Chapter 31 #3
“Let’s go to the office.” Mykel addressed us, motioning for us to follow, breaking through the link. “There is much to catch up on.”
“Brexley, Warwick, Ember, Eli?” Killian nodded for us to follow, the rest knowing they were to stay behind. Killian’s attention stopped on another. “Lukas, I’d like you to come too. You might have insight on Sonya.”
“Doubtful, but I will help if I can.” Lukas’s mouth pinched, his head dipping in accord.
Killian peeked back at Rosie, their fingers hooking together as they walked to the other side of the house, not hiding their relationship. Most probably didn’t even notice the subtle action, but for Killian, it was like screaming from the rooftops.
Zander returned as we were leaving, strolling up to my sister, his arm coming around her shoulders. He kissed her, stopping me short.
“Hi,” he muttered. “I missed you.”
Eliza’s cheeks pinkened, her eyes flaring, an eyebrow curving playfully. “Really?”
“Yes.” Zander’s hand threaded through her hair, kissing her again. “Need me to show you later?”
A growl rose from my throat, my eyes tracking how his hands touched my sister, making me want to rip out pony-boy’s intestines and twine him through the chandeliers like streamers.
“Wow, big man . . . come on.” Brexley yanked me with her, my attention still on them, wanting to dismember the donkey. “Let them be.”
“Why him?” I snarled. “Seriously, out of all the guys, she picked him?”
“Zander is a good man.” Brexley twisted back to me, a smile growing on her mouth. “Sexy as hell. And a really good kisser.”
A deep growl vibrated my body.
“Fuck, woman . . .” I rumbled, cupping her face and dragging her to me, the instinct to make sure she never thought of that horse-shifter again burning through me. “You will so pay for that.”
“I’m counting on it.” Her mouth brushed mine, ghost fingers grazing up my shaft before turning away and striding for the office.
Another deep growl chased after her, my dick throbbing at the mere idea of her hands, lips, or pussy squeezing it. A snarl pushed out my nose. Adjusting myself, I followed.
She was right. There was no leash. It was always my own free will. Though the pull to her wasn’t much different from one—lead, follow, or stand beside. I would crawl on my knees or level the world to be anywhere near her. To fight with her, for her, next to her. Protect her at all costs.
Entering the office, I shut the door, leaning against the wall.
Mykel and Killian both started to go behind the desk and stopped.
The two leaders stared at each other. The instinct to be dominant was ingrained in them both.
It was who they were. There was a moment I wondered what would happen if their egos collided.
Then Killian shocked the hell out of me.
He motioned for Mykel to continue, stepping slightly back, sharing the position with the human leader.
Brexley’s eyes secretly darted to me, eyebrow curving, picking up on the same thing.
“Did I just see that?” her shade questioned. “Progress?”
“I wouldn’t hold your breath,” I replied, my attention still on them. “But who knows? I’ve seen miracles happen.” My hungry gaze swept back to her, moving over her poignantly.
“Clearly, getting his cock ridden hard has relaxed him a bit.” My shade nipped at her ear, sliding my fingers through her.
She stiffened, shooting daggers at me.
“Told you you’d pay, princess.”
“Give us a rundown of what is happening here.” Killian addressed Mykel, pulling me back to the conversation. “Then we’ll go into what we have done and seen. And what our next step is.”
“Sonya has Budapest and most of the area around in her complete control. We tried to get close enough to Halálház to destroy her labs. We couldn’t. She has it locked down tight.”
“What?” I punched off the wall. “Halálház is still functioning? She’s making more soldiers?”
Mykel dipped his head. “Yes. We lost many men that night. I couldn’t afford to keep putting our people in harm’s way when I knew it was only a death sentence.”
Shit. That meant Sonya had been multiplying her troops this whole time as well.
“We also have another worry.”
“What?” Killian asked.
“Romania has been sending her supplies and weapons. They also have troops waiting at the border, guarding it against Istvan or ready to come in. I haven’t figured that part out yet, but Sonya has Romania as an ally.”
“Romania?” Brexley’s mouth dropped. “What?”
Right. It was something we probably forgot to mention . . . that Sergiu was spotted leading troops for Sonya’s new army. A sign of faith from Prime Minister Lazar.
“Whatever deal she made, he is more than willing to fall behind her, waiting on her word.” Mykel pointed to the map on the desk, red marks and circles all over it.
“She has roadblocks and heavy guards on almost every road in or out. She is bringing more and more humans from Prague and Romania, building up her army. All of them under the pill’s influence.
” Mykel scratched at his beard. “Like I said, we tried to get close enough to destroy the old prison, take her primary source out. They far outnumber us.”
“And so does Istvan.” Brexley placed her hands on the back of a chair, leaning on it. No one was sitting, all of us too tense to sit still for a moment. “The only hope we have is if Istvan and Sonya wipe each other out and we can come in.”