Burned In Shadows Read online

  Last week he’d run into her, and Jes in the cafeteria, both ladies invited him over to sit and share a meal with them. Like the idiot he was, he’d gone and sat down only for Jes to poke fun at him.

  “When are you going to man up and make an honest bird out of my girl?” She’d been in a better mood then, and she seemed to be dealing with the loss of Draven a lot better than most. Melissa even pretended to be heartbroken and had left for good, saying she couldn’t deal with his loss, and knew in the end, mate or not, Draven would have chosen her. That hadn’t gone over well. Jes was now immortal. An immortal what, they still didn’t know, but the girl had some serious freaky power going on. When she reached for Melissa and flung her to the other side of the building and through its walls, everyone took twelve steps back and tried to reassess the situation. She was not the female with whom one wanted to fuck with.

  “You’re not funny brat.” He’d teased her, taking a bite out of his lunch. It was a long standing joke. At every corner, Bells would hand feed him what she thought he wanted to hear, only to turn it back on him later. She’d stuck to her no fraternizing policy as if her life depended on it. He couldn’t even get close enough to touch her, she wouldn’t let him. He was falling off the pussy wagon big time and all for a little bird that wouldn’t let him and his brother give her what he knew they all needed.

  He’d been thinking a lot about that. The darkness inside of him twisted and turned testing its cage trying to look for holes, cracks or anything that would set it free. Royce realized there were no rules that said he wasn’t able to indulge until she came to them. Something to keep his darkness at bay. She would come to them, and he knew just how to make that happen. He didn’t attend college just to pass time, but to prepare for whatever the new centuries would throw at him. He had to stay ahead of the curve, be part of the now. He’d taken over twelve hundred classes, and he was a master at mind play. Freud had taught him much and then later Einstein. It was advantageous to be immortal, and he would use every arsenal to his advantage.

  “Jes, how’s the meetings with Ann coming along?” He’d asked genuinely curious.

  “Good, I think I’m making progress.”

  The little liar, he said to no one in particular, but knew Jes caught his thoughts. She hadn’t told anyone about their connection and maybe because on some level it was too intimate to admit they were able to communicate this way.

  “Intimacy has nothing to do with it Royce, I’m just polite and don’t like to intrude, so stop projecting and then I won’t get bombarded with your thoughts.”

  “Jesminda Zealand, I’m offended.”

  Jes rolled her eyes and took a bite out of her pizza. She was ignoring him on purpose, and that was fine with him. One thing he knew for sure, she wanted to find Draven, and he’d give her all the tools she’d need to do just that. Even if it was to bring her mate back in a bag. Her heart would be at to rest. He knew about not having closure. She needed it, and he would help her get it.

  “Jes, what if I told you Ronin and I are willing to train you. Combat and weapons training?”

  She’d dropped her pizza to stare at him for long seconds, her eyes had gone dark, and behind the darkness he saw calculation and resolve.

  “When do we start?”

  “Today if you like.”

  “Hey, what about me?” Bells said across from him. “I’m supposed to be training her.”

  “You still can. The offer is for both of you. The Unit has incredible resources and I intend to teach you both and help you utilize everything and anything that can be readily available to you.”

  His plan was falling into place. He would help Jes and get Bells in the process. It would work, and Ronin would do it. He’d make sure his stubborn ass brother would do it. The two women looked at one another for a long minute, and both said at the same time.

  “We’re in.”

  # # #

  3 Days later

  “Again.” Royce’s voice was hard as Jes got into stance. It was funny watching her friend practice with the twins. Jesminda Zealand was no longer human, and it showed. A large smile spread wide across Belinda’s lips. Her girl was bad-ass. Ronin charged from one end of the training room and Royce from the other. The grace of her movements was envious as she threw her entire body into a sprint and quickly dropped to her knees sliding under both men’s swords as they swung in unison. Her body was stronger, leaner and harder edged. Every move she made was precise and timed perfectly. She’d picked up fast on the training, and it seemed her body was shaped for fighting. It’d be her turn next, and she was ready to hand both men their balls. They’d been riding her for over a week. Ronin was always up front with his intentions, but his twin Royce was a different story. She couldn’t figure them out. It seemed she was just another conquest. Ronin approached her first and then Royce, with his never ending sarcastic remarks and movie quotes. Should she give in? No, you can’t. You’re the next heir in line. Mother would die of embarrassment.

