by KD Jones
“That’s a tough decision to make,” Mara told her sympathetically.
“I had months to think about it. This is what is right.” Jeanne ate a bite of the sandwich and drank some of the hot tea. “This is good. Thank you.”
“No problem, dear. I need to check on Damen and Luka.” Mara stood up and was about to leave the room again when Jeanne almost arched up off the bed.
“Oh God!”
Dahlia felt like something bad was about to happen. She moved to the side of the bed and took Jeanne’s hand. “What’s wrong?”
“I have this pain in my side and I think my water broke.”
Mara and Dahlia looked at each other. Dahlia asked. “Should we go to the hospital?”
Gunfire outside made all three women looked in panic at the door. Mara moved first. “Let me check on Damen and Luka.” She left again and Dahlia wanted to follow, but Jeanne grabbed her hands and squeezed as she felt another sharp pain.
Jeanne was panicked. “Something’s wrong with the baby.”
“Shh… we’ll get you to the hospital. It will be fine.”
More gunfire and a scream of pain from outside had them looking warily at the door. Mara came back and was white as a ghost with her phone in her hand. “Luka’s hurt but they’re firing on us and we can’t get to him.”
“Damen?”
“He’s firing on them but he doesn’t know how many are out there.”
Dahlia couldn’t find her phone, and realized that she had probably left it at her apartment. “Mara, give me the phone. You help Jeanne.”
Mara nodded her head and gathered some sheets from the closet and a pair of scissors from the drawer. Dahlia was dazed… this was really happening. Jeanne was going into labor and they were surrounded.
She took the phone and tried calling Ivan, but got his voicemail. She called Damen but the phone was directed back to the station.
“Miracle Sheriff’s Department.”
“Rhonda?”
“Yes.”
“It’s Dahlia. We have a situation. I’m at Mara Vedar’s farmhouse. We are being fired on by humans and I have Jeanne Lance here going into labor.”
“Fuck! The paramedics are helping with another patient who’s having a heart attack; I just got notified of it. I’ll send reinforcements. Stay where you are.”
Dahlia snorted. “Like we have a choice.” She hung up.
“Reinforcements are coming.”
“What about calling the hospital?”
“Rhonda said that she was notified that the paramedics were sent out to help a heart attack patient. We only have one working ambulance.”
“It will be fine. We just have to wait for help to get here,” Mara tried to be reassuring.
A loud kick came from the kitchen as men rushed into the house. Dahlia dropped Mara’s phone and ran to the door. She closed and locked the door and put herself between Jeanne and Mara and the door. Someone rammed against the door, banging loudly. When it broke the hinges and swung open, Dahlia stared up at the eyes of the most evil person she had ever met.
Chapter 19
Ivan tackled a human man that was running from him. He was no match for Ivan’s bear, who knocked the man down. He shifted back to his human form and kicked the male’s gun away from him.
“Where is Edward Lance?”
The human snorted, “I don’t know who the hell you’re talking about. I’m a hunter who got lost.”
“Hey Niko! Does a hunter normally use a .357 Magnum?”
His brother walked forward and shook his head. “Nope, not that I know of.”
Ryder, in his polar bear form, squatted down next to the man and growled, showing all his teeth.
“Oh, I think the bear is getting hungry. Should we feed him?” Niko asked.
“Don’t… don’t let him eat me!” The puny meal croaked in fear.
“Tell me where your boss is?”
The man glanced over at the cabin. Ivan took that to mean that Mr. Lance was inside his cabin. He started to stalk toward the steps. He didn’t smell another human.
“Ivan, stop!” Niko called out.
Ivan stopped as he was placing his foot on the first step and then he was hit with a hot blast when his cabin exploded, throwing him backwards ten or fifteen feet. The back of his head hit the ground hard, making him see stars.
“Ivan? Are you okay?” Niko was kneeling next to him checking him over for injuries.
“I am, except that I see two of you.”
