by KA Young
“Oh, yeah, if your husband had been Nephilim, and your true mate, you would have died along with him.” She began to fiddle with her nails.
“Excuse me? I loved him whether he was Nephilim or not, and it nearly killed me when I lost him. I don’t appreciate you belittling my marriage. Joe and I were married for ten years. I didn’t know about any of this until one of the yetzer hara killed him.”
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to belittle anything. I’m too blunt sometimes. What I mean is that when one of our kind finds a mate and completes the mating ritual, we are united as one being. It’s not like human marriage at all. We cannot end it with a divorce decree. We don’t even choose our mates, they are chosen for us at birth.” She didn’t sound sorry; in fact, she seemed quite flippant about the entire thing and it was starting to piss me off.
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Anna, how did you find out the yetzer hara killed your husband?”
“What the hell kind of question is that? And how did you know it was a yetzer hara that killed him?” I leapt to my feet and fisted my hands by my sides.
The thought of Joe’s death didn’t bring sorrow anymore, only rage. I clenched my teeth together.
Elise sat perfectly still, her eyes round as saucers.
“I knew it. You’re the one! You are a warrior!”
“What are you talking about? I’m no warrior. I’m a housewife.”
She giggled and covered her mouth. “Your eyes glowed in anger. That’s the sign of a warrior. My mother told me of a time when the men were not warriors, but the women were. They hid some of the female infants, unsure which one would grow up to be a warrior and save the race.” She sprang to her feet. “Oh shit! You were one of the hidden babies! That’s why you married a human; you thought you were one. I knew you had to be the one from the first moment I laid eyes on you.” She was giddy.
I studied her. She was just trying to figure me out instead of being cruel as I originally thought. Maybe she could be an ally because I seriously needed one in this place.
“Can you hear peoples' thoughts, Elise?”
She sat back down. “No, that is a trait only the rarest bloodlines carry and they can’t hear everyone’s thoughts, only those with the same ability.” She sat forward. “Why? Can you?”
“I think so. It only happened once, with Eli.”
“Interesting.” Elise began to tap her chin.
There was a knock at my door and then Eli entered. He looked from me to Elise.
“Elise, it’s a pleasure to see you again. It appears that the two of you are getting along splendidly.” Elise smiled and nodded in agreement.
“I overheard you ladies speaking of warriors.” My God he must have some crazy, super hearing. Those doors are six inches thick, not to mention the concrete walls. Elise sidled up next to me.
“We were just having girl talk about legends and stuff.” She faked a yawn. “I’ll see you in the morning, Anna.” She gave me an enormous hug and whispered into my ear. “You can block him from your thoughts by shielding. Think ‘shield’ and it will put one in place.” She strode out the door, giving Eli a wide berth and winking quickly at me before closing it.
I smiled at her, letting her know I understood she wanted to keep this between us for now. So did I; for that matter.
“What was that all about?” Eli asked as he leaned against the closed door.
“Nothing, just girl talk.” I pushed the chair back under the desk.
“Girl talk? About warriors? I thought girls talked about nail polish and hairdos”
I laughed. “You don’t know very much about women.”
“I’m an expert on the important stuff.” He winked at me.
I turned my back to him and straightened up the desk. “If you must know, we were agreeing on what a colossal pain in the ass you and the other warriors can be.” He threw back his head and howled. God, he had a terrific laugh. I couldn’t help smiling.
“Got me all figured out in just a few days. Impressive, my men have been trying to figure me out for centuries.” I gathered up a stack of clothing that Hannah left on the bed and began putting the garments away.
“So you’re not going to tell me what Elise told you?” He shifted against the door.
I turned to face him. “I think you’re withholding a vast amount of information from me. When you start dishing, I will.”
“There is some information you are not ready for yet. When I feel you are, I’ll tell you.”
I wasn’t in the mood to talk to Eli anymore tonight. I walked around him and picked up the last bundle of clothes.
