Sweet Revenge

Chapter 31

Laney kept an eye on Matt’s vitals. It was entirely possible he’d slip into a coma, and without medical help, real medical help, he’d never make it.

Nate paced by the window. “Matt’s tough. He’ll be fine.”

“How do you know?” Laney asked softly, brushing her hand against Matt’s forehead.

“Because he’s Matt.” Nate ducked down to squint into the still-turbulent storm. Confidence filled his words, but his jaw was set and his shoulders tight.

Laney drew in air. Now surgery had passed, and any calmness she’d claimed had deserted her. From head to toe, her body ached from trying to navigate through the battering storm. Even with all the bruises and scrapes, nothing hurt as badly as her chest. Terror lived there. Fear she’d lose Matt after finding him. She leaned down and pressed her mouth near his ear. “Don’t leave me. Not now. Please.”

Love was supposed to be romantic and sweet. Not so painful her lungs hurt to breathe.

Nate’s phone buzzed, and he listened for a moment. “I hear you out there. How close until touchdown?” He waited and then swore. “Shane—” Nate’s breath heaved out. “Yes. I understand. Hold tight.” He hung up and strode toward Matt. “If I awaken him, can he walk?”

“No way in hell.” Panic rushed through Laney. “I just used fucking twine to tie his brachial artery. In. A. Shack.”

Nate pierced her with sharp eyes. “If we stay here, he dies for sure. Can. He. Walk?”

A normal man? No. But Matt? Laney shook her head. Now she was seeing Matt as invincible as Nate saw his big brother. “It’s too dangerous.”

“So is death.” Nate grasped Matt’s shoulders and shook. “Mattie? Time to go, bro. We have to flee—now.”

Matt’s eyelids fluttered open, and his gaze focused way too quickly. “Status?” he croaked.

“Shit storm. The doc tied off your artery, the commander’s forces are close. He brought a definite squad of twenty-one that is moving as teams of three from every fucking direction, and Shane flew a helicopter through this storm to a landing spot about a mile away.” Nate dropped his hands over Matt’s shoulders and eased him to a seated position. “Dig deep. We have to move.”

Matt growled low. “Shane flew a copter into this storm?”

Nate grimaced. “We’ll yell at him later. Can you walk?”

“Did you say a full twenty-one?” Matt groaned.

“Yes. We’ve taken down six men. That leaves fifteen still vying to kill us,” Nate said tersely.

Matt turned toward Laney. “Are you all right?”

She sniffed. “Yes. Much better than you.”

“Did you actually perform surgery? With blood?”

“Yes. You’re not dying on me, Matt Dean.” She eyed the duct tape around his arm. How was the man even conscious?

He swayed. “Why are you shirtless again?”

She shook her head and took Nate’s shirt from where it had supported Matt’s head. Wet and now bloody, it nevertheless beat Matt’s bare skin if they had to go back out into the rain. “Long story. Put this on.”

He shook his head. “No. You put it on. Your skin is nearly blue.”

She opened her mouth to argue, and the hard glint in his eye stopped her. The man would try to force the shirt on her, and he’d probably ruin her fine surgical work. “Fine.” She gingerly slid the cotton over her head.

Matt cleared his throat. “How much blood did I lose?”

Too much. Way too much. Laney lifted shoulder. “Eh. Maybe about a teaspoon?”

“Right.” He pushed off from the table and kept going down.

Laney scrambled for him, but Nate caught him first. Fierce lines cut into Nate’s hard face as he waited for his brother to balance. “Shane’s out in the storm all alone, Mattie.”

Matt’s head jerked up. “Never alone.” He pushed back from his brother, raw determination darkening his eyes to nearly midnight. Blood leaked from under the tattered duct tape. “You take the lead, and we keep Laney between us.”

Nate nodded and grabbed the sawed-off shotgun he’d placed on the tiny counter. “If you need a lift, just holler.”

Matt winced. “I don’t need to be carried. Just go.”

Laney peered closer at his arm. While the duct tape around the bullet wounds in his other arm remained dry, that artery couldn’t start bleeding again. “I need to make sure your artery is still clamped.”

“I’m good.” Matt grasped her arm to follow Nate. “Let’s go.”

Laney’s mind swirled as she headed back into the storm with a soldier in front of her and the man she loved behind her. Their chances weren’t good, and she had so much to say to Matt. While he remained conscious. But, as he nudged her with a push to her lower back, she lowered her head against the driving wind and followed Nate into hell.

Matt tried to concentrate on remaining upright by putting one boot in front of the other, like he’d done so many times in his life. Each step was sucked into the mud while wind and sleet attacked his bare chest and arms with a vengeance. The tape pulled against is injuries, and more liquid than just rain coated his skin. He could control the pain until sensation didn’t exist, but blood loss? Yeah. Even the genetically engineered needed blood for strength.

