by Tobi Grim
“Do you need me to come back?”
“Can you?”
“If you need me, I can.” Lupa responded. Sledge opened his door and go out, slamming the door behind him.
“Won't Hammer crack the shits with you?”
“Does it matter if he does? If you need me, I’m there. Well, obviously not there, it’ll take like six fucking hours. But you know what I mean.” She watched Sledge cross the road and start walking up the street. Where the fuck was he going? Silence stretched down the phone line. “I’ll come back. I’ll call you when we get there.”
“No… no, it’s ok. Just… call me when you get back. Or message me when you’re almost home and I’ll meet you there.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah… the sooner you’re done with Hammer the better, I don’t want to risk you screwing anything up and him asking for more.”
“Ok… I’ll call you.”
“Thanks, Lupa… I miss you.”
He hung up. Lupa watched as Sledge ripped open a car door and drag a man out. Should she go… no. She watched the head of the man snap back as Sledge pounded his fist into it. She looked away. He’d tell her if he wanted her to know.
Sledge hopped back in the car a few minutes later, started the engine, and drove off. Fast. “We dun needin’ to pack and go home.”
“What’s up?”
“That man been followin’ us. Callin’ Hammer. He needin’ you back there. Needin’ his meathead too.”
Lupa sighed, but didn’t bother responding, Sledge didn’t like Dameon either, why was he being like this? Not her fucking problem. She had more important shit to worry about other than them and their stupid male egos… whatever.
Chapter eleven
“Never forget your loyalty…”
They reached Black City hours later. The rain was pouring down, the sky dark and brooding. “Can we pull into mine quickly before heading down to Blackwater? I wanna see the damage…”
Sledge grunted and took the next exit, heading for her apartment. He pulled up out the front and got out, opening the door for her. Lupa climbed out and waited for him to open the trunk.
“A’right. Goin’ in then?”
Lupa readied herself and unlocked the new main door, then walking up the steps to her own. The new door looked… strange, the colour was different and it just… wasn’t hers anymore. She was glad they hadn’t changed the locks, but she probably would anyway…
Taking a deep breath she stepped inside. Shit was everywhere. The book shelves, the cupboards, the draws… everything had been pulled out. But Dameon was right, nothing was actually broken or destroyed. Walking into her bedroom she found much the same, although her room was messy usually… she crossed into the bathroom and scanned… fuck.
“They’ve taken whatever was in my bin, probably hair, and any blood from when I cleaned up my wound.”
Sledge was behind her, she couldn’t hear him, but she could feel him. “Thinkin’ maybe they wantin’ to spell curse you like that witch girl did?”
“Most likely. But if it’s to do with my case… Fucking bastards. Maybe it’s time I fucking move. And not tell anyone so it’s not on file.” Lupa punched the bathroom door, anger tearing through her. They had fucking touched… everything. Another fucking violation!
“Wantin’ to clean up before we go see Hammer?” Sledge walked back out of her room to the lounge and she followed him, feeling her skin heating up.
Lupa angrily glared around her apartment. She had just fucking cleaned the place too… “I’ll do it later. Let’s go get this fucking over and done with.”
Sledge grunted and pulled the door open for her, she glanced up at him but his face was blank. Was he still in a fucking mood? She shrugged and walked down the stairs. It was too exhausting trying to figure out what was going on, if he wanted her to know he could fucking tell her.
They drove in silence to Hammer’s place, parking around the back as usual. There was someone standing at the back door guarding it. Lupa raised her eyebrows, glancing at Sledge, that was unusual wasn’t it?
“That bein’ Mallet; Hammer’s youngest son.”
Lupa felt her eyebrows rise even higher, “You’re kidding me right? Mallet?” Sledge turned to her, a mildly amused expression on his face. “Hammer must get the biggest kick out of this,” she shook her head, smiling in amusement, “There has got to be a fucking joke in here somewhere…”
Sledge was opening her door as she was still shaking her head. Hammer must have really get off on this shit. How old was he anyway? And how many fucking kids did he have? She climbed out and followed Sledge over to the door, pushing her face to a neutral expression.