“Don’t like my answer, so you’re no longer speaking to me? That’s real mature of you.” I glanced over at him. He was wearing black cargo pants and a black tee shirt that fit so snugly to his skin; I could see every outline of his muscular chest. When he noticed that I was gawking at him and crossed his arms over his chest, flexing for me. I rolled my eyes; he was so full of arrogance.
“I’m tired, I need a shower, and I can’t wait to get out of this dress.” His pupils dilated and I could tell he wanted me. I didn’t say anything else, just grabbed the cotton gown, went into the bathroom and locked the door. I threw my wrinkled dress into the hamper. Reaching into the small shower stall, I turned on the water and stepped inside.
Thank God for small miracles like hot water. I took my time shampooing and conditioning my hair, hoping Eli would be gone when I got out. I wasn’t ready to face my feelings for him. I felt as if I were betraying Joe by having them. Besides, Eli was keeping me in the dark about my own life, treating me like a child.
I got out of the shower and dried off then slid the white gown over my head. It wouldn’t have been my first choice, but it was okay. I dried my hair and brushed it, looking at my reflection in the mirror. The changes in my appearance were remarkable. My skin looked stunning. My eyes were more vibrant, my hair fuller with a lot more shine to it. I looked healthier than I ever had.
When I went back into the bedroom, the lights were out and Eli was gone. So I pulled the covers back and crawled into bed. I lay back, propped up on pillows, staring at the ceiling. All of a sudden, I needed to talk to my sister. Jules could help me sort all this out. I reached over and grabbed my new cell off the bedside table. I dialed Julie’s number, but nothing happened. I tried again, and nothing. What was wrong with this stupid phone? I tried once more.
“I can’t allow you to talk to her just yet, Annabelle,” that baritone voice sang through the room.
I was so startled; I threw the phone straight up in the air as I jumped to my feet.
“Oh my God, what are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack! You scared me half to death! What are you doing in here anyway?” One minute, he was across the room; the next, he was right in front of me. I stepped back, feeling my thighs hit the side of the bed.
“I’m sorry I frightened you, but you can’t contact her or anyone else while you’re staying here.”
“What do you mean I can’t call my sister? Who in the hell do you think you are? And I’m staying here because I feel I need to right now, but if that were to change, I’d be so out of here.” I poked my finger into his chest to emphasize my point. He glanced down at my finger, but made no effort to remove it.
“You can’t contact your sister right now because the yetzer hara will be on the lookout for any connection to you. They could use her or even her children to draw you out.” He spoke softly. “I am not trying to control you. I’m trying to help you.”
He was right. I couldn’t allow those bastards to hurt anyone else I cared about. I found myself running an internal dialogue again until I remembered what Elise told me about shielding, I didn’t want Eli eavesdropping in my head. So I thought as intensely as I could SHIELD. He flinched. Ha! It worked.
I decided to listen to him for now. I would wait a little longer, but I intended to get word to Julie and Dan soon.
Eli reached up and twirled a strand of my hair aroun
d his finger, but I knocked his hand away. I wouldn’t let him comfort me. We needed to clear the air first.
“Why were you hiding in my room tonight? And no more of this, ‘you will understand in time’ bullshit! I want answers. I want the truth.”
Eli regarded me with interest for a moment, however I held my ground.
“Who taught you to shield?”
I shrugged. “It just came to me.”
He tightly nodded, conceding, “I needed to be near you.” I motioned with my hands for him to continue.
“I was stressed out after my meeting in the war room, so I did what came naturally to me. I came straight to you. Your presence calms me.” He was telling the truth. I could see a difference in his face and shoulders from when he first showed up.
“Why does my presence calm you?”
He closed the distance between us, taking my hand and placing it on his chest. “Does my presence not calm you?” Yes, it certainly did. “You wanted honesty, so I will tell you why you were able to sleep after the funeral.” He waited a moment. “I came to your bedroom; I soothed you to sleep and sat in the corner all night. I knew that being there in the room with you would ease your mind and allow you to rest.” I wasn’t surprised by his confession. I had felt someone there. I wasn’t sure what to think or feel now that I had the knowledge that Eli was in Joe’s and my bedroom, but I certainly was grateful for the comfort he provided while being there. He pulled me to him and I rested my face against his chest.
