by JC Holly
“What the hell is this about, Gabriel?” Paul twisted in his chair, but it wouldn’t budge an inch. “I thought we had a deal.”
“A deal? You expect me to believe that the man just decided he fancied a last-minute package holiday to Spain?” Gabriel laughed. “I’m not a fool, Paul.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He grunted as someone punched him in the back of the head and had to fight hard to keep from throwing up. He gritted his jaw and straightened again.
“Don’t play the innocent,” Gabriel said.
Finally he walked into view. He was dressed the same as he had been in the supermarket, and Paul could still smell a hint of vinegar on the man, so chances were that he hadn’t been unconscious for long. Hopefully Darren would soon realize that something was up and call Ethan. That was about the only good news he could think of.
“Fine.” Paul cracked his neck to the side. “I told him to get out of the country, and I was going to say I killed him and buried the body.”
Another punch to the back of the head had Paul bite down on his lip in surprise. He spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor. “I can guess which cocksucker is doing the punching.”
Mickey’s laugh bounced around the small room. “I heard you’re the cocksucker, not me.”
Paul shrugged. “You wouldn’t know what to do with one, anyway. Pussy.”
That gained him another punch, harder than the others. Gabriel snarled and Mickey’s footsteps retreated.
“What do you want from me?” Paul said. “I fucked up. Big deal. Bygones?”
“Fucked up?” Gabriel sneered. “No, Paul, you did exactly what I expected you to. If anything you did good.” He glanced at his watch. “Time to go. I’ll leave you in capable hands. Try and keep him breathing, at least, eh, Mickey?”
Mickey stepped around in front of Paul, a baseball bat in one hand and a long, slim knife in the other. “Oh, I’ll try my best.”
* * * *
Darren glanced at the phone for the third time in the last five minutes. Paul had left for the meeting two and a half hours ago, and still hadn’t returned. He’d said it might take a while, but Darren had a bad feeling. He stood and straightened his bathrobe then picked up the phone and found Ethan’s cellphone number in the speed dial. He picked up on the first ring.
“Paul?”
“No, it’s Darren.”
“Oh, hey. What’s wrong?”
“Paul headed out to see Gabriel a couple of hours ago, and hasn’t come back yet.”
Ethan was silent for a moment. “Do you know where the meeting was?”
“Yeah, uh, a supermarket a few miles away.” Darren grabbed the Post-it he’d scribbled the name onto. “Earl’s Minimart?”
“I know it. I’m coming to pick you up, then I’ll go and check it out.”
“Don’t worry about me, I’m fine here. Check on Paul first.”
“You may not be fine for long.” Ethan cursed under his breath. “I’ll swing by the minimart, then head over. Lock the doors, okay? Don’t let anyone in unless you know them.”
Darren agreed and hung up, then headed to the door to flip the dead bolt. He was two feet away when a key jangled in the lock. He almost cried out in relief until he realized that the scent was wrong. As the handle turned, Darren retreated back toward the kitchen. As he picked up a knife, Gabriel stepped into the apartment. Darren’s heart began to race but he fought to keep the fear from his face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he asked as Gabriel dropped the keys into the bowl by the door.
“Looking for Paul, of course. I went to meet him at the supermarket, but all I found was his truck with the keys in the ignition.”
“So you decided to come here instead of look for him there?” Darren brought the knife forward. “What have you done with him?”
Gabriel shrugged, apparently unconcerned with the failure of his ruse. “He’s safe for now. I left him with a very capable member of my pack. As long as he doesn’t try to get away, he’ll probably last the night.”
Darren’s stomach lurched. “What…Why?”
“Because he tried to take me for a fool.” The man’s smile disappeared. “If you don’t put that knife down, it won’t go well for you.”
“If you don’t tell me where Paul is, things will go even worse for you.”
“Oh, please. What are you going to do? You’re a new wolf who’s probably never even been in a fight. I’ve killed more Weres than I can count.”
Darren glanced at the door behind Gabriel. There was no way he’d get past the man, even with the knife, which meant he had to keep him occupied until help came instead.
