“Sit down and stay put.” Slade helped her sit before turning toward Dillon, but Jax with his pink splattered hair was in his line of vision. “You good?” he asked Jax, trying to keep the grin off his face. That had been a proud moment when he saw the back of Jax’s head explode in bright pink. That was a hell of a shot.
“I’m fine.” Jax gave him a sideways glance. “Go doctor one of these other pussies.”
Slade did grin then as he passed him and went toward Dillon who waved him away.
“I didn’t get hit close up. It barely stung,” Dillon told him as he felt his head, “and I don’t really have a bump.”
Looking toward Steve, who had the biggest grin on his face, Slade shook his head. Out of any of the half-breeds, Steve was the last one he’d pick to survive this test, though he would have never told Steve that. “Good job, Steve,” Slade nodded.
The rest of the Warriors followed suit, congratulating Steve.
Steve soaked it in for a few minutes looking proud of himself, but then he looked to his teammates. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have done it without my dudes and dudette.” Steve smiled at each of them. “I was about to piss myself when you all had me cornered, but with their help, I was able to get out and then the horn sounded.”
“We didn’t do much, Steve.” Jill’s voice sounded tired, but happy for her friend. “You earned it.”
“No, it all turned in my favor when you shot Jax in the head. Great fucking shot by the way,” Steve grinned, heading toward Jill to give her a high five when he spotted the look Jax was giving him. His hand dropped to his side real quick. “Ah, I mean…well anyway, thanks, guys.”
Even with Slade’s dangerous mood, he couldn’t help but grin at Steve. This poor kid just didn’t know when to shut the fuck up.
“You guys did pretty good,” Sloan said, looking at each of them. “You lasted longer than we thought you would. Jax and Slade will go over everything with you tomorrow. Go get cleaned up and get some rest.”
Slade held back as everyone left the area to head out. His gaze watched Jill, making sure she was steady on her feet. He started to go to her when she stumbled, but Dillon was at her side giving her a hand, a hand Slade wanted to snap off and shove up his ass. Feeling Sloan staring at the side of his head, Slade sneered his way, “You got something to say to me?”
“Not yet,” Sloan’s voice was even. “You got something to say to me?”
“Yeah, I do.” Slade turned to look him square in the eye. “I respect the hell out of you and always have, but if you ever hurt her again to make a point to me, I will kill you.”
Slade didn’t even wait for a response, he just turned and followed the rest. As he watched Jill and the little fucker, Dillon, who he honestly had nothing against except his hand on Jill, Slade knew he was in deep shit. He also knew that he and Jill would happen. They’d already happened, yet he totally fucked that up, but as soon as her initiation into the Warriors was complete, she was his and no one better have a problem with it.
“Maybe Jax was right,” Sloan called out behind him. “She’s a liability.”
Slade slowed, but didn’t stop. “Jax is an asshole,” Slade responded. “You’d be a fool to let her go, Sloan, and you know it.” Not sticking around to hear what else Sloan had to say, Slade took off. His eyes instantly going to Jill who was a few yards ahead of him, a thought hit him right in the gut. He’d be a bigger fool to let her go. Son of a bitch, this was a mess.
******
Jill was glad Dillon was back, but he was getting on her last nerve. Every few seconds, he was asking if she was okay, did she want him to carry her, on and on he went. Yeah, her head and body hurt, but she knew it would be short-lived. She was half-vampire, just like them. She would heal. She was fine and she wanted to tell him to shut the hell up.
Spotting the two men she had shot in the woods, bright pink splattered across their vests, she sidestepped and tried to avoid being seen by them as they walked by, but she wasn’t that lucky. One of their buddies spotted her.
“Is that the one who got you?” he said loudly, pointing at Jill. “Hey, girl, come here. I want to get a picture.”
Ignoring him, she continued to walk behind Steve and Adam.
“Jill, who is that?” Steve was looking at the guy coming up to them, then his friends. Seeing the pink splatter, his eyes shot to Jill. “Shit, did you shoot them? Sloan is gonna be pissed. Citizens were off limits.”
Jill mumbled, nudging at Steve, “Just go.”
“Hey! I’m talking to you.” He grabbed her arm. “I want to get a picture of you with my boys.”
Jerking her arm away from him, she turned to glare. “Get off.” He was decked out in his paintball gear with a hunter’s hat on his bushy head and a lip full of chewing tobacco.
He stumbled backward when he got a good look at her eyes. She had taken her safety glasses off after getting shot. “Holy shit, you’re a breed.” He looked at Steve, Adam and Dillon who were giving him a death stare. “You’re all breeds.”
Slade walked up, stepping between Jill and the man. “You got a problem?”