by L. M. French
Oh my damn. Whimpering, I twitched when he pressed deeper, setting off another round of spasms. His lips licked at mine and I moaned. He finally stilled, brushing my hair back from my face as he searched my eyes. “You in there, firefly?”
I blamed the leg shaking orgasms. “You have a dirty mouth.”
He dropped his mouth to my ear. “You like my mouth almost as much as you like my fat cock. Sentinel.”
I clenched and he pulled back grinning devilishly. “Stay put.”
He pulled out and I swallowed a groan. Holy Hand Grenades Batman. He. Was. Stout.
Bay disappeared into the bathroom and I pulled the sheet back over my body where the air chilled my skin since the fire had long since died. Curled on my side, mind drifting into post-orgasm nothingness, I didn't register when Bay returned.
He pulled the sheet away to climb back in and pull me on top of him. Despite what had just happened, casual nudity was not in my nature but when I reached for the sheet he shushed me.
“Still.” He smacked my backside before sliding his hand back up my spine. When he reached my neck, he reversed trajectory and traveling down to the small of my back. Eventually, I forgot my discomfort and relaxed into the heat of his body.
We stayed that way for a while and my eyes slipped closed despite how he jostled me to pull the covers around us. I gave a half-hearted effort to move to the side but he squeezed, stilling my efforts.
“Bay?” I murmured.
His lips brushed the top of my head. “Hmm?”
“I think I like you too.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Veda
I had fallen asleep in Bay’s arms, a first for me. I didn't make connections easily. It didn't take a therapist to figure out I had deep rooted trust issue from my childhood.
Exhibit A: Abandonment.
Exhibit B: Ivory.
Exhibit C: His helicopter mom from hell.
No, my past experiences didn't prepare me for the Daenali alpha. Sex often left me feeling more than a little broken. Not emotionally-literally. Like maybe I was just not wired the same as other women. I knew good sex was a thing- Orsha, Frank’s fiancée, was appalling open about the topic and had left me unable to look the man in his eyes on more than one occasion. But I had never been able to relate.
I mean, hot and sweaty was a relative experience when a whole person was heaving and grunting on top of you. But all-consuming passion? Undeniable lust? It was a foreign concept to me. At least until last night.
If I continued down this road with Bay I had a feeling that would not be an issue.
I shifted, feeling a chill where Bay’s body heat had kept me warm, when I registered the feel of grass against my skin and realized I was no longer in bed.
Was it too much to ask to wake up in the same place I went to sleep?
I opened my eyes to slits trying to gauge where I was and who might be there when a familiar voice spoke.
“I see y'all have worked out your differences,” Sailas remarked dryly.
It was about then I realized I was very much little spoon to Bay’s big spoon and that he had ridiculous reflexes when he dragged me swiftly under him to crouch over me. He snarled deeply until he realized who was sitting mere feet away staring at him drolly.
The sound stopped abruptly and he blinked. “Sailas?”
“Do you think you could manifest some clothes? While I appreciate you're both consenting adults you are practically my daughter.”
Bay straightened to his full height and pulled me up with him. “How ‘bout you tell us where the fuck your body is, old man? Then we’ll stop offending your delicate sensibilities and go get your pain-in-the ass before more of my men die.”
Bay’s voice was lethal. I quickly thought “not naked” thoughts and voila pants.
We were at Callio Lake and I had not forgotten the last time I had visited Sai here. “Maybe we could all take a deep breath and figure out what’s going on.” I suggested. We shouldn't have been able get here without a Travelers Stone and not together.
“Maybe Sai should tell me why I'm working so hard to save a man that clearly wants to die.”
Now wait a damn minute. “Maybe because the territories need their king? Maybe because my morally bankrupt brother and the holy rolling robe rockers are trying to kill me? Maybe- and stick with me here- maybe because breeds we haven't seen in centuries are coming out of the woodwork to wage war and we have no idea how to stop them!”
I was done. D.O.N.E. DONE.
