Arctic Fire Read online

  Arctic Fire

  Fortis Security – Book 5

  Author: Maddie Wade

  Arctic Fire

  Fortis Security - Book 5

  Author: Maddie Wade

  Published by Maddie Wade

  Copyright © June 2018 Maddie Wade

  Cover: Envy Designs

  Editing: https://www.blackopalediting.com

  Formatting: https://www.blackopalediting.com

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. Names characters places and incidents are a product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as fact. Any resemblance to actual events organisations or persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive non-transferable right to access and read the text of this eBook onscreen. Except for use in reviews, promotional posts or similar uses no part of this text may be reproduced transmitted downloaded decompiled reverse-engineered or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system in any form or by any means whether electronic or mechanical now known or hereafter invented without the express written permission of the author.

  First edition June © 2018 Maddie Wade

  Note from the Author

  This book is set in the town of Hereford in the United Kingdom. It is a town of about 60,000 people and is in the West Midlands. It borders Monmouthshire, which is in Wales.

  Hereford is famous for its being the home of Strongbow Cider and the Hereford Bull.

  It is also the base for the SAS. The SAS are the elite Special Forces unit of the British Armed Forces. The unit undertakes a number of roles including covert reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, direct action, and hostage rescue.

  Hereford Cathedral dates from 1079 and houses the largest Mappa Mundi in existence, which dates from 1300.

  It is a market town and has a large mix of Tudor, Victorian and new buildings.

  I hope you have enjoyed this brief history.

  Acknowledgements

  I always struggle with this part because there are so many people that support me but let’s try. My fantastic beta team, Greta, Lindsey, Maria, Deanna and Shelene you read my books in such a rough draft and are always so encouraging and supportive. I couldn’t do this without you and it means more than you know to have you at my back. Without you this series would not be what it is.

  My editing and proofing team—Linda, Shelene, and Pam. Thank you for making my rough diamond shine.

  Thank you to my group Maddie’s Minxes, your constant love for the Fortis series keeps me going when I am exhausted, or just can’t see the woods for the trees. Special thanks to Rowena, Tracey, Nicola, Maria, Greta, Becky D, Deanna, Rihaneh and Debbie for making the group such a friendly place to be.

  My Fortis Team Captains, Rihaneh, Linda, Lindsey, Greta, Maria, Shelene and Tracey for being such amazing supporters of these characters.

  A big thank you to Itsy Bitsy, RRR promotions and all the bloggers, authors who promote my books and help others to find this series. Without you I would not be able to do this.

  Lastly and most importantly thank you to my readers who have embraced this series wholeheartedly and shown a love for these characters that I could never have dreamed of. To hear you say that you see these characters as family makes me so humble and proud. I hope you keep loving the Fortis family for a long time to come.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to my children, who tiptoe around me when ‘mum is writing’ and are so patient and supportive. I love you more than you will ever know.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Note from the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Dedication

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peak

  Thank you

  Healing Danger

  Stolen Dreams

  Love Divided

  Secret Redemption

  Broken Butterfly

  Chapter One

  Trudging through the deep snow, Roz cursed the hateful stuff. It was an operative’s worst nightmare. Trying to cover your tracks with this shit was impossible. Lifting the binoculars, she watched as the guards patrolled. They were well trained and working in pairs.

  This would not be an easy kill, but it would be the most satisfying. If she came out of it alive, great. If she didn’t, she would consider it a sacrifice she was willing to make. Zin was happy now and Celeste was good for him. They would go on to have a good life, with lots of rug-rats running around.

  She felt a pang in the region of her long-dead heart as she realised that she would never have that. Some people were not meant to have a happy ever after and she had come to terms with that.

  Her job now was to secure the future her brother was building and avenge her friend’s death. She watched as a large black Hummer pulled up to the gate and stopped. The gates opened. The vehicle entered and drove up to the door.

  The high powered bino’s allowed her to see Usov get out and stride to the door. He stopped as if sensing her and turned around. He looked directly at her even though she knew he couldn’t see her.

  I’m coming for you Usov. Soon, you sick bastard, soon. She watched until he went inside and then grabbing her sleeping bag and the tent she used for shelter, she hiked back to the road and the vehicle she had hidden there.

  She stopped short when she saw tracks in the snow leading to her snowmobile. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she realised they were fresh. With lightning speed, Roz ducked for cover behind a tree as a bullet whizzed past her arm nicking the insulation on her jacket.

  Her breathing calmed as she looked for a way to her snowmobile. Movement to her left caught her eye and she turned, shooting and hitting her target with deadly accuracy. One down, one to go if her estimate was correct, which it always was.

