Betrayal: Book 3 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 3.1 No More Four Letter "L" Word

A/N: Please listen to the music while you read this to help you understand the chapter.

***

The next afternoon, Cale and Rile sat on the couch in their apartment, both reading tablets. Rile dangled his legs over the side of the couch arm and jammed his back against his older, more tolerant brother.

Alex walked in and plucked two staffs off the wall.

"Cale. Training room. Now."

Rile swung his legs over the couch and stood up. "This should be interesting."

Cale set aside his tablet. "What's this about?"

"You. You're making me nervous." Alex tossed him the staff and walked into the brothers' training room.

She walked across the pads on the floor and set her smart phone on a small shelf. She tapped it and the lyrics to "Troublemaker" filled the room.

She whirled and launched her attack at Cale, staff a blur. He brought his staff up and kept her at bay.

Rile leaned against the wall and folded his arms across his chest, gaze intent on the battle before him.

"I'm a troublemaker, Cale," Alex said. "Listen to the words."

"I did exactly what to provoke this?" Cale's staff clacked against Alex's again and again.

"You care. That makes me nervous. This is what I do when I'm nervous." Alex tried to sweep his feet.

Cale blocked and brought her staff up with his. "You're like a sister to me."

"I'm not your sister. I'm an alien freak on the fast track to destruction."

Alex lunged and Cale only partially deflected it. The staff dug into his side and Alex blasted him. She swept his feet and he went down hard.

"Save your caring for your future clan. Don't waste it on me." Alex dropped her staff onto Cale's chest.

"That's cheating," Rile said.

"I'm a cheater and a liar," Alex replied.

Cale struggled to sit up.

"Stay down," Alex warned. "Learn your lesson."

His foot whipped across her ankles and this time it was Alex who went down hard.

"Gonna stop going easy on her?" Rile asked with a grin.

Alex scrabbled away and hurled a blast at Cale, who snaked out of the way. Alex gained her feet and Cale tackled her.

"Stop attacking anyone who cares about you." Cale grabbed her wrists and sent the fiery blast wide.

Rile ducked. "This is getting better and better. Let me add my music." He brought out his smart phone, tapped it, and "Bombshell Blonde" rolled through the room.

Alex head-butted Cale and kneed his belly at the same time. He hissed and lost his grip on one of her wrists. Alex rolled to her side and tried to blast him again.

Gabe walked in. "What is going on?"

"Don't ask. Just enjoy the show," Rile said.

"Alex, Cale, stop now," Gabe ordered.

"Busy!" Alex sang back. She lit both hands only to have Cale twist her arm behind her back. "Dammit, Cale."

"Have you learned your lesson?" he asked in her ear.

She tried to slam her head against his but he jerked back in time.

Rile laughed. "That's a no."