by Bryce Evans
Once he got up, he relaxed his grip. If this would have been another time, then he would’ve probably loved it, but all he could think about now was making sure his mate was safe. He closed his eyes. I’m coming, Raven.
Aziel tilted his head and spoke. “Look to your left.”
“You can talk?”
“Of course. As soon as the others get to the beach, we are going down and we are going fast. I will drop you in the crowd. Start taking them out. I will take care of the guards in the towers. They will never think to look up. Most are watching your mate and her brother fight.”
“Okay--” Caz held on tighter as Aziel and the other eagles dove. Fast. He didn’t have time to scream. His voice caught in his throat as they dropped. All he could do was hold on and pray he didn’t fall off.
The ground came up fast and he was over the coliseum. The crowd was going wild until he watched his mate and Leo shift back to humans and they started crawling up the wall. Guards were coming out and pointing their guns toward them. He had to get to the guards before they fired. “Go,” Aziel shouted.
All he could see was his mate as he jumped, shifting in midair, he landed at the top and knocked four guards off the wall. Then he kept going. Running toward Raven, he watched as a guard shot his mate in the shoulder.
But nothing stopped her as she continued to climb. Leo was right behind her. Caz was so proud of her as she shifted getting to the top. Humans were running everywhere. Trying to get away, but nobody would leave this place. Each person he reached he took out with his paw going for their most vital spots. They were dropping like flies, but it didn’t stop him.
He tried to keep his eyes on Raven at the same time. But more guards continued to come out from the passageways. Then he saw them. Shifters standing behind the bars on the ground level, watching. Some had already shifted, and others were waiting to get out. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the young kids watching.
He turned back to his mate who hadn’t noticed him until he roared. She turned and saw him and then ran toward him when the staircase started moving. She didn’t see the narrow opening, keeping her eyes on him. He watched in horror as Raven dropped from his sight. Then the stairs closed.
Before he could reach her, she was gone. Searching he looked for a way to get below but he would have to go around. Leo was still fighting others as shifters continued to come to his aid. He needed to get to Raven. Looking over the side, he knew it was a long way down, but he had to get to his mate.
Without thinking, he jumped, and landed on his feet but rolled to the side. Pain shot up his legs, but he couldn’t think of the aching right now. Getting up, he shifted to his human form and ran to the door trying to open it, but it was locked. No matter how much he pulled, the knob wouldn’t budge.
Aziel dropped down from the sky and shifted. “Try this.” He watched as the tall willowy guy slipped a small tool into the lock, busting it. They both stood to the side in case someone with a weapon was waiting on them. Looking around the edge, Caz didn’t see anyone. Just an empty tunnel.
“Wait here for me.” Caz quietly hurried down the corridor. He heard people yelling and crying. They were moving the shifters. Not this time. Slowly, he peeked around the corner. They were so busy watching the shifters and pointing their guns at them that they never saw him. Caz shifted using his paw he raked his claws across their legs so fast, they dropped to the ground. Shifting back, he grabbed one of the guns and started shooting the other guards. He directed the shifters to run down the hallway. Some did but most of the adults shifted and went after the remaining guards.
A woman approached him. He knew immediately she was a vampire and he had seen her picture before in a file. Boris Connor’s wife put her hand on his shoulder. “Your mate. They took her down that tunnel. It leads to the boats. We could smell the saltwater. Hurry.”
Caz dropped the gun and shifted. He ran through the tunnel smelling the air for his mate. It wasn’t long until her scent was heavy. Slowing his steps, he heard her scream out. The roar came out of him so powerfully that it shook his soul.
“What the hell was that?” one of the guards asked their leader. They were all staring at the coliseum doorway they had just exited.
Holding her head up as high as she could, she stared at the doorway. She was going to put the fear of God in them if it was the last thing she did. “That’s my mate and you’re all going to die.”
The leader looked worried as he glanced back. “Hurry and get her on the boat.”
One of the guards mumbled, “Maybe we should just leave her. He won’t follow us then.”
Grabbing the guard’s arm, the leader shoved him forward. “I've got to salvage this. Get her on the boat. Now!”
Raven struggled to get the cuffs off, but she knew it was no use. Instead, she raised her head up looking around. When she saw the yachts, she knew they were trying to move her again. There was too much commotion going on and the possibility of them not getting to her in time was pretty high now. And that scared her. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she yelled, “Caz. Hurry, they are putting me on a boat. Hurry.”
The stock from the rifle almost knocked her out as the guard hit her directly in the face. “Shut up.” Blood wasn’t dripping down her face, it was pouring. She felt lightheaded due to all the blood loss from earlier and now today. She closed her eyes as they carried her onto a boat dock. She could smell smoke and knew the hunters had started burning the yachts. Nobody was going to leave here. He would come for her. She had to believe he would.
“Go, go,” the man yelled. They were on a yacht pulling away. She struggled against her cuffs trying to break them when a thump drew her attention. She held her head up and looked over and saw her mate standing on the boat’s deck. He’d leaped from the dock. Smiling, she watched as men screamed and some even jumped overboard, but some tried to lasso a nine-hundred-pound tiger. When she leaned up enough and her mate got a good look at her face, Caz completely lost it. She had never seen him like this.
