by Brenda Trim
Zander started the car and drove to the gate. There were half a dozen watching the gate this time, but their focus wasn’t on the street leading in, but the one leading out. Hayden had worried they would know by now they weren’t still on base.
He noted the moment Zander grabbed hold of the minds in the shack near the gate. The guards holding their rifles at the ready dropped them and their faces went slack. Hayden chanced a glance back and caught sight of the others following them. By the time he turned back around they were stopping. Zander didn’t even bother rolling down the window as the gate lifted and they were through.
“Those guards might have suffered some brain damage,” Zander announced into the quiet of the car. “I used more force to grab their minds and wasna gentle aboot it. I wasn’t taking any chances.”
Guilt threatened to drown Hayden as he considered the damage he was causing innocents. He couldn’t think about that too much. They didn’t make it too far before countless vehicles were facing them along with dozens of soldiers on foot.
“Game time.” Hayden’s heart knocked hard on his rib cage as Zander parked the car.
All of them were out in an instant. They hadn’t taken more than a few steps before shit went sideways. “Take them prisoner. They’re wanted for questioning,” someone yelled out to the soldiers.
Dozens poured out of the vehicles while shots rang out through the night. Hayden jumped out of the way of the darts heading toward them. Zander cursed and Evzen called up a bubble to surround them.
He wished he had some ability to wield magic when he watched most of the darts hit the ground. He hadn’t been expecting bullets so when fire seared through his left thigh between one step and the next, he nearly fell down.
He turned and raced down one street, hoping to reach the building the back way. There was too much going on for him to know if his friends followed. What he was happy to hear were the warriors and his shifters joining the fight.
Soldiers raced into the street from the opposite direction with their weapons drawn. More pops echoed while something slammed into his shoulder from behind. It felt like hard plastic and when he turned to snarl at the male, he noticed it was the butt of his gun.
Trying to keep in mind these soldiers were only following orders, Hayden punched him in the side of the head. The guy dropped his weapon first then hit the deck in a heap and didn’t move. Metal pinged all around him and easily a dozen soldiers converged around him.
He couldn’t move very far, they made sure of that. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Zander and Evzen. Their soldiers were shaking their heads from side to side but not all of them were engaging.
There weren’t as many shots ringing out as he expected. No doubt they didn’t want to hit each other. That would play in their favor. He crouched then launched himself over the group in front of him, kicking out as he went. He needed to get closer to the lab.
When he landed on his feet, he heard curses and heard several pops. His leg was bleeding and hurt like a bitch but wouldn’t slow him much. It was the dart that slammed into his bicep that would do him in. He wavered on his feet. That was all it took to have five close the distance between them.
Hayden stilled for a second, expecting his strength to flee him. When it didn’t, he realized they were using regular sedatives, as well as the special blend. Using that to his benefit, he staggered and dropped his head. The second the five were within range, he punched the closest in the chest then moved to the next and aimed for the head.
Thankfully he was far faster than the humans, even injured and hit with a sedative. He managed to knock all five of them out and was racing toward the building in seconds. Zander and Evzen fought off their attackers and were next to him in seconds. Most of the soldiers were back fighting their people, so it was easy to dart behind cars as they raced.
Glass shattered next to him and flew at his face, several pieces slicing through his cheek. Changing directions, Hayden headed for the guards shooting at them from across the street. With a wave of his hand Evzen sent them flying. When a bullet hit his shoulder and threw him onto his ass, he saw stars for several seconds.
“Shite. They’re on the roof, too,” Zander called out. Screams echoed through the night followed by a wet splat. Hayden pushed to his feet and shook off the pain. He saw a soldier taking aim at Zander and he rushed for the guy. He tackled him, but not before his gun went off.
The noise of the darts was a softer emission, and he knew this soldier had a dart gun. He punched the guy several times, breaking his nose. Blood gushed down the sides of his face. Ignoring that, Hayden was on his feet in time to see Zander stumble. He’d been hit with a hybrid dart.
