by C. D. Gorri
Alrick’s eyes widened as Noah grabbed hold of him with his mind, but the bastard was strong. He fought back, slipping from his grip and tightening his hold around Amber’s neck.
She gasped, attempting to drag in a breath. Blood oozed down her throat.
Focusing his energy on the gargoyle’s talons, he wrapped the fingers of his mind around them, prying them off her neck one by one…first the forefinger, then the middle, then the next. Amber sucked in a breath and leaned her head aside, but the fiend twisted his other fist in her shirt.
Noah reached out another tendril of energy, and with a firm push, he unraveled the fiend’s claws from her clothes. Amber darted toward Nylah, slamming into an invisible wall and sliding to the floor.
“Amber!” Noah’s hold slipped. Alrick lunged. Cade barreled into him, knocking him down and rolling over the fiend until they skidded to a stop at the feet of another gargoyle.
Sweat beaded on Noah’s forehead, fatigue making his muscles ache. He could barely hang on to Alrick. How the hell was he going to hold them all? But the second demon didn’t move. Neither did the two next to him.
Noah’s chest ached. Sharp pain sliced through his core, and an anguished howl sounded in his mind.
He was losing his wolf.
“I’m okay.” Amber scrambled to her feet, clutching her head.
Alrick roared, throwing Cade off him and slamming him into another invisible wall. Rising to his full, menacing height, the demon stormed toward Amber once more.
“This ends now, Grunch.” Noah gathered every ounce of his strength and hurled it toward the fiend, latching on with all his might. Sweat poured down his face, stinging his eyes as he held Alrick in a mental vise grip. “Where’s the stone, Nylah?” he ground out.
“He’s wearing it.”
“On it.” Amber darted toward him, and Alrick pushed back against Noah’s magic.
The fiend’s arm began to move, forcing its way through Noah’s hold. He tightened his grip, grinding his teeth and straining against the force as Amber yanked the chain from around his neck.
“Got it!” Amber backed as far away from them as the pocket dimension would allow, but before she could grab the potion from her pocket, Nylah shouted.
“Wait! He has a piece embedded in his chest.”
“I can’t hold him much longer.” Noah’s legs trembled, exhaustion threatening to crumple him.
Cade rose to his paws, shaking off the attack, and closed in on Alrick.
“Hold this.” Amber pressed the Thropynite into Noah’s palm, lacing the chain between his fingers before pulling her Swiss army knife from her pocket. She ran to Alrick, and as Cade latched on to his arm, she pried the stone from his chest.
Noah’s palm heated where the Thropynite touched his skin, and he barely heard Alrick’s agonizing wail over the sound of his own pulse pounding in his ears. He fell to his knees. His blood hummed in his veins, his vision swimming as something in his core snapped.
“Noah, I need you to hold on a little longer.” Amber’s voice drew him back to the surface. “He’s weakened, but Cade can’t hold him on his own.” She dug in her pocket and retrieved the bottle before taking the Thropynite from his hand.
His friend’s snarling and the sound of the struggle finally reached his ears, and he blinked his gaze into focus to find Cade on top of Alrick, biting and tearing at his flesh.
Amber laid the two stones on the ground. “Y’all hold your breath for a minute.”
Noah forced another pulse of magic toward Alrick, tightening his hold as Amber uncorked the bottle and poured the potion over stones.
They sizzled and popped, melting as the magic neutralized them. Smoke rose from the molten liquid, and the ground around it crumbled until everything the potion touched turned to ash. In a flash of light, the smoke dissipated, but Noah held his breath until instinct forced him to drag in air.
“Damn,” Amber said. “Snow wasn’t kidding.”
The struggle stopped, and Cade backed away from Alrick, who was frozen in stone. He shifted and beat on the walls of Nylah’s cell. “Can you open this?” He ran his hands along the invisible barrier. “It’s sealed with magic.”
“Noah?” Amber placed a hand on his shoulder. “Can you let Nylah out?”
He sucked in a sharp breath and rubbed his chest, his thoughts scrambling to catch up with everything that happened. “So this is what it feels like.”
