Jacob Michaels Is... The Omnibus Edition: A Point Worth LGBTQ Paranormal Romance Books 1 - 6

by Chase Connor

  “Okay.” I shrugged.

  She just stared at me.

  “Out of my way, old woman.” I gestured vaguely.

  Oma’s eyes grew wide. “You gonna just come home and be bossy and sassy with me? What reason you got to do that?”

  “Move.”

  “You little—”

  “Move, or I’ll move you,” I stated blandly. “I’ve got better things to attend to, lady.”

  She scoffed. “Like you could. Where the hell you been?”

  “Cutting the head off of a werewolf who had it coming,” I answered. “By the way, there’s crime scene evidence in the dishwasher. You might wanna let it run through a cycle before you use anything out of there. Not trying to be a jerk, but I’d put money on it that Jason had Hep-C or something. Ginga-vita-cockus at the least.”

  I started towards the door again. Oma didn’t back down.

  Oma should have been shocked at my statement about Jason, but she didn’t even try to pretend that she was.

  “You got the book.” She looked the tome tucked under my arm.

  “I got the book.” I nodded. “It’s my family’s book, so I’m taking it.”

  Oma squinted at me, searching my face for more information than I was providing verbally. Outwardly, I was trying to project a calm façade, but my mind was racing with one thought.

  Save Lucas.

  However, I knew that I couldn’t get too rushed when dealing with Oma, especially when I had just killed Jason and was taking the book away from the house. She obviously hadn’t even gone to bed but instead had been staying up, waiting for me to come home. That, in itself, was an indication that the theories swirling around in my head were accurate and not just batshit crazy ideas my paranoia had cooked up.

  Why had Oma been dressed and awake when I came home? Had she been doing something in the middle of the night that required her to be fully dressed and prepared? As long as I’d known Oma, anything past midnight was asking too much of the woman. But there she was, blocking me from the front door, fully clothed, looking as spry as I’d ever seen her. I couldn’t help but wonder if she knew that I would be coming home in the middle of the night.

  And how would she know that?

  “Move.”

  “I’m not moving.”

  “Oma,” I stared deeply into her eyes from across the expanse of the living room, “there are at least two other werewolves I need to fuck up tonight. My plate is full. So, unless you want to be on the list—”

  “Where’s Lucas?” She interrupted. “Wasn’t you supposed to be at his house tonight?”

  Fighting back the urge to let a groan of frustration and agony escape my throat, I just stared at Oma. There was nothing to say that I felt comfortable saying to her.

  “Shouldn’t you be with him?”

  “I should.” I nodded. “So, let me go be with him.”

  Oma didn’t move, and her arms seemed to tense up in their folded position under her breast. Instead of fighting further with Oma, I shrugged and turned on my heels, pointing myself in the direction of the kitchen. As I started to stomp away towards the back door, I heard Oma grumble and then heard her footsteps padding against the floorboards to catch up with me. My feet moved faster across the kitchen linoleum as I made my way to the backdoor—the only other exit unless I wanted to go through a window.

  “You stop right there!” Oma huffed as my hand connected with the doorknob to the backdoor.

  “Goodnight, Oma,” I said simply as I pulled the door open.

  The door had moved inward mere inches before it jerked back into place, pulled my hand with it, making my arm feel as though it would be ripped out of its socket. Instead of screaming out at the jerking motion applied to my arm, I swallowed it down and turned towards Oma, rage boiling up within me. Oma was standing in the kitchen doorway, glaring at me as I rounded on her. A stand-off was what she had in mind, I imagined, but I had no time for her questions or diversionary tactics. Lucas needed me.

  Jason had something critically important when I had been in his house, speaking with him before he lost his head.

  You’re the only one in this town whose powers have nothing to do with him.

  I couldn’t trust Oma any more than I could have trusted Jason.