Niko reached behind his head and touched the bump that was starting to grow. “You have bumps and bruises but I think you’ll live through it.”
He sat up, groaning from the pings of soreness and pain going through his body. Looking at his cabin, he was grateful he got Jeanne out of there before…
“This was a setup, a distraction. We’ve got to get to Mom’s now!”
*****
Edward Lance III was shorter than Dahlia but wider and stockier. He glanced past Dahlia to glare at Jeanne.
“Did you really think you could hide from me? You lied, telling me you were taking a long shopping tour with your friends in Europe. I tried to call you about meeting with one of my business partners to go as a companion to a party in France, but couldn’t reach you. So I called your friends, who hadn’t seen you in months. I hired a private investigator to find you and send me pictures on what you were up to.” He pointed to her swollen belly. “You are a disgrace to the Lance family name!”
Jeanne sat up and wrapped her hands over her stomach protectively. “I don’t care what you have to say! Just leave me alone and we can part ways. Disown me if that’s what you want.”
He snorted, moving forward. “I’m not disowning you, I own you, lock stock and barrel. First we’ll get rid of this abomination then you will marry my partner.”
Dahlia stepped in front to try to block him but one of his hired help came in and pointed a gun at Mara’s head. Mr. Lance gave her a smug smile. “If you want your friend over there to live, move out of my way.”
Mr. Lance reached for Jeanne’s arm and yanked her off the bed. Jeanne tried to pull free.
“I’m not going anywhere with you!”
Her father slapped her so hard across the face that she hit the wall, then lost her footing and fell down on her side. Blood leaked down her legs.
Dahlia rushed to Jeanne’s side in concern. “Jeanne, are you okay?”
Jeanne was dazed. “Help.”
A loud roar at the front of the house, followed by glass breaking and gunshots, interrupted them. Mr. Lance motioned for his hired gun. “Stay here and make sure they don’t cause any trouble. I’m going to go put an end to all this.” He stormed out of the room.
Mara moved around the man with the gun, who went over to stand by the door to look out in the hallway.
“Something’s wrong,” Jeanne said as she saw the blood on her thighs.
Mara moved her knees so she could see what was happening. “I see the baby’s head, he’s coming now. Dahlia, hand me scissors and the sheets I put on bed.”
Dahlia felt her heart racing as she got up and went to get the things Mara asked for. Please don’t let this baby die. It would crush Ivan to lose his son. She ignored the man at the door who grumbled that he didn’t get paid enough to be a babysitter. She laid the items next to Mara and went back to sit next to Jeanne on the floor, taking her hand.
“Breathe, Jeanne.” Mara told her.
“I can’t.”
Dahlia showed her how and breathed with her.
“He’s coming really fast, honey. Push!”
Jeanne screamed out as she pushed. They laid her back against the wall, breathing heavily.
Dahlia patted her hand. “You’re doing great.” Dahlia tried to hide the fact that she was terrified. There was a lot of blood pooling below Jeanne. It was like she had ruptured something when she fell.
“Another push!” Mara told her
Jeanne leaned forward and pushed, th
en slumped, almost passing out. Dahlia heard the most beautiful sound she had ever heard as the baby cried out. “Look Jeanne, your son.”
Jeanne managed to open her eyes. “Is he okay?”
Mara beamed with pride as she wiped the blood and gunk off the baby and used a pillowcase to swaddle him into a bundle. She handed the baby over to Dahlia.
Dahlia looked down at the tiny face and couldn’t help but fall in love. This tiny little person was a part of Ivan. How could she not love him? She went to give the baby to Jeanne but the other woman shook her head.
“I can’t lift my arms.”
Oh God, she hadn’t realized that Jeanne was in that bad of shape. She smiled reassuringly as she leaned forward so that Jeanne could see and place a kiss on the baby’s head.
“He’s beautiful. I tried so hard to not let myself care about him. I pretended whenever Ivan was around, because my father taught me to never show weakness. But every day he grew, I knew I loved him more than anyone ever. He was my chance, my one chance to do something good in life.”
