by N M Thorn
“Release Detective Williams, and I will come with you willingly,” said Cole, raising his voice over the noise of the crowd.
Simon lowered his gun and exchanged a quick look with the man next to him. Jesse let out a ragged breath, throwing a glance at Cole over his shoulder.
“Who said we want you to go with us, anyway? We just want you dead. I mean the true death, where you’re a pile of ashes under my boots. You and the rest of your vamps,” said Simon with a nonchalant shrug. He looked at his companion again, giving him a curt nod, and they barked laughing.
“Moderius,” the biker-looking man in leather yelled, and his eyes ignited with a sinister purple glow as he directed the flow of his magic at Cole. The feeble shield Ace had conjured wasn’t potent enough to stop it, and the stream of magical energy wrapped tightly around Cole. A high-voltage orb crackling with electrical discharges materialized in the man’s other hand, and he pulled his arm back, propelling it at Cole’s chest.
Cole growled, struggling against the hold of the man’s magic, but his moves were lethargically slow. Jesse gasped and darted to the side, taking the energy orb in his chest as he shielded Cole with his body. The orb burned through his bulletproof vest and dissipated, leaving a bleeding hole the size of a golf ball behind. For a brief moment, Jesse stood still, his fingers grasping at his chest. Then he swayed and collapsed to the side, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. His slowly fading eyes found Cole’s, and his lips twitched, forming a faint smile.
“Protect River... I can’t...” he whispered with his last breath.
Chapter 23
~ Cole Adams ~
Cole roared as an overwhelming fury seared through him, his fingers elongating into sharp claws. His eyes ignited brighter with a deadly scarlet light, and his fangs expanded to their full length. But as he glanced back, he saw River and Ace still standing at the entrance into the foyer, staring at Jesse’s lifeless body in shock. River didn’t scream, but her face reflected a mix of horror and undiluted anger.
The group of werewolves that stood a few feet away from the house advanced forward, running toward the door, shouting threats and brandishing their weapons. The wizard regrouped and conjured another energy orb, ready to send it flying. Even though the spell’s effect started to wear off, Cole moved a lot slower than he normally would, but he was still faster than the lycanthropes. In one move, he slammed the door shut and locked it, spinning in place.
“What the hell, Ace!” he shouted, making his way toward them. “Why are you still here?”
He yanked the potion out of her hand and smashed the vial against the pentagram Ace had drawn earlier. The fragile bottle exploded in a shower of sparkling splinters, cutting his hand. The sharp pain just fueled the anger he felt, and a feral growl rumbled in his chest. As the thick blue liquid mixed in with his blood dripped down the wall, he turned to face Ace.
“Start chanting, goddammit!” he yelled, placing his hands on River’s shoulders.
The banging on the door became louder, and the house rattled, impacted by a powerful spell. The wards buzzed louder, responding to the assault of magical energy. Ace started to chant, her voice trembling with effort. The air in front of the pentagram shimmered, and finally, a large vortex rotating with sparkling blue lights opened up before them. River gasped, her shoulders stiffening under Cole’s grip.
“River, go!” Cole didn’t wait for her response and pushed her through the portal.
The house shook again, and the door blew up, pieces of wood scattering all over the foyer. Cole grabbed Ace’s hand, pulling her closer to the portal.
“Together,” he growled and jumped through it, yanking Ace with him.
“Incanto Comlium,” she yelled, closing the portal behind them.
Cole walked out of the portal and halted, staring around. He stood in front of a long white fence surrounding a large piece of land with a small ranch house visible in the distance. There was nothing except for the endless plains of the Sonoran Desert for miles around.
“Where are we?” asked River, staring around in shock.
“Arizona,” muttered Cole absentmindedly, reaching in his pocket.
He pulled out his phone and quickly scrolled through his contact list. Then he pressed the dial button and listened to the dialing tone, tapping his foot impatiently.
“Hawk, hello,” he said with relief. “This is Cole Adams. Damian’s—”
“I know who you are, King,” replied the old Alpha, his voice coming muffled through the phone. “I’m going to send my son to walk you through the wards.”
