by Milly Taiden
Caleb shouted on the other side of the room. “Julian, did anyone check the back rooms to see if others are tied up?”
Penelope slashed her claws through a large male vamp, slicing him into four sections. She called out, “Julian, Zane and I have these. Check the back.” Julian took off with Caleb right behind.
Emma fought in Mason’s arms. “We need to help—” Her words were choked from smoke filling her throat. Mason was already on his way out. “No, baby. There’s nothing we can do. We can’t even get to that side of the room.”
Emma knew he was right, but she wasn’t the type of person to stand by and wait while other lives were in danger. Ellie came through the doorway, frantic. “Where is Caleb?”
Emma nodded toward the far door. “He went with Julian to see if anyone was in the back.” Before Mason or Emma realized Ellie’s intentions, Ellie was jumping charred bodies, headed for the side door. “Ellie!”
Mason put Emma down to go after his sister, but a hand grabbed his shirt. “Stay here with the women, Mason. That’s an order.” Tristan blew past them faster than Mason had ever seen his dad run. Even when his dad chased him after wrapping Nate’s bed in duct tape, with Nate sleeping in it.
THIRTEEN
Trevan slapped out the small patch of fire on his shirt sleeve. Fire meant nothing when it came to saving his mate. He froze in place. Was the gorgeous firecracker vamp his mate? His mind said no, she couldn’t be. Not with what vamps did to his loved ones. But his heart said she was not part of those demons. She didn’t even drink human blood.
Movement on his periphery snapped his head around. The dickhead with the expensive suit straddled Aria’s stomach, his hands tangled in her hair, bashing her head against the concrete. Aria had her fingers around his throat, thumb digging in to crush his trachea.
Trevan plowed into the man, ripping him away from Aria. No matter how torn he was about wanting her, he wasn’t going to let anyone hurt her. His wolf pushed to the surface. He slammed the vamp against the wall. The foundation shook and burning material fell too close to Aria for his comfort. “Aria, get out. This place is about to collapse.” She got to her knees, shaking her head as if to clear it.
Trevan punched the dickhead in the face. He knew a single wolf was no match for a vampire, especially one as old as this asshole. Trevan hauled back for another punch when he found himself flying stage right. He landed on his backside and slid to a metal door.
Working their way toward him, Aria and the prick were in the most amazing martial arts fight he’d ever seen. He didn’t know anything about karate or the other fighting styles, he didn’t know the names of the hits and kicks, but he did know sheer power and the body’s ability to do astonishing things.
The two before him punched and sparred and kicked in a beautiful dance from hell’s ballroom. Aria blocked hands and legs in a blur of motion. Dickhead sported a grin that waned as the fight went on. Obviously, Dickie wasn’t aware how well his gorgeous vamp fought. Reminder to self: don’t piss off his beautiful vamp.
Aria drove her foot into Dick’s stomach, sending him farther onto the stage. “And in case you’re wondering, the wedding is off, asshole.”
Trevan pulled to his feet, reaching for her arm. “Aria, let’s get out of here. This place is crashing.” To emphasize his statement, overhead ropes suspending backdrops burned through, sending lighting equipment and metal supports smashing into the wooden floor.
Metal shrapnel hotter than a cast-iron skillet over a fire pierced Dickie’s arms and torso. He screamed and took off running into the inferno beyond the stage. The smell of burning flesh quickly competed with smoke in his nose. He was ready to vomit, which wouldn’t be good.
He had a bag of popcorn before leaving for the club. The last time he threw up the little white puffs after drinking too much, it came out a pulpy mess made of a million pieces of the hull. Unfortunately, those tiny parts found their way into his nasal cavity. He was blowing them out for a fucking week.
“I’m not leaving. I have to finish him. He’ll just go elsewhere and prey on humans.” The stage-front metal light bar support groaned.
“Aria,” he had to talk sense into her, “we have the building surrounded. There is no way he’ll get out without us seeing him. He has nowhere to run. And if we don’t leave now, neither will we!”
