by M. L. Briers
“Sorry. Instinct. What’s happened to her?” He still held a growl within his tone, but Ashley could live with that one without harming him.
“You found her like this?” Ashley asked, rubbing her hands together.
“No, when I found her she was on her knees. She’d screamed out in pain, dropped to her knees. She was staring, but not seeing at something, and she couldn’t breathe.” The helplessness flared within him again as he stared down at his mate.
“Sound like she had one of her visions.” Ashley closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. Drawing on the magic buried deep within her she held her palms out over Silver’s chest and pushed with her mind, reaching for Silver’s aura to test it for weakness or illness, spells or Hex’s. Something pushed back against her, Silver’s magic was strong within her, and Ashley grimaced against the force of it trying to keep her out. The sharp sting, like an electric shock bounced across Ashley’s aura and she cursed. Drawing deeper within herself and pushing further, as she felt the snap of Silver’s magic as it expanded to let her in.
Ashley tested her friend’s shields, they were within her mind, keeping her out. That wasn’t right, Ashley knew that Silver had pulled them deep inside her for a reason. She called to her, once, twice and then…
Silver gasped a harsh breath in as she sat bolt upright on the sofa, her eyes flashing open as Ashley was propelled backwards, caught by her mate before she hit the floor, still winded, but unharmed.
“What the hell just happened?” Vaughn growled out towards Silver as his mate steadied herself.
“Her shields bounced me out with a vengeance. It wasn’t her fault.” Ashley didn’t want any misunderstandings. If Vaughn believed that Silver had deliberately hurt her he might start something, and then the alpha would protect Silver from a perceived threat and all hell could break loose.
“Silver?” Ben reached for her hand as it flew to her neck, and she turned her eyes towards him, shock and confusion on her face.
“What happened?” Silver gasped and he shook his head.
“That’s what I want to know.” He growled back and she shook her head.
“Why did you call me back from the vision? I was close to seeing him.” She ran her hands through her hair and pulled her legs up to her stomach. One more second, two, and she would have known who he was, she told herself, angry and frustrated that she was no closer to knowing him.
“Who? What happened, Silver? You’re not making any sense. What did you see?” Ashley demanded, walking across the room to where she was sitting.
“Something drew me to the woods. The hill. When I got there I felt anger, frustration, and dark power. I saw his back, he had another up against the tree…” Silver’s hand went to her neck, she could still feel the constriction there and she shivered against the feeling. “He was asking about a mate, if they had mated yet…” She stopped and turned towards Ashley, a small shake of her head. “Then he told him to kill her.”
“Who?” Ashley gasped and Silver shook her head.
“Who was he?” Ben asked and Silver turned her eyes towards him.
“You pulled me back before he turned, before I could see him…”
“You couldn’t breathe, Silver. You were dying.” Ben told her and she shook it off, shook her head.
“You shouldn’t have brought me out of it. I could have at least seen them, one or both…” Silver felt the frustration rise within her, she hit out at the cushion and felt his arms around her, pulling her towards him and she tried to push away, but he wouldn’t let her.
“Or you could have died. I wasn’t about to take any chances.” He growled, pulling her against his chest and soothing her with his hands down her back.
“Ben’s right, Silver. You know there are risks to what you can do. He did the right thing.” Ashley’s eyes flicked to Ben’s as he looked up at her.
“He said mate. That’s got to be one of us…” Silver spat out as Kirk shouted from the front door.
“Ben!”
“Come in Kirk.” Ben shouted back and found the vampire in the room with them the very next second. His eyes taking in Silver in Ben’s arms.
“Emily’s missing I can’t find her.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Silver’s turned her head to look at Ashley as she pushed away from Ben. He let her go and she scrambled to her feet.
“It’s Emily.” Silver barely held onto her emotions as they spun out of control. She felt as if the room were spinning around her, and reached out as her legs went weak beneath her. Kirk reached for her, collecting her to him and turning her towards the chair, ignoring Ben’s growl, as he eased her down. Kneeling on the floor in front of her as Ben came to her side.