  He hadn’t told me why because Jason hadn’t explicitly told me that Oma was not to be trusted. However, I had already figured that out for myself. All I had to do was remember my parents, the house, and their disappearance to know why I couldn’t trust Oma.

  “Where does Jason’s pack meet?” I asked Oma, rage tinting my voice as I stared at her from across the kitchen. “They have Lucas, and I’m going to get him back.”

  “You’re not getting him back, Robbie.” Oma shook her head. “What’s done is done.”

  “I thought Lucas was a friend of yours, Oma?” I asked, not surprised in the least at her remark. “I’d have thought you’d want me to go save him. Hell, I’d have thought you’d want to come along and help out.”

  “It’s too late to help anyone, Robbie.” She shook her head, her face pinched up. “I think you know that.”

  “Fuck the big city,” I stated blandly. “Things move quickly in Point Worth, huh?”

  Oma rolled her eyes.

  “Let it go.” She replied. “Put that damn book back, go upstairs, get cleaned up, and go to bed.”

  “Where’s Ernst and the rest?” I asked, realizing that Oma and I arguing should have brought at least one of them out to investigate.

  “Gone.”

  “Gone where?” I seethed.

  She shrugged. “All the magic’s gone. It’s all getting’ sucked up. I think you probably already knew that.”

  She gestured at the book.

  “Everything in this town that’s got any bit o’ magic is disappearin’.” She continued. “Including Ernst and the rest. Pretty soon, it’ll be you and me, too, Robbie. Soon as he manages to come back.”

  “I thought we had longer.” I felt my eyes watering as I thought of Ernst and the rest of the Kobolds. “The well…I mean, yeah, I used all of that up myself, but I thought we’d have longer before things started getting fucked up beyond recognition.”

  “You guessed wrong, I s’pose.”

  “This is crazy.” I shook my head as I reached behind myself for the doorknob. Oma’s eyes shot to the door, watching it closely. “Everything is fucking crazy. None of this makes sense, and everything is spiraling out of control. I don’t even know up from down. I have to go, Oma. I’m going to find Lucas—even if you won’t tell me where Jason and his pack meet—and then the two of us are hopping on a plane out of this fucking state. And we’re never looking back.”

  “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, Robbie.” She shook her head, looking guilty. “You know damn well I can’t let you leave.”

  “I know,” I said. “But I’m going to. Are you going to tell me where Jason’s pack meets when they’re measuring their dicks or what?”

  Oma didn’t answer, but her head slowly shook side to side.

  “Fine.” My fingers connected with the doorknob. “But don’t try to stop me, either. I’ll burn this house down without thinking twice about it, Oma.”

  “You won’t.” Her eyes grew wide.

  “Don’t be the second person tonight who tests me, old woman.” My hand twisted the doorknob. “It didn’t work out so well for the last person.”

  “You threatenin’ me?”

  “That’s what it’s come to tonight, Oma.” I pulled the door open, cool Spring air greeting my backside. “You have no idea what I’ll do to save Lucas, so if you’re not going to help me—not even tell me where he is—it’s in your best interest to not get in my way. If the Kobolds are gone…”

  I took a second to collect myself.

  “And you’re the only thing left in this house I’ll burn it to the fucking ground if you force me,” I said. “I don’t even care if I’m in it, too. Understand?”

  “You won’t burn down
our family home.” She gasped. “What the hell you got left if you ain’t got that?”

  Unable to help myself, a barking laugh escaped my throat.

  “Our family home?” I cackled. “What are you even talking about?”

  “This house.” She stomped her foot against the linoleum. “This is where our family made roots in this damn town. And you think I’d believe that you’d just burn it down without a second thought?”

  “You’re worried about this house?” I shook my head in disgust. “I’m worried about Lucas’ life.”

  “What are you hopin’ to achieve by goin’ after him, Robbie?” Oma snarled. “You gonna just saunter into a werewolf pack’s meet-up and take Lucas back? Is that your idjit plan? Is that how you think it’ll work out for you? You think you’re capable of takin’ on that many werewolves at one time?”