She squeezed her fists and blew out her frustration. Trevan was impressed with her lung capacity. He needed to get her to focus on blowing something else. Shit. Damn hard-ons.
She passed him on the way to the stage door. “I’ll pretend that smell you’re emanating has nothing to do with me kicking a man’s ass.” She shoved her shoulder against the door leading outside, ripping it off the heavy-duty hinges.
His mouth dropped open. Fucking hell was that hot. She looked over her shoulder with a smirk. “And that smell, too.”
Barbara’s instinct told her something was really wrong. Even her wolf paced under the skin. The club’s parking lot was packed with vamps and wolves waiting for the final outcome of the fight. Barbara saw Trevan and Aria come from the side of the building. Maybe Tristan, Caleb, and Ellie would come out there, too. She hurried that way then paced at a distance where the fire wasn’t too hot.
Her heart pounded. She could barely breathe. Where were they? Anger stole her fear. Damn Ellie for going after Caleb and damn Tristan for going after Ellie. What the hell were they thinking? Not about those they left behind, obviously. She laid her palm on her forehead and the other on her hip. What would she do if they were both dead?
That thought stung hard. She bent forward and gasped air into her lungs.
“Mom?” Aric and the others hurried to her. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He gently took her shoulders and helped her straighten.
“I’m fine. Just letting my imagination—” She slapped a hand over her mouth and leaned against her oldest son. When her shoulders shook, he wrapped her in his arms.
“It’s okay, Mom. I’m sure Dad and Ellie and Caleb are safe. They’re with Julian. He won’t let them get hurt.”
Her head rolled side to side, but she didn’t lift from his shoulder. “You don’t know that. What if he left them to save his own skin?” Aric sighed and held her tighter. There was nothing else he could say, not when she was thinking the worst.
Barbara pulled away and sniffled. “He is such a great mate and father to you kids. I’m so glad I married him. I almost made a huge mistake.”
Jordan turned to her. “What do you mean? Were you not going to marry him?”
“When I met your father, I was engaged to someone else.” The sons gasped at the exact same time, a three-part harmony. It struck Barbara as hilarious that her boys seemed so clueless to anything that happened before they were born. They knew so little about the man their father was before they mated. How noble and brave and strong he was. The extent he went to in order to woo her.
After tonight, that would change. No matter the outcome. Growing up, the kids weren’t able to spend much time with Tristan’s parents because they were so far away. Plus, with Tristan and his father being alphas, it was difficult for them to take much time away from the packs.
“Mom, we didn’t know that. Who—”
“Aric,” Aria’s voice interrupted them. She hurried over to the gathered family. “I can’t thank you enough. I’m glad we didn’t need your wolves to fight, but you never know.” She put her hand out to shake with the son of the alpha.
“You’re a good person, Aria. We’ll always be here when you need help. Hope we can count on you, too.”
“Absolutely, wolf.” Aria was about to leave, but Barbara stopped her.
“Aria, have you heard from Julian or anyone with him? They went to look for prisoners and haven’t come out yet.” Behind her, the building gave a heaving groan, as if giving its last breath to the sky, then collapsed.
Barbara spun around, speechless, hands covering her gaping mouth as she stared at the pile of burning debris. So many emoti
ons went through her, she felt lightheaded. Aria stepped in front of her.
“Barbara, listen to me.” Aria took her shoulders in the same manner Aric had. “If they were looking for prisoners, they were probably at the holding cells in the basement.” Barbara wanted to ask why that mattered, but somewhere between her brain and mouth was a disconnect.
“In the basement is a tunnel built for escaping if the need ever arose. They’ll be okay if Julian remembers it.”
She wanted to scream if he remembers it. The life or death of her beloved family members depended on the memory of a three thousand year—
“Dad?” Nate’s voice registered in her head. “Dad! Over here!” The crowd rushed toward the small group coming out of the woods. Julian and Caleb each held a young female human. Barbara outran everyone to reach them first. She threw an arm around her husband and one around her only daughter.
