by West, Tara
When it became clear he wouldn’t budge, she slowly lifted her hands, pointing the palms at the opposite windows. She released her magic.
“What the hell?” the guard screamed, falling down as the ground buckled beneath him.
“Earthquake!” another guard hollered when a large rolling wave swept across the earth, collapsing the fence and causing sparks to fly.
Something blew up at the other end of the fence, and the whole structure fell over. She did her best to send the quakes outward, leaving a clear path for them to drive through. As soon as two guards fell into each other, rolling out of the way, Hakon punched the gas and took off.
She checked on her fathers, who were hiding under the tarp in back. No movement. She hoped the hay they were lying on had been enough to insulate them from the ripples.
She hunched over, Rone and Luc shielding her, when shots rang out, but they didn’t strike the truck.
“Holy fuck,” Drasko breathed.
She peeked out the back window, surprised to see an inferno had erupted along the fence. Crews were struggling to put it out, despite the earth still shaking under their feet. Their helicopter had caught fire, too, smoking as it tipped into a widening gap in the ground.
Hakon smiled at her in the rearview mirror. “You’re a hell of an earthshaker, Amara.”
She looked at her hands, still amazed they held such a wellspring of power. “Not for long.”
“That’s my son’s magic she’s using.” Drasko turned around and winked at her.
She blushed, then glanced at the tarp again.
“Let’s pray the magic keeps the feds off our ass until we can get to the hospital,” Luc said.
Amara sent a few more ripples behind their truck to ensure they wouldn’t be followed.
CRUISING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, Takaani kept checking the fuel gauge. She was nearly out of gas, and she had no money to fill the tank. Not that she could stop anyway, when she had three vehicles tailing her. She’d made it so far, too; she was only an hour out of Fairbanks.
When she heard the helicopter, she knew she was out of time. She had to make a run for it.
She slammed on the brakes, skidded to a halt, and jumped out of the truck. Ignoring the men behind her yelling at her to stop, she burst through her clothes and ran toward the forest. A shot rang out, then another, but she was quick, dodging bullets while sprinting for the trees. A bullet slammed into her shoulder, sending her spiraling head over tail with a yelp. Jumping back up, she stumbled and then ran again, ignoring the pain that shot through her like wildfire. She hit the trees and kept going, leaving a trail of blood. So much for a clean escape. She pushed herself onward with no other plan but to keep moving toward Fairbanks.
When she saw movement beside her, she thought the forest’s shadows were playing tricks on her, but no. Four large black wolves ran with her. She slowed, and they slowed, too, looking at her with luminous, sad eyes.
This way, Takaani, a deep voice said in her head. The largest wolf looked at her as if he was seeing into her very soul.
Who are you? she asked.
The largest wolf bowed his head to her. We are your ancestors. They call us the Ancients. We will lead you to our kind.
Her head spun, and she looked at her wound, which was bleeding profusely. I don’t think I can go on. I’m losing too much blood.
The smallest of the wolves sidled up to her. She gasped when she realized he was just a shadow, and she could see though him.
When he nuzzled her, heat radiated from him, warming her all through. Then he licked her wound, and it magically sealed. She no longer felt pain.
She wagged her tail in delight. Thank you.
We must go, Takaani, the largest wolf said, before they find you.
She shuddered when she heard the whoosh of the approaching helicopter’s rotating blades. She followed the four wolf shadows deeper into the forest.
AMARA SPIED AGENT JOHNSON’S truck parked on the side of the road at the bottom of the hill. Hakon pulled alongside a line of trees and slammed his truck into park.
“Hurry!” he said to her.
After jumping out, she raced to Eilea. The doctor was clutching the door handle of her uncle’s truck, her face ashen as Amara’s fathers threw off their tarp and jumped to the ground. They looked at her like teenage boys drooling over their first crush.
“What are they doing here?” Eilea said.
“Don’t worry.” Amara held out her palms apologetically. “They promised to behave.”
