Nico's Heart (RARE Book 1) Read online

  “I read up on psychic phenomena before Lily was born so I would know what to expect,” Jenna continued. “I didn’t know for sure what Walker had meant, but they had talked about psychic abilities and I didn’t know anything at all about it. I figured I had better be prepared just in case. I found some training techniques that I have been using to help Lily cope with everything, but it’s getting harder and harder to help her. I taught her how to build a wall in her mind to try and control the thoughts of others that bombard her and to try and block anyone from getting in her mind that shouldn’t be in there. She is getting stronger, but she is only six. I don’t know if she is able to actually keep someone out of her thoughts. Obviously I didn’t have anyone to test it with.”

  “Well,” Angel said, “No time like the present to find out. Get me the blanket and wolf that belong to Lily.” As Jenna looked at her in confusion, Nico turned and explained, “Angel is going to try to connect with Lily. She is the strongest of us here. If she actually knows the person it’s easier, but since she’s never met Lily, she needs something of hers to help her connect.”

  “Yes,” Angel said, “but with Lily having abilities of her own, it might be easier to connect with her then I thought it would be. Unless she blocks me out. No matter what happens, though, you need to stay away from me and stay quiet. If you talk to me or touch me, it could break whatever connection we might have.”

  Chapter 8

  Lily slowly woke up at a pushing sensation in her mind. No, she thought. I can’t let anyone in. Mommy told me not to. But as hard as she tried, she just could not maintain the wall that kept everyone out. Lily, she heard a soft voice whisper. It’s ok, honey. I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m here with your mommy and we are trying to find you. Lily sat up in the dark room clutching her knees to her chest and whispered back, You’re with my mommy?

  Yes, honey, I am, the voice whispered. What’s your name? Lily asked. It’s Angel. Lily, do you have any idea where you are? Are you still in Colorado?

  I was on a plane, Lily said. And it’s really cold here now. There’s snow. Lots and lots of snow. I’m scared. I want my mommy. And my blanky. I know, sweetheart, Angel said, and I’m holding your blanky right now. I also have your little wolf.

  His name is Shadow, Lily said. My daddy had a puppy named Shadow. He was all black.

  Really? Angel asked. Lily smiled faintly, Yep. My daddy is coming to get me.

  You better believe he is. He is sitting right here beside me and he’s coming with me to find you, Angel told her. Lily started to cry. Promise?

  Oh yes, I promise, Angel said. I have to go now, sweetheart, but you lay back down and rest. We will be there just as soon as we can.

  No, don’t leave me! Lily screamed. I’m so sorry, Lily, but I can’t help it. We will come for you. I promise. Now, go to sleep. Lily drifted off to sleep at the slight push from Angel dreaming of her daddy and mommy.

  Nico watched Angel come back to them with a start. She looked straight at him and said, “Please tell me you had a black puppy named Shadow.”

  “Yeah, I had him for years. He passed away right before I went into the Marines. Why?” he said. She handed him the wolf, “Meet Shadow, named after Lily’s daddy’s puppy.”

  “Oh my god! You got through? You talked to my Lily?” Jenna cried. “You’re right. She named him Shadow.”

  “I did. She’s ok for now. I got the impression that she’s cold, hungry and scared. She is alone in a dark room with a cement floor, probably a basement. Jaxson, she said that she is in a place that has a lot of snow. She had to fly there. Get online and look for any flight plans out the day Lily was taken and I want to know of any private planes that went somewhere that has a ton of snow. I know they may not always file flight plans, but I’m praying we get lucky. If not, check and see what states just had a bunch of snow dropped and we will go from there. Nico, contact the hangar and tell them to have our plane fueled and ready for takeoff. I want to be wheels up yesterday!” Jaxson grabbed his laptop and got busy as Nico grabbed his cell phone and made the call to the hangar.

  “I want to go,” Chase said. “No, Chase. I’m sorry. I wasn’t kidding when I told you that you had to stay out of it once we took over. I’m sorry, but it could affect the outcome if you go barreling in. Besides, you need to be here for Jenna. She’s going to need someone and I need Nico with me.” It was obvious that pissed Chase off, but there was nothing he could do about it. He just nodded and walked over to the window. It was now just after 9pm and the rain had stopped a long time ago. It was pitch black outside, but RARE worked best in the dark. It was easier to get in and out undetected.

