The Reluctant Amazon (Alliance of the Amazons)

by Sandy James

  Johann considered the words, rubbing his hand over his chin, before he nodded. “You’re right, MacKay. I’ll leave them to you for now. After what you said about Jin, I need to check something out.”

  With his own nod, Artair turned to the Amazons.

  Gina brushed away Megan’s offered hand. Standing, she picked up her sword and took a ready stance. “C’mon. Let’s rumble.”

  Megan attacked Gina again. She knocked the sword from Gina’s hands on the fourth swing, then Megan kicked Gina’s legs out from under her. Just as Rebecca had done when she brought down Artair, Megan rested her foot in the middle of Gina’s belly. “Do you give?”

  Gina stared, then pushed Megan’s foot away. She sprang up and soared over Megan’s head. Air landed behind Fire and kicked the back of her knees. Megan fell forward, and Gina quickly covered her like a wrestler going for a pin.

  Megan and Gina rolled around in the sandpit, fighting in earnest. Artair moved to bring it to a stop, but he was beaten to the punch when the ground rumbled. Vines sprung from a split in the sand, wrapped themselves around the fighting women and subdued them in neat cocoons. Rebecca stood in Sparks’s typical drill sergeant stance—legs wide, hands fisted against her hips. He smiled.

  “We have too much shit to deal with right now,” Rebecca said. “Jin’s after us. We’ve lost two sisters. We sure as hell don’t need you two acting like a couple of first graders.” She glared down at the vine-tied Amazons.

  Sarita came to stand at her side, throwing a less intimidating scowl.

  “Ow!” Megan shouted as small puffs of smoke rose from between the leaves.

  “Don’t even try to blast your way out,” Rebecca scolded. “I’ll just throw another layer over you. I’ve had it with the kids’ stuff, Megan. Understand?”

  Megan narrowed her eyes, probably thinking of some Fire-worthy response, but this time Earth trumped Fire. Megan held her tongue and gave Rebecca a curt nod.

  “Gina? Think you can get with the program?” Rebecca asked.

  “Will you get this shit off me if I say ‘yes?’”

  Rebecca nodded, and Gina echoed her response.

  Would Rebecca ever realize that Earth could be the strongest of the warriors? He’d never expected it of the reluctant Amazon he’d brought to Avalon, but she was blossoming into one of the most controlled and powerful warriors he’d ever trained.

  He’d show her just how pleased he was that evening. He’d show her until she screamed his name as she came for him. He ached to see the passion reflected in her eyes again as he entered her sweet warmth.

  “We’re sisters. We’ve pledged our lives to the same cause and to each other.” Rebecca still scolded Megan and Gina. Sarita stood next to her, trying to make her tiny stature look threatening. “You two have no business fighting, and you sure as hell shouldn’t use your powers against a sister. We need to stand together. If we don’t, we’ll die. Do you understand me?” When neither of the women moved to answer, a short tremor punctuated Rebecca’s raised voice. “Do you?”

  Surprisingly, Gina nodded first. He’d feared there would be too much rivalry between the two pairs and that their loyalty would always align with their training sister. But it was clear Gina recognized Rebecca’s sudden authority. Sarita had given her loyalty to Earth as well. He wasn’t sure if it was Rebecca’s age or the debilitating kudzu.

  With Fire’s nod, Rebecca called back her greenery. The splits in the sandpit healed.

  This generation was not going to be ruled by Fire like the last one. Sparks had always managed to outshine Helen, Trishna and Maria. Megan’s acquiescence announced Rebecca’s leadership.

  “Go get supper.” Rebecca inclined her head toward the mess hall.

  Sarita tugged Gina to her feet before she helped Megan, but she didn’t let go of Megan’s hand. Instead, she studied the spray of burns on the palm. “Let me help.”

  Placing her hand over Megan’s welts, Sarita closed her eyes for a moment and said a few words in Hindi. When she pulled her hand away, Megan stared at healed skin.

  “Neat trick. Thanks,” Megan said, slapping Sarita so hard on the back she took a stumbling step forward.

  “Ouch. And you’re welcome,” Sarita replied. “I’m starving. Let’s go eat. I hope the changelings learned how to make makhani arbi masala. I’ve been thinking about that dish all day.”