“You didn’t tell me why you came here,” Darren said, fighting to not stammer.
“I came for you.” Gabriel came farther into the room, kicking the door shut as he did. “You see, a long time ago Paul took someone very important from me, and now that he’s betrayed me I mean to do the same to him.”
Darren lowered the knife to the table to stop it shaking in his grasp, though he kept his hand on the handle. “You think you can take me?”
“In every sense of the word.” Gabriel sneered. “I’ll make it quick. Promise.”
He came closer to Darren. If he didn’t think of something soon, whoever came to help would be too late. I can’t fight him and win, but maybe I can keep away long enough. Gabriel was dressed in a suit, and Darren in a bathrobe. Maybe that would be enough of an edge…
“Fine.” Darren tossed the knife into the sink. “But I want to fight as Weres are supposed to.”
Gabriel smirked. “You think you stand a chance against me either way?”
“I do.” Darren stepped forward. “Unless you’re coward.”
The man glared, his gaze like steel, then shrugged. As he opened his mouth to speak again, Darren made his move.
With a hand planted on the countertop for support, he jumped and planted both feet on Gabriel’s chest. The man flew to the floor on the other side of the room, but Darren’s handhold hadn’t been strong enough so he tumbled, too. As quickly as he could he tore his robe off and forced the change.
Each time was slightly faster and slightly less painful, but it was still white-hot agony. All through the change he focused on Paul being trapped somewhere, and likely being tortured. He came out of the other side of the change and shook his head viciously as his eyesight blurred, then resharpened, bringing with it the enhanced vision of the wolf. As he waited the short few seconds for his equilibrium to turn he caught side of the end of Gabriel’s shift.
Damn it, he’s fast! The man had literally torn all his clothes off to speed the process, and with the faster shifting that his years had brought, Darren’s head start amounted to almost nothing. If he had been wearing anything other than a bathrobe, Gabriel would have torn him apart before he was halfway undressed.
Darren could have run in and pressed his marginal advantage, but given Gabriel’s experience, it could well have resulted in a quick win for the alpha. Instead Darren hung back, snarling. He needed to slow the man down, not rush to his own death.
Gabriel approached slowly, skirting around the coffee table, his stare not leaving Darren’s. Darren held his ground, holding to the slim hope that Paul hadn’t been flattering him when he’d said Darren moved as fast as some experienced Weres.
Gabriel was the first to attack, and quickly had Darren backpedaling into the kitchen. The wolf was lethally fast, and several times he managed to taste fur. Darren kept backing up, focusing only on avoiding the wolf’s teeth until his hind legs met a cupboard. He whined softly as he realized he had nowhere else to go. Gabriel snarled and came on, then lunged forward. Darren threw all his weight to one side and leapt out of the way just as Gabriel collided with the cupboard door.
Maybe Paul was right. He didn’t have time to congratulate himself, as Gabriel came on again with renewed vigor. This time, though, Darren had room to move. His confidence buoyed he even tried to retur
n attacks. Every one of them missed but one, but that was one more than Gabriel had managed to score.
Just as Darren began to consider the idea that he might win the fight, Gabriel lunged again. Darren dodged but yelped as he realized too late that Gabriel had feinted left then come on right. Pain tore through his neck as the older wolf bit down through his fur, finding flesh.
Darren yelped and dashed to one side, Gabriel snapping at his heels. The apartment was large for the area, but it was hardly designed for dueling wolves, and Darren soon found himself dodging furniture and smashing into tables. The wound on his neck wasn’t helping either. It was bleeding heavily and making the floor slick.
This has to end. He skidded to a halt and span as Gabriel came on. The alpha slowed as he approached, his maw wet with Darren’s blood. As he neared, he lunged, but this time Darren recognized the feint. As Gabriel went left, Darren stepped in close and bit hard, catching the wolf on the ear. He pulled back hard, tearing flesh and sinew, and Gabriel howled in pain. Darren dropped the bloody ear to the floor, trying to overcome his own revulsion.
