They rode for a while in what felt like circles. Was he trying to lose a pursuer? She looked around frantically to see if someone followed. For such an early hour, the streets were almost deserted.
Finally, she gave up trying to look around him to see where they went since he’d not responded to her earlier requests asking where they headed. She also decided it was useless to scream in his ear for him to slow down. Instead, Emma laid her head on the center of the Protector’s muscular back.
Better to face death this way, to die while she held on to his hard body, and not be aware of when they were about to slam into a brick wall, or wrap around a light post.
The intensity of the moment did not stop her from appreciating his strong broad back and trim waist. She’d never placed her arms around such an amazing male. When he shifted and turned the bike around sharp corners his hard muscles flexed under her arms. She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent, an incredible mixture of musk and spices. Just as she began to relax, he tensed again, she held on tighter as they took a curve.
There were worse ways to die.
They took another razor-sharp curve, the motorcycle almost laid down as they turned. Her eyes widened as she stared at the rising blacktop. She gulped forcing her heart from her throat.
But she really didn’t want to go yet.
“Please slow down,” she yelled into his ear and shoved her face back between his shoulder blades. The bike finally came to a screeching halt a few minutes later.
Emma lifted her head and looked around tentatively. They were in a deserted narrow alleyway that barely allowed room for the motorcycle in between the rows of buildings. It was very dark — the only light, a feeble glow from a lone streetlight.
She dragged her arms from around the Protector and scrambled off the bike. Emma tugged her fingers through her tangled hair to hide her nervousness as she waited for him to dismount.
Hands still on the handlebars, as if composing his thoughts, he sat on the motorcycle and stared straight ahead for a few moments. Enthralled, she watched as he yanked off the thick leather strap that held his hair back and shook his head allowing the golden tresses to fall past his broad shoulders. He swung one long leg over the bike and stood up slowly. When he glared at her, his ice blue eyes practically glowed.
The man was definitely angry and no doubt she was in for a show of his temper.
He didn’t disappoint.
“You are annoying the shit out of me,” he bellowed while he paced in front of her. He jammed his hands into his pockets and then took them out again in exasperation. “I told you already, I am not going to help you. So why are you stalking me?” He yanked a hand through his hair. The entire time she noticed that he scanned the surrounding buildings, taking inventory of the area.
Always alert.
“How did you find me?” He asked turning on her, his brow pinched. The slight glow of his eyes was a bit disconcerting. Emma had never seen eyes like his. He seemed discomfited by her intense scrutiny and his gaze shifted away from her for a moment. Gorgeous or not, his anger scared her.
“I’ve been driving around every night for the last f-four days searching for you,” Emma stuttered. “I can sense demons —it’s a gift of sorts. So I kept an eye out for them, hoping one would lead me to you.” He didn’t reply, just continued to stare at her, his lips pressed into a straight line.
“The demon you killed earlier was a high-level demon, wasn’t he? They are really going to come after you this time.” She gave him a stern look and continued on, not waiting for him to answer. “I suppose he would have killed that poor woman.”
She remembered the people back at the alley. One or both were dead. Emma stepped closer to him and without thinking she hit him in the chest, hard. He barely moved. Then realizing what she had done she jumped back and mumbled, “sorry.”
He lowered his head, his eyes trained on her. It made her feel like a child. “Why did you hit me?”
“What happened to her? Did you call an ambulance after you killed the officer?” Emma asked ignoring his question.
Cyn tried his best to stay angry with her, but couldn’t. Why did he feel the need to reassure her?
He clenched his jaw.
She wasn’t even his type. Very small, he guessed about five-four with a curvy figure. Tall athletic women were more to his liking. Although, this woman did have shapely legs, a slim waist, breasts, which would overflow in his palms, and she was gorgeous. Gorgeous was definitely his type.
Irritated at the direction of his thoughts, he snapped at her, “I didn’t kill the cop. I just rearranged his memory of what happened. I’m sure once he got his bearings he ensured the woman was cared for.”
