“I’m so glad you guys came. We are in need of some advice here for Nova.” I just manage to hold my groan at Aria’s excited comment. Both women look surprised but then hurriedly make their way towards the table and sit next to us. After Aria explains to them what I’m struggling with, Gabriela starts to laugh.
“I feel you, girl. At the beginning, I couldn’t get my mind around it. To be honest, if I think about it, I still don’t like the idea too much, but when Bjarni shares with me, my mind is always too busy thinking about other stuff or is too tired to care,” she teases with a wink my way.
“I never really had an issue with it, and that’s a good thing, because when I was pregnant, I had to take more blood than before.” Taking my hand, Jasmine continues. “I know this may seem strange at the moment for you, but sharing blood with them is one thing you have to either get used to or get some other way of taking it. As you know, when you two first touched, the bonding process began. After that, Ceric had to give you blood or you would die. That can still happen if you stop taking his blood. Your body is still transforming, and until it has completely transformed, you will need it.”
“Yeah, Brandr said that if one of the mates die after twenty or thirty years of being together, they might still survive if they continue to take blood from others, he doesn’t know of any mates who actually want to live after their mate dies,” Aria confirms.
“So in other words, I either drink blood or I’m screwed,” I grumble in an irritated tone. All three women nod at my words. “Well, that will be easier said than done, because just the thought of blood trickling down my throat nauseates me.”
“How about she gets a transfusion?” Gabriela suggests with a smile, but Jasmine is already shaking her head.
“Transfusions only work if your mate is missing and you really need to receive his blood, but doing it every month won’t work, as you need to get it while it’s still flowing in his veins,” she explains. I’m sure I paled at her words as I imagine Ceric’s blood still flowing through his veins as I take it into my mouth.
“It’s a shame he can’t ejaculate blood. I’m sure it would be easier for you to swallow then,” Gabriela teases.
“Eww, that’s gross.” I shudder at the thought. “You’ve just ruined that for me.”
“Oh, I know. Just bite him when giving him a blow job. Like that, you won’t know the difference,” Aria jokes. “He may be walking differently for a few hours, but I’m sure he won’t mind being made an hors d’oeuvres.”
“Just be careful that you don’t start to like to nibble on the beast. You wouldn’t want a stump, now would you?” Jasmine teases. All of us are still laughing when Cassius and Bion walk in a few minutes later.
“What are you four up to?” Cassius teases as he sits down next to us.
“Well, handsome, we were just wondering if there is any other way of sharing blood between mates rather than drinking it,” Gabriela replies with an innocent look on her face.
“One of these days, you are going to get one of us beat up,” Bion says as he sits next to her. “If Bjarni hears you, we will be missing body parts by the end of the day.”
“Oh, poor baby, of course you are so weak that you won’t be able to defend yourself. What has you in such a chirpy mood, anyway?” she says sarcastically as she places her hand on his bicep, stroking gently, her eyes concerned. Bion just looks at her and shrugs, smiling gently, but even I can see that it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Why do you want to know about the sharing between mates?” Bion asks, changing the focus from him.
“Just curious,” I reply hurriedly before any of the girls go tell them that I can’t drink blood.
“Well, when you’re mates, you have to share blood. There is no way around that. You can have a transfusion if really necessary, but that can’t be permanent, as you will start to grow weak. The blood is the strongest when taken directly from your mate,” Bion explains, a frown appearing between his brows.
“Is there a problem with the sharing of blood all of a sudden?” Cassius asks.
“We were just curious. You know, if our mate wasn’t around and one of you had to help us out,” I tease, fluttering my lids exaggeratedly. Before the guys can answer, Draco, Brandr, and Ceric walk in. All three look as if they’re on their way out. As Ceric moves towards me, I can see a gun peeping out from under his kutte.
“We have a lead where the entrance might be. Get your shit. We’re moving,” Draco orders. Instantly, Cassius and Bion are on their feet, making their way out of the kitchen. I don’t like these times when I know Ceric is going somewhere where there will be shooting. After seeing someone disappear before my eyes, it’s a bit difficult to forget and be calm.
