The intruder was a witch and a powerful one. What the hell was he doing here?
He jumped to his feet, and I dropped my knees, lowered my shoulder and collided with his waist. I propelled him into the side of Wilder’s house, a gasp of air leaving the man’s mouth.
The witch didn’t give up though. He slammed his elbow into my back. Once, twice, three times. It hurt, but I didn’t let go. I landed a punch to his gut, winding him and as I pulled back, I sliced my blade against the meat of his outer thigh then up his chest in quick succession.
I wrapped one hand around his throat and pressed the point of the blade against the corner of his eye with my other. The coppery tang of blood drifted through the air and made my dick hard.
The guy eyed me with trepidation, a snarl curing his bottom lip.
“Who are you?” I asked as I pressed the blade deeper into his skin. I was tempted to cut his eyeball out, but with the sound of the explosion earlier, I’m sure the cops would be here soon and time was limited.
“That’s none of your fucking business,” he spat, his voice grating on my eardrums like gravel.
“It is if you’re trying to break into this house.”
“Get your hands off me, boy,” he gritted out, a sneer curling his mouth.
I grinned wide. “Make me.”
He scowled at me and I could see his mind turning over behind his eyes, trying to figure out if it was possible to beat me.
I was confident enough in my skills that I would make it damn difficult for him. Normally, if I were taking out a target, I’d research them and tailor my attack to their weaknesses. I would also have the right tool kit for each victim so that I could defend myself against their superpowers. I was only human, after all.
“I didn’t realise Wilder had a guard dog,” the man said dismissively as he relaxed into my hold, clearly having made the incorrect decision that I’m not a threat.
“He does, and this dog will bite.” I snapped my teeth at him.
The man huffed a raspy laugh. “Sounds kinky.”
He stared at me for a long time, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something felt familiar about him. I knew I’d never met him before, but there was something I couldn’t put my finger on. His power signature maybe?
He didn’tlookfamiliar. “Who are you?”
The man smiled wide, and it was unsettling, even for me. He went to answer but the telltale sound of sirens cut through the air. He used the moment to slam his hands into my chest, catching me a little by surprise.
The action made my blade slice through the skin under his eye, and he hissed a sharp breath. Couldn’t be that bad of a cut if he wasn’t screaming. Shame.
I ran after him as he darted towards the alleyway, and grabbed his arm, launching him into the wall. I couldn’t kill him now, not with the cops about to appear, so I grabbed his hand, snagging the ring around his little finger. I twisted and pulled, hearing a little satisfying crack as his finger broke. He yelled at that and threw a lightning bolt over his shoulder. It hit my shoulder andpain erupted along the nerves down my arm like fucking lava. I instantly recoiled from him and hissed at the pain. Jesus, fuck, that hurt.
I hobbled out of the alley just in time to see the guy disappear into thin air as the cops approached from the other direction. Diving back into the alley, I called Acheron.
“What now?” he drawled.
“I need help. Get me out of here.”
Asking for help wasn’t something I normally did which is probably the only reason the brightly coloured charmer appeared quickly. One second there was a wall in front of me, the next, Acheron appeared with a smug grin plastered across his face. He was the only person I knew that could portal and I needed that right now.
“Well, this is delicious,” he purred. “The notorious hitman asking little ol’ moi for help.”
“Acheron, just get me out of here.” I was already regretting asking him for help and the pain in my arm and shoulder was becoming unbearable. It must be more than a zap of electricity that the witch hit me with.
He looked at his toxic green nails like he had all the time in the world. “Say ‘please’.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Acheron. Really?”
“Yes, really.” His grin was smarmy as fuck.
“Fine,” I gritted out. “Please.”