Page 44 of Red Zone (Red Zone 1)

“Seriously,” Mace said to Gray. “Think about this.”

“I told you. Let Enforcement come. I’ll be ready.” The cold look Gray’s face made Friday think there wasn’t a whole lot he cared about, least of all his own life.

She felt a surge of excitement as he turned to show her his back. She wanted to see all of their animals. She wanted to study the team, and their partner creatures, until she had all the answers they needed. She gasped as his tattoo came into view. It was a glorious wolf curled across his back as though sleeping.

“Call to it,” Gray ordered.

She frowned at him. She didn’t like taking orders. She also didn’t like the pressure of performing while everyone watched her.

“Just try, bébé.” Striker caressed her cheek, making her melt.

She took a deep breath and looked at the wolf. “Hey, you,” she whispered at it, making the diamondback raise its head to see what she was doing. “Want to come play with me?”

The reptile in her lap head-butted her hand as though jealous, but the wolf didn’t move.

“Again,” Striker encouraged.

“Can I touch it? It might help. We’ve never met, so it might not listen to me.”

His mouth tightened. He didn’t like that suggestion at all, but he nodded tersely.

“It’s okay with me.” Gray’s voice was devoid of emotion.

Gingerly, she reached out to trace the curve of the wolf. The detail was amazing. She almost expected to touch fur. Instead, all she felt was the warm skin of a strange man.

“Hey, wolfie, want to come play with me?” she whispered again, making the diamondback hiss its annoyance. But the wolf didn’t react.

“Nothing.” Striker sounded almost relieved.

Gray shrugged back into his shirt. “Maybe she can only call to reptiles.”

Striker studied her. “Or maybe, she can only call to my animal. That’s what the damn snake is telling me, anyway.”

; Eyes widened. Mace let out a whistle.

“It’s actually talking now?”

“Short sentences.” Striker smiled ruefully. “It just told me I was an idiot, and that Friday is special.”

That made everyone stare at her again. She held up her hands as though surrendering. “Trust me, the diamondback is wrong. There’s nothing special about me at all. I am one hundred percent ordinary. Ask Striker.”

His eyes warmed as he smiled at her. “I wouldn’t call you ordinary, chère.”

“Guess this is something we’ll have to look into once you two get back from Bolivia,” Doc said.

Friday glanced up at the hole in the ceiling. The red mist had lightened. “Can we go now?”

Striker let out a sigh. “Yeah.”

“Great.” She stood with the diamondback curled round her shoulders. “I’m going to assume that I’ll be awake for the trip to the Coalition border and start putting the barrier cream on.” She strode toward the tunnel that led to Striker’s room. He’d brought a tub of cream and a new suit for her that morning.

“Friday?” he called out after her. “You forgetting something?”

She looked back at him. “Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you to do my back before I put the suit on.”

His smile was devastating. “Can I have my snake back, bébé?”