A Higher Calling [Eternal Flames 5]

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

Walking into the café Finn smiled. He was happy for his brother and best friend. Their road to mating was a long and hard one but they made it. To see his brother smile and laugh again was the best sight and sound Finn could remember being around in a very long time. Hell, to be honest, he had about given up hope for the two men.

Finn stopped as he entered the room. Something felt off. Looking around the room, everyone was talking and laughing, but Finn could feel it to his core that something wasn't right. Seeing Illan talking to Justice, Finn made his way to his leader, and quickly sat with them.

Finn was not really surprised when Illan leaned closer whispering, "Keep an eye out. I don't know what it is, but something isn't right."

Before Finn could respond, the sound of skin meeting skin in a harsh manner ripped through the air along with Jett's angry voice. "I can't believe you would accuse me of screwing around with Twix like that. He is my friend and he was there for me any time I needed him."

Finn jumped and made his way to his brother’s side. Ignoring Day and Morgan, who also rushed to Jett's side, Finn looked at Zev snarling. "What did you do now, Zev? I told you, if you hurt my brother again, I'd kill you."

"We should take this discussion elsewhere," Zev hissed.

Finn growled, "Fine by me."

Everyone marched outside and out of the way of stray eyes. Finn was about to knock the f**k out of Zev, but Jett immediately jumped in front of his target, urgently saying, "Don't hurt him.

We needed to get you guys out here and this was the one thing I figured could do it."

Finn was clearly exasperated. "Damn it, Jett. Have you ever heard of the boy who cried wolf?"

Jett couldn't help but snicker. "Is that some kind of shifter joke?"

Zev sighed. "Finn, just calm down and listen. I felt something off when we arrived here. The feeling got worse the closer I came to the café."

"Your gift at work?" Morgan asked.

Nodding, Zev replied, "I think it might be, yes."

Day looked around. "What is it you feel?"

"Fear, anxiety, anger, and unease. It was strong getting out of the car, but inside, it is palpable,"

Zev said quietly.

Jett nodded. "He noticed Twix and Doris are nowhere to be seen."

"Doris waved at us when we got here, and Twix took our order about fifteen minutes ago.

Thinking about it Zev, you're right. Twix normally comes around our table to ask about refills or just to chat. He hasn't done any of that since he went to the back to place our order," Morgan replied thoughtfully.

"Ok, so what do you think is going on?" Day asked.

Zev sighed. "I think we have a murderer inside and whoever it is, he is getting ready to make his move."

Finn was both happy and nervous to see Marco pull into the parking lot with Nash behind him.

Finn was still shocked that fate had put such a flamboyant man in his life. Oh, the man was sexy as hell with those green eyes and shoulder length blond hair. However, it was that slight sway in Marco's hips every time he walked that always had Finn's c**k rock hard in seconds.

Marco had come to see Finn when he was in holding for Keith's murder, and Finn had tried

talking to him about being mates, but Marco had asked for some time. He had told Finn that there were things they would have to discuss and it might even have Finn rejecting him. All Finn knew was that after seeing the hurt Jett and Zev had gone through, Finn wasn't about to repeat that mistake. Finn had told Marco he would give the man until after this mess with Keith was taken care of.

Both men came up to them with Nash asking, "What's going on?"

Day explained the situation and Nash's features hardened. "You think Jinx is behind whatever is going on in there?"

"I don't know, Nash. It could be, but we still have Keith's killer running around as well," Jett answered.

Nash sighed heavily. "Okay, Marco, you and I will look out here. Finn, you go check out the back. I think that you guys should go in with the others and alert Illan and Justice."

Finn and Marco shared a look of concern. With a sharp nod, Finn made his way to the back

entrance. Finn saw a garbage bag had stopped the door from closing all the way and quietly made his way into the building, doing his best not to make any noise.

"Now don't you two make any sudden movements. We wouldn't want this bomb going off before I'm ready," Jinx said as he walked out of the office.