I stomped over to stand in front of Sailas and jabbed him in the chest with my finger. “Now you are going to tell us where your body is or give us a damn good reason why not.”
He grabbed my shoulders. “I told you not to come back here, Veda.”
“Yeah you didn't explain that either.” And as much hated it to admit it I was starting to doubt him.
“It’s not important.”
“Of course it isn't! Why should we blindly follow orders when everything is falling down around our ears?”
“I am YOUR KING,” he roared.
“Then ACT LIKE IT!”
We were nose to nose chest heaving when Bay pulled me back against his chest.
Sai groaned and swiped a hand down his face. He pinned Bay with a look. “Kill Ivory. I should have done it before-”
“Before you abandoned us?” My voice was petulant and I gave not one fuck.
“I didn't abandon you,” he stated tightly, “I’m trying to protect you.”
“You left her vulnerable to Ivory and your priests. How is that protecting her?” Bay’s asked callously.
“The priests? They're the ‘holy robe rockers’?”
“They tried to take her into custody. For the trials.”
Sai froze and as we watched turned a vivid shade of red. Uh oh.
“WHAT?”
Lightning cracked and thunder boomed as the trees swayed violently around us. Sai’s yellow eyes swirled as he snarled. “After all this time- they think I had to let them survive? That I was weak? Sentimental?” He paced furiously and the wind whipped my hair around my face. Bay moved me to his side as if he thought he’d need to shield me soon.
“This is what benevolence reaps!” Sai’s voice boomed. Literally the ground shook as a tree fell the crack deafening to my ears.
Bay took two steps and grabbed Sailas by his shoulders. Sai fought him But bay held on. “We need you. We need you, Sai. Throw all the temper tantrums you want here but it won’t fix our problems in the real world.”
“Who?” Sai asked.
Bay shook his head confused. “I don’t-”
“Who did we lose?” Sai’s rage seemed to deflate.
Bay dropped his hands from Sai’s shoulders and stepped back. “Phineas.”
“How?”
“Reaping beetles.”
Sai became so still I began to worry he was going to lose it again. I peeked at the trees around us nervously. If he knocked another one down someone was getting clobbered.
“That’s not possible. I destroyed them all. Wiped them from existence.”
I swallowed. “There were thousands.”
It was hard to describe the look on his face. Ruined.
“This was what you meant by breeds returning,” He sighed.
Uh.. “Well, that and the Lovely Din.”
“And the Horde,” Bay added.
He looked thunderstruck.
“Please Sailas, tell us where you are and we’ll guide you home.”
A twig broke behind me. “Yes, please Sailas, return to the bosom of your loving subjects. They’re gonna need some hand-holding.”
A man I didn’t recognize stepped from the trees smirking. I turned my body to keep him in my sight while he meandered around towards Sai. “Tell me, did you think we’d never get loose?”
The derision in his tone put me on edge. “Who are you?”
Sai seemed frozen. Absolutely poleaxed by this man’s appearance. He was tall like
the men beside me but that’s where the similarities ended. I could see brands on every inch of exposed skin. They started just under his jaw disappearing under the black tee shirt he wore only to reappear from under his shirt sleeves to crawl all the way down his arms. Something told me if he were to undress we’d find them everywhere.
I threw a concerned glance at Bay. Before the stranger could get closer to Sai, Bay blocked his advance. “Answer the question. Who. The. Fuck. Are. You?”
Instead of answering Bay the stranger turned to me. His eyes ran up my body and our eyes locked. Yellow. His eyes were yellow. I knew only one being with yellow eyes and he was behind me.
“Hello, love. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
I raised my eyebrow. “Sorry, I can’t say the same.”
Bay stepped deep into this guy’s space. “Why are you here?”
Stranger Danger winked and nodded in my direction. “I’m here for her.”
Before I could blink Bay lifted him off his feet by his throat and slammed him into the ground. “You’re going to be disappointed.”
