Crossing Hudson

by Mandy M. Roth

  Tess shrugged. “Some things need to be shown.”

  I stared at Hudson who was watching the huge image as it continued to unfold as though he had a personal stake in it. “Hudson, make him close it.”

  “I felt you, Ryan. I was confused,” he whispered. “Your voice was barely there when she was around. Why?”

  “What?” I asked, turning and staring at the image.

  I watched as Mr. Sexy’s head moved back and forth and my eyes rolled back in my head. At first, it looked like I was doing it to be funny. The blood that trickled out of my nose and my body lifting off the floor said it was anything but funny. An energy that wasn’t mine ripped me around the training room, slamming me into the walls as my body flailed. Instantly, I was ejected from the training room. I hit my body and it carried every mark that I did.

  Eliza pounced on me, keeping me from flying around the room more. I clawed at my throat for air.

  “Gabriel!” Eliza screamed.

  He appeared instantly, and his face went white. Turning, he looked at the still open square that showed Mr. Sexy kissing Maddy and shot his hand out. It closed the square and I drew in a big breath. “Ryan?”

  I didn’t answer. I just laid there shaking. Gabriel looked at thin air and nodded. “Stay with her, ease her pain. I’ll go to The Powers. This was not to happen.”

  The image snapped shut fully. Hudson grabbed me and pulled me to him. “Shh, He wanted me to see, Ryan. He wanted me to know. To understand.”

  “What? Why would he want some random guy and a close friend of mine shown to all of you. I can’t—”

  Tess cleared her throat and drew my attention to her. “Ryan, that wasn’t just some guy. That man is your mate.”

  I snorted. “Not possible. Cowboy is my mate and—” I stilled. Conversations from my childhood, hints that Eliza had given me all came rushing back to me. “Holy crap. The Powers That Be are dicks.”

  “Yeah,” said a number of the girls in unison, not a dry eye in the joint.

  Covering my mouth, I drew in a deep breath as I thought about it all. “I mean, I know he’s a Guardian and that Maddy’s one, but I never put two and two together. That man, the one Maddy called Mr. Sexy to avoid saying his real name that hurt my ears—he didn’t feel like Cowboy. He felt harder. Colder. Like he—”

  Tess touched my arm gently. “Because that part of him is harder, Ryan.” She glanced at Hudson. “I’m guessing Cowboy let himself be just himself around you. I think he let his guard down, dropped his normally tough exterior, and allowed you to see sides of him that no one else has ever been permitted to view.”

  15

  Chapter 15

  I gasped as the reality of what that meant sunk in. “My mate picked Madelyn over me? Ohmygod. She was the woman with him when he should have come for me?” I bent over and clutched my stomach. “I’m going to throw up.”

  “He didn’t pick her over you, Ryan,” Hudson said. “He didn’t. He was confused. Your scent was all over her. He could sense you, but could only see Madelyn in the training room with him. He couldn’t hear you like he could when he was alone with you around.”

  Tess nodded. “If you sensed someone, a presence that you were created to love, to give everything to, all around you but you could only see someone else, what would you think?”

  Putting my head against Hudson’s chest, I thought about what Tess was asking me. My eyes widened. “That’s why he hesitated right before his head went through me?”

  Tess smiled. “Yes, honey. He felt you. The real you in that spot. There was no way he could have understood you’d place-jumped there, Ryan. In his mind, Madelyn was the only one there.

  Tess turned to the girls. “We should give them a little bit.”

  “No,” I said. “I’m fine. It’s just that I never realized that they were the same man, Tess. The Powers—”

  “Messed with your head and your life too much!” Steffy said, crossing her arms. “No part of me wants to serve people who would do that to you, Ryan.”

  I gasped. “Don’t say that, Steffy.”

  A collective clamor tore through the group of girls, each one agreeing with Steffy. Even Shona agreed. She shook her head. “I don’t know how you do it, Ryan. How do you still do what they want after they screwed up what the two of you should have had?”

