Skin Walkers: Taken (12 page)

Epilogue

Nyree stood beside Harlow EnemyHunter, the two chatting merrily as they painted a wall in the re-built section of the cafeteria.  A large portion of the outer wall had been demolished in the attack on the Estate, and was one of the first structures to be rebuilt.  The two women decided that a bright, cheery yellow would be a more suitable color than the former sterile white that used to cover the walls.

“Good Christ, it’s hot in here,” Harlow complained, plucking at the turtleneck she wore.

Nyree laughed. “Well, maybe if you didn’t wear stinking turtlenecks every day.  Hell, Harlow, if I didn’t know any better I’d think you were hiding a hickey.”

Harlow snorted.  “I wish!”  She was hiding something though, and it wasn’t a hickey.  Remy had gifted her his halo, then left the Estate so quickly that they hadn’t had time for a true claiming, and she wanted that done before she flaunted her halo or let anyone know that she was his Angel.   Quickly, she changed the subject.  “So, aside from the obvious differences with their Soul Sentries, and a Walkers ability to change, is there anything else that’s different about your Keeper?”

Nyree smiled.  “He’s a lot like a Walker male.  Possessive, loyal, insatiable.”  She blushed at the last word, then lifted a hand to her throat.  “No halo, though.  No outwardly obvious sign that I’m mated.”

Harlow stopped her paint brush mid-stroke.  “We should have a wedding!  It’d be perfect.  You’d exchange rings, there’d be your proof, and the Estate would get something positive.  We really need something good right now!”

The idea sent a zing of excitement through Nyree, but she stifled it.  “I don’t know…  The Domina is still not herself, and after the attack Monroe won’t want outsiders here.”

“We won’t have outsiders.” Harlow insisted.  “We can do all the prep and ceremony ourselves!  The kids could do the decorations, it’d be a good back to school project to get their minds off the attack.  I’m positive all the females would pitch in where they could, hair, makeup, dresses.  I’ll do the cake!”

“But Eden…”

“Monroe wouldn’t want his Estate floundering because the Domina was injured.  He’d be proud of us for keeping things moving, for bringing joy to the Estate, for not letting the Megalya win.”

“Hmm, might not be a
bad
idea.”

“Oooh, it’d be so much fun, Nyree! Just think on it, okay?  No decisions right now, and no pressure.  I just think it’d be something good.  You’d get a ring so everyone knew you were taken, which doesn’t hurt around here.  You know these Walkers.  If they think you’re available, they’re like damn Vikings, carrying you off.  I hear Keepers are worse?”

“Yeah,” Nyree laughed.  “They had to be warned, threatened actually, to keep away from all females.  Apparently, they think of us like doughnuts.  If they see one they like, they just take it.”

“It helps that we’re filled with cream and have a hole, right?”

Nyree threw her head back in a loud laugh, and Harlow joined her.  Their laughter died down as the door to the cafeteria opened.  They’d kept it closed to keep the strong scent of paint fumes from wafting through the main house.

A Walker entered, and Nyree instantly recognized him.  His name was Delain.  Built like all the rest, he was massive and thick with muscle, but he had surprisingly gentle eyes and full lips.  He looked younger than he was, and had made friends with many of the females on the Estate because he was known as a really nice guy.

“Hey, Delain.” Nyree waved her paint brush.

“Harlow EnemyHunter?” Delain asked, his eyes going straight to Harlow as his brows lowered in an out of character scowl.

Nyree glanced at Harlow, asking quietly, “You know Delain?”

Harlow shook her head as the Walker approached.

“Delain,” Nyree began, by way of introduction.  “This is Harlow.  Harlow.  Delain.”

Harlow held out her hand, but when Delain took it, he didn’t shake it.  Instead, he pulled Harlow hard into him, ripping a gasp from her.  Quickly, he tore the halo from around his neck, ignoring the scorch of his own flesh as he was branded with the removal.  Harlow’s eyes widened in shock, and she got out one word before Delain thrust his arm forward, locking his halo around her throat.

“DON’T!”

The halo flashed a bright ethereal light and whined a high-pitched sound.  Harlow’s eyes rolled back as she slipped into unconsciousness.  Swept up into Delain’s arms, he studied her quietly.

“DELAIN!” Nyree asked nervously.  “What…what are you doing?”

“She’s in danger,” he explained. “The Megalya marked her when they took her.  Monroe said this is the only way.  She needs to be claimed to override the mark on her.  I have to make her mine.”

Nyree fidgeted nervously. “Will that even work?  If she’s not your Angel…”

Delain shook his head.  “Doc Jenny’s not sure, but Monroe said it’s the only way.  We’ve got to try.”

