon she was going to have to have a long sit-down conversation with Val. But at the moment, the team was packing ammo, and Carlos had something ridiculous in the driveway-something that was like a nuclear warhead. Hell, she wasn't even sure how to ship it! Mom Delores and Ayana had to get dropped off inBrooklyn , and it wasn't even tenA.M.

When she pushed off the counter, Marlene was standing in the doorway. The two exchanged a look. A slow smile spread across Marlene's face. Marlene made the gesture of a key locking a lock in front of her lips, and then she hugged herself. Damali smiled and nodded and hugged herself from where she stood across the room, making Marlene silently jump up and down. Then both women opened a channel.

It's official?

Yes!

Oh, my goodness!

Mar, I'm scared. We can't say anything until after the first trimester and I start showing. . . . We're about to go hunting again.

Marlene's smile faded, and she crossed the room.

"This time won't be like before, but it's your news to tell, not mine."

Damali hugged Marlene hard and spoke against her neck. "Pray for us, Mar. I promised my husband this one would hold-but I have to keep working up to the end, can't stop doing what we have to do."

Marlene held Damali back and stroked her locks away from her face. "You might not see the angels working, but you have to know they're there." She kissed Damali's forehead. "You'remy child, baby. I've been your mother-seer for how long . . . all these many years, and I have never been so sure about anything in my life."

"Really, Mar?" Damali whispered. "Because even though they told me not to worry, I-"

"Shush, shush . . . words become thoughts, and thoughts become things. We're not even gonna speak no negativity out into the universe about what could possibly go wrong. We're going to stay, mentally, in the Light," Marlene chided. "What's more, when it gets too serious, if they tell you to put your feet up, then that's what you're going to do . . . evil's been around for how long? Since the dawn of time," Marlene added, answering her own question. "So, if one sister needs to take a little time off, hey, it'll still be there when you get back on your feet." She hugged Damali tightly. "Don't let 'em steal all your joy, baby. If you let them do that, then they've won before the battle has even begun."

"Okay, I'm going to try to remember that." Damali kissed Marlene's cheek. "Thank you, Mar, for being my mother-seer and my earth mom."

Marlene cradled Damali's face between her palms. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Just don't start treating me differently in front of the team," Damali said with a soft smile.

"Huh . . . you better tell that to your husband," Marlene said, beginning to laugh. "I knew something was wrong when he came out of that fold-away bringing you home, holding you by your elbow and asking if you were all right.Puhlease."

"He's going to be a hot mess,' Damali said, laughing quietly with Marlene.

"Carlos Rivera ain't got that much black box or silver lining in his head to hold that info. Brother's got that deer-in-the-headlights look happening," Marlene said, shaking her head. "Big giveaway. 'But I'ma let D explain the mission,' and then held his breath like he wasn't sure how much of whatever you were going to disclose. Iknew something was up."

"Yeah, something is up all right," Rider said, sauntering into the kitchen, giving Damali and Marlene a start. "I hope you ladies have finished laughing about the antics of Miss Ayana, aka Yaya, because there's a serious PG-13 problem in the house . . . more like a triple X, no one under twenty-one admitted, not even with an adult. You have no idea how dicey it was in here, D."

Both Marlene and Damali relaxed, once they were sure that Rider was prattling on about Ayana. Suddenly, Marlene's eyes widened and she stared at Damali.

What if the baby picks up on it and blurts it out?

Oh, my goodness!

"Yeah," Rider said, vindicated. He folded his arms over his chest. "Not so funny now, when you think about it, huh? It's not just a privacy issue, but a security-breach issue. I love the little darlin', but if we all have mission-sensitive information in our heads, and she can just go flitting around the house unlocking people's deepest thoughts, then one day when her nana has her out at a store, or whatever, what happens then if a daywalker or general-purpose demon goes trolling inside that three-year-old's head?"

The potential ramifications made both Damali and Marlene pace.