But if Laney could conquer her fear of blood and operate to prevent him from bleeding out, he could suck it up and walk to safety.

If they found safety, he would even wait until tomorrow to beat the shit out of Shane for flying a helicopter by himself into the deadliest storm Matt had ever seen. It was as if even the gods above wanted him dead.

Fuck the gods.

Matt had his brother and his woman in front of him, and if he had to beat the gods to get them to safety, he’d damn well succeed.

The forest pressed in on him, and he tried to tune in to the world beyond the nearest trees. Not much permeated the roaring in his head, but every instinct he’d honed whispered the commander was closing in fast. But the speed with which Nate rammed down the nonexistent trail, he felt it, too.

Had the commander found Emery’s body?

Matt stumbled and quickly righted himself. He’d killed someone he’d known as a kid. True, they’d never been friends. But they’d shared a childhood that had shaped them differently. Even being raised by monsters, they’d had choices in life. He’d chosen his brothers and loyalty.

Emery hadn’t been strong enough.

Doubt had often assailed Matt that he could be as bad as Emery… that maybe they were alike. But his brothers made him human and kept him from evil.

He owed them for that, and he’d save them if it was the last thing he did.

He would’ve given almost anything to have saved Emery from the demons possessing him. But the man had tried to kill Laney. He died for that choice.

Still, a surprising sorrow welled in Matt’s chest.

Laney slipped on pine needles and yanked his attention to her. He rushed to catch her, but she hit the ground before he could get there.

“Ouch.” She shoved to her feet with mud covering her butt.

“You okay?” he asked.

She shot him a look. “You’re bleeding again.”

“Well, at least you’re not passing out.” His vision wavered. “Get moving, baby.”

“Okay.” She slipped her hand into his. “We can walk together, right?”

Since his senses currently sucked, there wasn’t a reason to keep her at arm’s length. He wouldn’t know anybody was upon them until they came into sight. “Sure.”

She tightened her hold and moved into a quick walk. “What are our chances here?” Her hip touched his, keeping them close enough she didn’t have to yell.

Not good. “Great. We’ll get to Shane, head home, and have breakfast.”

“Right.” She edged her shoulder into the undamaged side of his body. “I want you to know… The time we’ve been together? It’s been the best of my life.” Her head remained down, and wet hair covered her face.

Matt tucked her closer. “Me, too. What do you say we make this permanent?”

Her head shot up, her eyes glowing emeralds in the darkness. “Permanent?”

“Yeah.” His gut lurched. Now probably wasn’t the time. “I love completely, Laney, and I’m sure it’s a pain in the ass.” He stumbled and she helped him to right himself. “You have my heart and always will.”

She caught her breath. “You know we’re not going to live through the night, right?”

“So say yes. What do you have to lose?” His vision kept graying, damn it.

“Yes to what?”

“Me. Marriage. Life.” His right leg was beginning to go numb. This had to be the worst wedding proposal on record. But Nate had been right. Matt had found happiness, and he needed to hold on with both hands. No matter what happened. “We need something to live for, don’t you think?”

She smiled and shook her head. “You’re crazy. Definitely crazy.” Taking a deep breath, she snuggled closer. “I say yes.”

His head snapped up as his chest filled. Love. She’d said yes. “You’re the crazy one,” he said with a smile. “I’ll keep you safe, baby. I promise.”

“How about we start with breakfast?” she asked, peering ahead into the storm. “We lost Nate.”

“He’s scouting ahead.” Matt’s head wanted to fall back on his neck. How long would his artery hold out, anyway?

Nate brushed leaves aside and appeared in front of him. “This way. Forces moving in on all sides. Shane is setting down in one minute, and we need to load before he hits the ground.” Urgency cut lines into Nate’s face. “You up to it?”

“Of course.” Matt blinked to clear his vision while he released Laney and followed Nate to the edge of a small clearing. A very small clearing. “How close are the forces?”

A man leaped around a bush and tackled Nate, sending them flying across muddy grass. The gun spiraled out of his hands.

Matt shoved Laney behind him and dropped into a slide to grab the gun. Coming up firing, he hit first one and then a second soldier coming from the east. Two shells only. He was out of ammo.

Helicopter blades rose over the sound of rain pelting the earth.

He glanced up, and the black bird wavered in the dark sky, bouncing dangerously.

Nate and the guy grappled on the ground, and three more soldiers rushed from the north.

