by C. M. Owens
“I’m going to miss you, and I’m going to live with regret. I should have tried calling you, even though you told me not to. I should have done a lot of things differently, and you should have too.”
My phone rings loudly, and Leah startles while I grimace. I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, and I turn away, grabbing my phone to answer… Dice?
“What?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder as Leah watches me instead of speaking with her aunt.
My eyes move back to the old farmhouse Leah grew up in. I’ve learned a hell of a lot about her in the past two weeks. And this shithole town still lives like it’s the sixties.
“Well, hello to you too, sunshine,” Dice drawls. “Just letting you know we’ve burned all the guns and shit. Guns don’t belong in our world. Not even your girl gets to keep one, because that shit is just too dangerous for all of us. All the books have been confiscated, and Chaz has them in his secret library, whatever the hell that is. We’ll figure out how Victor was forging the anointed weapons for Leah, but Kane and Alyssa want to keep the upper hand and keep this information out of the hands of the anointed.”
“I already know this,” I say in an annoyed breath.
“Did you know Leah now owns all those properties?”
“Yes.”
“Hashtag, you’re stealing my motherfucking thunder, Angel.”
“Stop calling me Angel.”
“You’re right. You’re not Angel. Spangel is better. It’s Spike and Angel blended, in case you were wondering.”
I groan as I scrub my face with one hand. “Anything important to say?” I growl.
“Yeah, we’re pulling up.”
I look up just as two SUVs roll into the yard and park inside the barn. Chaz is the first to emerge, and everyone else walks out as he shuts the barn doors on the vehicles.
Dice flips me off before tossing his arm around Karma’s shoulders, and she leans against him. I don’t know how she tolerates him all the time.
Chaz walks over to me as the others stop to speak to Leah, and he looks over his shoulder before lowering his tone to barely a whisper.
“Slade is still not showing his face. Nothing at all. Roslyn can’t track him anymore. He’s figured out a way to mask himself from her. The only spots she can find his scent are spots he’s long since abandoned.”
My lips purse as I glance toward Leah, and her eyes narrow on mine like she knows I’m discussing something we shouldn’t be.
“What about you? Kya see anything?”
He shakes his head. “That battle was crazy and she hauled ass out of there the second it was over. Hell, she barely had one good eye open after that sadistic son of a bitch finished working her over, so I doubt she had the energy to look at me. Fortunately.”
I don’t know why I feel relieved. I’m not even fully sure what he is, but I’m starting to have my suspicions. Red jinn and that? Well… I’m glad he’s on our side.
“Slade took all the fun out of the fight when he killed them all so easily the second magic was turned back on. But he also had numerous bullet wounds all over him, and he didn’t even act like that shit hurt. It makes me wonder how hard he’s going to be to take down.”
I open my mouth to speak, but Leah’s voice is suddenly in on the conversation. Fuck.
“There won’t be any taking him down. As long as we leave him alone, he’ll leave us alone.”
I growl at her, and she holds her hand up. “Don’t fucking growl at me. I’ve already told you I don’t have any issues with him.”
“How can you not? He slit your fucking throat and—”
“Someone took him out of his century, locked him in a cage, and time stood still for him, Zee,” she says, her eyes raw and sincere. “He was tortured, caged, and forgotten, while life on the outside moved on. When he got out, he was still in his century, even though the world had changed. I don’t trust him, I don’t want to be near him, I certainly don’t want to be his friend or anything, but I understand him.”
When my eyes narrow, she gives me her sexy little wink before stepping into me. I hate the way she loves to distract me. Correction, I love it but hate that I’m weak enough to always get distracted.
“Besides,” she says, smiling up at me as her hands clasp behind my neck, “I’d rather focus all my attention on you. Not him. He doesn’t deserve it. You, however… Pretty sure I’m sort of in love with you.”
Chaz smirks before walking away, understanding my mind is fucked for now. That’s what she does to me.
My hands go to her ass, and she giggles when I jerk her against me.
“I’m pretty fucking sure you’re consumed by me. Love isn’t strong enough of a word. Admit it, I fucking ruined you,” I tell her, nipping her lips.
“Just like you said you would,” she says while smiling.
My lips come down on hers, and she moans into my mouth when our tongues dance to a familiar song. My hands go to her hair, threading through the soft strands that seem to have different colors of streaks every day. It’s been like that since my tats suddenly appeared on her arms, marking her, telling the world she’s fucking mine.
“You’ve ruined me, too,” I tell her, loving the way her grip tightens and becomes a little more urgent.
“We should go in,” I mumble against her lips.
“Or make them go in. I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to do it against a tree. And… I’m hungry. Guess my sire needs to feed me since there’s no packaged blood left.”
Just as I push her against a tree, that damned, fucking incubus ruins the moment.
“Hey, you’re a crazy bitch, but you fuck so good I’m on top of it—”
“You really do have a death wish, don’t you?” I snap, looking over at him as Leah ducks her head and laughs against my chest.
Dice grins, and Ella rolls her eyes while snickering and tugging him away. Gage and Kimber are already walking inside.
“Before you two fuck against a tree, think you can sit in on a conference call to Kane?” Thad asks, cocking an eyebrow at me.
