Forged from the Ashes (Wings of War Book 1) Page 6

This means I can be prepared for what outsiders are learning to fight with, not just my brothers’ weapons of choice. A girl needs to be versatile and I pride myself in being prepared for anything.

  Too bad that only applies to combat and not men.

  We walk into the storefront, weapons displayed beneath glass counters. Soren remains my monumental shadow, always hovering a few steps behind me. I should be annoyed after how many years I’ve spent trying to prove my independence, but fuck, something about knowing this man has my back adds an extra bounce to my step, practically daring someone to try something.

  I run my hand over the showcase reverently, appreciating the attention to detail I find. This place doesn’t sell cheap knock offs, only the real deal. And damn, my brothers may hate me for it, but a girl can appreciate a fine quality weapon when she sees one.

  I ask to see the 9mm, feeling the balance and weight. I get approval to step over to the range to test fire it and have a tiny orgasm, absolutely in love. I buy it along with a bow, making sure to add extra arrows to the pile. It seems a little archaic to me with everything available now, but Vyrian is having one commissioned, so I should brush up on my skills. I’d hate to have the newblood show me up.

  As much as I’d rather spend the money paying off the house, if the triplets refuse it, this is a close second. I always throw some into the bank, building up a safety net in case anything were to happen because I’m paranoid.

  I’m especially looking forward to my training sessions with my brothers this week. It’s the only time I really get to spend with them and I’ve been experimenting with a few new techniques. I live for that look of surprise when I’m able to catch them off guard. It doesn’t happen frequently, but when it does, it’s glorious.

  Soren steps away to speak to Garret, the owner of the shop, for a bit while I browse. Despite the fact Garret imports the best variety, I still take notice how some things fail in comparison to the triplets’ work. I have no doubt these weapons would kill a man, but there isn’t the same artistic flair that makes each piece unique that I’ve come to be spoiled by. Just because it’s an instrument of death doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful too.

  I can’t help but breathe easier knowing the pheromone problem isn’t a constant just yet. I squeezed the information out of Kinsley, the poor guy looking like he’d rather cut off his own ears than have the conversation. Yeah, I went to him on purpose; a girl has to get her kicks somewhere and this town is boring as hell. Apparently the issue will come and go, increasing in frequency the closer it gets to my heat. So, happy fucking birthday to me, I guess.

  “Ezra, how’d I know I’d find you here?” a man asks, leaning on the counter next to me.

  He’s decked out in camouflage pants and a tight, black t-shirt, his blonde hair buzzed close to his scalp. His hazel eyes stay trained on me, and I can’t help but to narrow mine at him in return. He gives off the air of a hunter that has his sights set on his prey, and if there’s one thing I absolutely am not, it’s prey.

  I’m the motherfuckin’ predator.

  “Come to ask for tips?” I throw out there, raising an eyebrow.

  He grins, stretching his hand out. “I’m Vince.”

  I rest my elbow on the counter and my cheek on my fist instead of shaking his hand. “Good for you?”

  He laughs, and a moment later a shadow falls over Vince’s face, to which I don’t even fight my amusement. I can feel Soren’s presence behind me, radiating menace. He may be a sweet gentleman with me, but I have no doubt that he could tear a man apart with his bare hands if he so chose. He wouldn’t have gotten third place in the race if he wasn’t dangerous and I’d love a glimpse at the brutal man hiding beneath his kind surface.

  “I never took you as the sort that needed protecting, Veles,” Vince continues without batting an eye at Soren’s arrival. “Or did your brothers finally decide you needed a babysitter?”

  So he’s not just cocky, he’s a dick too. Lovely.

  I’m not blind; I know exactly what he’s trying to goad me into, but I don’t walk away just yet.

  “Nah, on the side I mentor troubled youths in the art of combat and weaponry,” I retort. “Somebody needs to show the newblood the ropes if he wants any hope to beat me in the next race,” I tease, shooting a wink over my shoulder to Soren.

  “I’m older than you.” He rolls his eyes, still guarded and high strung, but it’s something.

