by TW Knight
Bass shook like a dog, creating a localized snowstorm.
Rail continued to stare.
"Look," Bass started. "I have no clue why I'm back early. Bree said she thinks it has something to do with you and Cassidy becoming what she referred to as, giant glowing person with huge black wings."
"That's— I was going to say ridiculous, except Hogart became almost sane after that. And he's been okay all day."
"Wait, you really did become, whatever it was?" Bass huffed. "I thought Bree was exaggerating."
"Apparently."
"And Hogart really was sane until he went on that little walk about?" When Rail cocked his head to the side, Bass added, "Bree told me about that, too."
"I'm guessing you've been awake for a while." The words were as cold as the snow they stood in, showing a glimpse of displeasure.
Bass bristled at the accusatory undertone. "Yes and I asked Bree not to announce it. I was, well...shit. What's that word Serephina uses to say… confused," he asked, waving his hands in a circle as though he could pull the word from the air.
"Discombobulated?"
"That's it. That's how I feel. I shouldn't be back, but I am. I shouldn't feel this good, but I do. I shouldn't have hidden out from you guys, but when I woke up, I was..."
"Discombobulated," Rail filled in.
"Yeah."
Rail rubbed the back of his neck. "Did talking with Bree help?"
Feeling guilty for hiding, Bass nodded with a little wince. "Yeah. It did."
"Then why did I find you face down in the snow?"
"Are you kidding? Because staying in the same room, alone, with Bree any longer was turning into a bad idea. God, she asked me to share her bed!"
"Been there." Rail chuckled. "Only I think sharing a bed was my suggestion."
"How did you deal with this need to be close? Man, she touched my hand and—" He shook his head. The heat of his embarrassment could have melted the snow between them. At least the cold deflated his erection.
The chuckling grew into full blown laughter. "Been there, too." Once Rail calmed down, he placed his hand on Bass' shoulder. "Look, I'm probably not the best person to give advice on this. I made mistake after mistake. I thought walking away and hiding from what I was feeling was the best for both of us. I thought giving Cassidy space and time to adjust was the answer."
"And?"
"I was fourteen kinds of wrong. It's taken me the better part of a year to realize that, where Cassidy is concerned, I have to be up front and willing to discuss everything."
"Is that why you two fight all the time," Bass asked.
"We don't fight. We discuss loudly," Rail countered.
"You discuss loudly a lot." After a moment, he grimaced. "God. Everything means you discuss your feelings, too, don't you?" A shiver, having nothing to do with the snow slowly slithering down his neck, raced through him.
"Usually only when we're in bed. Although I doubt you've heard those discussions considering the rooms are sound proofed. But yes, especially now."
"What's different now? I would have thought you'd gotten all that emotional crap out of the way by now."
"It's not crap." Rail leveled him with a hard stare. "It's important that they know how we feel if they are going to be part of our world."
Bass nodded. Man, Kaz dodged a bullet with Serephina; getting a soul-keeper who wasn't into him, or men for that matter. Hell, the pair could barely stand to be in the same room together, they were at such odds. Still, it must have been a blow to the big guy's ego. Where Rail was blessed with a soul-mate, Kaz got a headstrong sister.
More shivers coursed through Bass. He'd changed a lot in the last two-thousand years or so. Now this touchy-feely shit gave him the willies, but he admitted Rail's point was valid. These women were their life partners, romance or not, and they would need reassurances. Bass didn't have a clue how to do that. Long ago he'd decided to never have a relationship lasting longer than a few hours and never saw the same female twice. No connections. No ties. No questions. No disappointments. Then he didn't have to care what they thought or felt. This was different. He and Bree were going to be together for a long time. "What makes your relationship different now?"
"Now we can read each other's thoughts."
He'd said it so flatly, Bass believed him. "You what!"
"Shhhhush!" Rail snapped "Yeah. Whatever is between us, well, we're different. Right from the beginning, I could feel Cassidy's strong emotions. After her resurrection and our little vacation to Hell, everything changed. She's getting stronger, faster. We can share thoughts and emotions." A smile burst across his face, lighting his eyes. "And the sex has been—"
"TMI, dude."
