Chapter 5



"But he's dead," Sara protested the next morning when Vicky Po showed her the results of the prints taken from the shell casing. "He was killed at the warehouse. No one could've survived that."

"What are you talking about, Pez?" Danny questioned her. "He wasn't taken down with the other Black Dragons."

"He was there, too. A cement block fell on him. Now don't tell me you know of anyone who could survive that."

Danny shook his head. "I definitely don't. But I'm telling you, he wasn't there."

"This has to be some sort of trick. Someone must have gotten his body out of there. How his prints could be at this crime scene, I don't know."

"Maybe he did survive."

"He couldn't have." She looked at the results again and shook her head. "I need to talk to Ian."

*******

"I thought you said they weren't going to be home 'til later today. That's why you needed to get their mail and check on Meghan's dog," Danny Taylor said to Caitlyn.

"That's what Renee told me. Guess they returned early though," she replied as she knocked on the door.

The door opened on her second knock, and Meghan stood there. "Hello, Aunt Caitlyn."

"Hey, Meghan. Are your aunt and uncle home?"

"Uh-huh," she said, nodding her head. "Aunt Renee's feedin' the twins, and Uncle Gabiel's working."

"Well, can I talk to Renee."

She nodded again. "Hold on." She turned her head and yelled into the house. "Aunt Renee, Aunt Caitlyn's here."

Caitlyn chuckled. "Thanks, Meghan. I'm sure she heard you."

Meghan grinned then skipped back to the living room.

Danny followed Caitlyn into the kitchen where Renee was just finishing feeding Allanah. She glanced up at them and smiled. "Sorry I didn't answer the door. These two can be quite a handful at times."

"What happened to your arm, Renee?" Caitlyn asked, noticing the sling on her left arm.

"The brother of Meghan's kidnapper attacked us while we were gone. I tried to protect Gabriel and got thrown to the ground for my trouble. Dislocated my shoulder."

"We were wondering why you were home so soon. I thought maybe the reconciliation with your dad didn't go too well."

"It didn't...until I got hurt. Then, he was ready to apologize."

"Things all right between you two now then?"

"As long as I'm not around him, yeah. Don't know how the two of us ever got along. We have the same unshakable pride."

"Bullheaded pride is more like it," Gabriel said as he stepped into the kitchen and grinned at their guests. "Heard Meghan's announcement as I'm sure the rest of the neighborhood did as well."

"Will you go put your son down for his nap?" Renee asked, pretending to be annoyed with him. The other three adults knew this wasn't the case. "I can only carry one of them at a time. And that's a task in itself."

"I'll take the other one," Danny offered, reaching to grab Allanah.

"Don't worry about it," Renee protested. "I can handle it."

"Let me. It's really not a problem."

Renee relented and handed her daughter to him. When the men returned, Renee and Caitlyn were sitting on the couch. They watched Amie crawl over her cousin who was laying on the floor watching tv. Gabriel and Danny shook their heads at the sight then joined the women on the couch.

*******

Sara followed Ian into the study before saying anything. "Ian, do you think Mobius was actually killed?"

"It is possible that he survived. Why do you ask, Sara?"

"We found his fingerprints on a shell casing left at our latest crime scene."

"He must want to be found."

"You're the second person to say that. Couldn't he just have left it by accident."

"No. Hector Mobius has never done anything by accident. If it was left, he meant for you to find it."

"Do you know why he would be killing these women?"

"Who is the latest victim?"

"Doreen Keely."

"No."

"I'm sorry, Ian."

"She was the best one, and the only one I kept in contact with after I was sent to train with the Black Dragons."

"Do you know why he would be killing these women?" She repeated her earlier question.

"Money. Revenge. What he considers honor. In his mind, there is no other reason to kill. He will not kill in anger. If for revenge, it will be as cold-blooded as if it were for money."

"Do you have any idea who he'll go after next?"

Ian shook his head. "They were the only three women in basic training. The only Black Dragon left besides him is me."

"Be careful, Ian."

"You, as well, Sara. The Witchblade will need help defeating him."

She just stared at him. She had always thought him and Irons thought the bracelet on her wrist was all powerful. Now it seemed he had his doubts.

"Mobius is extremely dangerous. If you don't kill him immediately, he will succeed where you fail."

"Thanks for the warning, Ian. I'd better get back to work."

*******

Gabriel ran his hands gently over Renee's bare shoulders, being careful not to hurt the injured one. "You are so beautiful, my love," he whispered, bringing his lips down to meet hers.

Her good arm traveled over his shoulder and down his back, tracing the straight line his spine made. "Sweet-talker."

His finger ran along her cheek and up to her ear. "I mean every word," he told her as he traced around her ear. "You will always be my beautiful love."

Her hand moved up into his hair, and she twisted it around her fingers, drawing his head back down. His lips met hers with a passion they both felt. Renee moaned in pleasure as Gabriel's tongue moved in to caress the inside of her mouth.

She arched her body up to meet his. Gabriel slipped one hand under her head with the other on her back. His body kept rhythm with hers.

*******

"I'm not going anywhere, Ian."

"Darvi, I do not want to argue with you. It is not safe for you here."

"If it's not safe here, it won't be anywhere else either. I'm not leaving."

"Yes, you are. I will not have you and Carina killed or hurt in any way."

"We're not leaving," she repeated.

"If you are here when he comes, I will not be able to protect myself while worrying if you are safe or not."

"You won't have to worry. We'll stay safe. I will fight right beside you if I must."

"No. You will be killed. I won't let that happen."

"I am your wife, Ian. Your partner. I will stay here. I will not desert you now."

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" A shadow of a smile tried to creep into his face.

"Because you wouldn't like me any other way," she replied as he took her in his arms.

A moment later Jason strode into the room. Dakota was right behind him. Her face was flushed. "I told you I was not leaving. No one, not even Ian, will convince me otherwise."

Ian just shook his head. "Brother," he addressed Jason. "You should not even bother. They are true sisters. Identical in mind and spirit."

"See, at least he has some common sense."

"Kota, you are the one lacking in that. You're in harm's way here."

"So are you. I'm not asking you to leave, and I know you're not planning to. I'm not leaving."

Jason sighed and shook his head. "What you lack in common sense, you make up for in stubbornness."

"Guess it's settled then."

"Yeah, but I'm not happy about it."

"Compromise."

"Thought that was when we met halfway."

"Nope," Dakota answered with a teasing grin. "Means the woman gets her way, and the man deals with it."

Jason shook his head then snaked his hand out and grabbed her arm, pulling her up against him and wrapping his other arm around her. After leaning in for a kiss, he murmured, "Guess I can deal with that. Just never leave me. Without you, I would be dead in spirit if not in body."

"I never will. I promise."