Mated To The Spade Brothers

FOUR

Adrain paced back and forth in the dangly studio apartment I shared with my best friend Kate. Well, now ex. He had shrugged off his leather jacket, leaving it hanging on the love seat that occupied half of the small place. Kate would joke the love seat signified our friendship. Just like she had stolen the chair from her old boss after he had fired her for coming to work drunk, she had equally stolen my attention at Fang. My eyes slightly bulging as I watched the neon lights illuminated her swaying bony hips. Her body moved, twisting around in a way that seem human yet not human. It was my first night in town. Shadowmere town was new, unfamiliar, a desperate attempt to run, to hide, to escape the nightmare I left behind. Fang was the familiar feeling I had of home. In its over bearing neon lights and illegal activities, I found home. Home within the midst of the deranged relationship between the super-naturals and humans. Home within the curves of Kate’s hips, home within the lavender smell of her bright hair, home buried in her frail arms. Within her wild streak, the bottles of alcohols. Between the funny sound of her cackling laugh, the crescent tattoo on her left shoulder. Kate was home. The love seat was coppery red, a streak matching Kate’s hair. It had cigarette burns and other auspicious stains openly decorating it. for seven years, through the struggle of settling into a new town, the struggle of our friendship, Kate held my hands and I held hers. But right now, my hands fall helplessly beside me.

“It smells like the dead in here” Adrain said, picking up even more pace, the thud of his footsteps heavy with each step. “Did you live with the dead here?” He stopped directing the question to me.

“The dead?”

“Vampires” Damien answered

I pushed the door to Kate’s room, half expecting her to be sprawled on her bed. Her long red hair forming a halo around her head. I imagined her light-colored eyelashes fluttering open to reveal deep sapphire eyes that lightened up when they see me, accompanied with her thin lips stretching even thinner. When the door fully creaked open, my heart fell to my stomach. Not only was her bed empty, her room was empty. There wasn’t a single belonging of hers in sight except for her bed that laid bare. It’s like nobody ever lived in the room. seven years with her felt like a distant memory, stripped from the very core like the bare bed that laid cold and empty in the middle of the devoid room.

“I lived with my” the title burned the back of my throat. Suddenly, a word that rolled with my tongue in ease laid hot and heavy. Kate was my best friend. Kate was my family. But family don’t sleep with each other’s boyfriend. “I had a human, roommate”

The sharp sound of blade scrapping against leather, followed by the glistening of blade, I turned to see Adrain holding a silver dagger I hadn’t noticed was concealed in the sheath near his belt. “I’ll check around” he announced, exiting the room.

“I don’t smell anything” I looked up worriedly at Damien who responded with a blank stare. I could never tell what the man was thinking except when his eyebrows contour to show distaste.

“When was the last time you turned?” he asked, only his mouth moving while the rest of him stayed still. I balled my fingers into a fist. I’ve successfully and unsuccessfully hidden that part of myself. The part that made me well, me. While some supernatural could tell me apart or sniff me out in Adrain’s

case. I blended well with humans. The secrets that I ran from and tucked away are slowly revealing itself in ways running was impossible. I could walk out that door and I either drop dead from the poison that spreads through my veins or get mauled by a vampire. I knew I had no fighting chance. Before being bitten by a wolf that wasn’t my mate, I never had a fighting chance. I was weak. I had given up strength in exchange for freedom.

“Seven years. I have not turned in years” I admitted. The Spade brothers were my punishment. My past surfacing as evil hidden in green eyes and broad shoulders. Between death and a crappier death, there was only one option.

There was a shift in Damien’s eyes. For the first time I saw a different expression other than his cold stare of distaste. I saw fear. “I know you’re wondering why I had not let my wolf out in so long. There is a reason for that I can’t get into now. We just met, I’m not sure I can trust you with my secrets yet” I told him even though Damien didn’t ask. Instead, his eyes watched my mouth as I talked.

“You said you lived with a human. did you live with a vampire too?” Damien asked, pushing his back off the wall, making his way to me till he was towering me, forcing me to look into his deep emerald eyes. I felt the tiny tug at my heart again.

“My roommate is human. She left. We had a fight and she moved out” I lied. It was better than talking about how I had caught her sleeping with my boyfriend. I didn’t want to admit it was true. Kate and Matt together felt like some f****d up nightmare. A crazy dream I’d soon wake up from. But from the way my heart squeezed inside me at the memory, I knew it was my reality but I wasn’t ready to admit it yet.

Damien closed his eyes for a bit, shaking his head slowly side to side “There’s the distinct smell of human but a strong smell of a vampire. I can smell it on you. It’s in your hair, it’s on your face” he paused. Taking in a shaky breath “it’s on your body” he finished. My body. Matt. He could smell Matt on me.

“I was seeing someone. A human.” I watched Damien’s body go rigid. He didn’t like that I mentioned someone. If he was my mate like he claimed, I realized I was throwing a lot at him. but all these happened before I met him. while he might be my mate, I still didn’t know him. “I don’t know, the Vampire smell might have been from when I was at Fang or from the one from the woods but I’m sure I’ve not been in close proximity with a vampire” I explained.

Damien nodded in response. “it’s okay if you leave now. Really, it’s nice you guys brought me home. Adrain begrudgingly but I didn’t expect anything less from the asshole” I let out a weak smile “Sorry, I know he’s your brother but I’m sure Adrain took care of the threat. I’m sure those muscles are not only for luring women to their death. I’ll be fine on my own” if I’m being honest. I actually want them both out of my life. despite knowing they were my only chance at surviving. Didn’t change the fact that I’m in this situation because of them. Well, more because of Adrain but they are still the Spawn of devil brothers to me. They should change their names to the spawn brothers.

