Wingless (The Lia Hunter Chronicles #1)

The auction was in full swing, mind boggling amounts of money lazily called out to the polite encouragement of the other guests. Although we’d gotten what we’d came for, apparently we weren’t allowed to just leave. Instead I’d smiled my way through more small talk and choked down dinner. The ridiculous deliciousness of which had been lost on me because I’d spent the whole time trying to think up ways to prevent a war from tearing apart the city. Stress, frustration, and panic did not mix well with seared steak and caviar.

The auctioneers gavel had just swung down with a loud bang, declaring a pearl covered woman the newest owner of a glass vase, when the first gunshot rang out. It hit the auctioneer in the shoulder, blood sprayed and the man went spinning before crashing to the ground. For a second acute silence hung in the air, shock holding the world immobile. Feeling as if I was moving in slow motion, I spun around in my chair, my gaze zeroing in on the group of people clad from head to toe in black, standing by the ballroom entrance, a small arsenal in their hands. Emblazoned on the fronts of their chests in stark white paint was the purist symbol.

I watched as the purists began to raise their guns once more, the barrels slowly rising. Time seemed to jump into hyper speed with a jolt.

“Everybody down!” I shouted, leaping out of my chair to tackle a woman who was standing frozen in shock, just in time for bullets to slam into the wall behind her.

Screams filled the ballroom, people jumping out of their chairs, scrambling desperately for the nearest exit. Gunfire peppered the room turning screams of terror into ones of pain. The woman beneath me shouted nonsense at me, shoving and scratching at me with her dagger like nails.

“Ouch! Jesus, stop struggling, I’m trying to help you!” I shouted at her.

She dragged her nails down my cheek slicing into the skin, “Get off me you crazy bitch!” she screeched, shoving me off her.

I watched her crawl away, scrabbling between chairs, “You’re welcome!” I shouted grumpily.

No bloody gratitude.

Bullets slammed into the ground around me, barely missing me. Not liking the feeling of being a sitting duck, I scrambled back to the table I’d been sitting at. Gripping the edge, I summoned all of my enhanced strength and pushed. The heavy wooden table resisted for a moment before falling to its side with a loud crash. Ducking behind the makeshift cover, I watched as Levi rushed towards me, cradled in his arms the same young woman I’d just saved. He cleared the space between us in seconds, cruising to a smooth stop next to me. He carefully deposited the woman on the ground on his other side. She stared up at him with pure adoration, chanting the words ‘thank you’ over and over.

Figures.

Levi turned to face me, his face a mask of thunder. His glowing green eyes gave me a quick once over. “You hurt?”

“Other than looking like I went toe to toe with a jungle cat courtesy of your newest fan, I’m fine. You, angel-boy?”

He cracked a wicked smile, “If I say yes, will you kiss it better?”

“Keep dreaming,” I replied dryly.

Pulling two of my silver blades from my thigh sheath, I scowled down at the now pitiful looking weapons.

Only I would bring knives to a gun fight.

“Should’ve brought my gun,” I muttered grumpily.

“Here, use this,” Levi said, pulling a Baby Glock from the inner pocket of his suit jacket.

Shocked, I stared at the weapon in his hands, “Were you carrying that around this whole time?”

He shrugged, placing it in my hands when I made no move to take it, “I figured you might need it.”

My hands automatically went into motion, checking the magazine. Ten rounds plus one in the chamber for a total of eleven. Shuffling forward, I peeked around the corner of the table, taking in the seven purists still shooting up the ballroom. I ducked back behind the table just as barrels turned my way, bullets spraying the spot my head was just in. I needed to make sure every bullet counted.

“Seven targets. All armed with semi-autos.” I relayed to Levi, whose frown turned downright lethal.

Glancing around the ballroom I took stock of the situation. While some of the guests had managed to escape, others were pinned down by the gunfire. Following my lead, tables had been flipped to create cover and people huddled behind them shaking in fear. A few of the Jaxai’s eyes burned bright with magic, as they prepared to attack but others cowered. While the Jaxai might be stronger than humans, not everyone had the killing instinct required to fight. If things continued like this, the purists would slowly pick us off one by one. We were like fish in a barrel.

“We need to take them out now otherwise we’re all dead,” I told Levi.

