Chapter Fifteen
Logan
If Logan hadn’t recognized the scent of home, then he would have assumed this wasn’t where he’d been raised. Nothing was as it had been. Well, except maybe his mama. She wasn’t any kinder. Even though Lucifer had provided an entire feast for every resident of the town, his mother was making it known that she didn’t trust them. At least his mama was across the room, sitting at a table with several of the elder shifters that didn’t seem any happier to have them there.
Logan sat at a lopsided table with his brother and three beautiful nieces. Through the dirt and grime, the little girls had the natural good looks of lion shifters. There was pain in their eyes though and that made Logan sad. When he was their age, all Logan had to worry about was how far he could run and which brother would find his hiding place before he had to be it.
Life was simple back then. There was nothing easy or happy here now.
The girls had to be reminded to slow down and chew their food properly. They were starving. Josiah made sure that his girls and the other children had plenty of food before he’d accepted a plate for himself. Logan sat by as Josiah finally began to slow down as well.
Around him, Logan’s real family, his chosen family, helped people that they’d never even met before. Mal and Axel were serving food from the numerous platters Lucifer had waved into existence. Gage and Adam were running around refilling glasses and making sure everyone got what they wanted. Lucifer was pacing in the corner on his cell, finding a place for the pride to go. Noah moved from table to table, leaving behind calmness and smiles. And Logan’s mate, his wonderful mate, magically healing anyone with small injuries or sickness. All while the pride accepted their gifts but very few said thank you.
For the first time in his life, Logan was glad that he’d been kicked out of his pride. If he’d stayed, he would have ended up like all these lost souls. There was no happiness in their eyes. Their gazes lacked any love. These were broken shifters.
“Thanks for doing this,” Josiah said quietly. “I didn’t know…I wasn’t sure how much longer we would last.”
Logan’s heart squeezed.
Dean was by his side in an instant. “Is everything okay here?” he asked. His firm fingers massaging the nape of Logan’s neck.
Josiah watched them for a moment before he nodded. “Why don’t you join us? I’m sure you have questions.”
“I do.” Dean glanced at the girls.
Noah popped up by the table. “Hey, girls!”
Three small faces turned to the familiar.
“I heard there’s ice cream! What do you say we get some? There’re all types of flavors. And sprinkles!”
The oldest girl, Sarah, sitting between the two other siblings, wrapped her arms around her younger sister’s shoulders before glancing toward Josiah.
Protective. Wary.
Josiah nodded. “Stay with Noah though. Or come right back here.”
“Okay, Dad,” Sarah said before helping the other girls out of their seats.
“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Noah promised.
“They’ll be safe with Noah,” Dean assured him.
Noah pranced off with the girls and Josiah sighed. “Sorry, it’s not always safe for them to be on their own. Not around here.”
“What do you mean?” Dean asked. “Should we be worried about an attack?”
When his brother didn’t immediately tell them that there was no danger, Logan grabbed his wrist. “Josiah?”
Josiah looked around the room. “The girls are safe with Noah?”
“Yes, but I can have Mal and Adam stay with them as well,” Dean offered.
“If you wouldn’t mind. We could take a short walk.”
“I’ll be right back.” Dean rose and hurried across the room.
“Jo?” Logan was scared. Not for himself but for his brother and nieces.
“Not here,” Josiah said quietly. “Please.”
“They’ve got the girls,” Dean said when he returned.
“This way.” Josiah rose and led them out the side door. He didn’t say anything as they walked back to the street with the houses. Josiah moved until they were standing in front of the yellow house that he’d grown up in.
“It looks so different,” Logan couldn’t help but to say.
Josiah turned. His gold eyes sparkling in the fading light. “I’m glad Mother and Father sent you away.”
It shouldn’t have hurt so much to hear those words. Logan knew that his family hadn’t loved him but—
“What the fuck, man!” Dean demanded. His power pulsed so hard that Logan could feel it.
“Seth wanted to come after you, you know.” Josiah shook his head. “He already had his bag packed. One for you too.”
“He did?” Logan…hadn’t expected that. He and Seth were the closest in age and had been the best of friends.
“Yes, he’d almost convinced me and Lex, but our father heard him.”
“Oh no!” Logan covered his mouth with his hands. He could just imagine the punishment that Seth would have endured.
“Yeah.” Josiah swallowed hard. “It was bad. He couldn’t move for several days from the beating. And father refused to let him shift. We still should have gone. After Seth could move again. We should have followed you.”
