“Hey, D! Heavy boots pounded
over to him. Ax’s eyes briefly scanned
Cara before meeting his. “Sorry to
interrupt, but we’ve been called in. We
gotta go.”
Their final exam. Field combat.
“Gimme a minute.” The harsh
words were barely more than a growl.
Ax’s eyes widened and he eased back a few steps. “Okaaaaaaaay.
We’ll be by the car when you’re done.”
His gaze swept over her once more as he headed for his Jeep.
Damian inched forward, gripping Cara’s hands, meeting her eyes
head-on. “I’m sorry for this. But I really have to go.”
“It’s fine. I should be getting
home anyway. Thank you again for
tonight.” She dipped her head, but the
disappointment plastered on her face was impossible to miss.
“Cara. Please look at me.” He gently tugged on her hands, drawing her
close.
After a moment, she finally lifted her eyes, her forced smile nowhere
in those beautiful blues.
Dammit.
“Will you give me your number before I leave? I don’t have anything to write it on, but you
can just tell me. I have an excellent
memory.” He flashed a grin, hoping to
lighten the mood. For himself as much as
for her.
As she recited the digits, he committed them to memory, fingers
already itching to press those buttons.
And she wasn’t even gone yet. Tomorrow. By the time he got home, she would be fast
asleep and he didn’t want to disturb her.
Cara slipped from his arms and opened her car door, creating a
physical barrier between them. Her gaze
stayed glued to the pavement as she stood in the sliver of space, pinning
herself in.
Damian wanted to wipe away her disappointment, but he couldn’t bail on
the Guardian Order. Especially not
tonight. Not when his future as a
Guardian was at stake.
“I promise I’ll call you tomorrow, beautiful.” He cursed under his breath. Not
much comfort in a phone call, is there?
She nodded, glancing up at him.
“I don’t know what you’ll be doing tonight, but it sounds
important. And dangerous. Please be careful, Damian.” Without another word—or a goodbye kiss—Cara
slid into her seat, shut the door, and drove out into the night.
His boots were lined with lead, every step toward the Jeep a
struggle. What was his problem? He’d been waiting for the field test for
weeks, eager to prove himself as a soldier and a worthy addition to the most
select group of warriors in Arcturian society.
And now, he was wishing the call had come one day later?
“She is quite the female specimen, D.
And what a way to meet her, huh?
Don’t think I didn’t notice that smooth move.” Atrox grinned, arching an eyebrow. “Maybe I should have turned down the blonde,
and left the table. Then I would have been the one to bump into
her.”
A growl erupted from Damian’s throat, upper fangs extending in warning. “Back off, Ax. She’s not your type.”
Mine.
“Chill out, man. It’s not my
fault you got cockblocked. Reel in your
fangs and get in so we can leave. You
know how Commander Talis will be if we’re late.” Atrox strolled over to the driver’s side and
hopped in.
He did not just drop his
fangs to Ax over a human woman. Couldn’t be. He’d just met Cara. What the hell was he doing getting so
possessive over her? You don’t want a human mate, remember?
After cranking the engine, Ax shot him an impatient look. “Get the lead outta your ass, D. The first night of the rest of our lives
starts now.”
He climbed into the back, praying that, for once, the guys would leave
him alone about females. That had been
an extreme reaction. For the first time
in his adult life, his self-control was in question.
Ax caught his gaze in the rearview mirror, green eyes solemn. “Get your mind in the game, D. If you’re distracted during the fight, you
die.”
Of course, he was right. Hell,
he was the one reminding Ax and Corrix most of the time. He had to get his thoughts off of his redhead
and back on combat tactics. A mood
transplant would do the trick.
Before Damian said a word, Corrix popped Nine Inch Nails into the car
stereo. “Last” came blasting through the
speakers as they cruised through the city streets, shifting his energy and
focus to the battle at hand.
Once they got into the industrial area of downtown Freemont, Ax cut
the lights and music. Even though the
Order didn’t usually meet close to Savrati hot spots—thanks to the foresight of
their oracle—there was no reason to draw unwanted attention to themselves.
They crept into the cracked, barren sea of an abandoned parking lot. As Damian stepped out, his instincts
flared. Something was off.
He scanned the black expanse, Ax and Corrix doing the same. But only darkness greeted them.
The air distorted several feet ahead of their position, like a mirage
waving across his vision. A second
later, a black Suburban appeared, doors opening in-synch as a group of huge
Arcturian males exited the vehicle.
The Guardian Order.
Commander Talis also emerged.
How the hell had they all fit in there?
It was like some twisted version of a clown car. The biggest of them—their leader, Brutal—stepped
forward.
“Nice of you boys to join us.
Grab your guns. Time for your
first taste of Savrati blood.”
Brutal’s teal gaze rested on Damian.
“You’re with me and Talis.” He
shifted focus to the others. “Atrox,
you’ll be with Vain and Havoc. Corrix,
you’ve got Stone and Hail. Guardians,
you have your orders. Get to it.”
Damian watched as his two best friends walked in the opposite
direction. It wasn’t a surprise he’d
been placed with Brutal. He was the only
one in the bunch eligible for induction into the Order. Once the sacrifice was made, he would join the
ranks under Brutal’s command. So the guy
had to be the one to evaluate him.
They headed south through the alleyways, away from the river and into
the heart of the city.
“It’s been a while since we’ve fought together, Talis. You sure you can keep up? I’m afraid training these boys has made you
soft.” Brutal looked to the Commander, a
grin tugging at his lips.
“I’m more worried about you, sitting behind that desk lately. Your ass is looking kinda fat these
days. At least the training is keeping me in good shape.” Talis chuckled, and winked at Damian.
He blinked. Brutal was always
so callous and unforgiving during his training sessions. The term asshole
came to mind, though he wouldn’t dare speak it.
Seeing him this way? It was like
he was a normal person. Almost.
With Brutal being twice the size of other Arcturians, a smart male
couldn’t help but give him a wide berth.
The sound of footsteps joining their own snapped everyone into
focus. A group of men turned down the
alley. At a distance, they looked like
normal humans, but he knew better. With
razor sharp claws and a full set of fangs extended, there was no doubt what
they were. Savrati drones. Damn,
the bastards were even uglier in person.
Good thing he had his own sharp weapons to play with. Damian’s fangs—upper and lower—shot out as he
slipped his knives from the back of his waist.
The gun stayed put. Last resort
only, since they were in range of human eyes and ears.
The drones pushed forward, moving to surround them. Brutal and Talis stayed put as they pulled
their weapons.
“I want the one in front.”
Damian was here to prove his worth and he was damn sure gonna do it.
Bracing his knives against his forearms, he rushed the enemy, slicing
the guy across the abdomen as he ducked a nasty claw swipe. The drone struck the pavement with his knees.
“Aw, don’t go all weak-kneed on me already. I’m just getting started.”
From week to week I like it more and more!! Can't wait for next when I hope they' ll meet again!
ReplyDeleteThanks Diana! It makes me so happy you are enjoying it :)
DeleteI can't wait to see him with a lot less clothes on, ya feel me?
ReplyDelete