Nix. (Den of Mercenaries Book 3)(22)

So many had tried and failed. Some couldn’t handle the rigorous training required—others couldn’t handle the tasks they were assigned, and the consequences of what they would be asked to do.

Either way, those that didn’t conform were cast out.

“And considering what she’s already suffered,” Aidra went on, “I can’t imagine that she’ll take well to having a man—even if it is you—training her as closely as needed.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Kit said. “She can either accept what’s been offered, or …”

He trailed off, knowing he didn’t need to finish the thought for Aidra to understand.

They both knew what would happen if Luna didn’t do as Uilleam expected.

She would die.





Chapter Six





A firm knock at the door had Luna bolting up, her disoriented gaze shooting in that direction.

Putting a hand on her chest, she tried to calm down and catch her bearings, reminding herself of where she was before throwing the covers off and hurrying to the door.

She opened it just enough to see Aidra standing on the other side with an assortment of bags at her feet.

“I hope I didn’t wake you,” the woman said, though it didn’t sound like she was too worried if she had, but rather as though the words were the polite thing to say.

Luna barely managed a response before Aidra was stepping into the room, grabbing a number of bags and bringing them in before going back for the rest.

Still a bit bleary-eyed and confused, Luna tried to make sense of what was going on before asking, “Is something wrong?”

“I thought I would deliver your things—I can’t imagine you want to stay in that for longer than you have to.” This, Aidra said gesturing to the dress Luna still wore. “And a physician should be here in the near future to look you over, so if you want to shower and change …”

She trailed off, though Luna understood what she hadn’t said. “Thank you.”

Aidra nodded. “I’ll give you a moment.”

As quickly as she had entered the room, Aidra was exiting again, closing the door soundly behind her. Luna stood there a moment, looking over the assortment of bags that now littered her floor.

There were jeans in some, shirts in others, and even a few filled with lingerie that was far too pretty to actually be worn. Toothbrush, toothpaste, and enough toiletries to offer a small army were also inside one of the bags.

Grabbing everything she needed, Luna dumped it all on the sink counter, going over to the massive shower and turning it on.

By the time she was walking back out of there thirty minutes later, she felt far more alive than she had before she’d gone in.

Aidra was still waiting just outside the door, but this time she wasn’t alone. One of the Wild Bunch was with her, and unlike last night, his mask was missing along with all the gear he wore. He towered over Aidra, but was only about half a foot taller than Luna.

His body was angled toward Aidra, allowing only a partial view of the cut of his jaw and the X that was tattooed on his neck.

“Sorry, I—”

He turned as Luna was about to speak, a smile already blooming on his rugged face. “You’re the Kingmaker’s right?”

She didn’t like the idea of being assigned as someone else’s, as though she were property, but she wasn’t bold enough to call him out on it. “Yes.”

Luna had begun to suspect that everyone here had an accent, but his wasn’t like Aidra and Kit’s.

“Fang,” he said, pointing to himself, smiling even wider to reveal the two silver-capped teeth in his mouth—his canines.

Was that how he got his name? “Luna.”

He seemed to study her a moment, as though he found something about her interesting, but whatever fascination he may have felt, he pushed it aside. “I’ll be seeing you, Luna.”

He nodded in her direction before laying a hand on Aidra’s stomach, an intimate gesture before he was heading off.

Now, Luna could understand why Aidra had looked the way she had when she’d asked her about whether or not she was with Kit.

“Do they live here too?” Luna asked, watching Fang disappear around the corner.

Aidra watched him go as well, and Luna thought she might have seen the barest trace of a smile on the other woman’s face. “Only when Nix needs them. You’ll meet the rest when they wake up, but for now, you have an appointment. Ready?”

Luna glanced down at her simple attire of shorts and a shirt. “I guess.”

Aidra led her through a labyrinth of hallways, pointing out different rooms as she went. Luna already knew about the pool downstairs, but Aidra also told her of a weapons room that was down there as well. There was also a media room complete with a projector and two rows of seats, three offices on the main floor alone, as well as guest rooms, another formal dining room, and finally a room where Kit and a woman were waiting.

Unbidden, her gaze drew to Uilleam’s brother first. He didn’t look nearly as formidable as he had the night before, or maybe it was just that she was looking at him differently after their short conversation when he’d walked her back to her room.

He wasn’t her owner—he had made that abundantly clear—and he had gone out of his way to do something kind for her when he didn’t have to.