Hacked (Warriors of Light Book 5) (5 page)

“I’ll get it. Go ahead and choose a spot.”

“Thanks.” She walked away from Demaratus and took a table near one of the walls at the outer edge of the cafeteria. She watched him get his food. Then she shifted so that he could put himself with his back to the wall. “I figured that you would like to have your back to the wall.”

He tipped his head slightly and set his tray down next to hers. Removing his jacket, he put it over another chair, set the file on the seat, then settled in at her side. He passed her the bottle of water from his tray while picking up the cup of coffee to sip from. “Why would you think I’d want that?” he finally asked.

“From the time that you came from, and the people that you were, you don’t necessarily trust people at your back, and I get that.” She bumped her shoulder to his. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

“No, you’re not wrong. I was only curious to hear what you believed my reasoning was for it. It was a very good assessment, if lacking a few details.” Lifting his hand, he brushed the corner of her mouth.

“So, do you want to tell me what your actual reasoning is?” She wanted to know everything about him.

“An enemy of honor would come at you face-to-face. That way when one of you fell in battle, you would be given the warrior’s passage to the next life. An enemy of dishonor comes at your back, though, thinking and hoping to catch you when you are unaware. They will attack when you are most vulnerable. In your own home, where you think it is safe, and you can truly relax, for example. If enough enemies—or people you thought were your friends—attack you at your back, you begin to realize there’s nowhere safe in the world and to have your back to a wall at all times is the only recourse. That way, you can always see everyone attempting to end your miserable existence and, hopefully, end theirs first.”

“I’m sorry.” She reached out to put her hand on his to give it a squeeze. “Well, I’ll have your back now and make sure that no one comes at you. Promise.”

“You may need to start wearing heels, then,” he told her. When she stared at him, he eyed her up and down. “You’re a little on the short side. You won’t cover enough of my back without a little height, Holly.”

“Hey, I’m as tall as a mountain,” she said with a smirk. “But don’t worry. Seriously. I’ll protect you.”

Nodding, he leaned in to press a kiss to her temple. “I believe you, little warrior. Don’t trip over your own feet during the attempt to keep eyes on everything around you, though. It doesn’t do well on the reputation to be known as the klutz of the team.”

She snorted. “Too late. Unless I’m behind a keyboard, I’m a total klutz. You know that, lovely man.” She bumped her shoulder to his again and, after giving his hand another squeeze, she let go and began to eat.

“No, I only know you’re claiming that. We’ll see when we get you into training if you are as much of a klutz as you say. Close-quarters combat and hand-to-hand is a requirement for all our people to learn. You will also need to be proficient with at least one handgun and one rifle. You may also want to hit the gym to assist in some upper body strength you’ll need for the fighting scenarios.”

“Wait, what? No.” She shook her head. “I don’t do gyms, and I really don’t do guns. I do computers. Not those things. No way in hell. Sorry, but no.” She would likely have an allergic reaction. “I hate gyms, seriously hate them. I do yoga in the privacy of my own bedroom, but running and all that—nope. Not happening. I will be the first one to die in the zombie apocalypse, so yeah.”

“There’s no way you would die in a zombie apocalypse. They’d have to get through me first,” he said. “I will also be with you for all of it, but you need to have the basics at a minimum so that if the worst happens you can protect yourself and others. This is a worst-case scenario where all power, and therefore all contact with everyone, is cut off and we are invaded. I can’t say it will never happen, but we all work our damnedest to ensure it won’t. On the off chance that it does happen, I need to know you’re safe.”

“Aww, that’s the best thing that anyone has ever said to me—that they would take care of me in the ZA.” She sighed and shook her head. “I really don’t do all that well with weapons. I don’t. I’m sorry, but I would be afraid I would hurt someone instead of protect myself.”

“Will you at least try? If I assess that you’re not good with a gun, you will never have one put into your hand. But it’s mandatory that we at least put you through it all, so we know in an emergency situation what your strengths are or are not. I will never put you in danger willingly, Holly. You need to trust me at least a little on this.”

“Fine. For you, I will try.” She leaned into him and smiled. “I trust you. I barely know you, but I do trust you completely. Maybe it’s because of the dreams that I’ve had of you all of my life. So, if you’re the one who’s teaching me how to use a weapon, then I will take every single chance that I have in order to learn. Promise.”

“It requires full-body contact. I’ll be the only one teaching you,” he said gruffly.

“That’s a very good thing.” She took a deep breath. “I look forward to the close-quarters teaching with you.” She picked up another piece of food and ate it. “Will we be able to stick together for a while? You won’t be going out on missions or whatever for a while, right?”

