by Brenna Lyons
“Maybe not, but that’s not the point. Is it?”
He groaned. “What are you planning this time?”
“Technically, all I have to do is get his attention, and Warrior biology will do the rest. Right?”
“Mom would not approve—”
“Of me going shopping and to a beauty shop? Puh-leeze! This is the same woman who seduced Dad.”
“And just look how well that turned out,” he grumbled.
“Oh, I don’t know. You’re not all that bad.”
Bear cracked a smile at that. “Just do me a favor.”
“Which is?” She wasn’t making any promises about how she’d approach Scott. That was between the two of them.
“Meet me in the mall food court. I really don’t want to know.”
“Done.”
Chapter Four
November 1st, 2049
“So, when do you want to head to town?” Bear asked.
“After training and a shower.” She turned toward the main training grounds.
It took him several seconds to catch up. “The Armen training?” he asked.
Katie chuckled. “Well, Scott’s training, anyway.”
“Gods give me strength,” he growled.
“As long as they give me what I want, they can give you the patience you want.”
“Just don’t let him win. You’ll insult his pride and intelligence if you do.”
“Would I do that?” she replied, indignant at the suggestion. In truth, she only wanted to examine how Scott interacted with the other Warriors in training.
Bear cocked an eyebrow and snorted in disbelief.
“I’d do a lot of things to get laid, but that’s not one of them.”
“Good. Keep it that way.”
Katie paused at the edge of the training area, watching Scott spar with Tevin, hand to hand. Warrior training or no Warrior training, Scott had the upper hand by just a hair.
Tevin noticed her at the fence first. A smile lit his face as he deflected one of his older brother’s punches. His lips moved, some conversation obviously intended for Scott’s ears only.
Scott’s head jerked around, and Tevin struck, a punch square in the cheek that knocked him flat. Scott didn’t hesitate; he caught Tevin in the knees, bringing him down hard, coming up and surging over him with a murderous rage in his eyes, though he was hardly showing signs of bloodlust.
“Hold!” Tyler thundered.
Both combatants froze then came to their feet, their hands fisted, glaring at each other across the two yards separating them.
“This is training, gentlemen. Street fighting won’t work against a beast, and this isn’t a challenge bout. Leave it at the fence.”
“A beast wouldn’t say something like that,” Scott informed his brother.
Tevin smiled widely, entirely too cocky for his own good. “You’ve only met one of them. If you’re sloppy enough to let them distract you, you’re going to die.”
Scott’s face went red, his muscles strung tight in either embarrassment or anger. She couldn’t tell which. Katie felt her temper simmer at that. There was no question in her mind that Tevin was baiting Scott, trying to make him look like a fool in front of her.
“This is not a good idea, Kates,” Bear suggested.
Under normal circumstances, she might have considered that he was right. Printing was not normal circumstances.
In the field, Tyler shook his head, pointing to Scott. “He’s right, Scott. You can’t let a beast distract you. No matter what it says or does, you have to be in control and aware.”
“It’s a fabulous idea,” she informed him. “Go ghost. You know what to do.”
“How did I offend Tes and Fih this time?” he muttered.
“Just do it,” she snapped.
Katie hoisted herself over the fence and strode toward the trio in the center of the field. Tevin and Scott both turned their heads to watch her progress, and Tyler stopped speaking, looking over his shoulder in apparent surprise.
“Can I help you, Kaitlyn?” he asked.
“I’d like to spar with them,” she requested. “With your permission, of course.”
“Granted. Together or separately?”
“I haven’t had a warm-up, yet. I believe I’ll start with Tevin.” Though she was capable of fighting all three in unison from a cold start, her plan depended on splitting her time between them.
Tevin shot her a smile that announced his interest clearly, oblivious to the fact that she’d insulted him by naming him the least of her possible opponents. From his reaction, he considered himself favored by being chosen to face her first.
Scott turned and left the field, hiding his amusement rather unsuccessfully. Whether he suspected what she intended to do or not, he clearly recognized her intention to snub his brother.
“As you wish,” Tyler conceded with a bow of his head. He waved Scott the final distance to the fence.
Tevin bowed as well, scanning her body. “You’re looking lovely today, Kaitlyn,” Tevin offered.
“This is training,” she informed him.
His smile dimmed. “Of course.” Staunch determination settled on his face. The fool had most likely postulated that she intended to test his strength in choosing a mate.
Katie widened her stance, brought her fists up and shifted her weight to the balls of her feet. To his credit, Tevin came in hard and fast, not pulling his punches or offering less than his best. She countered everything he threw at her, pushing him toward his endurance with barely a sheen of sweat to show for it. All the time, she waited patiently for Bear’s move.
Her brother took his time, letting Tevin get fully engrossed in the match. By her opponent’s reaction, Katie guessed that Bear touched his shoulder and faded away. Tevin spun toward the touch, exposing his back to her.
That was her cue. She drew both blades, pressing them to his back in position to take his lungs. He stiffened with a muttered curse.
“You’re dead, Tevin,” she announced, so all the Warriors assembled would be sure to hear it.
