Nash’s deep, derisive voice mocked all that she and Kro had shared. But instead of infuriating Eve, the jinn’s voice heated her up a thousand degrees. She could picture doing with him all she’d shared with Kro. Oh God! Something about all that controlled power of his made her crazy. She squirmed, pressing her thighs together. She didn’t like Nash, but damn he made her want him.
Gotta keep cool. Can’t let him get under my skin—or in my pants.
Kronos sneered at Nash then turned to Eve, touching her cheek. “More than fun, and never a waste.”
Kro’s caress on top of Nash’s enthralling voice made her body burn like a supernova. This was a bad development. She’d already revealed more than she should have. Kro had kept his secrets, and she would continue to keep hers.
“In your opinion, angel.” Nash’s stare caressed her entire body. “But looking at her curves, I don’t think I blame you. I’d fuck her.”
Eve glared at him. “I’ve already told you—not happening.”
She turned back to Kronos. His expression was like a thunderstorm cloud. He looked ready to steamroll Nash.
“So why did we fly across the room when I touched the guy David sent to me to help give him life source?” Eve asked.
David strolled closer and within her slapping range, but she restrained herself. Barely.
He answered, “Jared is part of a permanent threesome, which means he was unable to triple with anyone else, something I was unaware of at the time.”
“What does all this have to do with me? Why am I here?”
The other woman struggled in David’s grasp. “I’d like to know what you want with me, too.”
“Leah, I’ll deal with you later.”
At David’s firm, grim, and curt dismissal, the woman hesitated but finally lowered her head and nodded.
A ghost of a smile played at David’s lips. “Eve, you remember your cousin, Eric. His sister is Micki, also your cousin.”
Eve remembered meeting a woman at Zone Three asking about David and Eric Langley. Must’ve been her. Eve had denied knowing him, thinking Micki could’ve been his ex, a cop, or worse. Eric had rescued her. There was no way she would spill any information on him to a stranger.
“So?”
“Micki bonded with Jared and an angel named Bradley, sealing them together—forever. End of discussion.” David turned his gaze to Kronos. “I need you, Hayden, and Gideon to report to guardian post seventeen. I’ve gotten word that the Dark is amassing more troops just to the north of there. I want you ready should they attack.”
“I’m not leaving.” Kronos hands curled into fists.
Oh no!
Hayden shifted his weight to his other foot. “Sir, consider letting him stay. His presence seems to calm the bloodliner.”
“Hayden, remember your station.” The soldier nodded and took a step backwards. David turned to her, narrowing his eyes. After a full minute, he said, “Though you might be right. Kronos, I won’t suffer more insubordination. You can stay, for now.”
David waved his hand and several chairs appeared behind every person in the room. “Since this discussion won’t be a quick one, I suggest we all sit.”
Most complied instantly except Nash, Kronos, and Eve. Wow, David was quite a puppet master. He took a seat himself. Eve considered remaining standing, but fatigue rolled through her. Sitting would be nice.
She plopped down, then Kro followed suit. Nash put his boot up on the chair next to him, but never took a seat.
Jinn my ass. He’s pure devil. Her heartbeat quickened.
“I met Bradley before at Zone Three. Nice guy. Of course, I remember Jared.” She leaned forward. “What does my alleged cousin and her lovers have to do with me?”
“The sealing of immortals to a mortal had long been considered a myth, but they succeeded, creating the first Perfect Triad. A very powerful trio.”
“And? Get to the point.”
David raised a haughty brow at her demand. “Like your cousins, you are a bloodliner. You carry a gene that allows immortals to unleash your power and bind to you. Leah here is also a bloodliner.”
Eve frowned. “I hate to break it to you, but I don’t have any power.”
David pointed at Kronos. “If he had obeyed my orders, your powers would likely already be blazing and we’d have your magic bound to two Alliance warriors.”
“What orders?” she asked David.
“Kronos was to arrange for you to triple with as many immortals as possible.”