  Slowly, a smile formed on my face.

  Oma was showing one card in her hand at a time.

  “I thought we’d agreed before that Jason’s pack was still relatively small, Oma?” I cocked my head to the side as I inched my way backward. “But you seem to think there’s more now? Why is that?”

  A cloud passed over her face, as though she realized she had said too much or the wrong thing. Instead of trying to backtrack or explain herself, she just glowered at me.

  “It don’t matter.” She snapped. “What’s done is done.”

  “Where’s the pack?” I asked again.

  “Most likely out at that damn football field.” She shrugged. “Waiting on Jason to show up, even though—I guess—he ain’t gonna.”

  “Okay.” I inched further backward.

  “You don’t need to worry about that, though.” She commanded. “Just get back in this house and forget about all of that, now.”

  “You telling me to let Lucas go let’s me know that I shouldn’t listen to a word you say, lady.”

  “Get back in this house.” She stomped her foot, the walls of the house rumbling. But I’d seen that trick before. I didn’t even jump. “We need to just stay home and figure out what to do to save ourselves. If you go and try to save Lucas, you’ll ruin everything, Robbie.”

  “No.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather be safe in your family home rather than out there gettin’ yourself killed?” She asked.

  I smiled.

  “This may be my family home,” I replied, “but there’s no family left in it.”

  Then I ducked out of the backdoor and ran for it before she had a clear shot. I didn’t have all of the time in the world to argue with Oma about family homes, family, keeping myself safe, not saving Lucas…none of that was an option. Lucas was the only thing in the entire town of Point Worth that made it tolerable. Not saving him was never an option.

  None of this makes sense.

  Chapter 12

  Locating Lucas so that I could start formulating a plan wasn’t nearly as difficult as I had anticipated, because when I got to the football field at the old high school, he was simply tied to the field goal post. Not the designated home team end, but the visitor end. Kinda like rubbing salt in the wound, I thought to myself as I peered down from the shadows at the top of the stadium. I did my best to keep myself out of view of any werewolves who were certainly watching and waiting for me. Even though none of them had probably figured out that Jason was no longer amongst the living, they would be angry to see me there, trying to save my boyfriend. If they found out about Jason before I managed to get to Lucas, things would be even worse for both of us, especially if we got caught trying to escape.

  Looking down at Lucas, I could kind of tell that he had been stood up in front of the goal post, his arms pulled back and secured with rope around the post and affixed to his wrists.

  Did you see that?

  I shook my head, clearing away the thoughts.

  What about that?

  My hands went to the side of my head as I fought to concentrate on what was happening with Lucas. I needed to get down on the field and untie him, rescue him from the pack of werewolves. If I waited too long and one of them went to find out where Jason was, saw that he was dead, things would turn into a total shit show. They probably wouldn’t hesitate to simply kill Lucas and move onto whatever their next planned activity was. Maybe they’d go on a rampage and start indiscriminately killing everyone in town. Just go door to door and kill anyone who answered.

  Were werewolves like vampires? Could they enter homes without an invitation?

  Were vampires even real?

  Searching my memories, I wasn’t so sure I had that knowledge stored away from some encounter with one in my past.

  Then again, it didn’t really matter what was real and what wasn’t because my boyfriend was currently tied up and awaiting slaughter.

  When I looked down at Lucas, I could tell, even from that distance that his head was slumped forward. As though he was passed out or knocked out. Or worse. Would I get down to rescue him, only to find that he was actually…not alive…and it had all been a trap to lure me out into the open? My eyes searched the stands of the stadium, and not a single person was in sight. There were no people slowly stalking the stands, waiting for signs of my arrival. There was nobody on the field. No one in the stands on the other side of the field as far as I could tell. That made me feel slightly better but was also concerning. If no one was at the stadium, watching over their captive, did that mean there was no reason to watch over him? Did it mean…

  I stepped out of the shadows and slowly began my descent to the field. My eyes darted back and forth, searching the stands as I made my way down to Lucas. No one was stepping out of the shadows or popping up out of nowhere to cut me off or jump me. The only audible sounds were those of my feet on the aluminum steps that led downwards. A rhythmic “clunk” sounded with each step, but nothing else moved in the stadium.

