Toxic Game (GhostWalkers 15)

Her words were slightly slurred. Drowsy. Sexy as hell. She definitely did it for him.

“No, baby.” He bent to press a kiss against her temple, sealing himself there. “I’m just checking things. Be right back.”

“Be safe or I’ll be upset with you.”

As threats went, it wasn’t too worrisome, especially when she looked so beautiful lying there in his bed. “I’ll be safe. Go back to sleep and don’t shoot me when I come back in.”

Her lips curved, but she didn’t even lift her lashes again, already settling back into sleep now that he’d reassured her.

The rain had stopped so he wasn’t going to get completely soaked, which, after the first drenching, he was grateful for. He slipped Shylah’s phone into his pocket and hurried out to make his way back to the remote lab.

The forest was dark, but the moon spilled a silvery light over the canopy, giving the leaves a metallic gleam. The wind had died down to more of a breeze, ruffling the leaves and needles so the trees appeared to dance, swaying to the symphony of the ever-present cicadas. With his acute hearing he could hear the rustle of rodents in the thick vegetation. He spotted an owl as it dropped down on silent wings, talons outstretched. The bird missed and pulled up, screaming its disappointment, the sound adding to the evening’s dramatic mystery.

He’d always preferred the dark. He often ran by himself, shrouded in fog in the swamp, the night creatures his warning system as he let the demons in his head have free rein and then fade away from sheer exhaustion. Since he’d been with Shylah, those demons had, for the most part, stayed silent. She seemed to be a guardian. A shield of sorts. Shylah was pure magic. If they had to die, he was going to give her everything he could before that happened.

Inside the lab the computer powered up immediately. Joe answered his call within thirty seconds. “You alright, Sandman?” Joe asked, calling him by the name his team often used.

“Have a request for quite a few items. I need you to pull out all stops. Money isn’t an object. I’m sending you paperwork to access my accounts, but you know I’m good for it. Don’t care what you have to spend. My next call is to Trap and Gino, asking them to help with the money until you can get into my accounts.”

“No worries.”

“I have a list. Some of the items are specific, so you’re going to have to work all night, but I have to have them by tomorrow. I’m sending the list now.”

He waited a couple of minutes, picking up a pad of paper and sketching how he planned on changing the lab into a place where he could marry his woman.

“Draden.” Joe’s voice held caution. “This is crazy. Some of this stuff is insane. How do you expect me to get this here by morning?”

“Afternoon. She’s very tired, and I’m going to do my best to black out the windows so she’ll sleep. Then we’ll have a good breakfast before I meet you. At that time, I’ll put everything together. I know it doesn’t give you much time, but Trap has a jet that can go anywhere in hours. It’s expensive as hell, but he’ll be thrilled to make the pilot work for his keep.”

“You sure this is what you want? I believe Trap and Wyatt when they say the two of you are fighting this virus off. You don’t have to do anything drastic yet.”

“We’re infected. What part of that didn’t you get? Of course we’re fighting it off. We both have unique and very strong immune systems, but that doesn’t mean we won’t fail, just like everyone else. I hope like hell we don’t, but live or die, I’m doing this because I want to do it. No matter what, she’s the one.”

“Getting married is permanent, Draden. You don’t even have a prenup.”

He wasn’t used to spilling his feelings and it annoyed him that he had to keep reassuring his friend that he knew what he was doing. He’d never given a damn about the money. On the other hand, he knew he was asking the impossible. Even expecting it.

“Don’t need a prenup. I know this seems extravagant, and I know it won’t be easy to pull off, Joe, but it’s important to me.”

Joe sighed. “I get that. I’ll get it done for you. I don’t know how, but it will be done.”

“As soon as possible,” Draden pushed.

“You got it. I just want you to hold out hope.”

“I do. I am.” He wasn’t. He didn’t like the rash spreading over Shylah’s body. It hadn’t been there before, and it definitely was worse. In the beginning, when she wasn’t showing any signs, he had convinced himself that she was going to be fine. The moment Wyatt had told him they were both infected, but fighting it off, he had to fight spiraling into depression and anger. He didn’t think about himself. He knew he could put a bullet in his head when the time came, but Shylah … That was an entirely different matter. He had counted on her winning.

“I need to talk to Trap, Joe,” Draden pushed. He wanted Joe to get started. Joe was the one who had to do most of the work, arranging for the jet to pick up any item wherever it was in the world and get it back in time. It was a huge undertaking. He also had to arrange for an official to perform the ceremony as well as push the paperwork through. His task wasn’t easy, but Joe always got things done and Draden was counting on that.

Joe signed off after giving his reassurances that he would find as many things on the list as possible in the time allotted to him. Draden called Trap and Wyatt next. As always, Trap remained in the background, working, his back to the camera. Wyatt took the time to sit and regard his friend with a hint of shock on his face when Draden explained what was going on.

“This is a little sudden.” Wyatt was far more cautious than Joe had been. “Are you certain you don’t want to give this a few more days?”

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”

“Your bodies are fighting it off somehow,” Wyatt said. “We just haven’t figured out how. Your cells are doing crazy things. We’d like more of your blood tomorrow to see what, if any, progression.”

“I’m getting married tomorrow.”

Trap didn’t turn around, but he must have been listening. “Still need the blood, bro.”

Draden sighed. They did need it. Even if it was too late to save Shylah and him, if the virus was let loose on the world, those working around the clock to find a vaccine and a therapy would need their blood.

“I’ll make sure you get it. I need your jet, Trap. And any money Joe needs to make things happen the way I want. I’ve got money in my account, but Joe may need a death certificate to access it after I’m gone. You know the drill with the paperwork we all filled out. He knows to pay you back.”

Trap glanced over his shoulder, annoyance written on his face. “Shut the fuck up, Draden. We’re friends. You need the jet, it’s yours. My woman won’t buy herself a pair of shoes and I just spend money on equipment. I think we’re good.” Sarcasm dripped. “And you’re not going to die, so make certain you want to spend your life with her, because she’s going to live through this too.”

Draden understood it was Trap’s way of showing he cared. He wouldn’t say the words and he wouldn’t act emotional. He’d contribute what he could, and he’d work until he dropped to find a way to save them. Trap didn’t act like the nicest of men, but he was solid, and he’d never stop until he found a way to make things right.

For some reason, Trap’s reaction to his request choked him up when nothing else had. He had insisted Shylah would live. He was adamant. Trap had already turned away from the camera, head down, studying something in front of him without giving Draden a chance to respond.

“You thinkin’ of takin’ the jet and makin’ a run for it?” Wyatt asked, dropping his voice as if they were co-conspirators. That only made his Louisiana accent more pronounced.

“I’ve got Joe running all over the world looking for things for my woman. I want to surprise her.”

Wyatt’s eyebrow shot up. “You really are fallin’ for this woman.”

“Already gone,” Draden admitted. “I fell hard, and I want the world for her. If

we lose this battle, Wyatt, I want her to have something extraordinary. And I want her to know she was loved.”

Just saying it out loud to one of his closest friends had him choking up again. What the hell was wrong with him? With dying came some clarity. “This isn’t just for her. I want this for me as well. I want to have this day with her. If there’s any way for Bellisia and Zara to be with us, not physically, but with her, so she doesn’t feel so alone, I would very much like to give her that as well.”

Wyatt nodded. “You know, computers aren’t my thing, but we’ve got a few people who know what they’re doing. Flame, my sister-in-law, is hell on wheels with a computer. She should be able to put something together for us. Azami is loaning us the satellite for as long as necessary and we’ve got the use of it anytime. We can do this, for you, Draden.”