“Doubt it,” The crazy bastard grinned.
It was then I felt a sharp pinch on my side. “Don’t move.”
Now that voice I did know. “Myra.”
Bay had frozen, claws out about to eviscerate the crazy motherfucker.
A glance down showed a knife in her hand. While normally I’d feel safe here, she’d hurt me physically the last time. I wasn't sure how so I erred on the side of caution. Instead of addressing Myra I looked down. “What’s your name?” I asked exasperated.
“Call me Ace, babe.”
“I take it she’s a friend of yours?” I gestured to Myra.
“Actually, she’s a friend of yours.”
Sailas finally came unstuck. “Veda, you need to wake up now.”
“No, not until you tell us where you are.”
“I’ll tell, Bay.” He was panicked. Sailas was never panicked. What the hell was happening?
“We both know if I wake up its likely he will too.”
“As entertaining as this is, we have a schedule,” Myra grabbed my hair and pulled my head to the side.
Bay roared as Ace reared up and grabbed him in a headlock.
The knife slid against the skin of my nape right under my hair line and it burned. As quick as she was there Myra was gone and Sai was cradling me against his body.
Bay used his claws like knives punching holes in Ace’s torso but the lunatic just laughed. Instead, he opened his arms wide. “That the best you can do? Who’d have thought the alpha of the Daenali Wolves was a fucking pussy.”
“Bay no!” Sai shouted. My vision wavered but I watched as Bay punched deep into Ace’s chest and ripped out his heart. It beat pulsing in his palm.
“Holy shit,” I was...impressed? My neck burned and my vision tripled.
Sai and Bay were arguing but it sounded like it was coming from the end of a tunnel.
“You have no idea-”
‘-protect her I will!”
“I thought there was more time!”
My vision cleared and I found myself watching as they stood nose to nose neither willing to back off. Hearing in surround sound made me wince as they argued. “For the love of maiden and crone will you two give it a rest?”
You should not be able to get testosterone poisoning in a dream.
“How do you feel?” Bay crouched and lifted my hair off my neck to inspect the wound. “It’s closed.”
“It burns a little but it’s not bad,” I looked at Sai. “Is this the reason you didn't want me to come back here?”
He looked away. “It’s one of them yes.”
“Keeping secrets is killing us.” Bay stood. “When I swore my loyalty and the loyalty of my pack you swore an oath to us as well. You’re betraying it.”
His eyes begged for forgiveness. “My body is interred in the Shadows.”
My head snapped back as if he’d slapped me. “The priests have your body? They’ve had it the whole time? How? Why?”
“Because we made a deal.” For the first I time in my life Sailas wouldn’t look me in the eyes.
“You son of a bitch.” Bay looked like he wanted to rip Sai’s heart out this time.
“Bay-”
“No. We get you back in your body and keep Veda safe. Beyond that you and I do not have business. Am I clear?” Bay stood in front of me as if Sai were the threat.
“It won’t be easy they’re not going to hand over my vessel willingly,” Sai warned.
“I didn’t plan to ask.”
“What was the deal?” I needed to understand. Not trusting him to tell me the truth hurt.
The guilt on his face made my stomach sick. “They knew you were different. I made a mistake when I asked Grakel to assess you when you were found. I thought I had convinced him he was wrong and I marked you as a sentinel.”
“Your saying she’s not a sentinel?” Bay asked.
I’m sorry, what? “Wait of course I’m a sentinel, I can navigate doors. Only sentinels can navigate doors.”
“Well, that’s not entirely true is it?” Bay asked nastily.
Sai could use the doors. Hell, he could theoretically time travel.
I shook my head. This didn’t make any sense. “I don't understand how you being here protects me. It pretty clearly did the exact opposite.”
“They were supposed to protect you and in return I would agree to tie myself to a mortal host. As an act of contrition for my perceived wrongdoings.”
Senevia’s fanatical ravings filtered through my mind. They wanted him to pay penance for wiping out his own people.
