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  “I’m going to fuck his brains out, bitch. And there’s not a thing you can do about it. I’d advise you stay right where you are until we’re gone. If you’re smart, you’ll do it. You wouldn’t want that pretty little face to get all fucked up, would you?”

  Lupa stood up, looking down at Brianna, who was crying with her head still resting on the pavement. Snot and mascara running down her face. Fucking pathetic. She turn to Grey whose eyes were full of surprise.

  “Shall we go?”

  Grey glanced from Lupa to Brianna and nodded slowly. He turned and walked over to his bike. Pausing to wait for Lupa. But, of course, Brianna wasn’t smart, she was back on her feet again.

  “Fuck you! You think I’m just going to lay here and let you steal him away from me? Well you got another thing coming, slut! Ligabis eos-“

  Lupa turned and punched her again. Grabbing her hair for the second time, she rammed Brianna’s face into her sore knee, feeling the other girls nose break against it whilst pain shot up her leg. Brianna scratched her arm trying to free herself. Lupa shoved Brianna away, watching her fall on her ass, blood pouring down her face.

  “You’re nothing but a fucking wolfbitch!” Brianna cried, holding her hand to her rapidly swelling face.

  Lupa kicked her in the stomach as hard as she could, hoping that she at least broke a fucking rib, she started couching down, readying herself for another punch, but Grey grabbed her around her middle and dragged her over to his bike.

  “Come on, Little Red, I think she’s had enough.”

  He jammed the helmet onto her head and swung a leg over his bike, waiting for her to climb on the back. Lupa looked back over to Brianna curled in a ball sobbing, no one even offering to help her. Stupid fucking bitch.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “We shall all share knowledge…”

  Lupa hadn’t gone back to Grey’s place to fuck his brains out like she told Brianna, she’d asked him to circle around and drop her home. Her knee ached and she really just wanted to go to sleep in her own bed. Lupa wasn’t asleep though, she was sitting on her couch in her underwear staring at the wall. Her phone started ringing, snapping her out of a daze. Lupa pulled it out of her bag and looked at it. Hammer. Why was he calling her so late? And what the fuck for?

  “Hey, Hammer,” she answered, “What’s up?”

  “Good evening, little wolf witch, how are you?”

  “Not too bad,” she lied, “You?”

  “I am very well, I was wondering if you’d be available for a little visit?”

  “Now?”

  “Only if it is no trouble, beautiful little witch, if you are preoccupied with other affairs, perhaps tomorrow?”

  Right. Hammer probably had come up with something for Lupa to fucking owe him. Well, she wasn’t getting any sleep anyway… she rubbed her head and sighed. “Yeah tonight’s fine, I’ll drive over.”

  “No need, Sledge is out the front waiting for you.”

  Cocky bastard. Probably thought she’d jump at the chance to spend more time with him. To be fair, she wasn’t exactly dreading it, no matter how long her day had been…. Oh shit. Maybe he knew she’d been down in Blackwater? Was he pissed about it? Whatever. Only one way to find out.

  “Ok, I just need to get dressed and I’ll head down.”

  “Wonderful. I shall look forward to seeing you soon.”

  Getting up she went to her room, the clean washing still in a pile on the couch. She slipped on her long black skirt, and a tight fitting, red shirt. Pulling on her boots and grabbing her bag, she headed out to meet Sledge.

  The big black muscle car she’d been in earlier was crouching like an animal on the street, looking like it could spring to life all on its own. Sledge was leaning against the bonnet smoking, his eyes wandered up and down her body.

  “Sup, Sledge,” she said, smiling.

  Lupa hadn’t heard him talk yet, and wondered if he actually could. He nodded and opened the passenger door for her, flicking his smoke onto the road. Crossing around the front of the car, he climbed in next to her. He started the engine and took off. Fast. She glanced over at him, Sledge sure looked like Hammer’s main muscle. His knuckles were heavily scarred, his arms bulged out of the tight black shirt he wore. He wore his long black hair-not as long as Hammers of course-in a ponytail at the base of his thick tattooed neck. He had a heavy silver chain around it, with something hanging off the end...

