He kissed the tip of her nose. “She’s a formidable adversary. Why would you subject yourself to someone like that?”
“Because she’s hurting the man I love.”
He smiled and kissed her mouth. “I will never tire of hearing those words.”
Rather than indulge him, she asked, “Now that we’re lovers, do I need to find another mentor?”
“We are life mates.” He growled. “I need to hear you say it.”
“Now that we are life mates, do I need a different mentor?”
He smiled, clearly pleased by her easy surrender. “We’re not at the Conservatory. We can do whatever we want. However, there are two of the best Mystics I know right here on this ship. You would benefit greatly from different training techniques.”
“You want me to train with Odintar and Lor?” Her stomach did a little flip and tension curled through her belly. Surely he wasn’t suggesting…
He laughed and pinched her behind. “Training with them will not mean what it meant with us. You have greater control over your abilities than you did when we began. I’m the only one allowed to give you pleasure.”
“Odintar will be so disappointed.” She managed to keep a straight face and was rewarded with more of his laughter. She loved the sound, so rich and warm.
“To borrow one of your sister’s favorite sayings, Odintar will just have to deal.” He shifted her back to the bed and stood.
“Speaking of Tori. I’ll tell her she needs to—”
“There’s no need. She stopped me yesterday and apologized for what she said. She was terrified and worried. I understand. It’s forgotten.”
“Good. Now hopefully your family will be as reasonable.”
He shook his head with a mirthless smile. “I’m not holding my breath, but it means everything that you’re willing to try. Now, do you feel strong enough to dress? Lor is going to brief everyone during the evening meal.”
“I’ll give it a shot, but I might need your help.”
“As always, I am entirely at your service.”
Knowing Odintar intended to release Angie, Tori had provided a fresh uniform. Angie took a quick shower then donned the simple clothes. “Back to commando,” she muttered as she came out of the tiny bathroom.
Blayne’s gaze narrowed and desire surged across their link. “You know what happens when I know you’re not wearing underwear. You shouldn’t have said anything.”
She raised her brow in silent challenge. “Maybe I want to keep you smoldering for the rest of the night.”
“You’ll be lucky to make it through dinner.” He reached for her and she twisted away, but the room spun around her and she nearly lost her footing. He steadied her until the vertigo abated. “Damn it. You’re still really weak. We both need to behave or you’ll end up back in bed.”
“Not until after dinner.”
With the entire crew assembled, the galley was overly crowded. The three soldiers had activated the retractable seats, Lor stood, which left the booth for the other two Mystics, plus Tori and Angie.
“This is going to be cozy,” Blayne predicted as everyone scooted together to make room for Angie and him.
“We better eat after the briefing or we’ll all end up wearing our food,” Lor decided.
“If you’re willing to share, let’s put the females on the table and we can all eat now,” Odintar cheerfully suggested.
The soldiers laughed while Blayne and Lor glared at their comrade.
“In your dreams,” Tori volleyed.
“A time or two,” Odintar agreed with a rakish smile.
Angie had never seen Tori banter with a man, much less a man who was not her mate. It was a wonderful change and she couldn’t help but smile.
“The best strategy is just to ignore him,” Blayne told her.
“We’re going to be here all night unless you settle down.” Lor’s voice snapped with authority and warning.
“Copy that,” Odintar grumbled then he winked at Angie and added, “We’ll all eat after the briefing.”
Lor rolled his eyes then went on as if Odintar hadn’t spoken. “Doctor Porffer confirmed that their primary purpose is to transfer the hunters’ abilities into their mates.”
“What made them think that was even possible?” Dekker asked. He was seated between the other two soldiers and was frequently their spokesperson. “Mystics can’t transfer their powers to others, can they?”
“No,” Lor assured him. “But Shadow Assassins have a unique physiology. When one claims his mate, he triggers a biological change that makes her more likely to get pregnant. The Rodytes are trying to transfer other genetic information during that process.”
“Are their nanites responsible for this change or is it spontaneous?” the soldier persisted.
“We’re not sure,” Lor admitted. “We’ve only been able to study the result, not the actual transformation.”
Angie shivered. “Is that what Nazerel was doing when we located him, ‘studying’ the transformation?”
Only Blayne understood her question, so he wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder. “That’s what we’re trying to prevent.”
“We knew all this,” Odintar prompted. “Did this doctor tell us anything new?”
“She admitted that none of the transfers have been successful, which is damn good news.” Lor shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he continued. “Now for the not so good news. Porffer thought she’d found a way to circumvent the men’s involvement in the process.”
Dekker snickered. “The females were going to double-cross the hunters? I bet that went over well.”
“Porffer is pretty sure the hunters don’t know about it, mainly because Sevrin is still alive,” Lor explained. “So Sevrin is back to having reluctant allies. They’d all rather stab each other in the back, but they need each other too much right now.”
“I understand why Sevrin needs the hunters, but why do they need her?” Dekker asked. “They’re skilled warriors. Mercenaries can always find work.”
“Without Sevrin, they can claim mates and likely father children, but I suspect they would rather have mates empowered with their abilities.” Lor remained patient despite all the interruptions.
