Page 64 of Of Blackened Blood (The Blackened Blade #3)

ANNEX

I follow Ez and Mal into the cafeteria after finishing our errands early. Me and Mal did a quick check on all the safe houses and teams in the closest towns before meeting up with Ezra on the way into the academy.

I couldn’t wait to see Red. She was wrapped in my arms just last night after another heavy training session. But even that felt like too long ago.

All this training and preparing for attacks is all well and good, but I need some real “Red time.” And more than just watching her train sexily in the gym or abattoir or falling asleep dead-exhausted into my arms at night.

We haven’t had any real time to ourselves since the attack, always watching our backs and keeping an eye on her evil bitchling and her little cronies.

I brush my hand under my jacket and down my back, feeling the hilt of my Bowie sitting on my belt.

If only they’d let me loose to play. I’d wipe ’em all out in a day.

Fine ... A day and a half.

Instead, my beautiful Red was working her sexy ass to the bone every moment of every day training with that gruff ass, Isaiah, and the new guy, Gabreal or Gabby .

The blond asshole looked too polished. Too prim and proper for a place like ours. He looked like the type to eat those weird baby fish eggs covered in gold flakes and carry around his own embroidered napkin to wipe his lips.

He looked like he belonged on the front page of some kind of catalogue holding up gold knives and forks, ready to be ogled by older women in aprons.

His fighting movements also looked too ... perfect, like each one had a meaning and thought behind it. The complete opposite of mine.

I shake my head. Maybe that was the elven part of him. Legolas-looking bastard.

Ez said he was one of the Defence instructors at the academy. And I’ll admit, he seems to know his way around a blade. But that doesn’t mean he gets a hall pass around here. I don’t trust him and neither do Mal and Creed.

But I can see that Red does.

The way they train together ... it’s like they’ve been doing it for years. They move effortlessly back and forth when sparring and seem to know each other’s movements well. And a part of me hates that.

I hate that I can’t be everything that she needs. I hate that we had to bring another outsider in to help her because we lacked the skills.

But more than all that, I hate the way the bastard looks at her ... and the way she looks back at him.

I don’t think my beautiful Red even realises she’s doing it.

But it feels like I’m watching more than just a mentor-student relationship when they’re training together. It feels like something deeper. And it bothers me.

I drag a hand through my hair. My thoughts fall to Red wrapped in my arms, snuggling closer to me and Ez as she slept last night.

I brush a hand along the spot where my Mate mark sits and push the annoying thoughts away.

The training she is doing with the elf and Isaiah is helping her. I can see the improvement in Red because of it. And that’s all that matters.

She’s mastering each weapon and move so much quicker with him around.

She’s soaking up whatever the elven asshole teaches her, quickly making it her own. And for that, I guess the nimble prick can stay around a little longer. Just until she learns all she needs from him.

Ez was also the one to bring him to the abattoir, and Creed isn’t protesting, which tells me there’s a bigger picture I might not be seeing here.

I trust my Mate and brothers. And will follow their lead for now.

I sigh, brushing a hand through my hair again as I follow Ez to the food queue, Mal taking his usual spot at our table.

Looking at the menu, I notice they’ve got steak and fries today. And my thoughts instantly fly back to Red and our first few fond memories.

She was so cute making threats and almost stabbing me with her fork that day. A couple of millimetres more to the right and she could have left me with a pretty little scar.

A grin stretches my cheeks as I order three large steaks with a mountain of fries for me and Red.

I turn toward Ez standing a couple of feet away, already having ordered his food. “You think I should order her more than two? Red’ll probably be hungry?—”

My words fade from my lips as I look at Ez’s expression. His brows are scrunched together as he looks around the room, his gaze quickly turning into a dark glare.

That’s when I notice all the strange looks and whispers with Red’s name being thrown back and forth.

My own brows pinch together. Have they all lost their minds? Who the fuck do these pricks think they are, whispering about our woman?

But before I can turn around and teach each bastard a lesson, some brunette bimbo jumps up from a table nearby and makes her way over toward Ez.

She hesitates as his glare darkens with her appearance before swallowing her fear. Stupid.

“Ezra ...” She takes a slow step toward my brother. “You should listen to what people are saying. That bit—I mean ... Micai ... She’s not what she seems.”

I clench my fist. I wonder how many teeth she thinks she’s gonna have left after spewing shit about our girl? She must wanna be a gummy fucker.

“She’s used forbidden magic. She cursed Knox?—”

I take a step closer to Ezra, and the dolt flinches as soon as our eyes meet, her words cutting off. Her gaze quickly flicks to the floor, her hands shaking before her mouth slowly opens again to spew more putrid shit.

“She’s a liar, Ezra.” She turns her eyes back toward Ez, finding courage from somewhere. “She’s tricking you all!”

I crack my knuckles, watching the bitch who’s clearly unaware of her impending death.

Ezra lifts a hand before I can make my move, my brother’s patience gone as his eyes narrow darkly toward her.

“I told you before Lillith, stay out of my and Micai’s business. No stupid rumour would make me turn against the woman I love.”

The brunette’s eyes widen with my brother’s words, a desperate look filling her crazed gaze.

“But she’s just using you! She’s still after her sister’s men. She’s a whore who?—”

I take another step toward her, my hand grasping her small throat, annoyance plaguing me at having to touch the bitch at all as I cut her air supply short.

