Page 25

CHAPTER 24

T he fae rips open a portal, and we walk through, taking our time. The southwest tower is in the middle of the city, so we spy on it from the coffee shop across the road. We definitely get some looks, and I don’t blame them since the guys around me are insanely beautiful and inhumanly big, but I ignore the whispers and focus on the building.

“Under it,” I murmur. “A basement? Maintenance?” I muse out loud. “It would have to be hidden from the other hunters and humans around here, not to mention other monsters, but have easy access—” My eyes land on the subway and I smile.

“Tunnels.” I sip my coffee as I nod. “They are hiding in the tunnels. Okay, so we?—”

“Excuse me?” The quiet, unsure voice has us all whirling around. I reach for my blade while the others draw their magic, all but Ronan, who is trying very hard to drink his coffee and not let it go through him.

The girl is young, her bright blonde hair vibrant. Her cheeks heat as she glances at us. “Sorry, I was just hoping I could give you my number.”

I roll my eyes and look away, assuming she means the fae, Tem, or even Addeus. “Erm, you?” she squeaks, and I look back as she thrusts a piece of paper towards me. Blinking, I take it in confusion, and she grins and giggles before hurrying off as I gape at her retreating back in shock.

Ronan snorts, and his coffee squirts all over Addeus, who grabs him with a roar. Sighing, I pocket the number and glance at the building.

“Alright, enough fighting. Let’s go,” I say after observing the subway entrance. I haven’t seen any hunters go in or out, but that doesn’t mean anything.

Standing, I throw some bills on the table and leave the boys rolling around on the floor, fighting. I walk out into the street, ignoring the traffic as I cross. Horns blare, and I flip them off as I reach the subway entrance then descend the stairs. I hear the guys hurrying after me, their footsteps chasing me. At the turnstiles, I scan my card and move through, only to stop as I glance back.

Ronan floats over it, the fae frowns, Tem hops it with a grin, and Addeus snarls at the machine, banging his fist into it. Rolling my eyes, I go to scan my card when the fae flicks his fingers and all the stalls magically open, then he walks through with a cocky grin. I throw him a glare. Poor Addeus has to move through sideways, grumbling the entire time.

This world was not made for a man of his stature.

Before we get shouted at or ticketed, I hurry down the stairs to the right and onto the platform. It’s busy at this time, and I glance around, searching for what I want. People move out of our way as I walk farther down, until we are at the end of the platform. I see a small walkway leading deeper, and a few feet down is a door. It has an emergency sign, but painted under it is the hunter symbol.

Bingo.

Ignoring the gasps and calls, I hop down onto the line, my boots hitting the metal hard. I keep my back to the wall and pull my gun as I move to the door. I glance back to see the others doing the same, though Addeus is having to hunch. Smirking, I crouch before the door and look for any traps or wires. Nothing buzzes, but that doesn’t mean anything.

“Addeus,” I call. “Come here.”

He slides past the others, knocking the fae onto the track before he is at my side. “Can you sense anything? Any traps, cameras, or tricks?” I ask. It’s worth a shot, right? If the hostage inside is important, then they would at least have it wired or be able to monitor it.

“I sense people inside. I can hear their heartbeats. There are many, but they are farther in.” He closes his eyes and presses his hand to the door.

His eyes glow brighter, that blue ring appearing, and I swear I hear electricity crackling through him. “There are cameras, but I have knocked them out. There is an alarm too, which I have disabled.” He drops his hand. “Now it is just the people inside.”

“They will have noticed,” I murmur as I twist the handle, and it opens. I peer inside before looking back at the others, an idea coming to mind.

“Fae, if I make a deal with you, will you glamour all of you and hide behind me?”

The grin he gives me is evil as we hear a train barrelling towards us. “What are you offering?”

“Me, for one night, as long as I walk out alive.”

“Deal.” He waves his hand, and they all disappear, but I can still feel them. In one way or another, they are all tethered to me.

Standing, I put my gun away and walk inside.

The room beyond looks like a maintenance room, with a round table and a small kitchen. After a short entrance, there are two hunters who jump to their feet, their cards forgotten on the table as they eye me. I glance around, seeing the hole in the wall carved beyond, leading into darkness.

Holding my hands out, I smile calmly. “Easy. Name’s Tate. I’m a new transfer from the southwest,” I lie. If I say up north, they will check and find out about my team.

“What are you doing here?” the big bastard on the right snarls, his receding hair causing his scalp to shine in the light. His beady eyes dart around—he’s definitely on something. My eyes flit across the table, and I see the pixie dust.

I shrug. “My friend told me to get in on this and said you were making a killing.”

“Who? Give me their name,” the other demands, a meaty, short guy with sharp eyes.

“Sanchez.” It’s someone I’ve run into before and a gamble. Hunters don’t all know each other after all.

“Never heard of him,” the short one snaps.

“So? You don’t believe me? I’m one of you.” I show my patch on my shoulder, and he frowns. “How else would I know you’re keeping a magic user down here and draining him, hmm?” I scoff. “Look, I don’t want any trouble. I’m just here for some quick cash.”

They share a look, still unsure, but I would be too. After all, what they are doing is against our rules. Some might look the other way, but if brass found out about it, they would hang them, especially Shamus. Despite the rumours about him and how much he annoys me, he’s determined to be a good hunter and make our people better. Considering there are people like this who fill the lower ranks, it’s no wonder he’s fighting a losing battle.

A bellow of pain splits the air, echoing from the darkness beyond. It’s so filled with agony, it echoes my own, but I force a smile. “Looks like you guys are having all the fun.”