Gabriel took one look at the gore and lunged again. Darren tried to move back but found himself with his back to the wall. He managed to dodge the first few strikes, but the next found flesh. He howled and pulled to the side as Gabriel hit the same spot as the first time. Darren shook his head as the blood loss began to hit home. His vision was starting to blur, too.
The alpha backed up a moment and chuffed, as if he was laughing. Darren realized that Gabriel knew he had won. The older wolf planted his back feet to lunge one last time, then came forward again. Darren watched the wolf come, then noticed a blur in the corner of his eye. A foot came out of nowhere and connected with the wolf’s jaw with enough force that Gabriel spun to the side, colliding with the wall and slumping to the blood-covered floor.
“Darren? That you?”
Darren turned to find Ethan crouched beside him. Darren nodded once, then passed out.
Chapter Fourteen
For the past hour, Mickey had made Paul his punching bag. Alternating between his baseball bat and his knuckle dusters, he’d beaten Paul until he verged on passing out, then backed off to laugh and mock.
His main topic had been what Gabriel was probably doing to Darren.
“Oh, I’m sure he’s having fun with your boy,” Mickey said, stepping back and shaking the blood from his fist. “If he’s still alive, anyway.”
Paul didn’t answer. His head was swimming from another beating, and it was all he could do to stay conscious. He focused on Darren being attacked by Gabriel and used the anger to keep himself going.
“I bet Darren lasted all of four seconds before he started to beg for his life. Probably offered his ass to Gabriel.” Mickey pointed his baseball bat at Paul. “You’ll never know.”
Paul spat yet another mouthful of blood onto the floor. “That a fact?”
“Yeah, it is. Because despite what Gabriel says, I just can’t let you live.” Mickey leered. “I’m thinking you’ll accidentally bleed to death while I’m out taking a piss.”
“You think Gabriel will be happy to hear you killed me?”
“Oh no, he’ll be furious.” He shrugged. “But he’ll get over it.”
Paul shifted his position to try and ease one of the many aches in his body. As he did he closed his grip around one of the metal poles that made up the frame of the chair’s back. In all Mickey’s fun, he’d neglected to realize that while chains were made to take a beating, chairs weren’t.
“Maybe he won’t,” Paul said as he gently rocked the pole from side to side. “Maybe he’ll put you in my place as punishment.”
Mickey laughed. “Yeah, right. Gabriel and me are close. Real close. Wouldn’t happen.”
“Well, we’ll find out, won’t we? Here he is.”
As Mickey turned to look, Paul pulled hard on the pole. It cracked and came away at the base of the seat but held at the top. Mickey spun back around.
“Made you look,” Paul said with a grin.
Mickey scowled and raised his bat. “Looks like you’re ready for another round.”
The man came in fast, aiming his first blow for Paul’s chest. Paul tensed as the bat connected and at the same time yanked on the pole. The top came free with a squeal of metal, and Paul twisted hard to the side. The back of the chair broke away entirely, and the chains slid down to his waist, leaving his hands free again.
Mickey swore and jumped back, but didn’t move fast enough. Paul lashed out with a left hook and sent the man sprawling to the floor. Paul grabbed the chair’s base with both hands and pushed up with his legs, trying to break either the bolts or the chair itself before Mickey came back. He was partially successful, as one leg broke, allowing Paul to pull his foot from the slackened chain.
“Nice try, but you’re still stuck,” Mickey said as he approached, gesturing to Paul’s one chained leg. “Game over.”
Mickey slid one hand behind his back and pulled out a handgun. He cocked it and swung it round to aim at Paul, who threw himself down as the first shot went off. He pulled himself up and yanked hard at his trapped leg, but it refused to budge.
“Nice move,” Mickey said as he closed in. “You won’t dodge this one, though.”
“No fucking class,” Paul said as he rubbed at his sore calf. “Weres don’t use guns.”
“This one does.”
Paul let him near, giving the man the impression that he had nowhere to run. As Mickey approached, Paul gripped the loose coils of chain around his free leg.
“Night night,” Mickey said and raised the gun.
