by Tia Didmon
“Tovan was attacked,” he said.
Kiki’s heart squeezed. “Is he okay? Do you think it’s the same person who attacked Jenner?”
Jordane glanced toward Ed’s spare bedroom. “Tovan was patrolling the woods. He was on the outskirts of the shelter property when a rocket launcher hit him.”
“Shit. First a missile on the Moretti mansion, now a rocket launcher?”
He nodded. “Yes, but with Jessica at the mansion, they know their weapons would be ineffective.”
“Jessica can’t protect both properties. They know that. I wonder why they didn’t attack the shelter sooner.”
“I believe Tovan got too close to something. We know they own the property that skirts the shelter.”
“Surely, they wouldn’t keep anything there with us so close?”
“Unknown. All I can confirm is if Tovan wasn’t a warrior, he would already be dead.”
Kiki looked around the room. “I thought warriors were impervious to fire. Is he hurt?”
Jordane nodded. “A rocket launcher uses man-made materials. Chemicals are harmful to us. It burned his skin from his body.”
She put her hand to her mouth. “Dear god. Will he recover?”
“Chad is healing him now.”
Kiki shook her head. “With the heat the hit on Jenner is causing, why would they incite the warriors? Everything we know about Louis Lestant says he’s calculated. Smart. A total dick... sure, but he isn’t stupid. These attacks seem rebellious. Something a pissed off teenager would do.”
Jordane’s fingers caressed her neck. He seemed distracted, as if he didn’t understand the fire his light touch caused. “I thought the same thing. Perhaps with the women unable to produce and the warriors realigned with the royal house, they are hoping to disrupt our allegiance to the Morettis.”
“You would never turn your back on the Morettis... right?”
He looked down at her. “We never did. Carina’s death devastated Valen, Dante and Rico. They withdrew, but we let them. We thought it was because they didn’t trust us. The Ladon. Louis is intelligent. He has thousands of years experience at manipulating both the human and demon races.”
Kiki saw the other warriors appraising her. “They hit Tovan with a rocket launcher. Do they know a DK10 is useless against the warriors?”
Jordane glanced at his brethren. “We assumed that they had stopped trying to gain a DK10 because of the volatility of the weapon but you make an excellent point. Draven didn’t know that the crystals power the DK10’s or he would never have touched it. If they know what powers the DK10...”
“We have a mole in the PIA with a high-level clearance. Only the directors and senators know of the crystals. Shit, even the squad doesn’t know about them.”
He nodded. “That is a concern.”
“Have you interviewed Tovan?”
Jordane slid his hand down her back, directing her to the bedroom. “I was waiting until my brother was less... crispy.”
Kiki eyes went wide. “Did you just compare your brother to a piece of chicken?”
He shook his head. “Chicken is appetizing when cooked.”
She forced herself not to gag. “Agreed.” She opened the door, pausing when she saw Tovan.
He was bald with patches of skin missing on his chest and arms. A white sheet covered his legs and waist but patches of red had stained the cotton.
Jordane looked him over. “You look much better.”
Kiki stared at the pale-faced healer. He had his eyes closed as he touched Tovan’s arm. “If this is better, I’m glad I didn’t see the Kentucky fried version.”
Tovan raised an eyebrow. “You have a unique way of expressing yourself. It is... refreshing.”
“Jordane started it. He called you crispy.”
“He has always been expressive,” Tovan said.
She laughed. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“Do not judge my brother by his actions prior to mating you. He has done an admirable job of containing his emotions. This time is difficult for demon males.”
Jordane moved restlessly. “Tovan. My mate is not a demon.”
“I am not judging her. I think she is... a miracle,” Tovan said.
Kiki cleared her throat. “I’m standing right here.”
Jordane looked her over suggestively. “So, you are.”
She rolled her eyes. “Tovan, did you see who shot you?”
“Yes, he was a Ladon.”
Jordane frowned. “Why did you allow him to shoot you? You should have seen the weapon and avoided it.”
Kiki turned to Jordane. “This is a rocket launcher. It can hit a target from a hefty distance.”
“He could have outrun a rocket launcher if fired at a distance,” Jordane said.
Tovan adjusted the sheet. “He was fifteen feet away when he fired the weapon.”
“Why did you allow him so close?” Jordane asked.
“He shrouded the weapon. I didn’t detect the distortion until he was about to fire it. By then it was too late.”
Kiki sucked in a breath. “Shit. The shrouding tech belongs to Davidson Industries. It’s the same lab that developed the DK10’s. I wasn’t aware that technology worked in the field though. They developed it to hide weapons during transport.”
Jordane growled. “The Ladon have access to yet another PIA weapon.”
She rubbed her eyes, feeling the betrayal. Had she helped put another weapon in enemy hands? “This is a disaster. That tech isn’t being used by the PIA yet. I only know about it because Laura and I were part of some testing they did with the shields.”
“What kind of testing?” Jordane asked.
“They wanted to ensure the firearms were impenetrable. They also wanted the shield to protect a non-psychic mind. I think that some of that research went into the DK10’s but our DK’s don’t have that kind of shield.”