  Rebecca shook her head as they left. “They’re like kids on a playground,” she said as Artair came to stand at her side. “I know you said Water could heal things, but I didn’t realize it was that quick.”

  “Only small hurts, and only in her sisters. But ’tis often enough to help keep an Amazon in a fight.” He smiled at Rebecca. “Do you realize what you’ve done?”

  She regarded him with confused eyes.

  “You’ve taken the role of Guardian.”

  Rebecca opened her mouth as if to deny the statement. Then she closed it and nodded. “I didn’t want to, but…” She glanced to Sparks’s cabin before her gaze returned to Artair. “I had no choice. Someone needs to keep these girls focused or we’ll get our asses kicked. They can’t be squabbling amongst themselves when we’re trying to stay alive.”

  “Spoken like any good leader. Have I told you how proud I am of you, Becca mine?”

  A hesitant smile crossed her lips. “You’ve told me more times than I can count how ridiculous it was for me to call myself an Amazon. I recall you constantly growling at me. And there was a snarl or two over my fear of heights. Those, I remember. But telling me you’re proud of me?” She chuckled. “No, I would definitely remember that.”

  Artair kissed her forehead. “Aye, I did all those things. But they were done to make you stronger.”

  “No one needs to be that strong.” Her smile grew saucy.

  He had to chuckle at her. Then he gave her what she needed to hear. “I’m verra proud of you, lass. You’ve mastered yer powers and have become a mentor to these girls.”

  “Like Sparks was a mentor to me.” Her expression changed, growing serious. “I’m worried about her, Artair. If we’re gonna beat Jin and his master, we need to stay together. I can’t lose her.”

  “I fear the path she takes may lead her away from us for good.”

  * * *

  In the equipment room at the base of the tower, Rebecca finished wrapping her ropes and tied them into neat bundles, glad to know her climbing had ended for the evening.

  The new Amazons handled the tower with ease, both scaling up and rappelling down as if they’d been climbing their whole lives. Gina had scrambled up like some spider deftly climbing a wall. Gravity was her friend rather than her enemy, as it was for Rebecca. After her sisters joined her at the summit, Gina had dropped her rope and harness, gave a laugh, then jumped. Like a cat, she landed on the ground in a crouch.

  Artair worked quietly beside Rebecca, gathering the rest of the rappelling equipment and draping it neatly on wall hooks. As she hung up the last of the ropes, he came to stand behind her, wrapping strong arms around her waist. He brushed her braid aside and buried his lips against her neck, kissing the ringed scar left by the revenant’s teeth.

  She tilted her head. “Mmm. That feels good.”

  “Are you ready to go back to our cabin, Becca mine? You could probably use some sleep. ’Tis a hard day’s work being Guardian to three feisty Amazons.”

  Rebecca turned and slipped her hands around his neck. “Oh, I’m ready to go to our cabin, but I’ll be happy to show you that I’m not too awfully tired.” Rising on tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his.

  He deepened the kiss, putting those wonderful hands on her backside and pulling her hard against his arousal.

  “I’m nae sure I can make it back to the cabin, lass. Yer too tempting for me to wait to claim you.” His words reached inside, squeezing her heart, firing her blood.

  He backed her up to the closest wall and untied her workout pants. Pushing them over her hips, he gave her a smile that showered her in hea
t. “I want you now. I need to be inside you now.” His voice was husky.

  Rebecca replied by settling her mouth over his and kissing him with all the passion he inspired. She’d never enjoyed such a powerful sexual craving. It was him who stirred the uninhibited lover who had long hibernated inside her. Only Artair.

  Pushing her tongue into his mouth, she demanded he respond in kind. His tongue glided over hers, and she took her hands back to slip off her panties. Reaching under that sexy kilt, she helped divest him of his undergarment.

  Wrapping her fingers around his erection, she stroked him. His low growls sent another delighted shiver racing through her. He was hard and hot.

  Artair worked his hands under her shirt. His grunt told her he was displeased she was wearing a sports bra. He stopped kissing her, moving his fingers around the garment. “How do you remove this silly thing? There aren’t any fasteners.”