He took a step closer taking in her scent. For some insane reason, he wanted to know if she still smelled of tropical beaches. She did.
Her puzzled eyes met his. Those honey-brown beauties were definitely a window to her emotions. Right now they told him she was anxious and desperate.
His eyes roamed down to her lips. He’d enjoyed the kiss before, the feel of her body against his.
“I say we finish where we left off the other day, and then I can drop your pretty little ass back where I found you. The demons have a hard-on for me right now, so we don’t have much time.” Cyn reached for her. She didn’t move as he slid his hand down the side of her face and touched her hair.
Puzzled by such a strong tug toward her, he told himself to step away. It was sheer nonsense how much he wanted to kiss her at this moment.
The fact that she did not move away, but maintained eye contact encouraged him, drew him in.
Did she feel the same draw toward him? He lowered his head to kiss her.
“They have the protector named Roderick,” she croaked, her voice hoarse, her fearful eyes wide.
Cyn froze.
Roderick. His friend. Alive?
He’d crossed paths with the Spartan many times in the three hundred years since he became a Protector. After he moved to Atlanta, they’d grown close, even lived together until Roderick married.
When Roderick met Rachel, an Atlanta native, they were a classic love at first sight. They married without Julian’s permission and Roderick was forced to resign as a Protector. He’d found a renewed purpose in working as a doctor at a local hospital, until he’d disappeared ten days earlier.
Although the Spartan was a fierce warrior, without a sword he was tempting prey for the high-level demons.
Enraged, he glared at the woman. His words clipped as he spoke to her, “If they had Roderick, he is long dead by now.” He stepped away from her, fisting his hands at his sides.
Was she part of a trap set up by the demons?
“He is alive. I saw him,” her voice was laced with desperation. “Please, my sister Briana will not survive long with the demons.”
Cyn backed down. “Look …”
“Emma.”
He ignored her. “You may as well accept it; both Roderick and your sister are dead. End of story.” He turned to go, no longer interested in kissing her. He was leaving. She could find her own way back.
When he felt her hand on his arm, the jolt of her touch stopped him in his tracks. He turned and waited to see what other lie she would tell him.
Instead, she just looked at him, the plea in her gaze as evident as the golden specks in her irises. “She’s alive, I know it. I feel it. She’s my sister, the only family I’ve got left. Please help me, I beg you. She’s all I have. I swear to you, my sister and your friend are both alive. Go ahead see for yourself,” she told him as she tilted her head back. Then she closed her eyes and opened her mind to him.
He read her thoughts and narrowed his eyes, “Who sent you?”
“What?” Her eyes flew open and she started to deny, but stopped when he held his hand over her mouth.
“Don’t lie to me,” he hissed at her. “I just read your mind. A demon sent you. Right? They may or may not have your sister. But a fucking demon sent you.”
Emma squared her shoulders and stared straight at him. “No one sent me. All I know is that demons came and grabbed me from my bed one night last week. They took me to their coven. I’m not quite sure where it is. They kept me there all night to wait for Gerard, the Master Demon, to speak to me.”
When Cyn didn’t speak she continued, her speech faster. “I was forced to stand for hours and watch while the demons fed from humans and did all kinds of horrible things to them. I watched them feed and have sex. They were absolutely brutal. I was so repulsed I got sick. When I crumpled to the floor from exhaustion, they yanked me back up,” her voice shook.
Cyn didn’t know why, but his gut clenched as he thought about demons doing who-knew-what to her. He waited for her to finish, not sure he wanted to hear the rest of it.
“I was exhausted and so extremely thirsty…I asked for water, but they wouldn’t let me have anything to drink. Finally, Gerard decided to speak to me. He told me he had my sister and wanted both of us to join him. I didn’t believe him so they dragged me to see her for myself. I could see her through a one-way mirror. She was alive.”
Cyn scanned the area and waited for her to finish.
