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Me? You were literally almost captured,I reminded her grimly.
She just gave me a tentative smile in response.But I knew you were coming for me.
Her complete faith would have made me preen any other time. At the moment, I couldn’t think beyond needing her to be safe. Even my angel was tense, desperate to spirit her away from the dangers surrounding us.
“Should have figured you’d be a bunch of bigots.”
The words were dry when Marilyn finally responded to them, making Justus laugh before one of the other vampires slapped at him hurriedly. Captain Velez gave them a disgruntled look as Aster sneered.
“Honestly, Ansen. Over awolf?Your coven has been trying to smooth things over on your behalf, you know. We could probably drop your charges if you’d help us.”
Auren snorted, wings spreading in front of us before he stalked forward. The vampires scattered, obviously planning to flank us—except they never made it that far.
My hand slapped over Aria’s eyes when the twins lumbered into my peripherals, choked screams and gurgling following as they loped by us on the street.
Marilyn took the two Captains’ distraction in stride, flicking one wrist up and freezing them in place while Aria pried my grip from her face and glared.
“We want some of them alive,” Auren called after the hybrids, and two howls went up as they continued by. “I’m serious, Kiran! Bring me survivors to interrogate. I want to know how they found us.”
It was almost comical howunbotheredeveryone seemed to be by the Paras now struggling with their leaden bodies.
Auren gripped Justus by the collar of his shirt and tossed him back toward the Captains like it was nothing. “Marilyn, can you hold them?”
She shrugged. “Of course, I can.”
Auren glanced over at Aria and me with narrowed eyes before giving her his full attention. “They’re not very strong. You may want to go find Neo and deliver your message about survivors, though. I’d bet he’s full-shift.”
That would explain the glowing in the distance, at least. It was too bright to be strictly the fire some of the witches had started.
“I already let him know.”
The four of us turned in time to see Grel step out of the shadows, arms folded across his chest as he took in the scene. “Apparently, someone hurt his little human, and he lost it. You’d think he’d have learned this lesson already.”
The words made my mate tense in my arms, stand up straight, and turn to the fae, who was watching us both with an unreadable expression.
Auren rolled his neck. “Friend of yours?”
My brother directed the question to me, and I was once more taken in by the damage to his face. That should havehealed—the damage he’d sustained shouldn’t have left any trace.
“Yes,” Aria answered on my behalf.
Auren’s jaw flexed as he nodded and eyed Grel. “What happened to your face?”
Grel actually grinned at the blunt question, fully joining our circle. “What happened to yours?”
Auren chuckled, head cocking in acknowledgment. “Is it just you, or did you bring reinforcements to clean up this mess?”
Grel explained that he’d technically been keeping tabs on us at the request of Lucia, under the guise of hunting for Aria and me. All the Guardians currently helping to subdue the invasion of Upper Council dogs were part of the Free Kingdom’s personal Resistance movement, which was led by the Princess herself; they’d been taking a much morepeacefulapproach than our group was, hoping to gently push their leaders into change rather than all-out civil war.
Auren didn’t comment despite his grimace at the explanation. I could imagine he disapproved of their methods, knowing the fate of all the children being raised under Tarragon and Blossoms’ thumb. I couldn't say I liked it much, either.
It didn’t take long to subdue the Paras with the help of the Guardians. It took even less effort to get the handful of survivors lined up on their knees in front of my brother.
“Zuzanna.” The witch in question all but skipped up to his side. “Which ones can be persuaded to help us?”
Her smile had a bite to it as her hands raised, palms hovering over two people’s heads as she walked the line. Eyes fluttering shut, she let out a soft hum as she worked, head tilted to one side.
“Useless,” she ultimately declared. The two her hands were hovering over dropped with a snap of their necks, with no more effort than a twist of her wrist.
