by Deanna Chase
“You piece of shit!” Leo lunged, shifting instantly, going for the vampire’s throat. Dax was right behind him. His jaws locked on Strix’s wrist, and with savage rage running straight from his core, he clamped down and shook his head, intending to rip the limb right off. No one assaulted a woman in front of Dax and got away with it… especially not Strix.
The rest of the wolves shifted, and just like what had happened in the parking garage, it was once again two against far too many. Claws and jaws were everywhere. Fur flew, flesh ripped, bones were broken. No one was giving up, and Dax was prepared to fight to the bitter end. But then something strange happened. A blanket of magic fell over them, making it feel as if they were moving through molasses. The fight came to a complete stop as Strix and each of the shifters tried to get out from under the heavy magic to see who had arrived.
Phoebe, Dax thought. She must’ve found them.
But then he heard Iris whisper in his ear. “The ring is getting hot. I just have to keep it up until she gets here.”
“Keep what up?” Dax asked her, searching the crowd for Leo. He finally found his protégé lying in a patch of mud, trying to pry another shifter’s jaws from his arm.
“The magic. I just have to keep it up until Phoebe gets here.”
She showed Dax her silver ring. It was glowing.
Agent Kilsen was most definitely on her way. And if Dax knew her, she was bringing the cavalry with her.
Dax tore his gaze from the ring to Iris’s pale face. She was already sweating and starting to tremble from the effort she was exerting.
Shit! She was going to lose it any minute.
“Iris, how long have you been practicing magic?” he asked.
“Oh, about five minutes,” she huffed out. “Phoebe said I had the gift, but… Well, all I did was try to stop the fight so you two could escape and now…” She sucked in a labored breath. “Here we are.”
“Whoa. Okay.” Dax held out his hands to her. “Take them in yours.”
She did as he said.
“Good. That’s very good.” He watched as her trembling stopped and some of the color came back into her face. “Perfect. Just like that. Channel my energy. It’s all good.”
Dax’s eyes started to get heavy, and he knew Iris was tapping every last bit of his energy, but he was not giving up. If she could use him to keep the shifters from tearing their throats out, then so be it. He’d give everything he had and more. Because Phoebe was coming.
23
After the tracker for finding Dax’s Trooper failed me and he hadn’t been able to tell me where he was once I contacted him through my magic, I only had one more trick up my sleeve. I just prayed that wherever Iris was, Dax and Leo were nearby. But first I needed reinforcements. I could take on a vampire. That was no problem, but if Strix had an entourage of other vamps or crazy shifters, I was going to need help.
I could’ve called the Void and had them send me security and backup, but I couldn’t be sure the director wouldn’t call me in and make me get any plan to invade Strix’s residence approved before I went ahead with the operation. And after contacting Dax, it was clear he was in trouble. Waiting wasn’t an option.
Instead, I called Pandora. I could’ve called Allcot, but I wanted someone to say yes with no questions asked. After last month, Pandora had made it clear that if I ever needed anything, she was only one phone call away. And where Pandora went, Allcot was sure to follow.
“Kilsen? It’s four in the morning. What’s going on?” she asked.
“I need an army. Now. Dax and Leo are in trouble.”
There was a small pause on the other end of the line. Then she said, “Where are you?”
I rattled off the cross streets and the name of the small shack in the gravel parking lot.
“We’ll be there in ten.” The line went dead.
A cool breeze flittered over my skin, and for the first time that night, I felt as if things were finally going my way. I tucked my phone into my back pocket and got to work.
The pentacle-shaped pendant that had once belonged to my grandmother was nestled against my chest, the silver cool to the touch. But the minute I closed my fist around it, pictured Iris in my mind, and whispered, “Vestigium,” Iris’s energy washed over me and I saw her standing outside, her face pale and her body trembling from effort. She was bathed in magic, too much magic, magic that would drain her dry.
