by J. K. Coi
“It’s too late for that, Rhys.” She closed the distance between them and reached around his neck. “You can’t push me out now and pretend none of this has happened.”
“That’s not what I intended. It was instinct and I’m sorry.” He sighed. “God, I need to try to protect you. Can you understand that? Because I can’t stand the thought of what might happen—”
Rhys held her close, laying his cheek against the softness of her hair. “But you’re right. I couldn’t push you away now, even if I wanted to.” He lowered his mouth to her soft lips.
“Good,” she replied.
“I may have not wanted you for all the right reasons, but God help me, I’m keeping you now, even if it’s for all the wrong ones.”
Chapter Fifteen
Gideon paced. He’d been pacing ever since the twins had left over an hour ago. After their moving little speech about cosmic design and higher callings, he couldn’t help feeling restless and edgy…and angry.
What the hell was he supposed to do with this? It was all utter bullshit.
There had to be some scientific explanation for what had happened to Amy and himself. An illness—something he could analyze and take apart and make sense of. Gideon was nothing if not a slave to his science.
Roland had kept telling him not to worry, that things were not as they used to be “back in the day”.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he’d asked. Of course, “back in the day” for these guys could be anywhere from the Norman invasion to the end of the civil war.
“Well, for one, we’re not going to drag you out to the middle of nowhere for six months of training. After my brother and I went through the change, that’s exactly what happened. We were immediately approached by strangers, Immortals who ripped us from our home, and hauled us off without giving us any say in the matter. We also weren’t allowed any human contact during that time, especially with family.”
“Why?”
“The theory was that a newly transitioned Immortal would accept his role more easily if the everyday reminders of his human life were temporarily removed. It was effectively a form of brainwashing of the sort that has been practiced by most military outfits at one time or another.
“The past has shown that humans have difficulty accepting their changed family member and often begin to resent the strength and youth that the Immortal retains while they continue to age and grow weak. So the Immortal would be removed from his family until the training was completed and then he would be free to choose,” Roland told him. “Many decided not to torture their families by returning, and simply let them believe they had died of some strange illness. In our case the choice was easier, but only because we had each other and our parents were already dead.”
“Why would a man choose to desert his family, to just disappear without letting them know what became of him?” Gideon couldn’t imagine simply leaving Amy to wonder forever if he was alive or dead.
“Throughout history, when humans have discovered our existence, one of two things usually happens—they accept what we are but envy and hate us for our gifts, or they fear those same gifts that are used to keep them safe. In either case, we have almost always been persecuted just as violently as all the others who were different—witches, vampires and werewolves, to name a few—simply because humans cannot understand.”
“Vampires?”
“You really don’t want to know,” Kane answered.
“Probably not.” Gideon sighed. “Well, I definitely don’t understand any of this.”
“That’s why we’re here.” Roland and Kane—well mostly Roland, Kane didn’t seem to be much for talking—went on to tell Gideon about the history of the Immortals, their place in policing the demon population, and they told Gideon a little bit about the band of brothers thing they had going on here, which he discovered was a fairly new development. Apparently the Immortals in this area historically worked alone—especially Rhys. As anti-social as he was, though, it had been Rhys himself who’d recently organized them into a semi-cohesive unit for the purposes of finding a demon that they were all calling the Nina, as well as this guy Gray who had taken out Doyle.
What surprised Gideon the most, though, was hearing that Alric was married. To a human, no less. Given all the warnings they had just thrown at him, Gideon would have thought that an Immortal’s duty was too dangerous and his life too complicated to entrust to the vulnerabilities of a human relationship.
“Uh, Alric is kind of a special case,” Roland said cryptically. “Maybe he’ll tell you about it sometime, but suffice it to say that Diana is one human who knows what we are but would never do anything with the knowledge that might compromise her husband. She loves that big lug completely, and she is trusted implicitly by all of us. Even so, given what’s been going down lately, Alric had to send her out of town, somewhere safe where she can’t be caught in the crossfire or used against him by our enemies.”
“Enemies?”
“Surprisingly we’re not all that popular,” Kane replied, his voice dripping with sarcastic humor.
“Jeez, I can’t imagine why,” Gideon answered wryly. “Are there others gunning for us, then, or is it just a varied selection of slobbery soul-sucking demons?”
“Depends who comes across information they shouldn’t,” Kane said.
“Crap. This is too much, I need a break.” Gideon rubbed both hands through his already disheveled hair.
“It is a lot to take in,” Roland agreed.
“Understatements. You guys are all about the understatements.” Gideon shook his head. “So just what am I supposed to do with all of this shit?”
“The same as we all do. You’ll become a part of the team and take it a day at a time.”
“Team. Don’t get me wrong, but you guys don’t seem so much like a team as you do a motley group of outcasts,” Gideon replied.
Roland laughed. “You know what, you’re mostly right about that. But we believe that Rhys will continue to rise to the challenge and decide to become a real leader. He seems to have found some, uh…motivation lately.”
