The Darkest Whisper (Lords of the Underworld #4)(67)
Author: Gena Showalter

The warrior called Kane stood off to the side, watching the women with a half smile on his face, his hazel eyes bright. He was out in the open, not leaning against a tree, not shaded by branches. And yet, even as Gwen watched, a twig snapped from the far black oak and hurtled straight into him, slapping him across the face.

He and a few of the others had apparently stayed behind to read scrolls Cronus, the god king, had given them—was that one of Sabin’s duties?—while the rest of the men had traipsed off to Chicago on a mission to “kick Hunter ass.” Odd that she missed them.

“—concentrating?” A hard weight slammed into her stomach, shoving her to her ass.

Sabin was on top of her a second later, glaring, the daggers just above her shoulders. “We’ve talked about allowing your mind to wander.”

As her lungs were in the process of seizing, it took her a moment to form a reply. “We hadn’t…started yet.”

Do you really think you’re…strong enough for this?

Doubt’s voice drifted through her head, but the demon had sounded reluctant, afraid even to make itself known. It really was terrified of her, as Sabin had said. A sense of power accompanied the knowledge.

“I’m sorry for using the demon against you, but I want to train you against it, as well. And do you think a Hunter is going to ask your permission to begin and then wait until you nod?”

Good point. Perhaps it was time for her to make a point of her own. “First, your demon is like a tame little house cat now. Second…” Since her arms were free, she fisted her hands and slammed both into his temples. He grunted in surprise, cradling his head as he fell backward. She didn’t waste any time. She kicked him in the chest so hard his ribs cracked.

The Harpy laughed. More!

For once, hearing that voice didn’t terrify her, and she blinked in surprise. Was she…could she be…embracing her darker side?

“Go, Gwennie!” Kaia called.

“Kick him while he’s down!” Bianka shouted.

He was still clutching the daggers as he blinked, trying to clear his vision. Gwen jumped to her feet, wings springing free in her back. Thankfully they were so small, they didn’t rip her shirt away. Moving faster than anyone could possibly see, she raced behind him and wrapped her fingers around his wrists.

There wasn’t time for him to resist.

Before he realized where she was and what she was doing, she had the sharp tips of the knives resting on his shoulders. A bead of blood formed around each one.

A moment passed in stunned silence.

“Okay. You’ve officially kicked my ass.” Some men would have been humiliated by that, but there was pride in Sabin’s tone.

Joy burst through her. Just like that, faster than a blink, she’d done it. She’d really done it. Winning a fight, no matter her opponent, was something she’d never thought to do, something she’d considered an impossibility. Yet she’d just defeated a freaking Lord of the Underworld, one of the most capable warriors in this world and any other. Gods trembled at the mere mention of their names.

Well, if they didn’t, they should.

“Next time we fight, though, I want you to let your Harpy completely free,” he said.

She nodded reluctantly. Letting the Harpy come out for lovemaking was one thing; battling was quite another.

“Just think about what you will soon be doing to the Hunters,” Kaia said with awe. “Baby girl, I’ve never seen moves like yours.”

“Mother would be proud.” Taliyah strode beside her and slapped her on the back. “If we knew where she was, she might even welcome you back into her fold.”

Gwen could have danced. She’d always been the anomaly, the weak link, the mistake. With one sweet victory, she finally felt like she was one of them. Like she was worthy.

Silent, Sabin reached up and plucked the daggers from her now shaky hands. What thoughts were tumbling through his mind?

“Good job.” Ashlyn rubbed her rounded belly. “I’m truly impressed.”

Grinning, Danika clapped. “Sabin, you should be embarrassed. You were brought down in less than a minute.”

“And by a girl.” But Kaia’s amusement quickly faded. “Okay, now that the training is winding down, I have a question. When are we going to see some action?” She anchored her hands on her hips. “We’re bored. We’ve been bored. And we’ve been on damn good behavior, waiting.”

“Yeah. Hunters hurt baby sis, so now they need to pay,” Bianka said.

“Soon,” Sabin told them. “I swear it.”

That scared Gwen a little. Not enough to change the course she’d set for herself, though.

“But at the moment, I’m going to spend some time with the woman of the hour. Alone.” No one protested as Sabin ushered Gwen to a private alcove, where he’d already stashed a cooler. He motioned for her to sit inside a cool circle of shade. “Do you need more blood?”

“No.” Seriously, what was he thinking? He was polite, but more distant than ever. Clearly “alone time” didn’t require nudity and a bed. How disappointing. “I’m okay. Operating at full strength, even.” To prove it, she too remained standing.

“Good. Much as I want to give it to you, I want to see how you recover from minor wounds without it.”

“I’m not wounded, minor or otherwise.”

“Really.” His pointed gaze dropped to her arm.

She looked down and saw the bloody grooves in her forearm. “Oh.” Wow. Getting shot must have inured her to the pain of other injuries.

“Let me know the moment it’s gone.”

Always the trainer. She liked that about him. Everything was a lesson meant to strengthen her, prepare her for what could happen. It really showed how much he cared, because he didn’t do it for everyone. Only her, actually.

Now that she thought about it, he only reacted with violence when someone threatened her. Kaia and Bianka had verbally insulted and physically assaulted his friends on several occasions, and he’d grinned, even joined in the teasing. But the moment her sisters turned their teasing her way, Sabin’s mood darkened. He never hesitated to shove them away, either. Really shove. To him, men and women were equal in every way and deserved the same treatment, something else she admired about him.

“Sit,” he urged again. “I need to talk to you.”

“Fine.”

When she’d obeyed, he held up an ice-cold, dripping bottle of water. “If you want to earn it, you’ll tell me what happens to a Harpy when she takes a consort. Tell me how long she has the consort, and what’s expected of him.”