  “It’s not your fault you’re getting such a late start,” I cajole, patting his arm in comfort.

  Vince interrupts, hating the lack of attention. “I was just coming to sell something new to Garret, but I thought you might want first dibs before I do. Want to see?”

  “New what?” I narrow my eyes at him, intrigued and annoyed for being interested.

  He smirks, knowing he has me hooked. “The crate’s still in my truck. Come on, I’ll show you.”

  I bark out a laugh, rolling my eyes much to his confusion. “You might as well claim to have a puppy and candy in your van there, Vince. That’s how lovely ladies like myself end up abducted.”

  Soren growls and my amusement falls a bit, surprised at his reaction, but not wanting to pry in front of strangers. Soren’s hand falls on my shoulder, pinning Vince with a look.

  “If you have something to show her, you can bring it in here,” he decrees, and I look at Vince expectantly.

  He debates for a minute before nodding, returning a few minutes later with a crate in hand. All the while Soren never removes his hand, watching Vince warily. When he pries the lid off the crate, my eyes zero in on the objects inside. I practically dive into the box in my excitement, making it abundantly clear Soren made a good call bringing it in here instead of us going out to his trunk.

  “They’re beautiful and I must have them,” I declare adamantly, with absolute conviction.

  I stroke my hand reverently over the metal, cooing like they are my beautiful babies. It’s a set, each handle made of a perfectly detailed dragon body. The blade running along the dragon’s spine is made to look like a wing, pointed on the top and the bottom. They’re a combination of silver, black, deep red, and I’m pretty sure I came just from looking at them.

  A terrible side effect of our lineage; we may be the stronger race, but every beast has a weakness. A dragon’s is their hoard. Since I have three, that’s even more ways to distract me or rile me up. You could likely leave a trail of pretty books on the ground and lure me away from a crowd. My brothers have spent years training me to try and overcome that pull, to keep my head in the game so nothing can be used against me, but damn; these are something else.

  “Little dragon,” Soren rumbles behind me, “if you don’t dial back your enthusiasm, we’ll have another bookstore incident.”

  I blink, snapped out of my trance and look around at the few other people in the store staring at me hungrily. I fight against the mortifying thought that the hornier I get, the more pheromones I give off. I don’t feel bad getting excited over these gorgeous weapons though; everyone has their own kink.

  I try to compose myself, tearing my eyes away from them and to Vince. “How much?”

  His eyes are dilated, but he doesn’t step closer or start spazzing the fuck out, for which I’m grateful.

  He clears his throat, his voice coming out gravely. “I don’t want your money.”

  I can already guess where he’s going with this and fight the urge to just steal them. “Then what do you want?”

  He smiles, knowing he has me right where he wants me. “A date.”

  I could probably outrun him...

  “Fine,” I spit. “But Soren stays with me, that’s non-negotiable.”

  Vince frowns, but nods. “Alright then, let’s go.”

  I blink in surprise. “Right now?”

  He smirks. “I can see the wheels turning in your head. And I know better than to let you leave here with them before you pay up.”

  I scowl, knowing he’s completely right and hating
him a bit for it. I look over at the blades, sighing wistfully as he puts the lid back on and heads out to his car. Soren helps me grab my purchases and we climb into my SUV after agreeing to meet Vince at a diner down the street.

  “I don’t like him,” Soren states as we start driving. “He has no problem manipulating you for his benefit.”

  I sigh. “Yeah, me either. But damn, Ren, I want those blades.”

  From the corner of my eye, I see his lip twitch as he fights a smile. “We could steal the blades and use them to kill him.”

  I grin, throwing the car in park and looking at my guard appreciatively. “Savage; I like. Let’s save that for plan B though, deal?”

  He sighs. “It would make a lovely plan A, but if that’s what you wish.”