“I was probably long gone,” Logan admitted.
Josiah nodded. “Seth was never the same. After that. He mourned the loss of his best friend. Never forgave our father.”
“I wouldn’t either,” Logan said.
“It had already started when you were sent away,” Josiah told them.
“What had started?” Dean questioned.
“The pride working with the coven. That’s why it was so important for us to have so many cubs. The coven kept pushing the elders for more and more cubs. Now we know why. They needed our blood.”
Logan gasped. “I didn’t know!”
“None of us did,” Josiah said. “I didn’t put it together until it was too late.”
“Where? What happened to Seth?” Logan asked.
“Baby.” Dean wrapped an arm around his waist.
Logan peered up his Daddy. This was hard but he needed to know.
“He got sick,” Josiah told him. “About five years ago. None of us were well even back then. The crops had begun to die. The water was polluted by magic. He got sick and died. Lex had an accident while on a hunting trip. His hunting party brought us his body back, but he’d fallen off a cliff.”
Tears trailed down his cheeks. Logan’s brothers. The ones he left behind.
“How’d you survive?” Dean asked. “As far as I can tell, you’re the strongest male remaining.”
“We were all suffering,” Josiah replied. “We had to go farther and farther to find food. When the coven came last time, I was on a hunting trip. They were here six weeks. I was gone eight.”
“I’m sorry,” Dean said. “You came back to this.”
“Everything we had, little as it was, had been taken from us. The strongest male and females were killed and their blood harvested. The coven left the children and elderly. Until the five of us on the hunting trip came back. That’s why I’m glad mother and father sent you away. So you didn’t have to suffer like the rest of us. That you got a chance at a real life. And were able to find your mate.”
“Thank you.”
“I couldn’t save anyone. I failed to protect my family. I wouldn’t want that for you.”
“It’s…awful. What you all have been through.” Logan was horrified. How could anyone treat someone else this way? The coven had to be stopped.
“My girls,” Josiah said. “They lost their mom, their grandfather, every important person in their life. They haven’t recovered.”
“We’ll help them,” Dean promised. “That’s why we’re here.”
“The entire pride?” Josiah asked.
“Yes,” Logan insisted.
“I don’t trust them,” Josiah admitted.
“What?” Logan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Pride was family.
“They got us into this mess,” Josiah reminded him. “They made a deal with the coven. I don’t know what they got out of it. No one will admit to anything, but I do know that the mother of my children died because of them. And I’m not the only one that feels that way. Some of the older teenagers are angry. We must fight for every morsal of food.”
“Tell me about her,” Logan requested. “The girl’s mother.”
“Luna.” Josiah smiled. A real smile. Happiness shining in his eyes. “She was my best friend. You might remember her?”
“Vaguely,” Logan responded. He’d tried to avoid most of the females.
“After you were gone, Father came to me and said that I would start providing cubs. It didn’t matter what I wanted.” Josiah winced. “I love my girls. I’d do anything for them!”
“We understand,” Dean said kindly.
Josiah nodded. “Luna was my best friend. She was being pressured as well by her family. An elder had shown interest in mating with her. We decided if we were going to be forced into providing cubs, we’d do it together. It would keep her safe from others and allow me to fulfill our father’s wishes.”
“It was a good plan.” Dean smiled. “She sounds like an amazing woman.”
“She was. I loved her,” Josiah told them. “I wasn’t in love with her. It wasn’t like the love I can see between the two of you. We weren’t mates but I loved her.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Dean said sincerely.
“She was one of the first five killed and drained. Luna was a strong female. She fought. Killed two of the witches but it hadn’t been enough. They still got her and everyone else.”
“We’re going to stop them,” Dean vowed.
“I hope so,” Josiah replied. “It’s too late for us though.”
“It’s not!” Logan insisted. “You can start over. In a new pride. Or on your own, just you and your girls.”
“How?” Josiah demanded.
“You still have a kind and loving brother who has powerful connections,” Dean told him.
Josiah peered at Logan. Watched him with those golden eyes. “I won’t ever be able to pay you back for this.”
“You don’t have to,” Logan said. “My alpha, he helped me when I needed it. No payment needed. I can offer the same for my blood.”
“Blood.” Josiah snorted. “Blood never mattered before. Not here.”
“Then you’ll go somewhere else. Make a new family. Live a better life.”
“I don’t want to go with the rest of the pride,” Josiah stated.
