by C. A. Salo
Livi frowned. “Like what?” she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Barrett’s eyes went straight to her chest. “Well, sweetheart, you’d have to be a guy for me to tell you, and no one would ever mistake you for the opposite sex.”
Livi’s brow lifted with a smirk on her lips. “You don’t say.”
* * * *
Livi smiled softly as she walked the wooded path from Beven Manor toward the store. She’d had a good talk with Mari about what was happening and made her promise she’d stay indoors or with Rhys if she went out.
“Why do you continue to skirt the rules?”
Livi looked to the left to see Tommy, dressed in his black uniform of BDU pants, t-shirt and combat boots, walking toward her. She snarled when her pussy contracted. “Are you following me?”
“And if I was?”
“I’d tell you to beat feet.” Livi’s smile dropped as he came closer.
“I never said I couldn’t stand the sight of you. Those words came from your mouth.”
Her gaze narrowed. “I’m not the one who backed away and stayed there.”
“With good reason, and you still haven’t learned a lesson obviously.”
She tilted her head to meet his eyes as Tommy stood a good foot taller than her own five-four. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“How easily you flirt with men you don’t know. Is that what Triton has been teaching you all these years?”
“Up yours, ass-wipe.” Going to step around him, Livi gasped when he grabbed her arm hauling her to his chest.
“Are you even a virgin still or have you come into season?” he growled.
Livi jerked her arm away from him and stepped back. “What the hell does it matter to you? It’s not like you are.”
“That’s different.”
“The hell it is. I know Lyken males start the full moon mating between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, when was yours, Tommy? When did you take your first bitch?” she snapped.
“If I don’t take a pack bitch when the mating urge comes, I could die, Olivia. You know this,” he snapped back.
“So what? Why is it such a big deal if I’ve had sex or not? I’m twenty-eight years old.”
Tommy growled, his canines elongating. “Have you come into season yet?”
“Yes!”
“With who?”
Livi’s canines descended from her anger over this stupid conversation and yelled the first thing that came to mind. “The Prince of Atlantis!”
“There’s five of them!”
Livi took a deep breath and smiled at him as she stepped away, tossing her hair like a diva over her shoulder as she turned her back to him and walked away. There’d only been one man she’d been with and she wasn’t telling Tommy it was him—yet. It was about five months ago when she went into season and her mating instinct kicked up. She was drawn back here to Alston during the full moon and she did something she’d never done before. Olivia had transformed to Fae instead of her Lyken wolf form. Tommy had no idea it was her and she’d never told him, she’d just shown up every full moon to mate with him since then.
Livi gasped when Tommy flash-stepped in front of her, grabbed her aggressively and planted his mouth on hers hard.
“I’ll wipe him from your mind,” he snarled before letting her go and taking off.
Livi stumbled, stunned. Her fingers lifted to her lips as a soft smile appeared.
* * * *
Livi entered the chamber halls in ceremonial robes and took a deep breath as she stopped right outside the Elder Council door. She remembered coming here when she was eight and had to sit on the wooden bench for what seemed like hours before being called in only to find out that her father’s family lived in Alston and sat before her on the council. She glanced up as two of Alston’s security force members came her way.
“They’re ready to receive you. Are you ready?” Tommy asked.
Livi nodded. “Yeah.” She knew Tommy was here because he was second in charge to security, right under his father Galen who ran the department as her father had before he took over as Alpha of the Roven Clan. Looking over she smiled at Peter, a friend from school and from the Beven Vampire Coven. “Hey, Peter.”
“Livi, don’t be so nervous, half your family is up there.” Peter smiled.
“Yeah I know, but it’s still nerve wracking to go in front of the entire council.”
“You’ve known them since you came here,” Tommy said as he lifted her hand, squeezing gently. “You’ll do great.”
Her nostrils flared with a deep breath. “Okay then, let’s get going before I puke.”
“Oh, you’re a good Guardian,” Peter chuckled as he motioned for the door attendant to open the door.
