It was a strange feeling and took some getting used to. He had deliciously tortured her through several emotions and taught her how to identify his from hers.
She would be working, and an emotion would centre her, and she’d know it was his, not hers. Something annoying him or angering him or entertaining him.
She learnt to block it out, so it didn’t continually make her doubt things.
She had her own problems with that. She still couldn’t see where this was going but she’d come to love this place.
Cosy nights in and delicious meals out. It was proving to be a great place to live. The scenery and the landscape just topped it all off.
But it couldn’t last forever. And at the first mention that he had to go back, was a reality check. Their time was coming to an end.
And for a while longer, he travelled back and forth, and they enjoyed what time they had. The stretches between became longer and she started to wonder if his interest was waning, his work seemed to take up more and more time and she tried to not be that person, but her doubts kept surfacing. She’d tried to take her mind off it and it wasn’t easy. She missed him. But when he finally came to see her, he was everything she ever wanted and more. It was perfect.
And soon the rental time on the cottage was nearly up. Sharon had stopped by and reminded her. Will needed to make plans. She needed somewhere to go.
Something to call her own. She could guess that Ben would want her to go back to the house. If he still wanted her. It made sense but she held back. They’d been no commitment from either of them. It was time to have that chat.
Once he’d confirmed he was on his way, she made plans for dinner. Dressed nicely, cooked what he liked, opened the wine and lit some candles.
The sound of the pop pop pop, had her getting up from the chair. Then Clay flew across the hedge and ran into the house locking the door behind him dosing the lights.
“Call the Boss. We’re under attack.” Will picked up the phone and auto dialled as Clay went to a cupboard under the stairs and dragged out a large box she never knew was there.
“Darcy, what’s wrong?”
“Ben we’re under attack Clay says… he’s passing me a gun and you know how I like to practice because I’m so bad at it.” The checked the mag and took the safety off to Ben’s chuckle.
“Darcy do you need a spanking?”
“Ummm could you hurry? I’m gonna be all frisky by the time you get here.” He laughed. It was what she knew it to be, his relief that she wasn’t freaking out. Clay looked at her in wonder and she gave him a wink.
“Okay beautiful, one spanking coming up.” She grinned. His voice got soft. “I’m coming baby, you keep your head down do you hear me?”
“Yes……….. Ben?”
“Yes baby.”
“You know I love you right?” She whispered. She couldn’t look at Clay her tears were too close to the surface and she could see he looked…. determined.
There was silence on the other end of the phone. Her heartbeat so loud she thought Clay could probably hear it too.
“Yes baby, I know you love me, the same way I love you. You stay alive, do you hear me Darcy. You stay alive.” He sounded as broken as she did telling him she loved him.
His voice hardened. “We’re trained for this. Put him on.”
She passed the phone to Clay and took a Glock automag. “Yes sir, I saw at least six.”
She noticed it was a newer model to hers but hell, you just point and shoot. She automatically checked the chamber, the clip and the safety. Clay was still talking.
“I think Banes is gone Sir, he stepped right in without hesitation blocking their way, I’ve not seen Davidson.”
She looked up hearing it. “Bane? O no.” She felt heart sick.
Was this her fault? Had she done this, made this happen by coming here?
She looked around at the house hoping it didn’t get banged up she really liked it and was glad that it stood on its own away from anything else.
She crawled behind the open plan kitchen units that faced the living room. It was solid wood so would give good cover.
“On it Sir.” Clay carried the large bookcase like it was nothing and blocked the back door having locked it. Then gave her back the phone.
“Ben?”
“Darcy, we’re close. I was on my way before this started. Hide, stay safe, Clay will cover you.”
“I’m so sorry Ben this is my fault.”
“No it’s not. They were tracking me, not you. Let Clay do his job.”
She was no quitter. No victim. She toughened up he needed to hear it in her voice.
“No Ben, that’s not how this works. You know that. I’m not a bystander. Who will cover Clay?” she told him pissed off. She wasn’t hiding. She was done hiding.
“You get your cute butt here for a groupie snog and we’ll be waiting.” She cut him off.
“Hide indeed. Did she hide saving his ass? No she bloody didn’t. Men!”
Clays face came around the corner looking at her amused.
She huffed. “Bring that goodie box over here. This kitchen is a solid wood U shape. Bring that table and block up the end. We can defend from here if we have to.” He looked surprised at her. “Don’t just stand there. Move.”
He brought the box and large table over and blocked the galley entrance. She turned the porch lights on. If anything was coming, they’d see it.
“You should really hide mam. My Lord won’t be happy. It would be safer.” Clay told her taking up position at the end where she knew he could see the back door as well as the front.
“Don’t piss me off Clay. And two are better than one.”
“Yes mam.”
“Damn it, I really liked this house.”
“Boss will buy you a new one. He can’t replace you, but he can the house. Remember that.”
That was somewhat comforting. In a weird way. She calmed her breathing just like they told her at the range. She didn’t dare touch the link with Ben. She was scared at what she might find.
