Page 95 of My Revenant
Keeping the knife in my hand, I walked over to it, feeling Henrik’s presence directly behind me even though I couldn’t hear him. That was incredibly unnerving considering how quiet it was here and how large he was. Dex had felt like a predator before I got to know him, but this man was something else entirely. I just hoped I hadn’t made a really big fucking mistake in asking him for help as I twisted the handle and the door creaked open.
thirty-five
Jonah - Past
HOUND AND RABBIT.
The light that streamed in on the other side of the door was unexpected and almost startling. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust again, and when they did, I saw what used to be an office of some kind with an old desk in the center. The walls were covered in graffiti, broken furniture and books were thrown about, but my attention snapped to the three men waiting for us—Bates in the middle, leaning against the desk, and two others I didn’t recognize.
Bates looked unimpressed, and unsurprised, to see us here. His eyes landed on me only for a moment before they flicked to Henrik.
“Who is this?” he asked.
“Mmm… Ghost,” Henrik answered, and the two men I didn’t know stood up straighter, their eyes wide with the surprise I would have expected when they first saw us come in. Bates looked at me again, closer this time, my hand clenched tighter around the switchblade in my pocket.
“No. I remember you. You’re that fucker who tripped me.” He looked back at Henrik, brow furrowed in anger. “What the fuck is this?”
Henrik laughed. “You tripped him?”
“I’m here to get back what you took,” I said, heat building in my chest. Anger that always seemed to show whenever this fuckface was around, only hotter this time, because now I washere to do something about it. Provided Henrik hadn’t brought me into a trap for his own amusement, which I still hadn’t ruled out.
“What did I take?” Mason stood to his full height, and I fucking hated that he was taller than me.
“You know what you took from him. I want it back. All of it.”
A smile pulled at Mason’s lips as he looked up at Henrik—up,because even if the bastard was a giant, Henrik was bigger.
“You heard the man. He wants back what you took,” Henrik answered, and I could hear the smile in his words.
“You told me to come here for this shit? To what? Hand over some fucking junk for some fucking cunt?”
I pulled the knife from my pocket, flicking it open. “Don’t fucking call him that.”
“What? Cunt? He is. Fucking cock-sucking bitch.”
The fire built, burning, blazing, too big to contain.
Mason’s eyes flicked to the knife and stayed there. “We had a deal, Kovats.”
“Mmm yes. But I made a better one.” Henrik’s hand landed on my shoulder as he pushed me forward. “Go on, little rabbit, show them your teeth. I’m right behind you.”
I stood taller. “Where the fuck is it?”
“Up your fucking ass.” Mason gestured toward us with his head and the two others stepped forward, fists raised and ready to fight.
The only person I’d ever fought was the man I was in love with, and even when I fought him, my fire burned for him in ways other than violence. I’d longed for him even before I understood it. This was different. Adrenaline pumped through my system, steadying my hand, because this was it. The moment to prove myself or go down with nothing to show for it.
One of them, the smaller one, came for me, and the other went for Henrik. I raised my fists, one clenched around the knife. I swung at him the moment he was within reach, but he blocked thehit and followed it with his own to my gut, knocking the air out of me.
Pain to fuel the fire. I swung the other arm and nicked him with the knife. A superficial cut that made him angrier rather than slowing him down. He hit me again, and I raised my arm too slowly to block the force of the impact as he knocked my arm into my face and the inside of my cheek sliced open on my teeth. More pain. More fuel. Morered.
He stepped forward to come for me again, but a muscled arm shot out, catching him around the neck and swiping him with inhuman force down to the concrete floor. He gasped, the move stealing his ability to draw in a full breath. Henrik stood in front of me, blocking my view. I turned to see the man he’d been fighting, only to find his body crumpled on the floor as well.
Henrik didn’t even hesitate when he stepped forward and his boot slammed into the side of the guy’s head. Just like that, he was out. In seconds.
Mason pulled a knife, taking a fighting stance as he eyed up the demon in human skin between us. Then he rushed forward, blade first, aiming for Henrik’s gut. I jumped back as bodies collided, out of reach as limbs moved and struggled against each other. Mason grunted. Henrik smiled.
Red dripped onto the concrete. Fresh blood. Henrik’s.
