by Emjay Soren
I respected Klem because he was a pimp that protected his stable. He made sure his girls were clean from drugs and disease, and he knew who was with them at all times. Some sorry fuck messed up one of his girls, Klem answered for the law, and he usually did so hungry. “Do you trust me, Bird?” I asked her, and I wish like hell I knew her answer. I had fucked with her so many times though, she may not trust me yet.
She looks at me and if I didn’t know any better I would swear she could hear my thoughts. “I trust you, Preacher.”
“Then trust me to tell you the truth. No matter what, Klem will not hurt you, or any of us for that matter.” I step in close because I want her to understand. “He protects women Bird, as a full time job and he kills the fuckers who harm them. Law and God both say it’s wrong, that is why he is Nex.”
Realization dawns, and I see it on her face. She looks to me heavily and then to Klem, and I see that familiar compassion that she has an abundance of, and I fall even deeper in love. “You protect women like me?”
I can see it on her face, hear it in her voice. She still thinks of herself as a whore. Somehow looking at herself that way though, has brought her to a kindred level with Klem. “I don’t know?” Klem says confused.
I went to explain when I felt her hand squeezing mine over the top of her shirt. It was also then I realized I was halfway to groping her in front of everyone. “I was abducted by Conlin a few years ago. He held me in Bliss, doped me on Bliss, and sold me to anyone willing to pay.”
That she would tell him, standing tall and facing what was done to her… it made me damn proud. Klem growled low, and I was glad Tavern couldn’t see through his lenses like I could. His bloody gaze was swirling, looking for a kill. I leaned forward and poured him another bag of blood. “Wish I’d have killed him when I met him.” Klem said right as Cookie walked back in the room, the smell of sex and satisfaction drowning out the smell of anger and fear.
“We all wish you would have killed him dickface.” Cookie snapped, and I heard Cash curse. Poor sod thought he had that girl under control. Bleedin’ fool didn’t realize it would never happen.
“Jesus, didn’t Cash just fuck the anger out of you?” Klem says and laughs, turning his gaze to Cash. “Go bite her ass into submission please.”
Cash growled and I knew Klem was walking a fine line. Cash was pretty good about the two of them being rude to one another, but when it went too far the possessive side to Cash came out, and then Klem was in trouble. “Watch it dickface!” He lisped because his fangs had dropped in warning.
Klem just laughed and drank his mug of blood. “What are we all doing here anyway?” Cookie said from behind her griddle, doing her best to ignore Klem.
“Oh, you know Leushus,” Klem said and removed the sunglasses before looking to Tavern for the okay, which I appreciated. “So fuckin’ ominous when he calls us all for a meeting.”
That got my attention and I looked at Cash for answers. “You were busy, buddy.” Cash said with a shrug and rubbed his hands over his face. It was telling when he did that, told me he was working towards something. “I figured I would interrupt if I needed to, but otherwise I could fill you in later.”
I looked to Bastian then. “Why you over here without him?” That wasn’t the normal. Bastian was almost always with Leushus, with the exception of lately when he had been with Tavern instead. Bastian pointed at Tavern and shrugged, like I knew what he fuckin’ meant. “Want to clarify?”
“I go where she goes.” He said through a mouthful of food, the bleedin’ slob. Cookie took a seat on the other side of Cash as far from Klem as she could get after placing a plate of food in front of my Bird.
“You knew I was with her last night, so why follow us here?” I can hear the accusation in my voice but I don’t bleedin’ care. “Just what the fuck are you thinkin’ to gain from following her like a loyal fuckin’ pup?” I am outright yelling now, and I can’t for the life of me make sense of it. Tavern was with me all night; I was inside of her. I bleedin’ fuckin’ fed off her, so the anger didn’t make sense. Well it didn’t until
I watched as the mutt was lookin’ at Tavern with intense eyes that had me seeing red. “Answer me. Now!”
