A/N: Lora Leigh's Breeds and James Cameron's X5's - a match made in genetic infamy.
Click.
Jondy watched the flame spring to life, wavering briefly against the open air before steadying itself and burning brightly. She counted to ten before snapping the lid shut.
Click.
She wasn't the flame, wasn't the air, wasn't even the lighter – she was a hodge podge of genetic coding, a super soldier designed to be the perfect weapon – a supernatural warrior better than a hundred in battle.
Click.
So maybe she was the flame, steady, burning. She hoped she was the flame because if she wasn't then she could be Ben. And she didn't want to be Ben.
Click.
Zack had turned Ben into the boogieman of stories – listen to what I tell you or you'll go crazy too.
Click.
Going from Manticore to the outside hadn't been easy or smooth and there had been days where she'd prayed, begged, for the Blue Lady to kill her or save her.
Click.
She'd survived to find a new wish, a new purpose – a better goal: answers. Answers to what she was. The simplest explanation was the soldier but there was more to it. If she was just a soldier, just this thing, then why was Manticore still chasing her?
Click.
Max was dead, Zack was gone – Krit and Syl were running again and Lydecker was suddenly their fucking savior. Lord only knew where Zane was.
"If you do that one more time, I'll shove that lighter down your throat."
Jondy frowned over at Ender but obediently tossed the lighter on the counter next to her.
"So what's the verdict, Doc? Am I going to live?" Ender Abram was a Manticore scientist – a fucking genius with genetics who'd began his work in the labs at the tender age of eighteen.
At age of twenty he'd run as fast and as far as he could from that place.
It'd been fortuitous, their meeting. Jondy needed a doctor and Ender needed a body guard.
"It's too soon to tell," Ender replied, adjusting the scope of his microscope but flashing her a minute grin as he did so.
She smiled back somewhat stiffly.
She liked Ender well enough – he was funny and loyal but it was the fact that he hated Manticore with almost as much burning passion as herself that really engendered the other man to her.
"You're restless," Ender stated after a few moments of silence, jerking her from her silent revelry to stare at him, confused.
"Huh?"
"The lighter," Ender nodded towards her hand and she glanced down to find she had unconsciously picked it back up again, her thumb running over the lid.
"Oh. I guess," she sighed, pushing the lighter into her pocket and running a hand through her long blonde hair.
"You okay?" Ender's tone was neutral as he prepared another slide. They worked well together and he was fucking invaluable to her as a confidante and scientist, but there were still things they weren't comfortable discussing with each other, lines that couldn't be crossed.
"I need some air," she finally stated, answer enough as she rose to her feet and grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair.
"Will you be okay while I'm gone?"
"I'll manage," was Ender's dry reply and she felt a light surge of embarrassment at her coddling attitude. Shaking it off, she left him in their apartment, forgoing the elevator to take the stairs two at a time.
The cool early spring air of the mountains was bracing, refreshing, cooling the heat of her skin as she wandered the streets, looking for some action.
It wasn't heat but it was just as bad – this crawling itch to do something, anything.
She found a bar, some back-of-the-woods dive next to a motel that had seen better days a long time ago and slipped effortlessly passed the bouncer with a smile and a flash of pretty blue eyes.
Her eyes adjusted the lighting in a split second as she scoped the place out for some action. A pool table set up in the back had a nice crowd going around it and hustling some poor sucker out of his money was always fun.
Twenty minutes and two games later she was fifty bucks richer and looking for a third score. The itch was still there and it was all she could do to keep from twitching like a damn rat. Neither of her opponents had even presented the vaguest challenge and inside some part of her was snarling with dissatisfaction.
"Any takers?" She asked, eyeing the men surrounding her with hard blue eyes. The first guy had been charmed by her smile, the second by her hair, but she was hoping it would be the eyes that drew her the next player.
"I'll bite," came a smooth as whisky voice from the shadows of the bar. She watched dispassionately as he approached, six foot and five inches, at least, of green eyed, white blonde Viking and teeth.
Something shifted inside of her at that smile and suddenly she wanted nothing more than to wipe it off his face.
