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Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 01

By: Daniellekitten



I know I took this down a few months ago but I've been working on the chapters to straighten out as much of the bs that I can. The Hunters are almost relatives to me and I would like to keep them as pure as possible. Anyway, I hope that you will find these chapters a bit easier to read and not quite so pheowy. Thanks and take care!

Chapter One

The sound of flesh meeting flesh was like fingernails on a blackboard. Miara stood, her mouth hanging open as she stared at her sister and the loser who'd moved in with her. "Wait a minute...You can't hit her."

"M-Miara...is it?" The street thug was thin, lean, with a raft of prison ink that blurred into each other. Mia barely blinked at him as he turned toward her, a sneer coming to his lips as he saw Emilee, her niece, cling to her. "If you don't want to get some of this too, I'd keep your fucking trap shut!"

Mia bent and dropped to her knees next to Emilee. "Baby, can you go into your room for a few minutes. Aunt Mia needs to talk to your Momma and then we'll get out of here. Okay, Baby?"

Emilee clung to Mia's hand. "P-promise?" she whispered.

"I do, baby. I promise." She gently touched Emilee's cheek and pressed a soft kiss to her tender skin. "Go on, I'll call you in a few minutes." Emilee nodded and scooted around the street thug that held her mother's long blonde hair in one grimy hand. 

"You ain't taking her anywhere, bitch." He yanked Tanya's hair and pulled her to her feet. "Tell her, baby. Tell her she ain't taking my baby nowheres."

"Mia?" Tanya's voice was low, pained and scared. She glanced down and saw the revolver that Ricky had pulled from the waistband of his too big jeans. He poked it into her side and she felt the first of her tears streak down her face. "Y-you c-can't," she managed to whisper.

"I can. And I can take you with me too." Mia stepped forward, brushing Ricky's hands off her sister to stand between the two of them. "Ricky, don't make me have to take you down."

Ricky took his first really good look at Tanya's sister. She was short, barely five feet two inches tall. Her hair was long, thick and a shiny black that looked almost blue in the light. She was pretty but had a don't-fuck-with-me attitude that he found aggravating. A tank top covered nice sized breasts and showed off tanned shoulders and well delineated arms. A wide belt ringed her tiny waist and slender hips filled out a pair of tight jeans very nicely.

"You know, bitch, you and me, we could do some business." He licked his lips obscenely and then reached out to grab her breast.

Mia knocked his hand to the side. "The only business we're going to do is to figure out when you're getting out of my sister's apartment. I want you and any skanky thing that belongs to you, out before we return. You got me, Ricky?"

"No, Mia, don't argue with him. He'll kill you." Tanya's voice was shaky with her fear of Ricky and what she knew he could and would do. Mia had no idea what Ricky was capable of doing when he was angry.

"He's not going to kill me, Tanya." Her gray green eyes grew stormy and she pushed Tanya back toward the bedroom that Emilee was in. "Go back there and pack some stuff for you and the kiddo, sis. I'll deal with Ricky." She waited until Tanya closed the door behind her.

"Too bad she's just gonna have to take the time to unpack those clothes after I toss you out in the dumpster, bitch." Ricky stuffed the revolver down the front of his pants and pulled a switchblade from his pocket, hitting the button that would open it. The steel blade was already stained with blood and he watched her eyes as he flipped it from one hand to the other. "Where you want it, bitch? You want it in the cunt? That'd probably be the best thing you ever had there." He snickered, laughing at his own terribly inadequate sense of humor.

"If you don't want me taking that away from you, Ricky, I'd close that fucker up and put it back in your pocket."

"Oh, you would huh? Well it's a damn good thing I'm not no bitchy cunt like you. If you want me to put this away, you make me!"

Mia took a deep breath, letting it out in a long sigh. "Such language Ricky. Do me a favor, I haven't gotten written up for excessive use of force in a long time. Don't make me start now." She flicked her dark hair behind her shoulder, easily falling into position to protect herself when Ricky slashed at her with the switchblade. "You had to do it. You had to." She shook her head, her eyes steady on Ricky and his every movement until she saw her opening. She took it, grabbing his arm and slamming his wrist onto the counter behind him. Then she grabbed the revolver out of his pants and pointed it at him. "Got anything else you want to say?"

"Don't shoot me?" Ricky cried out and backed away from Mia. "Tanya, don't let her shoot me! I didn't mean it Mia. I never wanted to hurt your sister, she just pissed me off. Tell her Tanya; tell her how you always pissed me off."

"Mia, no. You can't hurt him." Mia glanced over at Tanya, shock in her flashing grey eyes.

"I can't hurt him? Why the fuck not, Tanya? Do you like how he belittles you? Do you like it when he hits you or Emilee? Is he some kind of big man because he can knock you around? What the fuck, Tanya?"

Tanya was rubbing her lower belly, her hands shaking as she stared over at her older sister. "I...I'm pregnant, Mia. Ricky's the father."

"Yeah, you wouldn't hurt your niece or nephew's father, you couldn't do that, could you, Mia!" He laughed, the stud in his lower lip glinting in the light that was coming from the broken blind that sparsely covered the window. He reached out a hand, trying to grab Tanya but Mia held her back. "What...are you going to tell that baby that you killed its daddy?"

Mia felt her temper, something she was known for not controlling, soar and she reached out and slammed the side of the gun into Ricky's face. A tiny thrill flooded her as she felt his nose break. "It would be better than letting you be that baby's father, you little asshole. When did you ever step up for anything in your life but free shit? You aren't a man; you don't have it in you to be a real man." She turned and stared at Tanya. "This is what you want? This scumbag? He'll pimp your ass out and give you a week to heal after the baby comes before he'll have you out there again. Do you think he cares for you, Tanya? He cares about the money you make him and the free roof over his head the same fucking roof that I pay for!" She turned her head, unable to look at the shaking twig that had once been her beautiful, younger sister, Tanya.

"I love him, Mia. He told me he's going to get me off the streets. I just got to make enough money for us to start somewhere else, somewhere that we can be a family, me and Ricky and Emilee and the baby. We're going to be a family, Mia. A real family, like we always used to talk about. Remember, when daddy would come home drunk and slapping at us because his life sucked, we always talked about how we'd have a family and we'd never treat our kids like that. I got that chance now, Mia."

"When was the last time you ever got a good look at Emilee, Tanya? Does she look like this relationship of yours is good for her? Does she look happy? Do you know how it breaks my heart when she cries for me when I have to leave her here? This is not a good place for her and he's no fit human being to be a father." Her eyes turned toward where Ricky was twitching over by the kitchen table. His arms were jerking and he was talking to himself. Mia sat the gun down on the side table next to her, using both hands to try to make Tanya understand. "He's speed balling, Tanya. God! Do you want that around your children?"

Tanya wrapped her arms even tighter around herself. "He promised to give it up, Mia. For me and the baby, he said he'd get off the stuff and I believe him. He barely ever makes me smoke it anymore. He says it's bad for the fetus."

"Barely ever is still way fucking too much." The clipped phone on her belt went off and Mia groaned then picked it up and glanced at it. "Fuck," she growled before she flipped it open. "Yeah, Demon. Where? Can't you just take Hunter and...I don't know...let him bore them to death?" She looked over at her sister while she was still on the phone. "No, Ricky! You don't have to do this." She could hear Demon on the other end shouting her name. "She's my sister, Ricky. You don't want to kill her, she's carrying your baby remember?"

"Hang up the fucking phone, bitch. Now!"

Mia did as she was ordered. She felt cold almost detached from Tanya and Emilee right now. She was focused on Ricky, only on Ricky and the gun that he held in his shaky, twitching hand. The gun he held at Emilee's six year old head. "You are going to want to put that gun down, now, Ricky. If you hurt her, there will be no place deep enough in the fucking crapper for you to hide from me. Let Emilee go, let her go...Now!"

Ricky pulled Emilee back even closer to him. He backhanded Tanya as she tried to get to her baby and left her lying in a heap on the floor. "Now, bitch. It's going to go like this. You are going to put your hands behind your back and Tanya is going to tape them together. Then Tanya and Emilee are going to go into the bedroom and pack while you and I have a little conversation." Mia saw the way he was rubbing his crotch and knew exactly what kind of conversation he thought they were going to try to have.

"Mia?" There was pain in Tanya's voice.

"Do as he says, Tanya. Then you take Emilee and get out of here. Get help and don't come back here, got me?"

"What are you two bitches jawing about? Tanya, tape her arms. Tape em good, I don't want her to get free."

"You're not going to hurt her, are you, Ricky? She's my sister." Tanya picked up the roll of duct tape and pulled out a long piece, slowly wrapping it around Mia's wrists then ripping off the end. "Don't hurt her, Ricky. She's just worried about us."

"Oh and I'm not?" Ricky smacked her on the top of her head with the roll of duct tape, seeing the tears fill in Tanya's soft green eyes. "What the fuck am I then, Tanya? I don't go out every day to find you tricks so that we can have money enough to take Emilee to the doctor and make sure she has food. How many other pimps would give a shit about a scrawny little girl that is more baggage than she's worth? Especially when her momma doesn't give a shit about what I say. Now, go in the bedroom and get your shit packed. One bag each." He grabbed her arm, pushing her into the bedroom. Then he closed the door and picked up his pistol. "It's just you and me now, Mia."

"Yeah, I noticed the stench got worse." She glared up at him as if daring him to hit her, to get close enough to do any damage to her.

"You're not very smart, are you bitch? Normally, when a man holds a gun on a bitch, she's begging to do anything if he wouldn't shoot her."

Mia rolled her eyes and sighed. "I guess it's because I don't beg when a schmuck like you holds a tiny toy gun. It would take a much bigger man than you to make me beg." She smiled when she heard the first of the police cars roll up outside. "Oops, game time is over, Ricky. It's time to prove what a big man you are. Can you shoot a bound woman? Is that your style, Ricky?"

Ricky made his first mistake. He reached out and grabbed her hair, yanking on it and pushing the barrel of the pistol against her head.

Mia used that hold he had on her and flipped to her feet, slamming one of her heavy duty boots into Ricky's forehead. Blood flew from his eyebrow, running over and into his eye. "Ahh! Fuck bitch. You fucking cunt, you made me bleed." He tried to wipe the blood away, only to get it into both eyes.

Mia wasn't wasting any time. She bent, grabbing the knife in her boot and using the sharp edge to slit through the tape. Then she easily plucked the gun from Ricky's hand. She pushed the shrieking man into a chair at the table and gave him a paper towel. "Now, would you like to know what your biggest mistake was, Ricky?" she asked as she cuffed him into the chair.

"What?" he snarled.

"You hurt my sister. Nobody hurts my family, Ricky, especially not Emilee." She held her hand out, hearing Emilee come running over to her. 

"Does that mean we won't have to live with him anymore, Aunt Mia?"

"Yes. That's what that means. How would you and your mommy like to come and stay at my house for a while?" Mia turned, finding Tanya's eyes and seeing the shame and sorrow in them. "Maybe you could stay until you guys are more on your feet? I mean, Feral needs someone to play with since I'm never home and there's a real good school just down the road. What do you think, Sis? Lover-boy here is going to be put away for a while, especially since I have no doubt he just broke probation six ways to Sunday."

"A-are y-you sure, Mia?"

"Yes, Momma, Aunt Mia's sure. She never says it if she doesn't mean it, you know that. Say yes, Momma. Please?" She jumped around her mother until Tanya threw up her hands. 

"Okay, we'll go. But the minute it becomes too much, Mia..."

"You're out on your cans," Miara said with a grin. "So I guess someone needs to go down and round up the goon squad so Little Ricky here can find himself a happy home for the night." She smacked him across his face with an open palm, leaning closer to whisper in his ear. "I'd gargle with glass before I'd touch that shrinking piece of play doh you have between your thighs, dick head. Come around me, around Tanya or Emilee and not even the law will be able to hide you deep enough and far enough away to keep me from killing you."

Ricky growled and Mia smiled at him again, smacking him one last time. Then she picked up her phone and buzzed down to the street where she knew Demon would be.

"Demon?" she said into her phone.

His raspy growl came back quickly. "Kodiak. Everything ten-ten."

"Five by five, boss. Just need a crew up here to take a suspect into custody." She leaned against a wall, watching as Emilee stuffed her huge collection of stuffed animals into a trash bag.

"They're on their way, Kodiak. I want a report from you first thing."

"It's personal, Demon." She hissed out a breath, knowing that that excuse was not going to be good enough for her stickler of a boss. Demon was one of the toughest men she'd ever met and he'd made her prove to him that she had the gumption and the guts to become a member of his Alpha Bravo Team. She'd gone home bleeding and bruised, cursing like a sailor and storming that she was going to tell him what he could do with his job. Then the next day, she'd go in and start it all over again, training and fighting, studying and learning and going home bloody that day as well.

She'd broken six out of ten fingers, had cracked ribs, bruised joints, and forgotten more than once that she was a woman. The distinction wasn't cared about in Alpha Bravo Team. She she slept with them and fought beside them. She earned her place and knew that every man jack of them would depend upon her to pull their asses out of a fire fight, or stand over them and end it. She'd even earned her call sign in one of those fights. Another of the men had been injured and Mia had stood over his body, her automatic spitting fire and bullets. She'd cleared out the enemy before bending down to pick up her teammate and dragging him home. That was the day they'd started calling her Momma Bear. That had turned into Kodiak, a sign that was neither female or male.

"Fuck that, Kodiak. I want a report. We should be at a beach house down by the lake. Instead we're here, dragging your sorry ass out of trouble."

"Yes, boss." She gave a heartfelt sigh which cut off when he growled her name out of the radio. 

"I've got Digger and Romeo on their way up to you. Finish this up, Kodiak, we've got actual cases that need solving."

"Ten-four, Demon." She clipped her phone back to her belt and then had the door open for Digger, aka Chase Pratt and Romeo, aka Aidan Hunter. They were two of the men that she worked with. The other two were Horse aka Peter Griggs, and Casanova, aka Troy Dayton. They were headed by Demon, aka Santos Black, a man with a past as dark as his name. But he kept them in line and he kept them lean and mean and ready for anything.

"Mia?"

She lifted her head. "Hey, guys."

Romeo stopped next to her, his camouflaged-painted face showing his concern. "You okay?"

"When have you ever known a tweeker like him to get to me, Aidan?" But she didn't jerk away from the hand that he held under her chin, tipping her face up so he could look for wounds.

Her eyes held pain; he could see it in the gray/green depths of them. "He's not worth it, Mia. Don't let him do this to you."

Mia smiled into his gorgeous golden eyes. "It's a bit more complicated than that, Aidan. But I'll be okay. I always am."

His thumbs smoothed over her skin and he felt her shiver just a bit at the softness of his touch. She took a step back when she heard Emilee squeal Aidan's name and had to smile when her niece took off at a dead run to fling herself into Aidan's arms. "Uncle Aidan!"

Aidan cocked his head and stared down at her as if he had no idea who she was. "Who is this shy beauty?"

"It's me, Emilee," she said with a pout.

"Hmm, I bet I have something here that will turn that frown into a pretty smile." Aidan searched his pockets even though he knew Emilee knew where he kept his stash. She finally sighed and unbuttoned one of his chest pockets, pulling out a caramel apple sucker.

"Thank you, Uncle Aidan," Mia urged.

"Thank you, Uncle Aidan. Are you going to help mommy and me move into Aunt Mia's house?" Emilee asked, and pulled the wrapper off the candy. 

Aidan turned his back to the door as Chase dragged Ricky out of the apartment. He didn't want her to see Ricky taken out in cuffs. "We're moving into Aunt Mia's house today?"

Mia could have smacked him for that wide eyed look he gave Emilee. "Baby, I'm not going to be able to take you all there. We've got a call out." She reached into the pocket of her jeans, tugging her keys out to toss them to Tanya. "If he makes bail, he'd better be no where around my house, Tanya. Promise me."

"I promise, Mia. I want to get my life straightened out. I'm going to be a new mommy again." She rubbed her hands over her flat belly, tears beginning to flow out of her eyes. Thank you, Mia. You don't know how important this is to me."

"I know enough, Tanya. Now you two go. There's food in the kitchen, I don't think you'll want for anything. No friends over, Tanya, not while I'm not home. Emilee, keep an eye on Feral for me, please." She kissed her sister's cheek and then took Emilee away from Aidan where she'd been happily chattering away. "You go take care of mommy, baby. I'll be home as soon as I can." She gave her a kiss and sat her on the floor. "You remember how to take Feral out?"

"Two whistles," Emilee said, nodding her head. "I remember, Aunt Mia. I can do it good."

"I have no doubts." She gave her a smile. "My car is parked right outside, Tanya. I need to get my work bag out of the trunk and then I want you to go right to my house. Make yourself at home. I'm not sure when I'll be there, okay?"

Tanya nodded, smiling shyly up at Romeo as he took the bags out of her hands and easily carried them out the door. "Come on Squirt," he said, bending slightly and then catching her as she jumped on his back, helping her climb onto his shoulders. "Low bridge."

Mia wrapped her arm around Tanya's shoulders. "Baby you can do this. Not just for yourself but for Emilee and for this little one too." She laid her hand over her sister's abdomen. "I'll help you as much as I possibly can, baby. All you've got to do is try."

Tanya nodded; letting Mia help her out of the apartment they'd been living in for weeks and out to where her shiny SUV was parked. Mia lifted the gate and grabbed her bag out of the back before kissing her on the cheek again and sending her on her way. Then with a sigh, she turned toward the AB vehicle and climbed into the back.


Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 01



"Nice you could finally join us, Kodiak."



Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 02



"Yes, sir," Mia snapped. "Sorry for the delay, sir!"

"Gear up, Kodiak."

Mia dropped her bag onto the floor of the van and then met the eyes of each of the men sitting there. All but Romeo dropped his eyes. Mia shook her head before bending and opening her bag. She pulled her off duty weapon from its place in the small of her back and sat it in the case before pulling her camo pants out. Standing, she unbuttoned her jeans and let the zipper down.

"Is this a floor show?" she snarled at Romeo.

Aidan shrugged his shoulders, his eyes on her long legs and the amount of flesh visible beyond the tiny red satin thong she was wearing. He glanced back up at her face, laughing when he saw the look and the emotions in her eyes. "Hey, if it helps when we get back I'll strip down to my shorts for you, Mia."

"Romeo! Kodiak! Cut the bullshit and get ready to deploy!"

"Cutting the bullshit, sir," Aidan sang out, sitting forward just a bit so that he could run his hand from her ankle to the tiny bit of red satin that bisected the softest pussy lips he'd ever felt. Then her hand jammed down, her thumb landing exactly on the painful pressure point.

"If you don't want to have to fire your weapon with your nose, I'd suggest you watch where that hand goes," she hissed out just a bit too low for Demon to hear.

Aidan smiled at her even as he felt his eyes welling up with tears of pain. "Yes, ma'am." When she finally let go of his hand, she realized he hadn't learned a thing. "Who does your waxing, Mia? Smoothest pussy lips I've ever felt."

"You never will learn, will you?"

"You expect me to?" He brought up his hand to his nose and breathed deeply of the sweet fragrance of the juices she'd left on his hand.

Mia jerked her camos up her long legs, buttoning the fly quickly before tightening the belt. Her Sig Sauer went into its holster at her side, her hunting knife in its sheath. A small semi automatic weapon was thrust into the side of her boot and she stashed a handful of throwing daggers into her belt. When she was finished, she squared away her jeans and her bag before taking her seat next to Romeo.

"Sure you don't want to go for a drink after work?"

Mia glanced up at the tall, well-built, gorgeous specimen of man who sat so easily beside her even knowing that they were heading into a possible gun battle that one or both of them might not make it through. "I've already got a date after work, Romeo. Besides, do you remember Cindy Chase?" She blinked her pretty eyes up at him innocently.

"Cindy...Chase...Oh shit, Mia, you can't believe everything that girl says. She's psycho. She trashed my truck."

"Yeah," Digger broke in. "Little Juliet didn't like her Romeo fucking around on her. I thought she was going to force feed the boy some rat poison."

Horse howled with laughter. "She did a job on his truck," he bellowed, then hee hawed. His soft country twang was easy to discern in his voice. "That boy needs to learn how to relate with the ladies, not just piss them off."

"I hear that," Casanova said. "One of these days, dude, one of them ladies is going to go loco on your head and not just on your truck."

"I don't know how she knew it was my truck. I'd just gotten it the weekend before..." 

Mia smirked but tried to hide it. She thought she'd done well until Digger called her name. "Mia, you didn't happen to have anything to do with Cindy and Aidan's truck?"

"Me?" She widened her eyes and tried to keep a straight face. "Why would I help one of Aidan's brain dead cheerleader girlfriends out?"

Aidan stared at her, his eyes narrowing. "You did, you showed her my truck, didn't you? What the fuck, Mia?"

"Okay, boys and girl. This is a bad one, get your game faces on!" Demon called back. Mia settled down on the back seat next to Aidan, ignoring the look on his face that promised retribution later. "What we got, Demon?"

"Male and female in their twenties. Married but busting it up the hard way. Two kids supposedly hiding out in a back bedroom. Man is using woman as a shield and wants us all to leave them alone. I think if that happens, we'll end up with a murder suicide."

"Shit." Mia's soft utterance was echoed in the faces of the men around her.

