by K. F. Breene
Austin turned to Sebastian. “You said two powerful mages. Do you plan to do more than lurk this time?”
Sebastian gave a humorless grin. “I most certainly do. And I can’t wait to see their faces when I let the magic fly.”
I’d accepted the invitation shortly after receiving it, and now, two days later, we were preparing to walk into the belly of the beast.
Austin sat at the table by my bedroom window, waiting for me to finish getting ready. He had on jeans and a T-shirt (we’d decided there was no point in being uncomfortable for what was surely going to be a battle). His people were assembled and ready, along with Kingsley and his people, all waiting at the base of the mountain in animal form. They would scale the mountain with Edgar, and Austin, Sebastian, and I would drive up. The basajaun, who’d offered to help because he’d overindulged in flowers at the forced garden party (Niamh maintained that he’d done it on purpose because he wanted to come all along), would ride with us. Sebastian was the one who’d made the suggestion about the ride-along—he wanted to see the mages’ face when they caught sight of our fearsome friend. Given the basajaun’s great love was causing horrible surprises, he’d been tickled by the idea. The rest of my people would fly in as we drove, swooping down when the action started.
Speaking of my team…
“I want to give Cyra, Hollace, and Nathanial more time,” I called to Austin, “because I haven’t gotten to properly interact with them, but it seems like the right time to ask Sebastian to join the team. What do you think?”
“I’d say it’s a good bet. He’s done nothing but help you, and he gets along with everyone.”
I nodded. “Good. I mean, we’ll see how he does with the…possibly very awkward and embarrassing dinner and dancing coming up.”
“Fat chance.”
“We’ll see how he does in the battle, then.”
“I think the team is shaping up to be really strong, babe,” he said, standing when I exited the bathroom.
I walked into his arms, needing a moment to lean on him, to soak in his strength. It still felt surreal that we were together, that someone as hot as him was calling me babe. The most desirable bachelor in the area, for Janes and magical people alike, had said he’d wait for me to come around and be his mate.
“Good,” I said, “but I’m still not looking forward to this.” I huffed out a shaky laugh. “You’d think I’d be used to fighting by now.”
“I don’t think you’ll ever get used to bloodshed, but you, Jacinta Ironheart, are strong enough to bear anything.”
“Let’s hope.” I pushed away from him lest I lose my nerve. “Showtime.”
My people were waiting in the front, all in human form, all seemingly calm and ready. Austin’s Jeep waited by the curb, the top off.
Ulric reached out and squeezed my arm supportively. “We’ve got this, Miss Jessie.”
I smiled, nodding to Mr. Tom and the others as I passed them.
“No fancy car today?” I asked, turning to Austin.
“Nope.” He stopped by the passenger door, in case I needed a hand in. “They get plain old me today. No bells and whistles.”
“I don’t think they are going to like plain old you. I have a feeling they will rethink their treatment of the bells-and-whistles you.”
“I think you’re right.”
Sebastian and the basajaun climbed in after us, the basajaun completely scrunched in the smallish back seat with his legs half hanging over the side, and Sebastian sitting as far to the right as possible, squished against the roll bar.
“I’m now starting to rethink this driving idea,” Sebastian murmured.
Austin started the Jeep, and my people shed their clothes, Niamh giving me a thumbs-up before changing into her nightmare alicorn form.
“You’ll do great, miss,” Mr. Tom yelled after me as Austin made his way down the street.
I felt Sebastian touch my arm from the back seat. “It’ll be okay. You have a lot of people around you who will make sure nothing happens to you.”
I took a deep breath. “I’m not concerned about me. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”
I thought I heard him mutter, “Ironheart,” before he squeezed my arm and pulled back.
The banquet hall was on the outskirts of town. As Austin maneuvered the Jeep down the narrow road, I felt my people on their way, high in the sky. I couldn’t see any shifters, but they’d never required invisibility spells to blend into the woods. The saffron-yellow sunlight was starting to fade by the time we reached the top of the hill, the mountain at our backs and the valley spanning out in front of us. This time, large passenger vans filled the lot instead of limos. It was obvious they weren’t here to square-dance, and judging by the quantity, nearly a dozen, it was equally as clear that they had a great many people.
