laugh would be expected here—something to alleviate the tension,” Bone mused between clenched teeth, no smile, and no laugh forthcoming. “He’s a funny man, Arrow. Like loyalty, it is a commodity.”
Arrow nodded and smiled. It was sweet and nothing Bone had ever seen from her sister.
She had hoped, long ago, that her sisters would possibly find peace. Perhaps that was still possible for them. Bone turned to Rand Beckett. “If you don’t hurt her, I won’t kill you. It’s a deal, yes?”
Rand looked over her head to the man who stood behind her. His jaw clenched then released and he smiled. “Deal.”
“The same deal I will offer to you, Mr. Collins. For as much as the death inside Arrow calls my name, she is still mine and should you harm her, I will hunt you, warrior, and I will eliminate you.”
Collins nodded, accepting the warning from another warrior. Arrow said nothing, simply sighed again.
“Now that the pleasantries are over, I am hungry. Tell me Carmelita is cooking.” Dmitry’s smooth-as-whiskey voice broke over Bone, and much as her sisters’ presence soothed her, so did his.
“She has indeed. A feast, I’d say. Shall we go eat?” Rand asked the group.
Everyone turned to walk into the house except for Bullet, who stayed where she was, staring at Bone. She wanted to warn Bone again, out of hearing range of her man, but Bone was having none of it.
Bone shook her head. “You cannot change what I am.” She drew in a rough breath. “What we all are.” Her gaze snagged on Rand who had stopped and turned back to them. “I am what Joseph made me and to venture too far from that makes me weak, sister. You are mine. Arrow and Blade are mine. I will not lose another one.”
Bullet nodded after long moments, which made the band around Bone’s chest ease somewhat. But still there were other truths that must reach the light and suddenly all she wanted was to fight the inevitability of it all.
How she hated Joseph Bombardier.
The others walked in and she was left with Dmitry. He stepped to her side, gazing down at her. “You want to fight, kostolomochka? ”
He read her like a book. She had only ever had that connection with her sisters. Bone closed her eyes, unable to find her mind when she stared into his blue, blue eyes. “I do.”
“We will eat first. Then, if you still want to fight, we will,” he assured her.
Her response was immediate. “Not you.”
“You are too much for anyone else here. And since you gave me truths earlier, allow me to give you one in return,” he responded patiently.
She nodded—entranced by this man who had never ceased searching for his sister. What kind of love was that? To never stop searching? She would do the same for Bullet, Arrow and Blade. Was that then what she felt for her own sisters?
Love?
No. She could not claim that emotion. It wasn’t to be for Bone.
“Give me your truth, then Asinimov. But make it quick, my stomach is empty.”
He smiled and leaned down to her, his mouth a hair’s breadth from her lips, head angled as if he would kiss her. She licked her lips and tasted him. Want . It was a craven thing inside her.
“I do not like when anyone else touches you. And should anyone hurt you they will pay a thousand fold for it. There’s my truth, Etzem . As your sisters are yours, you are now mine.”
He raised his head, stepped around her and walked into the house.
She was left bereft, the afternoon sun shining down though dark clouds dotting the eastern skyline. She was not his. She was hers.
For both of their sakes, she had to remain that way.
•●•
They had given her a room in the west wing. It was Nodachi’s wing when he was in residence, Rand told her, but Dmitry was two doors down from her. She was similar in size to Bullet and when she’d come out of the shower, naked and ready to step into the unitard, she discovered yoga pants, a sports bra, and a T-shirt on the foot of the bed.
The room smelled of juniper
Arrow nodded and smiled. It was sweet and nothing Bone had ever seen from her sister.
She had hoped, long ago, that her sisters would possibly find peace. Perhaps that was still possible for them. Bone turned to Rand Beckett. “If you don’t hurt her, I won’t kill you. It’s a deal, yes?”
Rand looked over her head to the man who stood behind her. His jaw clenched then released and he smiled. “Deal.”
“The same deal I will offer to you, Mr. Collins. For as much as the death inside Arrow calls my name, she is still mine and should you harm her, I will hunt you, warrior, and I will eliminate you.”
Collins nodded, accepting the warning from another warrior. Arrow said nothing, simply sighed again.
“Now that the pleasantries are over, I am hungry. Tell me Carmelita is cooking.” Dmitry’s smooth-as-whiskey voice broke over Bone, and much as her sisters’ presence soothed her, so did his.
“She has indeed. A feast, I’d say. Shall we go eat?” Rand asked the group.
Everyone turned to walk into the house except for Bullet, who stayed where she was, staring at Bone. She wanted to warn Bone again, out of hearing range of her man, but Bone was having none of it.
Bone shook her head. “You cannot change what I am.” She drew in a rough breath. “What we all are.” Her gaze snagged on Rand who had stopped and turned back to them. “I am what Joseph made me and to venture too far from that makes me weak, sister. You are mine. Arrow and Blade are mine. I will not lose another one.”
Bullet nodded after long moments, which made the band around Bone’s chest ease somewhat. But still there were other truths that must reach the light and suddenly all she wanted was to fight the inevitability of it all.
How she hated Joseph Bombardier.
The others walked in and she was left with Dmitry. He stepped to her side, gazing down at her. “You want to fight, kostolomochka? ”
He read her like a book. She had only ever had that connection with her sisters. Bone closed her eyes, unable to find her mind when she stared into his blue, blue eyes. “I do.”
“We will eat first. Then, if you still want to fight, we will,” he assured her.
Her response was immediate. “Not you.”
“You are too much for anyone else here. And since you gave me truths earlier, allow me to give you one in return,” he responded patiently.
She nodded—entranced by this man who had never ceased searching for his sister. What kind of love was that? To never stop searching? She would do the same for Bullet, Arrow and Blade. Was that then what she felt for her own sisters?
Love?
No. She could not claim that emotion. It wasn’t to be for Bone.
“Give me your truth, then Asinimov. But make it quick, my stomach is empty.”
He smiled and leaned down to her, his mouth a hair’s breadth from her lips, head angled as if he would kiss her. She licked her lips and tasted him. Want . It was a craven thing inside her.
“I do not like when anyone else touches you. And should anyone hurt you they will pay a thousand fold for it. There’s my truth, Etzem . As your sisters are yours, you are now mine.”
He raised his head, stepped around her and walked into the house.
She was left bereft, the afternoon sun shining down though dark clouds dotting the eastern skyline. She was not his. She was hers.
For both of their sakes, she had to remain that way.
•●•
They had given her a room in the west wing. It was Nodachi’s wing when he was in residence, Rand told her, but Dmitry was two doors down from her. She was similar in size to Bullet and when she’d come out of the shower, naked and ready to step into the unitard, she discovered yoga pants, a sports bra, and a T-shirt on the foot of the bed.
The room smelled of juniper
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