Authors: Cyndi Goodgame
I asked Cas before he left if Granite was excused or not. He wanted to not say but I pressed the issue.
“Granite Black was relocated to the field for training again. Harrick will stand post now at night. I will protect during sleep.”
I didn
’t say anything. He was just that. My protector.
Harrick was 100% Vampire to me. He had the pasty skin and dark protruding eyebrows like out of the
story books. He kept a menacing look on his European features and I am almost positive he’s of some kind of Greek decent. He had an accent both times I heard him speak to Cas. I liked him though. He was good at “guarding” and that seemed to make Cas relax when he felt I was well looked after.
We
arrived at the warehouse at three o’clock sharp. Cas laid out the weapons while I lined up the water bottles in the brand new refrigerator with one miscellaneous carton of synthetic A positive in the back top shelf. Aren’t I just the Suzy homemaker?
“You
’ve changed your name
Kissa
?”
I giggled.
“Ready?”
“For what?”
“Private session.”
Oh, this I can
’t miss. “And you will teach me something new?” I said sarcastically.
“Attempt anyway oh queenly one,” he scoffed.
I so didn’t care for the “queenly” comment and he knew it. We met in the middle of the room. No mats. No weapons counter. No gear.
“Next time I want jeans. You need to know it from every angle.”
“I think you’ve done just fine studying my angles.” Why was he allowed leather and not me?
He stepped back in ready stance, “Well, by all means. I shall study them some more.”
I hauled myself at him in a surprise attack. Unfortunately, he was ready. Fortunately, I was prepared back. I knew he’d fight me equally, but carefully. He stalked me like a determined demon. I did some kind of grapple hand trick that I learned from Cas last week. Having great strength and watching it build was awesome. Having greater strength and holding it back was exhilarating because I knew that I could do more if I wanted or had too.
He connected my fist to his and held on. I gripped tight enough to make a hard squeeze he couldn
’t hold long and felt him release and take my hand behind my back. He tapped the floor and we broke for five. Two water bottles later, we were back at it again after only being here thirty minutes. I was enjoying the floor action rolling around. Both of us bore every expendable emotion into the manhandling especially since I was pretty sure he was boosting my confidence by letting me have the upper hand every time. I did let him best me twice. He knew my strength so I was in this for fun.
Neither of us sensed the intruder. Cas had me in a fold over like bear hug from the back with my arms twisted around
me and his legs wrapped around my middle. He was laughing as loud as I was.
“My turn
, gorgeous. I want a turn to roll in the proverbial hay and fold a few strategic parts around you.”
We both jumped to standing without the slightest seen movement while panting and staring down our peeping tom.
“Should you do that in the open for all to see, gorgeous?” Cord challenged.
“Enough Ryan.” Cas threw at him.
“None of your damn business.” I stormed my fury at him too. I unleashed the second I saw his smile lift on his top lip. “You’re,” I put both hands around his throat, “an”, I guessed right and caught his left hand in mine letting one hand free, “asshole.” I squeezed. I heard the first bone break and didn’t bother stopping. Without any of my own doing, I pressed into his neck harder. It was squeezing my own brain into a twisted ache and cutting off my air. I couldn’t stop it. It
wouldn’t
stop.
I heard a whisper in my ear, “Anastacia Anat, this is not your enemy. You will not hurt him.”
And like that, I let go. Cord choked out a cough or two and crawled over to the wall with one hand. He slouched against it, his hair falling in his face unlike his usual spiked up perfection. And just when I thought that would have taught him some manners, I thought wrong.
“Was that as good for you as it was for me?”
I was too far gone to acknowledge the rudeness. I couldn’t fathom what I’d just done. I’d used my power and not even tried like I was possessed with some inner female demon out to make sure her orders were followed. It wasn’t me.
Cas was on him fast, “
Get a damn clue, dog. She doesn’t want your paws on her. Make this easier and be a gentleman if you can.”
