Shapes of Autumn (Boxed set, books 1 - 5)

by Veronica Blade

  Witch’s blood, Benjamin’s voice told me. Legend says it gives you power beyond our imagination. Your body is adjusting, but you’ll be fine. Actually, you’ll be better than fine in a moment.

  Thank you. But I can’t afford to wait until I get used to this. I have to go before it’s too late. I’d already wasted too much time. I exited the dungeon, changed the password, then took the stairs up to the security room. Colin, what’s the password to the security room?

  Star-nine-one-one.

  Someone had a sense of humor. Outside the door, I reset the password, locking the shape-shifters in where I knew Natasha would be safe. Autumn, how far away are you?

  They’ll be arriving any second. I’m flying down now in the form of a crow. I’ll morph into a mouse, then go through the vents.

  Keep me posted. I refocused on Dathan. Just you, Autumn’s parents and four witches?

  Yes, the helicopter is almost low enough for us to drop.

  I casually strolled down the corridor, keeping my pace even to not draw attention to myself. Colin, you will not tell Mortimer or anyone else about anyone arriving right now via helicopter. Any commands I give you will trump any future orders by Mortimer, got it?

  Yes, sir.

  Helicopter blades whirred in the distance and faint thumps on the roof told me they had arrived. But if I heard all that, then so had Mortimer. Colin, put the place on lockdown. Autumn, are you on your way to Mortimer’s suite?

  On my way. But I have several yards to go and I have short legs.

  I headed toward Mortimer’s room in case I could help Autumn. Too many of them and too few of us. We were going to get slaughtered.

  Chapter FOURTEEN

  Autumn

  I’d gotten pretty good at blocking my presence to make sure no one sensed me—which freed up the witches to protect the others. But I wasn’t invisible and I didn’t want Mortimer to see me. I backed up away from the register, farther into the duct.

  “Cesar, where are they? I heard the helicopter. Don’t tell me you didn’t see anyone drop.” Mortimer glanced at the steel-covered windows. “Colin, I didn’t give you the order to put us on lockdown. I ordered reinforcements, who won’t be able to fight if they can’t get in. Unlock this place now!”

  He hesitated, his gaze occasionally darting to the ceiling. “If you didn’t do it, who did?” Mortimer growled, then rushed out of my vision. To the override lever, I assumed. A click followed by a humming overhead told me the steel cover returned to its hiding place.

  Just lovely. Now the army could get inside and we’d have more people to fight. Mortimer needed to leave so I could get out and locate the panel to disable the override and get the building under lockdown again.

  I’d left Dathan, my parents and the witches in the attic where I’d accessed the ducts. They couldn’t expose themselves until we knew we wouldn’t be fighting hundreds of werewolves. And if I didn’t get this done quickly, we’d lose our chance to rescue Natasha. We’d be dealing with the other werewolves eventually, but I preferred a steady stream rather than all at once. Zack, can you somehow get Mortimer out of here? Or else I can’t do my job. Preferably before all the werewolves get inside the building.

  Already on it. I’m right outside his suite, Zack replied. A knock on the door confirmed it.

  “What do you want, Jack?” I didn’t recognize the male voice in the corridor—probably one of Mortimer’s guards.

  “I need to speak with the king. His Majesty gave me specific instructions and I need to update him,” Zack said.

  “Your Majesty, Jack says he needs—”

  “I know,” Mortimer roared as he flung open the door, giving me a perfect view of Zack. “Where the hell is David?”

  “I went to get us food.” Zack’s eyes widened, like he was trying to look innocent. “When I heard the helicopter, I rushed back to the dungeon, but he’d locked me out and changed the password. Now he’s not answering.”

  “Then why aren’t you fighting with the rest of them?” Mortimer hissed.

  Zack bowed his head. “You told me my number one priority was to protect you, Your Majesty. As part of that, I’m supposed to guard David, but I can’t because he locked me out. That’s why I came directly to you. How can I serve you, my king?”

  Mortimer bared his fangs. “I should’ve known he was a coward. Forget him for now. Stay with me.” He turned away from me and the vent I peered through. “Lazlo, what’s happening out there?”