“Did you actually think they'd do it? Protect me when my powers are destructive?”
He frowned. “Who told you that?”
“Myra. This isn't the first time we've met.”
“Veda-”
Light eclipsed my sight before everything dimmed. I was seeing spots when Ozias’ face swam in my vision. “Oz?”
He hugged me to him and Pike voice came from behind me. “Easy, Commander. We’ve been trying to wake y’all for over an hour.”
I looked over my shoulder and saw Bay’s hand around Pike’s throat. The abruptness of our return was disorienting. One minute I was standing in front of Sai and the next I was lying in Oz’s arms.
Bay released Pike’s neck and looked around. “We were with Sailas in a swamp-”
“It’s a lake actually.” I injected.
He threw me an exasperated look. “Is that the critical piece of information you’re gonna focus on?”
My body is interred in the Shadows.
I pulled back from Oz and jumped from the bed. “We have to go.”
“Ah, Veda-”
“Did you hear me we have to go. Bay tell him-”
Pike coughed. “Maybe you want to cover your ass, seal-bearer.”
I froze feeling the breeze across my exposed skin. Clearly my manifested clothes did not make the journey back.
“Not that we’re complaining.” Emerick supplied helpfully from the door.
With as much dignity as a wet cat I snapped up my robe and tied it.
Turning I found Emerick and Jericho just inside the suite and Pike and Oz flanking Bay on the bed. All five of them were grinning.
“You all suck.”
Bay called out. “Firefly, we need to talk.”
“Ooohh, firefly. That’s cute.” Emerick teased.
I flipped them off over my shoulder. ”I need my knives.” And answers. I couldn’t ignore the feeling that Sai was hiding something.
Bay climbed out of the bed clearly unbothered with our audience. “We need to debrief and come up with a plan. We’re not running off half-cocked.”
My eyes dropped to the obvious bulge his pants failed to hide and I raised my eyebrow. Evidently, life or death situations didn't trump morning wood.
“Eyes up sentinel.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
I returned.
“Someone want to fill us in?” Pike tossed pants at Bay who dragged them up his legs without taking his eyes off me.
I swallowed. “Sai's body is in the Shadows.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Bay
Everyone was filled in on our visit with Sailas and they were taking it as well as could be expected when the guy you gave your loyalty to for hundreds of years had fucked off to place’s unknown leaving you to clean up the mess. They went through the inevitable stages of shock and fury providing me with the opportunity to slip back into my room to clean up and throw on fresh clothes. Now we were all back in the suite waiting for Veda to get over her embarrassment and come out of the bathroom.
“Remember when our days were all ripping organs out of disrespectful vamps and witches? I miss that,” Emerick grumbled from where he was sprawled across an armchair.
“His eyes were yellow?” Ozias asked again.
He was the first to make the connection but I hadn’t expected anything else. Nothing got past him, that's what made him such an effective tracker. There was no such thing as a small detail.
At my nod he cursed.
“Why is his eye color important?” Jericho asked. It was easy to forget he was the youngest in our clan.
“Know anyone else with a swirly pair of yellow peepers?” Emerick asked helpfully.
“Okay, so Sai’s body is in the Shadows. Grakel probably moved the last of his guard there after he lost Veda,” Oz concluded. “Sai’s right, they won't just hand him over.”
“So, we kill them,” Pike stated absently as he stood staring out the window.
“The last of the Timorii? We just slaughter them all?” Jericho asked.
“You have a better idea?” Pike turned to face him. “Whoever Ace is, he’s clearly got one thing on his mind and it doesn’t end well. We’re past taking prisoners. If they want war we kill them. Else they’re gonna keep coming back ‘til they pick us off one by one.”
“Isn’t that what triggered all this? Sai’s feeling guilty for killing his own people to end a war? And we’re gonna, what? Finish the job?” Jericho argued.
“No, the trigger for all this is in the bathroom and we’ve got to figure out how to use it,” Pike countered.
