On Wicked Ground (Solsti Prophecy Book 4) (20 page)

“Holy shit,” Gin muttered under her breath. “That was awesome on so many levels.”

“Um, thanks. But I didn’t exactly mean to do that. And I didn’t mean to piss off Arawn.”

“Pfft.” Gin smirked. “What’s he gonna do about it?”

Alina rolled her lips to hold in a smile. “True.”

Caine and Mathias finished up with a few practice holds, then fist bumped and walked out of the ring. Caine searched for her in the small crowd, finding her easily. He didn’t take his eyes off her as he started up the steps, his expression unreadable.

What would he think of her impromptu power display? She bit her lip, eyes raking his chest. Every muscle was so sculpted and perfect, she couldn’t help it. Just like she couldn’t help the urge to protect him, however irrational that was.

The bench dipped as Caine settled at her left. “Hey.” He shoved a hand through his hair.

“Hey,” she muttered. “I’m sorry about that.”

He grinned a lopsided sexy smile that quelled any worry she might have had. “I’m not. That was pretty fucking cool.”

“It was?” Her shoulders sagged in relief.

“Hell yes. Was that on purpose?”

She shook her head. “No. It was an accident.”

He shrugged. “That’s all right. You just need practice.”

Mathias climbed the tiers to sit on the other side of Gin. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her soundly.

“You’re so sweaty!” She scrunched her nose, but her face glowed with happiness.

“Caine gave me a good run for a while there.” Mathias scrubbed a hand over his jaw.

“The old man’s got some moves, I gotta admit.” Caine took a long swig of his water and nodded at Mathias.

“Old man?” Alina asked.

“Shit. The
real
old man’s down there right now, in my sister’s choke hold.” Mathias pointed to the pair still sparring, where Ria had a seemingly solid elbow lock around Arawn’s throat.

“How old is he?” Alina was riveted as Arawn managed to break Ria’s hold and then tried to toss her to her back.

“Eight hundred something. Give or take a few decades,” Mathias said.

Eight hundred?
Alina knew demons lived a long time, longer than other supernatural races. But this made her feel like a baby.

Ria darted and ducked, blond curls trying to escape her tight braid. Arawn stalked her like he wanted to throttle her, moving with lethal precision. Alina swallowed. “Um, will she be okay? Will he go easy on her because she’s female?”

“Oh man, do
not
let her hear you say that.” Caine chuckled.

“She would kick anyone’s ass if they dared treat her like a girl.” Mathias grinned. “She’s unbelievably tough. Not that I’m biased or anything. Just watch.”

Pride for his sister shone in his eyes. Alina turned to watch as Ria freed herself from a face-down pin, then whirled to block every one of Arawn’s blows. The two of them fought like they had something to prove, and Alina wondered what simmered between them. It seemed everyone here had a secret or a story—or ten.

Finally, Arawn snarled and pinned both of Ria’s arms behind her back. She moved to slam her head into his nose, but he leaned to the side in time. His knees nudged the backs of hers, removing her leverage, and he squeezed her arms together. Alina squeaked and grabbed Caine’s arm. “Oh no, he’s gonna dislocate her shoul—”

Ria gritted her teeth and mouthed something Alina couldn’t discern. Arawn released her.

Alina released a breath. “My god, that was intense. Are all your sparring sessions like this?”

“No.” Caine swiped at his face with his T-shirt. “We have more Watchers in house and less out on wide patrols tonight. Guess that’s why he joined in. Arawn likes to get in the ring or on the mats whenever he can. He just has to deal with bureaucratic shit more often than he likes.”

“Show’s over.” Mathias stood and leveled a wicked smile at Gin. “I’m taking my mate upstairs to do all kinds of dirty things to her.”

Alina giggled. Gin smacked his chest, but the heat in her stare was purely appreciative.

“Night.” Alina watched Mathias tuck Gin close to his side as they made their way down to the grass.

The sun dipped below the tree line, leaving only a splash of orange in the west. A few bright stars twinkled in the dark velvet sky and Alina looked up to study them. If she was ever out at night it was within city limits, and any stars were dimmed by urban lights. Aside from heavily populated areas, Torth was wild and dangerous at night, full of roving hordes that even the Watchers preferred to avoid. “Is there some kind of ward around here,” she gestured in a wide arc, “to keep the nighttime predators away?”

