Page 37 of Red Marked

“It can’t be both.”

“He didn’t say we couldn’t go. He told me he needed to know about it, and I needed to submit the right paperwork, which I will do right now. He wants to meet in the morning to discuss this type of training further.”

“So, in other words,” Atlas says, “you didn’t get approval.”

“It’s debatable, so I’m going to take it as a yes.”

Atlas whistles under his breath. “Maybe you should have that meeting in the morning first.”

I shake my head. “He’s going to shut down night training maneuvers. This is our only chance. I’ll take the heat for the misunderstanding.” I sigh. “Thing is, leaving this clinic without a ton of paperwork is about to get very difficult for all of us.” I look at each of them. “Tonight is the only night we have. After this, if we’re caught, we’re fired. I’ll be sent back to Draig.”

Atlas’s jaw tightens, but he nods.

“Before we do anything else, I need to make a few things clear.” I look around the circle. “Then you can decide whether you are in or out. I won’t hold it against you if you decide not to come along. Here’s the deal…” I scrub a hand over my jaw. “I’m not going over there to plan. In light of what’s happened tonight, I’m taking action. I’m going in there to bring the Draig females home.”

“Tonight?” Dane’s mouth falls open.

I nod. “Yep, if I can get those mountain she-dragons to agree. I hope I can.” I pull in a breath. “But yes, it has to be tonight. I have a plan. One that will work if everyone does exactly as I say when we get back. But we will be in deep shit for this. All of us. I’ll take as much of the fall as I can, and I’ll take it gladly, but I can’t promise it won’t reach you. So, like I said before, if any of you want out, now is the time. You can walk back inside, go to bed, and there’ll be no hard feelings. I mean that.” I look at each of them in turn.

The silence lasts about a second and a half.

“I’m in,” Atlas says.

“In!” Saber growls.

Rex nods once.

“You had me at deep shit,” Dane says.

Brian pats the gun. “Somebody has to make up for their hay fever.”

Dane chuckles.

My throat goes a little thick, and I have to swallow before I can speak.

These males.

Fuck!

“Thank you.” It comes out rough. “All of you.”

“Don’t you worry, you will owe us big fucking time,” Atlas tells me, his eyes glinting.

“Oh yes.” Rex nods. “You will, indeed.”

I grin at them. “I’d better go and file some paperwork so that we can get out there.”

“We’ll be here,” Dane says.

I head for the admin block with urgency crawling up my back, and somewhere between the yard and my office door, the shape of a plan starts to assemble. By the time I sit down, I am almost smiling, because the more I think on it, the more I feel that getting caught might be the best thing that has happened to us tonight.

First things first.

I take out my phone and type Magma a message to inform him of what’s happening, then press send. I get a response almost immediately.

Him: Be careful! I will get things rolling on this side as soon as you officially inform me you have the females at the facility.

Me: Okie dokie. Wish me luck!