Warrior's Hope (Dark Protectors #16)(9)

Instead, blood poured out of his left shoulder, the right side of his rib cage, and his gut. Then she’d nailed him in the left thigh, forcing him to go down. He met her furious glare squarely. He’d always known that someday it would come down to this. Oh, he hadn’t expected to get shot, but he’d been certain that sooner or later he’d see this stark betrayal in her indigo-blue eyes.

To her credit, she kept her stance wide and the weapon pointed at him, right between his eyes this time, but she was pale and she was shaking. Her nose was turning red.

He couldn’t help himself. “Hope, you need a heavier jacket.”

Both of her eyebrows rose, and her chin dropped. “Are you kidding me?” she snapped, her full five-foot-two frame vibrating. She was small and compact—definitely feminine. “You’re a traitor, and you’re worried about my jacket?”

Amusement bubbled up even as pain throbbed throughout his body. He sent healing cells to the injuries and calculated how quickly he could get past her without hurting her. “Yeah, you still fall ill sometimes. You need a jacket,” he retorted, gratified when color flushed into her face. At least she wasn’t so pale now. For a moment, he’d been concerned she’d pass out.

“You’re supposed to be a scientist,” she spat.

Not really. Not even close, actually. He didn’t like her pointing the gun at him, but he didn’t want to scare her. Being on the ground, bleeding like this, threw him back into his violent childhood for a second. The world tunneled in, and he exhaled slowly.

“Pax?” she asked.

“I’m good.”

She tapped her ear communicator with her free hand, pushing back her thick auburn hair and revealing the blue, winding, prophecy mark that rose up her neck on both sides. “Liam and Collin, I need your assistance. Libby and Derrick, tear down the temporary computer headquarters—I don’t want the computers left exposed—and lock up. We may need the location again in the future. Meet at the rendezvous point at the corner of Lacenster in fifteen minutes.” Fury now lit her eyes.

Great. He wasn’t in any state to take on both Collin and Liam Kayrs, and he knew it. He’d trained with them as teens, before they thought he’d turned to science, when he’d actually been training all around the globe. He sensed them before they turned the corner and advanced, both halting near Hope, shock on their faces.

“Paxton.” Liam was the one who spoke first.

“Hi, guys,” Paxton said sardonically.

Both males took several steps forward, putting their bodies between him and Hope.

“You can’t think I’d hurt her,” he muttered.

They both stared at him, their expressions stone cold, looking more like their father, Conn, than ever. They were about Pax’s size in muscle and mass. He was quicker for some reason, and he would have to use that to his advantage. He didn’t want to hurt any of them. He was learning to infiltrate minds and cause pain like some of the older demons could, but he’d never harm any of his friends like that. It just wasn’t fair.

Collin studied him, his green eyes flat, hard, and cold. “You’re the traitor?”

“Looks like it,” Paxton said. He was shocked and impressed that Hope had been able to catch him. It had taken her two years, and he’d worked hard to avoid her, even though he knew this showdown had to occur at some point. Fate was fate...and she was a bitch.

Liam barely twitched. “Why?” he asked shortly.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Paxton said. His leg was healed. He slowly pushed himself up, pressing a hand over the still-bleeding wound in his side. She’d nicked a rib, and it had splintered into his lung, where the healing cells were still hard at work. Hope hadn’t said a word, but he could feel her pain from his betrayal. It dug deep inside him, lodging deeper than any blade ever could. “I’m sorry,” he said.

“Don’t be sorry,” she snapped, trying to move up between her cousins. They instantly took a step toward each other, putting them shoulder to shoulder, with Hope completely hidden behind them. Her attempt to shove them out of the way almost amused Paxton, but the pain surrounding him was too great.

Finally, she just edged to the side and looked around Collin’s broad back. “Why, Paxton? It’s a good question, and one you need to answer.”

“I can’t explain it to you. If I could, I would.” Pax calculated the best way to get beyond the twins.

“Fair enough.” Liam was the first to move toward him, yanking out a pair of zip ties.

Heat filled Paxton’s chest. “You think you can tie me?” He really didn’t want to physically hurt anybody.

Liam rolled his eyes. “You haven’t trained, Pax. We have. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

So they still thought he was a nerdy scientist. Interesting. He’d assumed they could see the killer lurking inside him, but maybe people just saw what they wanted. “I’m stronger than I look,” he warned the young warrior.

In answer, Hope lifted her weapon and aimed it at his forehead. “I am happy to fry your brain for the next six months, Paxton Phoenix. Just say the word.”

He read the hard determination in her gaze. The female wasn’t bluffing. She would actually shoot him and leave him to repair his brain over several months. Giving her a look, he turned and let Liam zip-tie his hands at his back. The pat-down was brief and revealed two knives and a gun as well as a flash drive. Liam spun him around and tossed the USB to Hope.