Leaving Eden

by Kelly A Walker et al.

  She was gone.

  “Ramé!” Ody called out.

  “Over here!” He crouched down on the pavement, then heard Ody and Midas run up behind him, but his gaze didn’t leave the spot that held his attention.

  “Where is she?” Midas barked.

  “Do you smell that?” Ody growled, his fists clenched.

  Ramé slid his finger across the pavement, lifting his hand for the others to see.

  Rage slammed into them all. Rage and fear.

  Blood reflected back at them in the moonlight. Their woman’s blood.

  Had he lost her before he even had a chance to love her?

  No. They would find her. They would save her. And God help whoever dared touched what belonged to them.

  10

  AVA

  Fear was a funny thing. It was a necessity in some cases, really. Unfortunately, Ava seemed to never have enough of it when it was needed.

  Staring at Saltos’ back, all she felt was rage.

  Rage at herself for being dense enough to completely forget about his earlier warnings.

  Rage at him for daring to touch her.

  Rage at the mating bond for compromising her in such a way.

  And worst of all, she felt the rage of her men pouring through their bond, the white-hot energy making her skin flush.

  She was livid, the snarl in her throat rumbling and terrifying. She was damn near animal-like in her ferocity. Her fingers curled into fists, her wrists pulling at the restraints binding her to the kitchen chair she sat in. Sweat beaded at her brow, her aura flaring almost constantly now, the wings of her Wyvern more pronounced than she had ever seen them before. She could practically see the sharp wing tips lashing out, slicing across the pirate’s throat, his blood pouring from him in a delicious river of red…

  Ava shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Focus, damnit. She couldn’t very well escape with delusions dancing in her vision.

  Saltos turned, tossing his prize up in the air before catching it, twirling it between his fingers.

  The ruby that had started it all.

  Ava’s eyes latched onto the shiny gem, her anger spiking another notch. Mine… her Wyvern snarled, the growl nearly rattling her teeth.

  Saltos lifted a brow, staring down at her. “Now, now, girl. You gotta pay the toll just like anyone else.” He crouched down, tilting his head in a reptilian way. “What am I going to do with you?” Reaching forward, Saltos ran his hand down her cheek, the stink of him making her nose scrunch.

  Ava jerked, attempting to bite him.

  Yanking his hand back, Saltos roared with laughter. “Feral, are you? I should have known. Only a mad woman would stomp into my territory like she owned the place. Which brings me back to the question. What am I to do with you?” His eyes slid down her body, clearly telling her exactly what he wished to do with her.

  “I suggest you free me. Now. Before it’s too late.” Was that her voice? It crawled out of her. Unfamiliar, dangerous and dark.

  Saltos must have heard it, too. His face sobered. “Or what? You aren’t exactly in a position to be making threats, girl.”

  Ava grinned, her smile more a baring of teeth than a gesture of humor. She said nothing. She didn’t need to. Her grin said it all.

  Saltos stood, grinding his teeth, his jaw ticking. Even with her restraints, she was the master predator here, and they both knew it. There was no denying the powerful magic pulsing around her, demanding him to submit. Sweat began to gather on his upper lip, showing her that despite his cool demeanor, he could sense just how out of his league he truly was.

  He cursed, turning from her, and headed to his fridge, pulling out a beer. He tucked the ruby into his pocket, Ava watching every move he made. She knew he could feel her gaze and used it to further unnerve him. Nervous men made shitty captors.

  A tug suddenly echoed in Ava’s chest, making her gasp. Her eyes flicked to the side, taking in the sewer surrounding her. While it was clear Saltos had done quite a bit to tidy the place up, nothing could hide the fact that this was, indeed, a sewer. The faint smell that lingered here would never come out of the concrete.

  Ava had often wondered how he had managed the city the way he did. Now she knew. The fucker was living beneath it.

  She could feel her men near her. Were they walking above, unaware of how close they were? Ava shook her head. Irrelevant. The last thing she was going to do was wait for some man, or in her case, three men, to save her. No, she could save herself, thank you very much.