"You can say that again," Aidan whispered and nodded his head at the building that was currently being surrounded by cops, a police helicopter whizzed around it which added to the noise and confusion. There were snipers in the building across the street, and people ran in front of them, guided away by uniformed police. It looked like something out of a bad 'B' movie.

"What floor Chief?" Aidan called out.

"Fifteenth and the elevator is out of service, folks." Demon laughed at their moans. "We're going to have to hump it."

"There's no way to sneak attack from inside, is there Chief?"

"There's one doorway into the apartment. Three windows but none with a fire escape." He grabbed the small bar built into the dash of the van as their driver stopped, rocking with the braking motion. "Kodiak, Romeo, take the roof, we might have to go for a roof entry."

"You got it, Chief. I don't know if I can pull his lead ass back up though," Mia snickered.

"Oh no, honey, you get the rope and the swinging. I know I can handle your weight and I know you love it on top." He wiggled his eyebrows at her seductively. "You'd enjoy every minute of it."

Mia couldn't help but think she probably would and she felt a flush heat her cheeks. She bent, hiding her face from Aidan and grabbing the rope that was under their seat. She thrust it against his rock hard abs. "Keep imagining, Romeo. I'm no Juliet." 

"Maybe I'm tired of Juliets," he said softly so that only she could hear. "Maybe I want someone with a little more fire, a woman who can take care of herself and doesn't cry every time she breaks a nail. Did you ever think of that, Mia?"

She shook her head. "Don't give me this shit now, Aidan. You always do this when you've broken up with your latest floozy. Now we've got a woman and a couple of kids to rescue. Get your head in the game."

"It's in the game." He gave her a frustrated glare before coiling the rope over his shoulder. When the door to the van opened, he grabbed his assault rifle and was first out, staring up at the mammoth of steel and glass in front of them. "It's going to be a long trip up," he moaned and then held the glass doors for the rest of the team. Demon was growling into a head piece, collecting intel from the cops that had secured the building. He shook his head as he caught up with the rest of them in the stairwell.

"Okay, they've evacuated everything from the tenth floor up so civilians shouldn't be a problem. The window you two will be looking for is in the front, third from the right. It leads into the living room. The perp's been screaming out the window, shouting threats and letting off an occasional round to let the cops know he was serious. Any questions?"

"Anyway we can get him away from the window until Kodiak does her swan dive routine?"

"The city cops have a negotiator standing by. He's waiting for my go to make his initial call. I've seen the rap sheet on the perp, this kid's done everything but murder and he's a step away from that now. Kodiak, you get in there, you take him out hard. No fool stunts got me. You keep an eye on your six since Romeo seems to be fascinated on yours."

"Yes, sir." Mia said the words but she knew she wouldn't do anything until she had a better idea of what was going on inside that apartment. Watching your father be killed in front of you is something that is hard to get over, no matter what kind of bastard the man was. She wasn't going to put those kids through that, not if she could help it.

They were quiet except for the sound of boots and the squeak of leather the rest of the way up to the fifteenth floor. Demon gave her one more look before heading through the door and the other men rubbed their hands over the top of her helmet. "Don't get dead," Horse said. It was a line from his favorite movie and he used it as often as he could.

Mia just rolled her eyes. She hitched her rappelling equipment a little more securely over her shoulder and glanced at Aidan. "Ready for this?"

"I'm not the one that's going to be swinging into the unknown, Mia. Are you ready for this?"

"Just don't get butterfingers on the rope," she said and jammed her elbow against his gut.

"I've never dropped you yet." Aidan's golden eyes glanced back at her as he passed her and led the way up the rest of the stairs to the roof. The building manager was waiting up there for them and he huffed importantly, tugging at his belt as he held open the door for them.

"A woman? You've got a woman to go up against Ryan Kelly? That man would eat you for breakfast, honey."

"I'm hard to digest. Where's this window?"

"Over here. I just hope you know what you're doing. Kelly is a bit of a bastard. He hits that sweet little girl he married and beats on his kids as if that's what they were put on God's green earth for. I'd have kicked him out a long time ago but for the little ones. They don't deserve what Kelly gives them and that's God's own truth. I told the missus that I would kick the bastard out and keep an eye out for her and the little ones but he has her terrified. Yes sir, that Kelly is really a bit of a bastard." He hitched his pants up again, tugging the waistband over his overflowing middle.

Mia waited for the verbose landlord to take a breath. "Mr. Greenaway, it would be best if you stayed back and let us work." Mia sat her assault weapon down, leaning it against the railing that ran around the edge of the roof. She stepped into her gear, before glancing down the side of the building and estimating how much rope she'd need to hit the window dead center. Hopefully, if it all worked right, she'd have a minute of surprise on her side of this deal for her to decide what to do. Her instincts had never failed her yet.

She glanced up, startled when Aidan tightened her belt for her and began to feed the rope through the eight ring.

"No stunts, Mia. You get in, you do the job and save the day and then we all go back to our day off. Got me?"

The seriousness in his eyes startled her even more. "You'd better watch that Aidan, people might think you actually care for something more than yourself."

"I'm not kidding, Mia. You promise me you'll do as Demon said or I'm calling this now. Promise me." He grabbed her stubborn little chin in his hand, forcing her to look up at him.

"Aidan, do you know what it does to a kid when they watch their father killed in front of them? Do you have any idea what the psychological damage is, what it can do to them? I just can't blindly go in there and pop their father because somebody is telling me that he's a bad guy."

"Dammit!" Aidan growled his frustration. "I'm not helping you get in that apartment so that you can get yourself killed."

"I'm not going to get myself killed, Romeo. Don't get your panties in a twist." She scoffed at him, than checked her rigging once more. He took her completely by surprised when he grabbed her chin again. He dragged her closer and dipped his head. Than his lips covered hers.

His mouth was hot, his lips soft and sensual, twisting on hers so that he could thrust his tongue into her mouth. That kiss was the sexiest, most demanding and completely sensual she'd ever had. When he finally lifted his head, she was surprised she hadn't drooled into a pool at his feet. "W-what was that?" she asked, breathless.

"I care about you, Mia, probably more than is healthy for me. I don't want to lose you to some nut before we can sort this damn thing out. So promise me you'll be careful and not end up dead."

She stared up at him, for the first time noting how long and thick his lashes were and the way they brushed against his skin when he blinked. "I...what?"

He stared down at her and for a single moment, she thought he was going to kiss her again. She wanted that kiss, almost more than she wanted anything in this world. She could still taste him on her lips, feel the way he'd kissed her all the way to her toes, which were still curling in her combat boots. But instead of a kiss, he tapped her helmet, taking a step back. "Just be careful, Mia."

She gave herself a mental shake, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Yeah, careful, I got that." Picking up her rifle, she gave him her hand, letting him help her up on the ledge before he got hold of the rope, putting it behind his back and bracing himself. 

Cocking his head, he activated their comm. device and let Demon know they were ready. He gave Mia a nod. "They're waiting on you, kid."

She took another deep breath before doing a two second check of her position and how much rope she had slack. Throwing her assault rifle over her shoulder on its strap, she nodded and turned then took a step backwards out into nothing. The building seemed to fly by and for just a second she wondered if she'd given herself too much rope. Then she felt it jerk tight and brought up her feet to kick out the window.

She landed on her feet, dropping the rope and grabbing her gun as she saw the stunned face of the man she'd been sent in to bring down. His eyes were wide, his face almost ludicrous in surprise. But it wasn't his face she focused on. It was his wife's. 

Both her eyes were blackened, swollen from his fists. She had blood leaking from her nose and her lips were swollen. Hanks of her hair were hanging loosely from her scalp. The utter hopelessness and terror in her face was the thing that decided Mia and she took quick and careful aim and fired three rounds, hitting the man with each one. He was on his way to the floor when Demon and Horse burst into the room.

Mia had already kicked the husband's gun out of his dead hand and now she was comforting the wife. She moved to the side when a little boy and girl came running out of one of the bedrooms, screaming for their mother. She barely nodded when Demon clapped her on the shoulder or when Horse pulled the rope from her rig and then tossed it out the window, hollering for Aidan to coil it up.

They were there less than an hour longer, long enough to see the coroner off with the body and Mrs. Kelly off in an ambulance. The children stayed with a neighbor and they finished up and left before the crime scene tape had a chance to unravel.

Mia sat quietly, ignoring the talk that was going on around her. It was the same crap every time they finished a mission. The camaraderie was fantastic and it was part of what she signed up for when she heard that the government was going to start the Alpha program. She was the only female in the Alpha's. Six teams of men, taken from law enforcement, the Marines, even the Fire Department, like Aidan, were sent on missions around the world.

They'd been scouted, wooed and then brought into the hell that was the Alpha training camp. Drill instructors had nothing on the men who worked them over, toughening them up, making them Alpha material. Long days started with standing out in the cold air, doing push ups and sit ups, kip ups and more until they were physically numb. Over half the men that applied or were sought after failed the physical part of the training and were sent home.

They hadn't taken it easy on her, but Mia was a go getter. And she wanted this; she wanted it more than anything she'd ever wanted in her life. She excelled in the mental part of the training, the planning and execution, map reading, figuring the enemies next moves. She could do it all and pretty damn flawlessly. She wasn't afraid of the hard work or of the dirt. She didn't flinch at dead bodies or at having to kill. She'd gone on an operation in the Saudi dessert and hadn't flinched at the names or the comments that had been made. That didn't stop the men in her unit from taking those commenters to task.

She sometimes felt like she had six older brothers. They watched out for her, they cared about her. They even threatened any and every man she dated that they'd better treat her right, or else. Needless to say, second dates were scarce and her love life sucked.

That had to be the reason that she'd been so eager, so caught up in Aidan's kiss. She chewed the thought over, ignoring the men until Aidan jabbed her in the side with his elbow.

"Thinking about me?" he teased.

She felt her cheeks heat because he had interrupt some pleasant thoughts of his kiss. "Why the hell would I do that? You want me car sick?"

"I don't think you'd be car sick. I think you'd be a puddle of goo." He bent closer to whisper in her ear. "I'm hard as hell from that kiss."

"Well, get over it. It's an aberration."

"You want to prove that to me," he whispered in her ear, his breath causing gooseflesh to rise on her arms.

"I don't need to prove anything to you." The words were growled and she pushed him back, hating the ease at which he resisted her hands.

"You might not need to, but think of the fun, Mia. I could kiss and lick every inch of you and you'd probably purr like a kitten for me."

"I'd probably gag on you," she growled, pulling away from his hand as he tickled at her side. "Don't touch the merchandise."

"But it's such fine merchandise." His teasing words caused her to growl again and this time, Digger heard her.

"Something up your ass, Kodiak?"

"Not up my ass but definitely on my nerves." She scooted a little further to the side of the seat. "I think Romeo needs to learn to read."

"Read?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah, the no touching clause in my contract." She sighed as she saw the base in the windshield. "Horse, give me a ride home? Tanya has my truck."

"I'll give you a ride home," Aidan purred near her ear.

"No, thanks, but no thanks. Horse? That ride?"

"I would, Mia, but I'm not headed right home. Charity's booked my attention for the rest of my day off." He held up his cell phone, showing off the picture of his girlfriend. "Your house is way off the other way. Romeo would take you home."

"Yeah but I'd like to make it there in one piece," she growled. "Digger?"

"Oh, Mia, I'd love to but...Patsy is having a cook out on the beach. I'm bringing the male entertainment."

The rest of the guys nodded their heads and she sighed. "Okay, thanks anyway." She grabbed her rifle and her bag, pushing open the doors of the van and jumping out. Ignoring Aidan, she headed into the equipment room of the bunker, handing her assault rifle to the man behind the counter. "Clean it, Jimmy and check the compression. It felt a bit off."

"You got it, Mia."

"Great. You got change for a dollar? I need to use the phone."

Jimmy swapped out the money and watched as she walked right by Aidan, ignoring him as he called her name. "What's up her butt?"

"Me. I guess I rubbed her the wrong way."

"That's kind of hard to do with Mia. What, did you say something bad about that mutt of hers?"

"No, it's a long story. I'll talk to you later, Jimmy." He followed Mia out of the equipment room, seeing her on the pay phone. Walking up behind her, he pushed down on the disconnect lever and listened to her spit. "I'll take you home, Mia. I'll keep my hands to myself too."

Mia turned, her fist slamming into his stomach. He gasped and she grinned. "Back the fuck up, Romeo. I'm not interested."

"In my body or the ride?" he grumped, rubbing a hand over his stomach.

"I'll take the ride. But forget about anything else you might have in mind."

"Your sister's at your place anyway."

Mia had never been more grateful for her sister's presence as she was now. That kiss had stumped her. It had sent her body reeling and her emotions on overdrive. She wasn't sure she could handle another kiss like that or not. "So, that ride?"

"Let me get my bag." He held out his keys. "You know what it looks like."




Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 02



She grinned. "Yes, I do."

He narrowed his eyes at her as she took the keys and then pushed out the door without another word. His truck was parked at the back of the lot and she walked the deserted parking lot without a qualm. Monroe City Air Force Base was a well traveled and highly secure base. Throwing her bag in the back end of his truck, she climbed into the cab and stuck the ignition key into the ignition. Then she waited for him to show up.



Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 03



Mia's fist slammed down on the alarm clock, cutting off the shrill warbling sound that would wake her no matter what condition she was in every morning. She sat on the edge of her bed, running her hands through her dark hair before forcing herself up. A yawn caught her by surprise and she shook her head. She pulled on skin-tight lycra pants and pulled a jogging bra over her head. Then she gathered her thick locks up into a ponytail and headed out of her room.

Her running shoes were in the front closet and she quickly slipped them on, tying them tightly. She grabbed her cell phone off its charger and shoved it into the zippered pocket in her pants. It was still dark outside when she opened her front door. She waved at the boy on his bike that was delivering the paper, snagging hers and tossing it on the side table by her door. Then she did some warming up, stretching out her shoulders as well as her legs, admiring the bruise she'd gotten last night, before hitting her stride on her third step.

The first of the morning birds sang to her as she jogged through her neighborhood. It was one of her most favorite time of days, this solitary run. The repetitive nature of her stride, the smack of the sole of her shoes striking the concrete was very soothing. It let her think; it gave her time to breathe, to think through things that might be bothering her. And right now something was definitely bothering her.

His name was Aidan Hunter. In some ways, even the thought of his name made her feet slam down even harder and the easy count of her breathing grow rough. Thoughts of his golden eyes, their heat on her legs yesterday when she'd changed into her fatigues; well that was only half of it. The way his hand had felt against her skin was something she'd been fighting to forget all night. Aidan was a playboy. He didn't have a serious bone in his body and he was definitely a little more alpha male than she wanted to deal with.

Sweat was pouring off of her body and she ran in place as a stop light held her up. Two more joggers caught up to her there while she waited for the light to change. One was one of those men that drive women nuts just because they think they are god's sweetest gift to women. He tried to interest her in conversation and didn't take it too well when he didn't get a reply. She took off when the light changed, quickly out-running the jerk. She shrugged off the disruption, running her usual paths.

She finished in record time, sprinting the last quarter mile and running into her house. Feral, her shepherd, met her by the front door, his long, thick tail wagging. "Hey boy," she said quietly, scratching his head and walking through the living room and into the kitchen to let him out the back door, into the fenced in yard. He did his business then raced around the trees, barking at the small brown squirrels that chattered back at him.

"You idiot," she said with a soft laugh. He didn't seem to even notice her words, barking happily up at the racing squirrels. "I'm not waiting for you to catch one, Feral. I've got to go into work." He barked once at her and then continued to race around the yard.

Mia left the back door open knowing that Feral could open the screen door and let himself in when he was finally ready to admit defeat. She headed back toward the bathroom to grab a shower before heading into work.

The hot water felt fantastic as it streamed through her hair and down her slender curves. She grabbed her favorite shampoo, lathering it through her long locks, enjoying the fragrance. Tipping her head back into the water, she let it wash through, the suds sliding off of her hair and running down her body. For a minute, with her eyes closed, her head back, she could imagine someone else's hands moving over her skin, fingers tripping magically over her hardened nipples. 

Those hands became more forceful, sliding over her ribs and down her firm abdomen, tangling in the tiny heart-shaped patch of hair that covered her mons. Then they slid into heat, slipping over her clit before strumming it hard enough to have pleasure rising inside of her. "Mmm," she hummed. "Aidan..."

The name on her lips shattered the fantasy and she tore her hand from between her thighs. Her temper showed and she slammed her hand against the wall of the shower. "Damn him!" she growled. "Stay out of my head, asshole." With a huge sigh, she finished her shower, grabbing a towel and quickly drying herself. Then she grabbed her robe, wrapping a towel around her hair and opening the bathroom door.

Feral barked once at her, letting her know he'd had his fill of the squirrels, at least for the moment. Now he wanted food and he wasn't very patient about waiting for her to get it for him. Mia opened the small covered tub where she kept his food and scooped enough to fill his bowl. Feral nudged his nose under her hand, giving her a lick before digging into the food with hungry intent. "You're welcome." She patted him quickly and then rose, turning on her heel to go to her bedroom.

She grabbed clothes, more workout articles and sweats. Then she put on her uniform, shining up her badge and pinning it into the black shirt. Her uniform pants slid on over her hips and she tucked in her shirt, then grabbed her belt and slid her holster on it. Wrapping it around her slender waist, she tossed off the towel and bent at the waist, shaking out her hair. Brushing it took another twenty-minutes, which included French braiding it to keep it out of her face.

Pushing her feet into her work boots, she ran a quick cloth over the shine, buffing it up just a bit more. Then she grabbed her bag and grabbed her set of keys. As she walked out of her bedroom, Tanya was in the kitchen fixing Emilee some eggs and bacon. "Keep the doors locked, I already let Feral out."

Tanya handed Emilee a plate, sliding her hand over the girl's shiny blonde hair. "What time will you be home?"

"Ah, I'm not sure, sis. We've got drills today so it may be an all day thing. You need anything? I can pick it up on my way home."

"Milk?"

"You got it, sis. Remember what I said about Ricky. He shows up, you call, I'll have someone here in five minutes."

"He wouldn't hurt me, Mia."

Mia glanced at the bruises on Tanya's arm. "Those don't look like they felt good."

Tanya's face flushed. "He's the father of my baby, Mia. He loves Emilee."

Mia wrapped her arm around her sister's neck. "Honey, I love you and Emilee and this little one." Her palm rested against Tanya's stomach. "Just do me a favor, if he shows up, call me."

"Don't hurt him, Mia." Tanya's voice was adamant and Mia smiled at her. 

"I won't hurt him. Much." She gave Tanya another hug and then hefted her bag over her shoulder. "I'll see you tonight, honey. Lock the door behind me. Emilee? Can I trust you to keep an eye on Feral?"

"Yes, Aunt Mia." She was given a grin with a bacon filled mouth. Mia returned it then walked out the door, waiting until she heard Tanya lock the door and then slip the dead bolt. Then she skipped down the stairs and got into her truck.

It took very little time to drive to the base. Flashing her identification, she drove through the gate and then headed to the Alphas' bunker. She parked close to the back of the lot and hefted her bag again, then walked to the bunker.

"Bout time you got here, sugar britches." A big hand came down on her ass and then squeezed one cheek. She dropped the bag on the ground and grabbed his hand.

"Aidan, are you ever going to learn?" she growled, twisting his hand and pushing it so his wrist bent back. She held it and added pressure until he apologized, to get her to get her to let him go. "Knock off the shit."

"What shit? You do look pretty good in uniform but I think Demon has other ideas for us today." He nodded over where Demon was standing. He was dressed in jogging pants and a tight tank top that showed off every ridge and ripple of muscle on his chest. His arms were impressive even in a room full of Alphas.

Demon saw her looking and then jerked his head toward the locker room. She nodded and walked around Aidan, anxious to get by him and down into the tiny room that they'd given up for her to change in. She'd have been okay changing with the rest of the guys but somehow, even though these men had been brutal physically to her, the thought of her nudity had them panicking. Aidan stepped in front of her again and this time she let him have it. She pushed her bag into his stomach and then grabbed his arm, flipping him onto his back on the mat. "Leave me alone, Aidan. I mean it."

Then she escaped down the stairs. The time she took in the locker room gave her little time to think, but when Demon wanted to work the team, he wasn't patient about the time it took to change clothing. She hung up her uniform, careful to hang it so it wouldn't wrinkle and the creases would be just as sharp as when she'd put them on this morning. Throwing on another training bra, she skipped over the track pants and grabbed a pair of tiny bike shorts that hugged every inch of her ass. She smoothed down her braid, and then headed for the gym.

Demon had the team running laps around the gym and she slipped in amongst them, easily keeping pace with the much taller and longer-legged men. The Alphas was one reason she got up and ran six to eight miles every morning. She had to keep up or get cut. They ran on the small indoor track until Demon blew his whistle. Then he had them pairing up on the mats.

Standing across from each other, he had them run through a tai chi stretching routine of his own making. This was Mia's favorite part of Demon's workouts. The tai chi made her relax, the slow, intimate movements felt like dance to her and it was just as good as her run this morning, a way to rid herself of any evil in her head. But every time her eyes fell on Aidan, she felt the tension rise all over again. She finished the routine with her muscles as tight as they'd been when she started and she walked around the mat for a few minutes, shaking her hands and her arms, trying to loosen up.