“Wouldn’t you?” Odintar challenged. “If I could transfer my power to you and then you could transfer it to your life mate, wouldn’t it be worth putting up with a bossy female for a while?”
“Point taken,” Dekker grumbled, obviously irritated by having his lack of Mystic abilities pointed out. “So what’s next?” He shifted his gaze back to Lor.
“According to Porffer, there’s one last team house in the Las Vegas area. We’re going to find it and shut it down.”
“One? You raided the Team North house and the motel/lab. What happened to the other team houses?” Angie asked.
“When Team North’s alpha was interrogated we learned the location of Team South’s house and Sevrin’s headquarters. Unfortunately, both had been abandoned by the time we arrived. We’ve also confirmed that Team East has moved out of state. Porffer gave us a list of possible locations, but Sevrin refused to tell her which she had chosen. They’re all mid-size college towns and Morgan has a team working on narrowing the list down. For now, we focus on the Team West house which is here in Las Vegas.”
“Can’t Zacharous tell us where his house is?” Blayne asked. “He’s the Team West alpha.”
“The interrogators can’t get through his shields. Director dar Aune even called in his specialist and she couldn’t reach his memories either. It’s the first time she’s failed. Surprised the hell out of everyone.”
“The two guards Lor captured at the motel were Rodyte,” Blayne mused. “Which means Team West is without a leader.”
“And Team South is without a house.” Lor obviously anticipated where Blayne was headed. “I’m right there with you. I think Nazerel will absorb Zacharous’ men into Team South and take over the last Las Vegas location.”
“Shouldn’t matter. If we can find the house, we can finally capture Nazerel?” Dekker sounded hopeful.
“Angie found him once before,” Kris said. “Can she do it again?”
Every eye in the room shifted to Angie and she wanted to melt into the floor. The last time she’d found Nazerel, he’d very nearly killed her.
“She’s much too weak to even try,” Blayne insisted.
“I agree,” Odintar stressed. “We’re stuck with conventional methods. We get out there and pound the pavement. End of story.”
His stanch defense caught Angie off guard. Blayne was morally and emotionally obligated to protect his mate. Odintar’s vehemence, on the other hand, was a nice surprise. “I’m sorry, Kris. I’d help if I could.”
“Not a problem. We volunteered for this mission. You were more or less drafted.”
Lor went on detailing the information revealed by the numerous interrogations, but Angie was distracted by Kris’ suggestion. He was right. In many ways, she was their best hope of finding Nazerel. If they had been able to flash in with a larger force, maybe he wouldn’t have escaped. She sighed. The past couldn’t be changed, but what about the future?
They knew the team house was nearby. How hard could it be for her to determine where it was and what Nazerel intended to do with his larger force. Would he expand the hunt and put more women in danger or lie low for a while until—
A vision responded to her rambling thoughts with jarring force. One moment she was fidgeting in the booth next to Blayne and the next she was seeing through Nazerel’s eyes. His lips brushed the underside of a full, white breast and Angie tried to sever the connection. The last thing she wanted to watch was Nazerel having sex with some random woman.
“Please. No more.” The female’s voice was hoarse, yet familiar.
Angie struggled within the vision, desperate to break the connection. It was Jillian. He had captured Jillian, was seducing her even now. Unless… Was this happening now?
Despite her utter contempt for what was transpiring, Angie forced herself to accept the images. He touched his captive with skill and focus, effortlessly arousing her body though her mind remained inaccessible.
“I can do this all night.” He slipped his hand between her thighs as he gazed into her eyes. “Lower your shields and I’ll let you come.”
Angie didn’t want to see this. She already knew Jillian was a target, obviously Nazerel’s next target. There had to be another reason for the vision. Blayne had assured her that every vision had a purpose. Watching her friend succumb to this monster could not be the reason for this one.
She pulled back slowly, not wanting to alert him of her presence in his mind. Gradually she saw the bed and the naked bodies entwined upon it. Jillian’s hands were tied to the headboard! Angie couldn’t allow herself to react to the fact. If this was happening now, there was nothing she could do to stop it. And if she were glimpsing the future, she would do everything in her power to make sure the wretched scene never became real.
Continuing the smooth withdrawal, she viewed the bedroom and tried to see the entire house. But his obsession with Jillian’s body, his determination that she surrender, kept Angie anchored in the scene. He was so absorbed with the challenge that nothing else existed.
So she had to work with what he’d given her already. She looked around the room. Nothing unusual here. It was a bedroom like any other. Perhaps a bit larger. The ceiling was vaulted and there were elegant French doors leading out onto a balcony or deck.
She focused on the French doors. Maybe she could catch a glimpse of the backyard or the surrounding neighborhood. The view beyond the house was blurry, but Angie’s pulse leapt just the same. Not only could she see the Strip in the distance, the position of the casinos in relationship to the house would give them a way to narrow in on the location. She studied the blurry image, absorbing as much detail as she could. Then she prayed that this was a future event and the vision finally released.