“No problem. You’ll come home with us until you decide where you want to go,” Axel offered as he and Lucifer joined them. Slowly walking in the direction that they’d come from.
“Mr. Lucifer. Alpha,” Josiah bowed his head. “Thank you for everything you did for us today.”
Lucifer smiled. “It was my pleasure. And you just call me Lucifer.”
“You are family,” Axel stated firmly. “I’ve already spoken to Mason. His cabin is available for you and the girls. I thought you might like to spend time with Logan before you decided where you wanted to live.”
“Thank you.” Josiah grew teary-eyed before he turned his face away.
“There’s more,” Lucifer said. “Every town and territory that my demons checked on are like this. We are reaching out to every shifter leader and mage that we can. I already have a lion alpha headed here. Some of the elderly are saying they won’t go.”
“What do we do?” Logan asked. He clung hard to his mate. “We can’t force them from their home.”
“No, we can’t,” Lucifer agreed.
“They’ll die here though,” Dean said.
“It’s not for us to decide,” Axel said as he cupped the back of Logan’s head.
“I know.” It hurt. Logan knew that his mother wouldn’t be leaving. She’d die there where his father and brothers had met their end. Maybe that was what she wanted.
“The rest of the family are helping the other shifters,” Axel said. “Everyone is doing their part. But we need to go.”
“Go?” Logan repeated.
“Gavin found the coven. We need to go now,” Lucifer said. “Before they kill any more innocents.”
Logan met his brother’s gaze.
Josiah nodded.
“I need a favor, Logan,” Axel said.
“Sure.” He’d do anything for his alpha. Axel knew that.
“I need you to stay here with Mal and Adam. The lion alpha will be here in a few hours. He needs to meet with the pride. See who wants to go with him. Mal is also trying to find other alternatives if needed.”
“You want me to stay?” That didn’t sound so bad. Logan hoped he could talk his mother into at least meeting with the new alpha.
“Yes, Dean and Noah are needed to fight the coven,” Axel said.
“No!” Logan exclaimed. “I’ll go with them.”
Dean turned Logan to face them. By the look on his mate’s face, Logan already knew what Dean was going to say.
He shook his head. “I’m going with you.”
“I can’t take any shifter,” Dean told him. “The amount of blood that they harvested? Logan, I had no idea it was this bad. There are so many spells that could be used against you.”
“Axel?” Logan asked.
“He can’t go either,” Dean said.
“Noah! He’s a shifter!” Logan pointed out.
“He’s my familiar,” Dean told him. “Shifter magic can’t be used against him.”
Logan whimpered. “What if something happens to you?”
“I’ll be with him, young lion. I will protect Logan and Noah with my life,” Lucifer told him.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you either!” Logan exclaimed. He was scared.
“We have to do this, baby.” Dean tugged him close. “I love you. I will always come back to you. Nothing could keep me away.”
He sniffled. “I love you too.” Logan did not feel good about this at all.
* * * * *
Dean
Lucifer transported him and Noah to where Gavin had set up camp in the woods high above where the coven had taken residence. The town was nestled deep inside a canyon, using the natural formations as protection. As soon as Dean appeared, the bitter and nauseating scent of blood magic assaulted his senses.
“It takes a minute to get used to the stench,” Gavin said, his fingers digging into Dean’s shoulder, holding him steady.
Noah was on his knees gagging.
Lucifer had a hand over his nose.
Dean now how a good idea of what the coven was using the shifter blood for. “They’ve put protections around the entire canyon.”
“This was as close as I could get,” Gavin confirmed. “The protection even goes up into the air.”
“They are taking their last stand,” Lucifer commented.
Dean agreed. “They’ve probably used up all their resources. They don’t have any more shifters to drain.”
He walked to the edge of the rocky landscape to peer down at the small town below. Cabins littered the area, a gorgeous lake, and vegetation. This was nothing like the towns they’d left behind. This area was thriving.
Closing his eyes, Dean sent his magic out. He probed at the protection barrier, surprised to find that the coven was guarding against shifters, not other magic. Not very smart. Was it a trap or was the coven that sure about their abilities? They had to know that something was happening to the coven members that Dean had already tracked down.
Carefully, he pushed his magic out farther. He tested the river, dug under the soil, wrapped around the cabins. Yes, the coven planned on staying here. Each cabin held a small number of people. Dean recognized their magic signatures. Of course, the coven leaders, the darkest signatures were right in the middle. For protection.