  “What’s so fascinatin’?”

  Sledge startled her. His voice was deep, but it was almost… soothing. She blushed and turned to face the front window. “Didn’t know you could talk.”

  He grunted in response. Great. She’d shut down that conversation quick. She folded her arms haughtily and stared out the window, not really seeing the world outside them pass by. If he didn’t want to talk, wasn’t her fucking problem.

  Sledge pulled the car around a back way Lupa didn’t know, parking it in an empty warehouse type building. He got out and came around to open the door for her. She looked up at him as she got out, but he was staring way above her head. Lupa had an urge to poke him, but figured that’d be a pretty good way to get herself a fucking black eye.

  He led her to an unguarded door and opened it for her. “Thanks,” she muttered, stepping through.

  Sledge slammed the door behind her but didn’t follow. She turned to it, then turned around again to see the woman from last time… Chui? Waiting for her. Fuck.

  “No search this time,” Chui said, smiling sullenly at her, “Come with me.”

  She led her to a large room with a massive black velvet couch, an old jukebox in one corner and a bar. Chui smiled again and left her there alone, Lupa sat down with a sigh and lit a smoke. Of course he’d leave her sitting here to wait for him like he was the greatest man on earth. Sure, he was great in the sack, but that didn’t mean she worshipped him or anything. She sighed again.

  “My deepest apologies, wolf witch, I intended to be present for your arrival, but I was needed for some… business.” Hammer strutted over to her, kissing her hand, an alluring smile on his face, “Did Sledge provide satisfactory company for your journey?”

  Lupa snorted, “Well, he didn’t chatter my ear off, so I guess that’s something.”

  Hammer grinned, sitting down very close to her. “No, Sledge would never be guilty of that. Now, I hear that you discovered an unfortunate soul in Sable Towers this evening, appearing to be that of a wolfblood killing?”

  “Yeah, looks that way. That or someone made it look like it. Not sure, not my department. They may ask me to look into it if the wolfblood needs to be taken down, but they may not. Pretty fucking gruesome.”

  Hammer stroked her leg, his fingers lingering for a long drawn out moment and then he leaned back. His fingers lacing together resting on his lap, completely in control of himself, unlike her at that moment. Mother-fucker.

  “Slasher witch called me this afternoon, asking for permission to use my warehouse on Friday evening for your hunt. I have agreed. And, of course, I shall be watching. Do you think the anguish of doing this for your dearly departed Protector may bring out any more of that interesting power?”

  “No, I don’t think so. I honestly think it was just a one off, why?”

  “Perhaps I have something that would assist?”

  Lupa studied him; that calm, charming exterior giving nothing away. “What kind… of something?”

  Hammer’s smile grew larger, he reached in to the pocket of his lavender suit pulling out a small gold pillbox, opening it and showing her the five pink pills inside.

  “Drugs are going to help me?” she raised an eyebrow at him sceptically.

  “Not just any drugs, Little Red wolf witch, a pill I have personally worked on creating. It contains… stimulants that help with clarity, enhancements designed to boost ones… confidence, and also a blend of magickal herbs that increase power. I have tested this myself, little beauty, and it is rather wonderful.”

  Stimulants.
Yeah right. From Lupa’s experience they tended to work against her power, not help it. What was his fucking deal? Why was he giving these to her? And what exactly did he want in return for the drugs?

  “Never mind that tormented mind of yours, wolf witch, take them with you, you do not have to make a decision right this moment.”

  Hammer placed the gold box in her hand, closing the lid, but not letting her hand go. Lupa felt her breath catch as she slowly let her gaze wander up to his face. That delicate face, with that damn fucking inviting expression all over it.

  “I’ll think about it,” she breathed.

  “Very good.” He let her hand go, and lit himself a cigarette, offering her one as well. “And one last matter to discuss, who have you been fighting? Your knuckles look a touch bruised, and there are lacerations down your arms. I do not recall that happening this morning.”