Demon called her name and she sighed, turning to look at him.

"We're about to start here, do you plan on joining us or should I use Aidan as a demonstration dummy."

For a second, she put her finger against the corner of her mouth and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm not sure Demon. I don't think he has the smarts for the job."

Everyone laughed, including Aidan. "Maybe we should see who the dummy is." He walked toward her, stalking her like a panther does its prey.

For the first time, Mia felt a small spurt of panic. "Hey, you wouldn't hit a girl, would you?"

He held his hands out. "Depends on the girl."

"Me, dummy, who did you think I meant."

"Mia, aren't you the one who always tells us that you are twice as tough as any one of us and can kick our asses nine ways to Sunday?"

Mia unconsciously began nibbling at her lower lip and she was thinking very hard about how she was going to get out of this. She knew if he touched her, if his hands touched her body, she wasn't going to be able to be held responsible for what she might do. Last night, she'd relived his kiss, playing it through her mind over and over. It had gotten so bad that she'd had to break out her vibrator. She'd broken it out six times last night. Now that he'd done that, she was finding it difficult to just see him as another member of her team. Now he was more and she couldn't help but hate him for it.

"Maybe I'm just trying to save you from losing face, Aidan. Did you ever think of that?"

"Or maybe you aren't able to keep your hands off of me?" He leaned in closer, keeping his words intimately between the two of them. "Maybe you want me to kiss you again? Maybe you're wondering what I might be capable of doing to you, Mia. Maybe you're afraid because you know that you'd enjoy every second of it."

She cleared her throat, heat rushing to her face and she cursed silently as she realized that he was probably right. But she wasn't able to back down. Not while every member of her squad stood around the mat, watching as Aidan moved even closer to her, his hand coming out to grab her shoulder.

She moved with no conscious thought, grabbing his hand and twisting it up behind his back. When she suddenly found herself on her back, staring up at him, she didn't know how he'd put her there. She accepted his hand to pull herself back up, using her body weight and the fact that he was off balance against him to put him where she'd been just seconds ago.

"One to one!" Demon called out. He reached into a drawer at the desk and pulled out a small notebook of paper. He wet the end of the pencil with his tongue and marked the notebook. "Who's in?"

"Put me down for twenty," Aidan called. He rose on his own power and then wiggled his fingers at her. "What you waiting for, Mia? Christmas?"

Mia shook her head. "I was just wondering how long it would take for you to quit loafing on your ass and finally do something. I'm surprise you don't ask Horse to fight for you. He might actually be able to get in a shot or two before I'd put him down." She winked at Horse to take the sting out of her words.

"Hell no, Mia. I'm ascared of you." Horse grabbed Digger and use him as a shield.

Aidan shook his head a sad expression on his face. He sighed. "I worried over wrecking your standing with the team if I showed them how you really felt about me." He grabbed her arms, yanking her toward him, letting her bounce off the heavy muscles of his chest and abdomen. His arms held her tightly, keeping her from causing any more bruises. He ducked his head, brushing his lips over hers.

Mia didn't stay complacent for long. When she realized what he was planning, she fought against him, her fists pushing at his chest. "Let me go, Aidan. Now!"

"That's not what you want, Mia. Admit it and maybe I'll let you go." Aidan's eyes danced with a golden glow, staring down at the woman that haunted his dreams since the first day of Alpha training. He hadn't expected her to make it as far as she had or to have her deal with a bunch of Alpha minded assholes. But Mama bear was more than happy to take care of the crew, to put in that ten percent extra that made her so well liked and so good at her job.

* * * *

A memory caught his attention and his mind swam back to one night, not so incredibly long ago. They'd had a night drop deep into enemy territory. The rest of the crew had landed right where they were supposed to, but not Aidan, no, he couldn't do things the easy way. Instead, his harness got tangled, his chute pulling him across the field and straight into a drainage ditch.

It had been incredibly cold, and he fought the shivering and the shaking of his hands as he tried to untangle himself and rid himself of his chute. If it hadn't been for Mia, he might have been caught or drowned. She'd waded in right after him, slitting the harness of his chute with her Ka-bar tactical knife. Then she'd pulled him out of the water, dragging him up the steep incline. The cold had been excruciating and it had taken hours before his shaking had stopped.

Yes, Mama bear had been in fine shape that night, rescuing him and then demanding that he tell her what stupid shit he'd done wrong. She hadn't let him forget it either. For that and that alone, she deserved what he was more than willing to give out.

* * * *

God, it should be illegal for one man to have the body and attitude that Aidan did. She growled deep into her chest, unwilling to let him know what she wanted so badly to do to him. She wanted to take his tight tank top off of him with her teeth, then to rub her face over the hard bulge she could feel against her in his pants. She hated herself for those feelings, hated that she had them for Aidan and she hated Aidan for being the man who fueled so many of the wet dreams she had. "Let me go."

"Now why would I want to do that? You seem to like having my arms around you, Mia. You feel the way that I do. Give in to those feelings, let your fantasy take hold. I know you want more out of me and I am more than willing to rock your world."

Mia slammed her fist into his hard stomach. It didn't do much good; he just tugged her a little closer so she didn't have the space to do so again. He whispered in her ear, words she'd never heard before, lustful things, lewd and lascivious words. She tried to ignore them, but he wouldn't allow that either. She felt desire twisted in with the anger and she didn't know how to fight it. She had to get free, to get away from the supple texture of his mouth. Drawing her head back, she smashed her forehead into his jaw line. It worked and he let her go, his hand going up to his mouth.

"Enough."

Aidan glanced at Demon. "I'm fine." The words were growled and he tugged his tank top over his head, using it to stem the flow of blood that poured from his mouth and jaw. "She has a soft head."

Mia didn't answer him; instead she turned her back from the men, unwilling for any of them to see the concern on her face. If he hadn't made her so crazy...so hot, she wouldn't have had to resort to a move like that. She could feel her own welt swelling on her forehead and she didn't want any of the men to see that either.

She walked toward the locker room, ignoring Demon's lofty order to be in his office when they'd finished changing. Now she had a bit more guilt to rest upon her shoulders.

She closed her locker room door, locking it behind her. Walking over to the short bench that sat in front of her locker, she tugged off her shoes and dumped them inside her gym bag. Sliding her clothes off, she dropped her head in her hands. "Why?" she whispered.

But no answer was forthcoming. She was left staring off into space. Then she growled again and grabbed the small toiletry bag that held her shampoo and her body wash. There was a single shower stall at the far end of the tiny room and she flipped her towel onto the hook next to the stall. Pulling the band that had held her braid in place; she pushed her fingers through it to free her hair. Then she stepped into the single stall and turned on the water. She leaned against the side of the stall, letting the hot water beat into her, wanting to just shake her head and forget the words that Aidan had said.

But fuck. She still felt the needy ache between her thighs, the racing of her heart, the sweat that covered her brow. She wanted to know if he could actually do everything he'd promised her. Fuck!

Romeo had been an excellent name for the man. He certainly knew how to charm the ladies. He was eye candy to look at; a hard body that only grew sexier every time he dragged her into contact with it. His words made her body ache and long to give in, to try some of those things he'd been so sure to say. Even now, her clit throbbed and her breasts felt fuller, wanting the things that he'd spoke of.

"Damn him," she moaned, reaching for her bottle of body wash. She let the water rush over her and opened the bottle. The scent of gardenias wafted in the air around her. The scent was one of the few things that Mia allowed herself that was simply feminine. She poured a goodly amount on her shower sponge and then used her hand to create the thick lather she loved. Mia tried everything in her power to ignore what Aidan had done to her but it was hard. As the sponge moved down her body, sliding across her already erect nipples and then over her waist, she got lost in the daydream again.

It was almost like he was here, inside this tiny shower stall, his body so close, his hands moving to her breasts and driving her mad with need. He was so incredibly good with his hands. Her body arched, her fingers digging even harder into the sponge. "Oh Aidan," she moaned.

His hands wouldn't stop. It didn't matter how weak her knees became or how hard her nipples felt and the extreme pleasure he gave her, he wouldn't stop. Her eyes were closed when her hands dropped the sponge to the floor of the shower and she leaned against the wall, angling herself so that the water wasn't in her face. Her fingers dipped into soft woman's flesh, feeling how wet her folds were. She carefully used one finger to flick over her clitoris, gasping at the pleasure that seemed to suffuse her entire body. It was so much more than she'd expected, as if hearing those words he'd spoken to her had whipped her into a frenzy of lust.




Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 03



She continued to tease, her other hand pressing against the shower stall, holding her up. Every tiny caress sent the flames higher and she forgot how to breathe. It was so close, so incredibly close. She gasped his name again, not hearing the gasp that came from outside of the shower. She didn't notice the hand that grasped the shower curtain, not until it jerked back the curtain and a shadow stepped into view. Her eyes flew open and for a single second she thought she was imagining him.

She pulled her hand away from her throbbing pussy, ignoring the demands of her body to finish what he'd started. Four words came from his mouth. "Can I join you?"



Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 04



Mia felt her skin flush and wanted to curse out loud at the interruption of her shower as well as her fantasy. Having Aidan standing there, holding the shower curtain open, had her furious. She covered her breasts with one arm, cupping her swollen and throbbing pussy with the other. "How the hell did you get in here?"

He held up a ring of keys, Demon's keys, which unlocked all the locks in the bunker, including her locker room. He stepped even closer to her, his eyes roaming over the delicious curves that were incredibly bared to his hot gaze. His cock was so hard, especially after walking in on her masturbating and hearing her call his name. "You didn't answer my question, Mia. Can I join you?"

"Are you fucking crazy?" How could he even ask that? "Do you have any idea what that would do to the team, especially if Demon found out?"

A wide smile crossed his face and he moved even closer to her, ignoring the fact that he hadn't changed since he'd left the workout room and the water was still pulsing out of the shower head. "So, let me get this straight. If I were to try to seduce you anywhere else but here, you'd be open to the suggestion?"

"God! You are so fucking annoying." She tossed her head, her wet hair smacking him in the face. "Just...Just get out of here before I scream rape!"

"You wouldn't dare," he replied. His voice was smooth, ignoring the threat. He bent; tugging his shoe off one foot then slipped the other one off as well. He ignored the short cut off scream she let out, stepping into the shower, his big body pressing hers against the wall. The tank top he was wearing quickly became saturated and showed every little bit of his chest, which wasn't little at all.

Her hands came up to push him away but she couldn't move him. "I'll scream," she warned once more. The smile that lit up his face was irritating to Mia. "Back the fuck off of me, Aidan. Or one of these days, I...I'll castrate you."

"Honey, I think when we're done, you aren't going to want to castrate me, you're going to want to dip me in gold so that you can keep me forever."

"Yeah, well at least your mouth would be shut." She shot the words back at him, wanting him out of her shower before he realized how hot she still was. There was an ache between her thighs, a throbbing that had her wanting to reach up and kiss him, to beg him to fuck her. It was a hard thing to ignore, especially since his leg was between hers, his knee pressing against her pussy with rhythmic precision that was making it hard to breathe. "Please Aidan," she yelped, her tone changing. "Don't do this to me."

She finally saw a bit of the Aidan she'd fallen for. He rested his forehead against the wall above her head. "I...I can't, Mia. I can't stay away; I can't stop pushing your buttons. You're becoming way too important to me." He lifted her chin with one finger. When she was finally looking up at him, he ducked his head, his mouth coming down on hers.

His lips were supple, talented, and they instantly took her back to the point she'd been at when he'd interrupted her. It was so easy for him, which made it just that much harder for her to deal with. She tore her lips away from his, a heavy sigh and then a harsh gasp left her. Her body undulated against his knee, wanting more pressure, wanting him to fill her.

"Should I leave you now?"

She glanced up and into those sexy golden eyes of his. "Dammit, Aidan! Why do you do this to me?" The sensuous half smile of his curved his lips, his hand coming up to cup one of her breasts, his thumb strumming over her nipple was almost her undoing. 

"What do I do to you, Mia? Tell me." He pinched her nipple, hearing her moan. "Do I make you as hot as you make me? Come on baby, give details, tell me how I make you feel." He took her hand from his chest, sliding it down, over the muscles of his hard stomach before pushing it even further down. He cupped her fingers over the wide ridge of his cock, his body stiffening as he heard her moan. "You want me, Mia. Don't even try to ignore it. If you didn't find me sexy, I wouldn't have gotten to you so easily. And I definitely think that you wouldn't have called out my name when you were so close to an orgasm before."

Mia wanted to growl at him, to deny his words and order him from her shower. But she couldn't, she could barely open her mouth to speak. Her body was one big throbbing ache and she desperately wanted him to continue what he was doing with his knee as well as with his hand on her breast. Even as she felt a rush of shame heating her cheeks, she couldn't stop him. If he did stop, she was certain she'd be begging him to continue.

That thought had her body arching and she felt his hands slide under her ass, lifting her easily from the ground. "Wrap your legs around me, Mia." The words were an order and one she was afraid not to answer. She could feel the hard ridge of his cock under his pants, tenting them in front of him.

She closed her eyes. He kissed those fragile lids gently before sliding his lips over her high cheekbones. He held her easily with one arm, the other pushing the hair out of her face.

"Why are you doing this?" she finally gasped out.

"Kissing you?" He took her lips in a kiss that was full of heat and need. He didn't need to know her answer, he only needed to feel her response to his lips and feel her arms wrapping round his neck, drawing him closer. "Do you want me to stop?"

"Yes, no, God! I don't know."

Aidan laughed, his hand left her breast to cup her soft cheek. For a woman who was so feisty and prickly, she was very soft in some very intriguing places. "Just give in, Mia. Let me show you what I can do to you, what you'll want to do with me." His voice was so rough and intriguing as she listened to his words.

"I...I can't." she finally said, almost crying out as he pulled just the tiniest bit away from her.

"I won't take you unless you're willing, Mia. I won't do anything you don't want me to do. You've got to ask me." He stroked his hand over her cheek and then slid into the hair near her ear, lifting her face more to his. "I want you, Mia, but you have to want me too."

For a single minute she heard the need in his voice and she opened her eyes, staring up at the man who was so much bigger than she was. But right now, she held the power; she could see it in his eyes, in the stiffness of his body and the slight trembling she could feel in his hand. "You do really want me; I'm not just some pussy to shove your cock into, am I?"

"How many years have you known me, Mia? Have I ever been like any of those other dogs that sniff around you constantly? I would never treat you like that."

"So why me then?" She gasped as he pushed her against the shower wall, holding her up with one cocked knee and his weight.

"Ah, reasons. Okay..."He dipped his head, kissing her until she felt as if she was like the Wicked Witch of the East and she was melting away. Her hands grabbed hold of his shoulders, her breasts pressing intimately into his chest. "That's one," he said breathlessly. "No woman has ever made me feel so hot, so needy the way you do Mia. I don't know when it happened but one day you weren't just another jockstrap hungry for the adventure and the adrenaline of being an Alpha. The next day, I couldn't stop looking at you, I had to touch you, I longed for you to touch me. Maybe I just got hit in the head too many times but you were the most beautiful of women and I had to have you as mine."

"What if I say no to all of this?"

"Well, then I might need to buy you new batteries." He reached into the back pocket of his pants and tugged something out, then he held it up and watched as her face grew even redder. "I embarrassed you? Now that's one I never expected. Mia blushing, I think we need to get the press in here to take photos to capture this photo op. Oh, that's reason two," he said with a chuckle. "Seeing you blush at something I've said or done is incredibly arousing. It makes me want to figure out new things that would make you blush." He rubbed his thumb gently over her cheeks, laughing when she snapped her teeth close to his thumb.

"Give it back Aidan." She was back to being prickly and he chuckled again, finally handing the dildo back to her.

"You know, if you take me up on this, you'll be able to save on batteries. I don't run on them."

"How do you know that I won't wear you out?"

"I'm all for you trying. Give it your best shot, Mia."

She rolled her eyes. "We can't do this here, Aidan. No one else can find out about any of this." She pushed him back, surprised when he actually let her slip down to her feet. Now that she couldn't feel him against her any more, she wanted him back. The heat of his body was more intriguing then water and the ridges and ripples under his clothes were interesting and arousing to say the least.

"So, then, after Demon finishes with us for the day? You'll follow me home?"

His tone was hopeful and she glanced up into his face. He looked like a puppy with the promise of a new toy, his eyes lighting up with the hope of fun.

"Why is this such a big deal to you, Aidan?"

Aidan slid his hands over her breasts, plucking casually at her nipples. "How does that make you feel?"

"Wet," she moaned before her mind had a chance to think of any other word.

"Yeah, well it makes me hard as hell. I've been fighting this attraction for a long time; girl and I don't plan on fighting it any more. I want you and I'd do almost anything to have you." He stared into her eyes for just a moment before he dropped to his knees in front of her.

Mia squirmed backwards, not sure if she was ready for this or not. "What are you doing?"

Her demands only seemed to fuel his impulsive thought. "I want to show you a little of what I can and will do for you, baby." He easily lifted one of her feet, sliding it over his shoulder so she was held off the ground by his body. With his mouth inches from her throbbing pussy, she couldn't deny any longer what he was doing to her and how much she desperately wanted it. "Hang on to me," he rumbled.

His tongue flicked over her sex, sliding through her folds, tasting the sweetness of her pussy. He moaned, her scent going straight to his head, both of them. He took his time, exploring every tiny bit of her pink cunt. She was so tight, so wet, he could only think of the ecstasy that would engulf the two of them if he lifted her and found someplace where they could be alone.

Her moans, gasps and sighs just egged him on and he slid his fingers into her wetness, holding her lush lips apart until he found her clit. It was hard, throbbing against his tongue and he slipped his middle finger into her, slowly adding another finger and then a third. She was tight but she gave around his fingers. "More?" he teased, knowing she'd already reached the point of no return.

Her head fell back against the wall of the shower and she let him hold up her weight, her hands going to his head, tugging him back between her thighs. "Don't stop," she growled. "Aidan Hunter, if you know what's good for you, you won't stop now!"

He smiled though she couldn't see it. It was just like Mia to threaten the physical even during sex. He couldn't wait to get her into his bed. He could already see her naked, her body squirming under his as he drove her crazy with want.

"God, Aidan, oh yeah, right there. Don't stop, please, God, don't stop!" She felt it coming and it was bigger than anything she'd felt before. He took her over, leaving her hanging for just an instant, letting her enjoy the trip up as well as the fantastic explosion that was coming. Her hands were grasping at his head, trying to pull him even further against her than what was possible. Her body convulsed, huge prickling waves of pleasure that had her moaning his name and clutching at him

He held her tightly as she convulsed, her pussy contracting hard around his tongue, and then lifted her, pushing her hair away from her cheeks as he stood. "Next time I catch you in the shower, I'm going to wash your hair. You have no clue how sexy this is." He chuckled, seeing the blank look on her face as she gazed up at him. It was like the orgasm had blown her mind. Slowly his hands rose up her thighs and then over her hips, stopping at her waist. He held her still until he thought she'd recovered enough to stand on her own. Then he bent, kissing her lips. "Your sister is still with you, isn't she?"

"Tanya? Yeah, until I think she's safe."

"I guess that means you're coming home with me tonight." He laughed again at her blank expression. "I'll meet you at your truck." He kissed her once more and then left the way he'd come in.

Mia stared after his retreating back, hearing the sound of the door closing and the lock click closed on the door behind him. It was hard for her to figure him out. She'd never met a man like him. He'd taken her almost to the heights of passion, leaving her panting and desperately wanting more. Then he'd thrown out what she considered a dare. Her brain felt like mush and she couldn't help but grin, thinking about what was going to happen tonight. Well, it would if she was brave enough to go with him. 

The thought of what he could do to her body had her both breathless with need and scared shitless. As much as she wanted what he could give her, the thought of being one of his 'Juliets' had dread curling into her gut. She didn't know what she would do when she had to make a decision, she only hoped that she was strong enough to handle whatever fallout there was.

She finished her shower, wrapping a towel around her wet hair and one around her body. She shivered slightly in the cool air of the locker room and quickly dried off, smoothing her favorite lotion on her legs and arms. By the time she was back in her uniform, her body had cooled off and her face only flushed bright red every time she thought of the things that he had done to her. She'd come harder than she'd ever come before and she had begged for more.

Facing him was going to be one of the hardest things she'd ever done. Considering some of the stunts that she'd pulled with the Alphas, that was saying something. She sat and finished lacing her boots and then stood in front of the mirror. She tugged at her shirt, making sure it was neat. Since Demon had cut short the training this morning, she knew they'd be out on the gun range next and he would expect nothing less than perfection. She held up her hand, seeing the fine trembling of her fingers caused by the onslaught of emotions that all had one name: Aidan Hunter.

* * * * 

Tanya sat on the couch in Mia's living room, a can of coke sitting next to her. She could hear Feral barking outside and then hear Emilee's laugh. It was a nice sound and she smiled, heaving a soft sigh of contentment. She'd barely ever heard Emilee giggle like she was now. In the apartment, Emilee was forced to be quiet to keep from interrupting Ricky's nap or phone calls or just watching television. 