"Call," she ordered, flipping the coin that would determine who went first. With her X5 reflexes she could easily manipulate the outcome in her favor, but she wasn't the cheating kind.
"Tails," he called as she caught the coin and flipped it, eagle side up.
"Your break," she stated simply, settling back with her pool cue and watching, blinking at his first smooth stroke and swearing as he ran the table, clearing it in less than five minutes.
"I win," he stated simply, straightening from his bent over position to smile smugly at her. Her hands clenched, white-knuckle gripping the cue in her hands as the hair on the back of her neck shifted subtly.
"Best out of three," she shot back, unwilling to concede the loss. His smile deepened as he leaned back against the wall.
"As the lady wishes." His tone was agreeable enough but Jondy knew he was mocking her. She flashed him a tight, slightly hostile smile before racking the balls and reaching for the coin again.
"Heads," he called and she felt a flash of triumph as the coin landed eagle side up again.
She made quick work of her run, allowing herself a small smile of victory as the last ball slid into the corner pocket like a knife through butter.
"My game," she almost purred, smiling with sharp-eyed glee as she turned to look at him.
"One more," he murmured, his eyes fixating on her lips for a brief flash of time before rising to catch her eye. "How about a bet?"
She should of expected it but she was still surprised by his offer.
"How much?" She asked, already reaching for the wad of cash she'd stuck in her back pocket.
"One kiss," he stated and she let her hand fall from her pocket as she stared up into his hungry eyes, enraptured by the heat there. It looked wild and ready to burn and she wanted to wrap herself in the blaze but some inborn sense of caution had her hesitating.
"Lips only, no tongue," he offered, her eyes narrowing slightly even as her resolve weakened. It was damn stupid especially since she knew if called it, he'd run the table in a heartbeat. But if she got it…
"Deal," she stated and she could have sworn the heat burned brighter with that one single word.
"Call it," he invited as he flipped the coin.
"Tails," she called out on impulse, her gut sinking as her heart raced when George Washington stared up at her.
"Heads," he stated, eyes on her face as he waited for her reaction.
"Your break," was her only reply as she stepped back against the wall and waited for him to finish it.
He broke smoothly, the corded muscles of his arm flexing enticingly with each stroke of the cue until he was down to the last ball. It was a perfect shot, a straight run into the side pocket.
He paused before taking the shot, causing her to glance up at his face, her breath catching at the look in his eyes. It was primal and raw, a claiming that had backing against the wall even as he sank that last ball, his lip curling up in a satisfied smile as he straightened once more.
"My victory," he practically purred, laying his pool cue across the table and standing still as she stared down at the green felt for a long moment before reluctantly raising her gaze to meet his.
He watched her, all predatory instinct, and she watched him back, silently daring him to step forward. His smile widened as he crooked his finger at her.
She arched an eyebrow, hip cocked as she leaned against the wall and slowly shook her head at him.
"I won," he reminded her gently enough despite his scorching gaze. "I want my kiss."
"So come and get it." The words, the challenge, slipped past her lips before she could stop herself. She cursed as his smile tightened.
"My prize, my way," he stated. "You come to me."
"I don't think so," she replied, feeling a splurge of irritation at his cocky attitude.
"You welching on me?" It was his turn to challenge her and her turn to smile.
"I'm not a pet," was her frosty rejoinder. "I don't come when called."
"But you owe me." The silkiness of his words was practically a siren's call but Jondy hadn't taken orders from anybody since the escape and she sure as shit wasn't going to start listening here and now especially with him.
"So come and collect," she repeated, feeling a tiny surge of excitement when he shook his head once more.
"Doesn't work like that, sweetheart," the term of endearment had her smiling tightly in a distinctly unfriendly manner. She hated pet names of any sort. She'd hated them in the labs where the guards and techs had thrown them around like insults, calling her sweetie and sugar before shoving a fist in her stomach or a needle in her vein.
"You follow my rules." His gaze fixated on her face for a long moment as she pushed from the wall, stepping forward a step or two in sheer irritation as she scowled at him. She opened her mouth to unleash hell but before she could speak his gaze slipped from her to something behind her.
