Authors: Cyndi Goodgame
Chapter
Twenty
Love is being aware that others exist...
“Okay, Hunter boy. You want to do this right. Fine. She
’s my girl and always will be. When she goes to sleep at night, it’s my mouth she’s kissing. My body she’s craving.”
Cas was bonkers. What the hell was he doing?
Calum’s face turned a dark shade of red, then purple. He reached to cut my man in half with the way he swung the sword. As he did, my own need to protect Cas surfaced.
Time stood still when Calum let his anger surge through him. If you could highlight the string of current that went through the air, it would have been close to a cobra
’s dance with death. I felt the current leave him and enter me like a snake coiling around its victim. It was so powerful and awful that words couldn’t describe how the two of us must have felt.
Cord leapt for me from behind and yelped animal-like when the knife lodged in his arm instead of Cas
’ ribs. Scratch that, scraped his arm.
Calum and I stood there speechless with the glint of silver in each
’s eyes from the blades at each other’s head. Calum’s mind was searching for how I'd ended up aimed at him, no doubt. I was just thankful no one was really hurt. But the power it had created was...wow.
The rings glowed a dangerous shade of scaryville.
“So anger does it for you Hunter boy, not fear as she thought. Now that we have that understood, we are damn straight on where she stands. If you had any doubt, the blade at your neck should confirm it.”
Cas yanked my body from the sad statuesque position I was stuck in. Realization hit me with what Cas
’ words were helping me to catch up on. I attacked Calum...to save Cas. And Cas knew enough to try it out.
“Enough with the experiments on each other. We
’ve got the picture. Let’s get the intel and find my father.” I lowered my weapon, but refused to move farther until the two of them did. Cord was still holding his bleeding arm.
Calum
’s hurt was evident but he gave in to my request. He choked first then said low, “Achilles heel or not, she is dangerous unless controlled. And so am I. But if that is the means how we have to get us stronger, then give up hope now.”
“Why Calum?”
“It is too painful.” He looked away from me, changing his face to something altogether different for when he turned to Cas. “If you ever ‘effing do that again, I’ll cut your fingers off one by one. Then, and only then will you find out the pain of knowing what you can’t have.”
That was...keeping it real.
So we’ve got some mega wattage power when we’re both angry or afraid or both. This could be useful if managed well. And we all needed to cool off and move on. Szar dropped his less than supernatural power button of comedy when he walked into our rather quiet setting.
“Okay! So we
’ve been called “the five”, “the order”, “the marked ones”, and “the male counterparts” in the last months. So what will it be then? Personally, I like “the chosen ones”. It has a ring to it,” Szar ranted on forever.
“Shut up
, Szar. This isn’t Harry Potter,” I snipped at my annoying brother slapping him on the back of the head.
“Ow. What
’s that for?” Szar groaned rubbing the spot in question.
“Your idiocy, little brother.”
Speech time. “Our powers combined might do amazing things, but they are dangerous too. We should stop with the bickering. I would like to go get my father and having a little leverage over Borgon will help. The fact that Calum can use his fear and anger to make the ring ignite can cap the deal as long as it’s not us setting it off. That’s not a risk I’m taking again. Cas and I can be the communication between two groups as long as it is in a five-mile radius. And Cord...well I’m not sure just yet, but I’m sure it’s something we need. We know he can heal...me...faster if needed and I him. The rings must mean we can do more, I’m sure of it.”
“Did I miss something?” Szar asked as he crossed the room to get a bow.
Not Cord or Cas or Calum looked up from whatever they were doing.
“Cas decided to try out Calum
’s tolerance and we know the rings set off when Calum is angry and
maybe
afraid.”
Szar didn
’t seem fazed by it, so I didn’t go on. The others turned to see what his reaction would be, but Szar didn’t pick up on their vibes.
Not to be ousted Cord added, “Well, rings or not, I vote we go in my way. Your walking in unannounced didn
’t fare well yet, so maybe a different tactic is in order.”
The Cas I know would engage him with the comment, but the Cas who stood there in front of me...agreed with the wolf.
“Great monologues always get me going sis, but I’d have to say if you could put it on film I’d buy it just so I could hit the mute button and throw away the remote. So don't give me one. And it wasn’t one of your personal bests. As far as the attack entrance on our own court, I’m with Bill and Ted. I’m sure Maze and Liam have even enjoyed our amazing chaotic strategy planning and are full of awe at the promising future we alone might just be in control of. They’ve stood by quiet, but I’m sure they wonder. You thinking Maze knows nothing is denial on your part. And just because Calum’s like your conduit to throw us off our game, we have our own skills and are indeed useful. Maybe he should try sharing a little more. Did you try that ring out on Cord or Thorn yet?”
Gods, when his eyes went to Cas I wanted to smack my brother into oblivion. Who said men haven't the need for being
needed
wasn't around them much. “Who said my monologues were generously thought out since yours leave one slightly perturbed and idolizing idiocy?”
“Jealousy on you is unbecoming
, sis.”
“You wish.”
He pointed with his bow to Cord tapped his arm, “So stabbing Cord in the arm is better rapport than my diplomacy?”
“Yes. And Calum stabbed him, not her. He was being an ass and needed to be put in his place. He shouldn
’t have stepped in,” Cas snapped.