Tanya felt a niggle of self hatred. Guilt was a terrible thing but it made her decision to avoid Ricky at all costs even firmer. She wouldn't do that to her daughter or to the one that was growing in her belly. They were going to have more than what she had and she was going to protect them with her life. She jumped when a car door slammed shut outside and she rose, quickly going to the front window and pushing aside the blinds to peek out.

Her heart dropped as she saw who was walking up the front walk way. "Ricky!" Oh God, what was she going to do? Tanya quickly made sure the door was locked and bolted shut then she ran to the back door, calling Emilee and Feral back inside. They came at her call, but Emilee stared at her mother with eyes that were shadowed and afraid.

"What is it, Momma?" Feral's long tail had barely made it in the door before Tanya had it locked and dead bolted as well. 

"Quiet baby. We have to be very, very quiet. Like a mouse," she added, holding her finger to her lips when the first rapping came from the front door. 

"Open up, Tanya! Open up now!"

Tanya knelt by her daughter's feet, putting her fingers against Emilee's lips. She was shaking and having a hard time breathing. The rapping became a pounding and his shouts grew louder and more obscene. Tanya sat on the floor, pulling Emilee into her lap. She covered her daughter's ears, rocking her as she grew more afraid. "Go away Ricky," she whispered. "Please go away."

Then she heard him, a stranger, who came up to the porch and asked Ricky what he wanted here. Ricky didn't take kindly to being questioned and there was the sounds of a scuffling. Tanya couldn't stand not knowing what was going on and she picked Emilee up, feeling her wrap her tiny legs around her waist. She ran to the living room window, pulling aside the blinds and looking outside.

The sight that met her had her jaw hanging open in shock. Ricky was there, he was struggling against a huge bear of a man that held him easily. Tanya blinked owlishly and then watched as the stranger hauled Ricky off the steps and pushed him toward his car. He stood there until Ricky was out of the driveway and then came toward the door.

Tanya sat Emilee on the couch and gave her the remote for the television. She sat there, changing the channels on the television and watching her mom with furtive glances from the corner of her eyes. Tanya was wringing her hands in her too big tee shirt. When the light rapping started on the front door, she stood stock still, unsure of what she should do. He knocked again and she heard his big feet on the porch. Before he could get down the path in front of the house, she opened the front door.

"T-thank you," she said with a voice that sounded almost mouse-like. The man stopped and he turned around, his eyes lighting up as he smiled up at her. 

"You're a surprise. Did that scumbag belong to you?"

"Y-y-yes. H-he was my boyfriend."

"Oh so there's trouble in paradise," he smiled widely. "My name is Micah and I'm going to call you Angel. It's what you remind me of."

"My name is Tanya, Micah. And if you like, I could put on a fresh pot of coffee."

"Are you asking me for a date, Miss Tanya?"

"If...if that isn't too forward." She wrung her hands a bit more until he placed his large warm hand on her shoulder. "Miss Tanya, please don't be worried by me. We'll have a cup of coffee and a little fellowship and then I will be on my way. I would like to leave my number here with you, just in case that young man comes back again."

"I'd like that." She held the screen door open; constantly glancing behind her to make sure he was still coming. He was a big man but he moved with a sense of grace that was amazing. She waved him in, feeling Emilee grasping at her leg.

Micah sat on one of the matching side chairs. He made it seem almost tiny in comparison. "Who's this adorable young lady?"

Tanya reached down and drew Emilee forward. "My daughter, Emilee."

"Hello Miss Emilee, how are you today?"

Emilee held tightly to her mother's leg. "I'm fine," she squeaked out. "Mama, where's Aunt Mia?"

"She's at work, honey. We're all right. Mr. Micah kept us safe."

"Ricky won't come back, will he?"

"Oh, baby, I don't know. But I do know that he'll never be able to touch you again." Tanya slid her hand down Emilee's soft blonde hair. Then she moved into the kitchen. She turned and almost dropped the pot she was filling with water. Micah was right behind her.

"I'm sorry, Miss Tanya, I just wanted to ask if that man I just chased away...well, if you wanted him here. I know it's your business and none of mine. I just can't stand aside and listen to the kind of abuse he was spouting. If he's your...boyfriend..."

Tanya's head was shaking quickly. She sat the empty carafe into the coffee maker before she turned to look at him. "He used to be my boyfriend. But he made me do a lot of things that I didn't want to do. I'm staying with my sister, Mia, now until my daughter, Tanya and I can find something better. I'm really sorry that you got involved."




Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 04



"I'm not," Micah smiled at her. "Call me anytime you need help Miss Tanya. I work from home so I can be here pretty quickly if you need something."

Tanya felt a flush fill her cheeks. "Thank you for that."

"It's definitely my pleasure." He pulled a card out of his shirt pocket and handed it to her. "That has my work, my home and my cell phone, Tanya. If you need something, anything, you don't hesitate to call. Rescuing beautiful damsels in distress is in my creed."

She looked at the sturdy white card and ran her finger over his name and the business name below it. "Private Investigator?"

"Yeah," he ducked his head a bit. "It really intrigues me. Finding the pieces of the puzzle and figuring out how they fit is fascinating."

"You work from your house?" she asked.

"Yes, when I'm not on the road. But my cell number is on that card as well, Miss Tanya. I hope you'll feel free to call me."

Tanya flipped her hair over her shoulder. "That's one of the nicest things anyone's done for me in a while, Mr. Rodgers."

"It's just Micah, Miss Tanya."

"And it's just Tanya. Thank you so much for your help." As she said that, Emilee came into the room and wrapped an arm around her mother's waist. 

"Is he a good guy, Mama?"

"I think so, Emilee. I really think so." Then she turned back to the coffee.

 *****

Author's note:

I hope you enjoy this, I found a lot of it done and while I'm working on other work I thought I would get back into this one as well. Thanks!



Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 05



Mia blew gunpowder and her hair out of her face, wiping the sweat off of her brow with one black colored sleeve. When Demon wanted them to practice he wasn't going to take no for an answer. They were in full tactical gear, including Kevlar vests that seemed to weigh a ton and amplified the heat. 

She slammed the button beside her and watched as the target moved quickly toward her. The ten-ring had been completely torn through; the rest of the target was immaculate. She laid it on the pile of other targets that Demon would demand to see when they were done.

She popped the empty clip out and slapped a fresh one in, ratcheting the slide to ready it for fire. She'd already slipped her protective glasses on and was wearing ear pieces of the best kind, the kind that meant she didn't have to listen to any of the macho bullshit that the Alphas enjoyed so much.

Throwing verbal shit was one of the abuses no Alpha would ignore. It was part of the male bullshit that she'd have been throwing around herself, except for one thing. Aidan Hunter.

He grew infinitely more fascinating to her since he'd kissed her at the scene yesterday. He'd been in her dreams, nightmares more like the kind that were like finding yourself naked in school. She gritted her teeth and pushed those thoughts away. Glancing over and around the shooting stalls, she caught a quick glimpse at him. He noticed her and winked at her. Aggravation made her smirk and she clipped on her next target.

With a growl, she emptied the clip, the target becoming Aidan's face and that damn wink.

Demon's harsh, gravelly voice was easily heard. "Cease fire. Clear them."

Mia thumbed the safety on her pistol and slid it back into its holster. She slid her protective gear off, listening to Romeo and Digger as they bragged about their shooting. She said nary a word, handing her targets to Demon as he came up to her. "I think we have a winner here, boys!"

She grinned. "Of course." She blew on her knuckles and then rubbed them against her shirt.

Demon patted her on the head. "Now let's see if you can keep that going on the range."

The range was a long field that had been kept mown down. There was a hill on one end that made the field perfect for an outside range. If a bullet got past the thick target backing and the hay bales behind that, then the hill would stop it. Each part of the range was marked and the Bravos lined up in two lines.

Mia checked her clips, making sure that she had the right amount of ammunition. Going through the range and running out of ammunition would have her as the butt of the men's jokes. Of course, any one of the men would have gotten the same razzing. Somehow, she ended up paired with Aidan and she glanced over at him, sighing and closing her eyes. She needed to beat him, if only to bring back a little of the self-confidence that had gone missing since he'd shown up in her shower.

"Want to make a bet?" 

She glanced his way. "What you got in mind?"

"I beat you and you have to promise to go home with me tonight."

Mia glanced at the other men, hoping that they hadn't heard what he'd said. "And if I win?"

Aidan grinned. "You can decide what position we use first."

"If I win, you'll back off. No more touching or kissing, no more invading my showers or trying to seduce me."

"Are you sure that's what you want, Mia? You could be letting go of something very special that could happen between us." His face was serious. "Think about it, Mia. You win and I give up all thoughts of a relationship with you, that means no kisses, no touches, never trying to get you naked again. Are you sure you want that?"

She could feel her will begin to cave and she heaved a long breath. Is that truly what she wanted? Aidan Hunter was prime Grade A choice even among the men who were part of the Alphas. His chest was hard and muscular, his arms felt so right dragging her close. Did she want to give up on those so-sweet kisses? Damn him, why did he have to do this now?"

"Yes, I want that." The words were out but then she wanted to swallow them back. She did want his kisses, she wanted him to shower with her, to kiss her and touch her. She wanted to go home with him, to be with him, in every way possible. Was she tearing off her nose to spite her face?

They stood at the line, pistols holstered. She watched as Digger changed the targets at the end of the range. His face was beaming as he walked back, holding his target and checking his score. He called the score out to Demon who grunted and then wrote it down on his note pad he carried with him. He looked up, seeing both Aidan and Mia standing and waiting for his whistle.

"Ready?" he shouted over the noise of the team.

Mia nodded and Aidan must have too because the sound of his whistle, though short, was ear piercing. Mia ran forward, dropping to her knee in front of a barrel. She popped off her six shots and then rolled to the next, a small brick wall that she had to lie in front of. Popping off the rest of the rounds, she slid out the empty clip and popped in a new one.

The range was not just based on speed, but speed and actual scoring of hits on the target. She rose from behind the wall, racing to the next obstacle. She bounced through the tires, rolling over the last two and sighting quickly at the target. Then she stood and walked to the end, shooting off the rest of the bullets in her clip. She stood at the edge of the end line of the range, panting lightly. When she heard the whistle again, she walked up to the target and took it down, sliding a new one up. 

The scoring on the target ranged from one point to ten points each depending upon where she hit. Kill shots were always given a ten, whether it be heart or head. From there, it waved outward, each ring getting slightly bigger until the one ring which was around the figure. She had one bullet in the eight ring but the rest were in the ten, both head and heart totally ripped apart.

She handed her target to Demon and watched as he wrote down her score next to her time. Aidan was next. He'd been a bit faster on the range but she was sure her accuracy made up for the few second difference. Her heart was in her throat, her eyes actually ached from trying to see over Demon's shoulder. Which one of them won?

He whistled again and she gasped in surprise. "We have a winner!" He paused for dramatic effect, oofing when Mia shoved her elbow into his gut.

"Who?" she demanded.

"Our winner is..."

* * * *

Mia stared at Demon as he announced the winners for the day. One after the other, he read them leaving the range for last Mia began pacing, stopping only long enough to glare at him as another winner was presented.

"And the winner of the range," he picked up a small piece of paper and held it up and then out a bit, squinting at the name.

Mia growled her irritation and she watched as the envelope was taking from his hand by Aidan. She saw the wide smile on his face and she felt her heart sink. "And the winner is...Aidan Hunter!" Aidan bowed and took the prerequisite pounding on the back. Then he walked up to Mia. "Not planning on reneging are you?"

"No, the bet was made. I'll wait for you at your car." He was beginning to walk away from Mia before he turned around and shouted her name, tossing a cell phone her way. 

"Call your sister!"

Mia chewed on her lip in consternation. Why had she made this stupid bet? The only reason, because Aidan wanted it to be made. He always got his way no matter how asinine it was or how much it broke protocol. Now, because he wanted her in his bed, he'd made a bet she hadn't been able to refute. She growled in anger and quickly finished with the clean up on the range, running the round catcher across the field and emptying it in the barrel that stood in a corner of the range.

Then she went down into the locker room to gather her things. She was out of the locker room before the first of the men came strolling out. She waved goodbye to the guys that saw her and then climbed into her truck when Aidan walked up toward her. "I'll follow you."

"No." He opened her door and pulled her out, grabbing her bags and tossing them over his arms. "You're riding with me. I'll bring you back when we are done." He walked away from her car door, throwing her things in the back end of his truck. Holding open his car door, he stared her down until she changed trucks, sliding over the middle of the seat and into the passenger side. "Thank you."

"For what?" she snapped.

"For not making this such a big deal, Mia. I've wanted you since the first moment I laid eyes on you, but I always told myself no, that you were forbidden fruit."

"So what, am I now on the platter of the day?"

"Because you kissed me. You had to fucking kiss me back. It blew my mind, Mia. I knew after that kiss that this was the logical next step."

"What happened to courting a girl, to wining and dining them, movies, midnight strolls, just to sit and get to know each other?"

"I know your whole life history, just as you know mine. Being part of this team, we are together every day. We socialize together, we drink together, hell we even run together. I know what your weaknesses are. I know you have this idea that you'll never get married." He laughed, sobering when she turned her head and stared at him.

"Then you know what this look means as well." 

"Yes, and I know I'm not going to worry about it. That look means to be cautious of my words but you aren't really pissed yet." He started the car and then reached over, taking her hand in his. "That look says I want this but I'm terrified that I'm going to get hurt." Mia turned her head away from him. "Mia, I'm not going to hurt you, at least not in any way you wouldn't want."

"So if I say no."

Aidan stopped for a moment, turning so that he could look into her eyes. "I'll think about it."

"You'll think about it?"

"Yeah. You're mine tonight, Mia. Your own words give you to me for this night. I'm not missing out on this, not for anything." A smile crossed his face that only grew bigger as he looked down at her. He pulled through a gate behind which was a long curved driveway. 

"What is this?"

"Home sweet home, I'm renting it from a friend of the family." He pulled up close to the front of house before turning off the engine and jumping out. He hurried to Mia's side and opened her door, seeing the confusion that covered her face. It was a good condition to keep her in, at least for a while. "Come on, Mia, let me introduce you around."

"O-okay." Her fingers slipped over her bag that was carrying her weapon. For some reason she felt slightly naked without it. "You promise no one bites?"

"I'm pretty sure of it." He grinned back at her, trying to feel her relax just a bit. "This is my favorite." He tugged her over to a small tree that sat in a heavy clay pot.

"The bonsai tree, it is believed to seek solace in a tree such as this one, bring peace to the mind and a surety to ones fingers." She smiled up at him. "I had one when we first moved down here." She lowered her voice until it was gruff. "Bonsai teaches patience and control. It also makes you aware that one clip of the scissors can change the entire structure of the tree. It makes you think as you cut."

"This belongs to the dojo."

"Its root structures is strong."

"Just as the root structure of this dojo is strong."

"Is that why you brought me here, to prove to me that I should just give up? That I should ignore the hurt that man has caused my family and will continue to perpetrate against us if we don't stand tall to bring him down?" She turned away from him, unwilling to see the lie on his face as he spoke.

"Mia, your father can't hurt you anymore, you know that. He's dead."

She spun around, her hip hitting the side of the bonsai tree and sending the pot wobbling. "What you mean, Aidan, is that I killed him. He can't hurt us anymore because I shot him, I killed him." Harsh sobs shook her and she didn't fight him when he pulled her close, wrapping her in his strong arms.

"You didn't have a choice, Mia. Don't cry." He sighed, dropping his head down so that his cheek touched her hair. "Please Mia, don't cry."

She wiped at her eyes, forcing the sobs to quiet. "I don't cry, I don't ever cry." She pushed away from him, turning her back to him to wipe at her wet eyes with the edge of her shirt. "How do you know what happened with my father?"

"I know it all. I know he found you and conned his way into your apartment. I know he attacked you, that he was going to rape you but you got away from him and got to your gun. I know you gave him every chance to get out. But he wouldn't go. He didn't think you'd shoot him. He tried to take the gun away from you and you were forced to pull the trigger. Mia, you were barely twenty years old. You weren't at fault. You were protecting yourself." He walked up behind her, pulling her back against him, cradling her in his arms.

"It...It wasn't the first time." Her voice was low, her face turned away from him. It was the deepest secret she had, the one she'd buried under everything else, one she'd promised to never tell. And now she was telling him. "He'd...to both Tanya and I"

"Oh God, Mia." He rocked her gently and began humming in her ear. When she suddenly turned, reaching her arms up to wrap around his neck, he lifted her slightly, sighing deeply at the way she felt in his arms, not in passion but for comfort. She wanted comfort from him and he'd give her all she'd ever need.

"C-can we go inside?"

Aidan surprised her, bending slightly to slip his arm under her knees and lifting her into his arms. "There's nothing you need in your bag, is there?"

"My gun." She felt him laugh and couldn't help but smile herself.

"I don't really think you'll need it, do you?"

"But is it safe out here?"

He handed her the key fob. "Press that red button, would you?"

She did and heard the sound of his truck lock.

"The alarm's set as well, Mia." He smiled down at her as she tucked the keys into his chest pocket. "Now there's nothing to worry about but us." He kicked his front door closed, turning to lock it as well. Then he walked up a flight of stairs, refusing to put her down.

"I can walk, you know."

"I know, I'm just afraid that if you start walking, you'll walk right out of here and then I'd have to sit down and cry like a baby."

"You know, I think I might be tempted just to see you do that." She giggled and he smiled at the sound.

"You're a cruel woman, Mia Wreynolds. But you're my woman for tonight...and longer if I have my way."

Her eyebrows furled and she stared up at him. "I don't understand that. Why do you want me?"

He'd carried her up the stairs and into a huge master bedroom. Letting her feet hit the floor, he backed her toward a full length mirror. "Look at yourself, Mia. Who wouldn't want you?"

She let him turn her around and she stared into the mirror, seeing him right behind her, his hands on her hips as if to keep her from running. Then she did as he asked and stared at herself in the mirror. She saw what she usually did, a pretty woman who was too short and too curvy. She'd have given almost anything to be tall like Tanya and maybe blonde as well.

"Tell me," Aidan whispered in her ear. "Tell me what you see."

Mia shrugged. "I see me."

Aidan sighed. He shook his head. "That's not what I mean, Mia. Do you know what I see?"

"What?" she whispered, licking suddenly dry lips. His eyes were so direct and they flared as if there truly was a golden fire behind them.

He tugged on her braid, pulling off the rubber band that had held it in place. His hands fanned through her hair, letting it sift through his fingers to rest against her shoulders. "This is so incredibly beautiful. Do you know that it shines like blue fire in the sun? It's so long, have you ever cut it before?"

"N-no. I like it long."

Aidan dropped his head, burying his face in the thickness. "God, I do too, Mia." The words were growled and Mia felt a thrill shiver through her. His eyes were even fierier when he lifted his head and she gasped, feeling her nipples harden beneath her shirt.

"Your eyes remind me of a kitten I had when I was growing up. She had eyes that I swore could see into my soul. I feel like that every time you really look at me. I feel as if you know what I'm thinking even before I do, Mia."

Mia ducked her head, letting her hair swing forward to hide her face. But Aidan wasn't going to allow that. He lifted her chin, brushing her hair over her shoulders. "Your lips, I dream about them, Mia. They're what we called 'fuck me' lips when I was younger. They tantalize and make me dream about kissing you, of you kissing me." He brushed his nose against her ear and felt her shiver, a smile crossing his lips. His hands moved from her hair to her neck. "This is beautiful, strong but sensitive. This muscle, right here..." He traced the long muscle in her neck, feeling her shiver again. "I want to bite it."

"A-Aidan," she stuttered, unsure how much more of this she was going to be able to handle before she became a puddle of desire at his feet.

His hands slid down her body, slipping quickly over her breasts before rising again, this time with the hem of her shirt in his fingers. He tugged it off of her head, quickly untangling it from her hair before dropping it on the chair next to the mirror. "Beautiful," he sighed, staring down at her breasts encased in lacy black satin. His hands were at her waist, his thumbs brushing across her skin, teasing and tempting but never coming close to where she wanted them.

"You're so tiny, I feel like I could break you."

"I don't break easily," she said, her voice husky with need. "Touch me, Aidan. Please." She watched as his eyes closed and a sigh seemed to get caught in his chest.

"Do you have any clue how long I've wanted to hear you say that to me, Mia? You stunned me the first day I saw you on the obstacle course. I didn't think any woman could do the things you did so easily. You made us men look bad. I knew then that I wanted to get to know you better, to figure out what things were hidden inside your head. You always had this look you gave us men, a look that said that we weren't good enough for you. Am I good enough for you now?"

She moaned, wanting to turn around but he wouldn't let her. "Yes. Yes, you're good enough. Please, Aidan. Don't tease me."

"Then show me, Mia. Take these off. Let me see all of you."

"B-but you've already seen all of me..."

"Yes, because I surprised you. I want you to show me, to give yourself to me, Mia." He backed away from her, going to sit on the edge of the bed. "Take off your pants."

She turned slowly, her hands going to her belt. Unbuckling it, she pulled at the button then slid down the zipper. Then in one swift move, she kicked off her shoes and pulled her jeans off of her legs, leaving her in nothing more than a bit of black satin and lace. Her face turned pink but she held her hands out at her sides and spun slowly. "Like this?"

