She extracted two short blades hidden beneath the princess’s dress. Megan spun them in her hands, staring at the shiny and well cared for steel. She hummed in appreciation. “These will do.”
I pulled the hem of Poppy’s exquisite dress back down to her black combat boots. I hissed, “Let’s not tell anyone you touched her like that.”
“Good idea.” Megan chuckled, but her blue eyes were serious as she stood and surveyed the fighting around the enclosure. “Those things are slow, but they’re getting closer.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I stood and hovered over the sleeping beauty. “Is there anything you want me to do?”
“Not die,” she muttered.
“I’m trying.”
Dear God, how I was trying.
I flinched when a golem scratched its claws against the glass on our right side. “It didn’t break the glass.”
Megan’s head tipped back and forth in thought. “All they need to do is work together. If they got their nails under the glass and lifted, we’d be done for.”
“Inspirational words,” I mumbled. “You make me feel much better.”
My hands tightened into fists by my sides.
“I’m not trying to make you feel better. I’m trying to keep you alive.” She pointed one of the stolen blades at the exit. “If they tip our protection on its side, we won’t make it to the door in time. Our best bet will be to climb on top of this thing since I’m not sure they can do that. It appears they have one mode of functioning: attack with their hands. There’s no advanced intelligence inside their bodies.”
My lips thinned. “That’s a decent plan.”
Megan marched to the door and placed the tip of her right boot against the bottom of it, pressing her weight into the door. “It’s a hell of a lot better than if they come in this way. There’s no real plan then except to fight.”
“Finn should have locked the door.”
“He was a little distracted by you.”
I huffed and glanced to where he had disappeared. Golems were littered all over the floor, but more had taken their places, stumbling over their own. The man was nowhere in sight. I opened my mouth and shouted, “Finn! Do you think you can come back this way and lock the door?”
“I got it, man. Don’t worry about her,” Cassander muttered, a little breathless from his constant fighting. He rotated his right wrist, one of his swords flashing, and sliced off another leathery head with precision.
He was within eyesight, at least.
It was interesting he wasn’t talking loud to be heard; the monsters must have excellent hearing.
Cassander rammed his right shoulder into a golem’s back while he crossed his arms and swung his swords out, cutting down two deadly golems in front of him. Then he peered in our direction and grinned like a…fox. He questioned, “Are you gals having fun yet?”
Megan blinked. “You would get along well with my dad. You two have the same mentality of what fun is.”
His smile slipped, and his eyes hardened. “I’m nothing like your father, Megan.” He sliced off another head without peering away from her. “I’m much, much worse.”
Her features blanked and her grip tightened on the handles of the stolen knives. “Maybe you should stay over there. I don’t know you.”
One side of his mouth quirked up. “I’m only a killer to those who deserve it—or ask me for it. I won’t harm you.”
Her mouth hung open an inch from his declaration. “I really think you should keep doing your thing on that side of the room. We can handle the door just fine.”
He snorted…and then leapt through the air.
As in, no human could jump that high.
Cassander landed in a crouch in front of the door, his silver fur coat fanning out around his position. Steel gray eyes peeked up from under his lashes, staring at Megan’s frozen form. He smirked and rose to his intimidating height and clicked the lock. A silver brow rose, and he whispered, “Try not to piss your pants. God would hate if his woman came back smelling like urine.”
Her mouth bobbed, no sassy words coming forth.
He tilted his head to the side, and his eyes caught mine. “And make sure your friend here doesn’t take off with Poppy’s knives once this is over. I think Finn gave those to her as a gift for her mating.”
I blinked. Nodded quickly. “Will do.”
I shooed him, though I was still reeling from that little show of power. “Will you go check on Finn, please? I can’t see him from here, and it’s awfully quiet over there.”
“He’s drawing out the kills. He’s fine.”
This time, I stood gaping at him.
Cassander’s eyes flicked between us, to our slack jaws and frozen forms, a slow smile growing on his handsome face.
His brows bounced on his forehead. “I see I’ve made two lovely women speechless.” He bowed, swooshing his swords out with the gallant act—chopping off two golem heads in the process. He chuckled, nodding at his own thought. “I’ve still got it. Women of New City better watch out for this sexy fox.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
The longest fifteen minutes of my existence were spent inside the glass box while Cassander and Finn fought to save our lives. The constant scratching on the glass by nightmare nails sent me into chills. Watching Megan chop off black leathery fingers when the golems stuck their spindly digits into the small holes in the glass made me curl my own fingers into protective fists. The eyeless golem heads that sporadically flew up into the air were enough to send anyone to counseling for the remainder of their life.
I leaned against Megan when the fighting ceased, my body sagging against hers. “That was rough.”
She turned her head and lifted a brow. “Really? You didn’t do anything except stand there like you were going to faint.”
“I survived,” I hissed, thumping the side of my head on top of hers. “That’s enough for now.”
Megan hummed and watched as Finn and Cassander walked toward us inside our protective glass. “What about the ‘master.’ Isn’t he coming soon?”
I jerked upright. “I forgot about him.”
