Chapter 17 #2
“No, that’s all you. You make me that way,” I countered.
We lay there letting our hearts slow, our lungs not to burn, and our bodies to cool. We knew we had to leave soon, but all we wanted was a couple of minutes to linger in the afterglow.
?
It was go time. Our plan was underway. All three of the Katzes were in Fiona’s car. They were headed to the spot we selected for the rendezvous, we hoped, with the enemy. It was Friday, and time to see if this whole nightmare would end.
We knew it would be suspicious if they went to some old barn or an abandoned industrial building. But if they packed the car as if they were taking a trip and ended up in a remote location, the enemy would assume they were hiding. Or that was the hope.
The place chosen, somehow found by Royal through his online searching, was a cabin similar to the one Fiona and I stayed in during our week away.
However, this one was a little closer to their home.
Because we had no idea how long it would take to entice the enemies out tonight, Royal had paid for two weeks with the option to extend if needed.
The rental started four days ago. He was given the code to the door’s key box. They used the kind that realtors used.
It was just after dark when they arrived.
Nico had ridden with them in his invisible form.
The rest of us had split up and rode in two vehicles.
With Nico keeping us apprised of their progress, we waited five miles up the road at a small gas station and on a dirt road.
After she passed, we waited a minute or two before we fell behind them, but at a distance.
When Fiona’s car passed the dirt road a few miles later, the others did the same, falling in behind me. We watched for tails.
We remained hypervigilant for anything out of place or for someone paying attention, driving too close.
Nothing. I relaxed a little when we made it to the cabin without any problems. We parked down a secondary road that the others had scouted.
There was a path that led from it over to the lane where the cabin was.
We came through the woods and up to the back of it, then I slipped inside.
The others would remain outside. Once I was in there with Fiona and her family, Nico excused himself to go outside as well.
A few lamps were strategically lit, but that was it.
Everyone was armed. Galen had been the one to teach both of his great-grandkids how to shoot.
When asked if they were any good, he smiled and told us he’d put them up against us on a range any day.
Of course, a range was different from a moving target or killing someone, but we had to ensure they had multiple ways to defend themselves.
Claws and teeth were great, but they were no match for bullets.
It was impossible to relax. We tried not to pace in front of the backlit windows constantly. Occasional movement was fine, but if someone came upon us, and for some reason my fellow Sentinels didn’t know they were there, we wanted to allay any suspicion that this was a trap.
The television was on low, playing a comedy.
No one watched, but it set the stage. Sometimes they would ask innocent questions.
Would someone like a snack or a drink? Or one of them excused themselves to use the bathroom.
We went to this extent because we couldn’t rule out that the ones making the threats were shifters.
We all prayed they wouldn’t be, but it might be true.
It wouldn’t be the first time a shifter betrayed their own.
A great example was Akiva’s father. His betrayal was atrocious.
It was almost midnight when we decided to act as if they’d all gone to bed. They called out their goodnights and went through their nighttime routines. By twelve thirty, everyone was tucked into bed, but no one was sleeping.
I was sitting in the bedroom with Fiona. It was a good thing that she and I could speak telepathically. She was tense, not that anyone could blame her. I had more experience with this kind of waiting game, and I was even slightly restless.
Piscín, I know it’s hard to wait. Hopefully, they’ll take the bait, and we can end this tonight, I said mind to mind.
I hope so, too. Waiting isn’t my thing. I admire how calm you and the others can be.
We’ve had decades, in some cases centuries, to get used to this, I replied.
Who has been a Sentinel the longest? How long have you been one?
I had to think about it before answering her.
This year will be a hundred and thirty-six years for me. As for the longest, that’s Nico. He's three hundred and twenty or twenty-one years, I think. The shortest is Gunnar. He’s not quite at one hundred.
Wow, I hadn’t thought about it being that long for you guys. So are any of you first-generation? Her interest in my answers was evident.
Only Royal and Nico are first-generation survivors. They were changed directly by the plague. The rest of us are second-generation. Our parents were the ones initially given their shifter and supernatural sides due to that dreaded outbreak, I answered.
As you can guess, Gal and I are fifth-generation, which is wild to think about. Granddad’s parents were killed when he was a young adult. They were the first. And you know what happened to my parents. Are any of your parents still alive? Fiona asked gently.
Brax’s are, and he sees them once or twice a year. Probably more after the babies arrive, they live in Greece, where he’s from. Banner never talks about his past, so I can’t say for sure. And Gunnar’s family is alive back in his home country, but they’re not close. The rest of our parents are gone.
What about—Her next question was cut off by the urgent message that came from my friends.
We’ve got sounds, though, trying to be quiet. Not sure yet how many. Still a distance away. Be alert, Brax reported.
Got it, I replied. At Fiona’s nod, I knew she’d gotten the update. She quietly tossed back the covers on the bed.
I’ll alert Galen and Gal, I told everyone.
I just did. I’ve forged a link with them for this purpose. They’re good, Nico quickly stated.
Good. Get into positions, Brax added.
We stayed dressed and moved quietly through the cabin.
Our feet were bare. If we had to shift, it saved time.
And it made our footsteps way quieter. We didn’t want Galen, Fiona, or Gal involved in the fighting, unless it came to that out of pure necessity.