“We’re only here to help keep Amara safe.” Boris cautiously approached them. “And you, if you’d let us,” he said to Eilea.
Eilea snorted. “I don’t need help.” She glared at the rest of Amara’s fathers when they flanked Boris.
“We don’t have time to waste.” Hakon clapped his hands. “Let’s go!”
Luc and Rone had already stripped off their clothes. Rone shifted, but Luc stood there in the nude, covering his private parts with a T-shirt. “A little help,” Luc asked, waving his arm, the leather tracking bracelet blinking like a beacon.
Jovan threw off his clothes and shifted into a white, hulking beast, then yanked the amethyst bracelet off Luc’s arm, like he was ripping off a bandage. The bracelet instantly flashed and made violent sounds. Luc shifted into a wolf, howling his delight. Jovan threw the bracelet on the ground, stomping on it and shaking the earth, silencing the bracelet and leaving nothing but pulverized parts.
“Omigod!” Eilea’s hands flew to her mouth. “He’s like the Abominable Snowman!”
“Jovan’s here to protect us, Eilea,” Amara said. She knelt down beside Luc and Rone and nuzzled their necks. Please come back to me.
We will, my love, Rone said. Be safe.
Pointing his snout in the air, Luc let out a low howl. They’re coming.
Amara didn’t have time to mourn the loss of Luc and Rone as they disappeared into the forest, her fathers, Geri and Jovan, both shifting and following them. Their plan was simple: divert their pursuers so Amara could get to the hospital. They were also going to search out the lone wolf and Katarina, and hopefully lead them to safety. They planned on meeting up at Eilea’s clinic just outside the reservation. After being abandoned for five years, it was in need of a lot of repairs, but it had four solid walls, where they could hide until Johnson took back control.
Drasko pushed her into the back of Agent Johnson’s truck. “Let’s go.”
“I’m driving,” Hakon said, opening the driver’s door.
“If you insist.” Eilea scooted to the middle of the bench. She stiffened when Boris flanked her other side.
No sooner had Hakon pulled onto the highway than two military Humvees raced toward them. Amara briefly clutched Drasko and Marius, praying to the Ancients to keep her family safe, then she released them and turned around, focusing her energy on the vehicles as they closed the distance between them. The ground between them buckled and cracked. She cringed when the Humvees were thrown on their sides, and she prayed again that the soldiers weren’t hurt. It wasn’t their fault they had to follow a madman’s orders.
Chapter Twenty-One
Hakon made it to the military hospital in under an hour, the pedal to the floor the entire time. Amara was relieved the highway patrol hadn’t caught them. Eilea got them on base using her military ID. Amara had had no idea she was in the Army Reserves. So much for the doctor being able to move to Romania with Amara’s fathers. Not that she would anyway. She wondered again why the Ancients had matched such opposites. She couldn’t imagine how a relationship between them would work.
Eilea walked into the Intensive Care waiting room with purpose in her stride and the confident raised chin of someone who belonged there.
The nurse at the front desk, a pretty blonde, straightened when Eilea approached her. “Hello, Dr. Johnson.”
“Maria, we’re here to see Joe Johnson.” Eilea spoke with a commanding air impatiently tapping her foot.
“I’m sor
ry, Doctor,” Maria said nervously when four big men flanked Eilea. “You’re the only one cleared to see him. Only immediate family.”
“By whose orders?” Eilea snapped, looking none too pleased.
“I’m not sure.” Maria averted her eyes, shuffling the papers on the counter. “The order came from the higher-ups, and I’m obligated to obey it.”
“I don’t believe this!” Eilea huffed. “Amara is family.” Eyes narrowing, she pounded the counter. “She’s his goddaughter.”
Maria stepped back but held firm. “I’m sorry, but those are my orders.”
Boris cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Maria, hi. Excuse me, are you Romanian?” His accent became thicker with each word as he flashed a dazzling smile.
She blushed. “My grandmother was from Romania.”
“I thought so.” He casually leaned against the counter, flexing his large bicep and looking at Maria as if she was the only woman in the room. “I am Romanian, and my grandmother’s name was Maria.”
