by K.N. Lee
All at once, the Blood Robbers shifted except for Gorilla.
Screams from the other kids were drowned out by the rain.
“You’ll die, Blood Robber.” Bruce’s sword whistled as he made a slicing motion. With Bruce’s speed, he met a wolf in the air. It was dead before the bastard even knew what was coming. The body hit the pavement—headless. The wolf turned into human again, before disintegrating. Within seconds the head too, turned into ashes.
Now would be the chance for the kids to run. Instead, they hugged each other and formed a one tight ball.
Victor took a step toward Gorilla.
Just then, one ugly wolf blocked him. The wolf circled him, its muzzle furrowed with lips lifted high, baring his overlong fangs and teeth. His pelt looked bristled with his hackles raised.
Victor didn’t bother shifting. He pointed his double sword at the wolf. He was so mad, he had to control himself, otherwise he would lose his concentration. Through his peripheral view, Gorilla finally used whatever brain he had and pushed the boy aside. Victor didn’t spare the boy a glance. The kid was safe. That was all that mattered.
So this ugly wolf must have more than one life to live. Otherwise, he wouldn’t risk fighting him. Stupid maybe, but these Blood Robbers knew turning into a Cancer wouldn’t be fun. Cancers were nothing but soulless shifters. Hard to kill and with bites worse than those of the Komodo dragon. Their saliva alone could infect your blood and could kill any shape-shifter. Didn’t matter how many lives he had left. Man, he wouldn’t dare piss-off a god.
The wolf’s forehead furrowed, his eyes wide and angry.
Fuck. That makes the two of us. Fucking asshole.
When the wolf’s stance changed to crouch, Victor knew the dirty ass was looking for the opportunity to lunge. “Come on, kitty. Taste my metal. It’s what you deserve.” He wasn’t disappointed. Victor sidestepped and swung his sword. He’d made contact, but the slice only made the pussy angrier.
Although, his blood started dripping, he circled around Victor. Sticky saliva hung from each corner of the wolf’s mouth.
“Come, on, you bitch. You’re such a fucking pussy,” Victor taunted. He knew if he made a mistake and this Blood Robber latched on him, he wouldn’t let go until he turned into ground beef. A wolf’s teeth could shatter human bones.
Letting out a low growl, the wolf attacked.
He was no match to Victor’s speed. He went down on one knee and thrust his sword upward skewing the bastard. Forming an arch, his sword followed the wolf’s momentum until he dropped on the ground with a loud thud. Victor pulled his sword. Without waiting another second, he severed the wolf’s head. “You’re next, Gorilla.”
Gorilla held his sword in front of him. His eyes shone in the dark. He was as tall as Victor and to human standards, very good looking, despite the stupid haircut. But aside from his face, everything else about this smelly fuck was bad. Really fucking bad.
Gorilla attacked. His sword cutting the air.
Victor blocked. He made a swift spin and kicked Gorilla in the gut so hard, the bastard staggered backward. “More?” He crooked his finger, egging Gorilla to attack again.
He wasn’t disappointed, as Gorilla’s face distorted while tried to skewer Victor.
Victor sidestepped and made a slicing motion cutting the son of the bitch on the side. Unless he hit his vital organs or cut his head off, Gorilla would remain standing. His wounds would heal fast. Blood dripped from his sword, but not enough. “You’re going to die tonight, Gorilla.”
“I’ll take you with me, fucking Midnight Howl.”
“I don’t think so. I plan on getting laid tonight. Unlike you. You will die a virgin.”
“Fuck you!”
Victor sneered at Gorilla, who went on the attack again. He made him angry enough that the bastard would surely make careless moves. Sure enough, Gorilla took a stab at him, heedless of the opening that he’d left. Victor took advantage. He went down on his knee and swung his sword cutting Gorilla’s stomach. Using his other sword, he stabbed him on the side.
Gorilla grunted. He staggered backward. Surprise on his face as he stared down at his innards peeking out.
