Target

by Connie Suttle

  True, Tony agreed. Drop us off on the other side. We'll wait for the big furry turning, he joked.

  I hope Winkler bites your butt for that, Ashe muttered and misted toward the dune.

  "I will bite your butt for that," Winkler hissed at Tony the moment Ashe released him from the mist.

  "Don't mess with a hungry vampire," Tony hissed back, showing his fangs.

  "Ashe, we have to wait until those wolves turn," Aedan said quietly.

  "Dad, you can take—you know, if you have to," Ashe offered blood to his father. His father had never asked that of Ashe before.

  "No, Son. There'll be plenty available later. We can wait for a little while." Nathan, listening to the conversation, agreed.

  "It's close," Winkler fidgeted. Ace, who was already werewolf, paced around the small group restlessly. Trajan and Marcus came out of their clothing and turned. "Gotta go," Winkler muttered and made the turn. He was a powerful black wolf, with only his golden eyes glinting in the moonlight.

  "Kid, turn us to mist, those wolves are coming this way," Tony snapped. Ashe had heard it too—the first howl from Ezekiel Tanner's Pack, before they began running in his direction. Ashe had all of the wolves and vampires turned to mist quickly, and rising up, watched as Tanner's Pack raced around the dune. As soon as they'd passed through, Ashe dropped his cargo on the sand, watched briefly as the vampires and werewolves raced after the others and then turned to mist again, his goal of gathering up the younger werewolves and shapeshifters of the Star Cove community foremost in his mind.

  They'd all turned—except Jackson—and were sitting quietly between the dunes, just as they'd done earlier. Ashe figured that compulsion had been placed. While he'd been distracted by Winkler, his father and the others however, most of the Elemaiya guards had disappeared, as had the four others hidden nearby. Suddenly frightened, Ashe zipped through the camp, gathered the kidnapped teens and hopped to Star Cove while the lone Elemaiya guard shouted behind him.

  * * *

  "I hear 'em," Trace said. They'd cut the engines to the boats, allowing their momentum to slide them onto the sandy, shallow water beach along the western edge of St. Joseph Island. "Everybody, get out and turn. We fight tonight," Trace whispered, knowing that the sensitive ears of the werewolves around him would pick up his voice. Micah turned right next to him. Shirley Walker and her wolves followed Micah's example. Trace, having the most control of all of them, waited until the very last. He nodded to the vampire who stood nearby. Kyle was the only vampire living in the Corpus Christi area. Ten wolves had also come from the San Antonio Pack, and Trace turned to them.

  "I know this is an unusual order, but these are unusual circumstances," he said to them. "Work with Kyle. I expect all of you to meet me here when it's over. Got it?" One of the wolves dipped his head. "Good enough," Trace acknowledged. "Let's go."

  * * *

  Two houses were already on fire. The shapeshifters were fighting an invisible enemy, it seemed. All of them had turned and Lavonna, in her lioness form, stalked the street. Cori's panther crept stealthily beside her mother. Adele's falcon flew overhead, shrieking whenever something moved beneath her. Wynn and her mother—unicorn and palomino mare—were guarded closely by Jonas' eagle, who flapped overhead. He was prepared to dive and strike if anything threatened his wife and daughter.

  Larry Campbell's parents, Bill and Jennifer, in cheetah and leopard form, stalked the northern side of the road, sniffing for anything unusual. Six werewolves from the San Antonio Pack, Amos Thompson in his white buffalo form and several other shifters patrolled the neighborhood as houses continued to burn. When another fire blast was launched, Lavonna and Cori raced to the spot where it originated while Adele screamed angrily overhead.

  * * *

  "My shield is holding, but that may not last," Yindis panted. He was nearly stretched to his limit. The power he'd expended already would have him recuperating for weeks. Terrin had set three houses on fire after they'd determined the target wasn't inside. Rend cursed his source—they'd failed to reveal which house was the target's. Then he cursed himself for not asking the question. Truly, he'd never planned to come here in order to take the quarry to the Dark race. If they revealed themselves, the shapeshifters would attack. Rend wouldn't mind killing them, but he didn't want to expend the energy. He still had to locate the quarry and carry him to the King, after all.

