Endika was a friend.
Bakar stumbled to the
ground, his hand already groping across the forest floor. Before
Amaia could move a shot rang through the clear night and Bakar's head
snapped back. She turned as he slumped to the ground and found
Callisto, both hands curled around a smoking gun.
The sound of metal on
metal drew her gaze just in time to see the silver dagger fly from
Endika's hand as Orion disarmed him with a casual flip of his wrist.
Orion fought with a blank-eyed, lazy expression, giving the
impression of someone bored with the lack of challenge presented. It
was less than Endika deserved, to die at the hands of someone who
toyed with him, and Amaia hissed her displeasure, even knowing Endika
would kill her if he could.
Before she could move,
Orion brought his arm up in a quick slash. Blood flew, and Endika
dropped to the ground, clutching his throat. By the time she reached
him, his normally dark skin was ashen, cold.
"Nine, Amaia,"
he rasped. "Only nine." Then he died.
Orion crouched next to
her, his face blank. "What does he mean?"
"I abandoned my
unit," she murmured. "My life is theirs, if they can take
it. Eleven others, besides myself." She dragged herself to her
feet, feeling tired and hopeless. "Nine now."
"We're close to
the border of the enclave." He rose and walked to his sister's
side. He slipped the gun from her hands and returned it to a holster
on his hip before glancing at Amaia again. "Come with us, and
I'll see you safe. For her. A life for a life."
"I knew what I was
doing. You owe me nothing." She would only be safe when she'd
dispatched the other nine warriors. Orion shifted from one foot to
the other, and she stared at him for a moment. His shoulders were
strong, the bare skin silvered by the moonlight, and a sudden shiver
of longing wracked her. "But I'd appreciate a place to regroup
for the night."
He nodded and slipped
an arm around his sister's shoulders, coaxing her onto the barely
visible path that wove between the trees. "Then come with me."
Chapter Two
She was beautiful.
Orion ground his teeth
together and jerked his gaze away from the demon. The moon had washed
out her face, but she looked gorgeous now in the warmth of the
flickering firelight, the shadows caressing her strong features. A
creature of fire, of passion. A
demon.
The Elders insisted on
holding meetings around the ancient fire pit, an affectation which
drove Orion crazy. They lived in comfortable homes with modern
conveniences and had a well-lit communal building far better suited
to important discussions.
Instead they sat around
a fire pit and congratulated themselves on the purity of their
vision, free from the corrupting influences of the demons in their
lavish cities. Except
for when you go home and watch cable television in your
air-conditioned bedrooms. Hypocrites.
His eyes were once more
drawn to Amaia. She stared unblinkingly at the fire, not flinching or
recoiling, even when the voices surrounding her grew harsh and loud.
"She's a demon. A
killer." Perseus slammed his fist against his palm and bellowed,
"We should give her no quarter!"
The youngest Elder,
Lucielle, frowned. "She rescued one of our children. She can't
stay here, of course, but she has earned safe passage."
"She's earned a
swift death, no more." The Alpha's low, angry tone made it clear
he'd willingly deliver that death, but there was something dark in
his eyes when he looked at Amaia. Something covetous, greedy. Cavil
might desire her death, but he desired her body, as well.
Outrage warred with an
unacceptable protectiveness as Orion rose to his feet, drawing all
gazes. Many of them were resentful, especially Cavil's. Of course, if
Orion had been five or ten years older when his parents had died, he might be sitting in the Alpha's spot of honor right now, a fact Cavil
would never forget. Never forgive .
Orion waited until
silence fell before speaking. "We pride ourselves on being
uncorrupted. On having honor. What honor is
Bakar stumbled to the
ground, his hand already groping across the forest floor. Before
Amaia could move a shot rang through the clear night and Bakar's head
snapped back. She turned as he slumped to the ground and found
Callisto, both hands curled around a smoking gun.
The sound of metal on
metal drew her gaze just in time to see the silver dagger fly from
Endika's hand as Orion disarmed him with a casual flip of his wrist.
Orion fought with a blank-eyed, lazy expression, giving the
impression of someone bored with the lack of challenge presented. It
was less than Endika deserved, to die at the hands of someone who
toyed with him, and Amaia hissed her displeasure, even knowing Endika
would kill her if he could.
Before she could move,
Orion brought his arm up in a quick slash. Blood flew, and Endika
dropped to the ground, clutching his throat. By the time she reached
him, his normally dark skin was ashen, cold.
"Nine, Amaia,"
he rasped. "Only nine." Then he died.
Orion crouched next to
her, his face blank. "What does he mean?"
"I abandoned my
unit," she murmured. "My life is theirs, if they can take
it. Eleven others, besides myself." She dragged herself to her
feet, feeling tired and hopeless. "Nine now."
"We're close to
the border of the enclave." He rose and walked to his sister's
side. He slipped the gun from her hands and returned it to a holster
on his hip before glancing at Amaia again. "Come with us, and
I'll see you safe. For her. A life for a life."
"I knew what I was
doing. You owe me nothing." She would only be safe when she'd
dispatched the other nine warriors. Orion shifted from one foot to
the other, and she stared at him for a moment. His shoulders were
strong, the bare skin silvered by the moonlight, and a sudden shiver
of longing wracked her. "But I'd appreciate a place to regroup
for the night."
He nodded and slipped
an arm around his sister's shoulders, coaxing her onto the barely
visible path that wove between the trees. "Then come with me."
Chapter Two
She was beautiful.
Orion ground his teeth
together and jerked his gaze away from the demon. The moon had washed
out her face, but she looked gorgeous now in the warmth of the
flickering firelight, the shadows caressing her strong features. A
creature of fire, of passion. A
demon.
The Elders insisted on
holding meetings around the ancient fire pit, an affectation which
drove Orion crazy. They lived in comfortable homes with modern
conveniences and had a well-lit communal building far better suited
to important discussions.
Instead they sat around
a fire pit and congratulated themselves on the purity of their
vision, free from the corrupting influences of the demons in their
lavish cities. Except
for when you go home and watch cable television in your
air-conditioned bedrooms. Hypocrites.
His eyes were once more
drawn to Amaia. She stared unblinkingly at the fire, not flinching or
recoiling, even when the voices surrounding her grew harsh and loud.
"She's a demon. A
killer." Perseus slammed his fist against his palm and bellowed,
"We should give her no quarter!"
The youngest Elder,
Lucielle, frowned. "She rescued one of our children. She can't
stay here, of course, but she has earned safe passage."
"She's earned a
swift death, no more." The Alpha's low, angry tone made it clear
he'd willingly deliver that death, but there was something dark in
his eyes when he looked at Amaia. Something covetous, greedy. Cavil
might desire her death, but he desired her body, as well.
Outrage warred with an
unacceptable protectiveness as Orion rose to his feet, drawing all
gazes. Many of them were resentful, especially Cavil's. Of course, if
Orion had been five or ten years older when his parents had died, he might be sitting in the Alpha's spot of honor right now, a fact Cavil
would never forget. Never forgive .
Orion waited until
silence fell before speaking. "We pride ourselves on being
uncorrupted. On having honor. What honor is
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