She smiled. He always said the right things. “Next question, then. Just because my grandmother always pressured me to worry about my future. What happens if whoever’s been financing you decides to stop helping you? How will we survive? Financially, I mean.”
“Financing me? What do you mean?”
“Well, you were on the phone with someone who found this building for us…”
He nodded. “True…just so I don’t have to put anything in my name, but I don’t need money. My grandparents left me millions.”
“Millions?”
“Yes. My mother was from South Carolina. Our family had owned property since America was settled. When my mother had to flee after killing my father, my grandparents sold off all the property and set up trusts in our new names in offshore accounts. Trust me when I say we have no money concerns. Also, I have no warrants out for me from the government; only the creatus officials want me. My ace in the hole, though, the people backing us are higher up in creatus and US government.”
“People? Who’s helping you?”
“I use the term people lightly. I certainly think of creatus as people.” He kissed her, then pulled back. “But the names of those creatus are confidential, my love. I won’t share. For your protection. So no one can force it out of you. But I now know what we should do today.”
She tilted her head. “We’re gonna leave the bed?”
“We probably should.” He tightened his grip around her waist. “Today, I suggest we get to a courthouse and make our marriage official. That way if anything happens to me, you will always be financially set, so your grandmother won’t worry.” He winked at her.
“Really?”
“Forever…Meghan. You need to let that sink in, darlin’.”
A tear escaped without warning. “Forever.”
After they registered for a marriage license, as much as she just wanted to crawl back in bed until the three-day waiting period was over, Jonas insisted they train her some more.
Jonas smoothed his thumb over her lips, effectively smoothing away her pout. “As much as I want to be with you around the clock, we both know that’s impossible, so I don’t want you to be left unprotected. You’re strong. Not as strong as the majority of full-blood creatus men, but you can outmaneuver most of them, I’m sure.” He pressed his hips against her, pulling her tightly to his chest. “Now, I know you don’t want to hear her name, but I assure you, you have no worries. I have no interest in Victoria anymore. But…she’s one hell of a fighter. Not many of us were ever able to pin her. And, it’s not because she’s stronger than you. In fact, I stand by my assessment that you two have comparable strength. What Victoria does have is speed and agility. If no one can catch you, they can’t hurt you. And even if they catch you, if they can’t pin you, they can’t hold you captive.”
“Why don’t you cut with the pronouns and just say Tag’s name. He wants to hurt me, doesn’t he?”
“He won’t touch you, Meghan. He knows I’d kill him.”
“As you said…when you’re around.”
“I’m not going anywhere, baby.”
She frowned. “Then why should I be afraid?”
“I’d just feel better if you were prepared for anything. I wouldn’t want,” he made quote marks in the air, “a ‘mistake’ to happen on the street.”
“Okay,” she conceded. “Where do we start?”
Jonas wiggled his eyebrows. “Wrestling.”
“Humph! And you locked us in here, I see.”
“Not because I plan to take advantage of you when you’re on your back…I just don’t want an audience.”
“What makes you think I’ll be on my back?” she sneered.
“Prove me wrong, and I’ll feel better, believe me.” Jonas led her to a thick mat in the middle of the room. “Remember, you’re not trying to tackle me, you’re trying to get away from me. Other than poking out my eyeballs, use everything in your power to get away. In real life, poking out an eyeball is an excellent defense, but I’d like to keep mine.”
She grinned. “I wouldn’t poke out your eyeball, Jonas. How would you undress me with your eyes if I did?”
He laughed. “Ready? Don’t worry about hurting me. Do anything and everything to get away from me. Bite, punch, kick…anything. You hear me?”
She nodded, and Jonas backed up, and then without warning, he charged. He came at her so quickly, he had her on the mat, straddling her hips, his hands pinning both arms above her head. Her breath rushed out of her and she gasped to pull in oxygen.
“What do you do, baby?”
Her eyes welled up, realizing she was helpless against anyone close to his strength. She’d never felt powerless in her life.
“Crying won’t help, lovely. If you can’t stop my attack, you need to get out of it.”
She tried to move, but nothing budged. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.” He smiled. “I know you can buck your hips. Buck me off you while twisting those tiny wrists out from underneath my grip at the same time.”
She did as he instructed, but he barely budged. “You’re enjoying that move, aren’t you?” she growled.
“Not at all. I’m not into BDSM. And I’d rather not think that any man could ever get you in this position.” He bounced up on his feet and extended his hand. “Wanna try again…now that you know you never want to be on your back in a fight?”
Meghan nodded, and before she could blink, he was charging her again, and she was on her back again, her breath lost once more. “Dammit!”
“Good. Get mad.” He didn’t taunt her this time, but jumped up again, pulled her up, and then backed away from her.
Before she could catch her breath, he was closing in again, but this time, she jumped over him. When she landed on her feet, though, he had her in a headlock. She clawed at his arms, hating how powerless she felt. Ticked beyond belief—at herself…at her father for not equipping her to handle an attack—she slammed her elbow into his chest, hoping she hit his solar plexus. She’d heard that took down most people, but she wasn’t certain about a creatus.
