Something passed over Hudson’s face. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “I’ve lost a lot of friends over the years to that.”
“Two years ago, rogue bounty hunters showed up here to take one of my friends. He’d done nothing wrong. They didn’t want to listen to reason. They attacked Jude and the rest of us who tried to protect the man in question. They said we were aiding a criminal. I, umm, sort of—”
Shona snorted. “You—sort of—put the whammy on their asses, held them pinned to the ceiling and ordered the Elders to open a link with you.”
Hudson’s eye widened, his attention on me. “You ordered the Elders to do something.”
Shona answered for me. “Yeah and they did, instantly. She lit into them about not making sure all of their bounty hunters were trained to sense an innocent from an evil one. They don’t have trials. They drop them at slayer facilities and Guardian training locations to be used in simulations and executed. She made them scan our friend, and the second they did they realized they’d have killed an innocent man. We’ve been doing it ever since.”
Hudson stared at me, seeming to size me up. “How good is your ability to sense the difference?”
Letting my natural abilities kick in, I tipped my head slightly. “You’ve always appeared hard, uncaring and cocky to everyone. But that’s only one side of you. If your co-workers had to pick one Guardian who was closest to turning to the darkness, they’d pick you and you know it. You feel yourself teetering on the edge at times and have entertained giving in to it so many times in your life you’ve lost count.”
Taking a step towards him, I touched his arm lightly while I gave him a soft smile. “Something shifted for you about twenty years ago. You stopped thinking about giving in so much and found a form of peace. Or the closest thing to peace a Guardian can have. The bottom dropped out on you a few years ago—you lost someone important to you. But you’re no stranger to loss. You lost someone long ago—a brother, yes, a brother, and you’ve never really gotten over that either. You’re now tiptoeing on the line between good and bad. The fact you’re aware of it is what’s kept you from stepping over the line. The idea of harming an innocent still sickens you. And very, very recently something sparked the desire to hang on just in case. Someone gave you hope that you might be wrong. I’ve no clue what the just in case is. I only pick up how many times someone’s been close to the line and how many times they’ve crossed it.”
Shona glanced at the ceiling and whistled. “Ain’t that a bitch when she tosses in how you have a soft spot? She did that to me the second day I met her. She was right and it only pissed me off more.”
Swallowing hard, Hudson took my hand in his. “That’s a hell of an ice breaker you got there. Does this mean I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell at taking you out? I’m thinking my living on the edge isn’t a selling point. Damn, I normally never lose a wager.”
Touching his face lightly, I closed my eyes and read him a bit more. “It won’t be your call, Hudson. They’re gunning for you, but you don’t see it. The dark ones want to push you over the edge. They know how to do it too. They’ll take what you love most. If they succeed, you won’t fight the crossover and they know it. You’ve lost too much, too many people you love already in your life. You need to surround yourself with people who will fight to keep you on our team.”
Shona cackled but didn’t sound amused. Far from it. “Wonderful, I gave my blessing to a potential mass murderer. I’m sorry, hon. If he goes freaky on you, I’ll never forgive myself.”
Shaking my head, I looked at Hudson. “He’d never hurt me. He doesn’t even know he’s radiating the negative energy he’d have directed at anyone else who dared to read him without his permission and then share it with others. Never once in the time I’ve been reading him has he thought about anything remotely close to hurting me.”
He touched my hand lightly. “Shona, do you get the sense my soon-to-be wife is trying to butter me up?”
“Yeah, want me to have her lube you up instead?”
Rolling my eyes, I mentally pulled away from the reading and put my hand out. A tiny pinball-sized white orb appeared in it. I held my hand out to Hudson. “Here you go. Sorry about that.”
Shona gasped. “If you give him that, he’ll be immune to you reading him ever again. If he’s hanging around to guard some guy we all know, then you’ll be at risk if he ever takes a swan dive to the other side.”
