breath stolen away by what she saw.
Chapter Eight
What the hell are we walking into now?
Archer’s body was in fight mode, loose, and ready to drop and start dealing damage at the hint of trouble.
The group stopped just inside the doorway of a large open plan room. It had Corinthian columns spaced at equal distances along the rectangular length of the space.
Floor to ceiling windows covered the south wall, open and letting in the breeze. Cobweb-thin pink curtains danced in the moving air.
The far end of the room was covered with scattered pillows—not the bean bag variety so prevalent in every male college dorm room, but seriously girly ones that looked more like confectionary than bedding. All in—could have guessed it—shades of pink. Archer would need an insulin injection when they got out of there. The pink deluge was making him feel sugared up.
His examination of the room was done in a nanosecond, then his eyes focused on the occupants. There were seven people in the room. Archer took a deep breath and scented the air.
No, not one of them was human. What they were, exactly, he couldn’t say. Two men and two women draped themselves across the pillows. The women wore the same diaphanous pink gowns as the woman who had led them through the mansion. The men were in nothing but loose flowing pants which, thank the gods, were white, not pink. Their muscular bare chest had Archer growling low in his throat and pushing Scarlet behind him.
She was proving stubborn, though, and simply stepped around him again. Archer clenched his teeth and put his hands on her shoulders.
The last two men stood on either side of a large oval shaped bed. Archer didn’t know how else to describe it.
On the bed was a woman, lying on her stomach, her hands under her chin, an elfin smile on her lips. Bare feet kicked up behind her, and she swung them as a child would.
“Have you all looked your fill now? We really don’t have all day for this, you know. You have places to be.”
She squinted her eyes and frowned, “Yes, a very important appointment by morning for you. You are lucky that I like you. I’ve been watching you.” The smile widened a bit. “So I’m not going to kill you for wanting to see me, Scarlet.”
Scarlet slipped free from Archer’s grip and moved to the front of the group. “How do you know my name?”
The rest of the group seemed to be in some kind of trance. None of them moved. Archer would have had to check to see if they were even breathing. Great, just when he might need some back up, they’d all gone to lala land.
He gritted his teeth harder, and pushed past the others to snag Scarlet’s arm, and try to force her behind him. They had no idea what they were dealing with. She couldn’t put herself out in front, in harm’s way.
He’d have to sit her down and explain the concept of bodyguard until she got it through her stubborn skull.
The woman on the bed sat up and stood in a motion that was otherworldly with grace. She started walking towards Scarlet, her bodyguards flanking her. Another woman who didn’t know the meaning of the word bodyguard .
Archer stepped in front of Scarlet again.
“I know who all of you are.” Her beauty was mesmerizing. Ignoring her, Archer focused on trying to get Scarlet to step behind him.
“The question I pose to you, Scarlet, is who am I? If you can answer me this, I will give you leave to pose a question. If you get it wrong, you will all die.” The woman said it as if she was discussing a trip to the movies.
Scarlet’s brow furrowed as she stepped around Archer one last time. She turned to him and he almost choked when she said, “Stay.”
* * * *
Scarlet was beyond irritated that Archer kept insisting that he shield her. She was in no danger here…well, not if she got the woman’s name right. Her wolf had better learn to listen to his gut.
What, wait? My wolf?
Scarlet shook it off. Right now, she had more important
Chapter Eight
What the hell are we walking into now?
Archer’s body was in fight mode, loose, and ready to drop and start dealing damage at the hint of trouble.
The group stopped just inside the doorway of a large open plan room. It had Corinthian columns spaced at equal distances along the rectangular length of the space.
Floor to ceiling windows covered the south wall, open and letting in the breeze. Cobweb-thin pink curtains danced in the moving air.
The far end of the room was covered with scattered pillows—not the bean bag variety so prevalent in every male college dorm room, but seriously girly ones that looked more like confectionary than bedding. All in—could have guessed it—shades of pink. Archer would need an insulin injection when they got out of there. The pink deluge was making him feel sugared up.
His examination of the room was done in a nanosecond, then his eyes focused on the occupants. There were seven people in the room. Archer took a deep breath and scented the air.
No, not one of them was human. What they were, exactly, he couldn’t say. Two men and two women draped themselves across the pillows. The women wore the same diaphanous pink gowns as the woman who had led them through the mansion. The men were in nothing but loose flowing pants which, thank the gods, were white, not pink. Their muscular bare chest had Archer growling low in his throat and pushing Scarlet behind him.
She was proving stubborn, though, and simply stepped around him again. Archer clenched his teeth and put his hands on her shoulders.
The last two men stood on either side of a large oval shaped bed. Archer didn’t know how else to describe it.
On the bed was a woman, lying on her stomach, her hands under her chin, an elfin smile on her lips. Bare feet kicked up behind her, and she swung them as a child would.
“Have you all looked your fill now? We really don’t have all day for this, you know. You have places to be.”
She squinted her eyes and frowned, “Yes, a very important appointment by morning for you. You are lucky that I like you. I’ve been watching you.” The smile widened a bit. “So I’m not going to kill you for wanting to see me, Scarlet.”
Scarlet slipped free from Archer’s grip and moved to the front of the group. “How do you know my name?”
The rest of the group seemed to be in some kind of trance. None of them moved. Archer would have had to check to see if they were even breathing. Great, just when he might need some back up, they’d all gone to lala land.
He gritted his teeth harder, and pushed past the others to snag Scarlet’s arm, and try to force her behind him. They had no idea what they were dealing with. She couldn’t put herself out in front, in harm’s way.
He’d have to sit her down and explain the concept of bodyguard until she got it through her stubborn skull.
The woman on the bed sat up and stood in a motion that was otherworldly with grace. She started walking towards Scarlet, her bodyguards flanking her. Another woman who didn’t know the meaning of the word bodyguard .
Archer stepped in front of Scarlet again.
“I know who all of you are.” Her beauty was mesmerizing. Ignoring her, Archer focused on trying to get Scarlet to step behind him.
“The question I pose to you, Scarlet, is who am I? If you can answer me this, I will give you leave to pose a question. If you get it wrong, you will all die.” The woman said it as if she was discussing a trip to the movies.
Scarlet’s brow furrowed as she stepped around Archer one last time. She turned to him and he almost choked when she said, “Stay.”
* * * *
Scarlet was beyond irritated that Archer kept insisting that he shield her. She was in no danger here…well, not if she got the woman’s name right. Her wolf had better learn to listen to his gut.
What, wait? My wolf?
Scarlet shook it off. Right now, she had more important
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