“On my way to see my sister, I saw your friend, Roderick. He was chained to a wall. They told me who he was. He has long silver hair and lightning bolt tattoos on his biceps. I’m not sure he was conscious, but he was definitely breathing. He had been beaten; one of his eyes completely swollen shut,” her voice hitched as she continued. “I don’t know of anyone else who can help me. I am begging you. Please, I need your help.”
“And just how did you manage to escape?” he asked her, his voice flat, emotionless.
“I didn’t. After I agreed to his terms, Gerard touched the back of my neck and I passed out. I woke up back in my bedroom. I thought Briana would be there too, but she wasn’t.”
It didn’t make any sense. Why would they allow her to go and not her sister? He was torn, but didn’t want to take a chance. Maybe she could lead him to Roderick.
If he was really alive.
“I’m probably going to be sorry for this.” Without another word, he blindfolded her with the leather strap he’d been using to hold his hair back. He picked her up and put her back on the bike, jammed a helmet on her head and they took off again.
CHAPTER FOUR
With the helmet on, the wind did not hammer her as hard. It felt like they rode slower this time. Emma relaxed into Cyn’s broad back and she did not try to remove the blindfold. She didn’t want to take a chance that if he felt her try anything, he would change his mind and not help her. They rode for a short while before stopping. The sound of mechanical gears, like those of an automatic garage door, let her know they’d arrived at their destination. The motorcycle glided forward, and then stopped.
A distinctive odor of oil and gasoline permeated the air. The silence was sudden as Cyn turned off the motor and the motorcycle tipped to the side. The motion caused her to lose her balance. Emma clung tighter to Cyn’s waist.
His hands were warm when they covered hers to remove them from his mid-section.
“You won’t fall. I’ll help you off,” he told her.
Emma tensed when his hands wrapped around her and lifted her from the bike. He didn’t let go of her until she gained her balance, then he took the helmet off. Not able to see a thing, Emma put her hands out to steady herself. She was relieved when he took one of her hands in his and gently guided her ahead.
“Come. I will remove your blindfold in a couple of minutes.” She felt self-conscious having to walk around blindfolded and suppressed the urge to kick at him.
“I have a terrible sense of direction. You could have left off the blindfold and I promise you, I would never find my way here again,” she mumbled unhappily.
Without answering her, Cyn led her up some steps and told her to stand still while he placed his hands on her shoulders and held her in place. An electrical hum surrounded her. She tried to move away but couldn’t since he still held her.
“Relax, I’m scanning you for weapons and tracers.” He stood right behind her, his deep voice too close to her ear.
Her heart fluttered and she tried to let out a shaky breath without calling attention to herself. What was wrong with her? When the humming stopped, Cyn guided her again. She shuffled behind him, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Cyn’s blindfold worked perfectly and she couldn’t see a damn thing. He continued wordlessly, leading her by the hand.
When his hand released hers, she waited, listening intently. All she could hear was her own heartbeat. Finally, he removed her blindfold and she squinted at the brightly lit room.
“Damn! You brought a girl home. Who is she?” A teenage boy stared at her, his mouth forming an “O”. He got up from an oversized leather couch and ambled toward them. By the light blue tinge of his skin, she could tell he was part demon. He stood a few inches taller than her, was lean and in very good shape with well-defined arms. His shoulder length brown hair was messy, as if he hadn’t bothered to comb it in days. The teen’s deep blue eyes darted between her and Cyn as he waited for a response.
Cyn brushed past the youth and nudged him with his shoulder playfully. “Shut up Blue.”
The immense living room flowed into a pristine kitchen. With its openness and the high ceilings, the home fit the huge male perfectly.
Eyebrows raised, the teen's eyes swept over Emma from head to toe. Then he smiled and glanced over his shoulder at Cyn, “Super hot. Is she your girlfriend?”
Cyn didn’t answer him, but continued to a large stainless steel refrigerator and took out two bottles of water. He held one out to her.
Emma smiled at the boy as she walked around him to grab the drink.