  Closing her eyes, Ava tried to push back the bond screaming at her, the rage and passion fueling her own anger. If she had any hope of escaping, she needed to be calm. She needed to cut off the bond somehow. She tried to shuffle through the emotions, feeling her connections to the men shift. Something clicked, and Ava tilted her head, intrigued. It was like a maze, this bond of theirs. She just had to figure out how to navigate it…

  There. Her aura slid along Midas’s intellect, the genius of him, making her brain whirl. Like a thief in the night, she picked up shinies from the treasure trove that was Midas, pulling the pieces into herself.

  Ramé was a different flavor, and yet the same. She purred as she slid into him, the wicked sensuality warming her. She could practically feel her lips swell, her breathing quickening.

  And then there was Odysseus. Tactical. Cool. A soldier through and through. She brushed past the sweet center of him. She needed the soldier, not the sweetheart.

  Ava had closed her eyes to explore the bond.

  A truly bonded Wyvern opened them, ready to gain her freedom.

  11

  ODY

  “Do you hear that?” Midas asked, pausing and pressing his ear against the sewer wall.

  They all stopped, listening intently.

  Faintly, they could make out a man’s voice echoing through the passageway.

  “Listen, asshole. This piece is going to go fast. Either you meet with me tonight, or I go to the next bidder. Understand?” the man barked.

  Silence followed, and Ody knew the man must be speaking to someone on a phone.

  “Damnit!” A slam sounded off in the distance as if the man had smacked a table.

  The brothers walked closer to where the voice was coming from, their tactical training coming back to them seamlessly. With a gesture, Ody had them all crouching beside a doorway. Midas peered around the corner quickly before returning to his stance. He nodded at Ody, confirming what they already could feel through the bond.

  Ava was on the other side of that door.

  A sensual chuckle poured through the walls, slamming into Ody’s stomach.

  “Things not going to plan, huh?” From the other room, Ava laughed, the sound almost foreign. Ody hadn’t known Ava long, but somehow, he just knew that laugh wasn’t something that normally came from her slender throat. It was deep, guttural and raw.

  “Shut up, bitch,” the man snarled.

  Ramé growled, taking a step forward. Ody held his arm out, stopping him. They had no idea of the situation inside. Information needed to be gathered before they just stormed in. It wouldn’t do any good to burst in, only to have the asshole holding a gun to Ava’s head. It would be over before it even started.

  No, they needed to think clearly. Admittedly, it would be easier if Ava’s voice didn’t sound so damn sexy.

  “I could help you, you know,” she purred.

  Ody tensed, his gaze locking with Midas. Anger and possessiveness surged through him. He expected to find the same rage reflected back at him, but instead, he found Midas grinning. Midas shook his head, holding up a finger to his lips in a ‘shh’ gesture.

  “Yeah? You think I need your help?” the man sneered.

  “It doesn’t sound like you’re having much luck on your own. I know who the buyer is and when they’re coming. Release me, and we can meet them together.” Her voice slid over them all like water over rocks, eroding the hard edges, smooth as silk.

  Ody couldn�
�t take it. He had to have eyes on the situation.

  Quietly, he moved forward, peeking around the doorway.

  Ava was strapped to a chair, her blonde hair tousled. Blood smeared across her cheek, her lip swollen. Rage unlike anything Ody had ever felt burned through him. How dare someone hurt what was his?

  A slender man had his hands on the arms of the chair, his face in front of hers.

  Saltos. The sleazeball from the market.

  “Or I could just beat the information out of you,” Saltos hissed.

  Ody felt Ramé tense behind him, and knew he was running out of time. Ramé was efficient, but he was also a hothead. Ody looked towards Midas, signaling for him to read the enemy’s Affinity. With that information, they could generally make an accurate assessment of weaknesses.

  Midas waved his hand in front of him in a slithering motion.

  Snake. Of course he was a fucking snake.

  Best thing to do with a snake was to rush it. Grab it by the neck before it had a chance to strike out. Ody ran over the possible options, strategically thinking through each probable outcome. The most efficient way would be a silent rush from behind. Slit the fucker’s throat before he even knew they were there.

