Creatus Eidolon

1

Reece Buckley summed up his opponent. He was taller and heavier, but he wasn’t faster. No, he would rely on brute strength, so Reece had to rely on his agility and speed to win.

He glanced around at the onlookers. Normally he wouldn’t have to worry about an audience, but this match had brought out a score or more of creatus. He hadn’t actually counted; he’d been too busy psyching himself up.

His challenger circled him, arms open. As Reece suspected, he was a grappler. Reece, on the other hand, held his arms close to his body, lifted just below his chin, ready to strike, and watched his rival’s eyes. As a cop in Miami and South America, Reece had learned to pay close attention to his adversary’s eyes. When the attacker’s pupils dilated, he was ready.

The dance continued, then Reece saw the subtle movement of his rival’s clavicle bone, followed by the man’s eyes dilating almost four times in size. Reece sidestepped as Mike plowed past him. No matter the training, Mike couldn’t control his body’s natural reactions.

Mike swung around and smiled. Come on, human. How ’bout a hug?

Ah… That’s all right, Mike. Victoria gave me a good luck kiss and a hug before we started. And I’m not sure how much of a human I actually am.

Mike grunted and surged forward again, his long arms stretched wide, making it impossible for Reece to sidestep him again, so Reece sprung off his heels and somersaulted over top of Mike. Reece landed on his feet and tapped Mike on the back of the head. Mike was fast, though. He swung his leg around and swept Reece off his feet, then instantly pounced on top of him.

A gasp emitted from the onlookers who’d just cheered Reece’s acrobatics. Did they think he couldn’t wrestle?

Reece bucked once and was back on his feet, as was Mike. Mike swung, and Reece ducked, coming back with a right hook, which Mike accepted without even a slight sway, as though he’d been tapped, not punched with a strike that would kill a human. Without a second of hesitation, Mike’s fist shot a straight jab, and Reece would swear a train had just hit him.

Mike continued to throw jab after jab, backing Reece into the corner. Reece ducked and grabbed onto Mike’s midsection, pushing him backward. He picked him up and threw him on the ground, but Mike bounced up to his feet in a flash.

Reece had never lost a fight in his life, but he’d never fought a creatus. Well, other than his first fight with Mike in the alley, but he hadn’t been trying to win, then. He’d wanted them to capture him, hoping he could infiltrate and discover the truth of this family’s strength.

From the time he was a child, his father told him he was special but that he had to hide his differences. His father hadn’t allowed him to excel at sports or train to be an Olympic superstar. No, he’d had to hide his strength. Even as a Navy SEAL, he’d learned to let the largest man on his team wrestle him to the ground. On the streets, though, against the drug dealers, child molesters, and wife beaters, he’d never lost a fight.

And he didn’t plan to lose today either, especially with Victoria watching. His strength was his speed, and Mike’s weakness was his size. He had to use it against him.

When Mike charged again, Reece waited until the last second, then sidestepped Mike’s attack with his body but hooked his arm around the man’s neck. Mike’s weight worked against him. The momentum he still had pushed against Reece’s arm. Reece pulled back his wrist with his other hand, tightening his grip around Mike’s neck. Mike bucked, slamming Reece backward about twenty feet, hitting the brick wall of Mike’s loft apartment.

Reece didn’t release, though, and Mike finally collapsed beneath his arms from the rear-naked choke.

Victoria ran across the floor, but she didn’t congratulate him on his win. Instead, she knelt down in front of Mike, touching his face. Hey, you okay?

Reece stepped out from behind Mike, watching as his eyes opened at Victoria’s words. Mike had probably let him get him in that hold, knowing she would take care of the loser. Why hadn’t Reece thought of that? Would it have been better to lose and have Victoria fawning over him or have a win against one of the strongest creatus on the planet?

Hmm… Tough decision. I’m fine. Thanks for asking, Reece said, resisting a growl.

Victoria just narrowed her eyes and helped Mike to his feet.

Mike stepped out of Victoria’s arms and extended a hand to Reece. Not bad, Reece. He winked, then turned to Victoria. So, you said you were taking on the loser, Vic?

Victoria shoved him back a few feet. You moron. She strolled away from Mike, and Reece reached out and pulled her into his arms. She glared up at him. I’m not challenging either of you. I’ll take on whoever can pin Derrick.

Hey… Derrick said. Why’re you bringing me into this? I’d rather just watch you guys tear it up. This is better than watching UFC.

Reece felt a pat on his back.

Seriously, dude… Mike stepped around him. Nice moves.

Reece smiled. Thanks.

For the first time in his life, Reece felt like he was home. He was with people who understood him. Well, maybe not people in what some folks would call people, but even if creatus weren’t humans, they were still people—good people. His last boss, Frank Cooper, had wanted to find and expose this peaceful group because they were different. Cooper had elicited his help by recruiting him into the National Security Council after seeing his record in the military and with Miami PD and the DEA.

