The front room looked like an armory. Since I only saw patched members and a few prospects, I assumed the ol’ladies were all downstairs in the bunker. I was about to open my mouth to tell them not to be sexist, and to point out Angelica and Harmony were wolves and could handle a variety of weapons, when Cora telepathed, They’re the last defense in case the enemy makes it to the women. Let the MC management decide where to put their own people.
How did you know what I was about to say?
I know how you think. She looked around the room and told the men, “I’m not your Alpha. I’ll never try to be unless you show an interest in creating the relationship, and we all know that isn’t going to happen with any of you. Kirsten came to help ya’ll, and the two of us are a pair. If she helps you, you get me too. Is that going to be a problem?”
“No.” Brain stepped forward. “Our wolves are being a little bitchy, but the club is happy to have the help. Is there a greater game plan we need to be aware of?”
I levitated up and sat on the bar. I’d seen people having sex on this bar, so I didn’t see a problem with sitting on it. “I think we should call it a war plan at this point, and that’s why we’re here. Ya’ll are the only large group who didn’t leave the city. Cora’s put her wolves back on our land to defend it, so we have two groups holding their own right now. I’d like to bring a fighting force into the compound, and have another fighting force come in from the outside. Sandwich the bad guys between. The problem with that is friendly fire. It’s doable, but it’ll have to be carefully planned.”
“Matty and Spence have stayed in contact,” Razor was lounged on one of the sofas. He looked relaxed, but I could practically feel his raven — pissed and ready to end this. “Abbott isn’t far. He’s in hiding in an unknown location. His people are scattered to make sure they aren’t all taken in one daytime hit, but he hasn’t left the city.”
I sighed. “I’d love to handle the fight during the day, when we won’t have to deal with the Celrau, but we need the cover of darkness to try to keep the Concilio happy, right?”
“We do,” Cora agreed. “Even with the power out, some cell towers are still operational on generator power. Drake will need to take them offline before a fight.”
“I can take them offline,” Brain said. “If you can bring outside fighters in to help us, we have a tunnel leading to the bike shop, so we can join the fighting from outside the compound. No need to open the gates, and we’ll be on the same side of the road, so friendly fire won’t be as much of an issue.”
“It’ll tell them there’s a tunnel somewhere,” Cora pointed out.
I shook my head. “We put the word out that I flashed them there, along with all of the other fighters.”
Cora met Duke’s gaze, and I could feel the tension. Their wolves weren’t at all happy. “Not telling you what to do,” Cora told him, “but in your place, I’d leave a contingent inside the gate with automatic weapons.”
Duke nodded. “Brain and I will need to figure that part out, but I don’t intend to leave our women defenseless.”
“Some of your women can fight,” I pointed out. “I assume they have plenty of weapons and ammo downstairs?”
“They do.” Dawg leaned forward and gave me a sexy smile. “Angelica and Harmony would be up here if we hadn’t convinced them we’d just have to station men downstairs if they came up.”
I could feel Cora’s grin through our connection, but I didn’t turn to her.
“How many are outside? What kind of force do you think we need in order to ensure a victory?” I wasn’t sure whether to address Duke or Brain, so I looked back and forth between the two.
“They have around 60 people surrounding us when the sun’s high,” Brain answered. “It jumps to around 100 in the hours when the sun’s low, and it’s easily double that at night.”
“For around thirty or forty of ya’ll?”
“Twenty-three.” Duke crossed his arms.
“I gotta say it,” Cora sat in a chair. “You have at least ten people downstairs who’d be formidable fighters. I’m not telling you to bring them up, but I’m pointing out that the bad guys are assuming all able bodies will be fighting.”
The tension in the room went down when Cora sat, and I sighed. “I suck at the supernatural politics part of this, but Cora sitting down made your wolves chill a little bit. I’ve recently gained some power, do I need to sit down there? I’m up here so I can see everyone.”
Bubbles chuckled. “Mother Nature can sit wherever the fuck she wants.”
