Agent Johnson Page 3

  “Well,” Maggie said and walked to the couch on the other side of the room. “I guess we’ll talk about it later then.”

  “Don’t take it too hard,” Lexie said as she sat beside Maggie. “They are all pretty focused on getting Jackson back. We all are. He was taken on the Huntress’ watch, and we won’t truly rest until he’s home.”

  “Who is Jackson?” Maggie asked, wondering why they would all be risking their lives to save one person.

  “Dylan’s brother,” Ashtyn answered.

  “Oh,” Maggie said and watched as Karma and Nevaeh walked from the dining room with their cell phones in their hands. “What’s going on?”

  “Karma found something at the house,” Gina answered as she walked into the room and sat at the table next to Caia. She picked up a deck of cards before she continued speaking. “They think it’s a piece of a horseshoe, so they’re calling the riding stables in the area.”

  “Oh,” Maggie said again as Karma and Nevaeh walked back into the dining room.

  She leaned back into the couch and watched the dining room door for a moment before she closed her eyes and sighed. She was exhausted, but wanted to know exactly what was going on before she got something to eat and went to bed.

  A few minutes later she heard Caia say she knew where that place was, but didn’t know what place they were talking about, so she kept her eyes closed and tried to keep thoughts of Leland out of her head.

  Everything was quiet for a couple of minutes before Karma walked out of the dining room and stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

  “I know that,” she said and looked at them all before turning and starting up the stairs. When she reached the top, she called back down to them. “Next time, I’ll just let you die.”

  “What was that about?” Maggie asked, fear tearing through her at Karma’s words.

  “Karma has a temper, but she’d never hurt anyone,” Johnson said as he walked out of the dining room. “She’s irritated because Martin said something that’s true, but struck a nerve with her.”

  “Oh,” Maggie said for a third time.

  “I wouldn’t worry too much. Dylan will calm her down once they get the plans for tomorrow morning hashed out,” Johnson assured her. “Let’s get you something to eat while they do that.”

  “Don’t you need to know what’s going on, too?”

  “Baxter will fill me in,” he said and took her hand. “Let’s find you some dinner.”

  “Okay,” she replied and let him gently pull her to her feet.

  She wasn’t sure what was going on with him, but she knew if he kept being like this toward her, she could very easily lose her heart to him.

  Chapter Five

  “Are you going to tell me what happened today?” Maggie asked once they were in the kitchen. She could hear them talking in the dining room, which was connected to the kitchen, but she blocked them out and focused on the man in front of her.

  “We found Crompton’s house and were able to go inside because he’d left and had no intention of returning,” he told her as he started rummaging through the cabinets. “We were just starting to search for anything he could have left when Dylan smelled something. Karma pulled me and him from the room we were in just as something inside exploded. That small explosion set off a series of other small explosions, and Karma was burned pretty bad.”

  “She looked fine when you came in.”

  “She is fine,” he responded. “Now anyway. Her back was completely burned though.”

  “But,” Maggie started then shook her head. “Vampire heal super-fast.”

  “We do,” he replied. “Maggie, none of the vampire who can get inside this house will hurt you.”

  “Vampire have super hearing and eyesight, too,” she muttered and looked over her shoulder.

  “Maggie,” he said again, calmly. “There are seven vampire, a halfling, and a handful of Huntresses in this house that will all give their lives to make sure you’re safe.”

  “But why?” She asked, looking back at him. “I’m just a human you rescued from a warehouse full of other humans.”

  “You’re more than that,” he told her, and she saw something in his eyes he couldn’t explain. “You are so much more than that.”

  “Why?” She asked, thinking back to what the Huntresses had told her earlier.

  “You just are,” he told her. “What would you like to eat?”

  “You can cook?”

  “Yes,” he answered and grinned at her. “Do you like spaghetti? I can make enough of that for all the humans, and it won’t take long.”

