by Kim Schubert
Logan smiled, shifting into his lion as he reached the door.
A snarling wolf lunged at him, larger than the others. Logan took the hit, letting himself be pushed back against the plush carpet. Teeth sank into his shoulder before Logan sliced down the wolf’s side, opening four long, deep gashes.
The wolf yipped, jumping back, snarling still. Logan could make this quick, and after all the killing his beast should have been satisfied, but it wasn’t. Logan wanted him to suffer, to bleed out slowly.
He stalked closer to the pretend alpha. Launching across the short distance, he sunk his teeth into the faker’s shoulder, tearing out a chunk of muscle.
The alpha cried out, slicing Logan across his flank. Logan grunted, the wound already healing. The pretend alpha limped, his side healed but the missing muscle causing him pain. With a grunt, he retreated behind his desk and began to shift.
Logan followed him, watching as he pawed with his good hand to open the desk drawer.
“You are smarter than I thought,” the ex-alpha hissed.
Logan gave him a carnal smile.
“But I don’t fight fair.” The pretend alpha pulled out a gun. Logan scented the same bullet that had torn through his mate.
The gun cocked. Logan let his beast take full control, launching as the gun went off. His teeth sank into his victim’s head and he tore it free. It was too quick of a kill.
Spitting out the head, Logan pushed off the dead body, turning and landing on all four paws. His side throbbed, fresh blood leaking onto the carpet as he padded back to his party.
He shifted in the doorway, looking down at his left side and holding back a groan. There was a substantial hole. Cracking his neck, he pulled strength from the packs, using their energy to heal the wound. It shrunk in matter of minutes.
He looked into Jerry’s eyes and nodded. It was done.
…
“The unicorns live under guard,” The Magician stated as we stared into what I guess was a forest. Thick, tall trees, in hues of red and burnt orange, dotted the flat landscape before us, their leaves a dying brown.
“I suggest not killing them,” he continued.
I turned, narrowing my eyes at him. He sounded like Logan and my heart constricted painfully.
“Fine.” I bit out the word. “Let’s just get this over with.”
I stormed into the red trees, my clothing sticking to me uncomfortably in the humidity. I still charged on, having no idea where the hell I was going. Good news, it didn’t matter.
A man as thick as one of the trees stepped out. I bounced against his solid chest, landing on my ass.
“You the guard?” I asked.
He nodded, a creaking sound coming from his neck.
I stood up, brushing dirt off my ass. “I need to see the unicorns.”
“They do not wish to be bothered.”
“Too fucking bad.”
The guard tilted his head at me.
My father stepped up then. “We are seeking to speak to the unicorns regarding obtaining a rare and special object.”
The guard frowned. “You wish for one of their horns.”
My father bowed slightly. “Yes.”
“No,” the guard answered, and three more stepped out from behind trees.
I groaned.
“Please tell me we don’t have to kill them for a horn,” I groaned.
“No, they fall off every year. Similar to deer antlers,” my father stated.
“Great, so is there anyone the unicorns will allow to visit?” I asked.
“No,” the guard and my father answered in unison.
I groaned, “Great.” The Queen was stellar at building relationships.
I pressed my lips together. “Sorry boys, this is going to hurt.”
I punched the guard and screamed, pain radiating up my hand.
“Mother fucker!” I yelled, shaking my hand out, dancing back.
The guard cracked a smile, I think, before swinging an arm at my head. I ducked. No way in hell I was getting hit with one of those fuckers. I’d already been split apart on the ground, thanks.
His stiff legs took time to maneuver toward my new position. I smirked. Did I really have to best the guards? Or did I just need to be faster?
I shifted back out of range of another swinging arm. Finesse was not part of their skill set, either.
I cast a look at Doyle, who took a hit and was launched out of the forest. I ducked, dodging left and searching for my father. He wasn’t faring any better.
“Magician, take care of Doyle, I’m going in!” I screamed at him.
