Begin Again (Saint Lakes #5): A M/M Fantasy Romance about Shifters and Vampires

by April Kelley

  The ground came up to meet his feet, nearly plowing into Bennett when he turned at the last minute.

  Where are you?

  He felt a hand on his arm. "Right here."

  Ramsey turned to see Fane slid up beside him. He sighed in relief. "Thank the gods."

  Fane smiled. "Be Alpha now."

  Right. Ramsey kissed Fane with just a quick peck on the lips and then gave his first order. "Send the ones in the house who can't fight."

  Fane nodded and walked away. As he left, he twirled the sword around in his hand absentmindedly. The hilt looked as if it glided over his fingers.

  "Fane," Ramsey called.

  Fane turned, lifting his eyebrows in expectation. "Have someone call Forrest."

  Fane pointed to Jules, who stood glaring at Thomas and Hacen. He stood several yards away from both of them next to Kristin and Josh. Owen stood in front of them. Jules was so engrossed in making a point he didn't even see Fane point. So Fane called his name.

  Ramsey focused on something else when Jules ran over to Fane.

  He looked around at the clan. Their numbers looked bigger from on the ground, but the image of them from the air stuck in his mind.

  There weren't enough people, and they would be even less once they sent those who couldn’t fight in the house for safety’s sake.

  Ramsey let that knowledge sink in as he stared at the sea of familiar faces. People he knew and loved would die if he didn't get his shit together. He wiped his hands down his pant legs and took a deep breath.

  "Josh." He beckoned Josh forward. When the man stood in front of him, he ordered, "Go down in the basement and spring your dad. Last thing we want if this thing goes south is him stuck down there."

  Josh nodded and went around the side of the house.

  "Mom." Ramsey met his mother halfway. "How long will the barrier hold?"

  "Endlessly. We just don’t have enough food to last more than a day."

  Ramsey nodded. "I need you to help Fane figure out who can fight."

  She started over to a small child holding his mother's hand. Mom talked to the woman for a few seconds, and then the woman nodded, her chin wobbling.

  Ramsey walked over to her. "Do you want to go inside with him? Take care of the children and keep them calm?"

  "I want to fight, Alpha."

  "Alright." He patted her on the arm and moved over to Lucas. Ramsey pointed to Thomas. "Come here."

  Thomas did as ordered immediately and, of course, Hacen came with him. "Is there a way you can protect the house?"

  "Yeah. No problem."

  Ramsey sighed in relief. "Thank you."

  "Jules won't leave with us, so we want to make sure he stays safe, we'll help where we can." Hacen's answer made him sound like an asshole, but they just gained another fighter so whatever.

  "Right. Well, we appreciate it."

  "Any excuse to kill Nicolono."

  Jules came up to Ramsey then. His shoulders came up to his ears the closer he got. "I called Forrest. They're only a little over an hour away. They were on their way here anyway. Forrest called the Wingspan clan. The head of the paranormal council is sending enforcers over. That's what Forrest said, but I don't know how Forrest knew if he hadn't talked to him yet."

  “Forrest will persuade them. It’ll be fine, brother.” Ramsey put an arm around Jules' shoulder and pulled him to his side, giving him the support he needed. "Now I want you to go back inside."

  Jules' mouth fell open, and he huffed out a sound. He pulled away and cocked his head to the side. "What! No. I can fight. Please, Ramsey."

  Ramsey shook his head, but it was Hacen who answered. "Ramsey's right. You need to stay safe."

  Jules turned and glared at him. "Nobody fucking asked you, Hacen. Last time I checked you refused to mate with me because of my family so screw you." Jules pointed his finger at Thomas. "And you for going along with him."

  Jules' voice broke after that, and he looked at Ramsey. "I want to stand beside the rest of you. They already make me feel like an outsider in the mating. If you make me go inside, I won't feel like a part of the family, and I need that. Please."

  Ramsey sighed and pulled Jules to him for a hug. “You are always a part of this family, Jules. Never doubt that.”

  Over the top of his head, he met Fane gaze. He wants to fight.

  Let him.

  He'll be able too?

  Better than some of the others. They're not ready.

  I know, sweet.

  Jules jerked in his arms which caught Ramsey’s attention. Thomas ran a hand down Jules’ back. He took a step closer to Jules. "You're not an outsider in this mating either."