  “Sure,” she responded, and he grinned again. “Need any help?”

  “No, you relax and let me take care of you.”

  “Okay,” she said and sat on one of the bar stools facing the stove.

  As he cooked for her and the Huntresses, he questioned her about her life in Miami. He wanted to know everything he could about her and her family before he took her back. Letting her go was going to be the hardest thing he ever did, but he’d do it if it would make her happy.

  “Something smells good,” Gina said as she walked into the room a little while later.

  “Leland is cooking for us,” Maggie told her, and Gina looked at Johnson for a second before grinning a little.

  “A vampire who is sexy and can cook human food? Where have you been all my life?”

  “Hiding so you wouldn’t stake me,” he responded with a chuckle.

  “Good plan,” Nikki said as she walked into the kitchen too. “Is it done? I’m starving.”

  “It’s done,” he said and grinned at the three women looking at him. “I’m going to let you ladies eat while I run to the basement and find some nourishment for myself.”

  “Eww,” Gina said, and chuckled as he walked out of the room.

  “They have a fridge in the basement with what the vampire need to survive,” Nikki explained as she dished up plates of spaghetti for them. “You get used to it.”

  “They really don’t feed from humans?”

  “Not unless absolutely necessary,” Gina answered. “And even then, it’s only from the humans at the donation centers unless it’s an emergency.”

  Before Maggie could respond, the others walked into the room and the conversation shifted to other things. Once they were finished eating, Nikki headed upstairs to settle in for the night, and everyone else pitched in to clean up a little before they called it a night.

  “Karma is gone,” Dylan said when he walked into the kitchen a little while later.

  “Delanie is too,” Nikki told them, walking back into the room. “She was here a little over an hour ago.”

  “Why did no one notice she wasn’t here until now?” Nevaeh asked.

  “She said she was going to bed,” Gina responded. “Said she wanted to be rested for tomorrow.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Dylan said softly. “They went to find Jackson.”

  “How do you know that?” Caia asked.

  “Because he knows Karma,” Baxter answered. “The SUV and both vans are still here.”

  “If she was alone, she’d have gone on foot,” Dylan told them. “With someone else, I have no idea.”

  “Bikes,” Nevaeh said and frowned. “Three houses down, there were two motorcycles for sale in the front yard.”

  “Would she have stolen them?” Maggie asked, not knowing Karma very well.

  “No,” Dylan responded. “But she would have bought them. Nevaeh, go see if the bikes are still there?”

  “I heard a couple of motorcycles leave about an hour ago,” Jensen told them. “I didn’t think anything of it though because I knew none of the bikes were here.”

  “Fuck,” Dylan said again. “I have to go find them.”

  “No need,” Baxter told him. “Listen.”

  Dylan closed his mouth and Maggie heard the sound of motorcycles in the distance. When they stopped in front of the house, Dylan darted to the door, and everyone else followed him
.

  “What’s going on?” Johnson asked as he reached the top of the stairs leading from the basement.

  “Karma and Delanie went to look for Jackson, I think,” Maggie answered him just as the yelling outside started.

  “Where the fuck have you been?” Dylan yelled when his eyes landed on Karma.

  “Recon,” she answered, and Johnson pulled Maggie against his side before stepping outside to see what was going on.

  “Before you lecture me, I know it was dangerous, and reckless, and unacceptable. I also know they have someone or something they don’t want anyone to know about in that place,” Karma added.

  “Reckless? Dangerous? Unacceptable?” Dylan asked, his voice growing with each word. “How about stupid and childish and irresponsible? Or maybe inconsiderate? Did you even stop to think about anyone but yourself when you left here not letting anyone know you were going? Did you stop to think about what could have happened to you, to us, had something happened? No! You wanted to show everyone how tough you are, how sneaky you are.”

  “That isn’t fair,” Karma told him in a much quieter voice than he was using. Johnson could tell his words got to her, but he had to agree with Dylan on this one. He’d be just a furious if Maggie had put herself in harm’s way.

