Magic Awakened: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set

by K.N. Lee

  Gus stopped typing, then turned to look at him. His eyes were dark rimmed and his hair stood on end. He smelled of coffee and pizza. “Intel told me we lost four in Seattle tonight. Atos’s soldiers patrol that area. Not us. How come our soldiers were there?”

  Fuck! “I sent them there to nab the fucking boy.”

  “Vrick? Why? He could be the link to—”

  “Exactly, Gus. That’s why I wanted him here and his sister, before someone else got them. For the first time in fucking history, a sign of the spear is found. I’m not going to just sit on my ass and do nothing. I want that spear. But without the boy’s sister, it would be useless to us.”

  “You think she’s the master.”

  “Yes.”

  “What now? Zambro’s brother, Victor, and other Midnight Howl took Vrick to the hospital. At Swedish, one of our techs saw them and heard what happened. But the boy disappeared after the doctor stitched him up.”

  “Son of a bitch. Why was I not informed right away?”

  “I, I tried—but you were busy.”

  “I hate that mother fucking Midnight Howl.”

  “Didn’t Atos made a truce with them?”

  “Do I look like Atos to you?” Leon snarled. “Make a call. Bring me the goddamn sister. Or I will have you eat your own eyeballs!”

  Chapter 5

  Victor glanced in the rearview mirror. They were being followed. Shit. They should’ve left Addy’s house right away, but she insisted on locking the house up. He didn’t have the heart to tell Addy that locking the house wouldn’t stop the Blood Robbers from breaking in. So he just followed her around and listened to her talk. She went on about her parents, family, house, their weapon collections, and of her dad constantly regaling her with stories about people of long ago, fighting over a spear because of its power to hit any target and win any war. It had been passed down from generation to generation until it disappeared.

  There were stories about the spear having been reduced to killing animals, digging dirt, a play toy for kids learning how to throw, and an object for display while waiting to find its master. Based on Addy’s stories, the spear had found her years ago. For what purpose, he didn’t know. Victor glanced at Addy. She’d been deep in her thoughts, not saying anything while he drove.

  She sat with her legs folded to the right. The subdued light cast by the moon gave her an ethereal glow. So lovely even when frowning.

  He checked his rearview mirror again.

  The fucking black Crown Victoria was still behind them. Tonight would be a fucking long midnight solstice. “Fuckin’ eh.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “We’re being followed.”

  Addy quickly turned around to look. “Black. Crown Victoria. Is that why we’re on the floating bridge to Bellevue, instead of heading downtown Seattle?”

  “Yup. Seattle’s Best den is further. Where we are going is a bit closer.

  “But this bridge is closed.”

  “I know. We can pass.” If they had to fight the assholes, this place would be best. No humans around.

  “You can easily lose them.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “You’re driving a Shelby Mustang GT500.”

  Victor grinned. “Right.”

  “But I don’t want you to.”

  Victor frowned. “You don’t want what?”

  “To lose them.”

  His stomach tightened. He didn’t like the glint in Addy’s eyes. “You know they’re after you, right?”

  “I know. So let’s face them. Save them gas.”

  “Can’t. I’m taking you to safe place and I won’t put you in danger, love.”

  “You won’t let danger come near me. I’m sure you can break those shape-shifters necks in half, in matter of seconds.” Addy looked serious.

  “Seconds?” Damn, she had no idea how her comments affected his self-worth. He glanced at the left side view mirror. The Crown Victoria’s driver was actually trying to drive beside him. He stepped on the gas.

  Addy was practically turned around in her seat, trying to see the driver. “Victor, this car is full of weapons. Why are we running away?”

  “Can you shoot?”

  “Each one of the weapons you have, I know how to use. Accurately. And we have the spear. I might make it do something other than skewer one of them.”

  Wow. His baby was a blood thirsty human. However, even if she’d trained to use guns and spears, the shape-shifters weren’t called warriors and soldiers for nothing. And they had more than one life to boot. “Your government’s best trained military is nothing compared to them. You’ve seen them fight in your dreams.”

