The Shikari Box Set

by Dora Blume

  “So, why these girls?” Jessie asked.

  “They have a background in biomedical engineering. They’re seniors and one’s project was on different delivery systems for medications. She was valued for her extensive knowledge. It’s why they went for all three. They were too close, the other girls may have noticed the possession. The girl reading is the one with the special skills. We need to dispossess all of them and get going. They are planning on using their delivery system on a larger scale. They’ve already gotten what they need from these girls. The guy your mom was with brought the bomb to Kansas City. We need to warn them. They have concocted the potion or whatever they need to take away all the Shikari’s powers. We need to warn everyone, now,” Erik’s voice shook at the end.

  Jessie’s eyes went wide as she realized the implications of them all losing their powers. They wouldn’t be able to battle the demons. Without powers, they’d die trying. Jessie realized Erik was already dispossessing the other girl. He grabbed her hand, and they flew out the door and down to the next room. Jessie froze the girl and Erik spoke the dispossession spell. He nodded to her, and they went back out into the hall. Jessie froze when Erik squeezed her hand to let her know someone was coming. They ran down the stairs and out the door.

  “Shit, Erik, we’re all fucked if they have that ready. How are we going to stop a bomb that will disable our powers?” Jessie was shaking her head as they made their way to the car.

  Erik halted in his tracks when he saw another car parked behind theirs. “Ah, looks like our rescue party decided to show up,” he chuckled.

  “Are they doing what I think they are?” Jessie’s voice lingered between surprised and awestruck.

  “Ah, yeah, I think they might be.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Sloane

  The car was just where we left it. Jessie and Erik were nowhere to be found. “Shit, where do you think they went?” Sloane went from window to window before frantically looking down both sides of the street. “What would make them leave the car?”

  “I’m not sure, love. I can’t think of a reason unless they figured out a way to get into the Sorority without drawing suspicion.” Mike glanced from her to the house. “Come, let’s get back in the car until we figure out what to do next.”

  “Can’t you track them?” she asked as she followed him into the backseat.

  “Yeah, but I need the space to do it. I don’t think it’s a good idea to be standing on the street.” He motioned for her to get back in the car.

  Ely looked back to the two, “Any sign of them?”

  “No, they aren’t in the car. I’m going to track them.” Mike closed his eyes to concentrate.

  His eyes blinked open a moment later. “They’re in the house.”

  “Seriously, what would’ve made them go inside?” Sloane inched closer to Mike.

  “I’m not sure. Let’s give them a few minutes. Maybe they were able to find a way in without being detected by the demons. They’d take the opportunity if they got it.” Mike scratched the stubble on his chin.

  “So, how long do we wait?” There was an edge of worry in Sloane’s voice.

  “I’m not sure,” Mike answered.

  “You know, I could use my power to project into the room they’re in. As long as you can pinpoint which room. It would be one way to check up on them without causing suspicion in the rest of the house.” Ely turned to look at Sloane.

  “Mike, could you pinpoint the room?” Sloane rested her hand on Mike’s knee.

  “Yes, I believe I could. What happens when there’s someone else in the room and you just appear? Any idea how you’re going to explain that away?” Mike’s eyes focused on Ely.

  “No, hopefully, they are with another demon and not a student. Don’t we have something to wipe memories?” Ely tapped his finger on his lip in contemplation. “Jessie can always freeze them when I enter the room.”

  “Yeah, but she doesn’t know you’re coming. There’s a big risk if you just pop in and out of the room. We can’t explain that away.” Mike sat back against the seat, contemplating. “I think we need to wait for them. If they found a good reason for going in there, we have to trust they know what they’re doing.”

  “So, you’re saying we need to have patience? I’m not very good with that.” Sloane smirked at Mike.

  “I’m aware.” He nudged her knee and squeezed it.

  “So, we’re going to stay here, then?” Sloane lounged back, lifting her legs to rest in Mike’s lap.

