Chapter Seven
I SURVEYED THE GROUP around the car and met them in between where I parked and the tent. Somehow, I could feel the magic behind me receding until the field lay dark and empty.
Good, I didn’t need the distraction.
Fin crowded my side, and I could almost feel his temper and worry inside my chest. Another thing to ask about later.
“Hello, boys,” I called. “Can we help you with something?”
They didn’t even glance my way. All their eyes were locked on Fin, who’d unsheathed a short sword I didn’t even realize he’d worn.
Fuck, that was hot.
“You know these guys?” I whispered.
“Yeah, a long time ago they were some of the criminals I brought before the council.”
I studied the group again “Let me guess, they didn’t get off and now they want revenge. Does this happen often?”
He dragged his gaze to mine. “Why do you think I keep to myself in my house out in the middle of nowhere?”
Fair point. I unsheathed one of my knives and let it hang in my palm. “If it’s all the same to you fellas, we want to get home. It’s dark and the monsters might come out.”
“Sweetheart, we are the monsters,” one of the hulking men growled.
I laughed, which finally drew all their attention toward me. “You obviously don’t know anything about me then. But I’m happy to go about my business if you boys head on home and leave us in peace.”
They stepped closer, surrounding us. I nudged Fin with my elbow. “You know that nasty mind control magic you have? Might be a good time to pull it out.”
“Why don’t you use your magic?” he asked.
I waved at the pack. “Um, because mine is unreliable and unpredictable. Also, I can’t actually control other creatures. Seems pretty obvious to me.”
We were really going to stand here and argue about this right now?
Well, fucking fine. I shoved my knife back in the sheath and faced him. “It seems pretty simple here. You use your magic to get them to walk away and we all go home without any violence.”
His hands clenched on his blade and his tone dipped. “What if I want violence?”
I jabbed my hand into his still healing side.
He skittered back a few paces. “What the fuck, Zoey?”
“I’m just reminding you why we want less violence in our lives and probably more negotiation.”
He waved his knife at the collective. “You think they guys want to negotiate? No, they want to take my head and mount it on a spike in someone’s back garden. They don’t care about negotiation.”
No, the truth was he itched for a fight ever since this afternoon when we put a halt on the whole ‘mate’ discussion. Which would have turned into a fight. Maybe not a knockout punching fight but definitely a yelling throwing things one.
“If you want to jump into this and get injured, go for it. I’ll stand by the car and let you boys figure it out,” I told him, heading toward the vehicle.
One of the guys, a foot taller than me, and twice as wide with a shaved head, grabbed my arm. “Where do you think you’re going? If you’re with him, then you’ll be our prize when we’ve finished with him.”
I laughed. These guys. He scowled as I jerked my arm from his grip.
“Touch me again and you won’t have balls when I’m done.”
“I’m not afraid of you, bounty hunter,” he said.