  I stood tall. “I do it because it’s what Eliza told me I’d do, why she died so I would be able to do. I was sent to be a bridge—light to dark. I’m here to strike a balance that I can only pray I achieve before my body gives out. If I’m breathing, I’m fighting for that. For a place other girls and my son can grow up free from being hunted, stalked and in danger.” I stared at them all. “You were born to protect those who cannot protect themselves. If you turn your back on that because you don’t like the way some higher-ups decide to manage the place, then evil wins. You turn your back on the people who are like I used to be—unaware evil is real and that it will stop at nothing to rule this world. Is that what you want?”

  They all shook their heads no.

  “I want to know that someday my son will be safe. That he’ll find happiness. And I’d like to believe his father fights for the same thing, even if he’s not sure exactly who he’s fighting for.”

  The girls all rushed me, hugging me tight and kissing me. I received twenty ”I love you’s” and “We’re sorry’s” before they gave me enough room to move. The mood was so gloomy I needed to lift it, and a change of topic wouldn’t hurt either.

  “Ladies, I believe I promised to sing a song to you. I don’t even think I’ll argue about the song choice. Though I should warn you that someone I once knew hid his CD of this because he was sick of listening to me sing the entire thing. Wendy, go ahead and fire that up.”

  Steffy pushed past Hudson and grabbed my black cowboy hat. Putting it on my head, she smiled. “Here, Tennessee, I like you in this.”

  The girls scattered, making room for me. The music started and I moved with it. Grabbing the microphone, I brought it up and started into Ms. Twain’s male must-have list. My twang was evident when I sang sometimes. The music made people want to move. Regardless if they liked to dance or not.

  Moving forward, I nodded. They all began to dance and try to move like me as they held their invisible microphones. I was very animated when I got going and I knew it. I patted my hip with the tattoo as I leaned back, hitting the extra sassy parts. Clicking my boot, I winked and gave a hardy cowgirl call out.

  The girls laughed and did the same thing. Walking to Shona, I bumped her with my hips. She laughed and joined in the fun. It was moments like this that I realized I was happy again. I never thought it would happen. The girls locked arms and took a sassy I am a woman stance as they tried to sing along. They were horribly off key but it sounded wonderful to me. They needed a break from talk of monsters, demons and destiny.

  James-Porter wiggled to the point that Hudson had to set him down. The minute his little feet hit the floor, his big brown eyes found me. Smiling wide, he clapped and bounced up and down. Walking towards him, I did the same little bounce and he covered his eyes, giggling. Steffy dropped down next to him and held his arms as he did his little dance. Rocking back and forth, she got him laughing so hard that I laughed a bit to, almost losing my place in the song.

  Catching sight of Hudson out of the corner of my eye, I turned to him to find him leaning against the stage with his arms folded, smiling at me. Putting my hand out, I offered him a chance to join me. To my surprise, he did.

  Putting his hands on my hips, he stepped into me and I moved back, knowing exactly what he was doing—dancing. The man had a cowboy buried in him somewhere. That both excited and terrified me.

  He led us around the dance floor. The girls giggled and paired up, trying to do the same thing. James-Porter went to Tess and danced in front of her.

  Looking up into Hudson’s dark brown eyes, I winked. Bringing his head down, he winked back and pressed his lips to my ear. “Would it s
care you off if I told you something big—something that I need to get off my chest?”

  My brows drew together and I shook my head no.

  “Good, because I’ve been wanting to tell you that I love you since I laid eyes on you.”

  The girls all looked at me as I stood there staring at Hudson. He glanced at them and smiled. “Girls, I just told Ryan I love her and I’m about to ask her to marry me. How do you think she’ll react?”

  “You just met her,” one of the girls said. I made a mental note to find out which one and commend her on her practicality.

  Another one shouted out, “Haven’t you ever heard of love at first sight? It’s so romantic. Ryan deserves that.”

  “Hudson,” I whispered a second before he captured my lips with his. He felt so right, so perfect for me that I couldn’t push him away even if I wanted to.

