A Shifter's Revenge

by Raven Steele

  But Samira and I might not be enough.

  “Briar,” Lynx breathed. “One last spell.” She stumbled to the ground. I backed up to her, hovering over her protectively while fighting back Hydes; I could barely hear her next words. “Kill them all.”

  The next thing I knew, the world had gone still. Lynx’s hand touched my ankle, bringing me to life in the frozen moment.

  I took in the scene around me. Luke had fallen to the ground, two Hydes over him trying to drive a crow bar into his chest. Mateo’s claws hovered mid throat-slash, and Samira hung in the air in a forward lunge, her sword about to pierce the chest of a female Hyde. Six other Hydes stood frozen in attack mode around us.

  “Seconds,” Lynx breathed.

  I didn’t waste time. I flew through the room, severing spinal cords in one swoop. I destroyed the Hydes over Luke with a ferocity I’d never felt, then took out the ones by Samira almost casually. I killed and slashed, filled with my ancient power, moving faster than I’d ever moved before. Maybe only twenty seconds passed before time sped up. Samira dropped to the floor, her victim already dead. She spun around and saw that all the others were, too. Mateo and Luke, just as confused, jerked and gasped at the sudden lack of enemies.

  I ran back to Lynx and fell to my knees down. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head. I scooped her up. “Let’s get out of here!”

  The others grabbed anyone remaining in the cages and placed them into the back of the truck. I gently laid Lynx down in the front seat and Samira jumped behind the steering wheel. I nodded to her and climbed out of the truck; she started it up.

  The sounds of fighting had died down. I hoped that meant our people had been victorious instead of killed. I hurried outside with Luke and Mateo. Bodies littered the ground, but not as many as I feared. A circle of five, both vampires and shifters alike, killed a Hyde together. I scanned the compound and saw no more Hydes. They had either run off or all been killed.

  I jogged toward where our pack had begun to gather near the edge of the forest, while Luke guided Samira as she drove the truck out of the warehouse. I spotted Loxley, Tammy, and several others I had grown close to over the last several months. I searched the crowd for Samantha, but didn’t see her. When I asked someone where she was, they lifted their finger and pointed toward a broken lamp post.

  At its base, partially covered in dark shadows, she rocked on her knees. I forced my legs to move forward. As I got closer, I realized a dark, still form lay on the ground in front of her. A few more steps showed me who she was crying over. I dropped to my knees, too.

  Jerry’s gray eyes were frozen wide, his mouth open as if he had died of fright. His stomach had been filleted open, leaving very little left inside of him. I clutched at my stomach, heaving at the sight.

  Not Jerry! This would destroy so many of us. He was considered the father of the pack, a friend to everyone.

  I turned to the side and threw up the little food that had been in my stomach.

  The shock of his death numbed my body, making the next hour a blur. We gathered our wounded and our dead. Terrence had also been killed. The Nocturnas had lost six, and we had lost seven. Even though we had won the battle and recovered those who had been taken, it was bittersweet. There was no celebrating. No words.

  Samira drove the large truck back to Fire Ridge and delivered the missing men, who remained unconscious. We still hadn’t figured out what was wrong with them, but we were pretty sure it wasn’t Scorpion’s Blood as all of them were asleep. Hopefully just heavily sedated.

  I stayed at Fire Ridge while Samira drove away with Lynx and the other vampires. Lynx had woken before they left. The wound on her head was deep, but she’d survive. She did her best to reassure me, but I still worried. I had experienced too many deaths in a short amount of time. I couldn’t bear another one, especially her.

  After that, we all took turns showering, all desperate to scrub the blood and gore from our bodies. I wished I had something that scrubbed the mind. Alcohol was all we had, and we consumed it in abundance. I barely felt my own fingers across my body as I cleaned myself; the grief at Jerry’s death was overwhelming. I had some clothes at Fire Ridge and changed quickly, giving up the space to Loxley, who also wanted to shower. She had fought incredibly well despite her young age.