  “We need to give them a little time. I was worried when we couldn’t get a hold of them. Now, I know they’re in the building, it’s fine. I wish they would’ve let us know what was going on.” Mike rubbed Sloane’s leg as he spoke. A playful smile spread over his face as he drew circles over her calves. Ely turned in his seat to look at them. Sloane was facing him. The thought of being with both of them flashed through her mind again. She couldn’t believe how open Mike was being with her. She never imagined he’d be willing to be so open with her. He’d seemed so jealous before. What changed? His nail grazed along her bare skin, and she inhaled sharply. Her eyes met his, and she could see a fire sparking below the surface. Too bad they always had something else going on. She wanted to enjoy being back with him. They had to fit their relationship in between major fights. She liked fighting demons. Honestly, she found the energy from the fights stimulating, always wanting some release afterward.

  Finding her release with both of them caused her stomach to flutter in anticipation. There was something between her and Ely. She couldn’t wait to explore that more. As long as Mike was there, they’d be able to have all sorts of fun.

  “What are you thinking about?” Mike brought her back to the present. “You have that look you get sometimes when you’re anxious about something.”

  “I was thinking about our earlier discussion.” Her eyes flicked from Mike to Ely.

  “Oh?” Mike’s tone rose, and she could hear the curiosity in his voice.

  “Yeah, I think I like the idea.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

  “I bet you do.” His voice grew husky. His eyes burned into hers. She still half expected him to thwart the idea, but he seemed as turned-on as she did. How good of a friend was Ely?

  “Can I get in on the secret?” Ely asked with a raised brow.

  “Well, I’m not sure. Sloane, what do you think?” Mike looked at her with a playful smile. She knew he was giving her an opening. Sloane smirked and moved closer to him. She wrapped one hand around his neck and pulled Mike into a passionate kiss. The compulsion to appreciate him was deep inside her. He had always given her everything she wanted. He always knew what she needed and never held her back from anything. It was one reason she loved him so damn much. When she backed away, they were both slightly breathless. She moved her mouth to his ear.

  “Can I show him?” she whispered.

  “By all means, love. I trust you know just how to phrase it.” He nipped her lip. She felt his hand splayed over her back before she turned toward Ely. His eyes were hesitant as she looked back at him. Her hand brushed down his jaw. His breathing quickened, as her fingers scratched at the whiskers growing on his chin. Cupping the back of his neck she moved her mouth, tentatively toward his. Her lips pressed softly against his, feeling out his reaction. She felt his sudden inhale as he parted his lips. She took a moment to slip her tongue inside. It took him only a moment before he was kissing her back with the fire she’d felt for him. He sucked her lip and tongue as she groped the hair on his neck, trying to bring him closer.

  A hard body pressed against her back. Mike slipped his hand up her shirt to cup her breasts. She moaned against Ely’s mouth. He nipped at her lip but didn’t back away. Both guys seemed to be on board. It made her wonder about their history. How had they known each other? How close had they been before? Mike pinched her nipple bringing a jolt of energy straight to her core. She slid her hand over to Ely, feeling his taut muscles below his shirt. Damn, this was
n’t the best place to be doing this. Someone was going to notice three people making out in a car. She wanted to keep this going, but Erik and Jessie could walk up on them at any moment.

  A thrill ran through her body at the idea of being caught. Her hand moved to Ely’s shoulder, and she tried to pull him even closer to her. His lips were so soft against hers. She wanted to keep kissing him. If he was as good a lover as he was a kisser, she couldn’t wait to have both these men to herself. A rapping against the window had her flying back against Mike. His hands stayed wrapped around her, but he’d let go of her breasts.

  Erik stood outside the car, he shook his head when he looked down at her. Mike hit the button for the window. “Hey, little brother,” she blinked up at him.

  “Um, do you think you could try being inconspicuous for two seconds, some of us have work to do. You remember, the demons, Jessie’s mom, the order being taken over. Ring any bells?” Erik teased.

