Sensing my amusement, she tried to scowl. She was too soft to be taken seriously.
“Really. Venni is a great man and would have made a great Beta. Instead, you’re distracting him, and he’s pulling away. You’re taking him away from us.”
“Delana, enough,” the Luna said. “Dr. Porter is not doing anything like that and you know it. Now is not the time for you to play the jilted lover. You know Venni only ever saw you as a sister.”
“You don’t want him as Beta,” she snapped at her.
The Luna released a growl and prowled closer, the predator in her ready to defend her honor.
The oldest looking woman in the room stepped between the two. In human years, I’d have said she was in her sixties, with the grays dotting her black hair, and laugh lines around her eyes. “Please forgive her, Luna. Despite being newly mated, she’s still hung up on Venni. You know how close the two of them used to be.”
The Luna stopped. “If she dares to disrespect me again, I will tear her throat out.”
Delana paled at the threat, and her eyes went down to the ground. “I am sorry, Luna Sunder.”
The Luna’s lip curled up at the apology. She turned to me. “If you are up to doing that power thing again, then I ask you to do so. We need to take every chance we have right now to survive.”
“Then I will.” I turned to Delana, my jealousy coming out to play and needing to drill it into the shifter that Venni was mine. “Venni would have never mated with you. I know that is hard for you to understand, but the person Venni needs in his life isn’t you.”
Tears pooled in her eyes, and she stalked to the other side of the room, away from me.
“There was no reason to be harsh,” the older woman said.
“Calm, Teagan,” Luna Sunder said. “Laila is right. While Venni is a wonderful protectorate, he does not need a mate willing to cater to all his needs. He would have never truly loved Delana, and he knows that. That’s why he never agreed to mate her.” The Luna looked me over slowly. “But I can see what draws him to you. You did not need to bring their attention to you. This has nothing to do with you.”
“If we are going to go to war, I want to make sure I know over what.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t respond. She knew what I meant. We’d be on opposite sides if it went that far. Right now, it looked like that was going to happen. I truly hoped not. It’d be cruel to work together now, only to be enemies later.
Sighing, I settled against the wall and went back to being a beacon. I was able to send power out twice before I was too tired to do anything else. Once I finished, I leaned back, closing my eyes. Sleep would never come, but I needed to get as rested as possible.
The sound of someone settling down next to me broke me out of my daze.
“Does this still hurt?” The young girl reached over and touched my forehead.
“I’m not even sure why it was bleeding,” I admitted.
She frowned. “It was like that when they brought you back.”
“Probably dragged me back and whacked my head on something. I wouldn’t be surprised.”
That drew a smile from her.
“How old are you?” I asked.
“Eighteen.”
“You’re so young and you’re already mated?”
A blush crept up her neck and into her cheeks as she nodded. “Yes. A couple months ago.”
“Oh, who is it?”
She shrugged. “Someone I went to school with. We were good friends for a long time and then when I turned eighteen, our bond kicked in.”
“Your bond kicked in?”
“Yes. When we turn eighteen, we are considered adults. We’re old enough to mate.”
“And you chose your best friend?”
She smiled and ducked her head down. “He’s always been there for me. Always. And he chose me too. I didn’t think he would. I thought… there was another girl who liked him, and I thought maybe I’d lose him to her.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No. He’s mine.” Her blush deepened. “Is… is Venni yours? Even when you have the dragon?”
“Yes.” I didn’t hesitate. “He’s mine. And I’m not handing him over to anyone.”
“Then I’m happy for you. And Venni. He needs someone who will challenge him.”
That response surprised me. She giggled when she realized she’d left me a little speechless. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“We all love Venni and had looked forward to him becoming our Beta. The older wolves are rigid in their beliefs, despite them being outdated. That’s why we’re in this situation in the first place. Venni isn’t like that. He knows how we need to change, that was why everyone wanted him as Beta over his brother. But that isn’t what he wants. He wants more out of life, he wants to expand beyond protecting the shifters. Biomystic does that for him. You do that for him too.”
“You really care about him.”
“He’s like an older brother. He’s like that with a lot of the younger shifters. He takes care of us, and when he can’t be around, he makes sure we’re okay.”
I saw where this was going now. “And now they all feel like I’m taking him away from them.”
She nodded.
“I’d never do that, take him away. I think, for as long as the shifters allow it, he’ll be there when he needs to be. He’s not a man who just walks away.” I hardened my gaze. “But he’s also not the kind of man who turns a blind eye or follows orders blindly. Now, go take a nap. You’ll want all the rest you can get.”
The young girl finally left me alone. Not even two minutes after she left, the Luna came to my side.
“With it being so close to the full moon, we are closer than ever to our animals.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“We will be stronger once all the drugs wear off. They think we’re all still hooked up to IVs, defenseless. I’m thinking the next time they come to take one of us, we make our move. The drugs should be through all our systems and you still have access to your magic, right?
I nodded. “It had worn off while I was out of it.”
“You think your aunt will use that to track us?”
“Yes. She will.” I had to believe that. “I also knew one of the shifters who took part in taking us. If Shanton hasn’t hunted him down yet, he will find him.”
