by Cree Storm
Baldwin smile., "Yep, and he's all mine."
Making their way towards the front, smoke had filled the room as a small fire in the trash can flickered and grew. Grabbing the fire extinguisher, Baldwin pulled the pin and put the fire out before it could spread.
"What the hell?" Nash hissed.
Vik looked at Baldwin and suddenly they knew what was going on. "It's a diversion!" They said as one.
Baldwin turned to Vik. "Barry's trying to get the watch. He knows it's the one firm piece of evidence we have."
"Son of a bitch, Donny!" Vik gasped racing towards the lab.
Baldwin was right behind his mate when his com buzzed and Wolf said, "Baldwin, we're here, but there's something blocking the door. It's some kind of explosive, I think."
"Okay, get Pelt on it and have your men go check the other doors and surround the building. No one in or out until I give the word," Baldwin replied quietly.
"You got it," Wolf stated.
Nash hissed, "We need to get everyone out of the building. We can't allow―"
"We can't let anyone out, Nash, the exits have explosives on each of the doors," Baldwin stated matter of factly.
"Then how the hell did Barry expect to get out?" Wade asked in confusion.
Racing to catch up with Vik, Baldwin stopped in his tracks when he saw Barry with a scalpel to Donny's throat. "Don't anyone move, or I swear, I will slice this asshole shifter's throat."
"Barry, it's over. With or without the watch, we have everything we need to convict you for the murders," Vik said holding his gun firmly in his hand, pointing it at Barry's head.
"You have shit without that fucking watch! I know it and you know it," Barry snarled pushing the knife enough to cause a trickle of blood to flow out of Donny's neck.
"Yes, Vik, don't be an idiot. Please, stop being an idiot. My life depends on you not being an idiot," Donny rambled.
Barry gripped Donny harder, snapping, "Shut the fuck up!"
Donny hissed as the knife dug in, "Shutting up." Then tightened his lips and did a motion like locking a door to his lips, saying, "See? Shutting up."
"Look, Barry, you're not getting out of here, so why not just set the scalpel down and make this easier on everyone?" Vik asked softly.
Barry threw his head back, laughing like the maniac he was. "Easier? Seriously, Vik? You and your shifter fucks are going to make my life easier? Now, tell me, how do you plan to do that? I mean, it isn't like you did such a bang-up job with making my life easier when you injured my mom and left her for fucking dead, now is it?"
"What are you talking about, Barry? What's wrong with your mom?" Vik asked.
Scoffing, Barry replied, "My mom loved to go to the park to feed the ducks. Every evening she would go to that park and sit on a small bench near the water. She must have been terrified when all those men showed up shooting fire balls and bolts of electricity. Dragons and Phoenix in the air. Fighting all around her. She was seventy-two, Vik. Where is a seventy-two-year-old lady supposed to go?"
Vik tried to reason with the man. "Barry―"
"Doc Rob thinks it was one of those electric thingies that the pixie use that hit her, but he can't be sure. When I heard the call for ambulances I raced to the park. People, I should say, human people, were bleeding, scared, and crying. I found my mom on that fucking bench, slouched over, unresponsive. I did CPR and brought her back. The doctors said that she was without oxygen too long and was brain dead. I took her home and cared for her. Tony helped some, and I spent all my money on nurses, but I knew she was living on borrowed time."
"I'm so sorry, Barry," Vik whispered.
"No, you're not! None of you son of a bitches are the least bit sorry. You come into our town and bring that evil to us. Not thinking about anyone but yourselves. The humans around here pledging their allegiance to you and those of your kind. But I knew. I knew if I could make them see how dangerous you were that they would come together and destroy you, just like you have destroyed this town and my mother!" Barry stated getting louder and louder.
"Your town? We were here first, Barry. It was the phoenix that created Crystal. We built it from the ground up. We allowed you to live here, keeping everyone as safe as we could from the evil that lurks outside these borders," Vik snapped back.
Baldwin could see the anger and frustration rising within Barry. Nash's question earlier kept running through his mind, how the hell did Barry expect to get the fuck out of here? The answer clicked. He didn't. Fuck! Moving a little to his left, inch by inch, until Barry pointed the gun in his direction. "You! Stop fucking moving!"
His com buzzed and Wolf's voice came through, "Baldwin, every door has a timer connected and it's counting down. Pelt is working as fast as he can, but we're running out of time."
Baldwin said one word, not wanting to give his find away, "Destrain."
"You want me to call the king to come and―Fuck, I should have thought of that. On it now," Wolf replied, tapping out.
"Destrain? That pixie fuck? If I knew how to get a hold of Fallon, I would do it in a heartbeat. He has to die. All of you have to fucking die."
