SWNOVELS Chapter 19.5
Lukas.....
Izzy’s body flew across the air for a few nano-seconds before it was carelessly slumped onto the floor. She moaned in pain and managed to turn to her side but Raul was already on top of her before she could get away. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her up.
“Concentrate, Izzy!” He snapped as he prepared for yet another attack on Izzy.
Izzy cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders. Her entire body glistened with sweat, her hair was wet around her face and her muscles quivered in pain. Her eyes were concentrated on the male in front of her. She took a defensive stance, something that Lukas had always had to remind her not to do. It was as if she was giving her attacker the green light to attack!
A slow growl reverberated from deep within Lukas as he watched from the door of the training hall. He watched as Raul lunged forward toppling Izzy with his body and sending them both rolling onto the mat. Izzy fought with everything she had but just ended up pinned under Raul like the first, the second, and the third time.
“Dammit, Izzy!” Raul growled at her, snapped his teeth close to her face making her flinch away. “If you don’t polish up on your fighting skills, you are going to get killed!”
“How the fuck am I supposed to learn anything if you don’t let me breathe or even have a second to think!” Izzy bucked under Raul pushing him away and rolled from him, coming to her knees before breathing in hard. She rubbed her arms as if warding off a chill as she stared daggers towards Raul.
“Your attacker will not let you think! He will not let you breathe.” Raul got up and paced away towards the towels. He took two from the rack and threw one on Izzy’s face. “You need to tap into your wolf and let her guide you or you will pay the ultimate price.” Raul gritted his teeth then turned towards the door and saw Lukas standing there. “You need to do something about your mate before she brings the whole team down with her lack of concentration.”
Raul brushed past Lukas and walked away. Lukas turned to Izzy who was still sitting down sulking on the mats. Something deep inside him went out for her. She was a determined little thing yet she didn’t have it in her to fight for her life. Lukas believed that if Izzy was able to let go of her insecurities then she would be unstoppable. It seemed as if she still believed she was still the helpless human-like being before her transformation and didn't understand just how powerful she was.
“Get up.” Lukas ground his teeth together feeling as if they would turn into powder at any second. Even though the claws on his neck and cheek had not yet healed he wasn’t going to stand there and let her waste away her abilities. She was his mate now, a part of him and if she failed, so did he.
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Not you too-”
Lukas suddenly grabbed her from the floor and crushed her against his hard chest. “I think you are taking this too lightly because you have no idea what is out there.”
“And whose fault is that?” Izzy smacked Lukas’ hands from her and wanted to move away from him when he suddenly grabbed her again.
Maybe it was his fault because he let her stay in for most of the hunting nights but now he was even more determined to turn her into one of the best hunters out there. “You are not leaving this room until you have me on the floor, Izzy.”
A wicked smile spread across Izzy’s lips. “You always take every opportunity to get on your back, don’t you?”
The honey-like seduction behind her words had Lukas tremble for a moment. She was stirring up his body with just simple words. Blood gushed through his veins and tightened his veins to the point of delicious pain. He quickly shook the instinctive thoughts away and concentrated on the task at hand. Without a warning, Lukas attacked, sending Izzy sprawled on the floor. She brought her hands up to push him away but Lukas gripped them and stretched them above her head arching her body towards his.
Izzy snarled and brought her knees up under Lukas then pushed him off. Lukas staggered back but he didn’t give Izzy time to recover. He lunged at her again but Izzy swiftly avoided him and backflipped several times until she was a safe distance away.
Lukas followed. He was even more determined to get her offensive and not only defensive. She didn’t attack. She only protected herself from the blows.
Lukas twirled around swinging his leg at her but Izzy ducked and moved out of the way. Before she managed to reach far, Lukas grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back while a punch swung her way, missing her face by an inch and slamming itself on the wall behind her. The plaster on the wall cracked and Lukas’ anger snapped.
“Attack me!” He growled at her feeling a warmth pool around the claws on his cheek and neck as blood started seeping out again.
