Brynn's POV
TW: v******e
I marched out to the front of the kingdom to wait on Jason and Emma's arrival. Arlen followed me out there, his cellphone in hand I assumed to call the wizards back to Dreake.

"Yes...we'll see you soon." Arlen hung up and met me at the front gate. "George and Rafael are on their way back."
Just when he said that, Jason and Emma pulled up and Jason jumped out. "I sense Lombardo!! He's close. Emma, get in the house!"
"No, I'm staying here!" Emma defiantly said.
"He's right Emma. You need to go inside. You're a human, you have no idea what Luca Lombardo can do. Please go inside and we'll send faes to guard you." Arlen commanded gently. Emma put her head down and wiped a tear from her eye before she hugged me tightly.
"Stay safe, Brynn. Please!" I hugged her back with everything I had. Emma hugged Jason and he whispered something to her before kissing her forehead and watching her go in the house.
"So what's the plan Arlen?" Jason asked.

"The wizards aren't far away. I have a suspicion Lombardo will send Patrick and the hitman here first and hide somewhere waiting to strike. We wait and brace ourselves." Arlen said.
"Brynn, that hitman who is with them. What do you know about him?" Jason asked.
"Viktor's Russian mob, he was a soldier or something too. He helped Patrick in his reptile trading. I've never seen him fight or anything like that. But anytime Viktor came over to the apartment he watched me like a hawk." I muttered, memories of the unease and terror I felt around Viktor flooding back.
"If Patrick was the one who tried to kill you, why is Viktor helping him now?" Arlen wanted to know.

