Neil laughed and knew it was a mistake when her fists clenched again.
“I challenge you!”
He had time to think she’d seen and heard a lot in her short time here, and then she was swinging and he was trying not to fall down.
Thud!
For the fifth time, Neil landed with a hard thump, blood dripping, and Samantha backed up.
“Why are you letting me beat on you?” she demanded, almost yelling. The Trooper winced, but didn’t answer. There was a method to his madness. Telling her wasn’t a part of it.
Rolling to his feet, Neil rushed her, dropping under her wild swing and he took them to the ground with his hand braced under to keep her from hitting too hard.
“Ankles!” he ordered sharply.
Sam did as he’d shown her, using the force of her locked legs to gain leverage. She began slamming his ribs with quick, hard knuckle punches, and used her head to connect with his nose.
Grunting, Neil rolled over and off to keep from spraying her with fresh crimson and they stayed on their backs, breathing hard. They’d been at it for almost their allotted hour and Neil was hurting. He’d given her the perfect workout. He let her hit him repeatedly.
“Be at the self-defense ring at dawn,” Neil stated, not thinking, just running on instinct.
“You’ll clear it?”
“No. It’s very important for this to all seem like your idea. Only the teachers are there so early. Go to Doug and challenge him. After, demand to be signed up for the level classes, not the crap we give the camp. You’re way beyond that.”
And she was, he thought. She was clumsy and had bad habits that would have to be broken, but she also had a fury that Neil wasn’t sure even Angela could match. The blonde had an endless supply of rage to draw from and every hit she’d delivered had been solid. When she was ready, Sam would follow Angela into the Eagles. Neil was sure of it.
“You okay?”
Sam sighed, sitting up. “Thinking.”
“Yeah.” Neil examined his feelings on being in the background while she went through what Angela already had and found he could understand completely why Marc had been so upset. If he saw a man hit Samantha, he’d react. It was that simple.
“Can we do this again?” she asked, her voice pointed. “But without the passive teacher.”
Neil hesitated, still not sure about seeing anyone, including himself, hurt her.
Sam waved a hand. “If not, no big deal. Jeremy will probably…”
“I’ll do it!”
Sam only felt a little guilty for using his jealousy. “Good. You’ll let me know when?”
“Yes.”
“Great. Thanks, Neil, really.”
He didn’t look at her. “Adrian sends ‘em and I beat ‘em.”
“But Adrian didn’t send me and you never hit me.”
Her thoughtful voice had his eyes flying open. “Wonder what that means?”
“Might be nothing,” he warned and she gave him a sharp smile that cut through his indifferent façade.
“I’ll keep that in mind when Jeremy finally asks me out. He’s very nice.” Sam turned to get her gun. “See ya, Neil.”
The Trooper moved fast, on his feet and then right behind her in an instant, and Sam stopped, waiting. She’d pushed him tonight, in more ways than one.
“Please.” Neil’s voice was ragged, tortured.
“Please what, Neil? Don’t tease you about Jeremy?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Sam hadn’t turned and the Trooper was able to give her the honesty that the sight of her face would have locked up. “I need… time.”
Sam’s heart jumped and she heard the tremor in her voice as clearly as he did. “For what?”
Staring at her stiff back, Neil felt his caged need spring forward and he smothered the urge to spin her around and demonstrate his desires. “To be sure.”
Sam let that sink in, understanding she was now firmly in contention for him with Becky.
“I won’t play those games, Neil. And I’d never share.” She turned slowly, let him see indifference. “Plus, I don’t know if I’m even interested.”
A dark flush slid up her cheeks and Neil slammed his hands into his pockets. He wanted desperately to expose that lie. “Ouch.”
“Sorry. Long day.”
“Long life full of pain.”
Sam’s voice lowered, “And it’s not over.” She looked away. “Things are happening too fast for me.”
“Did you tell Jeremy the same thing at Mess?”
Sam swung her face back to his. “No. I don’t need to. He understands that without being told.”
Before he could respond, she slipped out of the tent, unable to help a shiver at the immediate darkness.
“Hey, there.”
Jeremy’s voice was unexpected and Sam’s hand went for her gun.
“Easy. I’m the guard he posted.”
Sam cringed at those words, thinking Jeremy had been close enough to hear them.
The Eagle shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that to you. I’ve been in the shadows and on patrol. I heard nothing.” His smile widened. “Saw some vicious swinging shadows though. Good workout?”
Sam gave a short nod, realizing he’d seen Adrian’s visit and knew what it meant. “It helped.”
“You gonna have another lesson?”
Sam heard the familiar tones of jealousy and her voice was cool. “That hasn’t been decided yet.”
She turned for the light of camp and Jeremy fell in step, wondering what she was thinking.
“He wants me to wait,” Sam blurted suddenly, horrified to hear it fall out so bluntly. “Until he makes up his mind.”
Jeremy scowled openly. “He what?”
Sam flushed again, instantly wishing she hadn’t told him. “He’s not sure,” she stated, letting him see how stung she was.
Jeremy responded to her need without hesitation. “Come here.”