My heart raced and sweat coated my skin as I felt every bit of her struggle. She was fighting for her life, for the lives of others, for the lives of Dax and Leo. My heart nearly burst out of my chest. They were all together, and Iris was all but sacrificing herself for them.
“Son of a… Hold on, Iris,” I said. “I’m coming. I promise.”
Phoebe’s coming. I heard her words in my mind.
Then Dax was right there in front of her, holding her hands, lending her his strength.
I let out a breath as the scene vanished from my mind. My heart ached, and my insides felt hollowed out. Three people I cared very deeply about were barely holding on, and I was stuck in a holding pattern.
“Hurry!” I shouted into the night. Then, as if I’d actually summoned them, Pandora, Allcot, and five other of his loyal vampires dropped right out of the sky.
“You summoned?” Pandora said. Her long blond hair was piled up into a messy but elegant bun. She wore stylish jeans, a bright red fringe shirt, and spiked heels. Allcot also wore jeans, a red shirt, and cowboy boots.
I blinked, unable to process their cowboy and cowgirl outfits. “What—”
“It was roll-playing night,” she said with an amused smile. “It never hurts to spice things up a little.”
Allcot cleared his throat. “As much as I enjoy talking about our sex life, maybe we can come back to this later.” He turned to me. “Don’t we have shifters to save?”
“Yes.” I wrapped my hand around the pendant again and closed my eyes. An image of a compass flashed in my mind, pointing in the direction of my ring. “Southeast. That’s where they are.”
Without another word, Allcot wrapped an arm around my waist and took off, flying into the night. I should’ve been pissed considering he hadn’t even warned me, but honestly this was the fastest mode of transportation. The compass in my head steered us directly to where we wanted to go.
I pointed down, indicating they were right below us.
Pandora raised her hand, then when she dropped it, they all descended as one, landing in a circle that surrounded the shifters.
“Oh my god!” Iris exclaimed. Her magic vanished with her utter shock, and suddenly the shifters were on their feet, all of them going straight for Dax, who had used all his energy to help Iris keep them subdued. He had fallen to his knees and was breathing heavily, trying to get his strength back. Two shifters were already on him, tearing at his already battered flesh, when I reached his side.
Magic crackled at my fingertips, but I didn’t want to unleash it, knowing it might hit Dax. Instead, I pounced as if I were one of the vampires and clamped my hands around the woman’s neck… the woman I recognized as Hailee.
She kicked and bucked and threw her head back, but I was strong. Stronger than her, even in her souped-up state. Stronger because my magic was fueling my adrenaline, feeding off my rage.
“Don’t ever touch him again, Hailee,” I said as I poured magic into her, lighting her up and zapping her shifter energy. “If you do, my magic will be the least of your worries.”
Without waiting for an answer, I threw her against the wall of the house. Her body slammed so hard against the old wood siding that the nearby window shattered. I grinned.
Another shifter pounced, landing on Dax. His golden-red fur shone in the moonlight. But instead of lunging for me, he shifted into his human form, turning into a well-built redhead who oozed confidence and charm. He held out his hand. “You must be Phoebe Kilsen.”
I stared at his hand but didn’t take it. “And you are?”
�
�My people just call me King.”
“They call you a thief and a vampire killer,” Allcot said from behind me. His tone was conversational, but he wasn’t fooling me. Allcot hated this bastard. I could tell by his overly polite tone. Allcot never talked like that to anyone except his mortal enemies right before he ended them.
“Eadric,” King said, “why am I not surprised to see you here? You always did have a soft spot for the difficult ladies, didn’t you?”
“He’s here because of me,” Pandora said, appearing out of the darkness, her hair down and flying behind her like some warrior princess.
“Pandora.” King’s hatred rolled off him in waves as he glared at her. “Are you planning on breaking my neck again? Or maybe this time you’ll just go ahead and rip my heart out and stomp on it with your fucking heels. I’m sure it will feel just about the same.”
“Fuck you, King. You were the one who left me for dead, remember?” She shared a glance with Allcot. “If Eadric hadn’t come along, well, it’s possible you would’ve spent the rest of your sorry days on death row. So maybe you owe him a thank-you.”