Nervousness tightened my gut. The sound of the Jeep’s engine vibrated through the silence as Austin slowed down. Sebastian tapped my arm and passed up a vial, the revealing serum. Since we’d already discussed the likelihood that Kinsella would take a sneakier approach this time, hiding the mages’ scents too, Austin also downed one of the vials. Bodies started popping into view.
Austin stopped at the beginning of the long driveway, the expansive lawn off to the left showcasing a picturesque white gazebo nestled into bright pink and blue flowers. The hill dropped away just beneath it, probably a steep slope to the valley below. A lone figure waited within the gazebo wearing a long black robe. He hadn’t taken an invisibility potion, but everyone else around him had—mages clustered around the gazebo, lined up on either side, and loitered around the trees on my side of the car, too, at the base of the mountain.
“What a showboat,” Sebastian said, clearly talking about Kinsella waiting for me in the gazebo.
“I don’t understand why he went to the trouble of dosing them all with invisibility potion, knowing I can just create a revealing serum.” Part of me wanted to sit on my shaking hands. I’d come to realize that the calm leading up to the battle greatly tested my courage. “Or did he think I’d keep it from the shifters?”
Sebastian chuckled low. “He has clearly spent the last two days making or procuring the very best he can get. He probably doesn’t think your revealing spell is powerful enough to show his people. He’s a fool who didn’t pay attention the other night. And no, he surely doesn’t think you gave all the shifters the revealing potion. Or that you could make so much in such a short time. Of course, he also doesn’t know you had help.” Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a vial being passed. “Here, basajaun. So you can see the surprise on their faces when you charge them away from the gazebo.”
“Jess.” Austin turned to me, a bleak look in his eyes. “This mage came to our territory, insulted us, and now plans to attack us on our own ground. That has to be grounds for an excusal from the Mages’ Guild. We have to end this brutally. We have to make a statement. This isn’t the time to show mercy. Make sure mercenaries everywhere use you—us—as a cautionary tale. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I said, sensing the truth in that. People would continue coming if they thought we were weak or lenient. “I just wish we were fighting Elliot Graves so we could end this once and for all.”
“If this goes how I think it’ll go,” Sebastian said, “Domino Kinsella won’t be the only one who hears the message. We ready?”
Austin turned off the engine and swung his legs out the open door. Apparently we’d be walking a ways.
As if hearing my thought, Austin said, “I want them to see what the big, hairy beast in the back is as he is running at them.”
“Yes. That will be a better approach.” The basajaun’s hair bristled, making him look just that much bigger. He crawled out over the back of the car. “Should I go now?”
“No.” Austin stripped off his shirt. “Jess and I will make the first approach. When they attack, we counter.”
“Miss Jessie,” Sebastian said, grabbing my arm. “Remember that shield
spell we went over. Use it. Keep it around you at all times. It’ll keep his spells off you.”
I nodded and pulled it around me right then. Austin slipped out of his pants and immediately changed into his polar bear form. He started forward, and I kept pace, walking with my head held high, my body brimming with magic. Time to show Kinsella the goods. Maybe he’d be smart, apologize, and leave.
Fat chance.
Kinsella’s people watched us approach, having created a funnel for us to walk down—a funnel that closed in behind us as we passed them, separating us from the basajaun. My heart beat faster, the pulse joined by Austin’s. Our link was not just from Ivy House now, but from the strengthening bond growing between us. It comforted me. Energized me. Gave me just a bit more courage.
“He isn’t even trying to hide that he’s an animal anymore, hmm?” Kinsella gave Austin a look of pure disgust as we approached.
“Just like you aren’t trying to hide your ridiculous taste in clothing. What is that, a nightshirt?” I stopped just before the gazebo. My people weren’t far away, having stopped at the base of the hill to keep out of sight. I looked around. “No champagne? When I show up to dinner and dancing, I typically expect some sort of libation.”
