CHAPTER EIGHT
– FOSCA –
Sevrin eyes my bag when I walk back into the living room. “You pack light if it holds enough for the rest of the week.”
I barely restrain myself from giving him my middle finger again. “I have a few extra changes of clothes at the office if I need some.”
All I get in return is a nod.
He faces Karev and Levan. “We’re heading straight back to the clubhouse. I have a gut feeling we’re being set up, how exactly I don’t know yet. Eyes open, and be ready for everything, okay?”
“Sure thing, Prez,” they grunt in sync.
Night has already fallen when we step outside. I lock up and reach for my bag when Sevrin takes it. He stalks to his bike and places my bag into his saddlebags when Levan gives a short whistle.
Five men are walking toward us. They are in the middle of the street, making the streetlights dim when they pass it. An eerie feeling runs up my spine. Sparks of electricity dance around their feet as they get closer.
“Sevrin Britton, you have something of ours,” the one in the middle states.
“Doubt it,” Sevrin states loudly.
He doesn’t turn to look at me, but his voice is a mere whisper when he says, “Stay inside the dome no matter what.”
I’m about to ask “what dome,” when Sevrin points two fingers in my direction and makes a small circle.
For a moment everything around me is white until the fog clears.
The sound of running water is surrounding me and it’s as if I’m stuck in the dome Sevrin created.
He warned me to stay inside, so I guess nothing can go in, but I can step out.
Why else telling me to stay inside no matter what?
Sound is cut off from the outside, but I also know I’m safe from whatever they are about to face. Sevrin, Karev, and Levan, though? They are about to go head-to-head with six men, and they are outnumbered. Dammit, I should be able to fight just like them.
Levan hangs back while Karev walks to the left. Sevrin swirls two fingers above his head and the same white blanket that’s slowly clearing is thrown around all of us. I’m pretty sure Sevrin just created a giant dome to block out the humans from witnessing what’s about to happen.
The air around Karev looks as if it’s heating up, and he becomes blurry like a mirage. A colorful whirlwind takes a hold of him and before I can so much as blink he’s turned into a massive, three-headed hellhound.
Karev reaches out with his front paw, taking a powerful step forward. The road shakes underneath me as he stomps down and drags his paw, nails out toward him. I can’t hear sounds from inside my personal bubble, but I can imagine the growling coming from the hellhound by the way the six men wince.
One of those men brings his hands up, cupping them as if he’s molding something. A ball of fire is launched at Sevrin, another one is heading for Karev. Fire is no contest when it comes to Sevrin. He easily turns it into a puff of steam by using his ability to control water.
All three heads of the hellhound move forward, each lashing out with a stream of fire. One of the men is consumed by the flames, turning into a cracking pile of steam before there’s only black dust flowing down the street.
I’ve lost sight of Levan, but my eyes lock on Sevrin who is now standing in front of two men, his hands up as streams of water flow from him.
They circle the men’s throats and lift them into the air.
They are clawing at the water, unsuccessfully.
The stream keeps cutting off their air supply while their fingers easily go through it.
Another guy tries to lunge at Sevrin, but he loses his head.
Literally. The upper half of Levan is a shark and the man-shark is now munching on the man’s head.
Eww. My gaze goes back to Sevrin who is talking to the last man standing.
He has his toes barely touching the road while Sevrin holds him up by a stream of water.
Suddenly, Sevrin snaps his fingers and with it the man’s neck is at an odd angle.
He turns and walks in my direction along with Levan who is shifting back to his human form.
Karev, however, is breathing fire over the bodies littering the street.
The heat quickly turns them to black dust. He too shifts back to his human form and comes my way as the dome I was wrapped in disappears.
They walk as if unaffected by what just took place, as if this happens on a regular basis. Hell, maybe it does with them being supernatural and part of an outlaw motorcycle club.
“How many enemies do you guys have?” I blurt without thinking.
Sevrin throws a thumb over his shoulder. “If you mean enemies like this mess we just cleaned up, then you can solely blame your fuckin’ brother.”
He takes my elbow and guides me in the direction of his bike. A car drives past us and it reminds me of how Sevrin blocked off part of the street to make sure no humans saw what just happened.
“Get on the bike,” he rumbles.
I cross my arms in front of my chest. “Can I create a shield to block humans out the way you did?”
Sevrin releases a frustrated sigh and hands me my helmet. “We don’t have time to chitchat, Fos. Get on the bike.”
Stradling his bike, I grumble, “You can answer and move at the same time instead of being an asshole.”
He gets on the bike in front of me and turns his head. “When I’m done teaching you you’d be able to block this whole town with no damn effort at all.”
I don’t have time to reply when he fires up the bike and instantly hits the throttle. Nice way to implicate the point how we don’t have time to chitchat. The man is very annoying. Then again, he might be pissed because it’s my brother who sent those six men they just had to deal with.
A chill runs up my spine. Would they have come into my home if Sevrin and his men weren’t here? There’s no doubt in my mind; I wouldn’t have survived if I was by myself. Tightening my arms, I swallow and try to push away the thought...I could have died tonight.
As if Sevrin hears my thoughts, he reaches back and places his large hand on my knee, giving me a gentle squeeze. Warmth blossoms up from his touch and I close my eyes to breathe him in.
For years it’s only been me. The burden of my family’s death and mayhem on my shoulders. Waking up every day with the fear of confronting or being confronted by my brother. The need to save myself and kill the only relative I have left is pure torture.
The only one who knows about anything is Zara. My only friend, and I’m careful about visiting her, making sure I’m not being followed. I make a mental note to ask Sevrin if he can also put a bodyguard on Zara, just to be sure.
He parks in front of the clubhouse and pats my leg, indicating I can get off.
I’m fumbling with the chinstrap of my helmet when I ask, “Is Zara in danger because of me?”
“Fuck,” Levan rumbles from behind me. “She’s right. If that asshole has been keeping tabs and sent a death squad of fire-shifters after his sister? He might try to kill her friend as well.”
“Go,” Sevrin rumbles. “I’d rather have her here, but if she wants to stay put then you keep her company.”
The shark-grin Levan is wearing is way too creepy and it makes me snap, “Don’t get any ideas in your head, mister. Bring my friend to the clubhouse and tell her I’m waiting for her.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The creepy grin stays in place while he gets back on his bike.
“I’ll go with him,” Karev states and rides off with Levan.
Sevrin gets my bag from his saddlebags and guides me into the clubhouse. He goes straight to his room and closes the door behind him.
Placing my bag on the bed, he says, “I have a feeling those men were set to kill you. Your brother was able to control them enough to give the order. This piece of information tells me he has drained a warlock to get his powers.”
“Drained a warlock?” I echo on a whisper.
“Tom Pierce, the body thrown from one of the balconies of our resort, did he have burns in the back of his throat?”
My voice is paper thin when I state, “His throat was red with agitation, as if he had a bacterial infection or an allergic reaction before he died from blunt force trauma, it’s all in my report.”
Sevrin gives a tight nod. “Then it’s safe to say Tom Pierce was a warlock.
If your brother has the ability to send those men after you, he might have also put Tom’s brother, along with his wife, in my damn clubhouse.
Fuck. Who knows what spell he used or if he could see through their eyes.
Maybe even heard what was said inside the walls of our clubhouse.
Dammit. I need to make a few calls. Stay here. ”
Without another word he slams the door shut behind him, leaving me to wonder what my brother could have found out Sevrin didn’t want him, or me or that matter, to know.