Page 24 of Of Flame and Fate
Gemini parks behind a familiar limo with BYTEME plates. “Are we late?” I ask, stepping out.
“Looks that way,” he answers, glancing up toward the center building. “Emme, come with us and stay to my right.”
Ordinarily, Gemini and I walk into the Den grounds holding hands. It’s something he prefers since he claimed me to remind others who I am to him. He doesn’t like how the stares of males, and sometimes females, linger on my face and body. And with everything that’s happening, I also think he worries about who may try to harm me in an attempt to hurt him.
“It’s all right,” Emme says, shutting the door. “I don’t mind walking behind you.”
No, she doesn’t, which is why Emme is the sweetest person who’s ever walked the earth. She never wants to be perceived as intrusive, nor does she need to be coddled. She is, however, non-too confident in her getup and likely wants to run and hide.
She yanks up the waistband of her sweatpants, creating a bulge along her midsection and fanning out the borrowed long-sleeved T-shirt she’s wearing. I think she was trying to improve her appearance, only now her slight frame has an odd shape, similar to Tweedledee and Tweedledum, only way cuter.
I think.
Her nose crinkles when she lifts her sleeve and she takes a whiff. God bless her. Honolulu Sunshine cleaned off our hands and her face, but the scent of entrails lingers and her hair is well, “crunchy”.
A deep growl has her jumping and me whipping around with my firing arm out. Blue and white flames ribbon around the length of my arm, sending sparks to trickle against and char the sidewalk. The knuckles of my left hand cracks, my lightning ready to nail whatever threatens us, if my fire doesn’t burn it to ash first.
“Gemini,” I say, widening my stance as I look around.
“It’s all right,” he murmurs.
Regardless of what he claims, the muscles along his back stretch, threatening to split his shirt in half and allow his twin wolf to leap out. He scowls, looking up, the intensity in his stare rivaling the heat in my arm.
From the roof a brown wolf leaps like liquid fur, landing before us with his haunches raised and his gums peeling back from his jowls.
My arm shuts off, recognizing Bren long before I do. “What the hell is your problem?” I ask.
I glance around, certain he must be growling at another wolf behind us. But the only one behind me is Emme.
She averts her gaze. “No,” she whispers.
“No what?” I question.
“She’s not speaking to you,” Gemini answers. He sidesteps in front of Bren, keeping him from Emme. “She’s not hurt and she won’t be. You have my word I’ll keep her safe.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. Bren tends to be protective of me and my sisters, especially Emme. He probably scents the vampire blood still soaking her body and is stressed about what happened to her.
I step forward only to startle when he snaps his fangs.
“Not tonight,” Gemini fires back, his voice as deep as the growls Bren greets us with. “She needs space and we need to get inside.”
I don’t see Bren move, his motions too quick. Gemini does, shoving his body between him and Emme when Bren lunges to the right.
“Bren,” Gemini snaps. “We need to portray a united front. I’m going to ask you one more time to keep your distance from her. If you don’t, the Pack won’t allow you anywhere near her.”
Emme wrings her hands. “Bren, go,” she says, her expression breaking. “We’ll talk later.”
It’s not Gemini’s threat that makes Bren back down, it’s the way Emme appears to splinter. As I watch, I can sense pieces of her fall away like shards from a once glorious piece of crystal.
Bren’s growls fade away, and from one moment to the next, he’s gone.
“What was that?” I ask, turning to Emme.
It takes her too long to answer. “He doesn’t want me hunting.”
That’s nothing new. Like I said, Bren has always been protective. But this wave of protectiveness isn’t directed at me, or Shayna, or Celia. Not this time. This time, it’s all about Emme.
“No, he doesn’t. But that’s not why he’s pissed.” I take in her demeanor and how she seems to pull away. “Emme, what’s going on?”