“Don’t tell me. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say about my sister, man.” Gideon raised his hand to ward off the twins. He looked up suddenly, “What about my work at the lab?” he asked them.
“You’ll take on some patrol duties after your training, like the rest of us, but your research will be even more valuable now,” Kane answered.
Roland agreed. “In the past, we’ve only been able to trust the human scientists who work for us with a small portion of the grand picture. You have a sharp mind that will be invaluable to our studies, and you can bring a fresh perspective that we cannot. We just hope that you’ll agree to stay on.”
Gideon didn’t answer that, not ready to commit to anything with these guys.
“What does all of this mean for my sister?” Gideon’s sharp gaze moved between them. He needed an answer. This fucked-up craziness had better not end up harming Amy, or worse yet end up getting her killed.
“We honestly don’t know,” Kane told him. “We’ve never heard of any woman being chosen for the change, much less actually making the transition. She’s an anomaly that no one has encountered before and it’s impossible to know what it will mean.”
“So?”
“So, just like I said. We don’t know.”
Gideon’s heart chilled.
* * * * *
Amy spent the next afternoon working out in an attempt to release some of her pent-up energy and trying to get to know this new body of hers. She was still awed by all the changes that had taken place. Staring in the mirror, she didn’t look all that different. She was still only five foot six, still a size seven shoe—still Amy—but there were subtle differences.
The speed and strength that she now had was nothing short of amazing. She had always taken special care of her body and knew her strengths and weaknesses to a tee, courtesy of many years of martial arts training.
But now…the potential both scared her and excited her at the same time.
She was glad Rhys had given her some privacy today. He seemed to understand that she was still trying to figure things out. He’d been holed up with Baron and the others for the last few hours, apparently working out their strategy for taking down Gray and some uber-demon they were calling the Nina.
So Gideon had spent some time sparring with her this morning, but her empathic abilities, which were even stronger where he was concerned, had kept getting in the way. She’d been picking up on his agitation and anxiety like she was tuning in to Crisis Radio—All Panic All the Time. She’d finally told him to get lost, pointing him in the direction of Rhys’ book collection and hoping that would help to calm him down…or better yet, put him to sleep for a while.
Amy was concerned about her brother. Gideon had always been supremely confident in himself. Sure of his place in the world and what he was meant to do with his life. And he had followed that path ruthlessly. Amy admired his drive but also believed that was probably the main reason why he’d never gotten seriously involved with any of the women he’d dated over the years. She’d always thought Gideon found women to be expendable, something along the lines of a distraction, and that he felt distractions would get in the way of his long term goals. But hey, she wasn’t one to talk when it came to avoiding serious relationships, and so she’d never broached the subject with him.
She was worried about him more than ever, though. Amy felt like she had Rhys to hold on to. He was her lifeline in this new world. But she worried that Gideon was caught in the undertow, being dragged under the dark, murky water. He needed to realize that even though the world had suddenly flipped on its axis right underneath his feet, he could still find a place for himself. She desperately wanted to do something to help but he would have to work things out for himself. There were just some places that a sister could not go.
Amy snorted. Talking about finding a place for oneself. Who was she kidding anyway?
She was a doctor who hadn’t stepped foot inside a hospital for days. Before all of this started, she had noticed a discontentedness, a void inside herself, and she had been trying to find some way to fill it. Now Amy realized that it wasn’t her work that had left that hollowness inside of her. Her own insecurities and emotional obstructions had created that.
No, being a healer was what she was meant to do, she had realized that when Rhys was hurt. But how could she make a place for herself as a doctor after what she had become? What was going to happen to that now? Where could she go from here?
What would be expected of her, now that she was one of them?
She and Rhys had something between them, but what was it, exactly? She couldn’t really see herself fitting into his world—she didn’t understand the boundaries and the rules.
She could try. Was she willing to accept the kind of work that he did? The danger? Was she prepared to let Rhys become a permanent fixture in her life, prepared to give what they had a chance to blossom and grow into something that might even last a lifetime? It would be a risk that she hadn’t ever trusted herself to take before.
Amy sighed, finally winded enough that her fatigue penetrated the growing tidal wave of emotion surging inside of her. She’d been whaling on the speedball for a good long while now, letting her mind race all over the place while she tried to make sense of the incomprehensible. Of course she had only made herself more upset, was only more frustrated and uncertain.
She shook her head, grumbling to herself. Maybe she should go find Gideon so they could be bewitched, bothered and bewildered together.
Amy reached for the towel she’d thrown over the handlebars of the stationary bike earlier and was startled to find Rhys leaning against the door jamb, arms crossed over his chest as he watched her intently. All of a sudden her mind was flooded with blinding, intense heat. Heat that seared all her senses and instantly had her body responding in kind.
She really must have been absorbed in her own thoughts, otherwise there was no way she could have missed Rhys’ approach, not with all that fire pouring out of him…and being directed right at her.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you there. I guess I was pretty focused.” She passed the towel across the back of her neck, hoping she looked calm and nonchalant and not at all like a woman suffering first degree burns from his stare.
