Pale men, large canines, all at once it made perfect sense! The wooden stakes were for Vampires and silver bullets for Werewolves. Judging from what she had witnessed, the Wolves were on their side. This is what Royce had been trying to keep from her.
“ Royce!” Becki screamed. She snatched a wooden steak and tucked it in the waistband of her pants. With hands that shook, she loaded Kurt’s rifle and hand-gun with wooden bullets. Lord, help me, she prayed as she moved toward the front door.
A flash of silver leaped into the pack of snarling wolves. Royce knew instinctively it was Landon. As he touched Landon’s flank, the massive Wolf swung his jaws toward Royce and snarled. In retrospect, perhaps he should have patted his head instead; however, Landon got the message and signaled the pack to quiet down. The Wolves immediately broke ranks and divided. Half the pack formed a semicircle around Royce and Landon while the other half positioned themselves as a barrier between the Vampires and Kurt’s house.
“You know you can’t win this,” Royce advised the pale group. “You also know it can’t go down here. You are all risking execution at the hands of the Council for causing a public spectacle as it is. What is your interest in this place?” Royce asked.
“There is a house full of sweet smelling females,” taunted a bloodsucker with an accompanying flash of his fangs.
“Rouel,” snarled at one of his minions.
“Some are only large enough for a snack, but one in particular interests me on several levels. Adult entertainment and dessert, you might say, all rolled into one. I’ve hungered for her ever since I caught her sweet scent on Trevor,” Rouel leered.
“We need to finish this,” another nervous Vamp insisted. “Get the maps and the girl and let’s get out of here.”
“Over my dead body,” Royce promised as the Wolves began snarling.
“That can be arranged. We know you have the original maps. We know you’ve found the hidden tunnels. We suspect that you have not recovered the coin yet. Otherwise, you wouldn’t still be hanging around. That’s how it works with Special Ops, right?” Rouel snarked. “Oh, don’t worry… I’m in no hurry. You might say I have all the time in the world. I can stick around for a while after you are gone just to, shall we say, tidy up some loose ends.”
Landon growled low in his throat. His pack responded by moving in closer, tightening the circle around the Vamps. The air hummed with tension.
“You are a dead man,” Royce promised.
“I’m already dead,” Rouel reminded, allowing his fangs to drop. “You, on the other hand are still irritatingly alive.”
“Then come and get me, you bastard,” Royce tempted.
“Oh, I will. But presently I have a taste for that sweet thing preparing to bolt through the front door,” he said inhaling as he dematerialized.
Becki opened the front door just as Rouel reappeared. He leaned carelessly against the pecan tree just a few feet away.
Royce felt his heart stop as she stood in the doorway with a sniper rifle pointed at Rouel’s chest.
“Do come out and play, Darling,” The Vamp drawled.
“Go back in the house, Becki. That gun won’t help,” Royce warned.
“But, Royce. I’ve been invited out to play,” she responded sweetly.
“Go back in the house and lock the door,” Royce ordered.
“Royce, I’ve been thinking,” Becki reflected, her rifle still trained on Rouel. “These men were here earlier trying to talk the girls into inviting them in. Why would they need an invitation?”
Sliding her gaze over Rouel from head to toe, she added, “Their eyes look very strange, too-- almost vacant. And the complexion on these guys…such milky skin, almost too perfect, wouldn’t you say?”
“Becki,” Royce groaned. “Leave it alone. Go back inside and let me handle this.”
“I’ve been trying to figure it out,” she droned. “But nothing made sense. Well, that is, until I opened the gun safe.”
Releasing the safety on the rifle, she continued, “Wooden bullets, Royce. Would wooden bullets have some significance?” she pressed.
Rouel moved back toward the group as one of the other Vamps decided to make a brake for it. That was when all hell broke loose.
Werewolves and Vampires lunged at each other. Talons slicing, fangs ripping and tearing flesh. Royce was trapped. He desperately tried to reach Becki before she could do something stupid. He pushed through the brawl going on around him, avoiding both Were and Vamp. His focus was on getting to Becki and shoving her ass back inside the house.
