Redemption of Fate (Fate Series Book 2) (11 page)

At least he still allowed her to attend the debriefings every evening after the patrols, and he had assured her that if any situations arose which required her expertise, he would see to it that her skills were properly utilized.

Cami swung her arms back and forth to loosen her tight muscles, and reached up to rub the knot in her left shoulder. Touching the tattooed skin reminded her of Barb and, for the second time since returning to Boston, Cami felt the sting of tears in her eyes as she thought of the kind old witch who had been like a mother to her for so many years.
 

Wiping her eyes, and feeling pissed at her display of weakness, Cami turned back to the workout dummy and readied her stance. Jumping up, she spun around and kicked her leg out, connecting with the rubber man’s chest and sending the entire rig flying backwards to the mat as she landed silently, precisely where she’d started. The dummy smacked into the floor and bounced back up only to be met with Cami’s favorite sword straight through its painted red heart. With a yell, she ripped the blade out and spun around again, this time striking the side of the neck with enough force to cut completely through the rubber to the metal rod in the center.
 

“I think you got him,” a deep voice said from across the room. Cami sighed audibly as she looked up to see the soldier’s reflection in the mirrored wall and instantly felt irritated by the amused look on his face.

✧

Since the day she’d joined The Elite nearly two centuries ago, Dante had taken more of an interest in her than she had been comfortable with. Based on the way other women responded to him, vampire and human alike, she should have been flattered by his attention.
 

Standing at six feet, four inches, with well-toned muscles, spiky, jet-black hair, and piercing blue eyes, Dante was unusually attractive, even for a vampire; all members of the race being blessed with above-average good looks. Yet another positive side-effect of the genetic mutation which had spawned their race.

Cami found his advances annoying at best, especially considering the way that women rotated through his life. Not that she would have been interested otherwise; her focus having been entirely on her duty as a member of the Elite; but if she was ever going to get involved with a man, it certainly wouldn’t be a womanizer like him.
 

If I was going to be with a man, it would be someone like Jared,
she thought, immediately dismissing the idea, telling herself it could never happen. She would never let it happen.
 

She slid the sword into its sheath across her back and faced Dante, as he leaned in the doorway staring at her shamelessly. Cami silently cursed herself for her choice of workout attire as she stood there in skin-tight pants, a sports bra, and her weapons holster. Having planned on being back in her room before the soldiers returned, she hadn’t given the ensemble too much thought.

“Hello, Dante. I was just finishing up if you want the space,” she said as she grabbed her bag and moved towards him, hoping to make a quick exit.

“You know, your skills are impressive; but you might find it a bit more challenging if you faced an opponent who can actually fight back for a change,” he smirked.
 

As intended, his little taunt struck a nerve. Up until the attack in Indianapolis, it had been years since Cami had been in actual battle; The Elite commander keeping her occupied with recon and clean-up missions despite the fact that she was one of his best fighters. When she questioned him about it respectfully, of course, he simply said she was the most efficient team leader for those types of assignments. She knew it was bullshit, considering the other three women in The Elite always seemed to end up on her teams. It had been decades since a female was even inducted and, though no one ever spoke of it, Cami was pretty certain that since his own daughter’s birth, the man just couldn’t stomach the idea of putting a woman in combat.

“Screw you, Dante,” she spat as he started strolling towards her.

“Well, I was only talking about a little friendly sparring; but I’m down for screwing instead,” he taunted, further inciting her anger.

“God, you’re an asshole. You want to fight, fine; let’s go. Pick the weapon,” she said, dropping her bag and strolling toward the racks lined up against the wall and ignoring the satisfied smile which spread across his annoyingly perfect face.

“Broadswords,” he responded as he pulled his tight black shirt over his head, revealing perfectly formed six-pack abs and an intricate tattoo which covered one side of his bulging pectorals and ran down his side.
 