“You sure you couldn’t have asked her first?  I mean, she said she doesn’t even know you.”

“There is no time.  I’m a good Walker, Nyree.  I’ll be a worthy mate.”

She didn’t doubt it, but still.  Something had her feeling like this was a really bad decision.  “Does Mason know?”

Delain shrugged.  “Don’t know.  Don’t care.  Her brother isn’t my problem.  She’s in danger, and the Dominant has assigned me to protect her.”

“What about her Commander?  Does he know…?”

“Commander McCabe hasn’t yet returned from assignment.  He’ll be notified when he returns that one of his Sentries has been taken off Estate for her own protection.  When I return to the Estate, she’ll be my Angel.”

“Off Estate?” Nyree gasped.  “Is that wise right now?  Seems it’d make more sense to stay where we’re protected.”

“The Megalya that marked her, Doha, knows she’s here, and he’s coming for her.  His intention is to take her and mate her when he finds her.  It’s in her best interest that I take her from the Estate.  Besides, I’ll need her full attention to get her to accept my claiming.  We need to get to know each other and fast.  She’s got to be mine fully for the Megalya’s mark on her to be removed.”

Nyree swallowed hard.  “What if it doesn’t work?  If she’s not your Angel and the claiming doesn’t take, what then?”

Delain shrugged looking nervous.  “We’ll cross that bridge if we get to it.”

“Well,” she eyed Harlow’s unconscious form.  “She’s a good woman, Delain.  Take care of her.”

Dove gray eyes lifted to Nyree.  “I will.”  Then Delain left the cafeteria, and the Estate, with a female he was tasked with making his and with little time to make it so.

Coming Soon

Skin Walkers:  Angel Lost

Remy scrubbed a hand down his face as he stepped into the cafeteria.  It boasted a fresh coat of spring yellow paint and was filled with a mass of people as they worked setting up tables and chairs while another handful of people were back in the kitchen, wiping down appliances and unpacking dishes. 

He hadn’t eaten or been able to drink anything since he’d left, and even now the scent of food that lingered in the room made him feel ill.  The affliction was hitting him hard, and only one thing would end it.  Only one thought consumed him.  Harlow.  He needed to find his woman and complete his claiming.  His eyes snagged on a familiar form, and he hurried to where she stood at the far end of the cafeteria, setting out several tall plants. 

“Hey, Nyree!” 

She turned and smiled at him as he approached.

“How are you feeling?  You okay?”

She nodded.  “I’m good, Commander.”

He jerked his chin down in a nod, it was the best he could do right now as his eyes searched the room.  “Rumor has it you’ve been working with Harlow getting the cafeteria up and running.”  His eyes continued to search over her head.  “Have you seen her?”

“Yeah,” Nyree stated excitedly.  “She was taken from the Estate.  She’s in for one hell of a surprise when she wakes up.”

That had Remy dropping his gaze to hers.  “Taken from the Estate?  Wakes up?  Why would she be taken?  Who took her?”

“It’s alright, Commander,” Nyree tried to soothe.  “Delain has her.  He’s been assigned to…” She snorted.  “You’re not going to believe this, but apparently Harlow was in danger.  The Megalya marked her as one of theirs, and the only way to keep her safe was for her to be mated to a Walker.”

Remy felt all the blood drain from his face.

“Delain took her to claim her.  He said to let you know he’ll be back when the job is done.”

Claimed? 
Thousands of questions swirled through Remy’s mind, but he could only focus on one as he felt his chest and arms swelling with the feral need to shift and finds his Angel.  “Where?” he snarled, the word coming out as an animalistic sound.

Nyree’s smile slipped.  “D-don’t know.  He was assigned by Monroe.  Perhaps the Dominant…”

That was as far as Nyree got before a shift exploded from Remy, sending her flying backward and landing on her ass.

The claws of his mountain lion form ripped into the linoleum, shredding it as he propelled himself at top speed out of the cafeteria.  Another Walker had taken his Angel, his
mate
, and was attempting to claim her before Remy got the chance.  Someone would fucking pay, and they’d pay in blood!

Other Books by Susan A Bliler

Territory Prequel

Territory

TerrIIItory

Terr4tory

Terr5tory

Prince of Cats

Furious

King: Skin Walkers series (Book 1)

Conn: Skin Walkers series (Book 5)

Leto: Skin Walkers series (Book 6)

Monroe: Skin Walkers series (Book 7)

Gauge:
Skin Walkers series (Book 8)

York:  Skin Walkers series (Book 9)

Remy: Skin Walkers series (Book 10)