  Nico hung up his phone and turned towards Angel. “The plane will be ready to go in 30.”

  “I got something, boss,” Jaxson hollered as he started packing up his toys and putting them away quickly. “Let’s move out and I’ll tell you on the way.” Nico walked over to Jenna and took the blanket and Shadow from her. He gently cupped her cheek and leaned down to kiss her softly, once on the forehead and then on the lips. “I will bring her home to you, mate. No matter what, I will bring her home.” He gave her a hard hug and turned to follow his teammates out the door.

  Angel walked over to the window where Chase stood. She placed a hand on his arm as she told him, “We will be back soon, Chase. Jenna has my number. Get it from her and text me so I have yours, please.” He looked down at her and nodded. As she turned to walk away, he grabbed her and yanked her back. He buried his head in her neck and breathed in deeply as he growled, “Be safe, my Angel.” Angel’s eyes widened as she inhaled his scent. Holy shit, this couldn’t be happening. Taking one last look at him, Angel turned and ran.

  CHAPTER 9

  “A flight plan was filed by a small private plane on Monday leaving Denver International at noon headed to Sioux Falls, South Dakota,” Jaxson told the team as they sped out of the compound and onto the gravel road that would take them to the highway. “There was a blizzard in Sioux Falls that day that closed down the airport from 7pm on. It is the only private plane that landed there before that time. It has to be it.”

  “How long will it take to get there?” Angel asked. “A normal private plane, approximately 2 ½ hours or so. Our jet cruises at around 460 knots so we should be there in just under an hour,” Jaxson answered. “Make it happen,” Angel told him.

  Nico sat in the passenger seat with a tight hold on Lily’s wolf. She had named him Shadow after her daddy’s puppy. She knew him. I don’t even have a picture of her he thought all of the sudden. But as he closed his eyes, the vision came to him. It was of him pushing Lily on a swing. Her long black hair was flying in the wind, and she was looking back at him laughing. Her little dimples were peeking out on each cheek with her blue eyes shining. She was the perfect image of her beautiful mother. Jenna was sitting under a tree smiling at them. She had a picnic basket beside her and as he watched, she called out to them to come and eat. Nico jerked back to the present with a growl. He was going to have that. He had never had a vision that didn’t happen, so he knew he was going to have that. But he was going to have to fight for it. And he would.

  As they pulled up to the airstrip, they all jumped out of the SUV and ran to the plane that was loaded and ready to go. They quickly got in and tossed their gear down, and Jaxson and Phoenix went up front to pilot the plane. Normally they had pilots that flew all of them, but Angel was in a hurry, and she didn’t trust anyone else with something this sensitive. She planned to get to Sioux Falls, find out where Lily was, extract her and get back to Denver before anyone had a clue they were in the area. Granted they had no clue yet where to look once they got there, but they would.

  “Were you able to find out where the plane is being kept?” she hollered up to Jaxson. “Yeah, it’s in hangar 12,” he yelled.

  “Ok, that’s our first stop. We will see what Rikki can get off of it and go from there. Right now I’m going to check in on Lily.” As the plane coasted down the runway for tak
eoff, Angel leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. Right before she went under she heard Nico demand, “You tell Lily I’m coming for her, Angel. Tell her Daddy will be there soon.”

  Chapter 10

  Angel felt Lily waking up as she slipped into her mind. Lily slowly blinked her eyes open and whispered, You’re back. As Angel started to respond, there was a noise outside the door. Lily froze, and Angel gently stroked her hand through the terrified child’s hair. It’s ok, sweetheart. I’m right here. I promise to stay as long as I can. Lily whimpered as she crowded up against the cold cement wall shaking.

  They could hear voices on the other side of the door, and then it was yanked open. Bright light came into the room and Lily squeezed her eyes shut against the shock and pain. She had been in the dark for so long that the light was blinding.