  “Yeah, I’ve seen them. But they’ve never seen me fight.” Addy grinned.

  Gods of all gods. If he were right, the God’s blood in her veins was no longer sleeping. “As much as I’d like to kill those sons of bitches, I can’t—”

  Addy reached into the back seat, unzipped one of the gym bags and took out a wicked looking gun.

  “Baby, what the hell?”

  “I’ll just scare them.” Addy smirked then rolled down the window.

  Before Victor could understand what she intended to do—half of her body was already out the window. It happened so fast. He didn’t even have the chance to break. “Addy!” He heard the other car’s tires squeal.

  Addy fired, breaking the Crown Victoria’s windshield. She sat back again, with a grin on her face. “I’ve never fired guns at anything breathing before.”

  Shit. She just fucking fired at the Blood Robbers. “Hang on!” he snarled. He stepped on the brakes. The car fishtailed. As soon as he got it under control, he made a quick turn and faced the car head on.

  “They’re alive. Maybe they got the idea and won’t follow us anymore.” Addy’s arm was out of the window again, making quick rapid fire.

  “Which gun is that?”

  “MP5KA1. You should try it some time.”

  “Definitely.”

  The Crown Victoria swerved to the right avoiding hitting them. The noise they were making could wake the dead. Luckily, they were on the floating bridge to Bellevue. It seemed to be empty, save for them and the fucking Blood Robbers.

  Victor stopped the car then revved the engine. The Crown Victoria did the same. “Baby, it’s not good to instigate them. We can face them once my brothers—”

  “These shape-shifters want me and they hurt my brother. I’m not going to run and keep looking behind my back. They need to know they messed with the wrong woman. I promised my parents to protect Morgan. They made me feel like I failed them. I’m pissed.”

  Victor smiled. “You didn’t fail him, babe. If anything, you introduced him to a new world that he obviously was obsessing about.”

  The Crown Victoria’s driver and two passengers in the back got out of the car.

  Victor sneered. Fools.

  “They’re out of the car, Victor.”

  “Yup. They’re not going to kill you, Addy. They want you alive.”

  “They can’t have me.”

  “Not while I’m still living,” he vowed.

  “They’ll kill you.”

  “Well, they aren’t here to take me hostage.”

  “Don’t worry, Victor, I won’t let them harm you.”

  Despite the dangerous situation they were in, Victor laughed. “You do know that we don’t die easily, right?”

  “What? I’ve seen shape-shifters die and then fight again, but I thought that was just a dream! What the hell, Victor? You let me shoot at them and now, you’re telling me they don’t die easily?”

  “We have five lives. Morgan didn’t tell you?”

  “No. My brother didn’t tell me that.”

  “We’re not immortals. We can die five times. But if you turn us into a sloppy joe that we couldn’t heal from then it doesn’t matter how many live we have left. We’ll die.”

  “Oh, my god.”

  “There’s just the two of us. Babe,
we can still get out of this situation.”

  “How many lives do you have left?”

  “Three.”

  Addy stared at him. “You died before. I’m sorry.”

  “Comes with the job description.”

  “What should we do?”

  “Deciding to walk away from a fight when it is time, is not the same as running away from it. MP5KA1 is not enough, you know.”

  “Would Auto 9 fashioned from Berretta 92FS and C4 Impaler do?”

  “If used properly.”

  Addie nodded. “They’re not going to stop until they get me.”

  “No.”

  “All right then. We should—”

  “Stay in the car.”

  “But—”

  He didn’t wait for Addy to finish her protest. Armed with his double-edged sword, he got out of the car then stood in front. Victor had been in many fights, but he’d never felt like this. Worried. Addy knew her own caliber, but he wasn’t sure how she would hold up. Four against two. He could handle four, but Addy’s presence changed the game. Half of his mind would be on her. He heard the car door open and shut.

  Addy joined him.

  She too, he noticed, was armed. “Babe—”

  “I’m not going back in the car if that’s what you’re going to say, sweetheart.”

  Why wasn’t he surprised? “They will hurt you, Addy. You don’t heal like us.”