Seeing the dark ink of the witches’ mark in that location shifted her thoughts to Ethan. She, like everyone else, whether or not any of them were willing to admit it out loud, knew Lucias had captured her brother and Alexa. There was simply no other conclusion to be drawn. Her heart constricted as she considered the atrocities they must have endured at that monster’s hands. Lucias would undoubtedly torture them for information on the location of their daughter, but Cami knew they would rather die than see their child fall into his clutches. So, after so much time had passed, they were either dead; or worse.
 

Again seized by her own impotent anger at the situation, Cami picked up a broadsword, letting the comfort its weight gave cover her like a warm blanket, and turned to face her opponent.

God, it’s going to feel good to kick his ass!
she thought as they started circling each other cautiously.
 

Dante watched Cami carefully as she moved gracefully, and stepped sideways into a defensive stance. He prepared to strike, expecting to be the one to initiate battle, but she beat him to it; moving in and bringing her sword down expertly, catching him off guard as the blade grazed his forearm.

He looked down at the small trickle of blood and smiled.

“I’d forgotten how good you are,” he said with admiration.

Dante twirled his sword around in his palm, slicing the air to show off a bit before he lunged. Cami was unimpressed and met him blow for blow, their blades colliding in perfect synchronization over and again as they battled; their movements like those of a dance perfectly choreographed to the music of the clanging metal.
 

He attacked again, hoping to use his intimidating size to push Cami into the corner; but she spun away easily, jumping into the air and landing a hard elbow to the back of his head as she leapt back to the center of the floor.

Reaching back, he touched the knot at the base of his skull and brought his hand forward to reveal the smear of blood on his fingertips. Damn, she hit hard. The fight in her turned him on; he had never met a woman equal to her in his long life and he felt determined to have her, at least once. He stared at her with hunger as he licked the blood from his fingers.
 

She responded with a look of disgust and he laughed before gripping the hilt of his blade again. Charging at her with staggering speed that would have been nearly imperceptible to human eyes, he found she was ready for the attack. That was until a familiar scent hit her nose and she hesitated for just a moment as she realized they were no longer alone.

Dante took full advantage of her distraction and knocked the sword from her grasp as he took her to the ground, pinning her with his full weight as he lightly pressed the edge of the blade against her throat. With her lying beneath him, he couldn’t help his body’s response to her beauty. He stared down at her full lips, unable to think of anything but feeling them move against his own as he moved the sword away and grasped her wrists, effectively pinning them to the mat above her head. He was surprised by the way she had given in, letting him grab her arms that way when his moving the blade had given her an opportunity to escape, but he certainly wasn’t going to complain.

Cami stared up at Dante, willing her body to calm down as that intoxicating scent filled her lungs and she felt a flood of moisture between her thighs. She didn’t dare glance over to the door where she knew
he
was standing. She’d been learning to focus and control her emotions when he was near; but being like that, in the heat of battle with adrenaline coursing through her veins, she couldn’t contain the raw sensations he stirred in her body.

A look of surprise entered Dante’s eyes as he inhaled heavily, taking in the obvious scent of her arousal. The look quickly morphed to one of desire as his lids lowered and he leaned in. “Now
that
is an unexpected surprise,” he whispered, so close that she could feel his warm breath against her cheek and his growing arousal pressing into her belly.

She knew what was coming, knew she needed to get away; but finding herself paralyzed by Jared’s presence, she squeezed her eyes closed as Dante pressed his lips hungrily against hers.
 

Before her mind could even process the strange sensation, it was gone along with the pressure of Dante’s large body.

✧

Jared was powerless to stop the possessive growl that burst from his throat as he covered the distance to Cami in the blink of an eye, hurling Dante across the floor and sending the broadsword he was gripping crashing into the mirrored wall. Before the last shard of broken glass hit the mat, Dante was on his feet, stalking towards Jared.

“Watch it kid. I don’t give a fuck who your daddy is; you put your hands on me again and I will end you!” he yelled, stopping just short of Jared with Cami still lying on the ground between them.
 