“Hellcat,” Ceric murmurs as his lips graze my neck from behind. Murmuring in pleasure, I incline my neck to give him better access. “Would you be willing to try to see if you can persuade someone by phone?”
“Mmm.” All I can concentrate on is his lips and how they’re heating up my skin.
“So will you?” he asks as he lifts his head away from my neck.
“What?” I ask dazedly. What the hell is he talking about? I see a beaming smile lighten his face before he asks again.
“Will I read their minds?” I hear Aria ask Brandr, and from the corner of my eye, I see his nod of confirmation.
“Yeah, I will try, but I have never been able to do it before,” I state just so he’s aware that if it doesn’t work, they can’t blame me.
“What about us?” Jasmine asks. “I can see if there is anything you should be careful with, and Gabriela can foresee what’s going to happen.” They once explained to me how their gifts worked, with Jasmine having a vision, and when Gabriela touched her, she was able to foretell what was going to happen.
I hear Brandr groan playfully, earning himself a slap on the arm from Aria. Draco rubs his chin in contemplation. After a few minutes, he shrugs. “Jasmine, I’m sure it will be fine for you, but I don’t want Gabriela to see anything at the moment. With Aria, it’s fine, as she doesn’t really feel drained unless there are many people, but with you, the situation will be different, and you are in no condition at the moment for it. Besides, I would like to have all my limbs when I go into this fight, and if I let you do this, your man is going to dismember me.” There is an order in his voice that I don’t think anyone in their right mind would dispute.
“Darn, this is so unfair. I’m going to miss out on all the fun,” she grumbles.
“Don’t stress, sweetheart. You will have many more opportunities,” Draco consoles.
“Should I get started?” Jasmine asks excitedly. At Draco’s confirmation, she jumps up and collects her art materials from a drawer in the kitchen.
“I have an idea. It might be a little farfetched, but I don’t think there will be any harm trying,” I say. “You say that our gifts have all grown since mating and that when Gabriela touched Jasmine, she was able to see because of her. What if Jasmine is like a beacon and we can all use her with our gifts?” The more I try to explain what I’m thinking, the more excited I get. What if we are all able to do this?
“I don’t follow, Hellcat. How would you be able to persuade with Jasmine?” Ceric asks, a confused look on his face.
“Well, maybe Aria can read Jasmine’s mind, or whomever Jasmine is seeing’s mind when she’s under, and maybe I can persuade through Jasmine.” At my words, they all stand there staring at me with different looks on their faces until I start to feel awkward.
“It could possibly work,” Aria says with a frown. “No harm trying.”
“Great, then let’s get started.” Jasmine claps excitedly as if she’s going to a party. Sitting back down on her chair, she closes her eyes for a few minutes, and then suddenly, she raises her hand to the notebook and starts to sketch.
“Okay, my turn. Let’s see if I can get anything,” Aria calls as she walks around the table and sits next to Jasmine. Gently, she lays her hand on her back and cl
oses her eyes.
“Your turn, Hellcat,” Ceric encourages. Now that it’s my turn, I’m nervous. What if what I suggested doesn’t work? Breathing in deeply, I stand. Approaching Jasmine, I gently place my hand on her shoulder. I close my eyes, trying to concentrate. After a minute, I’m about to pull away when suddenly, an image bursts into my mind. At first, I’m so shocked that I nearly drop my hand from Jasmine, but then I gather my courage and ask the image who he is.
To be honest, I’m not expecting a reply, but then the guy answers, saying his name is Brol. Wow, this is so cool.
Are you a Keres? I ask telepathically,
Yes, he states.
What are your orders?
I am to guard the tunnel entrance.
Is it only you, or are there more guarding the tunnel?
Dieter and Alter also guard the tunnel.
Brol, you are going to let the Elementals MC into the tunnel, and you are going to tell them anything they ask you. Do you understand? I hope this works. What if my persuasion doesn’t work when I stop talking to him?