  “If they hurt me, yeah. But they’re not gonna.”

  “They’re big.”

  “Bigger target. Don’t worry about me, Victor. I’m not afraid.”

  Victor took a quick glance at her. He believed her.

  “Give us the human, Midnight Howl, and no one will get hurt,”

  Victor cocked his head at the one that spoke. What was up with the Blood Robbers in Oregon? They were freakishly tall and beefy, too. This one’s haircut was laughable. Half of his head was shaved and the other half had long braided hair. “Not gonna happen, rat.”

  “She’s that good, huh?”

  “Yup. But you wouldn’t know that. She’s a keeper.”

  “What?” Addy asked.

  Victor ignored her.

  “Lies,” the other Blood Robber snarled. “You have a code, Midnight Howl.”

  “What code?” Addy asked.

  Victor ignored her again. He didn’t like being reminded of what he believed in. He breathed and lived the Midnight Howl code. “I’m keeping her for the same reason that you’re after her.”

  All four Blood Robbers sneered.

  One crossed his arms across his chest.

  Victor could tell this one thought of himself as a leader. This one must be real good with razors too. His hair looked like a maze.

  “Midnight Howl, I’m not a fool. You want to mate with that human. But you’re torn, aren’t you? Sweet pussy or break the code.” To Addy, he said, “Did he tell you? Midnight Howl has a rule to stay away from humans. They can look, but can’t touch. They are here to—” The Blood Robber made two bunny ears with his fingers to indicate his sarcasm—“ ‘Protect you, not to take advantage.’ Which we all know is a bull since his brother has just brought a human to their den. Imagine the ruckus that created. I’ve heard the brother nearly got his ass tossed out of their clan. So, if I were you, I wouldn’t be the cause of this Midnight Howl’s downfall.”

  “And how would you suggest I do that?”

  “Come with us. Bring the spear. With us, you’ll stay warm and alive.”

  Addy held the spear in front of her. It expanded to its full length.

  The Blood Robbers actually looked stunned.

  “This what you want?”

  “Yes. And you.”

  “I’d rather die a virgin than let your dirty fingers touch me.”

  Victor cursed inwardly. Did she have to announce that she was still a virgin? “You heard her. I suggest you leave now.”

  “I think I scared them with the spear,” she whispered.

  Victor grinned.

  “You are coming with us, human. Like it or not.”

  “Why, what are you going to do?” she taunted.

  “Kill. Every man, woman, and child that we can find.”

  “With what? Your tiny hands and dick?” Victor shifted at the same time the other two did. Two ugly sons of bitches faced him. The others remained in their human form and circled Addy. Their swords drawn. Fuckin’ eh. He couldn’t keep his eyes on Addy anymore without endangering his own life. The need to kill the bastards in seconds rose to a high level.

  Thinking they could beat him easily if they attacked at the same time, both charged full speed then jumped.

  Victor met them in midair.

  The sound of their bodies clashing broke the stillness of the night.

  “You’ve never been in a fight, human. You don’t know how to kill.”

  “Says who?” Addy twirled the spear and then stood at an angle with her feet apart. With her body turned and her foot more toward the wolves, she gave them a narrow target. Her back foot was also planted at an angle and it gave her good footing. She could make a sudden attack this way.

  “Come on, kitten. You have the spear, but you’re no match to our skills. Just save us all the trouble and come with us. We’ll spare Victor.”

  “Spare Victor? You kid yourself.”

  “I have no patience with bullshit, human.”

  Bending her knees, she lowered the center of her gravity. This way, she could make a stab harder. Weight at the balls of her feet, she concentrated on her targets. “The only time you can touch this spear is when it is lodged in your throat.”

  “You’re a bitch, aren’t you? And not even a good one. Real bitches can shift. You can’t.”

  “This bitch can dream about you dying. I’ve seen your faces before, contorted in pain before turning into ashes.”

  This statement got the shifters attention. Their eyes dilated as their nostrils flared.

  “Don’t make me hurt you,” the one with a mohawk warned.