Izzy brought her hands up to push Lukas away, irritation marring her face but Lukas didn’t move. “I don’t want to attack you.”
“Why not?” Lukas snarled.
“Because!” She yelled as her nostrils flared and her eyes glowed. “Because it is you! And it was Raul! It’s Vixen or sometimes it was Jake! How the hell do I attack my friends! How the fuck do you want me to attack my mate?”
Lukas framed Izzy’s face with his palms and forced her to look up at him. “Tune to Nala, Izzy. You have to learn to attack. You will not survive out there if you only defend. There will come a time when you need to kill-”
“I can attack, Lukas. I can kill but I need to do that out there....not in here with you.” Izzy said softly, all the fight draining from her.
“I will not let you leave this room until you have me on my back.” Lukas drawled his eyes instinctively moving to her pouting lips. He felt himself hardening all over again.
Just that morning, he had the Commander snarling orders at him on how to protect his mate. Ruvin emphasized the point that Izzy was not allowed to be vulnerable because a mate was the easiest way to bring down a warrior. If she was in any immediate danger, her mate could never concentrate on his task and he could end up dead for his carelessness.
Izzy needed to protect herself when he wasn’t around. Lukas believed she could do unbelievable things but she was holding herself back.
She rolled her eyes and in a fast and swift move, she grabbed one of his hands while curling her arm around his neck and swept her leg under Lukas sending him toppling to the floor with a loud smack on the mats. The air was punched out of his lungs as Izzy fell on him while giggling.
“I have you on your back, can I go now?” She asked him, her eyes dancing with light and laughter but it quickly died down when she saw the damp bandages. “You need to go and see Briar again.”
Lukas tightened his arms around her holding her to him and brushed his nose against hers. “That wasn’t so hard, was it? Izzy, I don’t want to worry about you when you go out hunting. I want to have some peace of mind knowing you are able to take care of yourself. Don’t worry about my wounds, worry about yourself.”
“I can take care of myself, Lukas. It’s just that I feel like if I attack you or Vixen or Raul, I might hurt you. Even though I am a half-blood like everyone else, my bloodline happens to be quite strong. I don’t know my strength yet.”
“I want you to let that power you are hiding out. We can take you, Izzy. You just need to believe in yourself. You need to believe in us.” Lukas said softly.
Izzy nodded softly. “Okay. I will try.”
Lukas felt pride and approval thicken his veins. Even his wolf, Koda, was buzzing with the adrenalin still gushing in his veins. Lukas raked his fingers into Izzy’s hair and held her head in place as he pulled her down to his lips and kissed her softly.
His body went supernova the moment their lips touched. His entire being staggered at the revelation that he had a mate. Many males in the royal army weren’t so lucky to find their mates and the ones that did had to leave the royal army because sometimes they were given tasks that needed them to be away from their mates for long periods of time which in turn drove them crazy.
The best solution was if both of them were in the army and got to spend a lot of time together.
Someone cleared their throat loudly and when Izzy and Lukas turned to the door, Jake came inside fitting cropped leather gloves on his hands. He had a smirk on his lips as he eyed them knowingly.
“It’s about fucking time.” He chuckled as he crouched beside them.
Lukas narrowed his eyes at Jake. For a while, he had been suspicious that perhaps Jake had taken an interest in Izzy. It made him a little uncomfortable because Jake was one of the very few males Lukas liked. He was always there with either him or Izzy and sometimes he got himself in between them when their arguments escalated to boiling points!
Lukas rolled Izzy off and got up. “You knew, didn’t you?”
Jake got up and shrugged as he turned to the punching bag behind him. “I had a gut feeling.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Lukas asked him, curious as to why the male kept quiet all this time.
“Because it was not my place to say anything. I knew sooner or later the pull would be too much for you to ignore. You sure took your fucking time though. That ego of yours should be cut down a couple of notches. I'm surprised that even that lazy beast of yours didn't sniff Izzy out sooner.” Jake threw the first punch and the second then stopped and turned to him. “Izzy is a good girl and I trust you to take care of her.”
