Page 62 of Birthright

I took a long, cold bath to ease the yearning and desire. It almost worked.

CHAPTER 26

“He’s a complete soldier,” Coyle said. “And I believe he was born of the Incubus Foras, one of the oldest and stwongest Demons in the upper realms. I knew Jordan as a vewy young man. He had alweady served as two diffewent human men in the US service. He aged out once and changed his name and reenlisted,” Coyle explained as Abbey nodded her head.

“And he’s downright hot, Keena. Go with it!” Abbey had that look in her eye.

“Please, I can control myself and not act like some sex-starved kitten.” I was really beginning to wonder if I could or not. The demands my body was making were getting harder to ignore. I was still unsure, but my body was not at all concerned with my heart.

“Not for long,” Coyle said as he took a drink. “We keep twying to tell you. You are as wild and sexual as nature, Keena. You need the touch and release of sharing magic. Youwa power will start to drain from the struggle. It’s a fact.”

“What. Ever.” I was intentionally teasing. “I have to go. Manus changed our workout to the afternoon today.”

I left them in my room, my father laughing after me. I thought of what he said about Jordan as I navigated the manor’s halls and made my way to the gym.

The room was full of others working out. Usually, Manus and I were there very early and I guess I had arrogantly assumed that the facilities would be reserved and private. There were several Weres on the weight machines and two Magicians sparring on the open floor.

I headed for Manus. He was standing at the back wall talking to a Magician I had seen once or twice before. Manus looked up and acknowledged me as the Magician headed away. As I reached Manus, the others on the sparring floor cleared off and began to do other exercises or stretching.

I was in my black leather pants and top, two blades at my hips and two strapped to my thighs. Manus didn’t speak before heading to the middle of the floor. I followed him.

Spinning, he struck at me before I realized we were starting.

I was used to his tactics by now and reacted quickly, completely avoiding his touch. I returned the advance, slamming him hard to the ground and forcing an elbow into his side. Placing his feet to my stomach, he thrust me up but I landed on top of him in a fluid move, coming down hard on my right shoulder. We struggled apart, both gaining our feet and starting the dance again. I was much faster than I used to be. A little of Tynan’s Vampire speed stayed with me.

After a few minutes, he stopped pulling his punches. So, he wanted to work on stamina and endurance. Fine with me. The exertion felt good, cooling some of the other needs my body had been fighting. Thinking of those desires and the Demon at the heart of them, I lost concentration for just a second. Manus took advantage and connected, crashing his forearm into my jaw, sending me back several feet to the floor.

Shaken for only a second, I gathered my energy and flipped to my feet, using the forward motion to cartwheel toward him and wrap my legs around his neck. My forward momentum sent us both to the mats. We landed with his face in my crotch, my thighs strangling him.

He started to turn blue and mouthed “Uncle” at me. I loosened my thighs to let him breathe, but only when he repeated the word out loud did I loosen my grip enough for him to move his head.

It was then I realized the others had all quit their own workouts and were clapping. Manus was still between my legs, breathing hard. Then I saw Jordan directly in front of us, standing at ease, smiling down at me. He was wearing a tight SEALs T-shirt that said When you absolutely, positively need it destroyed overnight.

Urgent and deep need slammed through me. This was not a simple infatuation or desire. I felt uncontrollable lust. I stumbled trying to remove myself from straddling my friend and guardian, who quickly realized I was reacting to Jordan. I saw the amused twinkle in his eyes.

“You haven’t slowed in all these years, Manus,” Jordan said, extending a hand.

Manus took his outstretched hand and shook it hard. “Good to see you, man. Can’t afford to with Keena, she’s become a good fighter.” He nodded in my direction. “You two should give it go sometime.”

“Manus!” I felt the blush run through my whole body.

They both eyed me, Jordan’s right eyebrow raised. “A spar, Keena,” Manus clarified. He was almost laughing, as was Jordan. Thankfully, most of the others had gone back to their own workouts.

I could have just slunk away, but I tried to recover. “I might hurt him,” I said.

“That you might,” Jordan said with his smug little smile.

I couldn’t help looking down as he tightened his stomach muscles intentionally. I gasped. Manus gave me a questioning look. Jordan’s self-confidence hung around him like a cool fog. Saying nothing else, he winked at me, bowed slightly and turned to walk away, proving his backside was just as perfect as his front. The black cotton shorts he was wearing were tight and left little to the imagination.

Manus gave me a strange look. “Have you two already met?”

I nodded my head, still not trusting my voice completely.

“And?”

“And nothing,” I grumbled, picking up a blade I had lost in the sparring.

“I wish somebody would look at me with nothing in her eyes like that,” he said teasingly.