I shook my head and looked to Dawg. “Why does everyone see her? I’m still me. I mean, yeah, I have more power, and I can sense your animals way better than I could before, but I don’t feel like Mother Nature.”
“I don’t know. I feel it too. Bubbles is right though. You’re fine up there, but we wouldn’t be okay with anyone else of power sitting on our bar.”
“I’ve seen people have sex up here! I figured it was a good place to perch without offending ya’ll.”
“Getting fucked by a brother on the bar is different than sitting higher than the rest of us,” Duke said. “Anyone else, we’d have seen it as a challenge.”
I slid off the bar and leaned against it. “Sorry. I’m not the expert and I don’t want to give that impression. Ya’ll know about fighting, and I’ll suggest you listen to Cora as something of a consultant, but we’re here to come up with a war plan that utilizes everyone’s strengths. We didn’t come to tell you what to do.”
Duke told Paco to relieve McGyver in the control room, and once the change had been made, Brain used a sharpie marker on a cream colored folding table to draw out the plans while he, Duke, McGyver, Bubbles, Razor, Viper, Nix, and Cora worked through the logistics. Cora was speaking as a representative of Drake Security, and told them how many people Drake would supply.
Partway through, Razor got Abbott on the phone to ask if he wanted to be part of the fight. The Master Vampire offered to send Gavin, Queenie, and eight vampires. The entire room looked at me when Abbott said Gavin’s name. Awkward.
“My understanding of the goal,” I told the room once Abbott was off the line, “is to retake the city. We start here because ya’ll had the balls to stay instead of bailing. Cora and I fought off the bad guys at Homewood, and we’ve put the pack back on our land to protect it.”
“There are seven power spots that make somewhat of a seven pointed star around the city,” Cora told them. “And another half-dozen or so spots along the lines of the star. This isn’t an ancient power spot, but the compound has become somewhat of a modern one. Even if it wasn’t, the MC is important.”
“Once we have you secure, we’re hoping ya’ll can help out at some of the other locations,” I continued. “One of the power spots is the Chickamauga Battlefield, and I’m told your neighborhood is close enough to suffice.”
“We’ll do what we can,” Duke said. “No specific promises, but we’ll step up if we can do so and still keep our people safe.”
I nodded. “I know you and you brother get along, but I don’t know how far that extends. Can we put the two of you together to fight?” I’d seen how Aaron wanted people paired up, and he had Duke and Randall in the very center of the star.
Duke nodded. “Our twin connection means we’re stronger fighting together. You can put me with him, but my brothers can’t be close. We don’t want to risk Randall accidentally taking them over.”
That was what Nathan had planned, but I’d felt the need to doublecheck. “Good to know. Thanks.” I looked to Razor. “Anything special I need to know about ravens?”
“My sense of smell is better than a human’s but not as good as most shapeshifters. We rely on sight, mostly.” He blew out a breath. “Nix has been working with me on sniper skills. I’m good up to about a quarter mile for a head or heart shot if the wind isn’t too bad.”
I looked to Nix. “I was told we can’t ask you to take a shot, but that you’ll volunteer if you’re up to do
ing it.”
Nix looked to Bash and back to me. “There’s a vampire lair on the ridge with a nice view of the city. If we can figure out how to get me out of here without anyone seeing, Abbott will get me to it. I’ll be able to pick people off from up there. I won’t do it from the lair, I’ll hike a little ways, but it’s doable.”
“I can flash you to any of Abbott’s places I’ve been, or to any of his people I know well. I’ll need to talk to him before I do, though. He’s kind of touchy about it.” Also, I figured he’d put a lock on his places, and I’d end up in a dungeon — or worse — if I tried it again.
Nix and Bash looked at each other a few seconds, and Bash said, “That’ll work.” He looked back to me. “Gabby and Horse are in his underground den. Any chance you can bring them to us?”