  We head into the diner, meet up with Vince, and are led to a table. The waiter is eyeing both men with barely veiled contempt, tossing menus on the table. Soren pulls my chair out before I get a chance, and I mentally applaud him for his foresight. I have no idea the sort of things he’s been through, but he made sure to put me in the corner seat where my back and side are to the wall and I can see the room in its entirety. He takes the seat beside me, a barrier on my one exposed side, leaving the both of us able to watch the entire room without having to guard our backs as well.

  Vince sits across from me, scowling at Soren. “Isn’t this a little overkill?”

  I thank the waiter that brings me a glass of water, sipping before answering. “Why, trying to get me alone?”

  “Well, yeah. It’s kind of hard to get to know someone with a damn audience,” he replies with a scowl that Soren mirrors back at him.

  We place our orders and I shrug. “Take it or leave it. It was hard enough getting my brothers to let me start dating in the first place and this seemed a solution that made everyone happy,” I lie to a certain extent.

  Before he can start objecting, I decide to just dive in to try and get this over with. “Okay, so what do people do on dates?”

  He stops focusing on his hatred of Soren and falls into conversation with me. “I haven’t exactly been on any either, as you could guess. But I hear rumors you talk about yourselves a lot to get to know each other and do something together, then end with a kiss if it goes well.”

  The warning sound emanating from Soren’s chest is a stark reminder of the dragons lurking in our blood waiting to break free. He doesn’t say anything, but then again, he doesn’t have to; it’s pretty damn obvious what he’s thinking.

  But he’s also kind enough not to pull some macho bullshit and forbid it, knowing I get to make my own choices and a kiss isn’t the same as mating. As Kahl pointed out, as long as I don’t sleep with anyone, I don’t have to be completely innocent.

  “Okay, twenty questions and a burger, I can do that. What do you want to know?”

  He cracks his knuckles and leans back in his chair. “I already know nearly everything about you, but you know next to nothing about me. Ask away, I’m an open book.”

  I roll my eyes, not even trying to hide it. “What do you do for a living?”

  “Trade industry.”

  Soren leans forward in his seat. “Trading what?”

  Vince grins. “Little of everything. Weapons mostly.”

  Soren’s hand tightens into a fist at his side and I put a hand to his wrist to try and calm him down without drawing attention to it. I brace my elbows on the table and interlace my fingers, resting my chin on them and watching Vince.

  “How long have you lived in Hadeon?”

  “Four years, on and off” he replies just as quickly.

  “Hobbies?”

  He grins. “Hunting.”

  “Hoard of choice?”

  He tsks his tongue. “A man doesn’t spread that information around.”

  “How big is your flight?”

  He shrugs. “Don’t have one yet. Haven’t met the right people.”

  The waiter brings our food and it gives me an excuse to not have to talk for a little bit. Honestly, if this is dating, I’m not a fan. I can grab lunch just as easily without having to pander to a man’s ego.

  This is just awkward.

  We fall back into a similar pattern as I just rattle off questions I don’t really care about the answers to. Vince eventually throws a few my way, but when the waiter comes back with the check I could practically kiss him in gratitude instead of my date.

  I pull out money to cover Soren’s despite his loud protests. “One, I’m fully aware I’m paying you less than you deserve. Two, it would be a dick move to make Vince pay when I invited you along, and three, I want to. Humor me, will you?”

  We follow Vince back out to his car, but Soren’s hand falls on my shoulder when I get too close, as if he’s afraid Vince will toss me in the trunk and drive off with me like I joked about. After being subjected to an hour of the guy, I wouldn’t put it past him to do it thinking he was doing me a favor or some shit. The guy is so conceited it’s nauseating, and that’s coming from the most badass woman in the tri-county area.

  When Vince pulls out the crate I make grabby hands, practically foaming at the mouth to get my reward for surviving the worst lunch in history. He hesitates before he passes it over to me, looking at me expectantly. After he doesn’t say anything, I prompt him to spit it out so I can leave.

  “Was there something else?”

  He smirks, and honestly, after seeing it so much over the last hour I want to smack it off his face. “No kiss?”

