Wingless (The Lia Hunter Chronicles #1)

Slipping through the door to the back of the club was fairly easy, with the help of Levi’s magic a whole shelf of bottles behind the bar came tumbling down. The enormous crash gaining the attention of everyone in the club. While they were distracted we carefully glided through to the back of the club landing in a darkened hallway, doors lining the walls. The thick door muted the noise from outside and it took me a moment to adjust to the sudden quiet. Glancing at Levi, I noticed how close we were in the confines of the tight hallway and immediately distanced myself more.

“Nice trick,” I said softly.

Letting out a grunt he began to make his way further into the bowels of the club, “It comes in handy.”

Trailing after him excitement began to build inside me, a hint of adrenaline hitting my system. Compared to Levi, who probably risked a slap on the wrist – at best – for this stunt, I had a lot more at stake. My job was on the line, not to mention possible jail time. Typically I tried my best to conduct my investigations in the most legal manner possible but sometimes the law simply got in the way of the job. I wasn’t above risking my career in order to save a life.

“He probably took the package to his office,” Levi said quietly.

Glancing at the identical black doors lining the hallway I let out a sigh. “Great, which one would that be?”

Approaching the first door on the left we paused before silently cracking it open. Peeking inside I quickly took in the small kitchenette, round table, several chairs and an old TV. As far as employee break rooms went it wasn’t half bad, although the microwave looked in desperate need of a cleaning. Moving on, we methodically searched through the remainder of the rooms, all of them thankfully empty. Rounding the corner I let out a sigh of relief at the sight of only another three doors. Reaching the first one we pushed it open, revealing a stock room. Glasses of all sizes filled the shelves, a giant box of miniature umbrellas sat in a corner.

Without warning a hand shoved me into the room. Stumbling over my own feet, I struggled to regain my balance before whipping around a furious demand on my lips. The sight of Levi, head leaning against the inside of the now-closed door, hand held aloft in a shushing gesture caused me to bite down on my shout in annoyance. Sidling up next him I pressed my own ear against the cold wooden surface, listening carefully. It was only then that I heard the hushed voices, two employees grumbling about rude customers. Their footsteps slowly strolled past us, my breath lodged firmly in my throat the entire time. My eyes darted to Levi, his calm features betraying nothing as he waited for them to pass us by.

I scowled as I realized even with my enhanced senses I hadn’t even heard them coming. It was a much-needed reminder of who Levi was. He was faster, stronger, all of his senses sharper. His little trick with the bottles earlier showed he had great control over his magic and from how little effort it took it was clear he had a lot of power. He was a Seraphim lord, he could snap me in half with a glance. My scars burned, my heart pounded, the feeling of helplessness clutching me. My fingers crept towards my gun, seeking comfort in its steady weight. Levi caught the motion, raising an eyebrow at the sight of my weapon. Unable to stop myself I retreated a few steps, putting some distance between us. Breath coming too fast, hands shaking, I forced myself to holster my gun and push back the panic.

I hadn’t had a panic attack in a while, a few months at least. The PeaceKeeper academy’s defense training did wonders in helping me relearn how to feel safe but every now and then the feelings came flooding back. The memories threatened to swallow me whole.

Shit.

First, the dreams return and now the panic attacks. Shit. I didn’t have time for this. I had a killer to catch, I couldn’t afford to be breaking down at the slightest hint of a threat. Later, later I could break down, now wasn’t the time. Remembering the photo of little Charlie Brooks, tied up and terrified I locked down my emotions. Releasing a breath, I snapped my shoulders back, turning my attention back to Levi who studied me with avid curiosity. Refusing to acknowledge his probing eyes I pointed to the door before tapping my ear.

“They’re gone.” He said softly, eyes running over me as if he was trying to discover my secrets with his gaze alone. I repressed a snort.

Good luck with that pal.

Pushing past him I pulled open the door, glancing into the empty hallway. I looked to the door at the end of the hall, seeing as the two employees came out of the other room, chances were that the final door was Quinn’s office. Straining my hearing I managed to make out the faint sounds of footsteps as if someone was pacing back and forth. Now we only needed a way to lure him out. Glancing around the hall, I looked for an idea when my eyes caught on the bright red rectangle prominently placed on the black wall. A grin tipped up my lips.

Perfect.

Crossing the hallway, I reached the fire alarm, flicking the switch with ease. The shrill alarm filled the air, its high pitched wail no doubt alerting the whole city block to the fire. Dashing back inside the stock room, I waited patiently and grinned at the sound of Quinn’s office door slamming open and his footsteps rushing past our hiding spot.