He looked at me in shock and the guard fighting him landed a glancing blow to his side. I didn’t stay around to watch any longer. Instead I charged forward. I twisted to the left when I felt the air shift with the guard’s hands of stone trying to grab me.
“Trespasser!” the guards called out, the cry echoed by all the trees.
I pressed my hands over my ears, running. Now if I was a unicorn, where would I be? A white flank dashed in front of me and I bounced against it, landing on my ass.
“Ouch,” I groaned.
A metallic purple horn was pressed against my throat. I backed away quickly, rolling behind a tree.
“What are you doing in our home?” he roared at me.
“I need a horn!” I yelled, peeking out the left side. A horn flashed close to my side. “Asshole!” I yelled.
“We do not serve you succubus whores!” he yelled at me.
Fucking hell. I peeked out the left side again, finding him waiting on the right. I launched before he could correct his mistake. I landed on his back, forcing my knees tighter on his neck than on anything else in my entire life. Haha, there’s a whore joke in there.
“First off, fucker, I am not a whore.” He reared back before galloping through the forest. “Secondly, I am trying to get off your damn world and back to mine!”
He stopped, skidding on the red dirt. That dislodged me. I flew forward, smashing my shoulder against an unyielding tree.
“Ugh.” I rolled on my back, putting pressure against my shoulder, heaving a sigh.
“Get off our world?” he questioned, his pearl coat shining with glitter.
“Yep.”
“How?”
“The Magician has a spell to take us out of here,” I heaved, rotating my shoulder gingerly.
“Define ‘us,’” he asked, black eyes staring down at me.
“Me, him, and Doyle.”
He snorted. “But not us!” he bellowed.
“The portal won’t be open long enough to get you through; we can come back for you after we are through, however,” The Magician explained, escorted by the guards.
Doyle had a dried smear of blood by his temple. He nodded to me and I returned the gesture. Yes, we were beat up, no, we weren’t done.
The unicorn turned his back to me. “You are the King of Liars!” he accused my father.
I stared at him. Great. What secret was coming out of the closet now?
“I did not lie to you. I did not know, there is a difference,” The Magician answered.
The unicorn huffed, “The end result is the same, our packs are stuck in this barren wasteland!”
I groaned, standing. “Look, if you give us the horn, you have a chance at leaving here. If you don’t, then you are stuck forever.”
Flicking his tail, he turned his attention back to me. “What would you know, daughter of the liar?”
I stepped forward, pulling his head down by the horn. “I know one way or another, I am getting a horn to get back to my world. You are either on my side or against me.”
He shook me off, laughing, “Tell your mother she has trained you well!”
I kicked his front leg; it buckled. “You will not compare me to her,” I threatened him.
He stared open-mouthed at me. “You dare harm me?”
“I will harm anyone who stops me from leaving. Now choose, are you with us or against us?”
Probably not my best move, threatening the unicorns on their turf with their impressive guards, but I had a fucking point to make.
The unicorn blinked, and I daresay I saw the beginnings of fear. No one knows how to handle the crazy bitch.
“With you.” His leg straightened up, healing. “Follow me.”
My father looked at me, shocked. I ignored him, following the unicorn.
“I am Adair.”
“Olivia,” I responded, coming even with him. “Where is the rest of your herd?”
“Hiding. We knew what The Magician wanted. Why else would he venture here?”
I kept my silence. I could relate to the betrayal he’d suffered.
“How is the Queen?” Adair asked.
I growled. “On my shit list,” I answered.
His head snapped to me. “Your mother?”
“Don’t call her that. The bitch sold me into slavery and is only concerned about herself. If she had half a fucking brain, she would have gotten everyone out by now, instead of leaving her messes behind for her daugh—for me to fix.”
Adair nodded, continuing on. “I didn’t know.”
“Now you do.” It’s hard to fake the kind of hate that flowed through my soul-body veins. The kind of hate that is etched into my very bones and defines who and what I am.