  “Yes, Erik, what the hell were you thinking going in there without telling anyone about it?” Sloane lunged out of the car yanking down the hem of her shirt as she emerged.

  “I’m starting to think you guys have forgotten I even have a power.” Jessie rested her fist on her hip. “I froze them and Erik got the information we needed.” She shrugged and walked toward the other car. She stopped to lean against the back and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Speaking of which, we have to talk, now.” Erik glanced around. “Can we go to Ely’s house. We found out some shit about what’s happening and it’s big.”

  Ely poked his head out the window. “Yeah, we can go to my place. Follow us,” Ely adjusted in the seat. Sloane looked from the window to her brother.

  “Big?” she asked.

  “Yeah, but we shouldn’t talk about it in the open. I’ll tell you everything when we get there.” Erik strode over to Jessie and held the door for her to get in.

  Sloane jumped back into the car next to Mike. “Shit, I wonder what he found out.” Her nerves were on edge, but she settled the second Mike’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her back to him.

  “Where were we?” he muttered before capturing her mouth. Sloane kissed him back, fiercely. She’d loved how open he was to everything. She couldn’t wait to finish what they’d started in the car. Here they were, getting pulled away from their lives yet again for demons. Would they ever get to live without a cloud over them?

  They drove back to the house quickly. Ely pulled out a chair for Sloane at the dark gray dining table before taking the one next to her. She wondered why he would have a table that seats six when he was single. Mike sat on the other side of her. “So, Erik, what did you learn from the demons?”

  Erik and Jessie took spots across from them. “The girls were part of a senior project focusing on delivery systems for different medicines. They were thinking along the lines of eradicating outbreaks on a larger scale when they happen. The problem is, they created a way to also spread the disease quickly. The demons have the final piece to eradicating all Shikari’s powers. They were heading to Kansas City next. The guy who was with Jessie’s mom was delivering the materials they would need. They plan on using it on us and making all the Shikari powerless. These girls were the final piece. When we go in to save the archives, they are going to use it on us.” Erik clenched his hands into fists.

  “Seriously, we have to warn them. Call Ethan, they can’t go in when the demons have that as a weapon. We’ll have no way of stopping the demons if they can eliminate all our powers.” Sloane’s voice was a little erratic as she spoke. She looked from Mike to Ely.

  “I called Bryant on the way over to inform him. He told me he’d tell the others. We need to get there as soon as possible,” Erik said.

  “Did you let them know about the guy with Jessie’s mom? Do you think they possessed your mom?” Sloane turned her attention to Jessie.

  “Yeah, I think he may have. My mom knows so many Shikari from her travels around the country. She’d be a perfect mark for them.” Jessie lowered her eyes to the table.

  “Shit, do you think they made it to Kansas City already? They were driving from Los Angeles. That’s got to be a few day’s drive at least. Do you think they were making any stops on the way?” Sloane turned to Mike. “Could you track where they are from this distance?”

  “No, I’d have to be closer to them. We don’t even know when they left the area.” He pressed his lips together in a hard line.

  “Okay, what else can we do?” She asked. She was approaching a frantic state. Usually, she could keep her head, but the idea of all of them losing their powers, the thing that made them who they were, was startling. Huffing out a breath, she bawled her hands into fists and rubbed them down the length of her thighs. A few months ago, those thoughts wouldn’t have even occurred to her. She would have happily given up the Shikari, but she wasn’t sure she’d ever be willing to give up her power of insight.

  “Sloane, there’s not much we can do until our flight tomorrow. We warned them about it. They will take precautions until we can make a plan to stop the demons without losing our powers.” Mike rubbed her shoulder.

  “Are you sure Bryant will tell everyone? Maybe we should call Magnus.”

  “Sloane, Bryant will tell them. He may disappear during the fights, but he’s always been good about telling everyone what’s going on.” One side of Erik’s mouth lifted into an attempt at a smile, but it looked more like a grimace.

  “Okay, okay, I get it. We’re stuck. Can we at least make some sort of plan for when we get there?” she asked, resting her hands on the table before her.