“She’s unbelievably calm.” He told no one in particular. He felt sick. The delays in dealing with the Council had been ongoing for past few weeks, he’d been given enough shit to keep him going back, then the shit had dragged on keep him from her. It was hardly surprising they’d found her. He’d been travelling back and forth too much for it to go unnoticed. His fault again. Maybe she’d been right all those weeks ago. This life was not for a human. God, that hurt. He loved her. He couldn’t give her up. He shoved it to one side, as his beast snarled raising to the surface. He couldn’t lose it in the helicopter. His beast was unpredictable. I know buddy. I’m trying we’ll get there to save her.
“How long until we are on the ground?”
“Fifteen minutes, then ten to the house.” He nodded. Had that stupid meeting gone on any longer, he might not have decided to go to her after all. Had that been a delaying tactic? He didn’t know but the conference call had been delayed throughout the day and then dragged on until he’d cut it off.
He’d deal with that tomorrow. Now, he needed to kill something.
They saw movement in the front garden. Several somethings moving in the shadows. They wouldn’t be able to see into the house much, not with the porch lights reflected back at them, it would obscure most of the inside, but they knew they were in there. Will stayed quiet. There was no point advertising their whereabouts.
Noise at the back door had her looking over to Clay. His gun was up. They were trying the softly softly approach first. She didn’t think that would last long.
Finding it locked they simply seemed to move away. It all went quiet again. Will kept an eye out the front. Her gun ready. She hated that Ben had been right. They’d found her and were trying to use her against him. She grabbed her phone and tapped out, ‘it could be a trap’ then picked up her gun again.
“Female,” a voice rang out. “Come out of the house and we won’t kill you. You picked the wro
ng side human. Come with us and no one has to get hurt.”
Will rolled her eyes. They’d already hurt Bane. She’d seen what they could do. Fuck that! Did she look like a damsel I distress?
She’d tried to run from this, and this was the result. She’d let her pride place them all in danger. It was stupid and careless and might have cost at least two men their lives. She was so angry with herself. She’d put them all at risk.
Sometimes you just had to roll with the punches and take your lickings. She was no one victim. It was time they all knew it.
“I’m feeling a little ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ time. Got any grenades in there? I need some Gas, Gas, Gas.” she whispered to Clay.
He sniggered. “Yeah.”
“Make room handsome and give me four. They want to see me? I’m gonna say hello. Pull the pins.” She put her gun down.
“What?”
“Do it. I’m done waiting.”
He rifled through the box and pulled out four. “If you’re going so am I.” He told her. She shrugged. He held them before he gave them to her. “Let’s get nearer the door, I’ll pull the pins, grab the door open and you can throw ok?” She nodded. “The Boss is going to kill me.”
She grinned and patted his shoulder before he placed them in her hands. She gave him a nod. That wasn’t quite what she had in mind, but she could go with it.
They moved slowly towards the front door, Clay kept looking at the back door, he had both their guns over his shoulder and one in his hand. They crouched by the living room sofa. It was about five steps to the front door.
“You sure you want to do this?” he asked. She gave him a hard stare. He sighed. “Let me do it then?” She stared harder. “Okay, Jesus you’re worse than the Boss. I’ll pull the pins, we both go to the door, I’ll open it and you throw. Don’t hesitate just throw.” She nodded.
He moved forward in front of another sofa by the bay window she followed him. Reaching out he made sure his hand could reach the handle on the door. “Last chance Darcy, don’t do it.”
“Pull the pins, I’m done being chased.” He put his hand gun down along with the two rifles. Put his fingers in all four grenade pins. “Ready?”
Darcy grinned. “Lets blow some shit up.” He pulled.
The door opened fast Clay’s hands going from pins to door knob in an instant. Darcy got up and charged through the door, kicking it wide open she ran outside on to the porch.
“I’m done dealing with you fuckers. In the words of the only man that matters; Welcome to the Party!” she screamed, as she threw both arms violently forward and wide releasing the grenades in both directions. Clay opened fire grabbing her shirt pulling her back down passing her her Glock, as others joined in on either side of her and the world went Boom!
He dragged her back inside and locked the door and pulled her back to the kitchen area.
“That was some fucking crazy shit right there.” He told her grinning.
Will grinned back. “Give me that rifle, I’m not done yet.”
Bennet looked up from his phone, she’d text him she thought it was a trap kept going around in his mind. It didn’t matter that she was right. He was coming for her.
And then he heard the boom that rang out while he waited on more texts from Darcy. He felt cold and tried to find the link to her.
“They bombed the fucking house?” he roared his beast roaring to the surface unable to control him.
Thank the gods they were in the car. “Unsure we have reports of explosions at the cottage.”
He waited on Edward to give him more information he was on the phone with someone. Then he looked up at him confused.
“The err explosions came from the house Boss.”
“Clay doing his thing.” Bennet chin lifted his agreement, his beast appeased.
