Kairos (19 page)

I follow Josie’s black-clad form down the stairs to find Miles, Kayla, and the rest of the crew gathered in a tight cluster by the front door. They look like they’ve been dragged through a meat grinder. Thad’s hair is standing up in a fall of ebony disarray, while Kayla stands next to him gesticulating wildly to Duncan about how large something was. As we near the group, their distressed voices become clearer and clearer. Kayla’s tone is animated and laced with excitement as she speaks.

“…standing next to the moonwalker, covered with some sort of slick film that glistened under the streetlight. I swear to the gods, Duncan, I have never seen anything like it. It was like a moonwalker, but much larger, and more disgusting looking.” Kayla snarls her nose in disgust as she recollects something. If I didn’t know she was talking about some creature that sounds like it was covered with snot, I would think the look was aimed at me.

But she seems so engrossed in her tale of the snot-covered beast that she doesn’t even notice that I have joined the group. My eyes wander over their bruised and battered faces. I’m sure if I were to see them with their shirts off, the full extent of the damage would be unsettling, to say the least. Whatever this thing was, it handed them their ass, and they look pissed about it.

Josie sidles up next to me, and we take in the ragtag crew with their tattered leathers and wild, sweat-soaked hair. They look like a rock band who’s been on an all-night bender.

“She’s not exaggerating, Duncan. I buggered that wanker up, and it didn’t even slow him down.” Miles nods emphatically as Duncan looks around, taking in every nuance of his team.

“We’ll have to send in everyone we have to take it out,” a deep, familiar voice says from over my shoulder. I look behind me to see Logan setting a food-laden tray down on a small table before closing the distance.

Warm arms wrap around my stomach and pull me back into his muscular frame. I feel his lips graze the top of my head. All eyes turn to him as he stands firmly behind me with his hands locked together over my abdomen.

Kayla’s eyes dart to me and then to Logan, taking in our casual clothes, and I can see the second it registers in her mind that we’ve been making love because her eyes take on an entirely different glimmer: jealousy.

“Well, how nice of you to join us. Maybe if you’d quit worrying about getting your dick wet, you could have been there tonight to help us finish it off. But you were doing this instead.” She points a long, skinny finger at me as if I’m shit stuck to the bottom of her shoe. Her upper lip snarls as she looks me over. God, I so do not like this chick.

“
Enough!
” Duncan’s voice thunders through the room. All heads turn to him as he paces back and forth through the foyer. He stops and turns to look at the crew, takes a deep breath and releases it, and then begins to speak again. “I cannot bloody think with the noise you are making. Do not start with your shite now, Kayla.” His brogue rolls off his tongue with a thick and heady rhythm.

“What was this creature doing with a moonwalker? We need to find out why they are working together.” He taps his fingers on his bearded chin. “My estimation would be it is using the moonwalker to track us but was somehow distracted. I want detailed information on this one. Do you understand?” His eyes lock with each member of the team, and they nod back in agreement. Finally his piercing gray eyes narrow in on me, and I feel a flutter of unease starting to churn in my belly.

He crosses his arms over his broad chest, showing there’s no arguing with what he’s about to decree. “Sulwen, I think it would benefit you to go on this patrol. Go and gather your things, lass. It’s time for you to face what we’re up against.”

With that said the crew disbands and goes off in separate directions. I start to step away but notice Duncan giving me an odd look. I cock my head in question, but he just gives a curt nod and turns to give orders to Chase, who is still standing there like he needs a moment alone with Duncan. Duncan puts his arm around his bulky shoulders, and they head in the direction of the study. Whispers trail in their wake.

Logan gently pulls me to follow him. We run up the steps and jog down the hall to our room. I can hear the crew scattering around to gather more supplies behind us. We round the final corner, and Logan walks into our room and closes the door behind me. He grabs my shoulders and turns me to face him. His piercing eyes are filled with concern and love. His worry is a tangible force that washes over me and leaves my body feeling wound tight beneath his touch.

