Page 7 of Blood and Embers
“Some sort," Pike stated as he floored it through town. Scott sat back and stayed silent.
The chaos was apparent as they pulled up and parked in the alley between the Club and the Coven House. Pike could see that Scott was fighting the urge to call this in, as a few flames licked the walls outside through one of the broken windows that had been damaged during the last fire.
Pike jumped from the vehicle and shouted to Scott to stay close, "These things are killers, don't engage." He said, and Scott, being the man that he was, instantly began dealing with the fire that was being brought under control by a few men with fire extinguishers. He took over, and they let him, as they recognized him as the Lieutenant from the previous night. They followed his orders and directions without question.
Pike kept one eye on Scott and the other on the bastards that were trying to fuck up the place. He saw Hugh off to the side and joined him, taking out three jackals. He caught one that someone had thrown across the room, and Pike snapped his neck before tearing out his throat for good measure.
The shifters, wolves, jackals, and cougars had shifted for the fight, but it did not save them. Thankfully, Scott had his entire attention on the fire, but Pike knew that the violencewould not escape him. Pike would have a lot of explaining to do once this was over.
The Rose guards made short work of their attackers, although several wolves managed to run away. It didn't matter that they would be found and dealt with like their brothers.
The fire was extinguished, and Scott headed over to where Pike stood with Hugh, and then there was a gasp. Suddenly, a shocked sound rang out, so sharp that everyone turned to look. Standing in the back doorway was a young man with eyes wide and his mouth hanging open in fright. He screamed at the sight before him, but before he could turn and run, Pike was on him.
It wasn’t something he wanted to do in front of Scott, but he was the closest, and the man could not be allowed to leave with the knowledge of what he'd seen. Pike held him and placed the palm of his right hand on the man's forehead. Within a few minutes, the look on his face turned from terror to confusion.
Pike released him and guided him out to the alley. He noticed that a disturbed-looking Scott followed them. The man looked around and then took a step back. "I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't mean to intrude."
“You’re fine," Pike assured him, and the man nodded cordially and continued on his way down the alley, no longer afraid or concerned by what he’d seen.
“What did you do to him?” Scott came up to stand beside Pike. The heightened upheaval of his thoughts and emotions was raging toward Pike. He had to take care of this now, or he might lose this man.
“I wiped his mind clear of the memory of what he saw," Pike stated truthfully.
“Are you going to wipe my mind too?” That came out with an edge that could cut glass.
He turned and looked at Scott directly and held his fierce gaze. “If I didn’t want you to know who we are, I wouldn't have brought you here." That caught him off guard, and the anger slipped, and that soft expression was there for a moment. Hugh came up behind Pike, obviously having witnessed the situation.
"We can handle it from here, Pike." He said. "Why don't you take your beloved inside?" Pike reached out his hand to Scott, who at first looked at it with painful suspicion and then, to Pike’s surprise, took it and held it firm.
"You're going to explain everything, including those wild beasts you were battling, and just who is this Bagwell?" He stated, and the heaviness in the air lightened slightly.
“I’ll explain everything.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Saying that his mind had been blown was the understatement of the century. What he witnessed went against everything he knew and accepted as part of this world. He hadn’t been drugged and had suffered no injury, so what he saw was real. His mind was scrambling to make some kind of sense of it all.
He held Pike's hand and followed him into the warehouse across the alley. When the door closed behind them, what he saw was unbelievable. The interior of this old warehouse was polished, modern, and amazing. It looked like an office building, gorgeously designed and decorated, but then, as they exited the elevator on the upper floor, the interior became apartments.
“What is this?” He asked finally.
“The Coven House.”
“Coven House?”
“Yes, the Rose Coven ruled by Master Conall Rose.”
"Are you serious?" He asked sharply, and then Pike stopped and looked at him hard with one eyebrow slightly raised, which said it all.
“Are you really asking that question after what you experienced at the Club?”
“I don't know what I'm asking, really." He fumbled for a response and ran his fingers roughly through his hair. “I’m thoroughly baffled.”
"But you're not running away, and I appreciate that." Pike laughed and squeezed his hand as they made their way down the wide hall to a black lacquer door. Pike opened the door, and they stepped inside.
The apartment was nice, clean, spacious, and featured lots of dark wood. It felt like Pike, and it gave Scott a sense of home and a feeling that he could be comfortable here flashed through his mind. “Nice place.” He stated.
"Thank you." Pike led him into the living room and made him comfortable on the couch. "Would you like something to drink. It might be advisable, considering the discussion we're about to have."
