Read Online Protect and Serve Shifting Forces by Cassidy McKay - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cassidy McKay
Tags: ISBN 978-1-60521-755-0
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before it got to me.
“You want to share?” Varick asks.
“Let’s just say we don’t have to worry about Dad holding his own in any fight.” What an understatement. He took out an entire pack of werewolves once. Yeah, that kind of legendary stuff.
“Listen…” I hear voices ahead in the valley. I can’t make out what they’re saying, but it’s definitely voices.
“Do you think it’s one of the search teams?” Varick pauses, dropping lower in the fog. He’s damned fast, but his fire glows brightly at night. Still, he’s got great stealth instincts. He’d have made a good soldier.
“Probably not. They’d be calling for her, not making noise enough to wake the dead. I think it’s Turner. Let’s drop down to the valley floor so Varick can shift. Sorry, bud, but you glow. I’ll go further ahead and recon.” There’s not much of a clearing below, but a wide spot next to a bend in the stream is big enough for us to land.
“Kender, can I talk to you for a minute?” Varick and I step aside, just far enough away to give us the illusion of privacy. “Don’t you think I should be the one to check it out? I know you’re military and all, but what if something happens to you?”
“Do you think you’re invincible, that you’d take my place? I don’t want anything to happen to either of us, Varick.”
“I’d rather something happen to me than to you. Aurora would be better off with you. You have family. Support. Friends. And you’re a gryphon.”
“What’s being a gryphon have to do with it? Don’t forget, you have family here now, too. And she’s no better off with me than with you. At least you stick up for who you are, no matter the consequences. That takes real courage. Me, I hid who I was just to make my life easier. But I hurt so many people.”
“Kender, I… it’s not the same. My family life was really crappy. Seriously. You have good blood running in your veins. Commitment, loyalty and all that shit. My family legacy is nothing but cheating, abandonment and hatred. I can’t be what Aurora needs. I’m afraid she’d end up as bitter as my mom did.”
“Were your parents mated?” Not something I’d normally ask, but after finding out about my parents, it seems likely that Varick’s parents weren’t either. Especially if it was as bad as he says.
“I don’t know. I never asked. Never really thought about it.”
“Are you planning on running out on her?”
“Of course not. I love her.”
“Then shut the fuck up and be you . You’re not your dad. And you’re mated to Aurora. Do you think you could ever do to her what your dad did to your mom?”
“No. You’re right. Damn it, I hate when you’re right.”
The bright glow of the full moon lights up the river as the incoming breeze clears the fog. Dad is gone from the clearing. It’s a good thing we didn’t try to fly over. “Stay here while I check it out.”
“Too late, Kender.” The distinctive click of a poly-rifle sounds from under the canopy of trees. Turner steps into the clearing, his weapon trained on Aurora. Several members of my old team have their rifles pointed toward us as well. I know there’s got to be at least ten or fifteen others hidden in the forest with us in their sites.
“Aurora here is my guest, though she hasn’t been real cooperative. I suggest you don’t do anything stupid. I wouldn’t want to have to put a hole through your little wife -- or mate -- or whatever you paras call your sluts.”
“I’ll kill you, you son-of-a-bitch!” Varick lunges toward Turner, but I block him, holding him back.
With a whisper, I shove him behind me. “He’s trying to provoke us, Varick. Keep your cool. Neither of us can do Aurora any good if we’re dead. It’s me he wants.”
“But she’s hurt! Can’t you see she’s bleeding?” He moves again, trying to go to her. I don’t blame him, but this isn’t the time. The clicks of several rifles reinforces my belief.
“She’s
“You want to share?” Varick asks.
“Let’s just say we don’t have to worry about Dad holding his own in any fight.” What an understatement. He took out an entire pack of werewolves once. Yeah, that kind of legendary stuff.
“Listen…” I hear voices ahead in the valley. I can’t make out what they’re saying, but it’s definitely voices.
“Do you think it’s one of the search teams?” Varick pauses, dropping lower in the fog. He’s damned fast, but his fire glows brightly at night. Still, he’s got great stealth instincts. He’d have made a good soldier.
“Probably not. They’d be calling for her, not making noise enough to wake the dead. I think it’s Turner. Let’s drop down to the valley floor so Varick can shift. Sorry, bud, but you glow. I’ll go further ahead and recon.” There’s not much of a clearing below, but a wide spot next to a bend in the stream is big enough for us to land.
“Kender, can I talk to you for a minute?” Varick and I step aside, just far enough away to give us the illusion of privacy. “Don’t you think I should be the one to check it out? I know you’re military and all, but what if something happens to you?”
“Do you think you’re invincible, that you’d take my place? I don’t want anything to happen to either of us, Varick.”
“I’d rather something happen to me than to you. Aurora would be better off with you. You have family. Support. Friends. And you’re a gryphon.”
“What’s being a gryphon have to do with it? Don’t forget, you have family here now, too. And she’s no better off with me than with you. At least you stick up for who you are, no matter the consequences. That takes real courage. Me, I hid who I was just to make my life easier. But I hurt so many people.”
“Kender, I… it’s not the same. My family life was really crappy. Seriously. You have good blood running in your veins. Commitment, loyalty and all that shit. My family legacy is nothing but cheating, abandonment and hatred. I can’t be what Aurora needs. I’m afraid she’d end up as bitter as my mom did.”
“Were your parents mated?” Not something I’d normally ask, but after finding out about my parents, it seems likely that Varick’s parents weren’t either. Especially if it was as bad as he says.
“I don’t know. I never asked. Never really thought about it.”
“Are you planning on running out on her?”
“Of course not. I love her.”
“Then shut the fuck up and be you . You’re not your dad. And you’re mated to Aurora. Do you think you could ever do to her what your dad did to your mom?”
“No. You’re right. Damn it, I hate when you’re right.”
The bright glow of the full moon lights up the river as the incoming breeze clears the fog. Dad is gone from the clearing. It’s a good thing we didn’t try to fly over. “Stay here while I check it out.”
“Too late, Kender.” The distinctive click of a poly-rifle sounds from under the canopy of trees. Turner steps into the clearing, his weapon trained on Aurora. Several members of my old team have their rifles pointed toward us as well. I know there’s got to be at least ten or fifteen others hidden in the forest with us in their sites.
“Aurora here is my guest, though she hasn’t been real cooperative. I suggest you don’t do anything stupid. I wouldn’t want to have to put a hole through your little wife -- or mate -- or whatever you paras call your sluts.”
“I’ll kill you, you son-of-a-bitch!” Varick lunges toward Turner, but I block him, holding him back.
With a whisper, I shove him behind me. “He’s trying to provoke us, Varick. Keep your cool. Neither of us can do Aurora any good if we’re dead. It’s me he wants.”
“But she’s hurt! Can’t you see she’s bleeding?” He moves again, trying to go to her. I don’t blame him, but this isn’t the time. The clicks of several rifles reinforces my belief.
“She’s
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