“If he hadn
’t what might have happened could have been worse. And for your information, Cord’s ring lit up too the other night when you both violated my space to
pro
-tect me. Cord has the same reaction. For all we know, the rings have done it before and we didn’t see it. Now I’m tired of this. I’m leaving to go find my father. You,” I pointed to Cord, “get any car ready and whatever the hell your plan is for sneaksville and we are in. You meatheads swallow your dang pride and get your butts ready. We know where Borgon is and I’m going there to get my father. With or without you.”
Slam!
I went of the warehouse door and drove off in the black Hummer before they could stop me. The freedom...was inspiring. The silence was still though I knew it wouldn’t be for long. I was totally into the driving thing. Normal was new to me, but I liked it.
He was standing against the brick driveway podium as I parked under the
awning that lead to the front main steps. My door was opened and my keys were gently tugged from my hands. I braced knowing I was in for it, but felt good to show them I’m still in control of me.
I neglected to read his emotions right off or remember that my displays “stirred him up”. Well, he was “stirred up”, but he was also sad. He didn
’t treat me like a petulant child as I probably deserved by berating me. He took my hand and led me down into the weapons room. Not what I would have guessed.
“Hit me.”
“What?” Confusion set in.
“Come on. Just hit me.”
“Why?”
“Well, you have to take it out on something and I would rather know the amount of your wrath and what your capable of since you seem bent on reminding us that we are just the low men on your totem pole.”
“You are not!” I tried to control the swirling anger.
“Aren
’t we. You were in the same conversation we were, no matter how heated it might have been or controlled by you it was. But it wasn’t one of us who ran from the truth. We have to deal with this, face it Stace if we are to conquer it. I for one am the most put off because I have to see my girl even magically affected by another man. So if anyone has a right to be in the “sucks to be you” club, it’s me.”
I was wrong before. He was treating me like a pouting child, and he was right. I couldn
’t answer any of that letting my pride settle in so I walked away from him and stretched out across the sparring mat on my back. Covering my eyes with my arm helped to avoid his stare.
He laid down beside me stretching out his longer legs past mine. “You overanalyze too much.”
He was just now figuring this out? “It will all be okay. We will figure it all out, find your father, and maybe even one night have some actual alone time together again.”
He was giving me an out.
I uncovered my eyes and looked side-to-side, “Who’s here with us now?”
His chuckle was the right medicine to my ears. I relaxed a little and even rolled to him. He could do that, de-tense-ify me. “Alright. If you say it will be okay, then so be it. But just know, their antics drive me
insane
.”
“So does you flirtatious way of getting what you want from all of them.”
“I do not
flirt
!”
“Oh
, Kissa. You have been so sheltered. If you don’t know what you’re doing subconsciously, then you’re a more dangerous weapon than ever. I will not leave your side for anything if that’s the case. Consider me your superglue.”
I got a little scared at that. Maybe he was right. “Um, well. It serves its purpose when distractions are needed.” I didn
’t want to explain my inheritance of Supergirl hypnotism on the male species that I never ever intended to really use and half of it was unintentional because it was the same way I reacted to boys growing up in the weapons and sparring rooms.
“That
’s what I’m saying. I get the girl power and I know full well how you can render me useless with your wicked ways, but it doesn’t mean I like seeing it on another man’s face. Use your weapons, but just know that anything you use against them only gets practiced fully on me.” His eyes darkened to their dizzying side tracking me into submission.
“Who has the weapons now? Don
’t use those bedroom eyes on anyone else either if I’m not allowed.”
His eyebrow perked up, “Maybe it only works on you.”
I rolled my eyes to cool me off. “Doubt that very seriously. And I have tried like everything to use
my power of give me what I want
on you, but it doesn’t work.”
“Does that bother you?” he asked coolly.
“No. I love it. It just makes me wonder why?”
“The night we met...when I rescued you—
“Kidnapped!” I poked his stomach.
“That night I tried to force you to use the Valkyrie female talent on me.”
That surprised me and he saw it.
“Either way. I made it up in my mind that you were meant for me.”
No point arguing since it made sense. “I agree with you.”
He smiled, “You do, do you.”
He pounced and the rest is disclosed because well, it could only be practiced on him.
I went to stand with the rest of the weak and completely freaked out as Cas drove me back to the warehouse. Inside my head I knew the boys acted the way they did to save face and look tough in front of others. To each other. To me.
They seem to have a constant need to try to prove their worth to all.
To feel important. I knew all this and yet, I feel like I am constantly trying to prove my own worth or at least live up to the image they attached to me. Them being guys made it worse. The territorial competitiveness they place on each other could be tamed, but I think it’s embedded in their nature. They have the natural need to prove themselves to each other as well as everyone else. I can handle it. Not that I have a choice.
To hear them banter back and forth was a little amusing at times and a game for Maze and I at practice in the warehouse. We used their ego boosting needy selves to get out of work. Less was better. But I needed to start letting some of it go. Let them be guys and stop underestimating them.
Cord officially stepped back after all the latest displays. Maybe it was the rubber band that snapped him into reality. He didn’t stop his ceaseless bantering and insisted he be my closest advisor. He seemed like he was joking, but just couldn’t let it go that his ring was working too.
Calum conformed
too seemingly shell-shocked into a depression for a day or two and then right back to normal. I think he was starting to see what great friends we make. Besides, he has plenty of interested parties. And the way he saved Maze...