by LJ Swallow
I jerk as Heath touches my arm. "Are you okay, Vee?"
"I think memories are trickling back. Real ones, I mean."
I glance at Ewan and a muscle in his cheek twitches, but he doesn't look up.
Subject change needed. "Is this where the portals are that you need to protect?" I ask and point at the map.
"No. There’re seven in different parts of the world and tightly sealed. There’s one in the UK but not around here," says Xander. "The portals aren’t our worry right now, but they could be if there’s a combined attack on them. The demons’ ultimate aim is to open them, which is why we deal with the bastards at ground level before they amass enough power."
"Such as adding in some fae power by recruitment," puts in Joss. "That’s partly what this situation is about. Persuade enough fae to switch alliances and they’ve more power at their disposal."
"Okay." Their words panic and confuse me; there’s so much I only half-understand.
Xander turns in his seat and studies me. "By the way, sorry about last night. When I'm worked up, and in combat mode, I find it hard to calm down afterwards. My mouth runs away sometimes too, ask the guys."
"Often," says Joss with a laugh. "We ignore him. You should too."
"Don't let my brother give you any crap though," says Heath.
"I doubt she's about to take any, especially after last night," says Joss.
"How's that going?" asks Xander.
"The 'I'm not real' thing?"
"That and discovering you have powers." I’m unsure whether to be annoyed or pleased by his nonchalance compared to the other guys’ concern.
"I'm okay. I don't know why, but I feel as if I'm me now. I'm losing track of the old Verity." Ewan’s eyes finally meet mine; troubled, wary.
"Interesting," says Xander. "If you're cool with the situation, that's good."
Ewan rubs fingertips along his lips but doesn't speak. "I'm cool with it," I say in his direction.
In a room surrounded by the Horsemen, the realisation who I am and the awareness I belong with them grows. I doubted their crazy stories at first, but from day one, I was pulled into the circle rather than left on the edge.
"Right, back to this," says Xander. He reads out coordinates and then cranes his neck to read Ewan's screen. "Any activity up there?"
Whoa. Conversation about Verity over, then?
"Just fields," Ewan replies.
"Hmm. Farm? Property?"
"Managed Access." He looks at me. "Usually means there is or was Ministry of Defence activity there. Firing ranges and such."
"We should check the area out anyway," replies Joss. "Sometimes government facilities aren't on the maps. The demons could be based in an old military building."
"Nah, too far to drive today." Xander follows a line with his finger. "These lines converge on the edge of a small village. Has that area grown to include more houses?"
Ewan taps laptop keys. "Yeah. It's Grangeton outskirts."
Xander straightens. "Interesting. What's there?"
"I can't tell. The street view shows a row of buildings, some office and some shops I guess. Could be any."
Xander pulls on his bottom lip. "Right, we need to check the place out, but we also need to follow up the information we have from Elyssia. Both need doing before too much time passes and the bastards move on."
Elyssia. "Is Portia okay?" I ask.
"She'll be fine. The fae have upped the security around Portia, but I'm worried that won't be enough if enemies are close to her." Xander tips his chair back and drinks his beer. "I went to see her with Joss today, not that we were welcome. Talk about bloody ungrateful."
"We managed to get a lead from Elyssia while we were there," puts in Joss.
Xander drops the chair back onto four legs. "A vague one. Elyssia claims she doesn’t know much about Hunter. She met him at a club with her friends and they struck up an uh... ‘friendship.’"
"What about Hunter’s friends?" asks Heath. "Did she meet any of his?"
Xander shakes his head. "Elyssia sent me a photo of Hunter from her phone and told us which club she met him in. I want to head down to the place and speak to Arlo."
I pull out a chair and sit. "Stop right there."
Xander frowns at me. "What?"
"Don’t start discussing everything as if I know who and what you’re talking about. Which club? Who’s Arlo?" I ask.
"A club called The Warehouse. He’s a fae and owns the place, but human lackeys run the joint." Xander’s response is curt and dismissive. "Often the place attracts supes, especially younger ones, and we visit once in a while to check things out, especially if there’ve been local attacks."