  Returning his kiss, I slid my hand up and ran it over his thick neck. The moment was that perfect. My entire body lit, wanting desperately to have Hudson back in it. My breathing grew irregular as I held tight to him.

  Tiny giggles drew me out of my state of need. Pulling back slightly from Hudson, I touched my swollen lips. “We should work on controlling that.”

  “I meant what I said, Ryan. I love you.”

  “You just met me.”

  He arched a brow as a sexy grin spread over his face, reminding me of what we’d shared in my bedroom. Not wanting him to give out any details in front of a room full of teenage girls, I gave him a chaste, but emotionally charged kiss. “Aren’t Guardians supposed to be impartial?”

  “If that were the case, then why would The Powers give you one as a mate?” he asked, so low that only I could hear him.

  “Hudson.”

  “Forget it, baby. You aren’t getting rid of me. You can develop any kind of rash you want. I’m not going anywhere. And he,” he pointed at James-Porter who was busy eating his own knuckles, “only makes me want you even more. As if that was even possible. He’s so perfect. Thank you.”

  Thank you?

  Hudson pulled me into him and brought his face down towards me. The girls all giggled. Hudson leaned closer and went to say something else. Pressing my fingers to his mouth, I focused on the surge of evil that suddenly surrounded me. “Something’s wrong.”

  “Nothing is wrong with me telling you that I love you.”

  Scanning the area, I sensed a group of dark ones heading this way. I pushed away from him and stood tall. “Girls, count off. We need to make sure no one is missing out of the group!”

  They did. Running, I snatched James-Porter up and hugged him tight.

  “Ryan?” Hudson asked, concern etched on his face.

  “Tess, take them all upstairs to my place and do not let anyone leave. The wards on the apartment will stop the devil himself. Take James-Porter with you too.”

  She nodded. “Girls, go to Ryan’s now. Run!”

  They did.

  “Ryan?” Hudson grabbed me and hugged James-Porter and me tight. “What are you sensing?”

  “Something really, really bad and it’s headed straight for me. Get JP away from me, Now! They can’t find him! They can’t know!”

  He gasped and grabbed my arm. “Come on. We need to get you upstairs.”

  “No.” I kissed James-Porter and squeezed him again. “I love you so much, honey. Go with Aunt Tess now and be a good boy.”

  I tried to move forward but Hudson held me tight. “Ryan, go upstairs.”

  “Shona, get weapons now and pull out the big ones. There are a lot of them.”

  Something strong and evil wrapped around me. The foreign energy clamped down on me, holding me in my spot. The moment I recognized it was power, I knew I was in trouble.

  Hudson shook his head. “Dammit, Ryan, move!”

  “She can’t,” Tess said. “She’s right. At least one of the men coming has tasted her blood because he’s not only pinpointed her location, he’s keeping her from being able to physically move far from it. Can’t you sense it? He’s got her held in place with his power.”

  “Take JP and go!” I looked away as Tess cradled James-Porter in her arms and ran towards the stairs.

  16

  Chapter 16

  Hudson grabbed hold of me and tried to lift me. He couldn’t get me to budge. “Oh gods, darlin’. No. Fight back against it.”

  “I can’t. I’m not at full strength and I’m scared to death to draw on the power Eliza left me.”

  Confusion knit his brow. “What powers she left you?”

  “She died trying to protect me—the night my mate was supposed to show but didn’t.”

  He flinched.

  “Porter came. He did something. Formed a mystical bridge between Eliza and me.”

  “That is how you became a slayer?”

  I nodded. “But Franco said because the transfer happened after her death, the power is darker than it should be and that it could consume me instantly without my mate here to help me control it. I’d rather die than be like them, Hudson. I’d rather die than let JP feel his mother turn evil before the Guardian sent to help us,” I stared at him, “would have to slay me anyway.”

  Cupping my face, Hudson shook his head. “I won’t let you die. I won’t lose you now. I just found you again, Ryan.” He captured my lips with his and before I knew it, had his tongue thrust into my mouth. I clung to him, savoring his taste and knowing that as much as I wanted to deny it, I loved the man who I should have considered a stranger but didn’t.