  Since the guards nearby didn’t answer, I assumed he was asking someone else telepathically. A moment later, Mortimer grunted and disappeared into the hallway, slamming the door behind him.

  Between animal forms, shape-shifters always had to return to human. Careful to stretch out so I could fit in the narrow duct, I switched to my human form before morphing into a spider—small enough to crawl through the tiny louvers of the register. Inside Mortimer’s room, I shifted into a human and raced in the direction that Mortimer had disappeared earlier. I spotted the Picasso painting, then moved it aside.

  Wait...as soon as I had the place under lockdown again, Mortimer would rush back and I’d be toast. I had to figure out a way to keep him out. Meanwhile, werewolves were entering the mansion, giving us a bigger army to battle.

  Frustration constricted my throat, tears welled in my eyes and I glared at the door, willing it to melt. Wisps of smoke floated through the air. I’d done it!

  I scraped my fingernail on the door to check if it was metal. It was. Focusing again, I imagined edges where the doors met, heating and softening, the liquid bubbling and fusing with each other. I envisioned the metal parts of the lock heating and liquefying. But it wouldn’t be enough to seal the gap and fuse the doors together. I needed more metal to use as solder.

  I flipped around and dashed back to the lockdown panel, slipped the dagger from my pocket and wedged it into the crevice where the wall met metal. Pushing the blade farther into the opening I’d made, as if the blade was a crowbar, I used all my strength to force the panel cover up. The surface separated and I reached in and ripped it off the rest of the way.

  Wires and a circuit board stared at me. Circling, I headed back to the doors. Inserting the metal panel where the doors joined, I began at the top, then slowly moved my focus along the edges, heating the metal. The center of what was now one door looked like a warped blob of metal. But would it hold? I grasped the handle, noting the heat emitting from it, then pulled with all my strength. It didn’t budge.

  Crossing my fingers that Mortimer couldn’t get in and undo my hard work was probably the only other thing I could do.

  After sprinting back to the panel, I ignored the circuit board and wires, punching in star-eight-six-five on the panel to access the control lever. I shoved the lever up. The windows hummed and they locked down.

  Zack, oh my God, how do I reset the password? No one could get through the door I’d just welded shut, but I couldn’t know if there was another access. I’d heard somewhere that Mortimer always had secret ways in and out of rooms. I couldn’t risk someone getting inside and unlocking the building. I stood in front of the panel for Zack to reply, but he didn’t. He was either with Mortimer or fighting for his life. Or both. Either way, he obviously couldn’t talk.

  I would’ve loved to smash the panel, but I had no idea if anyone was standing outside the door. They wouldn’t be able to get inside, but I didn’t want to alert anyone I was there.

  Cutting the wires with a knife would be slow. I rotated, searching for a pair of scissors or anything else that would be faster than my blade. My gaze froze on a girl sprawled across the floor to a shape-shifter who didn’t look any older than me. No way was I leaving her here so that any number of werewolves could hurt her.

  I clamped onto her shoulders. “Wake up! Your life depends on it.” Nope, she was totally out. And I should be fulfilling my mission for my loved ones who were likely in desperate need of my help. Hopefully, she’d wake up, morph into something small and sl
ip away before anyone figured out how to get back the fused doors.

  I flashed back to the override control and zeroed in on the wires and circuit board. I sent fire telepathically into the panel and plumes of smoke rose and sparks flew. When I was fairly certain I had killed it, I pushed on the lever. Nothing. The whole place was permanently locked down. I hoped we could find a way to get out later.

  After shifting into a spider to pass through the register, I morphed into a human since I couldn’t move fast enough as an insect. Then I turned into cat. They had longer legs than mice.

  Zack? Where are you? I delayed in the duct, no clue where I should be going. Dathan? I think we’ll stay under lockdown and I’m pretty sure Mortimer can’t get into his suite to override it. Where are you guys? Are you okay?

  I’m with your parents and the witches in the attic. I was waiting to hear from you or Zack. Have you heard from him since he let us in?