  The sounds of grunts and fists connecting to skin brought Bells out of her thoughts. Jes’ hand connected to Royce’s jaw, her punch was powerful enough to snap his head back. Ronin simultaneously connected to her gut. In slow motion, it would have been comical. Jes hitting Royce, Ronin hitting her. Her friend doubled over and stumbled back, but Ronin moved forward. She’d made tremendous progress over the last six weeks and still managed to stump them all with her astonishing new abilities.

  “Fuck!”

  “Don’t drop your guard Jes, never assume your opponent will give you that momentary breath you may need to use for your second wind.”

  Jes was doubled over, sucking in large gulps of air and Bells almost went to comfort her, almost. Ronin walked closer. Jes’ hands tightened on her knees as she sucked in more air. Bells felt her friend’s anger rising like a tidal wave. Any moment she would come crashing down. Hard. Ronin placed a hand on her back as a comforting gesture. It was strange to see him being so warm and accommodating. When Ronin’s hand landed lightly on Jes’ shoulder, her head shot up. She used the balls of her feet to progress her upward movement. The sound of her head connecting with his chin was dull. It was the sound of his teeth clacking together that gave everyone pause. Did she shatter them?

  “I. Never. Let. My. Guard. Down. Ever!” Her friend said between short breaths. She was of course looking down at Ronin who was now planted on his ass. Jes twisted her waist to the right while her left hand reached over her shoulder, to stop the oncoming train that was Royce. He side stepped, and the two were now engaged in a dance of fists and speed. Ronin momentarily jarred, got off his ass and joined the fray. The three of them tangled and ducked, two on one as Jes leapt, spun and twisted out of their grasps. She was more than ready to take on anything that came her way. She flourished under their training.

  Six weeks ago, she’d been human. Today, she was the unexplained product of a mad man. Her eyes changed color with her mood. All traces of her previous scars were gone. She’d swallowed her fear, stepped up to bat, and had no intention of going down without swinging. Years of abuse had almost killed her spirit. Bells knew she struggled, even more now that her mate Draven was gone. He was assumed dead by the team, but her friend thought otherwise. His body had never been found. They searched for him in the rubble of what use to be the warehouse that held the captive Vampiri and Regs. They’d searched and searched and still, there was nothing. The only thing that seemed to have survived the fire were the support beams. Everything else had been incinerated. Who had started the fire was still a mystery. One Dravaggio said would be investigated thoroughly.

  Jes was resilient in her quest to put a team together and go back out there and search for the man she loved. Dravaggio had been a complete ass and refused to use any more man power searching for what he claimed was the ghost of Draven. Everyone was thinking what he was thinking, but they were too afraid to say it out loud. Especially in front of Jes. She was able to move things with her
mind, and was on the uphill of gaining more strength as the days passed. No one wanted to go head to head with a woman able to hurl things at you from across the room without ever lifting a finger. Every day there was something new. Today was floor training, and then a meeting they had to attend. All members including Jes were set to meet in the conference room in fifteen minutes.

  The door to the training room creaked open and in walked the light of all the team members’ life. Faith Stone, the pretentious five year old that was too wise for her own good.

  “Auntie, mama almost done in here?”

  “Yeah, where is Gabe? I thought he was escorting you around the facility today?”

  Gabe, another member of their unit, had taken on the responsibility of keeping an eye on Faith. Mara and Antony were still in mourning, and as the packs alphas, they were expected to spend two months grieving their lost. The future of House Canidae rested on the shoulders of a five year old. A tough thing for a girl. No tougher than what you went through. True, she was the next in line to rule House Phoenix, once Surelle stepped down. There had been many things expected of her as the next Matria. Pack law was immensely different from theirs though. Faith would have to fight to survive the brutality of the pack, and she’d be expected to take a mate once her time came to take over. Mara and Antony didn’t seem too concerned. Faith had at least another fifteen years to go. Whereas you only have six months.