  “Fair? You want to tell me what’s fair?” Dylan asked, shaking his head at her. “You left without telling anyone. You risked not only your life, but Delanie’s, mine, and Jackson’s as well, and you want to tell me what’s not fair?”

  “Dylan,” she said softly.

  “Don’t,” he said and held up his hands when she took a step forward. “Just fucking don’t.”

  “Let’s go inside and talk,” she said, and he shook his head.

  “I have nothing to say to you,” he told her then looked around at everyone gathered behind him before turning back to her. “You went too far this time.”

  “I know that,” she admitted, and he glared at her.

  “That’s something, at least,” he said before he turned away from her. “But it isn’t enough. Not this time.”

  When he took off at full vampire speed, Johnson felt Maggie sag against him. She was shaking like a leaf, and he knew he needed to get her inside and calmed down.

  “Let’s go,” he said and gently picked her up and carried her into the house. He headed straight up the stairs and into her bedroom before he stopped moving.

  “I’m okay,” she said when he sat her on her feet.

  “No, you’re not,” he responded. “And I can’t blame you for not being okay.”

  “What’s going to happen to them?”

  “They’ll figure it out,” he assured her. “Why don’t you get some rest, and we can talk about everything in the morning before we head out to find Jackson?”

  “I don’t think I can sleep,” she admitted.

  “Come here,” he said and opened his arms for her to step into. When she did, he closed his arms around her and held her loosely against him.

  She rested her head on his chest and was surprised by how safe she felt in the arms of this massive vampire.

  “Do you want me to lay with you for a little while until you fall asleep?” He asked. She was scared enough he had zero problems pushing his sexual desires aside.

  “I…” she started and stopped before taking a deep breath. “I think I would like that.”

  “Okay,” he said and released her long enough to pull the sheet down. “You crawl under the covers, and I’ll lay on top of them and hold you.”

  She nodded and did as he said. Once she was inside, he stretched out beside her, and pulled her into his arms.

  “I don’t know why, but I feel safe with you,” she admitted before she yawned.

  “You are safe with me,” he assured her. “I will never hurt you.”

  “I believe you,” she told him before tilting her head and softly kissing his jaw.

  He inhaled deeply at the feel of her soft lips on his skin, but he didn’t act on the flash of intense heat that shot straight to his cock.

  “Get some sleep, Maggie,” he told her and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

  “Thank you, Leland,” she muttered and yawned again.

  “You’re welcome,” he breathed out.

  When her breathing deepened and slowed, he knew she’d fallen asleep and he sighed a little. The feel of her in his arms was doing things to him he’d never thought possible after he was changed. He wasn’t completely sure what it was, but he was sure that he would never be the same again.

  Chapter Six

  “Johnson,” he answered his cell phone nearly silently, not wanting to wake Maggie.

  “We have a situation,” Baxter said and ended the call.

  He knew it was bad for Baxter to have called him in the middle of the night, but he hated to leave Maggie.

  Sliding his arm from around her, he got out of bed and slipped out of the room without waking her. He’d leave a message with the Huntresses in case she woke up before he was back.

  “What’s going on?” He asked when he reached the front door.

  “The hotel where the VEB is staying has been attacked,” Baxter told him.

  “Crompton?”

  “Yes,” Jensen answered. “And he wasn’t alone.”

  “Jackson?” Johnson asked, and Baxter nodded. “Fuck. Karma is going to be furious. Where is she, anyway?”

  “Gone to find Dylan,” Jensen answered. “They’re back though.”

  “Good,” Baxter responded and waited. When they walked through the door, he took a deep breath before he started talking. “We have a problem.”

  “What’s wrong?” Dylan asked, assessing the area around them.

  “Crompton and some of his men showed up at the hotel the VEB are staying at,” Jensen answered.

