Axel didn’t even look at Rom; he justmovedand slammed his elbow into my brother’s face so hard he hit theground.
“Rom!” I cried, rushing to help him as Rem took his turn, launching himself at the strange, awful man attacking us.
Rem was able to connect another punch to Axel’s solar plexus, but the victory was short-lived. I watched in horror as Axel wrapped his hands around my brother’s head and slammed his forehead into his skull.
Rem crumbled immediately, falling to the ground, unconscious.
I felt like I was going into shock. This guy had totally overpowered both of my brothers in seconds, and suddenly, my kitty knuckles felt like a piss poor weapon in my hands.
I hovered on the balls of my feet, torn. On the one hand, I wanted to go to my brothers, but on the other hand, my survival instincts were telling me to run for my fucking life.
Romulus groaned and spit out a mouthful of blood as he tried to get to his feet.
He looked up at me, his dark eyes wide with panic.
“Run!”he shouted at me, and I didn’t think. I just turned and bolted.
However, I barely made it two steps before I somehow slammed directly into Axel. He was suddenly in front of me and gripping both of my shoulders so tightly I knew I would bruise.
How had he moved so fast!? It was like he teleported!
“Gotchya.” He grinned, his eyes burning with the promise of violence.
“Get off me!” I screamed, stabbing the ears of my kitty knuckles into his gut over and over again, relishing in the thick, hot blood that erupted from beneath Axel’s white T-shirt.
He just laughed and placed his mouth directly against my ear, his hot, rancid breath making my stomach roll with nausea.
“I’ve waitedcenturiesto know what it would feel like to have your hot pussy bounce on my cock, precious,” he growled, and I thrashed in his grip, panic taking over me completely.
No, no, no! Get me the fuck out of here! Help me!
I cried to the universe, using every bit of magic and intention I had to plead with it to send someone to save me.
Just when I thought my spell would go unanswered, there was athwackand a groan.
Axel’s head snapped unnaturally to the side, and blood sprayed across my face as the man suddenly let me go and crumbled to his knees before me.
I stared in shock at the unconscious—maybedeadman—that was curled in a ball at my feet. It took several moments before I registered the tall, dark, and very relaxed shadow that had taken his place.
“Gabriel?”I breathed, taking in my new neighbor’s eerily composed expression.
He was standing there in his usual black attire, crisp shirt, and matching slacks. He had one hand in his pocket and what looked like a golden bat slung over his shoulder.
“Hey, gorgeous. You looked like you needed a hand,” he said, and the small smile on his face felt out of place.
He had just beaten a man’s head in with a bat! Shouldn’t he be a little more… bothered?
I couldn’t think straight; the world was moving in slow motion, and I was almost positive I was in shock.
Romulus groaned, and I turned to him in a daze. He was struggling to get up, his arms shaking with the effort to push himself to his feet.
“Harper,run,”he growled, his nose still gushing blood from where Axel had hit him in the face.
“It’s ok,” I muttered dumbly, stumbling toward him. “Gabe’s come to help, he?—”
Suddenly, Gabe stepped past me and slammed his golden bat into Romulus’ head, and I screamed as my brother went down again.
“What are you doing!” I screeched, “That’s my brother!”
