Page 69

News from Home

“ S o we have agreed, waiting and seeing what Ivar will do is stupid. It puts us at a disadvantage and leaves us unprepared for the attacks he is obviously planning,” I say slowly, summing up what we have finally agreed on so far.

I take measure as all the leaders reluctantly nod.

At least we have agreed on one thing, now we need to figure out a plan of action.

“So Champion, what do we do about it?” Reeves asks, reclining in his chair and munching on some food he found.

“We need to make a plan, one that involves all the clans. It won’t work if we attack him on his own territory.

He has too many protections in place, mines, and booby traps, not to mention warriors.

We would be at a disadvantage again. We need to draw him out into the open, surround him, and then kill him.

Cut off the head of the snake, and the rest will follow,” I say and I see Major grin at me.

“How da we get him in tha open, girly?” Nan asks, but a tightening around her eyes suggests she already knows.

“We use me as bait, give him the one thing he wants more than anything in the world. He won’t be able to resist.” I hear my men move but I throw them a glance and they nod, we can discuss it later, but it is the best course of action and I need to get them to see that.

Surprisingly, Dray doesn’t protest, instead his hand lands on my leg under the table and starts feeling me up.

Crazy bastard. Not that I kick him away.

“That’s all well and good, but what do the rest of us do? What if it's a trap? We are taking the risk and pinning all our hopes on a slave girl!” Reeves shouts, but I see Priest nod slowly and even Nan sighs.

“He’s right, girly, we need a better plan.” She doesn’t apologize but she watches me grimly. Sands below, this is never going to work.

I lean my head back with a sigh as they all start arguing again.

For the hundredth time in the last four hours, I want to kill everyone.

I under anticipated just how hard it would be to get five leaders to see eye to eye on a single subject.

Nan is agreeing with me, as is Major, but Reeves is just disagreeing with me to be contrary and probably as payback for his man’s life.

Priest is only adding in his crazy to stir it up and everyone is getting restless.

Sands below, by the time we all agree, it will be too late.

There will be no Wasteland left to save.

Rubbing my head in exhaustion I try to think of a plan, it’s clear we are not going to agree today.

Emotions are running too high and everyone is tiring.

“Call a recess until tomorrow,” Major whispers to me, his eyes still on the squabbling leaders.

“Huh?” I ask, dropping my hand from my head. I know some of the laws and rules when it comes to Summits, thanks to Major, but I didn’t have time to look them all up and it is becoming more and more clear as the meeting goes on… I am out of my depth.

“A recess, a break, until tomorrow, it is allowed to be called twice. It will give us time to regroup,” he murmurs when he realises no one cares what we are talking about.

“I can do that?” I ask, watching as Nan throws her hands in the air and leans over to yell in Reeves’s face.

“Yes, this is going nowhere. If we regroup tomorrow, hopefully emotions will have settled, and we will have more of a plan of attack,” he adds. I nod and turn back to the table, grateful again that he is by my side.

“That and they will have fucked, fought, and drank down their aggression,” I add with a sly smile.

“That too,” Major says with a laugh.

“I’m calling a recess,” I say, only to be ignored as they continue to argue with each other. Rolling my eyes, I go to yell when Maxen steps forward. I turn to eye him, but he is looking at everyone else.

Putting his fingers in his mouth he lets out a sharp short whistle, everyone shuts up and turns to us. With a nod, he steps back again, and I turn back to the leaders, remembering to thank him later.

“We are calling a recess, we will meet back here in the morning.” I see some relieved faces and still squabbling, Nan and Reeves walk from the room side by side. Priest offers me a nod before standing and righting his robes .

With one last look at me, he leaves as well. Dropping my head back against the chair I groan, long and loud.

“This is fucking hopeless,” I declare, feeling sorry for myself for one second.

“It could be worse, little queen,” Vasilisy says and I open one of my eyes to see him grinning down at me, he looks strange upside down.

“How?” I ask, curious.

He shrugs, “They could all be killing each other.”

