by Bianca D’Arc
Lizzy seemed to realize it too, casting her desperate gaze about the massive chamber. She screamed and seemed to pull herself together. She wasn’t a young woman, or particularly good looking, but now that it was out in the open, her power was palpable. Serena swallowed the fear response Lizzy so easily invoked and steeled her resolve. She had to stay strong. It looked like Lizzy was losing this battle, but she was still a force to be reckoned with and they had yet to truly defeat her.
Lizzy pointed to one of the bobcats standing in the semi-circle and began issuing orders to her minions. “Kill the werewolf,” she shouted, and the man—the Alpha of the bobcat Clan—turned to do her bidding. His eyes were blank, but he was still a strong shapeshifter. In fact, he was the biggest and strongest of the bobcats, used to fighting and leading. Though his beast was smaller than the wolf, in human form they were a good match. If they fought on two feet, he would be a challenge, even for the wolf Alpha.
“There’s our opening,” Serena whispered to Bob, who stood close by her side. The space where the Alpha had been, at the apex of the half circle allowed a straight path through to Lizzy.
John kept chanting even as Lieutenant Joe appeared to intercept the bobcat Alpha. Lizzy ordered more of the bobcats to join the fight and Joe signaled his men to come out of cover. Before long, one side of the cavern had erupted in battle, leaving an even clearer path to Lizzy.
Bob and Serena advanced on the woman—a single unit with a single purpose.
“I can’t believe I didn’t realize all these years what an evil bitch you are,” Serena spoke, her goal to distract Lizzy enough so that Bob could take her down. “I mean, I knew you were a bitch, but I didn’t realize you were in league with the Venifucus. How low do you have to sink to associate yourself with bottom feeders like them?”
“When I return Elspeth to this realm, I will sit at her right hand and rule over the earth at her side. I’ll kill you last, Serena,” Lizzy spat. “You’ve been a thorn in my paw since the day I first spotted you. Why they made me adopt you, I’ll never know.”
“They?” Now Serena was truly intrigued. “Who made you adopt me? I thought it was your idea.”
Lizzy spat at her. “Me? Saddle myself with a brat? I don’t think so. I wouldn’t have done it if the High Priest hadn’t ordered me to. He didn’t want you running around on your own. Said with my influence you wouldn’t dare interfere in our plans and yet look, here you are, interfering with my plans. You’ve always been a total pain in my ass, Serena. Well, no more.”
Lizzy launched a bolt of power directly at Serena, but Bob and his cross were there, redirecting the energy back at Lizzy. She stumbled as the bolt rebounded, sending her closer to the edge of the pit. She didn’t seem to realize how very close she was to falling into the roiling mass of super-heated lava.
“You’ve always been cruel, Liz. Consider this my termination of adoption. I don’t want you in my life anymore. I never did.”
Bob stepped closer to her as Lizzy prepared another volley, this one even bigger than the last. Perhaps she thought battering at Bob’s shield might eventually break it? Serena thought that was a pretty weak strategy, but Lizzy kept forming her ball of power. It glowed red in her hands and continued to gain in size as Lizzy conjured it.
Doubt crept into Serena’s mind, but Bob didn’t hesitate. He prowled forward, closing the gap between himself and Lizzy. Serena could see the claws tipping his fingers as his body morphed into the fierce battle form that was the deadliest combination of animal and human. It wasn’t easy to hold that form for any length of time, but Bob was an Alpha. He was stronger than most shifters and the way he prowled and stalked Lizzy in that most taxing and deadly of forms proved his strength beyond the shadow of a doubt.
He advanced and Lizzy let loose with the biggest strike yet. It bounced off Bob, like all the rest, rebounding on Lizzy and sending her straight over the edge of the pit this time. Her scream echoed through the rumbling cavern as she plummeted to her death.
Serena and Bob rushed to the ledge, watching her tumble. There was no way to save her. No chance for her to escape her fate. She splashed into the pool of molten rock and disappeared.
