York (10 page)

Chapter
18

Sky’s heart felt like it had hardened to stone.  York left her behind.  Her feet shuffled along as she followed several feet behind Fatal
, weariness still tugging at her.  She was only vaguely aware of Rohm following not far behind. 

“It’s not too late to change your mind,” Fatal spoke without turning to her.

She looked up, his words drawing her from her self-pity.  “Change my mind about what?”

“Rohm would like to claim you.  A
Keeper
would never leave his female behind.”

Sky felt compelled to defend York’s
actions.  “It wasn’t safe for him to take me.  He’s coming back.”

Fatal chuffed a laugh.  “No Keeper would ever trust another male with their unmarked female.”

Confusion knitted Sky’s brows.  “Unmarked?”

Fatal stopped and Sky almost ran into his back.  He turned to stare down at her.  The
ruling Keeper was devastatingly handsome.  His hair was long and impossibly dark, reminding her of a raven’s wing with near blue highlights glinting in the minimal light of the corridor.  His eyes glittered in the darkness.  The color reminded her of York’s, but held none of the softness that her Walker’s eyes held when he looked upon her. High cheek-bones and a square jaw enunciated his masculinity, while his full lips—set in an ever-present  frown—beckoned for attention.  Fatal was handsome, yet Sky was surprised to find no real attraction to the ruling Keeper. 

York!
  Her heart squeezed with the desire to be near her Walker.  “What do you mean unmarked?”

Fatal’s
eyes dipped to the band around her throat, and she reached up to tentatively finger the gift from York. 

“Your mating is not yet complete.”

“Mating?  Wha…” she didn’t get to finish.

Fatal’s
eyes lifted from hers to look over her shoulder.  “Take her. See if you can change her mind.”

Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind and panic
consumed her.  “What?  Wait!”  She struggled in Rohm’s hold.  “YOU PROMISED!” she screamed, terrified of finding out how Rohm intended on changing her mind.

“I promised not to touch you.  I promised to care for you.  I am not touching you
, and I’m caring for you by giving you the opportunity to accept a male who is better suited to protecting you.  Clearly, these Walkers are weak.”  Fatal stepped closer and lifted his head in haughty arrogance, “Keepers are not!”  He jerked his head toward Rohm. “Take her, but ensure you have her permission before you seed her.” He dipped his eyes back to Sky with a sinister smile.  “That way I will have kept my word.”  Then he turned and stalked down the hall.

Seed her? 
Sky wrestled to be free of Rohm’s firm hold as she yelled, “I DO NOT CONSENT!  I’LL NEVER CONSENT!”  When Fatal disappeared into the darkness Sky hissed over her shoulder, “I’ll never be yours!  I belong to York!”  His name came out on a sob as despair filled her.  Would Rohm rape her?  Would York come back?  They should have never trusted Fatal. 
They,
she scoffed dejectedly.  York had been the one to trust her with the Keepers.  Blame didn’t matter now.  She’d fight to the death before she allowed Rohm or any of Fatal’s Keepers to touch her!

Alone in the corridor, s
he jerked and kicked, but stilled at Rohm’s rumbled, “Be still!  I have no desire for a mated female.”

Really? 
Afraid to lend voice to her disbelief, she was wary of believing the Keeper.  “Then let me go,” she challenged and stumbled backward when he did as asked.

“Come!” he commanded and turned to stalk down the hall.  When Sky didn’t immediately follow he stopped to frown at her over his shoulder
. “Or you can wait for Fatal to send another Keeper for you.  We are extremely short on females in our brood.  Many would fight to claim you, regardless of your band or the Walker’s scent.”

That got Sky’s feet
moving, and she stayed close behind Rohm as she followed him down the long corridor that Fatal had taken.  “W-where are we going?”

“You can wait in my
den until your mate returns.”

Sky’s feet stuttered to a halt. 
His den?  Uhhh, NO!

This time Rohm didn’t stop.  “Force is patrolling the corridors. I suggest you follow. He’s earned his name.”

Sky debated.  Race out into the arms of the waiting Megalya, stay here and fight off some Keeper named
Force
, or take my chances that Rohm really doesn’t want a mated female.  Hmm.  She hurried to catch up before he disappeared in the darkened corridor. 

