Wicked Ones {bxb}

{Chapter 27 : Head Games}

Something sucked the air from his lungs, sending his insides panging with a myriad of prickling needles. Vincent stumbled back, succumbing to the pain with a wounded choke. April spared no mercy and moved her body in an angular twist as she sent the ball of her foot smashing into his abdominals again.

Vincent stumbled back and crumbled over, hacking out a winded cough.

"You're worse than usual," April huffed, her head tilting ever so slightly. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine. Again," he muttered, his eyes sweeping over to Kailan.

Kai sat out of the way with mild interest written on his face. Jahni refused to let him join in—wouldn't let him so much as lift a barbell. Said the injury needed more time. But he was distracting Vincent's efforts. He looked different in a way—more focused than usual. Calculated, like he was watching every movement they made.

Distracted, Vincent he hadn't seen April taking a fist to his face until it was too late. He fumbled backwards, clasping his cheek in his hands. The punch hurt, and already he could taste the bitter, rustic essence of blood.

Still, his eyes roamed back to Kailan.

"Again," he mumbled.

He wanted to know about the men who's attacked him. He had considered many times going to Jason, but from what Cally had said, the guy didn't remember a thing about that night. The way Jason saw it, he was one of the unlucky few who had the luxury of experiencing a lightning strike first hand.

The men who attacked Kailan did so out of their own pure hatred for Wickeds. That much he knew, and it made his anger fester. He wanted to find them. He wanted to find them so badly it hurt.

His eyes flickered to the side, just in time to see the oncoming flight of April's fist. Driven by his anger, he caught her by the wrist and yanked hard to heave her over his shoulder, tossing her weight back, and all in one movement, sending her flat against the ground. He pressed a shoe against her stomach to hold her in place, a rage still boiling in the back of his mind.

Maybe he could hire someone to find them. No—they'd only be arrested then. That wasn't enough.

"Vincent. That'll do." Jahni's voice snapped him back to reality.

His eyes widened at the look of shock on April's face—or what he could see of it, under her messy plum hair.

"Ah. My bad," he apologized, removing his foot and catching her hand to help her up.

"What the hell was that?" April puffed, sweeping the dust from her shirt. "You were seriously scary for a second there."

Vinny wiped the blood from his lip. "Got distracted."

Kailan leapt down from the table he sat on, and walked to meet them. At the sight of him April smiled. "Enjoy the show, Kai?"

"As always," he said. "Still, I would much rather be doing something." Then he turned to Vinny with the tilt of his head.

"You alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Vinny returned with quiet laugh, though there wasn't much behind it. It had been well over twenty-four hours since his last unwarranted dream. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little unnerved whenever he was around Kailan.

"Take a break." The bass in Jahni's voice nearly shook the ground below his feet. "Your training will intensify. I want you all well and rested for it when the time comes." He stood from his seat, crossing the warehouse to the small dark room that was seemingly off limits for anyone but himself.