“Because I feel responsible for Dahlia, and I don’t want her to think we’re all brutes. Even though her mates were the instigators.” Karmen shook her head and mumbled under her breath.
“I heard that.” Dahlia grinned. “But I’d still appreciate the help. I’m beyond ready to go home.”
Dropping his head in defeat, Váli pulled away from Karmen. “Fine, fine.”
Taking his sweet time as he waded through the crowd, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and whistled a jolly tune. No one dared jostle him on his way over. He was Vengeance after all.
Oh, look. Bish was lurking in the hallway. He was a bit odd, that one. As soon as they made eye contact, he started to barrel right toward him. This ought to be fun, but Váli had a promise to keep before indulging Death.
“This isn’t your fight, Vengeance,” Zhan snarled as he whipped Cipher to the side.
“A little help here would be nice,” Cipher gasped out.
“As much as it pains me, Sin, I’m here to save you.” Váli stepped closer, ready to break Zhan’s hold so their mate could take them home and keep Karmen happy.
“I’d worry more about yourself, Váli,” Bish growled in his ear.
“Really? What’s got your leash in a knot?” Váli rolled his eyes. “Actually, hold that thought. I have to get these idiots back to their mate first.”
Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. It wasn’t Váli’s fault he momentarily forgot Bish had a thing for said mate.
The blow caught him right beneath a wing joint. In true battle, especially if his wings were out, that could be damn near crippling. As it was, Bish might as well have slammed his knee into Váli’s nuts. Incandescent rage swarmed over him at the hit. The rawness didn’t come from Váli himself, but he was definitely working his way up to a solid irritation.
Karmen had just kissed him, and he wanted to go back to the kissing, not this mess. Let Cipher suffer. Bastard deserved it. But Bish struck him again, and the room practically boomed with his need to make someone pay.
Oh and look, it was apparently Váli’s lucky day.
The first hit had been a surprise.
The second a gimme.
The third never landed as he moved, catching the next fist and turning the Keeper of Death’s arm until the bone cracked. Death glared at him with eyes of near solid gold as he went for an uppercut with his free hand. Váli avoided the strike, jerking at just the right time to let Bish sail past him and slam into Cipher and Zhan.
All three Keepers went down in a snarling heap as Seth released his brother. “This is how you help?” he demanded.
Váli gave him a shrug and then reached into the fray and yanked Zhan upward. Justice managed to land an elbow in his midsection, and Váli let out a faint snarl as he heaved him toward Seth along with a solid boot to his ass.
“It worked, didn’t it?”
Not waiting for Judgment to get the stick out of his ass to reply, Váli turned to catch Bish’s next swing and then twisted to slam him back into Cipher, who’d just made it to his feet. They landed in a pile of limbs. Fury rippled across Bish’s expression as he glared at Váli. Who knew the dog lover had such a temper?
Seriously.
Admittedly, he was done playing defense though. He’d done what Karmen asked, the pair could bloody themselves on each other. Bish’s next lunge stalled when Cipher slammed a hand against Death’s chest. His split lip oozed, but Bish’s hostile gaze went past Váli to where Dahlia stood.
All the anger in his expression bled away as he straightened.
“Bish, are you all right?” The baby Keeper didn’t close the distance. No doubt, one of her mates had already corralled her. Oh look, Tarus was done debating crumpets. Váli barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes as Punishment gave him a smirk and a wink. Yes, he’d absolutely let his brother whale on Cipher when he wouldn’t be dissuaded.
Not that he could really find fault with the choice. Váli had been content to let him beat the crap out of Sin too. Rolling his head from side to side, he enjoyed the faint crack of his bones and the sudden wary looks creeping across both Cipher’s smug face and Bish’s haughty one.
Finally, Bish cleared his throat and said, “I’m quite well, Dahlia. You should take these idiots home before they cause more trouble and Cipher here bans them for life.”
“Oh.”
“I won’t,” Cipher said with a snort that lost all impact because blood escaped his nostril to spatter his shirt. Hard to look elegant when he was a mess. Váli didn’t smirk, but it was a near miss. “This time.” The last Cipher added with a warning. “All in good fun. Besides, a sweetheart like you is always welcome. Even if your mates don’t deserve you.”
The tension in the room suddenly amped up, and Váli folded his arms. If they beat him this time, no way Váli would step in.
The familiar clank of delicate heels headed his way. He knew it was Karmen without even turning around. That woman knew how to rock a sexy as hell pair of shoes. And when her wings were out? He shivered at the mere idea.
“All right, love, take your mates before they cause any more trouble. I love a good bit of drama every now and then, but this is my Zen day.” She hugged Dahlia, giving her air kisses on each cheek. “Lunch next week?”
“Absolutely. No boys allowed. Maybe even Kindle can come.”
Karmen let out a less than delicate snort. “Yes, Kindle definitely should be there. Quetta too.”
Grinning like a lunatic, Váli took a few steps back to be closer to Karmen.
Finally, the mates of the baby Keeper looked at him in a new light. The three brothers studied the way he angled his body towards her, the way he seemed to grow bigger and more dangerous in her immediate vicinity. Seth especially seemed to see all the small cues he’d missed earlier when Váli had joined their table. Thank fuck. Váli certainly wasn’t hiding it.
The Keeper of Judgment grunted as he gave Váli a meaningful look. Yes, he finally got it. Whether he knew Karmen had been lighting a fire under his ass or not, Váli couldn’t say. But he at least understood where Váli’s interests lay now.
“Definitely. And I’ll share all the details of why Zhan decided now would be a good time to try out for the WWE.” Dahlia sent a sly glance toward her mate. He had the good grace to seem contrite. Tarus just laughed outright, while Seth glowered at both brothers and the Keepers on the floor for good measure.
Ha! As if Sin and Death could somehow have prevented the fighting. Váli had to at least give it to Seth. He didn’t like to see his mate anything other than happy. He could appreciate that.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, lovely.” Zhan approached his mate with sure movements, sliding his arms around her.
“Yeah, right. But you can tell me all about it later.” She petted his chest.
As if perfectly synchronized, Seth and Tarus moved closer to the pair, and then they were gone in a flash of brilliant blues and dark purples. Once they winked out of existence, it was as if all the other Keepers in Sinner’s suddenly realized they had much better things to do and migrated back toward their tables.