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Phillip’s devilish smirk met my wide-eyed gaze. “Easier to reach these, don’t you think?” He traced a dagger with his finger, then dragged it down my thigh with a pointed stare.
He’s testing me.
My head told me it was a test, but my body didn’t get the damn memo. It did exactly what he expected. I visibly reacted, unable to shake the trance I’d been put into. Rigid, I didn’t breathe at all as he continued to place small daggers along the strap, his grip holding strong around my thigh to keep me from moving away.
I was so surprised by his self-assured movements that I stood in front of him like a total asshole, mouth agape. I couldn’t even verbally bash the dude for touching me without permission or letting me do the damn thing myself like a normal instructor would. For some reason, my voice didn’t work. Only whispery sounds of surprise left my mouth, and nothing but blushing shame followed their departure.
Phillip hummed a tune lightly to himself, retrieving a few pen-like items from his pocket. “These are ultraviolet light beams, and while it won’t do much in the way of damage, it can give you a critical edge to fully decapitate a Shadow Goblin.”
“Uh huh,” I murmured.
Phillip leaned closer, his sharp eyes straying up my body in a way that made my pulse throb. “It’s amazing what you can fit between your legs, hmm?”
Old V would’ve had him laid out over the floor already.
If not for the perpetual cycle of ‘what the fuck’ going on in my head, I’d be smacking the sexual harassment right from his mouth. But the stimulation of his fingers as they moved across my leg, and the sight of him knelt so close to a place only I’d ever touched, was as erotic as it got—and frankly, I couldn’t deal.
I tried repeatedly not to fantasize or imagine all the possibilities, but I was quite literally Hormone Central these days. Pretending I wasn’t riddled with the qualms of being a young girl going through a devastating attraction to an older man didn’t do me any good.
Damn hormones.
But then his face was in front of me, no longer at hip level. “That’s better. When you’re ready, I’ll meet you out front.”
I watched as my supposed teacher walked out of the room, utterly nonchalant, with what appeared to be a little skip in his step. The asshole actually frolicked out of my room. Frolicked, in combat boots, carrying a torso-long claymore.
I seriously can’t right now.
Staring at the doorway, I stood frozen for nearly two minutes before I got my ass into gear and grabbed the duffle bag I’d packed several guns into, alongside a fresh pair of clothes in case I got goblin goo on me again.
We equipped several semi-automatic guns with silver and gold bullets to be used alongside our melee weapons, just to be safe. Guns were loud and hard to mask from the public, even with silencers. So, understandably, a last resort.
But a girl couldn’t have enough weapons.
Clicking my tongue angrily, I tossed the bag over my shoulder and stomped out of the room in pursuit of a Hunter who’d be lucky if his partner didn’t commit homicide just to teach him a lesson.
*
NIGEL AND FOUR OTHERSwere already waiting at the meeting spot when we arrived. Sunlight rained down on a set of cement picnic tables the group stood in front of. Lucky for us, no one else thought today would be a good day to take a hike and I couldn’t sense any normal humans nearby.
I panned the group of two women and two men standing in a loose horse-shoe pattern around Nigel. His dark, golden hued eyes captured mine as soon as I got out of the car and headed over to him.
Daylight Nigel looked delicious, and I couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful he was as we slowed to a stop in front of the awaiting group.
I missed seeing him. I missed talking to him. I wanted to be around him, even though I knew I shouldn’t. My heart chastised me for listening to my brain and discarding a man who treated me like a queen. Looking at the Shifter in all his beautiful glory, I second-guessed my decision to end things.
No. I did it for a reason.
I noticed a similar duffle bag in the tall Shifter’s hand and lifted mine. “Bag twins.”
Nigel’s radiant smile stole my heart. “Yeah. That’s normal for us. You and I like similar things.” Nigel made the comment with his eyes directed at Phillip.
“Let me introduce the rest of my pack,” he said, clearing his throat. “The three you haven’t met are, from the right, Tiff, Claude, and Mia.”
Tiff rushed forward, a huge smile on her face, and wrapped soft-white arms around me. I nearly inhaled a mouthful of Goldilocks-yellow hair, and I coughed when the strength of her embrace was otherworldly. The chick packed a lot of strength in that tiny little body.
Silently, I admired her beautiful face and womanly figure as soon as she pulled away. Ocean-blue eyes glittered with both bright light and happy thoughts, and I was mesmerized by the color. Despite being dressed in a thin, hot pink top and pair of pastel yoga pants, she projected nothing but kick-ass confidence.
“I’m so excited to meet another badass chick! You’re part of our pack now,” she wailed happily. “This is going to be so much fun.”