"And this is a bloody big attack," puts in Joss.
"And you think this guy, Arlo, might know the demons involved?"
Heath laughs. "Doubt it. He doesn’t like trouble."
"Such as the Horsemen interfering with his clientele," Joss adds. "He keeps an eye on what’s happening in the area for us, so he’s either missed the signs or knows more. We need to find out which."
"So what? Are we headed down there tonight?" asks Heath.
"Not all of us. I want two of us to check out these places the ley lines cross, and two of us can head to the club. I think Joss and you should go check out these buildings." He taps a place on the map where lines cross. "Joss can detect demons quicker, and you can kill a few in one go if needed, Heath. I’ll take Ewan to The Warehouse."
"What about me? I’m not staying here on my own!" I protest.
"Who’d you prefer to go with?" Xander asks.
Talk about trapped between a rock and a hard place. I hate clubs, but also I don’t like the idea of being dragged into the cold looking for demonic creatures.
"Go to the club," says Joss. "Less dangerous because it’s more public. Besides, you can watch Xander’s diplomacy in action." He ends his sentence with a laugh and pats Xander on the head.
Xander rubs his head and scowls at Joss. "At least one of us can stay focused with everything happening."
"And I suppose by ‘everything happening’ you mean me?" I retort.
Xander ignores my question. "Come with me and Ewan tonight." He picks up his phone and checks the time. "Best get yourself ready."
I huff and stare at the ceiling again. There’s no way I’ll understand all this without walking into and experiencing these situations. I could sit here for the rest of the day and their talk of the Order, portals, demons, and the crazy world around me wouldn’t make sense.
I think I’m in for one huge learning curve.
4
EWAN
Tonight I'm supposed to be on full alert for demon and fae activity at the club, but the only thing that has me on alert right now is Vee.
The whole time she's spent with us, Vee's worn slouchy clothes. Her long legs and cute ass look amazing in jeans, that's undeniable, but Vee in a dress ready to visit a club?
Mind wrecking.
Does she understand the effect she has on the four of us? I've no idea if Heath and Vee kissed again—or more. Nothing about their behaviour in public indicates they have, but I have my doubts. But Vee could never be mine—or any of ours—because we all belong to each other. Where will that lead?
Vee slept with Joss last night when I fucked up, but he told us nothing happened. I believe him based on the mess she was in, and Joss being the guy he is wouldn't take advantage.
But he held her, and she wanted him to.
Fuck, Ewan. Jealousy won’t work in this situation.
I hold my breath as Vee approaches me. Tight black dress reaching above her knees, heels impractical for the environment she's walking into, and a small jacket pulled in at the waist. Her hair's loose, touching the exposed skin above the low-cut dress. She disguised her usual natural look with smoky eyes and shining lips. I bite mine as I imagine doing the same to hers.
"Looking good, Vee," calls Joss. "Wish I was the one going out for a night with the hot chick!"
/>
"You have your job for the night, Joss, and that job isn't hitting on Vee again," retorts Xander.
Joss pulls a mock-offended face and clutches his chest. "I am perfectly respectable around our beautiful Fifth."
"Then don't call me a hot chick," replies Vee with a scowl.
Heath wanders from the house. "I don't see why we can't all go to The Warehouse. We could check out the other places tomorrow."
"I told you, this is time sensitive. Plus, we split up in case someone wants all of us in one place again," replies Xander. "Ewan's the only one of you three who doesn't constantly look at Vee as if he wants to tear her clothes off. I'm not interested in touching Vee either, so it makes sense we go to the club with her."
Can Vee tell he's lying? Because I bloody can.
"Ha. You're just looking for a hook up, Xan," laughs out Joss. "Once you're satisfied there aren't any demons at the club, you'll look for a different kind of satisfaction, right?"
"Whatever, dude."
Vee takes our constant banter better than I expected she would. This time, she turns her eyes skyward in amusement before she looks over and gives me her heart-wrenching smile.
