Onyx screamed, and I spun, firing one last time before my guns were empty. Removing the daggers connected to my wristbands inside the sleeves of my jacket, I sliced through the attacker’s torso, repeatedly stabbing him. Jumping, I landed on his shoulders, hooking my feet through his arms, sending my body over the front of him, causing him to sail through the air. Landing upright, I kicked high, slamming my heel into one wolf’s head while twisting mid-jump and thrusting my knives into another.
The sounds of tires squealing over asphalt should have pulled my focus from the fight. It only took a second to end up dead, and I wasn’t dying in the street like a dog. Round-kicking a new assailant, I used my weight to force him to bend. Rising, I balled up my fist and hit him in the face, smirking when he smashed against the concrete with a sickening crunch.
The scent of copper filled the air, and the smell of death clung to my skin. I spun toward the cars that had sped to the scene, smiling as Rhys, Cole, Eryx, and the twins exited the vehicles, joining the fight. Exhaling, I whirled around as something whizzed toward me, striking my body. Another object hit me, and pain sliced through me. I felt Noah grab me, yanking me back and swearing beneath his breath.
Staring at my stomach, I swallowed the pain while studying the arrows protruding from my abdomen. Noah leaned me against a car and peered between us. I groaned, fighting the discomfort and nausea that fought to be free. Then, snatching Noah’s blade from his waist, I pushed him away and stabbed the demon coming up behind him.
The pain made my head swim, but I refused to go out like this. Swinging my gaze over the bustling crowd, I saw Axton watching, but all of his excitement had vanished. Instead, his eyes bore regret, sliding over my features. Blood dripped from my nose and mouth as I coughed violently, and he closed his eyes briefly before shaking his head at someone behind me.
Turning, I found Kieran facing his date, who held a bow in her hand. The smile on her face was victorious, and she laughed before meeting my stare. She vanished before I could give the order to attack. Kieran didn’t laugh. His intense gaze slid back to me, finding me standing and glaring at him.
Reaching down, I snapped off the fletching end of the arrow and gripped the iron tip protruding from my back, pulling it out of my flesh. I didn’t make a sound, and never broke eye contact with Kieran as I removed the arrow. Then, turning, I tossed it on the car beside me, looking back at him and seeing his eyes narrowed on the second arrow, dangerously embedded near my lungs. Repeating the steps, I pulled it free and heard Noah cursing as he cupped my cheeks, forcing me to look at him.
“Rhys and the others are here to help us. They found out about the hit on you,” he glanced down while speaking and gasped. “Xariana, what the fuck?”
I laughed, watching the horror spread across his face. He pushed me back against the vehicle, grabbing the broken arrows slathered in my blood. I heard shouting, and I looked over at the crew that had shown up to assist us.
“She’s a fucking child,” Rhys snapped, his tone echoing against the buildings for everyone to hear. My heart leaped to my throat at his words.
“Xariana needs to be guarded. She’s too fucking young and weak to be out here alone. You should have had her beneath your protection the moment her father went missing. She isn’t strong enough or mentally prepared to lead the guild!” Eryx snarled back, shoving Rhys.
“Fuck you both,” Cole interjected, crossing his heavily tattooed arms over his chest. “Xariana is easy prey out here. You both fucked up. Xavier is going to have all our asses when he returns, and you damn well know it. She’s too young and shouldn’t be out here fighting at all!”
It fucking hurt that they were saying all these things, let alone where everyone could hear them. My eyes burned with tears, threatening to fall and give away the pain caused by their words. I wasn’t weak or a child, and none of them had ever expressed these concerns before now.
They continued arguing amongst themselves, belittling my standing and skill level, and I felt each blow like a punch to the gut. But I ignored them as more cars pulled up, and people poured out to listen to the immortals that I’d fought and bled beside, quarreling over how weak, immature, and young they thought I was.
My body hummed with disappointment, but more than that, betrayal. Someone touched my shoulder, and I turned, staring up at Conrad and Ian, both peering past me to where the men argued. They moved toward their comrades, but when they got close, they joined in the dispute unfolding, agreeing with them.
“What the fuck is happening?” A red-haired female whispered, causing me to focus on her. She rubbed her hand over her round belly and then glared at Rhys. She rolled her bright blue eyes and then met mine, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
“They’re arguing over who fucked up by allowing someone as young as me to hunt,” I answered with thick emotion.
My gaze slid to the shadows, and I saw glowing green eyes staring at my extended team. Producing my gun, I aimed and waited for his attention to turn toward me before pulling the trigger. The men immediately stopped arguing, turning to stare at me before moving their gazes to the dead demon on the pavement. Fucking demons and their meddling.
I slid my weapon into its holster and crossed my arms to prevent anyone from seeing how badly my hands were trembling. It may have been a demon that spread discord, but it wouldn’t make them say things they didn’t believe.
The people I’d fought beside for years believed I was unfit for my role. They thought I shouldn’t be leading during my father’s absence. Rhys said he’d started a hunt on his own because he didn’t think I couldn’t handle the more challenging parts of what needed to be done.
Eryx planned to force me to the mountain with Braelyn and Saint to hide like some weak female needing to be sheltered. I’d saved his ass more times than I could count, and I wasn’t half bad at math. Ian had a castle, one he wanted to push me into visiting until things blew over. Conrad intended for his omegas to caudle and pamper me so that I wouldn’t grieve alone.
Ezekiel and Enzo thought I was doing a shitty job of enforcing the laws. That I was failing, but not one of them had the balls to say that to my face. They worried that my mental stability wasn’t enough to deal with the loss of my father and the others. They felt I should be put in time out and taught how to handle the business aspects, as my dad had done.
I turned toward the Land Rovers parked at the end of the block, pausing as Rhys grabbed my shoulder.
“Xari,” he started, but I yanked my arm away from him.
“Save it, Van Helsing. I have bled with each of you and walked into battle, not knowing if it would be my last, and I never cowered. We have hunted down monsters that made the ones here tonight look fluffy in comparison. I have saved several of you from sure death and never bragged or asked you to repay that debt. A demon might have caused you all to argue, but he didn’t make you say the things that you said. He only caused you to reveal your true feelings.” I began walking again, aware the other hunters were following me.
I didn’t wince or shy away as I passed through the crowded street. People didn’t move out of our path, or give us the wide birth they normally did, either. Of course, I’d just had some of the biggest named immortals in the area calling me a silly kid, playing an adult game that would get me killed one day. The sad reality was, they were right about that last part. I lived by the blade, and I would die by it, but it would be my choice.