by J. C. Diem
He shrugged a shoulder. “Not much more than I know about any other species of shifter. They tend to live in, or near forests. They’re usually loaners, but they’ll band together to help if one of their kin gets into trouble. They’re slow to anger, but when they do get angry, they’re formidable fighters.”
“They sound like just the type of people we need on our team,” Kala said. “It’ll be good to see Bruce again.” She winked at me and I recalled her comment that she would have climbed him like a tree if he hadn’t been a bear. At six foot six, he had a bushy beard and looked like a lumberjack. Her tastes had changed towards lean, blond men now, but they’d been fairly eclectic when I’d first joined the squad.
“We shouldn’t be gone long,” Mark said. “Will you be able to keep everyone under control?” He directed the question to both Reece and my father.
They nodded and my dad put his hand on his gun. “They’ll behave themselves, or I’ll make them regret it.” Kala gave a quiet, yet lustful sigh. She really did seem to have a thing for men with alpha personalities right now. Unfortunately, my father oozed authority without even trying. He was like catnip to her.
Reece pulled me in and brushed a kiss across my cheek. His affection warmed me all the way to my heart. I didn’t want to leave him, but I forced myself to step away and took Mark’s hand. Zeus trotted over to us soundlessly. He intended to come along as well this time. He remembered the ranger and he was eager to see him again. He also wanted to make it up to me for not going with me to retrieve the werecats.
Catching that thought from me, he sent me an apologetic look. Don’t worry about it, I told him. It had probably been for the best that I’d met with the pride alone. They were so touchy that anyone else probably would have annoyed Cole into not joining our cause. I could have subverted them all to my will, but I’d rather they came willingly. I’d been forced into this role and it wouldn’t be fair to do the same thing to the people who would become my allies.
“Are you ready?” I asked Mark. At his nod, I focused on the campsite where a human had been kidnapped by a succubus. Mark just had time to brace himself then we disappeared beneath the ground.
When we emerged, we were standing at the edge of a campsite that was bare of grass and plants. Eighteen shifters stood in the muddy clearing. All were taller than average and were gigantic in build. The men all had unruly beards and the women had long, bushy hair.
Standing at the front of the group, Bruce Delgado broke into a smile. He stepped forward to shake Mark’s hand. He wore jeans and a black t-shirt rather than his usual ranger uniform. “It’s good to see you again, Mark.” He turned to me and picked me up in a bear hug that made my ribs creak. “You, too, Lexi,” he said when he put me down. Then he crouched next to Zeus and stroked his ears. Zeus’ tongue lolled in instant ecstasy.
A disturbed expression crossed the ranger’s face. He stood and stared down at the Rottweiler. “When did he die?”
“A few days ago.”
“I take it he’s been turned into some kind of zombie?” His pack stirred at that. Shifters instinctively feared and hated the undead.
“Not exactly. He’s undead, but I managed to bind his soul to his body and infused him with death magic. He isn’t like a normal zombie. He can think for himself and he still has his personality.”
“You didn’t tell me she was a necromancer,” a statuesque woman with wild dark brown hair said accusingly. I assumed she was Leanne. The entire pack was poised to either fight or flee.
“I didn’t know,” Bruce told her and turned to study me. Strangely, I didn’t sense any fear coming from him. Like Aiden, he’d already accepted that I was different. “Lexi was just a normal werewolf when I saw her last.” I’d never been normal, but he hadn’t known that when he’d seen me last.
“What are you now?” his alpha asked me.
“I’m a hybrid. I’m a cross between a werewolf and a vampire. I’m also a trueborn necromancer.”
Whispers spread through the group and they pulled back even further. They’d break and make a run for it at any moment.
“Lexi isn’t like normal necromancers,” Mark assured them. “If she was going to turn evil, it would have happened by now. She is destined to save our world and she needs your help to do it.”
“How can a girl, who is little more than a child, be destined to save our world?” Leanne asked. “Who made this decision?”