  Rebecca chuckled as she gave his cock another gentle caress, loving how he pushed his hips into her stroke. “I’ll have to move my hands to take it off.”

  “I may wish to touch all of you, but I’m nae ready for you to stop touching me.” To her great pleasure, he returned to kissing her.

  After what didn’t seem nearly long enough for her to enjoy fondling him, he brushed her hand away and pressed her back to the wall. “You make me want you past waiting.” Grabbing her roughly by the hips, he lifted her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He slid his erection against her aching core. “Now, Becca mine?”

  “Yes. Now. Please, now.” She gasped as he entered her with a powerful surge, filling her completely.

  Time ceased to exist. All Rebecca knew was the incredible feel of him sliding in and out, the heat of his breath against her neck, the frantic beat of her heart as the fever he created inside her rose. Her muscles tensed and her senses reeled. Artair quickened the pace, triggering her release, sending wave after wave of bliss washing over her. He groaned, thrust into her one last time and leaned heavily against her.

  Coming back to earth slowly, she put her feet on the ground as Artair eased out of her.

  “Ah, lass. You took me to paradise. Each time gets better.”

  The heat of a blush scorched her cheeks, which seemed an absurd reaction considering what had just passed between them.

  “So shy?” he asked, putting his finger under her chin and lifting her to face him.

  She gave him a weak smile. “It just dawned on me.”

  “What, sweeting?” He brushed a quick kiss on her lips then bent to grab his discarded undergarment.

  She followed suit, picking up her panties and workout pants off the floor.

  “What just dawned on you?” he asked.

  “We aren’t having safe sex.”

  He smiled as he donned his clothing. “But you know Amazons always have what you call ‘safe sex.’ Sparks surely told you Amazons cannot catch human diseases or become mothers.”

  “I can’t be a— You mean I can’t have a child?” His matter-of-fact words hit her with the force of a sharp blow to the chest. She tried to catch her breath as she scrambled into her clothes, not wanting to show him her pain.

  It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t!

  The sincerity of his words said otherwise.

  She would never be a mother—the one thing Rebecca had truly wanted in this world. Because she was an Amazon, the joy of a child of her own would be denied. The realization turned her stomach.

  “Becca?” His eyebrows knit into a concerned frown. “Are you ill?”

  “I can’t—just don’t—” She put her trembling hand against her forehead, shielding her eyes from him.

  “Sparks didn’t tell you, did she?”

  * * *

  Artair uttered a Gaelic curse. He’d just blurted out something that would hurt Rebecca like he’d been talking of something as mundane as a change in the weather.

  He damned himself for his inconsideration. He damned Sparks for neglecting to tell the Amazons about one of their most important sacrifices. And he damned the patron goddesses for never giving the lasses a choice in the matter.

  Necessity dictated these women not be weighed down by families. A pregnancy would take an Amazon out of commission, and a child would be ammunition an enemy could use against a warrior. By making them barren and impervious to disease, the goddesses had given the women freedom to find their pleasures where they could.

  Rebecca dropped her hand and looked at him, eyes brimming with tears. Before he could try to ease her hurt, the door was flung open, and Sarita came striding in.

  She froze, taking a long look at them and their disheveled appearance. A broad smile crossed her pretty face. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  He threw her his best Sentinel frown.

  Her face blanched. Clearly, she was more afraid of him than Johann, because Sarita’s response to any of the new Sentinel’s frowns was a flippant smile.

  “Sparks is gone again,” Sarita said, her tone concerned. “She wasn’t in her cabin, and none of us can find her.

  “Damn her.” Rebecca shook her head. “She’s going to get hurt. And she’s going to get us hurt too.”

  “This was all she left.” Sarita reached out her hand, and Rebecca took the silver offering.

  Artair had to swallow his anger at Sparks for all she’d thrown away. Her legacy wouldn’t be sharing all she knew, all she could do with new generations of Amazons—it would be pain.

  Rebecca’s face was strained. “She left her Zippo, Artair.”

  “Aye, lass. She did.”

  “She left it because she’s not coming back this time, is she?”

  He drew his lips into a grim line. “Nay. She’ll not return.”