  Soren’s hand tightens on my shoulder, but when I step forward he reluctantly peels his fingers off of me. I walk right up to Vince who’s full on grinning, adjusting his grip on the crate to hold it as his hip.

  “Nope.”

  I snatch the crate from his now loose grip and skip back to Soren who is openly laughing. He falls into step behind me and opens the door to the backseat of my SUV so I can slide the crate onto the seat. I buckle my beautiful babies in and pat the lid before climbing into the driver’s seat.

  “I stand by my decision that we should have just done that from the beginning. And you shouldn’t have paid for me,” Soren growls as he climbs into the passenger seat.

  I snort. “It was the least I could do after subjecting you to that horror. Really, it was awkward as hell. Is dating always that terrible? If so, we need to come up with some sort of signal or codeword for when it’s time to sneak out the bathroom window.”

  He huffs out a laugh as I pull out onto the street, heading towards home. The only money I get is from running the gauntlets, so the rest of my time is spent taking care of Elias and the house, running errands, or training. I’m sure Soren will get bored soon enough, but at least his job will be easy.

  “I wouldn’t know,” he replies smoothly, “but I think it’s more a matter of the company than the date itself.” I hum my agreement.

  We unload the car and I have a brief moment of anxiety. I need to put away my new weapons, but a dragon is protective of their hoard. Him seeing my Legos didn’t set off the same reaction and I’m not sure if it’s because my brothers were home and I was more relaxed, or if it’s because I don’t want to divulge my hiding spots. It was clear he didn’t have an interest in those, but weapons? Those he might want for himself.

  As if he can sense my sudden nerves, he politely excuses himself to the bathroom, giving me time to put things away in private. I know I’m being ridiculous, but to be fair, I don’t really know him. I feel at ease around him, but for all I know he could be a serial killer.

  That’s not sexy, shut up vagina.

  Or he could be faking the whole gentleman persona to get close to me. I dismiss that thought as soon as I think it though, because it doesn’t feel right in the slightest. I’ve spent the last decade listening to my gut and it hasn’t led me astray yet.

  Soren finds me as I’m starting the laundry and he grabs a basket to help despite my protests. “I’m already underpaying you to be my shadow, you don’t need to help me with the chores too
. I’d feel bad. You can go watch TV or whatever and if someone breaks into the house, go ninja on their ass or something.”

  He ignores me, taking a basket down to the basement anyway. I throw the first load in and swap out what’s in the dryer because with five people, the laundry never ends. It’s a perpetual thorn in my side that will haunt me until the day I die. Laundry and dishes; the banes of my existence.

  We settle into the living room as I start sorting out and folding clothes. He tries to help, but doesn’t have the faintest idea what belongs to which triplet since they’re all the same size and gives up quickly.

  “So, why Hadeon? Of all the places you could have moved to when you came to this country, what drew you here?”

  He starts straightening up instead, uncomfortable just sitting there while I work. I try not to find it charming watching this giant straightening the pillows on the couch, but it’s an effort in futility.

  “Started asking around when we got to the coast about popular cities and where’s had the most unrest. Cross referenced against a map and was able to find a trend of high crime areas, then scratched off the popular cities as well. It left several pockets and we went to the closest, got a feel for the town, and then moved onto the next when we didn’t like it. This is the fifteenth town we’ve tried settling in since we arrived,” he explains.

  I can’t even imagine moving around half that much. “What was wrong with the towns you left if they had low crime rates? Not enough women for your liking?”

  He turns to face me, his grey eyes radiating sadness. “Nothing like that, little dragon. The world is a cruel place and we’ve been hunting for a place that feels like home for a long time. People here are kind, peaceful. In a few of the towns, men are much more openly hostile to newbloods, preferring to close their borders to outsiders. Some, we just didn’t mesh well with the belief systems of most of the residents and preferred to move on. But primarily, the towns just didn’t feel like a place we could settle in long term and be happy.”

  He grabs a stack of now folded clothes and follows me as we start putting things away in the triplets’ rooms. We return to the basement to switch loads again and repeat, this time with mine and Elias’ clothes on the coffee table.