“Fine. Just need rest.” He cracked his eyes open and attempted a smile. She scowled at him, not willing to be pushed away so easily.
“Paden, what happened? Was it healing all of those people?” Ree brushed the hair back from his forehead.
“Poison, I think.” He tried to move, but Ree pushed him back down. “Took a lot to heal. Was everywhere. Couldn’t let her just die.”
“Who?” Ree ran her hands over his shoulders, anxiety making her feel jumpy.
“Arrows.” Paden shook his head a little. “Don’t know her name.”
Ree thought back to the dock. “The lady with the two arrows? They were poisoned?”
“Meant for Guardians.” Paden’s eyes closed again and his shoulders sagged. “Difficult to heal from.”
“But you healed more people after her!” Ree shook his shoulders gently. When he didn’t respond right away, she looked around the bathroom and grabbed a towel from the basket next to the counter. Shifting Paden, she pushed him down onto the floor and placed the rolled up towel under his head. Rubbing the heel of her hand across her forehead, she shook her head in worry.
“Just too much. Couldn’t let them hurt.” Paden didn’t open his eyes, his words barely a whisper.
“Can you heal from this?” Looking at Paden, Ree’s worry turned to fear.
“Yes. Need a little time.” Paden cracked an eye. “Fine in a few minutes. Then go.”
“Dammit, Paden. We’re not going anywhere like this.” Ree shook her head.
“Ree, you cannot wait much longer.” Aphrodite’s voice coasted along the walls. Ree jumped to her feet, while Paden struggled to sit up.
“We can’t go if he is hurt.” Ree looked at the goddess warily.
“Ares managed to escape.” Aphrodite’s words sent a shiver of fear through Ree. “You need to end this now.”
“Can’t go without me.” Paden managed to lever himself up and slumped against the wall.
“What help would you be right now?” Aphrodite tsked. She walked toward Paden and knelt down so she could look him in the eyes.
“I will always go where she goes.” Paden stared at the goddess, his words vibrating with certainty.
Aphrodite looked back at Ree and smiled before looking back at Paden. “Of course you will.”
“Aphrodite, how did Ares manage to escape?” Ree looked at the goddess where she knelt.
“He has exchanged blood with the dark gods.” Fire circled in Aphrodite’s eyes. “He was able to break the chains used in Hades.”
“He had fangs.” Ree looked at the goddess. “And he knows—“
“Say nothing, Alastriana.” Aphrodite’s voice turned sharp. “Some things are better left unsaid. I’ve guessed at your plight, which is why I am here. I bear a gift for your hero.”
The goddess turned back to Paden and pushed his hair away from his forehead. The look she gave him made Ree’s anger simmer and the power hummed in her chest. Taking his face in both hands, the goddess leaned forward and very gently placed a kiss on his forehead. Sighing softly, she ducked her head and pressed her lips to Paden’s. Ree’s immediate reaction was to stab the goddess with something pointy, but she tried to stay calm. However, she couldn’t help the flow of power that gathered around her feet. Her agitation only increased when she realized that she couldn’t move.
The goddess pulled back and looked down at Paden, a seductive smile curling her lips as she trailed her hand down his chest. “I’ve always had a soft spot for heroes.” Standing up, the goddess brushed her hands together as if removing dirt and turned to look at Ree. “Stop trying to hiss at me, Alastriana. I did you a favor. Seems like I should get a little something out of the deal.”
Aphrodite smiled at Ree, her amusement almost palpable. “Besides. Now you’re even.”
As soon as the goddess left the room, Ree was free from her restraints.
“You bitch.” Ree almost fell forward, her muscles set on moving as her mouth formed the words she had been mentally chanting. Dropping down to her knees, Ree lifted Paden’s chin and looked into his eyes.
“Are you okay? Paden?” Ree’s entire body went still as Paden’s eyes met hers.
“Come here.” Paden lifted one hand and pressed it to the back of her neck. Heat seemed to shoot down Ree’s spine and her body immediately curved into his.
“Paden?” Her breathing became heavy, her words a whisper. His thumb rubbed small circles just over the pulse point below her ear and she found it hard to think coherently.
“Ree. Do you trust me?” His voice was husky and his fangs slid down, to make indents on his bottom lip.