  Not alive.

  Sarita ducked out the door, then stuck her head back. “Johann wants to see all of us. Meet you in his cabin.”

  Alone with Rebecca, Artair reached for her hand.

  Every emotion was written on her beautiful face. Hurt. Fear. Anger. The lass had truly ridden a rough path in a short time. She’d lost any chance at a family. She’d lost her mentor and friend, and until he had a chance to tell her of his decision, she had to fear losing her lover.

  She gave her head a small shake and fled the storage room before he could set her straight.

  He would sit her down tonight and explain. That would ease some of her pain. Oh, she’d argue, no doubt thinking she was taking away what she believed he still wanted. He would make her understand that the choice was his to make so she bore no guilt that could become a wedge between them.

  Chapter Twenty

  “I don’t understand? How can Jin move through wires?” Artair asked.

  Johann thumped the monitor with his knuckle. “Rhiannon said he was energy and patterns, right?”

  Artair nodded.

  “He’s moving around the Internet as code—as damn binary code. Our enemies have jumped into the twenty-first century. Somehow Jin realized anything can be reproduced on a computer using binary. He moves from computer to computer along Internet connections as electricity. He’s gotta be the one who got into my files.”

  Rebecca stared at the screen, a sick feeling forming in the pit of her stomach. Their enemies had taken a terrifying leap into modern technology, and now the Amazons were even more vulnerable.

  “That’s how they hacked my system.” Johann reached behind to jerk the ethernet cable from the back of his laptop. Holding up the sky-blue wire, his face grew hard. “I invited the bastard into our world the minute I connected all of our computers. Who knows how long he’s been watching us, monitoring every keystroke? God, I’m a fucking idiot. I led Jin right to us.”

  Johann’s hands flew across the keyboard as images flashed on the monitor faster than Rebecca could see. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m looking for ghost codes. You know, keystrokes, footprints that asshole or his followers might have left behind. Maybe I can trace it back to them. They must’ve been tracking us for weeks, w
aiting until they found us together. Shit! I might as well have held the gates to Avalon open and put out a goddamn welcome mat. They waited like a spider over a web—and we’re the flies.” He typed faster.

  “They’ll nae find us any weaker,” Artair commented with a frown. He looked over at Gina and Sarita. “Have you lasses seen Megan?”

  “She wasn’t in her cabin,” Sarita replied. “And then I found Sparks’s place was empty too.”

  “The last place I saw Megan was on the tower.” Dread swept over Rebecca. Not that she gave a damn their little swapped identity game had been exposed. Megan was gone. Did she follow Sparks? She brushed aside her gnawing doubts and reached out with her mind.

  Megan was off her radar for the first time since she’d led Sparks and Artair to that bar, to Condemned.

  Artair’s expression showed he shared her concern. “She’s missing. Just like Trishna was. Just like Sparks and Helen. Oh my God, Artair. What are we going to do? We’ve got to find her. We’ve got to find all of them.”

  “If our enemies wish to hurt us, now would be the opportune time.” Artair shook his head. “We’re nae more than sitting ducks.”

  The comments were barely out of his mouth when all hell broke loose. The trees whipped into a frenzy as if Rhiannon was pissed about something. Then the sound of a helicopter appeared, growing louder with each passing second. The occupants of Johann’s cabin froze as search lights flashed through the window.

  Small explosions rocked the courtyard. “The blasts may nae kill us, but they’ll slow us down ’til the revenants attack. Out! Get your weapons and get out of Avalon!” Artair shouted before anyone else could find the will to move.

  Rebecca followed him out the door, glancing back to see Gina and Sarita pulling weapons from Johann’s cabinet.

  Johann slammed his laptop shut and grabbed a sword. “I’ll find you, Rebecca,” he called to her. “I’ll monitor the GPS units. We’ll meet again soon. We’ve got a better chance if we split up. Get the hell out of here and stay with Artair. I’ll get Gina and Sarita to safety. We’ll regroup and find Megan and Sparks.”

  She trusted him. Johann had probably known about their stupid, childish game for quite some time and had been a good sport to play along. He cared about them. When she’d finally figured him out, it might be too late to work with him to save their world.