Chapter 40:
– Blake –
Tony leaned back against the rough, cold brick wall of the jail cell, casually singing some old-timey jailhouse song he probably learned from a movie.
Tony cleared his throat dramatically, his eyes gleaming mischievously as he launched into a loud, jaunty tune. "Oh, we're locked up tight in county jail, ain't got no booze, can't make no bail!" His voice carried strongly, bouncing playfully off the metal bars and echoing in the cramped cell. A tattooed inmate grinned, joining in with enthusiasm, clapping his hands to the beat. "The beds are hard, the food is stale, life's a bitch behind these bars of jail!" Soon, two other guys were tapping their feet and humming along, laughing as Tony continued, "Officer, oh officer, set us free, I swear this ain't the place for me! I didn't do no crime, I shouldn't be doing no time!"
His voice echoed off the metal bars, bouncing around the cramped, musty cell.
"You were literally caught racing your million dollar sports cars down PCH, Mr Stark. Yes that was a crime," the officer deadpanned in response to the song.
"Awww…"
I shifted uncomfortably on the hard wooden bench, staring at the chipped concrete floor and trying to ignore the rank smell of sweat and disinfectant. I had never been to jail before...
Tony clearly didn't share my worries. He'd already signed autographs for pretty much everyone, including some of the cops who'd arrested us. He even laughed and joked like it was a party, completely unbothered that we'd just been arrested for street racing.
Well, it wasn't much of a race in the end.
Tony had forgotten the most basic thing about California highways: there was always traffic. Instead of outrunning the cops like he'd planned, we'd gotten stuck behind a line of bumper-to-bumper cars, boxed in with no escape route…
It was fun while it lasted at least. Some of the most fun I'd ever had. Peter would be jealous as fuck.
When the cops finally yanked us out of the vehicles, Tony had simply grinned, raising his hands high as if he'd just performed some amazing stunt. I, on the other hand, felt my face burn red-hot from embarrassment as the officer cuffed my wrists, leading me to the back of a patrol car. Tony was right beside me, joking loudly about how much bail money he'd have to fork over this time.
Inside the cell, Tony finally stopped singing long enough to slap my shoulder roughly, making me jolt upright. "Relax, Blake," he chuckled loudly. "Your mom won't be mad. She'll probably find this hilarious."
I rubbed my forehead, feeling sweat dampening my palms. "Or she'll kill us both. You're the one who talked me into this. She's your "wife", remember? She'll blame you first," I added with a touch of sarcasm.
Tony just laughed harder, shaking his head and waving at the other inmates in the cell, who watched us curiously. "Trust me, kid. It'll be fine..."
Footsteps echoed in the corridor outside. A tired-looking police officer stepped up to the bars, keys jingling loudly in his hand. "Stark, your secretary's here to pay your bail," he announced flatly. His bored eyes shifted to me, a slight smirk lifting the corner of his mouth. "And you, kid—looks like you've got three women here ready to bail your ass out. Lucky you, little playboy junior."
I blinked in surprise, feeling my eyebrows pinch together. "Three women?" I repeated.
Tony immediately started laughing again, standing up from his relaxed slump. He turned dramatically to face the rest of the guys still stuck behind bars with us. "Well, gentlemen, this is where we part ways. But don't worry, because you've all been so kind to me and my new stepson here, I'm giving you a gift." He raised his voice, spreading his arms wide as if announcing to an audience. "You can all reach out to my own personal lawyers. They'll handle your cases absolutely free."
The men in the cell broke into cheers, slapping Tony's back as we stepped toward the opening cell door. Tony nodded grandly, soaking up their praise.
The officer grumbled loudly under his breath, rolling his eyes as he escorted us down the brightly lit hallway toward the front lobby of the station. "Might as well let them all out right now," he muttered bitterly, "save myself the hassle later."
…
I felt my face heating up immediately as Tony and into the lobby of the police station. Jean and Emma stood there, clearly here for me. Jean's eyes softened the moment they landed on me. Emma stood confidently beside her. She raised one eyebrow at me, clearly irritated at being in a jail yet still somehow still very affectionate.
