Page 13 of Monsters (Vengeance #3)

“Commander Taylor?” One of the men squeaked as all of them snapped to a weird military position.

The corners of my mouth tweaked as I gathered up both our swords and wrapped an arm around Taylor.

At first I cared about how my kingdom would take my relationship with my men.

Now? I didn’t really give a fuck. If they didn’t like it, then I would hope they’d let me know.

“Your Majesty?” Another echoed as all eyes snapped to me. The men bowed. I smiled at that .

“Rise,” I murmured and rested my head against Taylor’s shoulder.

“What are you doing out here?” He demanded again.

“We came out here to train,” one of them muttered.

“Not for SE guard,” another admitted.

Taylor and I both shared a confused look.

“What for then?”

“We can’t practice our magic in the normal guard area because Commander Travis stated that only natural born mages have that honor,” the first admitted.

What? Excuse-a-freaking me?

“Who is this? This Commander Travis?” I demanded sharply as all the men paled.

“Travis,” Taylor sighed, shaking his head. “I’m sorry you gentlemen have been dealing with this. How long has this been going on?”

“It is really not a big deal,” one of them stated. “In fact, you probably shouldn’t mention it, if possible.”

“How long?” I demanded.

“Since we joined.”

Oh, no. That’s some bullshit.

“Where is this Commander Travis?” I asked softly. Taylor’s lips twitched as he seemed to come to a decision.

“Would you gentlemen come with us?” He asked, but it was totally a demand. I could hear how nervous the men were but they had no reason to be. The only one who was going to get hurt was Travis the asshole. I was practically skipping back to the kingdom.

This! This is the fun shit queens do.

I tried to not get ridiculously turned on walking into the SE training center but it didn’t help that Neo stood with Athens on the sides where it seemed two men were sparring.

Taylor was talking to the men probably trying to locate asshole McGee.

I approached my two shirtless twins who currently looked like they belonged in GQ.

“Hey, baby.” Athens winked and I blushed.

I didn’t care that the room was watching as he leaned down and gave me a chaste kiss.

What I wanted to do? I wanted to go back to that fucking bathtub again.

I shivered thinking about the slow deep pace so different from his playful personality.

My eyes widened at the intensity of the expression on his face.

Note to self. Athens can be just as intense as Neo.

Speaking of Neo. I looked up since he was now behind me, his eyes glittering. “What are you doing?”

His lip twitched. “Me? Just looking over these two markings on your back. Now, I wonder, Gray. Why it is two instead of one. Has something changed?”

I narrowed my eyes at Athens. “You kissed and told!”

He let out a booming laugh as Neo nipped my ear. “Gray? He didn’t have to tell me anything. I could hear your moans from the bed. Do you know how badly I wanted to join?”

“Why didn’t you?” I spoke boldly as Athens let out a low sound and tugged my hair.

Neo tilted my jaw upward and pressed a hot kiss to my lips. “Next time, I won’t hesitate.”

“Baby girl!” Taylor called from across the room and gestured. He was so into drama it wasn't even funny. I turned my head in the direction he pointed. A feral grin flashed across my face as Travis sauntered into view.

“Fuck this guy.” Athens muttered. “He’s such an ass.”

Travis, it sucks to be you, man.

“He’s been in such a sour mood since our father fled,” Neo rolled his eyes. “If the fucker wanted to be his son that bad I would have given it up.”

My hand squeezed his because I knew how much he hated his father. Then I stepped forward and spoke. “Then you will love this.”

“Your Majesty,” the asshole stuttered as Taylor yanked him by his collar. I grinned. Travis paled.

“Commander Travis is it?” I asked as the whole training room went silent.

The man nodded and I sighed despondently. “I heard a rumor about you and I really hope, for your sake, it’s not true, Travis.”

“What was the rumor?” He asked quietly.

I stepped into his space and allowed my magic to wrap around his legs like vines before quickly bringing him to his knees. He grunted as Taylor snickered. I grasped the man’s bearded chin and forced himself to look up at me. It really didn’t matter how big or small you were when it came to magic.

“That you were not allowing human-made mages to practice magic,” I stated loud enough I could feel the tension in the air.

