Jake tightens his grip on my hand and slowly backs us up—only stopping when we slam into someone’s chest.
Fuck.
Two more men materialize to the left of us, and three appear in the alley to the right.
We’re surrounded.
“Who are you?” Jake demands, tension thrumming through him.
The man standing before us smiles and slowly lifts his shirt, revealing a blade nestled in the waistband of his pants.
On the hilt is the Hunters’ symbol.
Fucking hell.
I don’t think, only act.
The moment the first hand reaches for me, I move. My senses explode with heightened awareness, as they always do when I’m fighting, and every sound and movement becomes crystal clear.
I’m on the man before he can even blink, a snarl ripping from my throat as I slam my fist into his chest.
He staggers back, but I don’t give him time to recover. I grab his wrist, twisting it until I hear the satisfying snap of bone, and then I throw him into the nearest wall.
Another Hunter lunges at Jake, but my foster brother’s already in motion. With an almost blistering speed, Jake’s hand wraps around the man’s throat, lifting him off the ground like he weighs nothing. The man’s face turns a sickly shade of red, but Jake’s grip doesn’t loosen.
I don’t take my eyes off the other five.
They’re closing in, circling us like vultures, but I’m ready for them. I’m nothing but restless energy, rage, and a growing need for vengeance.
The next Hunter comes for me with a right hook aimed at my face. I twist my body to the side, ducking under the punch, and in the same motion, grab his arm and twist. His scream is muffled as I force his wrist behind his back and slam him against the nearest car. His body crumples to the ground with a thud.
Before I can catch my breath, another one’s charging me, a dagger in his hand. I don’t have time to think, just react.
The blade swings down towards me, but I step to the side, dodging it just barely, and land a kick to his ribs. The air explodes out of him with a grunt, and he stumbles back. I don’t give him time to recover. I’m already on him, grabbing the blade and yanking it from his hands, sending it flying across the street.
As he stands there, dumbfounded, I pull my arm back and punch him straight in the face. Bones crack, and he falls to the ground with a cry.
Enough of this.
Did they really think they could come for me and Jake?
Fuck that.
Fuckthem.
The power in me crackles, and I allow it to marinate inside of me, growing and growing and growing and growing. Back at the covenstead, I was terrified of using my powers and hurting the people I care about.
Now? I want them all to die.
How dare they try to harm me and Jake? How fucking dare they?
I close my eyes and feel the wind stir my hair. I’m keenly aware of the ground beneath my feet, the birds in the sky, the mildew on the nearby bench, the flames of a fire miles and miles away. Every element calls to me, speaking to me in their own language, and I listen to the cacophony of voices as they blend together.
Allowing my eyes to shoot open, I focus on the Hunter lunging at Jake.
With a snap of my fingers, the ground beneath him gives way, opening up like a mouth to swallow him whole. He yells, scrambling, but I don’t allow him to escape. As soon as he falls into the pit I created, I will the earth to close over him, trapping him in an impenetrable coffin for the rest of his days.
The remaining Hunters hesitate, their eyes flickering between me and Jake. They know this fight is over, that they’re outmatched.