Nearby, Pepper stood rigidly with her arms tightly folded across her chest, glaring in obvious frustration. Her gaze flickered to Tony, narrowing slightly, then softened when it met mine. Still, she seemed irritated, her mouth tightening in a frown directed at the other women nearby.
I suddenly noticed Agent Natalie Rushman standing a few feet from Jean and Emma. Her black business attire clung tightly to her figure, accentuating every curve. She gave me a sly, confident smile, her eyes openly amused by the entire situation. "Blake," she greeted smoothly, stepping forward slightly and winking at me, "You really know how to make a girl's day—interesting."
Pepper clicked her tongue sharply. "I was perfectly capable of handling this without you three hussies showing up," she muttered irritably, glaring at Natalie, Emma, and Jean.
Jean's lips formed a gentle pout as she glanced quickly at me, then back at Pepper. Emma, however, quickly stepped forward, her hips swaying confidently as she met Pepper's gaze without hesitation.
"Oh please, Ms," Emma said sharply, eyes narrowed, "Jealousy doesn't suit you at all. Can't handle a bit of competition?"
Pepper flushed deeply before her eyes narrowed as she clenched her jaw, clearly biting back a sharp retort.
Tony chuckled beside me, clearly enjoying the awkward tension as he looped an arm casually around my shoulder and dragged me towards the potential cat fight.
I hoped it wouldn't come to that at least.
"Ladies," Tony drawled, his voice amused but calming, "while I'd normally pay good money to see a show like this, maybe we should save the drama for outside the station."
My eyes instinctively dropped to the four women walking ahead of us, each step they took clearly outlined by the snug fit of their clothing. Jean's tight jeans hugged every curve, drawing my gaze to her rounded hips and firm ass. Emma moved confidently, her white skirt swishing with each confident stride, perfectly outlining her toned legs and backside.
Agent Rushman walked ahead with a deliberate, mesmerizing rhythm. She was definitely doing it on purpose.
I turned my head.
Finally, my gaze settled firmly on Pepper as she walked ahead of me. Her hips moved side to side with each deliberate step, her tight skirt clinging snugly to the curves of her ass. I stared openly, vividly recalling how that same naked ass looked in my hands just the night before.
Tony noticed my distracted stare and elbowed me lightly, chuckling quietly as he leaned toward my ear. "Easy there, Blake. You're practically drooling."
"Sorry… It's in my nature," I grumbled. Knowing that my race always made me hornier than the average human man.
"Don't worry about it, your mom told me all about it," Tony shrugged and then added, "You know, with a view like this, getting arrested might not be such a bad thing after all," he joked.
I stepped out behind Tony, feeling the tension lingering heavily between Pepper, Jean, Emma, and Natalie, who walked slightly ahead of us.
Natalie paused abruptly and spun around gracefully. A slow, seductive smile spread across her lips. She took a deliberate step toward me, the movement causing her snug black skirt to ride slightly higher along her toned thighs.
"Blake," she said softly, her voice low and smooth, filled with unmistakable confidence. "I have some news for—"
She never finished her sentence. Natalie's eyes suddenly widened in surprise, and she let out a startled yelp. Her entire body jerked backward as if an unseen hand had firmly gripped her and dragged her away from me. Her heels scraped roughly against the pavement.
Natalie stumbled slightly as she fought for balance, eyes wide with shock.
Jean's vibrant red hair flowed wildly around her face, strands lifting and swirling dramatically as though caught by an invisible wind. Her eyes flashed with intense anger.
"You bitch," Jean hissed coldly, her voice tight and seething with barely restrained fury. She took a slow, threatening step toward Natalie. "What you were thinking just now is absolutely unacceptable. A manipulative woman like you doesn't deserve to be anywhere near someone as wonderful as Blake!"
Natalie stared back at Jean, her mouth slightly open, clearly stunned into silence. Her hands quickly moved to smooth out the wrinkles on her skirt and blouse.
