The Gramm Curse (The Night Watchmen Series) (4 page)

I don’t know why, but this gets under my skin in all the worst ways. “I’d rather be that than a weak-minded, whipped-ass Hunter who’s too selfish to turn his emotions off to save the woman he loves so much.” I regret the words the instant they leave my lips, but it’s too late now. Words can’t be erased once spoken. I have to own them, own the feelings I truly feel.

He’s shaking from head to foot, his lips so taut they’re paling out. I’m pretty sure he wants to hit me, but he turns and walks away from me, his shoulders flexed and his hands clenched. I’ve pissed him off. I piss him off every time I bring up the curse. I roll my eyes and dig my hands into my pockets, following after his steps. By the time he turns around, he’s rigid, stiff, and ready for a fight. He thinks fighting will help. He thinks beating me down will break the walls I’ve constructed. One of these days, he’ll realize he’s wrong. One of these days, he’ll realize that having no emotion makes you stronger, more keen, and more perceptive to those around you.

His brows are crushed together, and his flesh heats up with a slight red color. “I didn’t deserve that. You know damn well that I’m not weak. Take it back.” He tightens his fists, reinforcing his rank over me. Angry heat rolls off his flexed shoulders. If what I say next is wrong, he’ll shove me. It’s always his first move.

“No,” I say shortly, intently. My eyes find his, pushing back against his disgust of what I’ve become.

“No?” He jerks his head back.

“I don’t want to fight with you,” I grit through my teeth, warning him. I’m barely breathing.

“Well, you could’ve fooled me.” He’s either oblivious to it, or past the point of caring.

I shut my eyes, knowing what I say next will be the breaking point. Maybe I want to fight. Maybe I want him to hit me. “That’s not hard to do.”

I’m ready for it when he shoves me. I barely even flinch. I’m a solid wall of deflection perfectly constructed.

This pisses him off.

He shoves harder, and I look away, clenching my teeth. My fists form into rounded hammers at my sides. “Stop.”

He shoves again.

“I said stop,” I say calmly.

He shoves me harder. Again and again and again, and all I can see anymore is a wall of red; a wall of blood.

“I SAID STOP!” My fist connects with his jaw before I realize what I’ve done.

He sways to the side, his hand covering the spot where I struck him. His eyes are glass cases filled with fury. He pulls himself together and gets in my face. His chest bumps against mine. I don’t back down, but I don’t push back. I don’t want to hurt him. I never meant to.

“See,” he says with enough anger to burn down an empire, “that right there, in your eyes right now, little brother, that’s called emotion. That’s called fear. And you know what? You can’t fear without love.” He drops his hand down, still scrutinizing me with his gaze. “I just had to make sure you were still in there.”

He walks away from me, slamming the door behind him. I glance down at my hand. Blood mottles the outside of my skin; his blood. A sour taste forms in my mouth. I walk into the bathroom and turn the faucet on. As the water washes away the blood, I look up at myself.

I don’t know who I am anymore, or what I’ve become. I have memories of a life filled with love, a life where everything made sense and the world wasn’t cruel, but every time I reach for those memories, for a piece of my old self, I see my mother’s back. I see a suitcase in her hand, and the door shutting behind her. I see Gavin making excuses until he realizes it’s just us, and I see myself crying silently at night, knowing she’d never return.

THAT NIGHT, I KNOCK O
N
Jezi’s apartment door and take a step back, shoving my hands deep into my pockets. She’s told me many times where her spare key is, but it doesn’t feel right to walk in unannounced.

“Just a minute,” she shouts. A second later, the door swings open with the earthy scent of magic trailing through the air. She’s on the other side of the room putting her shoes on. Her silken hair hangs past her shoulders, covering the Coven symbol on her leather jacket.

“Mornin,’” I say, despite the orange sun setting along the skyline view of her windows.

“I’m never going to get used to that,” she says when she looks up at me. She pulls her hair up into a loose ponytail and stands. “I hate sleeping during the day. It makes me feel like one of them.”

“I know,” I say, raking a hand through my hair. This is already too much conversation, too many words. “But it is what it is.”

“Guess so.” She grabs her purse and brushes past me, smelling of jasmine and vanilla. I follow her light steps out and wait against the wall as she locks the door. When she’s done, we head down the elevator. “Thanks for picking me up,” she says, tucking her keys into her purse. “The mechanic said it’s going to be another day or so until the part comes in for my car.”

