Page 4 (1/2)

Relief poured through Lucan, and he smiled wide Leave it to Bram to find the loophole Then his eyes narrowed "Her trainer?"

Noas Brahed She’d never see a moment of combat Even if Bram and Marrok didn’t back hiht, and she’d stay behind, tucked away safely fro to keep her froain

"Perfect"

Bram shook his head "You actually have to train her--hand to hand, martial arts, weaponry and the like--and you ht in her I think she’s s and prepared"

"Fuck no! I’ll do it in nah her paces, teach her to defend herself All the women should know that, but there’s no damn way--"

"This isn’t your choice, Lucan As I told Anka earlier when she protested my conditions, this isn’t a deenuinely need her"

In coain No, he wanted to throw so at Bram and hit him in his perfectly iiving you a choice: I can find another to ith her closely every…single…day Or you can take advantage of this opportunity to spend tiain and see what comes of it Your choice But frankly, I think you need it You need her I’est you take it"

Chapter Two

Anka was shaking by the ti or fighting or sweaty, hard work She relished those opportunities But being so close to Lucan every day She sighed She’d have to taical war to fight and not one, but two, rapaciously evil villains trying to tear down huical, her personal desires siered or distracted Lucan, he wouldn’t be as focused on fighting--or protecting hi inside At least for now Shock would drag it out of her eventually Of that, she had no doubt

As she wiped her tears away, Anka glanced through the little house she shared with Shock It was empty Not that she actually needed to look The dead silence hanging over the place told her that instantly When Shock was here, he filled the space with his big presence The still air around her told her that, after leaving Bram’s, Shock hadn’t returned here

Day before she appeared for her first training session tomorrow Marrok and Bram would be taske But that wasn’t all The tre inside her… She needed the eive her At least when he chose to When she begged prettily enough to suit hih a list of his haunts, Anka finally settled on the most likely She teleported to the alley behind The Witch’s Brew, then eed from between a dumpster and some wooden pallets Once inside the cheery, dark-wood pub, she glanced around Kari, Ronan’s prettyher long blonde hair behind her shoulder She wore a checked shirt knotted above her pierced navel and a pair of low-rise jeans around her narrow hips When she sreeted "What brings you to the Brew? Can I get you so?"

"Hi, Kari" She looked around the pub with a frown "Have you seen Shock today?"

She shook her head, waves of her pale hair brushing her bare waist "Not yet, dear But it’s early for him You can take a seat and wait, if you’d like"

She probably should just move on to search another of Shock’s haunts, but sooner or later, he usually turned up here

"Sure Can I have a…" A request for white wine sat on the tip of her tongue Warriors didn’t sip chardonnay But she didn’t care for ale or bitter "Vodka, the good kind On the rocks"

Kari raised a brow The barkeep knew very hat she usually drank But bless her, she didn’t say a word, just poured and handed her the glass "How are you?"

She tossed the vodka back in ts--and barelystuff She winced, and Kari smiled

"Better" It wasn’t a total lie In some ways, she had ih she’d been left with soe or panic every time a man touched her even casually or she cliy But she was still desperately unhappy and tired of feeling useless Vulnerable Of replaying each and every one of the times Mathias had raped her over and over in her head She shoved herwith the monster aside "You?"

"Great" The woman frowned "Don’t take this badly, but you don’t look better"

Anka s tolance at that, but didn’t press her "More?"

With a glance at her elass, Anka shook her head "Um…no How about a bit of water? I’ll need to find a table and stay sober while I wait for Shock"

In lass of water and whisked the vodka away Anka took it gratefully and ambled to a table in a dark corner Hopefully, no one else would notice her Or care But a pair of human men in deni her in a ic to put off an unwelco vibe

As she sat with her back to the wall--another paranoid trick of Shock’s she’d picked up--she nursed her water, wondering exactly how she was going to ask him for the sort of sex she needed In his perverse way, the more she wanted it, the more he withheld it--until it suited his purposes

This time, she had a weapon She’d be unable to hide her purpose for visiting Bra, but Anka had no doubt Shock would be desperate to know by now He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told Lucan that he’d fuck it out of her Sex his way o of all her worries, fears, and inadequacies Shock took theh her head In return, he gave her permission to seek release and comfort Anka had no illusions; he hadn’t liked what he’d found in her head recently He was going to like today’s developments even less

The door opened, and with a steadying breath, she looked up It wasn’t Shock, but a lovely brunette Tall, lithe, with silky straight hair, a short skirt that flirted with indecent, perky breasts nearly falling out of a brief white shirt that flashed a lot of tanned cleavage Her red stilettos didn’t say ‘fuck ate Anka had seen the wonature displayed not only her colors, but those of many others in a swirl ot the woman a drink, and they chatted a bit Once the barate stared at the door, clearly waiting for a client

Sauntering Anka’s ith a tentative expression, Kari wrung her hands "It’s about to get crowded in here I’ll text you if Shock shows up"

The usually polite blonde was throwing her out? "You’re asking me to leave?"