Kro had secretly pimped her out. The realization of his betrayal cut her in two. She turned to lash out at him, but his demeanor stopped her. Hadn’t he done everything possible to keep me to himself? Why?
Nash shook his head. “Kronos, you didn’t call me to share your girl. I’m hurt.”
Kro lunged from his seat at the jinn.
In a flash, David got to his feet, placing his body between the two adversaries. “Kronos, if you want to stay, relax.”
“I’m not the only one who needs to back off.”
“Agreed.” David turned to Nash. “You’re unusually verbose tonight. Stop egging the angel on.”
The jinn shrugged.
“Soldiers, take a seat.”
Kro sat back down and took her hand. He squeezed it tight.
She looked over at Nash. He glowered, but also sat down.
“Thank you.” David took his seat then turned back to her. “According to information Eric left me, bloodliners have only so much time to activate and bind their power or they die, somewhere south of thirty years old. You’re young and have a few years left, but I knew if the Dark got wind of your existence, they would do anything to obtain you. Hence, the scene in the diner.”
Eve rubbed her forehead. Her mother had been just a few months from turning twenty-nine when Eve had last seen her. Could there be a connection to her disappearance and this bloodliner crap? “I’d like to see Eric’s information myself.”
“It’s safe in my possession, and it will stay that way.”
She motioned to all the men in the room. “They might enjoy bowing and scraping to you, but I won’t. If he really is my cousin, then let me talk to him.”
“He’s dead.”
“I just saw him three weeks ago at the club.”
“The darklings work fast.”
Her mind mingled images of Eric, Nancy, and the elderly couple screaming at the hands of Irkon’s demonic buddies. She’d faced horrors before, but nothing like this. She tried to get her mind around it but failed. Never had her life felt more surreal. She needed to keep up, take it all in, and not freak out.
Her mouth went bone dry. “What about Micki?”
“She’s on a mission with Jared and Bradley.”
“Fine. When will they be back?”
David rubbed his chin. “You’re a very tenacious human.”
“Tonight? Tomorrow? Do you even know when?” She peppered the last question with a tone she hoped would tinge of doubt.
“I have nothing more to say on that subject, so I suggest you turn your questions elsewhere.”
“How did Nash find me at the diner?”
“The day you first arrived with Eric, I put a spell on you so that should you ever get more than a mile from Zone Three, an invisible beacon would switch on. Any Alliance warrior would be able to see it.”
“You put a magical GPS on me. So I was under house arrest from day one.”
“Yes.”
“So why did it take you so long to locate me?”
“Likely, your bloodline power threw it off.”
So much for the all-powerful David. “And you’re the guy who’s keeping me safe? Not very comforting.”
Nash stood up and grabbed her by the elbow. She tried to jerk away, but he held her firm.
“Woman, you have no idea what would’ve happened to you if David hadn’t tagged you with that spell and I hadn’t pulled you from the van.”
Kronos rose to his feet.
“Kro, just cut the act. You’re part of David’s team, too.”
“Eve, it’s not like that.”
“Whatever.” She turned to Nash. “And what’s going to happen now?”
Not waiting for the jinn to answer, she jerked her elbow from his grip. He didn’t give an inch.
“I tire of this.” David fixed his gaze on her.
She glared back at him. “I know what kind of place you operate here, especially now that I know what kind of creatures you are.”
“Really?” David smiled mockingly.
“Yes, you’re all monsters. I’m nothing more to you than a piece of flesh for you to peddle.”
Not entirely true. During her previous time at Zone Three, no one had ever tried to rape her, threaten to kill her, scratch her, or much less subject her to whatever it took to bring that rag woman in the van so near to death.
Nash touched her cheek. “We’re not all monsters.”
His sudden tenderness sent a jolt through her. She sensed he wanted her and bad.
“Stop touching her, Nash.” Kro fisted his hands.
Nash’s mouth crooked up, but he released her slowly. “Don’t forget your rank, angel.”
