by L M Lacee
A bus sat on the side of the road a table with chairs was set up beside it, medical personal were waiting. She must be one of the first cars to arrive she thought. June slowed and came to a stop when she recognized one of the figures who detached herself from the table.
Faeries, dragons and shifters streamed out from the darkened bus. June gently woke her passengers. “Ladies we are here, this is the next step on your road to a new life. These shifters and others will see you to Dragon’s Gap. Remember you are now safe.”
There were quiet thank you’s as the doors opened and arms reached for young and adults alike. Soon her car was empty, she pulled around the bus and parked as she saw the headlights of another vehicle come through the re-opened portal. She got out and reached for the cup of coffee held out to her by the female dragon. “Ella how are you?”
“I am good, you?”
“Good. Sore, a little too much sitting. I need to be running around the castle. I miss my office.”
Ella laughed as she asked. “This is your last run, so I was told.”
“Gordon said that right?”
“Yep!”
“He told me the same thing this morning.”
Ella blurted out. “Fin and I have talked?”
“Oh really?”
“Yes, we all have talked, Storm and Lars have talked. The only ones I think to not have talked to him are Keeper and Reighn.”
“Oh dear that does not sound good.”
“So I ask my friend. Why are you here?”
June sighed. “Your Uncle will not commit. My wolf and I got tired of waiting. Wolves or shifters do not like uncertainty in their mates.” She looked down into her coffee and admitted softly. “I didn’t know what to do. So I ran.”
Ella snorted. “He is an ass! He has been haunting Charlie’s office every day. Driving her mad wanting to know where you are, when you will return? She won’t tell him, which drives him nuts.”
“I am sorry. “June mumbled, sad Fin was upset.
“Huh! I am not. He is I repeat, an ass!”
June sipped her coffee and smiled then said. “You know, you sound like Edith?”
Before Ella could say anything June asked her. “So why are you here? You normally don’t come out. Is Keeper with you?”
“No, he was held up in town. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You are my friend and soon to be my Aunty.”
“See that is just mean… right there!” June mock growled as Ella laughed. She looked June over. “You look tired.”
“I am.”
“Are you returning with us?”
“No, I have to go do something.”
“Another pick up?”
“Yeah something like that.”
“Would you like company?”
June looked up at the Dragon. “Thank you, no. Ella I will be fine.”
“You say that but you were hurt last time. Sage and Claire have not forgotten and will be annoyed if you get yourself hurt again. Fin will be obnoxious to live with and a certain dragon will roar which upsets his shadow. Who is, as we all know with hatchlings plus Edith is eyeing your art work in your office.”
June said quietly. “Ella, I know all that and yet I am still going!” She finished her coffee, and Ella handed her a travel mug with more. June smiled at the dragon. “Thanks mom, see you soon.”
“You have a mean streak wolf. Just you keep safe. I cannot listen to another dragon roaring. I am thinking Fin will be loud.” June laughed and waved to Ella as she jumped back into the car, she stuck her head out the window and called to Ella. “Tell that female to keep her sticky fingers away from my treasures.” Making Ella laugh, and a minute later she was through the portal and back just outside the town she had left from.
She wound the window down and sure enough the music with the haunting song filled her ears. She drove almost mesmerized by the song towards a mountain range, miles from the town or in fact anywhere. The road was dark as there was no moon which is why they had done the pickups tonight undercover of a black sky.
Eventually after driving for an hour she pulled off the one lane dirt road into a small parking lot hidden behind a line of trees.
CHAPTER FIVE:
J une sat as she listened to the engine tick over and looked out the front window seeing shapes in the distance. Mountains she thought and trees lots of trees, some kind of forest. It was so quiet, very still as though the air forgot to move. There were no night bird songs. She could hear nothing, but she knew something was out there. Her wolf was alert and watching.
Taking a deep breath she could feel eyes on her already. She knew she was being watched but from what or whom was something her and her wolf could not detect. She decided to chance it, at some point she would find out who or what it was. Decision made she got out and shrugged into her coat, placing her back pack on, it was stuffed with emergency gear. Thermal blanket, first-aid kit, flares and a sat phone, food and water.
She hefted it high on her back as she looked up into the mountains. Then she did as she always had done, she checked her weapons and realized she could see better now. Her wolf had come on board and added her sight to Junes. She activated her alarms and deterrents if anyone wanted to tamper with her car, they would end up passed out. Spells were a bitch.
She picked out a marker in the distance. As it happened it was a tall tree with large, wide branches. Starting her hike she hoped to make good time and figured it would take her ten minutes to reach her target. The terrain was inclined but easy to traverse.
Once at the tree she could hear the song, it was clearer but the music was so faint it was barely audible. She turned to the right the song faded. She turned to the left it was louder. She again picked out a landmark to the left and walked to it. It was becoming steeper and she was having to climb a little now but it was not impossible, she would feel it in her calves tomorrow she knew.
The music and song were her guide as she followed where it lead traveling over rough ground, climbing rocks, forever climbing higher up the mountain.