“Has nothing to do with public speaking.” Livi noticed Tommy let her hand slide out of his slowly as he moved away to take his post slightly behind her as they stepped toward the opening door. Her stomach churned as his presence fell behind her and she knew he was standing just inside the door as it closed and she made her way to the center. Not only Pappy sat on the Fae side, but also her father as Alpha and her Grandfather Gwil sat on the Lyken side, as well as her Uncle Rhys as he was the leader of the Beven Coven of Vampires.
“Go ahead, dear.” Noela of the Elves smiled.
Livi smiled back. “I’ve asked for an Elder Council to discuss what Triton and I learned while training in Greenland. Alston is going to be infiltrated, not by Other Kin, but by Dragon Hunters. They are targeting Mari and her unborn kit. Due to no fault of Mari’s, someone leaked about a Dragon on our land. This person went far to cover their tracks, having no idea that loyal Alstonians were in the area.”
“Who was it?” Drake Roven asked.
Livi breathed deeply. “Someone Alston will never have to worry about again.”
Drake’s brows furrowed. “Are you telling me you killed the traitor to Alston?”
Livi cleared her throat. “Yes, after we secured the information we needed from him in order to find this tribe of Hunters.”
Drake slammed his fist on the council table. “Damn it, Livi, you know the law is to bring them back.”
“I apologize for breaking the law, Father, and will take any consequences the council demands, but this needed to be handled quickly to keep from being noticed by the Hunters.”
“So you’re telling me Triton, who I entrusted you to, let you kill someone?”
“I’m twenty-eight years old Dad, hardly the naive child I was when I left, and I had no choice. The idiot rushed me and I took what measures I needed to, in order to make sure he never opened his mouth again.”
When her father went to say something again, her Uncle Rhys put his hand on Drake’s arm.
“Livi,” Rhys said. “Where was Triton while this was happening?”
“Fighting a Dragon Hunter who showed up to meet our traitor. We had no choice but to silence the situation immediately.”
“And the bodies?” Elder Morgan of the Druids asked.
“We gave them to the Hafgufa sea monster of Greenland as food. Triton has kept the beast peaceful and hiding for centuries by bringing the bodies of fresh humans or Other Kin who die at sea so it doesn’t go on the hunt.”
“Gentlemen, let’s get back on the subject at hand,” Noela said. “Livi, how many tribes of Hunters are coming?”
Livi’s hands fisted as she breathed deeply. “We know of two: the one not too far from Alston and another. We also know they were trying to call in back-up. All they know is Mari’s here and she’s mated with a Vampire. At this time intel tells us they have no idea Alston is inhabited with Other Kin or that different Other Kin thrive, except for Vampires. And they’re not even sure about Vamps as they’ve never captured one to study. Dragon Hunters as a whole are unaware to everything around them except for finding, capturing, and killing anyone with Dragon blood. If they can take a Dragon shifter alive, they will, in all essence, torture them to gain weapons from their victims. T
hey have no weapons for anything but Dragons.” Taking a deep breath, Livi started turning in Tommy’s direction. “Yesterday we had a Dragon Hunter spy sneak his way onto Alston.” She met Tommy’s gaze as his eyes narrowed. “A young man came into Pappy’s store saying he lost his wallet and he needed a job to secure funds to leave. The name he gave is Barrett Jameson, and he’s a Hunter.” When Tommy’s eyes widened and his jaw tensed, she faced the council again. “He’s not very easily read. That’s why the telepaths didn’t pick up on him at the borders. He has charms to protect him from Dragons but that’s all. He thinks Alston is a small tourist town for people to come see the leaves changing.”
“So your human grandfather’s gifts have shown themselves to you as well?” Eva of the Fae asked.
“Yes, I’ve had the gift since I can remember.” Turning her head when Tommy stepped next to her, she met his gaze briefly before he spoke.
“We need to bring the Hunter in and interrogate him before the others arrive,” Tommy said.
