Page 31 of Challenged
I nod, my eyes never leaving Hammer as he watches Blaze in the ring. It’s as if he’s completely oblivious to the commotion around him, or perhaps simply doesn’t care. He’s fully absorbed in the spectacle before him, his fingers drumming against the phone still clutched in his hand.
“Hammer’s not paying attention to any of this,” I murmur, frustration mounting within me. “We need to do something to get closer to him.”
“Let’s give it a chance,” Rion advises, though I can see the concern etching lines across his forehead. “If we act too soon, we’ll blow our cover and put everyone in danger.”
I bite my lip, knowing he’s right but finding it difficult to sit idly by.
As the seconds tick by, I watch Hammer closely, waiting for an opportunity.
The cacophony of punches and shouts intensifies as the brawl spreads like wildfire through the crowd. I glance over at Rion, who nods in approval. We’ve succeeded in creating a distraction big enough to draw Hammer in.
Suddenly, the fight reaches Hammer, and he’s forced to turn his attention away from Blaze for a moment. A man stumbles into him, knocking him off balance, and I see my chance.
“Rion, now!” I shout, using my supernatural speed to dart toward Hammer with the precision of a predator stalking its prey.
As I snag the phone from where it was dropped, one of Hammer’s men intercepts me, grabbing my arm with a bruising force. His eyes are dark and menacing, filled with malice as they roam over my body.
“Can’t wait to have my turn with you after this little stunt,” he sneers, his hot breath stinging my face.
In that split second, Rion’s eyes flash a brilliant emerald as he shoots forward like a bullet, his hand shooting out to grip the henchman’s throat. The man’s eyes widen in terror, realizing too late the fatal mistake he’s made. With a swift jerk of Rion’s arm, the man’s neck snaps, and he crumples lifelessly to the ground. My heart thuds heavily in my chest, the metallic scent of blood filling my nostrils.
“Let’s go,” Rion says, urgency lacing his voice. I nod, pushing aside any lingering guilt over the man’s death. He was a bad guy, working for an even worse one. It was him or us, and we couldn’t afford to lose.
We skid to a halt outside the ring, spotting Blaze and Griffyn waiting for us. Blaze’s massive form towers over the others,sweat glistening on his brow and blood staining his knuckles from the fight. Griffyn, with his devilish smirk and smoke-grey eyes, looks unfazed by the violence around him.
“Did you get it?” Blaze asks, his voice gruff and low.
“Got it,” Rion confirms, holding up Hammer’s phone triumphantly.
“Good. Let’s get the hell out of here,” Griffyn says, and we don’t hesitate to follow his lead.
Thirteen
Felix
I watch Aksel pace back and forth across the living room, his footsteps echoing in the silence. The carpet beneath his feet looks like it might give in any moment now. His frustration is palpable, and I can feel the tension building in the air.
It would have felt better to be on surveillance like Rion and Griffyn were last time but Blaze was insistent we couldn’t do that every time or it would be noticed. Instead, we both have transport charms ready to go if I feel anything down the bond from Anna.
“Would you stop pacing already?” I finally say, unable to stand it any longer.
Aksel glowers at me for a moment before resuming his pacing, albeit with slightly less vigor. He’s worried about Anna and the others, just like I am, but unlike him, I have a direct connection to her through our bond.
“Anna’s relieved,” I inform him, tapping into the bond once again. “That’s a good sign, right?”
“Maybe,” Aksel replies gruffly, still unwilling to cease his pacing entirely. “But we won’t know anything for sure until they get back.”
“Look, I know you’re worried,” I say sympathetically, “but they should be home within the hour. We’ll find out what happened soon enough.”
Aksel finally stops pacing and looks at me, his face filled with concern. “You’re right,” he admits, taking a deep breath. “It’s just hard to sit here and do nothing while they’re out there at risk.”
“I know,” I agree, my own apprehension bubbling up inside me. “But we have to trust them. They’re more than capable of handling whatever gets thrown their way.”
The clock on the wall ticks loudly, echoing through the room as we wait.
“Hey,” I say, hoping to distract him from his thoughts, “remember when we first met at training? You were so serious and grumpy, like you didn’t know how to smile. Now, Anna makes you smile daily.”
A lopsided grin tugs at his lips, and he glances over at me. “I remember,” he says, his voice softer than usual. “Griffyn kept calling me ‘grumpy pants’ until I finally decked him.”