“So was mine.” Maria twirled the end of her ponytail and gave Boris a flirtatious look. “I was named after her.”
“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman,” he said with a wink.
Maria’s blush deepened. “Thank you.”
Eilea stiffened, balling her hands into fists.
“Agent Johnson means the world to our family, Maria,” Boris continued. “Would it be too much to ask to look the other way while we pay our respects?”
She vehemently shook her head. “You can’t go in there. I could lose my job.”
“Just the three of us.” Drasko wrapped an arm around Amara. “He’s my godfather, too.”
She toyed with her fingers, her gaze locked on Boris as if she was in a trance. “I’m not sure.”
“Please let them in, Maria.” Boris toyed with a pen he’d snatched from beside the computer. “I’d love to hear all about your grandmother while I wait for them.”
The poor nurse swooned and nearly fell to the floor in a puddle of lust. “I’m going to turn my back when I buzz you in, Dr. Johnson.” Though she spoke to Eilea, her gaze was locked on Boris.
Eilea didn’t answer her. She was too busy staring holes through her skull.
“Thank you, Maria,” Amara said, tugging on Eilea’s sleeve.
Hakon and Drasko shared ominous looks, and she knew they were formulating a plan should the shit hit the fan.
She quickly kissed Hakon’s cheek. Please be careful.
Holler if you need me, and I will bust down these doors, he projected.
It shouldn’t come to that, my love. At least she hoped it wouldn’t.
DRASKO STOOD OUTSIDE the door like a sentinel, keeping an eye out should the feds find out they were there. Amara had the feeling the orders for only family visitors had come from Richter, because he didn’t want his boss to recover and discover the mess his subordinate had made of things.
She stifled a sound of despair when she saw Agent Johnson’s prone body in the hospital bed. His ebony skin had turned an ashen gray, his cheeks were hollow, and he had blotches all over his face. Worse than his appearance was the smell. The sickly sweet stench of death cloaked him like a shroud. He breathed through an apparatus that seemed to magnify his wheeze. He was hooked to all kinds of needles and blinking lights. What a terribly intrusive way to die.
Eilea’s eyes watered. “Is it too late?”
“Too late?” Amara vehemently shook her head and took a seat by Johnson’s bed. “No. I cured Drasko after he was struck by werewolf venom. He had already started to petrify.”
“Werewolf venom? What the hell?” Eilea slumped in a seat beside Amara.
The look of horror in the doctor’s eyes would’ve been comical if the memories of the werewolves trying to kill Drasko hadn’t still been fresh in Amara’s mind.
“You don’t need to worry about that here.” She patted Eilea’s hand reassuringly. “That happened in Romania by the haunted forest.”
Eilea turned a little green. “Fuck.”
Amara needed to shut her mouth, or Eilea would never want to mate with her fathers. Judging by the way Eilea bristled when Boris had flirted with the nurse, it was clear she was attracted to him.
She tried to sound enthusiastic and upbeat. “The werewolves are all dead now.”
Eilea kept looking at Amara as if she’d seen a ghost.
“Enough about dead werewolves,” she said, cursing herself for sounding dumber by the minute. “Time to heal your uncle.”
She laid her hands on Johnson, fighting not to recoil when she felt the disease had spread from his lungs, blackening almost every living cell. She closed her eyes and let her healing magic flow, dripping as slow as molasses at first and then moving faster, until torrents of magic soaked the dying man’s cells.
AMARA WOKE FROM HER nap with a cramp in her neck. She sat up in the uncomfortable hospital chair and stretched. She rubbed her sore neck with healing fingers, smoothing out the kinks.
Eilea looked over as she hovered over her uncle, checking his vital signs. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” She stifled a yawn. “I just needed a power nap.” Actually, she could probably sleep for the next century. That power nap only gave her enough strength to hold on to her last threads of energy.
She gazed at Agent Johnson. Though he was still sleeping, the color had returned to his face. “How is he?”
