At Risk

by Gayle Parness

  I checked out his aura. “Leopard shifter.”

  He smiled and waved when he saw our fae welcome committee.

  “The property is warded against strangers,” Liam announced, having taken care of this when we’d first arrived. “Move ten feet closer and the ward will repel you away, and not in a gentle manner.”

  He’d left the usual warning placard on the pathway leading to the house, a simple symbol only supernaturals would recognize. The ward wasn’t keyed to humans, so a human making a delivery wouldn’t be affected.

  “Are Charles, Garrett or Jacqueline Cuvier here?” the male asked.

  My hackles rose. How was our cover blown that quickly?

  “Perhaps you should begin by telling us who you are and what business you have come about,” Farrell said, taking a step closer. Tall and slender like most fae, Farrell had a solid, confident presence. He rested his hand on the hilt of a long sword and made it clear with his stance and determined expression the male visitor was on dangerous ground.

  The male frowned. “I’m Dan.”

  “Dan who?”

  He stumbled back, his eyes crinkling with anxiety. “I… I…” He shook his head furiously, like a dog shaking off water. “Dan Smith.”

  “Are you ill?” Farrell asked.

  “I have to… I have a message. Are they…here?”

  Aaron and I raced to the porch. “Strengthen the ward,” I sent to Liam. “This is wrong.”

  The young male’s eyes rolled up right before he passed out on the grass. Farrell started to move toward him.

  “Everyone hold position,” Aaron boomed.

  Farrell ignored him. “He needs help.”

  “You are putting the entire team at risk, fae. Hold. Now!”

  Farrell held. You didn’t argue with a pack alpha who was responsible for five packs in a territory the size of Indiana. The growly tone had probably helped too.

  I squeezed Aaron’s hand. “Thank you.” I raised a personal shield using the demon lines, then made my way to Farrell. I was a healer and would never discount his sincere desire to help this young stranger. But Aaron was right. Team lives were at stake.

  Farrell straightened, body stiff, shoulders tight. “I am not a youngling without experience,” he sent privately to me.

  “He’s breathing, which means his heart is beating. Please. I’ll help him if I can once we know it’s safe.”

  “The team does not trust my judgement.”

  “I do. I always have. Charlie too.”

  “Charlie sees me as a metaphorical chain around his ankle.”

  “Garrett and I restricted his movements, not you. You kept him safe. He knows the difference.”

  The male groaned, rolled over onto his belly and pushed himself into a sitting position. Something around his neck glinted in the sun. Everything happened quickly after that.

  I turned and pushed on Farrell’s chest. “Please go back. I’m the only one who can deal with this.”

  “With what?” Farrell asked.

  “The torc.” I raced to the male, pulling down on the collar of his sweater. The slave necklace was thinner than mine. Much less conspicuous.

  Farrell hadn’t moved. Instead he pulled his sword and held it to the male’s belly. “Stay still.”

  The stranger tried to sit, then thought better of it. “Who…are you?”

  “My sword is sharp. If you move, your entrails will spill onto the grass.”

  “Farrell! He’s a victim. Not an enemy.” I turned to the stranger. “I’m taking the torc off your neck. Stay still like he says.”

  “Jackie, stop!” Sasha appeared on the edge of the forest. I’d never seen him look as terrified.

  Farrell must have seen it too. He reached to pull me away, but I sent him flying with a push of demon magic.

  “Have to concentrate!” I built a wall around us, keeping everyone out so I could unravel the spell and unlock the slave necklace. My friends called my name, some of them attempting to tear down the block, but I’d learned from Isaiah how to magnify my demon magic by melding it with my healer. I wouldn’t allow that bitch to claim another victim.

  And my cheetah was there, stronger than ever despite the blood spell.

  My magic sang and danced in my spirit, brilliant and glorious. Colorful ribbons of cheetah and demon twirling as they reached to my healer for balance. Once knotted they glowed, an orange weapon to use against the evil intention infused in a device that destroyed free will. That rapes the mind and cripples the spirit.