"Sorry, sweetheart. Gotta go. We'll finish this later."
"Like hell," Jondy muttered as he slipped around her. Her gaze followed his exit, a dark haired male joining him at the door before the two of them disappeared onto the street.
"Another game?" one of the bars other patrons asked. He was a pathetically easy mark – he'd been playing at one of the other tables and only won by sheer dumb luck, a complete waste of her time.
"Maybe later," she flashed him a smile she didn't really feel as she set her cue on the table next to the strangers and headed for the door.
It was time for her to go back, anyways. Who knew what trouble Ender would manage to find if she left him alone too long.
Hands in jacket pockets, she headed back towards their shared apartment, letting her feet lead the way as her thoughts drifted back to the green-eyed snake. He was arrogant – within five seconds of meeting him she had been able to discern that much. Arrogant, strong, and so sure of himself it made her almost wistful.
She knew her strengths and weaknesses like the back of her hand. She had complete and utter confidence in herself when it came to weapons, tactics, and fighting. But the whole boy-girl dynamic escaped her a lot of the time.
She spent most of her formative years running from Manticore and then heat had hit and she'd discovered that you didn't need to know the name of the guy you were fucking to get off.
Sex had become and unfortunate necessity but that didn't mean she had to like it. She'd only engaged in the act one or two times outside of her heat cycle and while it had been decidedly more pleasant mentally, it didn't seem worth the trouble. She'd rather hit something than screw.
Her foot caught in a crack in the pavement and she stumbled slightly, cursing the crack and her sudden onslaught of clumsiness as she glanced up and realized she was nowhere near her apartment.
"What the hell…" she trailed off, frowning as the sounds of a fight reached her sensitive ears.
She followed the noises to a corner ally, peaking carefully around the corner and swearing when a familiar flash of white blonde snarled its way across her vision as he threw himself at a decidedly nasty looking son of a bitch.
Breed.
Her nostrils flared, her eyes widening as she stared at the dirty man who dodged the attack with a cold laugh.
"Gonna have to do better, brat," he snarled. "Gonna have to do a lot better if you want your friend to live."
There was a grunt and the scent of blood in the air as her Viking let out a growl worthy of any beast and the Breed just stood there and laughed.
Jondy's eyes jumped from her mystery man to the other corner of the alley where the man who had exited with her Viking was fighting off his own attackers. A booted foot connected with his shoulder and he grunted as he stumbled, the two enemy combatants moving forward without pause, without mercy, canines bared as they grabbed at him, holding his struggling form.
"All that money's spoiled you, boy," the Breed taunted. "Didn't your daddy teach you how to fight? Figures you pussies would support the Breeds – like calls to like after all."
Her Viking snarled then froze at the sound of a gun cocking filled the alley.
"One chance," the Breed stated silky toned as his companion held a gun to the other man's head.
Jondy crouched silently in her position, eyes fixated on the gun as she mentally calculated the speed she'd need to reach in order to get to them before the trigger could be pulled.
"Rye," her Viking breathed and she could practically taste his pain even as she blurred forward.
There was a startled yelp and a snarl as she kicked the weapon out of the first Breeds hand, her elbow arcing around in a smooth move to smash against his face and send him sprawling the ground, unconscious, even as his friend threw himself forward, shoving her hard against the brick of the wall behind her.
Her head hit stone with a painful thud but she let the pain filter through her as she shoved her hands under his grip and jumped up to kick him back.
He stumbled against the other wall before steadying himself and starting forward. She dodged his first punch, grunting as the second connected with the side of her face even as she buried her fist in his gut, relishing his wheeze of surprise. He shoved his knee towards her stomach and she blocked it, moving to counteract his next move even as he snarled, fangs bared and lunging for her throat while she stood there in complete surprise because, damn, nobody had ever tried that with her before.
His teeth were seconds away from her jugular when hands were suddenly there, tossing him three feet in the air and even harder against the wall than Jondy had managed. She heard something crack in the back recesses of her mind but her main focus was the man in front of her.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" He snapped even as he shoved past her to where his friend was struggling to get to his feet.