The lava and jets of fire boiled up around the place where her body had been for a long moment, before finally subsiding. When Serena looked up, Bob was back to his human form and John was on her other side.
“Koma Kulshan has taken her power into itself,” John said over the continuing rumble of the mountain. “She is no more.”
“Praise the Lady and Her Light,” Bob intoned, reaching out to grasp Serena’s hand. The connection between them was strong as they turned to face the ongoing battle.
Joe’s guys had been fighting with the six bobcat elders, keeping them from helping Lizzy, but when Serena turned around to look, three of the elders were out cold. One was dead and the other two were just standing there, dazed.
Serena grit her teeth as she realized it was the bobcat Alpha and her adoptive father, Jack, who were still standing. They looked a little worse for wear, having taken more than a few hard hits from the soldiers, but they were still conscious, if a bit confused.
Serena marched right up to Jack and slapped him across the face. When he didn’t respond, she subsided, but she had a few choice words to say to him. Dimly, she realized John had started chanting again and the volcano was beginning to simmer down behind them. But it didn’t really matter to her. Jack was her focus now and Bob was right behind her, there if she needed him.
“You were supposed to protect me,” she accused, pointing her finger at Jack’s chest. “You adopted me and then abused that sacred trust. You’re a worm, Jack, and if I never see you again, it’ll be too soon.”
Jack’s response was like nothing she could have predicted. He sank to his knees in front of her and hung his head.
“Forgive me.” His voice broke on the words. “I saw what was happening, but I was powerless to prevent it. I didn’t want her to adopt you, but she wouldn’t be denied. She always did as she pleased and for the past few years, she made me do whatever she wanted regardless of my wishes. I’ve been weak and you paid the price. I’m sorry, Serena.”
Stymied by the apology she had never expected, Serena didn’t know what to say. She felt Bob’s hands cup her shoulders and she just shook her head. She didn’t have words to speak to the man who had beat her up so many times. Could she forgive him? She honestly didn’t know. If she did, it would take time. A lot of time.
Serena turned to Bob and gave him a quick hug. “Let’s get out of here.”
Bob stroked her cheek and nodded, smiling briefly at her. He then looked up to find Lieutenant Joe standing right behind Jack.
“Let’s get the bobcats out of here. I’ll see if there’s anything I can do to help John, but I think the crisis is past now. Unless some other mage shows up out of the blue, we should be done here.”
The lieutenant nodded and helped Jack to his feet, treating him more gently now that the spell holding the bobcats had been broken by Lizzy’s death. Serena watched as Joe’s men took charge of the fallen bobcats and headed toward the passageway.
But before they could get there, an unexpected face appeared coming through the fissure. Jezza had arrived. He was supported by Chico on one side, but as soon as he entered the incredibly hot chamber, he was able to walk forward on his own.
As he walked closer, his injuries began to fade and he seemed to gain strength with each step.
“How is that happening?” Serena asked aloud.
“The volcano is healing him. I think its power is still linked to him somehow,” Bob answered. “I can see a line of energy flowing from the caldera straight into him.” Bob seemed stunned and they turned to watch Jezza’s progress as he moved toward John, on the rim of the sheer ledge.
If Jezza was going to turn bad, this would be the moment... But no. He simply stood at John’s side, breathing in the hot, slightly sulfurous air, gaining strength before their eyes.
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nbsp; Then he stretched out his hands over the edge of the pit and spoke words Serena couldn’t hear. She could see his lips moving, but only John was close enough to hear the words. Whatever it was Jezza said, it calmed the volcano. As they watched, the lava’s glow went from bright orange to red, and a thick, rocky crust started forming at the edges of the pit, working toward the center as the mountain cooled its temper.
Chapter Sixteen
Bob had seen the evil magic surrounding Lizzy, thanks to the amazing powers of Father Vincenzo’s gift. When all this was over, he’d have to take Serena to Italy and introduce her to him. He would also thank the man personally for the incredible gifts of protection and sight bestowed by the cross he’d given Bob. Without it, he shuddered to think what might have happened on this journey.