“Please, do it fast.” Cole looked around, searching for any sign of trouble. “Simon had a wizard with him. I’m sure it won’t take him long to trace my portal to your location.”
He heard a loud thud as Hawk slammed his fist against something, followed by a slew of profanities. “I’m coming, Cole. Hang in there.”
As soon as Hawk hung up, Cole found another phone number in the contact list and dialed it, his fingers nearly crushing the device.
“Monsieur Adams, I think I know why you’re calling,” Luc’s voice sounded on the other end of the line. “The situation at Paradise Manor, I presume?”
“Yes, my lord,” replied Cole. As fast as he could, he told the latest events to Luc de la Crosse.
“Yes, I expected that. After Commander Blake showed up at my doorsteps, asking for a portal potion, I expected something like this to happen. The unrest in Arizona has been growing for a while, and now, it’s finally spilled into the realm of humans.” The Master Warden sighed and fell silent for a brief moment. “Where are you, Cole? Is Detective Evans safe?”
“We’re in the middle of nowhere, at Hawk’s ranch,” replied Cole, throwing a quick glance at the house. “He offered Damian and me the protection of his pack. River Evans and Ace are with me.”
“Perfect,” murmured Luc. “Stay there, mon ami. My Wardens are already at Paradise Manor, and from what they can see, the wards are still intact. We’ll speak soon.”
As Luc hung up, Cole put the phone back into his pocket and turned to Ace and River. “Hawk is coming to walk us through the wards. We should be safe here. At least for a while.”
A few seconds later, an older man came running across the property. He halted in front of the white fence, breathing heavily with his hand pressed to his chest. Giving a quick nod to Cole, he unlocked the gate, pulling it open, and walked outside.
“Mr. Adams,” he said. “Please, come in.” He gestured at the entrance and turned to River and Ace. “Detective Evans? Ace?” River and Ace exchanged a surprised look and nodded. “Please, come inside. All of you are welcome in my home.”
Cole walked through the property, following Hawk. Despite the hour, the ranch was empty, and the machine shop at the far end of the land remained dark and silent. Everything looked quiet and peaceful, but Cole couldn’t get rid of the feeling of being watched. Even though until now Arizona’s vampires and werewolves had lived in peace, there had never been any warm feelings between these two powerful supernatural clans, and Cole wasn’t sure what to expect. With his sharp vampiric senses, he couldn’t help but detect the presence of werewolves all around him, and his skin crawled with anticipation of trouble. Nevertheless, he clenched his teeth and kept walking, his eyes registering the smallest details and the tiniest movements.
Hawk stepped up the short staircase leading to the porch and opened the door, allowing Ace and River to pass through first. But as Cole approached him, he put his hand on his arm, halting him.
“Cole, my house is not much, but I want you to know that you are a welcome guest,” he said quietly. “I’m sure you don’t feel comfortable in the presence of my pack, so before you meet them, I wanted to reassure you that you are absolutely safe here. I promised your brother that my pack and I will protect you, and I stand by my words.”
Cole met the old Alpha’s eyes, which were glowing with a soft golden light characteristic to purebred werewolves on high
alert and they reminded him of the eyes of his brother. A soft smile touched his lips, and he offered his hand to Hawk.
“Thank you,” he said, squeezing Hawk’s callused hand. “I will never forget your kindness.”
Hawk winked, gesturing for him to come in. “It’s nice to have a king owing you a favor.”
Cole chuckled and walked inside. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the magical energy of lycanthropes enveloped him, invading all his senses with renewed strength, and he had to make an effort not to clasp his hand over his mouth and nose. The small lobby was empty, but the soft sound of chatter came from an open door leading into the kitchen. Hawk motioned for him to follow and walked inside.