The elevator stops and we step out. I keep my eyes forward and my lips sealed shut. I find it a little more than ironic that her car broke down right after my blowout with my brother; a blowout I’m trying hard to forget. Knowing him, he probably pulled some plugs out or something.

Wind whips around us when we step out onto the city sidewalk, and the faint scent of rain lingers in the air. It’s going to be one of
those
nights. I unlock my truck and hold the door open for her. She smiles and ducks her eyes from view.

The moment I get in and start the truck, she shifts in her seat to face me, already trying to break the silence.

“So uh…where’s our assignment tonight?”

“Downtown at Club Firebrand,” I say, easing my way into traffic.

“I figured. I saw what happened on the news.” She leans forward and flicks the vent up.

“Mack says there’s a Demon high in the chain running it. He allows Vamps and
Weres to feed there. I guess one got out of hand, thusly exposing the operation.”

“Figures.”

I cough to clear my throat. “Gavin and Cassie are going to meet us there. The club will be full.” I flip the blinker on and turn left.

“I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t handle,” she says as she digs through her purse. I glance over at her and catch her puckering her lips in the visor mirror. I almost forget myself as she applies gloss, spreading it over her full lips. I wonder what it would be like... No.

I can’t wonder, no matter how long it’s been since I’ve felt another’s kiss. It’ll open the door. It’ll make her think we could be a possibility, and that can’t happen. It’s my duty, my responsibility. It’s my burden.

“Jax?”

“Hmm?”

“You missed the turn.”

Shit.
She’s staring at the side of my face. Her gaze is always so heavy, so prying. After making a quick u-turn, I reflexively glance over at her. She lifts her brows like she’s waiting for me to explain what I’m thinking.

“What?” I say, keeping my face blank.

“Nothing.” She turns back to the mirror and applies more lip gloss, and I swear she smiles. “Did Gavin have anything specific in mind for the takedown?” she asks as she puts the lid back on and tucks the gloss back into her purse.

“Don’t know. Haven’t talked to him.” I don’t mention the fight. It’s bad enough that I have to see him so soon after. Leave it to Mack.

“What about the Middletons?” she asks as I pull around the back of the club. I park in the farthest shadow.

“I asked for their help, but they took a different assignment. I think they’re on the cusp of something huge.” I swallow, debating if I should say more or not.

“Something like?” she asks, leading me on with her voice.

I look at her, clearing my face of every emotion. “Russell said they got a tip from a Demon that there’s been talk of an uprising from the Underground because of something they’re looking for.”

Her brows scrunch. “What?”

I scratch my forehead. “Not sure. All Russell said was that he and Mary are meeting with Mack and Clara about it once Clara returns from her campaign in Ethryeal City.”

“Do you think she’ll win her spot on the High Priesthood?”

My mouth twitches at the corner. “Probably. She always gets her way.”

Jezi looks past me. “They’re here,” she says, pointing behind me.

I turn in my seat just in time to catch Gavin as he yanks my car door open. “Damn, man, I was trying to scare you.” He’s smiling, pretending like the night before never occurred, being the older brother he’s always been- honest and open.

Guilt beats against my walls. I shake my head, avoiding his face and reinforcing the steel. I don’t want to see if I left a mark. I don’t want to feel anything. I shut the truck off, along with my emotions, and tuck the keys in my pocket. Jezi’s already walking around the front of the truck, meeting Cassie with a smile.

“So, what’s the plan?” I ask as I reach into the bed of my truck for my duffel bag. The loud, pounding music rattles my eardrums. The air smells damp and is filled with old, dark magic. My senses switch on as adrenaline floods my system, waking me up inside.

“Cassie found a recipe in her Grimoire for a potion that will remove our Primeval scent for a short period of time,” Gavin says as I set the bag down and start loading up on the weapons I think I’ll need; a flux, a couple of pistols with silencers, a stake, and an extra set of silver bullets. I hand Jezi her guns and stand up.

Cassie walks over to us and pulls a small glass vial from her pocket. “Here,” she says, holding it out to me. The liquid inside is clear. “Drink it. It will last for about an hour.”

I glance over at Jezi who’s already tipping hers back. I pull off the small cork top and drink it, pushing away the awful taste to the back of my mind. Instantly, the liquid flows to my stomach and then disperses throughout my body.

