Damn right he was. He needed to punch something and release all this rage. “I guess you’ll have to do.”
“Bring it on, but you know that things have to end with her.” A whoosh of air escaped Chase’s lungs as Travis rammed his shoulder into his gut. He should have seen that one coming. It wasn’t often he was taken by surprise. His cousin got lucky, and since he knew Travis needed a release, he willingly offered up himself. Better than some innocent bystander.
Travis relished in the satisfaction of his fist sinking into Chase’s jaw as they wrestled to the ground. Drywall pieces sprayed down on them, but neither of them cared. He heard the crack of Chase’s retaliation on his left cheek before he registered the pain. His head snapped back and Chase reversed their position.
Looking above him, his cousin had a split lip and was smirking like a fool. He must be nuts to go one-on-one with Chase. They might heal fast but that didn’t mean his cousin couldn’t do a hell of amount of damage in the meantime.
Chase wasn’t just a half-demon he was like a half-demon on some really fantastic crack. He moved stealthier and faster, his strength was unparallel. And right now his silver eyes had turned a blazing amber.
Taking a hit to the side, he knew a few ribs had shattered. Ignoring the pain, he ducked another blow coming at his face. Chase movements were rapid, nearly impossible to avoid. For a human, they wouldn’t even know what hit them.
His cousin could be a relentless asshole.
Travis was only semi-conscious of the front door slamming shut, and his sister screeching voice over the crunch of fists. He was winded and sore. Damn Chase. He was like goddamn machine.
“Great. Just fabulous. You guys are demented. I love coming home to the two of you beating the pulp out of each other and breaking the furniture.” She threw her hands in the air. Stepping over them, she shook her head. “Pigs. I’ll never understand the two of you.” Her heels clicked on the stairs as she stomped to her bedroom.
Grinning, the two of the busted out laughing, lying in the middle of the family room with broken debris and clutter surrounding them. If they didn’t want their asses fried by Travis’s dad, they had better hurry and pick-up the casualties of war.
*
She couldn’t sleep. Her mind was running a mile in what felt like an escape from Travis’s secrets. They bounced around in her brain. After spending last night on the phone with him, she figured it wasn’t best to repeat it. Regardless that she would love to hear his voice for just a minute.
Flipping back the covers on her bed, she gave up the pretense of sleep and decided maybe a cup of decaffeinated herbal tea might help. She was willing to try anything to chase away this chill that had settled inside of her since lunch.
Damn Travis and his secrets.
Ever so slowly she cracked open her door, looking down the hall. There was nothing but silence and blackness. She had to be careful not to wake up Abi. The monkey was a little pooper to get to sleep.
Quietly tiptoeing down the stairs, she zigzagged in a pattern avoiding the creaks. It was like a puzzle she had memorized. Padding her bare feet on the hardwood floor, she made her way toward the kitchen when she heard a noise.
Pausing in the doorway, she listened in silence, waiting to see if it would sound again or if her imagination was getting the best of her. Lord knew it wasn’t hard, she was jumpy as hell. Her heart pounded in her ears as the seconds ticked by with nothing but the heaviness of her own breathing.
Slipping soundlessly into the kitchen she turned on the overhead light on the stove. It provided just enough of a glow to get around the kitchen without bumping into anything.
Waiting for the water to boil, she lightly tapped her feet keeping time with the music in her head. She had one of those catchy country songs stuck in her mind.
Lost in her thoughts she turned around to grab a mug only to find a man covered from head-to-toe in black wearing a ski mask. Her mouth dropped open to scream, but nothing came out. It was cut off by a gloved hand snaking up to clamp over her mouth, drowning her cry for help.
The intruder wasted no time pulling her into his arms and keeping his hand securely over her jaw. She caught a glimpse of a large shinning blade fastened to his belt. Fear registered off the Richter scale.
Her mom. Abi.
Thoughts of them sleeping peacefully upstairs unharmed kept her from passing out. She had to keep this lunatic from finding them, keep his focus on her. It was all she could think of to ensure their safety. Cursing herself for leaving her phone in her bedroom, she searched wide-eyed for a way out of this.
Just as she was going to bite his finger off, he whispered in her ear.
“Emma, it’s me.”
It was a voice she heard all her life. Disbelief clouded her eyes as she attempted to process just what in the God’s name was going on.
Dad.