  The click of the torc opening was a sound I’d never forget no matter how long I was destined to live. Only a single battle won but won just the same.

  “Each life saved is for you, Dad. For Mom too.”

  My shoulders trembled, sobs bursting out like lightning strikes. My wall collapsed as I did, my body curling into a ball. I’d used the last of my energy to call out to the only male who could bring me back.

  Just before everything faded to black, my cheetah purred.

  * * *

  I woke to find Garrett sitting on the porch beside me, tears in his eyes. His strokes were firm, his hands comforting. He kissed my ears, my face, my neck.

  “Don’t cry,” I sent, somehow unable to say the words out loud.

  “How do you feel, my lovely cheetah?”

  I blinked and got to my feet. All four of them. My tail whisked back and forth. I wanted to smile, but instead I flew over the stairs and ran across the yard, around and around, back and forth. Chirping and growling and purring all at once. When Garrett laughed, I jumped over the railing of the porch and tackled him, licking his face as I held him down.

  “How?”

  “She came back when you needed her. You saved that male. The torc was set to explode.”

  “Clothes?”

  Garrett held up a blanket and I shifted back to human form. He covered me and carried me up the stairs to the room I’d been assigned by Kyle. A queen-sized bed was plenty large enough.

  “Where are the others?”

  “Sasha and Elle are in the basement. The others took a trip into town.”

  “Rick?”

  “He’s fine. He’s helping François at NAVA.”

  “Tell me everything later. I want a dozen kisses right now.”

  “How about two dozen?”

  “We have to leave time for…”

  “A dozen it is.”

  I unwrapped the blanket and dropped it to the floor, enjoying the heated look on my mate’s face as he drew me into his arms for the first of my kisses. I made fast work of disrobing him, some of his things ripped off by cheetah claws. We ached so badly for each other, both of us riding the tension of our forced separation.

  Kiss after kiss grew more intense until finally, Garrett panted, “I can’t be gentle. I…”

  “I won’t break.” My kiss-swollen lips curled up in a gasp as he took me with loving strength, his fangs sinking into my neck to bring us over and back, again and again. We slept and woke only when the mob came home, making as much noise as they could to give us a heads up.

  After we showered and dressed, I introduced Garrett and Sasha to Indigo, who’d arrived while I was unconscious. Elle and I gobbled down the corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, pickles and potato salad the team brought us from the local deli.

  As we would at home, we gathered together to catch up on all that had happened while we’d been apart. Garrett began his tale with when Farrell and I had left NAVA then stopped when he got to the section about Kostas.

  “NAVA is in a mess right now. François rescued the former leaders who’d been buried alive in coffins, but they’re in bad shape and will need weeks of recuperation.

  “Kostas showed up in a band of sunlight that François told me incinerated all the torc wearing vampires. I felt a twinge of guilt since I’d promised them safety, but how was I to know Kostas would bring destruction when he appeared? It saved Grandsire and Rick from worrying about the building collapsing in an explo
sion, at least.”

  “You didn’t suffer any damage, boss?” Sash asked. He and Elle sat curled on the couch as close as two people could manage in a public situation.

  “No. Kostas seemed to know exactly where they were standing in the room, so the midday sunlight only warmed my skin. According to Manuel, Gregory and Dane had been thrilled with the idea of mind control and had started out using the appliances on the newer members of their nests. Those two were as bad as Eleanor.”

  “What was he like? François’ daddy?”

  “I didn’t stay long enough to find out. François seemed to think I should get the hell out of Dodge as fast as possible. Kostas has a legendary temper apparently.”

  Garrett ran a hand through his hair. “François wants me to take over until the former leaders are well enough to be interviewed. I explained I had a war to fight and that my coming here was exactly what Naberia had hoped for, and he said we’d speak further when the time was right, whatever that means.

  “On top of that, François is angry we called Kostas in. They aren’t really on the best of terms.”

  “Imagine how many vampires he’s made in his long life.” I shifted closer to Garrett on the couch.

