by Alanea Alder
"Put me down, Dec!" Ari protested. His mate was watching for goodness sake.
Declan set him down, and he was pulled in for an immediate hug. "Gods! It's good to see you. I wish that it were under better circumstances though."
Ari gave his brother a sour look. "That's rich coming from the brother that never visits, mates, and gets a baby Lionhart started without calling." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Ahh, Ari don't be like that." Declan's eyes narrowed. "Wait, didn't you mate recently as well without calling?"
Ari grinned. "Yup."
"Do you have a picture of her on your phone?" Declan asked, pulling his own out. "I have a ton of Kari."
Ari pointed to where Brie stood, wide eyed, taking everything in. "Brie Wilson, squad leader for this mission."
Declan froze then turned to stare at Brie. "That's my baby sister?"
"Yup."
"Oh, hell no!" Declan threw his arms in the air.
Brie's face crumpled, and Ari took a step forward, about to knock some sense into his brother.
"She's too gorgeous for a little brat like you." He looked at her gear. "So, I guess I'll be guarding you, huh?"
Brie's expression turned from hurt, to pleased, to resigned. She covered her face with her hand. "Well, considering I'm mated to your brother, have met your father, your other older brother and cousins, I know that it would be an absolute waste of time to argue with you."
"So very, very true," Declan admitted shamelessly.
Ari breathed a secret sigh of relief. With his older brother at his side, nothing was getting to his mate.
Adriel placed a hand on Brie's shoulder. "It does not get any easier. Trust me, I have been trying to beat sense into Declan for centuries. It is a lost cause."
Brie just shook her head and checked her watch. "Okay, men, listen up."
The men huddled around Brie for orders.
"We'll be running this a bit differently than Aiden's mission in Virginia. We're hoping to catch actual perps on site and live hostages. Which means we'll have to be very precise when it comes to timing." She looked down at her watch again. "In four minutes, we'll be linking up with Gemini—the twins. They have hacked the building's security and cameras and will be guiding us in. Our goal is painfully simple. If the hostages are alive, they take priority." She leveled her eyes at the men. "Éire Danu needs this win. The queen needs this win, so we're going to do our best to give it to them. Second priority will be securing any hostiles alive. Let me repeat that, gentleman: the more we take alive, the more chances we have at getting the locations of more warehouses in time to save people."
"Yes, sir," the men said, followed by an awkward pause.
Brie grinned and waved off the gaff. "Sir is fine. Now, according to what Meryn showed us earlier, this building has one entrance in the front. It's double doors, no windows. The back has a single door, but a window to the side. Anyone have any ideas of how we can obscure it?"
Quinn raised his hand. "I'm an Earth witch. I can sling mud up on the lower panes."
Brie nodded and kept going. "From the second we hit the door, we have less than thirty seconds to secure the building. If we give them any more time, we could lose hostages or face hostiles and their reinforcements. We'll have to hit and hit hard." She held up a small tablet with a schematic. "Gamma, Phi, we'll give you a twenty count, can you secure the back?"
"Consider it done," Sascha promised, and Nerius bumped forearms with the tiger-shifter.
"Good. That means Tau, Eta you're with me. According to the map, the double doors lead into a very small front office with an interior door leading to the warehouse storage floor. Adriel, Gage, once those double doors are open, I'd like either of you to flank the entrance and watch our six." Adriel and Gage nodded. "Thane, I'm not sure what you're capable of, so please don't get mad if I ask a question that paints you in a childish or poor light. I'm not used to working with people that can use the elements."
Thane smiled. "Ask away, you won't upset me."
"Can you open locked doors?"
Thane blinked. "Easily."
"Good. You and Justice have the following three orders. Open the front and interior door. Locate and defend the hostages, and if possible, prevent the perps from escaping."
"Dibs on securing the perps," Justice said quickly with a wolfish expression.
Thane just nodded. "If I don't let you do real work every once in a while, you'll become useless like Kendrick."
