by Brianna West
However, during times like these, our power moved through one another and balanced out what was available. Just as it synced when we battled, it would move where it was needed and keep us both at our best. We were also capable of telepathic communication, but it was only when we were in the same room and never without its own effort. Bernie’s head was a complete mess and I preferred to stay out of it.
Aidan took hold of Bernie by the neck and dragged him off of me, the were-bear mix’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and set Bernie down on the ground as though he weighed nothing at all. “What sort of nutter is your twin, Carl?”
Bernie smiled happily, unperturbed by the insult. “Aw, that’s sweet of you. I’m a huge fan of nuts, especially the big ones.”
Aidan’s expression dropped into complete bafflement. “Have you lost the plot? What nonsense are you spouting?”
My lip twitched as I barely kept from laughing. Sitting up, I threw my legs over the bed and exhaled a thankful sigh when my body did exactly what I told it to do. Fixing my hair, I stole a glance at Aidan before staring over at my bubbly idiot of a brother as he looked around the room, wearing yet another bizarre t-shirt along with his signature cowboy hat and denims.
“What sort of knob head wears a shirt with a cat on the front?” Aidan questioned slowly, clearly put off by the sight of Bernie’s shirt.
Bernie put his hand to his chest, gasping flamboyantly. “This, you big, beautiful man, is a kitten! It was given to me by one of my bestest buddies in the whole wide world.”
That lame shirt was actually spelled onto him as a joke by the same woman who Lucas had fallen in love with. I smiled with the memory, thinking about Lucas for the first time in days, and without any of the devastating heartbreak that had previously come with the thought of him.
“Is this twit really related to you?”
Smirking, I sighed. “Unfortunately.”
“Ain’t this a nice little spot in the woods,” Bernie said, acting as though he hadn’t just been repeatedly insulted. “How’d you two get all the way out here?”
Bernie feigned idiocy, but I could tell in the way his eyes were gleaming that he was emotional. His scent was distinctly panicked, as though he’d rushed here without a moment’s hesitation. Which I would definitely believe of my reckless brother. If he had crossed over into the realm, then felt my heightened emotion and state of distress, it would’ve concerned him enough to come in search of me. Our emotions were intricately connected, whether or not I wanted them to be.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said, brushing him off lightly. “When did you get back from the realm?”
Aidan stood quietly observing, but I perceived the subtle tension in his body and the way he continually passed his eyes over to me every few seconds. After what had transpired only an hour or two before, even I was having trouble remaining indifferent. But if I let my emotions run wild, Bernie would feel them and pry into it with his idiotic tenacity later.
“A few minutes ago,” Bernie responded, smiling in a way that made my face twitch. It was irritating when he looked so damn goofy with the same face as mine. “Aren’t you just tickled that your handsome, incredibly talented brother has come home at last?!”
“Not at all,” I responded dryly.
Bernie must have found a quick way to get out here, seeing how he was total crap at teleportal jumps. Either someone was nearby, most likely Nyla, or we were within running distance. The second option sounded less likely, so I was sure that Nyla was nearby somewhere, probably attempting to scout the outside area for any potential threats. Which meant that it would be safe to leave now, and I was very glad that my brother had an attachment to someone more apt to doing their job. She was capable and adept, unlike my idiot brother.
Aidan’s eyes widened the instant I evaded my idiot brother’s embrace as Bernie clamored loudly towards me. Smacking my brother’s head and throwing off his cowboy hat, I sighed and made my way over to the door. I sensed Aidan’s confusion, his caramel eyes following my movements closely as I went to the door. When I reached for the door knob, the were-bear Guardian grabbed my arm and halted me.
“Where are you going?”
His touch sparked something inside my chest. Guilt rose into my throat as I lifted my mouth into a kind smile before shrugging off his touch. His hand fell away just as Bernie recovered from my hit and practically pranced over to my side. Bernie’s amber eyes, which were the same as mine but carried a certain natural emotion in which differentiated them, looked from me to Aidan with curiosity before he smiled brightly.