“Only if it’s required, but doubtful, unless you find one of the VV’s and Mercury requires me to be there for backup. Depending on the area where the VV’s are found, and any indicators on what their gifts might be, he makes the determination on who he thinks will help convince them to return to the base and the safety here. Doesn’t always work, but he does his best with the information supplied.” Demaratus looked to the door suddenly and tipped his chin up.

The one she recognized as Alexander came in with a blonde woman. She was laughing up toward the man but turned to look their way and waved her fingers.

“He actually looks like he’s ready to smile. Does he ever?” Holly asked and waved back. “Who’s the woman? Is that his wife or girlfriend or, well, what are the VV’s to the men?”

“She’s his VV, the one the goddess has chosen for him to help him on his journey through the rest of his days. Her name’s Phoenix.” Wiping his napkin across his mouth, he tossed it on top of his empty plate and sat back in his seat. “The bond between a guardian and their VV is more than marriage and much more than a girlfriend. It is deep, personal, intense, and life altering. It is permanent, forever, and something that helps to soften the slightly rougher edges we have. In some cases, anyway.”

“Is that why I already feel so much for you in such a short amount of time? Is that why I’m drawn to you in a massive way? Because I am.”

“Extremely,” he said, nodding. “Every touch, every kiss, every moment spent together helps to strengthen the bond until it will hurt if the bond isn’t completed. I’ve heard rumors that a bond not properly formed can be broken if the VV decides to leave. There will always be a yearning for what never was, but it can never be recaptured. I don’t know if that is truth or a creative fiction designed to make us appreciate the precious gifts the VV’s are when they come into our lives.”

“So, I’m a precious gift to you?” she asked with a smile. “I think that you’re pretty awesome, too.” She looked to the couple getting their food now. “At least you smile. Maybe not as much as I do, but you do and that makes me all kinds of excited. You have a fabulous smile.”

He frowned at her, shaking his head slowly. “I do not smile,” he corrected. “As to your question—yes, you are. I’ve been alive for a long time, but I have never felt even a small portion of what I already feel for you for any other.” Lifting his hand, he brushed his fingers gently across her face. “You are beyond precious to me, little warrior. You are irreplaceable and perfect.”

She leaned in and placed a kiss to his cheek. Against his ear she whispered, “You’ve smiled for me. Once. Give it time, though, and you will smile some more, I promise.” She hoped she would get a great deal more of them from this man. “Now, do we need to scooch over a bit so your friends can sit with us?”

Chapter Four

Shifting, Demaratus lifted Holly into his lap. After passing her the bottle of water, he leaned back, keeping an arm around her waist, keeping her close. Alexander sat down at the far end and Phoenix next to him. “Holly Smith, this is Phoenix Waverly. Phoenix, this is Holly.”

“Hello,” Holly greeted the woman and wasn’t surprised when the large man hauled her into his lap as well. She leaned back against Demaratus and petted his chest. It was comforting and relaxing to be held in his arms.

“Nice to meet you, Holly,” Phoenix said, her lips twitching in a grin. “This is Alexander. I’m not sure if he introduced himself or not. I love the guy like crazy, but he’s one of those quiet-and-deadly people.”

“Nice to meet you. Again, thanks for not shooting me.”

He shrugged. “I wasn’t the one holding the gun to your head, so it wasn’t my call to make. I was there as backup only.” Leaning forward slightly, he handed a small plate to Phoenix and gave her a look. “Eat.”

“True.” Holly looked up at Demaratus. “Thanks for not shooting me.”

“Wait, what?” Phoenix looked to Holly, then Demaratus. “You had a gun to your VV’s head? What the fa-hell, man?”

“I think he was about to put it to one of the Marine’s heads because I said he was hot.”

“Oh, was it the blond one?” Phoenix asked with a snicker. “Not as hot as Alexander, but he’s a pretty man.”

“Yes, the blond. He’s a pretty man, but I have a feeling he’s very high maintenance, too. Me, I prefer men like Demaratus. He’s sexy as all get-out,
and
he doesn’t talk all the time. I have a feeling the Marine would talk, a lot.” Holly rolled her eyes. “I’m the one who talks a lot.” She hugged Demaratus closer and added, “Besides, who would want a Marine when you have a Corinthian as your one and only?” Yeah, they’d just met, but seriously, he was perfect for her.

“You should have shot the Marine,” Alexander said.

“The option is not yet off the table,” Demaratus told him. “I believe he has the soon-to-be displeasure of undergoing training with us very soon. Tomorrow, actually, now that I think on it.”

“Shame he won’t be nearly so pretty when he leaves.” Alexander looked to Phoenix with a deadpan expression.

“It really is.” Demaratus gave Holly a nearly identical look.

“Don’t hurt the poor man because we think he’s pretty.” Holly stroked her fingers over Demaratus’s chest. “You’re the one who’s holding me, not him. Never him. Just you.” She tried to soothe him. She’d never thought he’d be upset about her thinking one of the men was attractive.