“Always.” Ree leaned closer to him, something pulling her forward. As if everything else in the world had fallen away and they were the only things left.
“I want to taste you.” His words sent a shiver over Ree. She knew it would hurt, that he would never ask, but she couldn’t deny the pull emanating from Paden. Underneath everything else, she also knew it would help him.
“Yes.” Pressing even closer, Ree turned her head and brushed the hair from her neck.
He leaned forward and trailed his lips slowly over her throat, before opening his mouth wide. When his fangs pierced her skin, her back bowed and pleasure ripped through her body. Nothing mattered but the feel of his mouth on her. With each sip, she could feel his strength return. Paden’s hands moved to slide along her back, pressing her even closer. When he finally pulled back, it was to look at Ree in shock. Her body still humming from the pleasure, she was confused at the look on his face.
“Oh, God, Ree. I’m so sorry.” He looked down at her throat and his jaw tensed. Gently, he ran his thumb over the punctures and wiped away the blood.
She had to bite her lip to keep from purring when touched her neck, her body caught in after-shocks. Taking a deep breath, she leaned back and shook her head a little in an attempt to try and clear it. She could feel his fingers work their healing magic while he touched her.
“It’s okay. You needed it.” Ree closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them to look at Paden.
“I could’ve hurt you. You need your energy just as much as I do!” Paden leaned his head back against the wall. “Now we have to push the attack back. You can’t go if you aren’t one-hundred-percent.”
“You didn’t hurt me.” Ree narrowed her eyes. “I’m guessing we have Aphrodite to thank for that.”
Paden’s cheeks turned pink. “Ree, I didn’t—“
“I’m not mad at you, Pay.” Ree leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his. “It is what it is. And, if this is the trade off, then we didn’t come out too badly.”
“How do you feel?” Paden lifted her chin so he could look her in the eyes. “Be honest. You aren’t helping anyone by rushing out of here and not being at your best.”
Ree took a minute to answer, honestly trying to assess how she felt. She reached up and touched her neck, but there was no lingering pain. She moved off of Paden’s lap and stood up. There was no dizziness or exhaustion.
“I feel a little tired, but not much.” Ree held her hand out to Paden and pulled him to his feet. “Nothing a little food won’t cure. How about you?”
“Much better.” He looked at Ree, his mouth pulling to the side in a grin. Obviously he was feeling better now that he knew Ree hadn’t been hurt. “That was… interesting.”
“You could say that.” Ree smiled at him. “Definitely different.”
“I wonder why it didn’t seem to affect you as much, the blood loss I mean.” Paden squatted and started cleaning up the broken glass and blood from the floor. He looked at her feet and frowned. “Did you cut your feet?”
“They’ve already healed.” Ree looked down at the blood that was soaking her socks and shrugged. “Maybe you just didn’t need as much of my blood because I have an extra dose of the power.”
“Maybe.” He stared at her feet. “Why didn’t you put shoes on?”
Ree just stared at him. Did he really think she was going to worry about a little glass when he was lying on the floor hurting? He looked up at her, obviously sensing he had said something wrong.
“What?”
“Would you have put shoes on if I had been on the floor?” Ree raised an eyebrow.
“Of course not.” Paden stood up and dumped the glass in the trash can. “But, I’m the man and—oofh!”
Ree grabbed him around the neck, pulling him into a headlock. “You might not want to finish that sentence.”
“It was a joke! I swear!” Paden’s laugh made Ree smile, her heart fluttering in relief to hear him back to normal. She let him go, but grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug.
“Don’t do that again, Paden. You scared the hell out of me.” She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent.
“I’m sorry.” He pressed his lips to her hair.
After a moment, Ree pulled him into the room so they could change. She kicked off her clothes and pulled on the ones she had picked out earlier. Paden stood watching her for a minute, his eyes serious.
“I think your clothes were moved into my closet, if you want to change. We’ve got to leave soon.” Ree pulled on her boots and smiled while Paden rustled through the clothes.
“Well, it’s really starting to get creepy on the island.” Paden’s voice was muffled as he traded his dirty shirt for a new one.
“What do you mean?” Ree grabbed her dagger and sheath from her bedside stand and rolled up her jeans. She tightened the straps around her calf and zipped up her boot.