Cassander waved a bored hand. “He’ll be unconscious for a few weeks. The juice it took when the golems were activated will knock his weak ass out.”
Megan blinked. “You make no sense.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Doesn’t matter. It’s still true. He’s not coming today.”
Finn flicked the lock on the door, kicking golem bodies aside to open it. “Ready to leave, Mina?”
I swallowed. “Yes.”
They were still monsters, life savers or not.
And I was stuck with them for now.
“Can I leave too?” Megan drawled. Her sarcasm was lost on no one. “Or do I need blonde hair and a name that rhymes with Nina?
Finn’s lips twitched. “Get your ass out here.”
Megan and I walked out of the enclosure, and then I not so subtly yanked the stolen blades out of her hands.
I shrugged when she glared. “They aren’t yours.”
Her pout was pretty and subtle. “Those would catch a fine price. I’ll need some cash to get a new bracelet.”
“Get a job,” Cassander muttered. He walked into the enclosure and, ever so carefully, picked up Poppy’s limp body in a child’s hold against his chest. Her head tilted and thumped against his shoulder. The monster peered down at her in his arms, his forehead wrinkling. “Fuck, she’s tiny.”
Finn snorted. “And deadly.”
Cassander’s brows furrowed even more, his expression troubled by his friend’s words. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“What?” Finn muttered, his confusion clear.
“Nothing. Let’s go.” He charged out of the glass enclosure while still carrying his cargo delicately, taking extra care with her. “I can take her to God. I have my own train here.”
Finn nodded in agreement. “He contacted her before we arrived here. He’s worried. You’ll want
to call him on your way and let him know she’s okay.”
I held up her knives, asking in silent question what to do with them.
Cassander turned and popped a hip in my direction. “My coat pocket.”
I placed them in his fur coat as safely as I could. I peered up into his steel eyes, and stated honestly, “Thank you for what you did for me today.”
His smile was honest and sweet. “You’re welcome. And we aren’t as bad as what you think, Mina. Give us a chance, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
My lips thinned. “I’ll think about it.”
Not like I hadn’t been since I discovered their secret. It was all I could think about most days.
Monsters were real.
Finn took hold of my elbow and pulled me with tenderness back to his side—away from his friend. He eyed him a long moment, then muttered in exasperation, “Did you hear what I said before? You’ll need to call God and assure him she’s fine.”
“I’ll try.” Cassander walked on top of the fallen golems, already headed to the exit. “If he’ll answer my call.”
Finn’s jaw ground together. “Just keep calling him.”
He nodded, not commenting, his tense back to us.
“I’ll see you at home tonight, right?” Finn sighed.
“Well, let’s see… I’m sure as hell not welcome at God’s,” Cassander griped, his steps now pounding down onto the ground. “So, yeah, I’ll be at your place. Later, Finn.”
“Safe travels.” Finn’s brows furrowed as his friend left the room.
Megan had been watching the entire exchange in silence. She snorted, her arms crossing. “Trouble in paradise between bros?”
Finn’s attention snapped to her. “You know Godric and Cassander are brothers?”
Megan’s eyes widened. And she grinned. “I do now. I’ve never heard of Cassander before, but I’m pretty sure all the info on Mr. King has never alluded to him having a brother. That’s sweet intel.”
Finn snapped his mouth shut and glared.
I couldn’t hold in my surprise. “They’re really brothers? They look nothing alike.”
Finn’s eyes closed on the defeat of his blunder. “Step-brothers.”
“Interesting.” I drummed my fingers on my lips, my mind flying through all the history texts I’d read. “Is Cassander older or younger than Mr. King?”
“Why?”
“Just curious.” I tapped my head, shoving the alarm aside that I was talking to a white tiger. One that could kill me with barely any work put into the death act. “I’m a scholar, remember? I love information.”
“God is older than Cassander. But only by a few minutes.”
My blink was so slow. They were both ancient.
“And you?” I probed—so damn quietly. “Are you older than Mr. King?”
Finn’s head of white cropped hair tilted, his eyes scanning my face. A blue gaze full of secrets didn’t flinch at my question, but he hesitated in answering. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“Yes.” I didn’t back down.
“God is one minute older than me.”
“Oh,” I whispered, my chest heaving in panic.
He bent down and swooped me up off my feet, as if he thought I would faint, carrying me the same way Cassander had Poppy. My fingers gripped onto his shoulders in surprise, my eyes wide in terror.
His nostrils flared, and he inhaled deeply. He murmured, “I hate that I put fear in you. I much prefer the sweet scent of your arousal.”
Megan choked, her eyes widening. “That’s gross, man. You should probably try a different tactic to get her into bed.” She raised her brows as a thought occurred inside that warped head of hers. “Try staring at her with those ‘fuck me’ eyes again. She went all mushy with that shit.”
I gulped down my fear and yanked my gaze off the monster holding me. I stared hard at the other woman. “Megan, I don’t even know what to say to you.”
Her lips curved into a grin, not showing any teeth. “I do have that effect on people. You shouldn’t feel special.”
Finn grunted. “You kind of remind me of a friend of mine. He has that same smart mouth you do.”
“Is he hot?” Megan took a step closer.
