Redemption: Alchemy Series Book #4 (22 page)

"How many times was that?" There was an edge to his voice as he asked.

"I don't know. I didn't count."

"More than a handful?"

"Yes, I guess."

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

"It didn't seem relevant."

"I have a feeling it's very relevant."

His grip was tightening painfully on my hand and his face was scowling.

"You're hurting me."

"Sorry," he said and immediately loosened his grip but didn't let go.

"What's got you so riled up?"

"The senator has a thing for you."

The idea was so ridiculous I smiled. "He hates me. Don't you remember the things he said to me?"

"Maybe that's how it started out," he stopped, forcing me to stop with him, "but I don't think those are his feelings now."

"Don't look at me like I had something to do with it."

"Did you lead him on? Maybe to keep the truce going?"

"How could you even ask me that?" I tried to wrench my hand out of his grasp but he didn't let go.

"It was a logical question since you've got half the casino sniffing after you."

"Including you?" I didn't know why I said it. Maybe because I still felt like he'd abandoned me, I wanted to rub it in a bit.

"Don't think for a second you can play me like the rest of your boys."

"My boys?"

His eyes hardened and before I could register alarm, his hand holding mine encircled my back and his other hand gripped my hair. I felt like I was in a storm as his lips pressed against mine, hard and demanding. It was a claiming kiss, one of possession mingled with jealousy.

When he let me go, I was reeling but tried to hide it. He started walking back in the direction of the casino. I didn't think he was going to speak again but I was wrong.

"You know what the most frustrating thing about this situation is?" He didn't wait for me to answer. "The old me wouldn't have worried about you. I would've done what I felt was best for my people and stayed at the castle, chips fall where they may. Wouldn't have worried about you getting hurt. I left because I cared. And not for Dodd or Dark or Sabrina, I left because I was worried about
you
. What would happen if I lost it while I lay next to you? I became the man you wanted me to be and you hate me for it."

Speechless, I watched his
back as we walked. As we stepped into the castle, I still couldn't think of anything to say and I watched him walk away.

Chapter Nineteen

Skeleton Crew

When I finally fell asleep that night, after thinking
all day about the ghost man who was lurking, and worse, Cormac's words, I fell asleep alone.

But I awoke with company. The tan muscular arm slung around my waist, hugging my back firmly to a warm and muscular chest. I was definitely not going to make the same mistake twice as I eyed the arm. I wouldn't make any sudden movements as I tried to decide if it was Burrom or Cormac.

Turning without alerting the man behind me seemed to be impossible, as snug as we were. I looked down at the hand, trying to examine it for some difference I could pick up on. I couldn't remember if Burrom wore any jewelry that might indicate whose it was, but Cormac didn't.

The arm pulled back giving me some room to assess the situation better. I turned and saw Cormac leaning against folded arms, very reminiscent of how Burrom had reclined there not long ago.

"Expecting someone else?"

My face must have given me away. "No." Maybe? "What time is it?"

"8:30."

"Shit!"

I jumped up ran across the room into the walk in closet. "Ugh! Your stuff is taking up all the room!"

"You mean my clothes in my closet
, where they are supposed to be?"

I pushed past all the pristine shirts I had packed away and wondered where the hell he was getting them cleaned. How were they all still spotless?

"You are aware it's the end of the world, right? You could relax your dress code a bit? Maybe blend?" Only Cormac could remain well groomed in the apocalypse. "Sport a stain or two, just to look like you belong?"

"I've no desire to 'blend' anymore. By the way, you don't have to rush," he called from the other room as I yanked a clean sweatshirt over my head.

"Why?" I asked, half darting out and keeping my naked lower body behind the wall.

"I postponed it until nine-thirty."

A small part of me might have been annoyed he'd changed my plans without informing me, but it was hard to tell past the relief of not showing up late on the first day to train an army. Well, army might be generous. Squad?

"Do you plan on joining us?" I yelled as I pull
ed up my cargo pants. I so wanted to look the part.

"I have every intention of joining you," he replied from inches behind me.

I froze, relieved I had worn my cute underwear. "Does privacy mean nothing?"

"I've already seen everything. But I do enjoy seeing it again." He smiled as he leaned a shoulder against the frame. "The owls came last night."

"They did?"

"Yes. To the rooftop."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because you were exhausted."

"Did they agree?"

"Yes. Of course they did. I've got good branches, remember?"

I moved past him and his all too charming smile into the living room where my coffee waited. As long as I had coffee, I could make it through. One day though... No, I wouldn't think like that. I had coffee today. That's all that mattered.

I looked down at the lists I'd made of the people who had signed up and were committed to this fight.
"Squad" might have been overreaching a bit. It didn't matter, more people would sign up. They had to, because if they didn't…well, it wasn't going to be good for anyone.

"You ready?" he asked almost an hour later.

I looked up from where I'd been analyzing the list. I recognized most of the names on there. Out of everyone, it looked like the
changed
were the highest percentage of people staying. But the list was slim.

I looked at Cormac, gripping the sad list in my hand. He'd swapped out his normal business casual attire for something more akin to a bookie about to make his weekly rounds picking up the winnings. How did I know what a bookie wore on such outings? I'd prefer not to divulge. It was bad enough that I did.