“They show up everywhere, move our things around without asking, and have weird ideas about what is acceptable.” Paden shook his head. “It’s like living with giant-sized toddlers.”
“I try to pretend that they’re ghost butlers. Taking care of things, but with a hint of mischief.” Ree stood up and grabbed a jacket out of the closet.
As they headed out of Ree’s room, Paden chuckled. “Ghost butlers, huh?”
“Yeah. Makes it seem a little less creepy.”
“Ghost butlers aren’t creepy?” Paden bumped into Ree with his elbow.
“I said less creepy. You can’t make it completely creep-free.” Ree pulled at the sleeves of her coat as they walked, trying to make them a little loose.
“You know I love you, right, little one?” Paden smiled down at her. His old term of endearment warmed Ree’s heart.
“Yeah, yeah. If you mess up my hair, I’m going to stick you in a shield and leave you here.” Ree looked up at Paden and smiled.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Roland sniffed at the air when they entered the training room, his eyes running over Ree and Paden. Ree couldn’t help but notice that his eyes lingered on her neck. It wasn’t something she really wanted to discuss with everyone and certainly not right now.
The others were ready and waiting. Ree felt her good mood melt away to something harder, rougher. Her body seemed to become tighter, her steps more deliberate as she walked toward her weapons. Goosebumps erupted along her arms, as if the air around her understood what she was getting ready to do.
Ree walked over to where she had stored her sword and took it down from the rack. Carefully, she unsheathed the blade and checked for anything she might have missed when cleaning it. Once she was certain it was in good shape, she returned it to the scabbard and attached it to her hip. Next she pulled down the two short swords that hung from pegs. Paden helped her slip on the harness that would hold them tightly against her back. Once she had been loaded down with weapons, she turned to look at the others.
There was a sense of calm, a feeling of rightness in Ree’s heart. It was now or never. Would Tristan wake tonight and feel the change? Would he know she was coming for him? In a few short hours, the fate of the world would be decided. Ree nodded her head and closed her eyes for a moment. She focused on her love and respect for her friends, her faith in all of them, and knew that they would be able to feel it.
When she opened her eyes, everyone was standing, ready to leave. “Let’s do this.”
“What, no team cheer?” Weylin smiled at Ree.
“One for all!And all for one!” Melanie held her sword up in salute.
“Death to the demons!” Roland lifted his own sword. When everyone turned to look at him he shrugged. “That’s what they said back in my day.”
“Death to the demons!” Ree drew her sword in salute, but couldn’t help the grin that slid over her face. When everyone else joined in, their battle cries shook the room and Ree could feel their energy growing with each reverberation. A sharp smile pulled at her mouth. No matter what happened, they were going to give the Dark Ones hell.
As they exited the house, some of the refugees watched from different windows. Kay ran after them, grabbing Melanie in a tight hug before kissing them all on the head. She never said anything, didn’t tell them to stay safe or to be careful. Ree squeezed the woman’s hand. She knew if they failed tonight, things would be bad for everyone.
The extra Guardians were lining the dock. As Ree and her group approached them, they all smiled. Met and Niall were standing next to the boat they had taken to the mainland. Met’s cheerful face was set in a serious expression, her dark eyes fierce.
“Alastriana, we would like to come with you.” Met’s words were formal, asking that Ree grant them permission to fight.
Ree stopped and looked at the faces that were shadowed from the setting sun. When she asked Athena for help, she hadn’t considered using the Guardians for anything but protecting the people that had been targeted. Now, as she stared at the people along the dock, her stomach tightened. She looked back at Met and jerked her head once.
“Half of you stay here and protect the island and the people on it with everything you have, everything that you are. This is the last haven available.” Ree didn’t have to tell them it would come under attack if she lost the battle. “The rest can come and help clear out the city. There will be people stuck in the middle of all this that will need your aid. Tristan is mine, though.”
Met bowed her head to Ree. “As you say, Alastriana.”
Niall grinned at Ree and spun his knife on his palm. Pointing at the Guardians along the left side of the dock, he motioned for them to get in the boats. Ree moved into her spot next to the console and waited for everyone else to board. Paden stood behind her, one hand on her waist as Roland pulled them away from the dock.
