Redeemed In Shadows Read online

  “Hi Belinda.”

  “Bena likes you. She never appears this quickly after meeting someone new.”

  “I’m flattered.”

  The bird emerged from the other woman’s skin and stood at half her height, the head just past her waist. Red and purple feathers a light with an ethereal blue flame looked Xee up and down as if inspecting her.

  Taking a step toward the mesmerizing woman, Xee was able to tell that there were three life forces that surrounded her.

  “There went our shot.” Micah said as an afterthought.

  True indeed. The other woman was pregnant. With twins.

  “Let me show you to your room. After that, I’ll give you the grand tour of the base.

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Xee followed Belinda who took her to the third floor to what she called the west wing. It was mostly Lycans on this floor and a few of the men on the team that weren’t mated.

  “Are you on this floor?” She asked, delving for more information. She really wanted to get to know Belinda. Maybe even become more than friends. “She’s preggers.” Like she needed to be reminded.

  “No, I’m on four. Family quarters. I have two mates Ronin and Royce.”

  The other woman smiled and Xee tried to ignore the dull ache in her chest. It wasn’t due to her hopes being shot down. It was for a totally different reason. Belinda knew what it was like to be loved and was able to reciprocate. Xee knew lonely, even wanted it most days. But sometimes when she was reminded of what she’d never have. It hurt.

  “That must be nice.”

  “Totally,” Belinda said all glossy eyed. She flipped her long luxurious black strands behind her shoulders and pushed through a door that had the number 3WS on it.

  “This is your room. You’ll find a small seating area complete with flat screen and a huge bathroom off to the left. No kitchen I’m afraid, but the cafeteria makes everything you can think of.”

  Xee stepped inside and held her breath. It was the biggest room she’d ever had and the bathroom was enormous and clean. Score!

  “Let’s try the bed.” Micah said anxiously.

  She walked over and plopped down on the pillow top bed. Sleep heaven. She’d hit the big times.

  “Score one for team Hale.”

  Belinda chuckled behind her and told her if she wanted the grand tour, now would be a good time.

  “Lead the way beautiful.”

  They passed a game room of sorts where she was introduced to a few males that lived in this wing. Her guide took her to the cafeteria where she grabbed a smoothie and some grapes. She didn’t speak to everyone, but Belinda assured her she’d meet the entire team tomorrow.

  “Gabe knows where your room is, he’s actually across from yours.” Belinda turned and placed a soft hand on her shoulder. “I really enjoyed meeting you today. Welcome to the team.”

  “Thanks, am I able to use the gym?” They’d passed one on the tour that she was given.

  The amazon nodded and pointed down the hall reminding her where the gym was.

  “See you around.”

  She smiled. She had plans to see a lot more of the amazon beauty. A lot more.

  

  Gabe knew the exact moment he was no longer alone in the swimming pool. The water around him vibrated with ripples as he surfaced for air. Tattooed arms surfaced and treaded water two lanes over.

  Kapua.

  She treaded water easily as if she was born in it. Cinnamon brown skin surfaced, submerged, then surfaced again. She swam to the end of her lane then swam back in the opposite direction. She did this repeatedly until Gabe realized she’d stopped and was now staring at him. Shit. He’d been caught ogling.

  “You stare any harder, I’m going to start thinking there’s something you don’t like about me Angel boy.”

  Did she really need to call him that? Gods it made his dick hard. Cold ass temperature in the pool be damned.

  “Just admiring your swimming technique, nothing to worry about.”

  Nope, absolutely nothing.

  “Good, cause I don’t do dicks.”

  Huh?

  “Good for you.” Gabe swam to his side of the lane, pulled himself out of the water, and walked towards the showers. Grabbing his towel, he quickly dried off and disappeared through the doors. At least he had his replacement. One he didn’t particularly care for, but at least she was smart. And has those beautiful almond shaped eyes sprinkled with trouble. She was definitely that. Trouble. She had amazing hazel eyes. With eyes like that, she was sure to catch the attention of one of the males here on base. He’d have to nip that in the bud real quick. She was here to do a job. Not be hit on by team members or any other occupants of the building. He walked stiffly to the shower.

  He didn’t bother turning on the hot spray. He needed cold, ice cold, because once again, he was hard. What was it about her that was so alluring to his body? He needed to get his physical urges under control.

  The blast from the frigid water did nothing for his current state of arousal. Images of his hands and lips tracing her body assailed him. Thoughts of her lips and hands doing things to his body only fueled the burning already festering in his gut. His hand drifted lower, palming his erection. The generous amount of pre-cum and water was all he needed to stroke himself from base to tip. Squeezing his shaft painfully he allowed the long dormant sound of his need escape from between his lips. It had obviously been too long since he’d been with another woman and the pounding of his heart coupled with the fire in his veins was a testament to that. He never got this riled up over any one female. Feet braced apart he fucked his hand as images of his torturer passed vividly through his mind. It was like watching porn in HD but with the added feel of sensation. Xee on her knees taking what he hand fed her forcefully, her almond shaped eyes demure, and enticing would be staring up at him through thick lashes as he decorated her chest with his seed.