Aidan's eyes were like molten gold and he rose from the bed, coming to her side and lifting her in his arms. "I thought I could keep my hands off of you," he growled, laying her gently on the mattress. "I thought I could make you come to me, but I can't, Mia. Damn you. I don't think you need to worry about me. I think I need to worry about my heart." His lips covered hers and her eyes closed in pleasure. He twisted her mouth open, pressing his tongue past her lips to tangle with her own. His hands were on her breasts and he reached beneath her, flicking at the hook and freeing her. He tugged the straps down her arms, tossing her bra off the side of the bed.

"Mine," he growled, his hands cupping her breasts, his thumbs slipping over the taut pink nipples. "Do you know how hard it's been to keep my hands off of these. Every time I see you, your nipples are hard, poking at your shirt. I think you wanted my mouth on them." He ducked his head, swirling his tongue around one and then the other before taking one into his mouth. He heard her cry out, felt her squirm under him as he poked and teased the sensitive bud. Her hands dug into his hair and his name was on her lips.




Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 05



"Aidan," she moaned, grabbing one of his hands and sliding it down her body before pressing it under her thong. He felt the tiny bit of hair that she left above the lips of her pussy and then the heat and wetness beneath. She jerked as his finger pressed against her clit only to slide by and push inside of her. She was tight, her flesh clinging to his finger. "Don't stop," she begged, her back arching, her hips undulating against his hand.

Her nails dug into the fabric of his shirt, pulling at it, trying to rid him of it without him having to move his hands. She felt as if she'd die if he did, she'd melt away into nothingness if he didn't hang on to her. She'd never felt like this before, never wanted a man like she did him. The only other man who'd ever touched her like this had been her father, and all she'd felt then was disgust and hatred. "Talk to me," she said suddenly.

"Talk to you?"

"Yes, I need to know it's you and not..."

"...your father?" It was a question. He knew that Mia's father had beaten both girls and that Mia had ended up killing him but sexual abuse hadn't been mentioned in the file he'd read on her. Just the thought that some man could take advantage of someone so small, so sweet as Mia made him sick. He gentled his touch and kissed her softly, wanting her to only know pleasure at his touch, to never know pain because of him. "I won't hurt you, Mia."

"I know." She paused and he kissed her cheek, waiting for her to finish her thought. "I haven't...been with anyone since..."

"Him?" Aidan felt a small spurt of panic. Would he be enough to take away that memory? He cursed silently, he'd never been so nervous before making love to a woman. But then again, this wasn't just any woman. This was Mia, the woman he'd given his heart to, even if she didn't know it yet.

"Aidan? Did I disgust you?" Her voice grew softer until it was little more than a puff of air between her lips.

"Disgust me? No, Mia. There is nothing you could do that could ever disgust me. I just wish that I could bring your father back from the dead and kill him off for you." He dropped his head next to hers, his hand stroking over her face gently. "If I do...anything..."

"I'll tell you." Hearing the seriousness of his tone and the problem he had with the last of it made her feel so much better. She knew he wouldn't do anything purposely that would remind her of her father. She should have realized it before. Aidan was cocky but he wasn't cruel. Quite the opposite. She'd seen him feed stray dogs around the bunker and pitch for a kid's softball game. He joked but sometimes she wondered if that was to hide the goodness inside of him. She turned her head toward him, her lips searching for his.

"Kiss me, Aidan. Make love to me until I forget how to breathe."

"Oh God, yes Mia, yes." His lips were on hers, only leaving them when she pulled his shirt over his head. He moaned when he felt her breasts pressing against the bared skin of his chest, her nipples hard against his skin. He rose slightly when she pulled at his belt and then undid his jeans, her hand slipping inside his shorts to cup around his cock. He moaned at the pleasure it sent through him and felt her begin to pull away. "No, you didn't hurt me, Mia. It felt so good." His eyes fluttered close when her hand returned and he let his forehead touch hers. "Yes, like that."

"You'll tell me..."

"If you hurt me? Won't happen," he moaned again as she began to stroke his hard cock, her fingers measuring him before sliding over the tip of his cock. Her fingers grew damp from the clear liquid drops of precum that flowed from him so eagerly.

His eyes opened when she pushed against his chest and he rolled to his back, watching as she moved above him. Mia was a sight to behold in nothing more than the thin black lace of her thong. It was a sight he would hold in his memory forever. But for now, he teased at those strips of lace and satin, enjoying her every moan and sigh. She tugged at his jeans and he lifted, helping her pull him free of the denim. His shorts were next and for a moment, he was tempted to cup his hand over his cock, hoping that the sight of him wouldn't bring back terrible memories.

But she seemed fascinated by his body. She ran her nails over his thighs, playing in the dark hair on his legs. Then she reached up and licked his chin before dropping her head to his neck. "You smell so good."

"And you sound very wicked right now." He arched his neck as she began to nibble on him, moaning his pleasure. "Fuck yes, Mia."

"You'll tell me if I do something wrong?"

He laughed. "Just keep doing what you're doing, Mia. I won't have any complaints." He growled as her teeth nipped against his collarbone and then her lips parted, her tongue coming out to lick its way over his chest. She lapped at his nipples, seeming utterly fascinated by the small nubs. When they rose and hardened, she flicked her tongue over one then took it between her teeth, nipping sharply.

Aidan cried out, his hands in fists at his side. He was afraid if he touched her, he'd throw her down beside him and push his cock inside of her, ready or not. She was everything he'd thought she would be and more, every innocent touch on his body made his cock jerk and his body yearn for more. "Mia," he moaned, his head rolling on the pillow as her teeth scraped at his ribs.

"Hmm?" She crossed her arms over his stomach and propped her chin on her hands.

He wanted to cry. He wanted to push her head down, to force her to take him into her mouth. He wanted to grab her long hair, to set the frantic pace he needed that would finish him off. He wanted to feel her swallow around his cock as he bathed her throat with his cum. He had to forcibly restrain himself, but when he opened his eyes to see the teasing glint in her green gaze, he thought he would explode. "Tease."

"And?" She licked at his belly button.

"I don't think you know what you're asking for, Mia."

"Would it have something to do with you fucking me?"

"Is that what you want?" His voice was growing huskier, deeper as his need grew. Hearing her use the word fuck almost made him frantic to have her. He felt her tongue swirl on the soft skin under his belly button and his cock jerked in response.

"I want you, Aidan," she said and then flicked her tongue over the tip of his cock.

His hands grabbed her arms and he dragged her up his body, rolling until she was beneath him. "I've wanted you for so long; I don't know how gentle this will be."

She smiled even as she felt him rip her thong off of her body, his hands pulling her legs apart. "Fuck me, Aidan. I don't want gentle, I just want you."

He growled and then caught her lips under his as he pushed his cock into the tightness of her pussy. For a moment he dug his hands into the blanket beneath him, panting against her lips as he fought to keep from exploding right away. He felt her hands drag down his back, coming to rest against his ass, her nails digging into him. He jerked into her, feeling the pleasure roll up his back, teasing his nerve endings until he felt the hair on his head standing up. "Fuck, Mia. You feel so damn good." He shifted over her, one hand coming down to grab her ankle, pulling it up his back.

She whimpered but it didn't sound like pain. He glanced into her eyes, seeing them half closed and passion drugged. She moved under him, trying to take more of him, wanting to take all of him. He pulled back and then thrust into her, bottoming out in her tight, wet sheath.

Mia ground her hips into his, crying out his name when he began moving in long slow strokes. Her body jerked against him and she arched her back, rubbing her breasts against his chest. She moaned, his name on her lips as the first sweet fissure of pleasure erupted through her. Heated waves of bliss flooded over her, unstopping until she thought she'd die from the thrill of it all. "Aidan," she whimpered.

"Yes baby, cum for me. It feels so good." He jerked against her struggling to keep his own orgasm at bay even as he felt another flow over her. "Fuck me, Mia." Then it was too much and he buried his head against her neck, roaring his climax into her throat. "Fuck! Yes! I love you!"

Author's Note

You're more than welcome to all the people who have sent me their thanks for submitting this again. It hasn't been that I didn't want to continue, it's more like I was stumped. But it's flowing now.

For all of you who know, the Nanowrimo starts November 1 and this year I have a good feeling that I will be able to complete it. That doesn't mean that I will stop writing on this one or quit submitting Beauty's Choice. I've also got a working outline for the next in my Beauty line called Beauty's Curse.

My Nanowrimo story is called Zombie's in My Soup and I hope it will write as easy as I think it will. I'm not sure about posting it. I guess that will all be decided by how well I think the story line is coming along. Wish me luck, I'll probably need it. Thanks for reading me!



Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 06



Mia was warm and very content when she woke. The pillow under her head was moving and had a heartbeat that was steady and soothing in her ear. She stretched and felt the strong, muscular arms wrap around her, holding her almost tenaciously against him. She heard him moan and lifted her head, seeing the tousled man who'd made love to her through the night hours and well into the morning.

She'd long since lost her shyness in front of him and she hitched herself up so that she could reach his mouth. "Is my bet paid off?" she asked when he finally let her go.

"Not even close. Mia, I think it might take decades before you get this one paid off."

She smiled and shook her head. "I always knew you were a cheat."

Aidan's face expressed his shock and he opened his arms. "Fine, if that's the way you feel..."

Mia laughed and bent to kiss him again, following his lips when he pulled back away from her. "You are so easy, Aidan."

"I'm easy? I think I proved to you last night that I'm anything but easy."

His eyebrows raised when she giggled, a totally un-Mia-like sound. Her hand smoothed over the stubbled flesh of his cheek. "See how easy I made you think that this whole getting me into bed business was your idea? Yep, you're a real pushover."

Aidan rolled her over, coming up on top of her. "This was your idea?"

"How many times have you beaten me at the range, Aidan? Think about it..."

"I have. I know I have." He rolled off of her, sitting up in bed and running his hand through his short hair. "Haven't I?"

Mia came up on her knees, her arms going around him, her hands stroking down his chest. "Oh, poor Aidan. He just can't believe that sweet little me would ever pull the wool over his eyes."

Aidan reached behind him, grabbing her arm and dragging her around him to pull her into his arms. He kissed her, lifting his head when she settled against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm not sure how I feel about this..."

Mia smiled. "I guess you've got two options. You could make the best out of it and make love with me once more before we have to go to work, or you can get pissy about having a woman best you and take me back to my truck now. Which do you prefer?"

"Wait...then all that about your dad?"

"No, that was the truth. But I decided a long time ago that I wanted you to be the one. You don't think I dropped my pants for everyone in the van to see. I was getting tired of you pussy footin' around. It was nice seeing the spark in your eyes." She pulled his head down, whispering against his lips. "Make love with me, Aidan."

"Well, since you asked me nicely," he groaned when her lips parted under his mouth. Her tongue was sweetly insistent, tracing his teeth before playing against his own. She hummed her pleasure, arching her back to bring her breasts into contact with his chest. He rolled her under him, parting her legs, letting his fingers play in the warm secretions of her body. He parted her thighs wider, his hard cock rubbing against her wet flesh.

"Inside me, Aidan. Fuck me."

"So anxious, Mia. Didn't you get enough of me last night?" He laughed as she pouted, her eyes growing hard. But when she tried to push him away, he refused to move, his long fingers strumming at her clit. Her hips undulated under his maddening touch.

"Aidan," she growled. She traced her fingers down his wide chest then around to his back, stroking them over the hard curve of his ass. "Quit teasing."

"I thought you enjoyed teasing, Mia. Isn't that what you were doing when you stripped down to that delightful scrap of red satin and lace? You were begging me to touch you, weren't you?"

His fingers had her so close to coming she had to forcibly bring her attention to what he was saying. "Yes," she whimpered. "But I couldn't think of any other way to get you to see me as a woman."

He flicked his index finger over her clit before capturing the swollen and tender bud between his thumb and finger, pinching it with delicate precision. He smiled darkly as she cried out, her body arching, her legs quivering as she came for him. "I saw you as a woman, Mia," he whispered seductively against the whorl of her ear. "You've been driving me crazy for the past four years." He caught her earlobe between his teeth, biting it sensually and then lapping at it with his tongue.

She cried out again when her orgasm continued, his fingers driving her to a mindless bliss that was impossible to resist. He slowed and gentled his touch before pulling his hand away and quickly thrusting inside of her. His sudden movement had her digging her fingers into his arms, crying out again and again. It was one long, sensual moment that had her body arching against his, begging for more.

His breathing grew ragged, husky, his movements jerky. He groaned when she drew her legs up, circling his waist, her feet digging into the small of his back. He could feel the strength of her climax as he stroked into her shivering flesh. "God, yes, Mia." He arched his back, her name roaring from his lips. He spurted into her, bathing her womb with his warm seed.

"You'll be the death of me," he moaned against her hair.

Mia closed her eyes, enjoying every tiny movement he made. There was a sudden shrill ringing that had her eyes opening and had her pushing him off her, searching for her uniform pants. She reached into one of the pockets and grabbed her cell phone. A quick look at the screen had her flipping it open. "Are you all right?"

Aidan blinked when she swore violently and jumped from the bed without saying another word. She was tugging on her boots when she noted that Aidan was also dressing. "W-where...?"

"That was your sister, right?"

Mia nodded, then grabbed for her shirt.

"Well, your truck is at the base. I'm taking you home and I'll help you with whatever is going on there."

She jumped up, kissing him quickly before heading out of his bedroom. "Well, if you're coming, let's go!"

Mia jumped out of Aidan's truck as soon as he pulled into the driveway of her house. She could see a familiar shitty green Ford Festiva sitting in her driveway and it pissed her off. The shouting and screams coming from the house infuriated her even more. "That son of a bitch is dead."

Aidan grabbed her arm when she stalked toward the front door. "Whoa, Mia. Let's think about this. Does he have a gun?"

"If Ricky had a gun, he'd blow off his own dick." She snarled at him when he kept her arm in his hand. "Don't make me hurt you, Aidan. My sister and niece are in there."

"And you don't want to incite him any more than he is now. Calm down, think about this. What would Demon tell you right now?"

Mia took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "Recon, Kodiak. We aren't going in there blind."

"Right. You go around back and see if you can see anything. I'll take the front." He kissed her, soft and lovingly. "No idiot moves, Mia." He gave her a stern look.

Then he turned her, sending her toward the back of her house. He headed to the front door, peering into the small side windows that ran on either side of the door. Though his view was obstructed by a wall, he saw Tanya and Emilee sitting on a couch, Emilee clinging to her mother. Then Ricky came into view. He was shouting, his face red, his hands flung wide.

Tanya glanced at the door and he cursed softly, seeing the new bruises that were on her face. Mia was going to go ballistic. As if his thoughts were a premonition, he saw Mia throw open the kitchen doorway and come rushing through the arch between the kitchen and the living room.

"Shit," he growled, pushing open the front door just as Ricky lifted his gun to point at Mia. "Drop it scum bag!"

Ricky barely glanced his way. "You fucking cunt. You think you're so lily white good and pure and your shit don't stink but bitch, you have no right. You can't stand between Tanya and me. She's having my baby and I won't let you take that away from me."

Mia stared at the barrel of the gun that Ricky was pointing her way. "Emilee, go to your room." Her words were spoken softly but they held a force that had the girl standing to leave the room. Mia held up a hand at Aidan. "No, this asshole is mine."

Aidan nodded though she could see he wasn't happy about it. He let his gun hand drop to his side but his eyes remained steadfast on Ricky.

Emilee paused as she brushed by Mia. "Feral is outside," she whispered.

"That's okay, baby. He's fine. Just go to your room now." Mia let her hand rest on Emilee's head for a moment and then gave her a gentle push toward the hallway. "Stay in there no matter what, okay?"

"Yes, Aunt Mia." She glanced back at her mother and then headed down the hall. The streaks of tears on her face made Mia grind her teeth. No child should have to go through what Emilee had been through or see what this innocent young girl had. It pissed her off that Tanya hadn't cared more for her daughter, especially after everything their father had put them through.

"This ends now, Ricky. Get your ass in your piece of shit car and get out of my house."

"Not without Tanya. You can keep the whiny little brat if you like, but I'm taking my girl." He reached out and grabbed a handful of Tanya's blonde hair, forcing her up and against him. Tanya gasped, her hands going to his as she tried to ease the pain..

"Ricky, no..."

Ricky let go of her hair, backhanding her so that she fell back against the couch, a new trail of blood trickling down her chin.

"You son of a bitch. Why don't you try that with me?" Mia was almost frothing, her anger was so extreme. She set her gun on a shelf and then motioned him forward with eager hands. "Come on, Ricky. Show me how much of a man you are."

Aidan sighed, but he kept his eyes on Ricky. He knew that Mia would have an eager glow, looking forward to the fight ahead, but he wasn't going to give Ricky any chance of hurting the woman he loved. He wasn't concerned that Ricky might win, but only that he might cheat and use his gun or some other weapon. That he wouldn't, he couldn't allow. "Make this quick, Mia. We've got to get to work and I'd really rather not have to clean up a blood bath."

Ricky snorted and giggled, a high pitch girly sound that gave Mia the creeps. She looked into his eyes and saw that they were dilated. He twitched and jerked, tossing his gun onto the couch. He was tweaking and that made him more dangerous. He moved toward Mia quickly, his fist coming out to strike Mia in the face.

Her head flew back, moving before he even got close enough to connect. She ducked down to have his next punch fly over her head before stepping up and putting her whole weight into her first punch. Her fist was small but it held a mixture of her body natural flow and the strength of her arm. Ricky wheeled backward, his hands coming up to his face. When he pulled them back, they were full of blood from his now broken nose.

"You fucking bitch!" he screamed and then rushed her. 

Aidan's body tensed, ready to step in if Mia needed him, but she didn't. She easily sidestepped his charge, grabbing his arm and using his own body movement to fling him back around and then into the side of the archway. Ricky stumbled again, this time falling to his ass to sit and blink up at her.

Mia smiled sweetly. "Ready to say Uncle, Ricky? All you have to do is nod and my friend here has some pretty bracelets for you to wear."

Ricky shook his head hard, blood streaming from a fresh cut to his forehead that was quickly swelling. His eyes were dazed, a mixture of pain and the drugs in his system confusing him. With a groan, he rose slowly. "A bitch like you is not going to take me down."

She glanced over at Aidan and shook her head sadly. "It doesn't seem to matter how smart they were before they got hooked on that shit, they just never seem to learn."

Ricky stood on shaky legs, his feet moving slowly as he tried to keep his balance. He blinked at her owlishly and walked toward her, his fists coming up and from the side, swinging in what looked like slow motion. "You've taken everything, bitch. You're going to go down."

Mia could see it in his eyes the second before he brought up the gun. Hers was on one of the shelf across the room and she dove for it, knowing she was going to be too late. The sound of the gunshot was loud and she waited for the jolt of the bullet and then the burning, searing pain she knew was coming. She managed to grab her gun and rolled to her back, thinking that, by the grace of God, he'd missed.

But Ricky was slowly falling to his knees, a blossom of bright red spreading on the grayed white tank top. He'd dropped his gun, his hands clawing at the pain in his chest. His eyes were wide, surprise still apparent. He opened his mouth, a gout of blood spilling onto his shirt. "Bitch!" he growled, his voice garbled and almost unrecognizable. Then he fell straight forward to the ground, his eyes growing cold as the life flowed from him.

Tanya's scream was loud and anguished. She stared down at her lover's dead body. "He's dead? Oh God, he's dead!" She rose from the couch that Ricky had pushed her onto and then went to his side, staring down at him. "You fucking son of a bitch!" With a scream of pure rage, she drew back her foot and kicked him with all the strength in her body. "You'll never hit me again!"

"Mama?"

Emilee's soft voice seemed to be the only thing that would draw Tanya out of her rage. She glanced from Ricky to her daughter who was coming out of the bedroom. "It's all right, sweetheart." She held her hand out to Emilee. "Let's go outside and see Feral." Tanya tried to hide Ricky's body from her daughter, not wanting her to have to deal with that final bit of horror that Ricky would inflict upon her.

Tanya passed her sister, her hand stroking over the top of her head. "Thank you," she whispered.

Mia smiled up at her and, seeing the damage Ricky had inflicted, closed her eyes for a moment. "I'd have beaten him longer if I'd known how badly he'd hurt you, Tanya."

"No, it's over and I am so grateful. This is nothing." Her hand went to her face, pushing gently on the swelling that was growing around her eyes. "A bit of ice and a few weeks and you'll never know it existed."

There was a loud pounding on Mia's front door and Aidan jumped. He went to the door, opening it to see a strange man standing in the doorway. Glancing in to see Mia on the floor and Tanya's bruised and swelling face, Micah reacted before anyone could stop him. "You son of a bitch," he growled, his fist flashing and striking Aidan in the nose.

Aidan staggered back and Mia rose quickly, hearing Tanya say the man's name. "Dammit, Micah. What did you do that for?"

Micah blinked, confusion causing him to drop his fists to the side, his arms opening when Tanya threw herself in them. "He didn't hurt me, Micah. Ricky did." She glanced at the body on the floor.

"I knew I shouldn't have left you alone last night." His hand came up, his fingers gently brushing over the new marks of abuse on her pretty face.

"Micah! Micah!" Emilee screeched his name, racing toward him to throw herself in his arms. "Ricky hurt Mama again."