Hydro’s hated nothing more than the threat of fire. Well, maybe water pollution. I’d been the victim of more than one long rant from Tom on that particular subject.

Slipping from our hiding place, Levi and I quickly strode into Quinn’s office, shutting the door firmly behind us. I took a quick moment to take in the room. Simplistic design, a dark cherry wood desk occupying the majority of the space, a few shelves hugging the walls filled with various items and a plush leather sofa positioned in a corner. It wouldn’t take long for Quinn to realize there wasn’t an actual fire and he’d soon be back to check his office. As if the same thought occurred to Levi we both rushed towards the desk, flinging open drawers in search of the package.

Under a stack of papers I unearthed a glass jar, at first I thought it was empty but as I was setting it aside I caught the flash of color at the bottom. A group of dead butterflies slid around the glass and I cringed. Madame B was going to be pissed.

Pushing the thought away I continued to search, my frustration mounting with each drawer I looked through.

“Shit, it’s not here.” I hissed in anger slamming the final drawer closed.

I looked to Levi, hoping his answer would be different but the tense line of his lips and fierce scowl confirmed my suspicions. Quinn either had it on him or he’d hidden it somewhere in his office. Glancing around the space once more I tried to unearth his hiding spots when my eyes fell onto the garish modern painting on the wall. Giving the painting a considering look, I turned to see Levi doing the same.

“He wouldn’t,” I said almost beseechingly.

Levi grimaced. “He would.”

Walking towards the painting, he quickly lifted it from the wall to reveal a small black box sunken into the wall. Barking out a laugh at the cheesiness of the placement of the safe I joined Levi, brushing my hands over the front of it. The magic bit at my fingers, stinging them with its power. With a grimace I pulled my hand back, shaking it to dull the sensation.

“Protection ward, simple but powerful.”

Strong enough to keep out hybrids and the majority of Jaxai. I had broken a couple high power protection wards before but it always left me feeling drained and it wasn’t a talent I flaunted. Technically this particular ward should’ve been beyond my skill set, but I knew I could have broken in under two minutes. However, it would lead to a lot of questions. Ones I wasn’t ready to answer.

“Can you break it?” I asked Levi instead.

Grunting, he flashed me an insulted look before placing his hand on the front of the box, his green eyes began to shine as if they were lit up from within. Giving him space to concentrate, I moved across the room, the blare of the fire alarm filling the silence. Without warning, the door to Quinn’s office burst open, a hulking mass of muscle tumbling inside. He halted abruptly at the sight of me standing there, his face, a grizzled display of healed over old wounds, slack with surprise. We gawked at each other for a moment before he leaped into action. With a vicious yell, he tackled me, knocking us both onto the desk. My breath left me in a rush, my back screaming in pain and I lay there dazedly for a second. Regaining my senses I quickly raised my legs between us pushing him off me, his body flying across the room to hit the wall with a loud thud. He stared at me in surprise as I leaped off the desk, toeing off my heels.

That’s right ugly, I’m stronger than I look. Not for the first time I thanked god for the Jaxai enhanced blood flowing through my veins.

A bloodthirsty grin cracked his face, showing off a holey set of teeth. He pushed off the wall, cracking his neck. Levi moved to intervene but I waved him off, it was one human nothing I couldn’t take.

“Focus on the ward. I can handle this!” I shouted.

He flashed me a worried look before nodding, his focus switching back to the ward. Ugly glanced in his direction but I quickly regained his attention by throwing a paperweight at his head. The heavy figure bounced off his head before falling to the ground with a loud thud. Ugly had no reaction other than his nostrils flaring in anger.

Holy crap! What kind of protein shakes is he drinking?

Charging towards me once more, he aimed a punch straight for my head. Ducking away from the blow, I returned the favor, landing a solid uppercut to his jaw. Grunting he stumbled slightly before swinging a meaty hand towards me. The blow caught me across the cheek sending me sprawling across the desk, landing on the other side in a pained pile. Launching to my feet I felt an odd sensation on my cheek. Without taking my eyes off the smirking man I reached up and touched my cheek feeling the hot warmth of fresh blood.

Anger leaped to life inside me. Placing one hand on the desk I swung my body across it, planting my feet in his gut as I landed. I grinned in satisfaction as he curled around his stomach, wheezing. Not wanting to give him time to recover I struck his head with another kick, knocking him off his feet. Straddling his chest I slammed my fists into his face, determined to knock him out.

