And that was exactly what they had done. Eagle Ridge was all but empty. It was not ideal, but it was the lesser of two evils. It was easier to claim an increased threat of wildfires after a few had broken out during a recent spring thunderstorm. The sheriff then combined that with an alleged threat to a fictional chemical storage facility. The lies might not have even been necessary. With the recent attacks by the Glycons and deaths, it didn’t take much to convince people to leave. A lot of people might have realized, deep down, that it wasn’t animal attacks, and it was almost as if most people were waiting for an excuse. A full evacuation was ordered.
There were a few people who decided to stay. The sheriff couldn’t do anything. If he tried to bring in outside authorities to enforce the evacuation, the lies would become obvious. Most of the resistant population were older and didn’t want to see their only home destroyed. The hybrids understood where they were coming from. After working so hard to make a home themselves, the last thing any of the hybrids wanted to do was force people from their own, even if it was to protect them. For now, the only choice was to make sure the people who stayed were as far away from things when the godsons made their move. If that was even possible.
Godsons. The idea of the Glycons evolving to something higher was still hard for Alec to wrap his mind around. For both his group and the Luna Lodge hybrids, the Glycons had always been semi-mindless creatures that might be strong but were easy to outwit. Now they were strong and intelligent. A lot of the hybrids weren’t even sure they could win against that kind of enemy.
Not only were the godsons strong, they were stronger than the hybrids. With the numbers the hybrids had spotted, it would be a hard battle to win under the best of conditions. Fortunately, the hybrids had retrieved the stone, but nothing was a guarantee. The thought of what lay ahead made Alec’s throat close a little. He wasn’t worried about himself, but he couldn’t help but think of a certain woman and a pair of pretty green eyes that seemed to see right into his very soul.
“Another meeting?” said a deep voice.
Alec grunted as he sat up startled from his thoughts. Joran sank into the chair next to him. Even someone who was as by the books as his friend was sick of all the meetings. Lately, it felt the hybrids were either doing back-breaking labor or in meetings most of the time. He understood the reasons, but the strain of it all was taking a toll on all of them.
They’d escaped being prisoners of the Horatius Group for their freedom. The Luna Lodge hybrids had all but finished the Group off and taken out their collaborators in the government, meaning they’d actually ended up freer than Alec and his fellow hybrids. He wasn’t bitter about the reversal, but it was an ironic twist. Maybe all of Anassa’s blather about fate wasn’t that far off from the truth.
Even Rem, their fearless leader, looked gaunt and haggard. The weight of the situation and his role in it was wearing him down to the bone. It was clear for anyone to see, especially his very pregnant wife Jenna.
The closer she grew to her due date, the more distant she was with the group. Not that anyone could blame her. Bringing a child into the world as it was seemed like the worst plan ever, but it’s not like they’d planned for all the darkness around them.
A flash of a memory drifted through Alec’s head. A child being tossed into the air. A halo of blond hair shining atop his head. The squeal of delight the higher he was thrown.
Alec closed his eyes. The flashes had been coming off and on. Nothing more than a glimpse, like peeking through a keyhole while passing down a hall. They were never much, and he could never really place the moment or even be sure if it was his moment. Still, the hollow ache filled him to the brim.
It was the life he’d once had but was ripped from him by the Horatius Group. It was almost worse not being able to place a name to the memories. They had all but been wiped. He tried to tell himself to focus on making new memories, but it wasn’t always that easy.
No one talked about before, the time lived before their long, frozen sleep. None of them were even certain how long they had been removed from society, but for some, it seemed much longer than others. Alec had to assume his old life lay farther in the past than many others, judging by what he’d been able to gather.
It was history. Maybe that was why none of them ever talked about the past. There was nothing any of them could do, and even if there was, they weren’t the people they had been before. The Horatius Group had made sure of that. Their lives had been altered in ways no man came back from, and they were more than men now. They weren’t even true hybrids, but some cross between a hybrid and the ancient Atlanteans.
The mere thought of it still made his head spin, but time and time again they had been shown to be unlike their hybrid brothers at Luna Lodge. Just what that meant, none of them knew. It just felt like they were waiting for something. He could only hope they weren’t waiting for their own demise at the hands of the godsons, let alone Erebus. Alec didn’t know if he was truly a god, but that didn’t make him any less a threat.
“Okay, let’s get this started,” Rem said to the group. “I’ll let Sheriff Jones take the floor first.”
The older man stepped forward. His wide-brimmed hat filled the space around his head, but his gray hairs still peeked out the sides. Was it possible for a man to visibly age in just a few weeks time? Alec could swear that was exactly what had happened.
“Call me Frank,” the sheriff said with a sad smile. “I think we’re good with first names at this point. The title of sheriff doesn’t mean a hill of beans these days. It’s not like what we’re dealing with cares about human law.”
Alec frowned. He didn’t quite agree. Without the authority behind the title, they wouldn’t have been able to clear out most of the town from danger. It might not mean much to the godsons, but it sure did to the people of Eagle Ridge.