Dahlia held the baby to her heart and jumped when the man at the door suddenly fell to the ground. Surprise and hope filled her when she spotted the person walking in with military fatigues on.
“Rhonda?”
“Come on, let’s get you guys out of here.” Rhonda motioned for them to follow her.
“How did you get in?”
“Ryder used to tell me stories of him and Niko sneaking out at night using the basement and root cellar tunnel. I came in that way, and we should get out okay. But we need to leave right now.”
Dahlia looked down at Jeanne who was… dying. She looked at the baby with sad eyes. “Go, and tell my son that he’s my chance to do something good, and that I loved him.”
Mara helped Dahlia stand with the baby. By the time they walked the few steps to the door, she heard Jeanne’s heart stop beating. She had to be strong now, for the baby’s sake and for Ivan’s.
Chapter 20
“Drive faster!” Ivan demanded from the passenger side of Niko’s sheriff's car. Ryder was following behind them in his SUV.
“I’ve run every light and have kept the gas pedal to the floor. It’s taken us ten minutes when usually it takes twenty.” A car passed them and Niko slowed a little, trying to look at the vehicle.
“Why are you slowing down?”
“That was Rhonda’s car. Here, take my phone and call the number for Rhonda.” He tossed his cell over to Ivan.
Ivan growled with frustration as he looked for the number and hit the dial button. It rang then went to voicemail. “She’s not answering. You have a message, though. A missed call from mom and a message from Rhonda.” He tried calling his mom’s house but there wasn’t an answer. “Mom’s not answering.”
“Check the message from Rhonda and put it on speaker.”
Ivan clicked on the message from Rhonda and pushed the button for speakerphone.
“Niko, I’m on my way to your mom’s. Dahlia called to say that someone was shooting at them and a woman named Jeanne is in labor. Damen and Luka are trying to hold them off. I couldn’t get hold of you or Ryder, and the paramedics are already on a call. I’ll get to them and take them to the hospital.”
“Fuck!” Ivan almost crushed the phone in his hand. “I have to get to the hospital.”
“First we have to help Damen and Luka.”
As they neared his mother’s house, he could see sparks from gunfire in the front yard. He spotted his brother Damen. “Damen’s cornered at the corner of the house and the front porch.”
“I see him. He’s nailed down and outnumbered. There’s a shooter at the front door and three more hiding behind the trees.”
They parked a few feet away and got out. Some of the shooters from the trees fired on them. Ryder drove his SUV around, blocking the shooters with his vehicle, and got out. He handed Ivan a shotgun.
“Ivan, you go around the back and make your way in, just in case the women are still in there. Ryder and I will help Damen. Wait until I say go.”
Niko and Ryder were professional and had experience. Both had served time in the army and Niko had served a little longer on a Special Forces team. He watched as they got their guns out and signaled each other. Then they started firing at the same time, Ryder firing at the man at the entrance of the house and Niko firing at the men in the trees.
“Go… now!” Niko waved at him to run. Ivan’s heart was racing and his bear was ready to break free and rip someone apart. He scented his brother Luka and searched for him. He was face down on the ground, bleeding badly.
He knelt down next to Luka, turning him over gently. He had several bullet wounds in his chest. “Luka?”
Luka looked up, barely able to keep his eyes open. “Sorry. They caught me off guard.”
Ivan took off his shirt and created a long strip to wrap around his chest to try to stop the blood flow. “Did you see the women?”
“No. Mr. Lance and his henchman got me and then kicked in the kitchen door. I haven’t seen anyone come back out this way.”
“Stay here while I check.” Ivan took the shotgun that Ryder gave him and headed up the stairs. He could still hear multiple gunshots from the front. He entered through the broken doorway. The table had been shoved away. It was eerily quiet in the house. That bothered him.