“Fuck.” The Vampire King’s voice was a low rasp. Evzen cried out a second later. Three soldiers were attacking him. He’d been shot in the chest and was no longer holding his staff.
Hayden grabbed Zander and set him behind a car then headed for Evzen. The side of the Guild Master’s face was one massive bruise by the time he got there. One soldier was down and the other two were pummeling him. Hayden grabbed the closest guy’s head and twisted. The loud crack made him wince, but he wasn’t about to let his friend get captured or killed. These soldiers weren’t fucking around. They were far more concerned with their safety than they were taking them hostage.
The fighting and yelling in the distance made him pause for a split second before he threw the remaining soldier against the building. They were close to the lab and he debated going back and helping the bigger fight or continuing with the mission.
“We have to get to the lab,” Evzen told him, making his decision for him.
Hayden bobbed his head and went back for Zander. His friend was unsteady on his feet, but they made it around the corner where Hayden’s heart stopped. All of the guards he hated were standing in front of the lab with guns drawn.
“Those will have the darts that will weaken you.” Hayden let go of Zander and ran toward Stan. He had become his archnemesis. Several pops rang out and Hayden dropped to the pavement.
Darts whizzed over his head and thudded into something behind him. His guilt surged anew when he heard Zander curse. He couldn’t get shoved into the weeds of self-blame right now. They were in the middle of a mission that had already gone sideways.
Getting to his feet again, he darted back and forth as he continued to Stan. Once he reached the guard, he allowed his bear to surface just enough to shift his fingernails into claws. His hand was in motion with his razor-sharp claws slicing across Stan’s throat when he heard Zander scream.
Hayden’s blood chilled with the noise his friend made. He would never forget it. His rage at himself and these greedy assholes took over and he knocked heads. He grabbed a rifle and shot another. Within seconds he had taken down all of the guards standing between him and the lab.
Turning around, he saw Zander on the ground and Evzen kneeling close by. The Vampire King was grabbing his left leg. The thing had been cut off. Hayden ran back to their side, his heart in his throat and his breaths coming out in short rapid bursts. He hadn’t seen what happened to Zander, but he would bet anything that he’d been shot by a dart and weakened which gave the fucking assholes the chance to get the better of the best warrior Hayden had ever known. And it was all his damn fault.
The devil was tap dancing on Hayden’s gag reflex as he watched Evzen help their friend. Hayden’s blood froze solid and he couldn’t look away from the sight of Zander’s leg detached from his body as he closed the distance to them. Bile rose to the back of his throat, threatening to make him vomit. This was all his fault.
Now is not the time for self-flagellation. Hayden skidded to a halt next to them and cursed. “Fuck. I will get you out of here in one piece, Zander.”
“Take care of that Goddess damned lab. We didn’t risk this for nothing,” Zander gritted out. The Vampire King’s skin was sallow and sweat covered his brow.
Hayden turned to Evzen. “Did you ever perfect that bomb spell we tal
ked about?”
Evzen’s jaw dropped open and his eyes went wide. He started shaking his head from side to side then stopped himself. “I can blow this shit up.”
Zander reached for Hayden, but his hand didn’t move very far. “No. We need information.”
“Not that bad,” Evzen said before Hayden could respond.
Hayden met Zander’s Sapphire gaze. The pain there was a knife to Hayden’s heart. “I’m going to pick you up and it’s going to hurt like hell.” Zander nodded his head and clenched his jaw.
Hayden slid his arms under Zander. Evzen held Zander’s injured leg and stood at the same time Hayden did. Zander’s scream pierced the night, but he didn’t pass out. His head dropped to Hayden’s shoulder.
“Blow this place up, E. We need to go.” Hayden told the Guild Master.
Evzen nodded and his staff was in his hand a second later. Bhric ran around the corner and shouted a second later. Hayden worried it broke Evzen’s concentration, but he shouldn’t have. A loud explosion rocked the earth a split second later.
Hayden wasn’t prepared and he stumbled forward while clutching Zander in his arms. Thank fuck Bhric was solid muscle and in front of them in no time. The Vampire Prince managed to stop Hayden from falling with Zander. They raced away from the flying debris with Evzen at their side.
