To Russia With Love (Countermeasure Series) (67 page)
Read To Russia With Love (Countermeasure Series) Online
Authors: Cecilia Aubrey,Chris Almeida
Tags: #Thrillers, #Suspense
T
REVOR LAY ON HIS BACK watching the glittering layer of pinholes in the dark curtain of night. The soft moss grass tickled his neck and arms, the earthy scent tantalizing his nose. He inhaled deeply as he gazed up into the sky enjoying the quiet evening and the serenade of crickets flowing on the gentle breeze.
His eyes tracked across the night sky and a frown pulled at his brow as the stars vanished one by one from it, creating a bland, eerie void. In their place, images from the past showed like an old, grainy movie. One image in particular absorbed his attention—his father’s laughter as they sat at the old dining table in their house in Sligo.
“This is the basics of encryption, Trevor.”
Trevor’s eyes shot to his father’s, a mirror image of his own startling blue ones. A smile quirked Conor Brennan’s handsome face, still unlined by age, his black hair neat and trim—a contrast to Trevor’s unruly brown mop, which tended to stick out in all directions. “So, all I need to do is replace a letter with another?”
“Yes. As long as we have the key and others don’t, our conversations are private. This is our secret, yours and mine. You can’t share it with anyone.”
“I won’t, Dad.” His gut churned and dread’s tight fist squeezed his heart as his father’s face gradually morphed into that of a stranger before his eyes. A face he had never seen before and whose dark, cold, emotionless eyes pierced his soul.
As he turned from the stranger, wide-eyed and befuddled in search of his father’s familiar figure, a huge wave of water engulfed him. Its sheer force knocked him over and dragged him under its cold bone-biting depths, rolling and tumbling him head over heels.
Nausea gripped Trevor’s stomach as he frantically fought against the current’s pull, scissor-kicking to break free of its grasp, to reach the surface. Each kick, each stroke was torturous, and each time he breached the surface, a new wave dragged him back down. His arms and legs burned and grew heavier with each push.
A tight band gripped his throat and squeezed his lungs until he thought his head would pop. Unable to withstand the pressure, he broke the seal of his lips, expelling the last of his precious breath. Water invaded his mouth, choking him. He coughed and sputtered, gasping frantically for air. The vice around his chest grew tighter and his eyes grew dim.
“Trevor!” Cassandra’s voice came through the veil.
“Cassie!” he screamed in his head.
“Trevor! Trevor, damn it! Wake up!” Straddling him, Cassandra cupped his face and kissed him. “Come on, baby. It’s just a dream. Wake up,
a ghrá
!
His eyes popped open, drawn to her desperate call. Trevor froze in place until reality leaked into his awareness. He locked eyes with her, his anchor in the storm. As his muscles relaxed under her gentle hands, he exhaled a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut.
Cassandra exhaled a breath of relief and sat back on his hips, pushing the hair from her face with a shaky hand. “Jeezus, Trevor. I couldn’t wake you. You were choking and screaming.” Her throaty voice hitched. “I had to actually sit on you to get you to wake up. Are you okay?”
“Yes…I’ll be fine…I’m fine.” He buried his face in the crook of his arm as the images and voices of his dream continued to bombard him.
What the fuck did they mean?
Cassandra rubbed her hand in circles across his chest. “Trevor, your dreams have come back with a hell of a punch. They seem worse the more frustrated you get with your parents’ case. Do you want to talk about it? It seemed to help the last time.”
“I don’t know, Cassie. This time, the dreams are haunting in their clarity.” Trevor sat up and Cassandra shifted her weight so he could scoot back against the headboard. “I’m missing something. I know I am. I’m so fucking close to figuring it out, yet I can’t see it clearly.” Trevor rubbed his hand across his face in frustration.
“I wish there was something I could do.”
“I know,
a ghrá
. There’s nothing any of us can do at this moment. If only—” He leaned his head against the headboard and stared at the ceiling.
