by Raven Steele
Because I knew I was going to be training with Samira after the funeral, I agreed. I retreated to my bedroom and flopped into my bed, clothes and all. Sleep came quickly and deeply, until a soft knock on my door woke me.
I rolled over and looked at the clock on the wall. Almost an hour and a half had passed. “Come in.”
Lynx stuck her head in the doorway. “Luke told me to come get you.”
I groaned and rubbed at my eyes.
Lynx moved further into the room and sat on the bed. “I’ve been feeling something different.”
I sat up next to her and squeezed her knee playfully. “When a woman reaches a certain age, her body may begin to experience changes.”
“It’s coming,” she blurted.
My smile disappeared. “What is?”
“Something bad. There’s this darkness …” She rubbed at her chest, as if it was inside her. She looked up at me. “I don’t like it.”
I instantly thought of the smoke thing I had encountered. “Is it coming soon?”
“I can’t tell, but I just know it’s coming and the feeling is growing stronger.”
“What’s coming?” Samira asked at the doorway.
“We may have company tonight.” I stared at the wall, not looking towards her. My lungs tightened. “What the hell am I doing? I should run.”
Samira walked over and sat on the bed next to Lynx. “You’re doing what you were born to do. Protect the blood. Running won’t do that. Only destroying the threat will.”
“At the cost of people’s lives?”
“Sometimes.”
“There’s only one thing left to do.” Lynx held a hand out to each of us. I hesitated briefly before taking her palm in mine. Samira took longer, but eventually she rested her hand in Lynx’s.
“I’ve never had close friends. My family name prevented that, but living with you two,” she sucked in a breath, “I finally feel like I can breathe again. You are more than friends to me. I consider you my sisters.”
She looked at each of us. I swallowed hard, and Samira looked slightly more alive, her eyes glistening.
Lynx squeezed our hands. “Someone is trying to destroy what we have, and I’m not about to let that happen. Briar, I fully plan on being your bridesmaid when you marry Luke, so I need you to survive. I already bought the dress, and I can’t return it.” I smiled, and she turned to Samira. “And you. I already have a plan on how to help you feel love again. You may think you’re too old for such an emotion, but you aren’t. The bottom line,” she continued, “is that we need to survive this so we can continue our lives together. Those twice a year trips to Vegas where Briar ends up stripping every single time. A trip to Romania where Samira introduces us to Dracula—”
Samira snorted. “He’s not real.”
“And the trip where we take our future husbands with us and sail the world.”
“I’d like that,” I said.
We both looked at Samira.
“Possibly,” she said.
Lynx raised and lowered our hands. “Then let’s go out there and mourn those who died. We’ve done all we can to prepare. All we can do now is live our lives, but we won’t do it in fear.”
“Agreed,” Samira and I said at the same time.
I don’t know about my roommates, but when I left that room, I felt better than I had in a long time. Lynx’s words were exactly what I needed to hear. I needed to see myself in the future, what that could be like. More than anything, I wanted it to be exactly as Lynx described.
Seven fires burned hot and bright outside. Every member of the Silver Claws were there. For the first time in the pack’s history, we opened up the funeral to outsiders. It might have been a dumb move, considering the fact that we may be fighting for our lives soon. But we were changing things, opening up relationships with the humans who knew of our existence and other supernaturals. I was surprised to see Eddie from Sinsual. When our eyes met, he gave me a nod and moved to stand with the grieving.
I huddled up to Luke and several others I’d grown close to, telling different stories about each pack member who had died. I joined in, even laughing at some of the stories. I had a few of my own to tell, especially about Terrence and Jerry.
Samira stood with Lynx and Mateo, separate but still a part of us. The vampire guards had moved in closer to the mansion, and they held as still as statues just on the edge of the forest.
A conch horn blew. It was time.
We all lined up, as was the custom. From around the side of the house, the strongest of the shifters carried our fallen members. Jerry came first. Gerald and Luke carried his platform. All of us reached up and lightly touched it as Jerry’s body passed. Many tears were shed, including a few from me. He would be missed.