Victor decided it was enough foreplay. He ran full speed, jumped, flipped in the air then before his feet touched the ground, he plunged his swords into Gorilla’s shoulders. “Told you you’d die a virgin,” he snarled his last insult before pulling his swords out then swung it hard, severing Gorilla’s head.
The beast, with its head off remained standing.
Victor gave it a shove and watched it fall down then turn into ashes. Thank god, for small blessings.
Watt and the others had already made their kills.
Bruce checked the kids, making sure none of them were bright enough to use their cellphones to take pictures or videos.
No signs of Blood Robbers around except for their ugly stench. The acrid smell of their disintegrating bodies mingled in with the nauseating piss and garbage coming from the alley. Rain would quickly wash away their blood.
Victor wished he could do that to the fucking Robbers. Just wash them away. “How’s he doing, Bruce?”
“He needs stitches. We’ve got to take him to the emergency room. Pronto. Damn, all of them will need a shrink after tonight.”
“Cleaners are coming, Victor,” Watt said. “I’ll take care of the kids. Make sure they get home safe. I think their bones just melted from fright.”
Victor nodded as he knelt beside the boy. Damn, he must be no more than nineteen. Too young to die. He leaned even closer and then sniffed. Just as he thought. The kid was clean. Not drunk and he didn’t pick up the pungent aroma of marijuana. The fucking Blood Robbers were killing innocent kids. But they didn’t snag this one to kill. Gorilla wasn’t kidding. This boy was important. “Hey, buddy. What’s your name?”
“Morgan.”
“Hang in there, Morgan, okay?”
Morgan replied with a wan smile. “Addy told me about you.”
“Who?”
“My sister. She’s seen you many times.”
“Where?”
Morgan groaned when he tried to move. “For Addy,” he said before closing his eyes.
“The kid okay?”
“Yeah, he’ll survive. But he needs a doctor.” With his heart breaking, he cradled the kid in his arms. He thought about what Morgan had said. His sister, Addy, had seen him…Many times.
Chapter 2
Victor sat on the chair watching the woman sleep. Addy. The boy called her Addy. Her dark hair fanned on her pillow, face peppered with freckles. With her creamy skin, long, dark as night lashes, and perfectly formed lips, she reminded him of an angel. He could hardly wait to see the color of her eyes.
As he sat there admiring Addy, he began to imagine himself lying beside her, holding her tight, feeling her soft skin while his mouth smothered hers. He bet his balls, it would feel like heaven in her arms. His cock stirred. Without a noise, he stretched his legs in front of him and tried to rid his mind of lustful thoughts.
The moment he saw her, a weird feeling that they’d already met nagged at him. But where?
He looked around the room.
When he came in through the kitchen window, he’d made a quick check around the house. It’d looked tidy, smelled of baked bread, and felt cozy. For some reason, he’d felt comfortable walking around in the house. Picture frames lined the walls in the short hallway. He assumed the elderly couple must have been the parents. He didn’t see any recent photos. The oldest photo of Addy must have had been taken when she was in high school and Morgan in middle school.
Grown potted plants stood like sentries in different corners of the house. A black grand piano took up a big room in the living room while two worn cushioned chairs flanked the fireplace. He could almost imagine the family enjoying music, exchanging stories and jokes, discussing day to day lives. However, the air in the house felt different. An unseen force was bouncing around the walls. Victor could feel it
deep in his bones.
The room beneath the spiral staircase was impressive. It appeared to be a gunroom and unlocked. His brothers would have loved to see this arsenal. Especially the hollow tube with a wick and a round stone, but no trigger. If his memory served him right, it was made in Japan. He wasn’t sure what dynasty though. And then there were Sig MK25, Glock, Bushmaster, and others he was itching to try. He would have loved to spend more time checking out the ammo, but he decided there would be time for that later.
So, he checked out the rest of the rooms. The furniture was, without a doubt, antique. Including the one he was sitting on and Addy’s bed. The headboard alone looked like an African blackwood, Mpingo. The tree that grew in Ethiopia and Kenya. And the paintings…he would bet his swords, were authentic. Those must have been passed down from different generations. With all of these treasures, the people who lived here didn’t have to worry about their next meal or health insurance.