Still smiling, Rail tilted his head back to study the stars. "You were right."
"I usually am, but be a little more specific so I can take pleasure in the credit."
"That day when you said Cassidy felt more like one of us." Rail turned a face clouded with worry to his friend. "She's changing, Bass. We're both changing."
"Something more than that glowing person?" When Rail nodded, Bass ventured, "You think Hogart knows?"
"How did you know?"
"Bree said he acted like he knew who you two were. Or at least what you were."
"Just how long have you been back?"
"A few hours." Bass kicked the snow. "She had questions and I wasn't ready to face you guys yet, so we talked."
"That's how it starts." A smirk graced his lips.
Bass huffed. "I'm not you. This isn't me. Once the shock of the bond wears off, I'll be fine."
After a beat, the light-bright smile was back on Rail's face. "It's nice, isn't it?"
"What?"
"Having someone you can talk to. Someone you feel comfortable talking to about things you try not to think about."
"Yeah," Bass answered softly. Just being with her lifted the pressure in his chest.
Bass grunted goodnight to his friend and flashed back to Bree's room. The lantern was out, but his eyes adjusted to the dark, giving everything the cool glow of early twilight. A good sign he was nearly back to a hundred percent.
Bree lay curled up on the cot. The pile of cardboard was neatly folded against the wall, and the sleeping bag— the sleeping bag was unzipped and thrown over her like a comforter.
An invitation to join her, or a sign telling him to go join his friends?
While those two thoughts played out greyhound and rabbit racing around in his head, a thunderous rumble echoed through the hanger.
Bree tossed back the sleeping back and jumped to her feet, squeaking when Bass grabbed her.
"It's just me," he rasped, struggling to keep his voice low and reassuring. Although he wasn't sure she could hear the words over the noise from his chest as his heart tried to escape.
"What was that?"
"Don't know." Bass cast a look around the room. "Where's my sword?"
"Rail took it away from me after I threatened to skewer Hogart for killing you," Bree answered.
"You what? You didn't tell me that part."
"Well, I was pissed at him for killing you after you tried to protect me."
His pounding heart slowed and swelled with something he couldn't name at the thought of her trying to protect him. Bass whispered, "Thank you," and kissed her forehead. When he stepped back, he stared into eyes full of... Affection?
Another loud sound, this time an animalistic roar, broke whatever sizzled between them in the hanging silence.
"Shit. I think we're under attack." Only then did the chorus of screams and shouts roll through the door, penetrating his thoughts.
Bree dove for the floor and hauled her sword case out from under the cot. Removing her blade from its sheath, she stood and headed for the door, only to be blocked by Bass' right arm as he moved to disarm her.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I need to go make sure my brother is alright," Bree snapped, wrenching free from his grasp and ducking un
der his arm.
Bass was so shocked by her moves, Bree made it into the hanger before he realized what happened. "Oh hell no," he spat. "You stay in here where it's safe." Too late. Bree was already charging one of three skratar dropping through the hole in the roof to set upon the makeshift camp. Above them a fourth skratar blocked out the sky, peeking around the torn tarp over the opening.
"Mother-fuckin-hell!" He may be weaponless, but he wasn't helpless. Transforming into his demon form as he ran, Bass passed Bree and tackled her target.
Claws slashed into his ribs as he maneuvered the beast into a bear hug. "Someone come cut this bastards head off," he shouted over the din.
A blade slashed close enough to give his hair a trim. He looked up to yell at who he assumed was Boomer, only to find Bree raising her sword for another blow.
"Damn it, Bree!"
The blade came down again, but without the strength of a fallen angel the skratar's head remained solidly in place.
"If you get yourself killed again, I'm going to kill you!"
Her retort was so funny, Bass couldn't hold back the bark of laughter and lost his grip on the creature. A claw shot out, narrowly missing Bree's right leg, sobering Bass in a hurry. Letting out a roar of his own, he hefted the beast, twisted, and plowed the thing into the floor. And the guys said watching wrestling was a waste of time. After a few well-placed punches to the muzzle and eyes, he snatched Bree's sword from her hands and landed the killing blow, severing the head in one slice.
