Page 32 of Guardians of the Assassins
She bit her lip to hold back her smile at seeing him practically bristling with sharp and pointy items. The guys normally didn’t fight with blades, each of them weapons in their own right, and she was surprised at how sexy they looked decked out with the hardware.
Ascher noticed her preoccupation first, giving her a flirty wink. Unfortunately, much to her disappointment, he refrained from doing anything about it.
The rest of the guys seemed to find her pouting amusing.
Well, except Ryder.
He purposely turned his back to her, his shoulders hunched, refusing to look, and a secret thrill went through her at knowing he wasn’t able to resist her when she batted her lashes at him.
As they headed outside, the amusement fell away, each of them becoming deadly warriors.
And damn were they a sight, enough to steal her breath when they all turned to look at her.
At the door, each of her mates gave her a kiss, something that was quickly becoming a custom she loved when they went out on a mission. Kincade and Atlas both kept things light. Ascher lingered at the taste of her lips, his eyes heavy lidded when he pulled back. Ryder and Draven didn’t care who watched, kissing her like their life depended on it, leaving her head spinning, and a hungry moan escaped her.
Ryder and Draven puffed out their chests at her reaction, which only served to amuse the others. She touched shaky fingers to her lips, thanking her lucky stars for her mates.
They made her hellish existence bearable.
She’d gladly go through everything again if it meant having them in her life.
Louis looked amused at the guys’ antics, but it was Caedmon’s reaction that had what little remaining breath in her lungs catch.
There was so much yearning in his expression that it was painful to witness. He locked his eyes on hers, but instead of shutting down or turning away, his yellow eyes blazed with emotions she had no hope of deciphering.
“I’ll gather the others.” Then he was gone, breaking the connection, and the ground seemed to shift under her feet.
She took a step after him, not sure what she intended, and nearly stumbled off the last step. It brought her back to herself with a nasty thump, and she absently reached up to rub her chest, unable to get over the feeling that she’d lost something precious.
Not liking the unsettling feeling, she peered at the guys, wondering if they’d noticed the exchange, but they were double-checking their weapons and she couldn’t help but wonder if she imagined the whole thing.
Then it didn’t matter when a dozen werewolves joined them. They were followed by a group of shifters that were a mix of Louis’s men and a few strays that sought to join the coven. Much to her surprise, more and more showed up each week, ever since the Academy opened up their doors to shifters. She wasn’t sure if they were looking for a place to belong or wanted to prove to the world that they were more than just beasts in human form.
Ryder said that they were drawn to the coven because of her. While the thought left her a little queasy, she welcomed the added protection. She had been much like them once, looking for a new start to life. A family.
It was only because the Academy gave her a chance that she left her old life behind. She was determined to do the same for any who wanted a second chance.
As they headed out on foot, she spotted Loki hunkered down, trying to blend in with a few wolves. His head and shoulderswere slunk low to the ground, but it left his ass sticking out in the air, his tail pointed almost straight up.
Since he was taller than the wolves, it was like having a sign pointed right at him.
She tipped her head to the side as she watched him, then snorted when it looked like he was walking on his tip toes. It was so exaggerated that his whole body looked like he was moving in slow motion.
The others noticed her distraction, looked over their shoulder, and couldn’t hold back their grins.
She stopped and stood to the side, letting the others pass, only to step in front of Loki.
His nose hit the tip of her boot, and he froze.
Balanced on the tips of his toes.
Nothing moved but his eyebrows as he slowly lifted his gaze up to hers.
“Sorry, big guy, but I need you to stay behind and watch over the coven.” He heaved a massive sigh, his whole body seeming to melt to the ground in a puddle of sad puppy, and she felt like a monster for denying him. She squatted in front of him, scratching him behind the ear. “I need you to do something for me.”
Though he refused to look at her, his ears perked up and swiveled in her direction. “Keep watch over MacGregor, Stanley, and Séamus for me. You know how easily they find trouble if no one is watching them.”
The massive gardog cocked his head to the side, as if debating his answer. Then he gave a soft woof in reply, something that he was picking up from the shifters. He shot to his feet, his tongue lashing out, slapping her on the side of her face, leaving a swath of slobber from her chin to her forehead.
