Agent Johnson Page 4

  “I don’t know,” Gina answered honestly. “We will know more once they’re back.”

  “Okay,” Maggie responded and sat the kettle on the stove. As the water heated, she busied herself with getting her and Gina a mug from the cabinet, and the tea bags from the cupboard.

  “Are you okay?” Gina asked when Maggie stopped moving and stood stock still for a moment.

  “Yes,” she answered. “Just trying to not be scared.”

  “It’s okay to be scared. I’m scared for them every time they walk out and I’m not with them.”

  “Is one of the agents your lifemate?” Maggie asked, starting to understand the bond they have.

  “No, but they’re all my family,” Gina answered, her mind jumping to Baxter for a second before she pushed thoughts of him aside. “Unlike Nevaeh, I don’t have Amazonian blood, but I do have Native American blood and, like me, my mother and grandmother were both Huntresses. It’s the life I was born into. It’s the life I love.”

  “How do you work with the vampire you’ve always hunted?”

  “Working with these vampire is easy. They’re good vampire, and would never harm a human. Karma started training with us when she was fifteen, and though she never officially joined us, she’s one of our sisters.”

  “They’re all so intense,” Maggie stated as the kettle started whistling. “It’ll take time for me to get used to being around them. I’m not sure I will be around long enough to truly adapt to being around vampire and not feeling scared.”

  “I think you’ll be around longer than you think,” Gina commented.

  “I have a life, a family, in Miami,” Maggie said as she poured water over the tea bags in their mugs.

  “And I have a daughter back at the Huntress compound, yet here I am,” Gina informed her.

  “How old is she?”

  “She’s seven,” Gina replied and smiled a little at the thought of her daughter. “She reminds me a lot of Karma with her kick-ass attitude and sarcastic personality. She’ll make a great huntress someday, if that’s what she chooses to be.”

  “How can you be away from her?”

  “I know that what I’m doing will make the world a safer place for her to live, and hunt, in,” Gina told her. “I know while I’m away she is taken care of, and I know when I get home, we will have fun together. She’s my world, and I will do anything I can to keep her safe.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Zora,” Gina answered then paused. “They’re back. We’ll talk more later.”

  Setting her mug on the counter, Maggie walked from the kitchen just as the front door opened and Karma walked in.

  “Is everyone okay?” Gina asked from behind Maggie.

  “We lost an agent,” Johnson responded as he locked eyes with Maggie.

  She could see the sadness in his eyes and wanted nothing more than to hold him close.

  “Are you okay?” Maggie asked softly.

  “Yeah,” he responded as everything inside him righted at the sound of her voice. “Just exhausted.”

  “We all are,” Baxter responded. “Let’s get some sleep and we will regroup in the morning to search both the show grounds and the address Jackson left for us.”

  “Sounds good,” Johnson responded and grabbed Maggie’s hand.

  Without another word he led her up the stairs and straight into the bedroom she was using.

  “Will you let me hold you again?” He asked once the door was closed behind them.

  “Yes,” she responded quietly. “I would love for you to hold me.”

  “Thank you,” he said as he turned down the covers once more.

  “You’re welcome,” she responded and crawled into bed.

  When he crawled in beside her and wrapped his arms around her loosely, she snuggled close and laid her head on his chest.

  “Goodnight, Maggie,” he said and nuzzled her hair before kissing the top of her head.

  “Goodnight, Leland,” she responded, sleep filling her voice. “Sweet dreams.”

  “With you in my arms, they could be nothing less,” he breathed out too softly for her to hear, before he let sleep overtake him.

  Chapter Seven

  “No, get away from me!” Maggie cried out, nearly silently, as images of the vampire who held her captive started to stream through her mind while she slept.

  “Maggie,” Johnson said and held her closer. “You’re safe, Maggie. You’re dreaming. Wake up, beautiful.”

  “Don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me!” She cried out, and he did the only thing he could think of to wake her up.