Sam let him surround her with his big arms, surprised at the way she enjoyed being held. The tears were rare for her and she was glad when only a few rolled down her cheek to soak into his jacket.
“He’s an ass,” Jeremy stated harshly, not caring that Neil had just emerged from the tent and stopped in shock. “It’s not your fault he’s stupid, baby. That’s on him!”
Jeremy glared at the Trooper and then turned them away from the training area, fighting the urge to say something nasty to his team leader. What the hell was wrong with Neil that he couldn’t see the differences like everyone else? Was that little tart really worth his place?
Sam let the concerned Eagle take her into the darkness, thinking she would have to seal up these feelings that she now had for Neil. If this went on for long, it could hurt her and she couldn’t allow another man to do that.
Neil watched them go, heart thumping with guilty anger. Jeremy would be a better mate for her. Clearly he was more attentive, as Neil hadn’t even realized he’d hurt her until he’d seen the tears when Jeremy turned them toward the shadows. But… that male part of him, the side that his dad had built from the ground up, was insisting he could give her more.
“And what about Becky?” his body asked and Neil grimaced uneasily. He wasn’t sure. She was in the shadows behind him and Neil didn’t hide it. “Becky, we need to talk.”
He waited, turned when he heard her steps behind him.
“Hey, Neil.”
Her tone was cool and the Trooper sighed resignedly. It just wasn’t his day. “I’d like to talk to you about your new friend.”
Her clenched fists told him to brace himself. He had also learned something tonight.
“And don’t forget your new friend, Neil. We’ll have a talk about her, too.”
Neil started toward the tent he’d just left and Becky snorted angrily, “You know nothing about women, Neil. Do you know that? I don’t want to talk in there, where you were with her!”
“You need to stay away from Rick…
and stop following me.”
Becky froze, heart thumping. He was doing it now.
“Did you hear…”
“I heard you! Anything else? Like October isn’t happening because you’ve found something better?”
Neil winced. “It’s not like that. I… I need some time.”
Becky’s face grew red. “To pick.”
He gave a short sigh, realizing she deserved to know the truth, too. “Yes.”
“Well then I don’t see a problem with my spending time with Rick while you spend time with Samantha. Maybe someone as a comparison would be a good thing.”
Becky turned away, tearing up and Neil was ashamed at his first thought. He had a basis for comparison and wasn’t sure how he now fared against Jeremy in Sam’s cornflower blue eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“Slam you!” floated through the stillness and Neil shook his head. That had gone well.
He looked in the direction Jeremy and Samantha had gone, and headed for the showers instead. What he wouldn’t give to hear that conversation.
“Try not to let it keep eating at you. He’ll come around.”
Samantha shook her head angrily. “I’m not a second prize, Jeremy. It’s already too late for that.”
Ignoring how his own heart responded, the Eagle frowned. “Neil’s wired differently than most of the people here, Sam. It’s a cop-thing.”
The Storm Tracker became cold. “I’m not interested.”
That was supposed to be the end of it. Jeremy heard the tone, but the need to make his team leader and this soft, furious woman happy was stronger than her desire to be left alone.
“Give him a little time, baby, like he asked for.”
Samantha’s weathered face held no trace of the tears that had brought them to this secluded part of the camp. Showing misery was a luxury she refused to indulge in. There was just too much of it. “And in the meantime?”
Jeremy let a brief glimpse of his feelings show, unable to deny her the comfort she wanted and the hope his heart needed. “In the meantime, we’ll get to know each other. If he waits too long, it’s his loss.”
Sam sighed restlessly, thinking again that this man would never hurt her, wasn’t dangerous to a woman, and that was why it wouldn’t work. She needed that edge of unknown. Still, at least she wouldn’t be walking through her days completely alone and she gave the Eagle a short nod. “Okay, for now. How long I’ll last in this play, I don’t know.”
Jeremy’s tone was full of understanding, “Same here, baby. Same here.”
Still running through the dark trees in a wild rage, Becky hit a hard body and came to a jarring stop. They fell in a tangle of limbs and the crying girl’s sobbing increased. “Slam this place!”
“I don’t think so much of it either.”
Rick’s voice was amused, and Becky didn’t move off of his chest. The tears were still coming and she shuddered when he slid an arm around her.
“Sshhhh…”
Rick comforted her easily and enjoyed the feel of her young body against his. If not for the guards… He pushed himself up, gently hauling her along and though he left his arm around her, he put clear space between them. Too bad he wasn’t on his own time right now, but the sneaking around had to be done carefully.
“It’ll be okay. You’ll think of something.”
Becky sniffled against his hot arm. “And you’ll help me with it.”
Glad her voice had been barely audible, Rick smiled soothingly. “Yes. In a little while, they’ll all be too busy to think about her.”
The shadows watched tensely, hoping for Rick to cross any line, but the suspected traitor only offered a little more comfort and then gently pushed the teenager back toward camp. It would be reported, but without an actual crime, Rick was safe.