After a brief, tense silence, Natalie finally found her voice again. "You're enhanced?" she asked cautiously, her voice wavering slightly with uncertainty. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she processed the situation, realization slowly dawning across her features. "And you can read minds, too!?"
Jean narrowed her eyes but didn't respond.
Before Jean could answer, Emma stepped forward. "That's none of your business," she said flatly. "And you won't be able to tell anyone either way, so don't bother asking again."
Natalie's eyebrows shot up. "What the hell are you talking about—" She winced suddenly and brought both hands to her head, her fingers pressing into her temples. "Ow." Her voice cracked as she bent slightly at the waist, eyes squeezed shut. "What did you just do to my brain?" she hissed, glaring up at Emma as she straightened slowly.
Emma gave an exaggerated flip of her hair over her shoulder and stared at Natalie without a hint of concern. "You should be thanking me," she said casually.
Natalie's jaw tightened. "For what? You just fucked with my head! I'm compromised now!"
Emma crossed her arms over her chest and took another step forward. "I blocked you from ever being able to speak about me or Jean having any kind of abilities. That's permanent. No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to share it with anyone."
Natalie's lips parted like she wanted to argue, but Emma kept going.
"And I also did you a favor," Emma added bluntly. "The Red Room completely programmed your mind. You were trained to follow orders without hesitation. It did not end when you escaped. It did not disappear when you joined S.H.I.E.L.D. You still obey authority without question, even when that authority is no longer the Red Room."
Natalie's eyes widened at that. "Are you saying I couldn't say no to any orders my superiors gave me…?"
Emma tilted her head slightly, her voice sharper now. "That is probably why you were so eager to jump on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s leash. You kept being the perfect little asset, following instructions, avoiding anything that might force you to question the chain of command. You traded one handler for another, and you never stopped being their good little spy."
Natalie didn't respond. Her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. Her arms stayed still at her sides, her shoulders tense, and she stared at Emma in stunned silence.
Tony stepped forward and raised his hands slightly, glancing around at the tension thick in the air. He looked a little uneasy, but he still forced a grin onto his face. "Okay, okay," he said, probably trying to ease the mood. "Why don't we all calm down and stop scrambling each other's brains? Blake, can you tell your girlfriends to stop messing with government spies heads? At least while I'm around. I already get audited too much and I need some level of plausible deniability…"
Pepper immediately turned and smacked him on the shoulder with the flat of her hand. "That's not funny, Tony," she said sharply.
Tony winced and rubbed his arm. "It was a little funny," he muttered.
Honestly, I thought it was a little funny too, even if the timing was awkward.
While everyone else was still focused on Natalie, I glanced toward Jean and Emma. They were standing quietly now, just off to the side. Their expressions had softened. Both of them were looking at the ground, cheeks flushed pink. I caught them each muttering under their breath, but I picked up enough to hear what they were saying.
They were whispering about being my girlfriends. Jean's voice was soft, a little breathless. Emma gave a tiny, almost sly smile as she spoke, though she didn't meet my eyes.
I scratched the back of my neck and took a breath. "Uh, can you two ease up a little on the beautiful spy lady?" I asked, trying to sound calm and not make things worse. "It sounds like she's had a rough life…"
Natalie turned to look at me. "You think I'm beautiful?" she asked with a small grin. Her tone was playful, but her voice was softer than before. "I knew it." She let out a light giggle. Despite everything that had just happened, it actually sounded real.
Jean and Emma both frowned at that. Neither of them responded to Natalie. Instead, they quietly stepped closer to me, each one brushing lightly against my sides.
Emma glanced up at me. Her eyes looked a little sad, even as she kept her voice calm. "We talked to your mom earlier," she said quietly. "Shuri, I mean. We know we came out of nowhere and just kind of dropped ourselves into your life without warning."
Jean nodded slowly. "We get that this is a lot," she added. "You've got enough going on already. We don't want to make it worse for you."
Emma looked over at Jean, then back at me. "We're heading back to New York for now," she said, her voice more subdued now. "But we'll be calling and texting you every day."
Jean gave me a small smile. "Every single day," she said with a little nod.
