Code Blood

By Val St. Crowe

Jesse Talon wants Wyatt Flint. But it’s complicated. Because he’s got some weird connection to Morgan Steele, the woman who absorbed his arch nemesis the Green King.

Which is fine, really, because who wants to be distracted by annoying romantic entanglements when trying to hunt down a megalomaniac with godlike powers?

(Apparently, Connor and Duke do. Wow, is that some hot guy-on-guy PDA.)

But not Jesse. She’s all about work.

Once Wyatt kills Steele, then they’ll see.

If Wyatt kills the Steele.

It's maybe a teensy problem that they can't find her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: V. J. Chambers
• Release date: Nov 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463945087

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Talon? called a voice.

Jesse Talon ignored it. She was late, and she needed to get out of Section X right now. As it was, she wasn’t going to make it nearly on time, and she didn’t even have a good excuse.

Section X was the magical intelligence division for the United States government. It had been run without a lot of oversight before, but now they were under the direct purview of the president.

Jesse used to be nothing more than a Section X agent. Now, along with three others, she ran the place.

That meant that the demands on her time weren’t what they used to be, and that people were always yelling for her, wherever she went, needing her attention for this or for that. Jesse didn’t like it. She was good at getting one thing done at a time, in a linear fashion.

She liked to start a task, and then see it through to the end, and then when it was put to bed, begin another task. That was the way that a Section X mission would be run, for instance.

But now, as head of the organization, she was always trying to juggle ten different things, all of which needed her immediate attention.

And any time she tried to go anywhere to get something done, she’d be distracted from her task by someone calling for her, who would then want her to stop what she was doing and concentrate on something new.

Trying to juggle it all was making Jesse lose her mind.

She only hoped that they found Steele soon, because once that was done, they could resign as the heads of Section X and relax for half a second.

Talon! came the voice again.

No, damn it, she was not going to listen to whoever it was. She rushed down the hallway toward the elevator. The elevator door was closing, but maybe if she hurried, she could catch it.

Someone grabbed her by the arm. Talon, please.

She let out a huge sigh and turned to face whoever had stopped her. What? she said through clenched teeth.

Ooh, is someone having a bad day? said David Kole, who was the person who’d stopped her. Kole worked at Section X in an information gathering capacity. However, it was strictly a desk job. He did things with computers, hacking and the like.

She folded her arms over her chest. What is it, Kole?

I found something, said Kole. I was going to try to find Connor and tell him, but the last time that I did, Duke got all possessive, and he’s kind of scary. I wasn’t flirting with Connor, anyway.

Is this important? said Jesse. Can we cut to the chase? I’m in a little bit of a rush, in case you didn’t notice.

Yeah, you look nice, said Kole, giving her an appraising once over.

Thanks.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you in a dress before. Are you going on a date or something?

I wear dresses all the time on missions, she said. And if you must know, yes, I am very, very late for a date.

Probably going to have to call and cancel, actually, said Kole.

Why? What is it?

Well, it’s another one of those mysterious drowning deaths. You said I should alert you guys if I found one.

She rubbed her forehead. You sure? This is the same thing?

Yup. It’s identical. Died on dry land, but the cause of death is being submerged in water.

Her shoulders slumped. "I am going to have to call and cancel." Damn it. She and Wyatt had been planning this for ages. At her request, they were trying to take things slow. She hadn’t been exactly sure what she meant when she said it. Maybe she had only wanted some time and space. But Wyatt had taken it to mean that they should be more traditional and begun doing things like asking her on formal dinner dates.

In Wyatt’s defense, he had grown up in a medieval-like dimension where he’d been a sort of king, and he’d had to do a lot of pomp and circumstance during that time. So, maybe he was simply at home with formality.

Jesse appreciated the gesture, though, and she did like the idea of going out with Wyatt. Thinking about Wyatt made her feel sort of tingly all over, like she was back in high school and she had a crush. But thinking about Wyatt also made her feel really confused. She wasn’t sure what she wanted from him. The tingly sensation belied the fact that she must want something, however.

Jesse squared her shoulders. Okay, well, can you go and fetch Connor and Duke to Flint’s office, please?

You mean Steele’s old office?

That’s the one. She tried not to read anything into the idea that Wyatt had wanted to take over Steele’s office, even though there was some kind of weird connection between Steele and Wyatt. It was such a confusing, convoluted situation. Wyatt had slept with Steele to get information, but it had apparently led to some perverse tie being formed between them, which meant that even though they were archenemies who wanted to kill each other, they kept leaving the other alive. Jesse would be lying if she didn’t admit that the weirdness between Wyatt and Steele was part of her reservations about getting involved with Wyatt.

Look, I came to you because I was avoiding Connor, said Kole. Now you want me to go and summon him?

