by Evans, Bryce
Getting the advantage he needed, Rick kicked Jonas’s bruised ribs. His wolf rolled hitting the tree trunk. Unfortunate for Rick, Jonas was a wolf who had been in many battles over the years and had learned a lot. Using all of his strength, Jonas willed his wolf to get up from the ground. His ribs hurt him when he moved. It felt like he may have nicked one of his lungs making it hard for him to take deep breaths.
Rick reached up at the tree branch and broke it off the tree. The wolf’s powerful teeth could rip his neck to pieces and eventually kill him. Swinging the tree limb back and forth kept Jonas’s powerful jaws away from Rick.
Reece and Paddock watched the battle between Jonas and Rick then without warning Paddock held his hand up and the other vampires charged at Reece. Paddock ran toward Reece too. Reece was out-numbered as four of the vampires charged. Larken, Larsen, Nash, and Jansen shifted and charged toward the vampires who were also running toward Reece. Paddock reached Reece first as he tackled him to the ground. The hard ground bit into his back as they rolled over some rocks. Gaining an advantage, Paddock and three other vampires held Reece down allowing Paddock an advantage.
Paddock laid on top of Reece and he quickly slashed his claws across Reece’s face and stomach area. Blood spurt out of the wounds as he tried to free himself from the other vampires. The vampires hit Reece in the face and stomach area while Paddock hacked into Reece’s body. Reece could feel the cold wet ground as his blood ran underneath him as he struggled to get out from the vampires hold. Paddock quickly inflicted damage to Reece, bringing him closer and closer to death. He felt like he was going to die. This couldn’t happen. River was waiting for him. He couldn’t let him win.
Finally, Reece’s arms and legs were freed as the wolves jumped on each of the men. Gaining some leverage, one of Reece’s hands grabbed a hold of Paddock’s hair jerking him away. Reece’s blood continued to flow out of his wounds as he struggled to his feet.
Reece could feel his body losing strength. Paddock didn’t give Reece any time as he jumped toward him again knocking him to the ground. Blow after blow, Reece struggled to defend himself. Using his body, Reece rolled Paddock underneath him. Paring the blows with all his strength, Reece drove his claws into Paddock’s face catching him off guard. He could only hear the sound of his claws as they shredded into Paddock’s skin. Blood poured from the wounds out of Paddock’s body. Using all his strength, Reece continued to beat Paddock’s head into the ground. All the fear and pent up anger flowed through Reece’s hands as he bashed Paddock’s body. Reece needed his head cut off but didn’t have the strength. Looking over at Jonas, Reece yelled out “TAG.” He had Paddock down but needed Jonas’s strong jaws to rip his head off.
Jonas jumped back as the branch swung for his head then used the time Rick’s body was turned to leap toward Reece. Clamping his jaws over Paddock’s neck, Jonas bit down and flipped the vampire’s body over him and away from Rick. Jonas tore into Paddock’s neck with his powerful jaws and teeth. Using the ground to push off from, Jonas jerked and jerked hearing Paddock’s neck tearing.
Reece saw the tree branch as Rick swung the branch back toward Jonas. He used all his strength and jumped toward the branch catching Rick off guard and pushing him over to the ground. Grabbing part of the branch, Reece broke it in two and swung it toward Rick’s head. Rick ducked but as he came back up Jansen shot him in the head two times dropping him to the ground. Reece dove toward Rick jumping on his body using the stick, he drove the limb into Rick’s chest pinning him to the ground. Rick frantically swung his arms as he tried to grab hold of the limb and pull it out of his chest. His screams were frightening as he yelled out. His high pitch voice gurgled as Reece grabbed him around the neck then used his claws and began ripping his head off.
Finding the strength, Reece slashed through his neck muscles until he pulled his head from his body. Feeling the blood loss and damage to his body, Reece fell to the ground. He looked over at Jonas who had ripped Paddock’s head off and still continued to rip his claws into Paddock’s body.