  With everything that had happened, I hadn’t had a chance to be alone with Luke. As soon as we arrived at Fire Ridge, he had slipped away to update my uncle. I hoped the news didn’t upset my uncle too much. All this had happened while he was recovering.

  By the time dawn arrived, the mansion was full to bursting in every way. Too many people, too much pain. Too many tears, too much sorrow. I couldn’t handle it anymore.

  Sucking in tiny sips of air, I escaped outside and walked far away until I reached the edge of the forest. When I was sure I was alone, I let out all my anger. Tears flowed, hot and fierce down my cheeks. I punched and kicked at the trees, unleashing all that I could. I heard a noise behind me and whirled around, freezing.

  Luke stood not far away, his expression mirroring my heartache. His hair was wet with his own shower, and it cascaded down his face in messy ripples. We stared at each other for a long, intense moment. There was only one thing that would make all of this pain go away, and even if it was only for a moment, I’d take it.

  I ran at him and threw my arms around his neck. My lips found his in a kiss that wasn’t gentle or soft. It was wild and intense. Fierce and unbridled. He cupped my face in his hands, kissing me back just as fiercely. His tongue pried into my mouth, hard and desperate.

  We kissed for some time until I broke down in tears, my shoulders trembling. He held me tightly to his chest and stroked the back of my hair, whispering comforting words through his own strained voice. I cried for my family, for Ryder, and now for Jerry. But I also cried for the future, because I knew our battle wasn’t over yet. Who else would I mourn for?

  After some time, my breathing slowed, mirroring my heartbeat. The tension in Luke’s muscles had also relaxed. Being here, in Luke’s arms, was exactly where I belonged.

  “We should probably return,” he finally said.

  I sighed, knowing he was right. I had heard my phone buzz a few times but had, so far, ignored it. “I don’t want to.”

  He smiled and his hands caught in my hair. “I don’t either.”

  But when both our phones buzzed, we pulled away from each other, only our hands still connected. As we walked back to the mansion, I resisted the urge to turn and flee. Run as far away from here as possible.

  Luke squeezed my hand, a gentle reassurance.

  I inhaled and exhaled slowly. No more running.

  We entered the back door. A few shifters sat at the dining table staring at food untouched, faces pale.

  Lauren was there, too. I approached her and spoke in a quiet voice. “Is anyone awake yet? Gerald?”

  We’d carried those who had been sedated to bedrooms upstairs. One of our doctors had looked them over, saying that other than being knocked out, they appeared healthy. We were lucky.

  “Not yet,” she answered.

  I gave her shoulder an encouraging squeeze and left her alone to go to my uncle’s office. When I heard nothing beyond his closed door, I knocked softly.

  “Come in.”

  I opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door after me. He looked much better than yesterday, stronger even. He wasn’t dressed in his usual button-down collared shirt and jeans. Instead, he wore a tailored suit.

  “Are you going somewhere?”

  “Sit down.” His voice was controlled and authoritative.

  I did as he ordered and cleared my throat. “If this is about last night—”

  “It is.”

  “Luke updated you, right?”

  He nodded slowly. “I’ve taken the last several hours to fully digest everything. We lost some really good pack members. Jerry …”

  “I know. I’m so sorry. If there had been another way—”
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br />   “There was.” His voice held a dangerous tone. “You were reckless, Briar. Stupid, even.”

  “What?”

  “You should’ve talked to me!”

  I leaned forward, desperate for him to understand. “You were recovering. You needed—”

  “I am the pack Alpha!” he roared. “Or have you forgotten?”

  I leaned back, surprised by the power emanating from him. But that shouldn’t have surprised me. He was a Moretti.

  I lowered my voice. “I haven’t forgotten.”

  “When you handed me the position of Alpha, you also handed over the right to make decisions for the pack, did you not?”

  Curling my fingers into my hands, I inhaled a slow breath. “Of course, but what else could we do? They took Gerald!”