“Err no Boss, Darcy. She threw grenades out the front door, apparently told um she was fucked off, that they were ‘Welcome to the Party’ and blew um up. Bane and Davidson both injuried joined in from left and right, Clay backed her up and boom.”
Edward was grinning. “Moping up in progress. Now that’s a Queen.”
Bennet held in his relief. Her link burst into life. She didn’t feel injuried in their bond. She seemed….. happy? The woman was crazy. Crazy beautiful and his. Theirs. He wondered how he could ever have doubted it.
As the dust settled, Will looked out the door. She wouldn’t be getting her deposit back.
SUV’s screeched to a halt and men piled out surrounding the area. Bennet flew out the door and headed straight for her before it had even stopped.
Her heart leapt when she saw him striding in looking for her. God he was everything hot and sexy that she could ever have dreamed off. Never think never ladies!
“Hay, another great party.” She told him smiling as he came towards her. She could feel his emotions. He was raw. Shredded. His eyes red. His…. She wasn’t sure what and that conversation needed to be had but she knew whatever it was, he loved her as much as Bennet. “Entertainment was crap mind.”
His beast urging him to get to her fast or he would. Ben didn’t argue, he grabbed her and held her tightly to him. His face in her hair breathing her in. Feeling the bond bounce between them.
Bloody woman was going to kill him, but he didn’t care, he was connecting with what mattered to him, not really sure if he understood it all and knew she probably didn’t, but this was what was right.
“I was wrong,” he told her.
Will stilled in his arms fearful of what came next.
“Being human isn’t a weakness at all. They underestimate you at their peril.”
He kissed her head. Darcy smiled. His voice deepened becoming harsher more deadly. His …. Friend was making an appearance too.
“We will be a force to be reckoned with, you and I Darcy.” He told her. “You are my bonded mate, that is for life, no half measures, no bootie calls, you are my life and my love, and you will be my Chosen. My Bonded Mate. We will make them pay. Make them hurt and make them fear us coming.”
She heard the rumble of two voices. Her men. One and the same. One with sparkling dreamy blue eyes and other, deadly fiery red. It was one hell of a ride.
Will pulled back and smiled up at him, kissing his lips. She loved this man.
“Wow. As rewards go, that’s a doozie and I’m all on board. Mayhem and muscle, that’s got to be a song. But,….. For now,” she patted his chest rubbing his pecks and enjoying the feel.
“I’ll settle for dinner at a male dance strip club so I can get my boogie on.”
He frowned down at her. He didn’t look too happy. She patted his chest. “So…” She looked him up and down slowly. Licking her lips. His eyes never left her face.
“Can you dance handsome, I’ve got a few dollars?” She wiggled her eyebrows.
His laughter could be heard clear across the dunes.
The End
Check out what’s next…..
Note from the Author.
Hi there and thank you for reading this novel. I hope you enjoyed it and looked forward to book 2 in the Austin Chronicles. But for now, here’s a chapter of another of my books as a thank you.
Hope to see you again soon xx
Lov to you and yours. Jessie xx
Galactic Cyborg Heat Series Book 1. Rage.
Chapter One
Kim walked towards the Bridge from the engine room. It was running like a dream. Mack would be eating his words and she would be one proud owner of a new laser gun. Kim grinned and picked up the pace. She couldn’t wait to see his face when she told him. He’d give her that, ‘I don’t believe it look’, then look all pissed at her, then slap her on the back and hand over the gun. Kim rubbed her hands together. Easy pickings. She told herself. The explosion threw her hard against the wall banging her head and bruising her arm, as she’d reached out trying to stop herself and her ribs, hitting hard against it. Fuck that hurt. Screamed across her mind as her body protested being abused.
“J..u..s..t….. left …… what the fuck, heading back,” she told him peeling herself off the wall and wiping blood from her face. “What the hell was that?” She shouted out over the noise on the Bridge over the comm. It told her everything she needed to know. They were in trouble and Mack confirmed it.
“Under attack, pirates, give me all you can girl.”
Fuck! “On it.” She squeezed out determinedly. Her head banging from the impact, she staggered back down the corridor towards engineering. Blood ran down the side of her face. The ship rocked again, then shuddered and the alarm blaring in her eardrums. Kim looked around her at the ship. She hoped to god it held together.
Slapping her hand on the scanner to give her access, Kim walked into chaos. Fuck. She’d only just left and it was fucking perfect. She rushed to the controls and checked the damage. Damn it. This was going to take some work. She berated herself getting down to work. Shutting down both generators, wasn’t easy. By the time she was finished, the strain on her arm or ribs was killing.
She turned her attention to the engines. They were badly overheated as they continued to spark and try to fire back to life. She re-routed the coolant and shot it passed both. Steam started pumping out. That was easier to deal with than a fractured engine. She knew both the coolant and the engines weren’t designed to do that but she just knew, both could handle it. And when her gut told her that, she knew to rely on it. She checked the temperature gauges. It was going down dramatically but still taking time. Kim frowned. It was time she wasn’t sure they still had.
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