I nod, even though I really don’t want to. Kissing her forehead, I pull her closer. “Don’t go anywhere,” I grumble, and she laughs again while I jog inside.
“Someone kill Dice for me,” I say as I sit down.
“Hey!” Dice yelps, throwing his hands up as he walks inside. “Hashtag, bullies. All of you. I’m hashtag, epic. Hashtag, recognize.”
Thad shakes his head while putting his phone in the center, and placing it on speaker. Rolling my eyes, I listen as Kane answers.
“Slade—I want his head on a platter,” he says, bypassing cordial hellos.
Chaz and I exchange looks, and Ella’s eyes fall to the floor.
“Obviously I do, too, but what’s got a bug up your ass?” Thad asks.
“If he steps near Ella one more time, someone puts a knife right between his eyes. Understood?”
All eyes swing to Ella, and her brow furrows in confusion as she looks up. Guess Kane has figured out Slade seems to always show up when she’s in danger, and that can only mean one thing…
“Hate to point out the obvious, but he has saved her life a few times,” Dice announces.
“Not fucking now, Dice,” Kane seethes.
“The guy took a slew of bullets to save her,” Roslyn says, even though she should hate him as much as Leah.
“Dead,” Kane repeats, and the phone call ends.
“That’s not what the conference call was supposed to be about,” Dice groans. “Again, why am I having to be the bloody rational one?”
“You want to call him back?” Thad asks, and Dice rapidly shakes his head.
“Let’s give him a few minutes to calm down from whatever has him pissed off,” Gage says, clearing his throat as he pulls Kimber onto his lap. “Then we’ll call back.”
Again, everyone looks to Ella.
She holds her hands up innocently. “I swear, I didn’t do a damn thing.”
Chaz looks los
t in thought, and I nudge him.
“What’s on your mind?”
He glances up, and notices everyone else looking at him as well.
“Leah and you couldn’t be killed by the anointed because of the hex, right?”
“That’s the theory. What about it?”
He motions to a picture on the mantle of Masie and some guy I don’t know.
“Resemble anyone we know?” he asks.
I shake my head.
“His daughter has his green eyes,” Chaz explains, and I suck in a slow breath. “Her dad was killed by Victor, but her dad was an Aquarius. See where I’m going with this?”
Leaning back, I try to process that. It hadn’t even occurred to me, and it should have.
“If he didn’t die, then where is he?” Dice asks, getting serious.
“That’s the question we need to be worried about,” Chaz says, still eyeing the picture.
“No one tell Leah,” I whisper quietly. “Not until we know for sure.”
Chapter 36
LEAH
As soon as Zee goes back inside, I take a breath that doesn’t feel weighted down by the world. Glancing back at my aunt’s grave, I feel a sense of peace come over me. She would have loved him. She would have loved the others too.
It might not have been the grand design—a hunter and a killer—but it works perfectly well. Especially now that I know where I fit in for the first time ever.
Thinking back to all those years of pain and confusion… I’m thankful for the day I walked into that damn, kinky club.
I’ve never been a normal person. I was always different. At least now I know why.
I’ve survived countless broken hearts. I’ve been betrayed. I’ve been hurt. I’ve tasted regret. I’ve been mocked and laughed at. I’ve been pushed to the bottom over and over.
I got back up.
I’ve smiled. I’ve laughed. I’ve loved. I’ve lived my life the way I want to. I’ve learned the value of happiness.
I got stronger.
Now I’m not a victim anymore, and it feels so damn good.
As if fate has a twisted sense of humor, a pickup truck rolls into the dirt drive, slamming on its brakes as three familiar, slightly older versions of the Leonard boys climb out.
You’d think they’d have learned their lesson the day Victor stole their dignity and almost their lives.
“Told you she was back,” Tommy says, smiling wickedly. “Freak shows are hard to miss.”
Instead of running like I used to, I stand my ground, battling a smile instead of swallowing down a knot of fear. A lot can change.
Their eyes dart around, taking in the one Audi in the driveway. Zee has expensive taste for a low maintenance guy. The others parked in the barn in case other anointed drifters showed up here. It’s been a genuine concern for the two weeks Zee and I have been here.
But no one has shown up.
Until now.
But they’re not gifted in any sort of way.
“Leah, Leah, Leah,” Mack says, grinning like the devil as he walks toward me.
I move closer, stepping in front of the house as I wait for them to try and attempt their worst.
“Doesn’t look like your sick fuck protector is here anymore,” Tommy taunts, even though his eyes shift around the yard to look for Victor.
“Hasn’t been here in years,” Mack drawls. “And I’d love a little payback for that night.”
The third Leonard just smiles, ready for some good action.
Suddenly, their eyes pop up over my shoulder, and Tommy’s smile falls as he takes a step back.
“What the fuck is this? The freak convention?”
I glance over my shoulder to see Zee sitting on the railing of the porch with a dangerous smirk on his lips. The tips of his faux hawk are red, his arms are crossed over his chest, and his eyes are trained on the three boys who once made my life hell.
Shit. The Leonard boys might die if they piss him off.