"I'm gonna tell him you said that," Justice threatened.
"I'll embroider it on a throw pillow for him," Thane replied.
Brie shook her head at their bickering. "That means the rest of Tau and Eta will divide their efforts between hostages and perps. You all have been running missions for more years than I can even imagine; you're experienced enough to act accordingly." The men nodded.
Her watch pinged, and she tapped her comms piece. "Gemini, men are briefed, and we're ready to go in."
"We hear you loud and clear. Move out whenever you're ready. Over."
"Darian?"
Darian stepped forward and opened a portal. Unlike most that Ari had seen, this one did not glow in a golden light. In fact, he could barely see the shimmer of the air in the center of the portal at all. He looked over at them.
He looked around. "Seriously, guys? Did you think I was going to open a glowing beacon right outside their door?"
"New?" Thane asked.
Darian grinned at him. "The useless mage helped me craft it."
"We're running silent. Keep comms open unless you are calling out for positioning or back up."
The men nodded.
"Gods above, guide and protect us. Please let there be someone to save," Kincaid whispered.
As usual, his witch brother knew just the thing to say. Around them, the men whispered, "So mote it be." And they crossed through the portal.
Once on the other side, Brie tapped her ear. "Gemini, night, night."
"Cameras and security offline," one the twins responded.
Gamma and Phi peeled off to go around to the back. Brie started a countdown on her watch. They got in position around the front entrance and waited. Ari looked over at his brother and met his eyes. Declan looked over at Brie, then nodded. The men might have their assigned priorities, but he had only one. Keeping his mate safe.
Brie held up a hand and began the five second count down. When she got to one, Thane released a spell and burst the front doors open. Immediately, everyone was moving.
Adriel and Gage took up positions on either side of the door, and they made their way inside. A moment later, there was a second boom, and Thane practically dissolved the interior door. The men fanned out, taking in the situation. Off to one side, a large group of fae were huddled in a corner. They were alive!
"Thane, Justice!" Brie called out, pointing.
The witches moved quicker than he could follow, and a moment later, a shimmering silver barrier stood between the ongoing battle and the scared hostages.
"They've gone invisible!" Sascha called out over the comms.
"Got two!"
Ari turned to see who had shouted out. To his surprise, Kincaid stood, breathing hard, next to a large clay box.
In front of them gunfire rang out as first Kael, then Quinn went down.
"Man down!" Ari called out over the comms.
"Palace is prepared to receive injured," one of the twins relayed.
"Face me, you cowards!" Sascha snarled, standing over the bodies of his unit brothers, defending them with his life.
Ari and Declan moved with Brie, acting as shields.
"Rathais, you in position?" his mate called out.
"Ready to go," he replied.
Brie tapped her ear piece. "Everybody down!" she ordered.
Every single unit warrior dropped to the floor. He and his brother stayed standing by Brie.
She pulled out a pair of goggles and adjusted them as gunfire continued to echo throughout
the room. Ari watched in amazement as pools of blood appeared on the floor all around them.
Brie brought up her firearm and began to fire rapidly. She would no sooner aim, then another pool of blood would appear. She was moving almost as quickly as the warriors. After what seemed like forever, the gunfire stopped. She tapped her ear piece. "Clear! Resume operation."
The warriors jumped to their feet and fanned out. Once the invisible defenders were down, ferals emerged from behind each stacked crate.
Sascha barred his canines at them. "Come get this!"
Brie's hand went to her ear. "Darian, we need to get Quinn and Kael treatment."
"On it," he replied. He motioned Bastien to the small front office they had entered from. They each lifted a warrior then retreated to get the wounded back to the palace.
Ari heard a snarl only moments before a weight crashed into them from the right. A feral straddled him, snarling and spitting in his face. Both of his hands gripped the monster's vest to keep his teeth away from his neck.
An ear splitting roar reverberated through him. Seconds later, the feral was lifted and thrown across the room into a concrete wall. "You dare hurt my brother!" Declan hissed, then shifted both hands into claws as he proceeded to shred the feral that had waylaid him.