“Fuck you, Mick.”
He pulled hard at the chain, and it came free in his hand. In the same motion, he threw it up and out, catching Mickey around the neck. He pulled hard, and Mickey’s eyes bulged as he scrabbled at the chain, the gun in his hand forgotten. Paul pulled again, harder, and this time there was a crack as Mickey’s neck snapped. The man fell to the floor, dead, and Paul let out a sigh of relief then turned to his stuck leg.
“Paul?”
Paul snapped his head off to one side of the darkened room. “Avani?”
A bright white light appeared halfway up one wall, and it took Paul a moment to realize it was a window. Avani slid through and landed in a half crouch. She spotted Mickey and straightened.
“There were a couple more outside, but I took care of them,” she said. “You need a hand?”
Paul yanked at the chain again. “Yeah, thanks.”
Avani ran over and slammed her foot into what was left of the chair until the leg broke, then pulled the chain from it and helped Paul remove the loose coils.
“Ethan called me from his car. Said Darren had called and then sent me to a minimart to find you. They masked their trail pretty well, which is why it took me so long.”
Paul stood on shaky legs. “Is Darren okay?”
“He’s fine. Gabriel went after him, but Darren fought him off. He was in a bad way, but Ethan managed to patch him up.” She smirked. “Your apartment is a bit of a mess, though.”
“That, I can fix.” He rubbed his throbbing head. “Let’s get out of here.”
* * * *
Darren woke to find Paul hugging him so tight he could barely breathe. He hugged him back, then slapped him on the arm to get him to let go. The man grunted in pain, but let go, moving to sit on the edge of the bed.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he said. “I was so worried.”
“I’m fine,” Darren said, ignoring the flare of pain in his neck. “Where am I? Last thing I remember…”
Words escaped him as he looked at Paul’s face. He was bloody and swollen, and judging by the way he moved, it extended to the rest of his body, too.
“Are you okay?”
Paul smiled. “I am now I know you’re okay.”
Darren shrugged. “Compared to you, I’m the picture of health.”
His neck throbbed where Gabriel had taken a bite out of him, bu
t already the pain was fading. He rubbed at the thick bandage someone had applied while he’d been out cold.
“Where’s Gabriel?”
Paul’s expression darkened. “Nearby. Ethan’s questioning him now.”
Darren sat up in the bed and fought the wave of nausea. “I want to see him.”
“You should rest.”
“I can rest later.”
Paul nodded and helped Darren out of the bed. “The interrogation isn’t going so well. Gabriel refuses to say a word.”
Darren steeled himself and followed the slow-moving Paul into another room. Wherever they were, it wasn’t familiar. His senses picked up more than a few Weres, though he had a feeling all but one were on his side.
Paul led Darren along a short hallway to a door flanked by two Weres he didn’t recognize. Paul introduced them as two of his enforcers. Both shook Darren’s hand. One grinned wide and gestured to the door.
“Saw what you did to Gabriel. Wish I’d done it myself.”
Darren could only smile weakly. He didn’t want to think about the fight. If it wasn’t for Ethan’s timely appearance, he’d be dead.
One of the Weres unlocked the door, and Paul and Darren walked into a brightly lit office. It had been cleared of all furniture other than two chairs. On one sat Ethan, and on the other sat Gabriel.
Whoever had bandaged Darren hadn’t bothered treating Gabriel. His entire left ear was gone, leaving a mess of blood and torn flesh. Darren tried not to let his revulsion show. The bastard was going to kill me.
Paul folded his arms over his chest, his gaze on Gabriel. “Nice ear. Where’s the other one?”
Gabriel’s eye twitched, but other than that he had no reply.
“You’re up,” Ethan said. “Both of you, in fact.”
Darren smiled. “Thanks to you. I’d be dead otherwise.”
Ethan smirked. “Nah, you had the guy. I just wanted to get a shot in before you finished him off.”
Paul’s attention flicked from Gabriel to Darren, a look of pride on his face. “And you thought you’d be terrible at the fighting part.”