Jonas’ grip loosened slightly, so she dropped instead of trying to break free, and rolled out of his grip, making certain she was facing him this time when she got to her feet. He wasted no time in charging again, but she saw it coming this time. She ducked right as he lunged for her, and then as he passed her, falling forward from his momentum, she swung around and came down on his back with her elbow.
Jonas grunted, but he managed to flip his body beneath hers so he was on his back. Then, once again, he knocked her to the mat in seconds, which meant they were right back to square one, with her flat on her back.
She blew out a breath, and Jonas just shook his head. “You can’t overpower me, baby. You have to outmaneuver me. The first move was good. But once I was on the ground, you needed to do one of two things: run or pull your weapon. You have to stay on your feet at all costs.”
Meghan rolled her eyes. “You didn’t give me a weapon.”
“Is that what you’re gonna tell the bad guy?”
She laughed.
“It’s not funny, Meghan.” He bounced to his feet and pulled her up again.
Two seconds later, she was dodging another attack. This time, though, she soared through the air, landing in front of the shelf that held all the training weapons. She didn’t think. She picked up a set of black nunchuks and swung. She’d messed with them at home and had gotten pretty good, but she’d never had a partner to practice with.
Jonas attempted an approach, and she swung, just missing his head. In her shock, she didn’t follow through, and he charged again before she could swing. She held both ends, the metal links taut between them, while she ducked his advance. As soon as he came close, she shot up, when he expected her to run, and she hooked the chain around his neck at the same time she kicked the back of his knees. Jonas was on the ground, but he didn’t tap out, so she pulled, hating that she could be hurting him, but he’d s
aid not to give up.
He bucked backward, throwing her to her back, but she didn’t release. Instead, she stayed beneath him, the one place he couldn’t get to her. He threw his hands above his head, but he was so muscular, he had a hard time reaching her. He clawed at her arms, but then finally tapped the mat three times.
Meghan released, and Jonas rolled to his knees, choking. “Great job, baby. So, you’re a weapons girl.” He nodded, choked a few more times, then stood up. “I have just the thing for you.”
He walked to the shelf and picked up a black cylinder tool, not quite ten inches long. He brought it to her and set it in her hand. Meghan was surprised that it was heavy, about the weight of a can of food, about a pound she’d guess.
She tightened her hand around the rubber grip. “What is it? Like brass knuckles?”
“Nope. Even better. Let me.” He held out his hand and she offered the weapon back to him.”
“With a flick of his wrist and the screech of metal against metal, the thing expanded to about two feet. Jonas sliced the weapon against the air, leaving a whooshing sound in his path. “It’s an expandable steel baton. And this, my love, will even the odds.” He slammed the tip into the floor, and it collapsed on itself. He held it out for her, and she snatched it up. This was exactly what she needed.
Meghan whipped her wrist forward and delighted at the soft hiss caused by the metal expanding. She slashed the weapon through the air several times, testing the weight. “Ready?” she teased.
“Umm…no. Not without protective gear. You nearly killed me with the nunchuks.” He rubbed the red area on his throat.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I wanted to know what you could do. But right now, we’ll just pretend that you have the rod in your hand, but with something softer, and I’ll react if you can tap me.” He searched the room and came back with a roll of paper towels from the bathroom. He unrolled the towels and handed her the paper cone. “It’s shorter, but that’s okay. That means you’ll have to work harder. Remember, stay on your feet, and just try to take me out and then escape. Aim for the kneecap, back of the head, forearm, anything that will stop my advance and incapacitate me. Also, you have to release the weapon, so it’ll take an extra second of your time. If I don’t see the flick of your wrist, I’m not going down.”
She smiled and didn’t wait a breath before she flicked her wrist as he charged again. As she sidestepped his attack, she whipped around and hit him on the back of the neck. As promised, he went down.
They continued until she was able to counter every one of his attacks.
Jonas nodded. “I’m impressed. Now, just work with the weapon again. I want you to practice every day with it, along with your jumps, parries, and the kicks I showed you. Remember, stay low, a smaller target is harder to hit, but remain on your feet.”
Meghan nodded. “Now what?”
“Oh, that’s easy. Food, shower, and then make love. In that order.”
He shoved the weapon back in its pouch, and then handed it to her. “Keep it on you at all times. Preferably latched to your belt and under your shirt, but that would mean you’d have to wear something other than skintight shirts.”
“I know…you don’t like my clothes.”
“Your clothes are fine, especially that dress. You should get more dresses. But I’m thinking you need something to cover you, and it’ll be getting chilly in a couple of months, so how ’bout we go out tomorrow and get you a leather coat.”
“Now you’re talking.”
Jonas drew her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers for a quick, but mind-blowing kiss. He pulled back after a few seconds and smiled. “Maybe food can wait.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Dressed in black yoga pants, a thermal shirt, and a black leather jacket so soft and comfortable that it felt like a second layer of skin, Meghan followed Jonas as he leapt from one building to the next.
His tall, muscular body was practically invisible against the starless, inky black sky. The only light came from below her, from inside office windows and residences of clueless humans going on with their lives. Humans carried on with their normal lives, as though acts of rape and assault weren’t happening in and around the very buildings they hid within.