We reached what I thought was a shimmering pond, but upon closer inspection, it was actually a huge hole of horns.
“Wow,” I muttered.
“Take your pick, Olivia,” Adair instructed me.
I nodded, my hand resting on a honey colored horn that reminded me of Logan.
I held the horn to my father, who nodded. “You have chosen well.”
I nodded, not daring to speak, taking my pack from Doyle and securing it gently.
“Okay, logistics. Where do you want to live?”
Adair looked at me for a long moment, probably gauging my honesty. “The rainforest.”
I winced. “Yeah, that’s being destroyed. Do you have any other options?”
“Blue Ridge mountain range in Tennessee.”
I nodded. “Done. Now, do you harm humans at all?”
He stomped his front feet. “Only those who seek to harm us.”
I nodded. “Any weird sacrifices, or killings?”
“We are a peaceful race.”
“Okay great, I promised the mermaids they could come over first. After I finish with them, when The Magician is strong enough, we will call you.”
“You are sincere,” Adair stated, with a note of surprise.
“Yeah, I don’t play games.”
“You are scared,” he muttered, stepping closer to me.
I clamped my mouth around the words that wanted to slip out, I am broken.
“We all have our issues, now if you could point us in the direction of the high desert?”
Adair led us to the opposite side of the forest. “We have saved days by this, thank you,” my father stated.
Adair only grunted. I guess he was still sore about the past, couldn’t blame him at all.
“This where I leave you,” Adair stated, turning and blending into the forest.
I nodded, stepping out and away from the humidity, into a fucking blowtorch.
“Ugh, I wish I wasn’t real again,” I groaned.
“We are almost finished,” Doyle encouraged me, smiling. “We are going home.”
I smiled at him, damn sure we were.
My breathing hitched, a sharp pain slicing through my chest. I inhaled, pushing it away and shaking my head.
“Are you in pain?” my father asked.
“It’s nothing,”
“No, it’s our time, it’s running out.”
“Two more items,” I told him, meeting his gaze. “Just two more.” He nodded. I chose to ignore the fear and worry in his eyes. I hadn’t made it this far to be cut down now.
Chapter 6
Logan rented out a ten-bedroom home for the submissives he had rescued, and even then people were doubling up.
Alec’s Beta was on his way out to get everyone educated. Logan had already completed the blood ceremony to add them all to the packs. He rubbed his forearm, turning to Peter in the backseat, sandwiched between Hudson and Mark.
He had something to say, Logan could feel the pressure in his brain. “What’s on your mind, Peter?” he finally asked.
“I — I should have told you sooner. I just — I just was worried you wouldn’t accept me as pack,” Peter ended in a whisper.
“Tell us what?” Hudson asked, turning to look at him.
Peter continued to rub the palm of his hand as Logan’s irritation spiked.
“I forged the bullets that shot your mate,” he confessed.
The blow hit Logan hard, knocking the wind out of him. Jerry’s hand on his shoulder kept him from killing Peter, but a savage growl ripped from his throat.
“I didn’t know what it was for,” Peter sobbed.
Logan turned around, breathing, pushing his beast back down. Jerry removed his hand carefully.
“Where did he find the combination of materials to slow our healing?” Logan rasped, finally able to have a clear thought.
“He experimented.” Peter’s voice was soft.
Logan slammed is head against the headrest, unable to offer Peter forgiveness or comfort.
“Do not call him!” Anna’s voice boomed over the car speakers.
“What the hell?” Mark muttered.
“I am in charge here, you will obey me,” Anna continued. Logan heard the threat there.
“Touch him and I will skin you alive,” he warned Anna.
“You sneaky little shit,” Anna hissed.
“Olivia’s missing,” Tommy whispered, clearing his throat.
“What?” Logan’s voice was soft.
“She was removed from the hospital over four hours ago and never delivered to us,” Tommy continued on.