“Who said I would be the one harming him?” Catching her hand with his, Demaratus stilled it against his chest. Dipping his chin, he brushed his nose to her cheek. “We would never truly harm each other in training. That doesn’t mean I won’t put the fear of God into him.”

“You’ll make sure Alexander doesn’t harm him as well?” Holly asked with a smirk. “Because, for some reason, I have an idea that he’s the one who’ll get up in the poor guy’s face.”

Demaratus shrugged. “He has a mind of his own. He can make his own choices and has made many over the years. Not all of them wise or well thought out. But this could be said of several of us. Though I only know of a couple that did such things with an entire empire.”

“Really? We are going to do this again, here?” Alexander almost growled.

“I was merely stating the facts as I see them,” Demaratus said.

“Okay, spill it, buddy.” Holly had a feeling that Demaratus was talking about Alexander. It was very odd that they were such old friends. “I would like to know more about what the actual times were like back then. Do you think you can tell me about them?”

“Dirty, unsanitary, and yes, those two are very different. Drafty homes, crude roads, thieves around every corner, and the rich got richer while the poor found a corner to curl up into and die. I did what I could for the corner of the world I inhabited, but it was never enough to help them break free. Opportunities for hard workers then were few and far between, if they were not at least of the middle class. The poor too often got stuck in a cycle that could never be broken,” Demaratus answered.

“That’s terrible. I’m so sorry. There had to be good parts of living in that time, right? What was something that you loved?” Holly kissed the side of his neck. “Has to be something, right?” She so desperately wanted to ask Alexander about Cleopatra and the Library, but she wasn’t so sure how that would go over.

“No pollution as you know it. The cities were all small, except for Rome and a few others of note. You could ride for days without seeing another living soul. Forests were large and plentiful. The wildlife had the run of the hills, and the views were beyond compare. There was nothing to break them up, like now. These days, it’s becoming harder and harder to find a spot where you can only be surrounded by nature as it was meant to be enjoyed. Some of the food wasn’t all that bad, either,” Demaratus said.

“I like my electronics, so I’m happy to live in this era. But I happen to also really love some of the old things as well. I like that you are from where you’re from, but I’m even happier that you are here in my time.” Holly hoped that made sense. She looked over at Phoenix and Alexander and giggled. The two of them were making out.
Too funny
.

Muttering something nasty sounding, Demaratus put a hand over her eyes. “Ignore them. They’re like two teenagers who can’t seem to control their hormones at any time. You’d think they were not getting any personal time together each and every single day.”

Holly laughed. “Oh God, you’re hilarious. Seriously. You act as if I’ve never seen people making out before. I practically live on the Internet, so I’ve seen porn, lots and lots of porn. I’ve seen people doing far more than what
they
are doing right now.”

Demaratus’s hand fell down to her thigh. “Why have you been watching porn?” he asked.

Holly noticed that Alexander and Phoenix were both looking at her now. Alexander had one eyebrow cocked up in a curious look, while Phoenix was grinning. “Hello, I’m a grown woman who has needs, you know. I can’t use a vibrator because they fritz out, and I don’t like strange men, so it’s been me, my hand, and porn,” Holly blurted, then felt her cheeks burn. “Crap, did I just say that out loud?”

Phoenix had her hand over her mouth as she laughed, her shoulders shaking so hard only the hold from Alexander around her waist kept her in his lap. The big, blond guardian actually looked amused, a faint smile curling his lips.

Demaratus groaned and stood with her firmly trapped in his arms. “If you’ll excuse us, I have a feeling the rest of this discussion needs to be held behind closed doors.” Stepping over Alexander’s legs, he moved for the door. Over his shoulder, Holly saw Phoenix give her a wave before the woman burst into laughter.

“Where are we going? Why did we just leave? I wasn’t done with my meal.” Okay, so she had finished everything except for her drink, but still.

“You only left your water, and you can have more where we’re going.” He stared at her as they reached the elevators, lowering her to her feet. “We left because some things the other guardians don’t need to know about you, ever. Like your viewing pleasures and what occurs during that time.” Ushering her into the car, he hit a button, then backed her into a corner, dipping his head to brush a kiss to her temple.

She leaned up on her toes and bit her lower lip. “You asked, and I told you. Is that really such a bad thing? There’s one thing you should know about me…” She rubbed her cheek to his. “I will never lie to you, and I will always be very blunt. I promise you that.”

“I approve of the fact you will never lie to me, as I would never lie to you. I may not always be able to tell you everything in the moment, but I will never
lie
about it. You do need to remember, though, that not everyone needs to be aware of every thought you have. Some things should be kept between only us,” Demaratus said huskily. He turned his head enough so that she could feel his warm breath against her lips.

