Claiming Rosa (Book 2) Jacobs Broken Mercenaries

chapter 18

Wrath


I lead Sphear and Raphael to the building that’s now completely visible. Everything feels too easy. It’s always been my experience when things seem simple. They’re usually very complex. I can tell Raphael feels similarly. Every time I turn to check my surroundings, he’s doing the same. Sphear is nonchalant, like he’s taking a stroll on a summer night. Maybe Raphael was right? No, I have to stay confident and believe this is going to work. We’re closing in. I pick up the pace.
“Did you really think it was going to be that easy?”
I know it’s Lucifer before I even turn around.
“I’m surprised to see you here, Raph. last I heard, you were lying low like the coward you’ve grown to be.”
Anger rolls off Raphael, his fists clenching at the ready.
“Try me, gramps, I’ll fucking pulverize you!”
Gods, this can’t be happening. Word travels fast between the worlds.
“Its useless. we’re taking Robert out. The oracles have already seen it. Don’t waste your time.”
He snaps his teeth at me, his pointed tongue coiling back.
“I thought we were friends, Wrath? I mean, you did let me slither in your skin.”
I see Sphear looking at me suspiciously, trying to figure out what he means.
“You set me up and you know it. You just didn’t count on the tricks up my sleeve. This time will be no different.”
He smirks
“I wouldn’t be so sure.”
I hear the door behind us open. Robert and ten others pile outside. We’re now between the devil himself, nine super species, and one very twisted individual.
“Do I look worried?”
It’s a complete bluff, but I say it to shake him. Sphear takes out a long crystal shard from his satchel and begins to draw a u shape. I keep Lucifer distracted but after a couple of minutes his eyes keep wondering over. Sphear encloses Robert and his crew with us and begins walking toward Robert. That’s when Lucifer grows tired of trading threats and becomes more interested in the others.
“Who the fuck are you?” Robert demands, but Sphear doesn’t pay him any attention, just draws a large circle around him and steps inside. The moment Lucifer reaches the invisible line there’s a loud zap, like a house size bug zapper went off. He’s shot back thirty feet before lifelessly dropping to the ground. My eyes open wide and my jaw drops. I’ve never seen anything like it. I look back at Sphear. The area around the entire circle is blurred. It looks as if a hollow loop of water is falling backward from the sky, except instead of falling down, it’s going up. One of Robert’s mix breeds approaches the odd moving circle. I move forward to stop him, but before I get the chance, he’s sucked in and shot up above them. The male is eerily still within the circle. He’s hovering a good ten feet above the blur that is surrounding Robert and Sphear. The mix breed’s mouth opens on a silent scream as his face contorts into an unbearable expression. Holy fuck! Limbs and fingers begin to stretch. I hear a shoulder pop out of place with a loud crack. I cringe, wanting to turn away, but I’m riveted to the unnatural occurrence. Then it happens. His body comes apart and diminishes into nothing but dust before my eyes.
Yells of panic pull me from the scene. Robert’s band of freaks charge. I look at Raphael, who looks every bit as shocked as me.
It’s seven against two. I fight with all of my abilities, from control to materializing and everything in-between. I’m in the middle of creating an illusion when a shifter cuts right through it, while creating his own. The ability isn’t compatible with his kind, and it catches me off guard. These aren’t by the book species, they’re modified. Had I been in that mindset, I would have noticed the slight glitches in his copy, but I wasn’t and I don’t. Instead, I barrel through his mirage and take a knife to the back. My wings flare instinctively, protecting the area. The sudden release tears through my shirt and sends my jacket flying. I look at Raphael, who’s fighting off one of the two left. My guy has disappeared. Whatever he’s mixed with, he can’t fly. I shoot through the air, circling the area. Either he’s shifted out or the fuckers invisible. Hovering over the last spot occupied, I focus, searching for any odd movement. In the corner of my eye, there’s a sudden motion. Fuck!
“Raphael!”
He dodges just in time, missing the killing hit to the demon like thing he’s been trading blows with. The shifter doubles back, but I barrel into him free fall style, going about ninety miles an hour. Before he can gain footing, I decapitate him with his own sword. Raphael has managed to end his fight with little to no injuries, just a slight limp in his right leg. Double counting the bodies, I turn my attention to Sphear… He’s gone and so is Robert, Lucifer, too. We head back to the wear house. If anything has happened to Rosa, I’ll kill them both. Bringing a war to Earth will be the least of their worries. The warehouse is full; I clear everyone out, scanning through faces, looking for Rosa. When I spot Easle, I already know something’s happened, just by his expression.
“Where is she?”
Easle struggles to find words. My throat dries up and my heart thumps in my chest until the beat drowns out all other sounds.
Austin turns me around to face him. His lips are moving, but I don’t hear. Shaking myself, I clear my head and focus.
“We tried, but it was useless. We’re weak here and he knows it. Compulsion, that’s how he got her.”
Panic grips me. This can’t be happening again. If it is my brother, that’s the end of him.
“Who took her?”
Austin tilts his head, looking me in the eye.                                                        "Lucifer"