Matt swung with the gun, hitting one guy in the neck. He went down, out cold. Dropping into a stance, Matt waited for the other to strike. The third man went to assist against Nate, kicking him in the temple as he arrived.

Nate snapped the guy’s neck on the ground and rolled over to kick the newest threat.

Matt struck fast and hard, not having the energy or strength for finesse. He aimed for the jugular and eyes, taking the guy down and rendering him unconscious. Matt tried to regain his feet and fell back.

Laney instantly appeared at his side and clutched his arm. “Get up.” She pulled, her arms straining with the effort.

Matt wavered, his head bobbing. “What?”

“Now, Matt,” she ordered, falling back. Mud, debris, and blood coated her face and hair. She was too pale, her skin almost blue, and fear had widened her pupils. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

He wouldn’t fail her. He couldn’t. So he shoved to his feet and slid an arm around her shoulder.

The helicopter plopped down with a loud thump, and the side door slammed open.

Matt turned as Nate finished off the final soldier and then pushed to stand. Blood ran down Nate’s face, and he turned to heave into the bushes. Pivoting, he made it two steps toward the helicopter.

And fell.

“Nate!” Laney cried, trying to drag Matt toward his fallen brother. “The blow to the temple was a bad one.”

Matt tuned in as his senses roared back. Seven attack squads were heartbeats away… and coming from all sides. “Get in the helicopter.” He pushed her toward the helicopter.

“No.” She tried to take more of his weight.

He turned. “Trust me. I need you on there. Please.”

She hesitated, her gaze going from Nate to the copter and back to Matt. “But—”

“Trust me.” He meant it as an order, but the entreaty came out as a plea.

She swallowed and took a step back. Then with a nod, she turned and ran for the open doorway.

Thank God. Matt staggered over to Nate and dropped to his haunches. The world tilted. Damn it. He could do this. Sucking deep, thinking of a possible future, he dipped his head and hauled Nate over his good shoulder.

Standing up was the hardest thing Matt had ever done. Quite possibly the slowest. Inch by inch, he rose to a crouch. Turning, he secured Nate’s legs and put one boot in front of the other.

His vision fuzzed. Determination and love shot through him, giving him strength. Nate had counted on him their entire lives, and Nate had kept Matt human. He’d helped bridge the gap between Matt and the younger brothers, keeping Matt from going too cold while training.

Nate would not die.

Another boot forward. Another. And another.

Men crashed through the brush.

He reached the hatch and dropped Nate onto the floor. Laney lunged for Matt, her face determined, her jaw set. He all but fell into her arms, swinging his legs inside. His woman. “Go, Shane. Go now,” he ordered, his voice way too weak.

Bullets sprayed the side of the craft.

He turned just in time to see the commander dart out of the forest, firing wildly. At Laney.

Matt reared up, only to have Laney lean over him and shove the door into place. A spray of bullets shot through the metal above them. She ducked low, covering him with her body.

Warmth and the scent of vanilla encompassed Matt. Heaven. Laney and heaven.

The commander’s roar of outrage reached above the storm.

Take that, asshole. Matt swallowed and tried to keep his eyes open.

Shane lifted the copter, the side of his face a hard mask as he fought the wind, rain, and bullets. “Hold on.”

Laney felt for Nate’s pulse. “Steady, but he’s out cold. Definite concussion,” she said, her voice nearly shrill. Then, on the freezing floor, she gently lifted Matt’s head onto her lap. “Keep the artery elevated.” Tears coursed down her face to land on his.

He blinked, his heart lurching.

The helicopter pitched, and she cried out.

“It’sss okay.” His voice slurred, and he tried to stay alert. He had to be strong for her. “Love you.”

I love you, she mouthed and secured a hand on Nate’s prone back. “We’ll be fine.” She eyed Shane, obviously trying not to panic. “Shane looks like you, Matt.”

“Matt looks like me,” Shane said, his concentration remaining on the blackness outside. He banked a hard left, and they dropped about ten feet. Laney yelped.

Matt tried to smile to reassure her, but his jaw locked and his eyes filled with dust. He coughed. He had to get Laney to safety. Desperation competed with the need to pass out. “Stay under the storm so they can’t track us.”

“Good idea.” Sarcasm filled his younger brother’s voice beneath the tension.

Thuds and bumps shook the craft, and several times lightning split the night. Laney held Matt tight, and even wounded and in pain, there was nowhere else he’d want to be. He’d take any amount of pain to be close to Laney.

Finally, an hour later, the night quieted.

Matt relaxed into the cold floor. Now he really needed to pass out. But first, he had to tell her, “We’re safe, baby. I love you and will keep you safe.”

Laney leaned over and placed her lips on his. “I love you, Matt Dean. Forever.”