“Yes. It’s a magical barrier. If you’re on the outside, you can’t see it, even if you’re right in front of it. It changes constantly, showing different scenes and landscapes.”

“So even if someone found this place, they wouldn’t know they were here?”

“Exactly.”

“You were really good out there.” Alina dropped a hand on his thigh and traced circles on his black fatigues.

“I have to be, going up against the Hunter.” Caine snorted. “Dude’s not here that much, and when he is, look out.”

“Gin said that he could tell we…you and I, um…had sex.” Her voice raised on the last two words, wondering if he would care that his friend was so observant.

Caine’s expression didn’t change. “Not surprised. He can smell everything. Does it bother you that he knows?”

“No. Does it bother you?”

A devilish grin spread across his face. “Hell no, Boots.” He cupped her nape. “I’m just sorry that little bite mark you gave me already faded.”

She turned to examine his unmarred shoulder. “Oh. Um…I didn’t mean to do that. It just kind of happened.”

“Well, it can ‘just kind of happen’ again anytime.” His hand slid down her back, caressing her as surely as his deep voice did. “And anyway, carrying your scent has its advantages.”

“Advantages? What do you mean?”

“All the other males know we’ve been together, and they’ll leave you alone.”

“No one was bothering me. I’ve barely talked to anyone except family and you since I got here.”

“You talked to Brenin.”

Oh. Is he jealous?
“I just ran into him for a second. When I was leaving
your
room.” She nudged him with her elbow, hoping to sound playful.

He shook his head and chuckled. “I’m just teasing you. He wanted me to give you this.” He reached into his right pocket and pulled out a thin silver blade.

“That’s right!” she exclaimed. “He said he found a dagger in the weapons room. A small one.” She took it gently, marveling at the intricate scroll patterns carved into the metal hilt. Peering closer, she sucked in a breath. “It has an A on it. Look!”

Caine leaned close enough for his breath to skate across her ear. “I know.”

“Did you add this? Did he?”

“No. Though I wish I had, if it puts that look on your face.”

She turned to meet his dark eyes. “It just happened to be in the weapons room, with no one using it, and my initial on it?”

“Looks like it was meant to be.” His eyes dropped to her mouth. “Just hanging out here, waiting for you to give it purpose.”

A tingle of warning shot up her spine at the possible direction he was heading. Problem was, she couldn’t go there. And yet she couldn’t back away. His nearness was intoxicating.

“Um, you know, it feels like it’s just the right weight for me.” Her voice came out louder and more cheerful than she intended. “I want to practice throwing it.”

“Now?” His hand slid around her hip.

“Yes.”

“Can’t have an unhappy Solsti.” His hand tightened and he didn’t move to get up.

Her heart thudded in her chest. If he kissed her, she would melt into him and she didn’t know if that was a good idea. But resisting his lips wasn’t going to happen. They added sensual softness to the chiseled perfection of his face, beckoning with the promise of devastating kisses.

She released a breath and her body leaned forward as if it were done listening to her mental struggle. It knew what it wanted.

His mouth covered hers and his free hand slid into her hair. And just like the other times they’d kissed, all rational thought fled her mind. Warnings and complications dissolved like mist and disappeared into the ether. She only wanted to get as close to him as possible.

He licked at the seam of her lips and she opened for him, allowing him to take over the kiss as heat uncoiled deep in her abdomen. She wrapped an arm around his brawny bicep. Every nerve attuned to him, awash in his heat and woodsy scent. And his size…he had to weigh twice as much as she, if not more. And every ounce was solid muscle, honed to a lethal edge.

Abruptly he grunted and pulled back, glancing down.

She followed his gaze and gasped, mortified. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry! Are you okay?”

Her new dagger, having gone slack in her hand, was poking him in the thigh.

He shook his head, “It’ll take more than that to hurt me, Boots.”

“Oh. That’s right. I knew that.” Her cheeks heated, even though she knew it was only a scratch.

His fingers skated down her bicep. “Anyway, you wanted to practice.”

“Yes.” She straightened and stood. “Let’s go.”

They descended the steps and reached the grass of the field. “Where can I throw this?” she asked, looking around for a target.