  “Not as many as you might think. One hundred twenty-six are still living.” he said.

  “He keeps track?”

  “Yes. And he makes sure they keep track of their progeny, something most vampires can’t be bothered with. He’s made a lot of enemies, including Naberia.”

  “So, I suppose he’s going to slink back to his hidey-hole?” Kyle asked.

  “Not exactly. He’s planning a visit, at his convenience.” Garrett’s frown couldn’t grow any deeper.

  “That’s a bummer,” Sash said.

  “Exactly my feelings.”

  “What’s the protocol to host a five thousand-year-old vampire,” I asked Liam.

  “Stay alive if possible.”

  “Thank you, oh wise one.” I grinned at Liam.

  “My pleasure, young one.” Liam nodded formally.

  I leaned against Garrett. “How’s my patient, Dan Smith?”

  Aaron answered. “Ethan and I took him to Sheriff Webber’s office. The deputy was hostile at first. Said the Sheriff was out on important business. I straightened him out and he took down the leopard’s statement.”

  “You did the right thing,” Garrett said. The leopard got home all right?”

  “Yeah. He called to say he was okay,” Ethan said. “Turns out his real name is Dan French. He can’t remember getting the torc but he attended a party last night hosted by vamps. The female host was interested in him. Or pretended to be. They danced, but Dan said she didn’t seem sincere. He drank a beer she offered him and he started feeling sick. Fell asleep on the couch. The next thing he remembers is waking up in our yard.”

  “How far away is the house?”

  “Two miles.”

  Indigo yawned. Loudest yawn ever. She’d shown up while I’d been prancing around on the grass in cheetah form. “We should leave now to kill the vampires before I fall asleep. This talk is useless. Perhaps the sheriff is the male we should approach first. Torture him for information regarding the vampires. Yes. This idea seems logical. We are sitting and talking and sitting and talking, but when will I burn up the nest of vampires? Is that not my purpose in this mission?”

  “Not necessarily.” Garrett shook his head.

  “Why do you answer? Is not Jacqueline in charge of this adventure?”

  All eyes shifted to Garrett.

  A slow grin spread across my mate’s face. “One hundred percent.”

  “Then she decides when I must burn vampires to ash.”

  I was beginning to really like this dragon. “I’ll give you a hand signal.”

  “Ah. Excellent. What signal?”

  I sighed. Some of my companions were making rude suggestions behind the dragon’s back. “Enough, children.” Unaware of the craziness behind her, Indigo waited patiently, her holographic irises beginning to spin. “May we speak mind to mind, Indigo?”

  She tilted his head. “It is a great privilege to touch the mind of the Drakonas. Are you worthy?”

  “You’ll have to make that decision. I’m asking because in the heat of a battle we may not always be where we can see each other. I’d like to be able to send you the important signal mind to mind.”

  Her voice lowered, the rumble rattling my bones. “Then give me your mind, cheetah-demon.”

  “Jackie!” Garrett turned me, alarmed.

  But I’d already dropped my outer blocks and opened myself to the ancient dragon. She froze as our gazes locked and our minds connected, my inner vision of the vampires who preyed on the children from the encampment expanding to include our mission and our team of rogues.

  Indigo saw the truth of my rage, my sorrow, my fear. Heard my oath to rid the world of beasts who destroyed without conscience. Felt the pain of my losses and the lust in my heart to rip the bitch apart who threatened my child, my team and the vulnerable children we’d come to avenge.

  The tips of my fangs teased my tongue as they extended, my claws dug into my palms, a few millimeters from breaking the skin.

  Indigo rose from her large chair and bowed. “You have the heart of the ancient Drakonas, Jacqueline Grace Fitzgerald Crawford Cuvier. As the fae sisters have pledged, I will fight beside you and your team whenever you have need of me.”

  “Thank you.”

  “As you have trusted me, now I will trust you.”