I must’ve looked confused, because Brain said, “They were in Faerie when all hell broke loose. They returned to his land and went underground. They’ve gone back to talk to Titania and Mab a few times, based on requests from The Amakhosi. We’d all feel better if they were here, though.”
It was my understanding Gabby was helping out by passing information from here to Faerie. I pulled my phone from my pocket and called Gabby. “Are you good where you are, or would you like me to take you to the compound?”
“Nathan needs me to be an intermediary. I can’t get to Faerie from the compound.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yes. No one will get to us in the den.”
“But you have to leave the den to get to Faerie.”
“We’re good.”
“Call me if you aren’t.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“If I’m in the shit, I may not be able to get to you,” I warned. “If I can, I’ll come.”
“It’s more than we had before.”
“Take care of yourself. You too, Horse.”
“We’re good.” Horse’s deep voice vibrated through the phone. “Thanks for the offer.”
I disconnected and told the room. “I’ll do my best to get them here if they need to move.”
Dawg crossed his arm, clearly unhappy. “Stupid little rabbit, trying to be brave.”
“She’s far from stupid,” I reminded him. “And she’s pretty damned brave — she isn’t just trying. Plus, she has a grizzly bear watching her back.”
Cora looked at her wrist even though she doesn’t wear a watch, but I got the point. I levitated my ass onto a barstool this time. “Am I calling Abbott, or should one of you?”
“I will.” Razor already had his phone out and on, and a few seconds later, I heard Abbott on speakerphone. “Thirty minutes until sunrise. Be quick.”
“If Kirsten can flash Nix to you, can you get him to the lair on the ridge sometime today?”
“I don’t want Kirsten here.” He sighed. “Can she hear me?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“Take him to Kieran and Gwen, hand him off, and leave. Do not ask where you are. Do not take your phone. Do it now.”
“Viper’s coming too,” Nix said.
“Very well.”
I put my phone on the bar and looked at Cora. Her nod told me she’d take care of it. I stepped behind Nix and put my arms around him. “Get a deep breath and close your eyes. Some people get nauseated, and that seems to help keep it to a minimum.”
I don’t think Abbott wanted me to know where I took them, but I somehow knew they were in an underground section of the coterie house I hadn’t been before. I handed Nix to Kieran, nodded, and stepped back to the RTMC’s wooded area.
Viper and Brain were on their way to me, and when they made it, I transported Viper, made sure he was settled on his feet, and flashed back to Brain. A nearby tree called to me, and I took a few steps so I was casually touching it. I hadn’t felt bad before, but I immediately felt better. The tree grounded me. Settled me.
“They’re at the coterie house,” I told Brain, “in what I assume is an underground room I haven’t seen before.”
“Abbott didn’t expect you to figure it out?”
“I don’t believe so.”
“Good to know. Thanks for the information.”
I shrugged. “Nix and Viper are important. You should know where I took them.”
“You need to be careful with Dawg.”
That seemed to come out of left field, and I took a breath and asked a question instead of getting defensive. “What do you mean?”
“He’s a strong wolf, but not as powerful as the heavy hitters. You’re...” He shrugged. “I don’t know what you are, but you’re formidable. I’m not sure Bubbles was far off by calling you Mother Nature. Dawg’s happy. Be careful you don’t power him up and give him abilities he doesn’t want.”
“I’m still figuring this out. I’m not even sure that’s possible.” I couldn’t make someone more powerful by having sex with them. Could I?
“You should be sure before you screw around too much.”
Chapter 12
When we’d solidified the plan with the RTMC, Cora and I made a trip to Trezevant to brainstorm with Nathan, Ryan, Randall, and Patrick. However, barely an hour into the strategy session, I couldn’t hold my eyes open another second. Cora pushed some energy towards me, and that let me know I needed to take some time to recharge. We’d planned to spend the night in Alfheim, but we’d had to leave to protect our home. Now, it was nearly three in the morning.
“I’m sorry, but I’m done until I get some sleep. Is there a place close I can bed down?”