“No,” Livi said, meeting his gaze again. “We need to let him think Mari is by herself here. We need to find out what he knows.”
“How, Livi?” Tommy asked as he turned to her fully. “By flirting with him and putting yourself in danger?”
“If need be,” she said coming toe to toe with him.
“The hell you will,” he growled.
Her eyes narrowed, head tilted. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Alright you two, enough,” Drake said.
Livi lifted her lip, snarling at Tommy before turning to her father. When his brow lifted, she just stood there.
“Posture, Olivia,” Pappy chuckled.
Livi lowered her hand from her hip and stood there silently as Tommy stepped back. “I know what I’m doing. If I for one moment think I’m in danger I will send up an alert. I’m not a baby anymore. I’m a warrior and a Guardian of Alston. I know what’s expected of me and I’ve trained with the best. Do not take this away from me.”
“Why don’t you wait out in chambers while we convene,” Gavril Beven of the Vampires announced.
Livi lowered her head, bowing to show him respect, before she took a step back and then turned, meeting Tommy’s gaze on the way out.
“You know you’re a piece of work,” Tommy exclaimed once the council doors shut.
Livi turned as Peter stepped away. “Excuse me?”
“Why in the hell would you want to cozy up to a Dragon Hunter to gather intel when we could bring him in? Do you get off on it, Livi? Does it excite you to seduce a man and then rip him apart?”
“You’re so full of shit,” she snapped.
“Really? I’m not the one who volunteered to stay flirty and kiss on the enemy.”
Livi growled as she stepped toward him, her balled fists by her side. “I’m not kissing on anyone damn it, and why in the hell would you care?”
“The Hunter should be brought in for questioning instead of playing your games!”
“That’s not your decision to make.”
“You are playing with fire!”
“He won’t break as easily as you think, Tommy. The one you have down in interrogation hasn’t said a damn word, has he? No, because they’ve been trained to withstand interrogation techniques. He’ll die before he gives up his tribe and what he knows.”
“How in the hell would you know?”
“Because I’ve spent the last six months infiltrating one of their tribes. Damn you! I know what I’m doing!”
“Why in the hell would you do something so stupid, without back-up, without anyone knowing where you are in case you needed help?” His nostrils flared with anger as he stepped back, running a hand over the top of his head.
“I had back up. Triton was there along with others. There are Other Kin within their folds so we know what they’re doing and why. I haven’t spent my time away twiddling my thumbs, Tommy. I’ve been learning how to best defend Alston with the help of friends out there.” Her voice lowered as he turned to meet her gaze. “We have a lot of enemies and I can’t let any of them think they can hurt us.”
Tommy stepped forward taking her in his embrace. “You’re not in this alone you know. Just because you’re a Guardian doesn’t mean you’re by yourself when it comes to defending this town.”
“I know.”
“I don’t like it, Livi. I don’t like you in danger when there are others to help,” he whispered.
Livi sighed as she wrapped her arms around him, a calm settling over her with his nearness. “I know, Tommy,” she sighed, burrowing her nose into his neck. “I don’t like it either, but it has to be done. And at least I’m home now and within sight of everyone.”
“There’s always that.” Going to lay his cheek on her head, he stopped when the doors started opening.
Livi stepped away. The loss of his nearness made her feel like crying as they both stepped back into the Elder Council Chamber once again. Her father’s scowl said it all.
“Well dear, we heard your argument with Tommy,” Elder Noela said. “He has a very valid point in keeping you safe. You are a Guardian. Have you truly been within their midst for six months?”
Livi bowed her head. “Yes.”
“And Other Kin are within their circles without them knowing?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Livi lifted her gaze to the council members. “I meant what I said. I haven’t been out there twiddling my thumbs. I’ve been learning how to better defend Alston against anything that might come up. I’ve made friends and I’ve trained well. I know what I’m doing and I’m asking for the chance to finish this out. Let me do what I have to, let me be the Guardian I am, the Guardian I’ve trained to be.” Her gut twisted as they looked at each other, mentally syncing to discuss what would be happening. Her nostrils flared sensing Tommy stepping closer to her and stopped when the council met her gaze. Livi blew out a breath slowly as Elder Noela informed her that she would continue to stay close to this Hunter on Alston and inform the Security Forces daily of her findings. She was also to keep a mental line open to any member within hearing in case she needed help.