Taking in a deep breath, Reece muttered Jonas’s name trying to get his attention. “Jonas, can you hear me.” Reece leaned up further and yelled out trying to get Jonas’s attention. “Jonas…Jonas.”
Finally, hearing Reece, Jonas stopped then turned toward Reece. Looking around the area Jonas finally came back to reality. He had allowed his wolf to take control. Paddock and Rick were stronger than any vampires he had fought. He needed his wolf’s strength to help Reece kill them.
Reece watched as Jonas’s snout dripped with blood and parts of Paddocks body slipped from his mouth. His eyes that had turned yellow were now turning back to his natural color. Shifting, Jonas laid on the ground covered in blood and guts.
Larken and his pack had killed the other vampires, ripping their heads off. Jansen had helped by shooting the vampires giving the wolves an opportunity to grab them around the neck as the vampires looked down at their wounds.
Reece leaned back against the ground shaking from the blood loss. His eyes dropped then closed. His body was trying to heal but he was messed up pretty badly from Paddock ripping into his body.
Jansen came over and looked down at Reece knowing he wouldn’t die but he needed blood and he needed it soon. He may not die but it will take him a long time to heal and it will cause him a lot of pain. “He has passed out. We need to get him back to the lodge so he can be healed and get some blood in him.” Jansen reached down and picked Reece up in his arms. Even unconscious Reece’s face tensed showing the amount of pain he was in as Jansen moved him.
“Sorry, buddy,” Jansen muttered as he started carrying him to the van.
“Hey, what about the fuckers in the house?” Nash asked.
Jansen turned around and could see the vampires looking out the window. “What do you want to do with them?” Jansen asked.
“Kill every fucking one of them,” Jonas advised.
Walking over to Larken, Jansen stopped in front of him. “Can you hold him for me?”
Wondering what Jansen planned on doing, he carefully grabbed Reece’s unconscious body from his arms. After Reece was out of Jansen’s arms, he turned toward the house. Everyone could hear the growls coming from inside the house. The threats of what they were going to do to them when they got out could be heard as they banged on the walls and windows. Jansen bowed his head and started chanting then he lifted his hands as a spark of fire flickered in his hands. As he chanted the fire continued to grow until it looked like a ball of fire in his hands. He moved his hands in a circular motion like he was rubbing a crystal ball. Throwing his hands toward the house the ball of fire flew into the house blasting it into flames. Screams could be heard as the vampires tried to get out of the house but the spell kept them confined until the house quickly blew up in flames.
Nobody felt any remorse for the vampires who laid in the front yard and those burning in the house. They chose their fate when they went with Paddock and attacked innocent people. Larken and the others threw the dead bodies of the vampires into the burning fire. Turning around, everyone walked back through the woods toward the vehicles. They needed to hurry and get back so Reece could heal.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
River continued to pace back and forth watching the video feed as her mates and the others left the area. She knew Reece was hurt the worst but she prayed that he would get here in time for them to heal him. Jonas was holding his side as he walked toward the vehicles. She could see that he was hurt too, but he didn’t look as bad as Reece.
She couldn’t stop moving until Sky came and stood in front of her. “I hear it is real hard and almost impossible to kill a vampire and Reece looked hurt not dead.”
River turned her head at her little brother then placed her hands on her hips. “You are so not helping me right now, little brother.” For the first time, Sky smiled at River. She couldn’t help but to smile back at him. He had a beautiful smile too.
“I’m just worried that he is
in a lot of pain. You saw what Paddock did to him,” River said sullenly, not wanting to yell at her brother, but she was worried sick about Reece and Jonas. She could tell that Jonas looked beat up some but Reece had lost a lot of blood and his stomach looked like shredded paper flowing in the wind. How he survived she didn’t know. Ash had to physically hold her down so River wouldn’t take a vehicle and go after Reece and Jonas. As she watched them fighting for her life, her anger became apparent when she flung the food off the table. She cussed Ash and everyone else as they subdued her so she couldn’t leave the lodge. She kept screaming that she was going to kill Paddock and Rick. She continued to watch the battle but holding her down became almost impossible to Ash without hurting her until Banks came in the room and held her down. Banks was left behind in case they didn’t make it. He would have to protect River and the others if Paddock won. He wasn’t worried about Paddock living after watching Reece and Jonas in action. Plus Jansen and his magic was there too and he knew Jansen would help them. Only until after the fight was over did River calm down some. They thought they were going to have to strap her down to the bed. Ash was going to talk to the guys because River’s strength increased dramatically while she was in a rage as she watched her mates getting hurt. She didn’t know if getting mated earlier today changed her someway, but she gained a lot of strength today. Something different was happening to her because she only felt strength like that from very powerful shifters not a human who could heal.
