tense moment, Gilad turned on his heel and walked away.
Stassi ran through the woods, reveling in her newly acquired strength. Ever since the Shahda , she had felt her muscles expanding, her vision sharpening, her resolve growing. It made her wonder if Cal, too, was experiencing these changes. It was quite possible that it wouldn’t work on a son of Adam like it did the Faedin, but she refused to believe it. If Cal was to be her mate, he had to show strength and courage like the others.
Especially Gilad.
At one time Stassi thought she might choose the handsome Faedin she had known all her life as her mate, but that was before.
Before she saw the boy outside the veil. There would be no other now.
Yet she felt certain that Gilad would challenge Cal at some point. She just hoped it happened after the change and not before. If Gilad challenged Cal now, she would lose him.
A Faedin warrior dropped down in the path in front of her from a tree branch overhead, and she stumbled back. She recognized him as Bannon, a particularly large and bearded Faedin with dark, hawk-like features and an infuriating smirk.
If only I had my wings! Damn you, Cal!
Bannon took a casual swipe at her head and she ducked beneath his swing.
He thinks me weak .
The knowledge set fire to her belly. She snarled and flew at him, but he caught her by the throat, twisted her around and wedged his arm under her neck. She kicked and punched, but all it did was make him squeeze tighter as he lifted her off the ground. She clawed at his arms to try and pry them loose, but she might as well have been trying to uproot a tree. Her lungs burned with the effort to draw air. Her head felt like it might explode at any minute. She would have surrendered to Bannon had she the breath to do so.
Then, out of nowhere, Cal appeared.
The pressure around her neck relaxed and she fell out of Bannon’s grip.
“What do we have here?” the warrior mused aloud.
Cal yanked her to him by the arm and pressed his back into hers. “Stand shoulder to shoulder with me.”
“What are you doing?” she hissed, but found herself doing as he asked.
“Helping you.”
“I told you—”
“We’re stronger together,” he insisted, pushing against her as they turned in tandem to their circling foe.
Bannon rolled his head on his shoulders. “Step away, Rupa. You have no chance here. Find another fight. There are plenty of squirrels in the forest to choose from.”
Cal shook his head in defiance. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I can handle this, Cal. Just go.”
Fast as a darting viper, Bannon struck out at Cal. Stassi swung around and blocked the punch with her forearm, gritting her teeth from the jolt of pain that radiated up her arm. Just as fast, Cal twisted her back around and swept his leg behind Bannon’s knee, causing the bigger Faedin to stumble.
Stassi didn’t hesitate. She spun again, slamming the heel of her foot into the back of Bannon’s neck, sending him all the way to the ground.
He’s down!
A moment of stunned disbelief coursed through her that they had managed to take down the experienced warrior. But her relief was short-lived. Two more howling Faedin charged toward them in a frightening rush. She felt Cal flinch against her back and thought he might run, but he didn’t. In fact, he turned them so that he was facing the threat.
With a growl, she whipped them around so she was in front.
He snarled and did the same.
Their little game ended when one of the Faedin reached out to pull her away from Cal. She hammered the palm of her hand upward into his nose, snapping his head back and sending him to his knees with his hands cupped to his face.
Number two.
“Stassi!”
Cal linked his arms with hers at the elbows and she instantly understood what he intended her to do. He flipped her over his back and she screamed out as she planted a powerful kick into the chest of the third Faedin. The unexpected maneuver sent the warrior crashing back into
Stassi ran through the woods, reveling in her newly acquired strength. Ever since the Shahda , she had felt her muscles expanding, her vision sharpening, her resolve growing. It made her wonder if Cal, too, was experiencing these changes. It was quite possible that it wouldn’t work on a son of Adam like it did the Faedin, but she refused to believe it. If Cal was to be her mate, he had to show strength and courage like the others.
Especially Gilad.
At one time Stassi thought she might choose the handsome Faedin she had known all her life as her mate, but that was before.
Before she saw the boy outside the veil. There would be no other now.
Yet she felt certain that Gilad would challenge Cal at some point. She just hoped it happened after the change and not before. If Gilad challenged Cal now, she would lose him.
A Faedin warrior dropped down in the path in front of her from a tree branch overhead, and she stumbled back. She recognized him as Bannon, a particularly large and bearded Faedin with dark, hawk-like features and an infuriating smirk.
If only I had my wings! Damn you, Cal!
Bannon took a casual swipe at her head and she ducked beneath his swing.
He thinks me weak .
The knowledge set fire to her belly. She snarled and flew at him, but he caught her by the throat, twisted her around and wedged his arm under her neck. She kicked and punched, but all it did was make him squeeze tighter as he lifted her off the ground. She clawed at his arms to try and pry them loose, but she might as well have been trying to uproot a tree. Her lungs burned with the effort to draw air. Her head felt like it might explode at any minute. She would have surrendered to Bannon had she the breath to do so.
Then, out of nowhere, Cal appeared.
The pressure around her neck relaxed and she fell out of Bannon’s grip.
“What do we have here?” the warrior mused aloud.
Cal yanked her to him by the arm and pressed his back into hers. “Stand shoulder to shoulder with me.”
“What are you doing?” she hissed, but found herself doing as he asked.
“Helping you.”
“I told you—”
“We’re stronger together,” he insisted, pushing against her as they turned in tandem to their circling foe.
Bannon rolled his head on his shoulders. “Step away, Rupa. You have no chance here. Find another fight. There are plenty of squirrels in the forest to choose from.”
Cal shook his head in defiance. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I can handle this, Cal. Just go.”
Fast as a darting viper, Bannon struck out at Cal. Stassi swung around and blocked the punch with her forearm, gritting her teeth from the jolt of pain that radiated up her arm. Just as fast, Cal twisted her back around and swept his leg behind Bannon’s knee, causing the bigger Faedin to stumble.
Stassi didn’t hesitate. She spun again, slamming the heel of her foot into the back of Bannon’s neck, sending him all the way to the ground.
He’s down!
A moment of stunned disbelief coursed through her that they had managed to take down the experienced warrior. But her relief was short-lived. Two more howling Faedin charged toward them in a frightening rush. She felt Cal flinch against her back and thought he might run, but he didn’t. In fact, he turned them so that he was facing the threat.
With a growl, she whipped them around so she was in front.
He snarled and did the same.
Their little game ended when one of the Faedin reached out to pull her away from Cal. She hammered the palm of her hand upward into his nose, snapping his head back and sending him to his knees with his hands cupped to his face.
Number two.
“Stassi!”
Cal linked his arms with hers at the elbows and she instantly understood what he intended her to do. He flipped her over his back and she screamed out as she planted a powerful kick into the chest of the third Faedin. The unexpected maneuver sent the warrior crashing back into
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