“I can’t make any promises that it will hold up the whole time. It was my first time concocting that potion. It was a complicated recipe.”

“What she means to say is that she couldn’t find every ingredient, so she rigged it. It’s the same thing she always does when something’s complicated,” Gavin corrects, laughing a little.

She sucks her teeth and flicks a glare at him, propping her hand on her hip. “Really?” she says, raising her brows.

He holds his hands out in surrender. “Hey, just keepin’ it real.”

“‘Cause you’re so reliable,” she sneers under her breath. She flips her hair over her shoulder and looks over at Jezi, shaking her head.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” I ask, knowing that questioning her is only going to warrant more evil glares. Women. I can see the steam coming from her ears as she directs daggers at me with her gaze, so I quickly add, “I’m not questioning your skills. I just have to ask. We can’t screw this up.” I think I sounded placid. I even go as far as offering a bit of kindness to my gaze.

She drops her shoulders and sighs. “Yes, Jax, I’m sure it will work.”

“Now that that’s established, can we get to the real plan?” Gavin asks. He turns to me. “We’re going to go through the back and scope things out inside while the girls work their way in through the front. Don’t try to stop any feedings. The only way to save these humans is to take out the ringleader. Once we find him, I’ll let Cass know through the telepathic bond.” He turns to the girls, wearing his typical game face- large eyes rounded in seriousness, lips pressed thin, and fingers pointing at each of us. “Keep the paranormals from stopping us. Use that mirage spell thing.”

“Cloaking?” Jezi corrects.

“Yeah, ‘cause when shit hits the fan, it’s going to spread like a nasty, smelly mess. We don’t need the paranormals in the joint trying to stop us, because they will once they realize we’re about to take down a prominent food source.”

Cassie rolls her eyes. “God, you’re so poetic when you talk.”

My lip twitches at the corner.

He grins. “Are we clear?” he asks, looking between all of us.

We nod.

“Good, let’s go.”

THE CLUB IS LOUD AN
D
hot. The sounds push at my brain in an uncomfortable way. I’ve never been one for crowds, and even more so, not for crowds full of people grinding against each other, and paranormals sucking the life from innocents. Gavin pays the human bouncer posted at the back door, and then we push our way through the steamy crowd, keeping our heads low and our eyes directed to the floor.

In the two seconds of being in the club, I’ve already assessed and located each and every threat around me. Two female Vamps to the right of me are luring a man to the stairs that lead to the cellar where all the crimes take place. A Werewolf sits in the corner, his legs crossed and his shifted eyes scanning the crowd, most likely searching for a meal. I spot seventeen Vamps, mostly women, working their way through the crowd of anxious dancers. A Succubus dances for a man standing at the bar. Two Demons hide in the shadows to the left, their red eyes pinned on me and Gavin.

Even though I trust Cassie’s potion, I still can’t slow my heart to a reasonable rate. It beats against my chest like a raging caged animal.

Gavin flicks one small glance over his shoulder at me, and I know he’s seen all of them too. Spotting is one of our specialties. He nods ever so slightly, and then turns back. Even though everything in me screams to rid the world of each and every one of these vile scum, I know this isn’t the moment. Blowing our cover would only lead to more death for the humans around us.

And that would result in being demoted, something that I’ll never let happen.

We pass the bar, and I catch Jezi and Cassie entering the club from the corner of my eye. They do a good job of ignoring us and head straight for the bar. Jezi eyes the Succubus down and worms her way in between them. Gavin stops in front of a bouncer blocking the red velvet rope that separates the crowd from the VIP area. He slides the bouncer a palm full of money, and then the rope is lifted.

“He’s close,” Gavin whispers over his shoulder.

The bitter, sickening stench of sulfur is too pungent to ignore. The higher up a Demon is in the Underground chain, the worse the smell is. Demons of that stature spend more time in the Underground, reporting back and forth.

Gavin stops at the top of the stairs and turns to me. “Who’s finding the stigma to stab?” he asks. I shrug. He balls his hand into a fist and slams it into his palm, initiating our ritual for decision making- a game of rock-paper-scissors.

Three hits and he delivers a rock. I chose scissors. Of course. My win was just a mere fluke. It’s like he freaking reads my mind or something.