  * * *

  Diamond watched his Dark cousins as they searched. Few knew that one of his talents was seeing through shields. He could see through this one easily. His brothers depended upon him to tell them what the others were doing. "Foolish, to set the homes afire," Diamond muttered to Emerald, who walked beside him. They'd already dodged the mare and unicorn and easily fooled the eagle who flew over their heads—Sapphire's shields were among the best. "It tells them they are here."

  "Stupid," Ruby agreed. "Better to stay shielded and search that way. If the boy is here, he will only hide better. It's a very good thing I can see the mist of others."

  "You have not had much practice at it, since our last mister died years ago," Sapphire grunted.

  "I have not lost that talent," Ruby snapped. "We never lose what we are born with."

  "Very true. Stop bickering and pay attention," Diamond commanded. "Follow them to that house. They seem to be paying an inordinate amount of attention to it," he added.

  * * *

  "Tell us where the boy is!" Rend shouted at the only human left inside the Star Cove community. Randy Smith had backed against a wall in Marcus' den, unsure who or what was demanding he tell them something. He had no idea that these were Elemaiya—nobody had explained anything to him. All he knew was what Adele and Lavonna had told him and his mother—that the Star Cove teens had been kidnapped from Shirley Walker's groves. His mother had been quite upset about the whole thing, but she hadn't explained it, either. Randy cursed silently over the fact that he was human and would forever be kept away from werewolf, shifter and vampire business. He did have one last trick up his sleeve, though, if the one threatening him came just a little closer.

  * * *

  Mom! Ashe screamed mentally as he hit the street in front of his home, releasing the Star Cove teens from his mist. Ashe could see the other shifters, all patrolling the streets that surrounded the canal. Several boats bobbed in the water, moored to this dock or that. Ashe had no time to speculate over who'd succumbed to the lure of the gulf water. He had to warn them that something might be coming their way. That's when he saw them. He was too late—three houses were on fire and four Elemaiya had just spotted him standing in the street.

  * * *

  There was no way to tell which wolf was Tanner. Winkler fought like a demon, taking down anything in his path. Aedan, Nathan and Tony were death on anything they could catch, and with vampire speed, that proved to be quite a lot. Tanner had emptied his compound, almost, bringing more than fifty wolves with him. He was taking no chances with this. The advantage Winkler and his forces had was the age of Tanner's bunch. They were slower. That didn't help, however, when the Elemaiya came. Somehow, reinforcements had arrived. Fifteen had appeared and immediately began to battle the werewolves and vampires. Winkler and those around him braced for the worst and went to work.

  * * *

  "My Queen, you did not ask and I did not think to look for them. I assumed you sent them," Rabis was on his knees and bowed low before Friesianna. "But I held no information back when you asked."

  "I realize this, you fool. Are my Jewels still alive? Are the extra troops they called to them assisting? I must know this quickly," Friesianna snapped.

  "Yes. At this moment, they are," Rabis' voice was muffled. "But there is a cloud about them. This does not bode well. Perhaps the ones who answered Diamond's call will pull your Jewels back from a foolish decision."

  "What foolish decision?" The Queen was now standing and shouting.

  "My Queen, I do not know—everything is fluctuating around them. An effect of the D
ark Ones being so close," Rabis muttered. "You know if we are engaged against them, we cannot see the outcome."

  "I know that," Friesianna snarled. "My poor Hilbah is dead as a result."

  "I am most sorry for your loss, my Queen."

  "As you should be. Be gone. Only come again if you have news."

  "Yes, my Queen." Rabis rose and backed away quickly.

  * * *

  "Get back!" Ashe shouted at Sali and the others, who were running in animal form toward parents or their homes. He was ready to gather them again as mist—the four Elemaiya were striding quickly in their direction. Ashe was sure the enemy believed their shield made them invisible to him as well as everyone else. Ashe could see right through it. While he struggled to form ideas on how to defeat the attackers, the vision hit. Ashe was unprepared for what he saw.

  Thin strands of light and darkness flowed around him as Ashe stared at Randy Smith's image. Randy was backed against the wall in Marcus' den—Ashe recognized the room easily. An Elemaiya with flame red hair threatened the young journalist. Three others, each shielded, were also prepared to attack. Randy held a knife in his hand, ready to fight the only Elemaiya he could see.