“His vitals are good. Really good.” Eilea shook her head and wiped tears from her eyes. “Amara, I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me. The Amaroki need him.” Because if Johnson didn’t come back to help them, they could end up in a full-scale war with the feds. Though the Amaroki had powerful magic, they weren’t strong enough to take on an army.
Eilea sat again. “He should wake soon.”
“Good.” Amara groaned. “Then we can get the hell out of here.” She looked through the small window in the door. Drasko was still there, his neck and shoulders rigid. She wondered how her other mates were doing, especially Luc and Rone. Had they found Katarina and the lone wolf or had the feds captured them? “I’m worried about my family.”
“I’m sure they know what they’re doing.” Eilea’s voice cracked, and she wrapped her arms around herself.
Her tone said the opposite, that she was worried about Amara’s fathers.
For some reason, the notion of Eilea with Amara’s fathers both delighted and concerned her. She wanted her fathers to be happy after suffering through a miserable marriage, but would they be happy with a human? And how would the rest of the Amaroki react to an inter-species marriage? She already knew her mates weren’t thrilled with the idea.
“Do you have feelings for my fathers?” Amara asked pointedly.
“I’m not going to lie.” Eilea worked the crumpled tissue in her hand. “There’s something there, but I’m not acting on it. It would never work.”
Amara didn’t know if she should feel relieved or disappointed by Eilea’s confession. “Why?”
“Well, for starters,”—Eilea made a face—“I don’t want a husband, let alone four.”
Amara wasn’t offended. She’d had a similar reaction when Luc first told her she was destined for four virile shifter brothers. “I used to think the same way.”
“And now you’re happy?”
“Amazingly happy.” She smiled and placed a hand on her stomach. “I love them all so much.”
“How old are your fathers?” Eilea asked.
“Late thirties, early forties.”
“They were young when you were born.”
“Yeah.” She didn’t feel like getting into the story about how her father had been tricked into mating with her mother. She still wasn’t pleased with the goddess for that deception.
“And your mom was human?”
She repressed a grimace. “She was.” Her mom had also been a neglectful druggie, but she’d save that story for another time.
“
And you still came out a shifter? I mean, you can shift all the way?”
Hiding a smile behind her hand, Amara nodded. “I can.” She couldn’t help but think Eilea was contemplating having children with Amara’s fathers.
“So when humans and shifters mate, their children are all shifters?”
The Ancients given warning that more lone wolves with human mothers would be discovered, so Amara figured it only took one wolf parent to create a shifter child. “I think so.”
Eilea looked away. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure.” She braced herself. She thought she knew where this line of questioning was going.
“D-Do you have sex with them all?” Eilea stammered.
She released a slow breath. “Yes.”
“At the same time?”
“Sometimes they take turns.”
Eilea looked stricken. “Omigod.”
Amara laughed. “Eilea, it’s fucking amazing.”
“Oh.” She laughed weakly, glancing at her uncle. “That’s good to know.” She cleared her throat, and it seemed she had something to say but not sure how to get it out. “Your dads are still married, right?”
“Not for long. They are severing the bond when they get back to Romania. They’ve been talking about it for a while.”
Eilea leaned toward her, dropping her voice. “What did she do?”
Amara loved how Eilea assumed it was all Katarina’s fault. “What didn’t she do?” She snorted. “She was unfaithful, and she’s horrible to me and to everyone in general.”
“Why is she horrible to you?”
“She hates me because I have a human mother.”
Eilea had a knowing look in her eyes. “I dealt with a lot of discrimination growing up, and I don’t want to put my children through it, too.”
Her determination was nearly enough to break Amara’s heart. No wonder Eilea wanted nothing to do with her dads. She wished she could tell Eilea she wouldn’t face discrimination, but she remembered Tor complaining about half-breeds and even her mates criticizing her fathers for falling for a human. She wasn’t sure how the Amaroki would react to Eilea, but Amara had the feeling Eilea wouldn’t have a warm reception.