“Ha ha!” he says on a heightened whisper. “You suck at this game.”

I groan and reach under the back of my jacket. I pull the flux out and hold it down by my side. Spilling a Demon’s blood isn’t something to complain about. They’re my favorite kill. “Let’s do this,” I say  as I walk past him. He’s still wearing a
shit-eating grin; a grin that has always had the power to irritate, and comfort me.

“After you, princess,” he says with triumph in his voice.

The balcony has a few humans leaning against the railings, peering down at the crowd below. They’re Feeders. I can tell by the puncture wounds and bland looks on their faces. They barely look up when we walk by them. They’re probably still in the feeding trance. Vampire venom is like a drug for a human, a high they beg for once bitten.

Gavin points to the door at the end of the balcony, but I already know. I tap into my volation and let it coarse through my veins. I pull just enough electricity from the rooms around me to allow me to tap properly into my senses. A Demon’s stigma is always hidden, and only a Primeval Hunter has the gift to spot it amongst the many black markings that cover their skin.

The two Demons that stand guard on the outside of the door with their hands folded across their burly chests are easy targets. Both of their stigmas are on their ribcages. The only way we’ll get by them is by taking them down.

And that’s not a problem for me.

Without words, my brother and I move in sync, each going for the opposite Demon with the stealth and quietness of a shadow. My flux plunges deep into the Demon’s stigma before he even has a chance to register that I’m a threat. With a hand latched onto his shoulder, I drive the flux further and push every bit of my volation into him. His body ignites into a black flame and then disappears, leaving the scent of sulfur in the air.

I look over at Gavin just as he rubs the blood from his flux across the leg of his pants. “Go time,” he says. We both know that the three Demons behind this door now know we’re here. Casting a Demon back to hell alerts every single Demon on this plane. We don’t have a second to waste.

“They know,”
Jezi says, talking about every paranormal being in the club. Her thoughts are like warm breaths against my cheek.

“Keep them from coming up here,”
I say. This is always the hard part; leaving her to fend for herself. Although I know she’s fully capable, it’s still ingrained in me to be by her side.

“I appreciate the concern,”
she says, reading my thoughts,
“but we’re fine. We wove a barrier spell to keep them from breaching the stairwell. I don’t think anyone has spotted us yet. Her potion is working.”

“Good. Shout if you need me.”

“Take out the beef first,” Gavin tells me. I nod at him. Throwing a wicked smile over his shoulder at me, Gavin kicks the door in and storms into the room like a raging bull. Jezi’s on the outskirts of my thoughts, watching and waiting. I follow in behind him with my flux held out, just waiting for a victim. The room is a small office with filing cabinets brushing against every wall, and a large wooden desk against the back of the room. A large, very dark Demon sits behind the desk with two other Demons posted up behind him. Black eyes pierce through me with the hate held only for my kind.

“Ah, the Gramm brothers,” says the Demon behind the desk. “I was wondering when you two would show up and wreak havoc on my humble abode.” His voice is deep and filled with a hint of humor.

“You know we can’t ignore the human feast you’re unlawfully advertising…” Gavin drags out, waiting for a name. I’m testing each of them out, searching for their stigma. The Demon to the left of the ringleader has a stigma on his left bicep. The Demon on the right has a stigma on the center of his abdomen. Both are awkward shots to make, but I think I can do it.

The lead Demon jerks his hands back in offense, his face curling in disdain. “Are you asking for my name? My true name?” He sucks in a deep breath. “That’s like asking a woman her age. How rude. You know I can’t tell you that.”

Gavin slams his hands down on the desk. “Shove it. I’ll give you one last chance. What’s your name.”

The Demon’s lips reach up to his ears. “You can call me Oro…short for…” he laughs, moving his hand up to his mouth, and finishes, “well, you already know that I won’t give you my full name.”

Gavin leans forward. He’s ready to be done. I reach for another flux, pulling it from my pant leg. In one brisk move, Gavin squats, and I aim and release. The daggers hit their mark with flawless accuracy. The left side of my mouth lifts proudly as I watch their bodies disappear inside of black fire.

Oro’s smile vanishes. “They were my best Demons on hand.”

“Really?” Gavin taunts. “That’s what you call best on hand?” He looks back at me. “This is gonna be easy.” In one blurry move, Gavin has the Demon by the throat with his flux wedged up against Oro’s stigma. “We’re shutting this club down, you piece of shit. When you get to where I’m sending you, be sure to let all of your friends know that if they try this shit again on my turf, they’ll get the same treatment.”