"You don't like it?" he asked, indicating his sweat suit.

"It's just not what I'm used to seeing you in."

"I borrowed it from Dodd's closet. He's got a ton of them. He won't miss one when he gets back."

I made a slow silent
"ahhh, now it fits," expression. I hoped he was right and that Dodd was coming back.

We left the penthouse and made our way toward the great hall. I was pumping myself up to make the best of the situation when I stepped in to face the beginnings of our army. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great.

Scanning the group, it looked like we had maintained all the Keepers. The ones that weren't stationed at the doors had shown up. We were down to a skeleton crew on guards, now that the wolves and Fae were defecting, so their full numbers weren't able to be here.

The
changed
made up the bulk of the crowd. All of the humans, Crash and his men, check...but where were Burrom and his Fae?

When I heard the sounds of laughter and a loud belch, I didn't make any outward reaction. On the inside, I was rolling my eyes and cursing. Framed by the stone archway, the most slovenly lot of Fae appeared with Burrom in the lead. Some stumbled, and there were random hiccups as they filled the space with the aroma of a brewery.

Burrom walked over to me and I was grateful he, at least, appeared to be sober. 

"Are they all drunk?" Cormac hissed under his breath in Burrom's direction.

I didn't chime in verbally, just gave him my visual condemnation.

"Oh ay! Don't be throwing your judgments this way. You," he pointed at Cormac, "just left for months." He pointed at me next. "You never left, you were just drunk."

Both of us turned, shamed into silence.

"I thought so." Burrom crossed his arms across his chest as he stood next to us.

"Don't push it." Cormac said as he looked back to Burrom. "You'll go under again one day, and I'll find out where you're buried and plant a goddamn park bench right over your ass."

"You wouldn't!"

"With a colorful flower box full of daises right beside it."

"Thank you for coming," I said loudly to the crowd, cutting off any more arguments
between Cormac and Burrom. "I know that what you have signed up for is frightening, but I will not ask for more than you can handle." I'm
so
going to hell for that whopper. "I'd like to start by everyone taking a piece of paper here," I held up a stack of sheets in my hand, "and writing down any skills you might have. Anything at all that might be useful. If you aren't sure if it's useful, write it down anyway."

They all quickly took paper and the pencils I offered and got to work listing their abilities. After everyone was leaning against a wall or a back filling out their sheet, I called Crash
, who was milling around with some of his men, over to me.

Cormac and Burrom, who'd gone back to trying to one up each other
, Cormac threatening tea roses now with Burrom countering with an orgy right in the hall, turned their attention back to me as he approached. They both took a step forward, now standing together as they eyed up Crash's approach. Well, I just found one thing they could work together on, I guess.

"What's up?" he said, the words were casual but they held a warmth that had me smiling back.

"I'd like you to head up firearms training."

"I'd be happy to."

"I didn't recognize most of the guys you brought with you. Do you have some men that can help?"

The conversation was feeling a bit awkward with the two nonspeaking participants hovering nearby but Crash didn't seem to mind.

"All my people are good with a firearm, but I've got some really great snipers in the bunch. As we figure out the skill levels and aptitudes, we'll pull out the ones with promise for some extra training." He turned to Burrom and Cormac, "You two good with that?"

They both made a couple of
"hmphs," but grudgingly nodded.

Burrom walked away, Cormac didn't leave my side. Crash gracefully exited, rattling something off about needing to speak with someone.

Cormac stood behind my shoulder as I watched everyone finishing up their sheets. "I don't like him here."

"I don't believe he's the one that told the senator."

"But we don't know what part he played."

"You're right. But maybe sometimes people deserve a second chance." I knew I desperately wanted one in order to fix everything I'd help destroy.

"Does that go for everybody?"

"Everyone that promises to change their ways."

"So you're digging in, then?"

I glanced over my shoulder. "I thought that was pretty clear."

"So, are you making this a challenge?" He leaned down as his hand rested on my hip. "'Cause you know how I react to a challenge."

Before I could think up an interesting retort, people were handing me back their sheets and Cormac was gone.

Chapter Twenty

Indestructible

We'd been training for days with no word from the owls and no idea of what exactly was coming. I'd finally managed to sneak out to clear my head.

I'd been avoiding Cormac since the other day. He hadn't been kidding about taking up the challenge. I swear every corner I turned, he was there waiting. I slept in the bed, I woke up with his body surrounding me. If I slept on the couch, I still woke up in the bed
with him surrounding me.

If he couldn't break down my resolve with words, he was going to do it with actions and he had a lot to work with. I was starting to wonder myself what the point of holding out was
, but then I remembered the three months of agony. I needed the promise.

I walked down the strip hoping no one had seen me slip out. Cormac would have had a fit with everything going on if he knew I was out here alone. But that was the point. I needed to be
alone
.

Then I saw him, the giant from right before the accident. He wasn't huge now
, but the size of a common man. He stood, shimmering, a block away, there but not really. He didn't say anything, just stood looking at me for a moment before he turned and started to walk away.