A night with Vee is going to kill me.
"We travel separately," Xander says as he hits the button to unlock his car. "Safer in case one of us has to leave while the other stays."
Xander's lovingly cared for red Aston Martin is parked beside Heath’s SUV, my bike, and Joss’s Audi hatchback. The Aston stands out wherever we go, and Xander takes his car whenever he can. Flashy bastard. He had a choice of cars he could’ve bought to shout prestige, but his decision to drive an Aston Martin adds to his cultivated image: English guy who’s rough around the edges despite his cultured accent.
I wheeled my motorbike out from the garage earlier. Screw his Aston—I wouldn't swap my Moto Guzzi for anything. No Harley for me. I’m not part of anybody’s crowd but my own. I don’t want wannabe bikers passing me on their Harleys and acknowledging me as if I’m part of them.
When I need breathing space away from these three, this bike can move fucking fast and wherever the hell I like.
Vee's short dress stops me asking if she'd like to ride with me.
"Nice bike," she says. "I don't know much about them but, uh, big and shiny and great for outrunning demons, I guess?"
"I think he tries to downplay his geek image," says Joss with a laugh.
"Geek image?" She runs a look the length of me. "Tattooed guy in a leather jacket? Not my classification of a geek."
Vee’s defence of my status amuses me. "I'll give you a ride when you're more suitably dressed," I tell her.
"I'd like that."
And she smiles that smile again, the one to fill and break my heart.
XANDER
Alone time with Little Miss Truth at last.
She climbs into the car beside me and straightens her dress, pulling the material to reach her knees.
I watch with interest. Hell, this girl will attract a lot of attention tonight. I half wish she’d chosen to go with the other two guys. I’m not in the mood to watch Vee closely; she’d better not freak out once we’re at the club. Vee’s already uncomfortable, and we haven’t arrived yet. But she’s too big a distraction for Joss and Heath, and not just because they’d probably compete for her attention, but because they’re too protective of Verity.
Verity who isn’t Verity. That nugget of information was one to stay quiet about for a few days. If I hadn’t been tightly wound after taking out the demons at Portia’s house, I wouldn’t have lost my temper when she challenged me a few hours later. If I hadn’t hinted at her true history, Ewan would never have opened his mouth and dropped the truth on her from a fucking big height.
I lost my shit when Ewan told me and Heath what he’d said; and I stayed up half the night ready and waiting to stop her leaving if she tried. I’m stunned she didn’t—again the guys don’t give her enough credit. Vee’s strong. But is she hiding her real feelings about how this affects her, or did we do Vee and her situation a favour?
Mine and Vee’s original introduction could’ve gone better, but I didn’t have time for niceties when I walked into Portia’s house. I have a job, she has a job, we took down the attackers. Maybe I shocked the hell out of Vee, but we succeeded. End of.
I swear she covers the other three in "stupid" every time she’s around them. They knew she had a power, that Vee isn’t some human chick who needs protecting, but they treat her like she’s as delicate as she looks. When I held Vee’s hand and her power amplified mine, the physical intensity also flowing between us couldn’t be denied, but this is how it will be. The Four are supposed to centre ourselves around Verity, but because she’s Truth, not because she’s a girl whose legs and arse knock me dead in the dress she chose tonight.
Yeah, I see their problem, the sexual energy’s around me and Vee now, but I don’t want to let this interfere. Seriously, I’m not getting involved in any "see who can screw Vee first" competition. One focus: I—we—have a job to do, and so does she.
I start the engine, the car purring to life, as I straighten my arms on the wheel and feel the power biting on the clutch beneath my foot. I speed away from the house and onto the dark lane; Vee grips the edge of the seat as I swerve across the road.
"Don't worry, I'm a good driver," I say.
"I'm fine, just happy you don't ride actual horses, otherwise I’d fall off if you rode like this." She tips a wry smile in my direction.
Not wanting conversation in case she asks me a million and one questions, I shake my head and keep driving.