“I likely won’t get any sort of status boost when I kill you and all your animals, but at least I will let Elliot Graves know that he is nothing. There is some consolation in that.”
“You sure do know how to make a woman feel treasured. Speaking of, where’s your date? Or have you put away the Viagra for the night?”
His eyes narrowed slightly, and I actually found myself laughing.
“Struck a nerve with that one, did I?” I laughed harder.
“I will enjoy killing you,” he spat.
“Actually, you won’t even enjoy trying.”
He threw out his hands, a zip of light speeding through the air at me. I braced myself, but the shield took it easily, the spell like one I’ve used before, but with more bells and whistles.
His spell bounced off, fractured, then enhanced, increasing in power as it sprayed back at him. He screeched and dove out of the back of the gazebo. Two of his people, waiting behind him, threw up their hands as the spell sliced right through them. He’d shot a nasty spell at me, and an even nastier one had been sent back.
Austin stood up on his hind legs and roared, the sound rumbling through the ground and crowding the air. Everyone in the area flinched and then cowered, unable to help themselves. A loud bang came from the banquet door. It flew off its hinges and tumbled onto the walkway. Men and women in black poured out of the door, all dressed the same, holding weapons and moving with lethal economy. Magical mercenaries.
An answering roar rode the tail of Austin’s call, and then the basajaun launched himself into the fray, his long legs and hairy body quickly eating the distance between him and the enemy. He was at the gazebo in no time, his large teeth flashing, his arms swinging, and the enemies’ eyes rounded comically.
“It’s Bigfoot!” someone shouted, the pitch much too high for a man but coming from one all the same. “It’s Bigfoot, save yourselves!”
Kinsella swallowed down a potion as the invisible people around me rushed forward, firing spells at us. Austin lowered and rushed right, out of my protective bubble and not worried about it. He swiped a woman with his great paw, smashing her to the side, before lunging forward and biting through a man’s face.
My belly rolled and I turned away, my defensive spell doing my work for me. Even still, I zipped off a few more spells as the basajaun scooped someone up, bashed their head on the ground, and then threw them over the lip of the hill. He charged someone else, who immediately reduced down into a little ball of person, his arms over his head, shaking. He wasn’t going to try to defend himself, too scared of the giant beast charging him. The basajaun’s laughter at what he perceived a great joke made his incredible violence that much more gruesome.
“Jessie, Kinsella!” Sebastian stood in the center of the driveway, his own shield up and taking fire. He had just enough time to fling up a hand.
Kinsella had slipped out of the melee, coward that he was, and was now sprinting for the banquet hall.
But Austin and I were surrounded, under constant firepower, and their sheer numbers were doing the work for them.
Shifters exploded out of the trees at the base of the mountain. Wolves, big cats, a couple of bears, and one hippopotamus, of all things. Another group charged over the edge of the hill and onto the grass, a great Siberian tiger, Kingsley, leading the charge.
The mercenaries spread out in front of the banquet hall, movements unhurried, weapons at the ready. They would be the real danger.
I blasted someone with a spell. He fell away, revealing another enemy mage ready to fire at me. A snow leopard, Layan, flew through the air, tackling the mage and knocking him out of the way. I ran forward, just seeing Kinsella slip past his line of paid fighters. More people poured out of the banquet hall, the building clearly storing everyone who hadn’t gotten potion.
My swear was drowned out by the cacophonous beating of the thunderbird’s wings as Hollace rose into the sky. Cyra came next, then Ivy House’s gargoyle crew, followed by the gargoyles from town, organized and ready for battle.
Niamh jetted out from behind and didn’t waste any time. She pulled in her wings, tucked up her feet, and dove horn first. It hit a woman in the back and punched through. Her scream was short-lived, and Niamh tossed the woman over her back so she could move on to the next enemy.
The first line of mercenaries, nearly to Sebastian, took a knee and brought up their guns.
“Oh no.” I ran harder, straight for him, not knowing what I’d do against actual bullets but not wanting him to take the brunt of this by himself. Kinsella would have to wait.