His mouth firmed in reply, eyes glowing brighter as a swirling mass of pure magic formed into a sphere in his right hand. The air around us grew wild, blowing with an impossible wind. Electricity raised the fine hairs on my body, shivers danced down my spine. Power vibrated off him. Meeting his gaze I got my first true glimpse of the storm bringer.

Fist tightening around the gun, I swallowed around a dry throat. Another pained cry rang out and I shoved my fear to the back of my mind.

“On three,” I said in a firm voice.

He nodded in reply, his face a cold mask of control. My thumb flicked off the safety when a thought occurred.

“Do you have a permit for this gun?”

His cool mask cracked at he stared at me in disbelief, “Seriously, you want to talk about this now?”

I pursed my lips, “Fine, but we will be discussing this later.”

Shaking his head, he focused back on the gunfire, a smile tipping his lips. Taking a deep breath, I centered myself.

“One,” My muscles tensed in preparation, “Two...”

Three!

Together Levi and I sprung from behind the table, my gaze narrowed down to the sight of my gun. Swinging, I aimed it at the purist closest to me and pulled the trigger.

Bang.

The purist cried out in pain and went down but I was already, cocking the gun and turning to the next target.

Bang. Bang.

Two shots and the next purist dropped. Beside me Levi blasted his ball of magic, sending it spinning across the room. It slammed into the chest of a purist whose eyes popped wide before it detonated with a loud explosion. The other attackers were thrown away, slamming into the ballroom walls. The one it had hit was now splattered all over the walls and floor. His body now covering the ballroom like a coat of paint. While the dust was still clearing I vaulted over the upturned table, rushing forward.

“Wait, Lia!” Levi called, “Shit.”

I cleared the distance between us and the purists. One recovered quicker than the others, aiming his gun directly at me. Jumping to the side I dodged the bullets, raising my own gun to plug one right through his skull.

Four down, three to go.

Another smaller energy ball zoomed past me to hit a nearby purist in the face. The man’s skull split open like a watermelon splattering me with brains and blood. Disgusted, I turned to face Levi, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

“Seriously?” I shouted at him.

Even from across the ballroom I could see his angry frown.

What the hell was his problem?

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a purist crawling for a dropped gun. Oh no, you don’t. Raising my gun my finger began to press the trigger when another ball of energy hit the purist. More blood sprayed from a gory wound in his back and I managed to turn in time to avoid the hot splash hitting my face. I was turning to shout at Levi again when a rough hand tugged me backward. I collided with a hard chest, a muscled arm curling around my neck while I felt the still warm barrel of a gun being placed at my temple.

“Drop the gun.” A rough voice growled in my ear.

Scowling, I followed the purist’s orders dropping the gun to the ballroom floor.

“Stay back or she gets a bullet to the brain.” The purist shouted loudly.

I watched as Levi’s expression slipped past furious and into murderous. His muscles bulging as his whole body strained with barely controlled violence. His hair blew wildly as a wall of air began to build around him. Some of the braver guests sneaked peeks from their hiding places, eyes riveted on the purist and me.

Slowly the purist began to back out of the room, no doubt realizing he wasn’t getting out of here alive on his own. He tugged me along with him, both of our feet slipping on the puddles of blood pooling on the ballroom floor. Slowly, in order to not alert him to my plan, I slipped my hand into the slit of my dress, fingers wrapping around the hilt of a silver dagger.

I had to do this fast. If not I’d wind up with a bit too much silver in my skull for my liking. Levi’s gaze darted down to my hand’s movement, before quickly rising to my face. His head jerked from side to side in the smallest of movements, the message clear.

Sorry angel-boy, I’m not very good at playing the damsel in distress.

Pulling the dagger from its sheath, I waited till my captor took another stumbling step backward and then I struck. Reaching up with my free hand, I shoved the hand holding the gun against my temple upwards at the same time as striking backward with the dagger. The sharp silver sliced into the purist’s neck as the gun went off inches from my head. Warm blood bubbled from his neck, spilling down my back. Pulling out of his arms, I turned and watched as he collapsed to his knees, blood pouring from the wound. Kneeling down I watched as death glazed over his eyes before dispassionately tugging the dagger free from his neck.

