Chapter 59

 

My first thought when I was suddenly back on my side was, this had better go down the way we planned it. There were only thirteen of us plus a witch and mage and we were headed to a battle with more bodies fighting against us. My second thought was why on earth had they landed us all on a roof? That part of the planning had been omitted when Quinton had brought me up to speed.

As soon as my legs felt steady again I moved over to the edge where Victor stood looking down. I didn’t have to ask a thing when I looked over the edge and saw them gathering in an alley half a block away.

Chase appeared beside me and then Troy on the other side. Chase sighed loudly and then pointed to the others walking around the corner. “I don’t care if he stands right in front of you, Kitten, the one wearing the red shirt you are to stay clear of.”

I looked down at the guy, granted he was big, enormously so but he didn’t look any more dangerous than the king standing beside me. “Why?”

“Because he doesn’t need to be touching you to feed.” Troy supplied with abhorrence plain in his voice.

“Can he do that to me? I mean don’t I have some sort of special mojo going on?”

Chase glanced down at me and then to his brother. “Let’s just play it safe.”

Victor cleared his throat. “Do you see the blur in the middle of the group gathering?”

All of us turned and looked again. I spotted the man in the middle of the group, he wasn’t exactly a blur, but he seemed to be covered in something that made them look blurry, almost not there. “What is that?”

“Marcus,” Victor growled.

Oh crap! Was the only thing my brain returned. “He’s going to be right there out in the open?”

“We won’t even be able to touch him.” Victor turned and strode over to Clairee and the woman standing beside her.

I felt like I should have read the instructions to this game before jumping on board all of a sudden. “If Victor or I scan him will it work?”

Troy leaned on the break wall and studied the group. “It’s doubtful.”

“The plan is to take down his followers and then he’ll be on his own again. He’s gathering strength from all of them, making him more powerful.”

“That’s so cheating,” I mumbled. Sighing I looked around at the others waiting on the other side. “How long are we waiting?”

Chase went over and looked over the edge at the other corner. “There are a few late arrivals coming from this side.” He nodded over to Rafael. “Raf and Leone are going to follow them in, once they signal us we’ll box them in.”

I studied the alley they were all heading to. There was only one way out besides the way they’d come in, and unless they had wall scaling abilities they were screwed. Why would they pick somewhere with no escape? “Why would they pick somewhere boxed in like that?”

Chase came over and leaned beside his twin and studied it. “Because Marcus thinks he’s outsmarted us and we’re clueless.”

I grinned. “I love crashing parties.”

Troy pointed down the street to where Rafael and Leone walked along like they were just out for a nightly stroll. “Time to move.”

“Let’s party.” Chase said next to my ear as he turned to follow his brother to the group waiting to start.

I followed the twin Kings down the fire escape, with Quinton and Tim right behind me. With a final glance to the witch and mage staying up top, I turned and looked around the group. There was a silent resolve hovering in the vibes, I decided at that moment if things went south during any of this, and any one of them got hurt I would personally hunt down this amazing magician that was the cause of all of this and beat him ten ways to dead.

Chase blew out a breath as he stood beside me. “I really hope those emotions are intended for the other side, kitten. They hurt just feeling the backlash from the energy.”

I grinned. “We’ve got this.”

“Amen,” Michael whispered. He turned and looked around at his brothers for a long moment. “Fight well, brothers.” With a nod to me he turned and took off in a jog down the back alley that would lead to the gathering group. Arius saluted and then turned to follow him.

Victor paused in front of me and gave his brothers a quick glance before looking down at me. “Fight well, Huntress.”

I was surprised to be included in this brotherly game they played. “Well enough to kick your ass, Victor.”

His grin was wide as he turned and went in the opposite direction, taking only one guard with him.

Welsley didn’t waste words, just nodded in our direction and then motioned for the other remaining guard to follow him.

Turning around I looked up at the men all watching me. I was going in with more muscle than the entire body builders’ association. With the two Kings, Quinton and Tim I should have felt like the safest person on any planet, but I wasn’t quite that cocksure just yet.

Troy patted Chase on the back. “Fight well, brother.”

“Well enough to beat you, brother King.” Chase replied as he turned and we started walking down the street.

To anyone watching, if they could see through the cloak, surrounding us, they would think Armageddon was about to rain down on them. The four towering men walked with long strides in synch with each other’s step. In the middle was where I strode along beside them.

I mentally psyched myself up for what was to come and hoped I didn’t get my ass handed to me. I had four objectives in this impending situation. First to get my ass out of it whole and second, to make sure all the men I were attached to did the same. The third priority was to avoid anyone wearing a red shirt, just to be on the safe side. And last, my own secret hope of getting close enough to the magician to knock him down a few pegs. If his magic or spells or whatever he did truly didn’t work on me, I was the only one in all of this that had a chance to do something to stop him.

A bit much for my first multi-realm battle? Probably, but it kept me from running the other way screaming we’re all gonna die. I detest cowardice and refused to give in to it. Then again, I could save that for the emergency exit, just in case.

When we reached the entrance of the alley, all of the others appeared alongside us. I looked into the alley at the unsuspecting group gathered closely at the far end. When I could see a tall man with black hair, streaked with white in the middle I turned to Chase and whispered. “I can see him clearly.”

He gave me a quick glance and then nodded. “Then it’s true, he holds no power over you.” Looking at his brother over my head, he gave him a glare. “He is a blur to us.”

My nerves were zinging, if we stood here much longer I might back out of it all together. “Let’s get this party started, boys.” Not waiting for a cue from any of them, I started walking slowly into the alley. When I heard the hisses behind me I knew later I was in for a lecture or two, probably eight.