FOURTEEN
Karla moved about in the kitchen tossing breakfast together for Nate before he left to meet up with Caleb and his brothers. She was exhausted from waiting up last night for him to get back from the raid at Embraced.
She turned to the three adorable munchkins lying in their little bouncy chairs, side by side. They smiled at her, toothless, slobbering, and flailing tiny arms and legs.
Her husband strolled into the kitchen. “Here’s my Three Musketeers.” He tickled their tummies and made funny noises, creating gurgles from the three.
She noted he wore old jeans that fit him perfectly in the right places and a T-shirt that hugged his wide shoulders. Nate continued to coo and talk in high-pitched baby speak. “Do you smell Mama? I do. She wants to play hide the Butterfinger with Daddy. Coincidentally, that’s how you three came about.”
Karla swatted his behind sticking up in the air as he bent over the children. “That’s not all Mama wants to play.”
Nate put his arms around her. “Hey, no talking like that in front of the children.” His smile lowered to hers and became a proper good-morning kiss. Toast popped up in the four slot machine on the counter and she pulled away. He pulled her back and rubbed his erection across her lower stomach.
She grinned. “If Papa wants his toast buttered then he better help Mama, or he’ll be eating baby food.”
His eyes flashed gold. “Yeah, baby. You bet I want my toast buttered. I’ve got something to spread it with right here.” The babies squealed in their chairs. Nate turned to them and she sought out the toast. “Michael’s really growing, isn’t he? He seems huge compared to Madison.”
“Well, Madison is a bit underweight still. But the doctor isn’t worried. She said she’ll catch up quickly.” She put the toast on a plate then peeled off the butter bowl lid.
“Did the doctor say anything else?”
“Nope, they are perfectly healthy.” She paused, debating whether to ask a silly question. This was when she really needed Barbara around. “Hon, when do wolf babies become cognizant of the world around them?”
“What do you mean?” He flipped the eggs in the skillet.
“I mean…I don’t know what I mean. Maybe I’m just overly worried about screwing the whole thing up.”
He set the spatula on the counter then wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed the crown of her head. “Sweetheart, you’re doing an amazing job. Especially since I’m not here to help much right now. The babies are healthy and happy. Everything else we can figure out along the way.” He turned her in his arms to see her face. “Tell me what’s bugging you. What do you think you don’t know?”
She glanced at the babies staring at her. “It’s their eyes. They track me wherever I go. It’s like one of those photos were the person’s eyes seem to follow you no matter where in the room you are. I feel like they ‘know.’ I expect poetry to spout from them or in Matthew’s case, I can see him reciting Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. It’s a little spooky.” She glanced over again to see each child’s focus elsewhere—opposite of what she just said.
Nate gave her a squeeze then proceeded to put the eggs on his plate with the toast. “So our children are way smarter than most babies. I call that a reason to celebrate, not worry.”
Karla sat next to him at the kitchen table. “I supposed you’re right. Still, I’m immensely happy your mom is willing to help with me all the wolfy questions. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
“You’d do great, my love.”
Karla wandered into her own thoughts as Jake finished his breakfast. He stood, kissed her forehead, and carried his plate to the sink. “I need to get going if I’m to meet everyone on time.”
“When do you think you’ll be back?”
“Not sure. I’m guessing we’ll check out the club to see it in daylight. Since we’ll be with Aria, we might talk strategies or who knows.” He pulled her to him and backed her to the fridge where he pressed all of himself along her and took her lips in the perfect goodbye kiss. Damn, she loved it when he did this. But she could kick his ass for leaving her hot and heavy.
A gurgling squeal came from the direction of the kids.
With Nate on his way, she turned her focus to the children. Each were sitting quietly, staring at her. “Okay, you guys. You’ve been fed and seem pretty content. Do you want to play or take a nap?” She yawned. “Well, you know what Mama wants.”
