The wolf in me wanted to rip him apart, show him exactly what it meant to be a Syndicate heir and how powerful we were. Remembering my father’s words, I shifted in seconds, bounding toward him at the speed of light with my claws and fangs out until Falcon called out, “Don’t! He is an earth mage!”
Before I could do anything, the cement below me cracked and pillars erected in my way of getting to him, and I had to dodge and weave around to not get clobbered. A pillar popped up right in front of me, and my jaw snapped around it, wanting desperately to feel his skin tear underneath my teeth and his blood run into my fur as I clawed into him like the wild beast I was. I wanted to make a mess of his insides and carve up his face so he was unrecognizable, but these damn concrete pillars were in my way.
Cosmo zoomed toward me, smashing a few pillars with his fists, but as soon as they fell, more would build back up just as fast. “These two are more of the muscle-headed ones, right?” Kevin laughed out at me and Cosmo, both of us growling at his implication, but Falcon’s face lost all expression, instead, looking at Kevin like a robot.
“They may be brutes, but they have their uses.” Falcon’s voice was monotone like he didn’t give a flying fuck about us as he moved closer to the side. He had a direct shot at him, but Kevin moved in the opposite direction, making sure he was always covered.
Kevin’s eyes sparkled with understanding. “Yes. I have to deal with one of those, too. It’s such a bother. They whine and complain a lot, but people like us need them. We need those people that will use their fists and do all the dirty work as we create.” He opened his arms, looking all around like a freaking villain in a movie.So fucking lame.
Cosmo zoomed to the other side of Kevin, and we had him circled, but my eyes kept catching on the jar wall behind his desk. What was floating in those jars?
“Yes,” Falcon agreed, moving toward the desk, which caused Kevin to move farther from him. “They are quite annoying at times. Always concerned about their egos, constantly needing my help over and over and over again.” He pretended to pick up something from the desk, and Kevin moved ten feet in front of him.
“You’re not going to get me, Winstale. I’m not going to let you have any opening, and you also have the rest of your family to consider.” I smiled at that thought, knowing myfamilycould get themselves out of danger ASAP.
Before I knew what happened a wall of stone rose beside Cosmo and me, falling over to crush us. Falcon quickly called on his air magic, keeping the stone wall up for Cosmo and me to get away.
I went to run when I noticed my paw was stuck under concrete. Cosmo was yanking at his foot in the same situation. Falcon kept pushing tons and tons of air magic just to make sure it all didn't come crashing down on us.
Kevin laughed while pointing at Falcon. “You can’t handle a couple of stone walls? Have you all lost your touch? Are you now the useless members of the Syndicate? They should’ve known better than to send some kids to do a man’s job.” He pointed to his wall of jars. “A man just knows how and when to do the dirty deeds to get results. Just like plucking and collecting rare body parts from supes to test on.” What the fuck? I’m a pretty sick dude, and even I don’t just pick randos off the street and dissect them. My eyes flicked the Falcon, did he? No. I was like seventy-five percent sure he didn't.
Almost like it was on cue, a large black wolf busted through the door at Kevin’s back, shoving Kevin onto the floor as it snarled in his face.
Kevin’s eyes widened as he cried out, trying to escape my father’s clutches by punching and wiggling. I had to give him credit, my father was a fearsome wolf, one of the largest to date. Most people thought he was a demon dog. That gave Falcon’s father the opening to slap on a set of anti-magic bracelets that they use on inmates.
Once he was cuffed, his magic in the room was nullified. The cement around mine and Cosmo’s feet disintegrated. Even with all that, Kevin still had to run his mouth. “You fucking worthless piece of sh—” Easton parted the floor and entombed a screaming Kevin into it, smoothing out the contcreate like it was never touched. He was buried alive with no magic and no air, it wouldn’t be long before he was dead. There was something poetic about him being encased in his own earth element.
I shifted back into my human form, naked and shaking from the change, but that was normal. “We need to wrap this up soon,” I reminded them. “We have bigger fish than this idiot to fry. And I want to serve him up on a platter.” I wanted to serve Vincent’s head to Rayla, lay it at her feet like an offering. A vicious smile took over my face,I wanted to win best mate.
Chapter 30
Onceweseparated,Icould feel Ternin watching my every move. It almost made me laugh that he was cool with handing over his life to me, but a hint at flirting with his daughter, and now I was public enemy number one. I wondered how freaked out he would get when he learned we were mates and there was nothing he could do about it?
That thought elated me, filled me to the brim with so much joy I thought I would burst. I was mated to Rayla, and no one, not my uncle, not her father, nor the Syndicate could take her away from me. Never again would I be parted from her. Our souls were connected, and I was going to keep it that way. Forever and ever.
I mean, sure, she had other mates, but in my mind, they were to fill the voids I had in my personality. In fact, I thought we were all defective, all but Rayla. She was as perfect as perfect could get, and perfection deserved the best. That was why when you put all our qualities together, we made one flawless mega mate.
I mean, I was the heart, the most important and life-sustaining one, obviously. Avery was like the spine, the only one I think who could genuinely find some common ground or stand to put up with all of us. He had more of that gregarious personality that the majority of people liked. Falcon was the head, and the reason for that was clear as day. Always thinking, planning, researching, figuring out the smallest details. Ax was the arms, strong and fierce. The part of the body that was the first to defend but also the easiest to harm. Cosmo was the legs, the one that kept the body moving, going forward, and could be rooted when needed. And Rayla was the soul. Always guiding the rest of us along, transcendent and everlasting. The only thing deserving of a body as strong as ours.
As we were working our way to the west wing of the complex—where my uncle spent the least of his time—I looked at my watch and realized I would only have a short amount of time to convince these demons that joining our side was the better option.
About half of these demons I had recruited from all over the country, finding the ones with exceptional talent, or training the ones with good instinct. The other half were the cutthroats my uncle hired. Mainly seasoned, soulless beings that only cared about one thing—money.
My uncle handled them like contractors, knowing they had nowhere else that would take men like them, but also taking advantage of that by not paying them top dollar. A few years back, I overheard him telling a couple of them who asked for more pay that they should be happy with getting in on the rebuilding of the Devil name. That once we got back to our former glory, he would pay them all handsomely for their loyalty. Not seconds later did he laugh with Kevin, saying they were all idiots.
I didn’t care back then, thinking it was not my problem when they were doing what they were supposed to do, but now I wish I would’ve made at least a minimal effort.
“So, what’s your plan once we get there?” Rayla’s voice calmed my nerves, settling me instantly.
“I don’t know, I was going to wing it.” I shrugged as her lips tipped up.
She glanced back at Avery, Syris, and Ternin while whispering, “Well, if there was ever a group okay with winging it, it would be this one.”
I nodded, not knowing what else to say. I have always been more of a lone wolf, not relying a lot on people, but now I had a bunch of people, and it made me more anxious. I scanned her face, her eyes wide and bright, showing off the tingle of excitement and anticipation. Her face relaxed as we headed into the lion’s den without so much as a rope. Her fearlessness in any situation made her an excellent leader, ready to jump in first and ask questions later.
“I know the plan was for me to talk, but if at any time you think you can help sway them, just do it.”
Her whole face brightened. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to step on your toes?”
