“You can’t do jack, Hunter boy.”
Just then, Calum flew five feet slamming against the wall with Cord’s arm against his neck.
Calum shot off his overconfident mouth at a very vehement Cord, “Yeah, maybe. But it sure would feel good wouldn’t it wolf boy if she liked you. Or maybe you’re just all talk because you can’t measure up to the rest of us godly types. A little down on the food chain.” Calum forced Cord back all the way to the only free standing wall with nothing on it and hands ready to fight.
Time to step in. I was between them, sandwiched in the folds of two even more muscled as of late men who were a foot taller than me and built like tanks. I squeezed both their arms to the point they had to be in pain. “You two end this now. Calum, he is more than capable of taking you down since he picked you up and threw you against the wall. Obviously, he’s got skills.”
Cord felt the need to snicker and give the impression I was the least bit impressed by his performance earlier.
“Known for his arrogance, this is to be expected. But you Calum, I know you.”
“Yeah, intimately,” he charged just for the fun of it.
Newest metaphorical description for the way my supposed “leadership” was going...to hell in a hand basket. I felt like a red flag taming the bulls. They just charged more when I waved it around. I let go of both of them pinching their skin needlessly for good measure. I felt like a mother bird.
“Not the time or place. And total history. All I feel for you right now is anger and disgust. Fighting each other is not the answer. I have a damn brother. I get that ya’ll need...a release.” The irrational part of me hidden from their view wanted to jump on him from behind and beat him fist happy senseless since he was determined to make me uncomfortable.
Cord piped in, “I can give you a release.”
Said the spider to the fly maybe. I ignored his suggestive banter, “And boys will be boys. I get all that. If you guys want to duke it out in good old fashion guy adrenaline rush fighting, go for it. But stop taking shots at each other. Get your asses over to the floor and do something useful.” My shorter frame seemed to have no problem at the second with the ability to reach both Cord and Calum eye to eye. Either they’d slouched down on the wall to meet me or I was on my tip toes without knowing. Both of them look scared, but all they were vibrating out was sadness because they’d let me down.
“And it’s a good thing you’re feeling like you let me down Calum Green, because you have. And you craphead,” I switched my pointer finger over to Cord’s nose, “better be dang sure glad you’re sending out waves of “she’s all that” emotional crap because I’m all you got right now to back your big muscle butt against the rest of this room with your mouth. So save your little sexual comments for some girl who cares because it is not me. And to be sure you know where you stand, I consider you as strong, if not stronger than Calum for the simple fact that you stop and think. He is hotheaded. I know this about each of you. I accept it. Now you two need to get over it and shut the hell up.” I took a long awaited breath and walked away before they could see me come down from my high.
Szar didn’t let me down. His loud applause filled the room. Cas’ hands went to form a clap and my glare stopped him cold. He pulled his hands back down and went about sorting the weapons that he’d continued to sort very methodically and much precision while I went on my tirade.
Both Calum and Cord stood stark still and weren’t budging behind me. I turned back to them and raised both eyebrows to signal my “I’m waiting” look. Calum peeled off the wall first and came over to me emptying yet another water bottle. The man was a fish when he worked out.
He bent towards my face and alarm shot up through me. He kissed a small peck on my cheek and whispered in my ear, “God you are beautiful. I will let you get angry at me like that any day.” It was a whisper, but everyone in the room still heard.
Munch! Munch! said the satiated T-rex sized spider.
Cord’s turn to peel off and walk my way. Not wanting another butterfly man kiss, I backed away as he neared me. I put both hands in front of me to stay him off. “Ditto, Hunter. Stay tuned for the next commercial break where setting off her kitten ways makes the four of us look like asses, but it sure is fun.” And then the damn dog did something unthinkable. He freaking high-fived Calum in the air and then again down below and then they even man hugged. I’m freaking having a cow. Bitter didn’t begin to describe the taste in my mouth.
That boy’s interest in me was founded on something entirely out of my comprehension. We were so incompatible. And all my worries to feign him off only dug his claws in deeper.
“She doesn’t see what she is. Her rarity.”
I think that was Cord who said the last statement but I wasn’t sure and I wasn’t going to ask.
They all heard me growl and I stormed out the front door of the warehouse to cool off. I heard Cas drop the knives where he stood and follow me out. What in the world did he possibly think he could do to help it?
I balled my fist up and waited for the argument.
When I turned around to face him knowing he’d just closed the door and we were alone, I smacked right into his forceful argumentative lips. And they were burning up. He backed me against the wall of the warehouse sending a thud out loud enough everyone had to have heard. His retaliating hands were all over me searching and then resting on both my hips. I held back at first out of pure surprise then let go and began to spin into to him releasing all the nervous energy I’d penned up inside. He felt me relax and moved his arms above my head arching to terminate the space between us. Losing the feel of his hands took me to another place and I forgot all together where we were and that on the other side of this wall were three other people. I put my arms up under his shirt and raked my hands across his muscled back. I felt him shudder and pull back letting a small ounce of reality to seep in. He pressed on wanting more.
