“Don’t you ever forget it,” he rumbles as he holds me close to his body. I can feel his hardness poking into my stomach as he tightens his arms, letting me know what I do to him.
“You have nothing to worry about, hotness. After all, Sam has the hots for Caelius.” As the words leave my mouth, I see Caelius shoot out of his chair, overturning it as he turns. Gloria nearly falls to the floor at his sudden movements. If it wasn’t for his speed, she would be sprawled on the floor, but he grabs her arm before she can fall.
The others have all quietened at his reaction. Caelius’s nostrils flare in anger as he glares at me. Suddenly I wish I hadn’t said anything, because I feel as if I have just poked a sleeping bear and he’s about to chew my head off.
“There is no fucking way.” His voice is so deep that I hardly understood what he said; his beautiful dark-blue eyes look black with his anger. Ceric has pulled me behind him and is now standing protectively before me.
“Calm down, Brother,” Cassius calls from across the bar, a frown now also marring his forehead. At Cassius’s words, Caelius shakes his head as if to clear it. He takes in a deep breath and then turns and stalks out. Cassius hurries behind him, worry written all over his face.
“What was that all about?” I whisper to Ceric.
He simply shakes his head, pulling me against him again. “You need to stop provoking, Hellcat. One of these days, there will be problems. All of us have our own demons that we fight every day, and you don’t want to mess with those,” he says quietly as he kisses the top of my head.
“I wasn’t provoking. It’s the truth. Ask the girls. Sam has the hots for Caelius,” I declare in my defence. The last thing I wanted to do was upset Caelius.
“Well then, Hellcat, you should warn Sam that he mustn’t even think about making a move on Caelius unless he wants to stop breathing,” Ceric warns, and just as he finishes talking, Sven walks in, accompanied by a smiling Sam.
Anyone looking at Sam would never say he’s gay, but he’s as gay as they get. I love him, and I hope he finds himself someone who can see the wonderful man who hides behind all the talk.
“Hello, boys,” he calls happily from the door. I hear groaning from the men sitting on the couches. Turning my head, I glare at them. I know Sam can be a bit much, but he’s my friend. He gets a bit over the top, but that’s just to hide how sensitive he really is.
“Nunu,” he calls as he approaches. Ceric’s arms tighten around me, and he pulls me closer. “I thought He-man over here wasn’t going to be here?” Sam teases as he winks at Ceric. Ceric tenses in reaction but doesn’t say anything.
“I need you two to be friends; I can’t have my best friend and my man as enemies,” I grumble angrily. These two men are the most important people in my life. I can’t have them at each other’s throats all the time.
“He keeps his hands and his lips to himself, and I’ll be fine,” Ceric says. “No man kisses my woman except for me.” I roll my eyes in exasperation at Sam’s stunned face. I understand his surprise. He has already confirmed that he’s gay, but even like that, Ceric doesn’t want him touching me.
“I can’t even hug her?” he asks dejectedly.
“Of course you can,” I say instantly, and feel Ceric’s arms tense. Looking over my shoulder and up at him, I say, “Don’t do this. Sam and I have been together since we were five. You can’t expect us to stop being who we are.”
I see his indecision, and then he grimaces. “I don’t like this. Try to keep it to a minimum, and not when I’m around.” I hear snickers from behind us.
“Oh yeah, she has him by the balls too,” one of the guys tease.
“You’re one lucky girl,” Sam says. Winking, he walks around us and towards the guys sitting on the couches. I see him approach Celmund and then sit down next to him. “So what are you guys up to today?”
Just then, Wulf walks in, accompanied by Draco. They are making their way towards us when they both stop in their tracks, staring at the door. I look around, and there in the door is Bion. He looks as if he hasn’t been sleeping much. His clothes are wrinkled, and his hair is dishevelled. His eyes are staring at Brielle, but she’s talking quietly to Jasmine and hasn’t seen him yet.