  The huge man that moved to stand in the middle of the doorway blocked some of the light and allowed Lily to adjust to it easier. Still squinting, she tried to make out the form in front of her, but she could not. Angel said, Calm down, Lily. Try and get a good look at him and anyone else you see. Be strong. We are on our way.

  The man came in and roughly grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out of the dark room and into another much brighter one. As she looked up into his cold dark eyes, one with a scar over the top of it, she felt something warm and wet slide down her legs. Terror gripped her and she screamed. She remembered this man from the plane.

  At the harsh laughter that filled the room, Lily tore her gaze away from the scary man holding her and looked at the other smaller, but no less scary one. “So you finally found Walker’s kid.” The smaller man said.

  “Yes, General,” the other man replied. “She was living in a wolf compound with her mother in Colorado. We stole her right out from under them. Told some stupid bitch we would give her $100,000 in cash to help us and promised her we wouldn’t hurt the girl. Obviously no money was sent and the wolves will find out and kill her themselves.”

  The General smiled cruelly, “Good work. Were you followed? Do they have any idea where we are?”

  “Nope. Last time our informant checked in, they didn’t have a clue. That dumbass Alpha was running in circles. They won’t find us. Hell, most people probably never heard of Hartford, and we are so far out in the boonies that there is no way they can find us,” the man said confidently.

  “Good, that is good,” the General said. “I’m going to head out now. Bring her to me tomorrow night. For now, throw her back in her room, but give her some food. I would hate for her to starve to death before we get her to her new home.” As the General walked away he turned back to the other man, “Oh, and Jasper, do not touch her,” he said as an afterthought.

  Jasper threw Lily back in the room slamming the door shut, and she scampered quickly over to the back wall. Angel sat on the ground beside her, and in her mind she gently pulled Lily onto her lap, cuddling her close and stroking her hair. Lily snuggled closer to her and cried softly.

  He’s really scary, Lily said. He wants to do things to me. He wants to hurt me. Angel held her tighter and said, He won’t get the chance, baby girl. Your Daddy is coming for you. And once we find you, he won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.

  The door opened and Jasper threw a sack at her. “Eat that,” he snarled. As he was leaving Lily whispered, “I want my daddy.” Jasper turned around and laughed at her. “Your daddy? Well that ain’t gonna happen, girly. I killed that son of a bitch myself. Put a bullet right between his eyes. That’s what happens when you cross the General.” With that, he turned around, walked out and slammed the door.

  You lied to me! Lily cried as she scrambled away from the wall. He’s dead! My daddy is dead! As Lily sobbed, Angel gently put her arms around her again in her mind and firmly said, Listen to me. Listen! Lily slowly raised her head, but continued to cry. Your daddy is with me. He is sitting next to me holding Shadow. The man that Jasper killed is not the same man that you know as Daddy. I promise you, Lily.

  Lily sat crying, little hiccups escaping as she tried to get herself under control. She lightly reached out and touched Angel’s mind this time, instead of Angel being inside of hers. As she did, she saw her daddy sitting in a seat holding Shadow as he looked out the window of a plane. There was so much pain and sadness in his gaze. But it was her daddy, she knew it. She knew him. She pulled back out of Angel’s mind and once again moved up against the wall clutching the sack of food.

  Lily opened up the sack and felt inside. There was a sandwich and what felt like an apple. She was so hungry that she inhaled the sandwich in no time and then started on the apple. After she had eaten everything, Angel said, I have to go now, Lily. I need to get back to everyone so that we can come and find you.

  My Daddy is coming, Lily said. Yes, he is, honey. We will be there to get you just as soon as we can. Lily curled back up on the floor to rest. She was so cold. Can you shift, Lily? It would keep you warmer, Angel said. I can’t. I tried but I just can’t, Lily responded. Angel nodded her head in understanding. As tired, weak and upset as Lily was, even if she could shift she probably would not be able to hold her wolf form for very long. The bastards could at least have given her a blanket. I will be back, Angel promised, gently stroking her hair. Rest now and your daddy and I will be there soon. Angel waited a few minutes making sure Lily was asleep before leaving her.