  By the time that I reached the bottom level of the seating on the home side, there was still no movement on the field or in either side of the stands. It was merely dark, quiet, and motionless. I waited a moment, making sure that I was not being overly confident, then walked to the stairs that led from the stands down to the sidelines for the home team. As I descended those stairs, my footsteps were the only sounds once more. I kept my eyes peeled but continued my trek to the goal post where Lucas was. No matter what Oma had said, there was nothing that was going to stop me from saving him.

  No matter what condition I found him in when I got there.

  As I got closer to Lucas, I could tell that he had been roughed up a little—there was a bruise on the side of his face—but I could see his chest slowly rising and falling as he hung loosely against the goal post. Whatever the wolves—the pack—had done to him, he was alive. He was fine. My heart soared, and my feet began moving quickly, bringing me closer and closer to Lucas at a pace that made a smile form on my face.

  When I finally reached Lucas, I couldn’t help but grab his face in my hands and kiss him gently. The movement against his face woke him, and his eyes slowly fluttered open. Duct tape had been slapped over his mouth, but I could see the smile in his eyes. The shifting of the makeshift gag let me know that the smile was not just in his eyes. His body began to quiver with excitement as I reached up and starting to work at a corner of the tape.

  “Fast or slow?” I winced as I spoke. “Blink once for fast.”

  One blink.

  I ripped the tape off without a second thought. Lucas, to his credit, merely cringed, holding back the scream that had probably begged to be released from his throat. Again, I leaned forward and kissed his mouth, now that I had access to his lips, hoping it would take some of the sting out the pain from me ripping off the tape.

  “Babe,” Lucas sputtered when I pulled away. “They all left, but I know they’re coming back. Get me the fuck out of here.”

  “They didn’t hurt you, did they?” I asked as I moved around him and started to work on the ropes at the back of the goal post.

  “Not badly enough.” H
e stated simply. “How did you find me?”

  “Well,” I said quietly as I worked on the knots. “It’s not like the football field is some random place, right?”

  I laughed nervously.

  “Where’s Jason?” He asked. “He wasn’t with these guys, but I know that they’re his pack. They were talking about it earlier. They said Jason would deal with you eventually. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I knew it wasn’t good.”

  “Jason’s been dealt with.”

  “Did he try to hurt you?” Lucas gasped as the first knot came undone.

  I just laughed.

  “I guess that’s an answer,” Lucas stated lowly. “I probably don’t want to know the rest, do I?”

  The last knot came undone, and Lucas fell away from the goal post, barely catching himself with his feet as he stumbled. I walked around the post and pulled him in for a hug, then kissed him roughly on his mouth. When I pulled back, I looked into his eyes as I smiled.

  “You’re a vegetarian,” I stated simply. “You don’t like to hear about animals getting hurt. So, I won’t tell you what happened to Jason.”

  Lucas cringed, but then a new look overtook his face.

  A look that said: “Well, he probably had it coming.”

  “Where’s Mrs. Wagner?” Lucas asked as I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the stands.

  “Home.”

  “Why didn’t you bring her?” Lucas gasped as I drug him toward the stands. “Wouldn’t it be useful to have her if the pack shows back up, Rob? I mean, your grandmother—”

  I spun to face him, stopping us both in our tracks.

  “She’s not my grandmother,” I stated sharply. “Esther Jean Wagner is not and never has been my grandmother.”

  Lucas stared at me for a moment, then a smile overtook his face.

  “Rob…”

  I tried to turn to lead us towards the stands again, but Lucas jerked my hand, pulling me around to look at him again.