  Knowing that Dathan, my parents and the witches were safe made me shiver in relief. But what about Zack? Was he safe or had my delay getting the mansion into lockdown put him in even more danger? He could be dead. I closed my eyes, putting out telepathic tentacles. I sensed a trace of Zack, which meant he was alive, but no way would I physically search for him all alone. No, but he’s alive. He went off with Mortimer and I have no clue where he is or what he’s doing. I’ll meet you in the attic and we’ll look for Zack together.

  I retraced my steps through the ducts and emerged through a broken screen meant to keep out things like me. As soon as I shifted to human, my parents gathered me into a hug.

  We didn’t have time for feel-good stuff. I hitched a thumb at the hatch above that led to the rooftop. “You’re sure it’s sealed and no one is getting through?” I whispered.

  “Positive,” my dad replied, keeping his voice just as low.

  Though my next words were directed at Tessa, my gaze scanned the tiny attic space for any signs of danger. “You guys are blocking them and no one senses us, yes? Right here in this space is an awful lot of supernatural energy.”

  Tessa winked. “We have it covered.”

  “We’ve gotta move. I think Zack’s in trouble,” I said softly. “I think we should stick together which means we’re going to have to do this the hard way since some of you can’t morph into anything.”

  “Agreed. The way out is there.” My mom pointed to a spot several yards away.

  I sped to the spot and listened, stretching my senses to detect anyone below. “I think we’re clear.” Zack, where are you? I called out to him as we opened the hatch, slipped through and dropped to the ground.

  No answer. Was he unconscious? Dying? We needed to rescue my aunt, of course. But Zack was the reason I’d endured the abuse of my ex-boyfriend Daniel when he’d stalked me and tried to kill Zack, and why I’d fought so valiantly against Charles when he’d tried to take Zack away. My possible future with him is what drove me to survive the vampire faction that was trying to overthrow Cedric and Dathan. Zack was my inspiration for staying in the fight long enough to triumph over Ulric. We’d been through too much. I couldn’t lose him now. Zack?

  I’m in the cafeteria. I need help.

  Chapter FIFTEEN

  Zack

  My time was running out.

  “I asked you a question, Jack. Why do you smell like magic?” Mortimer hissed, bringing all eyes on me.

  Tentacles of energy wrapped around my head, trying to force the truth from me. If I couldn’t convince him he’d glamoured me into telling the truth, and that my story was believable, I was dead meat.

  “Your Majesty, I’ve followed your commands word for word. I feel a strong loyalty to you I can’t explain, and an obligation to fight for both you and David.” I bent in submission, while staying aware of his every move. “Maybe the witch scent comes from being with him all day every day.”

  “Tell me about the intruders,” he ordered.

  An almost squeezing sensation around my scalp told me Mortimer wasn’t convinced of my sincerity. “Nothing. I heard the helicopter, but assumed they were invited guests since I was never informed otherwise. But when David locked me out of the dungeon and refused to answer, I became suspicious.”

  Mortimer threaded two fingers through his beard, eyeing me a long moment. “Kill him.”

  Several werewolves rushed me.

  None of you will touch me. I sent the silent order, throwing it like a net over every werewolf in the room. Their motions slowed, then sped again. Then they stopped, jerking back and forth.

  I wasn’t going to wait around to see whose glamouring would win, mine or Mortimer’s. He had a thousand years of ancient power against my eighteen vampire-werewolf years. I’d lose. I zoomed out of the cafeteria and into the corridor, coming face to face with Autumn, her parents, Dathan and the witches. Autumn rushed me, throwing her arms around me.

  As much as I would’ve loved to hold her a while longer, maybe even for a full week, we didn’t have time for this. “We have to go. Now.”

  Mortimer barreled through the doorway of the cafeteria. Werewolves filled the end of the hallway at the door to Mortimer’s suite. My gaze raced to the opposite direction toward the dungeon to see yet more werewolves.

  We were surrounded now.

  “Tessa, Hayden, Chait and Zoe, you know what to do.” Dathan whipped out a dagger, then another. “Zack, stay behind me and do what you do best.”