  In six months, Belinda Raine Ignis would take over House Phoenix. Her death and rebirth would symbolize the reign of a new Matria. No pressure there. All she had to do was die. The captain knew the details of her stay with the team and Surelle surprisingly had allowed it. Solon, her supposed half-brother, had been released into her mother’s care. It was something she didn’t have an opinion or feelings about. They didn’t resemble one another in the slightest. She was black haired and violet eyed while Solon was blonde haired and ice blue eyed. He’d be punished according to Phoenix law. Being a mercenary and killing your own kind was punishable by death across all houses. Solon was a peculiar case since his father Vivek was a Royal Vampiri and his father’s kind were said to have the blood of war demons in them. He’d been given an out. Killing was in his nature. The council would take that into consideration. Total horseshit, but whatever. If they wanted to drink the Kool-Aid more power to them, as long as they didn’t expect her to drink it too.

  “Gabe said it was okay for me to come down here. I don’t like the secretary at the front desk. Her voice hurts my ears.” Faith whined.

  Bells had to laugh at that. The woman did have an annoying voice. It made you want to jump out of a thirty story building, and pray landing on the concrete took you quickly. She motioned for Faith to come and sit in her lap, but the little girl shook her head no.

  “What?”

  “I’m a big girl now, auntie. I can sit next to you.” Her eyes bright and her smile even brighter, the lovely little angel was well on her way into maturity. Bells patted the seat next to her, and Faith sat. The fighting quieted, and all three sweaty fighters were now immersed in deep conversation. Ronin’s lips moved, and he seemed generally invested in the conversation, but his eyes were on her the entire time.

  # # #

  Ronin looked over the edge of his towel at the woman who kept him in a perpetual state of arousal. She was cagey and refused him and his brother at every turn. Why was she acting this way? He’d never had a problem getting women to fall on his dick before. Why her? Why now? Because she’s your intended. He wasn’t going to berate himself any longer. Six weeks and still they hadn’t touched her. Six weeks was too fucking long. What didn’t help matters, was his brother was the biggest horses’ ass on planet Earth. Royce was ignoring the situation. He thought head games would bring her to them. He was wrong.

  “Good work today Jes.”

  “Thanks Ro.”

  Jesminda had taken to calling him Ro instead of Ronin, he’d been called worse. It didn’t bother him, but if any of the other team members tried that shit, he was going to have a serious one on one; up close and personal with their face. It made her feel like a member of the team, and he understood that. He remembered what it was like to be an outcast. Deemed unsafe. The guys still hadn’t gotten over the fiasco of eating Oliver’s brain. It wasn’t that they feared him, but they saw him for what he truly was. An animal. He showed more of his animalistic traits than his twin did, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have human feelings. He knew they’d retreat into their corners. At first there’d been a steady stream of tension that lingered between them all. But now they had Jesminda to contend with. She seemed to level out the playing field. He used his towel to staunch the flow of sweat dripping down the sides of his face and arms. The woman gave him and Royce a hell of a workout. She was progressing along nicely too. Her skills as a fighter improved with each session. Dravaggio made her talk to a counselor twice a week about the abuse she’d suffered at the hands of that fucker down in lock up. It was helping. Ann was also their doctor as well, why the captain felt they needed a head doctor was puzzling. Jesminda wasn’t scared in the presence of the team, and that helped the men settle in nicely. She was interacting with everyone. A lot of it had to do with confidence in herself and her new abilities. She was tougher than most women, human or immortal, and they were only touching the tip of the iceberg with her capabilities. He wouldn’t let her think she was weaker than the others, and he gave her his all. She appreciated it too.

  “Alright, stop making kissy face with my girl bro.” Royce snagged Jesminda around the neck and walked her over to where Faith and her friend were sitting. Gods, Belinda drove him crazy. Today she was wearing a tank top, and yoga pants that hugged her skin at every curve. She was next up on the mat. But first they had that meeting with the team. After that, she’d be fair game and then he’d get to put his hands all over her creamy, delicate flesh.

  “Hey Ro Ro.” Faith smiled up at him as they made their way over to the chairs.