Micah picked her up, holding her easily in one arm, the other still around Tanya. "He won't do it again, honey. He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Emilee's little fingers touched a red mark that was on the side of her face. "I tried to get him to quit hitting Mama."

Micah gently kissed the red mark. "You are a brave girl, Emmy. And I am very proud of you for trying to stick up for your Mama."

Emilee's eyes lit up and she wrapped her little arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "Can we come and live with you, Micah?"

Tanya gently pressed her fingers against Emilee's mouth. "Baby, we barely know Micah. You shouldn't ask questions like that."

Mia had pushed Aidan down onto the couch to check out the damage Micah had inflicted. She pushed her fingers into the slight swelling, laughing as he groused and pulled his head away. "Ouch! Mia, dammit, that hurts."

"Baby," Mia teased. Then she bent and kissed his eye. "All better?"

Aidan pulled her down into his lap. "It's a start. My mouth hurts too."

Mia laughed at him. "Later. We need to get some help and get that..." she pointed toward Ricky's body, "off my carpet and out of my house." She glanced over at the man who'd hit Aidan and now held both her niece and her sister. "Micah? What are you doing here?"

Before he could answer, Tanya stepped in front of Micah, her small body between the man and her sister. "Ricky tried to get in last night. Micah came and helped me out, Mia."

Mia moved toward her sister, gently touching her bruised face. "I wish I could have killed him for you," she whispered. Then she rose on tiptoe and kissed Micah on his rough, stubbled cheek. "I owe you, Micah. Thank you."

"I just wish I could have gotten here quicker. I'm going to take Tanya and this young lady," he nodded toward Emilee who still rode in his arms. "Into the kitchen and get her some ice for her face."

Mia nodded and pulled her cell phone from her pants' pocket and made a quick call before she came back to Aidan. "Man up, honey, the team is on the way. I'm going to go get you some of that ice and check on Tanya. Let them in when they get here?"

Aidan nodded, his eyes following the tiny brunette that he knew he now lived for. Even after the night they'd had and then her fight with Ricky, she was still breathtaking. His eyes fell to the cute twitch of her ass and then rose to the sleepy gray/green of her eyes as she glanced back at him. Her smile made him feel like that cartoon mutt on television he'd watched when he was a child, the one that would smell food and then hug itself before floating in the air and slowly billowing toward the ground. But it was the saucy wink she gave him that made him get up out of the chair. He had to physically force himself not to follow her, but it was close.

* * * *

Mia's hands were gentle on Tanya's bruised and swollen face. "Baby, I'm sorry about Ricky. I know you loved him."

"No you're not, Mia. Don't even try to give me that speech. Ricky was a leech and an ass and he got what he deserved." Tanya moaned as her lip cracked and began to bleed again. "If he'd loved me like he said, he would never have hit me to begin with and he certainly wouldn't be willing to share me with other men for money."

Mia sighed in relief. "Thank God, finally. So what made you come around to this way of thinking?"

Tanya glanced over at Micah who was holding Emilee's interest. They'd let Feral in and Emilee was taking him through his long repertoire of tricks, showing Micah how to whistle just the right way to get Feral to listen. "Ricky was here last night."

"He was what? Why didn't you call me?"

"Micah made him leave, Mia. Then he stayed with us for a while to make sure Ricky didn't come back last night. We...talked."

"Who talked? You and Micah or you and Ricky?"

"Micah," Tanya said quickly with just a note of 'get with the program,' in her voice. "He kind of made me realize that a real man wouldn't slap me around, that, just because they're bigger, didn't mean that they made the laws in the relationship. He made me see what Ricky had done to Emilee." A big crystal teardrop hung from her lower lashes and Mia watched it slide down her cheek and over the scrape on her cheekbone and jaw.

"Well then, thank God for Micah. Are you sure you don't want me to run you up to the hospital? Just to make sure there isn't any real damage?"

"No." She laughed ruefully. "Believe it or not, it looks worse than it is. Ricky's done more damage. You got here before he could really start up." She wrapped her arms around Mia, holding her tightly. "Thank you," she whispered against her ear.

"You're my baby sister, Tanya. I couldn't do anything else but protect you."




Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 06



"Well, let's hope that's the last time I need rescued." She slowly let Mia go, her hand falling to the table. She sank down in the chair that Mia held out for her and then took the washcloth full of ice that Micah handed her. Feral barked, rubbing his head against Mia and then looking at the front door.

"Thanks buddy. You stay with Emilee. Aidan? They're here!"

Aidan rose from the chair he'd been reclining in, his eyes moving over Ricky's body. He wasn't upset that he'd been forced to kill the bastard, though he didn't relish the thought of another death on his karma. He'd have done it again in a second to protect Mia. He was beginning to realize that he'd do almost anything for the petite brunette with the chip on her shoulder.

He opened the front door, waving the cops and then the team into the front room, leaving it cracked as he saw the coroner's van pull in. It was crowded with all the big men from the Alphas there. "Okay, so what did this guy do to piss Mia off?"

Aidan grabbed Casanova's shoulder and pointed him toward the kitchen where Tanya sat on one of the chairs at the table. "He did that to her sister."

"And she only put one bullet in him?" Digger asked, watching as the county coroner came in to deal with Ricky's body. Digger shuddered as he watched the much shorter medical examiner ready a probe to poke into the man's liver to get a reading for time of death for his paperwork. The whole poking and prodding dead bodies gave him the creeps.

"No, I only had to put one bullet into him. Mia was kicking his ass and he decided to bring a gun into the fight."

"What were you doing here, Romeo?"

Aidan didn't even pause to think of his answer. "Mia wanted me to show her the route I run in the morning."

Demon's eyes flicked over the jeans and tee shirt that Aidan was wearing then at the uniform that Mia had on. He looked back into Aidan's eyes. "That's your story?" he finally asked.

Aidan nodded. "And I'm damn well sticking to it, Demon." 

Demon nodded, his eyes inscrutable. "All right. Be sure that you do if there's an inquiry. Let's get this mess cleaned up. We've got an assignment."

* * * *

Mia barely glanced up as Aidan walked into the kitchen. "We've got a call out."

"Great," she answered but her tone didn't reflect that simple word. "Demon pissed?"

"No, but he was wondering what I was doing here."

Mia looked up, her concern apparent in her wide mostly green eyes. "What did you tell him?"

"We were running together." 

Aidan didn't even flinch when Mia started laughing. "I don't know about you, Romeo, but I don't usually wear this to run in." She waved at the boots that were on her feet.

"I wasn't ready for the question."

"I guess next time we should come up with a cover story before we need it, huh?"

Aidan's smile grew on his handsome face. "Next time?"

"Didn't you want a next time?" she asked, unable to stop the smile curving her full lips.

"Hell yes. When, tonight?"

Mia had to laugh. He was just like a little boy with a promise treat. "We have a call out. Remember?"

Aidan frowned. "Maybe we should just tell Demon and get this over with. One of us would have to switch teams but we could be together."

Mia frowned. "Be together when, the very few times when more than one crew is in town? We'd never see each other, Aidan. You and I both know that."

Aidan sighed. "We are going to talk about this, Mia."

She didn't argue but she wouldn't meet his eyes either. "I don't think there is much to discuss." She walked away from him, stopping to talk to her sister and give Emilee a kiss. "You'll keep an eye on them?" she asked Micah.

Micah grinned. "How about both eyes?"

Mia touched his arm, smiling as she knew he expected. "Thanks, Micah." She slipped out of the kitchen and down into her bedroom, closing the door almost in Aidan's face. She heard the front door open and close, heard the noise of the Alphas diminish and knew that they'd left for the base.

A strange sense of loss filled her and she quickly stripped down, hopping into the shower. During all this time that she and Aidan had worked together, she'd never thought of anything past the impossibility of a physical relationship with him. The impossibility of an emotional relationship, of being any more in love with Aidan than she was right now almost had her in tears. They were both too stubborn, both too used to having what they wanted for an easy compromise to come to her aching mind. They were Alphas, it was in their DNA.

Aidan was too good of an Alpha. He was too necessary to the team. But the idea of no longer belonging to the Alphas made her stomach ache. She'd worked too hard to procure her place in the team. She'd worked too long to earn the respect of these men, to prove her ability to do the job. She sighed heavily, her mood definitely more somber than it had been thirty minutes before.

A shocked screech left her mouth when the curtain on the shower jerked back. Aidan stood there, his arms crossed against his chest, his eyes roaming over her nudity, a half smile crossing his handsome face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Does Demon know you're in here?"

"Do I look like an idiot?" He held his hand up when she opened her mouth. "Don't answer that. Of course he doesn't know. But you are important to me, Mia. I can't even think about going anywhere without knowing what's in your head. Talk to me Mia. Tell me what you want."

She rinsed the rest of the shampoo out of her hair, turning the water off and reaching past him to grab a towel. She wrapped it around herself and then grabbed another to dry her hair. When he wouldn't move out of her way, she laid her hands on his chest and physically pushed him back so that she could get out. "I thought we could..." she stopped and sighed again.

"You thought we could fuck and get it out of our systems and then go back to just being part of the team?"

She glanced away from him, unable to meet his eyes. "Yes."

"Did you hear me last night, Mia? Did you hear what I said?" His hands came out, grabbing her arms and lifting her onto her toes.

She pulled away. "We don't have time for this now, Aidan. Demon is waiting for us."

"And he'll still be waiting for us if we leave five minutes from now." He sighed, closing his eyes. "I love you, Mia. I have for a while now."

Mia cringed. She'd heard him last night, but she'd been in the afterglow of her first true orgasm and hadn't even thought of breathing correctly much less answering him. But she hadn't forgotten. She couldn't. The sound of his voice speaking those three little words would be in her mind and in her heart forever. "I heard you."

"And...?" He pushed for an answer, unable to wait, to give her time to think.

"And," she began. "I...I don't. I can't. It won't work Aidan." She glanced up at him, seeing his eyes, those beautiful golden eyes that she'd enjoyed staring into the night before, turn to ice. "Aidan..."

"No, Mia. I get it." His hands fell from her arms and he stepped back, turning to reach for the door. "I'll wait for you in the truck." He opened the bathroom door, closing it softly behind him.

Mia stared after him, wishing he'd slammed the door. She let her head drop forward, touching the door, wishing she'd been brave enough to tell him the truth, to give into the emotions that were still careening through her system. "Damn it, Aidan. Why now?"



Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 07



Mia checked her weapons one more time, and then she rose with the rest of her team, rocking with the turbulence in the plane. The Alphas were blind night jumping into a hot zone. Their orders were to find a group of Americans that had been cut off from escape. They had to find them and get them out of the hot zone.

Mia felt the usual rush of adrenaline that night jumping always had zinging through her system. It was the most dangerous kind of jump, drifting blind with no hope of knowing what was beneath you until you were too close to correct your path. Maybe it was a good thing that this case had come in. It was what the Alphas had been created for.

She sighed and kept her eyes on Demon, not looking around the small plane that held the team. She knew Aidan was watching her, she could feel his eyes and they made her nervous. They hadn't spoken more than ten words to each other since that morning a week ago when she'd lied to Aidan. 

Now it felt like her heart was going to break every time she looked at him.

Demon rose from his seat close to the pilot. He said something to the man and then turned to look at his team. "It's time!" He had to shout because even Demon's rough, gravelly voice was drowned out by the vibrating roar of the plane.

The Alphas rose, checking their gear. Mia hitched her chute a bit higher on her back, tightening the straps that ran between her legs and around her thighs. Then she checked her weapons again. She didn't want to jump and find herself suddenly surrounded by the enemy and her weapons not ready to do the most damage possible. 

It was one of the hardest part, the thought that she would find herself in the middle of a gun fight. If one of her team members were hurt beyond help, they had to leave them. One person couldn't be allowed to fuck up the entire mission. But it killed her, thinking one of these brave men could someday be hurt and there wouldn't be a damn thing they could do for him. Leaving him, even for the sake of the mission just didn't sit well with her.

But she wasn't afraid to be left behind. If she were injured, she would stay behind and give her team the best possible chance of finishing the mission with all others alive and accounted for. She would take out the enemy, whether it be grenade or hot lead, she had no problem with achieving massive body counts to keep her men safe.

She sighed. It's what they were. All of them, even Demon belonged to her. She would protect them and do whatever it took to get everyone home safe.

The pilot did something on his control board and the side of the plane almost seemed to fall away. Air rushed into the cargo hold, air that felt like a hand pushing at Mia's back. She tried to brace herself, to keep her feet firmly planted but felt herself losing. A second before she would have been sucked out of the plane, she felt arms come around her, holding her until the air pressure in the plane stabilized. 

"Thanks." She shouted the word and then turned her head. Seeing Aidan behind her was a shock. She'd sat next to Digger and Aidan had been as far from her as he could actually get in the small plane. Now he was behind her, his golden eyes fixing her to the spot.

He nodded, but his eyes never left hers until she turned away. Even then, she could still feel them. They made her itch; the heat of his gaze sending a wave of need through her that made her miss Demon's next words. 

When Aidan reached around her and grabbed the clip on her chute, she jumped. He lifted the clip and hooked it on the line, in front of his.

Mia closed her eyes, willing herself to be able to handle being this close to Aidan without throwing herself into his arms and telling him that she'd lied. That she'd do almost anything to feel the way he'd made her feel that night. It wasn't just the sex even though that had been incredible. 

No, he'd made her feel loved, as if the stigma of her father and everything he'd done to her had disappeared under Aidan's hands and she was good and pure again.

It was because of her father that she'd joined the Alphas, because of what he'd done to her that she lived and breathed what Demon said, wanting to learn from the best. Demon was the best and he had the best crew. When he'd chosen her to be a member of that crew she could have floated. 

Demon made use of her talents, even some she didn't know she had. She'd do anything for the man, for letting her have this victory. He allowed her to feel good about herself again.

But that wasn't even in the ball park of what she'd felt that night with Aidan. Even now, she could imagine the heat of his body between her spread thighs, the touch of his fingers on her pussy, his tongue lapping at her clit. 

A shiver ran through her, a shiver that was a reaction to the memories she savored from that night. She'd held those feeling in check for so long that just knowing he was behind her, his strong thighs brushing against her ass was driving her crazy.

He leaned over her, tipping his head to the side so that he could speak in her ear. "I want you so badly. You're driving me crazy, Mia. I need to have you in my bed again. Please, Mia. I need you."

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore what he was saying but it was impossible. She wanted him too. Before she could change her mind, she nodded her head once, hearing him groan. "Yes, okay. When we get back."

"I'm holding you to that, Mia."

Demon's eyes were on Mia and she heard him shout..."Go, go, go!"

She was the first out the door, taking that step from the safety and stability of the plane and into nothingness. Night jumps were her favorite. They may have been the most dangerous but the feeling of being adrift into the darkness of the night sky was amazing. Looking up, she could see the stars, so close that she felt she could reach out and grab a handful. Then her chute deployed and she was jerked upward. 

A sudden pain had her body arching and she felt sick. She reached up to touch her head, feeling the warm stickiness of blood trailing down from her forehead.

Then there was the rush of blackness and she was lost to the deep black night rushing past her ears. She didn't realize that her chute hadn't deployed correctly, that she would have to cut it loose to be able to deploy her back up. She went limp a second later; the metal hasp from the damaged chute had struck her hard. She was free falling.

* * * *

Aidan's eyes tracked Mia's free fall, seeing her body twisting and becoming entangled in the lines from her chute. He was closest but even if he hadn't been, he would have done the same thing he did now. 

He grabbed his own chute release and then sent his body torpedoing through the air to reach her before it was too late for both of them.

Aidan felt as if he were moving in slow motion through thick pea soup as he watched Mia falling. Her arms and legs became entangled in the straps and silk of the chute. As he drew closer, he knew that there was no way to untangle the mess of lines and silk that made her look like a mummy. He would have to find a way to clip her body to his chute so that it would carry the both of them.

Mia groaned, her hand moving toward her head, though she couldn't reach it, not the way she was tied up. She opened her eyes just as Aidan reached her. "W-what...?"

He didn't answer, quickly undoing an o-clasp and hooking it to the main straps of her chute. "Hold on to me, Mia. Hold on and don't let go!" She nodded, grabbing hold of his flight suit and wrapping her legs around him.

"Ready? This is going to be a jolt, sweetheart. You have to have a good grasp." She nodded again and Aidan pulled the release on his back up parachute. It exploded above them and then Aidan wrapped her in his arms. "Don't do that to me again, Mia."

"My head, Aidan. It hurts." She let her helmeted head rest against his chest. "Why does it hurt?"

"I'm not sure, Mia. It looked like one of the metal hasps struck you when your chute deployed. We'll take care of it when we land."

Mia tried to nod but then moaned again. She felt sick, as if her entire insides wanted to find a way out. She swallowed harshly, but kept her eyes closed.

"Mia, you've got to keep talking to me, baby. Open your eyes; look at me."

"It hurts," she argued weakly. Then she lifted her head, opening her eyes to see his face. Above them was the canopy of his chute, filled with air, it had them floating downward. "Are we...falling?"

"No, Mia. We're on a night jump, remember? Your chute deployed wrong and I think a hasp hit you in the head. But you're fine. We'll check out your head when we land, okay?" He tried to keep his voice calm even though her words had him even more worried.

Romeo, is she all right?

Demon's voice was loud in his ear and he cocked his head to the side to operate his communicator. She hit her head, Demon. I won't know how much damage until we land.

Fuck! Keep me apprised.

Aidan heard Demon's reply and had to smile. If he wasn't so worried about Mia, he might have agreed with his boss. "Mia, remember, you've got to stay awake. Come on, baby, answer me. Stay awake. You've got to be awake for when we land." He watched as her eyes opened slowly and then, with relief, saw her recognition of who he was.

"Aidan? Why does my head hurt? C-can we just go back to bed?" Her head was shifting forward, wanting to lean against the warmth of his body and sleep until the pain was gone. "I wanna sleep," she said with a sniff.

"Dammit, Mia. Open your eyes and look at me, baby!" He shook her gently even as he shouted at her. "You've got to be awake, Mia. Please, for me, open your eyes!"

Mia grunted but her eyes opened slowly, the gray/green of them looking cloudy and confused. "Aidan?"

"Yeah, it's me, sweetheart. But you've got to stay awake." He checked the altimeter that was attached to his pack in the front. They didn't have too long for the landing. With the two of them and Mia mostly wrapped up in her chute, it might be a rough one. "Look at me, Mia. Talk to me."

"What?" she asked groggily. "My head hurts." She put her hand to her forehead and gasped as she felt the stickiness of warm blood. "Where are we?"

"The altimeter says we are almost to our landing spot. I'm hoping we aren't going to miss ground zero. You've got to stay awake for the landing, Mia."

She nodded, though it hurt her head and made her groan. "Stay awake for landing." She repeated his words over and over.

"We're going to hit and roll, Mia. I want you to stay loose, let me do all the heavy stuff, okay?" Just as always," he teased. He glanced below them, seeing the dark, waving blackness of the trees. They looked thick and impenetrable. But they had no choice, they were landing there. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer. "Get ready, Mia."

She nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a hiss. "I'm ready." 

He felt his feet breaking through the upper branches of the trees and he wrapped his arms around Mia, trying to protect her from the bigger branches. His arms were scratched, his face receiving one big scratch before he ducked his head against Mia's helmet. He felt his chute being tangled into the branches and looked down. They were some fifteen feet from the ground, hanging in a huge tree that seemed intent upon eating his chute.

"Dammit," he growled. His mind rapidly went through different scenarios, none that he was too keen to act upon. Screaming for help could have the enemy finding them. He wasn't too set upon having them thrown into an enemy's prison and being held as insurgents. 

Cutting the chute straps or hitting the release wasn't too great of an idea either. One or both of them would get hurt and he didn't exactly think his chances of carrying her and walking out of here on a broken leg were too great.

"Demon," he growled, cocking his head to the side. "Come in, Demon." They were supposed to be on a communications black out until they completed their mission but he didn't think he had any choice. He reached up to his throat to check his communicator and cursed succinctly. The same branch that had scratched his face had taken care of his chances to get help. 

He pulled the chute that was so tightly wrapped around Mia, reaching for the button on her communications system. With a growl of rage he realized that hers had been destroyed as well, the hasp that had ripped from her chute dangled near the destruction at her hips. They were on their own.

Their chutes held a beacon in case of a missing Alpha, the other would, if they could, look for them starting at that location. He hated the thought of sitting up here until Demon sent someone to rescue their dumb asses. And that would be one of the nicest things he said.

He sighed and checked around them, searching for some kind of inspiration, and kind. He checked out the tree they were hanging from. There was a branch about five feet from them. 

It looked strong enough to take both their weight without breaking. But he would need Mia's help so that he could reach it.

"Okay, baby, look. We're pretty high up here and I don't want to hurt one or both of us by just hitting the release. I need you to help me here. Think you can?"

She nodded but he wasn't too sure if she really had heard him. Her eyes were unfocused and her brows furled in pain. Her head wound was still bleeding but it had slowed so a sticky trail of it bisected her face. He badly wanted to cuddle her against him and tell her everything would be fine, but his Mia would take off his head and put it on backwards if he dared treat her like a girl.

"We're going to swing, Mia. I'm going to need your help. Remember how you use to swing when you were a kid in school. We're going to swing like that now, baby."

