by Caris Roane
Within half-a-minute, Fergus’s ground troops had entered the compound. The exterior was now very quiet. At least two dozen more Gordion wolves hovered in the air, at wide intervals both horizontal and vertical, keeping watch.
Fergus was situated in the air twenty yards opposite the front entrance. All the airborne warriors waited with rifles drawn. Each continued to survey the various vehicles in the parking lot as well as the pine trees at the edge of the forest across the street.
Warren held her hand to retain their critical physical connection. With his phone to his ear, he moved them as a unit in a slow circle in the air, checking the skies.
She heard Fergus say, “Mary found Julio’s room. It’s on the first belowground level at the far, southern end of the complex. The hall to get there is very long. The women are unconscious. Wait. She says Julio is in there. Shit.”
“What?” Warren barked.
“Mary said Julio just disappeared.”
Kiara leaned close to the phone. “He didn’t disappear. Glissane pulled him into his shield.”
“Kiara’s right,” Warren added.
Fergus rattled off a tidy string of invective. “Mary says the women are barely breathing. Whatever Julio’s done, the three captives will die soon.”
Warren was about to say something, but Kiara caught his arm, then said, “Fergus, ask Mary if she sees even the faintest green glimmer inside the room. This would be the wizard’s aura. If she can detect his signature, we’ll know where both Glissane and Julio are.”
“I’ll ask.”
Kiara’s heart started pounding in her chest. If they remained inside the bedroom, she suspected that she and Warren were being sent an invitation.
Fergus’s voice came back firm and confident. “She said ‘yes’, the signature is there.”
Kiara met Warren’s gaze. He nodded slowly in confirmation, then spoke into his phone. “Have Mary stay in contact with you about that signature. Let us know if it leaves the bedroom.”
Fergus cursed again. “This feels like a damn trap.”
“I agree,” Warren said. “But here’s the good news. If Julio and Glissane remain in one location, you and your force will be free to take care of Julio’s army and evacuate the pack wolves. Kiara and I are going in.”
“I’m with you. I’ll send orders to the squad leaders, then I’ll be right back to you. Keep your phone handy.”
Warren set it on speaker, then slid it into a pouch on his armored vest near his left shoulder.
He took Kiara’s hand. She felt the beginnings of his storm in a tingling on her palm. He held her gaze, his lips set in a grim line. He switched to telepathy. Neither of us knows how this can work or what we can do. Glissane has a powerful reputation as a devious wizard who works in layers. This won’t be simple and there’s no guarantee we’ll make it out of there alive.
She squeezed his hand. I know. But either way, with Fergus’s highly-trained troops taking on Julio’s contingent, we’ll be saving some wolves and putting a dent in his army. There’s just one thing.
What?
She leaned up and kissed him on the lips. Hard.
He responded by sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her tight against him.
When she drew back, she caressed his face and ran her fingers over his diminished scars. Let’s go get ‘em.
~ ~ ~
Warren kept his arm wrapped around Kiara’s waist. This was new for him, going into battle with a woman by his side. Not just a woman, but a powerful alter witch. He hoped like hell that between them they’d be able to disrupt the power-bond Julio and Glissane shared.
He flew first to the open front door and seeing it empty, retraced their earlier pathway. He had one goal right now, to make sure they didn’t get caught in the crossfire.
Julio’s bedroom was down one flight of stairs and on the south side of the complex. He spoke quietly into his phone. “Fergus, you there?”
“I am.”
“We’re heading toward the stairs to the second level. The fighting appears to have been taken into the courtyard out back. Your troops have already rounded up dozens of flame-addicted wolves and have them sitting in different rooms.”
“Any sign of the wave effect? The one that subdued the packs in the first place?”
“No. My guess is Julio and Glissane have a different plan.”
“They want you dead.”
“More than anything.”
Fergus grew quiet then said, “You don’t have to do this.”
Warren chuckled since he’d said the same thing to Kiara earlier. “Like hell. We’re ready for whatever comes.”
“I’ll keep checking in with Mary. I’ll only come back to the phone if something changes.”
“Got it.”
When two of Julio’s men appeared at the end of the hall, Warren jerked Kiara into a nearby bathroom but kept the door open. Gunfire followed for a few ear-shattering seconds then Fergus’s men were running in the direction of the men.
Warren shifted to peer down the hall, but made use of only one eye to remain concealed from view. As soon as he saw that Julio’s men were dead, he ushered Kiara back into the hall. He caught her around the waist, shifted to levitation, and flew swiftly. She must have understood his intention, because she used her own levitation to stick close to him which allowed him to fly fast.
Another burst of gunfire echoed down the hall they just left. His adrenaline fired off rockets. This was the most dangerous position to be in, with small gun battles taking place all over the complex.
He headed to the stairs, checked for clearance, then swept down the first flight of stairs.
Once on the first belowground level, he kept them moving down the long hall that led to the south suite of rooms. Julio’s forces were nowhere to be seen in this part of the compound. They’d no doubt been sent to the ground level to engage Fergus’s troops.
When he reached Julio’s apartment, he had to open the door while still shielded, but closed it quickly behind him. Hopefully, no one saw the door appearing to operate by itself.