“Her chariot ride will come.” Cord was moronic and demented.
“Lot of bull getting shot, dude. She knows we’re from the same court.”
“Same court?” I perked up allowing me to table the frightening topic of choking a man in my head. I was trying my very best to block the horror of what I
’d done.
“
Oops!” Cas shot at him.
Cord rolled his eyes, but I felt his fear build up fast.
“Talk Cord. Who are you?”
“Cord Ryan.” he said coolly and held his arms widespread. The freaky get freakier. His hand was completely healed.
I folded my fists up like I had on his neck earlier. He backed up and gave in, “Okay, okay. I am the son of Jake Ryan, the only human lieutenant in the Valkyrie armed unit.”
I thought he was a
Were’s child.
“And,” Cas pressed. I felt Cas
’ secret glances come across me several times when I checked on him.
“And the son of Hoover Ryan, owner of Hoover shipping yards on the gulf coast.”
My eyes went wide. My mind wider. My hand covered my mouth. “You’re the son of Hoover Shipyards?
The
Hoover Shipyards.” Is this the son I’m supposed to have married? Whoa!
He bowed, “The one and only.”
I couldn’t wrap my mind around it yet. I needed more answers. “How are you the son of two men?”
He rolled his ever-loving annoying eyes at me. “Haven
’t you figured out princess that the world is a little more complicated than you thought? Quit accepting the spoon-fed facts of others.”
I
spooned
out my best “kill the dog” look I could muster. I started to say what I really wanted to say, but Cord pulled up a supposed “stop me in my tracks” smile that so was not going to work. He went for sympathy instead.
“My father, the lieutenant, was killed when I was a child. You
’re father let me stay on in the court until Hoover saw me one day in the stables and hired me for the shipyards. Said he was my uncle’s cousin or something. I lived with him and was considered one of your intendeds until...”
“Until what?” I was apparently just plain stupid.
“Until I was bitten and taken to the Were faction court for the purpose of being trained for none other than you’re sidekick posse.”
“And the Luper Ryan you mentioned before?”
“One in the same. Luper Hoover Ryan. Unbecoming name, but who would challenge a Were lord. He said it would pass on to me saying it was “my time”. I’m not first generation blood related, so the Were’s have to have it officialized.” He held up the hand quotes to make his point.
Well, that
’s just dandy. I watched him close enough to decide he wasn’t lying. “I don’t know what to say.”
“That
’s a first,” came a voice behind us. Calum entered in full gear and Szar was on his heels.
“Gotta say sis, I agree on that one.” He was clapping. “Impressive Ryan. Applause for the one who managed to stump my sister
’s sarcasm.”
“And you
’re going to let bygones be bygones?” Cord asked me ignoring them as I did. Cord’s fear of telling me his big bad secret was coming back to haunt him but he was more afraid of my next reaction. I darted my eyes around at each of them. Any mutual maleness that was rising in the room unhinged me but I’d never show it. I softened my face and smiled just enough.
Szar piped in, “I
’m guessing she knows the gory detail of once being in line to marry your sorry arse.”
“Shut up
, Szar,” I snapped.
“Marry?” Calum stressed the word long dropping his upturne
d water bottle. Poor guy. Being a Hunter is not generally associated with gentleness. But the man before me was easily the most sensitive of Hunters I’d met.
“Oh
, yes. Father intended for her to marry Ryan and make little Cord babies. She just made her own plans and picked a different superhero. The rest of us are screwed over to follow her every whim as it always seems to be with her.”
“Enough
, brother. You have an affinity for being king of the most dumbass comments. You’re making this more than it is. If father had intentions he should have made it clearer. I made mine clear enough.”
“What
’s that, sister?” he did his usually brotherly lean like he might attack me. I knew better.
“That I choose. No one tells me what to do.”
He laughed heartily and leaned back away. “Oh sister, I knew this royally. Which is why the room we stand in is so unequally balanced. You have to contend with the four of us and all four of us have to grovel at you next step and the next. We.have.no.choice.” Szar gritted his teeth at me and walked farther away.