"Swing? How?"

"Can you kick your legs? We'll kick one way and then the other and when we get close enough, I'll grab that branch, then we'll be home free." He stared down into her hazy gaze. "Just stay with me, Mia. You can't leave me here alone. Please."

She nodded and groaned again before chuckling. "Yeah, who would do the heavy lifting if that happened."

"Okay, smart ass. You ready?"

Mia nodded and then groaned. "Tell the mule that kicked me in the head I'm eating him for breakfast. A big ole rump of sheep."

"Okay, now I know you're okay. You're pulling the stupid jokes. On three, baby. One, two, three!" Aidan kicked his feet out, aiming for the branch he wanted and then felt Mia kick hers the other way to start them swinging. After about a minute of that, Aidan grabbed for the branch, crowing his success. He used the branch to haul them closer to the tree. "Wrap your arms around me, Mia. I'm going to cut the chute loose."

She did, holding on as well as she could while still wrapped in her own chute. Aidan pulled the chute release, hearing the branch under them groan under their combined weight. "Now, I need you to be like a monkey, Mia." He cut away as much of her chute as necessary for her to hang on to him. "I need you to cling to me. I'm going to get us down and out of this tree." Mia nodded and wrapped her legs around Aidan's slim hips.

"O-okay. But no big jolts, Aidan. My stomach..."

"I'll do my best, baby. He lifted her chin, staring into her pain clouded eyes. He didn't say out loud what he was thinking but inside, worry for her swirled through him, scaring him worse than anything had ever before. She was so incredibly precious to him. He couldn't think of her being injured but she was showing all the signs of a concussion. 

And while it wouldn't be life threatening if they had a hospital nearby, getting her out of this mess safely was going to take some time and care. Time he really didn't have if he was going to meet the team at the drop zone. If it had been just him, he would have dropped the fifteen feet and taken his chances, but he refused to take any chances when it came to Mia. Pressing a quick kiss and a promise to the top of her head still strapped into her camouflage helmet, he began the long climb down. The last branch was only five feet to the ground and he jumped it, cuddling her against him to try to ease the jolt. 

Then he sank down to the ground, reaching between them to loosen the 'o' ring. He laid her on the ground, drawing his knife to slice through the rest of the lines of her chute, finding the clasp that had slammed into her head. It had hair and blood on it, which worried Aidan even more. Then he reached for the buckle to her helmet only stopping when she grabbed his hands. "We don't have time now, Aidan. We've got to join up with the team. Help me up."

"Mia, now isn't the time to be stubborn. You're bleeding, badly. I need to check that head wound."

"No, it's fine. Head wounds bleed a lot. You know that. Just get me to my feet so we can figure out how far from ground zero we are."

"Stubborn bit..."

"I'd watch the name calling, Aidan."

He bit his lip but lifted her up so that she could stand. She was unsteady on her feet, weaving just a bit. But there was determination in her eyes and he had to admire that. "Where are we?"

"Um..." Aidan pulled the map from the pack at his waist. The pack was waterproof and had been with him during most of their missions. He pulled out his GPS as well, trying to link both. His finger moving over the map until he figured out where they were. "Shit," he whispered.

"What?"

"We're almost a mile from the landing site. We're going to have to hoof it, Mia. Are you up to that?"

"Just point me in the right direction." She bit her lip as another strong, debilitating slash of pain had the trees around her dancing and shimming, and the ground feeling like sloshing waves under her feet. "I'll make it, Aidan."

"You'll have to, even if I have to carry your stubborn ass the entire distance, you'll make it." Aidan lifted her chin. "I love you, baby. Whether you'll have me or not, it's there. I'll do whatever I have to do to get you out of this mess."

Mia stared up at him. With a heavy sigh, she nodded. "I know, Aidan. It's part of your DNA. Let's just get out of here."

He went to wrap his arm around her waist to help her steady herself with but she pushed him away and began the long trek.



Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 08



Mia's feet seemed to have a mind of their own and she cursed once more as another shape lumbered out of the darkness to come toward her at a speedy clip. The curse fell from her lips and she felt Aidan reach out and grab her camo vest by the sandy leather weapon holster.

"You okay Mia?"

She cursed again though this time, his name was at the end of her sentence. "Quit asking!"

Aidan let her go almost too fast for her to catch her balance. "I ask because I'm concerned, Mia. You don't have to be so bitchy about it."

"And you don't have to be a prick and ask every ten minutes." The words were snapped back at him with an equal amount of pissiness at his concern as well as her own impatience at her weaknesses. "God! If I wanted mollycoddling I'd have stuck with Demon!"

"I'll remember you feel like that next time, Mia." He saw her begin to sway again and started to reach out, changing his mind before his fingers could touch her. "You're on your own."

Mia sighed heavily. Her hand flew out and pushed against the rough bark of the tree that seemed to have jumped at her. "Aidan..." she began then stopped. She sighed once more. "You know I hate this."

He heard the apology in her voice. It was classic Mia, never looking before she leaped or thinking before she spoke. Reaching out, he grabbed her around her waist, holding her easily a few inches off the ground. "Why don't we just do this the easy way?"

She grinned but her head was still pounding. Aidan had wrapped it earlier, using almost the entire contents of her emergency kit. He'd even given her a couple of the non aspirin pain relievers, but it did little to ease the brain pounding the wound was giving her. She let her head rest back against his shoulder. "Have I thanked you?"

"For saving you or for wrapping your wound, or for keeping you from running into trees?"

"D... All of the above." Her eyes closed and she allowed him to carry her entire weight. "You saved me again."

He glanced her way. "Yeah, I thought we already had established that fact."

"You know what I'm saying, Aidan. Don't try to deny it."

"Yeah, I know." He lifted her a bit higher and slid his arm beneath her legs, carrying her easily. He took another step and froze, the click under his boot heel easily heard. "Shit, Mia, we have a problem."

Her eyes opened, but they were blurry and she looked up at him, confused. "Problem?"

"Land mine." He shifted his weight, carefully setting her down without moving his foot.

Mia wobbled but caught her balance quickly. "What can I do?"

"We've got to disarm it, Mia." He reached into his pack, tugging out a small rolled leather kit. "You can do this, Mia. I'll talk you through it."

Aidan had become an expert on explosives. But even he had his limitations. There was no way for him to disarm the bomb his foot was on. He had to depend upon Mia, but as he looked into her blurry gray/green eyes, he wondered if his time were up.

Mia took the kit out of his hand and knelt carefully by his foot. She turned on her flashlight, aiming the bright beam 

at the mine before carefully pushing the leaves and twigs away from it. "What do I do?"

* * * *.

Mia cursed softly, carefully digging away at the dirt around the mine until she could get a better look at it. It was a pressure switch trigger, that was easy to see but she needed to be able to get a look at the mine itself. Sweat beaded on her forehead under the bandage that Aidan had so carefully wrapped around her head. She swiped at it with the sleeve of her jacket, leaving a smudge of dirt across her skin and the white bandage.

Her hands were shaking. She held them up and then cursed again. "Aidan..."

"You can do this, Mia. You have to do this. You're the only one who can save my life, baby. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly then tell me what you can see."

"Yeah, so much for no pressure." She sighed and closed her eyes tightly before shaking herself out of the pain and dizziness. "I can't see much of anything, Aidan. There's the thing you're standing on and then a small cylinder that's stuck in the ground." She shook her head. "I don't see any wires, any explosives."

Aidan crouched slowly, making sure his weight stayed evenly on the pressure switch. With one hand, he reached out and took her chin in a gentle grasp. "Slow down, Mia. I need you to take a look at the metal cylinder. Is there any writing that you can discern? And the pressure switch...the thing I'm standing on, is it a plate or does it look more like prongs?"

Mia reached out and brushed more dirt away from the mine. "There's no writing I can see. The pressure switch? It looks like prongs, not a plate."

Aidan closed his eyes. "This is a bounding mine, Mia. That means, if I step off those prongs, the mine will shoot into the air and explode. Shrapnel will shoot out in all directions and kill anyone within twenty feet. Anyone beyond that could be badly injured. Mia, run. Get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you." Mia glared up at him. "You just fucking saved my life and now you expect me to run away when you need me? No, I won't do it. I can't do it."

"God dammit Mia, don't you understand? As soon as I take my foot off, me and anything within twenty feet of me is going to be dead. You've got to get out of here." He reached out to grab her shoulders and almost lost his balance, catching himself just in time. "I can't let you stay here and die."

"And I can't run away and let you die. You stupid son of a bitch. I love you, do you get it now? I love you and I'll be damned if I'm letting you get blown to bits on some stupid landmine in some bum-fucked-God-knows-where jungle. So stop being all heroic and stupid and tell me how to disarm this damn thing!" She glared up at him, her gray/green eyes looking almost stormy.

Aidan's eyes met hers, gold to stormy gray. "I knew you loved me. I just wish you had told me before I landed on this mine."

"So tell me how to get you off of it."

Aidan glanced around the area they were in, seeing a small grouping of flat rocks just a short distance from the path they were on. "Maybe we can fool it into thinking I'm still on it," he mused softly. He nodded toward the rocks. "Bring back the heaviest one you can handle, Mia. But watch where you walk, there might be more."

Mia glanced down at her feet and then at the pile of rocks that Aidan had pointed out. She'd never felt like such a short distance was such a long trip. But that was before she had Aidan's life in her hands. She couldn't fail him. If he were to die here because she screwed up again, it would kill her as well. She sighed one last time and took her first cautious step.

It felt like hours though it could have only been a few minutes. Each small step had her waiting to hear a click. She jumped every time a small pebble was dislodged by her boot and flinched. When she finally reached the pile of rocks, she turned her head to glance back at Aidan. "The biggest?"

"The heaviest. But make sure it's flat on one side."

Mia looked at the pile and slowly chose her rock. She hitched her rifle across her back and stooped down to grasp the edges and heave it up. Walking in her own footprints, she returned a little quicker to Aidan's side. "Will this work?"

"Yeah, it should." He closed his eyes for a moment and Mia saw his lips move. "Okay, the mine is under the ball of my foot. I'm going to unlace my boot. Then I want you to lay the rock across my toes. Understand?"

Mia shifted the heavy rock in her arms. "Then what? You're going to pull your foot out of your boot and leave it here?"

"I don't have much of a choice, Mia. As soon as you put that rock on my foot, I want you to run. I want you a long distance away before I pull my foot out of my boot. Got me?" He growled when he saw the look in her eyes. "Dammit, Mia. No arguing. Please, just do it."

"But..."

Aidan interrupted her. "No, I will not pull my foot out until I know you are a safe distance away and behind something to protect yourself."

"So...you're going to stand there unless I promise to walk away from you?" Mia could hardly believe what she was hearing. How could she just walk away from him?

"I'll stand here until you do." He met her eyes, his full of stubbornness that she'd never had to deal with before. "I love you and I won't let you stay here and risk your life for me, not when you can run."

"But..." 

He interrupted her by simply raising one finger. "No buts. Come on, Mia. I know how strong you are and even your stubbornness isn't going to keep you from dropping that rock soon. Set it on my foot and then get the hell out of here."

Mia came closer but kept her mouth shut. She knelt at his feet and slowly lowered the heavy rock so that it covered much of his foot. Then she unlaced his boot for him, pulling as much of the lace as she could to make the boot loose enough. She stood and stared up at him, gasping when he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up. His mouth descended, meeting hers halfway.

For a space of time, their lips clung together and his groan covered her moan. Then he slowly let her go. "Now...run!"

"I love you!" She turned even as a sob caught her by surprise. She ran, her eyes on the ground in front of her, her ears were attuned to hear the sound of his running feet behind her. Or for the sound of the mine as it exploded. She prayed not to hear that sound, prayed harder then she'd ever in her life.

She ran through the trees, finally stopping behind the trunk of a huge oak. She dropped her hands to her knees and caught her breath before she turned...right into Aidan's arms.

"I love you, too." He lifted her up enough that he could reach her mouth. He was hungry for her taste, for the feel of her passion, for the feel of her. He couldn't get enough. "Mia, I need you."

He could see the look in her eyes, the want as well as the tiniest bit of caution. Her fingers touched his face. "I want that too, Aidan. More than you'll ever know, but it isn't safe now. It's not the right time or place."

"I know." He growled his frustration and speared his hand through his hair. Then he shook his head. "God, you don't know how much I want to bend you over until you scream my name and beg for mercy." He groaned and for a moment she thought he wasn't going to back away because one part of her shout warnings, the other longed to feel him like she'd felt him that night.

"Come on, let's get this job done and get home." He stared down into her pretty gray/green eyes. "I need to fuck you. So I hope you have no plans for when we get home. You're going home with me."

"I think that's the best invitation I've gotten in quite a while." She chuckled and then lifted on her toes to press a quick kiss on his lips. "You ready to go?"

Aidan stared down into her face, amazed at her clear gaze and the animation there. "Well, somebody got her second wind."

"Stopping the man I love from getting blown up kind of does that to me." She grabbed his arm and started him walking, slowing when she noticed his limp. "You're hurt!"

He laughed at the accusation in her tone. "You chose a big rock, Mia."

She stopped walking which forced him to stop in his tracks as well. "Let me see it."

"It's a little bruise, Mia. It's nothing. I've been hurt worse in hand to hand training with you."

"I've never made you limp." She pulled away from him and glared into his gorgeous golden eyes.

"I've never let you see me limp. Can you just hear the guys? If they had any idea that you'd caused me pain, I'd never hear the end of it. Do you remember the day out on the obstacle course, the one that had you and Romeo running block on us? Your knee left a very distinctive mark on a very vulnerable part of my anatomy. I walked funny for a week."

Mia remembered the day, he could see it in her eyes. "I never wanted to hurt you, Aidan."

"I know that, Mia. You've loved me for a long time, though you'd never admit it. And what you love, you protect with your life." His hand slid over her cheek, his thumb rubbing at some of the grime there.

* * * *

Mia leaned into his hand, her eyes closed as she savored his touch. She needed him. It was a physical thing, a need that ran so deep inside of her, it was almost like a hunger. She needed him, his touch, his kiss, the scent of his body, the feel of him next to her. She needed it all to live. "I can't fight it anymore, Aidan. I've tried to keep some space between us. I tried to not let you become so important to me." A tear caught in her thick lashes, gleaming in the faint light of the coming dawn. "I can't do it anymore. For better or worse, I love you and I won't let my pride keep us apart. If you want me, I'm yours."

She waited with breathless anticipation for his answer, her heart pounding so hard she worried she wouldn't hear him. His hand was still on her cheek, his palm warm against her skin. He drew her closer with that one connection until she was flush against him. She expected to feel his lips against hers, prayed for that to end this misery of not knowing and almost jumped when he spoke.

"You're mine." His voice was deep and there was a husky quality to it that had her eyes flashing open. His lips were a bare inch from hers, his eyes, those beautiful golden orbs, stared down at here. "You're mine," he said again. "Say it, tell me you belong to me and me alone."

"I...I do. I'm yours and yours alone, Aidan. I love you." 

"Now wasn't that sweet?" Aidan jerked and turned at the sound of the stranger's voice. The very last thing he saw was a rifle barrel as it flashed, striking him with devastating precision.

* * * *

Mia didn't scream when she saw the men that surrounded them. Instead, she pulled her knife from its sheath in her boot. "Stay away from him!"

The leader of the group of men chuckled, his white teeth flashing against dark skin. He was a handsome man with swarthy skin and dark eyes, but his looks did nothing to Mia. He nodded toward Aidan and heard Mia screech as the man hauled Aidan up, his own knife at Aidan's throat. "I'm sorry, Miss. I just can't do that."

"Agent." The word was growled as she dropped her knife. She could have fought them, she might even have taken one or two out before they'd have caught her, but she couldn't do that and keep Aidan alive. A life without him in it was like a huge black hole, sucking the life out of everything inside of her. For now, she would cooperate.

"What was that?" 

"I'm an Agent, not a Miss."

He cocked his head to the side, that same half-mocking smile returning to his lips. "Oh, I am so sorry, Agent..."

Mia cocked her own head to the side, giving as good as she got. "Agent will suffice."

She didn't flinch when his hand came down, striking her cheek. The explosion of pain was quick though not fleeting and she gritted her teeth. Blood filled her mouth from a cut inside her cheek and she spat it on the ground, some striking his boot.

"You will learn to answer when I speak to you, girl. Unless, of course, you didn't really mean all those sweet nothings you were spouting to your friend there. Hmmm. I guess we'll have to have some kind of payment deal. You do as you're told and I won't start taking him apart, piece by piece. Every time you refuse and a piece of him will be tossed into the fire pit. Now, do you understand, Agent?"

"Leave him out of this. It's between you and me, not him."

He laughed and nodded at his man holding Aidan. "His ear, I think. It's as good a place as any to start. Or perhaps his cock. I think that might cause more desolation to the both of them." He chuckled again at the expression on her face. The hate there was almost palpable. "What do you think, Miss?"

Mia felt a burst of horror as that huge knife in the hand of the man holding up an unconscious Aidan moved toward Aidan's ear before following their leader's words. "No, stop...please. What do you want?"

The man shook his head and the knife dropped a bit, leaving a line of red from the blade on Aidan's pants. Mia closed her eyes a minute and when they opened her steely gray/green gaze raked over their captor. "What do you want to know?"

"Oh, let's start with something easy. Your name?"

"I'm Agent Miara Wren."

"Miara? What kind of name is Miara?"

"It's mine. You wanted my name and I gave it. Make fun if you'd like. I'm not in control here as you've so eloquently pointed out." She nodded at Aidan.

"Behave, little Miara, and we won't have any problems whatsoever. I'm not a bad man, I don't like pain and I get no joy out of causing it to other people. But it is a useful tool when you understand its use and its value." He walked closer to Mia and pulled her rifle from her shoulder, tossing it to another of his men. Then he unstrapped her weapons belt before he began to pat her down. He was thorough, groping her breasts at first through her shirt. Then he reached under her shirt, pushing her bra up so that it pressed into her breasts, lifting her nipples upward. His fingers were thorough, exploring her nipples as they grew hard against his cold skin. "Mmm, very nice, little Miara."

"You disgust me." The words were gritted out between her teeth and spoken so that only he could hear.

"You think that now." He ran one hand around her back as he stepped behind her, and he cupped her firm breasts. He squeezed until his fingers dug into her, her flesh squeezing out between his fingers. She gasped in pain and then slammed her lips shut, refusing to give him what he wanted. "When I am through with you, you'll beg me to give you pleasure. You'll beg on your knees."

"Never! If I ever was on my knees in front of you it would be for God to strike me dead before you could touch me." She gasped, automatically trying to step back away from his hand as it slid from her breast and down her flat, muscular belly to the soft skin just above her pussy. 

He dug his fingers in and pushed ever downward, slipping under the satiny panties she wore and into her dry pussy. The pain he inflicted upon her then, his fingers grasping and squeezing, pushing into her dry flesh, was almost more than she could take. "Stop. God, please stop!"

He had found her clit, that tiny bud had been hidden behind its protective cowl of flesh. But he dug his fingers in, pinching at it cruelly. "You don't enjoy this?"

"No." Her leg muscles were jerking and she had the need to run, either to run or to turn and put this man in the ground where he belonged. "Would you enjoy it if some man was shoving his cock up your ass?"

He chuckled. "Such candor. We haven't even gotten to that part of our relationship yet. But if you're anxious to get started..." He pushed his hand even further between her legs, his thumb rubbing insistently against the furled muscle of her anus.

She fought him then, unable to help herself. Her hands went to his arm, digging her nails into his skin to try to force him out of her pants. His arm went up, tugging her tee shirt up along with it. He exposed her naked breasts to his men even as he wrapped his arm around her neck, strangling her. "Stop."

It was an order and she forced herself to obey, slowly letting her hands fall to her sides. Tears of pain and humiliation glittered in her eyes that had grown stormy gray with her hatred.

His touch gentled, his fingers strummed with growing intensity against her clit. She felt the traitorous response of her body as it softened and began to grow wet. "No." It was uttered softly, with a moan of abject misery floating behind it. She didn't want to feel anything but disgust. Her hips moved involuntarily, pressing into his hand and then back against the heavy ridge that tented out his fatigues.

"So the feisty kitten can be tamed." His breath played about her ear and she shivered in response.

"I hate you."

"Well, we shall have to explore that emotion fuller later, when I have more time." He slowly pulled his hand out of her pants and released her, giving her a gentle shove into the arms of his men. He lifted his hand to his face, breathing in the aroma of her pussy on his fingers. "I am leader of this army of revolutionaries, little Miara. As leader, my men follow my every command. If I give the order, they would rape you over and over until your blood would soak the forest floor. Try to resist me and your companion pays. Try to escape, he pays. Lie to me and I will cut out his tongue and feed it to you, one bloody chunk at a time." He nodded at his men and they fell in behind him, two of them holding her arms, another two supporting Aidan.




Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 08



They quick stepped to what looked to be almost a city of green tents, camouflaged with branches and leaves. She almost screamed when she saw Aidan taken into a tent while she was forced to continue on and taken into another tent, one that was staffed with two men and held a huge desk that was covered in maps. Her arms were tied to two posts. One of the men took out a knife and slit the bottom of her tee shirt, ripping it up to her neck. He finished the job, sawing through the tougher collar, the back of his hand brushing over her naked breast.