He spoke to Fergus. “We need Mary to guide us in.”
“She sees you and says that Julio’s bedroom is to the right of the living area. You’ll see once you’re inside. Hold on. Something’s wrong. Mary’s reporting in.”
The pause that ensued filled Warren with dread. Kiara trembled beside him. She felt it, too.
Fergus came back on the line. “Mary had to leave. Glissane saw the dreamglide. That’s one powerful bastard. Warren, you’re on your own.”
Kiara spoke her determination. “I’m ready.”
Warren’s dread deepened, but so did his resolve. “We’ll take it from here.”
He removed his phone from the shoulder pouch then slid it into the pocket of his leathers. He turned toward Kiara and gripped her arms. “You amaze me, Sweetheart. I couldn’t have done this with anyone else.”
Her dark brown eyes glinted and a determined smile touched her lips. “Let’s go save some wolves.”
Because it seemed like the right, best thing to do, he dipped down and kissed her in the same way she’d kissed him earlier.
When he drew back, she nodded slowly, a formal wolf gesture that cemented their shared purpose.
He released her to slide his arm around her waist once more. Never, at any point in his life had he gone into battle with a woman next to him yet no real understanding of what he’d be facing once he engaged the enemy.
Chapter Ten
Kiara’s mouth felt stuffed with cotton as she stared at what had to be the closed doors of Julio’s bedroom. Her wolf senses told her the enemy lay beyond. They’d put three female wolves within as bait for their trap.
It was a perfect move. Glissane had studied his quarry. He must have known both she and Warren would have moved heaven and earth to rescue the tortured wolves.
Focusing on the wizard, she began to know and understand him.
Somewhere deep in Kiara’s spir
it, now both wolf and witch, she sensed that what would happen right now wasn’t an end-game, but something Glissane needed to have happen. She was sure he didn’t even care about the outcome. The wizard had a reputation for experiments, dark works that ended in death for his victims. Julio, crippled by his lust for power, couldn’t know that he was a victim as surely as Glissane had put a collar of iron around his neck and marched him around on a heavy chain.
A resolve entered her bones, both witch and wolf. Glissane must die. His kind of evil rotted out the marrow of anyone he touched. Julio was a shell forged of that rot and used solely for Glissane’s purposes. The shell would be cast aside as soon as it was no longer needed.
She used her telepathy. Glissane doesn’t care whether Julio lives or dies.
He glanced at her. I’m getting that as well.
Kiara forced herself into a state of deep relaxation. So much more would be needed to survive what was waiting for them beyond the doors than just the brawn Warren wielded. Julio was a physically powerful man for one thing, but Glissane had a wizard’s arsenal he kept well-hidden.
Warren said, We’ll have to leave your security shield.
Her heart began to pound. She knew he was right. Whatever needed to happen had to begin with a barefaced confrontation.
Ready? She asked.
Do it.
She could feel that he’d eased himself into a receptive physical state. She connected with the spell and removed the shield.
Let’s step away from the doors. As he spoke, he slid his hand beneath her elbow and drew her off to the side of the room.
She followed him without hesitation. When he dropped to a crouch, she did as well. She planted her hand on his shoulder, but not out of affection. Her instincts, again wolf and witch, ran like small flashes of lightning through her blood. It was almost as though she could see the future in brief glimpses and she needed to be connected to Warren to survive.
The doors suddenly flew wide and Julio appeared in the doorway, his AR-15 at his shoulder. He fired several rounds in quick bursts into the living room.
Warren had his pistol in hand and within a split-second of the first shot, blasted away at Julio.
Kiara watched as Julio’s arm flew backward and the weapon dropped from his hand. Julio was hit. Still, Warren didn’t move.
Julio suddenly disappeared from their sightline. She said, Glissane must have pulled him into his shield.
Agreed.
Yet here they were, sitting ducks.
She watched for any sign of Glissane’s aura, but nothing appeared.
Kiara heard one of the female wolves whimpering in pain. Warren’s hair began to float at the tips. Because her hand was still pressed to Warren’s back, she could feel the rise of electricity on his skin.
Yes, she said. Bring your storm forward, but stay connected to me no matter what happens. Don’t let Glissane separate us.
Seconds ticked by, then a minute.
Warren’s hair settled down and he slowly rose to his feet. “They’re no longer in any of these rooms.”
Kiara rose as well, though she quickly took hold of his hand. She could feel their absence, too. But if they weren’t in the room, then where were they? “I didn’t see anything, no shimmering aura, nothing. Did you?”
He shook his head then headed to the bedroom doors.
Once inside, he went to the nearest chained-up wolf. “I can’t break these.” He turned toward her, scowling. He drew his phone from the pocket of his leathers.
Kiara’s heart again set up a racket. She’d been prepared for a battle. Instead, Glissane had taken Julio out of his suite of rooms.
Once more, she forced herself to relax and to take in the entire situation, not just the needs of the wolves. She half-turned toward the open doorway. She listened and extended her other senses. She still held Warren’s arm. A critical force flowed between them passing from him to her and back, a sense of her witchness and his wolf, at the same time.
