Hunter's Need (40 page)

He scanned the faces of the civilians. Syn did the same, seeing the disappointment, the grief, the denial in their eyes. They’d come here with hopes, dreams of rebuilding their lives, and in under five minutes, Syn had been forced to smash every one of those hopes and dreams.

Sometimes she hated her job. The cold knot inside her chest grew, expanded until it seemed to encompass everything—all of her. She suppressed the need to shiver, kept her teeth from chattering. But still, she was so cold.

Kalen joined her on the dais, off the side. Syn didn’t waste any more time. She gestured to the civilian medics and the lone psychic. “You three remain here. The rest of you, you’re dismissed. Outside, there are some of my men who’ll get your information and explain about the convoy.”

They departed, an air of defeat clinging to them. Syn was sorry for it. But they’d be alive. Alive . . . and maybe in a few years, they could return to their home. She had to take comfort in that. If they allowed them to stay here, they’d likely be dead within a year.

Her men and women couldn’t protect everybody—there just wasn’t enough of them.

After the door closed behind the last one, she focused on the remaining civilians. “Medics and psychics are always needed here. You have the choice to stay here or you can join the convoy tomorrow. It is your call, completely. But if you stay, be prepared to work. Be prepared to work hard. And be prepared to die.”

Horror flashed through the eyes of the youngest medic. Syn focused her gaze on the young woman’s face and said, “We’re still fighting a war. We can’t go a week without a demon attack and they are getting more desperate and more aggressive with every passing day. Those are the ugly facts of life here. If you can’t handle them, then you need to leave. Any of you three want to leave? Do it now.”

Not one of them moved.

“You’re going to be trained to fight. You’ll be expected to take place in daily training. You’ll be placed on job rotation. You’ll have one rest day a week. Other than that . . . you work. You eat. You train. You are ready to fight, should the need arise. This is our life—if you don’t want that fight, then leave.”

Still, none of them moved.

Damn. She wasn’t as good at scaring people off as she used to be.

With a curt nod, she gestured to one of her men waiting by the door at the back. “This is Lothen, one of my men. He’ll get you a permanent dormer and get you added to the job rotation. If none of you have any questions, you may go now.”

Now it was just the fighters she had to deal with.

 

 

“
M
AN, she’s a serious bitch.”

Xan didn’t bother looking at her. Vena Saurell wasn’t letting that slow her down. She seemed determined to glue herself to his side, staying with him even as he waded through the crush of people gathered in the common area outside the west hall.

“Don’t you think? I mean, hell, I came here to fight and all, but she doesn’t have any right to tell these people they aren’t worthy of protection.”

Ignoring her wasn’t going to make her disappear, he decided. So he stopped in his tracks and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I don’t recall hearing her saying that. What I heard was a woman willing to fight to secure these lands—she can’t do that if she’s too busy taking care of refugees.”

The woman’s lip curled. “Seems to me that the purpose of this whole damn army is to protect the refugees.”

“The best way to do that is to eliminate those who are preying on the refugees,” Xan replied with a shrug. “Once the demons are gone, the refugees will no longer need the protection of the army. It is not an easy choice to make, but it seems a wise one.”

“Maybe.” Vena shrugged. “I’m not too impressed. But she doesn’t need to be such a bitch, does she?”

“If it keeps people alive, she can be the queen bitch,” somebody said from behind Vena.

She went red and then white. Xan barely managed to restrain his grin as she turned to face the commander of the Roinan rebel army. Kalen Brenner was a name known pretty much throughout the world. One would have to have lived under a rock to not know this man. Vena obviously hadn’t lived under a rock.

Syn stood at his side, her slender arms crossed over her chest. With a faint smile on her lips, she glanced up at the commander and said, “I prefer Captain Bitch, if it’s all the same to you, Commander.” Then she dismissed Vena and focused on Xan.

Xan had spent much of his life learning to school his emotions, his reactions, everything. In that moment, he was very glad. Because he would hate for his emotions to show in just that moment. He would hate for his reactions to show in just that moment.

He looked at Captain Laisyn Caar and thought only one thing:

WANT
.