Jordane took her hand in his. “We have to identify who is supplying the Ladon with weapons. Does anyone else have this kind of technology?”
Kiki focused on his lips. “There was a break in reported at one of the Davidson Labs a year ago but they reported nothing stolen.”
“They may have taken weapon schematics.”
She nodded. “They could have the DK10 schematics.”
“They won’t be able to make them work without the crystals,” he said.
“How do we confirm the PIA has all fifty crystals?”
Jordane touched her face. “I know you’ll find a way.”
Kiki felt the tingle as his fingers caressed her face. Would her attraction to Jordane make her betray the PIA? Could she betray them? Would Jordane still want her when he learned the truth? “I’ll find out.”
She watched the sores on Tovan’s skin close and heal before her eyes. “I thought demons healed on their own. Why do you need Chad?”
Jordane touched her face. “Demons are immortal, but we can be hurt. Killed. While we heal from most wounds, it can be a long and painful process. The healer helps with extensive injuries.”
“Chad is a miracle worker but don’t tell him I said so.”
“He can hear you even though his mind is inside Tovan’s body.”
She touched the side of the bed. “Well, I am still mad at him.”
“The healer angered you?” Jordane asked.
Kiki shrugged. “I thought he was Maddie’s dog when I first met him. He licked my face. I adored him.”
He chuckled until Kiki turned on him. “That sounds like something he would do.”
“Crafty and unscrupulous, you mean.”
Jordane cleared his throat. “I believe he was teasing you. It’s hard to imagine but he was destined to be a warrior. Sometimes I find it hard to reconcile the person he was to one he is now.”
“What?”
“Chad’s father was a warrior. We thought he would follow his father’s path. When the previous healer died and Chad’s powers emerged, it changed him.”
She t
ramped down her interest. Everything about the demon race was complicated. Unusual. Intriguing. “How did he change?”
“He lost his aggressive nature. The power of healing altered him on both a physical and emotional level.”
“Was it bad or good?”
Jordane pointed to the wounds on his brother. “It was advantageous for the demon race. Chad was never one to question orders. He did what was best for us. This remained the same after he became the healer.”
“You respect him.”
“All demons do.”
“Because he is the healer?”
Jordane shook his head. “Because we are given a choice. We choose our path. Chad’s was denied his, yet he embraced his destiny like no healer before him. He has done much for both demon and human.”
“It’s the German Shepherd thing. No human can resist those puppy dog eyes he gives you. Sucks you in, every time.”
Chad chuckled, though his focus remained on Tovan.
Kiki huffed. “He heard me.”
Jordane sighed. “I wish that were true. Humanity is single minded in its superiority. It believes itself better than animals and demons.”
She stiffened. “Not all humans are like that.”
“You work for an agency that polices our race. While you have several forms of enforcement. Police. Military. They seem to falter when it comes to correcting the behavior of those who need it the most.
The accusation whipped through her like a blade, condemning everything she’d believed in. “What does that mean?”
“You arrest the teenager who steals lipstick at a mall yet the drug dealer who kills dozens of innocents goes free.”
Kiki rolled her shoulders. She didn’t want to defend humanity. His explanation was simplistic. Rude. True. “The drug dealer is much harder to catch. They are smart, connected.”
“So, your government agency is only interested in policing the easy prey. It is... lazy?”
Her anger spiked. “We’re not lazy. We don’t have the power you do.”
“While the warriors have powers matched only by the Moretti princes, we are few. Our power also comes with great responsibility.”
“If we abuse it, we die,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
“Extreme,” she said.
“Necessary.”
Kiki covered her mouth to yawn. “I guess.”
Jordane pulled her against him. “You’re tired. I should have been more observant.” He picked her up and carried her from the room. He proceeded to Ed’s bedroom and set her on the ground.
“I could have walked ten feet.”
Jordane shrugged. “Where is the fun in that?”
Kiki raised an eyebrow. “Teasing from you?”
He smiled. “It is coming back to me.”
Amusement. Fun. Arousal. These things had never been part of her life. She’d never let a man get close. She even kept Jenner at arm's length. How had Jordane managed to weaken the walls she had spent her entire life building? Her eyes darted to the photos on the wall.
Jordane followed her gaze. “You miss him?”
She touched the photo. “I do.”
“Ed was like a father to you.”
“He was,” she said.
Jordane ran his hand down her back. The fire raced through her body. While she knew her defenses were down. She needed the distraction and pulled his face down to hers.
He growled into her mouth. “You’re tired.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” She kissed him again, feeling his concern give way to arousal as her hand traveled down his abdomen, unfastening his jeans so she could wrap her fingers around his velvet shaft.
His breath hitched as she tightened her grip before allowing her hands to slide up and down. She wanted control. Craved it. The power to bring Jordane this kind of pleasure was an aphrodisiac she would never tire of. Her hands began a silken slide over his throbbing cock.
A growl rumbled in his throat before he pulled her shirt from her body, fastening his hands to her breasts. She allowed his momentary loss of control as her lips moved to his chest, nipping then licking his skin to ease the sting. His grunts of pleasure a symphony of seduction. He stilled when she knelt before him.