She couldn’t hear sounds of battle outside the apartment. In fact, Julio’s rooms were dead silent.
Warren had withdrawn his cell from his pocket. “Fergus, where are you? What’s happening?”
She turned toward Warren. His hair rose again, lifting at the ends and floating. Where she touched him, small arcs of storm power bounced against her hand.
“Fergus?” He spoke louder this time.
Warren met her gaze. His brow was pulled into a tight line, the remnants of the scars puckering. He shook his head. “Nothing.” He put his phone away.
Another of the wolves whimpered. They hung in their chains in painful poses.
“Go to them. I’ll try Fergus again.”
She hated losing contact with Warren, but the women were suffering horribly. She might not be able to release them, but she could ease their pain.
She went to the first one. The woman had cuts all over her body, though most of the blood had dried in streaks. Kiara placed her hand on top of her head, summoned her witch healing power and let it flow.
A grateful cry left the woman’s throat.
She went to the others and repeated the process.
She returned to the first wolf whose eyes were now open. “Thank you. But you have to know—” She swallowed hard. “This room. Soundproof. Like a tomb. You’ve got to get out. I heard Julio and the wizard. They’re going to subdue Fergus and his men then return here to finish you off. Hurry.”
Kiara felt as though she’d been slapped across the face.
She turned to Warren. He was holding the phone away from his ear and staring at her. He’d heard the woman as well.
He put his phone back into his pants pocked, pivoted swiftly and raced into the other room. She followed him.
He went straight to the apartment door. He tried to pull it open, but it wouldn’t budge and there wasn’t a lock.
“Shit.”
He slammed his fist against the door, then whirled away cursing. “This is a steel door like Ralph’s safe room. I knew it was a trap, but I thought we’d be battling them, here, inside. Instead, they locked us in.”
Kiara knew exactly what it meant. If they hadn’t done so already, Glissane and Julio intended to use the wave power on Fergus and his troops.
Kiara drew close and caught his hand in a tight grip. He returned the pressure. They were in this together. “We’ve got to break out of here,” she said. “Fergus is in mortal danger. They intend to kill him.”
“I’ve been a fool. I thought they were after me.”
“You still don’t get it. They are after you, but they’re taking this opportunity to get rid of Fergus first.”
~ ~ ~
Warren felt the horror of the situation like fire in his brain. He tried to pull away from Kiara, but she wouldn’t have it.
He heard her call his name and her grip on his hand became painful.
Suddenly, a wave passed through him. He was light-headed for a moment, then peace descended, and he could think.
He realized his hair was flipping wildly around his head and Kiara’s long hair was doing the same.
She now stood in front of him and held both his hands in a firm grip. Her eyes glowed with a fiery, silver light. He met her gaze and a familiar warlike sensation, born of battling bad guys at the Border for the past eight years, came over him. He processed not just what had happened or the reality that Fergus was in imminent danger, but the events of the last two nights. The latter, of working beside Kiara, brought his storm ability to the fore.
“We have to break this door down.”
She nodded in a slow, wolf-like manner.
“What was that wave you used on me just now? I’ve felt it before with you.”
“This is the first time I’ve employed it, but I believe it’s the same ability Glissane has. He uses Julio to magnify his wave power. They’ve probably already subdued everyone in the complex by now.”
Instinctively, he knew his storm power could do what nothing else could in
this situation, but he would need Kiara’s help. He wasn’t sure how it would all work, but they had to try. He released one of her hands but continued holding the other as he drew close to the steel door once more.
Glissane’s trap had been hellishly clever.
“How do we do this? How do you use your wave power to amplify my storm abilities?”
“I need to be behind you,” she said.
When she planted her hands on his waist, he covered her hands with his own. He focused every particle of his being on his storm ability, an emerging power he had no real experience trying to manage.
He felt Kiara press her forehead into his back. The connection of both hands and her forehead had a strange effect. It seemed to build deep within his chest, yet it came from his soul at the same time.
Power began to flow, and the familiar wind rushed over and around both of them like a tornado. He moved his hands from hers and planted his palms flat again the steel.
The wind moved faster.
Lightning flashed. Thunder rumbled. His feet lifted off the floor. Kiara moved with him. They were one. Locked together.
“Use your wave power when I say.”
Even over the wind and thunder he heard her draw deep breaths. She pressed herself against him now and wrapped her arms around his waist.
He could sense her strange, witch power building.
He let the storm come and held nothing back. From this moment he was no longer just a wolf. He was a warlock with powers he didn’t understand. He was lightning, thunder and wind. He was a storm.
He felt her wave ability reach its peak.
“Now, Kiara.”
When she released her wave energy, no doubt in the same mold as Glissane’s, it enveloped his storm. The tornado that flew around them coalesced in a forward rush of power that took the wall in front of them apart. The steel door, with its massive weight and density ripped the attached drywall and two-by-fours out of their cement mooring and crashed to the floor beyond.
In the wake of their experience, a calming wind blew through the entire area.
He drew Kiara toward him and extended his boot. She quickly threw her arm around his neck then perched on his foot. With his arm tight around her waist, he began to fly. He had no expectation of facing a single firearm.