Without even acknowledging Dante, Jared knelt down beside her, looking over her body for any sign of injury. “Then you keep your filthy hands off of her,” Jared said, quietly turning to face his opponent; his tone no less menacing than Dante’s.

“What I do with my hands isn’t up to you, sport,” Dante stated, emphasizing the last word before he let his gaze roam greedily over Cami’s scantily-clad form. “Besides, it’s obvious she wanted everything I was giving,” he said with a smirk as he glanced back at Jared, who was watching him with rage burning in his eyes.
 

“She may not know what she wants yet, but it sure as shit isn’t you!” Jared hissed.

“I didn’t see her putting up much of a fight when I kissed her, and I can still smell how turned on she was. I know you smell it, too.” Dante responded feeling triumphant.

The comment which was meant to further incite Jared’s anger actually served the opposite purpose. Yes; he could smell the lingering scent of her arousal but, being able to read her thoughts, he knew the response was to him and not Dante. He would have loved nothing more than to tell Dante as much, but he didn’t want to reveal his advantage to his competition. That, and the fact that he was fairly certain that Cami would be less than pleased when she realized he had been reading her mind.
 

“As you seem keen on pointing out, I may be young, but last time I checked, you shouldn’t have to hold a blade to a woman’s throat just to kiss her. She may not have fought, but she didn’t kiss you back, either,” Jared stated, turning his attention back to Cami as he gently stroked her cheek, his eyes full of concern over her lack of response. Even her thoughts had remained silent.
 

The small touch finally bringing her to her senses, Cami’s eyes snapped open and she jumped up and sped to the door before either man could protest.
 

“I’d appreciate it if you both would stay the fuck away from me. I don’t need either of you speaking for me and, just so we’re clear I don’t want either of you or anyone for that matter,” she uttered without so much as a glance back at them.

And just like that, she disappeared

CHAPTER 10 -
A Glimmer of Hope

Back in her quarters, Cami closed the door and leaned back against it, letting her body slide down to the floor.
 

What the fuck just happened?
she thought as she brushed her fingertips over her lips where Dante’s had been only minutes before. In nearly two hundred years of living, that was the first time she had ever been kissed by a man other than her father. Even in all her fantasizing about Jared, which included a lot more than kissing, she hadn’t acknowledged that somewhat pathetic fact.
 

She knew most people thought she was cold; the other members of The Elite referring to her as ‘the ice princess’ behind her back. That was probably to be expected, considering she only had one friend amongst her colleagues, and even that relationship wasn’t a close one. Maybe she was a little frigid; she had always preferred to think of it as putting her duty first, but she knew deep down it was mainly her fear which kept her so closed off.
 

She had lost her brother for so many years because of a love he hadn’t even met yet. Now that he had found her, what had it gained him? Barb was dead, he and his woman were missing, probably dead as well, and everyone else he loved was in hiding. In the end, love equaled pain and she wanted no part of it.
 

Cami stood and took a deep breath, the smell of cinnamon and vanilla and something inherently male filling her nostrils as she did.
 

This is fucking ridiculous, I can still smell him. “
Snap out of it, Cami,” she whispered to herself heading towards the bathroom.

She jumped slightly at the light knock against the door behind her, but stayed silent; holding her breath, knowing who it had to be on the other side.
 

Shit,
she thought as she looked back at the digital panel, realizing she had neglected to engage the soundproofing.

“Hey, Cami; I’m really sorry about all that. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I just wanted to come and make sure you’re okay,” Jared said through the door, unsure if she could even hear him.

He didn’t know what he was thinking coming to her room now either. Since the first day on the compound, every time he got within a hundred feet of her, she would take off, but he just couldn’t help himself. She was like the sun and he was pulled towards her by an invisible force akin to gravity. Every day, he secretly followed her to the training facility to watch her work out and listen to her trying to combat all of her frustrations about her brother, and him. It was an invasion, he knew that; but while a part of him was ashamed, he needed the reassurance that he was still in her thoughts as much as she was in his, even if she wasn’t ready to admit it yet.