Chapter 5
Bar Fight
LANIAS
The bar wasn’t the nicest, it was off a dirt road in the back woods of Tennessee.
Wood paneling could easily be used as kindling if the owner inside refused to be helpful. Counting the number of motorcycles in the parking lot, she was sure those inside probably wouldn’t be that welcoming to an outsider, but she didn’t care what they thought.
Over muscled humans were the least of her worries. The minute she entered she heard the door bang loudly behind her, and all the humans inside turned to look at her. Some dismissed her, turning their attention back to their drinks.
While a few weighed her with sharp gazes, clearly wondering what had brought her to such a place.
She had kept her clothing understated, if her sister saw her now, she wouldn’t believe it.
The tight gowns and sharp suits had been replaced with jeans, leather boots and a fur trimmed leather jacket.
She kept it simple, blood made too much of a mess and as often as she’d had to spill it over the last few months, it was getting exhausting cleaning it.
“Are you ordering a drink or just standing there all night?” Someone demanded, that someone she soon realized was the bar tender.
His face was clean, and he wore a simple button-down blue jean shirt and jeans.
He quirked a brow at her, clearly expecting her to either walk toward the bar or stay in the short foyer.
Tilting her head slightly, she moved toward the bar. “I just wanted to make sure everyone got a clear view of what I have to offer.”
His lips twisted. “I don’t allow no selling of fucks around here.”
“Who said anything about selling sex?” she asked, reaching the bar and looking over his stock. “I only wanted to make sure they understood.”
He glanced at something behind her before his gaze returned to her. “Look, I don’t think you understand just where you are, missy. This place isn’t just for anyone to waltz into, if you understood anything you’d be running back out of here.”
Lanias smiled at him when suddenly a heavy hand landed on her shoulder.
Her entire body locked before she could stop it.
For the briefest second her breath caught, her skin crawling beneath his touch, the smell of sweat and stale liquor invading her nose.
The memory of cold stone walls and unwanted hands flickered behind her eyes. Then it was gone.
She kept her smile.
A smile was a weapon, to hide, to deceive, and to negotiate with.
“Sir, what’s your name?” she asked the rude human behind the counter, her voice smooth and even as if nothing had happened at all.
He frowned, clearly wondering what was wrong with her. “Gilbert. They call me Gil around here.”
“Well, Gilbert.” She placed a hand atop the one that had been set on her shoulder. Her fingers were steady now, precise. “I understand your words.”
She lifted the hand and tightened her hold slowly, deliberately, until the man behind her began to sweat and released a sharp scream. She twisted it sharply, turning to her right and lashing out with her foot, causing the burly man who’d thought to harass her to fall to his knees.
“Fuck, let go,” he cried, reaching to pry her fingers off. She jerked his hand higher, bending it at an angle it was never meant to hold. He released another cry of pain and fell slightly forward, his weight sagging.
Without hesitation she reached inside her coat and pulled out a shiny knife. The blade caught the dim bar light as she pressed it against his throat with dangerous pressure against his throbbing artery. She could feel the pulse racing beneath the edge, frantic and uneven.
He sucked in a quick breath, his eyes widening in fear as he looked into her cold eyes. For a moment she studied the terror there, the way his bravado had vanished.
“Shit, ca-calm down. Don’t do anything you’ll regret,” he whimpered.
Lanias tilted her head slightly, her smile never wavering, though her grip tightened just enough to remind him how fragile skin truly was.
“I never regret anything,” she mused aloud, looking up. “Tell your men to sit down.” Her voice was calm and held not a single tremble. “I’ve come here to find one person, and I would love to leave here knowing that not a single person lost their life to my hand.”
The stranger swallowed, trying to look out of the corner of his eyes but seeing nothing he yelled. “Jim, Billie, all y’all, sit the fuck down.”
“But Hue—” Billie called.
“Shut up and sit down,” Hue yelled, sweating beads at his brow.
He gazed into her eyes and saw only nothingness reflected back at him from those cool black eyes.
No fear, no remorse, nothing. A clean slate, and the steadiness of the woman’s hand made it obvious she was used to taking life. “The-they’re sitting down.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
With that she drew her head back butting it into his, which knocked him out cold.
She dropped his hand, then turned to face the bartender Gilbert as he looked at her in silence.