I understand.
You are also going to disable Dieter and Alter if they are with you when you see the Elementals. Is that understood?
Yes.
Are there any women held there against their will?
Three.
As soon as I finish my questioning, I open my eyes and am surprised to see nearly all the guys in the kitchen. Ceric is still standing before us, his hands holding the back of the chair. If I go by his white knuckles, he is worried about me.
Looking to my side, I see that Aria still has her eyes closed. Brandr has gone down on his haunches and is staring at her intently as if looking for any sign of distress to pull her away. Wulf is standing to my right, a thunderous look on his face as he stares at his woman. I see that Caelius is holding Orion as his father stands over his mother like a guardian angel.
“Come, Hellcat, sit down.” I feel Ceric’s hands on my shoulders as he guides me to my chair. Sitting, he pulls me onto his lap and lays my head on his shoulder, stroking my hair. Looking over, I see Bjarni stroking Gabriela’s cheek as he stands behind her chair, a scowl marring his face to rival Wulf’s as he stares at Jasmine. That man is one scary giant.
Hearing a gasp, I look over at Aria and Jasmine, noticing that Jasmine has placed her charcoal next to what she was drawing but still has her eyes closed. Aria has opened her eyes and is now leaning against Brandr as he whispers in her ear.
“I can see your scowl even with my eyes closed,” Jasmine states tiredly with a tender smile. Wulf instantly places his hand behind her back and under her legs, lifting her up against him.
“Fuck, angel, I hate it when you do that shit,” he says gruffly.
“What the fuck did she draw?” Bjarni asks as he moves to stand over the drawing. “It looks like an alley with a dumpster.”
“It is,” Jasmine replies. “That’s the entrance to some kind of tunnel. When you get into the tunnel, there are three men guarding it.”
I interrupt Jasmine. “Yeah, they are Dieter, Alter, and Brol. I have convinced Brol to help you guys when you get in and to disable the other two. I have also told him to tell you anything you want to know.” I smile when I see the surprise on the guys’ faces when they realise my idea worked.
“Fuck me,” Cassius says from where he’s leaning against the wall.
“You must also be careful when you go in. One of the guys was thinking that there are two snipers on the building opposite the alleyway, waiting for anyone who tries to breach the tunnel,” Aria reveals with a cheeky smile on her face, especially when she sees the shock on the men’s faces. “Close your mouth, babe. A fly might go in,” she teases Brandr as she places a finger under his chin.
“It fucking worked,” Bjarni says quietly.
“Yip, it did, and there are three women being held there at the moment,” I confess.
“Once you get out of the tunnel, it is a big open plan with various human-sized steel cages. You will like to know that there are two computers with all the information needed on the women they know about. The only problem is that they have a password for it and I wasn’t able to get it,” Jasmine says disappointedly.
“Password is Keres thirty-seven ten,” Aria reveals.
“Yikes, we’re good,” Gabriela mocks from where she’s sitting. “You know what this means, don’t you, boys?”
“I’m sure you are going to tell us, baby girl,” Bjarni states with a raised eyebrow.
“We’re indispensable. You can’t do without us.” The women all laugh while the men look disgruntled.
CERIC 13
I still can’t believe what our women are capable of doing. After what was revealed yesterday, we delayed the attack until today, making sure that we know where the snipers are, and are prepared to extract the three women. Celmund is riding next to me today. As soon as he heard there were computers with information, he was ready to leave.
We won’t be going in blind anymore, thanks to our women and the information they acquired for us. When Nova first touched Jasmine and I saw that she was seeing something, I wanted to tear Nova away from her, even though I knew she wasn’t under any duress. The only thing that held me back was the serene look on her face. When Wulf used to freak about Jasmine using her gift, I thought he was overdoing it, but now that I have Nova, I understand.
As we approach the area we’re going to attack, I see Gunner and Caelius turn. They’re supposed to go to the back of the buildings to apprehend the snipers. We decided to try to catch as many of these fuckers as possible for information. Now that we know the women will be able to stop Elementals from turning into Keres, we can eradicate these motherfuckers once and for all.