I broke the kiss and nibbled his bottom lip trying to bring him back down before we got out of hand. “Cas, what—
He ignored it and went back for round two. I didn’t argue. After a few long couple of minutes he backed his face away from me an inch and stayed there. “I am absolutely the luckiest man on this earth.”
That was...the look.
He laughed low.
“Well, I’m glad you finally figured that part out but I don’t find it terribly amusing.” I wasn’t breathing as hard since he’d slowed down a little towards the end.
His mouth growled spiking my heartbeat and other desires.
Kissa. That isn’t helping.
The thud against the wall alerted the whole of the warehouse of our whereabouts. They are going to totally think the wrong thing in there.
I’m not upset. My claim. You’re mine.
But I don’t want anyone thinking badly of me.
Oh, Kissa. You are such a lioness. “I love you, Anastacia.”
Saying my name alone takes on a whole new meaning with the way he says it. It’s like the declaration could be assured with just it alone. “You said my full name in front of me.”
“What would it get me if I say it again?”
My next smile could have lit up the Roman Coliseum. I slapped his chest playfully. “No, I’m asking the questions here. Why did you unleash on me like that?” I wanted to know.
“First, you were so damn hot in there telling off grown men and they just fell to your every whim. We are so whipped by you. And second, you needed the release and I had no intentions of letting Cord have any more fantasies of what he had in mind with my girl. So I helped you out.”
“Helped me out was it,” I scoffed hitting his chest harder and watching him step backwards. “Release you say,” I pushed him back again. Harder. He was letting me mind you. “Whipped it is,” I pushed my almost hardest and watched him fall to the ground. I climbed on top straddling him and started to tickle every single part of him I could reach “legally” at this stage in our relationship. When he
laughed aloud and I followed suit, we didn’t hear the three gasps that shot out at us from the door.
“Get a room, sis. Surprised you have your clothes on. Tried to hold these two back from their supposed savior ass response time.”
Cord grunted. Calum just left. Cas snorted anger. Szar shoved Cord back in and the two of us stood and dusted off from the solid brown dirt mess we’d made of ourselves.
This probably didn’t help matters, but this was beyond them. I wouldn’t sacrifice my time or energy with Cas because of their jealousies but at least I was still a girl in their eyes and not animals like themselves. Sometimes I felt like the lamb among wolves. Ironic that one of them happens to be one.
“Watch your language,” Cas shot in Szar’s direction when we were clean and had reached the door. Every male body other than Cas grabbed some part of their body and laughed their heads off.
“It isn’t cool.”
They laughed more. I ignored thinking he’s a little overboard with the minding Stace’s honor business.
“Play nice in front of her or else.”
I called him on the carpet in front of all of them and he told me to stay out of it. Rolling my eyes I yelled to no one in particular, “Damn hot bad-ass men think they rule me.”
The other guys laughed and Cas rubbed his chin and shut up.
We got to work once inside.
I cornered Calum eventually for some much needed answers that I honestly waited too long to ask. I found out he knew more in the years before I met him than he let on, but not necessarily about me. He knew a little of what letter meant, but never had the guts to pursue the truth about it.
Calum admitted to being blind to Lee’s side adventures and believes Quinn is in it somehow, but it remains to be seen. He was disturbed mostly by the fact that his father worked Lee into my home in cahoots with my father not knowing that Lee was intercepted by Borgon for a side quest. This has to be true only because my father would have never left him there if they knew he was feeding information to the enemy. Whether the Hunters knew, I have to guess. I don’t however think Calum knew or I would feel it.
I also know that Lee was threatened with my death if anything leaked and that was enough to scare a young boy into submission. Killing me seemed to be Borgon’s forever bargaining chip. Well, it wouldn’t work anymore. We are all grown up and very hard to kill.
I heard a quote once in my studies. I used to think it didn’t make sense until now. “I became insane after long intervals of horrible insanity.” Poe poems give great inspiration to the misunderstood and I was a perfect candidate for the title.
I found myself wondering how so many personalities (egos) can survive one room like we do. Calum was a power house full of adrenaline at the drop of a pin while Cord was a stewing pot of spite and pent up anger waiting to spew. Cas was the slow curve ball that you never knew was coming and Szar...he was just a little boy in a grown up body who is always looking for the thrill of a fight. It all worked in the end. We were all still alive.
And me...well I’ll consider myself lucky and leave it at that.
Chapter Seventeen
The worst loneliness is...
“Where are you headed?” Szar looked my over very brotherly/fatherly like but it still creeped me out a little.
“Um, Szar. Look at me like that again and I will punch your face in.”
“Cool you jets. I just want to make sure Cas is okay with you leaving the house like that. I’m still your brother and someone has to watch out for you.”
