For the third time, Casey Rowan cleared her throat and rapped her knuckles against one of the metal chairs placed around the square table.
For the third time, Darlene Coopersmith ignored the Wer-tarantula. She licked her finger and turned the page in the book she read, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
Casey groaned. “Seriously?”
Darlene lifted her gaze from the page and met Casey’s too-large brown eyes ringed with dark eyeliner. “You’re very rude. Can’t I enjoy a little time to myself?”
“We need to talk.”
Darlene sighed. “Fuck balls.”
She retrieved the long strip of paper that acted as her bookmark, placed it against the current page, and closed the novel. She set it beside her empty food tray and gestured to the chair Casey stood behind.
The Wer-tarantula glanced around the empty cafeteria before she sat. She folded her hands and leaned forward. “Are you doing the mission?”
Darlene snorted. “That’s a stupid question.”
“Do you realize how dangerous it is?”
“It never crossed my mind, you know? It’s not like I just sat through an hour and a half presentation on the ins and outs and background of that fucking compound and the dicks that run it. Besides, all the missions I’ve done have been dangerous. What makes this one so different?”
“The Alphas...You don’t understand—”
“My comprehension skills work fine, thank you.”
“I’m not saying they don’t. The Alphas—Mere words can’t convey how horrible they are. I don’t want—They could hurt you...”
Darlene scowled.
Casey’s reservations didn’t surprise her. Since Darlene had performed missions at the beginning of October, the Wer-tarantula had opposed almost every one.
At first, Darlene had believed Casey thought she hadn’t trained long enough. She’d only done six weeks of training instead of the usual eight, but Darlene had crammed every day with as much as Benjamin Weber, her instructor, had been willing to teach her. He’d declared her more than ready.
Questioning Casey had led Darlene to think Casey wanted to keep Darlene safe for the sake of Darlene’s deceased sister’s memory. Yet, if that were true, Casey would have already played the one card sure to sway Darlene away from doing missions.
Could the Wer-tarantula’s concern for Darlene’s wellbeing be an act? But if so, why? Of anyone, Casey should encourage Darlene.
Five months ago, Casey and Balla Blark, the second-in-command at Uprising, had approached Darlene with an offer: if she rose through the ranks to Lisa Bani’s most trusted group of Wers and gathered information to discredit Uprising’s leader, they’d promised she’d get revenge for her family’s deaths.
Casey and Balla had warned Darlene the task would come with risks, but she’d been the only one to do the job. Balla had guessed Lisa would do anything to smooth the feathers she’d ruffled over the summer when she’d used Darlene and her family as bait, attempting to capture a handful of Hunters.
“Do you want me to accomplish our...chief goal?”
Casey shook her head but wouldn’t meet Darlene’s eye. “I do, but not at this cost.”
“What did you think would happen when you convinced me to do this?”
“I just—It doesn’t feel right. This is a suicide mission.”
“Yes, and it’ll be my—” Darlene counted on her fingers. “Seventh over the last three months. Quite a record, from what I’ve been told.”
Casey’s nose crinkled. “How can you find any humor in this?”
“Must be my superpower.”
The Wer-tarantula rubbed her face. “Darlene—”
“Who would do it, if not me? Who can do it?”
Casey shrugged.
“What is the likelihood Lisa will let me into her stupid club after this?”
“If you’re successful, you’re in.”
“Then that settles it.”
“But—”
Darlene shoved her tray toward Casey and stood. “You may have turned chicken shit, but I haven’t. I—I need to do this.”
Without the goal of making the Hunters and Lisa pay, Darlene had no purpose. While she didn’t disagree with Uprising’s agenda of empowering Wers and bringing them together, she had no interest in helping. Activism had never concerned her.
Sometimes she wished she could return to her previous life, where her biggest concern had been keeping a job. But Darlene had no home or money. Also, through her actions over the months, she’d made herself a huge target the Hunters would kill to obtain, and had destroyed her anonymity.