“Noah?” She tugged his arm, pulling him to his feet. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”
She was right about that. He’d have time to contemplate what happened to him when this was all over. Holding Amber’s hand, he sauntered toward Nylah. “Hey, Sis. It’s been a minute.”
Reaching out with his mind, he felt along the wall of energy. It was the same magic the Grunch had used to seal the entrance to their dimension. As he gave a mental push, he stepped through the forcefield and clutched Nylah’s arm before dragging her through.
“It’s about damn time.” She pulled him into a bear hug, squeezing until he could hardly breathe. “I’d had about all I could take from the abusive bastard.”
Cade gave the immobile gargoyle a kick. “He’s down now, but if another piece of Thropynite makes it to New Orleans…”
Amber picked up the crowbar. “I know your usual method is piercing the heart or beheading. Is smashing them to bits overkill?”
“There’s no such thing when it comes to demons,” Noah said, and Amber tossed him the hunk of steel. They took turns bashing the gargoyles, saving their leader for last, and Noah thanked his lucky stars the other three never woke up. He stood over Alrick, ready to send the fiend to hell where he belonged, when Nylah put a hand on his shoulder.
“Can I have the honors?”
“Be my guest.” He handed the crowbar to his sister.
Nylah knelt beside Alrick and shook her head. “You poor, misguided soul. May you finally find peace.” She rose to her feet and bashed in his skull.
As the stone crumbled, the veil separating the pocket dimension from the real world dissolved away, and they found themselves in the forest on their own plane.
Chapter Twenty-One
Amber clutched Noah’s arm to stop her hands from trembling. The adrenaline coursing through her veins made her feel like she was either going to explode or pass out at any second. Her stomach churned, her lunch threatening to make a reappearance.
Nylah threw her arms around them both, sandwiching Amber between them. “Y’all were amazing. The perfect team. I’m sorry you had to destroy the Thropynite. If I’d known it would wake up that asshole, I would’ve had you meet me in Europe where it came from.”
Amber tugged from her embrace. “The pack doesn’t know you brought it here, and it’s best if they never find out.”
“Good call.” Nylah looked around. “Where is the rest of the pack? Don’t tell me y’all performed this mission on your own.”
Noah chuckled. “Rescuing you wouldn’t have done much good if we both ended up in the pit for the rest of our lives. Between you waking up the Grunch and me knowing what was going on and lying about it…we didn’t stand a chance if anyone found out.”
Amber sucked in a sharp breath. She’d succumbed to her adrenaline, completely ignoring the way Noah had acted in the Grunch’s dimension. “My premonition. Your wolf. Is it…?”
“It’s fused.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “I can feel him. Feel his thoughts and emotions.”
“‘There were two, and now there’s one.’” She shook her head. “I didn’t feel that you’d lose your wolf. I felt him fuse, two souls joining into one.”
“Wait… You can shift?” Nylah’s mouth fell open. “Since when?”
“Since the last full moon.” Noah wrapped his arm around Amber’s waist. “When Alrick took you into his pocket dimension, you ceased to exist on this plane.”
“Holy shit.” Nylah shook her head. “We didn’t need the Thropynite after all.”
“Ye
s, we did,” Noah said. “My wolf didn’t fuse with my soul until Amber put the stone in my hand.”
“Wow.” Nylah’s eyes were wide, making her look as dumbfounded as Amber felt. “I guess we better report to HQ and fill Luke in on every…on almost everything.”
Their crazy plan had worked. Amber clung to Noah, trying to wrap her mind around it all. His dream had come true.
“I’m not doubting you,” Cade said, “but don’t you think you ought to make sure your wolf is fused before we spin this story for the alpha?”
“Good idea.” Noah kissed Amber on the cheek and stepped away. “You two watch her, just in case.”
Cade stood between Amber and Noah, and Nylah moved in behind her. “I take it his wolf threatened you before?”
A nervous laugh escaped Amber’s throat. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”
Noah summoned his magic, his body shimmering as he transformed into his wolf. Amber tensed again, her previous experiences with the animal ingrained in her muscles, but now something was different. The look in his eyes, his posture, the way his copper fur lay flat against his back… The man was in control.