I peered heavenward, now understanding how my mother felt most days with me. “I’d really like to leave now. There are dead bodies in the other room someone should tell the CA about. I’m sure the family members would like to know if their daughters are merely runaways…or dead.”
Finn instantly started strolling toward the door, also stomping on the downed golems. “Poppy will inform her superior when she wakes. She’s been searching for those women for over a month now.”
Megan scowled and jumped over golems, attempting to keep up with us. “Why don’t I get a strong man to carry me out of here? I’m a delicate woman too.”
Finn snorted. “Yeah, right.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Finn grilled Megan about our capture as soon as the train door shut. Everything that had happened to her—how her night had started, how our kidnapper had captured her, the way the man moved, his skill level of defense.
The way he spoke.
Everything.
My eyelids started to droop in exhaustion when she finally got to the part of her story where I’d been captured. From there, I already knew the sordid tale. I interrupted her, mumbling, “Anyone mind if I contact my parents now before I fall asleep? They have to be worried about me.”
Finn pressed his shoulder against mine, sitting right next to me in this luxury Cooper Corporation train—with the tiger emblem on the outside of it. The tiger was even stitched into the backs of the leather seats we sat on, the cushions hugging my rear like a dream. He brushed a single finger down my cheek, holding my eyes captive.
The beast said, “They were worried. It’s how we knew so soon you were kidnapped. When your kidnapper disabled your bracelet, it sent an alarm to your parents. Your mother fainted at my party, thinking you were dead. It happened right in front of me while I was talking with them.”
I sucked in a harsh breath. “I need to call her now.”
He shook his head, his glacial blue eyes patient. “I already sent them a message when we were secured in here. They know you’re safe and uninjured.”
My sigh was profound, my heartbeat not pounding quite as horribly. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
From the seat across the aisle, Megan asked curiously, “How did you find us?”
“My friend, Wolfe Cooper, pulled a few strings with the transportation department.”
“Wolfe Cooper? As in, the president of Cooper Corporation—the biggest technology business in the world?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes widened. “Damn.”
“He was able to obtain the video of Mina leaving my building. We followed the video lead of the train she took and witnessed her abduction.”
I blinked. “That’s mortifying.”
“It saved your life.” He shrugged without remorse.
“Let me guess.” Megan smirked. “After that, Mr. Cooper hacked into our kidnapper’s train for our whereabouts?”
“Of course.” Finn’s smile was gradual. “But that’s not for public knowledge, either.”
“Of course.” She winked. “Rich and powerful people doing illegal things? No one would ever believe that story.”
A burst of laughter stuck in my throat. “They saved our lives, Megan. Try to show a little decorum.”
She rested back on her chair and sighed. “I hate that you’re right. It would have made fabulous blackmail material.”
Finn eyed her. Hard.
Megan cringed from his predatory glare. “I’m not going to. Good grief.”
“If you do, you’ll see the ugly side of me,” Finn responded, perfectly at peace with threatening her. “I have many different blades that aren’t even on the market yet that I’ve been itching to try.”
Her mout
h slammed shut.
I blinked. Monster.
He inhaled…and his gaze snapped to mine, blue eyes searching my face before he sighed. “I’m not always a pleasant man, Mina. But I won’t hurt you. Ever.”
I chewed on the inside of my cheek, evaluating his honest eyes. My nostrils flared, and I stated, “This is irrational of me, but I do believe you.”
He nodded. “Good. Trust is a plus for lovers.”
My mouth bobbed. “I’m going to take a nap now.”
“Do you want a blanket?”
The man had just threatened bodily harm to another woman, yet was now asking me if I wanted a blanket to keep the chill away so I could sleep peacefully. This beast was a mystery to me.
“I’m fine. You’re keeping me warm.”
He grinned, heat entering his eyes.
I pressed my eyes shut and reclined my chair. “Night.”
“Please let me off first,” Megan grumbled. “I can’t take much more of you two.”
“I’m planning on it,” Finn grumbled. “That’s why you’re going to tell me everything you know right now about your kidnapper.”
* * *
“We’re a little overdressed for the park,” I whispered as citizens of New City passed by us. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “Why did you take me here?”
“I thought we could talk alone in a beautiful area but still have others around. You are very skittish of my kind, after all.”
I jerked my head in his direction. “I don’t understand.”
Finn placed one of my arms through his, and we began to stroll down the rock walkway toward the blue water of the natural waterfall. “There’s no need for lying. Cass already told me you know about shifters.”
I swallowed on a dry throat, my black evening gown fluttering in the mid-morning breeze. I didn’t deny his claim, nor did I confirm it. Instead, I asked, “What is a shifter?”
He allowed me to avoid his statement, answering, “A magical creature and only males are shifters—their mates are human females. I’m a shifter. I turn into a white tiger if I want to, but my beast doesn’t rule me. Even in my other form, I’m still me. Shifters have an enhanced sense of smell, enhanced strength, our vision is a miracle, and we can hear far beyond what a human perceives as normal. We also take on a few of our animal’s traits, such as protection, dominance, etc.”
Transcend (Origin Book 2) Page 5
