Page 63 of Heartless
“Understood.” Andrea said.
“Do I have any volunteers on taking Andrea to New Ireland?” Reaper asked the room. “Being unrecognized is not as essential. Ideally, you should be able to hang back while she gets inside, but the risk of death or torture is still high.”
Much to everyone’s surprise, Big G stepped forward. “I’ll take her.”
“G!” Poor Tessa looked like she was going to crumble to the floor. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“And why you?” Reaper peered at him shrewdly.
The large man released a breath, taking a moment to glance back at Tessa and Andrea huddled together.
“I know I’ve been on your shit list lately, president, and rightly so. Everyone here knows I’m not the best husband, and far from the best father. In your eyes, I haven’t been the best Demon either. So let me correct that.” He straightened, puffing his chest out. “Let me take this as a chance to start righting my wrongs. If I don’t come back, I want my kids to remember me as a Demon who helped us win.”
Reaper’s eyes flicked to Andrea. “Do you have any objection to him taking you?”
She regarded Big G with a cool indifference at first, then looked at Tessa with a silent question I couldn’t read. “No objection, president. I’m fine with it.”
“Does anyone else object to Big G escorting Andrea on the mission?” When no response came, Reaper smacked the gavel once again. “Moving right along here,” he sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Now we need at least two scouts to oversee and hang farther back in case anything happens to either Big G or Andrea, and to step in and engage the enemy if necessary. Shadow?” He looked down the length of the table at me.
I knew this would be coming. In all likelihood, the mission would be carried out at night and he’d need me to see in the dark. I was also the most silent rider and least likely to get caught if it came to a fight.
“I accept, president.” My answer came without hesitation, a heated thrill lighting up my senses. I hadn’t been on a true mission since Blakeworth, and was eager to take out more enemies who threatened us.
My ears picked up a small sound, like a gasp behind me. Mari? My hands closed into fists on my lap, the reminder of her making me all the more determined to carry out my duty as a Steel Demon. She had been hurt, nearly killed by the enemy. I’d pick off any man who would follow through on an order to shoot her.
“You’re leading the scouting team, then,” Reaper said. “Who would you like to take with you?”
My gaze lifted to the Sons of Odin across the room, Grudge meeting my eyes.
“I’ll take Grudge with me,” I answered. The silent Son grinned as he stepped forward.
“Anyone else?”
It didn’t take long for me to make a decision. “No, president. The two of us will get the job done.”
“Excellent.” Reaper smacked the gavel once again.
The rest of the meeting was less emotionally taxing. Maps were pulled out to decide on the best route to get Andrea into New Ireland. It would be a long, winding journey to make it look like she was coming from the northeast and not directly west. General Bray and his lieutenants also gave input on the best rendezvous point, somewhere outside the territory where Andrea could leave the coded messages for us to find.
The sun was setting by the time Reaper concluded the meeting. “Are we ready to do this tomorrow night?” he asked the room. When no one objected, he smacked the gavel down for the final time that day. “Church is adjourned. Those who need to, come back here at sunset tomorrow night.”
I rose from the table, but stayed back while everyone filed out of the room. Reaper and Gunner helped Jandro out, while Mari came to stand next to me at the table.
“I won’t ask you to stay.” Her soft voice was nearly a whisper in the large, empty room. “But it doesn’t make me worry any less.”
Turning toward her slowly, I reached for her waist and pulled her closer without a single dissenting thought in my mind. Touching her had become normal, natural. Something Ineeded.
“You don’t have to worry about me.” I slid my hand up her back until my fingers touched the ends of her hair. “I didn’t know what to expect in Blakeworth. But with Tash, I know exactly what to expect.”
Her expression didn’t change. If anything, the tension in her forehead grew even deeper. “Just make sure you come back. Even if Grudge has to drag you behind his bike through the desert.”
“It won’t come to that,” I promised her. “We’ll be back in four days at the most.”
“You better.” Her fingers slid between mine, slender and twig-like through my massive paws. “You can’t miss the housewarming party.”
“Oh, yeah.” I heard others talking about how she and her men decided to move into the house the governor had offered them. “I wouldn’t miss it. Congratulations, by the way,” I added stiffly.
Her smile up at me was bright. “Congratulations to you too.”