“He will be okay, sis.” Looking back at her brother she tried to smile then continued to pace the room as they waited for her mates to return. She wouldn’t be able to relax until her mates were safely back at the lodge.
Ash had already planned for beds to be brought in the room so they could rest and let them heal without anyone seeing. Food was also brought in and kept warm in covering racks. Ash was worried about her own mates too, but she could tell they didn’t have a problem killing the other vampires. She knew her mates hated to kill another paranormal but this couldn’t be helped. If anyone found out about them then they would all be hunted and killed. Killing the rogue vampires was a necessary punishment for what they had been doing.
River ran into the open arms of Jonas as he walked in the door. She hugged Jonas hard as she whispered in his ear that she loved him. Jonas gasped as River hugged him tightly around the waist. His ribs had been broken during the battle, but his wolf was already healing his body. Then she opened her eyes and watched as Jansen carried Reece into the room. Running over to Jansen, she could see the pain etched on Reece’s face as he smiled at her. His face had already turned an ashy color. He could barely keep his eyes open as she started to cry. “Don’t cry, baby.” Reece held his hand out to her. Clutching his hand, she brought it to her face needing to feel him. She walked beside Jansen as he carried Reece to a bed and gently laid him down.
Concentrating, she laid her hands on Reece’s stomach. He jerked as the pressure from her hand pained him. “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry.” Smiling, he grabbed her hand before she could get up.
“It’s okay, baby. You’re still hurt from before. I can wait,” Reece whispered out in pain. Jonas was standing behind River and bent down to see if she was okay. Star and Sky watched from the corner as Reece refused to allow River to heal him. Knowing their sister’s mate needed to be healed, Star pushed off from the wall and walked over to where Reece was arguing with River.
“Excuse me.” River and her mates looked over at Star.
“If you would allow me, sister, I will heal your mate so you can finally be a family.” River nodded, seeing that arguing with Reece was causing more pain to him. His wounds started to bleed again from all the moving he was doing.
River reached out and held Reece’s hand. He looked over at her and smiled. “I love you, angel,” Reece whispered.
She could see the pain as he tried to speak more. She held her hand over his mouth so he wouldn’t talk anymore. “And I love you too,” River whispered as the tears fell down her cheek. Jonas stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders.
Sky put his hand on Star’s shoulder as she lightly placed her hands on Reece. Concentrating on healing the wound, Star started the healing process. She knew it would take many sessions because of all the damage that had been done to his stomach. Jonas watched as Star’s hands glowed brighter than anything he had ever seen. Ash and Larken moved closer, watching, as the glowing got brighter and brighter.
“Has it always been this bright?” Larken asked Ash. He knew she was with River when she healed Mary.
“No. I’ve never seen it like this,” Ash said as the light in the room became so bright she had to shield her eyes from the brightness coming from Star’s hands.
Jansen who was sitting in the corner watching stood up and walked closer to Reece. “Have you ever seen anything like this?” Larken asked Jansen.
Shaking his head, Jansen couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Then he noticed that all the siblings were connected in some way to Reece. River was holding Reece’s hand and Sky had his hands on Star’s shoulders. They watched as Reece’s stomach muscles knitted together faster than anything they had ever seen. Wounds that were dripping blood a few minutes ago were healed. Cuts were gone from his body as he laid healed from the three healers being connected in some way to the victim.
“They are connected to each other,” Jansen muttered as he pointed toward River, Star, and Sky.