  Lupa laughed. “There is a girl that is in love with a… friend of mine, and she thinks that I have stolen him from her… it’s a pathetic story. It doesn’t really matter, I think she will leave me alone now. Why do you care?”

  Hammer didn’t respond, he just smiled and got up, strolling over to the bar, pouring them both a drink of the green stuff Lupa had last time she was here, when they… she cleared her throat and crossed her legs. He handed her a glass, not crystal in this room, and sat back down next to her, his arm running along the couch behind her, finger nails sliding up her shoulder.

  “It matters not; I was just curious.” A small knock sounded at the door as Lupa threw her drink back, trying to ignore the tingling feeling spreading inside of her. “Yes?” Hammer responded, the door opened revealing Chui.

  “Sorry, sir, but there been an… altercation at the Teahouse on East Street…” Chui looked to Lupa, staring openly at Hammers hand stroking her shoulder.

  “Very well.” His voice was dismissive, Chui still hovered though, “I must apologise again, my little wolf witch, but this is a matter I cannot ignore. And I am afraid it may take up a fair amount of my time, Sledge will escort you home, and we may pick this up another time.”

  Lupa nodded, getting to her feet quickly. Hammer grinned as he joined her, kissing her cheek before leaving the room with a strut and not even looking at Chui, who was glaring at Lupa with fierce eyes.

  “Come with me,” Chui huffed.

  Lupa followed her to the door that Sledge had let her in by, Chui ripped it open and stalked off, leaving Lupa to relay to Sledge that he’d need to take her home. He nodded curtly, shutting the door behind her and striding over to the car to let her in. He landed heavily in the car and Lupa giggled, quickly covering her mouth. Whoops. She realised she was a little bit tipsy. The drink Hammer had given her brought with it all those she’d been drinking earlier that evening.

  “Sorry,” she giggled to Sledge, “I… had a few drinks earlier, before you took me here…. seems they all hit me now.”

  Sledge gave her a strange look, then pulled the car out of the carpark. Lupa rolled her eyes looking out the window. What was this guy’s fucking problem? She could have said nothing and let him think she was laughing at him.

  “Aint needin’ to worry about me,” Sledge finally grunted, “Laugh all you like.”

  Lupa glanced over at him, his face was set in a distanced, ridged way. She wanted to get him to talk to her, she didn’t know why, but she there was something about him that she liked… Should she continue trying?

  “I wasn’t giggling at you,” she ventured, unsure if she should keep her drunk yap shut, “Why you so damn quiet anyway?”

  Sledge shrugged. “Aint my job to be doin’ a lot of talkin’.”

  “No, I guess not…. How long you been working for Hammer?”

  Sledge threw her a suspicious look. Lupa just shrugged. He didn’t have to talk to her, but she was feeling chatty now. Especially after getting herself wound up… fuck.

  “Since I was about twelve.”

  “That’s pretty young,” she guessed it probably wasn’t in Blackwater, but what else could she say? “Why?”

  “Cos.” Sledge snapped his mouth shut.

  Lupa sighed, ah well, at least she had fucking tried. She supposed it was none of her fucking business, and he probably didn’t give a rats about chatting to her. She was just another fucking job for him to deal with, being Hammer’s errand boy and fetching her.

  “Hammer’s mother took me in after he dun killed my Da. He gave me a job. I was good at fightin’.”

  She glanced at him, surprised he decided to say something. “He killed your dad and then gave you a job? Damn, shitty break.” She bit her lip. Probably not the best response.

  “Nah, weren’t like that... my Da weren’t no nice guy. If Hammer aint done it, I probably would have. Used to beat me and make me... he weren’t no fatherly figure. Fuckin’ broke my nose when I was only six.”

  Sledge shut his mouth hard. She guessed that he didn’t tell people much about himself. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. He didn’t look like the type who liked sympathy.

  “That sucks.” Lupa said.

  “Shit happens.” He responded, surprising her with a smile. A really nice smile. “How you dun get yourself workin’ for him?”