Suddenly one of the Vampires appeared directly in front of Royce. He swiped his talons across Royce’s chest and stopped to inhale the sweet smell of fresh human blood. He grabbed Royce and extended his fangs, going in for the kill. Royce struggled. He needed to maneuver into position before releasing the spring-loaded, wooden micro-dart. He had no intention of making a donation to this blood-sucker today. Damn these guys were strong. Royce hated to pull from Joanna right now. He didn’t even know if she was strong enough to help him. But, he needed her magic… just enough to cloak him while he finished off this Vamp and got to Becki.
“Jo,” Royce called. “I need--”
Before Royce could complete the thought, two things happened simultaneously. Becki stepped out of the house, drew a bead on the son of a bitch who had Royce, and squeezed the trigger. Joanna appeared just as the dumb-ass Vamp thought about making a meal of her brother. She quickly cloaked Royce, as Becki plugged the Vamp with wood.
The bullet found its mark, and the Vamp went up in smoke. Becki began to feel some degree of excitement at having killed one of the bad guys, until she realized that Royce disappeared as well. One minute he was there, the next he was gone. Oh my God! What had she done?
“Royce,” Becki screamed as she dropped the gun.
Landon heard Becki scream and turned around to find her. The first thing he saw was Joanna, with arms outstretched as electricity enveloped her body. How the hell had she found him? Evidently she needed some clarification as to what “stay put” meant.
Thankfully, Joanna was surrounded by magic, which meant she wasn’t in immediate danger. Only a very powerful Vamp could get to her. He noted that Royce had just disappeared, and Landon suspected that was Joanna’s doing.
The girls were locked in the panic room and Becki… Becki had just plugged a Vampire with Kurt’s sniper rifle. The same rifle that now lay on the ground beside her, leaving Becki out in the open and unprotected.
Landon lunged toward Becki a moment too late. Rouel materialized directly behind her, grabbed a hand full of her hair and pulled, slamming her back into his chest.
Becki screamed and shouted, “Let go of me, you asshole!”
As she screamed, she struggled to get away from Rouel who held her effortlessly in place. Pulling her hair once again, he jerked her head back to expose the vein in her neck.
Two Vamps attacked Landon as he prepared to deal with Rouel. His heart bled as he fought to kill them before Rouel killed Becki.
As she struggled to get away, Rouel nuzzled her neck, inhaling the sweet ambrosia of adrenalin. He closed his eyes savoring the anticipation of tasting her sweet, hot, fresh blood. He dipped his head to her throat licking her vein. A human was like a fine wine, meant to be savored and enjoyed by all senses; touch, smell, taste. Rouel tightened his grip whispering, “Sweet,” as his fangs descended.
Landon decapitated the last of five Vampires who had insinuated themselves between he and Becki. As Rouel’s fangs descended, two more Vamps jumped Landon from behind and he knew he had failed her.
Becki continued to fight Rouel, even as she realized this was the end. She prayed that the girls would remain safely inside the house, that Royce had somehow escaped, and that her death would be quick. She also hoped like hell this revolting creature wasn’t planning to turn her into a bloodsucker.
Unexpectedly, Becki felt herself being ripped from Rouel’s grasp. The next thing she knew, she wa
s being flung, none to gently, into the nearby bushes. She watched in amazement as Trevor gripped Rouel by the neck shouting, “I told you she was off limits!”
Trevor knew this Vampire?
As Trevor pinned him against the side of the house, Rouel laughed evilly. “Why should you have her all to yourself?” he asked Trevor. “We can share her. Think about it… we will both be able to enjoy her… in and out of bed.”
With that statement, Rouel sealed his fate, and Trevor’s. As long as Rouel roamed the earth, Becki would never be safe.
Trevor heard Becki gasp and turned to see her look of horror and disappointment.
“Trev?” she whispered. As she struggled to stand, her eyes filled with tears. “No. You wouldn’t-- you couldn’t-- I love you. You are my friend.”