“It was Fate,” I said and received incredulous stares from them all. “I know it sounds crazy, but I’m not making this up. Fate is an actual entity and she showed me what would happen in a dream if we don’t stop Kurt Jorgen. Now the dream is coming true. I’m sure you’ve seen what’s happened to several towns and cities by now.” They nodded uneasily. “A half-faery is behind the attacks. He’s created golems that control cats, dogs, cows, reptiles, birds and spiders. He has a necromancer at his beck and call who can raise an army of thousands of zombies. Worst of all, he can now call demons straight out of hell. He isn’t going to stop until every single human being and supernatural creature is dead.”
My impassioned speech was enough to stop them from fleeing. If the attacks hadn’t been so widely broadcasted, I doubted I’d have been able to convince the bears to even listen to me. Since they’d seen the destruction for themselves, they knew the threat was very real and that it wasn’t just my imagination.
“Give us a few minutes to discuss this,” the alpha said and drew her people away until they were out of my hearing. Bruce immediately began to speak. He gesticulated as he gave a speech that was just as heartfelt as mine had been.
“Do you think they’ll agree to help us?” I asked Mark.
“I believe so,” he said with a nod. “If they don’t, they will be hunted to extinction right along with every other being on the planet.”
Reaching the same conclusion, the bears returned after a few minutes. “We’ll agree to help you,” Leanne said, “on the provision that you won’t throw our lives away in your mission to kill the half-faery.”
“Our mission is to save as many lives as we can,” I told her with utmost honesty. “That includes shifters and any other supernatural creatures that are out there.”
“Except the ones that are a danger to humans,” Mark added.
Bruce grinned widely and clapped Mark on the shoulder hard enough to make him stagger forward a couple of steps. “It’ll be good to work with you and your team again, Mark. Things have been boring since Lexi killed the two succubae.”
“Zeus killed one of them,” I reminded him.
“Was that before or after he became a zombie?” one of the male werebears muttered.
“Long before,” Mark said. “He was dangerous when he was just a normal dog. You should see him when he gets angry now.”
Bruce was intrigued by that. He patted his chest and Zeus obligingly leaped up to put his paws on the ranger’s chest. “Are you a stone cold killer, boy?” Bruce asked.
Zeus’ bark of agreement was deeper than normal and sounded almost hollow. He licked Delgado on the cheek and the shifter grimaced. “If he’s undead, why does he still drool?”
“It’s one of life’s great mysteries,” I replied with a shrug. “I’m just glad he doesn’t try to steal my food anymore.”
Giving the Rottweiler a final pat, he set him down on the ground. “I hope I get to see him in action. I have a feeling it will be memorable.”
“It will be,” I promised. “Are you ready?” They nodded and moved into a circle. They all carried backpacks that were stuffed full of gear. Leanne had known all along that they would join us or they wouldn’t have come prepared for action.
I gave them the usual warning to close their eyes and mouths, but this time I explained what I was going to do. I didn’t want to freak out the pack of werebears when they were already on the edge.
“You mean we’re going to sink into the ground and reemerge in Texas?” Bruce asked. A grin played around his mouth and I was pretty sure he thought I was
joking.
“It will only take a moment,” Mark said. “It can be disconcerting at first, but you’ll be perfectly safe.”
Leanne looked doubtful, but placed her hand on my shoulder. The rest of her pack gathered in close and closed their eyes. Unlike Aiden’s pack, they followed my suggestion to keep their mouths closed. In the blink of an eye, we shifted back to Texas.
₪₪₪
Chapter Fourteen
“We’re here,” I said.
Bruce opened his eyes and looked around in wonder when he saw the forest had been replaced by a desert. Spying Reece, Kala and Flynn, he grinned and strode over to them. He engulfed them each in a hug then drew them over to meet his alpha.
“This is the team I told you about,” he said to Leanne after introducing them all.
“Two wolves, a cougar, a snake and a human,” she said as she took us all in. “How do you manage to work together without wanting to kill each other?”
“I raised Reece, Kala and Flynn together from a young age,” Mark explained. “We’re a family.”