We had them gather in the central living space.
I took the front door. Fennick came inside to guard the back door.
If we had to shift, we would be smaller, and there would be less damage to the cabin in a fight.
The idea of Banner’s phoenix, Gunnar’s gryphon, or Royal’s dragon loose inside would mean total destruction of the house. We wanted to avoid that if possible. Brax could track in his wolf form if anyone ran, and so could Nico, or he could pop up in a snap to assist any of us.
I could hear the movement now. The ever-faintest sound of snapping twigs, something brushing against trees or brush, and the almost imperceptible footfalls.
I tried to decipher how many. There was always a possibility that, if they were shifters, they might have a vampire with them, so the numbers might not tell the whole story.
If they weren’t our kind, then they had military training to move so stealthily.
It was maybe two minutes later that we heard the first contact.
There was scuffling, curses, and then yelling.
It was hard to remain inside, but I knew my fellow Sentinels could take care of themselves.
If they needed help, they’d tell us. If we had to step outside because of an overwhelming force, Galen and Fiona would move to take our spots, but we hoped they wouldn't have to.
They’re human with one shifter, as far as we’ve seen. Watch out, he’s a leopard, Royal warned.
Instantly, Rogue went wild.
Let me out! I have to protect my mate, he snarled.
Calm down. My friends and I are protecting both of our mates. He won’t be allowed to harm or claim her, I promised.
Keir, Danu says Rogue is going nuts, Fiona exclaimed.
He’s upset about the leopard outside. I feel him now. Do you? I asked.
Yes, I sense him, and Danu isn’t happy. She wants out to soothe Rogue and to protect me, Fiona explained.
Hold her back. Don’t shift unless you have no other choice, I warned.
I won’t. Be careful.
I will, I assured her.
My friends would report off when they had eliminated or secured one of the attackers.
It wasn’t long before they had reported three were dead and two captured.
The noise outside indicated a vicious fight was underway.
Good thing there were no neighbors close by to call the law.
However, that left them still trying to get the leopard.
My entire body was tense. Rogue was barely restrained. I swore he sent me an image of himself pacing.
Fuck! Watch out! There’s a vamp with them, Nico shouted through our communal link.
I whirled around, but I didn’t make it far.
I heard the crashing sound. One of the windows off to the side of the living room shattered, and a male leopard leaped inside.
He stalked toward Fiona and her family. I didn’t bother to take off my clothes.
I shifted, shredding them into pieces. Two bounding leaps had me landing between the intruder and them.
I didn’t turn my head when I heard the shredding of clothing behind me.
I wasn’t sure which Katz it was. Rogue showed his teeth to his opponent as he let out his roar.
The other leopard responded in kind. He tried to circle to get around my leopard, but Rogue shifted every time he took a step and blocked access.
It was damn difficult to hold Rogue back from charging the other cat.
Don’t. If you do, he might get to Danu and the others, I warned.
After a minute of minor repositioning, the other leopard grew impatient, and he attacked.
I had news for him. Rogue and I would die before we let him take or harm our mates.
We came together like two trains running full tilt.
Immediately, claws and teeth sought purchase.
If there had been a place to climb, jumping from above would’ve been the way to attack.
And there was no need to do the typical stalking movements. We both knew the other was there.
As with wild leopards, shifters are usually killed by suffocating their prey.
Rogue attempted to get on the intruder’s back so he could clamp down and break his neck to cause paralysis, then he could apply the suffocating bite to the throat.
But it was harder than one might expect, especially against another leopard who was a fighter.
When neither Rogue nor the other cat was able to gain that advantage, they went at each other with claws and teeth.
If enough damage was done to weaken the other, suffocation could be achieved.
Their fur and hide were tough but not impenetrable.
The fiery pain of lacerations barely registered as Rogue was clawed—the same with the puncture wounds from those teeth that made their way through the skin and fur.
However, despite those, Rogue scored more wounds against his enemy than the other way around.
Our opponent was almost crazed in his relentless attempts to get at Fiona.
And it was her he wanted. Every time his eyes shifted, I knew who he was looking at.
All three Katzes had shifted, but Danu paced back and forth in front of Gal and Galen.
Once or twice, I caught her unrelenting stare focused on the other cat.
Fennick had entered the room and stood between them and the fight.
He wouldn’t interfere unless I went down or asked for it.
We were both tired. The other leopard and I were well matched.
Suddenly, Danu let out a chuff. Rogue didn’t react to it, but the other cat did.
His head turned toward her. That was the split-second opening Rogue needed.
He jumped, coming down on the other shifter’s back.
His powerful jaws found perfect purchase on the back of its neck, and he wrenched.
The snap was audible. As the enemy fell flat, paralyzed, Rogue jumped off and rolled him onto his back.
Once there, his jaws clamped around the intruder’s throat and held there until the suffocation was complete.
Just as he died, an urgent call came through my connection to my team.
Vamp dead. Nico is badly hurt. Need to bring him inside. Royal’s tone was grave.
My heart sped up. Bring him in. We’re done, I replied.
Without waiting, I shifted back. “Nico is hurt. We need to get moving,” I said
aloud, unsure whether Royal had said it so everyone would hear. Fiona and her family raced from the room.