The cross allowed him to see the goodness of the Lady’s Light shining all around Jezza right now—and to a slightly lesser extent, the werewolf Alpha. Both men were more than capable of calming the mountain and putting things to rights with the power Lizzy had been calling up from the depths of the earth.
Jezza, in particular, seemed more than equal to the challenge, and Bob could still see the tendrils of energy linking him to the mountain. It was a sight to behold for a man who had never been able to see magic the way a few very gifted members of his Clan could.
He had never worn the cross at home, so he had missed out on all the things he might have otherwise picked up on during their encounters with marked Venifucus agents. But at least he had taken Father Vincenzo’s words to heart when he had gone on trips. Thank the Goddess, he had worn the cross on this particular trip. It had saved his life—and Serena’s—more than once.
But seeing magic and being able to use it were two very different things. He could do no more to help the men who dealt with the residual energies Lizzy and her lot had stirred up. No, Bob’s part in this task was done. Now he had to concentrate on the aftermath…and his mate.
He turned to Serena and pulled her into his arms for a moment, so thankful that she was whole and healthy. “I love you,” he whispered over the low roar of the mountain. It didn’t matter if she heard. He just needed to say it out loud.
She reached up and kissed his cheek, his jaw, anyplace she could reach. “I love you too,” she breathed against his lips as she joined them in a tender kiss against the backdrop of the smoldering caldera.
But they couldn’t stay there. It was unbearably hot, for one thing. Most other beings wouldn’t have been able to stand here this long, but shifters had special abilities to withstand things—both magical and mundane—that humans did not. Still, they were pushing the limits of what a shifter could take, even with the cross’s power helping to protect them.
When the kiss ended, Bob looked up to realize the soldiers and the bobcats were gone. They had already left through the fissure. It was time to follow them and leave the magic to the other guys.
Getting off the mountain took some time, but eventually they met up with the wolf soldiers on a road just below the old mine entrance. There was a cleared area there where the miners had parked vehicles and buildings had stood once upon a time. Now it was just a scrubby area free of trees for the most part. A good place to regroup.
Some of the soldiers had retrieved Bob’s SUV and their own vehicle, plus one they had liberated from the old farmhouse’s barn. They would need more seats to accommodate everyone.
Bob went straight to his truck and got bottles of chilled water out of the cooler, passing them around to anyone who wanted them. Serena followed his lead, unloading the compartments of junk food, sandwiches and munchies, passing them out among the soldiers, who shared with the bobcats.
Most of the bobcats were awake now and looking stunned. Bob noticed that Serena kept well clear of her former Clansmen and the soldiers were quite obviously running interference between her and the bobcats. The platoon was protective of her and their small acts of kindness earned Bob’s wholehearted gratitude. These guys were solid and he would fight at their side any day of the week.
After they had finished passing out the food and water, Bob took a break, sitting in the comfy front seat of his SUV. Serena was at his side, her head tipped back, eyes closed, as she breathed deeply, finally allowing herself to take a break. She sipped at her water bottle and they just sat for a moment, trying to process everything that had just happened.
Bob knew this idle time couldn’t last. He had a duty to inform his brothers what had happened, but for just one moment out of time, he was glad to be alive. He took that thought, savored it, and reached for Serena’s hand, loving the feel of her warm grip against his fingers.
“I think it’s time to call in,” he said finally, opening his eyes to check the time. Scratch that thought. It was way past time to call in.
Reaching toward the controls, he placed the call to Steve, allowing the call to route through the speakers and mic in the car. The soldiers would hear—and so might the bobcats—but there were no secrets in what Bob was going to report to his big brother.
Steve answered on the first ring and Bob could tell from the way he answered that he had been worried.
“We’re watching reports of a volcano going nuts,” Steve told him. Bob could only laugh tiredly.