She watched as her mate tore into every man on the boat. Only their leader was left. Where was the bastard? She felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull back. She leaned against a body. The leader held a knife to her throat stopping Caz from coming closer. “Doesn’t matter, Caz. I’m not going with him. Kill him.”
Caz shifted and started smiling at the man. Any other time, she would’ve loved to have seen his smile, but right now, she had a knife to her throat. Nothing to smile about until the man gasped and the knife disappeared.
She tried to turn to see what happened to the man, but she couldn’t see him until she looked up and saw the eagle shifter carrying the man in his claw. “Wow.” Caz ran to her side drawing her attention.
He grabbed the napkins off the table and put them on the gash over her right eye. “Are you okay?” He didn’t give her time to answer before his lips were over hers.
When he pulled back, she asked, “Can you get me out of these things?” She lifted her wrists with the cuffs.
“Oh...Sorry.” He pulled the bolt out and released her hands then feet. She jumped into his arms.
“I love you. I’m so sorry I was such a bonehead. I love you so much,” Raven quickly explained. Hugging him so close, she didn’t want to let go, but the caged shifters inside the arena popped into her head. Pulling away, she looked toward the coliseum. “The others. They have them underground. We have to find them. Let’s go now. They have kids, Caz. Kids!”
“I got some out, but we will make sure they are all okay. Let’s go.” They both jumped off the boat onto the wooden dock and ran toward the coliseum. Eagles still flew overhead. Once they got inside, the saw shifters tending to the ones who needed it. The children were all sitting in the corner.
She cautiously approached them, and one little girl got up and hugged her. “Thank you,” she whispered. The others became quiet and watched as another girl then a boy all hugged her. She couldn’t stop the tears as they fell from her face. Never
had she wanted a child, but as she hugged the children, and watched Caz’s expression, she knew he was the one she would have children with one day.
They all turned when someone came running down the stairs. Wyatt Benjamin came to a stop looking at each of the faces. Boris held his mate close not wanting to let her go. When Dana Connor saw him, her face dropped. “I’m so sorry, Wyatt. She had to fight a lion and…”
Wyatt put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m glad you are okay.”
Dana pointed to the corner. There was his son, Lake who just stared at him. He was as straight as a statue.
“Lake,” he whispered and ran to his son’s side. Wrapping his arms around him, the little boy, stared off. He never hugged his dad back and Raven knew it would be a while before Lake would feel secure or normal again.
“Let’s get everyone out of here and on the boat then we can search this place for any survivors,” Lennox said, coming over and hugging her. “Don’t ever do that to me again. Understand!” She knew what her alpha meant.
Her brother came up to her and hugged her. He pulled away and turned her around and she remembered she had been shot. The bullet was still inside her. She could feel it starting to burn.
“You need to get this out, now,” Leo said. Her mate swept her up in his arms and walked out toward the boat.
“I can walk, you know.”
He said nothing at first, just stared at her with those big cat eyes of his. Golden like the sun. His tiger was close as he rubbed his face against her head. “Just let me take care of you.”
She remembered the advice she had been given and replied, “Okay.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
The first day back home, all Raven did was eat and sleep. The doctor said her body would heal quicker if she actually listened to him for once. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a choice. Caz stood watch at her door and Jade said if she got out of bed before she healed, she would put a hex on her. For some reason, Raven believed her.
What she didn’t expect was the girls planning a ladies’ night out in her bedroom. Quinn told Caz he had to go play with the boys. He didn’t want to, but Quinn held out her hand and a blue flame appeared. She may have whispered that her burning flame could’ve done a lot of damage to tiger fur.
He got the point when the guy hunters came to his rescue, telling him they had been invited to Calum’s house for an all-male cookout. That seemed to appease him, and the fact that she promised Caz she wouldn’t get out of bed.
Earlier that day, she asked Caz to buy a frame that would look good for the picture she drew of Jade and Lennox’s home. She planned to give it to Jade when she arrived. She was calling it a “thank-you” gift since she’d been a total bitch to her. Jade, Quinn, Greer, Riley, Simone, Scarlett, Alex, and Hayden all came to help her when she was kidnapped. She realized then these people were her family and friends.
She needed them, and it didn’t matter what she thought about it; they weren’t taking no for an answer. Which she had to admit she liked that about them. They were loyal.
Jade was in the kitchen cooking for the party and Raven hadn’t seen her alone all day. When Quinn arrived, she asked if she would get Jade for her.
She was so nervous, her leg started jumping. Dang it, she was a Death Hunter, for goodness sake. Why was this making her so crazy?
“You wanted me?” Jade asked, smiling.
She nodded and took in a deep breath, putting her hand on her leg trying to make it stop. Motioning her into the bedroom, Raven pulled out the present from under her pillow. “It’s not much, but I wanted you to have this. And let me preface by saying I know it’s not any good and trust me when I say you don’t have to hang it up anywhere, but I can’t get out of bed right now and I wanted to get you something for helping me. Well…here.” Raven swallowed hard and handed the gift to her.