  Indigo’s mind screamed of a desperate desire to lead a meaningful life outside of a privileged existence. To sleep without regret under a blanket of stars. To fight for a cause she could believe in with an army who fought for the same purpose with the same energy. Of a deep desire to eat an enormous feast with her clan sisters and brothers in celebration of the accomplishment of truly important deeds. Too long had dragons rested, bragging of events long past.

  At the end, she gave me her full name, a powerful gift. A gift without price. A gift of trust.

  Our link broke in gentle agreement and we connected with a smile before turning away.

  Garrett wasn’t smiling. “Are you all right? It’s too early to know whether you can trust her. Why do you always…”

  I placed my palm against his cheek and looked into his beautiful worried eyes. “My healer knows the truth of her.” I leaned closer. “She’ll fit into the team perfectly. Je t’aime.” Garrett’s lips tasted sweet, his anxious frown dissolving into a soft smile.

  My impulsive, instinctive nature was tough for my strategic and logical mate to accept, but particularly now that I was whole again, Garrett was going to have to learn to deal.

  He lifted my hand from his cheek and kissed my palm, then placed it over his heart. “I yield to your superior intuition, mon ange. Je t’aime.”

  Smart male.

  Liam broke the spell. “We’re meeting with Sheriff Webber tomorrow morning.”

  “Must we return?” Indigo asked. “The village was sparsely populated, although the wildly erratic mechanical conveyances are reason enough to stay off the covered roads. No wonder the villagers hide in their homes. The machines appear to carry creatures who choose not to walk, but must they emit foul gasses and poison our peace with their roaring and growling?”

  “The pollution used to be worse,” Garrett said. “I remember coal dust.”

  “Cars. Humans call them cars. Not mechanical conveyances.” Smartass Kyle didn’t even look up from his phone.

  I was anxious to get into town to take a look around. Fortunately, most of the group had an expression I recognized. “Anyone hungry for ice cream?”

  The Main Street Diner had the look of a local joint with good food but nothing fancy on the menu. They also had signs up boasting of hand-churned ice cream and the best sundaes in five counties. We parked and walked across to the entrance.

  I turned back to look at the van and caught sight of a cougar sliding into a seat at an o
utdoor table in front of a coffee shop. He pulled out his cell, wrote down our license plate number then stared at me while he spoke on the phone. When he’d finished his call, he sat back and took a few sips, never taking his eyes from our group.

  I called Ethan over. “Give Dan French a call and tell him a cougar has our group under surveillance. Describe the guy and tell me what Dan says.”

  “I’ll get a coffee and park myself next to him. Maybe he’ll open up to a fellow cougar.”

  “Perfect. Meanwhile, I’ll find out if the restaurant has a back exit. We’ll be in the diner for the next hour if Dan wants to talk. Give him my number and tell him he can call me anytime. Tell him to memorize then erase it.”

  “Got it.”

  “If the cougar leaves, give me a signal and I’ll send out Farrell. You two can follow him. Dan was drugged and torced last night. Let’s try to keep him safe.”

  Ethan strolled into a more secluded spot to take care of the call, then circled around behind the cougar, entered the coffee shop and came back with his purchase a few minutes later. He sat at the table right next to the cougar’s and spent his time watching our watcher.

  Easygoing Ethan could be intimidating when he wanted to be.

  The diner was empty except for two males in a front booth.

  Deputies.

  They tipped their hats at me, Elle and Kaera as we strolled past, doing our very best to look nonchalant. We didn’t make any effort to try to disguise our group. By now, they must have gotten a report from the spy across the street.

  We took seats at the other end of the restaurant at two large tables near an emergency exit door.

  One deputy slid a cell phone out of his pocket and made a call. We could hear most of it, but then he hadn’t lowered his volume all that much. Guess when you work for a male who thinks he owns a town you just don’t give a shit who hears you planning murders.

  “They’re here at the diner.”

  “How many?” the sheriff asked.

  “Nine.”

  “Nine?”

  “Yeah. Alpha Aaron Green is with them, along with the Cuvier duo, shifters, a couple of fae, …” He glanced at Indigo, who grinned, showing two impressive fangs. “Something else. Maybe a bear?”