Baldwin had heard about partial shifting, but he had never done it himself. Right now, he really needed to. Turning to Vik, he could see his mate looking at him curiously. Baldwin could give no warning on what he was going to do, and he was sorry for that. Screaming, "Donny, shift!" Baldwin lurched forward, whipping his scorpion tail around, stabbing Barry in the right shoulder. The scalpel dropped, and Vik was on him.
Barry kicked and screamed as Vik cuffed him. Footsteps rushed forward with Destrain and his men in tow. Destrain looked at the scene as a cat hissed and ran from the room. Destrain saying, "All the bombs are defused."
"Thank you, your highness," Baldwin said with a nod to the king.
Barry jerked and hissed as he pulled on the wound Baldwin had inflicted. "You think you saved the people of Crystal? I have news for you, your fight with the humans has just begun."
Vik snarled, "I hope you're wrong, Barry, but if not, then we will take them down just like we did you."
Nash stepped forward. "Ryder and I can process this piece of shit in. The reports can wait until tomorrow. Go grab some food, and get a good night's sleep. You’ve earned it."
* * * *
Vik and Baldwin finished their lunch, spending the whole time talking about their future. Now that they had caught the bad guy and all was well in Crystal again, well, relatively speaking, they still had some work to do with that hate group. Plus, with Fallon still out there somewhere, were they ever really safe? Well, Suneth had loaned Nash some men until he could hire a few new ones, so whatever happened in the next week, they could take care of.
Vik couldn’t think about that right now. He had a mate to take home and show how much he wanted and loved him. Now that they had a whole week off, he wasn’t letting Baldwin out of his bed, even if he had to tie the man to it. That thought had him buzzing with anticipation and he smiled.
Sylux approached Vik with Asbuth by his side.
"Whatever it is, take it to Nash. My mate and I are on vacation," Vik stated.
Sighing, Sylux said, "We just wanted to know if you've heard anything at all about Wade? King Suneth is really struggling with him going MIA."
Shaking his head, Vik replied, "Sorry. I haven't heard a thing. Why not ask Rory, he should be able to help?"
"Believe me, we tried. The shit won't even let us into the shop. It's like trying to get into Fort Knox to get in there," Asbuth stated angrily.
"Just give it some time. He'll be back. This isn't the first time the man has done this," Vik explained.
Nodding, the gargoyles backed away and left the diner. Bringing Vik back to the thoughts he had just been having about he and Baldwin.
“What has that handsome smile on your face, mate?” Baldwin asked and when Vik met his mate’s gaze he could see the same heat in Baldwin’s gorgeous turquoise eyes as he was sure was shining in his own.
&nb
sp; Vik smiled and slid from the booth, then stood, holding his hand out to Baldwin. “A whole week to ourselves. I have a few thoughts on how we can pass the time,” Vik said huskily.
Baldwin chuckled and grasped Vik’s hand as he stood. “Wicked thoughts, I hope.”
“When it comes to you and me together, what other thoughts could I possibly have?” Vik teased and the two headed for the door.
As they approached the door it swung in and Pascal and the large bouncer from Maddox, Zen, walked in.
“Hi, Vik. Hi, Baldwin,” Pascal greeted with a smile.
“Hello, Pas, Zen,” Vik responded as he and Baldwin let the two enter, then immediately stepped out into the fresh midday air. He had a mate to pleasure and he couldn’t wait to get started and make up for lost time.
EPILOGUE
The sleek woman dressed in a floor-length, skin-tight dress stood at the window of her luxurious office, looking down over the twinkling city lights, as she twisted a lock of her fire red hair around one finger. She was thinking of the future of her business and hoping her risk of moving would pay off.
“Madam, we think we found him,” the voice of her manservant, Pickard, said as he walked into the room.
She turned from the window and met his gaze, lifting a perfectly shaped brow in question.
“It is as you said may be the case. With all the shifters moving to Maddox, Colorado, your men checked, and he’s there,” Pickard said happily.
“Perfect. With all the shifters leaving this area and some of the vamps, my client list has dropped exponentially. I think it’s time for me to meet with the others and make the move to Maddox. I think we will make a killing there.”
“I completely agree, Madam. Should I make the arrangements for your meeting and call the man in charge in Maddox? We hear that anyone wanting to start a business there has to go through a man by the name of Rhys Shadowfox-Abruzzo-Sutherlan.”
“Now, that’s a mouthful. Yes, make the calls.”
“As you wish,” Pickard said with a bow, then left the room.
She turned back to face the window, an evil smirk lifting the corners of her bright red lips. “I will see you soon, little man. Very soon.”
THE END