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It had taken weeks to track down the secret laboratory owned by Ridgeforce.
Gregg had called Anzac yesterday to tell him it was time that we focus on another case. Anzac refused, and when Gregg tried to pull rank and force us to return to the US for reassignment, Mace took the phone from Anzac and made it very clear to our boss that we were staying here. If they tried to pull us for reassignment, they would instead receive five resignations.
“She’s not here! Let’s go!” Anzac shouted, barely able to be heard about the helicopter engines as they prepared to take off with their precious cargo. “Should we wait for you?” one of the pilots shouted
A winged figure in the distance stumbled away from the building and toward us. A bird of prey’s ear-piercing cry was followed by a man’s screams. The blood in my veins chilled. I knew the sound of those screams all too well. They belonged to a dying man.
flaming gold wings of fire, it carried a far greater dramatic impact than sunglasses ever could. I still couldn’t believe this was my mate. Our mate.
Before any of us could answer, a lone wolf’s howl came from the direction of the lab. Not just from the direction of the lab, but from in the lab. Someone had been left behind. Ryls’ leaped into action.
I hated to leave Trevor’s side while he was unconscious, but regardless of everything that had happened, I knew I could trust the shadow with him. Maybe they would see his mark and be relieved that I was someone else’s problem.
This time when I fell, I landed on a metal rebar that had fallen to the floor when it had collapsed. The two steel bars skewered me like a chicken shish kebab, or more accurately, a Phoenix shish kebab. It’s just a flesh wound. You can totally walk this off, Ryls. Trying to free myself sent a wave of agony through me. I screamed. Imp’s cry joined mine. Vaguely, I wondered if she felt my pain. How our bond worked was still a mystery to me, one of the many mysteries I had yet to find answers to.
I moved to pet his massive head. He wasn’t my mate. There were no tingles or racing hormones when I touched him. Instead, a sense of comfort filled me, like hugging a friend you hadn’t seen in years. He was special to me; I just didn’t know how or why.
the concept of ‘friend’ seemed almost correct. I’d never really had a close friend other than Imp, and now this one that instinctively felt like my BFF was going to die. Not on my watch!
Peering around, I spotted Mace, Anzac, Jett, and Knox as well. They were all sitting as close as possible without physically touching me. Well, then. This was weird with a capital ‘W.’
“We were told that should the Phoenix do anything like what you did today, it would destroy the earth. Yet you maintained control, even while dying. Honestly, I’m still surprised we survived.” “It’s because you are my fated mates. My magic recognizes you.” I glanced at the wolf, who eyed me with interest. “He survived because he’s my…friend?” It came out more as a question than a statement, but the wolf relaxed, pleased with the answer.
I will never stop trying to earn your forgiveness. Wherever you go, I will follow. Perhaps someday, you will be able to give me another chance, but until then, I can be your friend, bodyguard, personal chef, maid…” His voice was soft when he spoke again, “I will be anything you need.” He spoke without hesitation and with so much sincerity. I wanted to reassure him it would all be just fine, but when I looked around the room at each of them, I still remembered everything that had gone down in the jungle.
Jett’s musical voice cut in, “We hope that someday, you might accept us all. However, we are aware that for some, or maybe even all, of us, that door may have closed.”
“I’m so sorry! I don’t know why this keeps happening! Actually, I do know. I thought I was cursed all my life, and that’s why I was clumsy. You wouldn’t believe how many ways I’ve died—” “Oh, I believe you.” Trevor groaned. “I don’t usually hurt anyone else, though!” “Great. That makes me feel special.”
Our relationship was still new, and the mate bond had definitely pushed us together, but my heart was blooming with the beginnings of love for this man.
“Exactly that. This is only my second time making love.”
Then, he did the cutest thing. He blushed. “No, I never wanted anyone else. Gryphons don’t force themselves to wait. We simply don’t feel sexual desire until we meet our mate.”
