She looks hot as fuck in her skinny black jeans, boots, and a tight black shirt that clings to her chest, emphasizing her gorgeous tits. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, highlighting her beautiful blue eyes, clear skin, and full lips.
But it’s her intelligence, confidence, and her strength that is alluring, and nothing is more attractive than watching her face off with a scary dude in military fatigues like it’s just another day at the office. I remember how distressed she was when she believed she was failing us. Her growing abilities, and her daring rescue attempt, have given her a much-needed boost of self-confidence, and she wears it with pride.
The guard’s nostrils flare before his eyes widen in fright. He jumps back, shouting as the rifle clatters to the ground. Wisps of smoke trickle upward and the smell of burning metal wafts in the air. The muzzle of the gun is melted, and he stares at it while waving his hand about as if in pain. Before he can make a move, Alinthia grabs onto his wrist, eyeballing him while she manipulates him with her touch. “You will open the gate and let us through.”
His brows knit together, and his mouth opens and closes, as his brain struggles with the compulsion to cooperate.
Stubborn jerk.
“You will open the gate and let us through,” Alinthia repeats in a firmer voice.
“I’ll open the gate and let you through,” he agrees in a monotone voice, lifting his walkie-talkie to his mouth.
“Nice party trick,” another guard says, stepping out from the small hut in front of his colleague. “But it won’t work. We’ve taken control here, and we say who gets in, and you’re not getting through, sweetheart.” A line of armed guards surrounds us, weapons trained on our heads. “Although,” he adds, licking his lips as his eyes lower to her tits, “sexual favors are worth a try.”
A few of his colleagues laugh, and a surge of anger rushes through me. Before I can act, Dane punches him in the face, knocking him out cold.
“Hell.” Maddox shakes his head before we immediately swing into action.
This isn’t our first rodeo, and Maddox, Dane, and I work our usual tag team. Invoking superspeed, I whip around the guards, yanking their rifles out of their hands before they’ve realized what’s happening, while Maddox and Dane punch them unconscious.
All the guards are motionless on the ground in less than a minute, and we haven’t even broken a sweat.
“Fifty-six seconds,” Beck says, shooting us a goofy grin. “I think that’s a record.”
“Thanks for the help,” Dane jeers, slapping Donovan on the back.
“You didn’t give us a chance,” Donovan retorts.
“Told you we don’t need you,” he adds, standing beside Alinthia but keeping his distance from her. Dane’s always kept her at arm’s length, but now, it’s like he’s physically afraid of touching her, and it makes my heart ache.
“We know how to take care of our girl,” I agree, coming up on the other side of Alinthia and subtly placing my hand on her lower back.
“If we’re done posturing,” Alinthia says, rolling her eyes. “Can we do what we came here to do?”
“Hold on a minute.” Donovan raises his palms. “There’ll be more guards up ahead. Let me put in a call and talk them around.”
“You have thirty seconds to convince them,” Dane says. “Go.”
“Maddox.” Alinthia jerks her head in Maddox’s direction. “We need your muscles, dude.” She waggles her brows, and he stalks toward her with a new swagger in his step.
“Do you have to make his head any bigger?” I tease, following them while Beck and Dane stay behind with Donovan.
“This from the guy whose ego is larger than every planet combined in our solar system?” Maddox quirks a brow. “Brave words, Coop.” He slams his hand on my shoulder, rattling my bones. “Very brave.”
“Open the gate, babe,” Alinthia says, tugging on Maddox’s arm and refocusing his attention.
“My pleasure, princess.” He pecks her lips briefly before charging at the gates, pushing all his weight and superstrength behind the motion. The gates groan and the ground shakes as Maddox throws himself at it over and over. A keening sound rips through the air as the electric mechanism keeping the gates closed breaks. Maddox slams his hand forward, and the gates fall inward, revealing another ambush.
