EYES OF FIRE AND ICE

Chapter Twenty

With a newfound spark of energy, he picks up the book and tucks it under his left arm whilst he quietly stands from the chair. Page 403, he recalls. Page 403.

A hand roughly pushes down on his left shoulder, trying to force him back into the seat. What the fuck? They struggle against Liam's unyielding resistance and eventually release the shoulder. Liam spins around, irritated and alert. He's not in the mood to fight anyone at this hour. Especially not at the library.

Five men stand in a line before him.

All of a similar height and build, they resemble a bodybuilder-esque physique with weighty muscles filled with strength in exchange for agility. Two of the men stand out for Liam recognises their unruly faces. Igor and Dimitri - otherwise known as Andriel's bitch lackeys.

"Andriel sends his regards." The right-most male states with a twinge of embarrassment in his eyes.

He must've been the one who touched him. The one with the ginger hair.

"I guess I should take this as a compliment." Liam starts, untucking the book from his side and placing it back onto the table. "Andriel really sent five of his dogs after me." He chuckles dryly before sending a glare their way, unamused by their presence.

They bristle at the insult. Igor and one of the others pull out a knife from their front pockets. They tightly grip the handle whilst holding the weapon against their bodies, trying to conceal them from observant eyes.

He'll have to watch out for those.

They all wear monochromatic tank tops with dark blue, denim jeans. Three of them are covered in colourful tattoos with only their face bare. Liam still has his black athletic shorts on with a pair of black compression leggings underneath. His dark grey top hugs the ridges of his body, accentuating his toned muscles.

"Let's make this quick, shall we," Liam says, stepping away from the desk. "I've got places to be."

A male with black hair and tattoos rushes forward and Liam picks up the chair beside him and slams it into the side of his head. The wooden components break apart at the force. Chair legs drop to the floor along with the now-unconscious male.

Students around him jump up from their seats at the sound, awoken by the beginnings of the fight. Their eyes widen and they quickly leave their seats, slowly backing away from the commotion to head towards the surrounding walls.

Two others leap towards him, one bearing a knife, and Liam bends forward and runs towards the one without a weapon- the one with ginger hair. His shoulder slams into the male's abdomen and he grabs the back of their thighs, throwing them back onto the ground. The male groans at the impact and Liam sends two quick, hard punches to their jaw, knocking them out.

The other one with the knife grabs Liam's arm and throws him backwards. His back lands atop a now-unoccupied desk and he winces. Damn, he's strong.

Students scream when they see the man swing his armed, right hand down towards Liam's abdomen. Liam's eyes widen and he quickly rolls off the table, resulting in the blade being lodged deep into the centre of the desk. He stands up off the floor and raises his foot, slamming it into the male's elbow.

A deep scream fills the space around them. The male's elbow now bends the opposite way, completely broken. He falls to the ground with tears in his eyes, leaving the knife still wedged in the table.

Igor races forward and slashes his blade against Liam's raised, left forearm. Blood begins to pour from the deep wound and Liam growls at the pain. Igor's left fist lands a hit against the side of Liam's head and it throws his body to the floor a metre away.