Cloud Riders(44)

Woody, I need you to control the team’s power tonight. I have to concentrate on getting Cassie ready. You’ve got the control.

Woody gave him the thumbs up as Zoltan moved the horses as instructed. Knowing that the men knew what to do, Kayden placed his hands on Cassie’s shoulders. He hated the thought of even doing this. He knew he needed to give her a couple of sessions with Woody to teach her how to use her gift without anger but for now he had to work with what he had. He firmed his grip on Cassie’s shoulders, not enough to bruise but enough to cause her an uncomfortable throbbing. Sorry, but I need more than I’m feeling from you, princess—time to get you angry, he thought, hating this part. You still dream about Alex’s kisses, don’t you? He must have been good to keep you away from me so long.

Cassie swung around and glared at Kayden, her blue eyes burning through him like lasers. Man, even angry she was as sexy as hell! It took everything he had to not pull her into his arms and kiss that look off her face. He had to cut her to the core or they were all going to lose their lives here tonight. He had no choice: it was either this or give a very dangerous command. Admittedly, it would save their lives but he couldn’t guarantee the lives of the other good souls who might get in the way. Right now Kayden had no intention of even considering that. Yes, the situation was critical and his men knew it but if he gave the order for the guys to cut loose and kick it into overdrive, they would have to draw the power they needed from evil instead of good. He cringed at the thought, as he’d have no control on what they ended up destroying. There would be no stopping them until their power source dried up. Man, what a mess!

Kayden looked around, annoyed, wondering if Zoren was watching the balls-up this mission had become. He hoped he was giving his people a good serving for their incompetent reporting. Now good and cranky, he focused back on Cassie, his eyes glowing, face taut and temper flaring.

Don’t look so damned innocent, Cassie. You called out to Alex in your sleep last night. Jeez, I could have slapped you. He was hardly the only one either. I saw you with Woody before, giggling in his arms. You were flirting and wanted him too, didn’t you? Please don’t give me that look of purity. It won’t work on me this time, bitch! You think I’m bloody stupid enough to think you kept that hot body just for me for all those months? Please! He rolled his eyes, growling out the final words through gritted teeth.

Cassie was crimson with rage. It was a cheap shot but Goddamn it, not a total lie. He was so jealous when he thought of her with another that it did his head in. She screamed out and her hand came up to swipe his face. Kayden grabbed her wrist, going nowhere near that hand and pointed it to the Comet.

A thunderous bark roared out of him. ‘Use it … now!’

Kayden could feel Cassie’s anger as she threw her hands at the fireball hurtling towards them. The bolt of light that shot out of her hands hit the invader and blew it to dust.

Goddamn it, she was everything he thought she could be and more. Kayden loved her so much right then that he could hardly breathe. He could feel her excitement buzzing through him for what she had just done but it was too soon to celebrate as it was far from over: that had been only a small part of what was coming.

‘Cassie Wyatt! Pull it together and help the boys or they are going to die! Clear those damned meteors now!’ Kayden barked the new order at her, pointing to what he needed cleared out the way. While she cleared a path he watched Woody and Conor who were already on the other Comet. A large piece of meteor was heading straight for them from an angle they’d missed. Shit, too late for me to pull them out. He straightened his posture with threatening intent, keeping up his grumpy facade. ‘Cassie, help Woody!’ he commanded in a tone that pulled her out of her rage to listen to him.

Her head swung around, she glanced in the direction he pointed and with lightening speed thrust both hands at the huge ball of dense and impenetrable rock, lifting it away from them before she blew it up far from where it could do them any harm. Kayden looked up and saw nothing left but soft flakes of blackened soot that blew over Woody and Conor in a dirty cloud, her delivery and execution faultless.

As she cleaned up other smaller meteors around them Kayden left her line of sight to check on Ethan and Jason. They were really struggling to get a grip on the Comet as they fought the meteors hurtling at them with velocity. The unstable axis had them spinning and changing direction every millisecond. Kayden knew his men were running out of time. He had to see if Cassie could stop it, except he could feel her powers draining as she began to enjoy herself. She was so immersed in what she was doing, thoughts of the nonsense he fed her were not fuelling her anger any longer.