She studied us with a frown then turned to examine Cole and Aiden and their people. The oracle caught her eye and she shook her head. “This really must be the end of the world if you can convince so many different species to team up together. We should be at war with each other, yet we’re all standing around, being polite.”
“The human has threatened to shoot us if we cause any trouble,” Cole said sullenly and nodded at my dad.
Leanne turned to my father and looked him up and down. She was in her early forties, which meant they were roughly the same age. “You must be very formidable to be able to bring shifters into line,” she said. “I think I’m impressed.” I felt Kala’s hackles rise at the assessing look the bear gave him.
“He’s a highly trained sniper,” I explained. “My Dad is the best soldier the US Army has ever seen.”
“You’re Major Levine?” Leanne said and her admiration grew. She smiled and changed from being ordinary into pretty as she held out her hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Major.”
He shook her hand in bemusement. He was used to being known among the human world, but he hadn’t realized he was famous among shifters as well.
“I’d love it if you could give me some pointers sometime,” the alpha werebear added.
“I’m afraid your private session will have to wait until after we’ve saved the world,” Kala said tartly. Jealousy oozed from her every pore.
Leanne’s eyes narrowed when she realized she had competition. Mark stepped in before the atmosphere could turn nasty. “Now that we’re all here, we need to discuss our plan.” Leanne stared at Kala hard, but she didn’t back down. It wasn’t easy to hold your own against an alpha, but Kala wasn’t a normal shifter now. She was immortal and she was linked to Reece and me. She was very nearly our equal and she wasn’t about to be intimidated by anyone.
“Let’s hear it,” Aiden said. Unshaven and dressed in filthy clothing, he looked like a common criminal. In reality, he owned several million dollars’ worth of property. It seemed he could also be diplomatic when it was called for.
“Our target is called Kurt Jorgen,” Mark began. “He is a half-human, half-faery who intends to destroy both humanity and the fae.”
“Why?” Leanne asked. “What beef does he have with humans and faeries?”
“His mother was a full blood faery,” Kala explained. “She visited our realm and was caught and raped by a bunch of human men. The faeries kicked her out when they realized she was pregnant with a half-breed. You haven’t seen him yet, but he’s a freaky little weirdo. The kids in the village wouldn’t play with him because he was different from them. Even his own mother hated him. She pined to death, leaving him all alone. He stole some food and was beaten up by the villagers, so he decided he was going to get revenge on them all one day. Apparently, that day has finally arrived.”
Everyone was silent as they took this in. “So, he wants to destroy two races because he has Mommy issues?” Leanne asked incredulously.
Mark nodded. “Essentially, yes.”
Cole managed to tear his attention away from Kala long enough to ask a question. “How are we going to kill this half-faery if he is truly immortal?”
“How can he be immortal if his mother died?” Bruce asked.
“He’s been stealing power from supernatural creatures for the past four hundred years,” Mark explained. “We’re not really sure what his capabilities are.”
“What exactly do you expect us to do?” Felix asked. He smiled at Mark, making him do a double take. It seemed even humans were fair game to him. Ava gave the feline a disapproving frown and shifted fractionally closer to Mark, subconsciously staking her claim on him.
“The faery has captured at least several hundred shifters and has them beneath his spell,” Reece said. “We think he’s planning to unleash them at the next full moon.”
Horror spread through the entire gathering. “They’ll be damned the moment they taste human flesh,” Aiden said.
“Not if we break them free first,” I said. “Not just from the EERI facilities where they’re being held, but free from Jorgen’s spell as well.”
“How?” one of the male werebears asked. “Faery spells are unbreakable. Everyone knows that.”
Mark glanced at Leanne for an explanation. “Our European ancestors had dealings with the fae,” she explained. “They are tricky, treacherous and cunning. Their bargains always come with unexpected consequences.”
I grimaced at that. The deal I’d made with Kurt had now been fulfilled, but I still hadn’t discovered what the consequences were yet. My gut told me it was going to be catastrophic.
