Chapter Five
The hair on the back of Jules’ neck stood up when he saw something move in the forest just beyond the yard. He shivered but not from the cold. Puffs of air floated from his mouth, growing like thin clouds as they melted into the freezing air. He wouldn’t stop the routine Fane had taught him, though. Instead, he cut through the air as he punched, planting his booted feet in the snow with a conviction he didn’t feel, even if his body knew better.
He yelled out as he swung his arm around, stopping inches from Tommy’s neck. Jules sucked in a breath when he saw Tommy’s wide-eyed stare. He dropped his arm and straightened but had a hard time meeting Tommy’s gaze. “Sorry. Hacen’s lurking in the woods watching us. The stalking makes me nervous.”
“The mating pull is getting strong. It’s hard to stay away from you.”
Jules nodded. He understood that the longing pulled at them all, not just him.
“I’m going to put my arms around you.” Tommy waited for Jules to give the go-ahead before pulling him into a hug.
“I was followed for at least a week before Nicolono had his goons take me. I think it was because they grabbed me from behind, so I couldn't see them. At one point, someone hit me on the head, and I woke up in a cage. Literally, a cage. It was in the basement where the blood whores stayed. In the middle of the room. I didn't have any clothes on, and people were everywhere."
Tommy cursed under his breath.
Hacen came out of the darkness looking all pissed off. The scar above his eyebrow pulled tight as he scowled. Despite the displeasure on his face, he still walked across the yard to them. "I'm not stalking you. I'm trying to keep you safe. There's a big difference."
Jules pulled away from Tommy so that he could wind up for the fight with Hacen. He felt like a boxer, hopping around his corner of the rink, smacking his gloved hands together all while watching Hacen do the same.
Jules form of taking the first punch was to narrow his eyes and say, "I don't need you."
"You need me more than anyone I've ever met." Oh, sweet right hook, Mr. Sexy Vampire.
"Shit." Tommy held up his hands like a referee. "That's the perfectly wrong thing to say. Believe me."
Hacen gave him an incredulous look. "Why is showing my concern the wrong thing to say?" He looked at Jules almost pleading. "I don't trust these people. If you'd just let me take you away from here, things would be good between us."
Oh, that was a punch to the gut if ever there was one.
Jules could do nothing but block the punches. "Do you even feel anything at all? Like are you capable."
Hacen's mouth fell open, and he looked at Jules as if he spoke in a language neither of them understood. "Well, right now I'm feeling shocked and slightly annoyed."
Jules smirked. He could throw his own right hook. "Considering these people are the only ones who truly care about me, I'm not going anywhere."
"I care about you, honey." Hacen did that hug thing all boxers did with each other when they were too tired to take another punch.
The only thing, Jules wasn’t tired yet. "If you did then you'd try to understand. Instead, you put me in a box labeled fragile.” Jules poked Hacen in the chest. “I'm going to tell you one more time, Hacen, and this time you better understand. I don’t need you."
Hacen stiffened as he looked over Jules' head, completely ignoring everything he had just said. Jules was getting ready to yell at him for it when he pushed them behind his back.
He was so close he smelled the leather of Hacen's coat and felt the hard muscles underneath. Tommy’s body covered Jules from behind. Jules welcomed the warmth.
He lay his head against Hacen's shoulder and closed his eyes, letting himself forget about their fight for a moment. He wanted nothing more than to have both of his mates close. He longed to curl up and cuddle until he had the urge out of his system. He had a constant ache in his gut for both of them. Sometimes it was so bad he had difficulty eating because his stomach fluttered and turned.
He was brought back to reality when Hacen turned, lifting him as he ran to the house. That was what had Jules finally wondering why Hacen behaved so oddly.
He didn’t have to wonder for long.
Two vampires stood on the road. He had seen one of them in the blood whore room of Mr. Evil's mansion. He remembered the vampire because he'd go from one blood whore to another as if he couldn't get enough. The vampire met his gaze, smiling wickedly, before kissing the air.
Jules wasn’t sure if his courage came from his changed circumstance the past year or the fact that Hacen carried him in his arm. Either way, Jules felt no fear when he held up his middle finger.
The vampire growled and stepped toward the yard but the spell Mama put up to protect them worked. The vampire flew back about five feet, landing on his ass on the gravel road.
Jules smirked. "Asshole."
Hacen looked at him in confusion and Jules pointed to the vampire still sitting on the ground.
"Let me go, Hacen." Tommy tried to pull away, but Hacen seemed to have a tight hold on him as well because Tommy barely budged from Hacen's side. "I need to get everyone here before Nicolono sends more than just scouts."
Jules sucked in a breath as Tommy's words washed over him. He realized all at once the battle everyone feared so much had just knocked on their door.
Shit.
Jules had to think of what to do. "Tommy?"
"Yes, baby."
"You said you could get the clan here?"
"Yes. There's a spell I can do that will make them come all on their own. Once they're here, the spell lifts but by then someone can tell them what's happening."
Jules wiggled around, trying to get loose. "I need you to let me go, too. I gotta tell Garridan.” He wasn’t sure if Ramsey was home or not, so Garridan was the next in command.
"We probably won't win anyway. Just get inside and stay there, Jules."
Jules rolled his eyes but didn't argue back. Garridan was inside the house, so Hacen was taking him in the right direction. Staying inside was different. Jules would help his clan whether Hacen liked it or not. The only reason Jules didn't say that was because he had to put his energy into helping the clan.
The second they were through the sliding glass door, Hacen put Jules on his feet. Jules ran for the garage immediately, yelling Garridan's name. Garridan came out, with Sage right behind him. He stopped him with hands-on Jules' shoulders.
It took Jules a second to get his breath back enough to speak. "Nicolono sent Vampire scouts."
Garridan's face hardened, and he let Jules go. He turned and took Sage into his arms. "Find Lucas. Make sure he's safe."
Sage nodded, kissed Garridan, and took off for the living room. Since it was a weekend, Bennett didn't have to work so most likely Lucas would be with him upstairs, and the staircase was off the living room.
"Jules, get the rest of the family together and tell them what's going on. We need to get the clan here."
"Tommy’s got the clan covered."
Garridan nodded and headed through the house.
Jules followed behind him. "Hacen would know how Nicolono works. He might be able to help as well."
Garridan nodded. "Good thinking. And I'm proud of you for putting your differences aside long enough to think past them."
Jules blushed. He grabbed Garridan's shirt in an attempt to catch up with him. Garridan took the hint and wrapped an arm around Jules' shoulders, pulling him into a side hug. Garridan kissed the top of his head even as they made their way through the kitchen door.
Hacen growled when Jules and Garridan entered the room. His eyes turned red, and his teeth dropped down. Jules sucked in a breath when he realized Hacen directed his anger at Garridan.
Garridan let Jules go but didn't give Hacen even one single glance until he walked passed him. "Stay here and keep everyone safe."
Jules fully expected Hacen to make a smart-ass remark, but all he did was nod. He didn't take his eyes off Jules, and the red turned to blue. His teeth flashed in his mouth when he whispered, "You're mine. No one else touches you anymore.”
“Except for me. Sheesh.” Tommy rolled his eyes.