Searing pain tore through me and with a scream I glanced down to see a knife sticking out of my side. Ugly shoved me off him, the movement causing sparks of pain to shoot through my system. His bloody and broken face sneered at me as he tried to regain his feet. Reaching down I grabbed the handle of the knife, pulling it from my body with a furious growl.

Fuck, that hurt!

But I refused to let it slow me down, my Jaxai blood already working to slowly heal the injury. Ready for this fight to be over I launched myself on his turned back, grabbing him in a headlock designed to stop the flow of blood to his brain. He struggled, scratching at my arms but I ignored the pain tightening my hold until finally, he fell limp. Pushing him off me, I struggled to my feet, grateful when Levi’s strong hands helped pull me up. Belatedly, I realized the fire alarm had stopped its wailing sometime during my fight. He stared down at me with a fierce scowl, his hands moving to my side.

“You’re injured.” He growled.

Barking out a laugh, I pushed away his probing hands, “No shit Sherlock. Did you break the ward?”

“You said you had it.” He snapped at me.

Incredulous, I gestured to the unconscious man at our feet, “Uh, yeah?”

“Next time you will be the one waiting, while I handle it.”

Rolling my eyes, I pushed past him. “Whatever man.”

The safe door lay open, the contents laying there for all to see. I eagerly began to dig through the small box, pushing aside expensive jewels and important looking documents. Finally, the small package appeared and I grabbed it, pulling it out in triumph.

“Gotcha!” I grinned, turning to show a still scowling Levi. Ignoring his dark look I reached into the already made slit and pulled out the contents. A phone. Worry niggled in my chest and I studied the back of the phone, confirming my suspicions.

“It’s the same type of phone Rodrigo brought in,” I told Levi.

“You believe they’re connected somehow?” he searched my eyes.

“I’m not sure, but it’s too much of a coincidence to not be connected.” Grimacing I unlocked the phone, letting out a sigh of relief when a default background greeted me instead of another horrifying photograph. A quick check of the phone’s contents revealed nothing, and I restrained the desire to throw the phone against the nearest wall.

“It’s blank. Dammit, now what?” I began to pace across the room, ignoring the vicious pain in my side. Levi snatched the phone from hands, placing it back in the padded envelope.

“Now, we regroup and heal.” He said, flashing a pointed look at my cheek and still bleeding waist. Placing the package back into the safe he rifled through the documents, picking one at random. Folding it, he slid it into his breast pocket.

At my questioning look, he grinned, “To throw Quinn off our trail.”

Clever bird.

Closing the safe, he hung the painting over it once more and turned to survey the rest of the office.

“I’m not sure there’s much to be done about the rest of it.” He gestured to the chaos. Grimacing, I apologized.

“Don’t worry, the guard would have given us away anyway.” Tipping his head to the side, his eyes glazed over as he concentrated on something. Snapping to attention, he quickly grabbed my hand, dragging us over to the window. “Let’s go.”

“Uh, you do realize the exits that way,” I said pointing to the door.

Sliding open the window he glanced down, looked at me before looking back down again, a calculating glint I didn’t like entering his emerald eyes.

“We need to jump.” He stated firmly.

“What?” I shouted, “I don’t know if you realize this but not all of us have big ass wings to prevent us from becoming a splat on the sidewalk.”

Grimacing, Levi glanced towards the door once more, “Look, in under thirty seconds a whole group of dangerous men are about to come charging through that door and when they see their unconscious friend over there,” he said pointing a finger at ugly, “they are going to shoot first and ask questions later. Right now this is our only option.”

Without another word he climbed through the window frame, pushing off into the open air. He dropped for a few moment before rising and finally leveling out at the same height as the window. The charm on his wrist still concealed his wings, creating a strange portrait.

“You have to jump.” He called out, arms outstretched towards me, “Don’t worry seraph, I’ll catch you.”

Swearing under my breath, I quickly moved into the window frame, clutching at it to keep from falling the five stories to the street below.

Of course, Quinn couldn’t have built a night club on the ground floor. No, that would’ve been too easy.

“Come on Lia!” Levi called out again. Looking up at him I judged the distance between us. At least, five feet. I could do that.

Even as worry tightened my stomach, excitement brought a crazed grin to my lips. The footsteps grew closer and closer, almost upon us.

Jump.

Whispered the voice inside me. The voice that made me jump out of a burning building. The voice that made me break up a knife fight with nothing but my bare fists. The voice that made me feel alive.

Looking into Levi’s green eyes, I let go and leaped into oblivion.