“Awww, the human is worried about me.” Izzy teased as she got up and snaked her arms around Lukas’ waist from behind.
Jake gave Izzy a cheeky grin. “Yeah, this human cares about you a lot, Izzy.”
That made Lukas narrow his eyes even more? Did Jake truly like Izzy, as in wanting to date her sorta like? Was it the reason why he kept close at all times? Suddenly Lukas gripped Izzy’s hands and squeezed them lightly. Izzy was as good as his and he knew Jake was an intelligent male. He understood what it meant by being true mates so Lukas hoped the male would not try anything with his mate now that it was out in public.
The last thing Lukas wanted was to have a fall out with Jake because he was close enough for him to consider him family. He was a nice guy, one of the nicest humans he had come across.
“Let’s just hope this human knows his boundaries.” Lukas hoped his warning was heard behind his words.
Jake raised his gloved hands his mock surrender. “How about we go for drinks tonight? My treat?”
“I’m in if you are paying.” Izzy quickly answered not giving Lukas a chance to even open his mouth. “I need to get cleaned and fed first so I will see you two later-and Lukas, go and get your wounds checked out again.” She slipped from Lukas and made her way out.
Lukas’ body was buzzing for hers so she wasn’t leaving him alone in that state. As he was about to follow her, Jake called out to him as he turned back to the punching bag.
“I’m happy it is you, Lukas, and no one else,” Jake said softly. “I’m glad....” Lukas could hear the sadness in Jake’s voice but there was nothing he could do about it.
Lukas patted Jake lightly on his shoulder and stalked out after his mate. A hissing sound echoed as Tessa eyed his bloodied bandages.
“Lukas, go and get those bandages replaced.” She said softly.
Lukas rolled his eyes and instead of following Izzy, he went to the basement where Briar and Vixen were. Briar frowned at him when she saw the blood.
“Yours isn’t healing as well?” She got up and approached him, carefully removing the bandages from his cheek and face. “Tron and Willow need to get here before the poison in your system gets out of hand.”
“It’s just a little scratch, Briar. It will heal soon enough.” Lukas assured the female. The last thing he needed was being put on bedrest when everyone else was out there doing God-knows-what.
Briar pinched her lips together. “You, Edon, and the Commander have been poisoned by a sorcerer and that is why your wounds are not healing. You all need a healing session from a Mage or else you are all in trouble.
Lukas sighed. He was feeling a little more tired than usual but he thought it was because of what they went through three days ago with those crazy wolves. It was strange that three days later, his wounds weren’t even closing up. He should have read the signs.
“Fine.” He sighed. “Get the Mage here and let’s get this over with.”
Evening.....
“Are you guys ready?” Jake came into the lounge where everyone else was and his eyes widened when he noticed the three extra people there. “Tron! Willow!”
Lukas watched as the boy’s eyes widened even further as he laid his eyes on Indigo, the tall, violet-haired, black-eyed Mage of Truth, and smirked. Indigo managed to capture anyone’s attention without meaning to because she was half forest-Nymph to be specific.
Lukas expected that side of her to be oppressed because she was in the human Realm but it seemed not. Jake was quite enthralled by her.
“Hello.” He greeted her.
Indigo grinned cheerfully and extended her hand to him. Bad move, Lukas thought as he watched the catastrophe about to unfurl in front of him. It was like watching a car crash about to happen.
Tron quickly slipped in between the two of them before their hands touched and shook his head softly. “I wouldn’t advise it.”
Indigo looked a little offended but she quickly placed her hands in her jacket pockets and her eyes darted around the lounge. “I have never been this far away from home before. This is so exciting!” The offense was soon forgotten and replaced by bubbly excitement.
Lukas turned to Izzy and whispered. “This will be interesting to watch.”
Izzy’s face was pale with worry. “A Nymph and a human male in the same house? What was the commander thinking?”