“How did you manage that?”
I grinned. “I don’t know much, but what I did know, I told them during their little joke of a ransom call.”
She grinned. “Which is why you came back like that.”
I laughed and winced at the ache in my stomach. “Yeah. I’ll heal in no time.”
Luna Sunder was quiet for a few awkward moments before finally saying in the softest voice, “Thank you.” She got up and walked away, but her words said it all. I doubted many people got a thank you out of her.
Chapter Twenty-Three
After expelling more power and praying to Goddess Hekate that it worked, I dozed off. I really didn’t want to be here when all the others turned furry. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t taste all that good, all bones. Those thoughts had given me flashes of disturbing dreams of bloodied teeth and glowing orange eyes.
I really wouldn’t be a good meal.
My disjointed thoughts and dreams were disrupted when a couple of the women called out in fear. I popped up, my heart pounding hard. For a moment, I thought I was still in one of those messed up dreams as the room shook, but this was reality.
I jumped to my feet and stumbled down as something exploded and the room shook again.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“I think they’re under attack,” Luna Sunder said as she helped someone to their feet. She grinned at me, a glint of hungry excitement slipping into her eyes. “They found us.”
“Sounds like they’re going to tear this place down before they find us.” Just as I said that, the room shook again.
“How will the
y know where we are?” Delana asked.
“I guess that’s where I come in,” I said. I grabbed my power and sent it out. “If my aunt is with them, she’ll find us.”
“And if not?” Delana asked.
I shrugged. “We’re fighting ready, right?”
The Luna smirked. “That we are. I can feel my mates. They’re coming.”
“Can you link him?” someone asked.
She shook her head. “No. Still blocked. I think it’s something with this room. But they’re coming.”
There was a loud thud against the door and half the people in the room jumped.
“Is that him now?”
She frowned as she looked at the door. “No. Neither of them are that close.”
There was another pound against the door.
“I think it’s not the good kind of company then. Everyone move to the corner.”
“If they aren’t ours, we can tear them apart.” The Luna didn’t look all too worried.
“While I do want to fight, we need to know what we are up against first. When they break through, I can delay them enough for you guys to come up with a plan of attack. And you’ll know what you’re fighting against.”
“Okay. Do it.” The Luna herded everyone into the far corner of the room.
“Can you cut me?” I asked. “I don’t have anything sharp.”
Delana stepped forward. “My pleasure,” she purred.
I rolled my eyes as she extended a claw and then cut my forearm. Gritting my teeth, I ignored the pain and used my blood to help draw a line between us and the door.
“Think they lost the key?” someone muttered.
“Be happy they hadn’t had a chance to break through yet,” I said. I went from one wall to another, letting drops of my blood create the line that I needed. The door flew open, flying across the room. Men poured into the room and spotted us. I smirked, and then shoved all my power out, creating the barrier. They all came to a halt, surprised that we were all up and fine.
They had expected us to still be on the floor, out cold and defenseless. The cowards were probably planning to use us as hostages when the others caught up with them. We’d just put a nice chink into their plans. They charged after us and when they rammed into the barrier, it shoved them back.
I recognized the three assholes who had taken me. Merivitz, Jed, and the creepy smiler. Too bad they were still alive. Of course, they’d be the ones leading the group to us as a last ditch effort to win. They had about a dozen others with them.
“You don’t get to touch us,” I said.
Merivitz’s eyes narrowed. He looked behind him and jerked his head at a massive man with shoulders impossibly wide. The man lumbered forward, and I got a good look at the deadness in his eyes. I sensed nothing from him and by the tree trunk size arms, he had to have been the one who had grabbed me in the restaurant.
“Shit,” Luna Sunder said.
“Please tell me you know what that thing is.”
“He’s of the earth. Made of mud and moonlight.”
“I know golems. Even met one. That thing is not a golem.”
“Golems are made by mages,” Luna Sunder said. “That thing is not anything made by mages.” Contempt filled her voice as she stepped up next to me. “These things are something more single-minded.”
“Sounds like a golem to me.”
“Golems aren’t picky with who they attack. These creatures do. They only go after rogue shifters. With a touch of Her moonlight, Goddess Luna created the Beast Eater to hunt down shifters who needed killing.”
“Assassins. You’re saying your goddess made assassins.”
“I’m saying we do not stand a chance against that thing. The moment it gets through your ward, it’s going to devour us. There will be nothing left of us.”
I shuddered as the Beast Eater approached the ward and touched it. The ward didn’t do anything to it, but it didn’t do anything to the ward either.
“It’s not getting through,” I said.
“It will.” Fear crept into the Luna’s voice. “It has a natural immunity against stuff like this. It’ll make it through.”
“Laila, lower the shield,” the smiley creep said.
“No thanks.”
“We will only make this hurt more once we make it through.”
“Call off your watchdog,” I nodded toward the Beast Eater, “and maybe I’ll pretend to consider your request.”
Merivitz’s lip curled into a snarl. “We do not have time for these games.” He looked at the Beast Eater. “Destroy the ward.”
The Beast Eater roared and attacked. I winced, my head feeling him pound on the barrier.
