by R. E. Butler
Aeryn licked the window and let out a loud purr.
The others joined him, and it turned out that Atlas was a winged horse shifter and adept at picking locks. He pulled tools from a tiny pouch on his belt and opened the padlock that held the chains closed in moments. Merrix jerked the chains away, relief flooding him. The doors fell open as Aeryn pushed on them with her paws, and she took Merrix to the ground with a happy purr, nuzzling his neck and licking his face.
“Are you okay?” Merrix asked, aware she couldn’t answer. He ran his hands down her fur and felt something warm and sticky. “She’s hurt!”
Cyrus turned on the flashlight on his phone and shone it over her. “Looks like a bullet wound. It’s not healing, so it must still be in there. Her body will force the bullet out, or we can take it out ourselves.”
Merrix wiggled out from under her and hugged her, avoiding her injured shoulder. “Are there people inside?”
She nodded. And then she took off into the building.
“Aeryn! Wait,” he shouted, stumbling to his feet and following her. The others rushed around them, armed to the teeth, ready to defend and kill.
There was no sign of anyone until they reached the auditorium. That’s where they found the bodies.
Eight.
Including Sean Finnegan.
There were two broken phones on the stage, one attached to a tripod that was tipped over. A broken chair and severed ropes were scattered on the floor.
Merrix sank to his knees and put his hands on her face. He stared into her beautiful blue eyes, overwhelmed at what she’d endured. “I’m so sorry you were taken, love. I’m sorry you had to kill to save yourself. But I’ll never be sorry that you had the ability to free yourself when I couldn’t get to you.”
Cyrus snorted and patted her head. “She took out the leader of the Cleveland branch of the church. She’s definitely not the damsel in distress in the fairy tale or the knight—she’s the dragon.”
His eyes were stinging, and if he could cry real tears, he knew he’d be balling right now. He squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in her soft, furry neck. “Just so you know, I’m going to be a thousand percent crazier about your safety.”
She put her paw on his back and let out a tiger-sounding chuckle from deep within her. And then she purred, and he knew that no matter what she’d been through, she’d be fine. She’d come out on the other side of this terror alive and safe, and that was all that mattered.
“Can you do something with these?” Cyrus asked as he picked up the tripod and wiggled the camera from the grips. He held the shattered phone to Temple.
“Probably. If I can’t, Rage or Vex can.” Temple picked up the other phone and looked at them.
Aeryn pulled out of Merrix’s grip and padded to the side of the stage. “I think she needs to shift,” Cyrus said.
“Maybe there are some clothes back there,” Merrix said. “Or she can have my shirt.”
He followed and found her down a set of stairs and nosing around some old boxes. “Hey, baby. Anything good back here?”
She let out a yowl and pushed a box. He opened the flap and waved his hand to dispel the dust cloud. Inside were T-shirts. He pulled out one and unfolded it. It read “Masuro Spring Fling 2015”. He dug around in the box until he found one that would be long enough to cover Aeryn’s bits.
Hearing something metal plink on the ground, he turned and saw the bullet from Aeryn’s shoulder rolling away. She’d dug it out with her claw. Blood flowed freely from the wound, and he moved to put pressure on it when she shifted into her beautiful human self. She sat back hard on her butt, and he dropped the shirt and fell to his knees to hug her.
“Baby! How’s your arm?”
“Hey.” She looked at the healing wound in her arm. “Good, but painful. The bullet was working out of my skin, and it hurt like a bitch.”
“I’m glad you were able to get it out. I didn’t want to go digging around in your arm.”
“I didn’t want that either, so thanks.”
He kissed her and hugged her a second time. He didn’t think he’d ever let her go.
“I’m so glad you’re safe. Besides the bullet wound, are you hurt anywhere else?”
She blinked rapidly, and then tears spilled over her cheeks. “I k-killed.”
He sat back against the wall and pulled her into his embrace, so she was leaning fully on him while she wept. He let her cry until her hard sobs eased, and her body stopped trembling. Stroking her hair, he wished he could take away everything she’d endured, but he couldn’t, so he’d help her face this.
“I’m not going to try to sugarcoat what you did, love,” he said, rubbing his cheek on the top of her head. “You killed eight males. I don’t have to tell you that they were going to kill you—it’s clear they had plans in that respect since they had a phone on a tripod and there was a chair on that stage. You did what you needed to do to save yourself. You didn’t need rescuing, baby. You rescued yourself. They didn’t give you any other choice than destruction. They were evil, one hundred percent. And now you’re safe, our baby is safe, and I’m safe, and it’s because you did what needed to be done when your back was against the wall.”
“I feel guilty,” she said.
“For what?” He tilted her face and brushed the tears from her cheeks.
“Because I don’t feel more guilty.”
“Aw, love,” he said, resting his forehead against hers. “It’s okay to feel however you feel. You might be fine one minute and crying the next. Our brains can be fucked-up sometimes. But I’m here for you for whatever you’re feeling and however long it takes for you to get through this. You shouldn’t feel bad for freeing yourself. If I could raise them from the dead and kill them again myself, I totally would.”