  Ava’s voice gave him pause. She was so close. What if she got hurt in the rush?

  “You could try, Saltos. But you know what they say. You catch more flies with honey,” she crooned, leaning forward until her face was mere inches from his.

  Ody growled, his Griffin flaring out. He should have gutted him when he had the chance back at the marketplace. She was theirs. Only theirs.

  Midas held out a hand, and Ody realized he had stepped forward, ready to rip the snake apart himself.

  Wait, Midas mouthed, gesturing for him to move back.

  Grinding his teeth, Ody obliged, blending back into the wall, only a sliver of his face visible as he watched through the doorway.

  Saltos raised his hand, running it down Ava’s long neck. “Is that so?” he asked, his tone dripping with intention.

  “Mhmm. Undo these bindings and we can discuss things more...comfortably.”

  What the fuck was she playing at? She sounded almost like…

  Ody’s eyes flicked back towards Ramé, wondering if he’d heard it, too.

  “If you try to escape…” the man hissed, his hand gripping her shoulder threateningly.

  “And how would I do that? I was knocked out when you brought me here. I’m certainly not about to go floundering through these tunnels aimlessly,” Ava retorted, rolling her eyes. “Besides, you have the ruby. A pirate never leaves without the spoils.” She grinned, but it looked... wrong. More beast than prey.

  The snake must have sensed it as well, because he hesitated at her bindings.

  Ava leaned forward, her nose sliding up his cheek. Such an innocent gesture, and yet every man within the vicinity reacted to it.

  Saltos undid her bindings instantly.

  Midas chuckled knowingly.

  Ramé and Ody lunged forward, prepared to end the man where he stood.

  They didn’t get the chance, however.

  Ava reached up, golden claws glittering at her fingertips, and ripped the man’s throat open.

  They all froze, silence heavy in the tiny room.

  Saltos dropped to his knees, gurgling as his hands fumbled at his neck, attempting to stop the blood pouring from him.

  It was pointless. His body slumped to the side in seconds, dropping to the concrete.

  The three of them stared at their woman, shock slipping through the bond.

  Ava straightened, an almost guilty look on her face. “Hey,” she said, as if they were meeting up for tea.

  “Hi.” Midas grinned, moving towards her. He stared down at her hands, the nerd in him perking up at this new development.

  “You okay?” Ramé asked, moving to brush his hand along her swollen lip. Ava’s eyes dilated as she leaned into his touch, nodding slightly.

  Ody stared down at the dead body, his training pushing him to secure the area, despite the need to check on Ava tightening his throat. Leaning down, he searched for a pulse among the ruined flesh, satisfied when he found none. He wiped his hand on the concrete, taking in the rest of the room around him. It didn’t seem as if Saltos was one for company, but they couldn’t be sure.

  “We need to leave,” he said, standing. “You okay to walk, Sunshine?” He allowed his eyes to drink her in, reassuring himself that she was unharmed.

  Ava nodded, deliberately not looking down at her new manicure.

  Ramé freed her other wrist, and Midas helped her stand, using it as an excuse to assess her claws.

  “This is...wow.”

  Midas at a loss for words. Who knew that was even possible?

  Clearly uncomfortable, Ava ignored him. Instead, she bent down and grabbed the ruby from the ground, wiping it off on her pants before slipping it into her pocket.

  “Assess later. Let’s go,” Ody said, leading the way and signaling for Ramé to take the rear. They moved swiftly through the halls, careful to pause and listen for any lurkers before turning corners. While Ody was confident they could fight their way out, this was a stealth mission. They didn’t need every pirate in the Bay after them. Who knew what connections this guy had?

  “There,” Midas nodded towards the light filtering through the manhole they had entered.

  Taking a deep breath, Ody felt his lungs relax. Their mission was a success. Ava was safe.

  The nagging thing his father always used to say tugged at his brain.

  Knock on wood.

  But there was no wood around to knock on. Only blood and concrete.