Did they not? “Then leave. I don
’t need you.”
“Tell yourself that. In some distorted, mentally twisted way you do need all of us. Ask your precious Thorn if it pleases him to admit that? It
’s sick really,” Cord clucked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. Cord’s taunting smile grew wider and his shoulders visibly relaxed. At least to me, the only observer other than Cas. “Yet here we all stand in awe of you. You’re still not what I expected.”
I willed my shoulders straight, but made myself stop and think, “You're right.”
Pin drop moment. The room stopped completely.
That inevitable Cord smirk found a place on his sweat drenched face, “Say it again
, gorgeous.”
“In your dreams.” He had to make everything twisted. I
’d rather eat my socks than say again what just came out of my mouth.
“Every night.”
“Does everything you say have to be vulgar?”
“It
’s not vulgar if it involves you. You’re the sweetest wine in the vineyard.”
“Enough!” boomed Cas behind us. “We have work to do.”
“One day you’re gonna wish you changed your mind.”
“Cord, I
’m already there.”
“No, but you will be.”
“Do you ever not have a comeback?” I challenged.
Does a donkey have a butt?
“Do you?”
I huffed and walked over to my weapons.
Time for a little action.
“Throwing me the bird won’t solve your ineptness, Hunter.” Cord was relentless letting out a litany of curse words to make all aware of his aggravation.
I so did not care. “You think you
’re good at everything.”
“Incidentally, I would really like to know what I have an affinity for since you
’re dishing out opinions. Make sure you’re loud enough Thorn can hear it.”
“Trouble,” I mumbled away from him, but they both heard.
It was easy to see they were measuring each other up. Their eyes met like two pit bulls in a cage ready to fight. Both were undeniably strong, but Calum would win that fight in my opinion. Though one could not doubt Cord’s Were powered stealthy ability to move like a panther in a fight and come out underneath someone and free of their clutches only to come back with a whack to knock them out of their senses. Calum was stronger, but his bulk slowed him down compared to Cord. Maybe it would be a good study to see who would win. Neither did at the party that night, the only time I saw Cord fight.
“You can’t do jack, Hunter boy.”
Just then, Calum flew five feet slamming against the wall with Cord’s arm against his neck.
Calum shot off his overconfident mouth at a very vehement Cord, “Yeah, maybe. But it sure would feel good wouldn
’t it wolf boy if she liked you. Or maybe you’re just all talk because you can’t measure up to the rest of us godly types. A little down on the food chain.” Calum forced Cord back all the way to the only free standing wall with nothing on it and hands ready to fight.
Time to step in. I was between them, sandwiched in the folds of two even more muscled as of late men who were a foot taller than me and built like tanks. I squeezed both their arms to the point they had to be in pain. “You two end this now. Calum, he is more than capable of taking you down since he picked you up and threw you against the wall. Obviously, he
’s got skills.”
Cord felt the need to snicker and give the impression I was the least bit impressed by his performance earlier.
“Known for his arrogance, this is to be expected. But you Calum, I know you.”
“Yeah, intimately,” he charged just for the fun of it.
Newest metaphorical description for the way my supposed “leadership” was going...to hell in a hand basket. I felt like a red flag taming the bulls. They just charged more when I waved it around. I let go of both of them pinching their skin needlessly for good measure. I felt like a mother bird.
“Not the time or place. And total history. All I feel for you right now is anger and disgust. Fighting each other is not the answer. I have a damn brother. I get that ya
’ll need...a release.” The irrational part of me hidden from their view wanted to jump on him from behind and beat him fist happy senseless since he was determined to make me uncomfortable.
Cord piped in, “I can give you a release.”
Said the spider to the fly maybe.