“Isn’t it strange that Quentin is not reacting to Indigo like the way Jake is?” Lukas noted the older man sitting with his arms crossed listening carefully to what was being said but not paying much attention to Indigo as Jake was.
“She hasn’t worked her magic on him yet,” Izzy said softly.
“You two.” Ruvin suddenly cut in pointing at Willow and Tron. “We need a healing session for Edon downstairs right now. Lukas and I will wait for ours until Edon is safe from harm’s way. You...” He turned to Zach who was leaning against one of the walls, his skin pale and clammy, his eyes dull and his hair faded. “Get back to the enchanted world this very instant. Raul, drive him up to Devil’s Peak.”
Raul nodded as Zach said his goodbyes before following Raul out.
“Indigo, I am glad you are here to help us out. Vixen and I will brief you on everything that is happening the moment we establish your working space.” Ruvin turned to the cheery female who was all but bouncing up and down on her heels, ready to start working as soon as possible. Typical Historian, Lukas thought lightly.
“Does that mean no more going out tonight?” Jake asked.
“Take Izzy and Quentin for a perimeter scouting. Vixen and Briar, I need you two to be my ears and eyes in town tonight. These past three days have been too quiet for my own peace of mind and I have a feeling it is the sort of quietness that comes before the storm. I want you to go and check on Sheyster as well as make rounds in the clubs to make sure there are no problems.” Ruvin turned to Jake.
“I will help with the perimeter scouting.” Lukas quickly added sitting up straight.
“Fine, but return here as soon as possible so that you can get healed. I have a feeling we didn’t have such a bad reaction to the poison like the way the Lord Mage and the Dark King did because we are in the human realm but we still need to be careful.”
Lukas nodded and followed everyone out as they all went to do what they were told to do.
“You did that on purpose because you didn't want me to be alone with Jake.” Izzy said as they went downstairs to their ammunition room where everyone who was going out tonight packed a weapon or two.
Lukas shrugged his shoulders as he touched the smaller version of his signature katanas. He thought guns were too loud and too limited because once they were empty of bullets, they were harmless and that was why he preferred the blades over them.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He answered as he handed her a good-sized gun.
Izzy took it and placed it on the small of her back. “You’re so easy to read. I never took you for the jealous type.”
Lukas slipped his hands around Izzy and pulled her against his hard chest. The way her warmth radiated around him had him bite back a growl. “You’ll be surprised at how possessive mated males become.” he nipped her lower lip playfully and moved away leaving her a little disoriented by his actions. “Come on, let’s get going.”
Izzy followed Lukas behind to where Quentin and Jake were waiting. They were taking Jake’s truck and soon enough they had arrived at the hideout’s first line of security. There was no high-security fence until you got to the third line of security where there was a tall stone wall with large wrought iron gates. Most of the time, no one made it to the third line of security because the first line consisted of several cameras that had movement-sensors and caught anything moving around whether it was a mouse scurrying on the ground or an owl hunting at night.
If somehow the enemy managed to pass this line, then they arrived at the second line of security that had booby-traps. Usually, the alarm would go off at the point to warn them that someone was there. If the traps didn’t kill them then they would cripple the enemy long enough to get captured and finally was the third line of security that eliminated first and asked questions later.
“So, Jake, how do you like Indigo?” Lukas asked as Jake killed off the engine and the four of them jumped out of the truck.
“She looks too young to be a Historian,” Jake answered pensively as he turned towards the line of trees in front of him.
Quentin chuckled. “For all we know, she could be your great grandmother, Jake.”
“Actually, she could be your great grandmother, Quentin.” Lukas teased the man.
“The wonder of this world,” Quentin muttered quietly as he put on his torch and began moving towards the line of trees.
“I’ll check my cameras.” Izzy pushed away from Lukas’ groping hands and made her way towards the larger trees around them.
“Why did Tron warn me from touching her hand?” Jake asked suddenly.