“No I won’t.” I kept my gaze on Hudson’s face. “I’d bet my life, which basically I am, that even if he became the devil’s henchman, he wouldn’t hurt me. I have no clue why I think that, but I go with my gut.” I held my hand up more to him. “You should take this. I never pick up that much from a stranger, so it’s wrong for me to keep it. You’re entitled to your privacy.”
Hudson took hold of my wrist and guided my hand back towards my body. He positioned it in front of my chest and pressed the orb back into me. It took me a second to realize he’d pressed it in where my heart is. He winked at me. “How many times do I have to tell you we’re not strangers? And I think it’s best my wife knows what I’m thinking. Do you have anything that will clue me in on you? It would head off a lot of arguments.”
Tess appeared next to us, laughing softly. “I will so marry him if you won’t.”
I needed to think about anything other than Hudson. He was too disconcerting to my reality. Glancing out at the girls, I found Pennie struggling with the routine. “I need to go help out.”
“Why, are they just dancing and flipping around?” asked Hudson.
We all stared at him. Tess and Shona pressed their lips together tight and took a few steps away from him. He gave them a “what?” look. They glanced at me, already knowing I’d be the one to set him straight. The girls were training. They weren’t dancing around foolishly.
“They’re learning how to concentrate on more than just the enemy before them, they’re increasing their flexibility and, most importantly, if they’re shutting off and listening to music in their heads…”
Hudson smiled, dawning lighting on his face. “They’re blocking the vampires from scanning their thoughts.”
I was impressed he followed along that quickly. Some men didn’t. “And if I teach them to think of the enemy as a dance partner they got stuck with then they what…?
“Let them lead when they need to and anticipate what comes next,” Hudson said sounding fascinated.
Nodding, I walked away from him and went out to help Pennie. She stared up at me with wide, pleading eyes. “I’m trying really hard.”
Pennie was the smallest of the group and they had a tendency to remind her of that. They each stood a head taller than her. She was the one who doubted herself the most. “Honey, you know this all by heart. Someone was picking on you again, weren’t they?” I gave a warning look at the rest of the girls. They all looked guilty. “Just because Pennie is small does not mean she can’t get the job done. She’s just going to be doing it a bit differently.
I put my hands up. “I’m five-four. Jude is six-five and much stronger than I am. We don’t do things the same way. Do we?”
They all shook their heads no.
“Right. So, does that mean I’m wrong and he’s right? Or vice versa?”
Olivia put her hand up. “Umm, you’re always right and Jude is always wrong. That’s what Jude said anyways.”
Every one of the adults laughed, including me. Shaking my head, I put my hand up and flicked my wrist. “Charlie.”
8
Chapter 8
Cool energy floated around me and I smiled when I felt Franco, a master vampire and elder—though he didn’t like people knowing that part—giving me a magikal hug.
“Ah, Ryan, I do so wish you would tell me why you call me Charlie. The clues Shona gave me did not help. I have no speaker box, nor do I call the three of you angels. You are anything but.” He sighed. I snickered. “I was wondering when you would be contacting me. After you’re done yellin
g at me for sending a rather gruff Guardian to watch over you, you should know I did so at Jude’s request.”
The Guardian was for me?
“You’re Ryan?” Hudson asked sounding shocked.
Glancing over my shoulder at him, I smiled. “Sorry, I thought I introduced myself.”
“No. You didn’t. I was just thinking of you as hot to start with and then mine thereafter. A name hadn’t come up.” Hudson stormed towards me. Shona made a move to go after him. I shook my head no. Instantly, I found myself being lifted off the ground and turned. Staring at Hudson who now wore a scowl on his face, I smiled softly attempting to diffuse the situation, giving him my two-dimpled one.
He relaxed a bit. “Franco, tell me my new charge named Ryan is not a tiny, sassy knockout who looks like she’ll break if I hold her too tight. Tell me Ryan is a guy who needs a hand saving his neck from the biggest threats from the darkness.” He sighed. “Come on. I’m not asking for much. Please don’t let it be the li’l thing I’m looking at now. Franco, you told me Ryan was a competent warrior. This is not a competent warrior. This is a woman I’m dying to be alone with, and it’s not her fighting moves I’m interesting in seeing.”