He folded his arms over his chest. “Can you make one?”

“Make one?” She scrunched her nose.

“Make a big ball of dirt or something. Or something that looks like our archery targets—only made of packed dirt.” He grinned. “Come on. I bet you could, and you need the practice.”

She nodded, eyes sweeping over the grassy field. “Yeah, okay. If we’re outside, I can’t bring down the building.” She bit her lip. “At least, I hope not.”

“This way.” He caught her hand in his. “There’s another practice ring that’s dirt, not grass.”

They walked several yards past the sparring rings, with fire bulbs flicking on when they drew closer. Their destination was farther from the building, which made her feel a tiny bit better. She had more wiggle room this way, in case her power got out of control.

Reaching the edge of the dirt circle, Caine released her hand and looked at her expectantly. Boyish anticipation lit his face.

“You can’t wait to see me do this, can you?” she asked.

“Nope.” He rocked back on his heels. “Go for it.”

She pondered the dirt as a centipede skittered in front of her toes. She’d never used her power on purpose. Maybe it would be like her cloaking ability? She used it by summoning the existing shadows to drape her body…maybe she could summon the earth to listen to her?

Picking a spot in the dirt about six feet in front of her, she took a deep breath. The ground was dry as if the area hadn’t had rain for a while. She willed the top layers of soil to lift and meld.

A low rumble and groan emanated from the spot she’d picked. The ground gave a slight tremble, but nothing like what had happened in the ring earlier. This was much more subdued.

Caine let out a low whistle as the moving mass of dirt in front of them pulled in on itself, shaping and shrinking until it was a tightly packed ball, two feet in diameter. The earth went silent and still.

“Holy shit, woman. You did it!” He turned to her, appreciation shining in his eyes. “How do you feel?”

“Fine. Excited.” She couldn’t keep a grin off her face. Sure, all she did was make a dirt ball, but it was only the beginning. “I want to make another and set it on top, to make the target higher.” She moved through the same mental steps, and in a minute, she had a second, slightly smaller ball, sitting on the first. “Time to throw. And let’s hope my new creation doesn’t crumble the first time I throw my knife.”

Her blade really was small, as far as weapons went. Dancing points of reflected fire light gleamed on its surface as she hefted its slight weight in her hand. Perfect. She drew her arm back and hurled it.

The dagger sailed end over end in a series of silver flashes, and with a solid
thunk
, embedded in the target. She let out a tiny breath of relief that the thing held together.

Caine gave a low whistle. “Not bad, Boots.” He jogged to retrieve it and yanked it out with practiced ease. He walked back and handed it to her. “Try for a repeat.”

“Of course.” Confident, she threw it again, hitting the same spot. She ran to withdraw it from the dirt and returned to her spot.

“Did your dad teach you how to throw?” Caine asked.

“He taught me everything,” she answered.

“Everything?” Caine arched a brow.

Alina giggled. “Well, when it was time to make sure I understood about sex, he sent me to the healer woman in the town where we were staying. Guess that was too embarrassing.”

Caine chuckled. “Yeah, if I’m ever blessed with a daughter, I think I’ll have to send her to be a temple maiden somewhere. She’ll never have sex.”

His words carried a subtle sense of longing, and Alina was reminded all over again that he’d lost the ones he held dear. Frustration burned at her fingertips, and she threw her knife again.

A daughter. One she would never give him.
Wait.
What the hell?
Her heart gave a strange pounding flutter, like it was beating too fast. The knife sailed wide of the target. She knew it as soon as it left her hand, and she didn’t wait for Caine to get it for her. She ran to the target and yanked the blade out, glaring at the lumpy dirt. It was way too soon to be thinking of daughters. Now or ever. That was ridiculous.
Stop it.

“You okay, Boots?” His voice rang out across the grass, a rumble that made her melt and instantly calmed the nerves he didn’t even know were fraying. She plastered on a smile and turned back.

“I just hate to miss.” She shrugged.

He folded his arms, dark eyes glittering like he saw right through her. “Me too.”

She reached him and raised an eyebrow. “You try it.”

He laughed “With your little tiny dagger?”

“Hey!” She slammed a hand on her hip. “What if it’s the only weapon around?”

“True.” He fake-grumbled through a smile. “Lemme have it.”