Nathan looked at me a few seconds before he turned to Cora. “Take her down the hall to my quarters. The scent trail should get you there. I’m up for at least another five hours. If I need to bed down and ya’ll are still in there, I’ll find another spot.”
“Thank you,” I told him.
“For what? Leaving you alone to sleep?”
“Partly, but also for giving us your bed.”
“I didn’t sense your exhaustion until you brought it up. You’re better at shielding from me than you used to be. Go, before you fall out on the floor.”
“When did you last eat?” Ryan asked.
“I had a feast...” I trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence. I’d been about to say in my castle, but I didn’t want to admit to owning a castle. Ryan probably knew, but I wasn’t ready to say it out loud. I also didn’t want to say I had a feast in Alfheim because that sounded pretentious too. I started again. “Cora and I had a large feast late yesterday and I’m still full. She probably needs something before she sleeps, though.”
“I’ll get you settled and then go in search of food,” Cora told me. “You need to hydrate before you go to sleep.”
I awoke with a large, muscular arm around my torso — and the rest of the warm, well-built, powerful body spooned behind me. It was way too comfortable, and my heart broke a little. I’d missed this so damned much.
I sighed without meaning to, and he snugged me a little closer.
“You said you’d find somewhere else.” I didn’t know if I was pissed or glad that he hadn’t, and this irritated me.
“I changed my mind.”
I couldn’t see anywhere productive for this conversation to go, so I changed course. “Brain said I might accidentally power someone to a higher level by sleeping with them.”
“You might.”
Not helpful, but he probably didn’t know for sure, either. “What time is it?”
“A little after eleven. You slept a good eight hours.” He rubbed my arm. “You needed it. Don’t let yourself get that tired again. You’ve been through a lot, and you’re still figuring out how to manage your new power signature.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Just settled in. I figured you were about ready to wake. Mordecai seems to think you can move an entire truck full of people all at once.”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“He’s going to have you take the truck through withou
t people first.”
My stomach growled, but I ignored it. “Where’s Cora?”
“She hasn’t been awake long. Last I saw her, she was eating again.”
“I should find food too. Is there a dining area?”
“We need time alone. I know it can’t happen now, but I hope you’ll give me a chance once everything calms down.”
I honestly didn’t know if I had it in me to risk my heart on him again, but I didn’t have the time or inclination to get into it right then. I pulled out of his arms, stood, used the tiny little restroom attached to his room, washed my face, finger-combed my hair, put it back into a ponytail, and returned to the room. Nathan was still in bed. Watching like a predator.
“How do I find the dining area?”
“Take a left, go to the end of the hall, take a right.”
A left took me farther into the building than I’d been thus far. I saw five shapeshifters on the way. I recognized one from Randall’s pack, though I didn’t know his name. I’d never seen the other four before.
The dining area reminded me of a hospital restaurant. I found some pretty salads in a refrigerator, got half sweet and half unsweet tea from a machine, found the silverware, and sat with Cora.
No greeting from her other than, “You need salad dressing.”
I looked at my salad, realized she was right, and went back to look. The bottles were in the same glass-doored refrigerator, and I grabbed the blue cheese, brought it to the table, put some on my salad, and took the bottle back. While I was there, I saw boiled eggs and grabbed two.
“I woke up with Nathan spooned behind me,” I told her when I’d sat back down.
“I think it’s possible he’s dealt with his shit.”
I sighed. I didn’t want to talk about it, especially not in a room full of shapeshifters. I’d said too much already. “Is there news?”
“Homewood is still safe.” She switched to telepathy. The MC brothers will take shifts napping today so they’ll be ready to fight tonight. Nix and Viper are in place. Viper has decent sniper skills, but he’s mainly there to watch Nix’s back. Kendra sent word to me that Gavin should be okay around you, and it’s okay to trust him with your back if you must. She was worried you might put the enemy at your back to keep an eye on him.
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