Chapter 33

 

When I opened my eyes this time I was really relieved to see I was in the giant dining room, the fear of ending up in the wasteland when doing this was never going to leave. I needed to ask for a map, so I could study everywhere and know how to get help if I needed it in the future if a cross over didn’t end well.

“Daxx!”

Almost jumping on the table, I turned around to see Quinton striding in my direction, fast.

“I’ve been wandering around waiting for you to get back. He stopped moving and eyed me up and down.

Obviously, the remnants of the dumpster I had to dive into to drag that punk out were still visible. Wait until he gets closer and gets a whiff, I thought trying not to smirk.

“What did you do to yourself?”

Eyes wide I looked down at my stained, dirty jeans. “I didn’t do this to myself.”

Scowling he stepped closer and brushed my hair back from my face. “What happened to your lip?”

Running my tongue over my lip, that still throbbed like crazy, I tried to shrug it off. It was embarrassing. “The punk got in a lucky shot.”

“Who got a lucky shot?” Arius wandered in carrying an arm full of rolled up papers. He paused and frowned at me. “What happened?” Setting them down, he moved around the table and came over and tipped up my chin. “Do we need to buy you a face mask, my Queen?”

Rolling my eyes at him I pulled my face out of his hand. “It’s nothing. He got one swing before I nailed him and had the cuffs on him.”

“Him? A male hit you?” Quinton’s tone sounded lethal.

Holding my arms out, I looked back down at my clothes. “Can we talk about this after I’ve had a shower? Maybe the smell isn’t bothering you but I’m starting to get tired of the stink.

“Arius, I found more in the library…” Michael froze where he was as soon as he saw me standing between his brothers. “Huntress, you’re back.” He smiled and then frowned before his face had finished the smile. “And I see you’ve been busy blocking blows with your face again.”

Before I could growl a response, Quinton took my elbow and guided me in the direction of the door. “She’ll explain after she’s gotten cleaned up.”

As he wheeled me around the corner, I glanced back to see Michael dialing his phone. Great the gossip chain had begun. It was a fat lip and a little garbage residue. It could have been worse. It had been much worse in the past.

At the second door, he led me through, we almost walked right into Victor and Leone. Leone spotted my swollen mouth, but didn’t say anything, just squinted with a look I could only describe as annoyance. Whether it was at the fact my mouth had taken a blow or because he didn’t want to notice, I wasn’t sure. Victor managed to shock me by grasping my chin in his big hand and lifting my face to look at it closely. “Quinton told us you assured him this would be an easy task for you.” His green eyes actually held concern.

“I was a little winded. The punk ran up an entire stairwell of a building, it had to have at least ten floors, and then went back down the fire escape. I caught up to him when he fell into the dumpster.” I shrugged. “He got one good swing in before I took him down.”

“Mmm, I see.” He backed up and looked down at my clothes. “That also explains the odor.”

“That I’m just going to scrub off.”

Nodding he stepped back further. “We’ll see you at the meeting then after you’re finished.”

“Meeting?” I looked up at the three of them, wishing for one moment that they were normal height. If I stayed around them too long my neck was going to get sore from lifting my head that high all the time.

“We’re going to sit down and figure out how best to round up the devices and the people responsible.”

Turning so I wouldn’t take too long, I headed in the direction I was pretty sure was my room. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Nodding in a regal way, Victor turned back to Leone.

“Can we just stick a bag over my head until I get to my room?” I asked Quinton who walked silently beside me.

“No need, they’ll all know before you get to it.”

“Great,” I muttered and turned in the way he pointed. He just chuckled and kept moving forward.

We didn’t even reach my room and Rafael came jogging up. When he stepped in front of me, I almost walked smack right into his chest. Lifting my chin with one finger, he frowned.

“Maybe I should just go with you on all your jobs.”

I gave him a blank look that I hoped he caught.

“Just remember I will always get your back if you need a hand, little Huntress.”

There was that word again. Little. I was almost preferring Chase calling me kitten to constantly being reminded I was not gigantic like they were. “I’ll keep that in mind. I’m just going to get cleaned up and go to the meeting.”

Releasing my chin, he nodded. “I have something to take care of then I’ll be there, shouldn’t take too long.”

“Fine.”