CELMUND 1

 

Looking down at my phone as it rings I see that it’s Burkhart, it’s been two months that I’ve been in Cape Town and up to now we haven’t found any leads. Since finding out that most of the women at our compound have a ticking bomb in their bodies that was implanted by the Keres and that the device can be activated at any moment by the fuckers, my brothers that are mated are losing their shit as time passes.

Draco had to send Cassius, Brandr and Ceric on a run to keep them away from Sven, whom we found out is a snitch. Sven still thinks that we don’t know about his traitorous ways, but we’re using him to try and find out more about this situation. I have cameras and energy sensors all around the city and still no sign of the Keres.

We suspect that the son of a bitch responsible for this is Leif, I’m hoping that it isn’t because Leif and I have history. History that I don’t want to rehash, I was certain that he was dead, but new information points to him having survived the explosion and being alive.

My phone rings again, “What’s up?” I answer

“Hey brother, wanna let you know that Caelius and I are making our way to you. We should be there in about two hours.” The guys in the Cape Town chapter are cool, but I’ve missed hanging out with my brothers, and even though they fly up and stay a day or two its not the same as seeing them all the time.  We are close and knowing that my brothers are suffering maybe because of my mistake is driving me crazy.

“Is there any update?” we have connections to the Russian Mafia; the boss Alexey has been helping us in shutting down the Keres kidnapping and trafficking network. He’s also got men here in Cape Town looking for the Keres, and I’m hoping that soon I will get a break that will lead me to who is responsible for the devices.

“No update, we just have to get away from here for a few days and try and see how we can help you. Draco is riding my ass about Sven, and if I stay here any longer I will throw caution to the wind and kill the fucker.” Burkhart is hot headed; his temper is triggered with the slightest provocation. It doesn’t help that he’s a fighting machine and that it’s very hard to try and stop him once he’s lost his shit. 

“What did you do now?” I shake my head in amusement as I can just imagine the havoc Burkhart must be creating.

“The fucker was irritating me.” He growls in answer making me smile.

“You are arriving just in time, I have sensors to place in a new area that you guys can help me with.” I state.

“Cool, see you then.” He grunts as he disconnects the call. I’m sitting in the bar area, my laptop before me on the table as I check the sensors and the cameras that I installed. My back is to the wall, so no one can hover behind me looking at what I’m doing, and I can see when someone approaches.  The energy in the Cape Town Chapter is different from back home, the guys here are more volatile always ready for a fight.

Starting with Tor that is a mad son of a bitch, he’s a hell of a leader and an asset to have next to you in a fight but his temper might be just as hot as Burkhart. “Hey baby, how about you take a break and let me take care of you.” I saw the Jezebel approaching but was hoping that she would take my lowered head for a dismissal and leave.

“I’ve got shit to do, maybe later doll.” I grunt

“Okay, I’ll be waiting for you.” She simpers as she saunters away. I’ve gone through all eight Jezebels since arriving here, I crave the pleasure my mated brothers have found in their women. I’m tired of the empty sex, the hollow feeling within me as if something’s missing. When my brothers started to find their mates, I had hope that soon I would meet mine, but now with everything going on I dread ever finding her.

If what we suspect is true then there is no chance of me bonding with anyone until the Keres responsible for the devices is found, and if Leif is the culprit than me finding my mate would be certain death for the women and if the women die my brothers will follow. I will not allow that their deaths be my fault. I must find Leif or whomever is orchestrating this whole plan and stop him, I will have no rest until this is resolved and my brothers and their mates are safe.

I grew up with Leif, we spent our young years together. Leif and I would compete about everything, while for me it was harmless fun for Leif it was serious. He would get upset when he lost, most of the time I would let him win just to please him.  Our friendship came to an end when he became obsessed with being better than me.

When computers were invented I found that I had a knack for them, and even though I like to be in the thick of things with my brothers I know that I can help them more behind the scenes. When I was chosen to be part of the Elemental’s Leif lost his shit, Leif and I started to prospect together but because of his inconsistencies Draco kicked his ass out. After that he disappeared, I tried to contact him a few times, but he never responded until a couple of years ago when the FBI came looking for me.