“Noah.” She slipped from her packmates’ protective circle and padded toward him.
“Amber.” Cade’s voice held warning, but she ignored him.
Reaching toward Noah’s head, she brushed her fingers along his muzzle. When he didn’t snap, she moved closer and ran her hand down his side. He let out a light woof and licked her, his slobbery tongue running from her cheek to her ear.
She laughed. “Okay, mister. That’s enough of that.”
He shook out his coat, and in a cloud of shimmering magic, he returned to his human form. She threw her arms around him, sagging against him as the last of the fight-or-flight energy drained from her body.
“Hold up a minute.” Nylah cut her gaze between them. “Are you two…together?”
Amber smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. “We are.”
Nylah nodded. “It’s about damn time.”
“Amber…” Noah gently lifted her chin with his fingers. “I’m whole because of you, and my wolf—”
“Aw shit.” Cade held up his phone. “Text from Luke. I didn’t report for patrol duty, and he wants to know where I am.”
Noah inhaled deeply. “I guess we better get our story straight.”
Cade’s phone rang. “We’ll discuss it on the way.” He pressed the device to his ear. “Yeah, man. I’m sorry. I’m on my way to the bar now.”
They squeezed into Noah’s truck, and he drove to the French Quarter. He held Amber’s hand in a tight grip the entire way, and while they hashed out what details they could share and what they would take to their graves, he seemed distracted. His lips twitched like he wanted to say something, and he glanced at her repeatedly until they arrived on St. Philip Street.
It was most likely nerves. They’d ignored several direct orders from their pack alpha, but Luke wasn’t only their leader. He was also her brother, and if he decided to be an asshole, she would have to knock some sense into him.
They made their way to the entrance, and the familiar blast of cold air greeted them, raising goosebumps on her arms as they stepped inside. Rain and Snow sat at the bar with their backs to the entrance, while Chase and Kaci washed beer mugs behind the counter.
Chase looked up, and his mouth fell slack, the rag slipping from his hand as his eyes widened. “Nylah?”
Snow turned around, her smile beaming, and she gave Amber a conspiratorial wink. Nylah stopped in the center of the floor and spun in a circle. “Man, it’s good to be home. How’s it going, Chase? Hi, I’m Nylah.”
She offered her hand to Snow and then Rain. “Witches?”
“Rain is my mate. Snow’s her sister.”
Nylah laughed. “Y’all are going to have to fill me in on everything I’ve missed.”
Luke’s boots thudded on the concrete behind the door, and as he flung it open, he scowled. “What in hell’s name?” His eyes widened as his gaze landed on Nylah. “All four of you, in my office now. Chase, you too.” He turned on his heel and stormed away, and Cade let out a low whistle.
“It’ll be fine,” Amber reassured her friends and slipped her hand into Noah’s. “We’ve got this.”
Nylah tapped the sign on the door as they walked through. Made of cardboard and written in black marker, it read Employees and Werewolves Only. “At least some things haven’t changed.”
They filed into Luke’s office, where Chase brought in a stack of folding chairs and positioned them in a semicircle facing the desk. Cade took a seat on the end, and Amber sat between Noah and Nylah, unable to fight her smile.
They’d done it. Two second-borns had concocted a plan to rescue a packmate and vanquish the strongest demon they’d ever fought…and they’d succeeded. If this wasn’t proof she was worth more to the pack than her uterus, she didn’t know what was. Not that she ever intended to assist with a fight again. Simply knowing she was tough enough was all she needed.
Luke opened his mouth to speak, but Amber cut him off. “It’s done. The Grunch are vanquished; Nylah is safe, and Noah’s wolf has fused with his soul.”
Luke narrowed his eyes. “Tell me what happened.”
“I had a premonition. I thought I knew where Nylah was, so the three of us drove out to Grunch Road to see if we could find the entrance to their lair.” She held up a finger before her brother could admonish her. “Let us finish the story.”
Luke tilted his head slightly, a silent reminder that he was alpha, and she needed to tread lightly where the pack was involved. “Continue.”