"So, I don't know what the protocols are, or even how you might want to silver shield the kid's head-if she's going to be living with us . . . and I know Marlene probably feels some type of way about stunting the natural abilities of a child-but until she learns what is appropriate and not, I for one am having a hard time with this." Rider dragged his fingers through his dark blond hair. "I don't even know the right answer, but you all didn't have to do the two-step and ole soft shoe routine this morning when she broke in mentally on her mom and Mike."

Damali cupped her hand over her mouth and Marlene fought not to laugh, despite the serious nature of the problem.

Marlene nodded and spoke in a flat tone, but her eyes sparkled with merriment. "Yeah, uh, she thought her mommy was hurt and Daddy Mike was calling Jesus for help."

"Oh . . . no . . ." Damali said, bending over with her hands covering her face.

"Yeah," Ridersaid, his tone peevish. "That about sums it up. So, you might want to tell Rivera that if he's gonna go all-out in here one of these ye old nights, that you've got a seeing kid in the house and he might wanna damp down the thunder and lightning!"

"You all are never gonna let us live down thatone time things got out of hand at the motel-jeez, Rider!" Damali was laughing and walking in circles. "I have to talk to my girl, Inez." She stopped by the sink and the mirth slowly dissipated. "Bigger problem is the security issue you brought up, Rider. I hear you.Houston , we've definitely got a problem."

"You're all right," Valkyrie gasped as she came out of Carlos's transport jettison.

She hurried up the hillside to where Yonnie stood and it took a great deal of restraint on his part not to go to her.

"Yeah, I'm good," he said, his gaze raking her.

The Guardians had given her some clothes. She wore a turquoise-blue halter top without a bra to make space for her wings, a pair of white capri pants that showed off her lovely, athletic calves, and Viking sandals. It was an eclectic mix and he loved it. Her long platinum locks were pulled up high in a blue elastic band, and her face was exquisite in the sun. He could feel the excitement brimming just under her skin: relief, desire, and curiosity an intoxicating mix in her bloodstream. Yet, she was holding herself back, seeming a little afraid of something-most likely him. That was a wise thing.

"I also heard your squad took a lot of heat . . . had a serious firefight inHarlem . I'm sorry you had to go through that. Glad you're okay."

His words were coming out in halts and jags. Everything he wanted to say was bottled up inside, and he spoke to her formally, like someone he didn't know.

"Are they watching you now?" she whispered, glancing around. It was clear that she felt the distance he projected, too.

He shook his head. "I'm just trying to honor my word to Rivera. You're like his sister, family-and he told me to keep my hands to myself." Yonnie put his hands behind his back and let his breath out hard. "You're really beautiful, Val . . . never met anybody quite like you. And I don't want to hurt you or mess over you, you understand?"

"The male Neteru thinks of me as a blood relative?" Val placed her hand over her heart. "He actually challenged you to be honorable . . . and because you are that, and you are his friend, you will not dishonor me." She looked up at him and stepped closer. "But you make me afraid, and that is something as a warrior that I am not proud of, but it is my truth."

Yonnie stiffened. "Why do I make you afraid?"

"It is not because of what you have done, or the dangerous mission you undertake for the sake of the Light . . . but I am afraid that I could dishonor the Neteru."

He tilted his head to the side and stared at her hard. "You're not playing both sides against the middle, are you? Because let me be clear, Rivera's my boy, and if it's anything shady, I'm not down with all of that no matter how fine you are."

"Oh, no, no," she said, holding up her hands. "You misunderstand my meaning. I am not in league with those hybrids that betrayed the Light, Cain loyalists that allowed Lilith's demon legion beyond our realm. Heaven forbid!"

"Then . . . I don't-"

Her sudden kiss stopped his words and his hands sought her hair, at first gently, then more aggressively. Her mouth opened to accept his tongue and the fragrant hint of pineapple and mint from toothpaste rolled over his palate. She smelled like rosewater lotion and chamomile soap. But her skin was like smooth, dark chocolate melting under his touch as though he were her personal sun. He swallowed her groan and filled her mouth with his.