Meanwhile, the men who’d sat down quickly rushed forward to grab their boss and pull his unconscious form away.
She replaced the knife inside her coat. “Now, about that drink. I want something smooth, how about some whisky?”
“Y-yes, right away.” Stuttering in fear, Gilbert quickly poured her drink. Lanias spent the time looking around the bar at the locals.
“Is there a regular who comes here named Stanthos?” she asked, facing the bartender once more.
His brow creased. “And what are you wanting with him?”
“Ah, ah. You’re not the one asking questions,” she said, picking up her drink and taking a sip. “Does he come here or not?”
“He was just here a few minutes ago,” one of the drunks answered, seeing as Gilbert seemed unwilling to expose his friend.
“Dammit, Eddy.” Gilbert Said.
Without a word Lanias ran back out of the bar. She searched the parking lot once more. Earlier she’d counted ten bikes and five vehicles when she entered now there were only four.
“Dammit.”
She ran over to one of the bikes, and with a muttered spell she started it as she hopped on. The tires squealed as she sped out of the parking lot in chase.
She should have gone to his house first, but her instinct told her he wouldn’t be there. She’d planned on catching him off guard here at the bar. But it looked like he’d slipped through her fingers.
She pressed two fingers to her lips and whistled envisioning the address.
Anyone within a fifty-mile radius with the same address in mind would be tracked by her. A long string escaped from between her fingers and twirled in the air before the end shot off, and like a bow string being pulled taught, it tightened in thin air.
Following it, Lanias kicked her motorcycle into high gear. She was so focused on catching up with Stanthos that when she came upon a car engulfed in flames she was struck dumb. Stopping the bike, she quickly hopped off not caring if the bike hit the ground.
Running toward the fire, she brought her hands together.
The black light in her hands spun before it turned blue and bright.
The wind around her rushed upwards. She felt her magic core tighten in protest and shudder.
Green magic was always difficult for her to use.
The wind slashed at her cheeks as rainwater slowly began to fall.
Pulling her hands apart, she felt the rain grow heavier as it started to fall harder.
“Stanthos!” she shouted as she ran toward the car. She could see his body leaning over the wheel. “Stanthos.”
Just as she drew close enough to see the blood on his head, she felt herself blown back as a bright orange light fell from above.
The air and the rain came to a halt, and Lanias felt her body rise up into the air before another force blew her back.
She tried to use her black magic to catch herself, luckily, she succeeded and harnessed herself to the ground with her roots.
Raising her arms up, she blocked the debris that came flying in her direction. Her eyes squinted, but as she slowly opened them, she spotted someone dragging Stanthos from the wreck. Quickly recognizing the symbols exposed upon the chest of that being, Lanias suddenly thought of Legolas.
Feeling the force blowing in her direction lessen, she took chase.
“Who are you?” she demanded glaring at the being as she let her magic rise and swirl in the air. “I need him, so be a dear and put him down.”
The being didn’t move at her command. It still held Stanthos in its arms like a rag doll. She unsheathed her blade, “Hey, I don’t know if you know this, but I hate being ignored.”
She attacked, throwing her magic like a whip at the being.
Only to be surprised when the being caught it with its free hand. It slowly turned to face her. For the first time, Lanias felt fear. Her breath seized as the being tossed Stanthos away like a bug, his body hitting a tree so hard she recoiled at the sound of bones breaking.
“You smell.” Was all it said before it moved toward her, its hand drawn back. Lights sparked around it like electricity, its speed beyond common sense.
She had barely lifted her arms in time to block the attack.
Biting back the scream of pain she wanted to release as her bones shattered. Her body flew back, spinning like a top. Two hands gently caught her in midair and set her back down on her feet. Lanias bent over and retched.
Her arms were on fire, and her hands trembled.
Looking up she met white eyes as her breath caught. They looked down at her with a look of fondness that made her want to cry.
“You should not be here.” The words weren’t spoken but formed directly in her mind. She flinched at the invasion. “Where is Warren?”
At that question she tensed, “W-what? How do you know my uncle?”
The stranger stared at her for a long time then sighed heavily. “Time is finicky for our kind. You are no longer a babe. Warren? Is he no longer guarding you?”
Lanias pulled back from him with a growing suspicion filling her. “Who are you?”