Dice is standing beside him, clad in all leather—per the usual. Karma is propped up against Dice, amusement sparkling in her eyes.
“I’m hungry,” she says, smiling when Dice chuckles.
“You can’t eat these lads, dear. It might come back on Leah.”
Karma mocks a pout, just as Gage walks out, shedding his jacket as he takes in our new company. Kimber is right on his heels, sliding a knife into a holster on her side.
Ella… Ella is the one who has let her silver eyes glow as she walks out, taking in the scene with a curious gaze and a wicked grin.
“Want to introduce us, love?” Dice asks me.
Zee drops down from the railing, and slowly walks up until his arms hook around my waist. Tommy takes another step back, just like the other two do, edging toward their pickup truck.
“Fucking freaks,” Tommy mutters.
“Oh, lads, you have no idea how freaky we can be,” Dice goes on, but I can’t see him. Zee has me wrapped up and watching the Leonard boys like he’s barely stopping himself from ripping them apart.
“What do you want to do with them?” he asks me.
Thad jumps off the porch, landing with a thud, and he rolls his sleeves up as a devilish smirk crawls over his face. Roslyn looks a little mischievous right now.
“Nothing. They’re not worth it,” I tell Zee, smiling when he groans like he’s disappointed. “I could have handled this myself.”
“You don’t get to handle anything alone ever again. Be glad I haven’t started chaining you to my bed fulltime yet.”
Tommy narrows his eyes on me, and Zee takes notice. I feel, rather than see, when his eyes shift to their blue, and Tommy’s eyes widen in horror as he slams his back against his truck.
“What… What the… What the…”
His ramble persists as Zee answers him. “Turns out Leah’s mother wasn’t the crazy one. She was just the only one to see what monsters are really out there,” Zee says, even though it’s just to make Tommy piss himself.
A vicious roar tears through the vacant air, and I look over just as Thad shifts into a freaking bear. Hell, that has me startling and Zee chuckling as he pulls me closer.
“The fuck?!” Mack screams, trying to get into the truck but unable to get the doors open. Judging by the satisfied look on Roslyn’s face, I’d say she has something to do with that.
Thad roars again, and Roslyn is suddenly howling while dropping down. When I see her emerge from behind Thad, she’s full wolf and growling, while rabidly staring down Mack.
Panic is almost tangible when they fall over themselves, trying to run away. As soon as they hit the road, they’re… naked…
“Motherfucker!” Tommy yelps, grabbing his crotch like he’s stunned and horrified. Another roar from Thad has them all running again, and I can’t hold back the riotous laughter that escapes me.
I’ve never seen a bear or wolf laugh until this moment.
“Aren’t you worried about exposure?” I ask.
“No,” Dice says with a grin. “They’ll be locked up if they spew that craziness in this narrow-minded, judgmental town.”
True…
Zee snickers against the crook of my neck before kissing it. “Did you make them naked?” I ask him.
“Nah,” he says, motioning toward Gage. “Gage did that. He can’t dress people, but he can strip them. If I had tried it, I might have accidentally blown their balls off.”
Dice groans before cupping himself.
“Hashtag, too far.”
Zee laughs lightly and turns me in his arms as his lips come down on mine. My fingers thread through his hair, pulling him closer. This is exactly where I’ve always belonged. I finally fit.
And it’s a damn good fit.
Chapter 37
MASTER
“We still have the Lokie,” my visionary reminds me, trying to calm me down before I implode. Or shatter his skull.
“He’s a fifth generation born in this breathing plane. His powers are as wa
tered down as his weak bloodline. He’s not strong enough for what I want. I need the royal blood.”
Things scatter against the far side of the wall, and I try to rein in my temper. I’m surrounded by fools. Arrogant, stupid, useless fools. Morgana couldn’t even seduce a weak, pathetic excuse for a night stalker.
“We were this close!” I yell, pinching my fingers together in demonstration. “Centuries of planning, and then they free the slave rings when we had everything in our grasp.”
He swallows hard, watching me with wary eyes.
“On top of all the other failures, an entire arsenal of anointed weapons are under our noses, and no one gets them?”
The visionary bows his head. “They had them locked under impenetrable seals. I never saw them until the seals lifted. By then, the king’s men were already on a quest to destroy them. Our men would have just been killed or captured.”
Regaining my composure, I smooth the wrinkles of my robe. “No matter. We may not need the Gemini or the Princess. While they were busy playing with the damned anointed, we collected the last of the circle. All the firsts are once again in our possession, and I can taste their power from here. It may be enough.”
My eyes fall on the mirror to see the Aquarius who is chained to the wall. It was hard to find him, considering he was still faking his death. Fools. They should know the history of an Aquarius better. No anointed can kill one.
The best part about that little war between the princess and the anointed is the fact the female Aquarius had a father rushing to save her from the big bad wolf who wanted her dead. Figuratively speaking.
Made it easy enough to pluck him right up without anyone even noticing. Mortals are weak. Their emotions rule them. They also get them killed.
I wave my hand over the mirror, and the view turns into my reflection instead of showing me my latest piece of the puzzle.
“You know doing this before we’re ready could end in disaster,” my visionary cautions, but the abrasive words irritate me more than anything.