Brie bent over, holding out her hand. He took it, and she helped him up. "You good?" she asked.
"Golden."
"Report!" she called out to the men.
"Nothing new on thermal," Cam replied.
"Back secure," Ben added.
"Quinn and Kael have been transferred to Éire Danu. Darian is on his way back. Brennus will maintain the portal here in the office as a fall back point," Adriel reported.
"Ferals are down," Christoff reported. "For gods sake Sascha, he's dead," they all heard him mutter.
He and Brie turned to see Sascha jumping up and down on what looked to be a body.
Brie just shook her head. "We clear?"
"Clear!" the men rang out.
"Justice, Thane, report," she barked out.
"Alive," Thane came back. "Thank all the gods, we have over one-hundred people here and they're all alive."
A cheer went up, and Ari swept his mate up in his arms. "You did it!"
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "We all did it."
"No, baby. You did it. Coming this far out was your idea. You and Cam took down every reaper, leaving us free to take out the ferals." He set her down. "How'd you do that?"
She pointed to the goggles. "I wasn't sure if they'd work. I didn't see anything in the report about using thermal to track those invisible. I was scared to death that something in the necklaces blocked it."
"Aiden is gonna have a fit," Ben whispered gleefully. "Please let me be the one to tell him."
Sascha pulled his goggles out. "We only have night vision. When did they start making thermal imaging goggles?"
Brie patted hers. "They're not new technology, but it's a lot easier to get it in the form of tactical gear now."
Sascha grinned evilly. "They can't hide from us anymore."
Nerius pointed to Brie. "We'll have to employ some new methodology. She had us drop to avoid mixing us up with hostiles."
"So brilliant, my mate," Ari whispered into her hair.
Brie looked around. "Where are the hostages?"
"Right here," a female voice answered.
They turned to see many smiling faces looking at them. "My name is Elissa Elian. We cannot thank you enough." She wiped at her eyes. "They would play the screams of others for us and said we would soon be next. Had you not come, we would have died for sure."
Jace and Ian stepped forward. "If you'll follow us, we have a portal set up that will take you directly to Éire Danu. There's a very anxious queen waiting to see her children," Ian said, pointing to the front.
His statement brought on more tears as the people immediately began moving toward the place where their queen awaited their return.
Darian passed many of them as he re-entered the warehouse. One of them saw his ring and gasped. "Your highness," the man breathed in a timorous whisper. The crowd halted, and as one, they dropped to one knee.
Darian quickly went to the side of the man who had recognized the signet ring. "Please, stand, all of you. Don't worry about deportment now of all times. Let's get you home and looked after."
They stood, some on wobbly legs. The man looked at Darian. "You came for us?"
Darian clenched his jaw. "I will always come for my people when they need me, this I do swear."
His quiet promise had the rest of the crowd dissolving into quiet sobs. Darian looked around, and Oron went to his side. "We'll go with you. The queen is insisting on making sure you're all well, and her squire is cooking up a storm," he said, smiling.
One of the women looked at him fearfully. "An Eirson," she whispered, backing away.
Darian slung his arm around his brother's shoulders. "You're wrong. Much has been celebrated in Éire Danu as of late. For example, the queen's consort Brennus has passed on head of household to Oron, he is now Oron Vi'Eirlea."
The people gasped and stared at Oron in wonder.
Oron rubbed the back of his neck. "My uncle Eamon also had a daughter, Meryn. She is mated to the Unit Commander. She's the most adorable little thing."
"Gamma Kitten One, if you don't update me, I'm going to shock you till your nuts fall off!" an irate female voice yelled. Her threat echoed from the walkie talkie through the empty warehouse.
Oron grinned. "Speaking of my little sister," he said, winking at the crowd.
The people began to chuckle as Sascha frantically tried to unclip his walkie talkie. "Dammit, someone tell that pint-sized menace I'm trying!"