The kitchen wasn’t large, but like everything Cole had seen so far, it was clean and well taken care of. White curtains with a floral design adorned the only window, and a pot with a small decorative cactus sat on the windowsill. A scent of freshly made coffee permeated the air, and a young man with shoulder-length black hair served the hot beverage to Ace and River, who sat by the table located in the middle of the room. A second man stood by the window, leaning his back against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Dressed in plain blue jeans and plaid shirts, the men looked like they could have been brothers. Both were long-legged and muscular, and judging by their energy signature and the slightly glowing golden eyes, they were purebred werewolves.
As soon as they noticed Cole, they froze in place and their eyes lit up brighter. Hawk raised his hand warningly and turned to Cole.
“Mr. Adams,” he said, pulling a chair out and gesturing for him to sit down. “These are my sons, Griffin”—he pointed at the man next to the window—"and Atticus. I summoned them after I talked to Commander Blake.”
The older man pushed away from the wall and slightly inclined his head, a crooked smirk on his lips. “Your Majesty,” he said in an attempt to sound respectful, but a layer of sarcasm underlay his every word. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“My liege.” A wide grin split Atticus’ face as he gave Cole a ceremonious bow infused with good-natured humor.
Cole glanced at Hawk, slightly confused by such a welcome, but the old Alpha just shrugged, wagging his finger at his sons.
“My name is Cole,” he said as calmly as he could muster in the situation. “There is no need for titles and bows. I appreciate your help.”
“Well, that’s something I haven’t done yet.” Atticus lowered on the chair next to Ace, his golden eyes darting to her for a brief moment.
“What would that be?” asked Cole, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe as he observed the young man with curiosity.
“Being a bodyguard to a king, of course,” he replied, arching his eyebrow.
“A Vampire King,” muttered Griffin dryly, looking away, disdain curving his lips.
“We discussed it, Griffin.” Hawk frowned, taking a step toward his older son, but Cole raised his hand, stopping him.
He crossed the kitchen and halted in front of Griffin. The werewolf straightened, staring down at him coldly, and just now Cole realized that the man had to be at least six-foot-seven as he towered a few inches over him. He looked at River and Ace and then turned back to Griffin.
“Yes, I’m a vampire,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “I was turned over a thousand years ago—” He heard a high-pitched whistle and glanced over his shoulder to see Atticus’ widened eyes. Giving him a lopsided smirk, he switched his attention to Griffin. “It wasn’t my choice to become one, just like it wasn’t your choice to be born a werewolf. But I am what I am, and I accept it. However, if it’s hard for you to tolerate my presence, I’ll gladly leave your home as long as you promise to protect my friends.” He pointed at River and Ace.
Ace got up, her face turning ashen, her hand lowering to her hip, but River gave her a slight shake of her head and turned in her chair to face Griffin.
“Listen, Griffin,” she said with a sigh. “I’m new to the World of Magic, and I have a hard time understanding this silent hostility between werewolves and vampires, but there is one thing I must tell you.” She got up, her moves weary as if she were too tired to move. “I am human, and I’m not Cole’s blood donor or lover. But a few months ago, Cole and his brother saved my life, risking everything for me, even though they barely knew me. I’ll never forget it.”
She walked up to Cole, wrapped her arm around his waist and looked into his eyes, a gentle smile lighting up her features.
“Damian and Cole are my brothers in everything but blood,” she continued, switching her gaze to Griffin. “Besides my father, they are the only family I have, and I would do anything to keep them both safe.” She pulled up to her tiptoes and gently kissed Cole on his cheek. Giving him a tiny smile, she returned to the table and sat down, staring at Griffin pointedly.
“Griffin—,” started Cole but fell silent as the amount of werewolves’ energy in the area suddenly increased tenfold, pressing on his senses. He spun around, meeting Hawk’s troubled eyes, and then turned back to his son. “Griffin, Simon and his pack are here. You can throw me outside your property line, and there is a chance they will leave your pack alone.” He glanced back at Hawk and Atticus, and a wild smirk crossed his face. “Or we can fight. Together. So, what is it going to be? Make your choice, and I swear to honor your decision.”
Before Griffin could reply, a young man, no older than twenty, rushed into the room and stopped, gasping for air with his mouth open.