Jerry slammed the accelerator.
“Tommy, I want all video surveillance from the hospital and surrounding areas. I want every scrap of paper regarding her release from the hospital. Call Mercer and have him work it from his end. Call Mal, I want to know what she knows.”
“Logan,” Tommy urged, “I can’t get ahold of Darren, and this bitch won’t send someone to his house.”
“Shifter matters are not ours,” Anna dictated.
All Logan could do was breathe; it was either that or rip the moving SUV apart.
“Anna, you should run.”
“You don’t scare me, shifter.”
Logan laughed, something he learned from Olie. “I will,” he promised.
“We are thirty minutes out, Tommy,” Jerry took over the conversation. “We will run by the house and check on Darren.”
“No, check his work. I talked with Kass, she and the kids are okay.” Tommy instructed. “I’m sending you the address now.”
Jerry checked his phone, punching a few buttons as the guidance system took over navigation.
“Are you safe?” Hudson asked from the back.
“Yeah, for all her posturing, she hasn’t hurt us,” Tommy answered. “I’m pretty sure this is what Olivia was like in the beginning, also.”
Anna huffed, “She’s always had a soft spot for the unwanted.”
Something inside of Logan snapped. “I don’t know why Olivia chose you as her replacement, but it won’t last.”
“Oh yeah, what are you going to do about it? Her instructions are clear. I am in charge.”
“While you live,” Mark added.
“Try me, boys, the only one who has ever bested me was Olie,” Anna challenged, flat and bored.
“Alright Logan, I’ve got massive amounts of video feeds to go through. I’m going to call Becky in on this,” Tommy said.
“Use Gunner as well,” Logan instructed.
“On it, let me know about Darren,” Tommy asked.
“I will.”
Ten minutes later, Jerry s
quealed to a stop in front of a one-story office building.
Logan hadn’t been here before, why hadn’t he? Darren was his brother.
Because he was still holding a pointless grudge from when Darren utilized Olivia to save Hannah, and in the process exposed the corruption in his ranks. He was a fool. Logan should have installed him back as the Compass Alpha for East.
He could still fix it, though. He opened his mind to the pack bonds, sifting through the emotions until he centered on Darren’s. He was unconscious and inside.
Logan flung his door open, pounding up the concrete steps, slamming the glass door open so forcefully it broke, sending shards of glass onto the pavement under his feet. He cleared the front receptionist desk, turned left and slammed his shoulder into a vampire. Without preamble, Logan partially shifted, his right hand clawing down and through the vampire, splitting him in two.
Hudson charged past him, breaking down the door at the end of the hall where Darren was. Logan was just behind him, a vampire dying in Hudson’s grasp, another vaulting through the window to escape.
Logan went after that one. “Keep him alive!” He yelled at Hudson.
His rational thinking was coming back; he needed intel. Why the fuck were vampires after Darren?
The vampire running away from Logan took a terrified look back at him. Logan launched, denying his beast the shift, his lion wouldn’t keep the vamp alive. Gripping the back of his collar, Logan pulled him back, slamming the back of his head against the concrete.
Hauling him up by his neck, Logan dangled him there, the vampire reeking of fear.
“We didn’t kill him,” he whispered.
“I know.”
Logan punched him and the vampire went limp. He dragged the body behind him, flinging him through the ruined window and climbing in after him.
Jerry looked over Logan and shook his head. “We need to get you shoes.”
Logan looked down at his feet, crusted in glass and bleeding freely, before turning his attention back to Jerry, who held an ice pack to Darren’s head.
He walked over to his brother, kneeling down, having no care for the glass slicing through his feet.
“Are you alright?” he asked, watching the goose egg on Darren’s head slowly heal.
Darren nodded. “Yeah, I have no idea what they were after. They made an appointment and everything, sat down, started talking, and then wham. God, this is embarrassing, four vampires kicked my ass.”