Sunroper (Goddesses Rising) by Natalie J. Damschroder

Author:Natalie J. Damschroder [Damschroder, Natalie J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Romance, General, Fantasy, Urban
ISBN: 9781622660490
Google: lSSXmAEACAAJ
Amazon: 1622660498
Publisher: Entangled: Select
Published: 2013-12-31T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Gage Samargo’s driving philosophy seems to be to find a way to do what’s best for everyone, something he admits is impossible but still a worthwhile goal. “Assuming something can’t be done is the only way to ensure that’s true,” he says.

—Wall Street Journal article series

G

age shoved past a young woman in yoga pants, ignoring her shout and the ferocious yelping of the Yorkie he leaped over. The brightly lit hallway narrowed until all he could see was the corner, then the door to Christopher’s apartment. He didn’t stop to think, just lifted his foot and slammed it next to the handle. Wood splintered. Metal clunked. The door flew open and Gage kept going. One of the younger guys stepped in front of him, hands up. Gage wrapped his fists in the kid’s preppy shirt and shoved him to the side.

Cressida stood in the center of the room, Anson unmoving at her feet. Marley swayed by the half-broken food table, her clothes covered in dust and grime. Pretzels and chips littered both the table and floor. Barbecue sauce from the chicken wings smeared the tablecloth and one of her bare feet, and she had popcorn in her hair. A beer lay on its side, the malt pouring out of it with a glunk glunk.

Cressida raised a lazy hand, and Gage lurched into an invisible barrier.

“Are you all right?” he asked Marley, but she didn’t look at him. Her eyes glowed furiously, her chin raised, fists tight, and her body quivered as if it was all she could do not to attack the woman.

Gage didn’t understand why until he looked at Anson again, and his stomach plunged. He had seen this complete absence of animation before—his mother, and tragic losses overseas. Anson wasn’t simply unconscious.

He was dead.

Gage must have made some kind of sound because Cressida started to flick her fingers in his direction. But Aiden swung in front of her, almost but not quite putting himself between Gage and the goddess.

“No, Cress. That’s my brother.”

Gage’s heart thudded against his breastbone. Aiden wasn’t completely lost to him, but he’d just become a party to murder. They all had, and not a single one seemed to care. The men huddled as far across the room as they could get, but Chris and the others were as steady as if a party guest had drunk too much.

Cressida turned her back on Gage and Aiden to face Marley, who lifted her chin again and balanced on the balls of her feet.

“You would have had him leech me,” Cressida said calmly, clear recognition of who Marley was on her face. “Why?”

“Complicated question,” Marley squeezed out. “Sounded like he thought you wanted it.”

“Men think that a lot.”

Marley gave a half shrug.

Gage tested the invisible barrier, but even with Cressida’s attention away from him, the energy field or whatever it was remained in place. He could back away from it, but not move through it. He slid sideways, his hands pressed forward. Maybe the barrier didn’t stretch all the way to the wall.

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