Sassy Ever After: All About That Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) (The Pride Commands Book 1)

by Michele Bardsley

  After giving up his friends and his status, Gareth had found happiness. He was gonna be a father. Aris thought about Gareth’s child growing in his mate’s womb. She was nearly at term. Craig had only recently become aware of his brother’s location and the human’s pregnancy, and he’d acted quickly. Hybrid breeding was an intolerable sin against the royals. In Craig’s view, Gareth had committed treason, which was an automatic death sentence. He would die, and so would the woman carrying his abomination. And the vampire.

  Craig had made it clear that all three were to be killed.

  Aris’s stomach squeezed with dread. He didn’t want to kill Gareth. And he sure as hell didn’t want to hurt a mother-to-be. “Kane … what right do we have to kill Gareth and his mate?”

  “If we want a mate, we must do this.”

  “But what if we took a human female?”

  “Aris…”

  Aris knew that tone. It was Kane’s you’ll-understand-when-you’re-older Dad voice. Argh! “Don’t patronize me!” He pushed away from the tree and started pacing. He wanted to be heard, and he was tired of Kane ignoring his opinions. “What’s duty without honor? Killing Gareth feels wrong.”

  Kane remained still, his massive strength leashed by his ever-present patience. Aris wished he were capable of that kind of control. But he was impulsive, and he knew it. He hated to wait around, not when he could take action and get things going. Kane could hold his emotions in check. Aris blurted his out. He couldn’t keep shit to himself.

  “Leave Gareth to his life,” he said. “Let’s just go home.”

  “If we don’t abide by Craig’s ruling, we won’t have a home,” responded Kane. “Do you ever think before you act?”

  “Maybe I don’t think enough,” said Aris, “but you think too much.”

  Kane’s mouth curled into a rare smile. Then his eyes went wide. A pained gasp escaped as he staggered sideways.

  What the —

  A woman stood there, silent, practically a shadow despite her height.

  She moved fast. She yanked the silver sword from Kane’s back, and tossed something at Aris’ head.

  He caught the throwing star, but the seconds-long distraction cost him. “You little bitch!”

  She kicked him in the solar plexus. Hard. His lungs nearly collapsed and he bent over, dropping the star. She scooped it up, and then plunged the sword into Kane’s kidney as she kicked behind his knees.

  Aris fell, gasping, his gaze rolling toward Kane. The older shifter had collapsed. He was too much of a warrior to scream, but the silver was doing its job. He was shaking, obviously in excruciating pain.

  The attacker jerked out the sword and went for Kane’s carotid artery.

  Aris snarled, leaping to his feet, and dove at her.

  She whirled away, sheathing the sword. Then she turned and ran, not away into the woods where he could scent and catch her, but to the nearest tree. She grabbed the lowest branch and swung up, catching another limb with gloved hands and using it to climb further into the tree. He heard her thrashing, the scrape of her boots against the trunk, and then she jumped into a nearby oak.

  And she kept going.

  Even as fury pounded through him, he was damned impressed by her skills. She wouldn’t get away, no matter how fancy her moves. And when he caught her, she was getting a throat full of his teeth.

  Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be tonight. Not with Kane injured.

  Heart hammering, both pissed and worried, Aris knelt next to his friend, his mentor. “C’mon. I’ll get you to safety.”

  “Get. Her.”

  “I’m not leaving you.” Aris would take Kane back to the rental car. It was a clusterfuck now. Why had she attacked them? Was she protecting Gareth? That didn’t make any sense. Gareth was more than capable of kicking ass, and he’d never give the job of protecting himself and his mate to someone else.

  What the fuck was going on here?

  Kane gripped his arms and used Aris’s strength to help him sit up. “Can’t. Leave.” He struggled to take breaths and Aris felt panic well. Kane sucked in a breath. “I’m healing. Go… g-get her.”

  “I’ll kill her.”

  “No!” Kane shook his head. His teeth were chattering and his lips turning blue. It felt like a hundred degrees out here even with the storm brewing, so it was bad that Kane had taken a chill. “Just restrain her.”