At the silence, both women look up and then gasp when they see Bion. Brielle’s cheeks fill with colour at his steady gaze. “Where the fuck have you been?” Draco roars, and strides angrily towards Bion. His hand shoots out, and he has Bion against the door and off the floor. I’m sure my eyes must be as huge as saucers; I have never seen anyone pick up someone off the floor as he is doing except in the movies, and he is doing it with just one arm.
Bion doesn’t fight back; he keeps his arms down. “We looked all over for you, motherfucker. What did you think you were doing disappearing like that?”
Wulf comes behind Draco and places his hand on his shoulder. “Let him down, Brother,” he states, squeezing his shoulder in understanding. Draco continues scowling, but he slowly lets him slide back down and then finally lets go of his throat.
“I couldn’t contact you, or they would have found me,” Bion gasps breathlessly.
“Who would have found you? What are you talking about?” Wulf asks. Seeing movement from the corner of my eye, I notice that Brielle is standing, a hand around her throat, her eyes huge in horror.
“I went for a ride when I left here that day. When I got out of town, I decided to ride to the warehouse where they are supposed to be holding the women. I parked where we were before, but a couple hours later, when I was about to turn back, there was movement.” His voice is still hoarse.
They must have realised that everyone was listening to the conversation, including Sam and the Jezebels, because Draco interrupts him by calling a meeting. One minute they are all there; the next, Ceric is kissing my forehead and then following the others inside.
“Jeepers, Nunu, is this always like this here?” Sam asks curiously from his seat by the couch. “No wonder you like it here. You have excitement all the time. If it isn’t the eye candy, then it’s all the testosterone flying around, and if you don’t get enough of that, it’s the hot sex you’re getting, because, girl, I have never seen you so bowlegged as you are right now.”
At his comment, I gasp dramatically. “What do you mean bowlegged?” And then I look down at my legs and bow them exaggeratedly, making Jasmine and Sam laugh at my teasing. Brielle is still looking pale, but there is a slight smile on her face.
We continue to joke around for about an hour before we hear the men making their way towards us. When I see Ceric strapping on his weapons, my heart starts to race. Whatever it was that Bion had to say has got the men armed and, by the looks of it, ready to fight.
“Brielle, we won’t be going to the bakery today; we will make it for another day,” Ceric comments when he reaches us. “We are gonna go on a run. Should be back sometime tomorrow.” And then he places his hand behind my neck and pulls me towards him.
“Be good. I don’t want to have to worry about you,” he orders in a gruff voice before he lowers his head and takes my lips in a blistering kiss. I don’t know how long he kisses me, because I forget about everything and everyone when he touches me.
“Have some compassion for us poor sods over here,” I hear Sam quip teasingly. “I want myself one of those too.”
Ceric grunts against my lips. Lifting his head a little, I see his beautiful eyes heavy with lust as he stares at me.
“Be careful.” I hate it when I know he’s going out where there will be danger. I keep imagining him disappearing before my eyes as the Keres did. He strokes my cheek with his thumb and then kisses the tip of my nose.
“Walk me to my bike?” he asks. I don’t answer. I simply place my hand in his and turn towards the outside door, only then realizing that everyone has already gone outside except for the two Jezebels. Even Sam isn’t here.
Most of the guys are already sitting on their bikes. Wulf is holding Orion while he lovingly strokes Jasmine�
�s cheek. Brandr is standing next to his bike, hugging Aria goodbye. Looking around, I see that Bjarni isn’t here yet. “Isn’t Bjarni going?” I ask curiously. His bike is parked next to Burkhart’s.
“No, Gabriela isn’t feeling well,” Ceric states as he looks around.
“Who’s staying here?” I ask, as I see that Celmund is already mounted on his bike.
“Bjarni, Gunner, Bion, and the prospect. Don’t worry, Hellcat, you’ll be safe,” he declares as we walk towards his bike. I feel Ceric tense when we walk past Sam, who is standing to one side, seeing the guys leave. “When’s he leaving?”
I slap him playfully on the back. “Don’t be nasty. He’s just arrived.” I hear him grunt in response, but he doesn’t say anything else. Aria and I stand together as we see our men leave with the others. Brielle is standing next to Sam. I see his arm is around her shoulders while they both laugh at something he said. I have felt guilty leaving Sam since mating with Ceric. After all, he has always been there for me, but now it seems as if he may have found someone else to take under his wing.