The rest of us park our bikes where we usually stake out the bar. I will be going in through the tunnel with Celmund, Wulf, Bjarni, and Cassius. Nova described what Brol looks like, so as soon as Gunner and Caelius give us the go ahead, we will be moving in.
Draco, Bion, and Brandr will be going in through the bar area. Burkhart stayed behind with the women at the compound, to his dismay. I smile when I remember Aria ask him sweetly if he would like to go play Monopoly with them when we left. He had grumbled something about having to check his bike and disappeared.
“We’re in position,” Caelius says in our earpieces. “Two apprehended.”
“Let’s move,” Draco orders.
We make our way to the back alley where the dumpster that Jasmine painted is situated. Draco and the guys with him make their way into the bar. Bjarni places his hands on the dumpster and pushes. “Fuck, this shit stinks,” he complains as he starts to move the dumpster away from the hidden entrance.
“That’s enough. We can get in,” Wulf calls as he disappears into the opening. Following him, I see steps leading down. There are no lights on the steps, but as Elementals we can see reasonably well in the dark. When we reach the bottom of the steps, we stop. Wulf indicates that there is movement ahead. Looking over his shoulder, I see two guys standing at what seems the end of the tunnel. Looking closer, I see that the one on the right is Brol. Fuck, I hope Nova’s persuasion holds, because if they start shooting, they might kill the women and destroy the computer hard drives.
“Let’s do this,” Wulf calls quietly, and steps into the tunnel. Instantly, the two guys tense, both lifting their weapons. I see Brol shake his head in confusion, but then he turns towards his companion and hits him over the head with his firearms butt.
“Fuck, my woman is good,” I state. I can feel the smile splitting across my face.
“Yeah, yeah, wanker,” Brandr says in our earpieces. “Don’t forget if it wasn’t for Aria, you would have been shot and would be looking like Swiss cheese from the snipers.”
“Well, if it wasn’t for Jasmine, your women wouldn’t have done anything,” Wulf states.
“Fuck, can we maybe continue with this little party, or are you guys going to take out your dicks and start to compare,” Draco sa
ys.
“There’s no comparing once I take mine out,” Bjarni states quietly as we start moving towards Brol.
“Yeah, because you’re a dick,” I tease, hearing snorting from my brothers in my ear.
“Brol?” Cassius asks.
“Yes?”
“How many men inside?” he asks. I see Brol frown, and then he informs us that there are five with him.
“Show us the way to the women but let us know where the other men are first,” Cassius commands.
“There is one at the door to the warehouse, two by the computers, and two by the door that comes down from the bar,” he reveals, starting to turn and make his way further into the tunnel.
“Wait, are the guys by the computers instructed to destroy them if this place is breached?” Celmund asks.
“Yes.”
“How do we get around that?” Celmund persists.
“If you come in through the bar area and they don’t see you, you could possibly shoot them before they have a chance to do anything.”
Wulf is already informing Draco of what we have just learned. “Okay, hold back until I give you the go ahead,” Draco orders.
“Let’s move, but quietly, and stop if you see one of the other guys,” Wulf says to Brol. We start to make our way quietly through the tunnel. After a few meters, there’s a curve ahead and then a metal door blocking the tunnel from the open area. Wulf looks back at me and raises an eyebrow in question; I nod to let him know that I will be able to bend the door when needed for us to enter.
“We’re about to enter,” Draco warns. I move forward, placing my hands on the door near where the lock is, and start to liquefy the metal. Soon, there is a hole where the lock was, and the door starts to swing in. Looking back at the guys, I nod, letting them know that we are good to go.
“Now,” Draco says. As soon as we have the go ahead, we kick the door down with our guns drawn. As I step inside, I see a guy coming at us from the corner of my eye, his gun drawn. Before I can act, I see a blade fly past my head and sink into the guy’s throat. Instantly, blood starts to gush. I shoot, hitting him in the heart, and he disintegrates into a puddle.
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