Dark Empathy by Archibald Bradford (inspiring books for teens TXT) 📕

There were grim nods from everyone, and more than a few eager growls from Lilly’s pack.

With her briefing mostly finished, Miranda took a few seconds to gather her thoughts, her eyes trailing over the grim Wolfen faces.

“We’ve lost people because of these fuckers. They’ve bled us. Now it’s time to return the favour. Check your gear, we move out in ten minutes. Cadet Armstrong, a word?”

Curious, he made his way through the crowd to her side.

The grey-haired woman gave him a long look.

“Uniform suits you.” She admitted grudgingly; “But are you ready for this kid?”

“Yes ma’am.”

She snorted.

“Should’ve known better than to ask, you always did have more heart than sense. I want you and Volka on standby, if there are any Tenebrae to be found in there I’ll need you two to move fast. Keep Milly and Jez with you as well, together they’ll be enough to overpower and restrain any of the girls they might unleash on us. But I’m not going to be responsible for the deaths of the last Valkyrie and Empath on the same day, so you four only engage if I give the signal, Jez will know. We clear?”

He nodded his understanding, having no illusions that she would let him into a warzone.

Despite his selfless nature, he at least knew how important his life was by now.

“Good. Have Ophelia link up with the medics once we’re in the city, they know their stuff so I’m not going to micromanage. And kid? Don’t die. I’ll fucking kill you if you die.” She finished gruffly before turning to pass on some more orders at some of the others.

“You too.” He mumbled, too low for her to hear.

He had to swallow a surprising lump in his throat; he had missed the brusque woman and her gravelly voice.

A few minutes later and they were just about ready to leave, though Miranda had one last set of orders to give.

“Erica, where are you, you dirty- What the fuck are you wearing?!”

In anticipation of the coming fight the Katje was wiggling into her sexy death-suit, complete with knives bristling all over.

“It’s my battle dress.” The Katje answered sullenly; “You’re throwing my bond-sister into a fight Miranda! So don’t you think for a second that I’m not-”

Miranda raised her hand to forestall the coming tirade.

“I was just going to say, I’m sending Jan with Lilly’s girls, so I need you with me and Kala. You know her moves so you can watch our backs.”

“Oh.” Erica sniffed; “Right. Sure.”

It was clear she was surprised so Miranda explained, as patiently as she could.

“We’re understaffed. And even I’ll admit how good you are with those knives. Don’t be weird about it.”

Erica sniffed again.

“Bitch.” The Katje muttered under her breath.

Miranda pursed her lips, hiding her amusement.

“That’s the spirit. Now do you two need me to rustle up some lube so you can squeeze your ass into that getup?”

Erica gave one last heave to pull the skin-tight leather over her shoulders before she pulled the zipper up.

“No. But if you can, find me some anyways? I’m running low.”

Miranda rolled her eyes as she stalked away.

“Fucking cats.”

The sexy Katje watched her as she walked away then turned to Milly’s worried expression.

“I think I might almost not hate her anymore... almost.”

“Erica, when you’re in there-”

“I’ll be careful. Don’t worry lover. It’s not like I’m gunna run out of knives!”

__________

“I’m not staying behind.” Cordelia declared with a scowl.

Oldeera’s eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips.

“This is going to get messy, and I want you well clear of it.”

The Hornet queen was leading her hive into battle and as such her usual demeanor was set aside as she mentally prepared herself for the coming violence.

“I’m not saying I want to be in the middle of it! I just want to be close in case-”

Suddenly she couldn’t finish.

A lump had formed in her throat and she felt the stinging prickle of tears in her eyes.

“In case?” Oldeera murmured.

Her bond-mate turned her face away, hurriedly wiping away a few tears as she found her voice again.

“I jumped in with both feet.” She said seriously; “I bonded to a warrior, and I won’t sit all by myself in the hive waiting to hear whether she’s coming home or not.”

Silence stretched between them, broken only by the nervous buzzing of Hornet wings all around.

“My Queen… We will return to you.” One of the Hornets promised.

“Nothing, not even the all-consuming hunger of entropy, would keep us from doing so.” Another swore.

Oldeera said nothing, her Hornets having articulated her thoughts for her. Instead she merely quirked one eyebrow, her matching antennae dipping low to meet it, as she waited on her bond-mate’s response.

Cordelia looked all around, the faces of her Hornets greeting her with serene smiles of reassurance.

“I’m coming.” The brunette said again, this time with finality; “Whatever you need to do to make that happen. I’ll keep Muffin with me, she can’t fly with you anyways.”

The wingless Hornet’s antennae twitched nervously, unaccustomed to the new name, particularity since it was so silly.

Cordelia had given it to her a couple weeks prior, since she was the only Hornet in the hive other than the queen that she could recognize on sight.

It was a long time before Oldeera spoke, a long time where she stared directly into Cordelia’s hazel eyes, measuring her resolve.

Finally she drew in a deep breath, her shoulder lifting and her breasts swelling in her chitinous armour.

“You will keep her with you… and five others.” Cordelia’s mouth opened in protest but the Hornet queen’s hand came up to forestall any of her objections; “Five of my sweets will make little difference in the coming