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“So that’s where you get it.” Quinn reached and hooked her hand over Vann’s forearm. “If this goes south, if there’s any sort of threat to you—or to Eryn—your dad’s team has fulfilled their duty. They’ve birthed the next generation of hunters, and they are officially retired, so this is just a bonus for them. They all love you. We’ve saved the world more than our share, and we have two loving, grateful teams behind us this time. This will be a walk in the park. Your grandmother underestimated you.”

Just fucking great. Vann bit back a rush of emotion he didn’t have the energy for. The road wound up the hill. It wouldn’t be much longer. “Lana narrowed in on the lair?”

“The wyvern lair, yes, but we don’t know if the demon lives there, too,” Bodie weighed in, and squeezed Vann’s shoulder. “If we take out the wyverns, we stand a much better chance of taking out the demon. From the wyvern lair, Bennett, Adair, and I should be able to track the demon. If this demon is intelligent enough to train demons, I’d wager it has a normal, human house nearby.”

Vann nodded and glared ahead.

“Stop,” Bodie said, his hand already on the handle. He sniffed the air, and looked out the window.

“I smell it, too.” Bennett looked to the sky. “They’re circling.”

“They saw us coming,” Vann said darkly.

Quinn shut off the engine and swung open the door.

Vann climbed out, and gripped his sword as he scanned the sky.

A broad shadow covered the car, wings beating the air as a wyvern flew overhead.

Another shadow crossed the gully ahead.

“Be ready.” Vann rolled his shoulders. Damn pauldrons. Stiff and annoying as hell, but those claws dug deep, and he’d take whatever extra protection he could get.

The other half of the team pulled in behind them.

Another shadow joined the others overhead. Circling.

Damp air thinned in the morning wind. Shadows shortened as the sun rose higher.

Vann squinted against the brightening sky.

Another wyvern joined the first two.

Surrounded by jagged hills in all directions, the clearing was an ideal spot for hunting… if you could fly.

“Good call on the pauldrons.” Lana rolled her armored shoulders, adjusted her axe to swing, and joined the circle of hunters. “I feel like one of those spiky posts to keep seagulls from shitting all over the dock.”

“Thanks,” Quinn said with a bold nod, and lifted her gaze to watch the sky with the others. “I’d rather not get picked up to go for a little aerial tour.”

No backs unguarded; they didn’t dare let one sneak up on them.

Ryan held his demonically black sword high. As if showing the wyverns they weren’t up against ordinary humans.

No spiked pauldrons for the vampire who was too quick to catch. They’d only slow Adair down. “You hunters and your odd sense of humor. And lack of fashion sense.”

Lana nudged Adair in the bare arm. “Hey. You’re not much bigger than I am. We’re the perfect dinner size for these guys.”

“It’s my first iteration. Next time, I’ll make something prettier.” Quinn rotated her twin swords in her hands, testing her range of motion.

Vann let the team’s banter flow over him. Another day on the job. Beat back a few baddies, then drinks and laughter in the comfort of home.

Five full-grown wyverns now. Circling.

He really didn’t want to be anyone’s prey today.

What did Eryn know?

Six. Fuck. Eight hunters on the ground versus six… seven. Seven wyverns.