  Aris wanted to argue. Instead, he zipped his lips. Kane was in pain, his body trying to heal the effects of the silver. She’d jabbed three times, deeply. The wounds on Kane’s back were blackened — one of the results of silver touching shifter skin.

  “I’ll stay here. Need t-to heal.”

  “Dude. You look like shit.” He didn’t want to leave Kane. What if his body didn’t detox the silver?

  “Been through this before.” He gulped in air. “Can’t let her go. Might warn our targets.”

  “All right, already.” Aris could give two shits about whether or not Gareth knew they were there. Maybe he could talk some sense into Kane. But right now, he just wanted Kane to feel better because Aris was seriously freaking out.

  He helped Kane to the same tree where he’d been sitting earlier. Kane leaned against the trunk. He was taking deep breaths, and he’d stopped shaking. He really was healing. Okay, that was good.

  “You’re w-wasting time.”

  “I’ll get her.”

  “Alive,” reminded Kane. “Got it?”

  Aris nodded. When he caught the woman, he’d keep her alive, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t punish her for what she’d done. Still breathing constituted alive, right?

  You can run, he thought as he stood up and began the change from human to cougar, but you can’t hide.

  Chapter Six

  Cyn paused top of a pine tree, and sucked in steadying breaths. Her heart hammered, skipping its beats, letting her know it was gonna fail her … maybe right now.

  The sneak attack on the werecougars hadn’t gone well. Watching the men shift from werecougar to human was both beautiful and frightening. Both men were the epitome of strength and grace. She’d severely underestimated the shifters. If they’d met in another circumstances… She shook off her thoughts. Freaking paranormals. Those dagger wounds would’ve killed a human. Not to mention she would’ve been able to deliver the killing blow.

  The other guy had moved fast. He’d snatched the throwing star right out of the air and if he hadn’t been distracted by his partner’s injuries, he might’ve actually gotten her. She’d seen the animal glinting in his eyes. She’d seen her death in those eyes, too.

  What to do? Complete the assignment? Or bail?

  There was no way to tell if she could get to the house, kill Thomas and crew, and get out before the kitties caught up to her. Still…

  Cyn’s heartbeat was still erratic, and panic was threatening. She took calming breaths, and imagined that the organ was steadily beating, that it was healthy and whole. After a long moment, the rate stabilized. It was getting harder and harder to use that technique. Her heart had stopped listening to her Jedi mind tricks.

  If she didn’t complete her assignment she was dead. Eliza would send someone to finish her. Even if she did manage to kill Thomas, Cyn’s heart could fail before she could get back to the court and go through the change.

  What am I doing?

  She chewed her bottom lip as she looked over her shoulder. She could turn back, go to the cabin, and complete her assignment. Inside was death for the vampire and redemption for her. Only she wasn’t sure she wanted it anymore. Squatting in a tree, listening to the thunder roar as the air thickened with rainy intent, she face the other direction. She could walk away—from this gig, from Eliza, from eternal life. WWDD? What would Dad do?

  Her father had been black ops, part of a small group of agents who were in the deepest of the deep within the CIA. He’d demonstrated how she should protect herself, trained her to kill quickly and efficiently, and helped her shape perspective not onl
y about the job but also about her own life. He showed her that mercy wasn’t a weakness. Jose Salais had also explained one of the most important rules in the world of assassins: know when to get out.

  “Okay, Dad,” she said, blowing out a breath. “I’m out.”

  The choice was clear now. The choice she should’ve made when the cardiologist gave her the bad news. I’m not meant to be here anymore.

  She’d go somewhere with a beach, gorgeous men in Speedos, and fruity umbrella-laden drinks. Definitely someplace where sunshine was so plentiful, no vampire would even think of hanging out there. She’d soak in every moment until her heart gave out.

  She’d wasted enough time, damn it.

  She had to make it all the way down the hilly drive, a few blocks east, and to the Wolfe’s Den bar. It seemed a hundred miles away, especially if the werecougars were tracking her.

  Maybe they weren’t. She’d injured the big dude badly. And his younger friend, angry as he was at her, seemed like the loyal type. He wouldn’t leave his partner to chase after her.