Kro ignored him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and addressing David. “Eve needs me. I can protect her.”
“Soldier, I have another assignment for you.”
“But—”
David stood, and two massive wings emerged from his shoulders. A blinding blue light surrounded him. “Do not question me.”
Leah gasped. “What the… I really don’t belong here.”
“Sit, bloodliner.” David took off his glasses. “I generally don’t explain myself, but I will suffer it this once. Leah, you do belong here. And Kronos, you already failed this assignment. Eve left Zone Three without protection. The Dark captured her. Can you imagine what would have happened if Nash hadn’t arrived in time?”
Kro closed his eyes. “Sir, I won’t fail again.”
“I know, because you won’t be assigned to her. This woman is too important to our cause.”
Anger welled up inside her like a supernova. “Stop talking about me like I’m not here.”
David cocked his eyebrow. “Hayden, take your bloodliner to the upper floors.” His gaze skated over Leah dispassionately. “I’ve set up the Cave room. I have a human male ready to breed her.”
“Breed her?” Eve gasped. “That doesn’t sound like something good guys would do.”
“But it is, Eve. If I fail, the world you know will come to a horrific end.”
“Breeding? Is that your plan for me, too?” she choked out.
He didn’t answer, but turned to Nash. “Take her to The Ranch.”
Kro touched her shoulder. “I will not leave her, David.”
“You won’t have to. I’ll see to that.” David raised one hand, and a sphere of blue light surrounded Kronos. His face seethed with fury, and then he disappeared.
Eve felt fear wrap itself around her heart like a tight fist. Then she heard her own scream.
Chapter 4
11) I stood on the hill by the olive tree where the angel Rajiah had taken me. Together we watched the battle in the Valley of Old Blood below. 12) The sun stood high in the sky as the immortals of Light and Dark warred together. One by one, I watched as the angels and jinn spilled the blood of demons and ifrit. I marveled at how the blades of the immortals of Light and Dark cut so deeply that the victims vanished before my eyes. 13) I asked the angel Rajiah, “Can these blades make a righteous king invincible?” 14) The angel spoke unto me, saying, “Listen and write down my words for the enlightenment of humankind! The swords of flesh and blood may slow an immortal, but only an immortal’s blade can bring down another celestial being. Such weapons cannot cut mortal flesh.” 15) I asked Rajiah, “Why do the demons vanish when struck?” 16) He answered, “Immortals never die, but are imprisoned in the Ether.”
The Book of Timu: Verses 11 through 16—Chapter 7
* * * *
Nash wrapped his arms around Eve, trying to calm her down.
She screamed at David, “Y-You murdered Kronos. You monster!”
“Enough!” His commander raised a hand, and sent a small speck at Eve, rendering her unconscious but unharmed.
Her body slumped against Nash. Anger welled up inside him for the emotional pain David had caused her.
Hoisting her up in his arms, he glared at the archangel. “You shouldn’t have shocked her by killing Kronos. She’s too good to be in your custody.”
David raised an eyebrow. “The angel is fine. I just sent him away, so I could get back to the mission at hand. Will I have to do the same with my first blade?”
Nash’s gut clenched, and he pulled her slack body tighter into him. Still, he said, “No sir. I’m a soldier and you are my commander.”
“Good. I trust you to get her safely to the Ranch. I want her tripling as much as possible.”
“Sir, I’d like to bed her myself.”
“She’s not for you, Nash. I know you like your conquests, but she’s too important to be a one-nighter for you to enjoy.”
David knew him well. But that wasn’t what he felt for Eve. “What if I’m the jinn that is her true mate?”
“This is a side of you I’ve never seen, first blade.” David shrugged. “If you were her true mate, I think she would’ve lit up by now. You’ve been with her ever since the rescue. No, she’s not for you.”
“Then why should we have her triple with immortals? Let’s just parade them by her until she fires up.”