Six guards stand in a line, pointing weapons at us, and I yawn, tired of this crap already. Alinthia pushes off the ground, soaring over their heads with fire dancing from her palms. “Don’t make me hurt you,” she says, and her deeper voice sends chills racing through me like it did back on Xzanthar. I’ve got to admit it turns me the fuck on.
But it also scares me a little.
Like she did at the end of the battle in the chamber.
It’s almost like she became someone else.
And it was an impressive display of power I know she doesn’t have full control over.
Let’s just say I’m glad she’s on our side.
“Put your weapons down and your hands in the air,” she commands. The guards trade wary glances, all looking to the stocky dude at the front who is obviously in control. Instead of putting his weapon down, he raises it skyward and fires.
My heart lurches to my toes, and the bond goes haywire as my brothers share my anxiety.
But Alinthia truly is a force to be reckoned with.
Like in the chamber, she projects an invisible shield, and the bullets bounce off it, some of them ricocheting back, taking out two of the guards. That’s all it takes to convince the other four, and their weapons clang to the ground as they drop to their knees, lifting their hands in surrender.
Things work more smoothly after that. Donovan has convinced the remaining guards to back down, and we make our way into the compound with no further obstacles.
Alinthia shivers as we speed run through the tunnel, and I know it’s not from the cold because it’s humid as fuck in here. “You okay, beautiful?” I ask as we race side by side.
“Being back here gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
“Yeah, I get that.” Just thinking about the dirty, cold dungeon we called home on Xzanthar raises goose bumps on my skin.
“Let’s just get our crew and get the fuck out of here as fast as we can.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Alinthia.” We slam to a halt in front of a man with untrustworthy green eyes and cropped strawberry-blond hair. A condescending smile pulls up the corners of his mouth, and I instantly dislike him. “How nice to see you again.”
“Who are you?” Dane asks, flanking Alinthia on the other side, ready to go into battle.
“I’d like to say the same, Sergeant Green,” our girl replies. “But my mother taught me to never tell lies.”
His smile falters, and he doesn’t like that one bit. “I apologize for the resistance at the gate,” he lies. “I’m afraid the men mutinied when the instruction came down the line.”
“Maddox.” Alinthia smiles at my brother. “Would you do the honors?”
Maddox is behind the sergeant before the words have even left her mouth, clamping his wrists together.
“What is the meaning of this?” the sergeant demands, attempting to wrest out of Maddox’s iron grip.
“Save your lies,” Alinthia coolly replies. “Those men are loyal to you, and we know they were acting on your orders.” She eyeballs Maddox. “Take him to one of the holding cells, and lock him up.”
“I’ll show you the way,” Donovan offers, as the sergeant shouts insults and threats. Donovan turns to Alinthia. “Take Ellya and Tav with you to the main recreation area. That’s where everyone should be. They may be a little wary, so a few familiar faces will help reassure them.”
She nods, and Ellya and Tav come up from the rear.
We walk through successive corridors painted in a dull green color, with copious steel doors on either side, until we come to a main intersection.
Donovan and Maddox take the sergeant off in one direction while we follow Alinth
ia, Tav, Ellya, Denzil, and Daniel in the other direction.
“That guy is so obvious it’s pathetic,” Dane says, with his fists clenched into balls at his side, as he shoots daggers in the back of Tavroc’s skull.
“Tell me about it.”
“I don’t get why you guys hate him so much,” Beck interjects. “He cares about her, and that’s a good thing. Leave him alone.”
“Always championing the underdog, bruh,” I quip, barking out a laugh when he slaps the back of my head.
Alinthia comes to a halt outside a room with double doors, pinning us with a serious expression. “Let me handle this. Don’t interfere.” Her eyes narrow in silent warning. “And play nice. Remember, we’re all on the same side.”
“We’ll guard the room from out here,” Denzil says, standing on one side of the double doors while Daniel takes up sentry duty at the other side.
“Thank you.” Alinthia turns to Ellya and Tavroc. “Let’s do this.”