Returning to her body much more gradually than she’d left, Angie woke up in Blayne’s arms. He was sitting on the floor, cradling her against his chest and they were surrounded by people who looked as worried as he did.
“You promised not to scare me again,” he reminded with a tentative smile.
“Sorry. It’s Kris’ fault.”
“Did you have a vision?” She nodded and tried to sit up, but his arms wouldn’t release her. “Just relax. I’ve got you.”
In other words he wasn’t ready to let her go. She wrapped her arms around his back and kissed his throat, which was as high as she could reach in her semi-reclining position. “I might know where the house is, but I need to know if Jillian is still in her room at the hospital.”
Blayne looked at Lor and Lor made a quick call and then reported, “She’s fine. Why do you ask?”
“Nazerel had her tied to his bed in my vision, so we need to make damn sure we catch him before the scene comes to pass.”
“Tell us what you saw and we’ll get right on it,” Odintar promised.
“I could see the Strip from his bedroom window. The image was blurry, but the perspective was clear.”
Lor knelt beside Blayne, his expression equal parts compassion and anticipation. “May I see the image?”
“Go ahead.” She closed her eyes and braced for the invasion, but he was in and out so quickly she barely felt it. “I need Morgan’s help with this.” He pushed back to his feet and added, “Someone needs to shadow Jillian.”
“I’m on it,” Odintar assured and then flashed from the room.
Lor gave Tori a quick kiss and said, “I’ll return as soon as I can.”
Blayne’s arms tightened around Angie then he somehow managed to stand with her still cradled in his arms.
“I’m sorry,” Kris told her, looking adorably contrite. “I had no idea my suggestion would do that to you.”
She smiled at him and touched his shoulder. “I don’t regret it and neither should you. Anything that gets us closer to Nazerel is all right by me.” Kris looked at Blayne and sighed so Angie looked up as well. Blayne glared at Kris, his expression utterly menacing. “Cut it out!” She punched Blayne in the shoulder as best she could while in his arms. “He didn’t do it on purpose. Stop being such a Neanderthal.”
He leaned down and nipped her neck then whispered, “I’ll show you Neanderthal as soon as we return to our cabin.”
The soldiers parted as Blayne carried her out of the galley.
“We haven’t had dinner yet,” she objected.
Blayne paused by the stairs and kissed her gently on the mouth. “I told you we wouldn’t make it through dinner.”
“But what if I’m hungry now?”
“How weak did your vision leave you?” He lowered her legs and let her slide down his body.
She smiled as desire spread through her bloodstream and sensual images filled her mind. “Not too weak to enjoy what you’re thinking about.”
“Then we’ll eat after.” He kissed her again. “I’ll even bring you dinner in bed.”
More Shadow Assassin Adventures
Coming in 2014
Odintar and Jillian’s story
Featuring Elias and Helina Keire
(Helina is introduced in Fallen Star)
And the story everyone has been asking for
Nazerel and…I’m not ready to tell you, yet. But the cover is a clue.
Rage and Redemption
Read on for a taste of
Cyndi Friberg’s Rebel Angel series
When the couple gets together, wow. I am looking forward to seeing what Cyndi Friberg comes up with for her next story; she is definitely an author to watch.
-- Angel, Romance Junkies 5 stars!
Rebel Angels, Book One: Proud and rebellious, Gideon is banished from the Light. His own words define his punishment
, transforming bloodlust into literal hunger. Living by his sword, he wanders the land of mortals, embittered and alone.
Naomi works in secret, illuminating manuscripts for the Knights of St. John. Gideon is drawn to her beauty and fascinated by her innocence. She stirs the shattered remnants of his nobility, intensifying the conflict already raging within him.
Gideon is unlike anyone Naomi has ever encountered before. His passionate kisses and intoxicating caresses leave her restless and wanting. Still, she senses the bleak loneliness he tries so hard to deny. Responding to his seduction with tenderness, she is determined to help him rediscover the beauty in life.
The battle lines are drawn. Gideon must seek redemption or Fall. Naomi must lead her Rebel Angel back into the light before the forces of darkness destroy them both.
From Cyndi: The concept of angels and demons has always fascinated me. I couldn't help wondering how the angels felt when they were ordered to throw one third of their ranks out of Heaven. Obviously they obeyed, but how did it make them feel? I've been a fan of Historical romance for years, so I chose the Crusades as a backdrop for this exploration. I originally set out to capture the emotional struggles of an angel left behind by the rebellion. But, as usual, my muse decided to twist my concept. I don't want to say too much, but suddenly my angel had fangs and I was powerless to stop the influx of paranormal elements. I hope you'll find the resulting love story as entertaining as I did. I learned long ago not to argue with my muse. Enjoy!
Chapter One
Krak des Chevaliers
County of Tripoli, Palestine
March 1148
Fidgeting upon the wooden stool, Naomi pushed a lock of long hair behind her ear and concentrated on the manuscript page spread before her. Dust motes danced playfully in the rapidly fading sunlight but she couldn’t allow herself to be distracted. The familiar scent of ink and sandalwood soothed her, helping her focus. She shifted the precious vellum folio to a slightly different angle, catching what was left of the light.
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