Come on, Vic, Mike bellowed again. We haven’t sparred in forever. I bet I could beat you now.

Victoria sighed. You’ve always been able to beat me, Mike.

The love of Reece’s life looked up at him, her eyes narrowing as if she wanted to get something across but couldn’t say it aloud. No matter how low they spoke, any one of the creatus in the apartment would hear. Clearly, Victoria was upset, though.

Reece brushed a strand of her ebony black hair away from her eyes, then cupped her face. Wanna go?

No, it would be rude. It’s not often that so many of us get together just to have fun. Though… I’m wondering—never mind.

Wanna go for a walk, then? Obviously, something’s on your mind, he pressed.

She shrugged.

What did I do? He hated sounding like a hormone-filled adolescent worried about his girlfriend, but he was. They’d known each other for a couple of months now and had been seeing each other exclusively for the last half of it. But the way she’d just looked at Mike… No, Victoria had assured him that she and Mike would always be just friends. The problem was that Victoria and Reece hadn’t taken their relationship to the next level. They hadn’t fallen for each other yet. Oh, the stirrings were there. Sometimes he felt as if tiny volts of electricity were traveling through his veins, but then, he would pull back. They both would.

Life was too complicated. Victoria had a life here, working at her family’s hospital, and he had a rogue to catch, along with his eighteen-year-old daughter. As much as he didn’t want to believe that Meghan was a willing captive, he knew she probably was. Meghan hated him because he left her in the care of her grandmother. He hadn’t abandoned her; he supported them both, but she didn’t see it that way.

She didn’t understand that the daughter of a DEA agent wasn’t safe. And when he moved to Boston to work with the National Security Council, he still wasn’t sure what was in store for him. He’d promised her if it was safe, he would bring her with him. And now, she was traveling with a group of rogue creatus who wanted to let the world know they existed.

Through all of this, he found Victoria, but now he felt as though he might lose her. Creatus only fell once in a lifetime, so if they didn’t fall for each other before he went under to find Jonas, was it possible that she would fall for Mike?

You didn’t do anything, Vic finally answered, drawing back from his arms. I just… Can we talk later?

Unable to find his voice, he just nodded. He looked over her shoulder to see Mike leaning back against the bar, a glass of wine held up. Was he cheering him for winning or the fact that it was clear he hadn’t lost Victoria yet?

Mike knew what he was doing, and Reece had let him win the real match.

2

Reece drove Vic to her apartment, hating that she hadn’t breathed a word since they’d hopped into her Mini Cooper.

At six-four, his head brushed the ceiling of her compact, but she loved it. Not that she was much shorter; she was just shy of six feet. But he was pretty sure she liked the looks she received when she stepped out of the tiny car. Of course, Victoria could step out of a Ford Focus and heads would turn.

As he thought from the first time he’d seen her, she looked like Wonder Woman in the flesh—tall and shapely with ebony black hair that fell like silk to her waist, olive skin, and chestnut-colored eyes that were so deep and rich it looked like he could swim in the depths of them. Yep, she looked like a living and breathing amazon.

Can I walk you upstairs? he asked as he parallel parked in front of her brownstone.

She turned to him, a question in her eyes. Of course, she said as if he’d asked the stupidest question in the world.

Victoria wasn’t a chatterbox. He could only guess that in the years she spent around all the male creatus, she’d learned not to reveal her feelings. As much as some girls he’d met that he wished would stop ranting about their feelings, he wished Victoria would just talk to him. He wanted to know what she was thinking.

Reece hopped out and opened her door. At least she allowed him to be a gentleman. He took her hand and led her up to her fourth-story flat. He wished they could skip the stairs and just jump the four flights, but unless it was an emergency, he’d learned to rein in his strength.

Although they were a peaceful race, the myths about supposed vampires were too forbidding ever to reveal themselves. If the government found out about them, they would hunt them down, just as they did thousands of years ago. Reece agreed with Derrick on that discussion. Humans would not be okay with a superhuman who ate raw meat living next door, no matter what some of their kind believed.

Reece allowed Victoria to walk in front of him and open the door.

She stepped inside, then turned to him.

Oh, no, he thought. He stepped forward and quickly drew her into his arms before she could speak. Ignoring her dazed expression, he ran his hand up to the back of her head and pulled her closer, immediately pressing his lips to hers. In seconds, his lips tingled. He requested entry, and she accepted him. He touched his tongue to hers, luxuriating in her warmth and the flavor of the red wine she always liked.

He worked his kisses across the line of her jaw. Victoria, he said as he worked his way down her neck.

She lifted her head, sighing, so he reached down and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her to the sofa. He wanted to go straight to her bedroom, but considering he hadn’t showered yet, he figured he would wait to suggest that.

