by K. F. Breene
Still, Jonas had barely gotten away with his life. If not for Adnan, he probably wouldn’t have survived. If Charles had been in his place, he had to admit that things might’ve worked out differently. Charles should have been involved; should have found Sasha and taken her to safety. Sheʼd nearly died. If not for the Boss, she would have. All to save everyone else. Which was ass backward as far as the plan had gone.
“What were the losses?” Charles asked, throwing his gaze out the window so he could stop registering the tender look on the Boss’s face. That shit made him uncomfortable.
“The Mata lost a dozen or so, mostly in the first scuffle. Another dozen are wounded and chained to the bed for a while. The Dulcha wreaked havoc. Trek must have emptied his store of captives to create that many. They know, without a doubt, what Sasha could represent, and they want her. Or, they want to destroy her.”
“What of Trek, and Andris? Could you get them?”
A smug look crossed the Boss’s face. “I got Trek. Sasha knocked the breath out of him and I got there in time to take out his guard and scoop him up. Dominicous and Toa are seeing to him. They plan to take him back to the Council.”
“Andris?” Charles was half afraid to ask. Andris was the brains behind the operation, working with whomever necessary to internationally to make their uprising a household name. His level of ambition bordered on an obsession, and his intelligence made everything possible.
The Boss shook his head. “Once he realized the tide was turning, he got skittish. I saw him briefly as I grabbed Trek, but he was already on his way out.”
“So, what does that mean for the Eastern Territory?”
Stefan brushed some wisps of hair back from Sasha’s bruised and scratched face. Charles turned away again. “We won’t have any problems for a while—Andris will probably join up with another faction to regroup. He’ll search for another way to accomplish his goals. We’ll have a reprieve from fighting for a while.”
“Quiet before the storm.”
The Boss nodded slowly.
Andris was a tricky bastard; the only thing you could count on with him was unpredictability. It made strategy a nightmare.
Or so the Boss said.
*****
I opened my eyes and surveyed my room, greeted by the same spotless white affair with that chemical smell you seem to only find in hospitals. While I wasn’t in an actual hospital, I had been moved to a room in the encampment that acted like one.
I turned my head to the side, expecting, and finding, my new B.F.F. lying in the bed beside mine, healing. It had been three days since the battle, and two days since Jonas was moved into my room. Apparently, he didn’t want to be removed from my side, even in the hospital. Somehow, when he’d sacrificed himself to prevent me from being taken, his mind had made the connection that I was worth saving. Charles had said once that thought entered Jonas’s head that was it. Cemented.
“Quit staring, human.”
Being that there was no TV, and he hated reading, Jonas had nothing better to do than to talk to me. Instead, he stared straight at the ceiling. He still hadn’t forgiven me for being human.
I had now forgiven him for leaving me that first battle.
“Did you eat recently?” I asked. I could usually get a response with simple questions that had some relevance.
“Why?”
“I’m hungry.”
“How is that my problem?”
“It isn’t. You’ll notice I didn’t accuse you of eating. I merely asked if you did, wondering if I missed a meal during my beauty sleep.”
Jonas huffed. “Better get back to sleep. You still look like dog shit.”
“Uh hum. So…did you eat?”
His bruised and battered face scrunched down into a tight ball, his desire to ignore me fighting with his need to keep me alive. He hated me even more for it. It caused me no end of chuckling. Especially now that I knew he wouldn’t kill me.
“No. Lunch is coming in about half an hour.” Jonas resumed staring at the ceiling.
He’d sustained a plethora of broken bones, got pounded on, had magical burns and other strange magical maladies, but he’d killed all the enemy invaders with the help of Adnan. Darla had gotten away, had run as soon as I was out of reach, but no one seemed overly concerned with that fact. Other than me, obviously. She was a crazy bitch, not to mention a scorned woman
The door opened slowly. Charles peeked in, scanned the room’s occupants, grinned at Jonas, and then winked at me. “You want a visitor?”
“How the hell can we get any peace and quiet with the human getting damn visitors all day?” Jonas growled at Charles.
Charles’s grin widened. “Bro, you need to simmer down. People are going to think you aren’t friendly.”
“I’ll show you friendly,” Jonas muttered, looking back at the ceiling. It was the only place to direct his eyes away from people. The nurse had tried to lean over him to maintain eye contact when it was time to change his bandages. That nurse had left with a black eye. Apparently hitting Shape Changer females wasn’t the same as human females. Which made sense—the ladies were nearly as strong as the guys, and just as great at fighting.
The nurse had leaned on Jonas’s broken ribs in retaliation.
