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“How did a stranger have visions of us?” Levi wondered.
“They didn’t start until she met me. I was already checking into your whereabouts, so when we connected, I guess her magic took notice. The death and sentencing felt off, and I believed you, so I wanted to keep my own tabs on you. A seer ability was an odd power for a vampire to have, so it took me by surprise, but once she’d had several visions in a row, we were finally able to piece them together a bit.”
“I’m glad you came, then,” I said. “We need all the help we can get.”
“Ha!” Lance’s outburst startled us, and he suddenly had all of our attention again. “I found him. The asshole is working with humans. Once you mentioned the hunters, I found them. They’re still active; I’ve come across them before when I was looking into things for the Arch Mage. He’s mobilizing them, it seems.” He gave a dramatic swipe of his hand over the screen then flicked his fingers at the air beside him. A copy of the screen materialized near his head, giving us a full view of Clarence and his cohorts. Every uniform had the same emblem we’d found in the basements, and I groaned at the thought of having to fight back against humans. They were underestimated far too often; humans were violent by nature.
What struck me as strange was the lack of modern weaponry. Most had swords that shone with silver, but fighting with weapons was slow and they’d have to be extremely fit to manage it well. And from the awkward sparring that ended in most of the men falling on their asses, they weren’t well trained or fit enough to handle their archaic weaponry. This was a lackluster attempt at an army if I ever saw one... until it panned past a table that was lined in guns and ammo. It appeared they were preparing for any and all forms of fighting.
Levi and I both were shaken by the sight of them, knowing they had played a part in our downfall. It seemed they hunted supernaturals, but worked with them just as well. Our isolation from other supernaturals had cost us and they’d played right into the hands and likely pockets of the rest.
“They’re coming!” Lance said in a panicked voice, flicking up a new screen that showed them loading up into a procession of mismatched vehicles. If not for the gravity of our situation, it might have been comical to see armored soldiers loading into minivans.
“There’s no way he didn’t give them hexes to use as well,” I pointed out with a worried glance out of the window. “We don't have human weapons here, either. Not many, at least.” Most of us wouldn’t need any human weapons; claws, fangs, and spells would be enough. But in situations like this, it helped to have backups for your backups. I couldn’t risk being underprepared.
West stood abruptly. “I'm going to fetch Kylan. He's good at wards. We have to adjust them to keep out humans for now.”
“They’ll get through regardless,” Caspian said sadly. “He has enough magic and charms to knock them out easily. Don’t underestimate him on looks alone. My mate has seen different endings.”
“He’s right,” Lance said bitterly. “He always kills with purpose. He’d take skills that he could specifically use to get to you.”
“We outnumber and outpower them, regardless,” Avi said in a deadly calm voice.
“My brood will fight beside me, but I hate the thought of them getting hurt. Think I can convince them to leave for their own safety?” It was a weak attempt at a joke. I just didn’t want to think about anyone I loved or cared for getting hurt on my account. All the men in the room laughed humorlessly, then it was Deacon who spoke up.
“Not happening, my queen. We’re standing beside you against our common enemy. We are stronger together,” he countered. I nodded as he stood up and walked out with Maxon, ready to mobilize the guards we had and anyone else willing to join. We’d even thought ahead and readied a temporary triage center in the lobby, though we were still waiting on the healer.
“I see snow,” Lance said pointedly, spurring the rest of us into action. I let the shock roll off of me and called the girls down. They zoomed my way, landing in my arms. “It has to be now.”
“We have to get the girls to safety.” I ran out without a further word. I heard someone fall into step behind me, but I wouldn’t stop, not until they were safely with Quinn like we’d decided. She was staying in with Jude and Nolan to protect her and our babies. I trusted them to stay strong and keep them safe.
If I wasn't terrified before, now the fear was strong enough that I could feel it running through my veins. The thought of leaving my babies behind was heartbreaking, but I had to protect the entire town as well as them. This was the way it had to be, and I knew that.
My mates surrounded me as we ran across town. Kylan and West were there when we arrived, already spelling the house with everything they had. We couldn’t rely on standard wards any longer. Soon, every witch in town had come to lend every bit of magic they could to protect our helpless children. Several other mothers in town were coming to hide away with their babies or get them to safety before they joined the battle.
“I’ll stand watch out here and let any more pass,” Jude promised us.
“I'm putting on an illusion as well,” Niko said. “Don’t be startled.”
I turned to Quinn as she met us outside. Tears were already in both of our eyes as I whispered goodbye to my babies. Their dads did the same, one by one, until I was forced to hand them over to their protectors.
“They’re everything to me. Protect them,” I told her as I let the girls fly to her outstretched arms.
She snuggled them close and nodded. “With my life,” she promised with every bit of conviction she could muster.
The sound of magical blasts and the clanging of metal announced that our time was up. When I stepped away, Niko finished his illusion. Their entire complex now looked like nothing more than a pile of rubble. I hoped that was enough to convince the humans to pass on by.It has to be enough.
As we rushed to the middle of town, I spotted the roadblocks their cars had created, trying to trap us like rats. Flames blazed from the houses on the edge of town, and the bitter stench of magic and gunfire started to fill the air. This battle was going to be bloody.
* * *
Kane
There wasno sign of Clarence as his human soldiers clashed with claws, fangs, and magic. We were in survival mode now, and I needed to figure out where the asshole was hiding.
I hadn’t even realized I’d said my thoughts out loud until I saw Farren next to me, looking every bit the feral warrior.
“We’ll find him… Watch out!” she screeched, attempting and failing to put up a shield. Luckily, Niko was there to help. I turned to the man next to me and reached out with my magic, cutting off his air supply with a clench of my fist. His eyes went wide, then slowly his face turned blue, and I dropped his unconscious body on the floor. I wouldn’t usually leave them alive, but he was only a misguided human. We’d handle the survivors later.