“Darlene, I—”
“This is happening.”
Darlene grabbed her book and left the cafeteria. She should rest before the mission, but she had one last task to accomplish before she could, though she’d give almost anything to avoid what she had to do next. Her upcoming mission didn’t fill her with as much dread as what awaited her down the hallway.
She wrangled her apprehension and marched to the lounge room at the end of the hall. Like many of the rooms in the school-turned-Uprising-headquarters, the lounge had no door. When Darlene had asked, Lisa had given a half-baked excuse about the building being safer with fewer doors.
Inside the converted classroom, two adult men, Jayce Wheddon and Skylar Lunor, and a five-year-old girl, Alicia Monroe, sat at the folding table in the far right corner. Each held a series of cards, and a handful of chocolate coins rested within each person’s reach. In the center of the table, the players had constructed an immense pile of coins.
Alicia shifted in her seat as she eyed Jayce and Skylar. Then her large lips, one of the many features she’d inherited from her father, split into a smile. She displayed her hand.
“Five of a kind.” Alicia laughed at the men’s baffled expressions. “I win.” She bent forward, wrapped her arms around the coin pile, and pulled it toward herself.
Jayce and Skylar exchanged glances.
“You duped us,” Skylar said. His German accent clipped the end of his words.
Jayce’s blue-speckled brown eyes darted to Darlene. He nodded at her, and she approached the table. “I think someone’s taught you a thing or two.”
Darlene stopped beside Alicia and ruffled the kid’s tangled, glossy brown hair. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never touched a pack of cards in my life. For all I know, you’re playing Go Fish.” She pointed at Jayce and Skylar. “Regardless of what you’re playing, though, you two suck ass.”
Skylar shook his head. “You play differently when you’re being hustled.”
Darlene knocked her hip into Alicia, and the kid giggled. “I think you’ve hurt their feelings. Maybe you should share some of your winnings with them.”
Alicia pursed her lips as her gaze drifted to the giant chocolate pile. “Nah!”
Darlene shrugged. “Well, I tried,” she told Jayce and Skylar. “You’ll do better next time.”
Skylar made a face at Alicia. “You bet we will.”
Alicia stuck her tongue out at him, and the guys burst into laughter. The kid smirked and sat back in her chair; her smug expression a perfect mimic of how Darlene knew she looked from time to time.
Darlene pointed at the chocolate coins until, with muttered words, Alicia pushed a few toward her. “Spoiled brat.”
Alicia’s grin widened. “You love me.”
“Some days.”
Jayce gathered the multiple decks of cards. He looked at Skylar and then at Alicia. “Another game?”
Skylar snorted so hard his glasses fell down his crooked, elongated nose. “Not today.”
Alicia popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth. “I’m good.”
Jayce pointed at Darlene. “You?” His small lips twitched. “I could show you a thing or two.”
Darlene’s humor sobered. “I can’t right now.”
“How’d the meeting go?” Jayce asked.
Alicia stopped mid-unwrapping of a coin and eyed Darlene.
After a long, tense moment, Darlene couldn’t hold the stare and dropped her gaze to the table.
Alicia yelled and threw the coin she held at Darlene. It hit Darlene at the base of her throat.
“Hey! Was that really called for?”
Alicia’s cocoa brown eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “You promised.”
Darlene winced.
The kid was right. After missing both Christmas and New Year’s Day, Darlene had vowed, on a stack of Bibles and her own life, that she wouldn’t do another mission for weeks. She’d meant it then. Nothing major had been planned, and Darlene had long ago graduated from doing supply runs and most Pitch Missions. To garner good faith from Alicia, Darlene had even created an extensive list of all the activities she wanted them to do together.
But then the Wer-hyena Matriarchs from Colorado had demanded Uprising’s aid in retrieving one of their captured members, and Darlene couldn’t pass up the opportunity. What she could accomplish if this mission went well was worth Alicia’s wrath.