“I will try. I really will. I want to be able to have parts of you all to myself,” she confessed. “I really like this—you cornering me and being so close to me. I like being surrounded by you. Is that normal?”

“No idea,” he said. “But from what I’ve observed, I’m going to say that yes, it is normal. It’s another form of contact.” Demaratus shifted a little, and she felt his mouth brush the corner of hers. Right when she thought he might kiss her, the elevator gave its soft, very discreet
ding
to indicate they’d arrived.

“Darn, sure that you can’t close the elevator door so I can get that kiss, please?” She lifted a leg and rubbed it to his. She couldn’t help herself. She enjoyed touching him and wanted his kiss, desperately.

Shaking his head, he cupped her ass and lifted. Automatically, she wound her legs around his waist and looped her arms around his neck so she didn’t fall. Demaratus strode out of the elevator and up the hallway.

Holly leaned in and brushed her lips to the side of his neck. “I could become accustomed to you carrying me around, just so you know.” She nipped his ear lightly with her teeth.

She felt his snort against her skin. “You weigh nothing at all.”

Holly nibbled along his shoulder and nipped him again. “I love this. Love tasting your skin. Just met you, and yet I have a deep need for you. I don’t understand it, but I’m going with it because it feels right.”

“We still have things to discuss before we get to explore all those feelings. There can be no misunderstandings as we go forward,” he said quietly. Stopping, he keyed in his code, then stepped inside his suite. Easing the door shut, he leaned back against it and looked down at her. “And you were the one that suggested we talk before we did anything else, if you recall.”

“Crap, me and my big, stupid mouth.” She nodded. Taking a deep breath, she leaned back in and squeezed him. “Okay, you should let me down so that we can both have a seat, and we can see what it is that we need to talk about. I’m sure there is something I’m missing.”

“If you believe that, then we should try and discover what it is.” He let her down onto her feet. With a hand at her back, he walked with her to the large sofa and settled in next to her when she sat. “So, what is it that you believe you’re missing?”

“How do our lives tie together? You said we get bonded together so we can be with each other for the rest of forever, so what do we do next? And what is it that you wanted to tell me? What do you need to make sure that I know before we come together?”

“When we have sex the first time, the medallion will activate. You’ll feel anything from a hum to a small amount of pressure. There is warmth, of course, because the closer we are, and the more skin-to-skin contact we have, the hotter the medallion gets. It won’t burn, or hurt either of us, but I know of one of the pairings who mentioned it was a little scary, so I figure it’s a good piece of information to have. It’s at the point of climax for us both that the connection is forged. That’s all it really takes. As long as we’re both open-minded and accepting, the bond will tie us together. Over time, it will strengthen and become like a titanium rope between us. Forever unbreakable.”

“That’s not bad, though. None of it is. I actually happen to like the fact that I will finally belong.”
Damn it!
She hadn’t meant to admit that out loud. She sighed and explained. “I was left off at a children’s home because my parents didn’t want me. I’ve never really fit in anywhere, except on the Web. Now, you’re giving me a chance to fit into your life. Do you have any idea how much that means to me?”

He lifted her into his lap and held her snugly. “You will always be a part of something here, Holly. Even if you don’t want the bond, you would have a place with the guardians. We are all different, some more so than others, but we are one huge family. Which is why what Helen did to us hit us so hard. To have someone we considered family purposefully set out to arrange for a member to be harmed is a blow none of us will ever fully recover from.”

“I can understand that. I really can. The damage that she did, I hate it.” Holly sighed. “And if I want the bond? What happens then?” She wanted it. She wanted someone who was hers, all hers, and only hers.

“Then you would be mine, in all ways.” Demaratus slid a hand up her arm until he could wrap it loosely around her throat, with his palm pressed to her pulse point. “There are a few more details we should go over.” His tone warned her that whatever he was referring to was serious.

“I’m listening,” she told him quietly. “Talk to me.” She stroked her hands over Demaratus’s chest. She wanted to know everything that he had to tell her, needed to have all of the facts, but knew that no matter what, she still would want him.

His thumb was moving up and down the column of skin. “In the bedroom, I’m a Dominant. Completely, fully, and always. While I may bend from time to time to allow my chosen partner the opportunity to play, even then I’m in full control of the situation. There are rules to such interactions, ones that both parties must agree to and abide by at all times. I happen to like my sex a little more on the kinky side, the taboo, if you will, in the eyes of this stuck-up, prissy-assed society. Are you still interested in bonding with me?”

“Yes,” she breathed, panting. “I trust you. I want to know what it would mean to be dominated by you. To know what your version of kinky is. I want to learn absolutely everything there is to learn with you. I want this. I want you.”