“The town has been mostly cleared out,” Frank said quietly to the men in the room. “But there are still nearly twenty people left. Most are older and on the outskirts, but there are a few who are younger and reside in the center of town. We’ve done about all we can. I can’t force them to leave. I don’t have a legal right to do so, and I think they know it, but I think if we contain the fighting to this area and away from town, they just might make it out unscathed.”
Rem stepped forward and patted Frank on the back. “You’ve done all you can, Frank.” He smiled. “We’ll make sure the townspeople are safe. Magnus, Nicole, Joran, and a few other men will be placed around town. I hate to take them out of the battle, but the people of this town have nothing to do with what’s about to go down, and we need to make sure they have some protection in case trouble spills their way.”
There had been talk initially of bringing the townspeople in on the fight. If the hybrids were fighting for the lives of all mankind, it only made sense that the people they were fighting for had a chance to defend themselves. The local reporter Lara, mate of their second in charge Magnus, was adamant about the point. Worry remained that someone might sell them out. As far as they knew, the Horatius Group had long since been disbanded, but there might be different people allied with members of the former Group waiting to take over where the organization had left off. Rem had mentioned that the Group had been working with many different criminal organizations toward the end of its existence. For everyone’s safety, the hybrids decided to encourage the townspeople to leave and keep the true nature of the danger a secret.
Alec couldn’t really say where he fell in the whole debate. Both sides had convincing arguments. In the end, whatever minimized casualties was likely the best move. The best success in a war was killing all the enemy and not losing any of your own people.
“Where are we on the move?” Rem looked over to where Nero stood.
The strange hybrid had been the only one to make the full change from Glycon to hybrid. Out of all of them, he was the one most likely to most understand their new enemy.
“All the essentials have been moved into the un
derground storage or to the Azilian compound. By tomorrow night, we’ll be ready to make the final move.”
Nero frowned. He had been one of the most outspoken about the move. Deciding to move to the compound of the strange cult was the last thing any of them wanted, especially since Anassa was far from trustworthy. It was giving up the freedom they had fought so hard to obtain. But there really was no other option.
The Azilians had been preparing for this battle. They knew the true nature of the hybrids and had been the first to have the stone. It was the only logical choice, and they all knew it was the only choice if anyone was going to stand up to the godsons, let alone Erebus. Even Nero accepted that in the end.
“Good. We make the final transfer tonight. Alec.” Rem looked over to him. “You will double-check the transfer of the first group. Make sure they are ready, too. The less time we have to go looking for people who aren’t where they’re supposed to be, the more time we have to prepare for everything else.”
Alec nodded. It was nearly the last step of the final plan. None of them quite knew what came next, but there was no question death was coming. He needed to square things away before then. There was no longer any time to leave things to chance.
Rem nodded to the group and stepped over to speak with Magnus, who looked expectantly to Joran. His Vestal, Nicole, would also be staying in town.
Alec stood as Joran did and turned to his stoic friend. Normally Alec would crack a joke, but nothing came to mind. “Take care of yourself out there,” he said quietly. “If things get hot, you find someplace safe for the two of you.”
Joran grunted. They both knew that if it were up to him, Nicole would be safely tucked away at the Azilian compound, but there was no way she was allowing that. The Vestal-hybrid connection could be a beautiful thing, but it could also be annoying, especially when paired with natural stubbornness.
Alec’s eyes met Joran’s, and the latter nodded.
“I’ll see you soon,” Joran murmured. With that he made his way over to Rem, leaving Alec with his own task.
Chapter Three
The sweet smell of baked bread filled the air. It was always a labor of love for Hope, kneading, rising, and more kneading before placing the little pillows of dough into the baking pans. There were so many loaves to be made and stored in the walk-in freezers.
Cooking all the bread reminded her of the life on the prairie books Hope had read as a girl, especially the parts where they were getting ready for an upcoming big winter. She wasn’t really sure what preparation for war looked like, but she had to assume it must be similar.
War. That’s exactly what they were getting ready for. The Azilians could call it whatever they liked, but the truth was something terrible was coming. She could feel it all the way down to her bones, a danger unlike any she’d ever felt in all her life.
“Baking fresh bread for me?”
Hot breath ticked the back of Hope’s neck and despite herself, her nipples hardened at the rugged, hushed tone.
She spared a glance behind her. Alec’s face lingered close to her own. The fresh scent of his soap cut through the smell of bread and made her heart flutter in her chest. There was no denying he was handsome. In truth, he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen up close.
Not that he wasn’t aware of it. There were so many times over the last few weeks she’d caught his eyes seeking her out, the same knowing smile on his face. It might make her heart skip a beat, but she was no dummy. Men like him were trouble. He was obviously not some fated mate for her, just another playboy. He just happened to be one built like an ancient statue.
Her stomach flopped. Maybe she might like his brand of trouble. Just because she’d bought into some of the Vestal stories didn’t mean she had to give up her freedom. Would it be so wrong to seek the arms of someone just because there was no hidden destiny? She took in a deep breath and realized she’d been gripping the edge of the table to steady herself.
