Priest

Priest. The smell had a name. That terrible, suffocating stench that turned Martin's insides upside down so he thought he might hurl was named Priest. He'd never had a lot of luck with priests before, why should he start now?

"Go," he growled lowly, the word meant for Cross, and he flicked his cigarette to the ground, sending it sparking as the embers scattered.

The kid stood and stared at the man blocking their exit that they'd meant to take. "But-"

"Get," Martin snarled and Cross jumped a little before stepping back towards the shadows, but Blackwing personnel had already filled in the gaps there as well. The growl remained low in his throat as he saw Priest's eyes follow him.

"Well that is interesting," he drawled, the last word leaving his lips syllable by syllable.

Martin squared his shoulders and took a purposeful step between the Blackwing owned bounty hunter and their newest brother, feeling Gripps shift to do the same. No way they were going to let him get Cross. No way.

A rough chuckle left Priest. "Riggins said you were somethin' else. He didn't think I could find you, much less bring you in with my methods. Looks like I get a three for two special."

The lights hanging over the alley flickered before finally surging and one popped as Martin snarled and Gripps was bouncing on his heels next to him, grinning and ready. He still had part of a stool from the bar fight in his hand.

Cross was right behind them, buzzing with energy and mumbling just a little under his breath. Martin found himself smiling at the kid's determination. He had no way to know what they were facing, but that wasn't going to stop him. As soon as the link had clicked into place they were family and any one of them would have died for the other. How long they had known one brother over the other didn't even make it into the equation.

Then it all exploded at once. Priest motioned and his people flooded the alley. Martin, Gripps, and Cross jumped into action, rushing to meet them, howls and laughter of excitement filling the night air.

Martin met two at once, dodging and moving with ease. His grin didn't fade as he used one against the other, watching them get tangled up without him having to expend a great deal of energy to make it happen. He turned just in time to see Cross brandishing a tire iron he'd picked up somewhere and grinning like he was enjoying himself.

Another soldier came swinging an electrified baton and Martin rolled his eyes. "Don't you people read the files you keep?" he demanded, grabbing onto the baton to pull the man closer in and he head butted him hard enough to send the other crashing back and down.

He felt a tug on the link and looked around to see Gripps and Cross toying with one of Priest's men between them. They had the guy so turned around that he didn't know which way was up and as another tried to rush Martin from behind he sidestepped and shoved him into the newly formed circle. They passed them around, eventually adding a third and none of them lost step. It was fun, and easy to be distracted from the stench of danger that still hung on Priest's presence there.

"Let's rush him," Cross said excitably, and he must have picked up on something from Martin.

"No." He wanted to with every fiber of his being, but something deep inside was screaming that it would be the last mistake they would make. Priest was dangerous. More dangerous than the men that he'd sent after them. No, they needed to find an exit before Priest decided they'd battered enough of his people to step in himself.

Martin caught a whiff from a different direction and turned. Priest wasn't where he had been and panic shot through him. Blue eyes scanned the alley and he saw Blackwing's hunter stalking down their newest brother. Cross didn't know to be afraid yet, didn't know not to face him.

The kid's name left his lips, but was cut short as he felt Gripps' emotions spike. Martin saw him surrounded by soldiers, maybe too many for even Gripps to fight, but he was giving it his all. If Martin could distract Priest long enough, it could at least give Cross a chance to make it out. He'd be damned if the kid was dragged into Blackwing because of them.

Cross looked ready to scuffle with the Blackwing agent, crowbar in his hand and a snarling grin on his face. Priest looked unconcerned, a strange pack strapped to his back and Martin could see the Incubus symbol stamped on it. He stalked forward, steps quickening, and grabbed Priest by the pack about the time that the gas poured out of the hose he was holding. Cross coughed hard as he stumbled, the fumes throwing him off balance, but it hadn't been a direct hit. He still had a chance, and as Martin spun Priest around by the pack and sent him stumbling away from his youngest brother, a low, vicious growl escaped him. He turned to Cross. "Go."

"I'm not leaving you guys!"

"We'll find you," Martin swore. They belonged together now. They couldn't be apart long. He just needed to make sure he was safe, and that meant handling Priest himself. He turned back to the man, his senses screaming at him, and he lifted one hand so that he was pointing directly at him, gaze locked with his. "You wanna go at my boys, you go through me first."

"Gladly," Priest answered and lifted the hose again as Martin rushed him.

The gas hit hard as the blond breathed it in. It stung, like a thousand tiny pins and needles working their way into his muscles and rendering them useless. He pitched forward and Priest caught him with one hand by the front of his shirt, pulling him in and something pressed just below his ribs. The question didn't even have time to form in his mind before a loud sound echoed through the alley and pain like Martin hadn't felt before hit half a beat later. He gasped against it, eyes wide, and his knees gave way beneath him.

Priest caught him before he fell, pulling him close so he was speaking directly into his ear. "Riggins wants to play so gentle with you boys, but you don't play it that way. The only thing you understand is strength. I need to go through you, Martin? You're not as scary as you'd like me to think you are."

He shoved him back and Martin fell hard against the asphalt, hand moving to the source of the pain. There was blood. A lot of blood.

"Martin!"

He wasn't sure if it was Gripps or Cross screaming his name and he choked when he tried to pull air into his lungs to answer. Pain spread, making the world spin and he pushed through the link with his brothers. Run. They wouldn't hear the word, but he hoped to everything they'd feel it.

Priest stepped into his line of vision and he was talking to someone else. "Load them up in the van. Sedate them. I'm going after the third."

He'd gotten away then. Cross had gotten away. As darkness hedged his vision, pain dragging him into unconsciousness, at least Martin could find solace in that. Blackwing hadn't gotten all of them.


Notes: Have I mentioned how much I want to punch Priest in the face? Seriously, Amanda threw that brick for us all.

For those that haven't checked it out yet, you should go to SetMeAtopThePyre's AO3 account to see Cross' POV of what's happening. She has the first chapter up which corresponds with the chapter just before this one, and is currently working on the one linked to this chapter. It's crazy good and you should all go read it!