The Allies of Old; Book Two Renewal: Chapter Sixty Nine "Billiards, Bets, and Bruised Ball Threats"

Book Cover created in acrylic by the extremely talented @therealpaul

If you have not read the first book of the series, "Reborn", it is advisable you do so before reading "Renewal" or you will be lost. This link will provide you with a series summary as well as all sixty-eight chapters of Reborn

Table of Contents for Fifty Five chapters of Renewal, created by @bashadow

Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Three days later, Jared, Anna, Jess, Michael, the Brothers Three, Aidan and Samuel boarded their newly acquired Jet for the test-run to Boston.

Jess dragged Anna towards the back, ushering them into a seat. “This is so exciting!” she gushed. “I can’t believe we have our own plane!”

“I know, it’s awesome,” Anna agreed.

She still hadn’t made any headway with Michael who seemed to be avoiding her friend like the plague, and she reluctantly admitted to herself that perhaps the two of them just weren’t meant to be.

She’d been equating Jess’s feelings for the obstinate male with her own feelings for Jared which was probably a mistake. After all, Jess did have a habit of falling in and out of love rather quickly. She would continue to try for Jess’s sake, but in a way she would be glad when Michael left for Europe.

They spent the two hour flight chatting excitedly about the days to come and before they knew it they were descending into Massachusetts.

At the landing site they were greeted by Mathias and to Anna’s surprised delight Will and Josh were also there. She leapt off the plane and flew into Josh’s arms, covering his cheeks with kisses. Moments later she was forcibly removed by her irritated mate.

“Jared, you have to stop that!” she cried.

“Sorry little imp, but it’s you who has to stop that.”

She wriggled in his iron hold while Josh and Will laughed.

“Hey, you should be on my side,” she pouted in their direction.

“Sorry sis, but we live by the firm belief that Might makes Right,” Will grinned, “and since he’s the mightiest it makes him the rightiest.”

She glared up at Jared’s unrelenting face. “Fine, I guess I’ll just have to get my hugs on the sly then.”

His arms tightened around her like steel bands and he growled in her ear. “Don’t think I harbor any reservations about putting you over my knee again, so be sure your hugs are worth a heated bottom before you dare it.”

She stilled as she vividly recalled the stinging slaps her poor little bum had once received.

“You spanked her?” Jess asked him, eyes agog.

He leveled a look at the gaping girl while Anna’s face burned with embarrassment. Jess had spoken so loudly she’d attracted the attention of the entire group who seemed to find it hilarious.

“You should not find your queen being spanked amusing,” Anna huffed at which point even Jess started giggling.

“Traitor,” she accused.

“I’m sorry, it’s just a funny thing to picture.” Jess made her face serious and pinned Jared with a convincing glare. “If you do it again you’ll have bruised balls to go with her bruised bottom,” she threatened.

Jared narrowed his eyes and took a menacing step towards her and she yelped, hopping backwards.

He grinned and turned away. “So where are we congregating?” he asked Mathias who gestured for them to follow.

After they’d settled their things at the hotel, Anna, Jared, the McClaron’s, and Mathias gathered in the downstairs bar.

They found a table and Anna sat in Jared’s lap next to Mathias and across from the brothers.

“So the weapon you- acquired,” Jared pinned Will and Josh with a look, “have you had an opportunity to use it?”

Anna ducked her head to hide her grin. She’d completely forgotten about the weapon she had “acquired” for them.

Will’s mouth quirked, “Actually no, dad insists we need some vamps for backup before we test it since none of us have any experience dealing with demons directly.”

Jared’s lip curled, his eyes glinting. “That’s wise of him. With our superior strength and intellect we make great bodyguards for your weak species.”

Mathias laughed loudly and Anna exchanged a “here we go look” with Josh.

Will narrowed his eyes. “You think we’re inferior, huh?”

Jared leaned back lazily, “It’s a fact Jack.”

Will stood, placing his palms on the table. “Oh yeah? Play Billiards, tough guy?”

Jared flashed his teeth. “Bring it on small fry.”

“Count me in,” Mathias stated.

Will cracked his knuckles, his smile a bit feral as he glanced at Josh. “Come on bro, let’s spank these cocky bastards.” He pressed his tongue down on his lip and eyed Jared. “Best of three, losers pick up the tab.”

“I hope you boys brought some cash,” Mathias retorted.

Anna snickered. Males and their perpetual need for competition. She settled on a stool next to the pool table and when Will sank the first few balls she cheered wildly, earning a slanty eyed look from Jared.

“What? I always root for the underdog,” she insisted with a grin.

Three games later they were one for one and Anna held her breath as Josh lined up the tie-breaking shot. She watched the ball bank and glide effortlessly into the hole then jumped off her stool and whooped, slapping the brothers five.

“A’ight, gotta admit it, you two are masters of this game,” Mathias conceded.

Jared clasped Will’s hand, his lips curved in a half smile. “Excellent shooting,” he nodded towards the bar, “What’s your poison?”

“Just order up pitchers and keep ‘em coming.” He kept a hold of Jared’s hand a moment longer. “You know I respect the hell out of your kind and am well fucking aware you could destroy me with a finger.”

Jared grinned. “I’m afraid I can’t return the sentiment, but I can say that humanity is slightly redeemed by males like you and your brother,” he placed his free hand on their clasped ones and squeezed briefly before heading over to the bar.

Anna followed him putting her arms around his waist. “That was a nice thing to say,” she whispered.

He dropped a kiss on her head. “It was the truth. Your friends remind me of why I used to fight.”

She smiled up at him thinking for the ten thousandth time that she was the luckiest female on the planet. “I’m gonna go back to the suite,” she told him, “Check on Jess.”

“Okay, see you up there.”

When she got on the elevator her phone beeped. It was a text message from Jenna informing her that she would be flying into Boston in a few days. Anna had spoken to her the other day, giving her a spiel about how Jess had never actually lost her memory but she’d been unable to shake the feeling she would endanger herself or them somehow if she told the truth. Jenna had accepted it without a hint of suspicion, her relief at Jess’s reappearance overshadowing everything else.

She exited the elevator and entered their suite to find Jess was all by her lonesome and had fallen asleep on the couch. She stood watching her for a moment, smiling fondly down at her slumbering form.

You and me babe, sisters forever, she thought, then leaned down and brushed a kiss across her brow.

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