Page 34 of Burn Falls

Just as he spoke, I sniffed the air and smelled what resembled his mother’s killer. It wasn’t the exact smell, but it was close. I covered my hand over his mouth and looked around while I said to Martin, “Shut up.” He mumbled against my hand, but I was too busy focusing on the scent. “We gotta go. Hold on.”

I swept him up in my arms like a baby and then dashed toward the smell. It was coming from an ally a block over. When we rounded the corner, I saw a group of men kicking the shit out of a guy. I placed Martin down and had him lean against the wall.

“Stay here.” He was still within eyesight, but there was no way I was going to approach those assholes while carrying a man, let alone a lieutenant with Seattle PD. He nodded and closed his eyes.

“Hey!” I barked as I walked toward the mob.

They didn’t respond or stop kicking the guy.

“Hey!” I shouted again, this time moving within a few feet of them.

They still didn’t stop.

I took one of them by the collar of their shirt and flung him back, causing him to skid across the concrete. It was nothing compared to what I could do, but I was trying to tame my rage.

“I’m talking to you,” I snapped.

The rest of the five men stopped kicking the poor bastard on the ground and turned to look at me. I zeroed in on the one who matched the scent. He smelled of blue cheese and Cardamom. It wasn’t blue cheese and nicotine I was smelling, but I knew this kid was related to the guy who killed Martin’s mother.

“You looking for trouble, dude?” the one I wanted asked, finally turning to face me. My nostrils flared as I zeroed in on his busted lip that was bleeding. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could go before I needed to feed again. It had been several hours, and this wasn’t planned. This punk was much younger than someone who could have killed Martin’s mother, but I was certain he was related to the man.

“I’m looking for you.”

The kid stepped closer, trying to go nose to nose with me, but I was at least six inches taller than him. “Do I know you?” he spat and ran his gaze from my head to my feet and back up.

I chuckled because I knew he was trying to be tough in front of his friends. He had nothing on me.

“What’s funny, bitch?”

I grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the brick wall. “That you think you’re a man. You ain’t shit,” I growled.

His friends behind me all moved back a few steps as they finally registered I wasn’t scared, nor was I fucking around. Their hearts started to beat rapidly in their chest, and I swore I heard and smelled one of them piss himself.

“Now,” I started, looking intoCardamom’sbrown eyes. “I’m going to set you down, and then we’re going to talk like adults. Do you understand me?”

He struggled to nod but managed a little head tilt, and I set him down. “What do you want from me?” he choked out, rubbing his throat.

I stared into his eyes again, this time making them pulse as he looked up at me. After I was done with these kids, none of them would remember this night. “I’m going to ask you a few questions, and you’re to give me the true answers. Do you understand?”

Cardamom nodded.

“What’s your name?”

“Eugene.”

“Well, Eugene, what did this kid do to deserve you six assholes kicking him while he’s down?” I pointed at the guy in the fetal position next to me.

“He owes me money.”

“For?”

“Drugs.”

“You sell drugs?”

He nodded. “Yes, and he’s one of my sellers. Refused to give me my cut.”

“Does your father sell drugs too?”