“I see you all know each other,” I said sarcastically. Of course they did. I eyed King. “Was all this just some sort of revenge plot all along? Why involve innocent shifters?”
“Drug-addicted shifters aren’t innocent, Kilsen,” he spat out.
“They are when you’re the one who’s forcing drugs into their veins,” a shrill voice called. Then the stripper I knew as Luscious ran up behind him and buried a knife deep in his back.
The shifter let out a howl and sank to his knees.
Pandora laughed. Allcot shook his head. I stared at Luscious, who was backing up, shaking her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. Good goddess, she was a human. I hadn’t been trying to identify her species status when I’d met her at the strip club, and after Ethan had talked about her, I’d assumed she was a shifter. But no, she definitely was human, and she was going to break.
I leaped over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay, Mary Carol,” I said. “Everything’s going to be fine.”
She tilted her head up and stared at me through glassy eyes. “How do you know my real name?”
“I met Ethan today,” I said with a soft smile. “He was worried about you.”
“Ethan,” she choked out. Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks as her body shook with racking sobs.
I held her as I watched Allcot and his people annihilate the shifter pack. One after another, they all fell, everyone except Strix.
I spotted him slinking off in the shadows near where Iris was huddled with Leo. She was tending to his wounds, oblivious to what was going on around her.
“Dax!” I shouted, spotting him only a few feet away, dusting off after a particularly nasty brawl in the dirt.
His head turned in my direction.
“Behind you!”
He spun and came face-to-face with Strix. The vampire gave Dax a slow grin, then nodded as if accepting a challenge. Dax did the same. The pair circled each other, and I wanted to scream in frustration. This wasn’t a fucking match in a ring, it was an all-out war. Strix and his gang had tried to poison a large portion of the New Orleans shifter population. Thankfully, as far as we knew, they hadn’t been as successful as they’d intended, but they’d still caused a lot of damage and left a lot of carnage in their wake. All I wanted was for someone to put them out of their misery.
But Dax wanted his blood. I could see it in his eyes. And Strix was welcoming him. Waiting for him to pounce.
“Someone needs to stop him,” Mary Carol said.
“Stop who?” I asked her.
“Strix,” she said, his name getting caught on a sob as she pointed. “He… he has a gun.” Light from the orange moon reflected off the silver barrel just as the words left her mouth.
“No!” I cried and launched myself in their direction, my magic spinning out of control as I tried to create some sort of shield to protect Dax. I felt more than heard the gun go off, then I was on the ground, my body cold and my breathing labored.
“Phoebe!” Dax hovered over me, his face tight with pure emotion. “Hold on. Just hold on. I’ve got you.”
Dax? I tried to say, but no words came out. I couldn’t feel my hands or my feet. Then my face went numb. I’m dying. This is what it feels like to die, I thought. It’s not so bad. No pain. No sense of trauma. Just nothing.
But then Pandora was there. “Move!” She reached down and picked me up. My insides felt like they were being ripped to shreds as molten lava seared my gut. “Stay alive, Phoebe,” she ordered. “Just stay alive.”
I stared up at her perfect face, wondering if she was an angel. She had to be. No one was that beautiful.
Black crowded the edge of my vision, and I felt myself falling into the sweet abyss where nothing hurt and all I could see was a bright warm light. I didn’t know how long I stood there, basking in the glow. Minutes? Hours? Days? There was no way to tell. It called to me, whispered my name. I reached for it, wanted it, and took a step forward. Peace settled around me. This was my destiny, where I was always supposed to end up.
“Phoebe!” Willow’s angry voice interrupted my peaceful walk to the light.
“What?” I whined.
“Phoebe?” Her voice was full of awe and excitement now. “Oh my goddess. Wake up, love. Open your pretty black eyes.”
My lids fluttered and the bright light stung, making me turn my head, trying to hide from the light. “Why does it hurt? It didn’t hurt before.”