  Before he could stop himself, Ashe hopped to Randy's side to prevent his death a second time. The moment he pulled the human inside his mist, another vision hit Ashe. This time, it was of the street outside, where the four Elemaiya descended upon the teens and shapeshifters who were unable to see them. One brushed against Jackson Pruitt, who growled. Then, to Ashe's horror, Jackson turned to werewolf for the first time in his life and snapped at an invisible foe.

  Chapter 18

  Emerald's talents included fire blasts. He did not hesitate, hurling energy bombs against the young werewolf. Ashe, mentally screaming Jackson's name, flung himself toward the four Elemaiya who were now creating chaos outside. The four Dark Elemaiya raced out of the house, searching for the human who'd disappeared. Once they reached the street, they were confronted by their Bright foes. Diamond and his brothers had chosen to reveal themselves after the attack on Jackson Pruitt.

  Yindis and Terrin did not hesitate. The air around them became thick with the smell of burning as they hurled fire blasts, not only toward their Bright cousins but at the shapeshifters as well. Ashe, terrified for everyone inside the community, dropped Randy in the attic of the O'Neill's home and raced toward the battle.

  The shapeshifters had gone mad. The moon shone high overhead; they were under its influence and an enemy threatened. It was instinct to fight, no matter what the odds. Think fast Ashe, he whispered to himself. Think fast.

  * * *

  The Elemaiya were fighting while Tanner's Wolves attempted to escape. Winkler went after a grizzled gray wolf, only to leap back when a blast blew a huge hole in the sand around him. Tony Hancock had been knocked down by the same blast but was up again, fangs out and eyes red as he raced toward the one who'd created the explosion. The air was thick with smoke—anything that could burn was already on fire.

  Winkler had lost track of Aedan and Nathan. He could hear Shirley's wolves, the rest of his guards and the Star Cove Pack howling and snapping from the other side. The battle had turned against them, however; the Elemaiya had opened a gap and now Tanner's wolves were escaping into the gulf. Some were swimming away. Winkler hoped they wouldn't get far—waves were higher and harder to swim through during the full moon. He went after another wolf that was wading into the waves.

  "They're gone!" He heard someone shout. Winkler jerked around and stared in shock. Every Elemaiya they'd battled had suddenly disappeared.

  "The wolves are swimming away!" Aedan shouted, racing forward. Winkler turned toward the gulf and the escaping werewolves, determined to reach them if he could.

  * * *

  Lavonna Anderson's lioness had one of the Elemaiya on the ground, mauling him. Another Elemaiya turned to help, prepared to level a fire blast at the attacking lioness. Ashe had to do something quickly. Casting about desperately, Ashe focused on the first thing—the nearest thing—to the impending murder. A boat lifted out of the water and slammed into the Elemaiya, even as he prepared to hurl a fiery blast of energy at Lavonna. The one she attacked screamed as she bit his throat.

  Another Elemaiya rushed to help. Adele Evans' falcon shrieked and dived downward, flapping in the face of the attacker. He turned his attention to the peregrine falcon, preparing to eliminate her. Ashe lifted a second boat from the water and tossed it at his mother's foe, knocking the Elemaiya to the ground.

  There were consequences, however, to Ashe's desperate actions; the four Bright Elemaiya had made themselves invisible to the community again. Ashe saw they were now walking toward him, still believing that they were invisible to him as well. Ashe stood, shocked, to see that one striding ahead of the others had eyes that shone brightly white in the moonlight—like diamonds. Ashe turned to mist immediately.

  * * *

  "Where is he?" Diamond turned to Ruby. Ruby stood, spellbound. The boy had disappeared and even his talent of seeing mist failed to detect him.

  "I can't see him," he shouted at Diamond. Diamond cursed.

  "Strengthen your shield," he commanded Sapphire. Sapphire did as requested.

  * * *

  Winkler knew if he swam any farther, he'd never make it back to shore. He turned and paddled toward St. Joseph Island. Trajan and Ace were already swimming ahead of him, after coming to the same conclusion. Three werewolves had escaped. Winkler hoped that Tanner wasn't one of them.

  The vampires—all four of them—were piling up bodies of werewolves with help from Shirley Walker's Pack. Sadly, some of their own were among the pile to be buried. The rogues would be taken out and buried at sea. Winkler trotted onto the sand after coming out of the water and went to sniff among the dead. Gabe was gone. He'd lost both werewolf brothers. Gene, too, was among the dead. Winkler lifted his head and howled mournfully to the moon overhead.