  "Don't touch me. You just go right along with him, Tommy. That makes me on the outside. Maybe I'm telling you both just to stay away from me."

  "Jules. Come on. We want you." Thomas turned to Hacen. "Would you talk to him, Hacen?"

  Hacen's forehead wrinkled as if the thought of losing Jules worried him. "Now isn't the time for this discussion."

  "He's right." Ramsey still held onto Jules, mostly because Jules had a death grip on his shirt, but he took a step back, Jules coming with him. "Thomas, do you think you can work with Mom and Lucas? Maybe figure out some magic that might give us an advantage."

  Thomas sighed and dropped his hand. He nodded but never took his eyes off Jules. "I can try."

  Ramsey nodded and turned, moving Jules to the side as he walked across the yard. He stopped when Hacen caught up with him. "I know Nicolono's coven, and at least half of those people don't belong to him. I think they’re Delano's men and if that's the case, they're trained fighters. Your people won't stand up against them."

  Ramsey already knew the vampires outnumbered them. "Come with me. We'll talk strategy with Garridan and Fane. They'll know better than me what to do."

  Hacen sucked in a breath, his eyes wide when he looked at Ramsey. "You're admitting you have weaknesses."

  Ramsey wasn't sure where Hacen was going with that kind of statement. "Garridan has been in a war before. And my mate is the best fighter we have. The best by far. I'm just an Alpha who comes from a small peaceful town. I've never been in this situation before. I'll get us killed if I don't listen to others."

  "Yes. I just..." Hacen looked at Jules. "I have friends I can call. They'll come and fight if I ask them."

  Ramsey nodded. "Jules. Will you show Hacen where the phone is in the kitchen?"

  "No. I don't want to be alone with him."

  "Jules. There are hundreds of people in the damn yard. More than a dozen in the house. No such thing as alone right now."

  "Still don't want too."

  "He won't do anything you don't want."

  Jules lifted his head off Ramsey's chest. A big wet spot coated his shirt. He turned and met Hacen’s gaze. "I know. Because if you do, my big Alpha brother will kick your ass, so no using your charm to get me to give in."

  It probably wasn't an appropriate time to laugh, but Jules cracked him up. When he had grown a backbone, Ramsey wasn't sure. It's about time he stuck up for himself. Ramsey just wished he wouldn’t get so disrespectful with him, but then Jules was reacting to Ramsey like he was his brother not his Alpha. That more than anything said how much Hacen and Thomas’s proximity affected him if he was forgetting Ramsey’s status in the clan.

  "Just do what I ask. Please."

  Jules let go of him. "I do it under protest."

  "Noted. And find Ladon when you're finished. I need him in on the strategy talk."

  "Okay." Jules started for the house. Hacen tried to touch him, but Jules moved away. "Don't even think about it."

  The vampires outside the circle grew restless. Part of the reason was the colder temperatures. The sun went into hiding, not wanting to be a part of the war. It wouldn't make an appearance until morning.

  On Ramsey's side of the barrier, several of the clan members had shifted, using their fur to keep them warm. Tim stayed human and within feet of Josh and Kristin at a
ll times. He looked at Ramsey as if he didn't know him.

  Ramsey watched them as they paced outside the invisible wall. One, in particular, touched it with his hand periodically with a cool calculation that scared Ramsey a bit. When Lucas saw that vampire, he ran to Bennett, climbed up on his dragon’s back and stayed there the whole time.

  He would bet money on that vampire being Nicolono Stavros.

  Thanks to Thomas, they could hear and see the vampires, but the vampires couldn't see them.

  Ramsey sat on the ground with his legs crossed. Fane came over to him and sat his sword down before taking a seat in Ramsey's lap, his back resting against Ramsey's chest. He tilted his face up and kissed Ramsey underneath his jaw.

  Ramsey held him close. "I had naughty plans for you today. I'm sorry they got pushed aside."

  Fane put a hand over Ramsey's, resting it there. "This will all be over soon."

  "Yeah, but how many of us will be left?"

  "Waiting for reinforcements is a good idea."

  "Clan is getting restless and I don’t know how long we can wait. Not days, I know that much."

