Chapter Twenty-Six
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GG PACED UP AND DOWN as she waited for Wynter to arrive.
She and Dalt had spent the past couple of days getting used to the skating rink.
The fire in the drum kept them warm enough and they were conserving their supply of fuel.
Someone had left a generator and a hotplate behind, which was highly convenient for them.
“She should be here any minute now,” GG said, checking her watch again.
Right on cue, someone knocked on the front door. Dalton chuckled and hauled himself off the couch as GG raced over to the door.
“Wynter!” GG exclaimed when she unlocked the door and opened it. “You look amazing!” she said and hugged her best friend.
“It’s so good to see you, GG,” Wynter said, hugging her back. “Where’s your gold clothes?” she asked when they finally broke apart.
“I’ll explain everything,” the wrestler promised. “Get in here, you two. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Tolas had teleported his mate to the skating rink. They stepped inside, then removed their snow boots. The knight scanned the tall human who was striding towards them. His soul was pale gray, but he wasn’t evil.
“I’m Dalton Ashton,” the cowboy said, holding his hand out.
“I’m Tolas, a Knight of Order,” Tol said, shaking his hand. “This is my mate, Wynter McBaird.”
“GG told me all about you, Dalt,” Wyn said with a grin. She shook his hand when he offered it to her next.
“I’m sure she did,” Dalton said, mock glowering at his ex.
GG snickered, then herded them over to the center of the rink. “Get a load of this place,” she said, turning in a circle with her arms out wide. “We lucked out and found the keys to the doors.”
“Were they under a rock?” Wynter asked knowingly, plonking down onto the couch. Dalt and Tolas opted to sit on the office chairs near the desk.
“How did you know?” GG asked, taking a seat next to her bestie. She was feeling emotional about their reunion and was trying to hide it. Relief that they were both okay and had escaped from Rahab and his crew made her feel almost giddy.
“Zoe had a vision of you two ending up here,” Wynter said. “I had no idea a couple of cambions and a knight had already used this place as their base for a while.”
“That explains why there are so many supplies here,” Dalton said. “How did they find each other?”
“Tori was the first one to move in here,” Wyn said.
“She had to climb a fallen tree and break in through a damaged shutter. Xanthia and Semiaza claimed it after she was gone. Fate gave Tor a hunch that she should leave the keys behind under the same rock. She gave the same hunch to Zoe and she got Amaros to bring the keys back here.”
“Now we’re living here,” GG marveled. “Fate’s working overtime pulling all of our strings.”
“Victoria wasn’t happy when Zoe told us about her vision,” Tolas said gravely. “The females have plans for this rink.”
“What sort of plans?” GG asked with a smirk hovering around her mouth. Anything that put her old rival out was amusing to her.
“Grace wants to find skates and use this as a recreational area,” Wyn said. “Zoe has other ideas, though.”
“Such as?” Dalt asked. He was already at ease with their two visitors. It was obvious they were in love from the way they kept glancing at each other.
“We’re going to use it as a secondary base,” Tol said.
“Fate guided you here for a reason. We need allies and GG already joined our cause before she met us. We can use this place as a meeting location when planning our strikes against our enemies. Amaros thinks he can ward it without diminishing his core power. The bonds between the knights and our cambions have increased his strength. We all grow stronger with each new pair that become linked.”
“No wonder Vic hates the idea of us living here,” GG said, now grinning in delight. “It must be killing her knowing I’m your ally.”
“She threw a bit of a tantrum when Zoe told us the news,” Wynter confessed. “Cam had to teleport her away and calm her down.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Dalton said wryly. “I’m sure it’ll be quite a show when GG and Vic meet up again.”
GG giggled beneath her breath in anticipation. “It’s going to be memorable,” she predicted.
“So, tell me everything that happened after I froze the soldier,” Wyn ordered.
“I’ll put the coffee on, darlin’,” Dalton offered, addressing his ex.
“Thanks, cowboy,” GG replied with a wink. Wyn’s eyebrows shot up at their flirtatious attitudes. “Grab some snacks, too,” the wrestler requested as he rose to his feet.
“I’ll help,” Tol offered, following the rancher to the stash of supplies.
GG launched into a detailed description of getting her friends to safety. The cambion listened raptly, asking questions every now and then. “I’m so glad they’ve got somewhere far away from here to stay,” Wynter said. “Do you think they’ll be safe on Faye’s farm?”
“I hope so,” GG said. “It’s not like we can call each other on the phone to find out how they’re doing.”
“That reminds me,” Wyn said and opened the handbag she’d brought with her. “Amaros thought you could use these,” she said and handed over four walky-talkies.
“Now I won’t have to steal some from the cops,” Dalton said, glancing over as he grabbed a box of cookies. “Make sure to thank him for us, darlin’.”
“I will,” she replied, smirking at her mate’s scowl. “Dalt’s a cowboy and that’s how they address females sometimes,” she said.
“I see,” Tol said, still unhappy about it.
“GG’s the only woman for me,” Dalton said in a low voice. “I meant no disrespect to your cambion or you.”
“What did he say?” GG whispered to Wynter when she hid her grin with her hand.
“He said you’re the only woman for him,” her bestie whispered back.
GG’s heart fluttered as she watched the men stride to the room where the generator was stored.
“It’s so strange to have Dalt back in my life again,” she murmured.
“Sometimes, it seems like he hasn’t changed at all.
Then I see glimpses of the new harder version of him and I realize how much time has passed since we were kids. ”
“He still has feelings for you,” Wynter said. “He came all the way here from Montana to save you.”
“I know,” GG said softly. “We’re taking things slow for now. There’s a lot more at stake than our personal drama. I need to find a way to rescue the rest of the captives from Rahab’s lair.”
“We need to find a way to save them,” the cambion corrected her. “Rahab has warded the building, so the knights can’t teleport inside. There aren’t enough of them to storm the place. They’d be wiped out within minutes once Rahab calls all of his soldiers to attack them.”
“There has to be a way,” GG said in frustration, hating what the women were going through and feeling helpless to do anything about it.
“We’re working on it, Glory Gold,” Tolas said, emerging from the room where the generator was puttering away. “Amaros will come up with a plan. You just have to be patient.”
“Patience isn’t one of GG’s virtues,” Dalt joked. He’d plugged the hotplate into the generator and had put water on to boil.
GG couldn’t argue with that truth. “So, when can we expect company?” she asked. “We’ll have to move the mattresses upstairs so we can have privacy if knights are going to be coming and going at all hours.”
“Zoe intends to bring the girls here soon,” Wynter said. “We’ll help fix this place up so you have everything you need.”
“Toilets and showers would be good,” GG said wryly. “I suppose running water isn’t an option?”
“Actually, Xan thinks the water will be back on soon,” Wynter told her. “She’s been keeping track of the guy her dad has tasked with fixing the pipes.”
GG had no idea what she was talking about. “You’re going to have to fill us in,” she said, eager to hear all the details.
“Do you like video games, human?” Tolas asked Dalt.
“Sure,” Dalton replied. “Why?”
“One of my brothers became addicted to them while he was staying here with his female,” the knight said. “Semiaza should be able to find a television, a gaming console and games for you if you wish.”
“Some weights so I can stay in shape would be great, too,” GG requested.
“That reminds me again,” Wyn said. “Grace has all of the books in the alien warrior series!” she said. “She’s willing to let you borrow them.”
“That’s awesome,” GG said in real delight. “I’ve been going through withdrawals with nothing to read.”
Wynter launched into her story to catch their allies up on what had been going on in the city.