  * * *

  Dori, stay back. Keep Cori and your mom back, too, Ashe sent desperate mindspeech. Lavonna was sniffing the air, trying to locate the four who'd disappeared. They were enemies and she was determined to destroy them. She'd taken one down. Surely, she could take another. Now, she and both her daughters were perilously close to the four Elemaiya. Ashe knew that the one with bright eyes had to be the Diamond his grandfather warned him about in the message.

  Dori's ocelot bumped against her mother's lioness, but Lavonna ignored her daughter, coming closer—so much closer, to the four. They'd killed Jackson Pruitt—his body lay empty of life on the street. Two other werewolves were also dead—they'd raced toward Jackson the moment he'd turned, thinking to protect the youth. They'd perished in the effort. Ashe could see the crumpled wolves from where he stood. Now, if he didn't act quickly, Lavonna, Cori and Dori would be just as dead. His mother's falcon, flapping overhead, was also a target. Ashe became corporeal and shouted.

  * * *

  "We need to take a boat back to the mainland—Marcus' wife is wounded," Aedan knelt next to Winkler's wolf—he knew Winkler by scent. "A few others need medical attention as well. I'll send them back with Shirley's nurse—they can be treated in Star Cove."

  Winkler dipped his head to indicate he'd understood. Trajan was back to human again, though he still hadn't found clothing. He was following Trace toward the boats—a trip would have to be taken and bodies weighted to keep them at the bottom of the ocean. Shirley and Winkler's wolves would be carried to Shirley's groves and buried come daybreak. Winkler, using scent, was sorting out the ones for burial and Tony, Nathan and the Corpus Christi vampire were helping.

  "I wish I knew why they all disappeared like that," Aedan added, meaning the Elemaiya. "Doesn't make any sense at all."

  * * *

  If Ashe thought he'd have problems dealing with the four, his worries were only beginning. Twelve more Elemaiya appeared right behind them. Lavonna growled low, as did Cori. "Hey!" He shouted again. "I'm the one you want. Over here!" Diamond turne
d his bright eyes back to Ashe. He'd been about to attack the lioness, but she was of no consequence. The boy was right in front of them.

  "Get him," he shouted, pointing at Ashe. Three thought to hop to Ashe's side. Ashe was faster, hopping to one of the two remaining boats moored in the canal.

  "Here I am!" he shouted and waved, causing all sixteen Elemaiya to turn in his direction.

  "On my command," Diamond hissed, "we relocate. To that boat." He jerked his head toward Ashe. "There are enough of us—he's relocated at least twice. That should have exhausted him. He won't be able to do it again. Go."

  * * *

  Randy had finally found his way out of the O'Neill's attic, gone through the house and made his way outside. He arrived on the street just in time to see Ashe standing on a boat tied to a dock in the canal, waving at more than a dozen of the pointed-eared enemy. Randy opened his mouth to warn Ashe, when all of the enemy disappeared from one spot and reappeared upon the boat where Ashe stood. "No!" he shouted instead, as all of them scrambled to get their hands on Ashe. That's when the entire canal burst into fire.

  It wasn't an ordinary fire, either; the flames reached twenty feet or higher, burning with an intensity that pushed the Star Cove residents backward. Randy had never thought to see water burn, but he did that morning. Gaping at the worst sort of miracle imaginable, Randy listened to the screams of the enemy. Fortunately, they didn't last long.

  * * *

  Honored One, the email message read, we arrived at the prison to take the one indicated, only to learn he escaped an hour before we arrived. I know you will have retired before receiving this message, but we will remain in the area and search for clues in case you wish us to track him. It is most unfortunate, I feel, that he is now loose. We laid compulsion on two of the guards, and what they tell us is frightening. Let us know how you wish for us to proceed—Gavin.

  * * *

  When Aedan arrived in Star Cove an hour before dawn, it was to find Adele, wrapped in a robe and waiting for him inside her kitchen. Randy and Dawn Smith, Lavonna, Cori, Dori, Wynn, Sharon and Jonas all waited with her. Adele had been crying; Aedan saw that right away. Dori and Cori, too, were sniffling.