“I noticed.” Rhys’ eyes narrowed as he followed her movements, watched her wipe away the little rivulets of moisture that still streamed down her neck and into her cleavage.
“So how did your meeting with the others go?” she asked, trying to get Rhys to think of something other than jumping her right here in what just happened to be a very popular room where at least four fully grown men looking for a distraction were very likely to walk in on them at any moment—and get more of a distraction than they’d bargained for.
Rhys was completely captivated by Amy. It happened no matter where they were or what she was doing. The scent of her called to him like a hit of warm spice, enticing and seductive, a promise of passion, of closeness, of shelter and refuge. He wanted to go to her, to touch her creamy skin, knowing how smooth and supple it would feel under the tips of his fingers. He knew he could bring her pleasure with the softest brush of his mouth. He could easily coax little patches of goose flesh to rise with just the barest caress of his breath in the hollow under her ear. And a simple lick of his tongue along the smooth column of her neck would bring forth a soft moan from between those lush pink lips. It was the most heady feeling in the world and so hard to resist.
It made being around her very dangerous indeed.
Why should he resist at all?
Amy gave a little squeak, her hand going to shield her neck, obviously feeling the elevation of his desire. Rhys grinned wickedly, advancing on her with determined purpose.
She let out a giggle.
“Are you laughing?” He pretended offense but gave her a teasing leer.
Amy giggled some more and Rhys began stalking her across the room. Her laughter erupted like a beautiful trill of birdsong between them as she dashed out of the circle of his arms. He growled in challenge and continued his pursuit, enjoying the close fit of her spandex training garments, which showed off her perfect body to beautiful advantage.
Rhys reached out to pull the thick scrunchie from Amy’s hair so that the soft waves spilled over her shoulders. She tossed her hair across his face and darted back out of his reach, laughing gaily. He followed her around like that for a while, taking pleasure in the way she danced around the room. He blatantly toyed with her, first advancing and then retreating just when he knew she was ready to be caught.
He’d soon had enough of the game and cornered her against one wall. Their breathing harsh and hurried, Rhys pulled her to him. He was desperate in his passion for her. His teeth pulled on her bottom lip, then his tongue thrust inside her warm wet mouth, swirling and exploring her sweetness with a savage possession.
Amy wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her breasts close to his chest. Rhys hitched her up, his hands splayed under her ass, urging her legs high around his waist. His mouth trailed from her lips to her throat, then down her neck, savoring the salty perspiration drying on her skin. Amy moaned when he pressed her back against the wall.
He was reaching under her sports bra when he sensed her hesitation.
“We’re about to have company,” she sighed, a disgruntled look on her face.
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.”
“Whoever it is, I’m telling them to go away,” Rhys clutched her closer, burying his face in the downy softness of her hair.
“You can’t do that,” she said.
“Okay, then I’ll just kill them,” he mumbled. He ran his tongue along Amy’s collarbone to the valley between her breasts.
“Rhys,” Amy squealed. “Is there a lock on the door? Wait a minute, Rhys. Stop. It’s Baron. Something’s wrong—he’s worried.”
Rhys swor
e under his breath as he let Amy down and met Baron at the door. He didn’t want the Immortal coming into the room and seeing Amy with her lips full and bruised from his kisses, her hair down and her skin still slick with sweat.
“What is it?” he demanded, his voice short with irritation.
Baron glanced uneasily at Amy, who approached stood just behind Rhys. “Gideon’s gone,” he blurted out.
“Gone?” Rhys and Amy said together.
“Yes,” Baron replied, frowning. “We’re not sure when he left or where he’s off to, but it’s a safe bet that he’s going to get himself in trouble.”
“Shit,” Rhys muttered. “He’ll be like a lighthouse beacon for Gray, begging to be attacked.”
“What?” Amy felt panic creeping up her throat. “What does that mean? Rhys, why would Gray go after Gideon?”
“Gray will try to go after Gideon because it’s easy. The only reason he hasn’t already come after any of us in the past few days is because we’ve made a point of always staying together in pairs or as a group here inside the compound. He’s been patient so far, but since Gideon’s gone off on his own, Gray will be like the hungry lion that has finally succeeded in steering its prey away from the rest of the herd.”
“Ok. I understand. But I can find him. We’ll leave now and haul him back here. Gray can’t know where he is already.”
“He’ll know, Amy. Gray will be able to track Gideon just as he’d be able to track you—because he was connected to you both during your transition, by way of Doyle. And since it’s only been a few days, he’ll think that Gideon is weak and therefore easy prey.”
“Gideon is not weak,” Amy stated. She was now trembling with fear.
“Amy, we’re talking about an Immortal who’s older than I am, who’s spent almost a millennium in Hell, and who will not willingly go back. Do you have any idea what that means? Desperation makes him dangerous if nothing else. No matter how strong Gideon is, there’s no way that he could ever be prepared for that.”