Yes, said Jesse. Man up, Kole. She turned on her heel, away from the elevator, and stalked up the hallway, getting out her phone as she did so. She dialed Wyatt.

It rang.

And rang.

He picked up. Hey, what’s up?

Uh…

I know you’re running late, because you’re not here, so spill it.

You need to get back to headquarters, she said. We’re going to have to postpone our date.

Again?

* * *

Connor lounged in Wyatt’s office, leafing through the printouts that David Kole had given them. He was surprised the guy had come to speak to him at all after the way Duke had marked his territory last time, crowding Kole out of the door all the while telling the guy that Connor was off the market.

Connor had been furious about that, incidentally. He’d told Duke that he had not committed to anything official yet between the two of them, and that he didn’t appreciate Duke going all caveman on any attractive man that happened to talk flirtatiously to Connor.

Duke hadn’t apologized. Apologies were not much Duke’s thing. He’d only said that they were exclusive and it was better if Kole knew that upfront. And then he distracted Connor with making out, which was a tactic Duke used far too often, probably owing to the fact that he was a dynamite kisser with magic hands. Additionally, Duke was incredibly attractive.

Duke was a drake, which meant he was a dragon-human hybrid who had died with dragon flesh in his system and now he sported emerald green scales and reptilian green eyes. And yes, even so, he was incredibly attractive. On Duke, it looked good.

Connor was a gargoyle, which should mean that he turned to stone every day during the daylight hours, but he had a nifty sunblocker that he used to stay awake during those hours. It had been given to him by Section X.

So, these are all in the same neighborhood, said Connor.

Duke gestured for the printouts. Let me see. He and Connor were sitting on a couch in the office, which had two areas—one with a desk and one with the couches. There was also a big screen on one wall, but it wasn’t projecting anything currently. Having it on had been Steele’s thing. Since Wyatt had moved into the office, he usually left the screen blank.

Let’s wait to talk about it until Wyatt gets here, said Jesse. She was perched on Wyatt’s desk, her high-heeled shoes sitting next to her. She traced patterns on the floor with her big toe.

Connor knew that another of Wyatt’s and Jesse’s planned dates must have fallen through. The two of them seemed to have crappy luck with those, which was too bad, because it made Wyatt cranky that their relationship wasn’t progressing, and it didn’t sit well with Connor either.

Before Connor and Duke had started to get together, Duke’d had a crush on Jesse. However, it hadn’t worked out between them. Connor still worried sometimes that Duke might have a latent pull to Jesse, and so Connor would like it if Wyatt and Jesse were settled already. That would help Connor settle too.

Where is he? said Duke.

He’s on his way back, said Jesse. He was waiting at a restaurant in town.

Waiting for you, said Duke, who was apparently really slow on the uptake.

Obviously. Connor glared at Duke.

Duke raised his eyebrows and glanced back and forth from Jesse to his boyfriend. Well, okay, they weren’t using that word yet, but it wasn’t because Connor wasn’t cool with commitment or anything. Rather, it was because Duke was gun shy about relationships. Of course, he professed to be ready for the next step with Connor, but Connor didn’t know if he believed it.

The last thing Connor wanted was to go all in and then have his heart shattered. So, he was proceeding with extreme caution when it came to Roland Duke.

Listen, Talon, said Duke, are you sure you’re ready for this? Because, you know, I still remember how upset you were back at my place.

That was because of not-Tyler, said Jesse. Steele had sent an agent to infiltrate their safe-house. The agent had pretended to be Jesse’s little brother, all grown up, and Jesse had bought it. They’d all bought it. But seeing her brother, who she believed to be dead, had been pretty intense for Jesse. I’m fine.

Duke shrugged. Well, it’s none of my business, but—

No, it’s not your business, snapped Connor.

Duke flinched.

Jesse rolled her eyes. God, it’s just fabulous that we’re all working together. Not awkward at all.

Duke went back to the printouts.

Connor fluffed his wings and then drew them back in. He felt a little sulky, unfortunately.

Finally, Wyatt showed up. He came into the office, suit jacket folded over his arm, tie undone around his neck, top button unbuttoned.

When Jesse saw him, she stood up and seized her heels and backed up until she collided with the wall.

Wyatt tossed his jacket on the desk. So, what’s up with the drownings?

Duke got up and handed him the printouts. They’re all in the same area. And they’re all happening away from a water source.

Wyatt scanned the words on the printout. Yeah, yeah, this one seems connected to George Bachman as well.

Connor sat up straight. Wait, who’s Bachman again?

Oh, that was a theory I had, said Jesse. Steele has connections with Bachman. She would have us work with him sometimes on missions. So, I thought it could be possible that she had allied with him on the outside, and that she was using him to further her own goals.

Yeah, but who is he? said Connor. Is he the gargoyle?