He moves in and kisses my forehead with his soft lips. I can feel his warm breath glide over my skin as he begins to speak in a hushed whisper. “I don’t like this, Sulwen. I know I’m not supposed to interfere with the mission, but you’re mine, and I have a problem with letting Duncan place you in harm’s way.” He swallows a heavy breath, and I feel his chest bump against mine as he breathes in deeply and releases it slowly.

“I have to prove that I can be an asset to this team, Logan. You can’t shelter me from everything like I’m a child.”

He cradles my face in his masculine but tender hands. “Please stay by my side at all times. Okay? I can’t fight if I’m constantly looking over my shoulder to check that you’re still by my side. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand.” I move my hands up and place them over his, then tilt my head to the left and kiss his wrist, then to the right and kiss it as well. My hands squeeze tightly onto his so that he understands the importance of what I’m about to say. “Logan, all of my life I’ve never fit in. I’ve always been the girl on the outside looking in. Nothing has ever felt quite right…until now. I feel it, Logan. I feel it to very depths of my soul. This is what I was meant to do. I have finally found the missing link.” I release a weary breath. “Please don’t hold me back. I need you to know I can do this. I need you to believe in me so that I can believe in myself.” Our eyes clash, and I can see the turmoil swirling in the depths of his mossy green orbs.

He releases my face, and my arms fall to my sides. “You’re right. You’re right.” He turns and walks in an agitated circle, mussing up his hair as he runs both hands through it, and then a sense of resolved calm washes over his face. He looks to me, and I can see the moment when he finally accepts what must be. His shoulders ease back as if a thousand-pound boulder has lifted from them. I never realized what a burden his concern for my safety was to him. He must see guilt in my expression because he begins to shake his head.

“No, Sulwen. You’ve never been a burden. Never. I just need to learn to let you fly. Even though I feel like I need to lock you in a closet and stand guard twenty-four seven. I know it’s unreasonable, but it’s so fucking hard to deny myself the right to protect you.” He takes two steps and wraps me in his arms. I loop my arms around his waist and clutch them together in the small of his back.

What seems like hours pass even though it’s only been a minute or two, and I pull back to look up at him. He begins to scatter butterfly kisses across my brow while muttering some incantation I’ve never heard before. “
Mo chroí.
” I look up into eyes so green that I get lost in the tiny flecks of gold and silver running through them, and he plants a firm kiss on my parted lips.

I close my eyes and savor the taste of him as his tongue enters my mouth and fills me with a surge of euphoric energy. His strong arms wrap around me, and his hands curl into the nape of my neck, pulling me in closer to his body.

We pull apart at the same time, and our breaths have noticeably picked up the pace. Logan turns and walks into the massive walk-in closet only to return with two sets of black leather, one noticeably larger than the other. He lays them down on the bed and begins to remove the sheer plastic covering. The smell of new leather accosts my senses as soon as they are pulled free.

He pulls the smaller jacket and pants off the hanger and hands them to me.

“Wear these. They’re thick, and they’ll help deflect damage should you find yourself in hand-to-hand combat.”

I walk over to my side of the bed, where my clutter of clothes are heaped on top of my bag, remove my t-shirt, and pull on a sports bra and black tank top. I push down my bottoms and reach for the pants Logan hands me. They slide up and over my curves like a lover’s hand. I pull the zipper up on my left hip and fasten the buckle clasp together. Logan moves closer, and I put my arm out for him to slide the jacket on. While I’m zipping up, I hear him shedding his clothes and pulling on his own leathers.

I grab a pair of black military-style boots and sit down on the loveseat to put them on. Once I’m dressed I walk to the bathroom to put on a black elastic headband to keep my hair out of my face and refasten the ponytail holder snugly against my head.

By the time I walk out of the bathroom, Logan is at the door, pulling knives and various other blades out of a duffle bag Chase is holding. He turns and walks over to me and straps one on each thigh, each calf, and then tucks one into my left boot. I look like Lara Croft, only there’s no tomb to raid…just evil lurking that needs to be exterminated before any more innocents are hurt or killed.

I take a deep breath and feel the leather expand as my chest pushes out and constrict as I exhale. The leather is soft and virtually soundless as I move to follow Logan out the door.