CHAPTER 5
Alinthia
I step into the room, flanked by Tav and Ellya, with Dane, Cooper, and Beck guarding my back. A deathly hush descends over the space as two hundred heads turn in my direction. The room is packed to capacity with species of all types, and expectation is palpable in the air.
I advance a step, smiling as I rake my gaze around the room, attempting to reassure all the worried faces I encounter.
Knowing the authorities, they rounded up these people without telling them why. “Do not be alarmed. We come in peace, and you have nothing to fear from me. You are leaving this place today, and we will arrange safe passage for you to return to your homes.” They trade hushed whispers and shocked expressions around the room.
“Your Highness.” A petite girl with strange orange eyes that flicker moves forward. I remember her from my time here although I never spoke directly with her. It scared most everyone to approach me, but they were always respectful and polite.
“Hello, again.” I smile at her as she drops to one knee, instantly bowing her head.
“I am your willing servant, Chosen One. It is my honor to serve you.”
I open my mouth to beseech her to stand when the others follow her lead, sinking to one knee and bowing their heads.
Row by row, across the length of the room, people kneel before me.
Words die on my tongue, and I gulp over the messy ball of emotion clogging my throat. Every single person in here is relying on me, and the moment is profound, scary, and humbling.
“We are your willing servants, Chosen One,” the crowd repeats as one. “It is our honor to serve you.”
Tears sting my eyes as I reach my hands back for my loves. Beck and Coop take my hands, while Dane moves in a little closer to my side. Not enough so he’s touching me but enough to tell me he’s with me.
“Holy shit,” Coop says.
“I don’t think you need to persuade anyone,” Dane supplies. “They are already loyal to you.”
Releasing the guys, I move to the girl who started all this. I touch the top of her head. “Arise.” She stands at least a head below me, arching her neck to look up at me. “What is your name?”
“Rodishan, Chosen One.” She bows her head again.
“Thank you, Rodishan.” I smile at her before surveying the large crowd. “Arise, friends.” Slowly, they get to their feet, looking expectantly at me. “Thank you for your loyalty. You can’t know how much it means to me. I will need your support in the weeks and months ahead, and I hope we get to know one another better.” I clasp my hands in front of me, smiling widely. “Now, who’s ready to say goodbye to this place?”
An enthusiastic holler whips through the crowd, much to my surprise.
Ellya and Tav join me on either side as Daniel and Denzel open the doors and people filter out. They touch me as they move past. Just a brush of my hand or my arm, nothing disrespectful. The gleeful, hopeful expressions on their faces warms my heart, helping to alleviate the burgeoning sense of responsibility mounting inside me.
It’s one thing to sit in a conference room and discuss my future role as leader. It’s quite another to realize what it means in reality. The people in this room are counting on me to save their homelands and allow them to return home to live in peace and harmony.
I only hope I can deliver.
“Everything went smoothly?” Glennev asks the second we set foot in the conference room once we are back on the base in Egypt. It’s not even dinner time, yet it feels like it should be time for bed.
It’s been a long day.
But, thankfully, we got everyone teleported here safely, and Glennev had a team of people ready to welcome the newcomers and escort them to their temporary living quarters.
“After the initial blockade at the gate, yes,” I confirm, as he takes my hands and bows. He does it every time we meet, so I’m used to it by now.
“Did the director relay plans for tomorrow?” Dane asks, lowering himself into a chair, stifling a yawn. I’ve noticed him doing that a lot today, and it’s clear he didn’t get much sleep last night.
“We set everything up.”
“And?” Dane leans forward on his elbows.
“And what?” Glennev says with a frown.
“What are the plans? How will it go down?”
“You need not concern yourself with that, Dane. I have everything organized.”
“I think Dane would still like to know,” I add, jumping in before Dane rips him a new one.
“I’m well able to speak for myself,” Dane grits out.
