Bloodfire (Blood Destiny 1) - Helen Harper Page 0,66

fingernails into my palms.

Lucy shouted down to the two stoic sentinels who hadn’t budged a millimeter. “Hey guys, we’re here to relieve you of your duties. Any activity yet?”

I took another step.

One of the waiting guards said something back to her, but I didn’t hear what his actual words were. I could already visualise myself breaking the idiot’s nose with a satisfying crunch. I didn’t even care that he’d shift and immediately regenerate. It would still be worth it.

At that moment, Alex stepped onto the beach from the trees. He took one look at me and his eyes widened, although I barely registered the movement; I was already shifting into an attack stance. I was vaguely aware that he had quickened his step but my focus was on the Brethren shifter. Then he stepped into my direct line of sight, blocking my attack route.

“Hey Mack Attack!” he called over, with emphasis on the Attack part of my latest irritating nickname.

Lucy craned her neck round his body. “Mackenzie! I didn’t see you there. Are you joining us for the stake-out?”

“This’ll be good,” said the arsehole, stepping out from behind Alex’s protective shield. “This girl is what I meant. Smart, strong and a million times more useful than a human.”

Hah! The irony of his statement wasn’t lost on me. I forced myself to breathe and tried to calm my boiling blood. Alex came closer and wrapped his arms around me.

“What the feck are you doing, dude?” he whispered in my ear.

“You heard what he said,” I growled.

“I’m starting to see why the wolf calls you Red. That temper of yours is seriously scary. If you attack him because he’s an ignorant idiot, all that will happen is the other Brethren will be forced to take his side. Which will make you mincemeat. Now, given all the trouble I went to save your sorry hide last night, I will be very pissed off if that happens.”

I pulled free and looked away. “Fine,” I muttered.

The arsehole came up and stuck out his hand. “Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. There’s been a lot of discussion about you since we arrived. I do hope that you decide to leave this rural hell-hole when all this is done and come with us to London.”

I reluctantly took his greasy palm, and shook it. I will admit that I tried to crush the bones in his fingers at the same time. He pulled his hand away and shook it in mock, or (as I hoped) real, pain.

“Wow, that’s a strong grip you’ve got there, tiger.” What was with all of the cat nicknames I seemed to be garnering recently? My lips tightened and he eyed me curiously. “What’s your were, anyway? You smell kind of funny.”

“Hamster.” It took some force of will to get the word out.

He looked surprised. “Uh, really?”

I shrugged, not trusting myself to say anything else, and walked back to the other side of the portal. He remained there for a second or two, still looking puzzled, until the two other Brethren moved impatiently and he shook himself and took up their positions, along with Lucy. As the first two guards walked towards the trees and back to the keep, he continued to stare at me through the portal. I felt my ire rising again, but Alex put a hand on my arm and made a face. I rolled my eyes at him. Whatever. I sat back down on the sand and started to wait.

Chapter Seventeen

Lucy and the human hater took up the same positions as the previous two Brethren had, and maintained the same stoicism. I was faintly surprised that Lucy was as strict about her vigil as the others had been but guessed that Corrigan’s stranglehold on the Brethren was viciously strong. I, meanwhile, was going to preserve my strength and energy for when something – hopefully Iabartu – finally appeared. I was confident that I’d hear the change in tone as the portal prepared to eject someone long before they actually arrived. Keeping an upright, straight backed, military style stance was a waste of time.

I pulled out a couple of cans of Coke from my backpack and offered one to Alex. He sat down beside me and we pulled the ringtops. I hoped that the Brethren idiot on the other side could hear the satisfying hiss as the carbon dioxide was released although I did feel slightly guilty about Lucy. Then again, given what I’d already discovered about her tastebuds, she probably