An hour after arriving at the car park, June stopped to drink from another one of her bottles of water. She turned her head both ways and realized the music was gone, although the feeling of being watched was still there.
Now only the song remained. When she knew which direction to go in she walked for another ten or fifteen minutes until she came to an entrance of a cave. Turning on her torch she shone it down the tunnel it was head height maybe five or six inches taller than her and about ten feet long. It looked like it opened into a cavern she took a gun out and taking a deep breath, she muttered. “In for a penny, in for a pound.” She scratched her head and wondered. Where do I get all these sayings from and what the hell is a pound?
June moved along the narrow tunnel and came to a relatively large cavern. It was at least as big as a small house. Looking around she spied a ledge about chest height, to the right and towards the back half of the cave. She shone her torch and saw a female and in her arms she cradled two small bundles.
When June rushed to her, shrugging out of her back pack as she went, the female smiled. “You heard our song?”
“I did.”
“I was so worried no one would. You are Fae?”
June grimaced. “No sorry, I am half wolf. What happened to you?”
She sobbed. “They came in the night and killed my light. I ran but the babes wanted to be born, they are early by three weeks. I have given them our light my males and mine. They will survive. Please take them, keep them safe.”
June said. “My name is June Bradly. What is your name?”
“The babies and I called for you, and you heard from all the millions on earth. You heard our song.” She sobbed softly as she looked down at her young. June wiped the sweat from the females face and told her again. “I am not fae!” Without looking at her the female mumbled weakly. “It matters not, they chose you!”
June offered her a drink. She refused with a smile. She was so sligh
t and to June’s eyes looked like she was fading as she lay there. She wiped her face again quietly saying. “Hush now! I will take them to Dragon’s Gap. What is your name?”
She sighed. “Everything you wish to know is on that.” She pointed with her chin weakly to a slip of paper that lay on the stone beside her hand. June picked it up and put it in the side pocket of her pack. “We were on our way there. They say it is a safe place.”
June nodded. “It is! My family make it so.”
“Oh how fortuitous that you were the one to come.”
“Isn’t it, though?” June said with a smile for the ethereal female, who was not faerie as June had first thought, “Oh you are an Elf?”
“No Pixie. The girls Sire was faerie.”
“Is there someone for me to contact there, for the babies on your behalf.”
“No dear one. You who answered their call. They will be yours to hold. Yours to love. Yours to keep safe. Your mate will care for them, hold them safe, he is a good male. They are truly blessed. I see you as a family.”
June stilled, her mined blanked as the Pixie kissed each small forehead and faded from the cave. “Holy shit!” June whispered. “I...I…well okay!” She took a breath. “So little ones, for better or worse you called for me. Why? Only you know. I really hope your Dam was correct, and Fin is going to be your new daddy because we are going to need all the help we can get. Now just give me a minute here to sort some things out.”
With that she emptied out her back pack, lined it with the thermal blanket and tucked both wrapped tiny bodies within. She looked at each baby. They had bright green eyes that open and closed slowly.
“Oh my!” She muttered as she noticed the soft cotton candy pink hair as well. “Look my wolf, isn’t this amazing we have young.”
Her wolf sent her the emotion of happiness and danger it was a heady combination. June agreed as she said. “Well, that is true, we still have to get out of here. I get the feeling those that took these one’s parents are not going to give up too easily.”
She kissed both heads much as the Pixie had done and then murmured. “Well my little ones, we are to leave this haven and go visit our family. I need you to just stay in here and remain quiet.”
June was slightly amazed at how quiet they were, maybe she reasoned half Elf and faerie babies were quiet. She would ask Elijah and Scarlett. Right now she had other things to worry about. She could feel the danger at her back and knew time and her luck was at an end. Now came the running and shooting stage of this rescue. She quickly zipped the back pack almost closed and looped the straps over her shoulders, so the bag rested on her chest. With some acrobatic twisting and turning as well as an almost dislocated shoulder she finally got, the chest straps to snap closed across her back.
Secured, she filled her hands with her pistols. She had another two guns on her hips, plus two more strapped to her thighs, easy to reach and fast to draw. Her pockets were filled with more clips of ammunition.
She eased down the tunnel leaving her torch off. When she was feet from the opening, she lent her back against the rock wall and took in several breaths saving her and the baby’s lives.
Her wolf gave her the sensation of sniffing which June did drawing in the air and scenting the unwashed stench from the two males just outside the cave. She pulled away from the wall and turned, so she was facing towards the cavern. Thankfully her coat was reinforced so walking, or in her case running backward to the opening of the cave would protect her body and the babies, so she hoped. So taking several deep breaths and saying a prayer for luck she ran backwards towards the cave entrance.
When she broke clear of the opening swords swept across her back cutting the material of her coat. Not stopping she passed both attackers and started firing, her bullets found purchase. One attacker was shot in the throat and face, the other in the head and chest twice. She whirled around and just missed a throat cut of her own. She repeatedly shot the male in the face and chest as he fell backwards. She dropped another male with two in his heart. As he rushed her from her right side another male fired two shots into her body before she could move out of the way. Luckily her coats protection stopped one, the other grazed her ribs where her coat was flung opened. She swore and emptied the remainder of her clip into him. She buttoned her coat with the bag inside then swapped out her guns and ran shooting as she did.