“What’s Emily sweetheart?” Kirk asked, desperation tearing inside him as he tried to probe her mind.
“They’re going to kill a mate, Emily is missing. It has to be…” Silver shook her head trying to deny what was happening.
“Silver. I need you to drop your shields for me. I need you to allow me into your mind, for Emily.” Kirk heard Ben’s growl and ignored him again. But Silver reached for Ben’s hand to assure him.
“It’s ok.” She told him before turning back to Kirk. “Do it.” Closing her eyes and dispersing her shields, she felt the cold touch of the vampire deep within her mind and shuddered as he wandered through her thoughts, until he found what he was looking for. Replaying what she had seen in the clearing above the gathering. And as he slipped back out of her mind, she shuddered with the loss of contact.
Kirk got to his feet, the dark rage just barely contained within him.
“It’s Emily…”
“How can you be sure? Silver said…” Vaughn started, but Kirk shook his head.
“That was a vampire on that hill. A very old one, because I could feel his power. There could be only one reason they would want to kill my mate, because her Fae blood would make me stronger and more powerful than any other vampire alive, my age and power would ensure it. There are two here that would fear that happening…” Kirk was gone before Ben could say a word. Turning towards his beta he took one long moment to consider his options.
“Protect the mate’s just in case. Get two others from the pack to help you. If this goes badly, Kirk will start a war on pack land and I want all of our females and pups safe. When that’s done get the rest of the pack to gather in the woods and be ready for war.” Ben looked down at his mate before he took off after Kirk.
Kirk found Tailor holding court for some of the younger vampire over on the south side of the gathering. He stopped short and pushed his way through the small crowd, until he was in front of the dark glare of his kin. Tailor looked at him for a long moment without saying a word, as if eyeing him up before they did battle.
“Cousin.” Tailor said the title with neither respect nor fondness. They had been here over twenty four hours and had walked around each other, rather than acknowledge each other’s existence.
“We need to talk.” Kirk stated. It wasn’t a request, and a rumble went through the small gathering of vampires as Tailor raised a brow at Kirk’s attitude. “Leave!” Kirk’s eyes flashed red as he turned his gaze on every other vampire present. A slow dispersal away from him started, as Ben walked towards them.
“Alpha.” Tailor acknowledged his voice more reverent towards the Lycan than for his own kin.
“Tailor.” Ben acknowledged him as he stood off to the side, arms folded across his chest as he nodded towards Kirk.
“Tell me cousin. What is so important?” Tailor asked planting his feet and drawing himself to his full height, his body tensed, ready for battle if it was to come.
“A Fae is missing…”Kirk started and Tailor snorted.
“Why come to me?” He shot back, annoyed already that this was what he was being bothered with.
“She’s my mate.” Kirk saw his cousins eyes narrow. His arm twitched at his chest and his right shoulder lifted in surprise. But Tailor was old enough to know all of
the tricks, and he could have faked every one of those actions. Kirk needed to make sure.
“And you accuse me…?” Tailor swayed slightly as if he were going to move forward in a challenge, in anger, but decided against it. “After what happened to my mate.” He spat out.
“That is why we are talking now, and I’m not staking you through the heart. I needed to make sure.” Kirk faced him. Toe to toe. “Swear to me…”
“I swear it.” Tailor didn’t hesitate and Kirk nodded, starting to turn away. “What do you need?” Tailor had never surprised Kirk before. Not in over a thousand years, but he surprised the hell out of him then.
“Jessop.” Kirk turned back towards Tailor and the light of understanding flicked in his dark gaze, a nod of his head as he rolled his lips in a snarl.
“He’s here, selling his particular brand of sick to the younger generation. He has a youngin with him. Sired not twenty years ago.”
“I know him. Passed him on my way to you…” Ben offered motioning towards the far side of the gathering.