I blink as a laugh tumbles out of me.

“True.” I sigh. My eyes snap open when fingers land on each side of my forehead and start rubbing. Looking up at Thorn I smile softly. I let out a low moan as he rubs away the tension and headache The Summit has caused.

“You will get through to them, Mi Alma,” Maxen adds.

“How?” I ask.

“If you can get through to us, if you can earn the respect of all the clans, if you can survive the unsurvivable, you can bring them together. You just need to be you,” Jax adds.

Thinking through his words, I look at the wise brother, he can still be so quiet that sometimes I forget how smart he is.

“You mean I am not being me?” I say slowly, reading between the lines.

“Yes and no. You are playing to them, trying to keep the rules, but that’s not you. You are notorious for breaking them, so why would this be different?” With that bombshell, he smiles at me and leans back against the wall.

“He’s right. This diplomatic approach isn’t working, as crazy as it might be, you need to be you.

Guns blazing and mouth cursing, show them what they are fighting for.

Show them what they are fighting against,” Major says, reaching across and squeezing my arm before standing.

“I am going to make sure those animals don’t destroy my ring.

” He smiles at me before straightening his suit and leaving the room, leaving me with my men.

“Maxen, can you take the others to the housing? I need to think,” I say softly, letting him know I am not trying to get rid of him, I simply need my space and I can feel the looks boring into me.

“Of course, Mi Alma, we will meet you there.” He drops a kiss on my lips before herding everyone out.

I can feel my men hesitate, but I don’t open my eyes.

“I won’t be long,” I add and feel kisses dropped onto my head as they make their way out of the room.

When the door shuts behind them I can breathe easier again. Peace at last.

“If you wanted to be alone with me, all you had to do is ask,” comes Dray’s voice from right next to me .

My eyes snap open in shock to see him next to me still. I thought he had left earlier, he was that quiet. Looking around the room I see it is just me and him.

I look back at him stupidly. “What are you still doing here?”

He grins, slouching back and rubbing his hand down his bare chest. “We need to talk about you disappearing. It won’t happen again,” he finishes, all casual like.

Gritting my teeth, I am betting my eyes are spitting fire. “It’s not like it was a fucking choice! You crazy motherfucker…” I finish, holding on to the table as the anger that only Dray can stoke in me roars to life.

He shrugs, still calm, but I can see the anger and lust burning bright in his eyes.

“I don’t care, I told you what would happen.

Do it again and I will leave a bloodbath in my wake to get to you, and when I do, you will wish you had never left in the first place.

” With that, he closes his eyes while I sit with my mouth flapping open and closed.

I don’t even know what to say, how do you respond to crazy? But it pisses me off, only adding to the shit day I have had, all the emotions blurring together until they explode.

I don't know what happens but one second, I am thinking about castrating him and the next second our lips are smashed together. I must have thrown myself across the table because my fist is raised. He holds it in his grip before he yanks me onto his lap as we fight each other for control with our tongues and lips. Biting his plump lower one, I pull on it until he groans. The anger and lust blooming in my chest twine together until I don’t know whether to fuck him or fight him.

He pushes me hard, until my back slams into the edge of the table, I know it will leave a bruise but the fact he doesn’t care, or handle me gently, finally lets me break through the last barrier.

Growling like a cannibal, I fling myself at him, he catches me at the last second, but the chair goes tumbling backwards until we meet the floor.

I dart in and bite his neck before rolling off him.

With a snarl he follows me, slamming me back into the carpet and yanking my hands above my head.

I hate the feeling, especially when I see the triumph in his eyes, glaring as his head lowers, I look around.

When I spot my whip lying near my hands, I reach up with my fingertips.

I just grasp the edge as he bites down hard into my neck, I let out a little scream and I know it's going to fucking scar.

Fucking bastard, dog fucking–– Bringing up the whip I wrap it around one of his hands before wrapping it around the table leg, then I yank.

I roll at the same time as he pulls against the restraint.