They chuckle, relax, and share a look. “You want any dust?” the big guy offers.

“Nah, I’m good. That shit tweaks me, and I’ve got a briefing soon. I don’t want them catching on.” I chuckle.

They laugh again and sit. “Go on through. Beiz is back there right now, draining him again.”

Nodding, I duck through the hole, my shoulders tightening at having them at my back, but I can feel the others behind me, so that’s something. Their weapons would have to get through my team before getting to me.

The hole leads into what looks like old service tunnels. There are a few closed doors, and I know there will be more hunters in there, either high or resting.

The scream comes again, echoing down the corridor, and I follow it to the very end, where some metal steps lead down to an open room. There are pipes down each side, some of them partially submerged in water with just a metal walkway over to a man who is convulsing on a metal table. His mouth is open on a scream as glowing metal prods are driven into his chained body by three hunters standing over him. They drain into glass canisters at the end, glowing with magic.

Those are a witch’s invention, ironically, to help keep magic fresh when selling spells. I’ve used some in the past, but this warlock is not giving his power or spells willingly. He is being tortured for them.

The hunters are too busy to notice me, and I do not have it in me to fake our way in. It’s silly, but I pull my gun, unable to listen to the man’s screams. His body writhes as his magic flows from him, so I aim the gun at the first hunter and pull the trigger. His head explodes, and the other two turn, pulling their prods from the warlock’s body.

“What the fuck?” The one on the right drops his prod, shattering the glass, and the magic shoots back into the slumped warlock. The hunter goes to pull his gun, but I fire. It hits his chest, causing him to stagger, so I keep firing until he drops.

I hear the doors behind us open as hunters pour from their rooms to come after us. Glancing at my team on either side of me, I grin evilly. I could spend time killing all of them, cleansing our organisation, but the warlock needs me more, so I put my trust in my team like Althea said. Besides, they need this more than I do.

“Feed,” I order.

I don’t have to tell them twice. The fae grins and throws himself at the first man that emerges, while Addeus barrels through their masses. Tem’s soft smile never drops, but he launches himself at the first man and rips his throat out with his teeth then feasts on his blood. A groan splits the air as his head tips back, and he glances at me, smiling brightly before burying his mouth back in the hunter’s neck.

Leaving them to it, I head down the stairs and to the one hunter left standing, his wavering prod pointed at me. I put my gun away. I won’t kill him with it. Instead, I’ll turn his own weapon on him.

He throws a jar of magic at me, but Ronan suddenly appears and absorbs it for me, walking like a shield as I head for the hunter. He panics and grabs another, but I rush him, and he falls back. Catching the prod with the jar still at the end, I point it at him.

“You are a disgrace,” I spit.

“You’re one of us. What the fuck?—”

“I am not one of you. I’m a hunter, and you? You’re trash, nothing more. When I’m done, this world will have forgotten all about you. I’ll wipe you and your entire likeness from our organisation.”

I slam the prod into his chest before he can speak. I do not want to hear anything he says.

He’s disgusting, and he deserves a painful death.

He took something sacred and corrupted it.

It might make me evil, but I’ll gladly become a killer to save our kind.

He shrieks and jerks from the electricity coursing through him. His hair stands on end and his screams get higher until I pull the prod away. He slumps to his knees, drooling and gagging, so I press it to his shoulder. “How do you like it?” I ask him as more screams split the air behind me. When I pull it away again, he lifts his head, his eyes bloodshot. I flip the prod and smash the glass bottle onto him.

The magic flows down him like water, but he screams as he melts under it. It turns to acid on his skin. His flesh and muscles melt to the floor, leaving nothing but his screaming skeleton. Stepping over him, I head to the table. The warlock’s head is turned away, his hair covering his face.

Eyeing the chains, I glance up at a particularly loud scream to see Addeus’s hand plunge through a hunter’s back and out his front as he lifts the man in the air, and then he brings him back down, breaking him, and buries his face in his chest cavity.

I turn back to the warlock and start to unwind the chains, but there are locks. Snarling, I pull out my gun and shoot them. They break, and I yank the chains off, letting them slither from his body. He doesn’t move, and I worry for a moment that he’s dead. The last one falls to the floor, and I lay my hand on his arm, making him jerk up, his long, tangled black hair falling back to reveal bright red, glowing eyes. I stare for a moment. He's beautiful, the kind that catches your attention, even covered in sweat and magic. His hair, a deep, obsidian black, is perfectly straight and hangs down to his waist. His face is pale, with sharp cheekbones and an even sharper jawline. He's Asian, maybe Chinese, and when his red eyes lock on me, I find myself swallowing hard. For a moment I stare at the symbol that glows on his left cheek before I force myself to focus.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” I promise. “I’m here to help you.” He glances at the hunters on the floor and back to me. “Come on, time to go.”

He doesn’t speak as I help him from the table, his head hanging forward. He struggles as I walk us to the end of the table, grunting under his weight. Suddenly, he jerks me to a stop, his blazing eyes locking on the hunters still pouring into the area, and with a gurgled scream, he throws his hand out, palm up

My eyes widen as magic fills the space, and a dragon-shaped flame smashes into the remaining hunters. Their screams fill the air as they burn to death, the smell making me retch.

When it’s over, he slumps, and I catch him as he falls forward, smiling happily before he passes out.

Okay then.

“Uh, guys, a little help?” I call, and three bloodstained faces turn to me, equally as horrific and happy.

Fucking hell, when did my life get so weird?