“I’m flattered,” Oro says, “but I also know that you don’t want to kill me. At least, not yet.”

He’s stalling. Typical.
Drive it in and send the bastard home.

“What are you talking about?” Gavin asks.

I sigh, rolling my eyes. He always takes the bait.

“Tell him to sink it in so we can go. I feel the potion wearing off,”
Jezi says in the back of my mind.

Oro laughs, despite being so close to his demise. “The curse,” he says, looking between me and Gavin, “I can smell it on you both. You’re a deal waiting to happen.”

“And why is that?” Gavin asks. I hear the small note of desperation in his voice.

“
Gav…”

“Don’t think you’re excluded from this, Jaxen Gramm,” Oro says.

I snap my eyes to his. “Our curse is none of your business. Gavin, do it already.”

Gavin’s shoulders sink a little, and then he presses the blade against Oro’s side.

“I know a way you can be rid of the curse,” Oro rushes out as he tries to back out from under Gavin’s grip.

“You have one second to spit it out or you’re done,” Gavin says under his breath.

I feel Jezi’s interest peaking. I see her moving through the crowd, drifting up the stairs with Cassie on her heels. I feel her hope lifting, despite the fact that a Demon’s deal is bad news for everyone involved.

“Jezi, no.”

“Just listen to what he has to say.”

“Your curse dates back to the time of the Divine. I smell their taint all over it,” Oro says quickly. This is the first lead we’ve had on who cursed our family, if it’s even true.

“And?” Gavin says just as Cassie and Jezi appear in the doorway behind me.

I stiffen.
“I told you to guard the stairs.”

“The barrier is still up. Calm down,”
Jezi snaps back.

“And I know the way to lift it. Remove that dagger from my side, and I’ll tell you.”

“Not a chance,” Gavin says, growling through his teeth. “You’ll tell me, or this flux finishes the path it’s on.”

“Go ahead. It’s your loss,” Oro says with vehemence.

Before Gavin can shove the flux through, Cassie’s hand flicks, and his flux lands in her palm.

“What the hell, Cassie!” he shouts as he whips his head around.

Jezi passes me, her palm outstretched. Magic flows from her veins, filling the room with a sweet, floral scent. She’s using a spell to hold Oro in place. “Speak,” Cassie says as she follows Jezi’s steps and stops in front of the desk. Oro is pinned against his chair, his head tilted back enough to expose his throat.

Gavin growls under his breath and pulls out another flux from the back of his pants. Jezi clenches her fist, and the Demon screams out in pain.

“She’ll rip your essence from that body, piece by painful piece, unless you start talking,” Cassie says. “The curse. How is it lifted?”

Oro strains to laugh.

“Screw this,” Gavin says as he aims for the stigma.

Cassie flicks her palm again and knocks Gavin back on his ass. Gavin jumps to his feet, his eyes hidden beneath his menacing brow.

“If you ever do that-”

“I will if you try to stab him. I want to hear what he has to say,” Cassie says without a hint of remorse for her actions.

I slowly pull my flux out, keeping my hand behind my back. If she moves just an inch to the left, I’ll have a clear shot. I cast my eyes over to Gavin, widening them for a second before looking over at Oro. I know he knows what I need him to do.

Jezi squeezes her fist tighter. I try to reach out to her mentally, but she’s blocked me. Oro’s screams fill the room. I pray that the music is louder.

“All right,” he says through his teeth. “There’s a spell that can lift curses. I’ve seen it before during my time in the Underground. Let me up, and I’ll conjure it for you.”

Jezi looks over at Cassie. Cassie nods, and Jezi lets him up. He balls his hand into a fist, and then opens it. An old piece of parchment paper rests in his hand, the spell scrawled across it. Jezi snatches it up. “This is in your language. We can’t interpret this.”

“I know. Make a deal that you will do my body no harm, and I’ll help you translate it.”

“No,” Gavin says firmly, forcefully.

“This could be the ticket,” Cassie says when she looks over at him. Excitement drips off her words. “We have to try.”

“No, we don’t,” I say flatly. Her eyes jerk to mine. “This could all be a lie. It’s not worth it, Cassie.”