  Shifting, he rolled her so his lips could latch on hers and he kissed her gently.

  The kiss, having the desired effect, woke her from her dreams, but also ignited him in a way he’d never imagined was possible.

  Fighting the urge to take what his body desired, he pulled his lips from hers and looked into her eyes.

  “Are you okay?” He asked, shifting away from her a little.

  “It was just a dream,” she breathed out in relief. “I was back in that cage and vampire were there trying to touch me, to taste me.”

  “No one will ever hurt you like that again,” he told her. “I’ll kill them if they try.”

  “The kiss wasn’t part of the dream,” she commented, then laid her hand over her lips and closed her eyes. “You kissed me.”

  “I’m sorry,” he apologized and went to move away from her.

  “No,” she responded and moved closer to him.

  “Kissing you was the only way I could think of to wake you,” he said and laid a hand on her cheek. “You weren’t screaming, but the sheer terror in your voice told me I needed to wake you quickly but gently.”

  “I was so scared,” she admitted.

  “Maggie, I promise you that no one will ever hurt you like that again.”

  “How can you promise that?” She asked and moved away from him so she could look at him. “Once I’m back in Miami, you’ll be travelling everywhere with the VEB and won’t be there.”

  “I’ll make sure you’re safe before I leave you anywhere.”

  “Why?” She asked and completely moved from his side to sit up and look at him. At some point during the night he’d taken off his usual black t-shirt, and was just wearing his jeans. His chest and abs were firm and looked as though they’d been chiseled from milk chocolate. For a fleeting moment, she lost her train of thought and let visions of licking every inch of him fill her mind.

  “Keep looking at me like that and I’ll show you rather than tell you why,” he nearly growled out and her eyes snapped from his chest to his eyes.

  Her cheeks flushed and she turned away from the heat in his gaze.

  “Why would you go out of your way to protect me? I’m just a human you rescued from evil vampire.”

  “You are more than that,” he admitted to them both. “I can’t explain it, and don’t really have time to evaluate it yet, but you are more than just someone I’ve saved.”

  “The Huntresses seem to think I’m your lifemate.”

  “They’re probably right,” he admitted and looked at his watch. “It isn’t something I can focus on right now though.”

  “What time do you have to meet everyone?” She asked, hating that he had to go.

  “Half an hour, and I need to feed first.”

  “Be safe,” she said and stood from the bed.

  “Maggie,” he said and moved in front of her so fast she bumped into him. “I will come back to you and we will finish this conversation.”

  “Okay,” she said softly and looked up to meet his eyes.

  When he lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers, she sighed softly.

  “I promise you, I will come back to finish this conversation,” he told her again before he kissed her once more.

  “I’ll be right here when you get back,” she told him.

  He nodded and left the room before he couldn’t. He knew if he kissed her again, he’d take it further and neither of them were ready for that before they talked.

  ****

  “Ready?” Baxter asked after Martin relayed they were in place.

  “As I’ll ever be,” Johnson responded and glanced around from the edge of the woods they were in. They went in at the place Karma had suggested, and only ran into one set of guards before reaching this point.

  “After Karma’s recon mission last night, they may have moved whatever, or whoever, was here,” Harrison said almost silently.

  “Maybe, but we still have to find out,” Nevaeh reminded him. “Jackson could still be in there, and we have to find him no matter what.”

  “Okay,” Johnson said and looked at the team he was with. He trusted them all with his life, and that’s exactly what he needed in this situation. He promised Maggie he’d come back to her, and he would do everything in his power to keep that promise. “Let’s move out. I’ll take Nevaeh and a team and go around to the left side of the compound. Baxter will go with Harrison to the right. Ready?”

  “Let’s do this,” Baxter said and thought about Gina for a second before focusing on what he was doing. “Watch each other’s backs.”

  “Always,” Nevaeh said and blew a kiss to Harrison before she turned and disappeared into the trees to the left.