It was my understanding that we didn’t have a ton of non-natural born mages as it was but that did not excuse discrimination.

There was nothing worse than choosing to not like someone because of a factor that they can’t control.

For example, I have every reason in the world to hate elves.

My adopted parents beat me. I was subjected to so many different forms of abuse that I had stopped counting.

Now, only the scars showed the physical remnants of my pain.

Their friends, co-workers, and families were all elves.

All of them cruel. Yet, I don’t hate elves.

By all rights, I should, but instead I was filled with sadness towards those who had hurt me knowing it had nothing to do with what species they were and everything to do with what assholes they were.

So. I really didn’t see an excuse for discrimination, even in the face of a jaded past .

“I can explain,” he started. I silenced him by putting a finger to his lips.

“Can I have all human-made mages step forward?” It was a command and they did. The training center was massive, nearly filled with over two hundred soldiers, and out of everyone it seemed to be a group of maybe thirty men.

We really needed to get some fucking women in the military.

It was truly upsetting, as a badass myself, to see the opportunity of a military career not given to women purely because of the way they were born.

Every woman deserves a chance to be a badass whether they wanted to serve in the military or run their own business.

Don’t even get me started on how fucking amazing you have to be to run an entire household of insane children.

I’m telling you, if a lot of men were as tough as the women in their lives we would be in a much different place within the universe’ short history.

“Before I ask you a question, I want it to be stated very loud and clear that any attempted repercussion from their answers will be handled by me. Personally. I don’t give a fuck what your bias is.

What I do care about is having competent soldiers.

Now, has Commander Travis ever told you that because you were non-natural born mages, you were not allowed to practice magic? ”

It was quiet but then a man from earlier spoke up.

“It isn’t just him. It’s also Commanders Alexander, Wash, and Pickrett.”

Fabulous.

I heard a curse as threatening magic soared through the air. I sighed. With a flick of my wrist, the magic user was coiled in tight cold ashy magic and let out a painful scream. Music to my ears .

“That was hot,” Taylor admitted while kissing my head. I totally glowed under his approval.

“Now,” I continued softly. “Raise your hand if you have ever faced discrimination as a mage.”

All of them. Good.

“Alright, so this is what is going to happen. Commanders Travis, Alexander, Wash, and Pickrett will all report to your section commander.”

Yes, I knew that was Neo and Athens. I wanted Neo to handle them since his father was part of the problem. He deserved to decide their punishment.

The man looked practically gleeful. I should be worried about that, right? Oh well.

“I would like everyone that raised their hand to meet with the section as well. Athens will record the specific incidents.”

Athens flashed a smile with a dirty wink and motioned for them to follow as Neo grabbed Travis by the arm and the other three trailed behind without protest.

“Now,” I walked forward into the middle of the room. “Since it seems like there has been a bunch of bullshit going on, does anyone have anything else they’d like to report?”

Silence.

“If you would rather reach out to someone in private, please contact your section commander.” Yes, it would be one of my five boys and you bet your ass I would hear about it. They could deal.

I turned towards Taylor and he offered me a sweet smile before leveling the group with a look. “Now that Athens and Neo are busy, I will be taking over training today. I don’t care what you thought you were doing before but now you are doing combat training. No external weapons.”

I didn’t hear any complaints. I scowled thinking about how I had to use weapons but they didn’t .

The door opened. Rhodes walked in followed by Adyen. The room shifted with tension.

Adyen chuckled. “Taylor, if they don’t want to do that we can always run the border.”

A general whisper and dissent sounded as the men began to spread out to do exactly as Taylor said. I couldn’t look away from Adyen though and my dragon reached for me, his large arms enveloping me. His lips grazed my bite mark. I shivered as he unapologetically grew hard against me.

“Lil brawler, hearing you yell at all of them was hot as fuck,” he graveled as he pulled my hips flat against his own. I gasped as he pulled on my lower hips.

So aggressive.

“Were you listening outside?” I murmured in a teasing voice.

“Absolutely.” He dug his hand into my hair and nuzzled my neck again. He was so fucking big that he eclipsed me completely.