I ignored his suggestive banter, “And boys will be boys. I get all that. If you guys want to duke it out in good old fashion guy adrenaline rush fighting, go for it. But stop taking shots at each other. Get your asses over to the floor and do something useful.” My shorter frame seemed to have no problem at the second with the ability to reach both Cord and Calum eye to eye. Either they’d slouched down on the wall to meet me or I was on my tip toes without knowing. Both of them look scared, but all they were vibrating out was sadness because they’d let me down.
“And it
’s a good thing you’re feeling like you let me down Calum Green, because you have. And you craphead,” I switched my pointer finger over to Cord’s nose, “better be dang sure glad you’re sending out waves of “she’s all that” emotional crap because I’m all you got right now to back your big muscle butt against the rest of this room with your mouth. So save your little sexual comments for some girl who cares because it is not me. And to be sure you know where you stand, I consider you as strong, if not stronger than Calum for the simple fact that you stop and think. He is hotheaded. I know this about each of you. I accept it. Now you two need to get over it and shut the hell up.” I took a long awaited breath and walked away before they could see me come down from my high.
Szar didn
’t let me down. His loud applause filled the room. Cas’ hands went to form a clap and my glare stopped him cold. He pulled his hands back down and went about sorting the weapons that he’d continued to sort very methodically and much precision while I went on my tirade.
Both Calum and Cord stood stark still and weren
’t budging behind me. I turned back to them and raised both eyebrows to signal my “I’m waiting” look. Calum peeled off the wall first and came over to me emptying yet another water bottle. The man was a fish when he worked out.
He bent towards my face and alarm shot up through me. He kissed a small peck on my cheek and whispered in my ear, “God you are beautiful. I will let you get angry at me like that any day.” It was a whisper, but everyone in the room still heard.
Munch! Munch! said the satiated T-rex sized spider.
Cord
’s turn to peel off and walk my way. Not wanting another butterfly man kiss, I backed away as he neared me. I put both hands in front of me to stay him off. “Ditto, Hunter. Stay tuned for the next commercial break where setting off her kitten ways makes the four of us look like asses, but it sure is fun.” And then the damn dog did something unthinkable. He freaking high-fived Calum in the air and then again down below and then they even man hugged. I’m freaking having a cow. Bitter didn’t begin to describe the taste in my mouth.
That boy
’s interest in me was founded on something entirely out of my comprehension. We were so incompatible. And all my worries to feign him off only dug his claws in deeper.
“
She doesn’t see what she is. Her rarity.”
I think that was Cord who said the last statement but I wasn
’t sure and I wasn’t going to ask.
They all heard me growl and I stormed out the front door of the warehouse to cool off. I heard Cas drop the knives where he stood and follow me out. What in the world did he possibly think he could do to help it?
I balled my fist up and waited for the argument.
When I turned around to face him knowing he
’d just closed the door and we were alone, I smacked right into his forceful argumentative lips. And they were burning up. He backed me against the wall of the warehouse sending a thud out loud enough everyone had to have heard. His retaliating hands were all over me searching and then resting on both my hips. I held back at first out of pure surprise then let go and began to spin into to him releasing all the nervous energy I’d penned up inside. He felt me relax and moved his arms above my head arching to terminate the space between us. Losing the feel of his hands took me to another place and I forgot all together where we were and that on the other side of this wall were three other people. I put my arms up under his shirt and raked my hands across his muscled back. I felt him shudder and pull back letting a small ounce of reality to seep in. He pressed on wanting more.
I broke the kiss and nibbled his bottom lip trying to bring him back down before we got out of hand. “Cas, what—
He ignored it and went back for round two. I didn’t argue. After a few long couple of minutes he backed his face away from me an inch and stayed there. “I am absolutely the luckiest man on this earth.”
That was...
the look.
He laughed low.
“Well, I’m glad you finally figured that part out but I don’t find it terribly amusing.” I wasn’t breathing as hard since he’d slowed down a little towards the end.
His mouth growled
spiking my heartbeat and other desires.