CERIC 21
We have spread out and are now circling the warehouse; if anyone is inside, they won’t be able to see us. We’ve been sitting outside for the last five hours, and nothing’s been happening. Cassius and I are hiding in an abandoned factory that has a view of the front of the warehouse where the Keres are supposed to be hiding the women.
“I’m starving.” Cassius looks over at me from his position behind a cement pillar and grunts. “Don’t you have any of those energy bars you eat?” I ask, hopeful. We can usually depend on him to have a stash of bars in his backpack. I’m bored of just sitting here doing nothing. I could be with Nova right now. Instead, I’m in the middle of nowhere, waiting for something that might not even happen.
When Bion told us what he had heard and seen, we had no doubt that we had to be here today. He had been about to leave, when an SUV pulled up. He couldn’t see who was inside, as the windows were tinted, but whomever it was, they weren’t Keres. A few minutes later, five Keres rode up. One of them was Merdor. Dismounting, they surrounded the SUV, and Merdor entered the car.
Bion said that when Merdor left the SUV, he was carrying an envelope. At this stage, Bion took a chance and moved closer to where the Keres were. That was when he heard Merdor telling the others that he had a lead on another of our mates. At this stage, they moved into the warehouse, and Bion followed, trying to listen to what they had to say.
Merdor had made a phone call, telling whoever was on the other side that the women were to be transported as soon as possible; he mentioned that they would be picked up here at the warehouse. Bion suspects that whoever was in that SUV must be government, and we are now more suspicious than ever of the FBI.
“So, now that you’re hungry, they’re good enough? Usually you say they are only good for weaklings.” Cassius brings me back from my thoughts as he quips with a raised eyebrow. “Are you suddenly feeling week?”
“I’m just fucking bored.” Just as I’m about to turn my back against the waist-high wall I’ve been hiding behind, I hear Wulf in my earpiece telling us there is movement on his side and we must keep our eyes open.
“It’s about time,” Cassius says. “I hope that motherfuckers with them.” His voice is low, filled with fury. He doesn’t have to say who he wants to be there; we all know that Cassius has wanted Merdor dead ever since he was held prisoner by him. Cassius fights his bloodlust daily because of what Merdor did to him while being held. From all the brothers, Cassius is the one I worry about turning Keres the most because of his bloodlust, but he has made Draco promise to take him down if he turns.
“Just keep your cool, man. You know we’ll get him sooner or later,” I say. Cassius is leaning up against the concrete slab, his head leaning back against the wall, his eyes closed. Just then, I see movement to my right. Pulling up my sniper, I look through the scope to have a clearer view.
“Fuck,” I grunt. “We have movement. There are five bikes and a truck. There might be more behind the truck.” From the corner of my eye, I see Cassius crouch and ready his sniper. The plan is to take out as many as we can before we breach the warehouse.
“We have a visual,” Burkhart confirms. He and Brandr are closer to the warehouse than we are, as they have been checking for explosives around the perimeter. “There are another five behind the truck.”
“Get ready,” Draco orders. A few minutes later, the bikes draw up in front of the warehouse, the truck right behind them.
“There are another five on this side,” Wulf reveals from our left side. That makes fifteen Keres we can see to eight of us. The guys who were riding in front have dismounted and are now walking towards the warehouse; they move towards different sections and then stop, looking around for any abnormal movement.
A minute later, Merdor steps out of the passenger side of the truck, also looking around before he moves towards the back and opens the door to reveal five women inside. The bikers who were guarding the back are still on their bikes with their guns drawn, as if expecting trouble.
“Do you think they suspect we’re here?” Cassius asks from his position.
“I don’t know how, but anything’s possible,” I answer quietly. Merdor starts to usher the women out of the truck and towards the Keres standing by the door to the warehouse. The women seem scared; there are bruises on their bodies, and their clothes are torn.