I’d just killed four people but strangely I didn’t feel the usual overwhelming guilt. These men had every intention of slaughtering every person in this room and would have done so without batting an eye. So while I found it a bit disconcerting I wasn’t as affected by their deaths as I usually was, I wasn’t about to cry tears of remorse.

Strong but strangely gentle hands pulled me to my feet and I was suddenly face to face with an enraged Seraphim.

“Are you insane? Were you trying to get yourself killed?” He snarled, his face feral.

“No, I was trying to save people’s lives.” I tried to take a step back, but his hands clamped down on my arms holding me still. “What the hell is your problem?”

Somehow his scowl got even darker, “My problem,” he growled darkly, “is that you consistently throw yourself into dangerous situations and show no regard for your own life.”

Shock quickly turned into anger, “Why do you even care? It has nothing to do with you!”

“Of course it does.”

“How?”

“Because, you stubborn idiot, I happen to care whether or not you wind up in a body bag!” he roared.

My mouth dropped open and Levi took quick advantage of my sudden silence, swooping down and capturing my lips with his. The kiss was fierce and scorching hot. Against my will I melted into it and when he pulled away I was left more than a little dazed. His lips brushed mine once more in a kiss so beautifully tender my heart fluttered.

“Now do you get it?” he asked softly, a note of challenge in his voice.

“Uh...”

Oh yeah, you could really tell I was a master orator.

A gleeful cackle cut through the moment and I flushed at the reminder we had an audience. Pulling away from Levi, I cleared my throat, snapping back shoulders. Corbin inched forward, using a broken table leg as a makeshift cane.

His mouth was curved in a wicked grin, “I knew I liked you for a reason girly. This was the most exciting charity event we’ve been to in years.”

“People are dead Corbin.” Marissa scolded from behind him.

“Exactly,” He replied evilly, “I’m pretty sure old Boris got hit in the ass by a stray bullet.”

“Oh dear.” She replied, trying and failing to suppress a smile.

“Is anybody badly hurt?” I didn’t even bother trying and hide my smile at their banter.

“Unfortunately everybody’s fine, while you and the storm bringer over here were busting ass, taking out the threat, the rest of this sorry lot was either cowering or healing the injured.” Corbin barked out, his disdain for the other guests very clear.

“Hush you,” Marissa piped in, “Lia it has been a true pleasure to meet you tonight. I know I speak on behalf of both of us when I say we’d be ecstatic to see you at the next event.” Her words were punctuated with a raised eyebrow aimed at Levi.

He gave her a small bow, easy smile in place as a silent conversation passed between the two of them. I wasn’t even going to try and figure out what that was about.

“Ah, I’m not sure that’s likely, as you can probably tell charity auctions and I don’t exactly mix well.” I gestured to my now brain and blood spattered gown, I highly doubted the mess would come out in the wash. “But I can wholeheartedly agree that it was a genuine pleasure to meet you both.”

“You never know,” Marissa replied a knowing glint in her eyes, “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other again soon.”

With that cryptic comment, the older couple swept out of the ballroom, dodging puddles of blood with practiced ease.

Watching them leave, I pinned Levi with a confused look, “Okay, now you have to tell me who they are.”

He chuckled, “Sorry seraph, I think I’ll keep my silence on this one.”

Frowning I let the matter drop, for now, sweeping my gaze over the destroyed ballroom instead.

“Any idea why the purists targeted this event in particular?”

He shrugged, “A lot of influential Jaxai crammed into one room, I doubt they could resist such an opportunity.”

Exhausted and sticky, I happily accepted that explanation at face value. “I don’t suppose we could skip out now?”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Levi replied and we shared a grin.

“What about all this mess?” I said gesturing to the dead bodies.

“I’ll have someone take care of it.” Linking my arm through his, we left the ballroom together.

“Putting the underlings to work?”

“If being a Duke means I have to go to charity auctions and make small talk, I’m sure as hell going to make liberal use of the benefits of the position.”

“Ooh, in that case, make Lucas do it.” I hadn’t forgotten our first meeting and one way or another, I always got even.

“Do you have a problem with Lucas?” his eyes glinted with humor.

“Not at all, I just think it would be an excellent learning experience for him,” I replied smoothly, making sure my face didn’t betray my own amusement.

“Very well, I’ll let him know you recommended him for the job.”

“Fantastic. I hope he chokes on it.”