The older ones nodded or rolled their eyes at his mistake. The younger ones laughed heartily. Scott chuckled, an unholy smirk on his face at his painless revenge.
“I was supposed to be fighting you,” Tevin protested, his cheeks a furious red.
Bear unghosted, his arms crossed over his chest, fighting back laughter.
Katie sheathed her weapons, allowing Tevin to turn to her. “I told you this is training, Tevin. Do you think beasts are going to announce themselves? If you sense one behind you, are you going to give the first your back?”
“Of course not!”
“Then you shouldn’t have done it in training. You’re dead, Tevin. You’re dead, because you paid so much attention to one opponent that you forgot your surroundings. A beast may or may not say what you did to distract Scott, but one will come at your back. Count on it.”
He bowed his head and brought his fists up again.
“I believe I’ve made my point, and I’m warmed-up.” She dropped her voice so that only Tevin would hear it. “I’m ready to take on Scott now,” she confided in him, swallowing a smile as he ground his teeth, the snub clearly stated this time. “Scott! You’re up.”
Tevin stormed off the field, followed by a chuckling Bear.
Scott ambled out, flicking his eyes along the fence line and nodding. He brought his fists up.
Katie did the same. “Taking a head count?” she asked, turning as he did.
His first punch came for her cheek, and she blocked it, sending one to his now-open face that he ducked expertly. They backed off a step and started circling.
“Any reason I shouldn’t? As long as I can see all of the players, I know one’s not sneaking up on me.”
Katie tried a roundhouse, jerking her foot up and spinning away before his hands could lock around it fully. He counterattacked with a sweep at her knee that she sidestepped.
“You won’t always know how
many players there are,” she noted conversationally.
“Of course.” His eyes flicked down her body than up again, but she couldn’t tell if he was checking out her stance or her form.
She stifled the urge to look down at herself, suspecting an attempt at distraction. “What?”
“I thought Blutjagdfrau wore amulets under bracebands.” He ended his statement with a barrage of punches.
Katie deflected them easily, giving her answer as she fought. “I was en utero when my mother became the stone vessel. It gives me the same protection without an amulet as my grandmother had with an amulet and no blessing. It was my choice to wear it or not, once I had autonomy.”
They broke apart, circling again to a few claps and shouts of congratulations.
Scott did another quick head count. “Interesting. I thought they’d demand your protection, despite your autonomy.”
“You think I can’t protect myself?” She kept her tone conversational.
He chuckled. “I’m sure you can.” His foot shot up.
Katie dropped, rolled and flipped back to her feet before he could attempt to pin her. She smiled. “Smooth move. You’re very good.”
“Your bait and switch on Tevin was smooth, too. Though...I’m sure you could have taken him out without the distraction.”
“You’re right.” She made a quick move to the side, aiming a punch for his left shoulder as he turned, missing by inches as he countered.
Scott smiled widely at the attempt, and cheers and whistles went up from the younger Warriors.
“So, what did Tevin say?” she inquired.
He scowled but didn’t answer.
“Come on. It couldn’t be that bad.”
“Since it was about you—”
“Then you better tell me,” she ordered.
“He said I had a chance of winning, because looking at you had him so hard he could barely think.”
She faltered in mid-swing, her mind clouded in shock. How dare he! That bastard was going to pay for that one.
Scott took full advantage, grasping her arm and twisting around her, sweeping her feet. Katie swung herself face up and pulled back with her now-free arm, nearly throwing him off balance, forcing him to plant his feet rather than fall with her and complete the Maher maneuver—or pin her beneath his weight. He stumbled, coming down with her. She brought one knee up, missing her intended target by inches. They fell too quickly to get the steel toe into position, but the join of her foot and ankle slammed solidly into his balls.
Katie let her leg fall to the side, knowing the probability of injuring her knee when he landed was higher than the possibility of using her leg to throw him off without a proper foothold. And... Dear Gods, I want to feel his weight holding me down, even if it’s only for a moment.
Scott collapsed over her with a grunt of pain, a solid mass of man holding her to the hard-packed soil beneath her. He saved her the trouble of saving face and flipping him off by rolling away, cupping his battered privates. “Christ,” he grumbled.
Older Warriors winced and shifted uncomfortably. The younger ones, as usual, laughed. Tevin joined them, nearly doubling over in mirth.
Katie eased to her feet, dusting off her jeans as he recovered. “I guess we can call a hold here. Excellent move. The Maher maneuver is usually a winner.”
“But?” he croaked.
“I would guess no one warned you that my father created it. My mother went to great lengths to find a way to counter it.”
His eyes opened, his color and breathing returning to normal slowly. “She taught you well, I see.”
“Better that I nail you in training than a beast in battle.”
“I’ll remember that,” he replied sarcastically, struggling to his feet.
“It’s what Jayde told Talon when she nailed him,” she offered by way of apology. “And he was her husband.”
Scott stared at her for a moment then nodded.
“Now... Is that really what Tevin said? Or was that a distraction?”
He smiled, chuckling darkly. “Would I lie about something like that?”
“I have no clue,” she admitted.
Scott strolled away without answering.
