Chapter 11
Hunter didn’t like tossing Pixie like he did with her wings encased in ice, but he had to get her out of harm’s way and deal with Azure.
He couldn’t believe how close he’d been to Frost and lost him. That male had magic in spades.
But he could still get to Azure.
Around him the security team fought with the evil followers.
That mass of people Frost had turned before Christmas was astounding.
He turned his attention to Azure, only to snarl angrily as the male vanished into the chaos.
Hunter loped to Maverick and Sebastian, who were battling with evil followers, helping them to take out the ones around them, and then with a jerk of his head, encouraged them to help him take out Azure.
He was thankful that Pixie was safely inside Northernmost, but he was still furious. She’d nearly been taken out not only by Azure but Frost! He knew that Frost would have happily siphoned Pixie’s good magic and turned her evil.
Hunter charged forward with his friends, his massive paws pounding on the frozen ground as he tracked Azure, who was working his way out of the main battle.
Coward.
Fleeing toward Frost’s lair.
Azure was fast, but Hunter was determined. They managed to cut off his retreat and cull him from the group of evil followers.
Hunter, Maverick, and Sebastian moved as one in a coordinated strike, Maverick going for Azure’s legs while Sebastian snapped at his side.
Azure spun, hissing out a magical spell that made dark tendrils of magic shoot from his fingers.
Hunter dodged the strange tendrils that looked like diseased vines and slammed into Azure, taking him to the ground.
The warlock grunted as he hit the ground.
He leaped to his feet and wiped blood from his mouth.
As he swiped his hands through the air, the tendrils shot out again.
Hunter dodged one, then lunged, his massive form slamming into Azure and sending him flying.
Before he could rise, Maverick was there, swiping a paw across his ribs, claws raking deep.
Azure shouted in pain, his magic crackling as he tried to summon another attack, but Sebastian was faster.
He clamped his jaws around Azure’s forearm and twisted, wrenching a scream from him as something cracked.
Hunter didn’t hesitate. He closed his powerful jaws around Azure’s throat, pinning him to the ground.
Something stabbed his shoulder, and he was dimly aware that the evil followers had come to save Azure. But Hunter didn’t let go. As Azure shuddered under Hunter’s crushing weight, his hands beating at his head and shoulders, Hunter crushed Azure’s throat with a final, brutal twist.
Azure went still under him. Hunter lifted his head and watched the light go out in his eyes with his last breath.
It was over.
Frost’s number two was dead.
Hot blood ran down his shoulder. A look to the side showed a blade sticking out, but he couldn’t reach it.
Sebastian growled and grabbed it with his teeth, pulling it out.
Hunter snarled but ignored the pain because the fight wasn’t over.
He turned to face Frost’s followers as they raced forward, their eyes burning with hatred.
Dozens more than before, as if they’d been waiting for Azure’s death to strike.
He braced himself. They were outnumbered even with the security team, but that wouldn’t stop any of them from fighting.
As the followers barreled down on them, the wind changed.
A sudden, powerful gust howled across the ground. The air crackled and split open with golden light. Hunter blinked against the bright light and realized it was a portal.
He worried it might be Frost and more followers, but the figures who emerged had wings, and the male in front carried a gleaming staff.
It was Pixie’s family! Her father held the staff aloft and shouted out a curse to Frost and his followers. Then he slammed the staff into the ground, and a shockwave of pure, good magic burst outward and struck the followers like a tidal wave of glittering gold dust.
The evil followers staggered back, shrieking at the good magic that seemed to burn them.
Pixie’s brothers rose into the air with their translucent wings beating rapidly and then dove downward, wielding swords that they used to cut through the throng of evil followers.
Her sisters and mom used magic to help drive the followers back while Pixie’s dad swung the staff like a weapon and took out anyone who came close.
“Hunter,” Sylas called. “Pixie’s safe?”
He bellowed with a nod and turned to take out the followers closest to him, working side by side with Maverick and Sebastian.
As they drove the followers farther from Northernmost, the ones who still stood faced Sylas. He rose into the air like an avenging angel and pointed the staff at them. “Flee or be buried under the ice forever.”
The followers hesitated but then fled, vanishing into the cold darkness beyond Northernmost, heading for Frost’s lair.
The battle was over.
Hunter exhaled deeply, his breath ragged and his muscles burning. He needed to get to his mate. Shifting into his human form, he said, “How did you know to come here?”
“Santa reached out,” Solana said as she joined her mate. “The Portal was still closed, but we could open a portal outside of Northernmost and help.”
“I haven’t been in a battle like that in ages,” Eira said. “Fucking epic.”
“Pixie’s okay?” Marigold asked.
“I know Santa took her to the infirmary. Let’s go,” Hunter said.
He turned to Sebastian and Maverick, who had also shifted back. “Thank you for fighting beside me and helping me keep Pixie safe.”
“It’s what Guardians do,” Sebastian said.
“Guardians and friends,” Maverick added.