“Preacher!“ Leushus’s voice cut in and silenced me. “Sit down!” His command was impossible to ignore and I took my seat. “I tell Bastian where to go, who to watch and pretty much what to do.” His eyes fell on me penetrating through all the shit in my head until I calmed the fuck down. He looked around the room of stunned immortals, his eyes falling on Klem, and he smirked. “Klem.” He pronounced his name like filth, and took a seat beside Bastian, stealing a piece of his bacon.
Klem just chuckled and shook his head, not saying a word. Smart guy. He and Leushus didn’t see eye to eye and it was a well known fact that the two hated one another. The relationship now days had become one of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ type of things. Tavern came to my side and placed her hand on my shoulder after a very short nod to Bastian, all this while both Bas and Leushus watched her close. I felt the possessiveness creep back in and I pulled her to sit on my lap, staking my claim the only way I know how at the moment.
What I don’t get is why they are being possessive over her? They should be able to smell her one me, and me on her. Her blood is in me, fueling me, and it should work as a giant fucking warning flag that I will kill the man who touches her! “Preacher…Baby… your gripping my thigh and hurting me.”
“Boo, calm that possessive shit down.” Stupor says, making his appearance in big black sunglasses and a hot pink tank top. I never understood Stupor. I knew he was gay and out and proud, hell by most definitions he was a good lookin’ man. I didn’t know why he wore women’s clothing. Not an entire outfit, but an item here and there. Then, like Cookie, have the audacity to tell me I was out of style?
Now they are all looking at me, my bird has a pained look upon her face and I see my grip on her thigh. I am definitely going to leave a bruise. “Sorry, Bird.” I whisper and feel like I have been thrust into crazy town.
“What’s the deal, Preach?” Cash asks, and he is looking around the room desperate to see what is freaking me out. His gaze falls on Leushus and Bastian as well, who both look guilty as fuck. Every single nerve in my body is on high alert. I pull Tavern in close, trying to say, with my body language, that she is fucking mine. She lets me pull her in, not mad that I gripped her so tight. She is soft in my arms, and I need soft right now. I look at her letting the anger inside dissipate, or try anyways. “I love you, Bird.”
I say it because I feel if I don’t, I’ll lose her. She kisses me softly on my nose. Fuck all of em’. She kisses me, and it calms me completely. “I love you too, Baby.”
I hear sniffles and look up to see Cookie crying, and Stupor with a tissue for her. The look on his face says that if he could cry, he would too. Pussy. I roll my eyes and feel the energy in the air shift, take new form, and then all I have ever known is shaken.
*
Tavern
I am on Preachers lap, I have Bastian roaring at me to calm Preacher down before all hell breaks loose. I don’t know how, and I am trying to play it cool while we have our telepathic convo in front of everyone. Then Leushus shows up and he starts demanding that I calm Preacher down. At least Leushus gives me ideas. I sit on Preachers lap like Leushus said to, and I try to soothe him. He grips me so tight that I feel like he is about to pop my femur in half.
I rub my hand soothingly up and down his back once he finally lets me go. “Sorry, Bird.” He says, and I know he is sad for hurting me. I smile, and lean into his touch, my silent way of letting him know I am not angry. I melt when he touches me, and even though his grip was tight, he immediately softens when he realizes how rough he is being. I want to tell him I love him and that he could never scare me away.
Preacher does one better.
“I love you, Bird.” He says. All eyes are on us and he knows it. He doesn’t care though. I can see that he
tells me this because he feels it, and I am overwhelmed with love for him. I lean down and kiss him gently on the nose. “I love you too, baby.” We both look up to see London crying, and Stupor watching us, salivating over the ‘I love you’ in front of everyone. I know when we get home he will demand details. I feel Preacher stiffen then and look around the room. All the vamps are on edge, Cash is snarling, and Stupor has already got his stake out and set for battle. I look to Bas for answers, but even he is blocking me, his eyes on Leushus in absolute fury.
There’s a knock on the door. “I’ll get it.” Says Leushus with a laugh and Cash is up and grabbing London, setting her behind him. Preacher follows suit and has me off his lap and standing behind him, his hand on the gun in the waist of his jeans. ‘Bas?’ I call out my telepathic voice pleading with him to listen to me. He growls and looks at me over Preachers shoulder. “Not fucking now!” He says, and takes rank behind Leushus who is watching us all stand on edge. The only calm ones in the room are Klem and Leushus.