  At least she hoped so.

  She’d stick to the trees until she got to the road. Then she’d run for it. Despite the doc’s advice about exercising, she’d kept up her workouts. Her heart had survived the weight training and runs up till now, right?

  Rain burst from the thick morass of gray clouds, and she grinned. That would definitely help mask her scent and the noise of moving through the forest. She climbed out on the branch, gauged the distance, and leapt.

  * * *

  Aris returned to the tree where Kane still rested, and shifted into his human form. “Fucking rain.”

  “You’re not a kitten,” rasped Kane. “You know how to find prey during storms.”

  “Yeah, if they’re on the ground. She’s in the goddamned trees.” Despite Kane’s protests, Aris helped the older man to his feet. “She’s some kind of ninja gymnast.”

  Kane chuckled. “We need to find her.”

  “We’re going to the rental car and back to the hotel,” said Aris. He was mad. Mad that some chick had gotten the drop on them. Mad that Kane had gotten hurt. Mad that he hadn’t been able to find Miss Stab-and-Run. “Don’t give me any shit about it.”

  They’d wrapped their clothes in plastic, but still had to get dressed in the pouring rain. They were soaked to the skin by the time they’d made it to the road.

  “Why’d we park at Wolfe’s Den?” Kane asked. He’d kept up the hurried pace Aris set, but it was obvious he was still dragging ass. “It feels like a thousand miles away.”

  “Can you make it, grandpa?” asked Aris.

  Kane’s dark eyebrows winged upward. “Grandpa?”

  “The way you’re moving? Yeah. You kinda remind me of a little gray-haired old man.” He glanced over. “You want me to go get you a walker? Maybe a cane?”

  “Fuck you.” Kane started to run.

  Aris caught up easily. He knew that Kane was still in pain; he was running to prove he could. Good. Aris needed his friend strong because they were going to find ninja girl … and deliver some payback.

  When they jogged into the parking lot, Aris grabbed the car keys from Kane and slid into the driver’s seat. It said a lot about how his mentor was feeling that he didn’t even offer a token protest. The storm had definitely cooled things off, but the mix of heat and wet was making him itch for a shower and a beer.

  “Do you think she contacted Gareth?” he asked, half-hoping she had so that they could drop this insane mission.

  “We won’t know her purpose for being there, or for trying to kill us, until we catch her.” Kane blew out a sigh and turned to Aris.

  “There’s something I must tell you.”

  Here was the moment when Kane finally told him about the big something he’d been hiding—bearing the burden on his own. Aris’s stomach cramped. He had a feeling he wasn’t gonna like the news.

  “We won’t be mating with the widow Craig promised us.”

  “What? That rat bastard! What the hell—”

  “This has nothing to do with Craig. He’s unaware that we are not sticking to the bargain.”

  “We aren’t? What the fuck, Kane?”

  “Leona came to me.”

  Aris felt like he’d been punched. “The mumbo jumbo lady? She’s crazy.”

  “She’s a well respected shaman, and she has the sight. She told me you and I would find our mate when we went to kill the outcast.”

  “You knew? Even before Craig asked us to take on this stupid mission?” Aris paused. “You mean we are both meant for the same woman?”

  Chapter Seven

  Kane nodded, his gaze unsure. That was so weird, Aris could barely fathom it. Kane usually just did whatever, and Aris followed along because he’d learned Kane was nearly always right. He trusted him without question. Then a few pieces of this whole strange puzzle clicked into place. “We were never going to kill Gareth, were we?”

  “No. We were waiting for her. I just never expected her to try and kill us. ”

  No wonder he’d been so moody. The motherfucker felt guilty. “We’re supposed to be partners. You shouldn’t have made this decision without me. You should’ve told me. Damn it, Kane! We could’ve come up with a plan together.”

  “I know that now. We are equals, and I should treat you as such.”

  Aris was caught between being really pissed off, and utterly amazed. He turned in the seat and looked at Kane. “Had you asked me, I would’ve agreed to this.”

  “I’m sorry. I should’ve consulted you.”

  Aris’s eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline. “Did you just apologize? You never apologize.”