“See,” Rouel wheedled, “she loves you. Becki isn’t opposed to the idea; are you, Darling? We will make sure you enjoy your time with us, won’t we Trevor? We will take special care of you, separately as well as--”
Trevor didn’t allow Rouel to put his filthy thoughts into words. He moved quickly; ripping a piece of wood siding from the house and sending it into Rouel’s black heart.
Trevor dropped Rouel’s body to the ground. The Vampire began to smolder and quickly burst into flames. Trevor lifted Becki in his arms and transported them both to the safety of the roof, while the Wolves finished off the remaining blood-suckers.
Landon howled his thanks to Trevor, marking him off limits to the rest of the pack, for now anyway. It was past time to clean up this mess and then he would deal with Joanna. Landon specifically remembered telling her to “stay put”.
#
Where the hell was he? This bullshit was going to have to stop. “I could use some help here,” Trevor said quietly as soon as Royce began to stir.
Royce jacked knifed into low crouch as he looked around. He immediately realized that he was up on a rooftop. Did Joanna really need to zap him with that much magic? After a few moments, he processed the fact that Becki was up there with him, cradled in the arms of Trevor Simmons!
“She is going to be upset when she wakes up,” Trevor spoke again.
Royce reached for his 35, the one loaded with oak bullets, just as Becki regained consciousness. His heart skipped a beat when she moaned painfully.
“What did you do to her?” Royce asked, taking aim at Trevor’s forehead. There was no doubt that he could put a bullet in the son-of-abitch, and Becki would barely feel the breeze as the bullet passed over her.
Becki opened her eyes to find herself perched on the roof of Kurt’s garage, wrapped securely in Trevor’s arms, while Royce pointed a gun at them.
All of a sudden, everything came crashing into focus. Vampires and Werewolves! She had to get to the girls. Becki had to know they were safe, and she began to struggle.
“Be still,” Trevor advised. “Lover boy might accidentally shoot you.”
“Not a chance in hell. Get away from her,” Royce demanded, his gun still leveled at Trevor’s head.
“Royce, what are you doing?” Becki asked incredulously as she flung her body in front of the Warlock. “Stop that right now! Trev is my friend!”
“Becki, honey, I hate to tell you, but he is not who you think he is,” Royce warned. “Back away, baby. I won’t let him hurt you.”
“Are you insane?” she exclaimed.
Trevor sighed and pushed her gently away. “He’s right, Doll. I’m not who you think I am.”
“Don’t be an idiot, Trev,” she said, rolling her eyes and moving back to shield his body with hers. “If you had wanted to hurt me, you would have let Rouel make me your sex-slave.”
“The hell you would,” Royce roared as he captured Becki’s arm and jerked. She fell toward Royce, as planned, leaving him a clear shot at Trevor. He was going to put this Warlock down once and for all. Wrapping one arm tightly around Becki, he checked his aim and squeezed the trigger.
Landon, who had shifted into human form, leapt to the rooftop, intentionally knocking Royce off balance. His shot went wide and he missed his target by a mile. Trevor sardonically raised one eyebrow at Royce, who had fallen on his ass and dropped his pistol.
Becki furiously scrambled to reach the pistol with her foot and gave it a good kick sending it down the slippery slope of the garage roof.
Royce watched as his gun slid down the roof, disappeared over the edge, and dropped to the ground with a soft thud.
Landon shook his head in amusement at the sequence of events. “Uh-- Royce, Trevor killed Rouel. She’s right, he won’t hurt her.”
“How do we know that?” Royce gritted.
“He just chose her life over his own,” Landon said gravely.
Becki gasped. She looked first at Royce and then Trevor.
“Is that true, Trev?” she whispered, horrified at the possibility.
Trevor dropped his head refusing to confirm or deny Landon’s proclamation.
“Why?” Becki asked. “Why did you do it, Trev?”
Trevor Simmons looked at the only person in the world he had ever loved. But he knew she belonged to the man whose arm now slid around her. The man she clung to in return.
Royce watched emotions roll across the warlock’s face.