* * * *
Scott headed for the library, his entire body alive to sensation. It seemed strange to react so intensely to a woman who’d kicked him in the nuts in front of half the Warriors of the house, but there was no denying it.
He’d rolled off of her, because he’d hardened despite the pain he was in. He’d rolled off of her, because the alternative had been lying over her with his cock pressed into her thigh, an ache unlike the screaming of his bruised balls driving him crazy. It was better not to touch her at that moment.
The line of leather-bound volumes beckoned, but Scott paused, not really seeing them. He shivered, memories of her face as she talked about Talon and Jayde arousing him all over again.
For just a moment, he’d been certain she was flirting with him again. The sidelong glance she’d shot him and her blush... But, she’d been talking about a mated couple, so that didn’t add up.
Who said she was talking about mating? Maybe she’s looking to sate her drive. Now, that made a lot more sense.
Scott turned at the sound of her laughter, heading for the foyer without conscious thought of what he intended. Tevin’s voice brought him up short, halfway from his goal.
“Have a good day in town, Kaitlyn,” he offered pleasantly.
“I’m sure I will.”
“I would be honored to escort you.”
She paused for a moment, and Scott’s heart sank to his stomach. Please, say ‘no’. But, he couldn’t define why he cared what her answer was.
“No. It’s— Well, it’s woman’s stuff. You’d just be bored.”
“I could never be bored with you.”
“Oh, gag me,” Scott grumbled. He couldn’t state categorically why he continued listening. Tevin’s sickening show was raising the sour taste of bile into his mouth.
“Thank you, but Bear and I have family matters to discuss. And...there he is now.”
Was he imagining it, or did the princess sound relieved? No, that had to be wishful thinking.
“Ready to go, Kates?” her brother asked, his voice cold.
Surely not for his sister. Maybe König was warning Tevin to back off. A smile curved Scott’s mouth as footsteps faded away — one set toward the back of the house and the other two toward the front door.
He shook himself mentally. Big deal. So, Tevin was shot down? It wouldn’t last long.
* * * *
“Are you sure about this?” Bear asked, looking as close to scared as she’d seen him in at least three years.
“Are Blutjagdfrau ever wrong when it comes to their mates?” she countered. And, she certainly hadn’t gone through the trouble of having herself waxed, primped and dressed in this ‘come fuck me’ outfit to chicken out now. If Scott looked for this type of woman, Katie would give him what he wanted.
“They usually have better taste.”
“I should take you to trial for daring to talk about my chosen mate that way.” Despite her silent curses on the man when she was waxed! Only her overactive healing allowed her to accept the punishment. How human women did it was a mystery.
A smiled pulled at his lips. “Whatever.” He sighed, his smile disappearing. “Maybe I should talk to him before—”
“Don’t you dare! This is between Scott and me.” This was one thing Katie intended to do for herself. She straightened her skirt then pulled her waist-length leather jacket on, feeling exposed but wickedly sexy.
“It doesn’t have to be tonight,” her twin suggested, his expression hopeful. “Maybe we should call in the troops for the usual fallout.”
“They’re not that stupid,” she quipped. There were no elders left, after all. Even the highest levels didn’t want to mess with her unless she made herself seem an easy kill, and the last thing she needed was a bunch of Warriors
lurking outside the door, listening to them having sex.
“If you say so.”
“I do.” Katie squared her shoulders, steeling herself for what she had to do. “Wish me luck.”
“You know I do.”
She let herself into the hall and strode away from the central corridor. Scott lived as far from his family as he could. Katie found that sad; it was an anomaly she wanted to understand. But, there was time to understand Scott later. Katie knocked on his door.
He opened it, drying his hands on a bath towel, a smudge of missed grease near his left elbow. His eyes narrowed, panning down her body inch by inch. His cock stiffened behind his jeans. “Yes?” he asked, his voice rough.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” she asked.
“Sure.” He moved aside and let her pass, hesitating before he shut the door.
Katie looked at his room curiously. It was very sparing, nothing but a queen bed, bureau, a weight bench set on an exercise mat and work-out bag in the twenty by twenty space. There were few books and no pictures. It seemed Katie traveled with more than Scott lived with.
“Kates... Katl... König? Princess... Damn it! What am I supposed to call you, anyway?”
“Katie is fine.”
“The other men don’t call you that,” he grumbled.
She chuckled, turning to him and surveying his bare chest hungrily. “The other men weren’t invited to. No one calls me less than a formal name unless I invite them to.”
He tossed the towel away, planting his arms across his chest, his muscles bunching. “And precisely what are you inviting?” he asked bluntly.
Good. He was cutting to the chase with her, just as she’d hoped. “I’ll let you know if something is out of bounds. There isn’t going to be much that—”
Scott fisted the edges of her jacket, dragging her against his body, his breath fanning over her upturned face, his mouth closing over hers. He pushed the jacket away, his tongue parting her lips as his hands pressed her closer by the meat of her buttocks. He explored her mouth completely, laying claim in the most primal way she could imagine possible. His palms slid up and forward, his fingertips tracing the side seams of her blouse. His thumbs stroked the hard points of her nipples through the single layer of black silk.