Luke and Gerald had almost reached the end when a loud whistle screamed through the trees all around us. Many covered their ears, including Lynx. A cold chill spread across my body.
Someone or something was coming.
Luke came to my side, hands balled tight. “There’s movement on the south side.”
I snapped my head that direction, listening closely.
As discussed, the inner circle of vampires closed in, taking charge of any visitors, guiding them briskly, but politely, to their awaiting cars. The rest of us made a circle, preparing for the intruders.
A voice sounded from the woods, loud and commanding: “What do you think you’re doing, starting the funerals without your Alpha?”
He left the shadows of the forest, emerging beneath the light of the full moon. Two vampires I didn’t recognize flanked his sides.
Vincent looked different; his features sharper, more pronounced. His body had hardened into thick corded muscles, bulging from his t-shirt. And even though he stood some distance between us, I could tell he’d also gotten taller. Beyond his noticeable physical differences, something about him felt dark and otherly, similar to the vibe Hydes gave off, but Vincent seemed more lucid and in control of his own mind.
I stomped over to him, my blood burning hot. It took all my strength not to shift into my wolf and tear his throat open. I kept a mindful eye out for the misty creature he had summoned earlier, but I saw nothing.
Walking toward him, I pointed sharply into the forest. “Leave. Now.”
“You have no authority to tell me to leave my own pack!” His voice was deep and vibrated my insides. His Alpha powers had been heightened. I hoped it didn’t affect the others, or we would be in trouble.
“This is no longer your pack.”
Luke and Gerald moved behind me. Jerry’s body lay on the ground not far away, fire burning behind him. It felt like such a dishonor to be fighting like this in front of his dead body.
“I don’t remember being beaten as Alpha,” Vincent said.
I cracked my knuckles. “I didn’t want to do it tonight, but you’ve forced my hand. Let’s fight. Right here. Right now.”
He glanced behind me. “Fine, but you have your witnesses. I want my own.”
Puckering his lips, he whistled loud and long. Movement from the forest rustled bushes and tree limbs. Breaking from the shadows, at least four dozen shifters walked onto the grassy lawn. I recognized a few of them from the Linchen Pack. Marge was with them along with Brutus, bringing up the rear.
Vincent stepped to the side of me so he could see the Silver Claws clearly.
“Listen to me, your Alpha,” he called, his voice loud and commanding. “Whatever this she-wolf has told you, it’s a lie. I am not part of some conspiracy drugging supernaturals, and I am not working with Bodian Dynamics. And I never tried to kill her. Everything I ever did was to protect our pack, to make it stronger.”
“Where have you been?” Tammy asked. She stepped away from the others. “And how do you know what Briar told us?”
Just then Lauren emerged from the group of Linchen shifters. “I told him.”
Vincent called out again. “If Briar had checked her messages, she’d know I went to Mandevi
lle to convince the Linchen Pack to join our pack. I wasn’t conspiring to kill her.” He looked over the Silver Claws. “I promised you when I was made Alpha that I would build relationships with other shifters, make legitimate business relationships. The Linchen Pack has been helping me forge interests inside the state to switch over from the terrible drugs the vampires have been pushing and into security.”
He looked pointedly at Mateo, “The supernatural world is growing more and more dangerous, and we have the strongest shifters available to provide a lucrative service for them. We don’t need their drugs.”
Tammy looked at me, her eyes wide. “Is this true? Did Vincent tell you this?”
“He never said this directly and if he sent me messages, I didn’t get them. I lost my phone when his pet fog monster attacked me! Besides, we all know the Linchen Pack is tied to those crazy supernaturals who killed our men.” I pointed to Jerry’s body. “They killed Jerry!”
Vincent laughed. “You are delusional. It’s time you left here once and for all. If you don’t, you will be punished per pack rules.”
Growling, I stepped toward him to get the fight over with, but he held up his hand.