That was when I found out that Leif was impersonating me, he was hacking into organizations where he knew they would be able to track and find a trail that lead straight to me. The Elemental’s were forced to reveal themselves to the FBI at the time, that’s when the FBI started to contract us to go after and catch those that they couldn’t. We’re a top secret, that only selected few can know about. If it wasn’t for Leif, we would never have had to mingle with the government.

After Leif found out that he didn’t win and that we had an agreement with the feds he came at me with guns blazing. That’s when I found out that he had turned and was in cahoots with Vercin. When we got intel of where Leif was hiding we went in and blew the place up. I was certain that he died in the explosion as I saw him go in, and I’m sure he didn’t leave, then how is it possible that he could be alive.

The beep on my laptop brings me back to the present and I see that the energy levels in one of the areas where we have sensors has risen. I zoom in with the different cameras, rotating them to try and see if I catch anything. Fuck, I can’t see anything suspicious but there must be a reason why the energy level spiked so suddenly.

“Hey dickheads” I call out to the three-playing pool. “Let’s move, I have a peak.” I say as I shut down my laptop. I will monitor the spike on my phone, I don’t wait to see if the guys will follow me as I make my way outside towards the bike I’m currently using, one of Tor’s Harley’s, it’s a sweet ride but I miss my own bikes.

We take off heading towards where I’m still getting movement. I rev the bike, speeding to try and find a sign or lead to what triggered the sensor. I’ve been at this day and night for two solid months, I need to find something, my brothers are losing my shit but every time it seems like I’m about to find something it disappears or shit changes. It’s like someone is playing with me, could it be that it is Leif and that he knows I’m looking for him?

No one at the compound has mentioned that I’m in Cape Town, therefore there is no way that Sven would report to anyone that I’m here. Is it possible that there is a leak here in the Cape Town chapter?

I park my bike and see that the energy spike is still high, looking around I see a couple of businesses up and down the street nothing seems suspicious. “Do you guys feel that?” I ask of the guys that followed me. There is evidence of Keres energy nearby, one of the fuckers must be losing his shit for the energy to be radiating like it is.

“Where the fuck is it coming from?” Storm asks as he steps off his bike and starts to walk. The other two do the same, but each move in different directions. I step off my bike and place my hands on the ground to try and feel the vibrations better. Closing my eyes, I drown out all sound and concentrate on the breeze around me and the vibrations through the earth and the air.

It’s definitely Keres, I can feel the sourness on my tongue from their acrid energy. The air that I’m so Intune with also feels heavy. I stand and let the air guide me, as I walk the air starts to get heavier and more pungent letting me know that I’m getting closer. I see that Storm has stopped and is now looking around. The other two are close by him, and guessing by the direction the air is guiding me I will be standing close to them too.

That means that the Keres are somewhere here, I look up at the buildings but don’t see anything suspicious. I look at the ground also nothing, but then I tense, could it be? The fuckers are rats after all, is it possible that they are underground? I notice that a few steps away from storm is a manhole, if they’re underground then that’s our way in.

“Guy’s, over there” I say as I walk towards the manhole.

“You’re fucking with me.” Hunter grunts but he also makes his way there. “It does suite them though.” He quips with a grin.

I see Hunter lower himself onto his haunches and place his hands on the ground, Hunter is an earth bender, but we can’t bend now, or they will know that we’re here. “Hunter don’t” I mumble.

“Help me open it, we can’t bend, or they will be gone by the time we enter.” I say, by the time we finally have the manhole open the energy spike is diminishing. As soon as it’s open I jump down into it’s darkness. It’s a good thing we as Elemental’s can see well in the dark because it’s as dark as fuck down here.

I start to move quietly through the tunnel, not wanting to alert anyone to our presence. As we turn a corner a see a sliver of light shining from under what looks like a steel door.  I approach stealthily worried that this might be an ambush, but then I hear voices drifting towards us. I look back at the guys and motion for them to retreat, I see their surprised looks, but they don’t question me. We leave as quietly as we arrived.