The cabin to the right had Dean hesitating. His mother, brother, and sister, and an older male. It appeared it was the day for family reunions. Not something that Dean was looking forward to.
“Your family,” Noah said as he rose although he still looked rather green in the face.
Dean waved his hand over his head, blocking the blood magic from affecting any of them. He should have thought about doing that before.
“Appreciate that,” Noah told him. “But your family?”
“We’ll have to…deal with them.”
Lucifer came to his side. “I’m sorry, Dean. If they’re here…there is a good chance they are involved.”
Dean had the same though. Except he knew his family’s limitations. “None of them are strong magic users. I got the talent. Not them. I always thought the coven kept them around to lure me back.”
“Even after all this time?” Lucifer questioned.
The truth was that Dean didn’t know the answer to that.
Gavin cleared his throat. “I haven’t seen any children. Not even teenagers. The few people I have spotted appear much older.”
“Children wouldn’t be something that the coven wanted to spend time or resources on. Not unless they were powerful children that could be manipulated and used,” Dean explained.
“The more I learn about this coven, the less I like them,” Gavin commented.
“Wait until you get home and talk to Logan.” That reminded him. “You should go. These spells are designed to capture your shifter side and drain the magic from you.”
Frowning, Gavin shook his head. “I’m not leaving you three without having someone watch your back. I can’t get through the barrier, but I will keep watch up here. Get help if you need it.”
“I’m in constant contact with the dragon alpha, alpha of the hellhounds, and vampire.”
Dean jumped. No one else was there. His magic didn’t pick up any other signatures but their own.
Gavin snorted before motioning to the tablet nestled in the trees. “He kept calling.”
“Stryker.” Dean walked where he could see the masked man on the tablet.
“And they have names,” Gavin told Stryker. “I’ve said them repeatedly.”
Stryker waved that away. “How often do I get to say dragon? Or hellhounds? Vampires!”
Gavin glanced at Dean then rolled his eyes. “You brought him into this. I blame you.”
Yet, it hadn’t been Dean who Stryker had been calling. “Appreciate the backup.”
“I’d be there in person…” Stryker motioned to his own body. “But human, you know.”
“It’s safer wherever you are.” Dean narrowed his eyes. “Where are you exactly.”
“Safe.” Stryker’s reply was expected.
“Make sure you stay that way,” Dean ordered. “I don’t want to have to rescue you again.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think you need to worry about yourself. From what Gavin’s told me, this isn’t a good situation.”
Dean turned to look down at the town that held the remainder of his nightmare. “This has been a long time coming.” Too long. He’d run away because he thought that would be the end of his involvement, but he’d known better. Had considered what he’d have to do in order to finally have the safety and peace that he craved. With a mate now, Dean wouldn’t be running this time.
“I can call my demons here. We can take care of this. You don’t even have to be involved.” Lucifer’s hand gripped his shoulder as he spoke.
“My circus. My monkeys,” Dean replied. Even though it was the last thing he wanted, Dean turned to Noah. “Stay with me. They can’t drain you because of our bond, but that doesn’t mean they won’t try.”
Noah cracked his knuckles before moving his head from side to side. “Let’s end this. We have a family to get back to.”
Family. Mate. Future.
Yes, they needed to stop the coven once and for all. It was time to start living and enjoying the life they’d made for themselves.
Dean turned and nodded to Lucifer. “Let’s do this.”
Lucifer’s magic swirled around them. He was powerful. Gifted by his father and the fates themselves as he’d been tasked with one of the most difficult jobs in existence.
“I can dampen their magic but not wipe it out completely. Not without stripping each member of the coven and I need to see them in that case.”
Just as Dean had suspected. “We need to draw them out. You and I will strip them of their magic. I need some place to put it though. I don’t want either of us absorbing any of the blood magic.”
Lucifer hummed. “Wherever we put it will need to be able to be destroyed.”
Dean shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I have no idea where the magic will go.”
“Would it return to the shifters that it was stolen from? Their land?”
“Normally. Stolen magic would. If it was even a small amount of blood magic like I’d taken before, I could return it to the land. What I feel here? It’s too much. I might be able to redirect it, but I need to do some research. Right now, we just need somewhere safe to store it.”
“And somewhere safe to keep it,” Lucifer said. “I don’t think the human realm is the place.”
Dean brightened. “Mal! Can he keep it at the core in the hell realm? Anyone there would know not to mess with it. And demons can’t wield mage magic.”