Yeah, said Wyatt. He runs a powerful underground magical syndicate. They probably supply half of the country with talismans and blood and dice.

Connor nodded. Okay, sure, I remember this guy. He spread his hands. So, what’s the plan? We going to go bust in on this guy and demand he give us Steele? We do think Steele’s doing these drownings, don’t we?

Yeah, it’s within her powers to do so, said Jesse. She’s absorbed the power of the Green King, so she can drown people with water, even if they are on dry land.

We can’t just bust in on the guy, said Wyatt. We need to be more subtle than that. We’re spies. We should infiltrate. Go undercover. He glanced around the office. Of course, we can’t all go.

Why not? said Jesse.

Someone’s got to stay here and man the store, he said. We’re in charge now. If we all leave, the place will probably fall apart.

Well, Bachman’s a gargoyle, said Duke, so I volunteer me and Connor for the job. Because this is one of the few times when being conspicuous magical creatures will actually help us out.

Wyatt considered. He looked at Jesse. That means you and I stay here. You good with that?

Sure, she said. We can reschedule our date.

We’ll probably be too busy, Wyatt muttered.

She twisted her hands together. I’m really sorry.

It’s not your fault, he said. We gotta stop Steele. He turned back to Duke and Connor. Okay, well, you guys get in with Bachman and find out what’s going on there. If Steele is there, we’ll all go after her, full power.

Duke gave Wyatt a snappy salute. You got it, hero chin.

Wyatt glared at him. Stop calling me that.

* * *

So, what do you think? Duke held up a leather jacket.

Connor raised his eyebrows. For you? The two of them were in Wardrobe in Section X, which was where all the clothes that the agency had on hand were kept. It was like a big costumes closet in a theater or something.

For certain missions, new clothes would be procured, but sometimes agents had to go slumming and find their own things to wear. These days, since Section X was in its last days, extra expenditures were looked down upon. The president had budget control of the place, and she was always trying to keep costs down, probably because she was working on a brand new agency, which would be replacing Section X.

Section X was staying in place only until Steele was caught. Once that happened, the whole place would fold and the president would start fresh.

Connor realized that this could be it, the mission that brought them to Steele. If it was true that Bachman was sheltering her, then all they’d have to do is bring Wyatt in. He and Steele would duke it out, and Wyatt would kill her, and that would be that.

Then he’d really have to figure out what he was doing with Duke, because they wouldn’t have the distraction of the occasional mission or the administrative duties of Section X.

For me? No, for you. Duke came over and held the jacket up against the gargoyle’s chest. This would fit you.

We’d have to cut out holes for my wings.

Utterly doable, said Duke. I’m thinking you in this, with nothing underneath… He gave Connor a wink.

Connor blushed in spite of himself. "I’ve got to wear something under it."

Okay, maybe when we meet up with Bachman’s guys, sure. But when we’re back in the hotel room together, just the two of us, then, no. Duke turned away, chucking the jacket onto his keeper pile of clothes. He shuffled through the rack of clothes he was looking for.

Connor jammed his hands in his pockets and looked down at the ground.

Duke glanced at him over his shoulder. You okay?

Fine, said Connor, and then thought better of it. Actually, you know, you’re awfully presumptuous.

What am I presuming? Duke went back to moving hangers and looking at clothes.

You know, that we’re going to be messing around in the hotel.

Duke pulled out a pair of leather pants. We mess around here, so why not there? He held up the pants. Do you think leather on leather is too… fetish?

Yes, said Connor. And we don’t mess around here. Not… without clothes.

Duke let his arm drop, the leather pants dragging on the floor. And whose fault is that?

Connor snatched the pants away from him. You’re getting these dirty.

I want to see you in those anyway, said Duke, grabbing them back. I could stand you being a little fetishized.

Connor pulled the pants back again. Just stop it.

What? Duke gave him a look. What am I stopping?

You’re… Connor slammed the pants back on the rack, trying to gather his thoughts. We’re not official yet. I don’t want us to be too intimate until we’re official.

Duke looked around the room, peering over the rack of clothes. You really want to talk about this here?

No, said Connor. I don’t. You’re the one who can’t go two seconds without making everything into… into sex.

Duke smirked. Sorry, I look at you and my mind just goes to the gutter.

Well, contain yourself. Connor squared his shoulders and stalked around the rack of clothes to look at another rack, running parallel to it.

Duke stayed on his side of the rack, sorting through hangers. Maybe if you weren’t always shutting me down, there wouldn’t be all this tension between us. It needs release, if you know what I mean.

Connor didn’t answer. This was turning into a stupid argument between them. They hadn’t had it too often, but it had come up once or twice, and it was hard to have the argument when he wanted to be with Duke as much as Duke claimed to want to be with him. But Duke wasn’t