  “When?” Karma asked, hoping her little trip hadn’t gotten anyone killed.

  “I got the call just before you walked up,” Baxter answered. “Situation is handled, and a few of Crompton’s men are dead, but that’s not the biggest problem.”

  “Tell us,” Dylan said, fearing the worst.

  “Jackson was with them,” Johnson answered. “And he isn’t human any longer.”

  “And, from what the agents told me, he is under Crompton’s control,” Baxter added, and Dylan sank to the floor.

  “We will find Jackson and get him away from Crompton, but right now we need to do clean up and damage control,” Jensen said after a moment passed.

  “We will get him back,” Johnson added when Dylan still didn’t move.

  “Yeah, okay,” Dylan said and rose to his feet. “Let’s go.”

  “I’ll get everyone else,” Johnson said and pulled his phone from his pocket.

  “Just Nevaeh, Harrison, and Delanie,” Jensen said, and Johnson nodded before making the calls quickly. After waking those three, he called Gina quickly.

  “What’s going on?” She asked by way of a greeting.

  “There’s been an incident at the hotel the VEB is staying at. Crompton showed up there, and he wasn’t alone. Jackson was with him, and he’s been turned. We’re about to head out, but I wanted to ask you to keep an eye on Maggie for me.”

  “Of course I will,” she responded. “Is everyone okay at the hotel?”

  “We don’t know yet, but I’ll keep you posted, and thank you,” he said and ended the call before she could say anything else.

  “Everyone ready?” Baxter said when Johnson walked back to him.

  “They’re coming,” he responded, and Baxter nodded.

  “Good, let’s load up.”

  Less than five minutes later, they were headed the few blocks to the hotel.

  Johnson knew he needed to be here helping, but he wanted nothing more than to curl up against Maggie again and sleep.

  “You okay?” Harrison asked from the seat beside him.

  “Yeah,” he lied smoothly. He knew if Karma had been with them, she would have called him out on the lie,
but he couldn’t tell them, any of them, just exactly how torn he was over leaving Maggie and doing his job.

  “You’re not, but I get it,” Harrison said and looked at Nevaeh. “Believe me, I get it.”

  “I know you do,” Johnson responded and glanced at the older vampire. “Let’s focus on what we have to do tonight so we can get back to the house and get some sleep.”

  “Okay,” Harrison said as they pulled into the hotel parking lot.

  “Thanks,” Johnson responded, and Harrison nodded before they got out of the SUV. “Let’s get to work.”

  As they walked into the hotel lobby, Johnson scanned the area and winced at the amount of destruction surrounding them.

  “It’s going to be a long night,” Baxter said from beside him.

  “Yes, it is,” he agreed as Watson walked up to them. “A very long night.”

  ****

  Maggie woke with a start and knew instantly that she was alone in the bedroom. She wasn’t sure when Leland left, but she missed the warmth of his body next to hers.

  Knowing she wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep, she climbed out of bed and headed downstairs.

  Once in the kitchen, she glancesd at the clock on the stove and sighed. It was just shy of one in the morning, and the house was quiet. Almost too quiet considering the noise that was usually filling it.

  “You okay?” Gina asked from the doorway, causing Maggie to jump and squeal a little. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “I guess I’m still jumpy,” Maggie responded. “Where is everyone?”

  “They had to take care of something at the hotel the VEB is staying at. They should be back soon though.”

  “What did they have to take care of?”

  “Johnson will probably kill me for telling you this, but I hate lying,” Gina replied and sighed. “The hotel was attacked by Crompton and some of his vampire. They’re over there doing clean-up and damage control.”

  “Is everyone okay?”

  “We lost an agent,” Gina answered. “A newer agent that I didn’t know, but Johnson had trained him.”

  “What’s going to happen now?” Maggie asked as she pulled a kettle from the cabinet and filled it. She knew she wasn’t going to get any more sleep until Leland was back, so she may as well make some tea.