Victuals & Vehemence - Septiplier

Chapter Thirty Four

Felix frowns and makes his way to the door, opening it up. After a quick conversation with the person at the door, he turns to the expectant group.

"He's killed again," the alpha announces, expression grim.

"Address?" Ethan asks. Felix answers as Jack stands and checks all of his weapon locations on his body. Mark stands behind his mate and follows the omega as Jack strides past Felix out onto the street.

"Mark and I will go. Get a manhunt started as soon as possible. He's in the area," Jack says to Felix as he climbs into Hades' saddle. Mark pulls himself up onto his horse as Felix nods. The officer who delivered the message is looking around at everyone in confusion, but Jack leaves the rest of the posse to deal with it, turning Hades and riding off with Mark close behind. Mark calls out directions as they ride, knowing his way around town far better than Jack does.

They arrive at the small townhouse, and Jack ties Hades up, staring upward at the house. Neutral paint, nothing obnoxious, it's a simple home. Jack wonders what this person did to deserve death. He sighs, rubs his eyes, and moves forward, pacing up the steps with firm decision. Mark catches Jack's arm and pulls him to a halt. Jack frowns and turns to chew him off before the alpha pulls him into a tight hug. The omega hugs back, confused but happy by the display of affection as he basks in the warmth and strength of his mate.

"You are so strong, and smart, and wonderful, and I love you," Mark praises softly. Jack blushes, hiding his face in the crook of Mark's neck.

"I love you too," he whispers, feeling the surge of gentle warmth from their bond, knowing Mark is telling the truth. There is something else too, something like excitement or anticipation, but perhaps it's intrigue and nervousness about what they're going to see. The couple separates and nods to each other before turning to face the door.

The omega strides into the house and is immediately hit with the scent of death. Mark walks past him, moving upstairs while Jack inspects the first floor. He frowns, looking around. Everything is pristine.

There is a squeak of door hinges toward the front, and Jack glances back, seeing it fall closed in the wind. He turns back to the kitchen, eyes sharp as he scours the area for anything out of place. There's a creak of shifting floorboards to his right, and the omega glances up at the ceiling, expecting to see the shifting wood of Mark moving around. A monstrous snarl fills the room, and Jack is hit by a freight train. Massive arms wrap around him as he slams to the ground, crying out.

"You bastard!" the alpha roars, slamming his fist into Jack's face. "You killed him! You killed him!" he screams. Jack blinks, vision dizzying as he tries to catch his breath, pain erupting on his cheek from the punch. That's only the beginning as punches start raining down, bruising, and damaging the omega's thin frame. He immediately goes for his gun, but it's not there. He scrabbles for the other one on his left hip, but it's gone as well. Pure panic grips him. His blood runs cold. Where are they? He had them back with the posse! He checked them right before he left to come here! Another brutal punch snaps him back to the situation, terror filling him.

Without thinking, Jack grabs the knife on his hip and stabs. The punches falter before continuing, trying to stop his arms. Jack cries out as he yanks the blade out, aims higher, and thrusts again.

His head is slammed back against the wood, the alpha is too big for a knife to stop him quickly enough. His hands are grabbed and pinned above his head with one of the alpha's hands while the other moves to his throat, squeezing. Jack chokes and writhes about, gasping for air. His vision spots, his mind begins to go numb. The omega slams a knee upward, nailing the alpha in the groin area. The grip falters with a groan, and Jack heaves himself up with all his might, rolling them over and grabbing the knife still planted in the alpha's shoulder.

He jerks it out and stabs. Blood splurts up as the alpha groans again. Jack rips back and stabs again, and again, and again, and again. The omega's chest heaves, and he keeps stabbing, blood splattering onto his face, vision distorted as his face swells from the punches. The alpha stopped moving long ago, but Jack keeps going, sobbing and shaking. Only when his arm is on fire, muscles exhausted, and knife trembling in his grasp does he stop. Jack leans back, and the weapon clatters to his side.

The silence of death fills the kitchen.