Betrayed by My Wife, I Became the Serpent Lord

Chapter 009

Brad Davis fell to the ground clutching his foot.

"Son of a bitch! I think I broke it!"

His cries immediately set the Davis family off.

"Nick Pugh, you coward!" one man shouted at the closed door. "Hide in there all you want! The second you come crawling out, I'll..."

Before he could finish, the shrine door swung open without a sound.

The shouting died away.

Nick sat comfortably in a chair, one arm resting on the wooden armrest. Something black was wrapped around his wrist, looking at first glance like a bracelet.

He regarded the crowd with a quiet, unreadable expression. His gaze didn't seem fixed on anyone in particular, yet everyone felt as though he were looking straight into their hearts.

Dean Stokes quietly edged behind the people standing in front of him, hoping Nick wouldn't notice.

Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.

Kyle Pugh stared at the young man, trying to reconcile him with the Nick he remembered. How could someone change so completely in such a short time? Was it possible the rumors were true, and Nick really had the protection of Elder Spirits?

Brad, however, had never been known for his good judgment. He forced himself upright, favoring his injured foot, and glared at Nick.

"Cut out the creepy tricks! You think I'm scared of you? You owe us an explanation for what happened to my uncle. If you don't give us one, you'll be leaving Cedar Hollow for good!"

"An explanation?" Nick raised his eyes toward him. "For what, exactly?"

Brad limped through the doorway with a club he'd picked up from the ground. He pointed it at Nick.

"Don't play dumb! You did something to my uncle, and now he's lying in the hospital like a..."

Pain suddenly stabbed through Brad's knees. His legs buckled, and he dropped straight to the floor in front of Nick. The club slipped from his hand and struck his fingers, making him suck in a sharp breath.

Brad cursed and struggled, but his knees felt rooted to the floor. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stand.

Nick shook his head and sighed.

"Some people never learn."

Only then did Brad realize that the black bracelet on Nick's wrist was actually a tiny snake, no longer than a hand, with white markings above its eyes. Shadow turned toward him and flicked its dark tongue.

Brad's gaze grew unfocused.

He began bowing his head against the floor, over and over, his voice flat and mechanical.

"I'm sorry, Nick. I was wrong. I'm sorry, Nick. I was wrong. I'm sorry..."

Old Mr. Davis frowned in alarm. This was Brad, a young man so stubborn that even his own father had failed to beat an apology out of him. Once, after Brad got into a fight, his father had tied him to a tree and whipped him for three hours. He'd been covered in welts and blood, but he still hadn't admitted he was wrong.

Now he was kneeling before Nick and apologizing like a broken record.

The rest of the Davis family exchanged bewildered looks.

"Get Brad out of there," Old Mr. Davis whispered to three of his younger relatives.

The men were broad-shouldered and strong. They took a moment to gather their nerve before entering the shrine. Nick made no attempt to stop them. He merely watched with a faint smile.

Two of the men grabbed Brad by the arms and pulled. They couldn't move him an inch. It was as though his body had suddenly become impossibly heavy. Their efforts didn't even interrupt his bowing, and both men ended up losing their balance and falling.

The third young man was just as reckless as Brad. Refusing to believe what he was seeing, he snatched up a club and charged Nick.

Nick didn't bother moving. But instead of striking him, the man swerved around the chair and brought his weapon down toward the memorial urns on the altar behind it.

Nick's expression hardened.

He sprang from his chair and drove a powerful kick into the man's side. The attacker flew across the room and slammed into the wall. For a long moment, he could do nothing but curl up and whimper.

The other two turned to run.

"You came into my family's shrine looking for trouble," Nick said coldly. "You really think you can just walk away?"

Something in his voice seemed to reach right inside them. Both men sank to their knees beside Brad and began bowing their heads, muttering apologies in near-perfect unison.

Kyle felt the color drain from his face. He had expected Nick to be difficult, but nothing like this. Still, he was the mayor. If he couldn't resolve the situation, his authority in Cedar Hollow would be finished.

He cleared his throat, approached the doorway, and forced a friendly smile.

"Nick, we're all neighbors here. I came because I wanted to help settle the disagreement between you and these families. Surely there's nothing we can't discuss like reasonable people."

Nick glanced at him, nodded slightly, and rose. He walked out of the shrine at an unhurried pace.

"You're right about one thing. There are matters we need to settle, and I don't like leaving unfinished business."

At that moment, Old Mr. Davis caught sight of the little black snake coiled around Nick's wrist. His face changed so dramatically that he might have collapsed if the people beside him hadn't grabbed his arms.

The others were too busy watching Nick to notice.

A few of the Davis family's hangers-on exchanged glances. They'd always suspected Nick's powers had something to do with the shrine itself. Now that he'd stepped outside, they decided he might not be so dangerous after all.

"Get him!" someone yelled.

Several men lunged forward.

Before they could reach Nick, Joseph Sloan burst out from the side of the crowd and spread his arms in their path.

"Everybody stop!"

Joseph was Cedar Hollow's wealthiest resident, and even the Davis family's lackeys hesitated to offend him. They managed to pull up short.

"Joseph, what are you doing?" one man demanded.

"What am I doing? What the hell are you doing?" Joseph planted his hands on his hips, his round stomach jutting forward. "A bunch of small-time punks think they can take on Nick? This man has mastered the spirit arts. He only puts up with you because he can't be bothered to deal with you!"

Nick watched Joseph without expression. The man had obviously been hiding nearby, waiting to see how things played out. Now that he could tell which way the wind was blowing, he'd rushed in to demonstrate his loyalty.

Still, Joseph's intervention might make dealing with the crowd easier.

The Davis family members began looking uncertain. Kyle seized the opportunity.

"Exactly what I've been saying!" the mayor declared. "There's nothing here that can't be settled peacefully. You young men need to stop letting your tempers get the better of you."

He went to Old Mr. Davis and lowered his voice.

"You should let this go. You've made your point."

To everyone's surprise, Old Mr. Davis pushed past him and walked straight up to Nick. He bowed deeply.

"Mr. Pugh, my family failed to recognize who we were dealing with. I hope you'll be generous enough to forgive our disrespect. We'll leave you in peace now. Later, I'll have these foolish boys bring a proper offering of meat and food as an apology."

A wave of astonished murmurs ran through the Davis family.

The old man ignored them. When he lifted his head, Nick was still watching him with cold, unreadable eyes.

Old Mr. Davis felt his heart tighten.