She broke the kiss breathless, her eyes heavy-lidded and filled with desire. "I don't trust my willpower around you, Yolando . . . and it is shameless. That is what frightens me. I have just met you and the Neteru has admonished the wrong one. He should have challenged me, not you. I feel things I haven't ever-"

His kiss swallowed her words as his palms trailed down her back, sending pleasure through her spinal fluid until she arched. He palmed her bottom and slowly lifted her up his body, wanting so badly to dissolve her clothing that he had to turn his head away from their kiss.

The heat of her body alone was cresting fangs in his mouth. He hugged her, trying not to move against her, frustrating them more. But then she kissed his neck . . . the side that was the original site of his turn bite. He kept his eyes closed, sure that they had gone to a deep crimson glow. Vampire instinct was on autopilot. The sound of the blood rushing through her veins blotted out everything else. The scent of adrenaline in her perspiration and of wet, willing female made him wanna holler. He could literally feel her heart thudding against his chest, she held him so tightly. He raked her mind, opening pleasure centers as he found her mouth again. This time she threw her head back and wailed.

It happened so fast that her hair was in his fist, her jugular exposed, his pelvis welded to hers. She thrashed and rubbed herself against his length and he tore his gaze away from her exposed throat and settled on suckling her breasts instead.

He'd promised not to bite her, made a bond to Rivera inDananu . He lifted her halter top, allowing her agonized breasts to finally bounce free. His tongue immediately began to lave her sensitive skin, and every lick drew spasmodic, jerking motions from her hips as he attended her tight, dark nipples.

She had handfuls of Afro between her graceful fingers; he had both thick lobes of her backside palmed in each hand. She was so close to an orgasm that it took everything he knew not to just FX mist her into a bed, and be done with the torturous ordeal. Instead, he blew in her ear, let her feel it in her mind, then let it slowly implode between her legs, his kiss a sound barrier as she let go.

He pressed her to him as she came out of the daze; he was so hard that he had tears in his eyes. Her hand slid between their bodies to touch him. He winced.

"Don't," he breathed out. "I ain't got that much self-control, at the moment."

"But, you're in agony," she whispered, her hand cupping his cheek. "You're body is cold . . . you're shivering . . . I can't even feel your pulse."

He let her go, immediately hit with reality. "I'll be all right. All the blood just rushed to one place. I just have to walk it off."

"I cannot understand how you . . . the way you make me feel when I'm in your arms." She fixed her halter top, then hugged herself, and looked at him wide-eyed.

He came to her, checked his watch, and kissed her quickly. "Rivera said ten minutes, and the brother is being real peaceful, because this has been more like fifteen."

"Are you coming on this mission with us?"

He hesitated, knowing he wasn't supposed to know where they were going, but he did. He'd been all up inside her head. "Not this time. But if you get jammed up, you send me a mental SOS, and I'll be there for you, girl." He walked back and forth for a moment and then stopped. "Damn, I can't believe I got all caught up and forgot to tell Rivera this." Yonnie let his breath out hard. "You and the teambe careful what you eat right through here. Pray over every meal and look for signs of white arsenic if you don't feel right-I can't go into it, but trust me.All right? If it gets real bad, call me, and I'll be there."

"I will inform the Neterus . . . but you can do fold-away movement like they can?"

"More on the black tornado, mist-vapor, tip, but I get around. Call me, if you need me . . . or . . . if you want me." He stared at her, knowing he shouldn't have put that last part out there, but he couldn't help it. The sadness in her eyes made him trace the edge of her jaw with his thumb. "Be valiant, be victorious . . . my Valkyrie. If you're who came for soldiers at the end when they didn't make it, then I understand why those men weren't afraid to die."