“Evenin’ Mallet, this bein’ Little Red, Hammer wantin’ to see her.”
Mallet appeared to be about fifteen, his wiry frame looked strong and his eyes looked ruthless. He nodded at Sledge and gave Lupa an up and down eye-off. Was he a witch too? Could he feel her? She shrugged, did it really make a difference? Every one that worked for Hammer probably knew who and what she was.
They went into the jukebox room again, but Hammer was already waiting for them this time. Dressed in a pale grey, silk suit with his hair plaited over his shoulder, and that ever so charming smile on his delicate face.
“Good evening, Sledge, and my little wolf witch, I do apologize for cutting your trip short. But Sledge knows where his family are now, and we have something of much importance to discuss.” Kissing her hand he then guided her to sit next to him.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me that once I touched the spearhead they would know?” Lupa saw Sledge stiffen out the corner of her eye as he went to the bar.
“You didn’t ask if touching it would do anything, Little Red, and I presumed your Organization training would have at least taught you that.”
Yeah fucking right. Asshole. “Well it didn’t, and someone has ransacked my apartment, I think they were looking for it. And I think you know why.”
Hammer’s smile broadened, oh yeah he was getting a fucking kick out of this. “Would you now? Was it not I who summoned you back here to discuss something of my own?”
Lupa crossed her arms haughtily as Sledge placed a drink in front of each of them and leaned against the wall. Hammer offered her a cigarette and lit it for her, lighting his own and taking a sip of his drink. Still fucking smiling at her.
“Perhaps we can discuss the blood magick at another time, this matter is rather paramount.”
“You going to make me check out another warded building?”
Hammer didn’t take his eyes off her, but his smile lessened ever so slightly. “Yes. I was hoping there would be another way around it, but as you yourself said, I cannot let any of my people with magick go near the buildings should I need them hidden. And this one seems… darker. The residents on either side of the building have all committed suicide. I sent one man to check it out, and he has unfortunately perished.”
Fuck. Lupa picked up her glass and threw the contents back. Fuck shit fuck! So this new spell was actually causing people to want to kill themselves and he wanted her to go check it out? Fucking fantastic.
“And what fucking safety measures are you going to put in place for me to check this out? The first one wasn’t exactly fun.”
Hammer placed his hand on her leg, making her feel uncomfortable in front of Sledge. “My beautiful wolf witch, do I not take exceptional care of you? Sledge will be there, of course, and me and three of my strongest men. Non magickal men.”
Lupa wished she had another fucking drink. “Do you think it’s a good idea for you to go personally?”
“I will not be too close, Little Red wolf witch, I am aware of the possible consequences if I were to be. But I shall be near enough that should you need my men, they will be with you quickly. And should you need… my expertise, I shall not be far from you.”
Lupa sighed and took a long drag of her smoke. Did she really have a fucking choice? This was what she owed hi
m; dealing with this ‘man from across the river’ and his filthy magick. “Fine. When do we go?”
“Excellent. I shall return momentarily and we can then depart.”
Hammer kissed her on the cheek as he stood up and left the room. Lupa sighed again and crossed her legs. This was not going to be a fun evening at all. Hey, what was fucking new? It hadn’t really been a damn fun day.
“You a’right?” Sledge asked as he poured her another drink.
“Not particularly.” She nodded gratefully at him and downed the drink, “I don’t want to touch that man’s magick again… and if this is… stronger… I don’t know what will happen this time. Don’t know… if it will be worse.”
Sledge nodded and leaned back against the wall. “The darkness…” he said not looking at her.
Her chest tightened. Yeah. The fucking darkness. Her fucking dark place. Hammer came back with a somewhat serious expression on his face. Lupa couldn’t read him though, he was always so damned controlled…
“Sledge, it is the Burrow building on Fifth. We shall be near you, wolf witch.”