  “You could’ve talked to me! There were other ways that wouldn’t have gotten so many of us killed.”

  “How?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “What do you think I do all day? Bark orders? Let everyone else do my dirty work?” When I didn’t answer, he continued. “I’m not Dominic. This is not a smash-and-grab pack anymore. I’ve taken great strides to form relationships, to conduct business diplomatically.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Bodian Dynamics. When I discovered they were involved, I reached out and started a dialogue. And up until last night, they were open to discussions. Had you come to me last night before riling everyone up and storming their castle, I could’ve called our contacts and tried to negotiate a peaceful trade.”

  “You think they would’ve listened?” I doubted it, but he had planted a seed of doubt in my mind. What if Jerry and the others had died for no reason? The thought was crippling.

  “We’ll never know now, will we? Instead, I have to plan funerals for seven of our members! It’s going to take months or longer until our pack starts to heal.” He shook his head. “Things were going so well.”

  My heart pounded painfully. “I’m sorry.”

  “Hollow words.” He met my gaze, his voice softer. “I’m worried about you. You’re making poor choices. It makes me fear for the Abydos.”

  “Don’t be,” I said, a little too quickly. “I’ll hand it over.”

  “Wherever it is, don’t go alone. You’re still in danger.”

  “I won’t.”

  “When?”

  “It’s a ways from here. Maybe in a few days?”

  He nodded. “I’ll start preparing a secure place for it, including fortifying it with magic. Do you think Lynx could help with that? If not, I know some others.”

  “I’m sure she can.” I stood up on shaky legs. All of this might’ve been avoided. I couldn’t look at him as I walked away.

  I kept going until I was outside the main house. I stopped to study it; there were so many good and bad memories here. My gaze settled on the tree Ryder had been hung from. His death could’ve been avoided, too. My uncle was right. Angel was right. I always acted before I thought things through. Is that the kind of person who should be guarding the Abydos, the most sacred and powerful blood in the world?

  I needed to get rid of it. Hand it over to someone more responsible.

  The sun’s warm light beat down on me. I was safer getting it in the day rather than at night. At least I thought I was. Or was this me being reckless? And should I go alone despite my promise to Vincent?

  Plopping down on a nearby bench, I thought about who I could take. Luke was the obvious choice, especially since he was the only one that knew about it. But what if I ran into trouble? I didn’t want to risk his life. Samira or Angel might be good, but I’d have to wait until dark. I thought of Lynx. She had done so much to help us. I trusted her, but I didn’t trust her family. Was it right of me to put her in a position to keep secrets from them?

  “You look deep in thought.”

  I jumped and turned around. “You scared me.”

  Luke sat next to me. “Everything okay?”

  I sighed and lowered my head to his shoulder. “I screwed up. Big time.”

  “How so?”

  I told him about the conversation with my uncle.

  He tensed beneath me. “There’s no way Bodian Dynamics would’ve given those men back, let alone admit their crime. We did the right thing.”

  “But shouldn’t we have at least tried?” I sat up, my heart thumping again. “Jerry would still be alive!”

  He took hold of my hand, saying nothing. I couldn’t imagine how much harder this was for him. He had known Jerry much longer than I had.

  “I told my uncle about the blood.”

  He froze. “You did?”

  I nodded. “He thinks someone is after it.”

  He was quiet, thinking. “That makes sense. I don’t like this, Briar.”

  “I don’t either. That’s why I’m getting rid of the Abydos. The longer I hold on to it, the more it’s at risk.”

  “What are you going to do with it?”

  “My uncle agreed to take it. He’s going to build a safe place for it here, and we’ll have Lynx spell it for extra protection. The Silver Claws will become the new protectors.”

  “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

  “We won’t tell everyone right away. Only the ones we really trust.”

  He nodded, agreeing.

  I stood up, suddenly anxious. “I want to be rid of it. I keep making these stupid decisions that kill people. I want to go now.”