“Before we fight,” he said to those behind me, “I want to give you all one chance to be loyal to your Alpha. Join me.”
“Don’t listen to him,” I called. “He is a liar and will destroy us if given the chance. Besides, look at him! You can see he’s different! He’s taking the same drugs those other guys were taking.”
“As your Alpha,” his voice boomed with power, “I order you to come to me.”
The command was effective. Several shifters began to cross over to his side.
“Please, don’t do it,” I begged.
Tammy was one of them. “I’m sorry, but he’s our Alpha until you beat him. For now, I stand with him.”
“Tammy, no,” I began, but Gerald put a hand on my shoulder.
“They need to make their own choice,” he said. “Don’t worry. We’ll get them back.”
I nodded, but was still hurt. We lost ten to Vincent. They stood facing us, in front of the Linchen Pack members.
“Before we fight,” Vincent began. “I want to have a few words with my new recruits.”
He turned around. “I appreciate that you made the right choice in the end, but I have to ask. When Briar took over and said all those terrible things about me, why did you not imprison her? Where was your loyalty then?”
Tammy and the others glanced at each other. It was Tammy who spoke first. “We didn’t know where you had gone. We thought you had abandoned us.”
“Why did you not call me or Lauren?”
Tammy opened her mouth to answer, but he shook his head silencing her. “It doesn’t matter. The new Silver Claws pack will be stronger than ever. That’s why you won’t be a part of it.”
Before anyone could react, shifters from the Linchen Pack struck forward, stabbing silver daggers into the backs of the defected pack members. Their blades curved upwards, ripping apart their bodies, and they fell, one by one, to the ground.
Chapter 37
Rage surged into me so fast, I was in the air and landing on top of Vincent before I had thought out my next move. His body crashed onto the ground with me pinning him from above.
“You’re dead! Do you hear me?”
He grinned and in one simple buck, tossed me off. I rolled along the ground, just catching sight of Luke and Gerald who had rushed forward to attack the Linchen Pack. Behind him, the rest of our pack and the vampires followed after.
Leaping to my feet, I ran at Vincent again. He punched twice, one fist after another, but I dodged them both. I struck back, hard and fast, landing three blows to his kidney. His body felt like steel against my fists.
Whatever Bodian Dynamics had given him, it was extremely powerful. Not only was his body all muscles, but he moved like a twenty-year-old man on steroids.
He swung around, coming at me from the opposite direction I anticipated. His fist slammed against my jaw. My head snapped back. Before I could recover, he spun and kicked me in the back. I flew forward and slammed into the ground.
My wolf growled loud, surfacing just near my consciousness. I unleashed her, shifting right then and there, my clothes tearing from my body.
The transformation was so quick, Vincent stumbled back. Fear flashed in his eyes. I leapt for his throat, my jaws open. He turned just in time, but I sunk my teeth into his shoulder. He screamed and grabbed at my snout, but I wouldn’t relent. From the corner of my eye, I took in the action around me.
Samira and Lynx moved through the battle seamlessly. Anyone who attempted to fight Samira, vampire or shifter, fell by her sword. Lynx was just as powerful, knocking shifters to the ground with a blast of energy from her hands, giving the others a chance to kill them. The force of her power lifted her red hair all around her.
Mateo’s men engaged the vampires on the opposing side. By the fierce way they fought, the two groups had bad blood.
A heavy blow cracked my ribs, ripping me from my hold on Vincent. I dropped to the ground. Vincent kicked me, flipping me across the grass. He began to retreat, his expression calm. “We’re just getting started, my dear Isabella.”
I glanced behind me. Despite having fewer numbers, we were making quick work of the Linchen Pack. Those who hadn’t been killed were retreating, Marge included, her face pale at the horror all around her. By her expression, maybe she had been tricked too. Maybe they all had.