The journey into Grangeton takes half an hour; the first half spent in relative silence as I'm lost in planning: how to deal with any demon we find, and if we do which sort are they likely to be? Have we brought the right weapons? How will Vee react if we're confronted again? I can't have the girl freezing in fear.
"I don't go to clubs often," she says.
"I bet you don't go to ones like this," I reply. "An interesting clientele. I'd call them Goths, but I've no clue what they’d call themselves. Their music’s shit, that’s for sure." Vee laughs. "The vamps pick up donors from places like this."
"Donors?" Her amusement stops abruptly. "Ewan mentioned that the vampires were under control."
"Yeah, mostly. The vamps have their human donor partners who they’re supposed to stick with. Some younger ones don’t always comply because they like to experiment, and that’s when some trouble for us to deal with appears. Arlo allows vamps into his club when he thinks we’re not looking. I think that’s too dangerous."
Vee shifts in her seat, the dress riding up her legs distracting me. If I stay focused on my current job, I don't succumb to her. Hell, that sounds crap. She has no intention of forcing us to succumb, but the daily struggle is real. Joss is right. I need to get laid because walking around wanting Vee isn't helped by the need to get sex out of my system.
"Right."
Hopefully that shut her up for now.
I grip the steering wheel and look ahead again. No. She needs info. "There's a chance you could meet any of the following as they’re the other kind often drawn to the place. Imps, incubi, or succubi. Plus fae of course."
"Imps? Like little fairies—I mean, fae?”
"Whoa! Don’t say that in front of the fae. Hell, imps are demons. More annoying than dangerous, but not welcome. Don’t you know anything about this stuff?’
Vee narrows her eyes at me. "I know what incubi and succubi are. I bet they fight with the vampires."
"Huh?"
"They both feed off humans, yes?"
"Yeah. They both kill too, so keep away."
"But not me." I raise a brow at her confidence. "Right?"
"Did the guys tell you that nobody could kill you or something?" I ask. The roads become brighter lit as we leave countryside behind for the town’s outskirts. Vee doesn't reply, and I smack my forehead. "Seriously, aren't you pissed off those three didn't tell you e
verything?"
"They said we’re all immortal. Which means nobody can kill us."
"Permanently."
"Yes, which makes me immortal."
"Immortal. Definition: never dying or decaying. Not: can't be killed."
"That's very confusing and contradictory."
"And painful at times." I bite back the joke when her face pales. "Part of Heath's job."
Vee’s mouth parts and she blinks. "Can he resurrect people?"
Oh for fuck’s sake. "I have an idea, Vee. Should I write you a 'Guide to the Four Horsemen and Your Place in Their Lives'?"
"Very funny. I've read about the Horsemen online and none of it matches you."
"Haven't you seen enough of what we do to see we're both ends of the spectrum? Joss starves people but in a positive way too." I pause. "As you know from the night you spent with him."
Verity looks down at her hands, pink tingeing her cheeks. Aha. She does have a thing for Joss. Now I need to figure out if she acted on the "thing."
"Me? I'm a peacemaker as well as troublemaker." I side glance her. "Though you haven't seen the peacemaking yet."
"Definitely not. You're very aggressive."
"And do you like me when I’m not?" I throw her my look, the slow smile that catches girls’ attention.
She pokes her tongue in her cheek. "A little."
I slap my hands on the wheel and chuckle. "I love that you have to be diplomatic because you can't lie. Which little bit of me do you like?"
Vee narrows her eyes at me. "The part I have to."
"Too funny! No straight answer from you." I shake my head. "I'm sure you'll like me eventually. Most girls do."
"But I'm not a girl, remember?"
"Ha! Smart answer." I smile to myself as I pull the car into the darkened car park behind the shipping containers, and outside the club. I never expected to like Vee. Yes, I knew how important she was, and when Truth came up in our research, I cheered that we had a way to meet the growing problem in the world, but I was really pissed off when I discovered Truth was a chick. A female amongst the four of us? Not good. And no, I'm not a chauvinist, but a realist.