“Kayla” he took another dangerously close step to me, reaching out to tuck the strand of curls behind my ear “I understand you don’t trust me, Kayla but I promise I’m not trying to hurt you” he pushed his fingers into my hair, massaging the back of my head “I don’t think I can sleep peacefully knowing you are on your own”

Before I let myself settle into the bliss of his fingers working in my hair, I ripped his hand away, moving away as fast as I could. Putting a good distance between us. Mate or no mate. I’m not falling into their trap again. “I’ve not been home in three days. I’ve not had my bath, eaten or changed into

clean clothes or one of my goddamn style. I know we don’t have to eat every day to survive but I’d kill for a warm bath and some killer burgers right now”

“Done” Damien stated.

“What?” I looked at him confused.

“You want a warm shower, done, you want clothes, I’ll get you all the clothes you want, you want food, I’ll buy every damn restaurant in the city if have to. Whatever you want” he said

“I can’t” I quavered.

“I’ll give you my life if you ask for it. but I have no life if you’re not in it” he told me while still maintaining the distance between us. My mouth gaped open, my eyes widening like saucers. I didn’t know what to make of his admission. Is this a new form of trap. Give me everything I want then kill me. Before I could blurt out something, the door swinged open and in entered a disheveled Adrain. His clothes were torn exposing a bloody gnash on his shoulder. Beads of sweat were forming on his head accompanied by a claw like gnash on his temple. Whatever he was he fighting did a number on him. I was partially satisfied to see him in that state and partially scared. Whatever rattled Adrain must have been really bad. Whatever or whoever.

“If you want your b***h alive, we have to leave now” Adrain announced, urgency seeping into his voice. the b***h in question I assumed he was referring to was me. Of course, his b***h wants to stay alive. We’d talk about his use of derogatory words later. Before I knew was what was happening, Damien yanked me by my hand, his fingers lacing into mine as we made our way to the door, Adrain leading.

The moon in the middle of thousands of stars emit light brighter than the fading light of the street lamps. My feet could barely keep up as we ran hand in hand with Adrain leading the way. Adrain stopped causing us to halt with unspoken command. He didn’t need to confirm it to us. We knew. Something was amiss. The car was missing. That was our gateway out. whatever had attacked Adrain and stolen the car- “They are here” he whispered. Damien’s grip tightening. Unlike, Adrain he had no weapon on hand but his eyes moved around with heavy seriousness. My heart was pounding in my chest, goosebumps forming on my skin. The white silk gown doing nothing to help. We had company.

“This is the kind of surprise that’d go down in history as being the greatest” a voice whistled. We turned to see a pale figure in a long coat. His hair a striking match with his white pale skin, eyes bright red under the moonlight with sharp stretched out fangs peaking in his mouth. Two figures stepped from the shadow in a protective stance behind him. One was a woman with short raven hair and a scorpion tattoo sticking out the collar of her black leather jacket. Her red eyes dimmed in out and out as she glared at me. The other was a lanky man with bandana wrapped around his afro hair.

“Never in a million years would I have ever thought I’d be in the presence of the infamous Spade brothers” the one in long coat said. Letting out a mocking bow. “And sorry about Lia. She didn’t know which puppy you were. Next time she’d be gentler. You know what I mean.” he winked at Adrain. a sick Fanged smile seep from the lips of the scorpion tattooed woman.

“Grimm” Adrain hissed causing the white- haired Vampire face to lit up. He gave a little dance of joy before his face turned serious. Wait. Grimm. Gregor Grimm. The first vampire. I was standing in front of the first formed vampire. The father of all vampires. It can’t be.

“That’s the downside to being famous. Everybody knows you. everybody wants to be like you. Boring isn’t it. I know you guys understand. You’re the Spade brothers. The Spade alphas. The legendary

werewolves. No? okay.” Grimm said, wriggling his fingers in the air then he let out a yawn “I’m bored now. Hand the girl over and I don’t have to kill you”

“No” Damien answered. Pushing me further behind him, his grip still tightened, I was scared he’d break my fingers. “You want her, you’d have to go through us”

Adrain stepped closer to his brother. shielding both him and me, his gaze set intensely on the vampire. Adrain would let me die but I was sure he’d protect his brother with his life. I don’t know who this people are or why they want me but I needed to get out of here. Except Damien’s grip was preventing me from doing so. I just need to find an opening and I’m running. Leaving the brothers to sort out whatever this is on their own.

“Nooo” Grimm whined. Shaking his body like a kid refused candy “I don’t want to kill you guys. I like you guys. I’ve heard so much about you guys I’d want to talk about over beer. Just hand curly over. I know a good spot. You know, I’ve been around long”

“I’m sure you heard my brother say no. one move from any of you and I’d rip you into pieces” Adrain seethed.

“Why? You don’t like beer?” Gregor asked with feigned innocence “How about wine. We could put in a little of that curly beauty in it. I heard werewolves like the taste of blood just as much”

“How about I just kill you and your little minions instead” Adrain responded.

“Come on, don’t make this harder for both of us. You Werewolves are pathetic to kill. A waste kill as I call it. I can’t even sink my teeth into your stupid thick muscled necks. I don’t want the taste of your vile blood in my mouth” Gregor sighed “But you’ve left me no choice”