Let Her Fight

MADELINE

Without hesitation, Rex looks right through me as he then ~walks ~right through me. It’s like I don’t exist. I have to lunge aside quickly, as he enters the penthouse like it’s his own damn residence.

Arrogant much?

When I look back to the kitchen, I see Lochness has disappeared. Where the fuck did he go? I don’t say anything about it, as he clearly misted somewhere.

Hael remains on the stool, pretending to not care that Rex just strolled in without an invitation.

“Is there something wrong with the contract?” Hael asks Devorex, dry and to the point, in order to only talk about business.

“No. I just thought I’d stop by,” Rex cracks his knuckles, and casually walks behind the counter, placing his palms on the counter top, he leans down on it toward Hael’s eye level.

“I had a feeling – just perhaps… and it’s ~just~ a feeling… that you have some pressing questions, Hael. Since a private investigator has started to follow me around. Hired today. By your company.”

“You’re a hard case to follow,” Hael admits, shrugging. “You don’t give much away; beyond your ease with violence and threats.”

“You could ask me directly,” Devorex says it like he’s talking to a child, strictly to the point. He doesn’t mock him, he just tells him.

Hael grabs the bottle of vodka I pulled out earlier and now he pours himself a shot.

“Fine,” Hael concedes, “What the fuck are you? A Rogue? Specifically. What do you identify as?”

In the meantime, I’ve quietly shuffled back over to the kitchen and taken a seat on the stool next to Hael once more, leaning on the counter and sizing up this new threat.

Devorex is quite aware of my presence, but he hardly has to look at me to acknowledge it. He’s more interested in Hael’s reactions, watching every move he makes far too closely and with open ease.

He’s beyond predatory. This psycho calculated everything.

After Hael drinks his shot, and passes it to Devorex, he ignores it, and he answers my mate’s question.

“I’m from a Six Pointed Star – I once had two mates and threes brother. Four males out of a single egg. Like you have a twin. Except I had three.”

“…and where are your three brothers?” Hael asks.

“Dead,” Devorex doesn’t move an inch when he says it, he doesn’t even blink.

“…and why are you alive?” I ask now, “And why are you here in Requiem City, the ~real~ reason,” even as I ask it, my voice tapers off, as Rex finally meets my eye.

His gaze is crimson red like blood. They’re the most violent eyes I’ve ever looked into. Fuck, he was extremely intimidating, naturally. He doesn’t try to be, he just ~is~.

Devorex delights my question with an answer, “…your mates have my compliance in this city… I’ll be a ~good boy~…” he smirks at his own self-deprecating humor.

“On what condition?” Hael asks, knowing there will be a price to pay.

“Hazel,” Devorex grinds her name, with a twisted desire, “Leave her alone.”

Ahuh!

Here was his obsession.

The woman. He. ~Hexed~. Hazel! My new friend.

I stand up, enraged.

“You want us to leave her alone? You sick bastard. We won’t stand by and let you kill an innocent woman,” I snarl at Devorex, holding nothing back.

“You think we’re pushovers for you, a fucking stranger, in our fucking city?”

“Madeline,” Hael calmly clasps my shoulder, forcing me to sit back down. “Calm. Down.”

“No, who the hell do you think you are?” I hiss at Rex, even as I now stay seated, “You play by our rules, we don’t play by yours. Actually… I changed my fucking mind, you’ll play by ~my~ rules…”

“…and what rules are they…” Devorex whispers at me, intrigued by my statement. “You’ve got a fire in your soul. What’s your magic, are you a Blood Raven?

“~What are you~,” he sounds hungry, and far too curious.

I can’t wait to tell him what I do.

“I – ” ~slay Dragons~. I almost say it straight to his face.

However, Hael swiftly clamps his hand over my mouth and forces my lips shut.

Hael is serious about my silence now, it’s not a light or playful touch. He’s muzzled my fucking jaw. Even as I try to squirm, Hael holds me tight.