Tim entered the room with his strangely graceful lumber, the way he walked characteristic of the ginormous Kodiak bear he turned into. He sauntered to the chair at the head of my bed, picked it up and moved to the other side so his face was to Jonas. Not many Mata trusted Jonas, even though he’d done the right thing by me.
“Sasha,” Tim said as his soft brown eyes met mine. “How are you feeling?”
I shrugged. “Okay. The pain meds make me feel better. My shin stopped throbbing, too, so I think I’m good for the moment.”
“I’d thought you were safe; that you had been taken to safety. I apologize. You should not have been in that battle.”
“I could’ve been safe—I think—but I couldn’t let your people die for me.”
Jonas huffed, drawing Tim’s alpha stare for a moment. Jonas ignored him.
Tim refocused on me, his face softening instantly. “We were grossly outnumbered. You saved a great many lives. I, and the pack, would like to thank you. You have our favor, and are anointed Pack Friend status. Should you need us, for any reason, we will be there for you. As kin.”
“Wow.” I blinked for a moment, taken aback. “But I stepped on someone in order to ride your tiger like a horse. Surely a few people are a little…miffed.”
Tim’s lips quirked. “Like I said, you saved a great many lives. You showed bravery and courage, even with a bone poking out of your leg. The tiger didn’t mind a beautiful woman riding him.”
“Be careful with your flirting,” Jonas warned, his eyes boring holes in the ceiling tiles. “She is marked.”
“Marked?” Tim asked, his eyes scanning all available skin.
“By the Boss,ˮ I elaborated. “Humans can’t smell it. Or sense it, or whatever. It’s a chemical thing.” “Well, then, I guess it doesn’t apply outside of Stefan’s kind,” Tim smiled this time, a predatory gleam in his eyes, mocking Jonas. I rolled my eyes.
“What about Ann? Is she okay?” I held my breath.
Tim smiled. “Just fine. A few scratches is all.”
I let my breath out. I’d only talked to her a few times, but I liked her, and I badly needed a friend that was a girl.
“Anyway,” Tim said, his warm hand clasping mine. “I’ll check back in with you later. Let me know if you want me to find you a room a little less…occupied.”
“Yes, do find her a room less occupied,” Jonas piped up immediately. “Her incessant talking does my head in.”
“Sweet, ain’t he?” I asked with a grin.
*****
I stood in front of a congregation of Stefan’s clan, wearing a sheer black gown, denoting my magic level. Stefan stood next to me, wearing a sheer suit in burnished gold. In front of him stood Dominicous, Toa by hi
s side, both showing off their magical levels. Also sheer.
I had never seen so many people basically naked in all my life. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be stressed out by that fact. It was unfortunate because what did have me stressed out was a lot more important.
“I stand before you, as your Regional, to proclaim Sasha your mage. Linked with your leader, Stefan, with at least two Watch Commanders sworn to throw down their lives to protect her, Charles and Jonas, she fulfills the requirements for this post. Take notice.”
Everyone in the room, whether they liked me or not, bowed their heads. I saw more than one hostile stare as faces turned back up—more than one person that wanted to fit me for cement shoes and take me to the lake—but they could not deny my power level. They had no one else for the role.
“Sasha comes to us with the highest power level ever recorded,” Dominicous continued, his voice rising above those gathered. “She has thrice battled our mortal enemy, and come out on top. Take notice.”
Again with the near naked bowing; something slightly gross and weird, both at the same time.
“In addition, she has tied herself with the Mata, a lost connection we hoped to re-forge. A connection already shown to yield positive results. Through her, they are tied with us. Take notice.”
Stefan gave the barest of flinches, his hands balling for a fraction of a second. He controlled himself easily, his eyes still trained on Dominicous.
“Welcome her within our fold. We expect great things from her.” Dominicous winked at me, intending for me to bow. Which I did, trying my hardest not to cover my lady bits in mortification.
The gathered crowd bowed back. And that was that. I now had a job I was only qualified for when in the middle of a war, battle, or any life and death situation. It could be worse, I guess. I could’ve been kicked out of the territory. At least I still had a home.
After Dominicous nodded, and Toa nodded, and Stefan nodded—too many chiefs—the congregation broke up. Dominicous stepped up to me immediately, offering me his arm. Stefan stepped back, and then turned to see to other matters while Dominicous led me toward a banquet in my honor.
“You did exceedingly well, Sasha,” he said quietly. “I am exceptionally proud of you.
He hesitated, stopping in an isolated corner. “Stefan told you of how we first met?”
Shivers raked my body.
“Do you remember?” he asked, his sharp gaze focused on me.
I shook my head. “But I’ve always been able to see your kind. My foster parents thought something was wrong with me until I stopped mentioning it.”
