All Roads Lead to Rome

The Best Laid Plans

"I'll defend you. Take the time you need," he told her then stood, unsheathing his sword. He felt her go further into his mind than any other and blew out a breath. He met the eyes of the Shielder that was approaching and smiled.

"Can't a guy take a walk with his best girl without being harassed by riff-raff any more?" The Shielder lunged and he blocked with an ease that bordered on boredom. "You'd best call your friends if you think to take me on, you clumsy ape."

The Shielder sneered, his pale face flushing. "I'll do that." He made a gesture and a group of them attacked. Romulus laughed.

"Finally. A workout."

He defended Lyra on the bench with precise sword strikes at lightning speed and at times acrobatics to keep them from touching her. At one point, a shot rang out and he barely dodged a bullet to the head. He felt the burning pain streak past his neck and he smelled his own blood. A low growl came from behind him that had the attacking Shielders backing up for a moment. Lyra stood behind him with power rippling off of her in waves. Apparently, she had smelled it too.

He turned to face her and saw her eyes glowing with a mix of electric blue and red. Lust punched him in the gut harder than any of the opponents he faced. She had found his battle rage and it made her shine with a terrifying beauty. Her hand reached out and touched his wound, his blood coating her fingertips as they turned to sharp claws. She put her hand on his face for a second then looked beyond him, the rage rushing over her. With a powerful sweep of her wings, she went up and over him, landing in their midst. This jolted them out of their shock and they attacked again. Within seconds, the group was decimated. Her strength and speed were greater even than his, moving through their opponents with all the grace of a ballet dancer yet the killing accuracy of the world's deadliest predator. None of them even knew what killed them as she used her claws and wings to exact vengeance on the ones that had dared harm her mate.

As she spun one last time, Romulus moved into her path and caught her against him in a hot kiss, hands sliding down and pulling her up. Tongues tangled and caressed before she moved down his neck to close his wound. He felt the rage seep away as it was channeled into desire. They pulled apart with panting breaths and she looked around them.

"So I did this?" she asked slowly taking in the gore and carnage of the bodies laying around them. He nodded, letting her slide back down him. He wiped a bit of blood from her face with his thumb.

"You did. I helped a little but this was mainly you. And a more beautiful display in battle I've never witnessed. On a serious note, we need to do some recon. I believe Erick when he said all the guards chased them out."

"So where did all of these jokers come from? Not all of these guys are Shielders. Some are wearing armor, but not armor I've ever seen before." She kicked at one of the mangled bodies.

He crouched down and examined it. "I have but it is has been centuries upon centuries. On another world to boot."

"Then let's go, my valiant defender," she said with a smile. He wiped his sword off on one of the Shielder's clothes and stood, sheathing it.

"By all means, pulchra bellator."

***

As patrons were discreetly advised of the situation, Stan scanned the crowd from the vantage point Antares had placed him at. Romulus had always trusted his nose for trouble so Antares was going to rely on him while Antares walked through the defenses with Leonardo.

The other man was out of his depth on a defensive front and everyone there knew it. But they would follow him nonetheless. He had their experience and expertise. He was also not too embarrassed to delegate what needed doing to those who knew how to do it. That was how Stan had ended up as the backup for any holes in Leonardo's security. Nothing escaped his notice from this standpoint which is why he and Antares had chosen it.