Page 85 of Twisted
“Hey, witch-bitch!”someone yells from the front of the restaurant.We turn and see a small group of hunters stumble in.The ringleader of the group is led by Buck McGraw, one of Ryder’s close friends who was adamantly against us being together.“You’ve got some nerve bringing that fanger into our town.”
Before anyone has a chance to respond, he pulls out a crossbow aimed at Xavier, and pulls the trigger.
CHAPTER33
Xavier catches the arrow as it whizzes through the air.Someone screams and Xavier looks down and chuckles.
“I expected better aim from someone I’m guessing is in the Order.”Closing his fist, he snaps the arrow in half and drops the pieces on the ground as he gets up.I grab Gia and push her down, getting to my feet, ready to defend her.
“What the hell, Buck?”Antonio exclaims.“Put the crossbow down.”
“Of course, you’re defending her,” Buck spits.There are three other hunters behind him, and they all look just as drunk and stupid and fucking Buck McGraw.“You’ve always defended that witch-bitch.”
“I’m going to suggest you stop insulting my wife,” Xavier says.His voice is calm yet carries throughout the restaurant.He takes off his suit jacket and gets to his feet.
“Wife?”Buck repeats and turns to look at his buddies, making sure they heard.“The witch-bitch married a vampire.Fitting for trash to find trash.”
In the blink of an eye, Xavier is there.The crossbow clatters to the ground and he lifts Buck up, hand around his throat.
“Did I stutter when I told you to stop insulting my wife?”he asks, fangs coming down as he effortlessly lifts Buck into the air.The other hunters, who I recognize as Dale, Gavin, and Randall, shuffle back, bumping into each other.It’s embarrassing how drunk and sloppy they are.
“Whoa, buddy,” Dale says, holding up his hands and Gavin pulls another arrow.
“Don’t shoot!”Leo yells but it’s too late.Xavier, however, is unfazed and turns.The arrow hits Buck in the shoulder, and he cries out in pain.Xavier drops Buck to the ground and grabs Gavin’s wrist, breaking it with one single squeeze of his hand.The crossbow clatters to the ground and Leo and Antonio rush over, pushing Dale and Randall back before they try to do something stupid.
“He attacked me,” Buck cries, clutching his arm.“The vampire attacked me!”
“You attacked him,” Gia counters, peeking out from behind me.“I saw the whole thing!”
I look around and see that several people have their phones out, crouched down but still recording.There are several cameras in this place, so I know, one way or another, this whole exchange was captured and recorded.
“Don’t look him in the eyes!”Randall shouts, trying to push past Leo.“He’ll hold you spellbound and make you his slave like he did to her!”He points at me, and I just roll my eyes.They know I’m a witch and they know witches cannot be held spellbound.Come to think of it, I’m sure that’s just another reason why so many of the Order members don’t like me.I have so many advantages over them.
“You came in here and started this,” Xavier says calmly, taking a step back.He rolls up his sleeves, expression more amused than anything.“We were enjoying a quiet evening until you disturbed us as well as everyone else in this establishment.You owe us all an apology.”
Buck dumbly starts to yank on the arrow and Gavin lets out a grunt of pain, clutching his broken wrist to his chest.
“You shot me!”Buck cries and someone at a table near me grabs a handful of napkins, taking a tentative step forward to give them to Buck.
“Your friend shot you,” Xavier corrects.“Which leads me to repeat myself and say I had much higher expectations of accuracy.The Order boasts they have the best of the best, but here you lot are, drunk and pathetic at best.”
“Just get them out of here,” I tell my brothers, slowly shaking my head as I glare at Buck.Our eyes meet and even though he’s meek and bleeding on the floor, he still looks at me with so much hatred for no reason other than I’m different from him.
“The cops are on the way,” one of the waitstaff says.
“I won’t be pressing charges,” Xavier says.
“They’re coming for you, dumbass fanger,” Dale huffs and Xavier speeds over to him.Dale, who’s pushing against Leo, takes a quick step back.But he’s drunk so he stumbles and backs right into the bench in the front that’s meant for people to sit at while waiting for a table.He slides onto his butt and reaches for the gun clipped to his hip.
Xavier is faster, of course.
“I’m curious if you have the proper permit for this.”Xavier takes the gun and pulls out the magazine then empties the extra bullet from the chamber.He gives the unloaded gun back to Dale and puts the ammunition in his pocket.
“We all do, fanger!”
“You really need to come up with a better insult,” I chide and sit back down, making a point to look bored and disinterested just to further piss the hunters off.
“Should I call an ambulance?”Our waitress is next to the table, pale in the face and a little unsteady on her feet.Sometimes I have to stop and remind myself that most people—okay, likeallnormal people—aren’t used to seeing the things I see on an almost daily basis.