All three yawned, like she had. That was too weird. “Good grief, Karla. Get a grip. They were only mimicking you. That’s what babies do.” She scooped up Matthew and headed to the nursery. “Let’s check your diaper then we can all relax.”
After settling Michael and Madison, Karla plopped on the couch and laid her head back. Working as a teacher, Karla was used to getting up early, but now she felt exhausted by nine a.m.
Knocking on her front door woke her. She must’ve fallen asleep. Sliding the chain lock into place, she opened the door to see an unfamiliar middle-aged guy. “Can I help you.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Wolfe. Sorry to bother you. I’m Raymond Sheer. My wife and kids live on the other side of town. We haven’t officially met yet so you probably don’t recognize my face, but we did see you at Aric and Jordan’s wedding.”
He was correct. She didn’t remember seeing him but in reality, she saw so many new faces at the wedding, she wouldn’t remember him if she did. “Ah, well, good morning to you to. What can I do for you?”
His brows pulled down and he frowned. “Oh, Nate didn’t tell you?”
An instant replay of this morning in the kitchen ran through her mind. She didn’t recall anything. “Whatever he was supposed to tell me, he must’ve forgotten.”
“Not a problem. I do security work and he asked me to come over and keep an eye on your house while he was gone today. With the rogues runnin’ around, I guess he’d feel better if a set of eyes and a nose were outside.”
Her body relaxed. She hadn’t realized how keyed up she was from everything going on. The fight at the vamp club last night must’ve unnerved her more than she gathered.
Raymond pointed his thumb over his shoulder at an old red pickup across the way. “I’ll either be in my truck or out and about, sniffin’ for unfamiliar smells. Let me know if you need anything.” He turned toward his truck then stopped and pivoted back. “I hate to ask this of you, Mrs. Wolfe, but do you have a bottle of water I can borrow? I forgot to pack mine from home.”
Karla smiled. “Of course. And please, call me Karla. Mrs. Wolfe is reserved for Nate’s mom.” She laughed. “And even she prefers her name. Be right back.” She closed the door then hurried to the kitchen and back. She reopened the door with the chain attached, then realized the gap was too narrow for the bottle to slip through. “Oops. Hold on a second. I need to take the chain off.”
She closed the door, removed the chain, and before she had the knob in her hand, the door flew open, pushing her back along with a massive body barreling toward her. She screamed, but the man had his hands on her and a cloth over her mouth and nose in seconds. Her brain told her not to b
reathe in. Whatever was on the cloth would make her pass out.
But as she struggled, her lungs said something else. She heard a snap, like a bone popping, and an agonizing jab shot through her body. She sucked in a deep gasp as another pop came with more pain. If she didn’t pass out from the cloth, the pain running through her body would manage it.
The lights around her started to fade. Her vision tunneled to black and she felt herself fall.
FIFTEEN
Raymond laid her on the sofa. He began to worry if the chemical on the cloth would take effect before the woman shifted fully. After hearing two pops, he wasn’t so sure, but it turned out all right. Now for the babies.
He laid the third rugrat on the floor of the apartment across town, then pulled his phone from his pocket. “Hey, boss man. Everything went smooth as ice.”
“You have the children with you now?”
“Yep, all three are lying here.”
“Can you handle them for a while? Tonya’s mom is sick and she had to go out of town.”
Raymond’s eyes rounded as big as dinner plates. “Sure, boss man. I-I got it.”
“Good. You know we can’t have nothing happening to those babies. They’re insurance. You know what I mean?”
He didn’t. “Yeah, boss. I know, I know.”
“See that you do. Now, Tonya dropped off a list of things. Like, what to do when the babies cry. What to feed them. She bought diapers, too.”
Diapers! Maybe he couldn’t handle this. He heard a girlfriend once talk about how disgusting baby shit was. He thought he was going to throw up.
“Raymond, you there?”
“Y-yeah, boss. Me and the babies were just playing. Coochy, coochy, coo and all that.” Or was it goochy, goochy, goo. No, his girlfriend wore Gucci, but her coochie was drool worthy.