Though Darlene wondered if she could endure the crushing guilt.
Alicia had come far since her early days at Uprising. While the only child, she didn’t want for companionship. Many Uprising members treated her like family. Some had spoiled her so rotten, Darlene was surprised she could handle the kid’s attitude.
Of everyone who Alicia cared for, no one topped Darlene. Darlene didn’t know what she’d done to make the kid want to shadow her, but sometimes she wished she could go back in time and change it.
Not that she minded mattering so much to Alicia. After losing almost everyone important to her, Darlene enjoyed having someone who she loved and who loved her. Yet, it made her goal of avenging her family harder to achieve. Every inch gained toward toppling the Hunters and Lisa forced Darlene a little farther from Alicia.
Over the past couple of months, Darlene realized she was the wrong person to be Alicia’s guardian. Someone like Lynn Mille, a Wer-leopard who often worked in the cafeteria and only left headquarters when needed, would have been a better fit. Lynn had the patience and know-how to raise a child, and the Wer-leopard was Alicia’s second favorite person at Uprising. More than once Darlene had wanted to approach the topic with Lynn, but each time her selfishness had overridden her nerve, and she’d kept quiet.
Now, as Darlene watched Alicia’s eyes turn red with tears she wouldn’t shed, a serious urge to talk to Lynn once she got back from her mission consumed her. Darlene had gone too long without hurting Alicia. The kid deserved better.
Darlene reached for Alicia. “I’m sorry. This just came up. I knew nothing about—”
Alicia slapped at Darlene’s hands. “You promised!”
“I know, and I can’t stress how—”
Alicia let out a horrifying shriek and bolted from her chair. Her jerky movements scattered the chocolate coins, and some fell to the floor. She ran from the room with her hands covering her face. Her sobs echoed loud enough for the entire building to hear.
Darlene looked at Jayce and Skylar. “Can one of you go after her? Calm her down? I would, but...I’d just make it worse.”
Skylar readjusted his glasses and stood. “I’ll go. Where would she head to when she’s upset?”
“The women’s showers.”
Skylar quirked a thick eyebrow, but didn’t comment. He told Darlene and Jayce goodbye and jogged after Alicia. Despite his stocky build and short legs, the man moved fast when he chose to, and Darlene knew he’d get to Alicia quickly. The kid had never done nothing to harm herself when she got upset, but Darlene was still worried about an accident.
After Skylar left, Darlene sagged against the table. Tears of her own threatened to fall. She shouldn’t have told Alicia about the mission until she’d completed it and returned to the base. The kid would have been furious Darlene had gone on it and hadn’t told her, but in that case, Alicia couldn’t sit around and dread whether Darlene would come back alive.
Darlene rubbed her eyes. She didn’t have time to cry. She needed to finish preparing for the upcoming mission, though resting was out of the question now. But even before she’d spoken with Alicia, Darlene had known she wouldn’t get any sleep. She never did.
Jayce watched her with a curious, slightly amused expression.
Darlene frowned. He should have left with Skylar. The last thing she wanted to deal with was him right now.
She considered fleeing, but Jayce would follow. If he didn’t, and she hid for a while to compose herself, he’d find her. The man had the uncanny ability to locate her wherever she went.
It irritated her she no longer could disappear from the world, yet she couldn’t help but be intrigued, and a little turned on, by the man’s skill. They’d known each other for only four months, and he had her pegged. Walker Richards, Darlene’s best friend, had been in her life for over nine years and he’d never once discovered her when she’d gone into hiding.
Darlene sighed. “What?”
Jayce shuffled the cards he held. “I was just wondering why you were doing this mission, that’s all.”
“It’s the right thing to do.”
“I think there’s an ulterior motive.”
Darlene’s heart skipped a beat. He couldn’t know about her revenge plan. Only a handful of Uprising members were in the loop, and Jayce wasn’t one of them.