  “I’m not!” Oh. Right. “Well… not yet at least. I still don’t know what I owe him yet… he’s helped me with getting back at the wolfbloods…”

  Sledge nodded, pulling onto her street. Shit, he’d just started talking to her too, and Lupa wasn’t ready to be alone yet, and she wanted to talk with him a bit more…. He pulled the car over and went around the vehicle to open the door for her.

  “Hey… um, you wanna come up for a drink?” she asked, climbing out.

  Sledge shut the door and gave her that same suspicious look. She wondered if he had any friends other than Hammer’s men… who didn’t really count. He grunted after a long moment, one that sounded like an affirmative response. He locked the door of the car as she fished out her keys to open the apartment building, walking over with him next to her. Lupa reached out-

  “Stop.” Sledge said, snatching her hand away from the door.

  “What?”

  He stood with his large, rough hand around hers. He glared at the door, then turned around slowly. Scanning the street behind them. “You gotten any witches after you?”

  Lupa peered up at him carefully. He was watching the street still. Surely Brianna wouldn’t… over a fucking guy? “I had a girl lose her shit at me earlier, why?”

  “Thinkin’ she-”

  “Because, bitch, I’m not done with you! How… how could you!”

  Lupa spun around as Sledge dropped her hand. Fucking hell, what was this bitch’s problem! Brianna’s face was swollen, there was tape over her broken nose and dark rings around her eyes. She was standing with her fists clenched, shaking all over. Lupa sighed wearily, enough was enough already.

  “Go home, Brianna. I’m reporting you.” She turned to open the door again and Sledge grabbed her hand a second time.

  “Thinkin’ you might wanna pay a little more attention, witchy girl, even I can dun feel that.”

  Lupa looked at the door, focusing on it. But she couldn’t feel anything. What the fuck was this guy talking about? He didn’t have any magick that she could feel, and there wasn’t anything off about the door…

  “There’s nothing there-” her head smacked the door as something hit the back of it.

  “Slut!”

  Lupa turned back to the woman slowly, “Did you just throw your fucking shoe at me?”

  Lupa picked the shoe up at ditched it back at the other Hunter, smacking the girl’s stomach with a dull thud. She then slid her keys into the door. Fuck. She felt it now, too fucking late, pain shot up her arm as she screamed. Sledge snatched her hand away and opened the door, easily picking her up and slamming it shut behind them.

  “Where you livin’?”

  She pointed to the first door on the landing, pain sh
uddering through her body as she tried to control it, tried to fight it. With her keys in his hand, she pointed to the one that would open her door, feeling herself starting to convulse. Sledge unlocked the door and placed her on the bench like a child. She gripped the edge of it buckling over in pain.

  “What I needin’ to do? Thinkin’ you got somethin’ in your arm.”

  Lupa looked down to see something black just underneath her skin, wriggling like a snake and she screamed again. Sledge pulled out a knife and looked up at her, she nodded and turned away as he cut her arm open.

  “It not a thing, ey, it’s like a smoke, what I needin’ to do now?”

  Lupa glanced down, the pain easing slightly in her body, at least enough for her to regain control. It was fading into the air slowly, but not slowly enough, fuck! There was a lot of blood running down her arm and hand.

  “Give me the tin over there,” she pointed to a faded, square tin near the sink, her arm shaking.

  Sledge fetched it for her and she pulled out a packet of dried fennel leaves, ripping a bunch out and placing it against the wound, watching it turn black as the leaves soaked up the spell curse. She sighed as the pain seemed to draw out of her body, gritting her teeth she threw it in the sink.

  “I’m going to go and fucking kill that fucking psycho bitch!” She jumped off the bench, heading for the door, but Sledge grabbed her and pulled her back. His strong arms keeping her from moving even an inch.

  “Nah, she dun gone, witchy girl. You needin’ to stay calm. Gimme your arm.”

  “Fucking bitch.” She stopped resisting, he let go of her and she leaned against the bench, lighting a smoke, “How did you know, Sledge?”

  He shrugged, holding her arm and checking the wound. “How aint you know?”