They made it to the next street and away from the blast zone. The Prince reached out to take Zander, but Hayden shook his head. “What’s the status of the fight? We need to get Zander the fuck out of here and now.”
Bhric followed “The human soldiers are like bugs crawling out of every wall, but the warriors and your Lieutenants have it under control. And I can see you’ve taken care of the lab. I take it we will need to hunt doon the one in charge.”
Hayden nodded once. “I refuse to risk Zander’s safety. His leg is hanging by a thread.”
“Literally,” Evzen added with a grimace. Hayden could see the iridescent shimmer surrounding them. Given the sweat dotting the Guild Master’s brow and his pursed lips it was taking all of his remaining strength.
Bhric rushed two soldiers that had seen them and diverted to attack. “How the fuck did this shite happen?”
“He was hit with one of the hybrid sedatives and it allowed the guards to attack.” And it’s all my fault. Hayden left that last bit out. He knew he couldn’t feel guilty forever, but it would take some time.
His chest twisted when they turned a corner and saw warriors and shifters on the ground along with the human soldiers. They had the upper hand at that point, and when he opened his senses to check for signs of life, he was relieved to hear their steady heartbeats.
“Zeke! Gather the sedated. Time to leave.” Hayden continued walking past the rental. It would be easier to trek to the vans they’d stashed a few minutes from here. He would carry Zander all the way back to pack lands if he had to.
“Right away, Omega. We’re right behind you.” His Lieutenant immediately barked orders and shifters started shoving the jeeps sideways before puncturing the tires with their claws, ensuring the humans wouldn’t be able to follow easily.
“I can’t hold this any longer.” Evzen’s voice cracked and he stumbled next to them.
Bhric caught the Guild Master’s arm. “They’re oot of sedatives. You can drop the spell.”
Zander was going to need to see Jace and Elsie. He would need to feed. “Bhric. Call Elsie and ask Luke to open a portal from the mess hall. We will need to grab Millie and get Zander back to Zeum.”
The Vampire Prince looked at his brother. Hayden saw true concern line Bhric’s face. He had never seen Zander look so weak or suffer such horrendous injuries. They hadn’t managed to infiltrate the lab and get the information they needed, but they were all getting out with their lives.
In the end that was all that mattered. Killian was already in their system controlling any surveillance footage of the fight. They would deal with the fallout as it arose. Demons or human military. It didn’t matter what the enemy was, they would ensure the realm’s safety like they always had.
Chapter 20
Hayden rubbed his chest as he watched his friends and family prepare for his mating ceremony. It had been three weeks since they’d destroyed the lab. Zander had recovered completely by the end of the week. Much to their surprise Jace hadn’t been able to heal the Vampire King like usual. The hybrid sedative lingered in their system and impaired their ability to heal.
Hayden would be forever grateful that Elsie hadn’t threatened him with bodily harm for getting her mate hurt. She had accepted Millie with open arms and helped plan the mating ceremony. She’d even helped prepare him for meeting Millie’s parents.
Hayden’s shifters had also welcomed Millie and come to adore her. And now he was minutes away from his mating ceremony to her. While he hadn’t actively thought about being blessed with his Fated Mate, a part of him had always wanted to find his other half.
Any doubt he had about him being meant to find Millie vanished over the last few weeks. The Goddess had blessed him with the missing piece of his soul. Millie was his everything and he made her happy. He couldn’t ask for more than that.
“Hayden,” Roberto, Millie’s father called out as he approached. “Should I go get Milagro now?”
“Eres más de lo que jamás soñé para mi Milagro.” Luz, Millie’s mom clasped his hands and smiled up at him. She was shorter than his mate. He recalled how Luz told him about Milagro’s miraculous birth.
Millie was breech and Luz couldn’t have a C-section because she didn’t deal well with anesthesia. The doctors worried Roberto would lose them both. The couple prayed to the Virgin Mary. Hayden believed it was the Goddess Morrigan that answered and ensured Millie turned at the last minute.