There were six bedrooms in the house. The first two that he checked were furnished but looked like they hadn’t been used in years. Everything seemed to be in order. Kind of like a hotel room. One had clothes scattered everywhere and smelled like old socks and a boy’s gym. Must be Morgan’s. The one he was in right now though, really surprised him.
He’d never seen a woman’s bedroom where weapons hung on the wall, instead of paintings, posters, or whatever decorations women liked. There were spears with a wooden shafts and blunt to sharp heads. Bamboo spears with a tip sharpened. Iron, steel, bronze, flint, and obsidian. Some of the spears were made for throwing like the javelins, but there were combat spears with triangular heads, too. The bows and arrows collection were just as impressive.
The bedroom could be an armory…Really.
One particular spear caught his attention. Placed above the headboard, Addy could easily reach it. The shaft was made out of silver metal with intricate engravings. Its tip shone like a mirror facing the sun. He so fucking wanted to see it. It might just be his imagination, but even where he sat, he could feel power emanating from it.
Is it possible that I am staring at Lugh’s spear?
Lugh was a High King of the Denann who possessed a powerful spear believed to have had been made in the mythical, magical northern city of Findias and brought into Ireland.
Victor rested his elbow on the armchair. Okay, say this was Lugh’s spear. What in the fucking world, was it doing in this house? Inherited, bought at an auction or garage sale? Damn. He wanted to get a good look at the spear, but he stayed in his spot. It’s bad enough that he broke in, it would be worse if he touched anything. Victor took his gaze off the wall and focused once again, on Addy sleeping, though it wasn’t peacefully.
She must be dreaming. Her brows kept furrowing. She would smile but it seemed to disappear just as quickly.
What was she dreaming about? Considering the kind of room she’d been sleeping in, somehow, he doubted she was dreaming about a birthday party. Killing a boar, maybe. Victor grinned and shook his head. Oh, he looked forward to learning more about this beautiful angel.
Morgan spoke of her with high regard and affection. He also begged him not to tell her what happened. When Victor explained that he must let Addy know everything, Morgan’s reply surprised him.
“You’ll only unleash the god of war’s wrath.”
Morgan added that Addy’s middle name was Tuesday because she had a temper like Tyr.
In old English, Tyr referred to a very mighty god of battle. Why Addy’s dad would name her after the god, he really wanted to find out. Victor thumbed the plastic bag on his lap and then put it in his back pocket.
The story would be that Morgan went out with his friends and had bought something for Addy. The kid had gotten hurt and almost abducted. Addy would probably get mad if she heard the truth about it, but Victor didn’t care. He needed to tell her about why he’d made a visit.
Addy moaned. She kicked one leg while pulling the sheet lower.
Victor didn’t move, but his gaze roamed over the delicious body in front of him. She wore a tight white tank top showing the contours of her breasts. Those creamy globes were the perfect size to fill his hands. Even under the covers, he could see she had a flat stomach, small waist, and long legs. Damn, he favored long-legged women.
Victor couldn’t help reacting to the beauty in front of him. She was one fine woman. His eyes caressed her exposed skin and lingered on the rise of her chest. Without making a single sound, he shifted from his now uncomfortable position. He suddenly realized he’d made a stupid decision to watch her sleep. His mouth watered and his cock started to thicken. What if suddenly she woke up? She would probably scream at the top of her lungs, throw things at him and then call nine-one-one.
She kicked her legs the way one would when feeling hot and didn’t want the covers at all.
Victor swallowed at the sight. Her legs were long, firm, and perfectly shaped. A big fan of running? His eyes lingered where her white panties and tank barely met. The need to run his tongue along her exposed skin made him real fucking hard. His cock, luckily, was positioned just right. But if this continued, he wouldn’t be surprised if his tip would soon poke out of the waistband of his low rider jeans. He gnashed his teeth. Fuck!
Addy moaned.
Son of a bitch. He felt like a creep watching her sleep.