Hope unfurled her fingers from the palm of her hand. She needed to keep herself busy if she was going to have any chance of not sounding like a blithering idiot. She reached out to the now warm pan in front of her and turned the bread over onto the sheet. Steam rose up from the bread.
Alec breathed in deeply behind her, his nose nearly at her neck. She shivered at the feel of him there.
“It smells amazing,” he said.
Hope’s pulse quickened, along with her breathing. She needed to move away from him. The closer he was, the harder it was for her to think. A fleeting thought passed through her head. Was this what it truly meant to be a Vestal? She pushed it away. This was just raw attraction. It had been a long time since she’d gotten any. His attention wasn’t anything more than a man looking for some quick action. Just because he was a hybrid didn’t mean he was any less of a man.
She stepped to the side with one loaf of bread and grabbed a knife from the cutting board at the end of the table. Hope glanced at Alec. A small smile played on his lips as he held up his hands in surrender and turned to lean against the table where she’d been standing. It would help her calm down if he wouldn’t be so flirtatious, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. He’d like it too much.
With knife in hand, Hope turned back to the bread and sliced off two big pieces. She turned and pulled the butter from the fridge. It glided on the warm bread with ease and started to melt. When she turned to look at Alec, his eyes weren’t fixed on hers but instead the piece of bread she held out.
She watched anxiously as he took the bread and bit into it. Hope couldn’t say why she wanted him to like it. It wasn’t as if his opinion were necessary for it to be good. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply as he chewed.
Hope’s eyes were drawn to his neck and the thick lines there that worked as he ate the bread. Following the path down, she landed on the slight tip of a blue tattoo that peeked out the top of his shirt. Her fingers twitched and for a moment, the thought of touching it drifted into her head before she swatted the idea down and busied herself with her own bread slice.
It was warm and the butter gave it a slightly salty hint. The perfect snack.
When Hope looked up, she found Alec staring intently at her once again. A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as he leaned forward. She thought for a moment he might be tilting her head to kiss her, and all thought of telling him no went from her mine. No kiss came. Instead, she felt the gentle swipe of his finger across her lip.
Hope took in a shuddered breath as Alec pulled his finger away. There was a crumb of bread on his finger where her lips had just been. He popped it into his mouth. For a moment, she could have sworn his bright blue eyes glowed slightly, but maybe it was the reflection of the sun in the room.
“That’s good bread,” Alec said.
Heat spread across Hope’s face and down her neck as she turned back to the bread. She needed to keep herself busy before she collapsed into his arms, half-willing to do whatever he might suggest. She reached out and began tapping out the rest of the loaves of bread.
“I’d hope so,” Hope said. “I’ve been baking one way or another since I was a little girl.”
Alec moved in a little closer to her side. He wasn’t so close he was touching her, but despite the layers of clothes, she could feel the heat from his body. She’d always been told the hybrids ran a little warmer than the average human, but it seemed silly. Standing next to him, she knew it must be true and couldn’t help but wonder what that warmth would feel like against her bare skin.
Another blush spread across her face. Hope had never been one to fantasize about men this way, but there was just something about Alec that made all her sensibilities go out the window, even when she knew better.
“That’s good to know,” Alec said with a wry smile. “You should bring a loaf of this bread to dinner tonight.”
Hope turned toward him and raised a brow. “And who said we were having dinner tonight?”
Her heart thumped wildly in her chest as A
lec stepped closer. She backed up and bumped against the table behind her. He moved in closer, his breath pressing against her face as he leaned in.
“You want to have dinner with me,” he said quietly, his voice a near growl as he spoke.
A spark of defiance perked up inside of her at the demand. She didn’t take much to being goaded into a date.
“Yes, because now seems like a great time to have a date,” she said sarcastically. “What with the pending doom and gloom going on all around us.”
Alec’s brow furrowed in concern. For once the playful smile was completely wiped from his face. She found that disappointing for some reason, but she couldn’t quite say why.
“You are safe with me,” he said, no trace of anything but pure honesty in his voice. “I will keep you safe. You can trust me.”
Alec gently swept a strand of her hair back behind her ear. His fingers lingered there before trailing down to the back of her neck. She could see him leaning in and although she knew she should stop him, Hope found herself leaning forward to meet him. Maybe doom and gloom was the exact time to be with him.
Their lips touched. She could feel the soft fullness of his mouth on hers. The kiss was tender, with a feeling she’d never quite experienced in any other kiss, a connection she’d never had with anyone else. Her heart pounded.
No. Could it be? Maybe he was more than just a flirt. She was a Vestal, after all, and Alec a hybrid.
Hope placed her hands against his soft flannel button-up shirt and slid them up his hard chest until she’d reached the back of his neck, unintentionally pulling him further into their kiss. Her mouth opened with his. Their tongues twined together as they simultaneously deepened the kiss.
Alec’s short, rough beard scratched the tender skin around her mouth. It only added to the fevered sensation pulling her deeper into the kiss. Hope wanted this far more than she realized. She nearly jumped at the sound of a moan pulled deep from inside her. Her body pressed close to his, and she could feel his growing length against her middle.
Alec: #11 (Luna Lodge: Hunters of Atlas) Page 2