She gave him a watery smile. “I just wanted to keep us alive—all three of us. But once my tigress came out, I couldn’t stop hunting them. It was like I could see into their minds. I knew they wouldn’t stop trying to take the coven down by any means necessary. I just kept thinking, what if they took a human mate? What if they took someone who didn’t have a beast at their beck and call to help free themselves? It would have been horrifying.”
He nodded. “You’ve got some survivor's guilt, and that’s okay. When I was in the military, I dealt with that too. It’s what happens when you’re in the middle of violence. The important thing is to talk it out, whatever you’re feeling.”
“I will.”
He kissed her once more, and she purred softly. She untangled herself from his arms, and they stood. He found the shirt he’d dropped and helped her put it on. It was boxy and long enough to come to the middle of her thighs. “Ready?” he asked, taking her hand.
She squeezed it. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Coming for me.”
“Of course, love,” he said. “Wild dogs couldn’t keep me from getting to you.”
She smiled and used her other hand to wipe at the remaining wetness on her cheeks. “I don’t want to see the bodies again.”
“Of course. Maybe there’s a back way out of here.”
He left her and walked onto the stage. “She doesn’t want to walk through here again,” he said to Cyrus.
“Oh yeah. Where’s the fire exit? We can disable the alarm.”
“Over there,” Rage said, pointing to stairs that led down to the other side of the stage.
Merrix walked back to Aeryn and said, “I’ll carry you; just keep your eyes closed.”
She nodded, and he lifted her into his arms and carried her swiftly across the stage and down the steps, where Cyrus and Temple were unhooking the wires to the red glowing exit sign.
“We’re nearly finished here,” Cyrus said as he pushed open the door.
Just outside, a passing Ash and Axe stopped in their tracks. “We’ve been walking the perimeter, all clear,” one of them said.
“Thanks,” Cyrus said. “We’re just collecting their cell
phones and IDs. We’ll call the police once we’re on the way back and send in an anonymous tip.”
“Elizabeth and the others are at the front of the building,” the other said. “Atlas and Cassara did a sweep inside to look for stragglers, but it’s all clear.”
“Good.” Cyrus clapped Merrix on the shoulder. “Go settle in one of the SUVs. We’ll be along shortly.”
He carried Aeryn outside and followed Axe and Ash around to the front of the building. Atlas opened the door of one of the coven’s SUVs, and Merrix set Aeryn in the second row's center.
“How is she doing?” Cassara walked up to them, her face carved in concern.
“She’s safe. That’s what matters,” Merrix said.
“Of course.”
Kelly and Bellamin joined them, Aram stalking next to her, his wings up, and his nostrils flaring. “He’s in defense mode right now,” Kelly said, petting his head. “He won’t settle down until we’re home.”
“I get that feeling,” Merrix said. He looked at Aeryn, who had pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, resting her head on them as she stared out the other window. Turning back to the others, he thanked them individually, starting with Cassara. “I don’t know how you can do what you do, but I’m in awe of your talents and so damn thankful you were here.”
“It’s my pleasure,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you both. I just wish the circumstances were different.”
“Me too.”
Merrix continued to thank the others until the vampires had all left the building and everyone was accounted for. They said goodbye to the bears and their friends, and then the vampires dispersed into the SUVs and headed for the club.
Cyrus was driving, and Temple was in the seat next to him.
“You’re sure everyone is okay? No one is hurt?” Aeryn asked Merrix.
He hugged her a little tighter.
“Yes, baby. Vampires are super hard to kill, remember?”
“We’re good,” Temple said. “The minor bumps and bruises are healed already. A few had some more serious cuts and injuries, but nothing life-threatening. The coven’s SUVs are stocked with SyBl so we could help along the healing process. The ones who need it can drink real blood when we get home. But keep in mind that any of us would endure whatever’s necessary to help save a mate, trust me.”
She nodded. “Thanks.”
Temple met Merrix’s gaze and then nodded, and Merrix smiled. The coven kicked ass. He was so glad they’d been able to mobilize so fast and that they had friends like Cassara and Atlas, who helped them get to Aeryn. He didn’t want to think about how long she might’ve been alone if they hadn’t been able to get to her as quickly as they did.
Before long, the hum of the vehicle soothed Aeryn to sleep, and she went limp against him. He held her tightly and thanked his lucky stars that she was safe and with him. He sure as hell wasn’t ever going to let her go again.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jason screamed, his grief filling him, making him feel like he was drowning. He couldn’t believe that Sean was dead. The plan was foolproof. How had they not known the woman was a shifter?
And then he knew. The information given to them by the wizard was faulty. He was a supernatural person, and he should’ve known she wasn’t human.
Jason barked for Pamela, who scurried into the room, eyes red from crying.
“Where did you find the wizard?”
“Lahn?” she asked, sniffling and blowing her nose.
“Yes,” he said irritably.
She inhaled shakily and said, “One of our hackers found him on the dark web. He advertised himself as being for hire for anything, no questions asked. Why?”
“Because he’s the reason Sean is dead, and I want him held accountable.”
Pamela’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’m going to kill him.”
“Jason,” she said, rubbing her temple, “don’t you think there’s been enough death? You haven’t even mourned Sean properly. He’s only been gone a couple of hours. Don’t do anything rash, please.”