“Ain’t you just the most dashing sweetheart that ever did live!” Bernie cooed cutely at Aidan. “Come here and make a real woman out of me, you big ol’ stud you.”
Aidan didn’t have time to figure out what Bernie was on about, because the massive were-bear mix was immediately hugged from the side and embraced until he was forced to throw the eager idiot off with every bit of strength he owned. Bernie went flying, slamming into a wall before hitting the ground, knees first. Not one to be put off, Bernie shot back up, fixing his shirt with a wide grin.
“Oh, he’s playing hard to get,” Bernie said, voice pitched girlishly. “And he’s so very strong!”
“That’s enough, Bernie,” I ordered shortly, thankful for my brother’s antics for probably the first time in my life. “I think it’s time I returned to where I belong.”
Aidan’s expression darkened, jaw clenching tightly as I offered him a dismissive smile and fled through the door.
*
It had been two weeks since I returned to my own team, still chasing information on Niko but never getting very far. Nyla, our newest team leader who had stepped in when Lucas had retired from the position, was also, oddly enough, the princess of the Spiritum Bellatorum—Spirit Warriors that lived in the In-Between realm with all the other In-Betweeners, many of them Sprite.
She was a dedicated fighter and an incredibly capable leader, especially when it came to the smooth-running of our team. Her attachment to my brother still baffled me, but I was relieved to know that someone other than me had him under control. Because, since I’d returned to my usual team and familiar settings, I’d been unable to forget the time I’d spent in Ireland, or the people I’d spent it with.
Aidan and Conall frequently plagued my thoughts, for different but somehow similar reasons. I hadn’t been able to concentrate on much other than the guilt that stemmed from my memories of them. The shame and confusion I felt when I thought of Conall, whose magnetism was undeniable and potent and had subsequently led to the biggest mistake of my life. Or Aidan, whose care and support was exploited because of my inconsiderate refusal to learn enough about the beast inside of me in order to effectively control it.
Nyla entered the room with her pink-blonde hair tightly woven into a bun atop her head and fashioned in the usual battle garb she tended to sport on a mission. Her small stature was even more startling with the huge sword that was as wide and as tall as her body situated on her back. But, despite her looks, she was formidable and clever. Those that underestimated her were easily overcome whenever they sparred with her, and I had a great deal of respect for this woman whose heart was somehow stolen by my idiot twin brother.
“Carl,” she greeted with a subtle lift to her mouth, which was how she often smiled without smiling. “Victor sent information on Niko Lindberg to your personal device. He stated you might be interested to see it as soon as it was available.”
Piqued, I took the phone from my pocket and checked to see what had been sent over. The condensed, encrypted file opened with very little action, and I read over the first part of what had been sent. My eyes followed the first line as my heart thudded inside of my chest, the information nearly causing me to drop my phone. Nyla watched me closely as I pocketed the phone and nodded a polite goodbye before striding out of the room and up the stairs.
Niko was working alongside Harlan—a high-demon that had caused so much trouble in the Guardians
as of late that it was impossible to list it all without spending hours on the topic. The high-demon was well known and arduous, having been a right-hand to Lucifer himself and unbelievably crafty. It was said that he was a collector of Dark objects, which may have been the sole reason Niko initially sought him. The mere idea that Niko had somehow worked into a position beside him was unfathomable.
Harlan wasn’t easily deceived. Honestly, a part of me believed that it was we who were being deceived instead, if the information I’d read so far was true. Convincing a high-demon of Harlan’s caliber was not only difficult, it was impossible. It was more likely that Niko was beyond our reach and had been dragged into the Underworld’s underbelly.
I closed the door of my room, its soft click echoing in the dark space as I strode over to the bed and sat down. I held the phone in my hand, staring at the screen with my chest squeezing tightly. The image of Niko’s familiar silver-blue eyes and the kindness I’d believed was truly there resurfaced inside my head as I read through the rest of what had been sent. Finally, I put the phone down and slouched in my seat, disheartened.