“We have a weapon that the fae haven’t encountered before,” Mark said and pointed at me. “We have a warrior who was chosen by Fate to save our world.”
I expected laughter to erupt from everyone who hadn’t been aware of this. Instead, they just stared at me with varying degrees of amazement.
“So, that’s how you survived when you were bitten by a vampire,” the oracle said. She was crouched in the mouth of her cave, attempting to hide in the shadows. “Fate has cradled you in her hands since your birth. She has sheltered and guided you so you could become the most powerful creature that has ever existed.”
“More powerful than this half-faery?” Rick asked doubtfully.
“Probably not,” I admitted. “That’s why you’re all here. I need to borrow your alphas.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re hopefully going to be able to boost my power.” At his uncomprehending stare, I realized I was going to have to give them a rundown of what I intended to do. “During one of our missions, Flynn was bamboozled by a golem that had been created by Kurt Jorgen. His mind was held captive, but I managed to break him free because we’re linked. Since I’m not linked to any of the other captives, I’ll need more power if I want to free their minds.”
“How can you be linked to him?” Aiden asked. “Shifters can usually only link to their mates.” With all of his knowledge about our kind, this was new to him.
“It has something to do with me being different from every other shifter,” I replied. “When I bite someone, I become linked to their minds. Reece is the same, probably because of our bond. Both Kala and Flynn are linked to us. We can all tell what each other is thinking and feeling if we concentrate hard enough.”
“Why don’t you just bite the alphas so you can become linked with them?” Felix asked. “You can sink your teeth into me anytime.” His smile was languid and inviting.
“If either Lexi or Reece bit you, you’d die horribly and painfully,” Kala said. “They’re part vampire, so their bites are now lethal to our kind.”
Felix’s eyes widened. “Ah. Then perhaps it would be best if I retract my offer.”
Rick was still confused. “If you can’t bite the alphas, then how are you going to use their power?” He was understandably concerned about Aide
n being used in an experiment.
“Reece and I are supreme alphas,” I said. “We can control all species of shifters.”
His expression was full of disbelief. “Prove it,” he challenged.
“Fine,” Reece replied. “I’ll need a volunteer.” He hadn’t actually tried to take over another shifter yet, but I was confident that he shared my ability.
Leanne stepped forward. “I’d like to see you try to take over my mind, young pup.” Her smile softened what might have otherwise been a deadly insult. The werebears had remained a little apart from the rest of us. Her pack wasn’t happy with her stepping up, but they didn’t argue with her decision.
“This should be good,” Bruce Delgado said and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. I wasn’t sure if he wanted Reece to succeed or to see his alpha win.
At six feet tall, Leanne was an inch taller than Reece. He walked over until they were standing face to face. He stared into her eyes intently as he tried to bend her to his will. I was ready to give him a boost of power if he needed it, but it wasn’t necessary. We all saw it when she succumbed to him. Her eyes became glazed and she bowed her head. “I am yours to command, alpha,” she said in a respectful tone. Astonished murmurs swept through the crowd.
Mark’s expression was thoughtful as he spoke. “This proves that both you and Lexi can control other shifters, but I’d like to see if you can take it a step further.” Reece lifted his eyebrows in query. “Try to make one of the bears transform.”
Again, Reece had never tried this on his own, but I knew he could do it and gave him a mental thumbs-up. “I’ll try,” he said with a shrug. Delving into Leanne’s mind, he found her inner werebear and followed her link to her pack. “Which one of you wants to be transformed?” he asked them.
Bruce stepped forward immediately. He knew us well enough to know he could trust us with his life. “I’ll do it. Just make sure I don’t go on a rampage and kill everyone,” he joked. He stripped down to his undershorts then waited expectantly. Reece triggered his change and in seconds, he turned into a hulking monster. I’d never seen a werebear before and was suitably impressed. Standing about nine feet tall, his body was humanoid, but his head was all bear. He was covered in a thick brown pelt and had claws and fangs to rival any werewolf.
