Evermore, an Arotas Novella (The Arotas Series) by Amy Miles Page A

emerges with Nicolae in tow. Her hair is no
longer red. Instead, she has settled into a shade that remarkably
matches the brilliant green of Nicolae’s eyes.
    “Wow.”
Roseline chuckles, taking her all in. Her hair stands out starkly
against the black uniform and boots she no doubt donned the instant
she got done groping Nicolae in some back room after she arrived.
“Remind me not to hunt with you at night.”
    “Ha-ha.”
Sadie rolls her eyes. “It’s not glow in the dark. I’ve
already checked.”
    Roseline
starts to probe a bit further into the drastic change, but she
notices a tension in Nicolae’s shoulders. His smile doesn’t
quite reach his eyes, even though she can see the effort he is
putting in for their benefit.
    “Excuse
me a moment,” she says and jerks her head to the side. Nicolae
instantly follows, leaving their friends behind to enjoy their
reunion. She can still hear their lively banter as she moves toward
the center of the courtyard, turning to lean back against the
fountain that provided her an escape route not so many months ago.
    It’s
amazing how things come full circle ,
she muses as Nicolae stops before her. A couple of months ago, she
was his enemy. Now she considers him to be a close friend. Hunter and
hunted bonded together for the greater good.
    “What’s
happened?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.
    Her
clothes feel sticky against her skin. Summer in Romania is always
uncomfortable for immortals. She longs for the cool winds of fall to
arrive, but they are still just out of reach.
    He
clears his throat, shuffling from side to side as he buries his hands
deep into his pockets. That isn’t a good sign. “Come on,
Nicolae. Spill it.”
    “I
didn’t want to ruin your arrival. Sadie has been bouncing for
the past day, wondering when you would return.” He sighs and
glances back toward Sadie. Roseline’s chest tightens when she
sees the fear glinting in his eyes. “There have been some
blackouts.” His turns his gaze back toward her. “They
aren’t good.”
    She
knew it. Of course this would happen. Hadn’t she felt like
something was coming? Pair that with Ashir’s sudden arrival,
and this doesn’t bode well.
    “What
kind of blackouts?”
    “The
kind that hint that entire bases are being wiped out. It’s
strategic. We lost Dubai last night. China the day before. Last week
South Africa and New York went down.”
    “Have
we sent teams in to investigate?” Of course they have. She
knows the protocol as well as anyone. If there is an attack, it is
immediately dealt with. So if he isn’t getting solid reports
back, that can mean only one thing. “The second group of
hunters didn’t survive either,” she answers for him.
    His
jaw clenches as he gives a brief nod. “We’ve lost over
one hundred hunters so far.”
    “And
immortals?” Her throat clenches at the thought. Hunters are
highly skilled warriors, but they are still human. Immortals aren't
so easy to kill.
    “A
handful. Possibly more. Until we can get eyes in those bases, we are
flying blind.”
    Roseline
runs a hand through her hair, feeling how matted with sweat it has
become. “What are you thinking?”
    Since
the truce was forged a few months ago, Roseline, Gabriel, and Nicolae
have run the entire worldwide hunt from this location. Working side
by side, they have learned each other’s tell signs. Nicolae’s
nervous twitch is screaming at her now.
    “I’m
not going to let you go,” Roseline says. “I need you
here.”
    Nicolae
clamps his back teeth. She can see him ball up his fists in his
pockets. “Those are my men dying out there.”
    Roseline
steps forward and places a hand on his arm. He doesn’t flinch
back or even stiffen as he once did when she touched him, evidence of
how far their relationship has evolved. “I know, but the only
way to honor their deaths is to figure this out, not run right into
the fire. You have more than just yourself to think about now.”
    Nicolae
raises