“I accept your stipulations and I will follow them. Also know that Triton is a call away to help, but with Pele getting ready to deliver their first child, he’s decided to stay close to Hawaii.” Bowing, she turned and left the chamber with Tommy and Peter close behind.
“I don’t like it,” Tommy said.
“Oh, I know that,” Livi replied as she unzipped her ceremonial robes, heading to the women’s side of the chamber.
“Christ, Livi.”
“What?” she asked turning, zipper stopping at her navel.
“Can’t you even wear underclothes?” he asked as Peter chuckled.
Livi smiled. “No, I hate them.”
“Must be the Fae in you.”
Livi snorted. “Hell no, it’s the Lyken.” Turning back around she let the robe drop, catching it with one hand as she entered the women’s door, knowing she gave him a good view of her backside.
“She’s going to be the death of me,” Tommy groaned to her soft laughter.
* * * *
Livi smiled as Barrett turned, her gaze lifting from his ass.
“You are going to get me in trouble.”
“How so?”
“I can’t even pick up dirt in the dust pan without you making goo-goo eyes at me.”
Livi chuckled. “Goo-goo eyes, huh?”
“Yes, and I’m pretty sure your buddy Tommy wouldn’t like it either.”
Livi frowned. “He is not my buddy.”
“No, but he wants to be more.” Barrett smiled as he dumped the dirt into the trashcan. “It’s not hard to see, Livi. The guy has a thing for you.”
Lips pouted out, she smiled when his gaze went to them. “Who cares? He’s a jerk.”
“And a deputy.”
Livi sighed. “Just because he’s a cop doesn’t
give him the right to tell me who I can or cannot see.”
“So, you’d like to see me?” He grinned as he leaned on the counter.
Her brow lifted as she leaned on the counter as well, bringing her mouth inches from his. “Don’t know, I’ve only known you for a few days and you leave tomorrow night with the bus,” she whispered, meeting his gaze.
When he leaned forward to kiss her, she let her eyes glow red, and breath heat up as she leaned into him, letting him feel and see what she wanted him to. She knew he had Dragon charms to alert him to anyone with Dragon blood around, so she made sure Mari stayed away from him. But she wanted him to think she had Dragon blood, and was surprised when he leaned in further to kiss her. From her time with the Dragon Hunters in Greenland, she learned that they couldn’t stand the sight of anyone with Dragon blood, but they would do what was necessary to bring in a tainted Dragon blood for study. Livi jumped back quickly when the screen door squeaked as it opened to see her mom standing there. “Hey Mom, what’s up?”
“Not much, is Pappy in the back?” Kalana asked with a smile as her gaze went back and forth between them.
“Ah, yeah, he’s out back gossiping with Ms. Noela.”
“Alright,” she said heading back there. “By the way, your dad’s on his way too.”
Barret smiled. Livi cleared her throat, backing up. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Is everything alright?” Kalana asked with mind-speech.
“Yes, just part of the plan. Good timing by the way,” Livi answered.
“Be careful, Livi.”
“I always am.”
“That was your mom?” Barrett asked.
“Yes.”
“If genes carry, you’ll be a looker when you’re her age.”
Livi laughed as the door opened again. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hey,” Drake said as he walked in with her two younger brothers. “Boys, go find your mother.”
“Out back,” Livi called out, keeping an eye on her dad.
Drake’s gaze went to Barrett, narrowing slightly. “So you’re the guy who lost his wallet, huh?”
“Yes sir,” Barrett answered.
“You leaving tomorrow?”
“Dad,” Livi scolded.
“What?” Drake asked as he met her gaze.