“No, Jessie.” Sebastian flung out his hand to stop me. A wave of magic materialized in my path. I slammed into it and bounced off, knocked onto my butt. I brushed it off and sprang up as the mercenaries fired, some aiming for Sebastian, some aiming for shifters.
They weren’t actual bullets. Zips of color, like lasers, shot out. Yelps blared through the space. A bear roared, a sound that was half pain, half anger. Sebastian threw up his hands, probably to fortify his shield.
Cyra swooped down out of nowhere in phoenix form. Mouth open, she ingested the zip of color meant for Sebastian. Fire flew out of her rear before she turned, flapping her wings for speed, and dive-bombed the mercenaries, blasting them with fire. Thunder rolled across the plane, and Hollace dove as well.
The mercenaries didn’t so much as flinch. Those who were standing tilted up their guns to aim at him. They fired, but before the light could pierce Hollace, he let out another thunderous roar. Lightning charged the air around him, eating away whatever magic was fired from those guns.
Vampires rushed out from behind the mercenaries, lunging for the shifters. Gargoyles dove out of the sky, grabbing them and pulling them up, digging their claws in before dropping them. A fall like that wouldn’t kill them, but Edgar was waiting down below. He turned from swarm to himself, grabbed a newly splatted vampire, and ripped off its head.
The kneeling mercenaries continued to fire, hitting vampires and shifters, not at all caring who was friendly and who was the enemy. More agonized howls and yelps filled the air as the colorful blasts found their marks.
A few wolves reached the mercenaries, lunging into the crowd. Two of the mercs, a man and a woman, stood and slung their guns over their backs. Knives came out of nowhere, and then they were all action, grappling with the large wolf bodies, their movements lightning fast. The woman plunged a knife into a furry belly, then dragged it across the wolf’s throat.
“No!” I shed my clothes and changed, taking to the sky to get there faster. A zip of magic came for me, one of those lasers. It hit my shield and tried to bleed my magic away, but power boiled in my blood, fueled by the agonized wails all around me. By the vampires reaching the shifters, by Sebastian barely
able to fight mages back while defending whomever he could against the mercenaries, by all of this unnecessary violence that Kinsella had forced on us.
I pumped my wings as hard as I could, pushing for speed. Cyra dive-bombed the line again, taking fire and giving it back. Hollace dove, snatching up a person in black in each taloned foot before swooping up, his electric energy taking them out instantly. I was there a moment later, scraping across someone’s face and sending a blast of magic through their line. It exploded, tossing people into the air. But not before two of them got off shots. Their blasts hit Sebastian’s shield and bled through it, striking his body.
A cry of fury shot out of me, slightly garbled by my fangs. Dark rage rose through me. I ripped out a throat with my claws and sent a magical kill shot of a spell, ripping someone apart, before covering the short distance to Sebastian. I grabbed him around the chest and hips, using my clawed feet as another way to hold him, and soared into the sky. I used my healing magic on him right away, cutting out his pain. Anguish in my heart, I lowered him onto the roof of the banquet hall, figuring it was the safest place for him. I set him down gently, splaying my clawed hand over the bleeding wound in his side and taking in his leg. Blood soaked through his shirt and pants. Those wounds would be closed shortly, hopefully before he bled out.
“Mu-scht halllllp odders,” I said, hoping he understood.
He nodded, and a little smile tickled his lips. “Ironheart. You have my allegiance…forever.”
That answered the question of whether he would take the job.
I patted his shoulder and took to the sky. If Austin wanted brutal, I’d give these people brutal.
Thirty-Three
Sebastian waited for the angel of a woman to fly away, vengeance on her mind. He watched her descend on the mercenaries a moment later, swirls of pink and purple magic trailing her, wondrous and beautiful. She was everything his research had said she’d be and then some. Beautiful of mind and body, majestic, and so insanely powerful that he was giddy just thinking about it. She had absolutely no idea the kinds of things she could do with that power. How unstoppable she’d be.