“Phoebs,” Willow said gently. “You were shot in the stomach. You’re in Imogen’s clinic.”
Imogen… The name meant something. My lids flew open and I tried to push myself up, only to grunt with pain as I lay back down. “Imogen? Where…?”
“I’m right here,” she said, smiling down at me. “Welcome back. How are you feeling?”
“The antidote… Did you find one?”
She let out a chuckle and nodded. “Yes, Agent Kilsen. We did in fact find an antidote. Eadric ordered his factory to put it into production so that it’s readily available should the need arise.”
“Did everyone get it who needs it?” I asked.
“Mostly,” she said with an air of mystery. “But don’t worry about that now. You just need to take care of you. We’ve got the rest.”
“Mostly? What does that mean?”
Willow appeared beside me again, this time shaking her head at Imogen. “I told you she’d want the information as soon as she woke up. You might as well just tell her.”
I glanced over at my friend. Her red hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. That was a sure sign she hadn’t showered in at least a few days. And there were dark shadows under her blue eyes. “Wil?”
“Yeah?”
“How long have I been in here?”
She squeezed my hand. “Four days.”
“Whoa.” I closed my eyes again, this time trying to take stock of what my body was telling me. Everything ached. My head, my back, my gut, even my toes. But I was alive thanks to Pandora and Imogen, and no doubt Willow and Tal. “It feels like I was only out for a few minutes.”
“It happens like that sometimes,” Imogen said as she adjusted something on the med machine.
“Are you giving me drugs? Am I going to get loopy here in a minute?” I asked her.
She shook her head. “Not until you tell me you need them.”
I eyed her suspiciously. “Seriously?”
She laughed. “Seriously. But if you overdo it, I’ll stop taking your wishes into consideration.”
“Fair enough.”
She made a note in my chart. “There are a few people waiting to see you. Are you ready for more visitors?”
“Dax,” I said without even thinking about it.
“He’ll be here in a few hours,” Willow said. “But Leo and Iris are here.”
“Okay,” I said with a yawn, feeling the exhausti
on settle in my bones.
“Five minutes,” Imogen said and then opened the door.
The pair walked in, all smiles and bright with youth. “Hey, you two.” I mustered up some enthusiasm. “You doing okay?”
Iris clasped her hand in mine and squeezed. “We’re doing just fine. It’s you we’re worried about.”
I lifted my hand and made a gesture intended to wave away their concerns. “I’m fine. It’s not the first time I’ve been wounded on the job. God knows I have the scars to prove it.”
They shared a glance, then Leo turned to Willow. “You haven’t told her what happened?”
“Not yet. I was waiting until someone who was there could relay the story.”
My eyes popped open. “What happened? Is everyone all right? Dax? Pandora and Allcot? What about the shifters who were infected with the toxin? Are they okay?”
Leo laughed. “Whoa, slow down there, Agent. Yes, everyone is fine. The antidote Talisen and Imogen came up with has cleared the toxin from all the shifters the Void was holding. The ones who survived the brawl at Strix’s house have also been treated.”
“The ones who survived… Who perished?” I asked.
“King and Boomer,” Leo said.
I didn’t know who Boomer was, but I’d been standing right there when Mary Carol landed the death blow to King, so that wasn’t a surprise. “Mary Carol, is she getting help?”
Iris nodded. “Allcot set her up with a therapist.”
“Well… that was kind of him,” I said dryly.
“He seemed most grateful.”
“I bet.” My head was starting to swim, but I had to know. “Is it over? Is the toxin off the streets?”
“Yes, Phoebs, it’s over,” Leo said solemnly, then proceeded to fill me in on everything they’d learned from King about Paul Macer and his desire to take on Cryrique. “It turns out that the billionaire stumbled on the toxic substance while trying to re-create Scarlet. He employed King to get the project off the ground over here. King partnered with TR who was skimming Scarlet off legitimate orders and making bank by selling it to King and Strix and other small-time dealers.”