Emma suddenly smirked and stepped in closer. She reached up and dragged a single finger across my chest, the motion slow and deliberate. Her eyes held mine the entire time. "Make sure you open our messages when you're alone~" she whispered.
Before I could respond, she turned away and started walking. Jean followed right behind her. Neither of them looked back.
"Well, I suppose we should get out of here before we get arrested for disturbing the peace," Tony said.
I let out a low chuckle, still trying to shake off the weird tension in the air. Tony reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small set of keys. He tossed them to me, and I caught them without thinking. The Bugatti logo gleamed.
Ready for round 2…
Pepper stepped closer almost immediately. Her heels clicked sharply against the pavement. She stopped right next to me and looked up with a pout on her face, her eyes narrowed with disapproval. "Wasn't Blake just arrested for driving without a license and reckless driving?" she asked.
I looked away for a second. She had a point.
Without waiting for my answer, she slid her arms around one of mine, pressing herself against me. Her grip was firm and possessive. She looked up again, and this time the disappointment in her expression was clear. "I will be driving," she said flatly as she snatched the keys from my hand.
Natalie stepped forward. "And I will be riding along," she said with a light, confident tone.
Pepper turned her head toward Natalie and frowned hard. "That is not necessary, Agent," she said sharply. "I have everything handled."
Natalie smiled faintly, but her eyes stayed locked on me for a moment longer than they needed to. "Not as well as my connections handle things," she said evenly.
I raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet.
Natalie continued speaking. "I already had all digital records of this arrest deleted from every police archive. You will not have to worry about TMZ picking up the story, or your stock prices dropping even further."
Pepper scoffed and huffed through her nose at that one. I felt her grip on my arm tighten noticeably. Her entire body shifted closer until her hip was pressed against mine. She was clinging to me now, and I could feel the tension rolling off her in waves.
I turned my head slightly toward Natalie. "What was it you wanted to tell me earlier?" I asked.
She gave me a teasing smile. "It would be better if I told you in the car," she said, it felt like it was going to be something important.
Tony stretched his arms and turned toward the Ferrari. "Alright, see you later, son," he called out. He gave a quick whistle and grinned. "Try not to do anything with two gorgeous women that I wouldn't do, which is not much!"
Pepper shot him a sharp look and rolled her eyes. "I hope you crash, Tony," she snapped, but there was a light blush creeping up her cheeks.
Tony laughed and climbed into the driver's seat of his car with the engine already humming.
Pepper tugged me firmly toward the Bugatti. "Come on," she said, not even giving Natalie a glance now. Her hand stayed locked around mine.
…The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow across the road ahead. Pepper sat in the driver's seat of the Bugatti, one hand firmly gripping the steering wheel. Her other hand reached across the center console and held mine gently. Her thumb moved slowly over the back of my hand, rubbing it in a soft, steady motion that felt reassuring.
I sat still, glancing at her from the corner of my eye. Her eyes were focused on the road, but I could see the tension had eased slightly from her face. Her grip on my hand stayed constant, like she needed the contact just as much as I did.
Behind us, Natalie sat in the cramped back seat. She shifted uncomfortably, clearly annoyed. The Bugatti technically had back seats, but they were barely more than a padded ledge. Her long legs were bent awkwardly, and she looked more irritated with every passing second.
"Maybe I should have just told you in the parking lot," she muttered under her breath, her voice quiet but not quite low enough to be missed.
I wondered if she had a lot on her mind after whatever Emma did to her head. She obviously didn't want to talk about it though.
I turned slightly in my seat and glanced back at her, waiting for her to say more, but she just sighed and leaned her head against the window.
Pepper glanced into the rearview mirror and smirked. "No one asked you to be the unwanted third wheel," she said flatly. Her tone was sharp, but there was a hint of amusement behind it. "You can just tell Blake whatever it is, and I can drop you off right here. Oh look, a Starbucks. You'll be fine."