I touched the gun holstered on my belt, its smooth metal calming my rampant heart as I stroked the familiar surface. The phone beside me lit up, ringing softly and vibrating in short pulses on the bed.
“This is Carl,” I answered, clearing my throat.
There was a pause, and then someone sighed over the phone. ‘You sound upset,’ the familiar voice stated, the deep baritone causing me to straighten unintentionally. ‘What’s wrong?’
I tightened the hold I had on the phone, reassured by the sound of Aidan’s voice. “So no, ‘hello, how are you?’ Just a ‘tell me what’s wrong’?” I teased, mouth lifting as I heard his amused chuckle.
‘Are you taking the piss? What kind of wanker do you think I am?’
His deep, rumbling laughter filtered through the phone as I huffed and leaned back onto my hand. I hadn’t realized that I’d miss someone’s voice so much, but hearing Aidan after not speaking to him in a couple of weeks was incredibly comforting, and I’d missed the deep baritone greatly.
“True, I set my expectations of you rather high…” I taunted with a grin, brushing through my hair as I stretched out and relaxed onto the bed.
Aidan’s laughter grew louder before he was clicking his tongue. ‘Oi, don’t make me come out there to have this out like men.’ His laughter calmed as he exhaled, the phone distinctly shifting on his end. ‘The old man keeps asking about you.’
I froze at the mention of Conall, feeling my stomach knot with the memory. “What about me?”
‘He formally requested your transfer to the team,’ Aidan said, his voice expressing a sense of upset.
I wasn’t sure what to make of his anger, so I did my best to ignore it as I sat up and held the phone closer to my ear. “Why would he do that?”
‘He…’ Aidan sighed deeply, his voice softening as he continued, ‘—he hasn’t been the same since you left. I’ve never seen him like this. He asked Victor where you were and how to get ahold of you.’
Speaking of which…
“How did you get my new number when he hadn’t?” I asked, curious.
Aidan snickered lightly. ‘Secret. I can’t reveal my sources, or I’d have to kill you.’
“Bernie called you, didn’t he?” I said, convinced the reason that Bernie had been snickering most of yesterday was because of this.
Aidan snorted, his voice coming through broken. ‘How that twit is related to you I’ll never figure out. He’s a complete muppet, that one.’
Smiling in spite of my idiot brother turning on me, I huffed and went on, “So, was there a reason you called, or should I just chalk it up to my high expectations that you’d have one?”
There was a long period of silence where, if not for my keen ears and the distinct sound of Aidan’s breathing on the other side, I would’ve believed our call had cut out. I waited, figuring there was a reason for the silence and giving Aidan the time to collect himself.
Finally, he answered. ‘Do you think you might consider coming back? I promise I’ll keep the old man from touching you again, so would you fancy another trial with our team? See how you get on as my partner?’
I stiffened, having not expected him to suggest I come back. After our last night together, I was sure that Aidan held me personally responsible for what went on between us. Not that I’d blame him. It was my fault that everything ended the way it had, and I’d lived with that guilt for the past two weeks. But hearing his reserved tone as he asked me to come back had my pulse racing.
“I’m not some sort of maiden who requires your protection,” I chastised lightheartedly, feeling oddly on the spot as I went back and forth on whether or not it was a good idea to go back there.
Aidan snorted, blowing a short raspberry over the phone. ‘Cheeky.’
Honestly, I was torn. I never would’ve believed I’d be this torn, especially after voluntarily leaving, but I was. I’d spent two weeks thinking about them and two weeks wondering if leaving was the right thing to do.
Had I been running away? Had I left to selfishly put to rest my feelings rather than facing them head-on? I didn’t know. What I did know was that I’d spent two weeks inside some sort of daze, barely functioning, let alone doing my job properly, and I wasn’t sure if I’d get any better as time went on, or worse.
The truth of it all was, I was a coward. More than I’d openly admit. I was afraid of what I didn’t have explicit control over. Afraid that everything that happened while I was there could happen more than once. Over and over. Again and again.
‘Carl?’