  "At least they'll live." Fane seemed to be keeping an eye on Jules for some reason. Ramsey was just about to ask him when Fane said, "He's giving them a hard time on purpose."

  "Yep."

  Fane nodded. "Good. He'll need that fire to get through the fighting alive."

  Garridan sat down beside them and Hacen a few minutes later. Hacen never took his eyes off Jules, but watch him closely. "Stubborn human."

  Ramsey had to agree. He had no idea Jules could be like that. His temper had been even and he had a passive, quiet nature most of the time.

  "Everyone has a limit. Jules has reached his." Fane wiggled his butt around. Ramsey wasn’t sure if it was an attempt to get more comfortable or to tease. Either way, he successfully made Ramsey hard at the most inappropriate moment.

  Ramsey brought a hand down to Fane's hit and held him steady. "Be still, sweet."

  Fane followed Ramsey's orders, which told him he didn't do it on purpose.

  Ladon came over, Jules following behind him. Ladon's eyes weren't human but instead that of a dragon's. They were green and glowed slightly.

  Ramsey closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Of course, Ladon would choose that moment to have his first shift.

  "Jules told me you need me. Why am I included in the inner circle? The better question is, why is he?" Ladon looked right at Hacen and gave a deep rumbled growl. "You hurt my brother."

  Ramsey could swear he saw smoke coming out of his mouth. A second later that was confirmed when fire came out Ladon's mouth in one great big whoosh. Ramsey could feel the heat lick at his skin and knew Fane could too.

  He scrambled up, taking Fane with him. He moved Fane, so he was positioned behind him, safely out of the way. Surprisingly enough Jules stayed behind Ladon, which wasn't a smart move when he finally finished his shift. Ladon wouldn't have much control when the time came and might knock Jules around on accident.

  Garridan took a step toward Ladon but Ladon blew fire at him.

  Before Garridan could chastise him for it, Ramsey held up a hand. "I got this."

  What he failed to say was Bennett hadn't been nearly as volatile as Ladon appeared to be. "Shift. Now."

  Getting a command from an Alpha usually worked, and Ramsey hoped the command would spur Ladon to shift. The sooner he shifted, the sooner he'd lose the temper. As it was Ladon was probably as dangerous as the vampires outside.

  Hacen held out his hand to Jules. "Come here, Jules. Please. Please, baby. If he shifts, he'll hurt you."

  Jules just held up his middle finger.

  Fane stepped in, moving so quickly he was just a blur to Ramsey's eyes. He was behind Ramsey a second later, Jules in tow.

  Ramsey turned back around to focus on Ladon, and that's when the shift took over his body. Ladon cried out and then fell to the ground. His muscles moved beneath his skin as if something lived just underneath the surface.

  Garridan was the one that went over to Ladon, whispering to him to get him through the shift.

  Everyone felt the power radiating off Ladon, and Ramsey knew at that moment that his worries about who would be Alpha were unfounded. The clan would start seeing Ladon as Alpha soon enough. Hell, Ramsey already saw him that way.

  Ladon's dragon, when it emerged, was the color of spring leaves. He roared so loudly Ramsey had to cover his ears against the assault. The next time he opened his mouth it was as if he were trying to speak, but fire came out instead.

  Garridan jumped back when it hit his feet. "You can't talk, Ladon. You'll have to shift back for that, but that's how you make the fire come."

  Ladon tried to talk again and once again blew fire out of his mouth. And another time before he huffed and lay down. His big dragon head stretched out in front of him.

  Ramsey was so engrossed in Ladon's dragon he didn't even see Angel carrying Forrest through the barrier. They came through the woods at the far end of the yard and headed straight for Ramsey. Halfway there, Angel put Forrest on his feet. Angel's sword had blood on it and, looking beyond them, Ramsey saw two dead vampires heaped on top of each other, their bodies lying at weird angles.

  It was a good thing the barrier didn't hinder family and clan members.

  Forrest stopped short when he saw Ladon. "Holy shit. Bow-down-to-the-dragon you're a strong one."

  Ladon just huffed and lay there as if he couldn't be bothered with anything.

  Ramsey gave Angel and Forrest both a hug when they grew close enough. Fane stepped beside him, picking up his sword in the process.