Stupid overprotective brothers.
“Yeah, cuz’ you can do something about it.” I adjusted my skirt that was indeed a bit short, but the black tights covered me completely and showed not one bit of skin. I am sure my lower than usual neckline would not go unnoticed by Cas but that was my intention. I wanted him to notice that I was still in fact a girl. Lately I felt like I was a little to battle ready in too many ways and I didn’t want to be “just one of the guys”.
I bent over to finish lacing my knee length books and nearly fell over with the words that vibrated in my brain.
Hell no!
I landed on my butt across the chair under me bumping the opposite chair I was using to prop my foot on. Gracefulness was not my friend at the moment.
A shadow fell over me.
You’re not letting anyone see you like that. His body moved like a wasp trying to whip around me.
“Cas. You’re being ridiculous. YOU told me to dress this way.”
I told you to dress for a date, not wear so little every male will be dead by nightfall who even dares to look at you.
“You are not going to do that.”
The hell I won’t.
And I dressed for you, not anyone else, I threw in being reminded that we were “getting out” like I asked.
You’re baiting me.
You’re overbearing and broody.
You’re too stubborn.
“You want me to put on a potato sack?”
If it covers what belongs to me, then yes.
Huff!
“Told you!” my brother listened like a little sneak.
“Shut up.”
I finished lacing up the second black boot and stood up about three inches taller and almost eye level with Cas. When this happened, he caught the change immediately. His eyes darkened to the silky gleam that told me exactly what he was thinking though I couldn’t read his mind at all. He leaned back a touch and scanned every inch of me in very much a silent appreciation. I did enjoy this immensely no matter how nerve racking it was. My heart skipped a beat when he finally said.
Okay. You can go.
Like he can order me or something. I raised an eyebrow that was incidentally even with his.
I can handle seeing your eyes this close to mine for a long, long time. But tonight, you stay very close to me. Do not leave my side.
Ha! I won.
Szar whistled under his breath and said something to Cas making his fists ball up on each side. I wanted suddenly to be an only child. I wanted to kill my twin.
I was too busy being angry with them both when Cord came back into the room not alone. I still had my back to them when I turned from grabbing my earrings off the table and putting them on. Turning, I felt like Mona Lisa naked and on display. Both of them didn’t hide their reaction to my transformation. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe being one of the guys was better than reminding them that I was a girl.
Appraised head to toe by all of them I vowed to have more female companionship in my life. And soon.
“Where are you going...like that?” Calum was looking at parts of me that were way below my eye level.
“None-ya!”
“The hell it is. You’re not leaving anywhere like that. Cas. Put a stop to it.”
“Stay out of it, Hunter,” Cas snarled at him.
“You okayed this?” Calum held both hands out in front of him towards me.
“No, he didn’t. But that isn’t for him to decide. I can dress however I want and the four of you need to get down off your high horses and leave me to decide what I wish.”
Sure, I was being a total teenage drama queen about this. But growing up too fast will do that to you. I wanted to be a girl. Young and free. And a little careless. So, I come close to losing my life every stinking day and that is considered careless. I wanted careless with a capital C for Cross. I wanted a date with my Vampire boyfriend where he was completely and totally enamored with me. Me. ME!
Cord piped in, “Then I’m going to. I’m not letting anyone get near you.”
“This isn’t a group date.” Cas was pissed. He blocked my view of them or vice versa and at the same time arranged his body into what I knew well enough to call his “Come and get me” stance for fighting.
“Fine. Where are you going?” Cord reared his chest up in the air much the same.
When Cas didn’t answer, Cord answered with, “Okay then. I will just follow you.”
“C
an anyone say stalker?” I mused out loud pretending to pull my sleeves into place.
“Same here.” Calum cleared his throat and stepped up beside Cord as if they were bosom buddies.
You know Szar. “Not here. I trust Cas to watch over her. It’s not like he’s likely to forget and let her go far with her like this.”
“Shut up brother.”
“Shut up yourself. It wasn’t Cas who had to fend off the hordes of boys for years who tried to get your attention and father instructed me to keep away.”
“What boys?”
“Exactly.” He was indicating he was good at that job.
“If we’re going, then let’s go,” Cas said through gritted teeth and I prayed that anger would not be taken out on me.
Of course, they followed us out the door and I heard Szar shouting from the closed door, “Well if you two are going stag then count me in. I’m not getting left at home to eat rocky road and cry my eyes out like a damn girl.”
Chapter Eighteen
...not to be comfortable with yourself.
So off we went with all in tow. I didn’t know Cas’ intentions were Club Toxic. A dance club. We got in under his face and handshake alone. The guy at the door didn’t even take our money. Calum and Cord were peeved off that they had to pay and Szar just laughed as he whipped out the twenty-dollar cover charge.
Cas ordered me a soda and one for himself as well. I felt kind of odd being so prudish about our drinks when he served me wine all the time now. Oh well.
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