“Yeah, that’s accurate. The Venifucus up here were trying to use the power of the volcano to weaken the veil between realms and bring back Elspeth. They failed. This time. But what I found even more interesting is that the sorceress mentioned Iceland specifically. She said a tiger had messed up their plans to use the volcano there and her leadership had given her the honor instead, only she wasn’t really ready.”
“Thank the Goddess for small favors,” Steve said on the other end of the line. “I’ve spoken a little more with the tiger king. According to him, his own personal magic is bound to the volcano where he has his stronghold. He seems to think we’re going to need something similar if we want to keep the Venifucus from trying again up there. We’ve been tossing around ideas about someone who might have that kind of magic, but it’s sort of a tall order with a very specific and obscure skill set.”
Bob smiled, though he knew his brother couldn’t see his expression. “I think we’ve already got a good candidate. Maybe two of them. Turns out one of the mages here was draining Jezza’s magic into the volcano. When I killed the mage, the magic went back to Jezza and from what I saw, the link is still active. He’s up there in the caldera right now, calming things down. And the mountain healed him right before our eyes. The wolf Alpha was at his side, also communing with the mountain. Seems he has native roots and some of the elders in his Pack knew the lore about how they used to communicate with the mountain. John was chanting almost from the moment he entered the caldera chamber and it definitely had a calming effect.”
“Well, hot damn,” Steve marveled.
“Hot being the operative word,” Serena added in an amused tone. Bob looked over at her and they shared a smile.
“Yeah, Steve, we’re going to stay here for a little bit, catch our breath and then we’ll be back on the road heading home. I’ll keep you posted, but it looks like the really bad stuff has been averted for the time being. John will have to sort things out with the bobcat Alpha, but I expect the wolves to be the dominant Pack in the Cascades from now on. The bobcats have some major work to do to make amends and set their Clan to rights. John’s a good man and a better Alpha. I think he’ll be even-handed with the cats, given half a chance. I’ll try to get the lay of the land on that before I leave, but as soon as we’re rested and refueled, we’re heading south.”
“Can’t be soon enough for us, brother. You’ve done some amazing work up there, but it’s time you came home. Lindsey has been planning a welcome home-slash-mating reception since she found out you’d claimed your mate. When you get back, there’s going to be a big party, but act surprised because according to Lindsey, I wasn’t supposed to tell you. However, my mate gave me explicit instructions to warn your mate so she’d have a chan
ce to prepare. According to my lovely Trisha, no woman likes to be caught unprepared when first meeting her mate’s family.”
“Tell Trisha I think I love her already,” Serena piped up from the passenger seat. “And thank you for the advance warning. I definitely owe you both.”
“No sweat little sister. Welcome to the family and thanks for what you did up there. I know it can’t have been easy, but you were both in the right place at the right time with the right skills and courage to save the world a whole hell of a lot of trouble. If nobody else says it, take it from me, you two did something really good up there tonight. Thank you.”
Bob held Serena’s gaze and saw that she was a bit choked up at Steve’s heartfelt words. He squeezed her hand and answered for them both.
“Just doing the right thing, Steve. That’s all.”
After a fully healed Jezza came off the mountain with John by his side, Bob finally took his sleepy mate somewhere private where they could rest. They’d all decided to use the old farmhouse once more, just for the night. It was big enough to house everyone and they would put the bobcats in the barn with a few guards, just to be safe.
It would take time to discover exactly how complicit the individual bobcats might’ve been in Lizzy’s activities. They were being given the benefit of the doubt—to a degree—but the wolves were going to be watching them carefully and questioning them at length before anything would be decided.
Bob was happy enough to leave all that to the wolf Alpha to sort out. It was his territory after all. Bob was just a visitor here.
When they arrived back at the house where the assault had been launched from only hours before, the wolf soldiers set up a watch schedule while Bob took Serena up to the bedroom they had used before. He wanted nothing more than to be alone with his mate.