Chapter Fourteen
1
April 24th, 2013
Fate isn’t something you can plan for. Sometimes, all you can do is hold on and steer toward the shallows.
I was expecting all men. My council will be only half that. I’m struggling to be careful with them and the camp. Samantha needs time to adjust before I can pull her in openly. Angie has to be trained, taught. The workload has increased, but so have the benefits. Not one Seer, but three!
Fate blessed me and cursed me by sending me so much power it can’t be used freely. Somewhere, laughter is spilling on my account, I’m sure. I now have what I need, but where to begin! What to push the hardest?
We’re spending the next two days on the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge and I hope to get further in my plans with them. These women need to be accepted and I have total faith that fate will provide the right places, at the right times.
And if one of them fails, these sheep won’t give a second chance.
Adrian wasn’t entirely sure on that. It would depend on how bad the flinch was and what it cost…
“Got a minute?”
Adrian steadied himself against the vivid feel of Angela suddenly being in his head. “Sure. What’s up?”
“I need a schedule switch.”
Instantly alert, he closed the newest journal that now held a single entry. He had already filled five others since the War of 2012.
“You’re having trouble?”
“Not exactly. Kyle said you changed my shifts to mid-morning when I got hurt. Please, put them back?”
Adrian’s mind raced. Why would she want to be awake so early? Part of proving herself?
“Mostly to avoid… the morning sets.”
Adrian scowled furiously. Hiding from Kenn. No, he was out of camp with Zack and his team on a Slaver recon right now and usually had Point at that time. The lower levels trained on that shift. She was avoiding Brady.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks.”
There was a pause as he felt her need for something else, but didn’t respond. If it was important, she would ask. Without being able to see those expressive eyes, he would only be guessing at her thoughts.
Grateful he wasn’t pushing, Angela let their connection open further, giving him what he wouldn’t ask for as she moved through tents; another view of his camp.
Safe Haven sprawled out over the muddy street and corn, refusing to bend to the will of the ominous sky overhead. People walked, talked and laughed with each other, and there wasn’t a single sign of the terror that had brought most of them together. Happiness flowed from those already awake, contentment and peace caused by the caring of one man’s determined dream. His camp glowed with life through her sight and it made Adrian’s heart fill with pride and satisfaction. These people were in good shape considering all that had happened, and obviously well cared for. Their leader was a good man.
“Thank you.”
“It’s my honor.”
Adrian was grateful for the peace that allowed for a rare extra few minutes to snooze and think. And what did his mind consider most important right at this very moment? The woman now on her way to give a final class to two levels of Eagles. This is how it had become. Even the threat of the Slavers came second most days. And the dreams!
Angela had been in the camp almost four weeks and each day came with a new awareness; her good attitude, her smile, her soft voice in his head. She was the light in his darkness, only instead of rebuilding, most of his nights now revealed ways to teach this special female everything he knew.
She was unlike any other here, but more than that, she was different than any woman he'd known… except for his mother. Their resemblance was probably part of his growing fascination with the quiet beauty. Both of them were strong, able to adapt, and they loved their sons. It was clear that Angela would do anything for her boy and Adrian was aware of how hurt she was that the teenager was still giving her, but not Marc, the cold treatment.
It was one of those things he planned to help her with, but all these changes happening in sight of the camp meant he had to go slow and he felt his guts twist in a painful spasm. So
long!
Adrian sighed, pushing the awful image away. He’d seen endless months of waiting to have what he now wanted as much as any of the other males here. Did she even feel this pull? Not likely. All she could see was Brady, but that Marine wouldn’t be able to make her happy either.
2
“I have eighteen seats and only sixteen students. Who’s MIA?”
“That would be us.”
Neil and Marc moved inside together and Angela lifted her uninjured arm. “Two volunteers, come on up.”
She gestured at the bench of supplies, “You’ve taken the class. This is the level test. Remove one stitch from my shoulder.”
Face tight with disapproval, Marc stepped her way. “You’re the boss.”
He concentrated on the ugly wound waiting to be tended. “Timed?”
“You know it.”
Marc dropped his jacket and scrubbed, his movements quick, agitated.
“Ready.”
“Go.”
Hands steady, Marc opened the packages in the right order and carefully, but firmly pulled off the bandage. He couldn’t hide his wince at the ugliness of it against that satin skin.
Angela tilted her arm toward him with a low mutter, “It sliced the K in half. Did you notice?”
He hadn’t. There had been too much anger, but it was true, and for a moment it was like a sign that things would get better from this point. “No.”
Aware that the others would copy his movements, Marc tried to remember her lessons and forget some of the things he’d been taught before the War. Angie’s classes and basic aid training were worlds apart.
He did fine cleaning the ugly wound with the alcohol pads, pretending it was someone else’s tense shoulder. He chose the right tools to take out the stitch, but when he actually started to do it, he hesitated, unsure. What had he forgotten?
“One minute,” Doug called, overseeing from a back corner where he still towered over everyone else.
Marc got moving and as he snipped the stitch, it flashed in his mind. Glaring, he gently pulled the gooey black thread out of her shoulder.
Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) Page 37