She’d said her short vows with Jonas this afternoon. And though he’d reserved a room at the Boston Harbor Hotel for them for the next three nights, she’d wanted to watch for the earlier part of the evening. She was looking forward to trying out her new skills, but only if someone really deserved it. She had no desire to kill anyone, but she’d always felt a strong urge to protect the innocent.
Meghan fiddled with the cylinder strapped to her belt. She’d practiced for days, flicking it out, slicing it through the air, and ripping open the fighting dummy Jonas had set up with a few perfectly positioned strikes. Not only had her flexibility and stamina improved, her strength had increased. Her body had reacted immediately to training, and in just three days, her muscles were toned and strong. She’d also been practicing her leaps inside the stairwell. She was now able to jump as high as the fourth floor in their building.
Jonas touched her arm. “Unless a bad guy has a weapon, don’t use your baton. You’d kill him. Remember, we want humans to cheer us, not fear us.”
She glanced at him. She understood the concept of protecting others, but she didn’t get how that would help his rebel cause to free creatus everywhere. She liked her anonymity. “How exactly will helping humans and letting them know we exist help us?”
“We’re setting up the chessboard, Meg. When this goes global, humans will be crying out to know who we are and why we’ve been hiding. But…we have to have our key players in top government positions, so that when humans realize what we are, no orders will be given to hunt us down.”
A cool breeze blew her hair in her face. She should have pulled it back. “Why would people or the government hunt us?”
“Why would people…” He broke off in a chuckle. “Well, that’s a silly question. There will always be the gunslingers…the hunters looking for game. We represent a challenge, and since we’re not human, we’d be fair game in some people’s eyes. Not that I have a problem with hunting, but I only hunt for food. The thought of killing an animal for sport disgusts me. If we can get the majority of humans on our side, though, they’ll protect us; I’m sure of it. Thankfully, in these times, people are always looking for a cause to support, unlike hundreds of years ago when they tried to burn some of our kind at the stake. Sadly…they usually murdered innocent non-humans associated with us, since there aren’t many chains strong enough to contain us.”
She smacked her hand over her mouth, then dropped it. “Humans thought creatus were witches?”
“What would you think if you saw a small child jump off the roof of a house? That’s how my dad found out. Ry had knocked the ball up on the roof, and I jumped up to get it.”
“I’m sorry…” She released a long breath. She’d known his father had seen him, but he’d never said what he’d been doing. Playing. Playing with his brother. No wonder the guilt was eating at him all the time. He felt responsible. Meghan didn’t want to upset him, so she decided to reiterate the other half of her question. “And the government, why would they care?”
“Because of exactly what we’re doing…infiltrating. The government is afraid of us. They’ve been looking for us for years. Our government formed The National Security Council after WW2, with a primary goal of keeping America safe by searching out any and all threats. Intelligence reports had leaked back to the US that the Germans had been trying to create a superhuman race. Obviously, they hadn’t made creatus; we already existed. Nazis had captured some of our kind by taking hostage creatus children. But when the creatus’ children were threatened if the parents didn’t act as their captors wanted, the creatus performed all right. Only, they didn’t perform the way the scientist wanted; they did anything and everything to save their children. Other prisoners had seen s
ome of the creatus’ talents during the massacre, and since all the scientists and soldiers were killed, witnesses assumed that whatever the scientist had created had killed them.”
Meghan shook her head as she took in all of the information. “Sounds like Dr. Frankenstein’s Monster, doesn’t it? Do you think—”
“It does, but Frankenstein was written in the early 1800’s. That’s not to say that Mary Shelley’s account wasn’t based on a similar situation.” He shook his head. “Practically every mythological creature refers back to one of our kind, either being captured or seen in action…or…a real rogue. When word got back to the US, some officials told of stories they’d heard as kids from the Cherokee Indians, of a being they called Nunnehi. Because my ancestors had always been in the medical field and tried to help the human race, stories ensued. Plus, since our lifespan was so much longer than theirs, they presumed we were immortal.”
A chill surged through her. She wasn’t sure if it was because the temperature had dropped or from Jonas’ words. When she’d been running across the rooftops, her adrenaline had kept her warm. It amazed her that all the myths she’d heard her entire life were based on truth. “But…why would the government still be looking?”
“Because they know we exist, and every once and a while, when a supernatural occurrence hits the news or a wanted criminal defies laws of nature to escape, the file ends up in the hands of the National Security Council, and the old files resurface. That’s when the creatus government steps in. Creatus officials like Michael and Derrick are dispatched to silence the problem. Rogue creatus exist, but our kind has no tolerance for them. If a creatus is caught doing heinous acts, the penalty is death, the reason I knew if I pretended that there was a rogue creatus, I’d get my family’s attention, but then I was met with a better offer.”
“A better offer?”
He smiled. “As I mentioned before, that’s where the conversation has to skip over information, my love. To protect you. But yes, everyone knew I was ticked. Ticked that the Ashton family was able to bring two humans into our world, whereas my mother had to hide her true nature from my father. If she’d been accepted by her parents and the Southeastern Creatus Council, maybe things would have turned out differently.”
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