  I whirled around and hurried down the pathway leading to the road. My mind was made up. I was done with the Abydos.

  Chapter 31

  We left the next day as soon as the sun’s first rays touched the earth. I sped down a winding back road heading out of Rouen, Luke on my tail. It felt good to be on the open road, wind blowing through my hair. I kept my eye out for the marker telling me when to pull off the road. I’d hidden the blood months ago, thinking I’d only be in the city for two weeks then move on, but I had no idea the connections I’d make here.

  Or the mistakes.

  Up ahead, the “Leaving Rouen” sign came into view. The other side read: “Welcome to Rouen.” That was my cue.

  I pulled over just before the sign and walked the bike into the trees where it wouldn’t be seen from the road. Luke followed behind me with his motorcycle. He removed his helmet. “How far from here?”

  “A couple hours’ hike.” I showed him my backpack. “I brought water.”

  We set off at a brisk pace. All I could think about was getting rid of the Abydos. Once it was out of my hands, maybe I’d go on a trip with Luke for a few days. I bet us beating back Bodian Dynamics two nights ago would quiet things down for a bit. There would be time for a little R & R.

  Luke glanced at me sideways. “What are you thinking about?”

  “Leaving this place for a few days. With you.”

  “I would like that. A lot.”

  He took hold of my hand and we settled into a comfortable quiet as we walked. The early morning sun moved higher into the sky and the trees began to thicken. Boulders cropped up the further we moved into the forest, making the trek more challenging. I smelled the creek nearby; we were getting close. I led him through a thick patch of bushes that placed us into an even deeper part of the woods.

  “How did you find this place?” he asked.

  “Hours and hours of hiking. We’re close.”

  Without warning, he jerked me next to him and pressed his finger to his mouth. I froze and listened to the sounds all around us. It wasn’t a noise I heard but more of a feeling that lifted the hairs on my arms.

  We were not alone.

  Luke motioned me behind a large boulder. He pressed up against me and tilted his head. He pointed to the left of us. I trained my ear in that direction. That’s when I heard it. A faint rustling sound as something large moved through the trees. Human? I sniffed the air. Shifter.

  What would a shifter be doing this far into the woods, alone and so near where I had placed the Abydos?

&nbs
p; There was only one reason, which meant the spell I had placed on it had weakened. I couldn’t let him near it.

  Luke motioned for me to hold still; maybe he would go away. We waited for a while, but the shifter moved even closer. When the stranger was just on the other side of the boulder, Luke stepped out in front of him while I snuck around the back.

  “Hello,” Luke said. “You’re a long ways from home.”

  The shifter backed up, but I held out my hand, letting him know I was there. “Careful.”

  He whirled around and, seeing he was blocked on both sides, lowered into a defensive position.

  “What pack are you from?” Luke asked.

  “None of your business.”

  “Actually it is. You’re on Silver Claw’s property, and we want to know why.”

  The shifter glanced back and forth between us, probably trying to decide if he could take us.

  “We will kill you before you can get a punch in,” I said and searched his eyes. Could he be a Hyde? He didn’t look emotionless. He looked pissed, so probably not.

  “What pack are you from?” Luke repeated. “Make this easy on yourself and answer.”

  He flexed his jaw, thinking hard. “The Linchen Pack,” he mumbled, finally.

  I tensed at the confession. “Why are you out here?”

  He cursed and kicked at the dirt. “I’m following orders. That’s all.”

  Luke stepped closer to him. “And what are those orders?”

  “Screw you.” He spat at Luke’s face.

  Before he could suck in his next breath, I had my arm around his throat in a choke hold. “Answer him or your head is coming off.”

  He growled and fought me a little, but I squeezed just hard enough to let him feel my strength. He tapped on my arm. I released him, and he sucked in several great breaths.

  “Talk,” Luke said, wiping the last of the spittle off his face.

  The shifter cleared his throat. “I’m not even sure. I’ve been out here for hours searching for some sort of magical field. They said I’d know it when I felt it.”