Page 109 of Tainted Gifts
He frowns, but he's being way too overprotective.
"Very well then. Just stay close. I doubt I'll be long, and then you and I will go back to the room, celebrate, and start planning our wedding. I'm ready to call you my wife."
I smile, though it feels forced. It's been a rough day, and we slept through most of it. Emergent hounds came out to kill, Jase died, he cured me with his special blood, a group of merciless fiends want my blood, Jase might have a secret span, and worst of all, if he does have a span, it'll depend on his counter. What if she only has a few years left?
"Stop thinking. I'll be back soon. Just wait out here for me, and I'll make you forget it all by doing things to you that will keep you too occupied to think," he murmurs seductively, forcing a genuine smile to my face.
"I'll hold you to that."
He kisses me before disappearing into the tent, and Captain Fricks comes to join me.
"Is something wrong?" he asks.
I shrug, looking from the tent to him. "I don't know. You tell me. You seemed to know what was going on when you came and got us."
"That's not what I was talking about. Jason put a heavy detail on you. Rex just sent out a text that says you're not to go out alone at any time."
Whoa. That was quick.
"Um, yeah. Jase is just being a little overzealous. I'm glad to see you made it out of that fight."
"Well, I got pushed back when we realized the ammo was useless against them. It was enough to drive them back the first time. We took our shots and they bled. They regrouped and came back almost indestructible. I've never seen anything like that."
I have. My mother. She has that ability. Damn, I wish I did.
"I suppose it's a never-ending battle. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," he says while sitting down, offering me the chair beside him.
"I know you were close with my dad. Did he ever say anything to anyone else about who or what I was?"
The more I know about my mystery enemies, the better. They knew about me. They knew about me enough to stalk me at my father's funeral. They took pictures of my mom and me. Dad could have trusted the wrong person, and if so, Captain Fricks could be the right man to put on the trail.
"Never," he murmurs, squashing my hopeful lead. "He wouldn't have just confided in anyone with such a thing. Why do you ask?"
"Just trying to piece a puzzle together."
He nods, being polite by not probing further. "I heard the good news. Congratulations on your engagement."
A smile spreads, but it's so weak right now. I'm apparently not allowed to be happy.
"Thank you."
He looks away, acting as though there's something he wants to say, but then he stops. He seems to reconcile his hesitation, and finally lets his words escape.
"Be careful. If he's hybrid, he'll have a counter. All hybrids do. The way you refused Kellan is the first time I've ever heard of such. I know how sensitive your emotions are. That's the only thing your father ever did share with me. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best."
My tears drip, but then excitement breaks free from inside the tent as cheers roar out, corks pop free from bottles, and celebratory chants start up.
"What's going on?"
Captain Fricks smirks. "It's over apparently. The Unaligned called to speak with the Commander. They had terms they wanted to offer. I suppose Commander Ericson found the medium to end the war."
"What?" I gasp, feeling relief flood through me. "The war is over?"
"This war is," he says, sighing out while motioning to the mess of destruction made by a threat far more severe than the Unaligned.
"At least our focus won't be divided."
