Chapter Twenty-Two
Jules didn’t have a clue which direction he went, and he didn’t care so long as he was well away from the house when that monster of evil returned.
Lucas was a steady presence in his mind which kept his lungs from seizing. They burned from the cold but nothing else. Hacen remained a presence as well, but anxiety riddled him. Jules tried to send reassurance, but it didn’t seem to help. Consistently pissed off was Hacen’s motto normally so why wouldn’t it be anxious when things went to shit.
The cold seeped into his bones. He shivered so violently he stumbled but righted himself quickly.
Jules wished he’d bonded with Tommy as well. He bet he’d have the internal link with them if he did. Tommy would be able to give him more information about Hacen’s mental health. While Jules worried about both of them, Hacen took more of that prize. Tommy had a level head, even when things grew tense. He was the voice of reason between the three of them. The emotional backbone, keeping everyone steady and strong.
By the gods, Jules needed them both. He wouldn’t lie to himself. He wouldn’t hold onto his stubbornness.
Jules stopped, leaning against a tree, trying to catch his breath.
How far did he get?
Jules turned, looking around the tree he leaned against, judging the distance between himself and the house, which was no longer visible.
Jules sucked in a breath and held it when he saw Mr. Evil. Another guy was with him. The guy wasn’t human. Jules could tell that just based on the way he dressed.
He ducked back around the tree, flattening his palms against the bark, which rubbed coarsely over his frozen skin. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on controlling his breathing.
By the gods, he hoped he wasn’t spotted.
Nicolono had followed his scent probably. The thought came all at once and with it a realization Mr. Evil would discover him regardless of how well hidden he remained. The tree wasn’t exactly the best cover, and he had only a couple of minutes at best.
Jules opened his eyes and tried to figure out what to do. Every critical thinking ability he had before seemed to freeze as if the air took hold of his brain as well as the rest of his body.
He had no idea what made him look up into the pine tree, which stood tall and proud twenty yards ahead, but he did. Fane’s red eyes glowed in the dark. Jules barely saw the rest of him, but his pale face came into view, although just barely.
Fane put a finger to his lips in a silent command for Jules to remain quiet and hidden.
Jules nodded and took a deep breath. The relief coursing through his body was palpable.
Fane pointed to something off to Jules’ right. Jules looked and saw Ramsey holding Hacen around the shoulders. Hacen struggled against the hold, his eyes as red as Fanes and the anger clear on his face. Tommy stood in front of him, talking animatedly. He had a hand on the lower part of Hacen’s chest, inches from Ramsey's arm.
Their gazes met and held.
Tommy turned and put a finger to his lips the same way Fane had. Jules nearly rolled his eyes. He just gave Tommy an exasperated look and nodded. He mouthed the words, “I know.”
Hacen visibly relaxed but he did say something. One single word that had Jules wanting to give up his hiding spot, so he could run to him. “Mine.”
Jules nodded and smiled. He moved off the tree as if on instinct. He took one step, and that was all it took for hell to break loose around him.
Hacen shouted for him to get back. Tommy immediately began chanting, even as he walked to Jules.
Nicolono closed in on him at such a leisurely pace that alone gave Jules pause.
Hacen’s hand came up and seemed to touch some invisible wall. The touch rippled, sending out circles of energy that weakened and widened at the same time.
“Tommy’s working on getting you out.” Hacen’s eyes glowed blue, and he held his hand up as if he needed to touch Jules.
Jules closed the distance between them. The energy of his invisible prison radiated to him from a foot away. He still placed his hand right where Hacen’s stayed. “You guys came this time.”
Hacen’s eyes turned red again. “Mine. Get away from him.” Hacen’s hand balled into a fist, and he pounded against the barrier. The sound of it was like a hammer through a tunnel. It echoed around the otherwise peaceful forest.
Jules turned to see Nicolono only a couple of feet away. His heart beat wildly in his chest. He moved toward Hacen even while he kept his gaze on the threat. When his chest hit the barrier, it sent a ricochet through his body.
He stopped breathing when Nicolono grinned at him. “I must say, Jules. You’re more innovative than I thought. Breaking the window wasn’t something I thought of, but at least I had Allard here cage the area just in case.” Nicolono looked past Jules.
Hacen’s growl comforted Jules. “Look at me, Jules.”
Jules turned and met Hacen’s gaze. He tried to keep the shaking at bay, but it was impossible.
“Listen to me.” Hacen’s voice shook. “Are you listening?”
Jules nodded.
“Tommy’s working on taking the wall down. As soon as he does, I’ll kill that bastard. But I need you to hold him off until then. Do you understand?”
Jules nodded again. His hands were red with cold and shook against the barrier as he fought against the separation he had from his mates. “I should fight him?”
“Yes. Fight like the feisty little human we both know you are.”
Tommy, who stood behind Hacen and to the left, smiled but didn’t stop chanting.
“I’m good at that.” Jules gave Hacen a watery smile.