Ben lifted his walkie talkie. "Menace, Gamma Kitten One says there's no way your screwdriver can do that and to watch your mouth or he'll tell BooBear on you."
Sascha froze, his mouth hanging wide. Abandoning all modesty he pulled his pants off and lifted the walkie talkie to his face. "Menace, I said no such thing. My walkie talkie was stuck on my belt loop!"
"I will see you when you return," she said ominously. "Over."
Sascha dropped his pants and reached for Ben who was laughing manically as he ran from his unit leader.
Darian jerked his thumb at their shenanigans. "As you can see, they have serious and important work to do. If you all could head through the portal and meet up with Portia and the queen, we'd be helping them enormously." The once somber people were now chuckling and moving once again.
Once the warehouse was clear and they had pried Sascha's fingers from around Ben's neck, they walked over to the strange box Kincaid had created.
Thane and Justice were examining it with excitement. Thane looked over at Kincaid. "Do you know what you did?"
Kincaid looked confused. "I made a box."
"You made more than a box. Kincaid, this is porcelain," Thane explained, running his hand over the wall.
"And?" he asked.
Justice shook his head. "He doesn't get it."
"Porcelain is created when clay is heated in a kiln to over two-thousand six-hundred degrees Fahrenheit," Thane shook his head. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"Thane! There are traces of steel and diamond in the clay!" Justice exclaimed, pulling his hands from the side of the box. "Kincaid, how'd you do this?"
"I have no idea! It just happened," Kincaid exploded.
Ari walked over and stood by his unit brother. "This is really good work, Kaid. Damn good work."
Thane nodded. "I agree. Now, let's open it and 'greet' our new friends."
Kincaid paled. "I don't know how. I was kinda hoping you would."
Thane and Justice both blinked. "What?" they asked, in unison.
Kincaid pointed to the cube. "I knew I had to stop them, so it just kinda happened."
Thane closed his eyes. "You didn't use any form of a spell, did you?"
"Umm. Nope."
"Jus
tice, you do it," Thane exhaled and walked away.
"I screwed up again," Kincaid said morosely.
"You're the only one that was able to secure prisoners, Kincaid. I'm calling that a huge win," Brie pointed out.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Who knows, maybe staying in a completely dark box for a few days with no food will loosen their tongues," she added winking at him.
"Yeah. Let's go with that," he agreed.
Justice pulled out his cell. "Hey, Kendrick, my brother can't figure something out and is begging for your help."
"Lies!" Thane shouted from across the room.
"On my way," Kendrick replied.
Ari pulled Brie so that her back was against his chest. He knew he had done the right thing when she leaned against him.
After a few minutes, Kendrick, looking tired, walked in from the front office.
"The other site?" Ari asked.
Kendrick shook his head. "No, and there were more bodies this time. Close to three hundred." He shook his head. "Livor mortis had set in, but there was no sign of bloating. We missed saving them by less than twenty-four hours."
"Gods," the men whispered around them.
Kendrick pulled Brie from his arms to give her a hug. "Thank the gods for you. The people you saved tonight will go a long, long way in keeping the city from falling into complete despair. You have proved that we can out think them and fight back. You have no idea how vital this was." He released her then gently nudged her back into Ari's arms.
"The queen?" she asked.
Kendrick grimaced. "She's focusing on the living." He smiled softly. "There were children and a newborn amongst the survivors."
Brie gasped. "I didn't see them."
Kendrick pulled off her black skull cap so he could ruffle her dark brown curls. "I imagine you were busy." He cracked his knuckles. "Now, what simple, easy to figure out thing did Thane beg me to come here for?"
"Asshole," Thane growled and pointed to Kincaid's cube. "Have at it."
Kendrick blinked. "It's an earthen box Thane."
Thane gave him an evil smile. "Open it, then."
Kendrick placed a hand on the wall. Ari felt a pulse, then nothing. Kendrick frowned. "That should have worked."
"You've been saying that a lot lately," Thane teased.
"Only when it comes to me," Kincaid interjected.