They hurried through the perimeter after instructing the security team to transport the dead followers to Frost’s lair utilizing a portal and then getting back into the perimeter where it was safe.
Hunter and his friends dressed and then he led her family into the main building where the infirmary was located.
“Thank you so much for coming,” he said. “We were vastly outnumbered.”
“I believe you would have been victorious,” Sylas said. “But we were glad to be of service.”
They walked into the infirmary, where Emberlin stood over Pixie, her hands glowing with her fire and healing magic. Pixie was lying on a hospital bed on her stomach and her wings were still covered in ice, but judging by the puddle next to the bed, they were slowly thawing.
She stirred, her eyes opening slowly, and Hunter rushed to her side.
Taking her hand in his, he kissed her knuckles and said, “I’m here, sweetheart. Azure is dead and many of the followers, but Frost escaped back to his lair. Your family helped save the day.”
She blinked a few times and then gave him a half smile before closing her eyes.
“She’s weak from the ice,” Emberlin said. “It’s infused with magic, so I have to melt it and heal her at the same time. I’m sorry it’s taking me so long.”
“Maybe I can help,” Solana said. “My magic has elements of healing to it as well.”
“I’ll take whatever help I can get,” Emberlin said.
Santa walked into the infirmary and shook hands with Pixie’s father. “Thank you for answering the call. I hate that I have to stay inside Northernmost when my brother attacks.”
“The most important thing is that you’re safe and so is the Well,” Sylas said. “If you’d stepped free of the perimeter, no telling what Frost might have done.”
“It just wars with the fighter in me,” Santa said. “Now, I heard from my elves that we didn’t lose anyone, but there are numerous injuries our healers are tending to. How are you, Hunter?”
“Good. The knife wound healed when I shifted back to human.”
“We could use your help, Santa,” Emberlin said. “To defrost Pixie. No pun intended.”
Pixie’s mom and Santa both laid their hands on the icy wings at Pixie’s back and then Santa spoke a spell in a language that Hunter couldn’t translate but he could see the glow emanating from his hands.
It was a bright, pure gold, and it made the whole room smell like pine and peppermint.
Pixie’s mom’s hands glowed orange with her fairy magic, and Emberlin’s fire magic was red and seemed to heat the room.
Hunter could feel the magic swelling through Pixie as he held her hand.
He watched the ice on her wings crack and then melt.
Her wings wilted once they were freed. Santa stepped back and allowed Emberlin and Solana to lay their hands gently on the wings and use healing magic to return them to their former translucent beauty.
Pixie sighed, her eyes still closed, as her wings twitched while they healed. He exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. She was going to be okay.
“She needs to rest,” Emberlin said. “But the worst is over.”
“Thank you so much,” he said. “Thank you to all of you.”
“The Guardians are family,” she said. “Mates too. I’m thankful for my fire magic and healing magic and really glad to have the help of Santa and Solana.”
Her family gathered around them as Emberlin excused herself to check on the injured.
Hunter stroked his thumb along Pixie’s knuckles, his chest tight with emotion.
She was a warrior in her own right, helping in the battle in ways that shifters and elves couldn’t because they didn’t have wings.
He hated seeing her injured, but he was thankful she was healing now.
Sylas clapped him on the shoulder. “You kept her safe. Frost is a terrible SOB and needs to be put down.”
“Thank you for coming,” Hunter said.
“We would be here to help in a heartbeat,” Calyx said. “You’re family.”
He was humbled to the core.
“It’s over?” Solana asked. “At least for this holiday?”
“We’re safe for the foreseeable future,” Santa said, “but my brother isn’t finished. We won the battle, and we didn’t lose anyone, but the war is still coming. Every year he is more devious, more dangerous.”
“How did Azure even get into the sleigh?” Hunter asked after watching Pixie breathing deeply in sleep.
“He must have tracked me somehow,” Santa said. “I had no idea he was on the sleigh until Pixie pulled him out of it. I found a Frostfang knife on the floor of the sleigh.”
“What would that do?” Clover asked.
“Kill me.”
“Geez,” she said.
“He had to get inside the perimeter to kill me,” Santa said.
“Because Emberlin and Mother Nature added their magic to the border, they couldn’t kill me outside of the perimeter since their magic would have kept it secure.
I assume that Azure had something he was going to do to the Well to take down the magical barrier and let in my brother, but he had to get inside first. I found a cloak in the sleigh that allowed him to pass through the perimeter without being stopped by the magical protections. ”
“Frost is getting smarter,” Sylas said, “and more dangerous.”
“Indeed,” Santa said. “He’ll come for me again, but I’m working on something to help me stop him for good.”
Hunter squeezed Pixie’s hand gently.
He could have lost her. He didn’t want to contemplate what his life would have been like if that had happened.
What he would do was promise to keep her safe and protected and to take care of her the way a polar bear’s mate should be cared for.
She was a fierce female, and he was damn lucky to have her in his life.
“We’ll be ready for him,” Hunter said. “Whatever his plans are.”