"You're welcome," Jondy replied, feeling annoyed.
"Those were Council Breeds," he lectured, checking Rye over for injuries even as the other man coughed and shoved him away.
"We need to get out of here," Rye stated, his voice chalk full of pain, expression tightening as he straightened.
"You almost got yourself killed," her white-haired nightmare continued on even as he grabbed the gun from the ground, pocketing it before moving back to his friends side.
"Again, you're welcome," Jondy repeated, arms crossing, her adrenaline high warring and winning against his pessimism.
"Come on," he stated, reaching out to grab her arm as he followed Rye down the alley to the street. "We have to get out of here."
"We don't have to do anything," Jondy tried to yank her arm from his grip, frowning more to herself than anyone when his grip only tightened. "You have to leave. This isn't my problem."
"Wrong," her newfound soon-to-be enemy growled, steering her towards a black Raider that had her eyebrows lifting. "You think those Coyote's are just going to forget you once they wake up? They'll have people on the streets, looking for you in a matter of hours. And if they find you a quick death is the best you can hope for."
Jondy had a powerful respect for anyone and anything that wanted her dead but she wasn't planning on going anywhere with this man.
She opened her mouth to inform him of this fact when his cell phone buzzed.
"Go." He answered the phone, watching her with a clear warning as Rye slipped behind the wheel of the Raider and started the car.
"Where are you?" The voice on the other end asked tersely.
"On my way back. There were complications."
"What sort of complications?"
"Rye's hurt," he stated, his gaze flicking to the wincing male before refocusing on her. "And I have a good Samaritan who's going to need some help."
"Fuck, Dane." There was a pause on the other end. "Is Rye okay?"
"He'll live," Dane – her mystery asshole – replied, eyes steady on her. "I'm not so sure about the Good Samaritan, though."
"Injured?"
"Insolent," Dane replied. "She doesn't want my help."
"I don't need your help," Jondy replied arrogantly.
"We're almost at your location," the voice on the phone stated. "Hold until we arrive."
"I've got three unconscious Coyote's in the alley," Dane stated, some of the tension easing from his shoulders when he realized how close they were.
"Understood."
"Let me go," Jondy repeated, her ears picking up the sound of approaching vehicles.
"Not until they're in custody," was Dane's steady reply, eyes watching as the first of the Raider's arrived.
"Back there," he instructed, watching and holding her as the four Breeds that had emerged from the vehicle disappeared down the alley.
"We've got two," one of them stated after a moment, the other three emerging from the alley. "Dead, unfortunately."
Dane swore as he took in the neat slashes decorating their necks.
"The third?"
The Enforcer shook his head even as the two bodies were unceremoniously dropped onto a hastily spread out tarp.
"It's the damn scent blockers," one of the other Enforcers grunted in frustration. "We don't have a fucking clue where he went."
Dane's jaw tightened minutely, staring at the bodies on the ground before fixating on her.
"You're coming with me."
"Like hell," was her immediate and heartfelt reply.
"Like it or not," he reiterated, practically dragging her towards the vehicle. She jerked her arm again, this time harder than before, breaking his grip but guaranteed to leave a bruise which was better than the alternative.
"I said no," she snapped back, her own gaze just as fierce as his as they faced off against each other.
"He has your scent now," he snapped. "He won't even bother to report you to the Council – he'll track you down himself and kill you after he rapes you. Is that what you want?"
What she wanted was to punch him with a near borderline obsession but his words sunk in before she could, her expression paling.
"Ender," she breathed, turning and bolting even as she felt him lunge after her.
"Catch her!" He growled to the other Enforcers, another Raider pulling up behind the first. Four more Breeds emerged, joining the chase as she raced down the street.
God, Ender.
He was the closest thing she had to family and like hell was she letting him die because of her damned stupidity.
She skidded around the corner, racing down another alley as she orientated herself. She could hear pounding feet behind her but her entire focus was on getting to her apartment and to Ender before anybody else.
Her apartment building came into view and she pushed forward, slamming through the doors and up the stairs, the acrid stench of dirty Breed filling the stairwell and sending her heartbeat skyrocketing even before she caught sight of the smashed door.