After taking a few sips, she rolled the bottle between her hands and waited, unsure what to do. Both males studied her for several moments, not speaking. She felt awkward under their scrutiny and self-consciously swept a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“Nice kitchen,” she made an attempt at conversation.
Cyn gave a noncommittal grunt in response.
He leaned against the kitchen island and gulped down the water. He propped an elbow on the countertop and crossed his ankles. By his relaxed pose, one would think it was the most natural thing in the world to bring home a complete stranger.
Maybe it was.
Blue held up a finger to the Protector. He began to dig in his jeans pocket, then walked over and handed Cyn some wrinkled pieces of paper he’d dug out.
“Two calls from Uncle Kieran, he’s pissed. Another one is from some asshole who called about hiring you to kill his wife. He said he owns Universal Blood Banking, I think. Said she was a demon-bitch. Oh and Aunt Rachel called.” Cyn’s eyes flashed to Emma, but he waited patiently for Blue to finish. “She said we are supposed to come over for dinner tonight.”
All she could do was stare at them, amazed at how comfortable the boy was around the deadly Protector.
“Oh and I need a raise on my allowance. I’m not your secretary.”
Cyn looked up at the ceiling and then back to Blue. Emma held her breath, hoping he wasn’t about to strike the boy. Surprisingly, Cyn answered Blue good-naturedly, “Thank you for the messages Blue. Stop cussing so much. No on the allowance increase because you swear too much. I will take you to Rachel’s for dinner, even though I should ground you for… ”
“Yeah, yeah, I know too much swearing. Okay deal,” Blue replied with a wide smile while bobbing his head. Cyn cocked an eyebrow at the boy and motioned toward Emma with his head.
Blue turned to Emma, with a sheepish grin, “Sorry for cussing in front of you.”
Emma smiled and nodded at him. She had a hard time believing the scenario before her. Was Cyn a father? Was he married? Who was this deadly warrior exercising such patience with the half-demon teenager? Who was Rachel? His sister?
Cyn started to leave the kitchen, and then turned back as though she was an aftertho
ught. He barely glanced at her, “Blue, please show Emma where the spare bedroom is and don’t touch her.”
So he remembered her name.
Blue huffed, “Yes my Lord and Master Cyn. Anything else I can do for you?”
Cyn’s lips curved into a smile as he shook his head at the boy. His face transformed. His eyes sparkled, bright white even teeth competed with deep dimples for her attention. He took her breath away and she couldn’t help but stare with her mouth gaping wide open. How was it possible that he appeared more attractive every time she saw him?
“Smart Alec. Just do it Blue.” Cyn glanced over at her, still smiling and she snapped her mouth shut. “Emma, we’ll talk later after I return some calls,” he told her before he turned to walk away.
Emma frowned at Cyn’s retreating back, and then directed her attention to Blue. “Is that your real name? Blue?”
“Nope, my name is Argos. I keep telling Dad to call me Skyn.”
Her eyes widened. Oh my God. Did he just call Cyn ‘Dad’!
Blue continued to talk, not noticing her wide-eyed reaction, “But he won’t do it. I think it will make a good team name, when I become a Protector. Don’t you? Cyn and Skyn.”
Her heart began to pound, but she didn’t want Blue to see her distress. She couldn’t help but like the boy. “I think I can understand why he won’t call you Skyn. Its kind of silly. But I will call you Argos if you want?”
Blue scrunched his handsome face. He was going to be a hunk when he got older. “Nah, that’s my birthfather’s name and I hate his guts. So Blue works for me.”
“I’m Emma.” She held out her hand.
He put his hands up, as if in surrender and pointed at a small camera on the wall. “Can’t touch remember?” He made a face at the camera and motioned for her to follow. “I’ll show you to your room and then we can have a snack.”
Emma held back, she was dying to ask what his actual relationship was to Cyn and how he came to live with him. Emma could relate to an alternative family lifestyle, since she grew up in foster care.
Betrayal: Immortal Protectors, Book 1 Page 3