“Because she is half Nymph,” Lukas answered simply as if his words explained everything but when he turned to Jake, the male looked lost. He sighed and explained. “Her nature lures people to her without her meaning to. To a human, it is even more dangerous and once you touch her hand, you are unconsciously in her spell. She can drive you insane with wanting her...literally.”
“Oh,” Jake answered, his eyes wide with fear. “That’s, that’s a lot to take in.”
“So, that little crush you think you have for her? Forget it. It’s just her pull.” Lukas said.
“Uh...guys!” Izzy called out and both Lukas and Jake snapped their attention towards her.
They rushed over to find her standing under one of the trees looking up at the cameras. “We have a problem.” She flashed her torch towards the camera and the thing was busted. “It looks like it has been shot.”
“It could be the human hunters,” Jake answered then turned to Izzy. “And since these past three days we have been dealing with a lot, it didn’t cross our minds that we were still sitting ducks.”
Something close to guilt flitted in Izzy’s eyes. “I should have been paying more attention-”
“It’s not your fault.” Lukas quickly cut in. “What we need to do is search for these fuckers and be done with it. Get Quentin.”
Jake nodded and reached for his walkie-talkie. As he tried to reach for Quentin, the walkie-talkie just droned with white noise. A cold shiver rippled down Lukas’ spine as they broke into a run towards Quentin’s direction.
“Dad!” Jake called, the panic and fear in his voice as loud as his voice.
“Quentin!” Izzy called out but there were greeted by silence.
“We need to call this in. The commander needs to know.” Lukas suggested.
“No one is calling anyone.” A voice drawled from behind them followed by shuffling of feet on the ground and a pained but muffled sound.
When they turned, a male moved forward dragging Quentin with him. He held a gun in one hand and Quentin’s collar in the other. Quentin had a large and bleeding gash on the side of his head and he was on his knees panting.
The male smirked at them as he pointed his gun straight at Lukas. There was more shuffling as more human hunter came out of the woods with guns aimed at them. There were about seven males, all large and looked like they could take care of themselves. Lukas eyed them quietly. He could take them on alone but he feared for Jake and Izzy’s safety.
“And if any of you think to play the hero, each bullet in these guns has a molten silver capsule that will burst open the moment it is embedded in your body. We all know that dogs have a higher body temperature than us so these were specifically designed for the likes of you.” The male said and the fear for Izzy doubled in Lukas’ head. He could feel her fear for Quentin and Jake. He could feel her fear for his safety like a throbbing wound in his head.
Now, he understood what the commander meant by making careless decisions in order to protect your mate. All Lukas could think of was protecting Izzy from the danger.
“What do you want?” Lukas asked calculating how many he would be able to take down before he was crippled by the silver. The chances were very slim but he was sure to go down with the male who threatened him.
He chuckled eerily. “We want your heads and your hearts. We are hunters and we rid this world of abominations like you.”
Lukas wondered how they managed to know of their location and exactly where the cameras were. Did that Varga that wanted to attack Alli tell them? “It’s interesting how you would want to kill us yet you were sent here by the same abominations you want to kill.”
The smirk on his face disappeared. “For a dog on death row, you sure talk too much.”
A cold smile appeared on Lukas’ face when he realized it was true. “You are no hunters, you are just pathetic contract killers with bad CVs.”
“Shut up! Jerry, get the woman.” The male said.
Koda unfurled from the corner that he was hiding in and stretched languidly in Lukas’ mind, preparing to defend his mate with everything he got. As Jerry moved forward towards Izzy with his gun trained at Lukas, a growl made it's way up to his throat.
“Touch even a hair on her body and you will not make it out of here alive,” Lukas warned.
“You know what.” The male suddenly dropped Quentin, his head hitting the ground hard, and held his gun with both his hands. “We are just wasting our time with these clowns.” He quickly looked at his men as a cruel smile appeared on his face, one that Lukas knew what it meant. His heart stopped in his ribs for a moment as he imagined Jake standing on one side and Izzy on the other.
First priority went to Izzy, of course, but Jake didn’t deserve this. He wouldn’t be able to survive it.
“Kill them.”