Into the Light (The Admiral's Elite Book 2) Read Free Page A

fully retracted. It was an age thing, Michael had told her. “I’m confident his first stop after returning was your quarters?”
     
    Blood rushed to her cheeks and Becca ducked her chin. With her hair up, Michael could watch the red wash over her face. “We didn’t discuss the details of the trip, Sir.”
     
    A deep rumble from Black’s chest sounded vaguely like laughter, maybe the closest the sick bastard got. “Then tell me, my dear, what did you do?”
     
    For some reason Black was endlessly amused with the fact that they were sleeping together. He was actually pleased; he’d even told Michael to bed her to secure her loyalties. After some initial adjustment issues, she believed him when Michael reassured her that his desires were entirely his own.
     
    “All due respect, Sir,” Michael spoke up from the other end of the table where he stood by his chair. “Our visit was personal and your affairs were not the subject of our private discussions.”
     
    The admiral averted his gaze from where Becca squirmed and stared at his second in command. “Then I will leave the subject matter of your visit to my imagination.”
     
    Michael was grateful the admiral had yet to show a sexual inclination toward anything. If he wanted to take her, Michael would surely die trying in vain to protect her. The rapid heart rate of the sole human in the room was the only response to the admiral’s crude insinuation. Both of them waited for the admiral to move on.
     
    “Rebecca, you are new to us and might not comprehend our unique relationship with the rest of the United States government.” Black resumed his standard upright position and pushed his chair aside with a foot.
     
    Becca’s eyes followed the admiral, careful not to touch his eyes for more than a second at a time. She remembered what Michael had told her about his ability to get into her head with anything more than that. Thus far she hadn’t asked if he had the same capabilities and he hoped she wouldn’t. It would pain him to have her compare him to the vampire that ruled them all.
     
    “You have seen firsthand that we serve the needs of our soldiers, protecting both human and otherwise among our ranks as well as civilians around the world.”
     
    She nodded. That was true. Confounding as he may be, Black had proven he would go to any lengths to protect those serving. Especially the supernatural beings who found places within their ranks. With their strength and intelligence, the military had shown itself to be a perfect match for many non-humans; Special Forces and wet work being a particularly well-suited destination for those with certain thirsts.
     
    “We recently learned there are those in Washington who question the relevance of our work.” He let that hang.
     
    Her uncertainty at where this was going was visible in her pinched brow. The freckles he could see in the bright light and the puzzled expression made her look young and Michael felt that same protective instinct he’d gotten the first time he met her, helpless in a hospital bed.
     
    “Your recent discovery of this new ability of yours affords us a rare chance. It would be helpful to be ‘inside,’ so to speak, to determine the source of this sudden dissension.”
     
    Predictably, her frame tightened and the glance she aimed his way was glazing already. Her sight was warning her the danger of Black’s proposal, or maybe it had more to do with what might happen if she couldn’t perform. His own insides twisted at the thought of the admiral bringing harm to her.
     
    Becca took a deep breath through her nose and lifted her chin. “I’m not certain how it works, Sir. It’s possible I wouldn’t be able to jump into a stranger, on command.”
     
    Leveling a heavy gaze upon her, Black gave her objection no regard. “Your goal over the next two weeks is to figure out how it works, master it, and be ready to use it at my command.”
     
    “Hey Mike, when did you get back?” Ryan