Page 65 of Hellfire

“Where are we riding to?” she asked.

“Have you been to the Newnes Plateau?” I replied.

“I haven’t gotten out of the Academy as much as I planned.” Sorrow constricted my chest at her reply.

I remembered a time after I first escaped the Brotherhood, and I feared for my life and descended into paranoia and mania at being captured and tortured to death. Luna had the luxury of her parents’ protection and not remembering the worst of her time in the cult, and what I would have done for that.

“We’re changing that, aren’t we, Princess?” Life was meant to be enjoyed, not hold you prisoner.

She nodded at my question, and I helped her lower the helmet and sit it right, tightening the chin straps to get an extra chance to touch her. My bike rocked as she slid on behind me, wrapping her arms around me tightly. I loved that she trusted me enough to take her for a ride when her men would have had a conniption fit if they knew she was exposed like this. She felt incredible snuggled up to me. Soft. Warm. Fucking sweet. I’d never ridden with a woman before, only with my ex-Brotherhood connections when we investigated and sabotaged the Dark Lord’s plans.

We weren’t going far. Fifty minutes, tops. And the location would benefit us both. Fresh mountain air. Spectacular views. Exercise with a short climb and a bite to eat. My kind of date. And I killed two birds with one stone. Mary was in safe hands with a trusted ally who worked on solving the Blaze serpent marking issue. Win-win.

Locked together, we took off, winding through the streets of Bathurst, onto the highway. When we cleared the forty-mile-per-hour zone, I cranked the throttle, and let my baby fly, the wind pounding my leather jacket. My princess whooped andextended her arms, enjoying the experience. Luck was a lady as we sped the whole distance to Lithgow, only slowing as I navigated the bike up steep and winding terrain to the plateau. I might have had help from a certain enforcer to clear the highway of police vehicles and prevent me from getting pulled over and fined for breaking speed limits.

I pulled up on the highland in an area owned by Pack Lumbry, one of the werewolf shifters I worked for, restoring their protective wards every month when the full moon weakened them, and they needed a touch-up. Spells protected their territory from rivals and shielded them from the eyes of the Guild, who hunted and eradicated them. I did everything I could to help fellow gantii, considering I was a half-breed too, my blood a mixture of human and naga.

Luna shook her hair out of the helmet, and although it was crushed in places, it bounced like a model’s hair in a shampoo ad. “This place is beautiful.”

“The territory belongs to Pack Lumbry.” I pressed a finger to her lips. “Don’t go repeating that to anyone, Princess. Your lot at the Guild exterminates shifters like us.”

“Why?” She asked when I released her mouth.

“We’re half-breed gantii, impure and don’t belong here, according to Guild standards.” I made air quotes.

My princess set her helmet down on the back seat. “Well, that includes me with my naga blood, and I won’t let the Guild anywhere near them.”

I admired her healthy form of caution over the Guild. The princess needed to know what she was up for if she graduated from the Academy and was appointed to a Gildron role. She might have to slay one of her own. Not an easy choice unless faced with your own death.

The Guild did a lot of good work for the world but also caused chaos. Stuck in their outdated ways and rules, they failed tosympathize with the shifters who didn’t choose to be born part supernatural any more than I did.

I clasped her hand and gave her a tour of Pack Lumbry. “Dash, the Alpha heir, lets me wildcraft from his lands to dry and sell them as ingredients for a portion of the profits and a discount for his monthly spells.”

“What’s wildcraft?” she asked.

I grinned at her. “Nerd speak for foraging and harvesting plants, herbs, flowers, leaves, bark, flowers, seeds, and roots from the wild.”

Her eyebrows popped at me, and she swung my arm. “That’s very reciprocal of you both.”

“This world is all about scratching backs, Princess.” Nothing came for free. Everyone always wanted something from you. Lessons learned early in my training within the Brotherhood.

“I’ve got an itch that needs scratching.” She playfully stepped in front of me and showed me her back.

I squeezed her ass. “Mischievous little princess today, aren’t we?”

At odds with the obedient princess me and her three other men confronted in the Academy’s woods for one of the hottest experiences of my life.

“Always.” She stretched up onto her toes to slide her mouth against mine, tempting me to lift her onto the bike and show her an even better ride.

Later. Nature called my name. We had the weekend to feed our animalistic sides and fuck her again.

I cracked her on the backside. “Be good, Princess, and put the temptress away for later.”

She hummed with reluctance as I tugged her through the grass for the ballerina-pink flowers in the distance. Believe me, I’d love to christen my bike, just not yet. I had two hours togather what I needed, indulge in a quick picnic, and meet Dash for him to review my takings.

Arriving at the first ingredient on my collection list, I bent down, stroking the spiky petals and the sunflower yellow pistil in the center. “This is Hynath, it’s used as a base in many spells, light or dark.”

I studied her reaction to determine if more of her memories came back. She said fragments filtered through at the mention of certain words, sights, or smells.

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