Kissa. That isn
’t helping.
The thud against the wall alerted the whole of the warehouse of our whereabouts
. They are going to totally think the wrong thing in there.
I
’m not upset. My claim. You’re mine.
But I don’
t want anyone thinking badly of me.
Oh, Kissa. You are such a lioness.
“I love you, Anastacia.”
Saying my name alone takes on a whole new meaning with the way he says it. It’s like the declaration could be
assured with just it alone. “You said my full name in front of me.”
“What would it get me if I say it again?”
My next smile could have lit up the Roman Coliseum. I slapped his chest playfully. “No, I’m asking the questions here. Why did you unleash on me like that?” I wanted to know.
“First, you were so damn hot in there telling off grown men and they just fell to your every whim. We are so whipped by you. And second, you needed the release and I had no intentions of letting Cord have any more fantasies of what he had in mind with my girl. So I helped you out.”
“Helped me out was it,” I scoffed hitting his chest harder and watching him step backwards. “Release you say,” I pushed him back again. Harder. He was letting me mind you. “Whipped it is,” I pushed my
almost
hardest and watched him fall to the ground. I climbed on top straddling him and started to tickle every single part of him I could reach “legally” at this stage in our relationship. When he laughed aloud and I followed suit, we didn’t hear the three gasps that shot out at us from the door.
“Get a room
, sis. Surprised you have your clothes on. Tried to hold these two back from their supposed savior ass response time.”
Cord grunted. Calum just left. Cas snorted anger. Szar shoved Cord back in and the
two of us stood and dusted off from the solid brown dirt mess we’d made of ourselves.
This probably didn
’t help matters, but this was beyond them. I wouldn’t sacrifice my time or energy with Cas because of their jealousies but at least I was still a girl in their eyes and not animals like themselves. Sometimes I felt like the lamb among wolves. Ironic that one of them happens to be one.
“Watch your language,” Cas shot in Szar
’s direction when we were clean and had reached the door. Every male body other than Cas grabbed some part of their body and laughed their heads off.
“It isn
’t cool.”
They la
ughed more. I ignored thinking he’s a little overboard with the minding Stace’s honor business.
“Play nice in front of her or else.”
I called him on the carpet in front of all of them and he told me to stay out of it. Rolling my eyes I yelled to no one in particular, “Damn hot bad-ass men think they rule me.”
The other guys laughed and Cas rubbed his chin and shut up.
We got to work once inside.
I cornered Calum eventually for some much needed answers that I honestly waited too long to ask. I found out he knew more in the years before I met him than he let on, but not necessarily about me. He
knew a little of what letter meant, but never had the guts to pursue the truth about it.
Calum admitted to being blind to Lee
’s side adventures and believes Quinn is in it somehow, but it remains to be seen. He was disturbed mostly by the fact that his father worked Lee into my home in cahoots with my father not knowing that Lee was intercepted by Borgon for a side quest. This has to be true only because my father would have never left him there if they knew he was feeding information to the enemy. Whether the Hunters knew, I have to guess. I don’t however think Calum knew or I would feel it.
I also know that Lee was threatened with my death if anything leaked and that was enough to scare a young boy into submission. Killing me seemed to be Borgon
’s forever bargaining chip. Well, it wouldn’t work anymore. We are all grown up and very hard to kill.
I heard a quote once in my studies. I used to think it didn
’t make sense until now. “I became insane after long intervals of horrible insanity.” Poe poems give great inspiration to the misunderstood and I was a perfect candidate for the title.
I found myself wondering how so many personalities (egos) can survive one room like we do. Calum was a
power house full of adrenaline at the drop of a pin while Cord was a stewing pot of spite and pent up anger waiting to spew. Cas was the slow curve ball that you never knew was coming and Szar...he was just a little boy in a grown up body who is always looking for the thrill of a fight. It all worked in the end. We were all still alive.
And me...well I
’ll consider myself lucky and leave it at that.