didn’t matter that his boss and friend was the son of a God. No good could come of a meeting between Neo and his ex-lover. “You can’t. Not only is it too dangerous, but Michael would never understand,” he said, his gaze on the army melting into the darkness of the trees.
All at once, the empty camp where Audric , Kern and Haig had been moments before exploded. Thrown to the ground by the force of the blast, Gunnar shielded his eyes from the bright fireball that climbed towards the clouds.
One moment, Ramiro was on the ground beside him, and the next he had thrown himself on top of Gunnar. Although Gunnar enjoyed the feeling of the vampire against him, he didn’t appreciate the gesture. Pushing against Ramiro’s chest, he tried to get the muscled security chief off him. “I don’t need your protection,” he growled.
Ramiro rolled off Gunnar. “I didn’t…,” he sputtered, getting to his feet. He held out his hand and helped Gunnar up. “I acted without thinking. I apologise.”
Neo walked over. “You two okay?”
“Yeah,” Gunnar answered. “What the hell was that?”
“ Morwyn letting me know he means business. Ramiro, find Rafi and bring him to The Realm. I’ll deal with Michael if he has a problem with it.” He looked over his shoulder at the obliterated campsite before addressing Gunnar. “We need to get the guards back to The Realm. Now. We’ll have to figure out another way to keep an eye on Juniper. Perhaps it’s time to bring my father into this.”
* * * *
Ramiro stared at the handsome weretiger across the conference table. It had taken a good deal of convincing for Rafi to allow Gunnar and Ramiro in the room when he spoke to Neo. The one concession he wouldn’t relent to was having Michael in the room.
“What do you know about what’s going on in Juniper’s pack?” Neo asked.
“Not much. One of Juniper’s men talked to me at the bar in Gort a couple of days ago. Said they were looking for other Blessed Creatures to join them. I played it cool, didn’t want to seem too eager. I asked the guy what was in it for me, and he told me they’d been promised free reign on Earth if they were victorious in battle.”
Ramiro leant forward, bracing his forearms on the table. “Did he tell you anything about the sword?”
“No. He didn’t mention a sword.” Rafi reached across the table towards Neo. “I’ll join them and find out everything I can if you ask me to.”
Neo pulled his hand back out of Rafi’s reach. “I’m sorry, but I can’t ask you to do something when I’m not willing to give you what you want in return.”
“All I want is to do whatever’s necessary to keep you safe. I know you don’t want me, but I still…” Rafi shook his head. “I’ll help. I’ve got nothing else to believe in.”
Neo glanced up from his clasped hands. “ Gunnar, would you and Ramiro give me a moment alone with Rafi ?”
“Alone with him? No, I don’t think it would be wise,” Gunnar returned.
Neo narrowed his eyes. “I can assure you, I know how to take care of myself.” His head tilted to the side. “Or have you forgotten who I am?”
Gunnar’s head jerked back as if he’d been punched. “No.” Gunnar stood without another word and strode from the room.
Standing, Ramiro stared down at Neo. He wanted to give Neo a piece of his mind for the words that had obviously hurt the man he loved, but he knew he couldn’t. However… “I realise Gunnar is your employee, but I believe he was speaking out of what he believed was friendship.”
“Not that I need to explain myself to you, but I didn’t mean what I said the way he took it,” Neo tried to explain.
“Yeah, well, tell him that.” Ramiro walked out into the hall just in time to see Gunnar round the corner. “Fuck.” The last several days had gone a long way in restoring Gunnar’s self-confidence. Ramiro feared Neo’s hasty words had set Gunnar back everything he’d gained.
He took off at a
All at once, the empty camp where Audric , Kern and Haig had been moments before exploded. Thrown to the ground by the force of the blast, Gunnar shielded his eyes from the bright fireball that climbed towards the clouds.
One moment, Ramiro was on the ground beside him, and the next he had thrown himself on top of Gunnar. Although Gunnar enjoyed the feeling of the vampire against him, he didn’t appreciate the gesture. Pushing against Ramiro’s chest, he tried to get the muscled security chief off him. “I don’t need your protection,” he growled.
Ramiro rolled off Gunnar. “I didn’t…,” he sputtered, getting to his feet. He held out his hand and helped Gunnar up. “I acted without thinking. I apologise.”
Neo walked over. “You two okay?”
“Yeah,” Gunnar answered. “What the hell was that?”
“ Morwyn letting me know he means business. Ramiro, find Rafi and bring him to The Realm. I’ll deal with Michael if he has a problem with it.” He looked over his shoulder at the obliterated campsite before addressing Gunnar. “We need to get the guards back to The Realm. Now. We’ll have to figure out another way to keep an eye on Juniper. Perhaps it’s time to bring my father into this.”
* * * *
Ramiro stared at the handsome weretiger across the conference table. It had taken a good deal of convincing for Rafi to allow Gunnar and Ramiro in the room when he spoke to Neo. The one concession he wouldn’t relent to was having Michael in the room.
“What do you know about what’s going on in Juniper’s pack?” Neo asked.
“Not much. One of Juniper’s men talked to me at the bar in Gort a couple of days ago. Said they were looking for other Blessed Creatures to join them. I played it cool, didn’t want to seem too eager. I asked the guy what was in it for me, and he told me they’d been promised free reign on Earth if they were victorious in battle.”
Ramiro leant forward, bracing his forearms on the table. “Did he tell you anything about the sword?”
“No. He didn’t mention a sword.” Rafi reached across the table towards Neo. “I’ll join them and find out everything I can if you ask me to.”
Neo pulled his hand back out of Rafi’s reach. “I’m sorry, but I can’t ask you to do something when I’m not willing to give you what you want in return.”
“All I want is to do whatever’s necessary to keep you safe. I know you don’t want me, but I still…” Rafi shook his head. “I’ll help. I’ve got nothing else to believe in.”
Neo glanced up from his clasped hands. “ Gunnar, would you and Ramiro give me a moment alone with Rafi ?”
“Alone with him? No, I don’t think it would be wise,” Gunnar returned.
Neo narrowed his eyes. “I can assure you, I know how to take care of myself.” His head tilted to the side. “Or have you forgotten who I am?”
Gunnar’s head jerked back as if he’d been punched. “No.” Gunnar stood without another word and strode from the room.
Standing, Ramiro stared down at Neo. He wanted to give Neo a piece of his mind for the words that had obviously hurt the man he loved, but he knew he couldn’t. However… “I realise Gunnar is your employee, but I believe he was speaking out of what he believed was friendship.”
“Not that I need to explain myself to you, but I didn’t mean what I said the way he took it,” Neo tried to explain.
“Yeah, well, tell him that.” Ramiro walked out into the hall just in time to see Gunnar round the corner. “Fuck.” The last several days had gone a long way in restoring Gunnar’s self-confidence. Ramiro feared Neo’s hasty words had set Gunnar back everything he’d gained.
He took off at a
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