"I honestly don't know." I was clueless about why Viktor would want to hurt me. Die hard loyalty to Patrick? Those two were always covering for each other.
"Nevertheless, the two of them aren't leaving here alive. If we can get Lombardo all the better!!" Arlen put his arm around me and I leaned my head into his shoulder. As scared as I was of what was about to happen, somehow I knew it was going to be fine. I know enough martial arts to protect myself, but having the King of Fairies as a boyfriend will definitely help.
We saw a red car pull up to the gate. Before the door even opened I sensed who it was. "Viktor. Long time no see. Is my douche of an ex with you?" I snarked.
Patrick jumped out of the car quickly and ran to the gate, grabbing it. "You talk to me, Brynlee!"
"What your friend's lips can't move? Viktor I have to ask, why did you team up with him?? He has no money to pay you anymore all his cash went to his lawyers!" I laughed, not missing the pure hate in Patrick's face.
"You cost me deal of lifetime, little b***h!! Patrick was supposed to fly to Africa with me to procure gaboon vipers to sell for big money. Two hundred thousand dollars would've been mine but he got arrested because you lived when you were supposed to DIE!" Viktor spat at me, his blue eyes full of fury.
"Well now is your chance, Viktor. Here I am!" I opened my arms like I was in some Western movie and challenged him. Arlen stepped behind me.
"Ha! Prepare to die cyka!" Viktor laughed.
"Open the gate." I told Arlen and Jason.
"You sure Brynn?" Jason asked.
"Of course. Viktor here has a death wish and I'm about to grant it. Open the gate!" I snarled.
Viktor and Patrick both laughed hysterically. "This will be too easy!"
The gate opened and Viktor immediately dashed forward and towards me. I crouched down like I learned in martial arts and upper cut him with all my might, sending him flying to the ground. He definitely wasn't expecting it. With that momentum, I jumped on top of him and delivered head hits until he threw me off him like a gnat. I felt my back slide against the pavement, realizing I was going to have a nasty road rash.
I got some good hits with Viktor. He had a bloody nose and a busted lip that he licked subconsciously by the time I was done with him. "Good moves b***h, but we're just getting started." He came at me again.
Oh indeed we were. I dodged just as Viktor came up on me and delivered a roundhouse kick to Viktor's lower back, knocking the wind out of him and bringing him to his knees.
"Awww Viktor, you're a bit out of shape!" I taunted.
"Viktor what the f**k is happening! Get up and take her out!" Patrick shouted encouragement.
Viktor attempted to get up but I kicked him in the face, sending a couple of teeth flying. Arlen and Jason stared at me in amusement.
"VIKTOR!" Patrick screamed and tried to jump the gate but was knocked back by Arlen's fae magic.
"You'll get your turn you piece of s**t! KEEP YOUR A** OVER THERE!" Arlen snapped at him.
I jumped on top of Viktor and slammed his head down in to the ground, watching his blue eyes roll into the back of his head. Beating Viktor to a pulp was proving to be really easy. I wondered briefly if Arlen or Jason was using their magic to subdue him a bit, but I've been around them long enough that I would've sensed it if they had.
Then again, Viktor was expecting me to be the same shy girl Patrick beat the hell out of all the time. He got a rude awakening.
Suddenly, I felt myself flying backward and hit the back of my head on the ground. I rolled over just as Viktor almost got on top of me, and immediately froze everything. I jumped up and looked to make sure everyone was frozen, and brought Viktor to the ground and beat his head into the gravel. After about thirty seconds, I unfroze time and realized Viktor was bleeding from his ears and eyes. The look in his eyes as he stared at me wasn't contempt any longer, but absolute terror. Shame and guilt washed over me.
"Viktor, you weren't even a part of this. It was just supposed to be me and Patrick!" I slapped him across the face as I felt the sobs begin.
"Brynn, let me finish him." Arlen commanded gently. I got up and nodded as he used his magic to end Viktor's life right in front of me. I stared at my mate as he took my hand and looked at me, his blue eyes seeing right to my soul.
"Never show empathy to an enemy." Arlen told me softly as he kissed my forehead.
"Hey f**khead, where you going!? The party is just getting started!!" Patrick's coward a** was trying to run away but Jason caught up to him. He brought Patrick inside the gate kicking and screaming.
"You know something? This takes me back Patrick. Four years ago I was kicking and screaming at you begging for my life as you beat and r***d me over and over!!" I have zero empathy for Patrick. I'd kill this mother f****r right now if I could!
"You had it coming! Taking off to some god d**n women's shelter?!" Patrick shouted at me, rage in his eyes.
"TO GET AWAY FROM YOU AND YOUR ABUSE!" I shouted back.
"No matter where you go, who you end up with, you are MINE BRYNLEE! ALWAYS!" Patrick broke free of Jason and came at me, catching me off guard. Arlen stepped forward to intervene but I got in front of Arlen and sucker punched Patrick right in the jaw.
"Ouch!!! Where the f**k did you learn that!" Patrick stuttered out as he rubbed his jaw.
"Mixed martial arts. Want to find out what else I've learned?" I shouted at Patrick and charged for him. He dodged me and I ran past him then doubled back. We faced off and stared each other down.
"Do you even know what I went through in that place?! The isolation, not having friends, not having anything to do? The closest to any action I got was when some mother f****r tried to assault me and I put him in a wheelchair!!" Patrick snarled at me.
"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you!? Nope! I sure don't! You should've got the chair for what you did to me. Oh GOD, I wish it would've happened to you so you could understand what YOU PUT ME THROUGH!!" I screamed and charged at him, headbutting him right in the stomach and knocking him on his a**.
I stood over him and was ready to freeze time again when Patrick vanished. Literally, f*****g vanished!! Jason and Arlen were by my side in seconds.
"Lombardo took him!" Arlen shouted, looking around up at the trees. I looked towards the gate and saw a flash of dark heading towards the red car.
"Arlen, the car!" I shouted and pointed. Jason was there first, throwing fae dust to engulf the car. Arlen swooshed through the gate trying to get to him.
"HA HA HA HA! YOU TOOLS!" I heard a voice out of nowhere shout.
"Show yourself!" Arlen commanded.
"I DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW YOUR COMMANDS FAE KING!" The voice taunted back.
"Lombardo, come out of hiding and face us like a real man!" Jason shouted, looking around him wildly.
"Ha! Real men!" Out of nowhere Jason was thrown against a tree. Arlen immediately came to my side and put his arms around me.
"Ahhh King Arlen, we meet again. Your mate definitely compliments you!!" The voice said in admiration.
"Keep your thoughts about my mate to yourself!!" Arlen shouted, tightening his grip on me so much it was hard to breathe.
"Such a pretty little thing she is! And a time freezer too! Ah, sweet Brynlee here is quite the package indeed!"
"YOU'LL NEVER HAVE HER!" Arlen shouted, not relaxing his grip on me at all.
"Oh, but you know I always get what I want Arlen! It's just a matter of time. I have quite the advantage, you'll never know just where I am hiding and when I'm going to strike!!" Arlen's face was a red I've never seen before.
"So why not show yourself now? See how I can freeze time and maybe you!" I shouted to the air, getting dark laughter in return.
"In due time, my Brynlee. In due time. Au revoir!" Tree branches bent as the wind force rushed away from the kingdom. Suddenly several fae warriors dashed in front of us following the force.
"I commanded the warriors to try to find them. It's not going to be much use but maybe he'll slip." Jason said, rubbing his back.
"You and Brynn need to go get checked out." Arlen was right. My back was absolutely killing from scraping against the pavement in my fight with Viktor. But I'm too p****d off to care.
"He was right here! RIGHT F*****G HERE!" I screamed and stormed off, kicking the first tree I could find. Arlen came up and stood off a few feet as I raged and cried. Only when I finally sank to the ground sobbing did Arlen come up and comfort me.
"You got one of them Brynn. Patrick is scared s**tless now. He knows what you can do and he knows what Lombardo can do to him." Arlen assured me.
"And now Luca has you in his sights. He is obsessive and he's very jealous." Jason said.
"And he's got my ex with him who wants me dead." I whispered in understanding.
"They'll turn on each other Brynn. We just bide our time and wait for the moment they do." Arlen said, putting his arm around me.