Natalie leaned forward slightly between the front seats. Her lips curled into a smirk. "I don't have to be an unwanted third wheel," she said. "We could always fix that, you know. My past lovers, both men and women, have nothing but praise for me! We could all have a lot of fun and relieve some stress together…"
Wow… She just went and—made that offer for real.
I blinked and turned to Pepper. Her face turned red instantly. Her lips tightened and she stared straight ahead for a second, gripping the steering wheel with a bit more force with her hand. Her other squeezing mine tighter, I could actually feel her heartbeat speed up a bit from her pulse.
And then she finally scoffed and replied under her breath, "Fat chance..."
Natalie huffed softly. "Fine, be that way," she muttered with a little shake of her head.
There was a pause. I could hear her shifting slightly in the back seat, trying to get more comfortable even though there was barely any room. Then she spoke again, this time more directly. "Blake," she said, her voice clear and firm now. "We found your sister."
I froze. My breath caught in my throat. It felt like my heart stopped beating for a second. Pepper let out a small gasp beside me, her body going tense as her grip on my hand suddenly tightened.
I turned slowly in my seat to look over my shoulder at Natalie, trying to make sure I heard her correctly. Her face was serious now, no trace of her earlier teasing. She gave a single nod, her green eyes locked on mine.
…That was when my eyes went wide!
It was not because of the news Natalie had just given me. It was something else.
My supernatural senses kicked in all at once. My spine stiffened. The hairs on the back of my neck rose. My instincts screamed that something was coming!
I did not hesitate. I reached across and grabbed the steering wheel from Pepper's hands. She barely had time to react. I yanked it hard to the right.
Pepper let out a loud scream, her voice sharp and rising with fear. "Blake, what the hell are you doing?!"
Natalie shouted almost at the same time. "Are you trying to kill us?!"
Pepper grabbed the dashboard with both hands, her fingers digging into the leather. Her wide eyes were locked on the windshield, watching the world blur past as we veered sharply off the road.
Natalie clutched the back of Pepper's seat, her knuckles going white. Her body jerked forward slightly from the sudden movement, and she braced herself against the door with her other hand.
"This is insane!" Natalie yelled, her voice shaking. "You better have a damn good reason for that!"
The tires screeched violently as the Bugatti skidded across the pavement. The vehicle jolted hard, veering off the road and slamming through the grass. The entire car shook from the force of the maneuver. Dirt and blades of grass flew past the windows.
Pepper screamed again. "What the fuck, Blake!?"
Natalie's voice joined hers, high-pitched and alarmed. She was gripping the headrest in front of her, eyes wide as the vehicle bounced violently over uneven ground.
Just as the car came to a rough stop, I saw what I had sensed. Three glowing Lightspears came crashing down onto the highway. They exploded into the exact spot we had just swerved away from, destroying the concrete and sending shards of asphalt into the air!
"Am I going to get attacked by insane fallen angels every time I ride in a nice car with two beautiful women?" I muttered to myself as I pushed the car door open and stepped out. My feet hit the uneven grass, and I stood upright, scanning the area around us, my senses still on high alert.
Pepper immediately followed, practically stumbling out of the car behind me. She threw her hands up. "Blake, what the actual fuck was that? You almost killed us!"
Natalie climbed out more cautiously, adjusting her jacket as she stepped onto the grass. Her eyes darted around, taking in the scorched spot on the highway where the spears had landed. "You want to explain what just happened?"
"Fallen angels just tried to kill me. Again," I said flatly, not bothering to hide my frustration.
Natalie cursed from behind me. "Dammit," she muttered. "You actually are an angel? I just lost a hundred bucks on a bet with Coulson…"
I couldn't help but blink at her incredulously. That was it for her reaction that Angels were real? The women I always seemed to meet were something else weren't they.
Then again Pepper had handled it pretty well last night after the stray devil attack as well. Or at the very least, I'd fucked the stress right out of her.
Pepper quickly stepped closer and grabbed the front of my shirt with both hands. Her grip was tight, and her voice was filled with anxiety. "Is this going to be a thing now? Monsters trying to kill us every time we go anywhere together?"
I looked at her and shook my head slightly. "I hope not," I replied quietly.
