Free Wild Hearts (Blood & Judgment #1) by Eve Newton, Franca Storm Page B

from her so that I can flank ‘Cahl’. I have to say that I am surprised as well to learn that they have names. Here I thought they were an army of large Ken doll types; automatons with no feelings, no personality and no dangly bits. I snicker as I think about that.
    “So, ‘Cahl,’” I say, drawing his attention to me as he just stands there staring at Aria like he wants to jump her. To do what… hmmm… “What you got hiding under that armor?” I taunt him.
    He looks down at his golden armor and growls at me. He turns towards me, raising his sword and I swallow. Well, I was trying to get the attention off Aria.
    “No way,” Aria says, coming fully into the sitting room. “This is my fight, vamp .”
    “It’s Ember,” I snap at her, “And I’d say we are both his targets,” I add, keeping a wary eye out. He isn’t coming at us, but why?
    “Are we confusing you?” I ask him with an arched eyebrow. “Do you understand our words?” I enunciate slowly and Aria snorts brazenly in his face. He turns back to her with a roar. He lashes out at her with his sword, but she ducks, her reactions slowed, but she is still swift enough to avoid being hacked at. She comes up, with a look of pure rage on her face and I can see my partner in destiny hold back the wolf within her.
    “Let it out!” I yell at her, leaning down to pull free a throwing knife from my ankle holster. It won’t pierce his armor, but it will pierce his skin. Without a second thought, I throw it at him and it embeds itself deep in his neck.
    He lets out a surprised grunt, but that is all. He reaches up to pull it out of his neck as if it is merely a fly he is brushing away.
    “Oh shit,” I mumble as he brandishes his sword at me and with a flash of speed, I am in front of him, executing a roundhouse kick that does nothing to deter him. I reach up and grab hold of his arm, using his own strength to gain purchase as I kick him again in the stomach, hitting his solid armor with a thud that reverberates up my whole leg.
    “Fuck,” I snarl as he grabs my ankle and twists me around in the air, sending me crashing through the open doorway.
    Okay, now I am pissed. I have to take this fucker down before he takes Aria out. I cannot have my whole raison d’être wiped off the face of the Earth.
    They are circling each other, but again neither one of them attacks. I glance over my shoulder to see if there are any other Ambassadors surrounding this place, but I don’t see any. There is only Cahl and that in itself makes me suspicious.
    I stagger to my feet and see the eyeball still impaled on my heel. With an evil smile, I delicately pull it off and then, with all the force of the vampire within, I throw it at the back of Cahl’s head. Just to amuse myself.
    It hits his head with a soft, wet thump and he grunts in surprise and reaches up to rub his head. With all of the speed and strength I can muster, I launch myself at Cahl while he is sidetracked by my gory distraction, with my claws extended. I push him forward, intending to flatten him against the wall so that I can sink my fangs into his neck and hopefully slow him down long enough to wrestle his sword away from him. It is one of the only things that will kill his kind. Only, as soon as I attack, Aria steps forward, going on the offensive and I slam him directly into her.
    “Shit,” she mutters as his huge body presses against hers.
    “Argh!” he cries out, as I scramble up his back, ready to draw blood. He tries to shake me off, but I hold on, clawing at him.
    “Aria! The sword!” I scream at her as she just stands there with this humungous jackass pawing at her. His hand has landed on her right boob and he is feeling her up while I try to kill him.
    What. The. Fuck?

Chapter 9
    ~Aria~
     
    I can’t believe this piece of shit Ambassador. Is he really copping a feel here? In the middle of battle?
    I don’t understand what’s happening.
    He seems…different. He’s not like the rest.