Where would the women be? Jeanne would have a hard time going up the stairs so he knew his mother would put her in the downstairs bedroom. Moving out of the kitchen and taking the hallway to the left, he approached the bedroom and the smell of human blood overwhelmed him. He took a deep breath and peeked into the room. No sound or movement made him believe the room was empty. That was proven wrong when he got to the doorway.
“Jeanne?” He rushed to her crumpled form lying immobile on the floor. He checked her pulse but she was gone. It looked like she gave birth but no one else was here. “I’m so sorry, Jeanne.” He thought this would be the safest place for her and the baby.
He reached for his mother’s phone on the floor next to Jeanne and dialed Dahlia’s number, but got her voicemail. If Rhonda Lee really had gotten them out, they would be at the hospital. He stood up, feeling fury over a senseless death and the danger his child was placed in. Someone would pay for this.
He headed out of the bedroom and turned left to go to the foyer. The gunshots had started to die down but the man at the front door was not giving up as easily. His bear demanded to be let loose and he was in agreement. He dropped the gun and let the shift take him. In his polar bear form, he roared as he bounded toward the male at the door. The man turned to look but he didn’t have time to lift the gun in Ivan’s direction.
Ivan lifted his paw, swiping the gun out of the man’s hand. The man ran out of the house and down the steps but the bear gave chase. Two legs were no match for four paws with claws. He easily caught the man and pinned him down. He had the man’s throat between his teeth.
“Wait, Ivan!” Niko yelled out running over to him. “Don’t kill him yet.”
Ivan’s bear didn’t want to let an enemy live. This male was a threat to his family. His son… he needed to get to his son. He released the male and shifted.
The man on the ground just laughed as if he hadn’t had a dangerous animal ready to rip out his throat. “You’re weak, for all your filthy shifter abilities. You are weak at the core.”
Ivan stood up and glared down at the man. “Lance, you call us filthy but you’re the one that threatened your own daughter.”
Mr. Lance spit at the ground as he sat up. “That bitch is not my daughter. She betrayed me.”
“She’s dead.” Ivan expected the man to show some kind of emotion over the loss of his daughter, but there was nothing. “Fuck! Luka’s hurt bad.” Ivan ran back around the house, followed by Damen.
Luka was still breathing, thank God. He lost a lot of blood. “He needs to get to the hospital.”
Damen checked the wound. “The blood stopped, that’s good. He’s lo
st a good amount.
Sirens rang out, coming in their direction, letting them know an ambulance was on its way. Who called the ambulance? Damen handed Ivan his car keys.
“Go ahead to the hospital. I’ll ride on the ambulance with Luka. Niko and Ryder can handle the humans.”
“Thanks.”
Ivan took the keys and raced by to the front and got into Damen’s fancy Mercedes. Only then did he realize that he was naked. He got back out and looked over to where Niko and Ryder had the two living males on the ground, handcuffed.
“Do you guys have a spare set of clothes?”
“Look in the back of my SUV. I keep spare clothes there.”
“Thanks.” Once he was dressed, he got into the car once more and drove away, passing the ambulance as it was pulling up.
Chapter 21
Ivan parked next to the curb and hopped out of the car, ignoring the parking attendants. He rushed inside the one-story hospital to the front desk. The young teenager behind the desk was little Janey Tanner, who was a fox shifter.
“Where’s my son?”
“Mr. Vedar… your son? What’s his name?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know your son’s name?
He growled at her snarky question. “Look…”
“Ivan! Over here!”
He turned at the sound of his little sister Sage calling for him in the waiting room. Cosmo was standing up and Andy was sitting, looking worried.
“Where’s my son, Dahlia, Mom?
“They’re fine. Mom and Dahlia are staying with the baby while he’s being checked out. The nurse just came out and told us he’s healthy but really hungry so Dahlia is feeding him.”
He felt a great relief flow through his whole body. Cosmo put his hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
He nodded, still a little in shock. “Luka’s hurt but an ambulance is bringing him to the hospital. Jeanne’s dead.”