  Fuuuucck! He was screwed!

  She was everywhere and nowhere all at once and he couldn’t help but imagine all the dirty, nasty, dark things he wanted to do to her body. His chest hurt from the need to breathe as he quickened his strokes. He squeezed the base of his cock to stave off his orgasm a little longer. He didn’t want release, not yet. There were still so many more sex acts he could imagine the two of them performing. She was single-handedly driving his body into a lustful craze.

  Gabe bit his lip until he tasted blood as his dick erupted with thick ropes of seed that decorating the wall. His other hand slapped against the tile because he was unable to hold himself up as his legs threatened to buckle from the force of his orgasm. He needed to get out more. Find himself a woman and quick.

  Harsh breaths sawed in and out through his mouth as he tried to gain his composure. The water no longer cold to his over-heated body, he let out a hoarse cry as another jolt shot through his body.

  “Fuck!”

  He looked down at himself and verbalized a string of curses. He was still fucking his hand as his release continued to erupt from the head of his dick. It was going to be one of the longest cold showers in the history of cold showers known to any man or immortal.

  Chapter 4

  “And I just lost my lunch.” Micah said disgust heavy in his tone.

  Xee didn’t know what she was feeling after watching that display of male eroticism. All that man which normally didn’t appeal to her, made her palms sweaty, her breasts were warm and heavy, ready for full stimulation. The showers were coed or maybe the women showered in their quarters. Either way, she wasn’t expecting to walk in on Angel boy going to town on his dick.

  “Xee, stop thinking about it.” Micah chided.

  She couldn’t.

  The image of him standing there pumping into his fist as he flexed in time with every grip of his cock would be forever burned into her mind. She couldn’t have looked away if she tried. He was hunched at the shoulders, his back and ass mus
cles flexing in time with his fist as he fucked his hand. She’d never seen anything so brutal and beautiful all at the same time.

  “This is bullshit. Xee. You can’t go anywhere near him.”

  “Shut up Micah.”

  She had no intention of going anywhere near him, but still, Gabe made her already wet swim shorts moist with something else, and it wasn’t pool water. It was sticky and coated the inside of her thighs making her stomach drop as if she’d been atop a roller coaster and the only thing to assuage the feeling was an involuntary clench of her feminine muscles.

  “Dude, I’m fucking tired. Think you can concentrate long enough to find our room and do a proper lights out?”

  Micah was batting a thousand today. He’d been either overly flirty or a complete ass.

  “Yeah, but after my shower.”

  

  

  “Didn’t take you for an exhibitionist.”

  Exhibitionist?

  Fuck, did they really just watch him go to work on his cock? Nasty Fucks.

  Gabe turned at the sound of Greyson’s voice. This time he wasn’t alone. His brothers and one sister had chosen to make an appearance. Which could only mean bad news.

  “Grey, Isaiah, Uriel, Raziel, Castiel.” Gabe nodded to them all and motioned for them to have a seat, but of course, the arrogant bastards chose to remain standing. Warrior Angels in mass was always a bad omen. Fights broke out, wars were started, all because they had shitty tempers. Those tempers severed them well. What they lacked in personality they made up for in there brutish behavior and their overall fuck it attitude.

  “If you all had to come, something must be really wrong.”

  “You’re searching for the text.” Uriel stated plainly.

  “The Sahidic, yes. We have a location to go on, but it’s probably nothing.”

  Which meant it was something, otherwise why were they here?

  “You’d be right, but now The Red Sun is looking for it too and has the same starting point as you.

  Would they ever catch a fucking break?

  “Are you here to help?” Most likely not, but he was asking anyway.

  “Gabriel, you know our job is to protect the Gates and police the fallen, ensuring all travel is lawful. On occasions like this, we fetch dogs and are the bringers of bad news.”

  Something he knew all too well.

  “Well, what happens if we don’t get the Sahidic?”

  “Eremiel will step in and unleash the unveiling, allowing this plane to restart its cycle.”

  That didn’t sound good. So everything before and after would be all for nothing.

  “You’re all on board with that outcome?”

  “Our opinions don’t matter.” Isaiah said.

  Isaiah was the commander after their older brother lost his head in a battle at the Temple Philae against Lilith and the Nubi. You could almost reason with him and that was on a good day.

  “Isaiah, we should at least point them further towards their course.”

  The large male turned harsh eyes on the youngest brother, Castiel.

  “And upset the threads of life? Out of the question Cas.”

  This was all bullshit. He needed to start asking the right questions. That’s how they worked; it only took a bit of probing.

  “At least meet with the team and give them the pros and cons.”

  “That we can do, it will have to be tonight.” Grey answered.

  Gabe walked over to his computer and picked up the phone, calling Dravaggio first to explain the situation.

  “Everyone will be assembled in the War Room within the hour.”

  “War Room,” Cas asked lifting a brow and grinning. “Aptly named eh.”

  Gabe ignored Castiel and had the others following him up to the floor above the H.I.V.E. Only the bastards didn’t take the stairs, they disappeared.