  Kane struggled to respond. Finally, he offered, “I’m sorry. Really damned sorry.”

  “Shut up, you pussy.”

  Kane grinned.

  “She’s human,” Aris pointed out unnecessarily. Kane had lost his mind. He wanted to mate with the chick who’d tried to kill them.

  “So what?”

  “Good Goddess! You want to track down our would-be murderer. Talk her into mating with both of us. Then go on the run forever because Craig’s gonna feel homicidal after we betray him.”

  Kane nodded. “Yeah. That about sums it up.”

  Aris stared at him for so long, he made Kane uncomfortable enough to look away. His gaze flickered toward the window; his eyes widened.

  “It’s her,” Kane whispered. “She’s unlocking that green car a few spaces away.” He peered out the window. “It’s a Prius.”

  “Prius? One of those hybrid cars? Our killer has an eco-conscience?”

  “Apparently.” Kane looked at Aris. “We’ll go out on the left, circle our car from the back, and surprise her.”

  Aris was all in. He hoped they were able to freak her the way she’d freaked them. He was a trained warrior, a fucking werecat, and it chapped his fur that a human female had gotten the drop on him. Frankly, if Kane hadn’t been so caught up in his own emotional angst, he would’ve never let Aris distract him. Aris was awesome in battle so long as someone else took the lead, and Kane was a born leader.

  Kane quietly popped open the door and slid out to the ground, crouching as he used the SUV for cover. Aris followed, shutting the door. He met Kane at the bumper. They peered around. Three spaces down he saw the back end of the Prius. Only one car was parked between theirs and hers. It was a rusted Toyota, and not exactly big enough to hide them.

  “What’s she doing?”

  Kane shot an annoyed look over his shoulder. “Putting on lipstick? Shining her silver daggers? How the fuck do I know?”

  Aris rolled his eyes. “She should’ve taken off by now.”

  “Let’s take advantage of it. We’ll go in fast,” said Kane. “I’ll take the back. You take the front.”

  “She has a gun,” warned Aris. “Probably silver bullets, too. And those goddamned blades.”

  “Noted.” Kane sent Aris one last look. “Go!”

  They took off. Kane ra
n behind the parked cars, and Aris rounded the Toyota, and skidded to the side of the Prius. The woman looked up at him, her mouth rounded in an “O” of surprise.

  Naturally the doors were locked, so he bashed in the window. Glass shattered; his knuckles bloodied. He bared his teeth and growled. “Remember me?”

  He reached in and unlocked the passenger side door. He moved to restrain her, but she wasn’t trying to fight. He realized then something was wrong. Her face was gray. Her shaking hand clenched a prescription bottle.

  “Aris!” Kane waited on the driver’s side, his gaze impatient. Aris unlocked the door. Kane threw it open, reached in and pulled out the woman.

  “What the hell is wrong with her?” asked Aris. This wasn’t the way he’d expected for things to go down.

  “I don’t know.” Kane pried the bottle from her hand and read the label. Then he opened the cap and poured out a pill, sticking it between the woman’s blue lips.

  “Swallow,” commanded Kane.

  Her eyes went wide, rolling into the back of her head, and she convulsed once before going limp.

  “That went well.” Aris exited the car. “Is she dead?” He squatted on the other side of her and looked down, more surprised than worried. He hadn’t forgotten she’d stabbed Kane and tried to impale him with a throwing star.

  “Unconscious.” Kane pried her mouth open and looked inside. “She managed to swallow the meds before she passed out.”

  “What now?”

  “I’ll put her in the SUV. You follow me back to the motel in the Prius.”

  “Why do I have to drive the Prius?”

  Kane slanted him a look, but obviously decided the insult was too easy. He scooped up the girl and stood. “Get going, princess. Your sparkly green chariot awaits.”

  “Oh, fuck you.”

  Chapter Eight

  Cyn awoke in a cave. What the hell? She felt strange, as if she were as substantive as shadows. Lounging by the firepit were two cougars. One was big with shining gold fur, his dark eyes serious. The other had more white under his maw and his blue eyes were filled with mischief.