Jack had asked Timber and Marvin to keep a watch over Calvin's house while he was out here with Braith's soldiers. Calvin must have had his own men watching the tavern to let him know when no one was about. Panic filled him; he didn't take the time to speak with the others before he was moving swiftly out of the woods and through the backyards of houses and buildings toward the tavern. Maybe it wasn't alcohol that would make him feel better, but destroying Calvin just might do the trick. His fangs pricked at the thought and his body thrummed with the anticipation of another fight, but this one would help to ease something inside of him, he was certain of that.
He arrived at the tavern in record time and slid through the side yard dividing it from the blacksmith shop beside it. The smell of heated iron drifted to him seconds before he heard the hammer striking against the anvil with a clang. He searched the street for Calvin, but didn't see him anywhere. If Calvin had been heading for the tavern, then he was already inside.
Retreating to the back of the building, Jack headed for the kitchen door and opened it carefully. He stepped into the cool interior but though the sun was setting there was no one about. The driving sense that something was wrong, that Calvin would harm Hannah, drove him forward.
He moved rapidly toward the kitchen door and pushed it open. The front door was wide open, what remained of the sun's rays were spilling midway across the floor of the building. Hannah was sitting at one of the tables with Calvin across from her. A table that was a little too close to the window for Jack's liking, an open window that Calvin was sitting next to. Ellen and Lucas were sitting at another table, surrounded by four men. He was acutely aware of the fact that Lucas had been placed in a seat that would expose him to the sun's rays within the next five minutes.
"Jack!" Hannah blurted and jumped to her feet. "What happened to you!?"
He didn't answer as he strode across the room toward her. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he lifted her up and swung her away from the window. A small cry escaped her, her hands curled into his shoulders as he placed himself in between her and Calvin. He released her and took a step toward Calvin as bloodlust pulsed through him. Yes, destroying this man was exactly what it would take to ease some of the pent up frustration festering like a bad sore inside of him.
Calvin tugged at the lapels of his deep blue jacket and rose to his feet. "We were in the middle of something," he said far too calmly for someone who was about to be destroyed.
"And now you're at the end of it."
That arrogant smirk was nearly Calvin's undoing, and his, until Hannah rested her hand upon his arm. The gesture had a surprisingly calming effect on him. The red began to filter out of his vision and he was able to regain enough control of himself that he didn't launch forward and do something that may very well cost him his life. Something he was beginning to realize Calvin was trying to bait him into doing.
"Jack," Hannah said serenely. "It's ok."
He looked over at Lucas and nodded his head sharply to the side. "Get away from the door," he commanded. "You too, Ellen." Kane made a move to stop Ellen, but his hand fell back to his side as footsteps sounded on the front porch. Four of Braith's men came through the door and from behind him Jack caught William's scent as he entered through the kitchen with Timber. "I thought I'd made it clear that you weren't going to bother anyone in this town again."
"I simply came here to speak with her about a personal matter," Calvin responded.
"And what would that matter be?"
"As I said it was personal."
"Hannah?" Jack inquired.
"Calvin was just getting ready to leave," she said instead of answering him.
He glanced at her over his shoulder; her chin was jutting out as her eyes met his. "Lucas?" he inquired as he kept hold of her gaze.
Her eyes flickered as her mouth pursed. "Calvin has proposed marriage," Lucas answered.
All of the calm he'd felt fled out of him as wrath swelled forth. Hannah's hand squeezed his arm as his fangs lengthened instantly. "Jack," she breathed as she took a step closer to him.
His hand took hold of hers, he'd meant to pull it away but instead he found himself clinging to it. "That will never happen," he said as he turned back to Calvin.
Calvin's golden eyes were fixated upon them, his shoulders thrust back as he vibrated with barely suppressed anger. He wasn't used to being told no. "I think that is up to Hannah. As I have explained to her, this tavern requires someone to protect it."
"Who does it need to be protected from?" Jack demanded.
"It has been relatively peaceful since you arrived. However, we do get strangers that come through here once in awhile. In the past they have taken advantage of the occupants of the town that aren't as able to defend themselves."
"My brother's troops and I are here to make sure they stay safe now," Jack informed him.
"When you leave, the weak will need someone powerful to protect them."
Before Jack could respond Hannah took a step forward. "We are not weak!" she declared.
Pride filled him as did concern for her safety when Calvin focused upon her. Then, his eyes slid to her neck, a direction that Jack's eyes followed. To the human eye the marks would have been invisible, even most vampires would have had a difficult time finding them, but he knew that Calvin had seen the barely there marks as his eyes briefly flashed red and a muscle in his jaw jumped.
Jack pulled Hannah behind him as he eagerly awaited Calvin's attack, but though his jaw was clenched and his eyes continued to shimmer from gold to red and back again, Calvin remained where he was standing. "It does not matter anyway," he said as he flicked an imaginary piece of lint from his jacket. "I rescind my offer. Let's go."