Finn plastered his back against the wall blocking Jinx's view of him, and stopped his breathing so there was no sound, hoping the smell of cleaning fluids would disguise his scent.

Taking a chance, Finn looked to see Jinx making his way to the front of the building holding what looked like a cell phone. If this situation was like any of the others, that phone was the dead man's switch he planned to use to kill them all.

Rushing into the office, he saw Doris and Twix tied to a chair and gagged before he softly closed the door, whispering, "Stay as quiet as you can. I'm going to get you guys out of here."

Looking at Twix and then Doris, Finn smiled wide saying, "I think I'll talk to Doris. Somehow, I like you unable to talk, Twix."

The little man gave Finn a dirty look as Finn knelt in front of Doris and removed the tape covering her mouth. "Did Jinx mention any mechanism attached to your chair?"

Shaking her head, Doris whispered, "No. He came in when I was taking out the trash and pushed me into the office. He placed the bomb under Twix's seat."

Finn untied Doris, then slowly opened the door. Hearing a bunch of yelling from the front, Finn whispered, "Get out of here Doris. Don't go towards the front of the café. I don't want Jinx seeing you and setting off the bomb."

"What about Twix?" Doris whispered.

Finn looked at Twix who was wide eyed and shaking. "I won't let anything happen to the sarcastic twit. Now go."

Doris took off, and Finn went to the Twix, ignoring the fact that the man was shooting daggers at him. Looking underneath the seat, and then at the device attached to the man's chair. It was four dynamite sticks wrapped with a timer pad and wires going in all directions. He didn't know much about bombs, but even he knew this s**t was not only unstable, but crudely put together.

Finn softly said, "I don't see any wires attached to the chair. I think it might be best to get the device out of here and then come back and untie you."

Twix clearly didn't like that idea if his mumbled muttering through the tape was any indication.

"Fine, but you need to be quiet and do as I say. If Jinx sets off the damn bomb everyone in this building is going to die," Finn hissed in warning.

Twix nodded rapidly and Finn made quick work of his bindings and pulled off the tape. Moving the chair out of the way Finn picked up the bomb, whispering, "Okay, get the door."

Finn was thankful the little guy didn't speak. However, when Twix stopped short and whispered,

"What is Candace doing here? She hasn't been here since her sister died."

Finn shook his head, rasping softly, "I don't know. Get out the back door, but be careful."

Making his way to the exit, Finn stopped when he heard Candace yelling. "You and Keith have always been f*****g rapist pigs. I went to your place looking for you. I wanted to kill you right then and there. You took everything from me. My virginity, my life, my f*****g son. Asshole Keith was there instead. He grabbed the gun out of my hand and thought he could rape me just like you did all those years ago, his nasty hands touching me all over. I wanted to puke. I screamed and I fought, but he was too strong. When he was done with me and I laid there naked

and bleeding, he had the nerve to ask me who was a better f**k, you or him. When he turned, I jumped up and pulled the sword Levi gave you off the mantel, and I cut that son of a b***h to pieces."

"Finn, come on! We need to take care of that bomb."

Finn looked shocked. "She just cleared my name."

Snorting, Twix hissed, "Congratulations. Now can we please get that dang thing out of here?"

Finn rushed to the dumpster, careful not to jar the bomb. Once there, Finn realized his situation.

He couldn't jump into the dumpster with the bomb in his hands, and he couldn't set it down to get in, either. Reluctantly Finn turned to Twix, quietly saying, "You need to get in the dumpster."

"Are you kidding me? I'm not getting in there, it stinks. Just put it in through the side door,"

Twix hissed quietly.

Shaking his head, Finn replied, "We can't take the chance that it rolls to the bottom and trips a wire. You need to get in there and I'll hand the bomb over to you. Set it on the bottom as gently as you can and then I'll pull you out the door."

Twix looked as if he wanted to argue, but let out a deep breath and climbed into the side door.