And then he left again, Sledge nodded to her and they got up, heading back out to his car. Mallet giving them a nod as they left the building.
It only took ten minutes to get to the place. Sledge parked the car but didn’t get out. “It that’s one over there,” he pointed to one that was two buildings up from where they were, “Aint wantin’ to park right out front in case… I needin’ to get you away.”
Lupa took a deep breath and looked over at him, he was watching her carefully. “Let’s get it on then.” She tried to make her expression confident, but she had no idea if she was succeeding. Probably fucking not.
Sledge nodded curtly and got out, opening the door for her. Climbing out as well, she nervously scanned their surroundings. Was someone watching them from this other man’s crew? Where was Hammer watching her from? Would they be close enough if there was more than one person watching her and they tried something?
Sledge didn’t move, just waited for her to be ready. Lupa took another deep breath and started walking towards the building, that feeling of wanting to turn around and head home hitting her quickly. She was still a good seven paces from the edge of the building and she was ready to turn and run far, far away. She clenched her fists and kept walking, feeling like she was wading through mud. The magick pushing roughly against her.
“Aint likin’ this…” She looked over her shoulder and could see him struggling almost as much as her.
“You can go back and wait if that’s easier, no point in both of us getting fucked up. You’re quick enough to grab me from back there…”
Sledge nodded and moved back, folding his arms and scanning the street suspiciously. Lupa turned back to the building and took the last few steps to the wall. It felt like the other one had. Dirty. Not put together right… but she could feel the second spell underneath the warding, its magick pulsing in the brick and into the ground. She could feel in probing her, trying to get inside her. She glanced back at Sledge, who was watching her closely. Right. Time to fucking touch it…
Lupa put her hand out and touched the rough bricks, that dirty magick oozing onto her fingers like the other one had. Her mind clouded, that repulsive, crawling feeling pawed at her again. Unwanted touching… unwanted memories… torn flesh… bloodied hands… the smile of a man as he… Was she falling? The abrasive wall grazed the skin of her palm as it slid down it. She felt her knees hit the ground painfully, she could hear Sledge calling her name.
“No, stay back, I’m ok… gimme a minute.” She half yelled, feeling breathless.
Her skin was growing hot, the bloodfire was boiling inside of her. That dark place… pushing to try and cover her, what was this spell even fucking for? She placed her other shaking hand against the wall. Probably not a fucking good idea.
Lupa’s heart wrenched inside her chest, the pain of losing Karl hitting her like it was happening again, screaming inside her head… being raped by the kid at school who broke her arm… the dungeon where creatures were tortured… where the kids had locked her in for the whole day… screaming and crying… the laughter as a wolfblood pinned her down and touched her… her hands deep in the stomach… she tried to escape, she couldn’t… she couldn’t fucking escape.
She felt Sledge’s arm around her waist as he lifted her up and pulled her away from the spelled place, she couldn’t hear him, she felt herself being devoured by the darkness. Was she fucking crying? She wanted to die. She couldn’t take it, couldn’t deal with all these memories in one hit.
“You dun hearin’ me?” Where was she? She tried to look around, was she in Sledge’s car? “Takin’ you to Hammer.”
She was so cold. Her body was aching. She couldn’t… she felt the dark place thrusting its way into her mind. Lupa couldn’t think, she couldn’t feel anything but that pain. Those kids… why had they done that to her?
“I am going to undress you, little wolf witch, we must find what is inside you. Can you hear me?”
Forcing open her eyes, she realised she was laying down, and Hammer was looking down at her with concern in his eyes. Why did he give a fuck? He had sent her in. Probably just a fucking show for everyone watching. Like he gave a fuck.
Hands were sitting her up as he lifted her dress over her head. Fuck. Was there another… thing inside her? She struggled to keep her mind focused, she knew what was going to happen this time… but the tempting call of the dark place was pulling her away from wherever she was. The blood on her hands… the screaming drilling into her head. Lupa couldn’t keep her eyes open. She felt heavy hands holding her down. Why were they doing this to her? Were they going to rape her again?