Despite her growing feelings for him, Darlene would never tell him. He didn’t worship the ground Lisa walked on like some members, but Jayce had sacrificed a lot for Uprising and wouldn’t appreciate her efforts to destroy Lisa’s reign.
So, what did Jayce go on about? Why else would she want to do a crazy mission that might very well end in her death? What had happened that would make her—
Oh.
Warmth pooled in Darlene’s cheeks. She busied herself with picking up the fallen chocolate coins to keep him from seeing her blush.
“Ulterior motive?” she asked once under the table.
Darlene gathered the three coins by Alicia’s chair and then turned to get the ones behind her, and almost head-butted Jayce’s thin face. She jumped back; sent the chocolate coins in her hands flying. One landed on top of Jayce’s scarred fingers; fingers Darlene liked on her skin more than she should have.
“Holy fuck-nuts! What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“What? You didn’t want to talk here?”
Darlene shook her head. “You’re such an ass-hat.”
Jayce chuckled for a second and then quieted. A troubled look contorted his open features, and he pulled at his bottom lip. He held Darlene’s gaze as he asked, “Have you been avoiding me?”
“Why—What makes you think that?”
“This is the first time we’ve been alone in weeks, and you’re taking up more missions than usual.”
Darlene returned to gathering the discarded chocolate coins. “Stuff has just happened. You know how it is around here. One minute you’re bored out of your mind, and the next you have so much shit to do you want to tear your hair out.”
Jayce grabbed her forearms; halted her progress.
She struggled, more a pretense than with any desire to break his hold. They both knew if she put in any genuine effort, he couldn’t restrain her. Yes, they had the same training, but Darlene had excelled at fighting, so much so Benjamin had stressed how she needed to control herself, needed to think with a clear head.
Plus, if Jayce proved to have the upper hand, Darlene could always cheat and Change into her Wer form.
He brought her close, so close their mouths almost touched. “Do you regret us kissing?”
Darlene should have told him yes and ended her current dilemma. She didn’t need another distraction. She already had her hands full with Alicia. To add Jayce would be torture.
She couldn’t utter the word, though. Of all the men Darlene had dated, none had kissed her like Jayce had last month when they’d been on night watch duty together. She’d never felt weak-kneed after locking lips, nor had one brief kiss ever made her want to jump someone’s bones.
If Darlene believed in silly romantic notations (like Walker), she would have sworn she’d fallen head over heels.
Darlene pulled back from Jayce. “It wouldn’t be wise for us to pursue anything.”
“That’s not an answer to my question.”
Darlene fought the urge to lie.
Jayce wouldn’t stop until he got the truth. No matter how much she ranted, raved, or bitched, he would keep on the issue until she relented. His determination more than frustrated her, yet her respect for him grew each time he refused to back down. No one had ever challenged her as he did, and those that had attempted hadn’t lasted long.
“No, I don’t.”
“So, why shouldn’t we see where our relationship can go?”
Mostly, Darlene knew she couldn’t further her romantic feelings for Jayce because of her primary goal. But even if she didn’t have that to worry about, she wouldn’t have wanted to test the waters with him. She’d dated her previous boyfriend because she’d wanted a distraction from the depression her mother had caused. She couldn’t deny she’d hung around Jayce for a similar reason.
On September second, her mother’s birthday, Darlene had suffered her worst bout of depression since her family’s deaths. She hadn’t started her training yet, wasn’t sure she wanted to go along with Balla’s crazed plan, and she’d been far from the social butterfly she would soon force herself to become.
Without a distraction, Darlene had turned on Alicia.
She couldn’t remember what they’d fought about, but it’d been so bad Alicia had told Darlene she hated her. Afterward, Darlene had gone to the cemetery on Uprising’s grounds, where she’d stood in front of her sister’s grave and considered suicide.
She’d never had thoughts about taking her life before, not even after Uprising had buried Mariah. Before September, Darlene hadn’t believed she’d reach a point in her existence when she wanted to give up permanently. Suicide had always seemed like a cowardly move.