“Will it make it through? All it has to do is touch us and we’re dead,” the youngest female asked.
“I won’t let it through,” I said. That didn’t seem to comfort them like it should have. I huffed. “You guys have no faith in me.”
I winced again as I felt my ward bend against the pressure of the Beast Eater. It looked like shifters weren’t the only thing it ate because it was slowly doing it with my ward too, trying to weaken it. I fed more power into the ward.
“Your nose is bleeding,” the Luna said.
“It does that sometimes,” I gritted out.
“As Karina said, if that thing touches us, we’re dead. If you lower the shield and take care of it, we can deal with the rest. Merivitz was the one to command it. If I take him out, then there should be nothing holding the Beast Eater here.”
“That makes no sense. If it eats shifters, then why can a shifter command it?”
“It is still one of Goddess Luna’s creatures. While it is meant to be used to hunt down rogues, she did not want it used by others as a weapon against us, so only a handful of shifters powerful enough can command one. In times of need, we have others in our community who could do this.”
“You know Merivitz.”
“Yes. And he’s been holding out on us.” Her answer was a growl as she stepped forward standing just inches from my ward. She caught Merivitz’s gaze and the two of them stared each other down. “You will suffer for what you have done.”
“I’ve been suffering since my mate was killed. You can’t make it worse.”
“No, but Goddess Luna can, and she will.”
“I was able to raise the Beast Eater. I think that says exactly what the Goddess thinks.”
Luna Sunder snarled. “You know that isn’t how it works.”
“Lower the shield. Let us finish this.”
“Very well. Dr. Porter. Please lower it.”
“No.”
She swiveled her head to glare at me. “Lower it.”
“No,” I snapped out. “I don’t know that creature. I’m not a battling type. I can’t give you a guarantee that I can hold it off and I’d rather it didn’t go around and eat you guys. I actually like a couple of you. I will hold this ward for as long as possible.”
Merivitz laughed. “You’re letting her command you, Luna? You are soft.”
“She is not mine to command.” The Luna smiled. “And that is okay. You’re dead anyway.”
As a response to her last words, a growl ripped through the air, and I felt an impossible amount of energy slam into my ward. Half of it I recognized, the other half was foreign to me.
A moment later, beasts poured into the room, some shifters, others not. At the front, were two massive shifters, one a wolf, the other a bear. They charged into the enemy with a vengeance. It took me a moment to recognize their energy. Alpha Sunder, and the councilman. Followed by them were ones I knew. Venni, Shanton, Dwight, and even Siitha got into the action without hesitation. Quickly followed by them was Atasha with Rowan right behind her. Atasha strode in without a care and went right up to the Beast Eater.
“Don’t!” But it was too late, she touched the creature. Nothing happened. She met my eyes with a smile, her lips moving softly. It was like the binding that was holding the creature together disappeared and it
fell in a cascade of mud onto the floor, forming a black inky puddle that stretched across the floor.
“You may lower your ward, amaorah.”
I didn’t even think about it as I did. The females didn’t wait, heading in to join the fight, even their oldest and their youngest. None of them balked at the idea of a battle. In fact, all of them looked a little too bloodthirsty and excited at being able to join in. Atasha came to my side with concern. All I could do was look past her at the carnage, because that was what it was, complete carnage. No one showed any mercy as they tore our kidnappers apart. Dying wails echoed through my head as limbs were tossed around. An arm hit the wall nearby, and I jumped.
Bile rose up, and I wanted to expel my stomach contents. If there were anything in to throw up, I would have.
“Sh, darling amaorah. It’s okay.” Atasha pulled me into her and turned me away from the action so I could only hear it. I wasn’t so sure if that was better. The sounds out of context were worse and my imagination filled in the rest. My imagination was never better than the reality.
Slowly, everything quieted down and someone bumped into me. I lowered my hand to touch smooth, soft fur. Siitha purred at my touch and rubbed up against me, nearly pushing Atasha and me over.
Atasha chuckled as she pulled away. When I went to turn around, she stopped me by cupping my face. “Not yet. You don’t need to see it yet.”
“It’s over?” I asked in a small voice.
“It’s over.”
I blinked back tears. “This shouldn’t have happened.”
“I know. I know. But it has and everyone has to live with that.”
“They just didn’t want to be treated like dirt anymore. Why did they have to die over that, over wanting change?”
Atasha sighed. “I hate to say it, but this is common. It happens often.”
“Laila?” Strong arms pulled me into a hard chest, but I used my power to put distance between us. I turned to face the guys. Shanton, Venni, and Dwight stood before me completely naked, no longer in their other forms. I would have normally enjoyed the view, but I could barely look at them. Not right now.
“I need to get out of here,” I said.
I shoved past them, not even hearing what Atasha said to them. I focused on the blood-soaked floor, refusing to let any of what I saw to settle into my brain. The one time I looked up, it was to see the two Alphas surrounding the Luna, hugging her and checking her over for wounds. I blinked in confusion before it all made sense. On another day, I would have smiled at the new information. I didn’t have it in me and focused back on the floor, needing to get out of there, away from the metallic scent of death.
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