I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t have a moment of panic. Ilia and Larissa had been my security blanket, but I also loved that with everything that had changed, some things stayed the same. And right now, Ilia heading out to kick some ass and bounty-hunt a supe was the sort of normal we needed in our lives. “I’m gonna miss you,” I told her, my physical pain forgotten in that second. “Get your…”
“Vamp,” she filled in.
I nodded. “Get your vamp and then come back to scrape up what’s left of me after Louis, Tyson, and Striker are done.”
She moved to me, because we didn’t have two weeks for me to go to her. Her hug was firm, wrapping around me like my favorite blanket. “You’re gonna be running rings around them soon,” she murmured. “I fear for those fools when they unlock your true potential.”
“You’re gonna make me cry,” I said, blinking rapidly. Her faith in me was enough to knock the air from my lungs. No one had ever treated me like that before, but Ilia had been like this from the first moment I saw her. Actually, from the first moment she started hunting me down. When everyone else gave up on me, she never did.
I didn’t deserve a friend like her, but I would fight to keep her with everything I had.
“So,” she said, pulling back, not realizing the direction of my thoughts. She was wiping at her eyes too. “I have time for breakfast.”
“Let’s do it,” I said, and this time I almost hurried across the room to grab clothes and toiletries.
* * *
The schoolalways felt empty when Ilia left, so I continued with the same schedule, throwing myself into classes, getting my ass handed to me on a regular basis, and craving the water like I was parched. But with the ocean and pool off-limits I had nowhere to swim, I almost caved and begged one of the guys to let me swim, but we were all doing such a fantastic job of ignoring each other that I’d have hated to be the one to end that.
Unfortunately, it was taken out of my hands when I rocked up to my extra lesson with Striker. This was my second one, and there was an entire new set of tridents waiting for me when I walked in. And they weren’t the only thing waiting for me.
Asher and Jesse stood there, shoulder to shoulder, and I was so fucking unprepared for them that I almost stumbled when I caught sight of them.
Jesus.They stood heads above me, wearing workout tanks and loose-fitting black pants. They had on white kicks, and they were so matching that I could have cried.
It wasn’t fair. I was a strong, independent woman but these two were enough to turn nuns. Especially Asher. Motherfucker.
I forced myself not to stare at him, pretending he wasn’t there as I craned my neck and glared daggers at Striker. “Didn’t know there was an open invitation on this training?”
Yeah, I had a death wish using that tone with this scary-ass supe, but whatever, I hated being ambushed like this.
Striker crossed his huge arms and thankfully looked more amused than murderous. “Atlantean weapons are not my specialty. Jones and I figured that maybe someone with trident experience would help.” He waved his arms to the guys, and I still managed not to look. My eyes were twitching with the effort. “These two graciously agreed to assist.”
What the hell?Why? Why would someone who expressly told me that we would have nothing to do with each other, who had kept my friends away from me, agree to teach me?
From the corner of my eye I saw Asher and Jesse stride forward and grab a trident each. Not wanting to show that I cared they were here, I followed suit and picked up the third one. Just like the last time I held the fork, I felt nothing. Not a twinge of connection or bond. In fact, I’d felt much more in touch with my bow and arrow.
This was a giant heavy hunk of metal, and I was almost certain its only use was for an extra-large steak.Or … extra-large Atlanteans.
My smile this time was genuine, and I eyed the three-pointed end of the gold-tipped piece. It was pretty simple, adorned only with a red gem at the apex of each spike.You and me, girlfriend,let’s kick some ass,I mentally told the weapon, and there was a thrum of energy under my hands.
I blinked at the trident, excited that maybe I was finally connecting. “Are these actually from Atlantis?” I asked Striker.
Asher was the one who answered. “No, they’re replicas. But the gems in them are from our waters, and you’ll feel some connection through those.”
I deadpanned an expression in his direction. Righteo.Nobody asked you.
Asher grinned, and I hated and loved it so much. I lifted the trident higher, wondering if I could actually damage him. Or would the feelings I had for him stop me from breaking his face?
Guess we were about to find out.
Just as Striker had shown me, I didn’t hesitate, swinging around in one rapid arc and lashing out. Jesse lifted his weapon in time—just in time—and it was only the shifter reflexes that stopped him getting a serious love slap in the face. He flashed his toothy lion grin at me, and all I felt was raging hurt that the bastard had been ignoring me too. Jesse had been my rock when I lost Asher; we’d held each other together. But he’d chosen, and it hadn’t been me, and I would show no mercy.
“That wasn’t very nice, sweetheart,” Jesse said.
I wanted to rage something back at him, but I forced my mind to remain calm and clear. Losing control of myself in this moment was not going to help anyone. “Attack,” Striker snapped from the sidelines. “This is not a dance.”
Asher was the one moving now, and despite what Striker said, itwaslike a dance—lethal, fluid movements that flowed from one to the other. I was so mesmerized that when the weapon slammed into my side, it took me a second to realize I’d been hit.