Oh, no he did not just say that.
My mouth dropped and my temper flared. I let loose, not caring if my southern drawl made its appearance. “Franco, this had better be a joke. A sick joke. I’m not havin’ this…this…overgrown thang loomin’ over me because he can’t possibly fathom a woman being capable of doin’ much more than bearin’ his children and sittin’ pretty by his side! He comes off all sweet and sexy but he is a pigheaded as The Powers and can go—”
Hudson narrowed his gaze on me. Pulling me close, he tightened his grip on me. “Overgrown thang? Well, Tennessee, I’ll have you know that each’n every bit of me is as overgrown as the thang standin’ before you now. Take a good look. You’ll be seeing me all the damn time. In fact, I’ll be with you twenty-four hours a day from here on out, sweet-pea.” His breathing was heavy now and it stirred things in me I didn’t want to think about.
I let my gaze go hard. “Don’t you sweet-pea me. Only one man in my life has gotten away with that and not ended up permanently injured.” I glanced down at his groin. “I’m not thinkin’ you’re gonna come out of this sittin’ pretty. So, take your cattle-cutting ass back to Texas. I don’t need you here.”
His dark eyes lit, and for a moment I had no clue how to take the look he gave me. My gaze went to his full lips and my pulse sped. Kissing him would be wrong, right?
“If the two of you would be so kind as to stop yelling at one another, then we can settle this without a shootout at high noon,” Franco said softly, though annoyance rode his voice and his power.
“There is nothing to settle, Franco. Take him back. I don’t—” I tried to say.
Hudson’s mouth captured mine fast. I didn’t move. Couldn’t move. He tasted so sweet, so deliciously familiar that my gut tightened. The second our tongues wrapped around one another, Hudson’s hands were sliding down my body. When he reached the backs of my thighs, he lifted them and pulled me to him tight. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I gasped at the feel of his hard sculpted body between my legs. He smelled so right—a light, woodsy scent mixed with a hint of morning dew. If he’d had the smell of sawdust on him as well, I’d have thought for sure he was Cowboy.
My tongue followed his lead, but I gave back as good as I got. Our kiss was aggressive. A battle all in itself. One I was more than happy to fight. A low, throaty growl emanated from him as I ran my hands up and into his tousled hair. I wanted him naked and soon.
“Shona? Are you near?” Franco asked.
“Uhh, umm,” Shona stuttered. “Yeah, and so are twenty young girls.”
Franco chuckled. “I take it from the sounds of things that Hudson is making sure he and Ryan have settled their differences. I shall pass the word to the Elders to send the new batch of detainees to another station. You do not need to be bothered with it today.”
He closed the link.
I sensed Shona near us, but couldn’t seem to tear my mouth free from Hudson’s. Our heads moved back and forth and our tongues followed suit. Tiny moans escaped me as well. Hudson pulled back slightly and smiled as he continued to kiss me. Biting at his lips playfully, I made him growl again as he came at my mouth forcefully. I loved every second of it.
Tiny giggles filtered in from all around us. We froze, our tongues still locked. Opening my eyes slowly, I found Hudson doing the same. We drew back from each other’s mouths, but I stayed in his arms. He didn’t seem to mind. He turned us slowly.
All twenty girls stood next to Tess and Shona. Each one’s eyes were wide and smiles covered almost all of their faces. Steffy stood there with her arms folded, giving me a hard look. I didn’t address the issue. It was a matter for a private moment. She was a big Jude supporter, and I already knew she wasn’t happy to see me moving on.
Tess smiled. “Well, it looks as though I may be knocked out of the running in the marry-him race.”
“Did anyone else think they might explode into a county fair or bluegrass band with the amount of twang they had going on there?” Shona asked, winking at me. “Trust you to find a cowboy in California.”
I averted my gaze and blushed. “You think everyone with a southern drawl is a cowboy.”
