Blood Love (God Wars Book 4) by Connie Suttle Page A

"They're ready anytime, baby. You just say the word."
    "How are we feeling?" Kevis materialized behind Trajan.
    "I feel okay, just a little disorientation when I woke," I said, studying his face and tossing the idea of reading him. "How about you, since the question was how are we feeling?"
    "That was the royal we," Kevis said. "If I can get Wonder Wolf out of the way for a minute, I might check on you for a valid medical opinion."
    "I'm a superhero?" Trajan mock-frowned at Kevis.
    "Since I can't beat you at checkers, even, that answer is yes," Kevis teased.
    "Wow, you play checkers?"
    "When I was five," Kevis nodded. "In between reading Freud and Descartes."
    "Psychology and Philosophy?" I made a face at Kevis, who leaned in to grasp my wrist in his fingers.
    "They were in Dad's library on Earth," Kevis said, releasing my wrist. "Grip my fingers," he held both my hands in his. "Ow," he added, pulling his fingers away as if I'd gripped too hard.
    "Sorry," I mumbled. I did feel better—stronger. As if I could actually get out of bed on my own.
    "Here," Trajan pulled Kevis' hands into his. I watched in fascination as light formed around them.
    "I didn't realize you could do that," Kevis stared at his hands in amazement.
    "Ashe," Trajan shrugged modestly.
    Trajan and I ended up in the kitchen, where Fes waited to set dinner in front of me. It was late and the others had eaten already. I was served noodles in mushroom sauce, with a salad and a protein drink.
    "Fes, that was amazing," I sighed after eating as much as I could.
    "That's what I wanted to hear," he grinned before leaning in for a kiss.
    "Look who's up." Kooper walked into the kitchen, followed by Bill, the reptanoids, Trevor and Stellan.
    "I'm up," I smiled at him and his reptanoid groupies. "How's the snake contingent?"
    "Snake contingent good," Chazi offered a cheeky grin. "We learn how to shoot. Kooper and Bill teach."
    "And you're good at it, I can tell," I said.
    "They're really good," Kooper agreed with a nod before leaning down and planting a kiss on my forehead. "Stellan, too. He's never had to handle a gun, but it doesn't hurt to know how."
    "It just takes a touch of power to send the shots to the target," Stellan snickered.
    "I didn't let him use power after a while, and he still hit the target," Kooper slapped Stellan on the shoulder. "Trevor intends to teach hand fighting next."
    "Sounds cool," I said. "Are you recruiting?" I blinked innocently at Kooper.
    "Maybe," he grinned and planted a big kiss on my lips this time. I couldn't say whether I appreciated the audience or not—Kooper let me know with his mouth that kissing wasn't all he wanted, and some of my body parts played traitor and wanted him right back.
    "Slow down," Kevis arrived to put a damper on any amorous activity. Kooper pulled away with a smile and a wink—he was promising more later, when Kevis gave the go-ahead.
    "Come on, short stuff, let's go talk in the solarium," Trajan rose and pulled me off my barstool.
    "It's dark out. Doesn't that defeat the purpose?" I asked, stretching.
    "Nah—there are lights throughout the groves—it looks like fairyland at night," Trajan grinned.
    Dutifully I followed Trajan, while the others fell in and walked behind. Kooper handed me a comp-vid when we arrived in the solarium, and I studied the image on it. "Genley Reith," I sighed. "Sirenali asshole," I added. "Is that what your boss wants to know?" I blinked at Kooper before shaking my head.
    "Yes. I told Norian you'd know who sent this message. I also told him he wasn't in your good graces or anything close. He's not in my good graces, either," Kooper frowned as he sent a reply and pocketed the comp-vid.
    "I think that's the general consensus," Kevis muttered.
    * * *
    The General studied Acrimus, making his subordinate squirm beneath the intensity of his gaze. He did it purposely. He didn't want his underlings to guess that he'd been wounded by the Mighty Hand. He suspected that the Mighty Mind had