She didn't yell his name as she came to a halt, nostrils flared around the permeating scent of Breed and blood.
Ender, she thought bleakly, taking another whiff and relaxing slightly when she realized it was Breed blood.
It was fresh, less than ten minutes or so. She could track it, if she wanted, but her pressing concern right now was finding Ender.
Footsteps pounded up the stairs even as she turned and started back down.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Dane growled, reaching for her.
"I have to find Ender," she snarled back at him, snapping as she slid away from his grip and down the stairs, moving past the Breeds as her sense of urgency grew. Reaching in her pocket for her cell phone, she punched in Ender's number and prayed that he picked up.
It rang two, three times, and just as the fourth ring started, the line clicked.
"Ender," she snapped down the line. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Ender replied, his voice echoing in the phone as he stepped up behind her, cup of coffee in one hand, phone in the other as he watched her with a quizzical expression.
"Thank God," she breathed, hanging up her phone and just barely holding herself back from the urge to hug him.
"What happened?" He asked, taking in her the dirt smudges of her clothes and the tension lines of her body.
"Shit," was her succinct reply as the Breeds emerged from the building behind her.
"His scents gone again," Dane snapped into the phone that was once more in his ear. "Smells like he got into a car and left."
"I want you back in Sanctuary," the voice ordered tersely. "Rye's already on his way in."
"I'm on my way," Dane replied, his eyes catching Jondy's and narrowing. "And I'm bringing guests."
Jondy tensed and fought the urge to snarl even as Ender blinked in confusion.
"Jondy?" He questioned, his eyes skimming over the Breeds with heartfelt nervousness, coffee clutched loosely in his hand as he stared at her in confusion. "What's going on?"
If it was just her she'd tell Dane to go fuck himself and run. But there was Ender and suddenly more players in this crazy little game of survival than she was comfortable with.
"Sanctuary, Ender," she promised, scowling at the hint of victory that crept into Dane's eyes as she uttered the words.
A Raider appeared around the corner and Dane yanked a door open as soon as it stopped.
"Get in."
The Breed in the seat across from her was watching her with an edge of curiosity that had her scowling even as Ender poked her in the side impatiently.
"What happened?" He asked, hand slipping to the bag at his side. The bag was his life – the absolute essentials neither of them could live without that they never went anywhere without. It held her samples, the drugs that kept her from collapsing, and the papers they'd managed to collect over the years concerning Project Manticore.
The movement didn't go unnoticed by the Breed who eyed the bag carefully as Jondy's scowl deepened.
"Trouble," was her succinct reply, arms crossing over her chest as her scowl transferred to the driver of their vehicle.
His grip on the wheel tightened as he met her gaze in the rearview mirror.
"You owe me," he stated, eyes practically glowing as he snarled the words back at her.
"Like fuck," she replied, straightening indignantly, growling at him. "I saved your life – that makes us even."
"Not even close," he replied, glaring as he turned a corner and hit the gas.
"Kiss my ass," she snapped, coiling back in the seat as the Enforcer's nostrils flared, eyes widening almost comically as his jaw dropped slightly.
"Geezus," he breathed, turning his attention from her to look over at Dane who paused in his glaring match with Jondy long enough to catch his gaze.
"Oh man," the Enforcer breathed as he caught sight of the look in Dane's eyes. "This shit really is contagious – hurry up and get me home, Dane, before it starts to rub off."
"It's nothing," Dane bit out, racing around another corner. "She's aggravating."
"Excuse me?" Jondy shot back indignantly. "I'm not the one instigating fights in back alleys that I have no chance of winning."
"I would have won," Dane promised her, voice dangerously low.
"Oh yeah, because it so looked like you weren't getting your ass handed to you." Dane's low growl filled the cabin of the Raider as the Enforcer shook his head.
"Oh man," he breathed, eyeing her with something that looked strangely akin to pity. "I'd quit now if I were you."
"Nobody asked for your opinion," Jondy snapped at him but obediently shut her mouth as she leaned backwards, face screwed in what felt like a near permanent scowl.