Then I lifted my gaze to the highway. My expression hardened immediately.
I saw him.
There was a winged fallen angel standing in the center of the scorched concrete. He wore a long tan trench coat. Black wings were stretched out behind him. He stood calmly beside two other male fallen angels who watched us silently. But my attention was locked on the one in the trenchcoat.
I knew him...
That was the bastard who had stabbed me from behind months ago during Kokabiel's attack. The one who nearly killed me. And now he was here again, staring at me like he had been waiting for this moment.
"Well well fucking well! If it is not Barakiel's little twerp," the fallen angel sneered, stepping forward slowly. His black wings flexed once behind him as he stared me down. "So it turns out you were alive after all." He grinned, the expression twisted and full of malice. "That just means I get to kill you properly this time."
The two angels flanking him chuckled cruelly. One of them cracked his knuckles, while the other nodded toward the car behind me. "Let's kill him fast. Then we can play with and break those pretty human girls. The nephilim trash can watch."
My fists clenched at my sides. My entire body tensed. I could feel my power pulsing under the surface, my eight wings begging to be released, to rip these bastards apart for even speaking about Pepper that way!
And I guess Natalie as well…
But I forced myself to stay still.
I exhaled slowly and took a small step forward, my voice cold. "How did you find me? Have you actually been looking all this time?"
"Do not be so full of yourself," the fallen in the trench coat scoffed as he stepped forward. "We were not looking for you, nephilim trash. We were just on a layover before our flight to Japan. We kidnapped the girl and sensed a fellow fallen angel killing some filthy stray devil nearby. So we got curious, looked around, and surprise, surprise. It was you. Half-breed."
I exhaled slowly and felt a bit of tension ease in my shoulders. So this was not a targeted attack. It was a coincidence. I was not being actively hunted by them.
Behind me, Natalie stiffened. Her entire posture changed as she narrowed her eyes and took a step forward. "What girl did you kidnap?" she demanded to know.
The fallen on the right snapped his head toward her. "None of your business, human," he growled. "Your mouth is good for only one thing and it is not asking questions—"
He never finished whatever filth he was going to say.
A single gunshot cracked through the air. His head snapped backward violently. A spray of blood burst from the impact. His body staggered, then crumpled to the pavement.
I turned quickly to see Natalie lowering a small black pistol in her right hand.
She had drawn it from somewhere...?
Where was she hiding a gun in that tight outfit? Her face was calm, despite the fact she just killed a fallen angel with a single headshot.
"You bitch! We will kill you for that! Remember the name Donaseek when you get to hell!" the fallen angel in the trench coat roared. His black wings snapped open. His right hand lit up with a flash of energy as a Lightspear formed in his grip.
The other fallen angel to his left snarled deeply, his teeth bared. His wings opened as well as he summoned his own Lightspear, gripping it tightly. His eyes were focused on Natalie, burning with fury.
They both lifted off the ground, ready to charge us.
That was when I released my own wings finally. Eight black feathered wings burst from my back with a loud rush of air. The ground beneath my feet cracked from the sudden pressure of power radiating out from me—but I made sure none of it affected Natalie or Pepper.
Both fallen angels froze mid-air. Their eyes widened in horror. The snarls disappeared from their faces. Fear was written clearly in their expressions as they stopped completely, realizing they had just made a terrible mistake. I wasn't weak like the last time.
XXX
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Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:
The Fallen Gamer ch 347-350 The Finale!
–
Thunder and Black Wings 42
Thunder and Black Wings 41
–
That's not wizard magic 14
That's not wizard magic 13
That's not wizard magic 12
That's not wizard magic 11
That's not wizard magic 10
Thats not wizard magic 9
–
A Systematic Tale: The Hero 36
A Systematic Tale: The Hero 35
A Systematic Tale: The Hero 34
–
The Fox Hole 115
The Fox Hole 114
The Fox Hole 113
The Fox Hole 112
–
The Blood Queen 65
The Blood Queen 64
The Blood Queen 63
The Blood Queen 62
The Blood Queen 61