Jade took the wrapped package. “You don’t have to give me something for helping you. You’re my friend, a Death Hunter, and part of my family. Of course, I’m going to help you. Any time you are in trouble, I will be there.”
A tear rolled down Raven’s face as she watched Jade open the present like the wrapping paper was fragile. But she didn’t say anything. This was her alpha female’s gift. Once she got the paper off, her smile fell from her face.
“I know it’s crap. Here, I can just get you something else.” Raven tried to take the picture, but Jade pulled it away, standing up. She continued to stare at the picture.
“You drew this?”
“Yeah, but you can trash it, Jade. I was just doodling. Caz suggested it would be a great gift.”
Jade’s mouth fell open and tears pooled in her eyes. “It’s the most beautiful picture I’ve ever seen.”
“Come on.”
Quinn came in behind Jade staring at the picture. “Wow, look, it has the place you and Lennox carved your initials in the beam.”
“I can’t believe all this time you were an artist and I never knew. Lennox is going to flip out when he sees this,” Jade said, holding the picture to her chest.
Raven shook her head. “No, please don’t. He may get mad because I was spying on you during your private time. Just throw it away.”
“I will not. I’m going to put it where everyone can see it when they walk in my house. I…I will cherish this forever, Raven.” Jade jumped on the bed and hugged her hard. “This means the world to me. It shows you really care about me.”
“Of course, I care about you and Lennox. You’re my family.”
“What the heck is going on in here? I thought this was a party,” Simone shouted, holding a drink that smelled like a margarita.
“Look, Simone.” Jade jumped off the bed and held the picture up, so she could see it.
“That’s beautiful. Look at all the details they put in it. Who drew that? I definitely want them to paint me something to go in the bakery.”
“Raven drew this. She gave it to me as a gift.”
“Well, look at you. It only took you getting kidnapped to turn you around. Who else do we know that needs to be kidnapped and get an attitude adjustment?” Sticking her tongue out at Raven, she said, “Just playing. I would never want anything like that to happen to anyone. But I still want to commission you to draw me something to put in the bakery. It would have to be pretty big. How’s that sound?”
Raven sat staring at the women who had come into her life. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Are you serious? Because I was just messing around while I sat at the picnic table. It’s really not that good, Simone.”
All the women snorted and laughed.
“You’re serious?” Quinn asked.
“Yeah.”
“Woman, look at the details you put in there. There aren’t a lot of people who can get shading right. You brought out every detail.” Quinn pointed at the picture. “That is beautiful, and you could probably get a lot of money for it. You have a talent, Raven.”
“Really? Are you serious or is this one of the jokes you play on the new girl?”
Quinn looked at Simone. “Slap her around so she’ll know how serious I am.”
“Okay, okay. No need for violence,” Raven said. “Thanks. I loved doing it. But I’ve never drawn anything that big, Simone.” Shrugging, Raven added, “I guess I could give it a try.”
Alex and Haven came into the room holding glasses for everyone. “Now that is settled, let’s get this party started.”
She had to admit, it was the best time she’d ever had. They even braided each other’s hair because she told them she never had any female friends. It was definitely a night to remember. Then the camera came out. But that’s a story for another day.
It had been a month since she was taken to the coliseum. The hunters had returned all the shifters and vampires that survived back to their families. Some were loners and didn’t belong to a pack. Ben Crenshaw took some in and so did the Dixon Pack. They also had to tell the families about their loved ones that didn’t make it. She was g
lad she was recovering and didn’t have to do that part. It was horrible. Some said they were just glad they knew what happened and could put an end to worrying. They would still grieve their loved ones, but this was closure for them.
The hunters were still going over records to see if they missed anyone or the possibility of another site. The strangest thing about the whole scheme was the man at the very top. He was a nobody with no connection to the supernatural world beside those he recruited to do his dirty work. How he discovered their existence, the man wouldn’t say in front of the shifter council. His visit to the vampire council was next week. She doubted anything would remain secret after the vamps got their hands on him.
Soon all those who were part of the kidnappings would be rounded up and given trials and punishments. The supernatural world would eventually return to normal, but no one would forget how vulnerable they could be.
But for now, she could rest and have fun. Because today, she was getting married. She had taken a lot of grief from all the guys, but she finally understood just how powerful the mating pull could be and how wrong she was about mating. She loved Caz and she knew he loved her. Hence the sitting at her door all day and night, making sure she had food in her. Tending to her every need. But still, he made her want to do this. And he made her want to kick his head in, but the first one had overridden the latter.
“Wow, look at you,” Jade said, coming to help her dress.
Raven smiled. “I was worried Haven would be mad at me...you know about ruining her dress. But she wasn’t, and I can’t believe she made me another one to get married in. I know people wear white, but this dress takes my breath away.” She twirled around and looked at Jade. “What do you think?”
Jade shook her head then wiped away the tear that rolled down her cheek. “You are a beautiful bride, Raven. You’re going to knock his socks off. If he is wearing any.”
They both laughed. It was odd how everything had changed. Jade had become one of her best friends. Actually, the girls told her they were her best friends too and they really didn’t care if she liked it or not.