Larken looked and they were connected. All of the siblings were touching each other. He didn’t understand why but somehow their power was greater.
Reece inhaled deeply then reached down and touched his stomach. He couldn’t believe there was nothing wrong with his stomach now. They had healed him faster than anything he had ever seen. He couldn’t believe he didn’t even feel a scratch on him. There’s no more pain either, Reece thought.
River gasped as Reece’s stomach healed so fast. “That…how…how…did you do that?” River asked.
Star opened her eyes then pulled her hands away. She couldn’t believe it either. That had never happened before. There was too much damage. She knew it would take days for Reece to heal completely not a few minutes. She looked closer at Reece’s stomach not believing what she was seeing. Not even a scratch was on him. “This can’t be,” Star whispered as she looked back at Sky.
Sky leaned over Star’s head looking at Reece’s stomach. He couldn’t believe it either. Not even a scratch.
No one said anything at first. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing. “And they said that it was the power of the three that would come together and heal the community and bring about the times of change when good versus evil would run rampant through the world.” Everyone looked at Jansen who had spoke the scary words. His eyes looked up to find everyone in the room watching him.
“Did you make that up?” Larken asked.
“No my Ne-ma told me that when I was little.” Jansen blew out his breath knowing that change was coming and it was going to get real busy around the lodge. “My Ne-ma taught me all the spells I’m using, she was also an Elder for my people. Ever since I was little she told me about the power of the three. The three were human but not. They had the power to heal and had other powers that were powerful but together they were more powerful than anyone else. Ne-ma said that nobody knew what their powers would be because they haven’t been born yet but when they were and they finally came together then they would bring communities together and heal them but with this power came a struggle between good versus evil and this evil would try to control the world. I thought she was crazy, but now I know that Ne-ma was right. Paddock and his clan were evil and they wanted River to control and use her to make them more powerful. If he would have known about the three of you…if any of them knew about you. Then we would have problems but I see now that we have to protect you. Because…” Jansen stopped talking as he watched the fear come into Star’s and Sky’s eyes.
River reached across Reece
and touched Star’s arm. “We will protect you. Nobody knows about us. It stays in this room. We stay together,” River muttered, trying to make it clear to her siblings that she would keep them safe. She was the oldest and she knew without a doubt that nobody would touch them. She just found them and nothing would ever take them away from her.
“We will all protect you,” Jonas commanded. “Nothing will ever take you away from River,” Jonas added as Reece reached over and put his hand on River’s hand showing that he too would protect them. Jansen came closer and put his hands on Sky’s shoulders. He could see the fear in his eyes knowing now what they were going to be up against. Ash, Larken, and Larsen also put their hands on Star and Sky letting them know that they would all protect them.
Tears came to River’s eyes. These were her friends, her family. No more running from them. She had a family who needed her just as much as she needed them. River felt her heart growing bigger in her chest or at least that was how it felt. She was so happy that she hated to release from everyone, not wanting the feeling to go away.
Reece reached up and cupped River’s face. “I can kiss you now.” Smiling back at him, River closed her eyes as Reece slowly kissed her lips.
“Okay, I have to move now. Ewe. My sister kissing someone is just gross to me.” Everyone laughed as Sky pulled away from everyone. He had only spoken a few words since he got here so it was funny to hear him joke like a little brother.
“We need to discuss this and figure out what to do?” Larken suggested.
“Well as leader of the unit, we can implement them into the unit so they can be protected at all times,” Jonas added.
“They will move in with us. We have lots of bedrooms in the house,” Reece leaned up and commanded.
Star looked at everyone talking about Star and her life like they didn’t have a say in this. She had the same blue eyes as her sister and brother, but her hair was a beautiful red color. She wasn’t too tall, maybe five foot five, but she was beautiful. “Hey don’t talk about us like we don’t have a say in this,” Star muttered loudly. Jumping up and walking away from the group, Star huffed and puffed all the way across the room. Talking under her breath about macho men thinking they could control the little old woman. Jansen watched as the fiery red head beauty stomped off like a little child.