“You know with them so busy, we could slip away.” I drew a hand up his chest.

“Kitten,” Rhodes whispered in a riled, accented voice behind me. “You have an audience.”

I leaned back into his chest, resting between the two of them. “Let them look.”

Adyen rumbled appreciatively as Rhodes hid his chuckle in the crook of my neck. Taylor barked commands. I was comfortable between the boys. Cinnamon and ash mingled with Rhodes's expensive cologne sheltered me.

When the room’s power shifted, my gaze shot to the side. Neo offered me an intense look filled with mirth while dragging someone towards me. The other three commanders stood looking terrified as my mage tossed this man on his knees in front of me .

“Tell her what you told me,” he chuckled mirthlessly. It was a laugh that made me shiver.

“I didn’t mean it,” he hissed as his entire body trembled. “I just meant that things were fine before…”

“Me?” I grinned, finishing his sentence. I tilted my head staring directly at him. So much hate resided in those small beady eyes.

“We had everything figured out,” he hissed realizing he was screwed anyway. “You don’t even have military or combat experience. You are just a fucking bitch with a tight hole between her…”

Oh, you dumb shit.

I stopped my boys from beating him with a quick step forward and I grabbed the man’s throat in a hard dangerous hold, his words choking off. I crouched down to look him right in the eye. My nails drew blood.

“You doubt my experience and ability?” I whispered softly. “Would you like a demonstration?”

He had fear in his eyes. He started shaking his head.

I grinned and lifted him by the neck as he struggled.

But my power was in charge and she didn’t care what he wanted.

I led him with all 5’2” of myself as the big asshole struggled to break free.

The entire room cleared to the side as I released the man in a crumpled heap and stepped away.

“Stand the fuck up,” Neo growled. Rhodes watched with a blank expression but I could see the anger in his eyes. Athens and Taylor talked quietly, amusement sparkling in their eyes. Adyen paced dangerously on the sidelines, his eyes nearly black.

“Your Majesty.” Travis sounded like he was going to beg. I almost felt bad but then I remembered his crude comment regarding my body.

Fuck him .

“Stand up and prove to me that you are somehow better,” I goaded. “Prove to me that, with all your experience, you are worthy to make the decisions I make.”

The man looked green. He tried to move into position. I let him gather his substantial magic as his metal ability allowed him to attract several swords to him. Then he began to create a barrier of metal objects in defense. I felt a smile threaten my blank expression.

“Are you ready?” I asked with disinterest.

He didn’t respond. I took that as a yes.

I sighed. “If the gentleman on the wall behind him could please move, it would be appreciated.”

They scrammed as the man tensed.

Then without further prelude, I slowly let out my magic as I walked forward.

I felt his fear grow. When I reached his metal border, my magic pushed the barrier pieces aside and melted into a path straight through any resistant elements.

The man cursed and backed up as he stuck out a sword.

I flicked my wrist and it fell to the floor.

In a final defensive attempt, he started calling metal things to fly at me in the room, all of which were blocked by my magic with an almost boring ease.

I backed him up against the wall and I held him with my power without breaking a sweat.

“Do you see what just happened?” I whispered softly. “That was nothing to me. Nothing. Do not equate inexperience with lack of power. You could have been in this position for hundreds of years and you would never have the power I do. But none of that matters to me. Do you know why?”

He was shaking now.

“Because that doesn’t make me better than you.

Any of you.” I spoke louder. “It doesn’t give me the excuse or right to discriminate.

So, why the fuck you think you have that right is beyond me.

I don’t care, though, I don’t care about your bias because you are not going to be part of my military anymore.

You are officially discharged, so take your asshole attitude and get the fuck out of here. ”

I released him and turned on my heel.

Rhodes offered me a look that made me hot all over, but I simply returned to their sides. Everyone watched as Asshole Mc-I-think-I’m-Better-Than-You trailed out of the training center.

“Back to work!” Taylor announced with a savage grin.

As the room exploded back into action I sighed and leaned my head on Rhodes's shoulder. He kissed my forehead. “You did good, kitten.”

I offered him a smile feeling really good about today.