That scares the fuck out of me.
“What?” Preacher asks Bastian, confused. Bastian doesn’t acknowledge him though and stays standing behind Leushus.
“Calm down you spaz cases.” Leushus says with a chuckle and opens the door. I hear chains before I see anyone and then gasp, as does London. Stupor groans in delight and we all watch as two seriously good looking men walk through the door.
Chapter Thirty-One
Tavern
The first guy is tall and… bulky for lack of a better description. His big black boots aren’t laced up and his pants are worn low on his hips. His shirts are layered under a trench coat and all I can think when looking at him is that he is a spitting image of ‘John Bender’ from ‘The Breakfast Club’. Only he paid a lot of money for the ‘bad boy who gives a fuck’ look his clothing portrayed. Well, that was until he looked up. Then all I saw was serious sexy man candy.
Yuuuum!
I could not believe that eyes that green existed beyond contacts. These however were not contacts. These were the eyes of something entirely not human. He was chained by the wrists in shackles but I didn’t fear this … thing. He may be chained but I felt like it was to keep him safe. Then came the second guy. Dressed in an all black three piece Armani suit, this guy was sex on a stick. His dark hair short, and styled close to his scalp like Caesar. He had no facial hair. His skin looked crazy smooth, and I wanted to touch it to see if it was in fact soft. Looking at the room in general, his smile welcoming, and his eyes just as shamrock green as the other guys.
“Leushus.”
“Leushus.”
They both said in unison before looking at Bastian, the three piece suit gave a knowing smile. “Care to rid the room of Nex, Bas? I’d like to unchain him.”
Klem laughed. “Fuck you, how ‘bout that?” I was beginning to see why Klem was a Nex. He did not play well with others.
The guy in chains was shaking, his chains sliding back and forth with every tremor and he wouldn’t take his eyes off Klem. “It hurts bro.” He hissed. I didn’t see fangs, but felt like he would totally bite Klem.
“Klem meet Cain. He hates anything evil. You should probably go.” Leushus said and took a seat at the table, smiling snidely at Klem. Klem didn’t seem to care.
Looking at Preacher, Klem cleared his throat. “You called me here for my help and I was glad to have yours and Cash’s back. I like your girl, Preach, and I love Stup, but I can’t sit here and feel damned when I got your back through this.”
Preacher nodded and his fingers gripped mine tighter. I prepared myself for pain but it was like he knew he could hurt me. I felt his thumb stroke my knuckles, I found it sweet. “I asked for Klem’s assistance in this Leushus.” Preacher said, and I tried to step around him. He effectively shut that idea down when he stepped in front of me blocking any move I might make.
Leushus nodded in awareness. “I know, and even though he makes me sick, I will admit we need the help.” Leushus looks at Klem now. “I can’t have you boys in the same room together though.” He points at the trembling newcomer while talking to Klem. “He is hardwired to go at your kind and anything else that is bad. It’s not about law and Lord with him; he just is what he is. I’ll make sure we brief you both separately, but as far as together...” He whistled between his teeth as if saying ‘hell no’.
“I get it.” Klem says, and makes his way to Cash and London first. “See ya soon, Cash.” He says and shakes his hand before looking at London. “Wipe the smirk off your face doll, I’ll be back.”
She laughs and I swear I have never met anyone who liked to poke sticks at snakes as much as she did. “Yeah, like a bad fucking virus.”
He laughs back and walks to Preacher. “Call me tonight after Thing One and Two leave and we’ll work a plan.”
Preacher agrees and shakes his hand. Klem turns his attention to me, his creepy eyes not so creepy now that he had fed. Now they were kind of grey and beautiful, if not still a little red rimmed. “I appreciate you taking the time to hear me out, Tavern Madley. For that, I’ll give my assistance. You ever need anything…” He winks and hands me his card, then shifts from the room.