  “S’up small fry,” he pulled on her pig tail and she giggled. She was a stunner just like her mother. It was a fucking shame about her father. The little girl still had nightmares, but Dietrich was trying to control those. The fucker claimed he didn’t have a heart, but everyone else knew different. Faith jumped up and swatted him on the leg as she walked over to her mother and wrapped her arms around her waist.

  “Hey Faithie.”

  “Mama, I missed you today, and Gabe was nice enough to let me come down. Can I go to the meeting to, please?”

  “No baby girl, you’re gonna have to stay up front with Miss. Ellie.” Faith let out a moan. Everyone felt sorry for her. Ellie was a nasty piece of work. She was hot, but that voice was just awful.

  “Faith just put your iPod on that I gave you last week, remember sugar plum?” Royce tried to distract her with her newest toy.

  “Okay, but you have to take me up and then make Ellie do something funny m’kay.”

  “You got it.” His brother hefted the little girl up on to his back and made a dash for the front of the office.

  “You guys spoil her way too much.” Jesminda remarked.

  They absolutely did, she was the only kid he’d ever let swat him and call him Ro Ro. Faith had the purest thoughts he’d ever heard, he needed her around for the sake of his sanity.

  He looked down at Belinda who still sat in her chair. She hadn’t moved the entire conversation. He’d offer his hand, but he knew she wouldn’t take it.

  “Ronin,” Belinda gave a slight nod of her head.

  “Belinda.”

  He was tired of the formalities, being a gentlemen sucked. He was feral, an animal. The laws of human society shouldn’t apply to him most days, if any at all. Back home, if she was in his line of sight, he’d take her and be done with it. Feral women knew the score, they didn’t fight or argue, they submitted. She was proving to be a puzzle he didn’t think he’d ever solve.

  “You two need to get it out of your system and d
o the damn thing.” Jes said as she grabbed a bottle of water and chugged it down. She wiped her mouth with the back her hand. “I mean, I get tired of hearing the both of you moon over the other. Be like Nike and just do it.”

  “Come on trouble maker.” Ronin grabbed Jesminda by the arm and tugged her into the hall. Belinda followed. He’d handle his own damn battles. People around here would start to think he was soft. He was not a softie.

  Chapter 2

  The men were all gathered in the room as Bells, and a freshly showered Jesminda took a seat at the table. She was excited, today was going to be interesting. Dravaggio of course looked way too tense. But the man was a sight for all who dared to look at his savage masculinity. He wore ass hugging jeans and a white button up rolled to his elbows. Why did he have to be so damn hot? It was the eyes and voice that made him so edgy and virile. Bells ignored him and his sexy and tried to focus. Sitting to her left was Ronin and to her right Royce. Buffoons! Always blocked her in. Why did they keep doing that? Her eyes were on Dietrich as he sat across from her, arms relaxed behind his head a leg crossed at the knee. Good thing the twins couldn’t read her thoughts. Or could they?

  “I’m not one for holding my tongue.” Dravaggio purred, Belinda and Jes both closed their eyes at the sound of his voice. Did he ever turn off the sexy? The twins both threw their captain a look that said, ‘take it down’. He needed to do more than that. That man could fuck any woman twelve ways from Sunday, and they’d still want more. She, on the other hand, wouldn’t be fucking anyone. Her house forbade the next Matria to sex anyone or anything until after the rebirth. Stupid rules! She’d been horny for the last ninety days, twelve hours and forty six minutes. How was that for forced celibacy? She’d had sex, plenty, with her B.O.B and one other person. Did her mother expect her to stay unsexed for more than two hundred years? Maybe. But Belinda had been full of surprises, and when she found there was an out clause to the celibacy rule, she jumped and held on for dear life. But since her rebirth was quickly approaching she had to adhere to the ‘no sex’ rule until her consort triggered her rebirth. Bells squeezed her thighs together. She would do her best to hold out. You sound sex starved Ignis. Snap out of it! She’d heard rumors about Dravaggio. He frequented the Lotus on a daily basis. He was an incubus but had perfected his skill to harness energy from the sound of his voice. Maybe she’d ask him to voice her into an orgasm. Would her Sharma be able to tell the difference?