He also broke the blade as it slammed into the concrete.
Chapter Twelve
Bree sucked in a breath when the blade snapped. She'd searched three years to find a sword which not only fit her, but became part of her when she fought. Losing the blade was like losing her arm. Her body shuddered and tears burned her eyes. She pulled herself together; there was no time for an emotional breakdown.
The monster watching through the hole in the roof jumped down to join the fight. The floor trembled when it landed and let out a roar.
Another headless body lay near Sam and Hogart outside her brother's room. Two down, two to go.
A pained scream drew Bree's attention away from losing her sword. Cassidy lay on the floor, unmoving. Rail, in full demon mode, stood between her and the creatures bearing down on them.
With a battle cry, Bass flashed past Bree and jumped onto the back of one beast as it took a swing at Rail.
Shaken from her shock, Bree ran toward Cassidy. A quick check showed she was breathing, but bleeding from a nasty gash above her ear. "Cassidy? Can you hear me?" Bree shouted over the roaring battle behind them. "Cassidy?" Her voice hitched. "Please."
A low moan made her heart jump.
"Cassidy?"
"Rail?"
The other woman's' voice was so low, Bree hardly heard it. "He's got everything under control," she answered, hoping she wasn't lying.
Gun shots rang out, echoing ominously in the hanger.
A moment later, Hogart and Sam took up a defensive position near the women. Boomer sprinted across the space to join his companions. A third headless demon body lay nearby.
Kneeling, Sam took off his scarf and pressed it to Cassidy's wound. "How is she?"
"She's breathing and she answered me, but she's not really awake."
"Hogart. Do something," Sam ordered.
The big man snorted. "One, I am not your servant. And two, I am not a healer."
"But..." Bree wanted to throttle him. Before she could make good on the mental threat, cold silence fell around them like a heavy blanket.
Panting, Rail fell to his knees and cut his hand, allowing the blood to rain into Cassidy's wound and then into her mouth. "Come on, sweetheart. This damsel in distress shit is getting old."
He'd said it with a rough laugh, but Bree heard the pain in every syllable. Sliding out of the way, she was engulfed in warmth.
"Are you ok? You didn't get scratched or anything did you?" Bass' tight hug threatened to squeeze the breath from her. When he set her back a step, he ran his hands over every inch of her.
Her body turned to jelly at his touch. "Yeah. I'm fine," she choked out. Her nipples hardened beneath her sweater when his hands skimmed her ribs below her breasts. Not wanting Bass to see how he affected her, Bree pulled away and wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm good."
"You look like you're about to fall over," he chided.
"Yeah, well, I'm coming down from an adrenalin high," she lied. Her brain buzzed like an angry bee hive. The ringing in her ears set an accompanying rhythm to her racing heart, and she shook like crashing after a two–day sugar binge. The urge to cuddle up to Bass overwhelmed her.
In the distance, she heard Sam and Hogart yelling.
"I thought you said you killed all of them!" Sam's voice echoed.
"I killed the ones who first attacked. These were different creatures. These were skratar like the beasts who killed your parents. Night hunters. The others." He shrugged. "I don't know what they were. But they were not affected by the light of day."
A shrill whistle cut off her brother's retort.
"Cassidy's hurt bad. We need to get her home. Now," Rail called.
"Already on it," Boomer shouted, holding up his satellite phone. "Kaz, Hacker, and Zach will be here in five. Start packing."
"Leave it," Rail snapped.
"Someone needs to stay and clean up," Bass reminded them.
Bree turned to volunteer and gasped. "You're bleeding." She stepped forward to examine the claw marks along Bass's side.
"Don't touch!" He grabbed her wrist and yanked her hand away.
Bree kept her eyes locked on his. "Bass, you're hurting me."
He immediately released her and took a step back. "Sorry. God, I'm sorry. Did I... are you ok?" Bass let out a breath when Bree finally nodded and rubbed her wrist. "Sorry, I just reacted. The claws secrete a poison. There may be some on my clothes."