“Let me stay with you tonight.” I began to protest and pull away from him. “I won’t try anything, Annabelle. We will both rest better if we are together.” He was right; we would sleep better. I knew it deep in my soul.
“Okay,” I whispered. He picked me up and deposited me in the middle of the bed. I watched as he pulled his shirt over his head, his muscles flexing from the movement before he shucked his shoes and socks, then climbed in beside me. He positioned the covers over us and then pulled me to him. My head rested on his smooth, hard chest. “Eli?”
“Hmm?” He smoothed my hair with his hand.
“I was in the library today and I overheard some of the women talking about having to start packing up some of the rooms tomorrow.” I was researching the strengths and weaknesses of the yetzer hara when I heard two older women discuss getting a team of younger women to complete the task.
His hand went still on my head. “Yes, I am aware of this. We cannot stay here much longer. We must return to our homeland soon.” So he was going to leave. I would have to make copies of certain documents so I could reference them as needed.
“How long are you and the others planning to stay here?”
“Not sure yet, we’ll have to see how things unfold.”
“Whose decision is it? I mean who decides when it’s time for y’all to leave?” I rested my hand on his stomach and felt his breath catch.
He began stroking my hair again. “The decision is mine.”
“So, you’re like the boss of the warriors?”
He chuckled, “Yes, I’m like the boss of them. Rest now, love; there will be time to discuss all of this later. You will begin your training tomorrow, so you need your rest.” I nodded as my lids grew heavy all of a sudden.
Chapter 6
I woke up alone the next morning which gave me mixed emotions. I plunged my face into the pillow and breathed in what was left of his scent. I got up and took a shower, dressing in a pair of black cargo pants, a white tank top, and a black, zip-up, hooded sweatshirt. Then I found a pair of black boots and socks left by the door.
I laced up the boots. Wow! A perfect fit! Hannah was good! I eyed myself in the mirror over the dresser. The pants fit me well, a little snug, however they flattered my curves. My boobs looked enormous in the tight tank top, though. Not bad if you liked the grunge look.
I made the bed out of habit and grabbed my cell on the bedside table to check the time. It was 6:30; I had thirty minutes before they stopped serving breakfast. I felt as if I had just enlisted into the Army.
I knocked on Elise’s door before heading out, but there was no answer, so I walked down the hall to the common room. It was full as I made my way through the line, looking around for Elise. I finally caught sight of her sitting and chatting with a group of ladies in the center of the room.
She spotted me and waved with a massive smile on her face. It was catching, and I smiled back. “Hey, Anna, here, have a seat next to me.” I sat between her and a super, trendy-looking young woman with brown hair and brilliant red highlights. “Anna, I’d like you to meet Kara, Eliza and Maggie.”
They all bowed their heads and said in unison, “Hello.” I couldn’t help noticing that they were all dressed in normal clothing, not Army-issued clothes like I was wearing.
“So how long have you ladies been here?” I attempted to make conversation as I gorged myself with food, not caring if I made a pig of myself. I was starving. Kara, the petite girl to my left, was the first to speak up.
“We all arrived at the compound a month-and-a-half ago.”
Eliza piped up next. I could tell she wanted to be sure I understood things here. “We all have the gifts of sight and power. We are the warriors’ sorceresses. We’re here to train and possibly be paired with a warrior here. If not, after our training, we will return home.”
I stopped chewing and looked at each one of them. They were all excited at the chance of being paired. Whatever that meant.
“We are born with the sight; it’s our gift and privilege to assist our warriors in times of war.”
The blonde woman named Kara spoke up next. “Maggie is the strongest of us all.”
Maggie was a tall, slender woman with the bluest eyes I had ever seen. She blushed from all the praise.