“As soon as the women are inside, take down the guys on the bikes,” Draco states. “Wulf, you and Caelius take out the ones at the back. Burkhart, you and Brandr move in when I give the go ahead. Celmund and I will be attacking from our side.” We wait patiently while all the women are moved inside. When the last one enters, Draco gives the go ahead.
I aim and then shoot, hearing Cassius shoot at the same time as me. Two guys from the five who were on the bikes are dead. The other three have ducked behind their bikes and are shooting at where they think the shots might be coming from. The guys inside the warehouse are also shooting. I shoot again, aiming for the tank of the bike. As the bullet finds its target, the Keres jumps out of the way before the bike explodes, and runs towards the door of the warehouse, but Cassius is quicker and shoots him, hitting him in the leg.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I hear Cassius say as we see the guy who has just been shot pulling himself towards the door. Cassius aims and shoots again, killing the guy just as he reaches the door.
“We’re in,” Brandr informs us. Celmund showed us the blueprints of the warehouse, but we don’t know if anything has changed in the interior, because we weren’t able to break in, as there are always guards around the perimeter.
“We’re in,” Celmund states. I know Draco was reluctant to attack today because of the speed of everything that occurred, but we didn’t have a choice.
The one guy runs for the door of the warehouse and manages to get inside before we can shoot him, but as the last one tries his luck, I shoot, the shot hitting him in the head. Instantly, he disintegrates into a puddle.
“We’re moving in,” Cassius informs us as we start making our way cautiously to the warehouse. We can hear the women screaming over the sound of the gunshots. I hate it when I hear women in distress, especially now that I’m mated. All I can think about is that could be Nova in there.
We’re about halfway in when we hear cars approaching. Looking towards where the Keres came from, I see two SUVs approaching at high speed. “Two SUVs incoming,” I state, letting the brothers inside the warehouse know that we have company. Cassius and I are in the open with nowhere to hide. I lift my sniper to my shoulder and aim. After I shoot, I notice that the SUVs must be bulletproof, as the bullet didn’t penetrate.
“Shoot for the tyres,” I advise as Cassius is about to shoot. I notice him adjusting hurriedly and then he shoots. I fire again right after. The front SUV swerves as we blow one of its tyres, but then straightens and continues coming. We shoot again, and this time when it swe
rves, it smashes into a tree opposite the road.
The other one continues rapidly approaching while shooting out the window of the SUV at us. “Fuck,” Cassius roars as a bullet grazes his arm.
“Move! Let’s get out of here,” I thunder as I start running towards the truck the women were in. Crouching behind the truck, I look over at Cassius. “You okay?” He asks but nods in agreement.
“Who the fuck are these guys? They’re not Keres,” I state. “We need to keep them alive long enough to know if they are Salazar’s men or not.” Cassius grunts as he looks around the truck and shoots as the SUV comes to a stop a few meters away from us. Four guys have gotten out of the SUV that crashed against the tree, and are now making their way towards us.
“We need help,” I call as I see another four get out of the SUV closer to us. Cassius and I are shooting, but soon, we’ll run out of bullets if we don’t get rid of these guys.
“What’s going on?” Draco asks.
“We have eight unfriendlies shooting at us outside the warehouse,” I say.
“Burkhart, go from that side. Celmund will go from this one,” he orders. I hear their confirmation and know that soon we’ll have help.
I crouch down, placing my hands on the ground, and send a shockwave their way. I hear the ground heave and then the groaning of the SUV. Cassius shoots, and I hear one of the unfriendlies scream in pain. “Got you, fucker,” Cassius grunts, and then shoots again. “I’m going to drain the liquid from the SUV. Have you got your lighter with you?” At my confirmation, he places his handgun in the waist of his jeans.
“No need for your lighter, asshole. The cavalry has arrived,” Burkhart says into our earpieces. “Let’s roast these fuckers.”
Cassius lifts his hands, rotating them towards the SUV. I see the liquid dripping from the bottom while I continue to shoot. “Now,” he states.
CERIC: Elemental's MC (book 4) Page 16