"Are you going to die again?" Her lower lip trembled until she took it between her teeth.
"Don't worry about me, babe. The worst that would happen is that I get a little sick, like a bad hangover. Nothing serious. This will be healed up in an hour or so."
"Ride's here," Boomer shouted.
Not far from where they gathered, the air split in a silver line, which slowly widened into a ball. Three men, equally as large as Bass and the others, burst through, weapons drawn.
Holy shit. Bree's jaw dropped. The first looked straight from some action military movie with his pale cropped hair and fatigues. The next one looked like he'd be more at home running a Fortune 500 company when not lifting weights. The last was a strange mix of hot geek and lethal weapon.
"What a mess," Mr. Military huffed.
The Geek joined Boomer, who started a rundown of the situation. Mr. Fortune 500 ran straight for Cassidy.
"Pretty sure she's got a concussion," he told Rail. "I don't see any other injuries, but I don't want to risk it. We don't know how hard she got hit. Anything around here I can use as a back board?"
"In the back," Bree answered in concert with Sam as he took off for the storage-practice room, returning with a wood plank they'd used as a shelf.
In short order they had Cassidy situated and everyone else sorted out.
The military guy, Kaz, gave the orders. "Rail, Boomer, and I will take the new guy and the kids back to the compound. Bass, Hacker, and Zach are on clean up."
"No." Bree stood with her arms crossed over her chest. "I've got stuff to pack and Bass should go back. He's wounded."
Bass rolled his eyes. "Babe, I told you I'm fine. Now be a good girl and go with the others. We'll bring your stuff with us when we head back."
Bree narrowed her eyes. "Make me."
***
"I can't believe he did that," Bree groused, taking her brother's hand to pull herself up.
Bass not only took her up on her dare, he made sure she couldn't fight his decision. The moment the warriors circled around Cassidy a
nd Sam, Bass shoved her into Boomer's waiting arms. The world turned bright white, then black. When her head stopped spinning, Bree found herself standing in a stone courtyard at sunrise. She dropped to her knees and puked.
At least Sam wasn't giving her a hard time about tossing her cookies. Considering how green he looked, he fought back his own urge to hurl.
Leaning into her brother, Bree looked around. "Where's Cassidy?"
"Rail and the guy with the glasses took her in as soon as we got here."
"In?"
"There." Sam pointed over her shoulder.
Bree turned and gasped. The building at the end of the courtyard stood like a huge sentinel. She'd seen similar buildings pictured in National Geographic magazines, but not combined into a singular structure. It was magnificent. One of a kind. Ancient. Worlds away from the abandoned hangar. Marble columns and stonework flanked a large stone terrace and an entrance big enough to drive a truck through. As she contemplated the mix of architecture four people exited the giant double doors. In the group were three women and one large man. With his close-cropped dark hair, monstrous build, and skin the color of dark French roast, he looked like a demon, sans wings. A wave of power proceeded him as the group walked down the terrace stairs. For some strange reason, of all of the Knights she'd seen so far, this one would have scared her with just his presence if not for the invitingly wide grin and the petite Hispanic woman he held lovingly to his side. He whispered something and she affectionately patted his wide chest and laughed.
"Welcome," he called as they approached. "I'm Tam. This is Margarite, Gina, and Serephina. They are human, like you," he added with a nod. "And there's Tucker, but he's helping Zach in the infirmary with Cassidy."
Bree assessed the three women. Margarite shyly hid the right side of her face and body against Tam, but smiled warmly. The blonde, Gina, looked like she'd be more comfortable at a Fort Lauderdale Spring Break bonanza in her short-shorts and bikini top. In contrast, Serephina, with her elegant Mediterranean features looked like she should be strolling along Rodeo Drive in her linen sundress which showed off her long legs.
Bree wanted to crawl away and hide. Here she was disheveled, wearing grubby clothes, not to mention the vomit-breath, and these ladies were so beautiful and put together. Sucking up her feelings of inadequacy, she took the offered hands and attempted a firm shake. "Hi. I'm Breanna Thorn, Bree, and this is my brother, Sam."