"You will learn to love him. He is a courageous man and can be kind and loving when he wants." He slipped his knife between her breasts, a quick slash and her bra joined the shirt on the floor behind her. "If you do not please him in all things, his anger is swift, his punishment just. Displease him too much and he will give you to us. You would not like that at all. Some here have tastes that..." He grimaced in disgust. He reached out and ran his fingers over the marks on her breasts, marks that would become terrible black bruises by mid-morning. He quickly fastened her arms to the two poles, both of whom had cords that caught her arms fast.

"You think that I should give in and give him all of me because he's some kind of self proclaimed leader? I would rather be raped." She turned her head, determined to ignore him. She waited for him to finish undressing her but he tweaked her nipples, bending down and slathering his tongue over them before he ducked away and left the tent. 

The two men working there ignored her. She took a moment to regroup. They were somewhere in the midst of the dense forest, though she wasn't quite sure where. Aidan was in another tent, unconscious and hurt and she was tied in the middle of the leader's tent, half-exposed and helpless. A snort left her lips. Things couldn't get too much worse.

Their transport was leaving from the pickup point at mid-day. The rest of the party had no idea that they'd survived the original jump. They wouldn't come looking for them. It was part of the training, a part that she'd had a hard time becoming resolved to. The thought of leaving one of her team behind was repugnant and totally unthinkable.

A noise caught her attention and the flap of the tent was flung to one side, her captor striding in with another man at his side. This second man stared at her half-nude body liked he'd never seen a woman undressed in this way. "Stephan, what is this all about?"

Stephan smacked him on the back. "Come, Mark, have a drink with me and I will tell you all."

Mia kept her head down, acting beaten. But her ears were perked and she was ready to listen to every iota of their conversation. She would do what she had to if it would get her and Aidan out of this place and back home even if it meant sucking off every man on this base.

* * * *

Author's Note: I'm sorry this isn't going any quicker. I'm still working on this and about three others. So let me know what you think!



Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 09



"Wake up, bitch!" The words were followed immediately by a splash of cold water from a bucket that sat close by. Mia screeched and sputtered, lifting her head to glare at the man standing before her with the bucket. He was laughing at her, watching the water drip from her chin down to her naked breasts and off her nipples hardened by the combination of cold water and the night air.

"She sure sounds like a woman." He grinned at the man with hm.

Mia shook the water from her face, wiping off the rest against her shoulder. "What do you want?"

Mark tsked at the tone of her voice. "Do you really want me to tell Stephan how incredibly rude and uncompromising you're being, little Miara?"

Mia refused to speak. She twisted her wrists against the roughness of the rope, pulling futilely to try and free herself. "You want to see compromising, you asshole? Come over here where I can reach you and I'll show you just how fucking compromising I can be." She groaned, knowing she should have just kept her mouth shut.

"Ahh, so we can add foul-mouthed to that list as well." He smiled, moving closer to her. His hands shot out and he grabbed her nipples, twisting them until she closed her eyes against the pain. She refused to make a sound and didn't move anything but her arms, longing to be free more than almost anything else in the world.

"Oh, I forgot, Stephan told me that you respond better to soft touches and sweet words. Is that true, little Miara? Do you want me to whisper sweet nothings in your ears?"

Mia fought to keep herself from becoming sick. He was the third man today that had played with her and she wasn't going to give him anything. Not pleasure, or fun, or satisfaction of any kind. She was done playing their games. As Mark came closer to her, she grasped the poles that held her hostage. Then she jumped up, her legs finding purchase around his neck. Crossing her ankles, she slowly began to suffocate the now struggling man.

"How does that make you feel? Am I giving you pleasure? Do you want more? Maybe I should fake an orgasm or two to make you feel manly?" She gritted the words between clenched teeth and tightened her hold. Off to the side of the tent, she could see the two men who'd been quietly working in this office/tent since she arrived. They were arguing fiercely between themselves. Finally one threw up his hands and the other raced out of the tent. She now was on limited time. Her grasp tightened even more despite the fingers that clawed at her legs or beat at the outside of her thighs.

He dug them into her thighs, leaving marks that she knew would bruise, but she couldn't care. She wanted him dead, she wanted them all dead. Then she wanted to find Aidan and make love to him until she could forget this hell hole and its sick inhabitants.

"Let him go, bitch!"

Mia barely glanced up as Stephan came roaring into the tent. He swung his fist, catching her on the chin hard enough to knock her head backward. Her legs loosened as she lost her grip on consciousness and she sagged against the ropes that held her upright.

Mark clutched at his throat, hissing in sweet, precious air. Then he stood in front of her and slammed his fist against her face again, cursing in his native tongue. He only calmed when his General, Stephan, reached out and took his arm to keep him from hitting her again. "You will kill her, Mark. At least wait until she knows she is being punished before beating her. Come, let the camp doctor examine your throat. The bitch will be out for a while."

"What of the other one?" Mark's voice was raspy and hoarse and he cleared it, trying to ease the pain.

"She seemed uncommonly fond of him. Perhaps we should bring him into the tent and wait until she wakes before we torture him. I think she will want to protect him more than she would herself."

"Yes, General. I bow to your knowledge of human nature. I shall have him moved." He bowed his head and then followed Stephan from the tent, only stopping once to talk to a guard that stood at the doorway of the tent. Then he followed Stephan to the camp physician and then to the dinner tent as his orders were followed in his absence.

* * * *

Mia's eyes opened slowly. She kept her body loose, unwilling to let anyone know that she was awake. Her jaw felt as if it was on fire and it thudded in time to the quickening beat of her heart. She wanted to moan, to try and move her jaw, to see if it was broken or only bruised, but she dared not. Not yet, not until she knew if she were alone or not.

"Mia. God I thought you'd never wake up. Are you okay?"

Her head popped up quickly, a movement that she regretted as the pain began to howl in her face. "Aidan?"

"God, Mia, your jaw..."

She could almost smile at the horror in his voice. "So it looks as bad as it feels?"

"You're alive, it will heal. We've got to get out of here. The ass-hat that brought me here was a little too happy when he was talking about what he was going to do to you."

Mia met his golden gaze, feeling the heat of it, the urgency he was feeling. She glanced around the tent, seeing the two clerks that were sitting at their desks again, studiously ignoring them. "My boot, I've still got my knife."

She could see him measuring distances and wriggling his arms that were as tightly bound as her own. "Now you see the problem."

"Can you kick your foot up near my mouth?" He glanced over at the two men at the desks as well. She could see his eyes as he did the numbers to figure out how long they had before one of the two would try to stop them.

"They don't seem to have any love for the general, Aidan." She grabbed hold of the poles once more and took a deep breath. It felt as if her energy was slowly being sapped and the thought of trying to get her ankle to Aidan's mouth seemed almost impossible. But she forced herself to take another breath and then kicked her foot up, doing her best to not kick him.

She felt so heavy; she knew she wouldn't be able to hold her foot there for long, even resting it against Aidan's shoulder. "Hurry."

Aidan's eyes quickly found the knife handle and he grasped it with his teeth, tugging it slowly out of her boot. The knife was a Marine K-bar, which made it incredibly sharp and equally as lethal. When it was out of her boot, she sighed and let her leg drop. "Now what?"

The knife was in Aidan's mouth and instead of trying to answer around it, he tossed it with a flick of his head, catching it nimbly with his hand. A quick sawing motion had that hand free and he quickly finished, freeing his other hand before going to Mia. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

"Take us...?"

It was one of the two men that had been working at the desks. "He'll kill us if he finds you gone and thinks we helped you escape."

Aidan didn't pause, he was taking off his shirt and slipping it over Mia's shoulders, hiding the abuse that she'd been dealt while he'd been unconscious. "We can get you out of the encampment, but we don't know if our people have left or if they are looking for us."

"We would know if anyone tried to leave. That is what he has us here doing. We decrypt any transmissions that come through."

Mia buttoned up Aidan's shirt, giving him a look that relayed her gratitude. "They might be worth taking back. Think of what knowledge they might be able to transmit."

"Yes," the man said. "But you must rescue our wives too. They would be killed if we were to disappear."

"Absolutely not." Aidan's voice was firm, his eyes hard. "It would be a suicide mission."

"When has that stopped us before, Aidan?" Mia finally took the time to wiggle her jaw and to use her fingers to feel the damage. What she felt made her cringe. Her entire jaw was swollen and it hurt. "We got payback to deal, Aidan. If it had been me, you wouldn't care if there were eighty men between us, you'd go in anyway."

Aidan handed her back her knife. "Why the hell do you always have to do this, Mia? Do you have a death wish? Do you want to see me have a heart attack before I'm thirty?"

Mia snorted. "Exaggerate much? Oh wait, you're Aidan. Of course you exaggerate." She rolled her eyes.

"You're damn lucky I don't want to hurt you. Otherwise I'd show you exaggeration. We are going to do this smart or we aren't doing it at all." He stared down at Mia, not saying another word until she nodded her agreement. "Okay, what would Demon do?"

"Reconnaissance, Mia. Don't get your ass ahead of your head."

Aidan chuckled quietly. He'd heard Demon say those exact words to Mia more than once. "Then that's what we're going to do." He looked back toward one of the two men. "Which way?"

"To the left as you leave the tent. But how are we going to get past the guards?"

"Mia?" She bent and pulled her knife, going to the back of the tent and quickly cutting a slit along the bottom of the tent. She kept hold of her knife and crawled through the slit on her belly, her eyes searching everywhere she could see. Then she bent and waved for Aidan to send the men through. They shimmied out, doing their best not to rip the hole she'd made. It would be hidden behind desks and stacks of papers and boxes of books.

Aidan was last out. He stood, his hand going to Mia's shoulder. "You up for this?"

"I'm five by five, Romeo. " She lifted up her hand, running fingers over the bruise that was stark and easily visible against his tanned skin. "What about you? This looks painful."

"It's nothing, baby. I want to get you back to the pick-up point and get us back in the good ole US of A. I think I remember a promise to come home with me." It was his turn to run gentle fingers over the swelling in her jaw. "But I think we might want to put that off so you can go to medical. You know Demon is going to demand it."

"Demon and his demands can go fly a kite as far as I'm concerned." She took another small step toward him. "The only thing that has gotten me through so far is the thought of sleeping in your arms when we get home. I'll get it looked at but then you are taking me home. And I want your promise that you'll make love with me until we have to go back to work."

Aidan's smile was warmly beautiful to her. Her own lips quirked and then spread into a wide grin. The swelling on her face gave the smile a strange look and felt a bit strange but it didn't change the look in his eyes. This was his Mia, his tough as nails, stubborn as hell, sexy as sin, wildcat. She would never be anything else to him. "We'll see what the doctor says."

She sighed and shook her head, rolling her eyes at him. "Pussy."

"You think so, huh?"

"You're being more of a mother hen then Demon. I'm fine, Aidan. I'm five by five. I'm full of piss and fire and I'm ready to fight. I want my payback for this and for the humiliation that they heaped on me. You know me, have you ever seen me sit back and take shit from anyone?" She let her hands drift down to the heavy muscles on his chest, rubbing them over the pale beige of the tank top he'd worn under his shirt. "I'm going to do this, so how about we get to it and go home."

He nodded and lifted one of her slender hands, dropping a kiss on her fingers. "Let's get this done and go home." He agreed whole heartedly.

She took the step away that had her hands dropping off of him. With one last quick glimpse of his golden eyes, she moved to the edge of the tent and peeked around it. Then she was off like a light, racing to the back of the next tent and then the next one after that. After a few minutes, she waved at Aidan and he sent the first of the two men racing across the back of the tents. Aidan glanced around the edge of the tent and then sent the next man over as well. A few moments later, he stepped around her and then glanced over at the next couple of tents. "Which one?"

"Past this one and then three towards the front of camp." The older of the two men said something worriedly to his younger companion in his native language. "He worries we will be discovered before we rescue our wives. They would kill the women while we watch."

"Then I guess it would be better if we don't get caught." Mia looked back at Aidan and then checked around the corner of the tent once more before heading toward the next tent. They made their way slowly, one at a time until they were on the back side of the tent that the women were held in. Mia knelt, using her knife to make a slit at the bottom of the tent wall. Then she slid the K-bar back into her boot and slipped inside the tent. Aidan forced himself to be still even though he wanted to pace back and forth or slide through the opening himself to check on her.

He barely breathed a sigh of relief when the first of the men's wives slid through the opening. He helped her to her feet and saw one of the men hold his arms out to her. They hugged and then kissed even as Aidan bent to help the next woman. She was greeted with the same zeal that her companion had. Now Aidan reached down and pulled up the top part of the slit. "Come on, Mia," he whispered, more to himself than to her.

He dropped to his knees when she still didn't appear. "Mia?"

He breathed a quick sigh of relief when she stuck her head through the slit. "Were you worried?" she teased.

He took her arms, helping her up and pulling her into arms. "I know how to survive this work and what to do when something blows up or breaks. I don't think I know how to live without you, Mia. So don't make me, please." 

Mia allowed herself a moment to revel in the way it felt being in his arms, feeling his heart beat against her, hearing it in her ears. She'd loved him for a long time, almost since the day she'd become a part of Alpha Bravo. She hadn't understood the need she'd felt for him but she knew now what it was and she relished every moment she could be with him. She didn't expect it to last but she planned to hang on to it as long as she could. "I'll do my best."

He brushed his mouth over hers and then lifted his head. "Wrong time, wrong place." He sighed and then tugged on a lock of her hair. "Let's get this done, Kodiak."

She grinned the cockiest one she could with her jaw as swollen as it was. "You got it, Romeo. I'll get you to your passel of Juliets, but if I see your mitts on one of them." She glowered up at him, her eyes narrowing.

"Baby, as long as I have no need for any bland Juliet."

"What way out?"

The younger of the two men and the only one who could speak English answered him. "Follow the fence line to the main gate."

"The main gate? There's no other way?" Mia glanced at Aidan, her concern evident.

The two men spoke quickly then the youngest answered her. "A second gate in the back, but that is more heavily guarded."

"No holes in the fence, no weak spots or places where the fence is easy to climb?" Aidan's voice was urgent and he glanced back at Mia. If there was no way out of here, he'd be damned if he let her be tortured any more than she already had been.

The woman spoke urgently to her husband. "There is one place. My wife says that they have been shoring up rotten boards in the fence. One man was screaming at the workers today about finishing on time. But from the sound of the voices she heard, they didn't get it finished today."

"Where?"

Mia put her hand on Aidan's chest, though she kept her eyes on their youngest male companion. She glanced back at him when he took her hand, his thumb rubbing gently over the back of her fingers. He smiled down at her, warm, reassuring and completely Aidan. "Slow down, baby. Let's not rush into anything."

She sighed. "You're becoming more like Demon every day."

Aidan gave her a grin, the one that she loved. It was full of his personality, cocky and self-assured. "I'll remember you said that. Now, let's use our heads and get the hell out of here."

Mia nodded. She turned to face the rest of their party when a shrill whistle had her ducking. There was the sound of a pistol shot and the youngest of the two women jerked, her hand going to her breast as blood of brilliant scarlet exploded on her chest. Her husband gasped and then took her in his arms, frantically calling her name.

"Fuck!" Aidan stared quickly around, searching for an escape route. He grabbed Mia's arm. "Come on!"

They ran at the fence and Aidan took two long strides, releasing her hand and jumping for the top of the fence. He flipped over the top and leaned down. "Jump, Mia."

She hesitated for just a second, glancing back at the rest of their party. It was only for a second and she hit the fence hard, jumping as high as she could and reaching for his hands. Her fingers slipped through his and she felt a moment of panic, then he grabbed her other hand and yelled her name. "Reach, Mia!"

A shrill alarm sounded, wavering in the still air, pounding against their ear drums. She scrabbled against the fence with her feet, searching for purchase so that she could reach his fingers. There was an outcry behind them and she glanced over her shoulder, seeing the other three that had been with them being herded toward them. When the woman tried to plead, one of the soldiers pulled his gun and shot her in the head.

"Oh fuck!" She reached higher, grabbing Aidan's hand and following him over the fence. She hit the ground only seconds after him, and felt him pulling her up. 

"Come on, baby. We got to run!"

Mia ran. She ran faster and harder than she'd ever done before. Air rasped into her lungs until it didn't seem to be passing through. She wanted nothing more than to stop, to rest her head against her legs and try to remember how it felt to breathe.

But Aidan wouldn't let her stop. He held on to her hand, dragging her behind him. He offered her words of encouragement in a voice as breathless as hers felt. They were leaving the dense thicket of forest, entering into a circular clearing when he finally slowed.

"Oh god, oh god..." she panted. "Those people, they're dead. They're dead, aren't they?"

Aidan turned and drew her into his arms. "Yes." His answer was simple, straight forward and one of the hardest he'd ever had to give. "If we'd gone back, we would be dead too."

She closed her eyes. "I know." She moved closer to him, letting her palm rest against his chest. "I know. Aidan, you can't blame yourself."

"I can't?" He moved away from her hand, away from the love that was so apparent in her eyes. "You're wrong if you think that. If we'd moved faster, if we'd left their wives there in camp, we might have been able to get the men out."

"And those women would be dead. We might be as well, Aidan."

He dropped his eyes but Mia wouldn't allow him to look away. "You rescued me, Aidan. You kept me alive. Does that mean nothing to you?"

He turned and wrapped his arms around her, his breath rasping against the fine hair at her temple. "Your life is the only thing that does really matter, Mia. I love you more than anything else."

"Then you can't blame yourself for the rest. We were trying to get them out. We were doing our best, Aidan. You cannot claim all that blame for yourself. I was there too."

"You were injured." His fingers skimmed over the swelling on her jaw and then trailed down to the buttons on the shirt she was wearing. "You had to fight off those bastards on your own, Mia."

"If you'd been there, Aidan..." She huffed out a sigh. "You'd be dead now and I would still be trapped there."

He pulled her even closer, dropping soft, gentle kisses against her mouth and over her skin. "I would have died for you, Mia. I would have given my life to keep you safe and unhurt. Knowing that I failed..."

"You didn't. Aidan, you got me out." She leaned against him and went up on tiptoe to reach his lips. "I'm alive and I will heal. Let's find our way home." She stared up into his golden eyes, relaxing when she saw the resignation there. "Let's go home, baby."




Alpha Bravo Team Ch. 09



Aidan stared around, over her head. "Hmmm, which way?"

Mia looked up and cursed when the motion pulled against the bruise on her jaw. "We were off course. We landed too far to the west. We have to head east."

Aidan nodded. "East is that way, the way we've been going." He dropped one last soft kiss on her lips and then grasped her hand to pull her behind him. "Let's go home." 

* * * *

"Emmy, set the table." Tanya brought the plates and silverware to the table so that Emilee could pass them around the table. When she went back into the kitchen, she was humming.

It had been a while since she had felt this happy, this secure. Now that she stayed in Mia's house, even though she wasn't home, she felt as if she was cleaner, purer. She felt worthy of happiness now and it was a glorious feeling.

"It's set, Mama."

Tanya bent and pressed a quick kiss to her daughter's head. "Thank you, baby."

"What time will Micah be here?"

"Soon, sweetheart. He had some work to do and then he said he'd be here." She looked up when she heard the doorbell. Before she could move, Emilee raced toward the door.

Tanya felt her heart jump into her throat and she hurried to stop Emilee from blindly opening the door. "No! Emilee, don't touch that..."

Micah pushed open the screen door and picked up Emilee. He stepped inside and smiled as Tanya skidded to a stop. "Problems?"

"No. It's just, she knows she's not to open the door without my permission."

"I'm sorry, Mama. I just wanted to see Micah." She ducked her head, resting it against Micah's big chest.

"I know, baby." She glanced up at Micah. "You hungry?"

"Starving." He sat Emmy down and then handed her his jacket. As soon as she was out of the room, he moved toward Tanya and caught her up in a big hug. He tilted her head back and captured her lips, unable to hide how she made him feel. When he finally lifted his head, he dropped his forehead against hers. "When it's been enough time, I'm going to ask you to marry me and move you and Emmy in with me."

She stared up into his eyes. "What's enough?" she managed to get out.

"When you think you can trust me and know that I'm nothing like..."

"Even...you still want me even pregnant with Ricky's baby?" 

Micah stared down into her eyes, seeing the wounded dog look. He took her chin into his hands. "Baby, any child you bring into my world will be welcome and I will love them as if they are my own." He ran his hand over her lower belly. "I will be proud to call them my own."

Tanya tried to wipe the tears off her face, stopping when Micah bent down and kissed her. "Besides, I think Emmy needs to see a real family."

"Will you be my daddy too?" Emmy's little voice sounded from beside them.

Micah jumped. "Quiet one, aren't you, slugger? And the answer to that question is yes, as soon as your momma agrees to my proposal."

He smiled down at Tanya when Emmy began to jump up and down, singing. "Say yes, Momma. Say yes!"

He used his thumbs to wipe another tear from her cheek then he dropped down next to Emmy. "We have to let Momma think about it, baby girl. She might want to talk to your Aunt Mia too. So we both have to be patient.

Emmy snorted and walked over to Feral. "Be patient, that's all anyone says."

Feral barked and licked her face before knocking her down.

"Maybe we should tell Feral to be patient too?"