“The car park!” Kirk took off with Tailor not far behind and Ben picking up the rear. In human form the Lycan was neither as fast, nor as strong as the vampire’s, but he daren’t not shift in the midst of the crowd for fear that it would be misinterpreted among all sides.
Jessop heard them coming. Three on foot, one a Lycan, and he knew he wouldn’t be fast enough to escape them by car. It would take too long to get in and start the engine. They were fast. Too fast. He knew instinctively who the two vampires were and started away on foot, but he had the disadvantage of starting from a standing run, while they were already at top speed.
He felt the tackle from behind as the ground spun out beneath his feet and found that he was flying through the air. The steel hands that gripped his chest and the claws that dug deep against the bone of his ribcage, made spinning away from the dive impossible, and he landed hard, his face chewed up by the gravel as they travelled onwards under the force of the momentum.
Kirk wasn’t about to take any chances in losing him. He felt the vampire try to twist and turn in mid air and locked on hard, burying his claws further into his flesh, until they tested the bone. The impact in the dirt was felt more by Jessop than Kirk, as he half landed on top of him. Both vampires rolling together.
Jessop knew he was going to lose flesh as he twisted and pulled out from under Kirk, whose claws tore deep and wide as he was thrown aside. Back on his feet in an instant as Jessop came at him, the soles of his feet barely touching the floor at the speed he was travelling.
Kirk swiped with his arms, catching the vampire across the face and tearing deeply into his flesh, as the claws of his other hand embedded into Jessop’s side. His claws caught in Jessop’s ribcage and locked around it, as he lifted his arm up, yanking Jessop in the air, before pounding him backwards against the ground.
Jessop spun around on the floor and kicked him with both feet in the stomach. The force of the blow sent Kirk through the air, but there was nothing for him to impact upon and he managed to back flip and land on his feet, although it was neither a smooth action nor a clean landing.
Jessop tried to get to his feet before Kirk came back at him. But he had only managed to drag himself up to a sitting position by the time Kirk reached him. Planting the sole of his boot in Jessop’s face, the back of the vampires head bounced with a cracking thud against the ground.
Kirk planted his knee in Jessop’s stomach to keep him in place, as he thrust his hand inside the vampire’s chest and wrapped steel fingers around his heart, applying just enough pressure to make sure he had his full attention. His claws slowly pierced the organ.
“Tell me where she is and I won’t kill you.” Kirk’s black gaze fixed on the vampire and left no doubt within Jessop’s mind that he was all but done for in this situation. Kirk would rip out his heart without thinking twice. He had already tasted the Fae’s blood. It was running through his veins and that made him stronger than Jessop would ever be, not unless he found a Fae mate of his own to even up the field. But then he couldn’t do that if he was dead.
He had no qualms about giving up his youngin to Kirk’s wrath. He could always sire more and better the youngin dies today than him, he reasoned as he felt Kirk’s hand clench tighter.
“Your word you will not kill me this day.” Jessop could taste his own blood in his throat and hear the gurgle as he spoke, but knew he would heal. It might take him a feeding or two, completely draining the fodder, but that was understandable.
“You have my word.” Kirk sneered down at him, and Jessop almost laughed. It tore up the Fae’s mate to not be able to kill him after what he had done, and that was a sweet satisfying victory for Jessop.
“The youngin took her into the woods. To the south to kill her. Better hurry, Kirk.” Jessop felt the pressure ease from inside him and bared down as Kirk’s hand left his chest. The pain echoed through every inch of his body, but he lived.
Kirk got to his feet and looked at his cousin who nodded his head in agreement.
“Cousin, kill Jessop for me.” He ground out between clenched teeth and Jessop cursed.
“You gave me your word.” He sneered as Tailor walked towards the downed vampire.