Not far away, Luke battled Brutus in human form. Both were bloody and bruised, but neither slowed down. I didn’t go over to help. This was a battle Luke needed to win to avenge his brother. Just as I thought it, Luke, on all fours and seemingly hurt, pulled out a knife hidden within his boot and rammed upwards directly into Brutus’s sternum. Luke pulled him close so he could see the whites of Brutus’s eyes, the knife still deep inside him. Luke whispered something in Brutus’s ear, then shoved him away.
I didn’t get a chance to see Brutus take his last breath. Something else had caught my attention. Shadows were emerging from the forest. Hydes. Lots of them.
My heart skipped a painful beat. I shifted back into my very naked human form. Loxley sprinted toward me. She had been given one job beyond kick ass: bring me clothes if necessary. I’d packed a bag near the house. It was about impossible to fight naked with my boobs free-balling it. I’d knock myself out! I hadn’t planned on shifting into my wolf so soon, but Vincent had provoked me early on.
“Get back!” I called to everyone as I pulled on a tight tank top over my head and jerked on my favorite, loose fighting jeans. I didn’t bother with underwear.
Most people stopped fighting and retreated to the protected areas. Others dove behind piles of logs or stepped behind the fires.
I stayed at the front. Samira and Lynx came to my side as I laced up my boots.
“You two good?” I asked them.
Samira nodded once, her eyes an electric blue. She had taken off her jacket, leaving just a tank top that looked a lot like one of mine. Maybe it was. I caught the top of a large circle tattoo peeking out the back of her shirt.
“I’ve never felt better.” Lynx stared at the approaching Hydes with such rage, it scared me.
I nodded at Luke and Mateo. Angel stood with them. Not sure when he had showed up, but I was glad he was here. I smiled at him.
“We only want Briar!” Vincent called, even though his eyes flickered to Samira. His gaze met mine. “Walk away. Leave this pack to me, and, I promise, everyone will live.”
I blinked. Would that be the right thing to do to protect everyone?
Luke gripped my arm, his eyes as hard as steel. “You know he’s lying. You saw what he did to our pack mates.” Before I could respond, he shouted at Vincent. “She’s not going anywhere. Leave now, and you might do it with your life.”
Vincent’s nostrils flared. “Very well. Then we will take the Komira out by force.”
As if it was a co
mmand, the Hydes began to jog toward us.
Mateo gave his own silent command. The vampires with us raised their rifles and began to fire. Heads exploded in front of us. The Hydes began to run in a zig-zag pattern, making them harder to hit.
Without warning, guns began to fire at us from the woods. The remaining Linchen pack and other vampires must’ve hidden their weapons in the trees. Exposed Silver Claws, including me, dove for cover behind an invisible barrier. The witches’ magic was effective and bullets bounced off it.
Lynx stood up next to me, fire in her eyes. “Back up,” she ordered us. Her voice sounded different, stronger and more determined. Several of us scooted away.
She dropped her hands to her side, palms out, chanting beneath her breath. Pressurized air began to swirl around her, lifting her hair and whipping it every direction. Her palms began to rise. With it, the earth in front of us vibrated. A drop of blood fell from Lynx’s nose.
Samira and I looked at each other, eyes wide.
The Hydes continued their approach. Lynx screamed and the ground opened up into a wide, deep pit. As if it were alive, the darkness from within began to suck those around the hole into it. Ten Hydes disappeared at once. The ground continued to pull.
Vincent hollered in protest.
More Hydes fell victim to that powerful darkness. They clawed at the ground, fighting against the invisible pressure sucking them into the dark gap, but they weren’t strong enough.
Lynx’s hands began to shake.
I was about to stop her, when a great fog began to gather within the forest.
“What is that?” Gerald whispered.
No one answered him because no one knew.
Vincent glanced over his shoulder, noting the growing fog. He laughed. “It’s all over. All you can do now is run.”
The fog billowed out of the forest, slow at first, then so quickly I barely noticed a single, finger-like appendage racing toward Lynx. Before it could hit her, Samira knocked Lynx out of the way. The hole disappeared, along with the Hydes who’d been sucked into it.
I stood and yelled out to the men behind me. “Get the hoses!”
