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Colby reached down and unclipped the chain. Once the man was grasping at thin air and slipping from the landing between the cars, Colby charged back into the fight. Adriana and Maya looked on in dismay while Colby and Brie grappled with those trying to kill them and take Adriana. Fists and feet flew as the fated mates fought back against their attackers. Brie jumped up with a round-house kick and knocked one of the men into Colby’s waiting hands. He quickly snapped the man’s neck.
Realizing he and Brie were both tiring, he feared they might lose the fight. The sounds of the fight were sickening as fists made connection with bone and flesh, mingling with grunts and groans as the train continued to rattle down the track at breakneck speed. As Brie had noted, there was no room for anyone to shift and so all those involved were left with only their fists and their wits to disarm and dispose of their opponents. The situation was quickly spiraling out of control, and it wasn’t clear that they could win the fight, but they had to or all of them would die.
They were outnumbered. Maya was frozen in fear in one of the seats in the back corner. Adriana was sitting with her eyes closed mumbling something and playing with the amulet that hung around her neck. Suddenly it seemed as though Strode’s men were moving in slow motion. Their words were garbled and distorted, as were their faces and bodies. Not understanding but not wanting to lose the advantage, Brie and Colby fought the remainder of Strode’s men until they were either dead or unconscious.
Fearing whatever spell Adriana had cast might wear off, they tossed the remainder of Strode’s men off the train before it cleared the tall bridge.
Standing in the space between the train cars, Brie looked at Colby. “Did you know she could do that?”
“I’m not even sure what she did.”
Adriana joined them. “It’s a distortion spell. I basically distorted time—slowing theirs down while not affecting yours. I’ve never been able to do anything like that before. I’m surprised it worked.”
She had barely spoken before she started to collapse. Colby caught Adriana in his arms and took her back inside, setting her down in the seat that should have been opposite Maya, who had disappeared.
“My apologies, Alpha,” said Maya, returning from the opposite end of the car. “I secured the door and got some first aid supplies for you and Brie, as well as some water and smelling salts for Adriana.”
Waving the smelling salts under Adriana’s nose roused her, and they helped her sit up and get comfortable. She looked around quickly. “Is everyone all right?”
Brie grinned. “Only the good guys. The bad guys didn’t fare as well. Right before you passed out, you said the spell had never worked like that before.”
“No. It was much stronger, and I had far more control. Do you think it’s because I’m now a wolf-shifter?”
Colby and Brie looked at each other. “That’s why Strode is so determined to get her. I thought this was pretty brazen for him,” said Brie.
Colby shook his head. “Not just brazen, desperate.”
“Let me look at you, Alpha,” said Maya.
“I’m fine. Make sure Brie is all right and see that everyone eats. I’m going to make sure we don’t get surprised again.”
Once Maya had seen to everyone’s needs, Colby dimmed the lights and sat as the train rocked Brie, Adriana, and Maya into a much-needed sleep. He stood on the back landing and scanned the horizon. Strode wasn’t done, but Colby, Brie, and the Resistance would be waiting for him.
CHAPTER 12
BRIE
The rest of their trip and their arrival at St. Piran’s Abbey was uneventful. Colby had stood just inside the door at the rear of the private train compartment and kept watch over them, keeping them safe. Brie knew he felt he’d somehow failed them because Strode had mounted an attack against them, but she knew better. Yes, she had fought at his side, but he’d taken out more of the bad guys than she had. When had he had a chance to rest? Who looked after Colby while he looked after everyone else? She wondered if anyone, including her, had ever stopped to ask that question.
They were greeted at the unscheduled stop by men who had been with Colby for years, his best warriors and those he knew were absolutely loyal to him. They were shown to their rooms, and Brie dropped her bag just inside the door, closed it, and stripped out of her clothes as she walked to the bed, falling down into its soft surface face first. Even though she’d been at Windsong, even though she’d been attacked on the train, she felt safer here in the abbey than she had in days, weeks, months…maybe even years. Knowing Colby was near was helpful, but more than that, it was the look of the abbey itself—stone walls with heavy fortifications. It looked more like a military fortress than an abbey.
The following morning, she was awakened by the sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks below. The abbey had been partially built into the craggy cliffs that surrounded it but towered over the headland with its imposing towers and parapets. She remembered opening the window as she’d stumbled back to her bed after having gone into the bath. She vaguely recalled thinking Colby had to have put a small fortune into renovating this place, as she was pretty sure none of those who had lived here when it was built had ever even conceived of such luxury. She’d been restless and had thought the sound of the waves and the sea air would help to soothe her frayed nerves.
The soft light of morning filtered into the room, casting just enough light to see the coffered ceilings above and the polished stone floors with their rich, thick, and soft rugs. She sat up and stretched. It was a surprisingly elegant and comfortable room. She rolled out of bed and made her way into the bath. There was an enormous free-standing, deep soaker tub and a huge shower with any number of shower heads and jets.
Once she was clean, she opened her bag and found something presentable to wear. She laughed at the map that had been left for her, directing her from her room to the dining hall and various other places. Leave it to Colby to buy some massive fortress that you needed to use a map to navigate. She looked forward to exploring it.
As she headed down the stairs, the salty tang of the ocean was replaced with the familiar aroma of Maya’s cooking. Brie sniffed the air and sighed. More than the smell of delicious food, the smell of rich, dark coffee drew her like a magnet. She ran her hands down the beautiful hand-carved railing that led her down the gently sweeping staircase.
Crossing the expansive foyer, she entered the dining room and was surprised to see Sean and Winter Campbell—the latter being Colby’s former beta—although Adriana was not with them. She recognized some of the men scattered around the room and realized she already considered the abbey more of a sanctuary than she had Windsong.
“Good morning, miss,” said Maya, approaching her with a coffee mug.
“He didn’t even give you the day off?” she asked.
“The alpha told me I was to rest, but there’s so much to be done, and those who preceded us have done so much work without any proper cooking. I wasn’t about to allow that. We’re doing family-style meals today. But if you want something else you just let me know.”
Brie smiled at her. “Maya, I have never had anything from your kitchen that wasn’t delicious, but I may need an IV for the coffee.”