“Oh, we know,” Donovan chips in. “I’ve had just about enough of your voice for one day.”
“Hate to disappoint you,” Dane says, grinning maliciously at him. “But the day isn’t over. Not by a long shot. And I’m going nowhere.”
“Lucky me,” Donovan deadpans, claiming a seat on the other side of the table.
“I think now is as good a time as any to discuss allocation of roles,” Glennev says.
“You still haven’t told me the plans,” Dane protests, and I rub my throbbing temples.
“Can you please explain what you’ve put in place,” I appeal to Glennev, knowing Dane will keep at this until he knows what they have agreed.
“I’ve sent convoys to both other locations,” Glennev patiently explains. “Director Tanner has assigned a military group to each facility to avoid a repeat of what happened today. They will work with our men on the ground to extract the prisoners and escort them to the warehouse for teleportation. A welcoming committee will greet them here and show them to their new quarters.”
I look to Dane to acknowledge Glennev, and he stares blankly at me. Anger bubbles under the surface, but I contain it. “Thank you,” I reply, drilling Dane with a look.
I know his nose is out of joint over all the new players, but he doesn’t get to act like an ass and get away with it.
I’ll be having words with him in private.
“Did you have a plan in mind for allocation of duties?” I inquire, sitting beside Dane near the top of the table as Maddox, Beck, and Coop sit on the other side of him. Glennev’s two right-hand men sit beside Donovan as Glennev takes his seat at the head of the table, pulling up a holo screen with a map of some sort on it.
“I drafted a provisional organizational chart,” he explains. “To aid our discussion, but it is not a forgone conclusion.”
Waves of hostility waft from Dane as he leans forward to get a closer look. Glennev enlarges the chart as he talks us through it. “I’ve highlighted the key areas we need to focus on. Strategy. Security. Training. Research. And I’ve suggested leaders of each entity.”
“Ab-so-fucking-lutely not!” Dane slams his fists down on the table, and raw anger seeps from every pore. “How dare you bulldoze your way in here and try to take control.” Dane stands, his body trembling with barely contained rage. “I won’t deny we need the society’s support, but you don’t run this ship. I do.”
“With the greatest respec
t, Dane, I don’t think you’re in the right frame of mind to run any ship.”
And that was totally the wrong thing to say.
Dane zips around the table to Glennev, leaning menacingly into his face. “You don’t fucking know me. You don’t know what’s in my head. If I’m not in the right frame of mind, it’s because you’re trying to undermine me at every turn,” he growls, glaring at Glennev.
Donovan is out of his seat, ready to go nuclear on Dane’s ass, and I hop up, positioning myself in between them. “Don’t. It will only make this worse.”
Glennev shakes his head at Donovan, and he reluctantly stands down although he doesn’t return to his seat.
I look Dane squarely in the face. “Please step back, and we’ll discuss this in a civilized manner.” His nostrils flare, and he’s primed to explode. “This isn’t the way to prove your point. All you’re doing is proving theirs.” In a risky move, I gently place my hand on Dane’s arm. “This isn’t who you are. You’re a professional. Let them see that.”
My words break through to him, and he straightens up, stepping back.
“I want to speak to you outside,” I say, because what I need to say has to be said aloud.
Dane reluctantly trails me out to the hallway. My other protectors remain seated, allowing me to handle this. “Dane, I won’t pretend to understand what’s going through your mind, but barking at people and charging around the place like a bear with a sore head isn’t the way to get things done. You’re pissing everyone off, and it’s only adding to the tension.”
“How can you trust them so readily?” He paces the hallway, clawing at the sides of his head. “How can you just let them dictate our every move, huh?” He throws his hands up in the air. “Everyone has lied to us and manipulated us.”
“You’ve lied to me too,” I blurt before I can help myself.
His jaw tenses. “I was trying to protect you. Like I am now.”
“Really? Is that what this is?”
“Why the fuck would you question that?”
The Chosen One Page 4