Chase has helped him to suit up, and the sight that is Logan Thatcher causes heat to flush between my thighs. He’s covered in black leather with flashes of silver on his hips, thighs, forearms, and calves, and he has a black leather harness that is fitted with throwing knives across his chest and shoulders. He’s a badass sight to behold. My lips twitch as I fight to hold off the possessive smile I feel lurking.

Chase and Logan trot down the hall, and I jog after them. We make our way down the steps and into the foyer, where we are greeted by the rest of the team, all cleaned up and in black leathers like us. They are all armed with various blades, throwing stars, daggers, and swords. Miles walks out from behind the crew with a massive sword and a silver crossbow. He extends the sword to Logan. Logan situates it in a sheath that Josie offers him.

Eli walks up and moves around behind me as he slips a holster over my head and pulls each arm through so he can fasten it beneath my arms. Miles hands him the crossbow, which he places against my back with an audible
click
that lets me know it’s secured. Its feather light and compact enough that it won’t affect how I move.

Eli steps back in front of me and explains how the crossbow is fitted with a magnetic apparatus that will automatically lock it into place when it’s within reach of the harness. He goes through the motions of showing me how to pull the arrows from the quiver he’s hooking around my waist. It dangles off my left hip.

“But I’m right-handed. Wouldn’t it make more sense to put it on my right side?” I ask nervously. His face is pinched as he flips his head to the left and the floppy blond hair that was falling around his eyes shifts out of his line of vision. His fingers work methodically to fasten and buckle me into my equipment.

He finishes with the last of the buckles and shrugs at me. “No. You’ll pull from the left hip, then across your right side to load it in the arrow groove, as you’re pulling the crossbow over your left shoulder.” He moves behind me and places his cool hands over mine to show me the motion he’s talking about. It’s quick and fluid, and it immediately feels right. I practice it a few times until he nods in affirmation and moves to the corner of the room where Duncan is talking with Thad and Logan.

Josie walks over to me, and I notice that she has her long blond hair winding in a tight braid that starts at her left temple and ends at her right ear, where it falls in a few winding curls. Even now she’s beautiful. I know I look like I’m going to the gym, with my workout headband and hair slicked back into a functional ponytail.
Whatever!
Now isn’t the time to worry about appearances.

She gestures to the door. “Everyone is waiting outside in the truck.” I follow her as we step out into the brisk midnight air. By truck she means massive SUV. I step up to an open rear door and peer inside. Kayla is driving, Triston has shotgun, Josie and Miles settle into the second row of seats with Eli, and that leaves the third row for yours truly, Logan, and Thad. I glance back to question where Chase is going to sit, but before I can voice a word I hear a low hum moving closer to the back of the truck. I step back and look to the rear of the vehicle to see that Chase is riding a cherry-red Ducati motorcycle. He pulls the visor up so I can see his grinning face.

“Makes you randy, doesn’t she?” I laugh at his audacity and turn back to make my way to the rear of the truck.

“Just ignore him. He thinks all women want to shag on a motorbike,” Josie calls out over the noise as Chase revs it up and then flies by in a red and black blur. As my head whips by, trying to follow him, I see Duncan giving Logan a firm talking-to on the front steps. Logan’s jaw is locked with tension, and Thad is pulling his arm, trying to get him to move. He finally nods, and Duncan claps him on the shoulder in a fatherly manner. When Duncan turns to go back inside, Logan and Thad exchange a few hushed words and then trot over to join the rest of us.

When Logan settles in next to me, I whisper, “Is everything all right?” He lifts his left arm and pulls me into his side.

“Everything’s fine, love. Don’t you worry about a thing. Keep your head on straight tonight, yeah?”

“Yeah. I’m good.” I’m not about to tell him I’m scared shitless. I’ll fake it till I make it. The truck pulls off with a start as Kayla guns the accelerator. Triston reaches over, and the next thing I know, some band I have never heard before is singing about taking over the world. It has a rockabilly feel to it with a touch of metal, so I sit back into the plush leather seat and look out my window to watch the night sky slide by.