“I found the entrance,” Noah said, “but as we were discussing what to do, Alrick dragged Amber into his dimension. I acted on instinct, tore open the veil, and Cade and I went after her.”
Luke rose and walked around his desk to stand next to Chase. “How did you defeat the Grunch? Even with Noah’s power, four wolves couldn’t take him out. How did you manage?”
“We got a witch to make a potion that destroyed the Thropynite. I found the spell in the archives while Noah was being examined.”
“What witch?” He closed his eyes for a long blink. “Never mind. It’s best if I don’t know the details. You’re certain they’ve all been vanquished?”
“The moment we destroyed the stone, the only one awake went dormant,” Amber said.
“How did you get the Thropynite from the gargoyle?”
Cade leaned forward in his chair. “Noah held him still; I latched on to a soft spot, and Amber pried it off him with her knife.”
“You should have seen your sister,” Nylah said. “She was fierce.”
A giggle rose from Amber’s throat. The shock was wearing off, and everything they’d been through was finally catching up to her. “We smashed them all to bits with a crowbar.”
“And then the dimension dissolved,” Nylah said. “I got a lot of information out of Alrick while I was in there. He and his three brothers were the only ones who made it out of Europe. They’re gone, and I’m alive, thanks to these three.” She smiled at her friends.
“We did it, Luke,” Amber said.
“Not without law breaking.” Her brother crossed his arms, eyeing all four of them like he couldn’t decide if he should punish or praise them.
“That’s not true,” she said. “Cade was with us the whole time. We were never alone, and Noah didn’t shift until…” She clamped her mouth shut. Technically they had been alone when they visited the Hoodoo man—and Noah shifted in her presence then—but Luke said he didn’t want details on that aspect of their adventure. A good alpha knew when to look the other way, and her brother was the best.
“Until?” Luke arched a brow.
“Until he was certain his wolf had fused with his soul.”
“I’m sure it’s fused,” Noah said. “When I touched the Thropynite, I felt it happen. I can feel him now.” He gave Amber a strange look, and her stomach fluttered.
&nbs
p; “It’s over.” Amber squeezed her brother’s hand. “And maybe now you won’t consider me so helpless.”
Luke relaxed his stance. “I’m sorry I underestimated you, but, Amber, if you ever pull a stunt like this again…”
Another laugh bubbled from her throat, whether from nerves or relief, she couldn’t tell. “Don’t worry about me. That’s the last battle I ever plan to take part in. My abilities are best suited for giving the wolves a heads-up, and I’m cool with that. Just don’t forget what I’m capable of.”
“I won’t.” He narrowed his gaze at Noah, silently considering him before saying, “Thanks for keeping her safe.”
Noah dipped his head and took Amber’s hand. “I’m sorry we went in without permission, but I had to save her.”
“You did the right thing. Both of you.” He nodded at Cade.
“I’ll expect a full report tomorrow morning before you head to the congress.” He cut his gaze to Noah before looking at Amber and then Nylah again. “As full as the report needs to be.”
Amber swallowed down another nervous laugh, clearing her throat. Luke understood some rules had to be broken for the good of the pack. He’d broken a few himself, even defying the congress for his mate. Hopefully he’d understand her relationship with Noah too. “I don’t know what Dad has told you, but Noah and I…”
Luke cleared his throat. “There’s still the matter of the congress’s ruling. They met a few hours ago.”
“But their ruling no longer applies. Noah’s condition has changed.” She laced her fingers through his. “We just vanquished a centuries-old gargoyle. Cut us some slack.”
Luke chuckled. “Yes, you did, and while I agree with you, the congress will require some convincing.” He rose to his feet and motioned toward the door. “Come in the conference room and prove to me that your wolf is fused, and then I think we can all relax tonight. Nylah, I’ll take you to your parents’ place. They’ll be happy to see you.”
“Do you have room for one more?” Cade gave Amber a wink. “I’m on the way to Nylah’s.”
Noah rose to his feet, and Luke shook his hand. “The Grunch may be vanquished, but I want security detail on my sister tonight to be safe. Can you handle the job?” the alpha asked.