  “She’s gonna be the death of me,” Harrison muttered and nodded to Johnson. “Keep her safe.”

  “You have my word,” Johnson promised. His thoughts flashed briefly to Maggie again before he followed Nevaeh into the trees she disappeared into, his team right on his heels.

  “She’s safe, you know?” Nevaeh asked when he stopped beside her a moment later.

  “I know,” he responded, not even questioning what she said. He knew the Huntresse
s with Maggie would die before they let her be harmed in any way.

  “Focus on the task at hand or you won’t be,” she added, and he snapped his eyes to her for a second before he nodded.

  “Let’s go,” he said to the team and they flew from the tree line at top speed.

  “On your left,” Nevaeh called out, and Johnson snapped his head to the left just as a horde of new vampire erupted from a building.

  “Fuck,” he said quietly as the vampire closed in on them. “It’s a fucking trap.”

  “Fight or die,” Nevaeh said and pulled her scimitar out. “And I’m not ready to die.”

  “Neither am I.” Johnson said and readied for a battle they had to win.

  “Good,” Nevaeh responded and grinned. “I hope Karma is having this much fun.”

  Johnson just shook his head and steadied himself. Within seconds the vampire were on them.

  “Just cause I’m human,” Nikki yelled out as she shot three with her cross bow before they could get close enough to her to harm her. “Doesn’t mean I can’t kill you bastards.”

  “They always underestimate my Huntresses,” Nevaeh said and grinned at Nikki before taking out two more vampire.

  “Their mistake,” Harrison said from somewhere behind the horde. “Show ‘em what you can do, Nikki.”

  “My pleasure,” she responded and let a couple more bolts fly from her cross bow.

  “Bitch,” one of the vampire said and shifted toward Nikki. Before he could take two steps in her direction, a dagger flew from behind her and embedded deep into his chest.

  “Thanks,” Nikki said and grinned at an agent she had seen before, but didn’t know his name.

  “Any time, ma’am,” he said and tipped his invisible hat before staking two more vampire who had turned their attention to Nikki.

  “That’s the last of them,” Baxter said as he looked around at the dead vampire. “Everyone okay?”

  “We’re all fine,” Johnson called back.

  “Good,” Baxter called out just as his cell phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he frowned when he saw Watson’s number. She’d only be calling if something was wrong. “Baxter.”

  “Martin was killed,” Watson said as soon as he answered. “Henderson killed him.”

  “Fuck,” Baxter said and looked at the agents around him.

  “The Huntresses here with us found someone who may be able to help find Jackson though. They’re taking him back to the house with Jensen and the others.”

  “Johnson and I will meet them there,” Baxter said and looked at his lead training agent. “I’ll send the rest of the team back to the hotel, and Watson, I want Henderson found.”

  “Not as bad as Karma does, sir,” she replied. “She saw it happen and has vowed to make him suffer.”

  “Good,” Baxter said, and Johnson knew it was really bad news. “We will meet everyone at the hotel in a couple of hours.”

  “Yes, sir,” Watson responded and ended the call.

  “What happened?” Johnson asked.

  “Martin was killed,” Baxter answered and the agents around them stopped moving. “Like here, that was a set-up, too, and Henderson killed Martin during the battle.”

  “Is everyone else okay?” Nevaeh asked, concerned for Karma. She knew Karma had grown to care about Martin.

  “Physically, yeah,” Baxter answered. “Karma is pissed, but they have something else to focus on right now. They found someone at the house, and are taking him back to the safehouse as we speak.”

  “Then what are we still doing here?” Nevaeh asked and took off at a run for the SUV’s parked on the other side of the woods.

  “You heard her,” Baxter said, and they all headed for the SUV’s.

  Once in the SUV Johnson let his mind drift to Martin. The man was like a brother to him. They’d been recruited to the VEB around the same time, and had trained together since the formation of the bureau. Things would not be the same without him.