  Warm energy moved from his mouth to mine and it ignited something in me. I felt my power and the darkness that I carried, the one belonging to my sister, latch onto it. When I realized it was Hudson’s power, I gasped into his mouth.

  Returning the favor, I let my cool power up and poured it into our kiss. Hudson growled and took our kiss to the next level. This was hardly doing anything in the way of toning down the animal magnetism that seemed to be between us. It was then I realized that I didn’t want it toned down. No. I wanted Hudson for keeps.

  The door to the bar opened with a bang and we tore away from each other. Men flooded in fast. Hudson positioned himself between the bad guys and me. Taking a fighting stance, he shot long, dagger-like claws out of his fingertips.

  Touching the backs of his arms, I ran my hands down them until I reached his hands. Sliding my hands over the tops of his, I laced my fingers between his, not worrying once that his claws would hurt me. “Hudson, I don’t want you hurt because of me.”

  “Sweet-pea, I should have been here all along to protect you. I’m sorry it took me so long to find you.”

  I moved my hands from his and wrapped them around his midriff, hugging him tight. “I know that you think because you’re my Guardian now that you need to do this, but you don’t.”

  Shona came running from the back room with a mass of weapons. She threw stakes at us and we both caught them. After tucking them in the back of our pants, Hudson and I stood close. He didn’t turn to face me.

  Looking up, I closed my eyes and hugged Hudson tighter as I whispered so soft that I thought for sure no one would hear me, “Porter, don’t let anything happen to him, please.”

  Hudson tightened his grip on my hand and leaned back into me. “JP will be fine, honey. I promise.”

  “I know that you will all keep him safe. I was asking Porter to keep you safe, Hudson.”

  “Ry-Mack…err…Ryan, we’ll be fine.”

  Ry-Mack? Had Hudson just called me that? No. I had to be mistaken. A dull ache started in my head.

  Vamps appeared everywhere, distracting me from what I wanted to ask. Shona took one of her ever-ready stakes and slammed it into a vampire’s chest before drawing out fast and striking the other. She wasn’t one to wait around for someone else to start a fight. No. She was very self-motivated.

  Vampires materialized around Hudson and me. Bringing my stake up, I went to ram it into one of their chests, but Hudson was suddenly appeared between the vamps and m
e. He spun fast with his claws erect and dusted the entire circle of vampires with one sweep. It was certainly a sight to behold. I just stood there, stake in hand, stuck in one spot, my mouth open, like I was catching flies or something.

  Some great slayer I turned out to be.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, glancing back at me, worry all over his face. “They didn’t hurt you, did they? Ry-Mack, answer me. Are you all right?”

  He said it again. How did he know? I just stared at him with wide eyes, hoping he’d inform me. He didn’t.

  “Oh gods, you’re hurt!”

  That brought me out of my daze. “What? No. You didn’t let any near me.”

  “Then why didn’t you answer me, woman?”

  I pointed past him at another group of vampires charging his way. He focused on them, moving forward, but not that far from me, scoring direct hits and killing each as if it were mere child’s play to him. I’d always thought Tess, Shona and I made it look easy. Heck, we looked like amateurs compared to Hudson.

  He backed up, keeping himself between the enemy and me. I tried to see the enemy but Hudson eclipsed them. “Move. How can I help if you’re blocking my view?”

  “You are not allowed to help,” Hudson said sternly. “You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, behind me, not in the middle of it.”

  “Blessed One, I have missed you,” a low, sickeningly sweet voice said from across the bar. I knew that voice. It was one of several that haunted my dreams. Though, last I heard it, it had been headed to hell.

  The reality that the very vampires who had attacked me three years ago were out of their fiery pits made my stomach tight. Cringing, I peeked out from behind Hudson. I found a tall, blond vampire with gray eyes standing about fifteen feet in front of me. I knew him. I didn’t know how he was free, but he was. And he looked pissed.

  He smiled wickedly. “I see you have found someone to hide behind, Blessed One.”