Scarred Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance #7) - Brenda Trim
CHAPTER ONE
Gerrick paced another circuit through the warriors milling around, anxious as hell to get the show on the road. “I say we go in guns blazing, right now. And, I know we don’t use guns, Mack, so don’t go being a smart ass,” he snarled at the female who hadn’t actually said anything. His muscles twitched in his arms and he reached for his weapons. Adrenaline dumped into his system, making his heart race.
Mack, Prince Kyran’s Fated Mate, threw up her hands. “Don’t pick on me, Oscar the Grouch. I’m ready to get in there, too. I’m the one who found them, remember?”
Before Mack mated Kyran and became an intricate part of their group, she stumbled upon the archdemon’s lair and discovered where he was holding several females prisoner. Gerrick and his fellow warriors had been searching ceaselessly, night and day for the location of the missing females, but were unsuccessful. It had been a source of frustration for him that he hadn’t been able to protect the females from harm. It was his duty as a Dark Warrior to protect the innocent from the demons and their minions.
Zander placed his hand on Gerrick’s shoulder, stopping him mid-stride. “Patience. We canna go in without setting up the barriers. Pema, Isis and Suvi are doing their part now and you and Jace are up next. Focus on that.”
Gerrick took a deep breath, knowing the Vampire King was right, but it was difficult when his blood was calling for him to take action. It was a painful compulsion that was impossible to ignore, but there was no mistaking the command in Zander’s tone. Gerrick took several more deep breaths, trying to settle his anxiousness and concentrate on what he needed to do next.
Gerrick paused next to Jace and pulled his staff out of its magical pocket of space in the Goddess’ realm. Immediately, he felt the additional power surge through his limbs. The seven-foot, gnarled, basswood pole was given to him by his father when he became an adult and his thumb went unerringly to the small silver pendant wrapped around the leather grip. Sorrow and rage spiked, making it difficult to focus. Not willing to let himself get mired in the past, he checked his surroundings in the dark parking lot.
Gerrick wasn’t comfortable with the number of humans in the area. They were about to stir the hornet’s nest and he didn’t want innocent bystanders harmed because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It went against his warrior’s oath, but there was nothing they could do about it since Kadir had set up shop in the middle of downtown Seattle.
He glanced around the corner of the brick building and braced himself against the bitter wind and chilling rain. He watched a human male hurry from a shop and make his way in their direction. Gerrick quickly muttered a spell, sending the male into a nearby coffee chop, or at least, Gerrick thought it was a coffee shop. The old-fashioned architecture and brickwork of the businesses in Pioneer Square were all so similar it was hard to tell them apart. He shrugged figuring the human was safe enough.
“This is a much bigger area than we have ever covered before, Zander,” Pema piped up a few seconds later. “There are so many exits to consider. I’m not sure we can do this.” Gerrick turned around and saw that the witch triplets were holding hands and each of their mates was touching their shoulders. He watched the vibrant pinks and red lights of their magic swirl around their bodies. To his sensitive sorcerer’s vision it was bright, almost blinding.
He had faith the witches could manage to spell. After all, the freshly-crowned High Priestesses were by far the most powerful witches in the Tehrex Realm and were the most recent additions to the Dark Alliance Council.
Zander caught his attention as he slid his sgian dubh into the sheath around his waist. Zander’s presence was vast and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was a king. It was his inherent power and confidence. Gerrick was surrounded by the most powerful men in the realm, but none of them held a candle to Zander. The thing that made him so extraordinary was that he shared this power and confidence with those around him. “I know this is a large area and ‘tis going to be impossible to include all possible exits. Cover as many as you can,