  Chapter Eight

  “Someone’s here,” Lexie said as she looked out the window of the house. “Maggie, take Caia into your bedroom please, and don’t come out until one of us comes and gets you.”

  “What’s going on?” Maggie asked from the kitchen.

  “There are seven vampire outside,” Lexie responded and Randee walked to another window and peeked out.

  “It’s the Senate,” Randee commented with a grin. “Nevaeh introduced me to Eduardo and Dristen back in Maryland. She said they might show up, but really didn’t know if or when they would.”

  “Are they safe to be around?” Maggie asked as she took a step toward the stairs.

  “They are,” Randee responded. “They’re the ones Karma and Nevaeh work with. They formed the VEB and recruited the leaders.”

  “Okay,” Maggie responded, but walked up a couple of the steps anyway. “I think I’ll just wait in my bedroom though.”

  “Nonsense,” Ashtyn responded and opened the front door.

  “Hello dear,” Constance greeted the Huntress and Maggie froze in place.

  “Hello,” Ashtyn responded and stepped back. “Come in please.”

  “Thank you, dear,” Constance said and smiled.

  “Nevaeh said you might be coming soon,” Randee said and grinned at Eduardo.

  “Nice to see you again,” Eduardo said, and smiled at Randee before looking up and spotted Maggie on the stairs. “And who have we here?”

  “This is Maggie,” Lexie responded. “She was rescued from a warehouse where Crompton was holding humans to be sold as blood slaves. Maggie, this is Eduardo, Aleyn, Dristen, Constance, Langley, Ramsey, and Holbrook. They make up the vampire Senate. They work with the VEB on making and enforcing the vampire laws.

  “That explains the sheer terror on her beautiful face,” Langley commented. “You needn’t be afraid of us, child. We will not harm you.”

  “Forgive me if I don’t believe you,” Maggie responded dryly.

  “No forgiveness necessary,” Ramsey said and smiled at her. “You feel free to be afraid for as long as you want.”

  “Umm..” Maggie started, but was interrupted when the seven vampire turned toward the door.

  “Karma is here,” Aleyn said and Maggie saw his face light up slightly.

  “They have a human with them,” Eduardo said and walked out the door without another word.

  Once they were gone, Maggie took the opportunity to retreat to her bedroom. She didn’t want to know what was going on, and she didn’t feel comfortable around the new vampire who had arrived.

  Sitting on her bed, she thought back to the dream she’d had that morning and shuddered. She’d been back in that cage and vampire were around her. One of them was Morgan, her fiancé, and the look in his eyes terrified her more than anything else had.

  Shuddering again, she laid on the bed and brought the pillow Leland had slept on to her nose and inhaled deeply. She didn’t have a vampire’s sense of smell, but she’d be able to pick out his scent anywhere. A rich, woodsy scent that could only be explained as masculine, and she knew it didn’t come from any kind of cologne. It was him, and she knew that no matter where she went, she’d always remember it.

  Relaxing into his scent, she closed her eyes and drifted.

  When Johnson walked into the room a little while later, after meeting with Jensen and discussing what happened with Martin, his eyes landed on Maggie. He wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed beside her and hold her, but he needed a shower before he touched her. There was no way he was going to mar her with the blood of the evil he’d dealt with earlier.

  Sighing, he opened the small bag he always had with him and pulled out clean jeans and one of his many black t-shirts before he headed to the bathroom down the hall.

  After a quick shower, he headed back into the bedroom. Maggie was still asleep, so he laid beside her and stroked a hand down her long braid.

  “Leland,” she muttered in her sleep and scooted closer to him. When her hand reached out and laid on his chest, he sighed.

  Being beside her is where he always wanted to be, but he knew he’d have to let her return to her life, her family, in Miami if that’s what she wanted to do.

  “Leland,” she muttered again, a little louder this time, and he looked over at her.