  

  “Who has a meeting this late in the evening?” Xee mumbled to herself as she threw on a pair of sweats and a red Henley, compliments of Dietrich. He’d done exactly as he said he would. He went out and bought her clothes and toiletries. They were nice clothes too. Clothes that definitely fit her laid back style. She pulled her hair up into a high ponytail exposing the shaved sides and stumbled out the door. She was tired and had barely placed her head on the pillow when she was told there was a meeting in the War Room. Micah hadn’t said a word, either he was too caught up in observing their new surroundings, or he was asleep. She was the last to show up, partly because she was lost, and mostly because she was fucking tired. But, she was still on time. She took a step inside the room where all eyes zeroed in on her. Awkward!

  Dietrich stood, pulling out the chair next to him which must have been a huge faux pas because the entire room that was already quiet was now devoid of oxygen altogether.

  “You assholes never see a man pull a chair out before,” Dietrich growled.

  “We barely see you do shit.” A guy that looked exactly like the hulk from the elevator said. It could have been the exact same guy, only this guy’s eyes were liquid fire that burned amber.

  Xee looked across the table and saw the beautiful, pregnant amazon. If she kept reminding herself of that, maybe she wouldn’t want to hit on her. Yeah right.

  “Hey there,” Xee said by way of greeting.

  Belinda blushed. She knew the score.

  “Hey, you enjoy your work out?”

  “Would have been better if you were there darlin, but Angel boy kept us company.”

  That was Micah talking. Not her. “You sure about that?”

  “Hold up. Are you seriously hitting on my woman right now?” Amber eyes said in disbelief.

  “Royce, she’s just being friendly.”

  “Too damn friendly if you ask me Bells,” Royce countered, his voice gruff.

  Xee looked across the table at Royce and nodded in is direction.

  “Invite me over to dinner, then I’ll not only hit on your girl, I’ll take her back to my place and show her what she’s been missing.”

  Dietrich coughed. Dravaggio cough-laughed. Gabe glared, and some Asian guy that had been chewing gum almost choked. The others in the room just stared wide-eyed. No one said a word.

  “Way to silence a room.”

  “That was all you Micah.”

  “You sure about that?”

  Dravaggio cleared his throat and stood to address everyone.

  “If you haven’t already had a chance to meet Ms. Hale, she’s definitely made an impression.”

  “Newbie.” Royce spat.

  The silver-eyed hulk that was his twin smirked but said nothing. She hadn’t noticed him yet, he’d been at the back of the room watching. Now he took the open seat on the other side of Belinda. She had to stand up to these guys; otherwise, they’d think she was a softie. She may not be immortal but she could go with the best of them.

  “Animal.” Xee spat back. No one was going to intimidate her. She’d learned early in life that quiet wasn’t always safe. If she asserted herself, she had less chance at being hurt.

  Royce eyed her skeptically and opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off.

  “Instead of going back and forth about the beautiful amazon, how about we have this meeting so I can crash. Angel boy wants to start early in the a.m.” Xee smiled then turned and winked at Belinda before turning her attention back to Dravaggio.

  “She’ll fit right in,” The Hollywood hottie known as Adam said.

  “Hollywood hottie?” Micah asked.

  “Don’t ask. I don’t have time to explain, but you can’t lie, you know he looks like that one actor dude, Bradley Cooper.”

  “Have I ever told you, you’ve got issues?”

  Xee ignored Micah and focused on the Captain.

  “Now that the introductions have been made, let’s talk about why I called this meeting. Gabe was able to get word to Isaiah
and his brother’s at Cyrian’s request.”

  Five, very tall, very built Angels appeared out of nowhere in various parts of the boardroom. They all had two things in common, metal collars around their necks and midnight black wings that looked like metal.

  “Seraph’s.” Micah whispered in her head.

  “Leave now, act like you need to pee, anything. GO!”

  Her Para-housed had never been wrong before. If she needed to go, well she’d best get going. She coughed and tried to excuse herself, but one of the Angels pinned her with his turquoise glare and shook his head.

  “You all are searching for a relic that has been long forgotten, and it’s been that way for a reason. In doing so, you’ve raised the interest of The Red Sun Organization. They too now have the location of origin.” The Angel with black hair and steel gray eyes said this. They were more prominent in color than the hulk twins. He wasn’t dressed like his brothers either, but dressed in some sort of breastplate and leather skirt like the one the Romans wore.

  “We don’t even know the location of the Sahidic and if we did, we’d have retrieved it and kept it under lock and key. Gabe has been warned not to get involved. Your threads cannot tangle with his. His path has been weaved and fabricated into what will be his new and true life in the coming weeks.”

  Such ominous words. Xee thought.

  “He is limited on what he can help with. If he breaks the laws he will be severely punished.”

  This was said by an Angel whose skin looked ashen grey, his hair was black, but his eyes were blacker.

  “Well, if that wasn’t a big, ‘fuck you’ I don’t know what is. Anyone else thinks Grey and his band of very grim men should kick rocks?”

  This was said by Royce.