Still cradling her, he carefully sat down, making sure she wasn’t touching the front of his body. He continued his kisses along the exposed area of her chest. Her black blouse had a low scoop, just enough to entice him without revealing too much.

Reece, she said, running her fingers through his hair.

He glanced up, hoping she didn’t want to stop. Creatus didn’t marry; they fell. Once they fell, it was over, so there was no need for an official ceremony. Although according to Victoria, creatus usually went to the courthouse to make their marriage official so they didn’t run into any legal issues.

Tonight, he didn’t care about any of that. He wanted to fall, and he wanted her to reciprocate. Just the tingling on his lips made it evident that they were a match; they just needed to let go, allow it to course through their bodies. He would still be able to get his job done. Other creatus were able to function away from each other.

Although it felt forced, Reece smiled. Before you say anything, can I take a shower?

Victoria cocked her head. Why?

Well, I did just finish a sparring match, so I’m sure I smell.

She laughed. You barely broke a sweat, and no, you don’t smell. We need to talk, though.

Not wanting to hear what she had to say before he had a chance to sweep her off her feet appropriately, he shook his head.

Mmm… Shower first. He kissed her quickly, then picked her up and set her down beside him, twisting his body at the same time, so she couldn’t see in front of him. He stood up and made his way to the shower. Once inside the small bathroom, he said, Unless you wanna talk in the shower … he trailed off, waiting for the tongue-lashing.

She just sighed again. Then, based on her soft steps leading away from him, she walked into the kitchen instead of following him in here. Not that he thought she would, but he loved to tease her. They’d been taunting each other with sexual innuendoes from the day they met, the day she practically beat the crap out of him. He wondered if it would stop once they finally made love—if they ever made love.

If her conversation had anything to do with what he thought it did, he might never get to be with her. He might lose her forever. He couldn’t imagine the loss. He didn’t have to fall to be head-over-heels in love. Her leaving might not kill him, but it would devastate him.

The door opened, and his heart soared.

Here’re the sweatpants and T-shirt you left. I washed them. And the door closed again. Not even a peek or a playful warning that she was going to peek. Was this really because he’d won the match? Hell, he was sure Mike hadn’t even tried that hard.

Irritated now, Reece turned off the shower and stepped out. He wanted just to stroll out there with nothing but the towel around his waist and carry her to the bedroom, but Victoria wasn’t some ditzy broad. She liked power, but she wouldn’t want him to act like a caveman.

Reece pulled on the sweatpants but left the shirt on the hamper where she’d placed it. He glanced in the mirror. He looked like the other creatus with his olive skin and sharp features, but he’d inherited his human mother’s blond hair and hazel eyes. Was that the problem? Did Victoria think he stood out as an outcast, someone who would never really be one of them? Maybe he should have left his hair dark, even though she’d said that she liked his natural color.

He opened the door to leave but then reached back and grabbed the T-shirt. What difference would it make if he showed off his six-pack abs? All of the men who were in love with Victoria had well-built physiques, a natural characteristic of creatus. Especially Mike. Mike had two inches in height and twenty pounds on him, but he was solid. Not an ounce of fat.

Reece walked into the kitchen while he pulled on the shirt.

Mm-mm-mm. I’m almost sorry I washed that shirt. It would have been nice if you had to walk around half-naked, like one of those guys on the covers of all the romantic suspense novels I don’t have time to read anymore. Of course, now I have one strolling around my apartment. If the women only knew I had one at home.

Reece couldn’t resist a sigh. He would never be able to read this woman. He stepped around the small island and wrapped his arms around her. Where were we?

I was trying to talk to you before you took my breath away, she murmured. Her words said one thing, but he could hear the smile in her voice and smell the merlot on her breath. Two glasses of wine, and she was sweet and sassy. He loved it. Thankfully, whatever was bothering her before didn’t seem as important now.

He pressed his lips against hers but spoke through his kisses. Can’t we talk later… Preferably in the morning after breakfast in bed?

Victoria pulled back. My, my, aren’t we being presumptuous?

Reece drew her back against him. I don’t want to be without you, Victoria. I don’t want you to fall for another man. I don’t want to see you with Mike.

She laughed, but it sounded nervous. Where is this coming from? You’re the one who said we needed to wait while you saved the world.

I didn’t say I was going to save the world—

You insinuated, she cut in. Eidolon, the super phantom.

He rolled his eyes. I didn’t come up with the name. My SEAL team did. Because I was great at infiltrating camps unseen. If I might remind you, I infiltrated your camp.

She smiled seductively. Yes, you did.

And they were back to the innuendoes, which meant no sex. If they were teasing about sex, they weren’t having sex. It was when they weren’t speaking that they were in danger of falling… When they allowed their lips and hands to do the talking.

Reece shook his head.