He led her to a room that was nothing like she’d expected.  “Um?”  She eyed the stone walls.  There was nothing in the room except a bed in one corner.  No shelves, no window, no TV, no books.  “What is a
den?”

He frowned at her as if it were obvious. “It is where we sleep.  Where we go to be alone.”

Wrapping her arms around herself, she looked at the bed.  There wasn’t anything else in the room to look at besides Rohm.  “D-don’t you watch TV or read?”

“Some do.  I do not.  I eat, hunt,
fight and sleep.”

“Hunt?”  She was almost afraid to ask.  “Hunt what?”

“Females.”

Her gut
clenched, and she backed up a step.  When he snarled, her eyes shot to him.

“I
do
not
harm women.  I just…need one.”  He suddenly looked uncertain.  “I’m leaving you here with Zavier.  If I stay, I’ll take you and I don’t want a recently mated female.”  He stared at her evenly. “Let us hope your Walker is back before his scent on you fades.”

Holding out his arms, his chest shimmered and then turned white.  Something was forming in the center of his
chest, and then it shot forward.  A huge polar bear appeared and turned to chuff loudly at Rohm before turning its attention to Sky.

She paled and backed toward the bed.

“Do not touch my bed,” Rohm demanded.  “If he scents you there he’ll think you’re ours.” 

Sky froze.  “Is…is he s-safe?”  She smiled at the great beast.

“Safer to you than I am right now.”  Then Rohm stalked to the door and slammed it behind him leaving her alone with Zavier.

Chapter
19

York’s call from the nearest hotel was short.  Monroe was eager to set up a meeting with the Keepers
.  He’d informed York that a team was already dispatched when they’d received York’s distress call. 

As penance for having injured Commander
Drago’s Angel, Skin Walker Remy McCabe had agreed to take over his team so that Commander Drago could temporarily step-down from his post to spend time with his new family.  Remy was coming with his team, consisting of Shane, James, and Marko.  Good Walkers.  Relief flooded York, but was short-lived.  The team would arrive in the Philippines in approximately twelve hours.  York couldn’t wait.  He secured permission, apprised Monroe of his near claiming of Sky, gave explicit details on the location of the Keeper’s den and ended the call.  He was going back for Sky alone.

***

Sky heard York before he’d even burst through the door to Rohm’s den.  Zavier was instantly on alert and turned with his hackles up to growl ferociously at York even as Rohm rushed the room to calm his Soul Sentry.  Without a word, Rohm’s arms opened wide and Zavier jumped into the Keeper’s shimmering chest.  With one last longing look at Sky, Rohm left his den.

“Are you alright?” York rushed to her, but she jerked back from him.

“I’m fine.”

“Sky?”  He grabbed her hand, ignoring the obvious fact that she was still upset and hurt over him leaving her.  “It had to be done.  It was the only way.”

She did feel a little guilty knowing that they’d been backed into a corner and had little choice, but it didn’t mean she still wasn’t wounded by the ease with which he’d left her.  Plus, Fatal’s words played round and round in her head.  “A
Keeper
would never leave his female behind.”

She dropped her chin to study her hands.  “He offered me to Rohm.”

York snarled viciously and her head jerked up.  His eyes had changed color and were a terrifying black.  His hands grabbed her and yanked her to him as he lowered his head and sniffed at her incessantly.

“He…he didn’t touch me, York.”  She pushed at his chest, but he contin
ued to scent her.  “He said he didn’t want a claimed female.”

Whatever he’d been looking for, or
not
looking for must have appeased him because York’s eyes transitioned back to the sea green she so loved. 

“Lying snake!” The words were spoken through gnashed teeth and his eyes sparked with fury before he drew in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, seemingly attempting to calm himself.

Lowering his head to hers, his expression softened.   “Never again!”  Lifting his head, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the hall, “I’m getting you out of here.”  He took only a few steps before a Rohm appeared at the end of the hall.

“Fatal requests your presence.”  He turned  and disappeared into the darkness.

“Can’t we just leave?” Sky whispered, suddenly gripping Yorks hand.  She’d be pissed later.  Right now she wanted away from these Keepers.  “He lied.”