Unfortunately running and shooting is never a good plan especially in the dark on a mountain side. Trees tended to hinder visibility and brush and bushes had a way of tripping or making her stumble. Her aim was off, and her guns were basically ineffective. She was attacked as she ran. Two assailants hidden in the brush lashed her with their swords cutting her jean clad legs. Her arms were covered in the armor lining of her leather coat, so she only received superficial cuts. The back of her coat which had been sliced twice already was open to their swords. Thankfully they were not well versed in the use of the weapon, or she was just too fast. As much protection as her jeans and coat provided her, she still bled.
She shot and killed at least one more male but missed others. She ran faster amongst the trees hoping to use them for deflection when she finally heard shots ring out behind her, she had wondered when they would bring guns to the party. She heard several shots ‘thunk’ into trees as she ran. Thankfully the first ones were wide of where she was but luck was on their side. All of a sudden she felt the impact of several bullets hit her coat which propelled her forwards. She did not quite fall, but her hands hit the dirt and with the strength of her wolf helping her she pushed herself upright and forward saving her life. The bullet that would have entered her back just seemed to skim her shoulder and the top of her arm.
She heard yelling and the guns stopped shooting. She listened as a male voice yelled that guns were not to be used, seemed a strange thing to say! Shame no one told June, sadly for them she only came with guns. Smiling she ran a little faster until she came to a hollowed out tree behind a screen of bushes. She lay on her back and wiggled under the brush hoping she did not disturb the dirt to much giving away her position. She managed to squirm around enough that she was able to sit with her back in the hole of the tree looking outwards. She lent her head back against the trees' damp bark taking in breaths of crisp mountain air. “Well okay so that was bad!” Giving herself a few minutes to settle her racing heart and allowing the adrenalin pumping within her system to ease somewhat.
She looked in the bag at the sleeping babies and gasped out. “Amazing!” When she saw they were still asleep. She re-zipped the bag and knew she could not afford to wait much longer. Knowing she was bleeding and the more time she lingered she would weaken and then she and the babies would be dead.
She looked out into the dark forest and chewed on her bottom lip thinking hard, how many could still be left. Unfortunately, she was hampered not knowing how many there had been to start with. She knew she had taken out several, maybe eight or ten males but truthfully had lost count. If they were going to use guns, which she knew they would get around to again regardless of what the loud voiced male said she needed an advantage. If she could get to her car, she could stow the babies, then sneak around and take out the others. June thought over her options and decided she liked her plan. She listened to the fading voices of the males as they moved further away from where she hide. When she felt it was safe she looked out from her hiding spot, fixed a land mark in her mind and hoped it was close to where she had left her car.
She waited then checked the babies again, they seemed okay. She could feel blood running inside her clothes knowing she would pay for what she was about to do later, if she survived. She asked her wolf to come forth and help her dull the pain and slow the bleeding, unfortunately she would not be able to stop it altogether as she would be also going to use her wolf to make her body stronger and faster. She changed the clips in her guns once more and scented the air. June could not hear or smell anyone close to her so she heaved herself up. She checked her guns again and then fi
xed the target in her sights and broke from her hiding place in a rush and started to run.
She had made it almost to her car, when she was set upon. Before she realized what was happening two males rose from behind bushes as she went to run past, it was a race to see who would recover from the surprise her sudden appearance had made.
Twisting and turning left to right trying to see both assailants in the small clearing June was slashed with a sword across her back which as she was half way into a pivot she was off balance slightly enough that the momentum of the sword scraping against her back made her fall into the other male who had come to stand in front of her, his sword raised for his own strike.
She held securely to her guns as she pushed them against his stomach and shot repeatedly. He screamed as he fell away from her, dead as he hit the ground. She pivoted again just in time to miss the next sword strike from the first male and pulled the trigger of her guns firing into his chest and throat shredding him as he fell backwards…
She turned once more breathing heavily as two more males came into the small blood soaked clearing, they stood back away from her. June stood guns ready. She was still far from her car and prayed these were the last two males that were hunting her.
“Give us the abominations. We will let you live!” Snarled a tall thin male who stank of alcohol and body odor. His hair hung in long dirty brown braids and his clothes looked like he had slept in them forever and were as dirty as he was. June scented the air between them and once she got passed the unwashed smell she knew he was human. As was the other shorter, not as dirty male beside him. His short black hair was clean, in fact he looked a lot cleaner and only slightly rumpled compared to the taller male. Unfortunately, the manic look in his eyes behind his glasses bespoke of crazy.
June grinned and knew it looked just as manic as the males look, evidenced by the step they both took back. “As if assholes! I know damn well you killed these little ones parents. You deserve to die and you will.” She snarled with her wolf in her voice, anger and pain making her normal voice louder. “Consider this, assholes if these little, tiny infants are abominations. Wait until you see what comes for you! Now leave. I give you a free pass to say your goodbyes to any foolish enough to love you!”