I startled when Aidan called out to me, breaking through my silent contemplation. “If I leave Bernie, he’ll cause mass mayhem,” I argued, unable to come out with a better excuse.
‘I wouldn’t put it past that twit, but he’s the one that suggested I ask,’ Aidan divulged to my surprise.
Flabbergasted and then just plain angry, I asked, “What, when?”
‘When we spoke yesterday,’ Aidan answered honestly.
Of course that idiot brother of mine would be behind something like this. I was going to ring his neck and hang him out to dry when he got home with the Bellamy siblings, who he’d gone out on a mission with earlier in the evening.
“That damn nosy idiot,” I cursed, officially put out. “I’d have to speak with Victor…”
‘He already permitted it as long as you agreed,’ Aidan cut in, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. ‘Oh, for fuck’s sake, can’t you just say yes already?!’
Smirking, I listened as Aidan growled and continued to curse under his breath. “Someone’s eager,” I commented with a wide grin. “I’ll come on one condition.”
‘Oh, piss off, you cheeky tiger.’ I smiled, keeping silent. He grumbled through the phone before he waited, sighing loudly when I didn’t say anything. ‘Well, what is it? What’s the condition?’
“I’ll only come if you say ‘pretty please’,” I taunted with a broad smile, hearing the string of curses coming through the phone immediately afterwards and laughing loudly as Aidan completely went off on me.
‘Pretty please, you bloody prat,’ he conceded with a growl.
Huffing a satisfied laugh, I complied. “Well, since you asked so nicely…I guess I have no choice. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Chapter Fourteen
When I arrived in Dublin, it wasn’t Conall who had come to pick me up this time but Aidan. His massive form amid a dense crowd of regular sized humans was quite the sight. He’d worn a simple white t-shirt paired with black pants but, even with the simplicity of his outfit, he was striking to look at. Especially with his bare arms exposed to his upper biceps, scars of many shapes and sizes scattered the length of them. But Aidan had hidden a large area with tattoos that cuffed his upper biceps—tattoos that wove around them in sharp turns and mesmerizing patterns.
If I hadn’t known him intimately, I’d be wary of h
im. His stoic face paired with his massive size was daunting even to someone as seasoned as myself. However, I knew that behind the expressionless mask was a truly kind and compassionate person. For that reason, seeing him gave me a plethora of other feelings. Ones that would make me blush if I was forced to admit to them.
Many of the men and women around him were staring as I walked out of the terminal into the baggage claim, some captivated while others fearful. Aidan’s honey-colored eyes lit up, his indifferent expression immediately brightening as he headed quickly towards me. “You made it!”
“Just barely,” I refuted with a sly grin, silently attempting to calm my pulse.
Aidan stopped in front of me. Then, in an act I’d been completely unprepared for, the huge Guardian embraced me. Stiffening, I stood locked inside his hold for a brief moment, which felt like eternity as my body instantly reacted to the close proximity.
His musk wafted around me, and the strong arms holding me reminded me of the things we’d done before I’d made the decision to leave it all behind. All of the shameless actions I’d been solely responsible for starting. My heart started its uneven staccato as the heat rushed to my face, recalling the way Aidan had held me and the pleasure he’d given me. I tried desperately to ignore the recollections, but this close to Aidan’s scent, I could only hope that my reactions didn’t manifest in my body in obvious, irrefutable ways.
Pulling away finally, Aidan’s eyes danced with amusement as I stared at him, baffled. Wrapping an arm around my shoulder, he led me over to the baggage claim to retrieve my luggage. My nerves had already been on edge coming here, but now there was no saving them. I was barely keeping it together.
When we exited the airport, I froze at the sight of a familiar pair of green eyes and distinctive head of ginger hair. My fried nerves were shot, and the sight of the other man I’d been plagued by was almost too much for me. Was this some kind of ambush? As silly as it was to wonder, and though I should’ve been prepared to see both men, I’d naively hoped that I’d deal with them in staggered succession. Not all at once and right after I’d gotten to Ireland. However, one way or another, I’d have to deal with both of them. I came here to settle things.