Hayden smiled at Luz. “Milagro es mi salvación y mi felicidad. Nunca dejaré de amarla ni de asegurar su felicidad.”
“We will get our daughter now.” Roberto clasped his wife’s hand and headed toward Jesaray house. Millie had already transformed the space, adding color and warmth to the place.
Zander strode over with a smile on his face. Hayden searched for any signs that the Vampire King hadn’t regained normal function of his limb. Hayden released the breath he had been holding.
“Your grandmother looks happier than I have ever seen her,” Zander observed as he stopped next to Hayden. “I’m no’ surprised that she and Luz get along so well.”
Hayden’s mouth spread in a wide smile. Everyone called his grandmother Grandma Flo despite the fact that he was the only one that was her grandchild. She was easy to love, but didn’t look as old as human grandmothers, so he had been concerned Millie’s mother wouldn’t get along with her.
“They both love cooking and Millie. They were destined to become friends. I just hope Roberto and Luz will remain here. It’s the only way I can keep them safe.” And Hayden wanted them there. It felt right having them close by. Their kids would benefit from having them next door, as well.
Zander clapped him on the back. “I’ve heard human stories aboot how difficult in-laws can be, but I admit I’m jealous I was never able to meet Elsie’s parents.”
Millie exited the back door then, making Hayden catch his breath. She was beautiful, steadfast and the smartest female he’d ever met. The Grove had been transformed in record time. It was early winter, and the flowers and shrubs had all died. Suvi brought over the wood sprites that called her backyard home and they’d worked a miracle.
The wood was piled in a teepee, ready for the bonfire that would follow the ceremony. The stones of the large Triskele Amulet replica under the joined branches had been buffed to a high glossy shine. Like Zeum, Hayden had created a large image from colored stone so they had a sacred spot for various ceremonies.
Millie and her parents had watched in awe as the ferns turned green and lush groundcover had replaced the frozen earth. White lights wrapped around tree trunks and flowers filled the space, leaving a sweet aroma in the air.
Mi
llie walked with her parents down the path of rose petals he had laid out from Jesaray house to the natural arbor of two evergreens over the amulet. As a being of earth, sun, and the wild, he loved being outdoors and was glad when Millie and her parents agreed to have the ceremony outside.
Hayden’s eyes shifted from Millie to his grandmother for a second before going back to his mate. Every shifter that lived on pack lands in Seattle, plus countless others visiting from around the globe, filled the Grove to witness his mating. His mate had expressed concern about shifters hating her because of what she’d done to their Omega. He was glad to see her smiling and unaffected by everyone present.
Shifters didn’t miss mating ceremonies. They had seven centuries to make up for because of the mating curse. Besides they loved to eat, and he had no doubt between Grandma Flo and Luz there was enough food to feed a thousand supernaturals.
Hayden adjusted his suit jacket and adjusted his ceremonial cloak. He wanted to puff his chest out. The object was one of his most prized possessions. It was comprised of the hides of every animal that lived inside the Omega.
The Goddess gave the cloak to the first Omega, and since then it had been passed down to subsequent leaders. Hayden wore it with pride. The charcoal suit was uncomfortable for him, but easily forgotten when he saw his mate’s eyes widen with appreciation.
She was stunning in her white gown. The bodice was covered with lace and a plunging neckline. Her black hair was pulled up in twists and curls. Crystals adorned her head. His eyes locked with her dark gaze and his knees weakened from the onslaught of emotion.
“I will never tire of seeing the look mates give each other right before the ceremony.” Zander’s voice was a deep rasp that helped Hayden regain some semblance of his control back.
“It’s one filled with deep, tender, ineffable feelings of affection and solicitude toward their mate. I’ve never experienced stronger emotions. It evokes hope and joy in bystanders. It reflects their deep and enduring love for each other, along with their willingness to put their mate’s needs ahead of their own.” Hayden hadn’t understood the full extent until he gazed at his Fated Mate walking toward him on their Eve of Eternal Union.