“So you just knocked her out?”
“Yes.”
I sighed and waved my arms around for a moment. It would be one thing if she was attacking, but she’d been tied up and wasn’t going anywhere. He’d punched her because he wanted to hit something, I was sure of it.
His jaw clenched. “You can’t have this one.”
I sighed. “I have to take her in for questioning.”
“And I have to take her in for my bounty.”
Of course the asshole would only care about his money. Didn’t care what he had to do to get it, he just wanted his reward. And hey, if he got to knock around a few people, all the better. “I’m taking her to HQ for questioning.”
“Like hell you are. I caught her, I keep her.”
“You knocked her out. You’re lucky I’m not arresting you.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “She had a knife.”
“She was tied up.”
He kicked the woman on the ground, making me yell out as she rolled over, but I caught sight of a knife in her hands, cutting through her ropes. Well. “Why didn’t you take the knife away?”
“I don’t fancy being stabbed. Safer to knock her out first.” He bent down to retrieve the knife, then patted her down, removing four more knives and seven lighters. If I didn’t think she was my arsonist before, I sure as hell did now. Grim bent down and threw the shifter over his shoulder and stood as if the huge fucking bear shifter was a big bag of feathers.
“I told you I need to take her in,” I said, moving toward him.
“And I told you, you catch ‘em, you keep ‘em. Fair’s fair, Ellwood.” He moved past me and patted me on the shoulder like a douche. “See ya around, witch.”
Before he could get out the door, I pulled on my magic and set an invisible barrier right in front of him, then took some sick joy in watching him walk into it, then bounce off.
He whipped around to face me with that stormy glare. “What the hell do ya think you’re doin’?”
“I’m taking her in.”
“You’re fuckin’ not.”
“You can either give her to me, or I can bring you both in.” I crossed my arms over my chest, trying not to lose my patience.
He stared at me for a second, then snorted, removed a dagger from his thigh—for a moment, I thought he was going to try throwing it at me—and turned his back on me. He sliced the dagger through the air, and to my utter surprise, it knocked my shield down.
I’d never seen an item able to knock my shield down so easily. My brothers and I had developed new and improved spells after some anti-shield weapons were used against us one too many times. My shield should’ve been impenetrable, even if it wasn’t the strongest I’d ever made, yet he’d cut through it like paper.
I was so shocked, I stood still for several beats before I realized the bastard was getting away. Running after him, I threw another shield in front of him, and he growled but sliced that one away, too.
“Where the hell did you get that dagger?” I asked as I followed him. If he kept breaking through my shields, I’d just get him to carry the shifter down the street and take her from him when we got closer to my truck. I knew I could still win this round.
“Family heirloom.”
I wasn’t sure I believed that, but I let it go and continued on our trek. Just for fun, I threw up a couple more shields and watched the dagger cut straight through them. I was going to have to get Jorah to help me do some research on that thing.
When we got to the bottom of the road, I said, “Hand her over.”
“No.”
“Last chance. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, up to you.”
He snorted but didn’t respond.
“Hard way it is then.” Instead of putting up another shield, I called on my magic, asking it to lift the bear shifter away from Grim. My black magic that smelled like an oncoming rainstorm poured out of me, and the hunter backed away with wide eyes.
He said, “Don’t you dare hex me, Ellwood, or I’ll make your life a livin’ hell.”
My brow furrowed. “I’m not gonna hex you, asshole.” Then I scooted the bear shifter right out of his arms and floated her to my truck bed and used more wind magic to push him away against a tree. His dagger slashed through my magic, but I’d been prepared for that and had a constant stream coming. For every slice, more came flowing toward him, and I had enough power to keep at it for hours.
“You can’t fuckin’ do that!” he yelled. “I caught her, I keep her!”
I rolled my eyes. “And BCA trumps hunters. End of story. Hope I never see your ass again.” I ignored the weird twinge in my chest that the statement caused.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “You’re gonna be sorry you did that, Ellwood.”
I waved him away and hopped in my truck. “Have a nice life, hunter.” After slamming the door, I drove away. I didn’t release my magic from him until I was five minutes down the road.
I made it back to BCA in record time.
Chapter Three
Basil
Stifling a yawn, I turned into a little village. It had been one hell of a long week, and even though I’d brought in a bunch of perps, Alec still wouldn’t put me on the witch murder case even though another fucking witch was killed a few days ago. So here I was, chasing down another random perp.
A loud roar made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, so I slammed on the brakes and hopped out of the car, making my way toward the noise. Screams were heard from the townsfolk, and I cursed under my breath. I’d been looking for this giant for two days since he killed a family of incubi that lived in Brinnswick Forest.
A giant on a rampage was a serious matter. Giants usually lived peacefully out in the forest, minding their own business. It was rare for one to harm another creature, but when they did, it was always messy. If this giant started rampaging, it was only because he was reacting to something. Someone must’ve hurt him or one of his family, or stole from him. They were very territorial and protective when it came to their belongings.
Guys, there’s a fucking giant. I need you here, I called out to my brothers.
Jorah said, We’re on our way.
Be careful. Don’t do anything stupid, Bas, Thayer said. Just keep it away from people, and we’ll figure out how to carry it home when we get there.
As I rounded the corner where another loud roar sounded, I slid to a stop. Right there in the middle of the open field stood a man. A really motherfucking stupid man. What kind of magicless person took on a fucking giant? Fucking idiots, that’s who.
I watched in stunned silence for a few seconds as Grim shot the giant in the leg with his crossbow, then rolled behind a boulder. What the hell did he think his little tiny arrows were going to do?
“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered as I ran out toward the pair, then dove behind another rock so I could see the idiot hunter. When Grim shot the giant in the leg a second time, I yelled, “Hurting him is only going to anger him, you fucking idiot!”
Grim spared me a glance, and his face hardened as he yelled back, “And how exactly do you plan on taking down a fuckin’ giant?”