She looked up as her lips hovered before his pulsating shaft. He was like a stone statue. Etched in ecstasy and perfection. His features poised on the brink of desire and madness. Her tongue flicked the head as heat poured from him in waves. She could feel the distortions in the air. See them. The warm sensation heated her skin making her crave more. Crave him. She licked him from base to tip, feeling him shudder under her ministrations.
Her lips engulfed him in the warmth of her mouth, feeling the pulsing heat against her lips. She sucked hard, before lessening the suction. Never letting him get control of his breathing. She began to lose herself in the sensations, sucking harder, taking him deeper into her throat when he grabbed her, pulling her up.
“That’s enough,” He growled with glowing green eyes.
She smiled at him. “I don’t like to be interrupted.”
Jordane undid her pants, kneeling before her so he could lift each of her legs. “You will learn.”
Kiki laughed. “Will I?”
He pulled her underwear off with her pants. “Yes.”
He stood, taking her hand and leading her to the bed. “Kneel on the bed.”
Kiki crossed her arms, feeling her nipples harden. “And if I don’t?”
Jordane turned her so fast she didn’t see him move. She was on all fours with him nudging her entrance. “You wanted me to lose control. A warrior must meet the needs of his mate. You should be more careful.” He thrust into her.
Her scream died on her lips. She wanted to tell him he was wrong but it would be a lie. Her body was ablaze with arousal with his first stroke and he wasn’t letting up. He pumped into her relentlessly. Each hard thrust turned her blood to molten lava while the tension in her core tightened to the point of pain.
She didn’t know she could feel so aroused, helpless and desperate all at the same time. Nothing existed except Jordane and the erotic sensations he created. The firestorm of sexual awareness she thought herself incapable of feeling. The orgasm ripped through her body like a tidal wave, destroying every thought in her brain. Her arms gave way, leaving her head resting against the cotton sheets as Jordane increased his tempo.
He growled when he came, holding her to him as he released his hot seed inside her before laying down, pulling her close to his body. His warmth. He was nuzzling her hair when a single tear slid down her cheek.
She hadn’t cried since she was a child. A lifetime of regret bubbled to the surface. She had to tell him, but not tonight. This one perfect moment was for her. A single miracle to keep in her heart when her world was ripped apart... again.
Kiki woke feeling refreshed and sore. It was a unique sensation, one she liked. She assumed Jordane had left her to sleep but found she missed him. Never having needed anyone, this too, was new to her. She dressed in her PIA gear, wondering what his reaction would be if she wore civilian clothes. She never left the Davidson building in civvies but found herself curious before leaving Ed’s bedroom, surprised Jordane had left her.
Tovan was waiting outside when she exited the small house. “I thought I was alone,” she said.
He shook his head. “You are Jordane’s mate. You will never be alone.”
Kiki’s hand caressed her weapon. “Telling me that you are stalking me is not winning you any points.”
Tovan glanced at her fingers. “No warrior would intrude on your privacy. Jordane would kill us for such an infraction but you are under protection at all times. You are... important to us.”
She ran a hand through her hair. “Sorry, knee jerk reaction. Except for Laura, I’m not used to people being... concerned for me.”
He pointed to her sidearm. “Would you have shot me?”
Kiki shrugged. “My handgun won’t do any permanent damage to
a demon... so yeah.”
Tovan raised an eyebrow. “You are bloodthirsty.”
She shrugged. “Depends on the person I am sparring with. Since you still look... discolored. I’m not sure Jordane would approve of me beating your ass up.”
“I appreciate your concern. However, I am almost healed. My skin tone will return to normal by the end of the day. I would like to start your training.”
Kiki raised an eyebrow. “You think you can train me?”
Tovan nodded. “You are an adequate fighter. A superior marksman, but you know nothing of using the crystal’s power. I have never trained a female warrior. There has not been one since before I was born.”
“You’ve had female warriors?”
“Yes. They were few and sought after. You are the first to mate with another warrior, however. The pack is eager for your... union to be complete.”
“I think it’s obvious we’re having sex,” she said.
“You are very direct but I was referring to the next generation of warriors. We assumed we were the last. You have changed that.”
She sucked in a breath. “Tell me you are not talking about babies. I am NOT having babies.” She took off her jacket. “You know what? I planned to go easy on you but after that comment I’m kicking your ass. First you will explain the whole disappearing thing. Then you’re mine.”
Tovan’s lip twitched. “I understand why Jordane is so taken with you.”
“Skip the sweet talk. It won’t make me go any easier on you.”
“Of course not. Would you like me to explain our shielding now or do you wish to intimidate me some more?”
“It’s hard to intimidate someone you can’t damage with a bullet.”
“You are doing an admirable job trying,” he said with a straight face.
Kiki rubbed her forehead. “Tell me about the shields.”
Tovan put his hand to his chest. “The crystal is the source of a warrior’s power. We train to redirect or manifest that energy for the purpose of protecting our pack, our people and ourselves.”
“I saw Jordane create fire, but I don’t understand how that makes you invisible.”
“We are not invisible. The crystal distorts us from human view.”