On her right Ender was staring at her like she'd somehow lost her mind but she ignored him.
She wasn't exactly acting in character – she was normally the calm sibling. Zack had remarked upon it on more than one occasion. She preferred calm, cool, and collected to angry and freaked but right now she was pretty much caught firmly in the angry mode.
Up ahead security gates loomed, surrounded by a crowd of angry protesters and Jondy felt her muscles tense as they pulled up to the entrance.
A Breed emerged from the gatehouse, expression even despite the screamed insults.
"Your father's waiting for you inside," was the lazy drawl as the Breed scanned the interior of the vehicle, eyes lighting on Jondy and Ender and take them in. "One of Ely's assistants are waiting to get your guests samples."
"Samples?" Jondy narrowed her eyes on Dane as he nodded his understanding and they were waved inside.
"Anybody who's granted access to Sanctuary has to have samples on file," was his explanation even as the Enforcer snorted.
"Your mother is going to love this." Dane shot the Enforcer a hard look as he parked the Raider.
"No," Jondy was already shaking her hand as she reached for her seat belt and the door. "Keep Ender but I'm leaving."
"You're not going anywhere," Dane promised, rolling from the vehicle even as Jondy hopped down.
"You're not the boss of me," Jondy replied, glaring up at him even as Ender cautiously stepped from the other side of the vehicle, eyeing their surroundings with open curiosity.
"If you leave, that Coyote will track you down and kill you," Dane repeated his earlier argument.
"He can try," Jondy shot back, hands on hips as she glared up at him.
"He's stronger, faster, and more lethal than you could ever hope to be, Princess. A few lucky punches doesn't suddenly make you superwoman."
"Lucky punches?" Jondy's nostrils flared, her eyes widening with her indignation even as Ender snorted at the irony of Dane's statement.
"Never mind me," he held his hands in front of him with a wry grin as both Jondy and Dane turned to glare at him. "I'll just go with this lovely man here. Ender Abram," he greeted the Enforcer who was watching the byplay between Jondy and Dane with a wicked smile.
"Rule Breaker," the Enforcer shook his hand.
"Rule Breaker, huh? Interesting." Ender chewed on his cheek for a moment, eyes bright with sudden humor as he turned his attention back to Jondy.
"You almost finished?" He asked indulgently. "Cause that concrete bunker is looking awfully inviting."
"Ender," Jondy started, her voice a low growl.
"Jondy," he replied, eyebrow raising, just inviting an argument that he knew she wasn't going to start, not in front of strangers.
"Fine," she grunted. "But if this bites me in the ass, I'm blaming you." She stormed past him, heading for the bunker and ignoring Rule's parting comment.
"I don't think it's your ass he'll be biting first."
Jondy scowled at the assistant the entire process, from the cheek swab to the drawn blood to the vaginal swab that she absolutely refused to let the other woman perform.
"Here," she shoved the sample at the assistant as she turned towards the door Ender had disappeared through, her tension easing slightly when he emerged, looking bemused and smelling vaguely of arousal.
Her nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed as he smiled slightly at her.
"What is this shit?" Dane was muttering as they shifted through the contents of Ender's bag.
"My medications," Jondy replied as Dane examined the pressure syringes carefully.
"For what?" He asked, gaze sharpening as he looked at her.
"Neurochemical imbalance," she replied tersely, starting forward and coming to scowling stop when one of the new Enforcers moved to block her way.
"That explains it," Dane muttered under his breath. More than one somebody snorted as Jondy's scowl deepened.
"I get seizures," she elaborated. "It helps."
"How bad?" Dane asked, studying her carefully as if he could spot the damage just by looking at her.
She scowled again.
"Bad enough that I need a medication for them," she replied.
"And these?" Another Enforcer held up the sheaf of papers containing their notes on Manticore.
Jondy glanced back at Ender, the two of them sharing a long look.
"Research," Ender stated simply. "For a story I'm thinking of writing."
Dane stared at Ender for a long moment before turning his gaze to Jondy. "Is that true?"
Jondy shrugged her shoulders at him.
"It's his bag," she replied.
