The room would be nothing special under most circumstances. I've slept on a cot in a room with three other women for years, so this one is most definitely an upgrade. The bathroom is only half the size of the one I just left and it's amazing. The running hot water makes it more so. King spent a lot of time telling me he'd kill me. I saw the look in his eyes and completely understand that he would enjoy doing it. Maybe I've just been under too much stress since coming on this assignment, because I'm no longer afraid. After a night's rest I'm betting my nervous nature will return. There's also a sense here that the bad monsters can't get me. Back at my Federation quarters we lived in daily fear. Either the monsters would invade and kill us, or we would lose our job and be sent to the front lines to die. The feeling of dread was never far away. Here it's different. King and his men offer protection even if they don't want to. I lay back on the bed enjoying that my legs can s
King sits back with his cup of coffee and watches me devour breakfast. I don't even care. I do, however, notice that the hard lines on his forehead smooth out as he relaxes. I would say it makes him look softer but nothing about him is soft. This morning he's in black military pants and a black T-shirt that molds to his chest. His bicep bulges as he lifts his coffee cup to his mouth. A question goes off in my mind that won't leave me. No straps this morning but that doesn't mean his chest is any less defined. He said he will kill me and I believe every word yet I'm unafraid, which is so unlike me. I guess it could be the food. For some reason the thought of my pending death isn't worrying me. Maybe I've faced my fears and come out the other side a tad bit stronger. Who knows? It's just nice to not have the worry hanging over me. I eat until I'm stuffed and can't possibly get another bite in my stomach. If I were back home, I'd feel guilty about the food I just scarfed but guilt
Marinah stomps from the room with an unhappy Boot trailing her. Too bad. He brought his woman and son to this location against my direct orders and he could face death if I decide it just punishment. I do, however, understand what a pain in the butt his wife is and with another baby on the way I'm unwilling to kill Boot over the incident. Funny that seeing him carry Marinah into the room didn't bother me like it did when the other men touched her or looked at her. Boot is non-threatening, which is why I had him on this detail to begin with. His beast didn't come on him until after his twenty-first birthday and even then, he wasn't a typical Shadow Warrior with the normal propensity to fight anything and everything. Oh, he's more than capable of killing, he just misses the joy component when he holds death in his hands. His behavior also didn't bother my beast, so maybe whatever Beast's problem was before, it's now settled and he'll behave and not try to kill every man who gets n
Cabel, one of my elite guards who was recently married, moves in our direction. "King," he says when he draws closer. His eyes remain down while his wife stops about ten feet behind him and stays there. "How's married life, Cabel?" I don't look directly at his wife, just keep her in my peripheral vision. The last thing I want to do is kill Cabel if he attacks due to his recent mating. He's my size, but I have no doubt of the outcome if we battled and he wouldn't be walking away in one piece. His hair is dirty blond and he carries our signature blue eyes with a slightly rounder face than mine. I've placed him in charge of our food supply until his beast calms or we go back to war. When we came to earth hundreds of years ago, my ancestors chose farming as a non-violent way for us to assimilate into the human population. Our own planet was destroyed because of our violent nature and those who survived knew they had to make changes. Farming was that change. We were a carnivor
It's only a half-ball on a flat surface, but it's kicking my butt. I actually feel sorry that Boot is forced to train me because it's a losing proposition. Without King's guarantee Boot won't kill me, I'd be worrying non-stop. Besides grumbling one-word commands, the man hasn't spoken. "One foot," he barks. Wow, two actual words. I'm standing close to the wall so I can use it for balance. My palm hasn't left the smooth surface because I fall as soon as I try to stay upright on my own. "One foot is impossible. I can't even do two." I wobble and spill the other way, where the wall can't stop my downward progress. At least it's only to my knees. "You've been given a hopeless job," I tell Boot while gaining my feet. Yeah, he growls at me for that. I stand and Boot steps closer so I can use his shoulder and the wall to climb the entire six inches onto the squishy plastic. "I'm not even sure what you're trying to accomplish. We've been at it for two
"You stayed on the ball when you weren't thinking about your balance. I know how we can make this easier." I follow him and use his shoulder and the wall again. "Tell me about your family," he says as soon as I'm up. "They're dead," I reply. "Most humans are. Tell me about them when they were alive." This is mentally hard on me, but something is working because I'm no longer wobbling. "My mom was amazing. Her name was Dinah. My name rhymes with hers," I add with a quick smile. "I take after her in height if not finesse. She would stand on this ball rock solid." "Talking helps you with balance." "She was in the military. It's where she met my dad." "She was a warrior?" I take a deep breath. "No, not really. She would have died for her country or for her family, but she had a gentle soul. The military was a way for her to get out of her home environment. She never talked about why." "Could she fight?" I shrug and my feet shak
Humans rarely trigger my curiosity. Today is the exception, and I've had an internal war all afternoon with Beast. He doesn't like Marinah, while my human side is intrigued. Being away from her has given me a chance to think about these strange, for lack of a better word, feelings. From Marinah's scent to her tall, lithe body, she draws my focus while inciting Beast's ire. I'm aware of her in a way no other woman holds my attention. She ignites something inside me and when near, I feel her on a different level than others. My biggest concern is the reason. The entire situation makes no sense. The plan was to have an unobtrusive woman who would pontificate on behalf of the U.S. Federation while we grumbled and delayed. What we received is the daughter of a man I respect, and as soon as she fell at my feet outside the airplane, I knew nothing would go according to plan. And it hasn't. Beck and I arrive back at the Citadel, thus named by one of the men while we prepared for
"What's happening?" Marinah asks. "Don't move at all," Beck tells her. Pain explodes at their voices and Beast gains another inch of my control. With unwavering concentration, I force my bones to reknit, the K-5 to recede, and my eyesight to readjust. Minute by minute the pain lessens and my human side gains ground. Beast gives a last internal grumble and pulls back. My teenage struggles with Beast were never this difficult. After what seems like an eternity, I'm able to draw oxygen into my lungs and think clearly. "See her back to her room," I grind out as soon as I can speak with some semblance of control. Beck hurriedly steps out of my path as I head for the door. I don't look back, needing to place as much distance between myself and the woman as possible. Why the hell does she challenge Beast? Something about Marinah is dangerous and the animal knows it. I head to the larger gym used by the men. I'm not there to exercise, I'm there to dest