Draikis had moved like a blur, not waiting for their assailants to make the first move. Not where his woman was in jeopardy. His fist flew out hard and fast right into the leader’s throat, dropping him in an instant, gasping for air. A quick knee to the face silenced his frantic gasps. Before the other three could even react, deadly blows rained down upon them, the priest not focusing on just one of them, but rather attacking all three at once, ensuring none were able to retaliate while he was dealing with their comrades.
Brutal kicks and powerful elbows slammed into the men, each crumpling in a heap from the sheer force of his violent flurry. And then, as quickly as it had begun, it ended.
Draikis spun, his hands clutching Ella by the shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“I-uh,” she gasped in shock.
He grabbed her hand and pulled. “Come. We must leave immediately.”
She rushed after him, leaving the four attackers out cold on the ground in their wake. Their course altered, no longer taking the scenic route. Draikis bee-lined back to their transport, the little craft in the air before anyone on the ground could sound any sort of alarm, not that a few downed ruffians would be any cause for serious concern.
Once they were aloft, Draikis cleaned the blood from his knuckles, stripped his soiled clothing, and slipped back into his priestly attire, then sat quietly beside Ella, his hand on her leg, his eyes full of concern and love.
“I am so sorry you had to experience that.”
“You…”
“Yes, I know. I apologize for your having to witness that side of me. It has been a very, very long time.”
“But there were four of them.Four, Draikis. And they were bigger than you.”
“Size does not matter nearly as much as some might think.”
She shook her head, still more than a little shocked by the turn of events. By his unlikely skills. “How did you even do that?”
He sighed. “As I said, I wasn’t always a priest. I had a past?—”
“Yeah, you said. But I had no idea you were capable ofthat.”
Draikis’s shoulders sagged slightly. “I’ve done far more in my past. A past I had distanced myself from. But I would do it all again to keep you safe. I hope you realize that.”
“I do,” she said, feeling it in her heart that this man would stop at nothing to keep her safe. And while it had been shocking as hell to see him unleash such efficient violence on her behalf, it also turned her on more than a little. He was so damn virile and manly, more than just muscles and bravado. He backed it up,but only when he absolutely had to. That level of competence, of power and control, it made her pussy pulse with want. Want of this incredible man.
Unfortunately, the transport was already beginning its descent. But Ella, crazy as it might be, had an idea.
“You have a minute?” she asked when they set down and the door opened.
“For you, of course.”
“Good. Follow me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Ella walked fast, outpacing Draikis easily in her haste. He followed at a distance, doing his best to look nonchalant. He was merely walking in the direction their unusual guest happened to be headed, nothing more. No one would suspect anything, though even if they were walking together, it wouldn’t be worth much note as he was her guide most days anyway.
But today, for whatever reason, Ella had something in mind, and he thought it wise to let her have a little space.
She wove through the paths and buildings of the compound with ease, her time among them having afforded her ample opportunity to learn the lay of the land. Rather than heading into the central area, she had crossed over from the landing zone, bypassing the main buildings, headed to the far side of the Norvalian grounds. Draikis realized where she was headed when she turned an unexpected direction, moving not toward the newer structures, but rather to a benign overgrowth and the rusty door beside it. She activated the hidden release, opening it with a quiet whoosh.
“She remembered it,” he marveled as Ella slipped inside the hidden chapel entrance.
It had been quite some time since he’d shown it to her on one of her first real outings in her healing process, yet she had found her way back with ease. Clearly, despite her exhausted, healing state at the time, she had nevertheless been clear of mind. And it seemed this long-abandoned chapel had remained on her internal radar.
Draikis looked around. No one was near. Of course, this was a long-forgotten and unused chapel replaced ages ago by several newer facilities. It was natural no one would visit this place, which was part of the reason he’d always found it so peaceful. That, and the spectral effects inside were a pleasure of their own, regardless how distracting the ancients might have deemed them.
He stepped inside, the door sealing behind him. Ella had already activated the few functional lights in the corridor. He walked, his footfall silent, the sound-dampening properties of the chapel structure absorbing it all. Turning the corner into the chapel proper his eyes widened at the sight awaiting him.
Ella stood before him, naked, a look of pure lust in her eyes, her Infala buzzing with iridescence that seemed to be interacting with the spectral phenomenon in the air above, creating a swirling glow that matched her own state of arousal.