“Hawk,” he managed to say between breaths. “Simon is here. His pack is”—he made a wide gesture with both arms—"enormous. I’ve never seen anything like this. You got to see it, Pack Master. The rest of our men are already by the gates.”
“So, what is it going to be, Griffin?” Cole pulled the side of his trench coat open, showing his sword sheathed beneath it.
The werewolf looked down at Cole, his mouth pressed into a stubborn line. He grunted and shook his head, but then held out his hand, and Cole took it, squeezing it in a firm handshake.
“This goes against everything I grew up believing in,” Griffin growled, and the air around him shimmered as he partially transformed, seemingly getting taller and more muscled than he had already been. “But, what the hell? I hate Simon Cox, anyway, and it’s about time someone taught him a lesson. We stand together, King. I don’t betray people… um… vampires to whom my father offered the pack’s protection.”
“Good choice,” River murmured, rising, her gun in her hand. Ace stood by her side, holding her sword.
“Whoa, timeout, Detective,” said Atticus, shaking his head. “You’re human. And you are”—he threw a quizzical glance at Ace—"just a little girl. You’re staying here.”
“A little girl?” Ace gasped indignantly.
“Try stopping me,” River snapped, raking the young werewolf with an icy stare. “It’s about time I meet this Simon face to face. He killed my ex-partner, and I believe I owe him a nice silver bullet with my undying gratitude.” She jerked her chin toward the door. “Cole, Ace, are you coming?”
With her gun in her hand, she walked out the door.
“Damn, girl.” Atticus laughed, throwing his head back, the excitement of the upcoming fight igniting his eyes with a bright golden light.
Cole just shook his head and rushed out to catch up with River.
Chapter 24
~ Cole Adams ~
Cole walked out on the porch and stopped dead in his tracks. When the young messenger said Simon’s pack was enormous, he didn’t give it justice. Back in Paradise Manor, Cole neither had the time nor opportunity to truly estimate the size of the opposing forces, but now, as he took in the sheer number of men in Simon’s pack, cold shivers ran down his back.
The army of werewolves stretched as far as he could see, following the shape of the fence that was surrounding the ranch. The men spoke and laughed loudly, their chatter turning into a continuous growling noise. The thick cloud of werewolves’ magical energy mixed i
n with the odor of their bodies polluted the air, making him groan and press his hand over his nose and mouth. But as he forced himself to lower his hand and sharpen his senses, he realized that Simon’s army consisted of not only werewolves but also demons and possibly other beings of magic he couldn’t identify from this distance. Compared to them, Hawk’s entire pack looked like a drop in the bucket.
A light tap on his shoulder ripped him out of his thoughts, and he snapped his head to find Atticus standing next to him. The young werewolf smiled his friendly, open-hearted smile, pointing at the dark line of the enemy forces.
“Wow, I didn’t realize Simon wanted you that bad,” he muttered, shaking his head. “He’s really outdone himself.”
“I don’t think he wants only Cole.” Hawk stepped on Cole’s other side. The old Alpha looked calm on the outside, but his tightly clenched fists showed his real state of mind. “He wants our land, and he wants my pack. I think he’s using the situation to his advantage. Getting vengeance for the fallen is just an excuse.”
“There are too many of them,” said Griffin quietly. “Even with an ancient vampire on our side, we stand no chance.”
“This is why we’re not going to fight,” Hawk replied and headed toward the fence, motioning for them to follow him. “As long as we stand behind the fence, there is nothing they can do.”
Once they approached the line of Hawk’s werewolves, the men stepped aside, allowing them to pass through. Hawk halted in front of the fence and tilted his head, folding his arms. Cole stopped next to him, observing the opposing army with interest. Now closer, Simon’s pack looked even more impressive. Most of the werewolves, however, weren’t purebred, and since it wasn’t the time of the full moon, they couldn’t transform. Despite that, they still presented a dangerous power—all of them stronger and faster than average humans. Besides werewolves, quite a few demons and shifters stood mixed in with the pack, and it was clear Simon spent a pretty penny to hire all these supernatural mercenaries.