  Scanning the snow for a glimpse of movement she remained silent, hardly breathing as she listened. Her patience paid off because she heard a branch drop snow and turned, firing at the same time. The man dropped to the snow but not before he got off a shot of his own that tore through her jacket and into the flesh of her abdomen.

  “Fucking bitch, that hurts!”

  Knowing she needed to move, she stood and walked as quickly as she could towards the snowmobile. She made it and climbed on, hissing a painful sound as she did.

  This was worse than she thought. Her vision was blurry, and her jacket was soaked in blood as she pushed the button and started the vehicle. Turning back the way she had come, she leaned on the throttle.

  Her strength was going as she neared the 4x4 she had stashed, but she didn’t have the energy to get to the car. She lay slumped on the snowmobile as snow came down around her. She thought absently how pretty and peaceful it was and that maybe this wasn
’t such a bad way to die.

  She was pissed that she hadn’t killed Usov though. She also regretted not letting Kanan into her bed one last time. She’d had some lovers in her time, but none had made her feel like he did. He always made her feel special and beautiful as if he could slay all her dragons. That was why she’d had to let him go.

  Her poison ran deep, and she ruined everything she came into contact with. Despite his rough exterior, Kanan was a good man and she would not hurt another person she respected. It didn’t matter now though.

  Closing her eyes, she felt warmth float through her as she felt lighter than ever. So, this was death, it isn’t so bad. In fact, it felt like a relief. She was so tired. Her last thought was of Zin and Celeste, and what could have been with her and Kanan, if she had been a different kind of woman.

  ~~~

  He paced the shit hole of a room that Roz had been holed up in for the last two nights and his temper escalated. It had taken him two weeks to track her to this hell on earth and he was cold, tired, and hungry.

  Why hadn’t he just stayed on his beach by the water and enjoyed the fishing and the cold beer? But oh no, he had to ride in like a fucking hero and save the day when he’d found out his sister knew of his existence and was pissed at him.

  Thinking of Celeste made him smile. She was such a beautiful person both inside and out. Not for the first time he wondered how she had become that way when both her birth parents were assholes.

  He sat down on the bed as he looked at his watch. It was starting to get dark and his anger turned into worry. Roz was behaving recklessly. He should just leave her to it. She had pushed him away more times than he could count. Maybe it was time he accepted defeat and left her alone.

  So, his life would be a boring one without her to fight with and annoy. Just being in her vicinity made him feel more alive than he ever had without her. He was, he realised, fucked because he would rather have a life fighting with her, than a peaceful one without her.

  Popping a Korovka candy in his mouth, he walked to the window and noticed it was nearly dark now. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and saw it was Celeste. “Hey, baby girl,” he answered.

  “Oh, K., Thank God!”

  Kanan’s entire body tightened at the fear in her voice. “What’s the matter?” he asked and buried the fear he felt in gruffness.

  “It’s Roz, she’s in trouble. I had a vision. She’s bleeding, and all I can see is snow and trees,” she spewed out information quickly and he could hear the panic in her voice.

  “Okay, describe it more,” he said as he grabbed his go-bag from the bed where he had dumped it, and left taking the stairs two at a time.

  “I don’t know. It’s snowy and there are trees. I can see a really big mountain to her left. Please, K. You have to find her,” she begged.

  “I will, baby girl. I will. Does Zin know?”

  “Yes, he’s here.”

  “Give him the phone.”

  “K.” Zin’s masculine voice came on the phone.

  “I need Will to access her tracker.” He climbed into his vehicle and gunned the engine as he sped towards the east edge of the Altai Mountains.

  “Okay, hang tight.”

  Kanan felt his heart beating loudly in his chest at the thought of Roz injured and vulnerable. Apart from the fact she was bleeding, there was the very real risk of hypothermia. He cursed again and banged the steering wheel in frustration. She infuriated him like nobody on earth. He had half a mind to fucking leave her there. If she wanted to die, then she fucking could.

  Pushing the accelerator to the floor, he sped towards the mountains knowing that he would never turn his back on her, even if he did want to kill her sometimes. But when the very real possibility of the light and fire leaving those eyes forever was thrust on him, he knew he would go to the ends of the earth for her.

  He would, however, spank her ass raw when he was sure she was okay.

  “I have the coordinates,” Zin said in his ear.

  The fear in his veins turned to ice as he realised exactly where she was and why. With his foot on the floor, he made it to the base of the Altai Mountains. Jumping out, he drew his weapon and checked the coordinates. She was up a click on the mountain path by his estimation. Checking his surroundings using every sense he had, he deemed he was alone at the base of the mountain.