Then she moved her head from side to side, her lips parting as if trying to say something. She was definitely dreaming. And by the looks of it, it wasn’t a good one.
Should he wake her?
The answer came when Addy suddenly opened her eyes.
They’re gazes met.
Victor sucked in his breath. Damn. She had vivid blue eyes. So blue, they looked unreal. Contacts?
While Addy stared at him, a crease formed between her brows. Her eyes still had that sleepy look, but they were alert. If that was even possible. Slowly and without taking her eyes off him, she pushed herself up to a sitting position.
Victor didn’t move or say anything. The situation was awkward, but for the love of gods, her rumpled state made her even more delicious.
Addy didn’t scream. Just stared.
Victor didn’t know what to make of her reaction to finding him in her room.
As she scooted off the far side of the bed, her curly hair cascaded down the middle of her back. She wasn’t looking at him now, but he could tell she was aware of him as she walked toward the wall where all those magnificent spears hung.
Mesmerized, Victor watched her move gracefully.
She stood straight, her hips gently swaying. Her panties made her legs look so long.
Victor didn’t take his eyes off her. Weird though. She looked unalarmed. The hell? Is she used to finding men in her room or is she sleepwalking? “Hello,” he greeted.
Big mistake. Addy snapped her head to look at him as if she just woke up from a trance. And then, with an impressive speed, she grabbed a spear off the wall. She twirled it the way a seasoned warrior would and then threw it without hesitation—at Victor.
“Fuck!” Instinctively, he tipped the chair he was sitting onto its side. He landed on the floor with a thud. The spear would’ve missed him, but not by a nose. Did she intentionally miss or did she have a bad aim? He rolled on his stomach and then flattened his body on the floor. “Son of a bitch,” he muttered. Times like this, he was really glad for Zambro’s constant badgering that they practice their skills.
He glanced at the spear embedded on the wall. Nasty. But before he could fully digest the fact that he nearly got skewered with a spear, another one sailed low and struck the wall. Damn. “Addy. Stop.”
Silence.
Victor didn’t trust himself to get up until he was sure Addy wouldn’t throw another spear at him. He still had three lives and he wanted to keep them all. “I know you have more spears to throw, but I prefer that you didn’t.”
“How did you get in here?”
Despite his situation, he smiled. He liked the sound of her voi
ce. Husky, so womanly, and he liked the way it seemed to fucking caress his balls. “Kitchen window.”
“Impossible. You were just—impossible.”
“Possible. Real easy, actually. The latch on the—”
“No. I’m talking about you. How you got here when you were just—oh, my god!”
Didn’t she hear him? “Addy, I came in through the kitchen window.” He could hear her agitated breathing.
“Who. Are. You?” She enunciated each word.
“My name is Victor Dyrdek of the Midnight Howl clan.”
He barely heard the swishing sound before another spear joined the other on the wall.
Holy shit!
“Okay. You already proved that you can throw. Hear me out. I’m here because of Morgan. Throw another spear at me and you won’t know what happened to him.” He heard her soft pattering on the floor.
“Come out.”
Slowly, he stood up. Oh, shit. She held the spear that sat above her headboard. “Don’t throw that one, please. You might not miss.”
“Why do you think I didn’t use this one first?”
“That spear’s aim is true.”
Addy stared. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s impossible.”
“Woman, I told you—”
“Don’t make me use this.” Addy made a pumping motion with the short spear. It turned into the size of a long staff.
Wow. Impressive. Now, that explains the invisible power in the house. “We’ll, no. Please don’t use that.”
“Who are you, again?” Addy rounded the bed.
He saw an opportunity and he didn’t waste any time. He pounced.
Addy screamed. “Eeekk!”
Victor rolled, taking the brunt of their fall. “Shit!” He kept his hold on Addy and then rolled again, pinning her on the floor. With his hand holding her arm to keep the spear away, his other hand pillowed the back of her head. “Baby, trying to skewer your visitor is very rude.” She felt so soft beneath him.
Addy’s face showed confusion.
Well, he supposed her reaction was understandable. He had surprised her after all.