"So where's yours?" Dane asked. "You didn't grab anything from the apartment before we left."
"I travel light," was her truthful reply. She had the clothes on her back, money in her wallet, and a fake ID in her coat that could get her where she needed to be, no questions asked. Anything else she needed she either bought or stole while on the move. The only thing she'd really wanted to grab from the apartment had been her M9 pistol, but she somehow doubted they would have let her carry it here.
Dane continued to stare for a long moment before turning his attention back to Ender's bag. They finished shifting through the contents, taking pictures of everything, including the papers.
Jondy made a mental note to herself to do something about that before she left.
"The samples have been processed," a human spoke from the doorway, clipboard in hand as she reported. "And your parents are waiting in the sitting room with the Prime and Prima."
"Is Jonas there?" Dane asked tersely as he straightened.
The human tilted her head forward in confirmation and Dane nodded once.
"Good. Come on," he instructed, motioning Jondy and Ender forward.
"You got any food?" Jondy asked as she followed him in the hall. "I haven't eaten in hours. I'm starving."
Dane walked in front of her so she couldn't see his expression but she found some satisfaction in the way his shoulders seemed to tense with her words.
"There'll be food waiting," was his clipped reply as he shoved through a set of doors.
Enforcer's trailed them the entire way, taking up position outside the sitting room as Dane yanked the door open and motioned the two of them inside.
Jondy's eyes instinctively scanned the room, taking in all the possible escape routes, noting the thickness of the glass on the windows and the guards at the doors both inside and outside of the room before she let it travel over the people.
Six people – three males, three females, sat in various positions around the room, their quiet conversation ending at Dane's arrival.
"Mother, father," he greeted two of the people, a tight-faced slightly older male with strangely streaked hair and a female with long blonde hair and hopeful eyes as her gaze locked on Jondy.
"She's short," were the first words uttered by Dane's father, eliciting a quiet snort from the silver eyed man in the corner.
"Hello to you too, asshole," Jondy shot right back, arms crossing as she glared. Five foot two wasn't exactly a towering Amazonian but it was comfortable.
"Jondy," Ender chastised gently, earning him a scowl as Jondy turned to him.
"He started it," she sulked, moving back so she was standing next to him, ignoring Dane's irritated huff as she did so.
"I like her," the grey eyed man in the corner smiled as the red-head next to him shook her head slightly.
"You would," was her comment as her curious gaze wandered over Jondy.
"I'm Rachel," she greeted. "This is my mate, Jonas."
"Pleasure," Jondy stated, her tone making it clear it was anything but. Jonas's smile widened.
"She's rude and uncultured," Dane's father stated, eyeing her dispassionately.
"Look who's talking," Jondy gave as good as she got, glaring at him even as Dane's mother placed a chastising hand on his arm.
"I'm Elizabeth and this is my husband Leo," she smiled softly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jondy. We've been waiting for you."
Jondy blinked at her for a long moment before turning to look at Ender who shrugged his shoulders, just as in the dark as she was.
"That's…nice," she stated slowly, eyes landing on the final couple, recognition pinging.
"Callan and Merinus Lyons," she greeted the Prime and Prima of the Feline breeds.
"Jondy," Callan replied, eyeing her carefully. "Last name?"
"No last name," Jondy replied stiffly.
"Interesting," Jonas muttered from his position near the fire place, his gaze traveling over to Dane.
"Nothing's been confirmed yet," Dane stated in reply to the unasked question.
"Just keep telling yourself that, Dane," Jonas snorted, his lazy gaze traveling over Jondy, a calculating gleam in his eyes as he did so. "How's the tongue?"
"Do you want to die?" Dane snapped back.
"Easy, son," Leo murmured, eyeing Jonas with an air of disapproval in his expression. "Don't let him get you riled."
"I'm not riled," Dane replied, a bit of an accent slipping in his voice as he shot his father an irritated look.
"I feel like I'm missing something," Ender spoke into the tension that followed Dane's obvious lie. "Do you feel like you've walked into a movie halfway through the plot?"
"Something like that," Jondy agreed, her tension notching as attention seemed to center around her.