I could see Ez was on the precipice with this bitch as well, but I couldn’t wait any longer.

I give her throat a little squeeze as her eyes grow wide, a whimper leaving her lips as she focuses fully on me now.

“If you so much as whisper Micai’s name again .

..” I grit out, leaning closer as the whites of her eyes grow even larger; the fear so palpable around her, I can taste it on my lips.

“I’ll rip your tongue out and staple it to your forehead, tear your nails from each finger one by one, and slice every one of your tendons below your waist .

.. so that you can crawl on the ground for the rest of your miserable life like the dirt you are.

You mean nothing to my woman or brothers, but your words .

.. you don’t get to talk shit and walk away.

” I give her a little squeeze. “If I hear so much as a peep or see you even looking our way again ... I’ll make you suffer pain you can’t imagine, and then bury you where even the dead won’t rot.

” I give her one final grin— one that has her whole body shaking —before flinging her toward the ground.

A pained yelp leaves her lips as she scrambles to crawl away from us, never once looking back at me or Ez. Then I glance around the room and toward each set of wide and fearful eyes focused on us.

That dumb bitch isn’t the only one who needs a reminder of who they are fucking with. Micai is one of us. And we aren’t to be fucked with.

The murmurs and whispers fall low but still don’t fully shut the fuck up. And my anger grows to a boiling point.

They were still underestimating us and Red, spreading vile lies about her.

But it all stops now.

I stalk slowly through the room and make my way toward the centre.

“Is that what you all think too?” I point toward the fleeing brunette still scrambling toward the exit. “That our Red did something bad ?”

A dark chuckle escapes my lips, the room instantly falling silent as the sound echoes around it.

“Nothing our Red could ever do would be bad.” I peer around the room.

“But even if she set fire to the dorms, shanked a teacher during class, or decided to skin one of you motherfuckers alive ... you still don’t get to go around talking shit about our woman.

There are consequences to it that none of you can afford to pay.

” My grin widens, making all the bastards flinch and take a step back.

“I also thought we made ourselves perfectly clear before ...” I peer back toward Ez and Mal, whose expressions are as dark and angry as mine, before looking back toward each terrified face in the room.

“Red is ours, and your pathetic fucking opinions ... Will. Get. You. Killed .”

I reach out toward the nearest table to me and flip it over, everything on it going flying in every direction. The pricks around the table scramble away, screaming and whimpering as I move toward the next and do the same.

Again and again, I flip each table until every last one in the room is completely overturned and the room looks a mess.

The whimpering dickheads cower in groups together, trying to leave the cafeteria. But Mal has moved to the door, blocking their way as his beast’s energy rolls out around him, stopping any of them from taking a step further.

The pricks continue to whimper and cry, and the noise begins to grate on my ears.

“Shut the fuck up!” I yell, my voice booming around the room and silencing them all instantly. “I’ll only say this one more time.” I stare them all down, one by one. “You fuck with Red ... you get us .”

I take my Bowie out, waving it in a slicing motion over my neck as strained whimpers ring out around the room again. “Don’t give me a reason to burn this shithole down with you all locked in it.” I glare around the room as I feel Ezra stand beside me.

“I’ve memorised all your faces here today,” Ez adds, glowering at them all.

“If you step out of line or I hear any of you talking about Micai again ... it won’t be Annex you’ll need to worry about coming after you.

I’ll personally make your lives a living hell.

” The deathly glare he gives them all has pride spreading through my black heart and warming it up instantly.

Mal takes a step forward from the doors too.

“Whatever lies have been spread ... shut them down.” His voice goes all dark and wolfy and has all the assholes here looking like they’re gonna wet themselves.

“Or I’ll hunt you down and feed you to my beast.” His eyes glow blue, his beast’s presence pushing forward as all the shifters in the room hit the floor, their bodies almost convulsing in fear. “Are we clear?”

The whole room practically cries “yes” in unison, their eyes unable to lift from the floor as a grin tilts my lips.

I think they finally got the message. But there won’t be a second time.

I peer around the room, taking in faces and making notes.

’Cause if these bastards step out of line one more time ... my blade will be the last damn thing they see.

Ez, Mal, and I step over all the assholes scattered around the room and make our way out of the cafeteria. And bump straight into my beautiful Mate and our grumpy fourth, Creed.

The smile Red gives me when she sees me and my brothers has my frustration and anger instantly melting and my cold heart heating up and picking up its pace.

Fuck. My soul knew exactly what it was doing tying itself to Red. I would never grow tired of those beautiful blue eyes or those plump pink lips.

Ez steps forward, dragging my thoughts back as Mal’s gaze meets mine and flickers toward the cafeteria. Right, we were supposed to get lunch ... but Red can’t eat in that shithole now.

“Let’s grab food in town.” Ez smiles, wrapping an arm around Red’s waist before sliding it down onto her hip. A small blush creeps up her neck with the slight contact and has Ez’s eyes glinting knowingly. “There’s nothing here worth staying for.”

Her eyes widen a fraction before she schools them, her lips curving upward. “I couldn’t agree more.” She turns to each of us. “Let’s head home.”

And if those damn three words weren’t the most perfect reply I’ve ever heard. Home. Our home.