Chapter 104

 

Troy, Chase and I left the others to meet up with Victor and Michael at the shed on the roof. Two men I didn’t know where there as well. I gave Troy a curious look and nodded at them.

“Mages.” Keeping his body between me and anyone else there, he went over and looked out the little hole. “How long will it last?”

I didn’t know what he was talking about until he turned and glanced at the two men staying well away from anyone.

“Half hour, tops.” The short bald one said with an uneasy tone.

“That will have to do.” Troy said, looking back down at the compound. “Daxx, come and tell me what’s going on down there.”

Moving closer to him, I looked out. Assessing quickly, I turned and looked up at him. “They’re all out in the compound, loading up trucks.”

“Do you see Marcus?” Chase moved over and looked out the hole then hissed out a breath when he couldn’t see anything.

I shook my head. “No.” Turning I gave the bald man a hard look. “So you two can make it so everyone can see through this magic covering, but you can’t stop Marcus?”

He looked as if he was going to say something unpleasant until his eyes moved over the pendant on my chest, to my arm and then to Troy that stood very close to my side. “Our powers are not that strong. We can toy with his spell and bring down the barrier, but only for a short time.” His eyes darted from Troy to Chase and then he bowed his head. “Huntress,” he said in a broken way as if he were nervous.

I wanted to laugh and tell the guys to knock it off, but what the hell, they liked to intimidate so who was I to stop them. I glanced at Victor. “Your call.”

He nodded abruptly and then looked from brother to brother. Turning to the door, he sent the two mages a cold look. “Let us get in place and then take it down.”

I was ushered out the door feeling like a sandwich between Troy and Chase’s large bodies, Quinton right in front of me and Tim close enough on our heels that I could almost feel his breath on my back.

“I don’t want…” Troy cleared his throat and then spoke in a softer, less demanding tone. “Don’t place yourself in the direct line of fire with Marcus,” his hand moved down my back in an intimate gesture, “please.”

When he added it like that, I had to at least let him know I appreciated his trying without distracting either one of us. Reaching over, I gave his forearm a gentle touch and nodded. “I’ll try.” Gritting my teeth, I stopped there, even though I wanted to get Marcus this time.

“You stay close to Tim.” Chase instructed, slowing his pace so I wouldn’t have to run.

“Don’t mother me, Chase. We got this.” I glanced at Troy out of the corner of my eye, making sure he was alright with his brother this close to me; he seemed to be struggling but made no move toward us.

Quinton paused and looked at me over his shoulder. “Never mind trying to figure out his spells either, if his arms start moving you get your ass clear.”

It was an order, but I understood he was just worrying. “Got it.” I paused and turned to look at Tim, with a daring look in my eyes. “Any orders from you?”

Glancing from one king to the other, he shrugged. “You take them down and I’ll watch your back?”

I grinned, “deal.”

Both men beside me tensed, but they didn’t say a word, just glared at the guard.

I swatted both of them at the same time. “Relax, we all know he’s only pretending to let me be in charge.” I rolled my eyes up at Chase. “He’ll be all over me like body armor and you know it.”

Chase smiled. “He’d better.”

Sighing, I grabbed Troy’s hand and starting walking toward the large group that was only a few yards away now. “I missed the plotting portion of this, so you’ll have to forgive me if I deviate from your carefully laid plans.”

Troy squeezed my hand. “Even if you were present, I know you’d still do it your way.”

I winked at him. “You are a smart man.”

He jerked me to a stop and kissed me hard on the mouth. “Just remember I’m your man.”

I nodded and stood there looking up at him, hoping he would be safe during this. “Let’s do it.”

****

I stood up on a crumbling balcony of an empty building about fifteen feet in the air, with Troy and Chase. I wanted to ask what the hell we were doing up here when the action was going to be on the ground, but the vibrations coming off them were serious psyching and I didn’t want to mess up any of the aura that was humming through me. All I knew was that this had better not be some bogus ploy to keep me clear of the fight.

I watched the movement of those we were about to fight. They were in some kind of hurry to get everything loaded up. All of them seemed nervous and unsure, a plus for us.

“How’s your landing ability, kitten?” Chase asked, a dead serious look on his face.

I looked at the pavement below us. “As long as it’s not face first, good enough.”

He nodded and turned to look beyond the gates, I followed where he looked.

The darkness was just starting to fade when Victor raised his hand and glanced in the direction of the shed on the roof a few buildings over.

Four guards moved into place by the gates leading into the compound, ready to open them. The first through the gate would be the royal brothers, standing there looking like a force to be reckoned with. Tall, fierce and proud. At one end beside the brothers stood Welsley, and he looked more than ready to beat on someone. Standing at the other end was Tim, his eyes on me and not the gates like everyone else. My guess was his first priority was to get to my side when they were through the gate.

“Grab the straps crossed at our backs,” Troy instructed quietly as he watched his eldest brother.

“Fight well, brother.” Chase said in a distracted way.

“Well enough to beat you, brother.” Troy responded automatically. “We’ll hit the ground before you, Daxx, just stay between us on the way down.”

Reaching, I grabbed the leather at each man’s back as they crouched down. There was a loud cracking noise, followed by a breeze that washed over us. Taking a deep breath, I readied for the jump.

Heavy muscles clenched under my hands and I knew the mages had done their thing and everyone could see what I’d been seeing all along.

Before I could take another breath, the twins launched us through the air and we were free falling to the hard surface beneath us. I decided in that moment this was one hell of a rush and from now on would do this to get the juices flowing and battle ready.

Boots hit the pavement in unison and mine a second after them. Letting go, I looked at one and then the other. “Helluva entrance, boys!”