"Dear lord it stinks in here. I need to talk to Doris about replacing tuna casserole night. "

When Twix got situated, and held out his hands, Finn noticed the poor guy's hands wereshaking like a leaf. "Twix, you can do this. Just relax and as soon as you get the device, set it on the bottom of the dumpster. I swear I'll pull you out."

Nodding but still looking scared shitless, Twix let out a loud breath and shook his hands. "Okay, let's do this."

Slowly Finn handed the bomb over to Twix, watching as he used his foot to move things aside, moaning, "This is disgusting. I got casserole all over my foot. It's just gross."

"Just put the bomb down so I can get back into the café to help the others," Finn argued softly.

Twix pursed his lips, bending to set the bomb down, mumbling, "Easy for you to say. You don't have tuna mush down your pants and in your shoes."

Finn couldn't help but laugh, immediately trying to cover it up with a slight cough.

"Just get me out of here," Twix hissed angrily.

Finn grabbed Twix by the shoulders, pulling the little man out. His foot caught some loose rocks and Finn lost his balance, falling backwards with Twix landing on top of him and kneeing him in the balls.

"Oof!" Finn grunted in pain, closing his eyes tight and breathing rapidly in and out through puffed up cheeks.

Twix tried to move, causing his knee to push harder into Finn's nuts. "Sorry."

The high pitch of his voice, surprised even Finn. "Stop moving!"

A loud explosion followed by another had Finn acting on instinct as he flipped Twix to his back and covered the man with his body.

Twix wiggled around causing Finn's still hurting c**k to twitch, and bringing out a moan of discomfort from Finn's tortured body.

"Get off me, you big lug. I can barely breathe," Twix rasped breathlessly as he pushed on Finn's rock hard chest.

Finn realized the sound wasn't the bomb. Then it registered. "s**t! That was a gun, not the bomb."

Getting to his feet quickly, Finn helped Twix up, hissing, "Stay here."

Shaking his head, Twix snapped, "No way. Those are my friends in there and I want to help."

Sighing heavily, Finn growled, "Fine! Stay behind me."

Finn and Twix rushed back into the diner and saw chaos everywhere. Justice was kneeling on the floor next to Avery, holding his shoulder with what looked like a bloody cloth. Rushing into the room, Finn stopped to assess the situation. Jinx lay there with his eyes fixed next to Candace who had the same dead gaze.

Hearing Pauly speaking, Finn ignored the man as he was forced to jump out of the way, because a serpent ghost rushed past him and out the door they had just entered. Finn and Twix watched as two phoenixes began to emerge. Ghost owls snagged one and dragged it underground. The other floated up through the roof.

"What the hell is happening?" Twix asked anxiously.

Just as Finn was about to answer, another phoenix started to emerge from the body Pauly was kneeling over. Finn couldn't see who it was and was completely surprised when Pauly grabbed the bird by its tail and shoved the phoenix back into the man's body, snarling, "You are not done on this earth!"

It was when Pauly held his hands on the man's wound, that Finn's world stopped moving. No sounds were heard and Finn knew his heart had stopped. Marco lay there with his eyes open, just as Candace and Jinx's had been. His mate was dead.

Twix gasping, "Holy s**t!" from next to Finn brought him back long enough to glance once more towards Marco. Finn felt his world practically tilting sideways.

Where Pauly was touching, a blue light had formed. It encircled both Pauly and Marco. Finn watched as the bullet floated into the air and then dropped on Marco's chest. Seconds later the hole began to close, and the light began to fade. Marco gasped in a breath and began coughing.

"I don't know what Criss Angel bullshit that was, but I have to say, that is one f*****g cool ass gift," Jett said in awe.

Pauly didn't say anything as he dropped to the ground next to Marco, gasping for air. Ryder was all over his mate as Finn finally snapped out of his anguish and raced past Jett and straight to Marco.

Dropping on his knees, Twix took Finn by the cheeks, saying, "Thank you for being there with me and not leaving me alone to die. I won't ever forget that."

Twix leaned in and gently took Finn's lips with his own. Pulling back a look of shock crossed his features, as he turned to Jett. "Holy s**t, he's my mate!"