The heavy mask of disappointment etched on Trevor’s face tore at Cassandra’s heart. She knew that wasn’t the end of their search; it was a new beginning, with a brand new direction already taking shape before them. A direction that he would lead her in when the road was clear. A direction they were both determined to take for the sake of their future….
THE END
Craving more?
Don’t miss the next novel in the
hot and thrilling
Countermeasure series
ALTERNATE CONNECTION
More books in the
Countermeasure series
and
Countermeasure: Bytes of Life series:
COUNTERMEASURE
ECSTASY BY THE SEA
CUFFED AT MIDNIGHT
ASSION AT DAWN
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
CHRIS ALMEIDA (C. ALMEIDA)
Chris Almeida (also known as C. Almeida) began writing children’s stories at a very young age. Born in Brazil but currently living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Chris’s life took a totally different course when technology came into play, and the following 17 years were spent delving deep into the world of programming and web design.
It was in 2010, when Chris began role-playing online as a hobby, that writing wormed its way back into the picture—this time, writing storylines for the role-playing group.
The ideas and plots created for the game awoke the inner writer, and, a few months later, together with partner-in-crime Cecilia Aubrey, Chris began writing romantic erotica.
Now, still together, they have written a number of short stories and novels and are currently working on book two and three of their series, as well as several short stories as part of the spin-off series. Through it all they have continued to enjoy role-playing through their favorite characters.
CECILIA AUBREY (C. AUBREY)
Cecilia Aubrey (also known as C. Aubrey) has dabbled in writing on and off over the years. But it was in 2010, when she was offered a life-changing opportunity within a role-playing group, that writing placed itself front and center.
The development of story ideas, research, writing, and participation in bringing those stories to life spurred a desire to take writing to a higher level. A few months later, Cecilia and her partner in crime, Chris Almeida, began writing romantic erotica.
Together, they write suspense-driven erotic romance with sexy, technologically inclined men and woman, filled with intrigue and enough twists and turns to make a rollercoaster seem tame. They have several published short stories to their credit and their first novel, COUNTERMEASURE, was published in January 2011. They are currently working on the second and third books in the COUNTERMEASURE series.
Always gluttons for punishment, they have several projects in queue, screaming and waiting for their turn, including a spin-off series of shorts tied to their novels. Through all the chaos and laughter, they still hold true to their roots, bringing their favorite role-play characters and stories to life.
You can find us at:
http://countermeasureseries.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Counter.Measure.Series
http://www.facebook.com/CAlmeida.CAubrey.Authors
http://twitter.com/CAlmeidaCAubrey
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Twelve - A Rock and a Hard Place
Chapter Thirteen - Rage Inside
Chapter Fourteen - Old Connections
Chapter Seventeen - Venice of the North
Chapter Eighteen - Exit Strategy
Chapter Twenty-One - Salted Bread
Chapter Twenty-Three - High up the Totem Pole
Chapter Twenty-Four - Trial by Fire
Chapter Twenty-Five - Pardon Me As I Check My Shoe Mic
Chapter Twenty-Six - Quiet Before the Storm
Chapter Twenty-Seven - You Belong to Me
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Promises, Promises
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Off the Hook
Chapter Thirty-One - Fingers Everywhere
Chapter Thirty-Two - Crumbling
Chapter Thirty-Three - Hellish Days
Chapter Thirty-Four - Shredded
Chapter Thirty-Five - Snake Pit
Chapter Thirty-Six - Hidden Delights
Chapter Thirty-Seven - Interesting Connections
Chapter Thirty-Eight - Qué Pasa
Chapter Thirty-Nine - Brain vs. Brawn
Chapter Forty - No Fucking Way!
Chapter Forty-One - Courtesy Visit
Chapter Forty-Two - Clusterfuck
Chapter Forty-Three - Bloody Hell!
Chapter Forty-Five - Insane Bastard
Chapter Forty-Six - Where’s Waldo?
Chapter Forty-Seven - Curve Ball
Chapter Forty-Nine - Freakin’ Rabbits
Chapter Fifty-One - Revelations
Chapter Fifty-Four - More Time
Chapter Fifty-Five - Cloak and Dagger