I focused back on my food, listening to Elise chatter on about this and that. She kicked me under the table, trying to get my attention while Eliza was talking about some sort of prophecy. I looked up and my eyes met Eli’s across the room.
He was sitting with a group of men. They were all massive, his size or larger, and could be described as nothing less than scary. All of them dressed in the same black cargos I was wearing, but they wore black tee shirts. I would have rather had a black shirt. Dark colors are always more forgiving when you eat a little too much in one setting. I put my fork down.
Eli’s mouth turned up a little at the corners, offering me the barest hint of a smile. Then he turned back to his men.
Good morning, Annabelle. You look beautiful this morning.
Ha, this outfit needs some serious work. Good morning, though, and thank you.
I think it suits you perfectly. You look dangerously sexy.
I smiled. I guess these mind conversations could have their advantages. I turned back to the girls.
“Are we in the same training class this morning?” I asked, popping the last of my strawberry scone into my mouth, deciding that I was full. Now that I was finished, I put my napkin on my plate so I wouldn’t eat anymore.
They all looked puzzled. God, I hated being in the dark about things.
“The four of us train together,” Kara spoke up. “We believe Elise has incredible potential.” Elise grinned, flattered by the praise. “You are dressed for defense training. I expect that’s what you will be working on today. We need to get going.”
“I’ll catch up with you guys in a minute, okay?” They all rose together with a slight bow, leaving Elise and me alone at the table.
“What’s with all the bowing? It’s seriously starting to get on my nerves.” Elise laughed a little too loudly and covered her mouth with her hand.
“You better get used to the bowing. The longer you’re around our kind, the more word will spread about you.” She pushed her chair away from the table to stand. My hand shot out faster than I thought possible to prevent her from getting up. Her eyebrows arched.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to grab you so hard,” I whispered to her. “You need to tell me wh
at you mean by that? It’s not more of this female warrior crap, is it? Because I’m not even sure what it means to be a female warrior.”
“Look, Anna.” She leaned really close to me. “There is a whole lot more to it than just the warrior stuff. I can’t tell you here, I could get in real trouble. You see…”
“Ladies, I trust you enjoyed your breakfast,” Eli spoke. He always interrupted at just the right time.
“Yes, sir, we did. I’ll see you later, Anna. I need to begin my lesson.” I peered around Eli so I could watch Elise leave, hoping for some sort of signal from her, but no such luck. I sighed and settled back into my chair. She and I had so much to talk over. .
“Did you rest well?” Eli asked as he took Elise’s former seat. His hand covered mine, which lay limply on my lap.
I met his gaze while pulling my hand out from underneath his. I was a little annoyed after the whole Elise scene.
“I did. Eli, you and I seriously need to talk.” He leaned his head closer to mine.
Later, love, we have company.
One of the big, scary guys walked up to the table. He had olive skin and brown eyes and was wearing a black camo bandana on his head. He also had tattoos of a skull on fire on both biceps.
“Anna, this is Torch.” I looked up and smiled politely at Torch.
Torch, huh? Where did you find this guy, the state penitentiary?
No, but he is a trained killer.
“He will be in charge of your training. He is the best at what he does.”
I’m sure he is. What I wondered was, would he kill me in the process?
“You will train with Torch every day. He will instruct you in combat drills, a variant of modified swordsmanship, along with defense training. Shall we?” Eli pulled my chair back, and I got up. I guess it was time to learn how to kick some yetzer hara ass.
I followed Torch as he led me to the gym with Eli at my side. On our way, we passed the war room where a warrior in the room took notice of us. He halted us by stepping out in front of me. The resemblance to Eli was uncanny. The word “doppelganger” came to mind. Well, almost a doppelganger. Upon closer examination, he was maybe a couple of inches shorter than Eli, slightly thinner, not to mention his obvious preference for facial hair. He sported a very nicely trimmed goatee. He was definitely some relation to Eli and beyond hot!