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“I don’t spend a lot of time asking myself important questions.” He slammed the drawer closed.
“Me neither, but sometimes my mate likes to discuss meaningful subjects after a good fuck. She does all the talking. I nod.”
“I get it. Skyler says it’s healthy to explore feelings. I told her fire shoots out my ass if I think about feelings.” He leaned onto his elbows, more interested in the convo.
“What’s she say to that?” Rein pulled down his brows.
Kole’s lips curled up on one side. “Nothing. She rolls her eyes.”
“The other night, Brae asked why the Firebrands ended up with the Blood Coven descendants. I mean, sure, we don’t have all of them. Cerberus has some. But we seem to attract them like Darque’s devilflies. I don’t have an answer. You’re older. Wiser.”
“Don’t blow smoke up my ass. You want to explore existential shit. Here’s my answer. I don’t know. Maybe we’re right for the job. Mean. Strong. Too damn stubborn to give up.”
“Dumb fucks. Still, there are better Aeternals. Ones with more money. Smarter. Fewer flaws. More deserving of our mates.”
“But the females chose us. It is what it is. Would you trust Brae’s life to someone else?”
“Fuck no.” Rein unlaced the fingers behind his neck, sitting straighter in the chair.
“My point. Skyler and Kae are mine. I’d lay down my life every damn day if they could survive a minute longer. Maybe that’s what we’re all about. We’re rock-solid shields, even with our flaws.”
Rein nodded. “Stubborn dumb fucks. Nice talk. Now I can give Brae an answer. She’ll be impressed with my breakthrough.”
Rein twisted in his seat to peek into the adjoining room. “It’s filling up. We better get in there.”
Kole slid his desk chair out, rose and, for good luck, patted his father’s blade mounted on the wall behind him. Along with others there, he kept the weapons to honor fallen warriors.
When he lumbered into the other room, he nodded at those who’d arrived, taking a seat beside Cadmon. The other two stronghold commanders, Jarek and Nace, sat at the same table along with their seconds.
All spit and polish, General Lipton of the United States Army strode into the room. Colonel Mateo Garcia, Matty for short, walked a step behind, smiling while he read a note, most likely from Bounty. He crammed it into his pocket. The two unlikely lovebirds needed to flirt on somebody else’s time.
When the other officers who flowed in behind them got an eyeful of the males at the head table, they stutter-stepped. Who wouldn’t? The Firebrands were a mountainous wall of muscle. After each accepted the Phoenix’s call to duty, their bodies skyrocketed, growing bigger, stronger, faster. Or as the ylve Chay put it, they caught a case of BSF.
Bounty escorted High Justice Aras to his table. The rare eagle shifter pulled out a chair beside the vampire Lawgiver Viktor, whose eyes still bore the grief for the loss of his son. Dante, the human co-conspirator of Cerberus, had launched his own plot, kidnapping the lawgiver’s offspring and his girlfriend. It was all part of his plan to expose the existence of Aeternals and torture the Firebrand Ram. The Englishman blamed the satyr warrior for the death of his daughter, Amelia. Though Ram was rescued, the secret was out. The whistle was blown on Scath. Fortunately, soon after, the US Army and the Firebrands formed a coalition to fight Arisen Dawn.
At the same table, Justice Gilda chatted in whispers with Lawgivers Nerina and Daire. These officials remained loyal to the realm, having requested sanctuary at the strongholds along with their families. Some justices and lawgivers had defected to Arisen Dawn.
Rein’s father, Alarik, director of the Ministry of Well Being, stopped to chat with other leaders before he wound his way to the chair on the other side of Aras. His employees were healers, scientists, researchers, and educators. They were key to Scath’s success, using spells to protect the realm. Among their tasks were keeping explosive weapons inoperable, maintaining the portals, and warding many government offices.
Bounty, Kole’s blonde, big-breasted, narrow-hipped vampire executive assistant sashayed into the room on damn high heels. Every male, mated or not, eyed her legs. She was also intelligent, three-steps ahead of Kole, and a whiz on the computer. Pluses all around. Turned out, she was Dax’s sister. Even stranger was her thing for the human, Colonel Matty Garcia.
She leaned toward Kole, speaking in a throaty whisper. “I called Dax, telling him to get his ass over here. Every other attendee’s name on the list is checked off except for the witch Indigo. She phoned to say her gryphon ate her homework. Whatever that means. She’ll be late. Water is on the table, coffee service over there, info folders, notebooks, and pens. If you need anything, I’ll be at my desk.”
She straightened to face the attendees. “I’m Bounty, executive assistant to the Scion Firebrand commander of the Eastern Stronghold. I’ve spoken to most of you on the phone. Welcome.” She winked at Matty.
Kole got the shivers when she went all professional. It never happened when they were alone. Then she was a tyrant. Just ask the Firebrands. Half prayed to Gahya they wouldn’t piss her off because she fought mean. The rest prayed she was hungry enough to take them into the back room for a little fang-in-the-neck nourishment. Of course, that was pre-Matty.
Cadmon rose from his seat, smoothing the jacket of his uniform. “Ah-hem.” He coughed into his hand. “I second the welcome. Before we begin, let’s do intros. I’m Scion Firebrand High Commander Cadmon. Beside me are Commander Kole of the Eastern Stronghold and his second, Rein. Commander Jarek of the Southern Stronghold with Darius. Commander Nace of the Northern Stronghold and his second, Mix.”
Cadmon, large for an ylve, oozed authority. He had been a skilled Firebrand before his promotions. He also crafted weapons, most notably the longbow. Rumor has it, he gave one to William the Conqueror before the Battle of Hastings. The warrior armed his men with similar ones, bringing about a decisive victory in 1066 against the forces of the newly-crowned Anglo-Saxon King Harold. Though the Firebrands lost a soldier when Cadmon became high commander, he was the perfect leader. In one hand he wielded the strength of a fighter and in the other political savvy.
Dax sneaked into the room, slipping into a seat beside Mix. “Sorry. Just got the call.”
Cadmon continued. “I see some people here I don’t know. General Lipton, how about you identify your group.”
“High Commander, thanks for including us.” Lip proceeded to introduce British, French, German, Russian, and Chinese military officers.
After Aras handled the intros for the ministries, justices, and lawgivers, Cadmon asked him to share the latest on Cerberus.
