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Alesia covered her ears.
More wraith-pairs arrived. She joined Zephyr by his desk and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. I can hardly bear this.
“Something’s wrong. I think they’ve cut the electricity to the house. I can’t even turn my computer on.”
By then, however, he had his phone to his ear. “Gerrod, we need back-up at my hilltop home. We’re under attack. We’ve got at least five wraith-pairs trying to break in.” He gave him the location and afterward returned his phone to the pocket of his jeans.
He said something but the pounding was so severe that she couldn’t make out his words.
Zeph, I can’t even hear you. What did you say?
Three squads are on the way, maybe ten minutes out.
When a booming sounded at the front door, which meant the Invictus were using some kind of battering ram to
try to break in, he pathed, This place has a tunnel that leads a couple hundred yards out into an oak grove. You game?
Sweet Goddess, yes.
He led her to a door that looked like a closet opposite his kitchen.
He opened it and ushered her inside. Once within the narrow space, he tried to use the key pad, but again the electricity wasn’t working. He opened a separate, hidden panel and using a mechanical handle, twisted it swiftly which caused a metal door to slide open.
A rush of cool air poured into the space. Closing the secret panel, he moved into the tunnel and she followed him. Once across the threshold, he turned and repeated the secret panel process so that the door closed behind them. He then led the way on a jog.
They’d run for a few minutes when he pathed, We’re almost there. As soon as I open the door, I’m taking you into the night sky.
Got it.
I’ll swing east about three miles before going north again.
The Invictus were slightly less active in the southeast than the western portion of the realm.
Reaching the door to the outside, he once again opened a panel, turned the handle and the door slid open.
* * * * * * * * *
Zephyr took a long moment to listen to the oak grove. The tunnel exit was well-hidden in a dense part of the grove where very few realm-folk ever went and no wraith-pairs that he knew of.
He grew very still and felt that Alesia did the same as she remained standing behind him, holding her breath.
The wind blew in his direction and no unusual smells came at him. He stepped outside, and listened a little more, then gestured for Alesia to join him.
But just as he reached for her, something heavy dropped on top of him, taking him to the ground.
He came up fighting what proved to be a male wraith. He grabbed him around the neck in a wrestler’s hold. Normally, he would have just snapped the thin bones, but not this time, not with Alesia nearby and staring at him in horror.
Alesia shook her head and cried out, “No, don’t do it. Zeph, please. Let this pair live.”
The wraith’s mate, however, dropped from the hillock that housed the tunnel exit, a knife in hand. He could see by the way she held the dagger that she’d had a lot of practice. She looked familiar to him, though he couldn’t place her. Perhaps he’d known her before her abduction.
Zephyr tried to launch his battle shield, to throw a layer of protection around Alesia, but he couldn’t, not while holding the wraith pinned against his upper body.
At the same time, he felt Alesia’s battle vibration gaining energy. He caught her eye as he pulled the wraith backward away from his mate.
Then suddenly, Alesia lowered her arm, her expression stunned. “I can’t believe it.”
“Alesia, what are you waiting for. You’ve got to fire. She’ll kill you with that knife.”