Deciding now was the time to play it cool, I smiled seductively—I hoped—and whispered, “We’ve got to stop meeting like this. You seem to lose your breath every time you see me.” Stunned amber eyes stared back at me, and then Trevor chuckled. That quickly turned into full-blown, wheezing, pant ripping, tear wiping, roars of laughter. His face transformed. Years of heartbreak and torture peeled away as pure joy burst from him. I had thought of him as a fallen angel the first time I saw him in that dirty cell. Now
“Do you always have your wings?” I traced along the gold edge of feather after feather, enjoying the slight tremors that went through his body.
My abilities seemed to only show up when it was a matter of life or death. I snickered. Actually, the only ability that showed up when I died was the regen. My other talents seemed to only show up when I needed to save someone else.
Trevor POV
Eighteen years I’d kept my magnificent beast locked in my mind. It had been too much of a risk to allow the shift to happen. The less the world knew about Gryphons, the safer it was for our people.
“I’m falling in love with you, Ryls.” My voice was husky. It was rough with emotion that I didn’t hide from her.
It had been the most emasculating experience of my life, and I thought she would reject me. Instead, she accepted me with open arms. Now, I find out that all my self-loathing was unnecessary.
“I-Imp? What’s that?” This conversation had taken a sudden detour down a weird road, one I wasn’t sure we should travel on. “The little magical phoenix
Everything felt like something I would have picked out for myself. After finding the socks with tiny red birds and pink hearts on them, I wanted to run out and hug whoever had picked out the clothing for me. My heart longed to jump in their bulky arms and pepper their faces with wet kisses. The mate bond wanted me to forgive and forget… These were my soulmates.
Unless there was a way to remove the mate bond, I didn’t see how we could avoid ending up together. I found myself far less upset over that idea than I thought I should be... and that’s what was really upsetting me.
“You probably don’t want to hear this, but I think you should hear what they have to say. They told me
The problem is that I am sensing your emotions, and you have feelings for them. Dagger, Knox, and Jett are practically ready to offer you their beating hearts on a platter, if you wish it. Mace and Anzac are hard to read, but they watch you in the same protective and awestruck way we all do.”
there were far too many unanswered questions. If I wanted to make a decision either way, I needed to talk to them, and at a bare minimum, gain some closure.
the more you resist everything, the more strain is put on your body. Little things like hand holding, snuggling, spending time near each other, even just talking, will ease the drive to mate and will ease the strain on your body.”
I was on a plane. The blood rushed out of my head, and I couldn’t breathe. Without bothering to look around, I stumbled over to the nearest seat and collapsed into it. Breathe, Ryls.
Their sensitive hearing made it impossible for them not to. It was quite entertaining for me to watch them break a few armrests trying to not join in.” A man whom I recognized strode toward me. Green Coat. The lab tech who had apologized to me during that last experiment. Watching him now, there was something about his eyes… The wolf! That wasn’t possible, was it? “I’m Lee. Thank you for saving my life.”
Lee—Green Coat/Wolf…friend
Lee began before I could process his mood swings, “Everyone knows how rare it is for a Phoenix to be born.
“Yes, please. I have wanted this type of information since finding out what I was. I thought it was all destroyed in the fire,” I said to Lee while giving Knox the stink eye. “Ah, yes. Ridgeforce lost a lot of information that day. I made sure of it.”
“I assume you were also hoping to learn more about your parents.” His voice dipped to a whisper. “I’m afraid I wasn’t able to find any information about them. Don’t worry, though! We will track them down, and you will get your answers.”
“Telling you everything is going to take a little while.” Trevor gave a soft chuckle and leaned forward to pat my hand. “Don’t worry! I will get you caught up.”
He started to walk away but spun back around to face me. Resting a hand on my shoulder, he spoke, “I hope you will give me a chan—” ZAP.
“Do you think there is anything we can do to avoid setting off another detonation?” Mace asked as the guys tried to discreetly move away from me. “Here’s an idea! How about not being such a douche canoe?” I growled in response to the red-haired giant.
Lee’s skin turned a sickly shade of green, and he looked like he was going to pass out. I broke into their conversation. “I don’t understand what the problem is. Don’t all Phoenixes have one? Like a spirit animal or something?”
Knox POV