Dominicous titled his head thoughtfully. “It is an interesting topic. One I might like to explore. If we expose human children to us, maybe even share our blood, will they grow to be able to access their magical gifts? It bears thinking about.”
I guess. “What parents are going to give you access to their kids?”
“Kids without parents need a proper home. You were lucky to find one. Many don’t. I wonder if I can do good, while also conducting a large scale experiment. It bears thinking about.”
Obviously, he would think about it. I just nodded distractedly. I wasn’t in the mood to think. I was in the mood to cover up, lie down, and share a quiet evening alone with Stefan.
And yet here I was, the guest of honor at a party while wearing a see-through gown. Sweet Jesus, how did I get myself into these things?
Seeing my discomfort, Dominicous smiled. “We’ll speak more thoroughly at a later date. I can see now is not the time.” He directed me toward my prince, standing at the head of the room in unshakable confidence, just as naked as me, but caring not at all. My heart surged and my body filled with warmth. His gaze swiveled to me immediately.
“I approve of your choice, by the way,” Dominicous said as we slowly walked closer, my hand lightly holding his arm. “He is young for his post, but more than deserving. You have found a worthy mate.”
My face heated and my body shivered, responding to the implications of that word. “I love him.”
“Yes. And he you. It is a good match. We’ll make sure it’s a lasting one.”
I smiled at Dominicous in thanks as he handed me off to Stefan.
“How are you now, love?” Stefan asked quietly. Charles had made himself scarce.
“I need a robe.” I pointed my chest at Stefan so no one could see my boobies. Not that they were looking. There were a lot bigger ones on display.
“You did well in that battle, though we’ll talk about why you were there.”
I gulped. Stefan had been taking it easy on me for the last couple months since I’d largely been an invalid, but I knew it wouldn’t last forever, especially now that my leg was nearly back to new. He hated seeing me in danger. Regardless if it was now my post to take on bad guys, he still didn’t like it. If it was up to him, I’d be stashed away in a tamperproof box during all dangerous situations.
“When can we leave?”
Stefan wrapped his arm around my back. “You need to stay for a while longer. You need to be seen with your new clan. You’re one of us, now. You’re a viable member. You’re mine.”
My body tingled. Yes, I was. One hundred percent his. I always had been. And now I had a home. These people didn’t completely accept me yet, but now I had proven I had a right to be here. Gaining their trust was in my hands. I was on the doorstep to finally belonging somewhere. The prospects had me giddy.
Though, the nudity would take some getting used to.
I took a deep breath and smiled. It had been a long road, but finally, I didn’t have any secrets. I could just be me.
*****
Dominicous turned to Toa as Sasha entwined hands with Stefan. “Did you speak to her about her ability to communicate with the Dulcha? Does she realize what that means?”
Toa studied the remarkable young woman with a great many secrets, many she had yet to learn. “I did not. There is no reason to worry her just yet. That is a skill we will have to harness, however. It won’t be long before we see a more powerful demon not relegated to the confines of a human body, as the Dulcha are.”
“And you think her ability it is a result of that crash?”
“I think so. I can find no other explanation.”
Dominicous shifted, his gaze settling back on Sasha. “I wonder why she survived, when no one else did. It wasn’t magic—not in one so young. She saw us before I gave her blood, too. Remember that? Stared us down defiantly after she tumbled out of the ripped carnage. After she stumbled our way. Almost as if she walked away from that accident and specifically toward us. Crossing the human divide at that time, rather than when she met Stefan. Was it luck, or does Fate still have her in its grip?”
Toa blinked. “If Fate, what does it want with her? And how does Stefan play into it…?”
“How do we?”
“You will need to link with her,” Dominicous said after a while. “As a white power level, it will give her much needed protection. Whatever Fate’s plans, she needs to be armed with as much as we can give her.”
“But how to convince her? She is a strong-willed woman—not one to easily manipulate. She will not want to go against Stefan’s wishes, and his primal urge to possess her will cloud his judgment. He will not want any other male to have a hold on her, even if it is to help.”
Dominicous gave a smug smile. “She has attracted a strong and sure suitor. I could not have picked better. I’ve chosen well for my protégés. When I rise, I will yank Stefan and her up behind me. If we confront the murmurings of treason within the Council, we will do it with a strong backing of power.”
“Yes. Though I still hope those whispered fears are unfounded...”
Dominicous kept silent. He did not know, but they’d need to figure it out soon. Danger was mounting.
THE END
~*~*~
Demons, Darkness #4, is in the works. Please visit my website at kfbreene.com, or my blog at kfbreene.org, to join my mailing list for
new releases.
Thank you for taking the time to read this book!