  12

  AVA

  “I’m coming with you.”

  “No,” Ody said, his eyes deliberately not meeting hers as he tied his leather boots, his big body looking out of place on her tiny bed.

  “No?” Ava put her hands on her hips defiantly. “No?”

  “No.” He looked up at her, his mouth a tight line.

  Ava scoffed, looking for someone more reasonable. Ramé and Midas wouldn’t meet her gaze.

  Cowards.

  “I’m the one that got the ruby back. Shouldn’t I be allowed to be there for the transaction?” Ava practically spit the word ‘allowed’. As if she needed permission. She didn’t mention that it was sort of her fault Saltos had the ruby in the first place. Technicalities and what not.

  Ody stood, grabbing his leather jacket and slipping it on. “These men are dangerous, Ava. We don’t meet with them lightly.”

  “Oh, and you don’t think I can handle meeting dangerous men?”

  Stepping forward, Ody lifted her chin gently, his thumb caressing her in that way he always did. It soothed some of her ire, but only just. “Sunshine, I know damn well that you can take care of yourself. But we just had a bit of a scare. Can you please wait here? For me?”

  Ava looked down, frustration welling up within her. If she dug deep, she could admit why she didn’t want them to leave her behind. It had little to do with the dead body they had left in the sewer. Ava was a survivor, and while she may not like violence, she wouldn’t beat herself up over protecting herself. Not over a pissant like Saltos. No, this was something else.

  Ever since she had tampered with their bond, Ava felt more connected to her men than ever. She not only wanted to be with them, she needed to be. She needed to know they were safe. To be able to reach out and touch them. The truth was, she was scared, terrified of what was happening to her. Had she really, truly shifted, like she and Midas had hypothesized? Ever since Saltos, Midas’ inner nerd had come out in full-force, trying to find answers into what had occurred while Ava had been bound to that chair. Shifted. Sure, it was a partial shift, but it was still pretty fucking life-altering.

  For the first time, Ava wanted someone to lean on, someone to share all these unexplored feelings with, especially now that she had bonded to such rare affinities.

  “She could stay with m
e on my bike,” Ramé said, pulling Ava out of her head.

  She glanced up, hope swelling. Staring into Ody’s hard eyes, she felt that hope dwindle. “Please, Ody?” Pulling up all the charm she could muster, Ava gave him the full weight of her puppy dog eyes. Well, Wyvern eyes, as it were.

  After a long moment, Ody sighed, dropping his head in defeat. “Fine. But you two stay on the bike out of sight. Got it?”

  Smiling Ava wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tightly. “Thank you. I promise to behave.”

  Ody chuckled, kissing the top of her head. “Why do I have trouble believing that?”

  “Come on, wild cat.” Ramé held out his hand to her, pulling her in for an inappropriately passionate kiss before heading for the door.

  Ramé’s bike was unlike anything Ava had seen before. It was black and gold, the slick machine looking very primal. Ava breathed deeply, enjoying the scent of steel and oil, running her fingers along the shiny exterior. Oh, I need one of these… she thought, resisting the urge to purr with pleasure. Refusing the helmet Ramé offered, despite his rather desperate pleas, Ava hopped on behind him, wrapping her arms around his muscled midsection. Ava had never been on a motorcycle before, and she quickly realized what a mistake that had been. Feeling the wind through her hair was ecstasy. It was almost like she was flying. She could practically see her wings outstretched, soaring through the air…

  “We’re here,” Ramé said, interrupting her daydream.

  Sighing, Ava opened her eyes, looking at where the dream machine had taken them. They were back by the docks, the yacht she had robbed only days ago, swaying slightly in the sea breeze.

  The sun was just beginning to set, and the purple and pink hues made everything around them sparkle. Ava tilted her head, noticing for the first time the elaborate golden script that slashed across the side of their yacht.

  Mitera.

  “Mitera… Who’s that?” she asked, resting her cheek between Ramé’s shoulder blades. How quickly she had become comfortable with them. She had never been a cuddler before, and now she was acting like a schoolgirl with her first crush.