  “It won’t do any good. We don’t know enough about the compound or how many people we’ll have. I’m going to make some calls to others along the journey from here to Missouri. Maybe someone has seen them. Other than that, we have to wait.” Mike continued to rub circles over her back as he spoke.

  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay, I guess I will try to get a vision, so we have some idea of what’s coming.” She turned to look at Ely. “Is there a room I can use to try and relax?” she asked.

  “Ah, yeah, you can use mine. Here, I’ll show you which one. Jessie and Erik, you can take the spare bedroom. It’s on the left down the hall. The bathroom is the first door on the right.” Ely stood. “I’ll order some pizza in a little bit for dinner. Is that okay with everyone?”

  “Sounds good,” Jessie looked between Ely and Sloane. Her eyes narrowed as she rested her gaze on Mike.

  Sloane rubbed Mike’s leg. “Why don’t you join me as soon as you are done with your contacts.” She dipped her hand to rub over his inner thigh. She loved the crooked smile he gave her.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can, love.” He kissed her quickly before pulling out his phone.

  Sloane stood and looked into Ely’s eyes. “All right, lead the way,” she smiled up at him. Anticipation and desire licked through her body. She really wanted to finish what they’d started in the car, but she also really had to get a vision. The future of the Shikari rested on them. She needed to do what she could to help. “Oh, hey, before we go to your room, do you have any herbs I can use to make a potion to give my power a boost?” she asked.

  “What are you looking for? I have a well-stocked kitchen. I tend to keep my potion-making herbs with my regular cooking herbs. Most are dual-purpose.”

  “Um, just a few things. Can I take a look?” she asked.

  “Of course, right this way.” He walked into the kitchen and opened the cabinet with all the herbs. Sloane stepped forward and started grabbing a few down. She went to the fridge to grab out the juice.

  “Looks like you have everything. Mortar?” she asked.

  “Uh, right here.” Ely set it in front of her. She nodded and began pouring some of the herbs in the mortar. She used the pestle to grind up the mixture. Ely grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and slid it in front of her. She poured the herb mixture into the glass. She topped it with a little of the juice
and stirred it.

  “Well, here goes nothing.” Sloane downed the drink in one gulp. “Okay, now I need a space to relax or well, get aroused. Both have helped me bring on visions.” She bit her lip as she looked up at Ely. “Are you okay, with ah, us? I mean are you okay with us both?” she was a little flustered as she asked. She never thought she’d be in the position to ask something like that. Usually, she could say anything to anyone. Lately, she’d been nervous about things. She wondered about the change. She’d always been so self-confident, but lately, she’d been nervous. Even feeling anxious at the most inopportune times. Biting her lip again, she met his eyes, feeling a slight flutter in her stomach.

  Ely slipped his hand into hers. “I’m more than okay with it.” He brushed his fingers to tuck her black hair behind her ear. Trailing his fingers over her cheek and down her jaw, he lifted her chin to look at him. “Come, I believe you wanted to have a vision. If arousal helps, I’d be glad to be at your service.” His smirk made her cheeks flush. All nervousness disappeared as he pulled her down the hall to his bedroom.

  He ushered her into the room and leaned against the closed door. “Are you sure about this?” he asked. “You and Mike seem pretty serious. Won’t he be upset if we, uh, start without him?” Ely’s voice came out husky. A new set of butterflies swarmed in Sloane’s stomach.

  “He basically told me to get started without him. I believe this is exactly what he meant.” Sloane stalked toward Ely. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him into a passionate kiss. He responded with a sharp intake of breath, giving her the opportunity to slip her tongue past his parted lips. He sucked on her tongue in response. His arms wrapped around her waist. Heat raced through her body as his fingers skimmed her bare skin beneath her shirt. She wanted to feel him, wanted to make him feel her, she splayed her hands over the taut muscles in his chest. She needed to slow this down or Mike would be upset that they’d finished without him. Not that she wouldn’t be open to a few rounds with these guys.