“She’s an outspoken slave,” Hael growls, “Hazel is all yours – we have our own brat to deal with.”

“I won’t kill her,” Devorex sloshes his shot that Hael poured him around in the glass, and then he pours it down the sink. “I don’t kill pretty birds.”

“Again. We won’t touch Hazel,” Hael repeats himself just to make it clear, “Now get out.”

“I know I can be disturbing to deal with,” Devorex ~stays~, grabbing an empty cup, noting the bloody remains, he rinses it and fills it with water instead.

“But I have a clear mind. A sharp mind,” Rex proves it when he downs that cup of water, choosing it over alcohol.

“I enjoy my profession. I enjoy my time. I’ll make you a lot of money,” Devorex finally gets ready to depart. “When I’m done here in Req City, you’ll never see me again… what’s wrong with her?”

Devorex can still see me struggling against Hael’s hand, and going red and redder in the face.

“Is she fucking deranged?”

I freeze at the insult, and Rex points at me, before he leaves, “You really shouldn’t drink, little bird – your temper is too loose. You're welcome for the advice.”

Hael finally lets me go, and I turn around and shove Hael in the chest. He holds his hands up in surrender, looking down at me like I’m a fucking lunatic.

I just wanted to have my say! I turn back to see Devorex leaving.

I threaten him, “I’ll see you in the Casino – and if you cause trouble for us and our network – I’ll kill you myself,” ~and it’s a fucking warning.~

“Are you a fighter?” Devorex asks, seriously, spinning back around slowly to me, before he exits.

“…Madeline is actually learning to dance,” Hael narrows his eyes at me, “…she could use some fucking grace.”

Devorex shakes his head, reaching into his pocket, he takes out a card and tosses it through the air so it lands on the counter top.

“I’ll teach you how to fight ~gracefully~,” Devorex looks me straight in the eye, with those red vicious orbs – and ~he~fucking means it.

“Call me.”

“The mouse is off limits,” Hael growls after him, “Watch yourself.”

“A purely professional offer,” Devorex counters, before he goes.

He slams our door on the way out.

I reach for the business card and I pocket it before Hael steals it from me.

I turn to glare at my mate, saying nothing about my intention, just taking the offer into my pocket, where it fucking belongs.

“You can do it, if that’s what you really want,” Hael shrugs a shoulder.

“Don’t look at me like that. Dragon Gods, you are so fucking infuriating. Always angry. Maybe Hazel would like a job at Requiem Enterprise, ~purely professional~… just like his offer with you…

“What do you think, Maddie?” Hael asks me seriously, his cruel lips curling up mischievously.

“I think that’s a great idea, offer her a job,” I smile back but he smiles wider at the same time.

For a second, we almost agree on something.

It rocks Hael’s world so much he wipes the smile from his mouth in an instant and it turns it into a natural scowl, while I wipe my own off my face and head to the balcony for some fresh air.

What the fuck just happened…?

I think that was the first time I was ever on the same page with either of my Dragon Lords.

I needed some fucking ice cream and a hot bath before dancing tonight.

I still wanted to practice dance but… I would also consider Devorex’s offer.

Mmm… I can’t just agree to it, that was too easy. He was still some kind of criminal no one understood. A part of a ‘Six Pointed Star.’

I had never heard of it. Hael didn’t seem to know what it was either. Rex hexed Hazel. He stalked people. He was a complete mystery.

Hmm... okay, I guess I better... just pause.

I decide to do the unthinkable with his offer.

I tell myself to really ~think~ about it first.Before I jump in or out, I would make sure I made the correct decision.

I would make sure Hael knew too, if I agreed to train with him, so I wasn’t ever alone with Rex without my mates knowing.

However, first, I needed to do some more research. I needed to talk to Hazel. I needed all the facts.

Who was he, what did he want - and was he really a dangerous psychopath... or just misunderstood?