I can’t engage without knowing who’s down there and if by us attacking they will activate the devices and kill the women before we can do anything. Burkhart and Caelius will be here soon, I will call Draco and let him know what we found and then we will plan what the best way is to move forward.

As soon as we’re on the road again we cover the manhole and move away. “What the fuck, why didn’t we kill the fuckers Celmund?” Storm asks angrily.

“We need to know how many of them are in there and what they have.” I reply as I mount my bike. “We now know where they are, and how they are hiding from us. We will set up surveillance and cameras and wait to see what Draco wants to do.”

“We’re being fucking pussies if you ask me.” Storm grumbles as he starts his bike and takes off.

“Don’t worry about him,” Hunter says as we look after Storm, “he’s on a mission to kill as many Keres as he can until he finds Magdalen.” I nod in acknowledgment, when the Keres kidnapped Storm’s sister a couple of years ago we all joined forces in looking everywhere for her but no matter where we looked we never found her. We still have hope in finding her, but Storm is hell bent on killing as many Keres as possible.

“I understand brother.” I mutter as I start my bike, “I’m not going back, I’m going to hide the bike and keep an eye on the area. When Burkhart and Caelius arrive tell them to come meet me and bring my equipment. They will know what I need.” I say, Hunter and Stykes nod before they ride away.   I ride around, to see if there is anything that might catch my eye, now that I know where they are hiding it is easier to look for evidence. As I turn of the main road I see that the manhole here is slightly raised telling me that it has tampered with.

“Got you fuckers.” I mumble, I ride a few more meters and then pull into a alleyway just as my phone starts to vibrate. Looking down at the text I see that Burkhart and Caelius have arrived and are looking for me. After giving them directions, I continue sitting on my bike while I wait for them to find me. I look up and down the road noticing a hairdresser, shoe store and a stationery outlet. I start to plan the angles of the cameras and the sensors while I wait.

A few minutes later I hear the rumble of bikes and know that my brothers are close. Caelius is the first to draw up next to me, Burkhart close behind. “We hear you found something.” Caelius says, I incline my head towards the manhole and see both looking behind them with a confused look.

“That’s where they’re getting in.” I reveal, “Have you guys said anything to Draco yet?”

“Nope, we don’t know much. The guys just mentioned that you found an underground cesspool of Keres.” Burkhart rumbles as he gets off his bike, I update them with everything that we found and what my plan is as Burkhart and Caelius open their saddlebags and withdraw all the equipment I’m going to need. Caelius will be setting up the sensors, Burkhart will set up some of the cameras and I will install the other half.

I walk across the road to where the hairdresser is, looking up at the wall and the display window I see a gap that will hide the camera perfectly. I will need a chair or step ladder, looking into the hairdresser I see two women that I’m guessing are the hairdressers looking at me with smiles on their faces. The one that must be the client has also turned the chair she’s sitting on and is also gawking at me. Great, all I will have to do is flirt a little and I will get what I need.

Walking through the door I smile, “Hi Ladies, I wonder if you would let me use a chair or maybe a stepladder if you have one.”

“Oh. . . yeah, yes . . .of course.” The brunette with soft doe eyes stutters as she starts to look around.

“And why might I ask are you going to need this?” a sultry voice says from behind me. I snap around surprised that someone would approach me without me knowing. Fuck me, I just know she’s going to be trouble, with those slanted blue eyes and the shoulder length dyed pink hair she reminds me of a pixie. Her petite body doesn’t escape my attention either, if anything I feel myself harden at her nearness. What the hell?

“Are you the owner?” her eyes travel from my torso up to my shoulders and then finally my face, I see a slight smile lift the corner of her rosy lips, oh yeah, she’s trouble. When our eyes finally connect I feel as if someone just knocked the breath out of me. It can’t be!

“I’m the manager” she says, “I know this is going to sound corny especially as I know I have never seen you before because I know I would definitely remember, but do I perhaps know you somehow?” Oh fuck me, I’m right. I’ve just met my mate, and I can’t fucking claim her.