  Snow was getting heavier by the second and he could barely see a few feet in front of him as a blizzard set in. Breaking into a full run, he buried the fear he felt under anger at her stubborn ass attitude. When would she see that she was valued, that people cared for her, loved her even?

  He wanted to knock some sense into her at the same time as wrapping her tight and never letting her go. He snorted at that as he rounded the corner and checked his bearings again. As if she would let him wrap her up in anything.

  Starting towards the direction indicated on his watch, he saw a vehicle come into view. His heart almost stopped as he saw her slumped over the snowmobile about two feet behind the car. Snow was starting to cover her body, and he knew he didn’t have much time. Gently brushing snow from her still form, he lifted her back and felt for the pulse in her neck. It was slow, but it was steady and strong.

  This cold as shit weather may have just saved her life. Lifting her into his arms he cradled her close to his body heat trying not to freak out that she was so still. Roz never showed vulnerability and would probably shoot him if he tried carting her around in any other circumstances.

  The fact that she was so weak scared the crap out of him more than he cared to admit out loud. Getting to her car he gently put her in the back seat and quickly crossed to the front, sliding into the driver’s seat he prayed the heap of junk started.

  It started the first time and he drove to his SUV. Quickly transferring her into his warm vehicle he climbed in beside her closing the door. His go-bag had Quikclot and bandages as well as pain relief and antibiotics. Gently but efficiently, he undid her jacket and lifted up her top. Her smooth, beautiful toned skin was covered in blood on the left side between her hip and ribcage. Feeling behind her, he felt the exit wound and sighed in relief. This was bad but at least the bullet had gone through and wasn’t inside her.

  There was still the real risk of internal injuries, but for now, he tipped the clotting agent into the wound and bandaged it to help prevent infection. He then administered an antibiotic injection along with pain relief before covering her with blankets and strapping her in the seatbelt as best he could.

  She needed a doctor, but he knew he couldn’t take her to one. Slipping the car into gear and accelerating, he sped back to her hotel room. As he drove he called Zack. “Zack.”

  “Go ahead, K.”

  Kanan didn’t realise how much he needed to hear his friends voice until it came over the airwaves sounding calm and confident. “I have Roz, she has a bullet wound to her abdomen and possibly hypothermia. She needs a doctor. I can’t tell if she has internal bleeding.”

  “Head back to the hotel and I’ll get a doctor and help to you within six hours. I’m going to have Doc Turner call you back in twenty minutes, so he can talk you through what to do.”

  “Okay, fine.”

  “Hang tight and watch your six, this is a very hostile time, trust no one.”

  Before Zack could hang up Kanan spoke again. “Zack?”

  “Yes?”

  “He dies. No more of this, that fucker dies once and for all.”

  Zack was silent for a beat before he spoke again. “Understood.” Zack hung up and Kanan gritted his teeth as he checked her in his rear-view mirror.

  Her face was pale, she looked so still but she was still breathtakingly beautiful, not that he would tell her that without getting his balls handed to him. Roz saw her beauty as either a weapon or an insult. Her lessons in life had started too young and with too much brutality.

  He didn’t know the details and to this day she didn’t know that he had been the one to carry her out o
f Usov’s house the night she was rescued so many years ago and he would never tell her.

  Chapter Two

  Lifting her gently onto the rumpled bed, K quickly and efficiently stripped Roz of her wet clothes. It was imperative that he get her warm. Checking the bandage, he noticed that it was soaked through with blood. Removing it, he cleaned the wound and saw that it wasn’t bleeding too much and that most of it was probably from being jostled around.

  With a calm steady hand, he cleaned the wound knowing that the risk of infection was high in this environment. He removed fibres from her jacket that had got stuck in the wound and then covered her up.

  His phone rang, and he answered swiftly not wanting her to wake up when she needed the rest. “Yes?”

  “It’s Zack. I have a team on the way. ETA four hours.”

  “Who?” K asked.

  “Daniel, Zin, Drew, Will, and Mustique from Zenobi. I have Dr Turner with me. He would like to speak to you.”

  “Fine,” Kanan replied his voice heavy with worry as he looked over at Roz. Doc Turner came on the line and took Kanan through a series of questions about Roz and her condition. Kanan answered them all and then with his phone on speaker, he examined Roz as the Doc said.

  “Doesn’t sound like any internal damage son. Have you cleaned the wound?”

  Kanan let out a breath and for the first time since he got the call from Celeste, his heart evened out. “Yes, and I gave her a shot of antibiotics.”

  “Good call, son. Daniel will assess her further when he arrives, but for now watch her for infection and raise her body temperature. Your best bet is body heat, skin to skin, like a mother does with her baby,” Doc Turner said matter-of-factly.