“Doll,” he drawled adopting that familiar wicked grin, “you know I’m not a sharing kind of guy.”
“What do you mean?” Royce asked Landon.
“My Beta read the blood memory of Rouel’s second in command before he turned him to ash. The Black Swan has a sudden interest in coin collecting.”
“You’re working for The Black Swan?” Royce directed his question to Trevor.
“Who is this Black Swan?” Becki asked with a frown.
“I was,” Trevor acknowledged. “But I’m pretty sure my employment has been terminated.”
“Who-- is--” Becki began again, annunciating each word individually.
“Bad news,” Landon answered. “Trevor’s job was to locate the coin. Rouel was sent to retrieve it. His murder will be viewed as an act of treason. Therefore--”
“You knew that, didn’t you Trev? You knew it and you did it anyway,” Becki accused.
Becki glanced up at Royce silently asking him to understand and then slid out of his arms to reach for Trevor.
“I’m so sorry, Trev,” she sobbed quietly.
Trevor wrapped Becki in his arms, “You have nothing to be sorry for, Doll. I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“It seems I owe you one,” Royce said acknowledging Trevor’s sacrifice.
“You don’t owe me anything,” Trevor retorted. “I didn’t do it for you.” He dropped a kiss on Becki’s head and whispered, “Be safe doll.” He shifted her gently into Royce’s strong arms.
Royce wrapped one arm around Becki and extended the other to the Warlock. Trevor hesitated for a moment, and then accepted Royce’s hand-shake of gratitude.
“I need to get out of here. But if you mistreat her, I’ll be back,” Trevor promised.
Royce nodded his acknowledgement, knowing the Warlock would never be far away.
Trevor offered a cocky grin as he continued, “And just for the record, you and I both know I can kick your sorry human ass.” Then he was gone.
Becki buried her head in Royce’s chest and fought to hold back the tears that threatened to overtake her. She felt as if she might burst into a million tiny pieces.
Royce tightened his arms around Becki. She lifted her head from Royce’s chest. “Trev?” she whispered.
“He’s gone baby,” Royce confirmed.
“Will I ever see him again?” she asked with tears flooding her eyes. “Will he be ok?”
Royce breathed deeply, thankful to have her in his arms. “I don’t know, baby. I’m sure he will be keeping tabs on you.”
“Please get me off this roof,” Becki whispered. “I think I might be sick,” she said dropping her head to his shoulder.
* * * *
CHAPTER NINE Kurt had plugged his phon
e into Vic’s charger while he unloaded the equipment from his truck. As soon as the text had come in alerting him that the panic room’s door had been locked, he had jumped back in the truck and broken land speed records getting home. As Kurt pulled into the cul-de-sac, he saw Landon pick Joanna up and haul her into his house. He saw evidence of a fight, but most of the casualties had been cleaned up. There were still a few Werewolves in shifted form prowling around to make sure the area was clear. Soon there would be no evidence of the immortal battle that had obviously been fought.
Royce was walking toward the house with Becki in his arms. That meant she had locked the girls in the panic room but elected not to stay there herself.
Kurt crossed the yard and entered the house. He barely had time to close the door before Becki launched herself into his arms. She was sobbing and trying to talk at the same time, making no sense at all. He let her fall apart for just a minute. Giving her a gentle shake, he asked, “Everyone is ok, right?”
He felt her nod against his chest.
“Ok, I need to get the girls out of the panic room,” he said. Seeking Royce’s eyes, Kurt nodded to indicate that Royce should take Becki while he released the girls.
Kurt settled her in Royce’s arms once again and continued, “We’re not going to mention what happened here. We don’t know who those men were, but Royce and Landon scared them away. Right?” he prompted meeting her eyes to make sure she understood.
She nodded once again and then regaining some of her spunk, she lifted her head and announced, “Someday, you and I are going to have a serious conversation about the interesting array of weapons and ammunition in your gun safe.”
“Ok, some day,” Kurt agreed with a sigh.
Becki relished being in Royce’s arms. It felt safe and secure. Just like home should feel.
Treasure Tides (The Coins) Page 20