“He is so fuckin’ fine, that boy.” Stupor says and I watch as London makes a very audible gagging sound. Stupor looks to Leushus, hell in his eyes. “You say this boy is hardwired?”
Leushus nods and smiles and I know he already knows the answer to Stupors question. “Well, you said he know some evil because it’s been bred into him. No law and no Lord? Well I need to know this boy ain’t about to kill me Boo, just ‘cause I like some men.” I look to London and see she is just as curious as I am for Leushus’ answer. I will defend Stupor to the very last drop of blood in my body. He is love and happiness and beauty rolled into a seriously fierce and dangerous package. I don’t care who he loves, only that he is loved in return. I know I will not accept the help of Things One and Two if they don’t respect and accept Stupor.
“We don’t give a fuck if you’re gay Bro. I just can’t do evil… feel me?” The messy one says. He is getting less messy and more yummy by the second. Bad boy really works on this guy.
“Look can I have a seat, now that we’re all friends?” I try stepping around Preacher, who finally lets me. I keep his hand in mine as I take a seat in front of my bacon. London takes the seat next to me but we are both looking at the hot man show before us. Stupor is getting just as much from this as us, and I am holding back a laugh, thankful our men can’t read our thoughts.
“Oh, but I can, and you’re lucky only I can.” Leushus says with a laugh, and takes a seat, Bas following him.
“What?”
“Huh?” Preacher and Cash say, but Leushus studiously ignores him.
“Everyone meet my friends. The one in the suit is Able, and in the chains is Cain.”
There are gasps in the room and then I hear that Irish lilt that makes me shiver. “You have gotta’ be shittin’ me?”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Preacher
I had never in all my years thought that I would meet Cain and Able. As a former Priest, I couldn’t help but feel some form of celebrity obsession at seeing them, and then meeting them. “How the hell did we never know about them?” I asked.
“We handle a different kind of evil on our end, and work mostly with the Archs and Fallen.” The one speaking was in a suit and was cleaner cut. It told me that the one in chains may be the one to fear, but this one in the suit was just a show. There was a darkness in him as well though, and you could see he meant business. It was something I both respected and appreciated in times of violence.
He stepped forward and offered his hand to me. “I am Able, and this is my brother Cain.” Able pointed at Cain who was still shackled.
“Nice way to state the obvious there, Able. How you were always the favorite is shocking to me.” Cain said and shook his wrists in protest, obviously wanting to be unchained. I wasn’t sure that was the smartest plan though.
“You have phenomenal tits.” Cain says to Cookie, who blushes. Cash started growling. Neither of us wanted this…thing…near our girls.
“Thanks?” Cookie says with a laugh and Cash is growling again. I watch as Cain's eyes take in my Bird, and I grab my mug of blood and shake my head. “Don’t even think about it, I’ll belt your bleedin’ head you look at my girl.”
Cain only laughs. I could give a fuck about his chains. I wasn’t scared of him or his brother, not when it came to my Bird. “Take it as a compliment. She’s a fine lookin’ woman.
I nod. “Yep. She’s taken as well, so keep it in mind.”
Cain laughs again and looks at Leushus. “So who we killing this time?”
Leushus sits up a little straighter and Bastian takes a seat on the opposite side of Tavern. I don’t like the closeness between the two or the vibe I get from Bastian toward my girl. I have to put it on the back shelf for now, because Cain and Able are kind of stealing the show. “Angelo is responsible for killing Emigen, Peter and Mary O’Connor and now the fucker is coming for one of mine.” Leushus wasted no time when he looked to me and Tavern. I was in the process of trying to swallow the lump in my throat when he spoke of my loves, but calmed when I felt Tavern stroke her small hand down my spine in comfort.
“Tavern and Preacher are, I am assuming, finally together.”
I roll my eyes and Tavern blushes, but nods. “Good to know. Tavern is in the sights of the Cado and they know about her attachment to Preacher. We don’t know how, and I don’t care. Leucetta has sought out Angelo Caprecci in the fight to gain a soul back. After the fight at Bliss, I had London choose to drink from me. When Conlin turned her, it, in effect, was stealing from me.”