“It’s in your chest, Little Red wolf witch, I am going to remove your bra…”
She felt her bra being sliced in the middle, her breasts freed for them to see. Yes. They were going to rape her again. Trying to kick, trying to free her arms, her skin growing hot, the hatred in her pouring out. She couldn’t take it again. She wouldn’t let them. She screamed as she felt him cutting her open.
“What the fuck!” her eyes flew open.
“It is ok, my beautiful wolf witch, we have it. Please try calm yourself, that bloodfire of yours is going to prevent me from stitching you up if you keep fighting me.”
Lupa saw Hammer pulling the snake like thing out of her again. She could smell her blood in the air, feel it running down her side... Taking a deep breath she tried to calm herself down. No one was raping her. No one was trying. They were helping her.
Hammer gently wiped the blood off her as he started stitching her back up. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. This pain she could cope with, this pain was… ok. Someone sat her back up and Hammer pulled her dress over her, covering her back up. She looked around; three men who were avoiding her gaze. Chui was standing at the end of the table, she must have been the one holding her legs down….
“How are you feeling, beautiful wolf witch?”
“Not fucking good! Give me a smoke would you? My bag is in Sledge’s car…”
Hammer handed her a cigarette and lit it for her, she was glad he wasn’t fucking smiling at her, she might punch him if he was. She swung her legs to hang off the table, seeing Sledge standing and staring at the floor. Fuck. He must have seen…
“I apologize for having to put you through that again, my darling witch, but I could see no other way….” He turned to the three men and his daughter, “You may leave us.”
Lupa watched them leave, realising she was in that second floor room… Hammer turned back to her, his eyes searching her face. Why was he looking at her like that? It seemed so… out of character… right?
“What?”
She wasn’t in the fucking mood to have him scrutinising her that way. She was the one who had to go through it, not him. He just got to fucking look on, watching her in pain and deep within that place...
“Do you mind if I speak freely in front of
Sledge?”
Lupa narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. “Go for it.”
“I am afraid that you are now showing wolfblood traits, little witch, when Sledge placed you on the table your eyes were yellow, and you had claws…”
She dropped her smoke in surprise, she had fucking claws now? Hammer picked her cigarette up and handed it over. Her hands were shaking. Her heart was racing. No. No no no. Why the fuck was this happening? Why now?
“Perhaps this is not the time to discuss it.”
“No. I need to know…”
Lupa glanced over to Sledge, he was watching her carefully, his eyes guarded. She looked back at Hammer, he had blood on his suit… his hand was in his pocket as he studied her with his head cocked.
“Very well.” Hammer picked up the jar that he had placed the dark thing in, “This is very similar to the one we removed from your stomach. However, it does not feel precisely the same.” He placed it back down. “When I pulled this from you… I felt something try and push into me. I believe I felt that dark place you mentioned; that violated feeling. The pain that entered my arm was of suffering, not of physical pain. It lasted only a moment, but it was there.” Fan-fucking-tastic. Now fucking Hammer was seeing inside her mind. Fuck shit shit.
“We had to stop you from clawing your wrists when you were laid down, unfortunately you have made quite a mess of your left wrist.” Lupa looked down, deep lacerations ran up her arm, Hammer must have stitched them up as well… shit. “Are you able to discuss what you felt from the building, my Little Red wolf witch? Or would you prefer to leave the matter for now and get some rest?”
“Oh I can fucking tell you, Hammer, it felt like fucking shit! Every…” she swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, “Every shit thing that has ever happened to me flooded my mind. I couldn’t fucking escape it, that’s what fucking happened. And then, I fucking transformed! Fucking great!”
Hammer smiled at her. She really wanted to fucking punch him now. But she knew that would just get her killed… was that such a bad thing right now? “I am able to create a spell to hide that physical display, if you wish to keep it between us.”