York growled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he pulled her down the hall with him the in direction Rohm had disappeared.  “We’ll meet with Fatal and then we’ll leave.”

***

“I challenge for her!” Valor—one of Fatal’s Keepers-- stepped forward.  His eyes locked on Sky.

“NO!” York snarled stepping forward. 
He’d intended on confronting Fatal over his deceit and hadn’t expected
another
Keeper to attempt to claim his angel.  What was it with this creatures and their penchant for taking females?  “She is claimed!”

“Not fully,” Fatal countered
, with a tilt of his head to eye York inquisitively.  “And why is that?”  He flicked his gaze to Sky and let his eyes rove up and down her frame.  “She is very appealing, and her mind is not weak.  She’s accepted our existence and apparently yours with great stride.  So, why haven’t you fully claimed her?”  Fatal’s eyes narrowed on York.  “Do you not want her?”

“I’m waiting for
her acceptance of me.”

Sky laced her fingers through York’s drawing his gaze down to her.

Fatal sneered.  “Why not take what you want?  It is what Keepers do.”

York pulled his hand from Sky’s and dropped an arm over her shoulder to pull her into him.  “It is not the Walker way.  I will have her when
she
is ready.”

I’m ready!
Sky screamed in her head, knowing that if it meant keeping her away from these Keepers, she’d let York “claim” her in a heartbeat. 

“I want her!”

The declaration had Sky’s eyes jerking back to the Keeper who had stepped forward.

“It is not their way, Valor.”

Valor?
  Well, he certainly wasn’t living up to his name.

“It is our way,” Valor challenged.  “And they are in our den.  Let us abide by Keeper law.”

Fatal turned to eye York, who in turn shoved Sky behind his back.  A fierce growl rumbled from his chest before he threatened in an animalistic tone, “Any Keeper who attempts to take what’s mine will die!”

Valor took a step closer
, as if accepting the challenge, and York hunched his shoulders, preparing for battle.  From behind, Sky saw fur sprout up along his forearms and a loud growly rumble continuously emitted from his chest as he grew in size.

“Enough!” Fatal snarled.  “
Your challenge is denied, Valor.  I cannot have a battle between you two sullying any potential alliance.  He looked directly at Valor.  “Leave.”

Valor didn’t move.  He continued to sneer at Fatal until Fatal spread his arms wide, the center of his chest shimmering.  “LEAVE!” he commanded more firmly.

Valor, eyes snapping in fury, gave one last look to York.  “When next we meet.”  He turned to smile wickedly at Sky.  “You’ll be mine!”

The sound of rapidly approaching feet had Fatal spinning.  “Force? What is it?”  There was no alarm in his voice
only mild annoyance.

The one called Force stopped with a scowl.  “Another like him,” his eyes flicked to York.  “Is outside.  He says he’s with them.”

York’s hackles rose.  Remy and his team would still be too far out.  Unless…

“By all means,” Fatal waved his hand through the air, palm side up. 

Force disappeared, and the group waited.

Short minutes later, footsteps could be heard before Force re-entered behind a
huge, hulking figure.  The large man’s arm was covered in a tattoo that Sky knew was Maori.  His dark hair was pulled back into a knot. 

Ignoring all others in the room, the Walker looked
at York.  “Crow sent me.  I am Ryker.  I live in the area.  The Walker’s eyes shifted to Sky and the halo around her neck.  “Your Angel?”

York nodded, relieved that another Walker had arrived.

“Why are you here?” Fatal queried.

“I’ll remain with you,” Ryker turned to Fatal, “until transport arrives.  His eyes cut back to York.  “Get your
Angel out of here.”

York looked to Fatal, waiting for the ruling Keeper to protest. 

              Fatal’s nostrils flared as he scented the new Walker.  Keeping his eyes on Ryker, he flicked his fingers at York.  “Go.  This one can stay.  Your female’s presence is causing me problems.”

Without hesitation, York
nodded once at Ryker before turning and pulling Sky quickly along behind him.  He’d thank Ryker properly later.  Right now, his only concern was getting Sky safely back to his hotel.