  “You want me alive, I know. So why don’t you just sheath your swords and leave us alone. Oh, wait. You can’t. Because if you go back to your foul smelling den without me, you would be dead. Right?”

  “If anyone is dying tonight, it’ll be that fucking Midnight Howl and hundreds of humans. Do you think you can have that on your conscience?”

  “Empty threats. The Midnight Howl will ground your noses to the ground. Now, do you want to make my dreams come true or not?”

  “I’ll take you back with us. With or without arms and legs, woman.”

  Addy scoffed. She dropped her body even lower until her leg muscles started burning.

  The Blood Robbers’ swords glinted in the dark. Mohawk began to advance.

  What ugly shape-shifters. She pointed the spear at his shoulder. He swung his sword with a full intent to cut her arm in half. Addy blocked it. The spear and sword clanging sound would make anyone cringe, but it had only made Addy angrier. Finding room, he attacked the way one would with a fencing sword. She stabbed him directly at his throat, but he moved back quickly. Addy had only nicked him.

  Mohawk wiped the blood off his neck. “Bitch.” He let out a warrior cry, swishing his sword.

  Addy tried to parry, but Mohawk was strong and she couldn’t hold her spear anymore.

  “Ahh. I say you don’t even know the spear, human.”

  He tried to grab her, but Addy was quicker. She pulled her gun out and shot him.

  Mohawk staggered. Blood poured from his face like a leaky water-filled balloon, but he remained standing.

  Five lives. Addy didn’t wait. She fired again until the shifter was headless. Her heart felt like bursting, but this wasn’t the time to be a girly-girl.

  The other shifter was still standing, staring at her.

  “If you don’t want to end up like him, go.”

  “I hate you, humans.”

  “Hate is a strong word,” she quipped.

  “Your world is
as dirty as a horse’s ass, because you don’t care. Look around you. You worship money and power. You don’t care about nature as long as you make a profit. Prejudice, racism, war, lies, crime. That’s what you produce. You think of yourselves as high and mighty even when you eat your own kind. That’s why we don’t blink an eye when we kill your kind.”

  “You forget, shifter. We are capable of love, caring, forgiveness. How many humans have you killed so far?”

  “Too many to count.”

  Pulling her Zoraki 925, she emptied it on the Blood Robbers’ chest.

  The shifter dropped his sword then ran toward her.

  Addy rolled on the ground, picked up her spear and threw it.

  The Blood Robber stopped on his tracks. Spear inside his mouth.

  Addy couldn’t really tell if he were dead. Using the Robber’s sword, she severed his head.

  The body was bright with blood.

  Addy watched it until she started shivering. Her stomach cramped and she started heaving.

  Oh, god. I’m going to be sick.

  A hair-raising growl took her attention away from the dead bodies. She turned around to look at Victor in time to see him rip one wolf apart.

  Yep, now Addy threw up all over the ground.

  The last wolf with the maze haircut changed direction and ran toward the car.

  Victor decided it wasn’t worth chasing him. The shithead would go back to his den with his tail tucked between his legs. He’d most likely receive the cruelty Leon was known to exhibit.

  He should go to Addy, but he had something important to do. He shifted back to his human form, walked to the car and then opened the trunk. He grabbed the bag containing his extra clothes. Despite what humans believed, shape-shifters didn’t have the power to manifest clothes or weapons. Those supernatural powers only existed in fiction books and movies. He walked back to where the dead wolf lay and picked up its sword.

  Shit, he hoped Addy wasn’t looking. She already looked green and retching. Without saying anything, he quickly cut off the wolf’s head…the head disintegrated and turned into ashes. The body followed. He thought about calling the cleaners, but decided not to. Soon, the rain would come down to wash away all the signs that they were ever here. He kept the two swords.

  The bridge was still empty, but it wouldn’t be for long. He leaned against the hood of the car and watched Addy. Her hair had come undone and her tank top looked wet from perspiration. She trembled from head to toe and her fists pressed against her stomach. Adrenaline was surely leaving her system now.