“I gave you my word I would not kill you, and it won’t be by my hand.” Kirk sneered. A moment before he started off towards the woods, bitterness inside him that he could neither kill the vampire, nor watch as he was ended. But he needed to get to Emily, she was the only thing that mattered now. He needed to get there before Jessop’s minion ended her and all was lost to him of happiness in this life.
The sound of Lycan paws travelled with him as he scented the air looking for his mate and dismissing Ben behind him.
‘Pack. The Fae mate is in the woods with a vampire. Track her by her Fae scent. Look for her magic.’ Ben growled out into the link, keeping Kirk in sight, even if he couldn’t keep up with him.
“We should be looking for Emily. We can find her using our magic…” Ashley turned from her pacing to stare down at Silver, who sat anxious on the very edge of the chair. Vaughn turned towards them from his place at the door.
“They know where she is, they are tracking her now.”
“Wait. If they know where she is, why are they tracking her?” Ashley demanded and Vaughn shook his head.
“It’s all I know Ashley, she’s in the woods with a vampire, the pack are searching for her by magic and scent.” He told her and Silver’s head snapped up as she jumped to her feet and stalked towards Ashley, a smile on her lips.
“Then let’s help them. Build a link with me to Emily, we might be able to strengthen her signal, make her like a beacon calling the pack to her.” Silver reached for Ashley’s hand, but she shook her head.
“What if she isn’t conscious…?”
“Then we’ve lost nothing. Concentrate on Emily. Search for her aura.” Silver closed her eyes and clasped her palms tightly against Ashley’s, first building the link between them and then reaching out to find Emily, their third. They had worked magic together for too any years not to be able to do this, Silver assured herself as she joined her magic with Ashley’s. The differences between the two Fae’s powers bounced off of each other, before the air cackled with the almost electric atmosphere that formed between them.
Silver felt her aura mix with Ashley’s as the tight bond was formed between them, both women working together to force their magic from their bodies and out into the wider area, slowly building a pathway, a link towards their third.
“I feel her.” Ashley’s fingers tightened against Silver’s hands, as if she feared someone would break the bond between them before they had the chance to join with Emily.
Vaughn eyed the two of them from the doorway. He wasn’t much fond of magic, and he knew that Fae weren’t supposed to practice magic on pack land, especially during the gathering, but he’d be damned if he was going to put a stop to them finding Emily and helping her. He would side with the Fae
over the vampire’s any day of the week, and he would protect his mate’s right to protect her own.
‘Ben, the girls are doing something to increase Emily’s… Fae-ness. Silver said it should draw the pack to her like a beacon. I don’t have a clue what that means but…’ He shrugged his shoulders to himself.
‘Got it Vaughn. Trust me, I can feel the little witch, we’re close.’ Ben assured him and he almost whooped on a smile, catching himself before he did.
“Whatever it is you’re doing, keep it up, it’s working, Ben can feel her.”
Emily tried to shrug off his hold, but the damn vampire had a vice like grip on her neck as he pushed her in front of him further into the woods. Her skin practically buzzed with the power of the magic being driven towards her by Ashley and Silver. She could almost feel them as if they were right there beside her and it filled her with hope. They knew she was in trouble for one thing, otherwise they wouldn’t be sending her their magic. She might not have been sure why they were doing what they were doing, but she knew that they would have a good reason for it. She figured she just needed to stay alive for as long as possible, not goad him, and not try to attack him, and to see where this would lead.
Perhaps help was coming? Maybe her mate or the pack was out here somewhere looking for her. At this point she could only hope. She didn’t possess the same power that Silver did. She didn’t have visions and she couldn’t exactly zap the vampire with anything but a mild shock, certainly not enough to injure him in the hope that she would get away. She was more about spell work and strengthening the power between the three of them, which was what they were using now to reach for her.
Emily felt the movement of the vampire behind her, his hand tightened against her neck as he turned his head and then his body to the left. She knew he sensed something. She knew that someone was coming for her. She didn’t believe he would react like that to one of his own.