  He meant glamour the enemy. A strange energy surrounded me that I’d never felt before and it came from one of the blond girls. The werewolf in front of me swung his sword and I ducked. But the sword slowed and the werewolf struggled. The witches had us in a protective bubble. Great, except more werewolves came into view. And Mortimer was silently calling more, I was sure of it. No way could the witches hold them off forever. Dathan, what’s our best option?

  Fight.

  I dove at the guy closest to me, Autumn by my side as we covered each other’s backs, our daggers striking anyone in our path. They tried to hurt us, but couldn’t get past the invisible impenetrable wall. In case the witches’ magic ran out, I commanded each of the werewolves not to fight us.

  “What’s wrong with you people? Kill them!” Mortimer bellowed.

  We inched forward, slicing at the enemy. They realized they couldn’t get through the witches’ barrier but they didn’t move out of our way either. If we could get them to back up enough, we could get into the cafeteria where the witches could refuel. “Autumn, cover me.”

  “What the hell?” But she did it anyway.

  I yanked syringes from my pocket and thrust them at the male witches. Use telekinesis to get this poison into some of them. I hoped that was possible. As I twisted, I noticed the dark-haired witch throw a dart at a werewolf. The werewolf dodged it, but the dart followed him like a missile, plunging through the guy’s skin, and then he plummeted to the floor. We’d crept a few more feet toward the cafeteria.

  My side burned and a quick glance told me I’d been hit. Give me your sword and leave, I ordered the werewolf who had just stabbed me. He dropped it and vanished.

  Good, now I had a weapon that gave me some reach. I thrust it into the heart of the werewolf directly in front of me. Autumn, take his sword, then use it to remove his head. I couldn’t see her parents behind me, but werewolves were dying in front of Dathan left and right.

  While Dathan’s sword flew in a blur and held off the slew of new arrivals, I glimpsed Mortimer scowling in the distance. I doubted he would get involved in the actual fight unless he needed to. More likely, he assumed his men would take us all down.

  Only about forty of them remained. Against nine of us.

  My leg burned white-hot. I’d been cut, again, which meant the witches’ ability to hold the protective wall was weakening.

  Zack, get out of our way. Let us battle them physically while you do your best to control them mentally. We’re running out of time. Quentin nudged me away and took the front while Olivia staved off attackers behin
d us, wielding swords faster than my eyes could follow.

  Good call. I’d been too distracted with fighting to glamour anyone properly. While the witches shielded us all, and Autumn and her parents kept the mob at bay, I focused on the werewolves in our path, ready to attempt a group glamour. The icy blond witch fell against me and I propped her up, zeroing in on four werewolves. You will not fight us anymore. You’ll abandon your loyalty to Mortimer and pledge your allegiance to us. Now!

  The werewolves closest to me pivoted and attacked the remaining ones who were behind them. I glanced over at Mortimer.

  You little bastard! Red rage flushed his face and his gaze riveted on me. Someone conveniently put the building into lockdown again, which means you’re not getting out of here alive. I’ll kill you first.

  We were two feet from the cafeteria door. Once we got inside and locked ourselves in, we’d be safe, at least until Mortimer’s men broke through. Maybe the witches would have enough of a breather to get their strength back. But wouldn’t we be at a disadvantage stuck in the cafeteria with no exit? Since the witches were about to give out, we didn’t have a choice.

  Dathan, Quentin, Olivia, Autumn, cover the witches and me. I switched to the werewolves closest who were fighting us again, no longer under my control. Stop fighting my people and block your army long enough for us to get into the cafeteria, I commanded the werewolves.

  They twitched and stalled long enough for me to open the door. As soon as I had everyone in the cafeteria, I locked the doors. “They’ll get in soon, but we’ll be watching and ready. In the meantime, the witches need to eat.”

  “We should’ve stayed and killed them,” Olivia growled.

  Dathan shook his head. “I made a promise to bring the witches home.”

  “You’re right. Zack, you’re sure Natasha is safe?” Olivia asked, letting the others ahead to walk alongside me.

  “Last time I checked, yes, she was conscious. You could try contacting her.” I kept my pace even with her. Olivia had always been distant and I had no idea if she would ever have a conversation with me again after today. I wanted to take advantage of whatever she was willing to give.