  Chapter 11

  The plane was already making its descent when Angel came back to them. Nico was going crazy wondering how his little girl was. Angel was gone too long this time. She would be weaker, and they needed her strong to get through this. But, if Angel was gone that long, there was a reason. Which just pissed him off because that meant something had happened with Lily.

  “What happened?” he asked. “Give me a few minutes, Nico,” Angel responded. She sat there with her eyes closed as the plane landed and taxied to Hangar 10, where Jaxson had set it up with a contact he had in the area to have the plane refueled and ready for takeoff.

  Once the plane was at a full stop, the team came back and surrounded Angel. She weakly opened her eyes and whispered, “Sorry guys. You are on your own checking out the other plane. I need to rest. Listen up, before I pass out. They have her in a basement. It’s an all cement basement. She is locked in a freezing cold dark room like a cellar, but she is too weak and scared to shift to get warm. I saw the General. Freaky little fuck with bug eyes and wrap around glasses. He is very powerful though, I can tell. I will have Phoenix do a sketch later. There is a guard with her named Jasper. We need to take that bastard out. He wants to hurt Lily, and not in an ‘I want to smack her around’ way. More of an ‘I’m a sick fucking pig that likes little girls and needs my dick cut off and stuffed down my throat’ way.” Nico went crazy at that. “They are in some place called Hartford. That’s all I got. Go get whatever you can from their plane and get back here.” With that, she was out cold.

  “I’ll stay here with Angel,” Trace said. “Go get what you need and get back. I will spot you as much as I can from here.” With that he took out his sniper case and started putting the rifle together.

  The rest of the team jumped out of the plane and took off towards Hangar 12, hiding in the shadows so no one could see what they were up to. Weapons drawn and ready, they quietly entered the building and surrounded the small plane. They got the plane door open, and Rikki and Nico went inside. Jaxson and Phoenix stood guard outside, one at the door of the hangar and one by the plane.

  Nico did a quick sweep through the back of the plane while Rikki checked the cockpit. Once the plane was cleared, Rikki walked back towards the seats taking off her gloves. Rikki’s gift was sometimes a huge pain in the ass. She could touch an object and see who had touched it before and even catch their thoughts. That was why she always wore light weight gloves. It was a pain in the ass in the summer, but better than seeing a bunch of sporadic visions from anything and everything she came in contact with.

  Unfortunately, her gift wasn’t always reliable.
Sometimes it took her a lot further back then she needed to go. Sometimes the reading was so loud it was hard for her to get back to the present. Sometimes she didn’t get jack shit. She had been practicing extensively the past couple of years that she had been on Angel’s team, though, and was getting a lot better at controlling it. And she would control it now, she vowed. For Nico, she would. He was like a brother to her. Her team was the only family she had, and she would do anything for them.

  There was a newspaper sitting on one of the seats. Rikki reached out and touched it. Nothing. Dammit, she would NOT let Nico down. She grabbed a small pillow on another seat. Still nothing.

  There was an empty pop can sitting in a holder on one of the chairs on the other side of the aisle. Taking a deep breath, Rikki reached out and lightly touched it. The vision came swift and hard this time. A guy with cold dark eyes and black hair with a scar running up over one eye was taking a swig out of the can as he watched a little girl with long black hair curled up in the corner on the floor. She was watching him, her eyes never leaving his face. He laughed at her loudly. “You want some of this, girly,” he said grabbing his crotch with one hand. The little girl’s eyes widened and she pushed herself further into the corner. He just laughed again, taking another pull on his soda. He pulled the food tray down in front of him and placed a map on it. There was a place circled on the map. “No one will find us where I am taking you,” he told the little girl. “It’s so far out in the sticks, I don’t even know if I can find it.” As Rikki watched, the man took out a piece of paper and started writing down directions. Holy shit, Rikki thought. This was what she needed. The vision started to fade, but she forced it back. South on 38W, left onto East 2nd street. She committed it all to memory as he wrote it down. Times like this it came in handy to have a photographic memory. When she was sure she got everything she needed, she let the vision slip away.