Jason stared at the screen with the last image of his brother before the night went to hell. He was smiling, excited for what was to come. It was supposed to be a glorious night and a boon to their cause. Instead, he had to deal with the aftermath of losing his brother and seven good church members.
If the wizard had done his job, then Sean would be alive, and the bitch tiger would be dead.
So now the wizard was going to suffer. He and his sister.
“Get the hacker to put a contract out on Lahn on the dark web. I want him dead, and I’ll pay six figures for it.”
Pamela cleared her throat and didn’t meet his gaze. “What?” he barked.
“Barry, our hacker, was one of the ones killed tonight.”
“Damn it!” Jason rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. “His brother or his cousin was also a hacker. I think they lived in the same house. Find out, and if I’m not right, then hire someone else from the dark web to put a contract out on the wizard and his sister.”
Pamela looked like she might argue, but Jason gave her a stern look until she ducked her head and backed out of the room.
The wizard would be sorry that he’d fucked up. Jason would make sure that whoever killed him and his sister told them why they were going to die—for Sean.
This wouldn’t stop Jason though. He was more resolved than ever to put an end to the vampires. First, he’d been fighting for his parents, and then his sister. Now that his brother, the last member of his family, was dead too? Well, the vampires would die painful, horrible deaths, and Jason would revel in every single one until they were gone from the face of the earth.
For his parents.
For Olivia.
For Sean.
For the entire human race.
* * *
Aeryn slept until midnight the following night. She woke in bed in their apartment but had no memory of anything after falling asleep next to Merrix in the SUV. She blinked to clear the sleep from her eyes and rolled to her side. Merrix was propped up against pillows and looking at a tablet. He smiled at her and set it aside.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Hi.” She crawled up and kissed him, and then snuggled against his side. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“I’ll bet,” he said with a chuckle. “How are you feeling? Does your shoulder still hurt? Are you hungry?”
She smiled at him. “Good. No. And yes.”
“I put some steaks in the fridge to thaw when we got home. I’ll cook them up for you.”
“You’re going to cook for me?” she asked.
“You bet. Steaks are just about the only thing I can cook though.”
“I promise to be thoroughly impressed.”
He laughed and got out of bed. He was wearing jeans and nothing else, and she had the urge to kiss his abs. And more.
“I know that look, woman. Food first.”
“You’re so bossy.”
“You know it.” He winked and strode from the room, and she heard him in the newly renovated kitchen. Deciding to take a shower, she climbed from the bed and stretched, then grabbed a few clothes and headed into the bathroom.
Turning on the light, she winced at the brightness, then looked at herself in the mirror. Twisting to the side, she looked at her shoulder and saw the wound was entirely healed. She tested her ankle, and it felt fine too. She blew out a relieved breath, thankful for her quick healing.
She showered and washed her hair with her favorite products, feeling more like herself when she was clean. After drying her hair, she dressed in denim shorts and a cold-shoulder top and tucked her hair into a messy bun.
When she walked into the kitchen, her tigress purred at the scent of cooking meat.
“I did rare,” he said as he set two steaks on a plate. “I didn’t think you’d want them too cooked.”
“They look perfect, thanks.”
She sat at the table.
“No problem. Sweet tea or lemonade.”
“Sweet tea.”
He filled a glass with ice and tea and then sat across from her with a bottle of SyBl. She cut into the steak and took a bite, groaning at how good it tasted.
“Damn, you were starving, huh?” he asked.
“Definitely. So, I want to do something.”
“Name it.”
“I want to see Grace.”
He looked alarmed. “What? Why? Are you hurt?”
She patted his hand and said, “Calm down, Mer. I’m fine, I promise. I just...I went through a trauma yesterday, and I want to make sure the baby’s fine.”
“I’m sure he or she is because they’re tough like their mom, but I get it. I think it’s a good idea. I’ll call and set something up. I think they’re still working on the office, but she might have enough space for that at the club.” He got up and set her phone in front of her. “I turned it off so you wouldn’t be disturbed.”
“Thanks.”
He left the room with his phone. Aeryn picked up her phone and looked at her messages, finding that her parents had called twice while she’d slept. She listened to the one message her mother had left.
“Hi, honey. Cyrus called to tell us that you were kidnapped and then again that you were okay and safe. We were so frantic when you were taken, and we didn’t know if we’d ever get to see you again. I couldn’t bear for the last things we ever said to each other to be in anger. Dad and I are sorry. We’re so, so sorry for everything. I promise that we understand you’ve found your mate and that he’s a vampire, and I swear we don’t hate him or your mating. What we hate is the distance between us, which we totally caused. We hope you’ll call us when you’re able to so we can talk. Call us any time, day or night. Love you, honey.”
Aeryn blinked at the tears and listened to the message once more. Her parents were apologizing! Well, if anything good could’ve come from her abduction, a repair in the relationship with her parents was a pretty decent side effect.
She had a few other messages—one from Gavin saying he was glad she was okay, one from Cyrus making sure she knew he thought she was a rock star for setting herself free, and one from Mishka requesting her and Merrix come for an informal meeting once they were available.