“They aren’t?” asked Shona.
“Hey,” Hudson said softly. “Does this mean I win the friendly wager? You’re going on a dinner, non-dinner date with me?”
I wiggled, trying to get down. Hudson held me effortlessly. I groaned. “Okay, you’re layin’, er, laying it on a bit thick. Put me down, lover boy.”
“There she goes again, tucking the country away.” Shona shot me a wicked smile. “I’m just curious how he knew you were from Tennessee. Come to think of it, how did you know he’s from Texas? That’s assuming you were right.”
“Huh?” I wasn’t following.
She pointed between us. “Yeah, he called you Tennessee and you told him to take his cattle-cutting butt back to Texas.”
Laughing, I shrugged. “Who knows? One of you probably called me that since he’s been here, and if he is from Texas then I most likely plucked it out of his head without knowing it. It could happen.”
Tess tapped her wristwatch. “Ryan, you have less than an hour. You need to wrap this up for today. You-know-who will be coming back soon with Ben.”
I pressed on Hudson’s chest and he let me down. “Nag. Nag. Nag.”
Tess tapped her foot. “Go, get cleaned up. Take your Guardian with you or the girls will just keep staring at his butt.”
All the girls laughed. Hudson moved closer to me.
“Yes, ma’am, but do I have to take the Guardian? Can’t he stay and play with all of you?”
Hudson grabbed my hand, panic in his gaze at the idea of being left with twenty teenage girls. We all laughed at that.
The second I felt the rush of power from above I stopped laughing. Looked like I wasn’t going to be able to wrap up our last training day and celebration early. The Powers That Be had other plans. And it was very clear they’d not gotten Franco’s message on letting us off early. “Girls, get to the stage! Tess, toss your power over them to keep them safe and shielded from what we say. Shona, get ready, The Powers are ignoring Franco’s wish about the dark ones.”
“You’re shitting me.”
“Nope.”
9
Chapter 9
Hudson took hold of my arm lightly. “What’s going on?”
“We’re about to play with some bad guys.” I ran towards the stage with the girls. I stood against it and began to scan the area with my power, waiting to sense where they’d all drop in on us. This wouldn’t be the first time the girls watched how we dealt with the threat, but that didn’t mean I wanted them standing in the landing zone. For some reason The Powers’ aim was total shit most days.
Hudson ran right behind me. “Play?” His brows
drew together.
I grabbed my sweater and yanked it over my head fast. Using my power, I wrapped my hair in a fast twist and secured it tight, ensuring it would stay out of my eyes and hopefully out of the hands of the enemy. Some fought like whiny little bitches and were hair pullers.
“Ryan, are you going to put some different bottoms on. You keep losing weight and those are a hairsbreadth from falling off,” Tess said as I turned back to face her and Hudson.
The reason for my weight loss wasn’t intentional. I didn’t like talking about it, and as far as I knew, Jude was the only one who knew the full truth. At least the only one who walked among the living, that was.
I thought of Porter and wondered if he’d pop in and make another appearance. He normally wasn’t gone from me this long. He had taken to checking in on me nearly hourly of late. He’d not come around again since Hudson’s arrival.
Odd.
The urge to introduce Hudson to him was great, though there would be a few hiccups—namely, I was the only person who could hear him and sense him, outside of Jude, of course. But still, he was my friend.
“Uh, we’re all in clothes that suck for this,” said Shona. “We thought we were just having a party and some light training. We should have known better.”
“I’ll fix that.” Waving my hand in the air, I put the three of us in leather. Shona got a tight black cotton top and a pair of black leather pants and boots. Tess got a red leather top and a pair of stretch leather flare bottoms. I gave myself a tiny white bra-like leather top that contained my breasts—barely—and a pair of low but skintight white leather pants that expanded into flare bottoms. I added a pair of white leather boots to it too. It was an outfit Eliza would have loved and a slight nod to her memory.
Crossing Hudson (The Guardians Book 2) Page 7