“I’ve thought of that, but she was exposed to a lot of immortals at Zone Three. Nothing. Eric didn’t come into his power until a tripling. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get him bound to any immortals before the Dark got to him. No, I want her tripling as often as possible. There’s got to be the right combination of immortals that will work on her. That’s the strategy for now.”
“But sir—”
“There’s already been more discussion tonight than I should’ve ever allowed. You have your orders, Nash. Go.”
* * * *
Eve remained asleep in Nash’s arms. He wrapped them tightly around her. Desire for her roared inside him. As he studied her during the flight, his balls loaded up and his cock lengthened.
Eve had awakened minutes after he’d taken to the air, and she’d started pounding on his chest. When he’d told her that David had only subdued Kronos and sent him to a holding cell via magic, she’d calmed down a bit—or at least stopped hitting him. She’d cried herself to sleep in his arms.
He hated how much she suffered. Soon, he would add to her suffering. His gut clenched of what David had ordered him to do.
David didn’t believe Nash was one of Eve’s true mates, but the archangel did trust him with the mission of getting her to a safe place and making sure she tripled. It was likely that David had given him the assignment as a kind of honor for saving her. Any other time Nash would’ve been thrilled, but not now, not with this woman who bowled over his willpower like a steamroller. This mission he dreaded. In fact, his commander’s order pissed him off. Nash wanted Eve, but he needed to check himself. Being a good soldier—a respected soldier—had been his number one priority since joining the Alliance. His brothers and sisters in arms were his family and his purpose. That would never change.
The quarter moon and cloudless night lit her luscious, slightly parted lips. Though she didn’t stir, his cock did.
He scanned his remaining energy. A small sphere the size of a small green apple spun inside him. There’d been no time for tripling before he left. He would rectify that in the next few days, but not with Eve no matter how much he longed to sleep with her. Damn! All he had to do was oversee the triplings to activate her power and keep her safe and nothing more. But, God, he wanted more, so much more. Heat rose up inside him.
He looked down at the human in his arms. In all his centuries of existence he’d never met a woman like Eve. Every
thing about her pulled at him.
Fuck! If he didn’t get a grip and resist his desire for her, he would fail his mission and risk everything.
Eve was strong and confident, brash and foolish—just the right ingredients to get her killed.
At Zone Three, he’d tried to teleport her to The Ranch, the top-secret Alliance location David had ordered him to take her to, but the simple spell didn’t work. Others tried, too, but got nothing.
Puzzled, Nash had little choice but to fly her there. Even more confounding, invisibility spells didn’t work on her either, so they flew at night, with sixty warriors that David had sent fanned out around them. The archangel wasn’t taking any chances with Eve. Luckily, there’d been no sign of darklings during the trip to the secret stronghold.
The Alliance had acquired The Ranch several years ago, but few were aware of it. Nash, who’d worked hard to achieve his status as a first blade under David, was in the know about all the Alliance’s holdings in North America.
Built in the early sixties in rural Kansas, The Ranch had been an underground missile complex for the U.S. Military. Abandoned and decommissioned, the Alliance had bought it and an adjoining thousand acres. They put a nondescript house over the concrete silo lids, typical barns over the air vent towers, and bulldozed the pavement to leave a dirt road, all to hide their secret fortress.
In a few hours Nash would initiate David’s experiment by choosing the first angel and jinn to triple with Eve from the detachment of warriors. Then Eve would triple with a new pair as often as possible until her power activated and was bound. If it didn’t happen, David would send more immortals to fuck her.
Nash’s stomach tightened at the prospect of Eve with another jinn.
The Ranch’s two permanent guards, a female jinn and a male angel, waved at them from below, looking like they stepped out of Grant Wood’s American Gothic.
With Eve still sleeping in his arms, Nash landed next to a tree with a tire swing. The jinn dressed in a simple dress and apron looked like a typical farmer’s wife. The angel matched her perfectly with his overalls and pitch fork in hand. Nash knew that under their disguises beat the hearts of killing machines.
Cook, Kris - Captivation [Eternally Three 2] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) Page 5