Hacen chuckled. “That you are, sweet mate.”
When Hacen growled, Jules knew his time was up. Jules turned his back to Hacen again.
Nicolono took a step in his direction, and Jules froze.
“Hey, Tommy’s almost through.” There was no way for Hacen to know that but the fact that Jules could hear his voice helped. “I’ve seen you train. You can hold him off.”
Jules breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth twice. He took the defensive stance Fane had taught him, focusing on what he knew. “Yeah.”
“That’s it, honey. Keep him busy.”
The guy Mr. Evil called Allard took a step in Jules’ direction, but he held up a hand, stopping him. “Don’t touch him, not even with your magic.”
Allard stood with his hands behind his back and his feet wide apart as if he had been a soldier in a former life. “The warlock is stronger than I. You’ll only have minutes.”
“I know that, idiot.” Nicolono never took his eyes off Jules, which was a good move on his part. “I just need to catch him. Don’t I, Jules?”
Jules could practically hear Fane’s voice in his mind telling him to wait for an opening. The voice turned to Hacen’s halfway through, and he realized all at once that Hacen actually spoke the words. “Stay focused. Don’t let him get in your head. You’re not alone this time, honey. We’re almost to you.”
Jules’ heart rate slowed down and all his stress melted. “Tell Tommy to hurry.”
“He is.”
Nicolono turned his gaze suddenly when Fane jumped from the tree.
“Now, Jules,” Hacen whispered so softly he barely made a sound.
Jules nodded and took a step in Mr. Evil’s direction, kicking out with his leg while Mr. Evil remained distracted. Jules took him by surprised if the gasp and wide-eyed stare as he fell on his ass was any indication.
Jules took advantage of the vulnerable position, stalking him until he was within kicking distance again. His shoe connected with soft flesh and then Mr. Evil grunted, curling in on the pain to keep Jules at bay. It didn’t work because Jules kicked out again.
The next thing he knew he was on his back with his lungs in the off position. Not one air particle moved in or out. Panic took hold as he realized he could very well never breathe again and that’s when the next breath in was successful, but by then hands closed around his throat and dragged him up off the ground.
“Angering me isn’t a smart move.” Mr. Evil’s eyes turned red, and he flashed his fangs. “Say goodbye to your mates, Jules. It will be the only liberty I afford you before you die.”
Hacen yelled for Tommy to hurry up but the words sounded as if they came through a tunnel. Jules’ vision blurred as that hand tightened around his throat.
He knew not to fight against the tightness. Jules gripped the wrists with both of his hands, digging his thumb into his skin.
“Relax against the hold, Jules.” Fane sounded as if he were whispering in his ear.
His words sank into Jules’ brain until he dropped his hands. Instinct kicked in, and he used his legs, connecting with Nicolono’s middle.
When the hand around his throat let go, Jules took deep breaths. His throat felt raw as the air moved against it, making him cough. He bent down at the waist when the coughing became too much.
Someone grabbed a fist full of his hair and pulled until he stumbled forward. Jules’s body collided with Nicolono’s.
“I’m done playing with you human.” Nicolono sank his teeth into the side of Jules’ neck.
Knives of pain shot through his muscles and down his neck. He screamed when the pain became too much.
Hacen went nuts, pounding against the barrier. “Take it down, Tommy! Now…Okay, I’ll do whatever you want. Just let him go…Hurry. He’s gonna drain him dry…I’ll fucking kill you, Nicolono. I swear to the gods, I will. If he dies, there’s nowhere you can hide.”
Jules’ vision blurred. Dizziness overtook him. Jules looked for something to steady himself. His hand hit something solid and cold. He closed his fist around it when he realized it was the hilt of a knife.
He released the snap holding it in place and drew it up out of its sheath. He held it in both hands behind Nicolono’s back and sank the silver, shiny metal into flesh until it disappeared.
Nicolono’s teeth instantly let him go, and he gasped. He tried to take a step away from Jules but couldn’t because of the hold Jules had on him. Jules wanted to get himself to let go, but his fingers wouldn’t move.
Nicolono stumbled and then fell as Jules pulled the knife out of his back. Jules let out a war cry and began blindly stabbing him anywhere he felt flesh.
Warm, wetness splashed across his arms and face. The body underneath him stopped moving, feeling like warm pliable plastic under Jules’ knee.
Jules felt his body fading, and still, he tried to raise his arms in the air to take another stab.
Someone lifted him off Nicolono. He fought against the hold for several seconds until lavender wrapped around him from behind. He still held the knife in front of him, expecting Nicolono to get up and come at him again.
And then Tommy was there in the center of his visual tunnel. Warm fingers closed around his own and pulled the knife from his fingers. “He’s dead, baby. You got him.”
His body lost all stiffness right before his vision went completely black. Jules smiled at Tommy. “Wish we would have mated.”
Tommy shook his head and said something, but by then Jules’ heart didn’t have enough blood to pump anymore.
Lips pressing against his own was the last thing he felt.