  Forrest eyed the sword. "You sure it's okay to let him carry that thing around."

  Ramsey smirked. Forrest remembered the way Fane had been before Lucas partially healed him, and they completed the mating.

  "I know how to use it. Sensei taught me well." Fane smiled and leaned into Ramsey.

  "Wow. You're different." Forrest took a step closer, hesitating for some reason. "Can I hug you?"

  "Yes." Fane stepped into Forrest's embrace. "It's good you're here. You're needed. Greatly."

  "Yeah, well. Angels the one that'll be the most help."

  "When the fighting starts, you'll go in the house. Until then you're needed during the strategy talks. Especially when your reinforcements show up."

  Forrest's forehead wrinkled, and he pulled away, looking at Fane as if he grew two heads. "Go in the house?"

  "Yes. You're the Council's negotiator. They'll need you after the fighting is over. If it doesn't go in our favor, you'll still need to stay safe."

  Forrest's mouth fell open. Even Angel, who didn't seem to be surprised by much, looked shocked. It was over quickly, and Angel grinned. "Glad you're better, Fane."

  "We'll discuss it another time." Fane turned to Ramsey. "We need all of our best fighters in front. Most of the vampires aren't armed. Stavros may send his weaker fighters behind us, so our weaker ones will stay safer."

  Thomas chose that moment to come up to them, and Garridan moved in as well. "I can create a small opening in my barrier, so the vampires will have to trickle in a few at a time."

  Lucas climbed off Bennett's back and came over to him. "I can freeze some of them on the outside as long as they stay in groups and Mom can take her spell off at the same time Thomas opens his dome."

  "Good. Do that when I say." Ramsey looked from Forrest to Angel. "How far out are the reinforcements?"

  "Should be here anytime."

  "Fane do you have an issue with the plan?"

  Fane shook his head. "It's sound."

  Ramsey looked at Garridan, wanting his opinion as well. "I agree. Eventually, the vampires will overtake the entrance, so we'll have to have our best men up front, as Fane said. Hopefully, by then, we'll have taken out a big portion of their numbers."

  Yeah, Ramsey hoped that too.

  "Bennett and I can get some on the outside of the barrier." Garridan looked at Lucas. "We'll need G
abriel and a few of the other stronger males to protect Lucas."

  Lucas rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.

  "When you can't hold them anymore, you go inside the house." Ramsey held up a hand when Lucas started to argue. "That's an order, Lucas. Stavros can't take you. We can't let him."

  Lucas sighed. "Yes, Alpha."

  Chapter Sixteen

  The second Thomas and Mom did their thing, and a flood of vampires came through the door Ramsey wanted to puke all over again. Fane stood beside him, which gave him some measure of comfort but it wasn't enough. Especially when Fane's eyes turned red, and he drove forward towards the first of the vampires.

  Fane ran his sword through one vampire and then pulled it out at the same time that he kicked the guy in the chest. The body of the vampires careened into the ones behind him, toppling them like bowling pins. Fane took advantage of their prone state and attacked them, swinging his sword so fast it was hard to keep track of the movements.

  One vampire slipped past Fane, jumping over the others. Ramsey slithered his big, snake like body forward. The vampire turned, his red eyes and teeth flashing at Fane from behind. Ramsey intended to take the guy out, but Fane turned his sword at the last minute, driving it into the vampire's gut. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a kill shot, so Ramsey hovered over the vampire for a second before attacking him, ripping his body apart any way he could.

  The taste of blood in his mouth spurred him on. The need to protect his mate, even more, overwhelming than it had been. His human side took a backseat in his mind, and Ramsey acted on instinct, staying just behind Fane, cleaning up anyone who made it past the pile of bodies.

  A group of vampires pulled bodies out of the opening and entered in a wave. There were so many it was difficult to keep track. Ramsey attacked with a single-minded purpose to kill. Nothing else mattered, and he shut his brain off.

  He was aware of Fane nearby. Ladon still in dragon form held his own a few feet to Ramsey's right. He knew it was Ladon because a vampire came at Ramsey half-consumed by fire. When Ramsey bit him, and his teeth sank into flesh, the fire burned the inside of his mouth, so hot he could taste it and feel the flesh melt in one small spot. The smell of burnt flesh and smoke burned his nostrils.