THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

with today, not with the stupid celebration for Mathias’s turning eighteen before the moon set in less than an hour. He was no longer in a hurry to enforce a judgment against Rayen’s friend.
    A TecKnati , he reminded himself.  
    But Rayen would not look at him the way she had in the forest if he sent Tony to his death. Why did that matter?
    Callan lifted his hand to his neck and rubbed the tight muscles, cursing himself for whatever had gotten under his skin. He never vacillated on decisions and couldn’t now.
    Rayen broke into his jumbled thoughts when she leaned close to say, “Callan?”
    Her rich voice rushed over his skin with the edgy feel of a vibration. A confused part of his brain was cheered over her finally speaking to him and in a non-angry tone. But he must remember he still dealt with an enemy.
    He intended to answer with a sharp, “Yes,” but the single word came out gentle.
    “Will they bring Tony back alive?”
    Of course. She only wanted to know about the TecKnati. “Maybe.”
    “What kind of answer is that?” she demanded, her brisk tone irritating him.
    Maybe a little irritation was just what he needed to shut down any stupid reactions he had when she got near him. “That’s the best answer I can give. If he doesn’t harm one of our own, then Mathias will very likely bring him back alive. If not, Mathias knows his first duty is to protect MystiKs, especially the next generation.”
    “Tony won’t harm a child.”
    Callan stopped and faced her, his voice whipcord hard. “You told me you have no knowledge of anything before today when you opened your eyes in a strange desert, but you speak of this Tony as if you’ve known him your whole life. How can you make any claim as to his character or be so sure he’s not TecKnati? Especially after he left you and Gabby to face the result of his escape.”
    “I may not have known him long, but I know Tony would never harm a child and I don’t believe he’d leave us by choice. The scout might have taken him as a hostage.”
    He didn’t want to admire Rayen’s sense of loyalty to someone she claimed she hardly knew. In her position, he’d be furious with Tony. No TecKnati deserved this type of unquestioned support or the earlier sacrifice Rayen had made to step in, taking Tony’s place as the fourth person to check the transender lines.
    And how had Tony thanked her?
    By disappearing without a word.
    How could someone as selfless as Rayen appeared befriend a soulless TecKnati?
    And why was Callan so furious on Rayen’s behalf?
    Because her commitment to Tony and constant arguing on his behalf chipped away at Callan’s conviction that Tony was TecKnati.
    Made him doubt himself.
    That was the quickest way to wake the bear inside him and bring out the raging warrior, because warriors could not afford to doubt their decisions.
    Standing firm on his opinion, he crossed his arms and gave his answer in a voice meant to quell an enemy. “Believe what you will. But the question is, what will you do when your friend is brought back by Mathias, proving Tony did not return on his own?”
    Pain eased into Rayen’s gaze over the long moment she spent thinking before quietly admitting, “I don’t know.” 
    Callan should enjoy his moment of triumph, but the disappointment riding alongside Rayen’s doubt made him feel like he’d been cruel to a pupple.
    Why did she cause him to question everything he did, every word he spoke...and stir up the urge to protect her from being harmed?
    With her standing so close, he battled to keep his hands to himself.
    Rayen might handle herself as a warrior, but she was feminine in a strong way he found attractive. And sexy. He couldn’t keep his eyes off the exposed skin below what was left of her shirt. That sliver of cloth barely covered shapely breasts.
    His thoughts skidded to a halt. Wrong direction. Think enemy.
    Rayen’s gaze had wandered past Callan.
    He turned to find out what held her interest.
    Three girls ranging from thirteen to fifteen created decorations for Mathias’s celebration. They were watching him and Rayen with guarded glances. He knew nothing about decorating for a party and felt sure Mathias had raced off to hunt Tony just to dump a “leader” duty on Callan. He told Rayen, “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
    Striding over to the girls without a look back at Rayen, Callan searched for the right thing to say. “Are you almost done?”
    All three girls turned looks of panic