“That is a good idea. We’ll have Adam assign some demons to keep an eye on it just in case,” Lucifer stated.
He felt better having a plan to ensure the magic wouldn’t harm anyone else. Now where to put it?
“What about a box like you are keeping the book in,” Lucifer suggested.
“That will work.” Dean nodded. His magic throbbed before a similar box to the one he’d created to hold Lucifer’s book appeared in his hands.
“Door,” Noah mumbled as he placed his hand on the top. The door would allow them to stuff the magic inside.
They were ready.
“Noah, hold the box. It will be better if we have both hands to fight,” Dean told his familiar.
Noah grabbed the box and held it to his chest.
“Whatever you do, don’t allow anyone to get it from you,” Dean reminded him.
“Once it’s safe, I’ll swoop in and cover him,” Gavin offered.
“Be very certain that the barrier is broken,” Dean warned. He couldn’t let anything happen to Logan’s family.
“I can feel the magic,” Gavin informed him. “I won’t endanger myself.”
He cloaked himself in his mage warrior outfit, as Noah called it. The dark blue hood and mask covering his face. The arm bands with spikes for intimidation. The snug leather to protect his body and allow movement. He turned, waving his palm over Noah, hiding him under a long black coat and all-black leather clothing. His mask much cuter in the shape of a cat face with long whiskers. The whiskers served the purpose of blocking magic attacks against the familiar.
Lucifer chuckled before changing himself into all-red leather. His face and hair visible. His black wings spread from his back. Dean approved of the look.
Looking down at the cabin that held the coven leaders, Dean lifted his chin. “Okay, Luci.”
Luci transported them down and in front of the cabin of the coven leaders.
Throwing his hand out, Dean announced his presence in the most spectacular way he knew how. He shook the entire canyon.
Doors opened.
Several people ran out of their cabins with confused and frightened expressions.
As more of the coven revealed themselves, Dean noted who he remembered, who was a real threat, and how their magic butted against his own. When the three coven leaders stepped outside their cabin, Dean was shocked by their appearance. He’d suspected that the leaders had been using some of the magic for their own personal gain and he’d been right. While Dean could see aging in several members of the coven, the leaders looked exactly the same as they had the night that Dean had run away.
Mage Appleton, five-foot nine with long straight blond hair, appeared to be in her early thirties. She was far from it. The two male coven leaders, Mage Johnson and Mage Montgomery, looked forty. They were also nowhere close to that age.
It wasn’t just a charm spell.
Dean sank his magic into the trembling lines surrounding the three.
The final pieces clicked into place.
They weren’t just using and killing shifters for their blood. Somehow, they’d managed to figure out how to also steal the shifter ability to slow down the aging process. But only for the three of them.
Dean was disgusted by the three so-called leaders in front of him.
Lucifer stepped forward, raising both hands into the air. Fire sparked from his fingertips. There were gasps as several people hovered on the edge of running. “You’ve committed atrocities against others,” Lucifer’s voice boomed. “You’ve killed and harmed innocents. This is your reckoning!”
Mage Appleton showed no fear as she laughed. “Who are you to question our methods, devil! You should welcome us into your inner circle. We’re the more powerful coven in this realm.”
Lucifer threw his head back, laughing.
Dean trembled with the power of the sound.
“Foolish mortals!” Lucifer said. “You might have tricked, bribed, and threatened shifters of this realm but you are not the most powerful beings here. Fall to your knees and seek forgiveness before it is too late.”
“And who is going to stop us?” Mage Appleton asked. “You are one lone creature. Even you are vulnerable to magic. This entire canyon is our domain.”
“That’s the thing about domains,” Lucifer told her. “The power can be transferred to another.”
“You are not of this realm,” Mage Appleton argued. “You can’t take our power from us.”
Dean stepped forward. Mage Appleton glanced over before becoming very still. He dropped the spell that held his own power in check. Letting the full effect of his magic be felt by the others.
Mage Appleton stumbled back as she was hit with Dean’s magic full force. Slowly, Dean removed his mask. He watched as the coven members around him shook in fear. “You!”
“I can take the magic,” Dean stated as he removed his hood.
“You should be dead!” Mage Appleton shouted. “We paid the hunters for you.”
“Another miscalculation on your part,” Dean told her. “Now surrender or be stripped of all magic.”
Mage Appleton lifted her hands. “Come and take it, boy!”