CHAPTER 36
Gauge made sure their path to the surface remained clear of soldiers. The general’s actions weren’t their fault, and he didn’t want to risk forcing them to act on previous orders. From the thoughts he picked up in their minds, they were more than happy to avoid dealing with the aliens.
“Did everything go okay?” Samantha asked when they reached the ground floor. “I was starting to get worried. Jax said he couldn’t reach you telepathically. What happened?”
“It went as well as could be expected,” Gauge replied. “Once we free Neyvarre and Kimberly, we’ll go back to Laizahlia to speak with the council about our next move. It’s doubtful their military is going to cooperate with us. Not surprisingly, they fear we mean to take over their world.”
“Yeah, I’m not really surprised either. Did you tell these guys exactly what Djinn are capable of?”
“The general here is not prepared to listen to reason.”
While Gauge was busy speaking with Samantha, he noticed Amanda drop back to walk beside Lena. He tried not to make it obvious he was listening in, but he suspected both females were not fooled.
“Were you born on Raiden?” Amanda asked.
“Yes. Saeran, my father, is the alpha for the Cliff Dweller Clan of Leviathan.”
Amanda reached out to run her finger along Lena’s bright golden scales.
She traced the now red and black abaci pattern forming along those scales, a pattern Gauge knew he also carried.
It had been a soft yellow color before they consummated their union but changed immediately afterward.
Most of his were covered by his clothes, but they were clearly visible on Lena’s wings, and the side of her neck when her hair wasn’t covering it.
“We’re you ever mated to a Raiden warrior?” Amanda asked, her voice soft, thoughtful.
“Yes, against my will. He was not a good male. Gauge freed me from my bond, and now Gauge and I are mated.” She lifted her chin proudly, as if preparing for Amanda to disapprove of the pairing.
“I see. How were you able to mate with a vampire? I thought they could only mate with their true eillelé.” When she noticed Lena stiffen, Amanda reached out to touch her arm.
“Don’t get me wrong, Lena, I’m not judging you or Gauge.
If you guys are happy together, then I’m happy for you. It’s the Umi queen who is curious.”
Lena nodded, her posture relaxing. “When Gauge stripped Ngozi of my abaci, my essence, it introduced Raiden DNA into his system. It caused him to develop a shaprata. He didn’t know it would happen at the time. I guess I’m the first one who’s ever been fully freed from an unwanted Raiden claim.”
“Ah, okay, that makes sense. And did you pick up any of his vampire traits?”
Lena looked away, obviously uncomfortable with the question. Gauge excused himself from Samantha and went to her side. “She does have a craving for blood,” he answered for her. “We aren’t sure yet whether it will be permanent, or what other traits she might pick up.”
Amanda closed her eyes for a moment, her head tipped, as if listening to someone. Finally, she nodded, then opened her eyes, smiling at Lena. “The Umi queen believes it will be permanent. Can you eat solid foods too?”
“Not so far,” Lena said, still looking uncomfortable with the questioning.
Gauge wanted to ask her why the Umi queen thought her need for blood would be permanent but decided to wait until he could speak to Amanda alone.
“Try not to worry about it,” Amanda said. “Either way, you’ll be fine. Now, let’s get to the important stuff. Can you shift?”
“I . . . I haven’t tried yet. I don’t know how.”
Amanda smiled. “I can probably help you with that.” Her bright blue eyes turned to Gauge, but he couldn’t quite read what she was thinking. The petite female had very strong shields. He might be able to break through them, but it would be a battle he didn’t want to initiate.
“Do you know something that we don’t?” Gauge asked.
“Possibly, but we should wait until another time to get into it. The general is not going to be happy when he learns what is going on. I’m assuming you didn’t wipe out his whole memory.”
“No. It would have caused irreversible damage. I only erased the time since we arrived here. It won’t take long before his people fill him in. We should hurry.”
Amanda nodded. “We’ll talk again once we get to the ship.”
Gauge watched as she jogged up to her own mate, Tallyn, looping her arm in his.
Tallyn had been Neyvarre’s tracker, though both were forced to retire from active duty when they found their mates in Kimberly and Amanda.
Tallyn had been stressed when they first freed him, but technically unhurt.
Gauge had to reassure the male that the separation from his beast was only temporary.
Haven said it took a few days for the drug to lose its strength with her, but she’d also been seriously wounded.
Tallyn might overcome the effects of the drug faster.
Just as they approached the building where their people were being held, Gauge was struck hard in the shoulder with some type of projectile, a loud boom following.
Shocked, he almost went down, having no clue one of the soldiers had placed them within their sight.
He and Jax had both been monitoring the thoughts of the soldiers at the base, but for unknown reasons never picked up the threat.
“Gauge!” Lena screamed, running to his side.
“No, Lena, stay back!” he yelled. “Jax, a shield!”
Another shot echoed through the base, sparks bouncing off the shield Jax created. Another followed, this one hitting Gauge in the back. He’d been too far away to be covered by Jax’s shield. Lena refused to leave his side, which meant she remained in the line of fire.
Shocked, Gauge went down, the damage to his body too great.
What could they have possibly hit him with such force?
“I’m sorry I failed you,” he murmured to Lena as darkness closed in on him.
“Go to . . . Jax, Lena. Protect . . . you.” He could only pray she would survive his death.
His last thought before he succumbed to the darkness was, This should not be possible!
“No! No! Don’t you dare die on me! Don’t you dare!”
Lena dropped to her knees beside Gauge, horrified by the two large holes in his back. She tried to cover them with her hands, tried to stop the bleeding, but it gushed between her fingers.
“Help me!” she screamed at the others.
“Let me and the two serpents out,” the female Amanda said calmly.
“Are you sure?” Jax asked, clearly uncertain.
“Yes,” she replied. “Let us out, then take my mate and step away. We need room. Teo, you stay with Jax and Tallyn. Your wolf form has no protective scales to stop the bullets.”
As Lena watched, Jax moved with the two wolf shifters about ten steps away from her uncle, his mate, and Amanda.
Almost in the blink of an eye, two large serpents replaced their human form.
Seraphym, the larger of the two, had bright teal scales and impressive horns curving around his triangular head.
Samantha, though smaller, was equally impressive, though being Catalan, she had four legs instead of just two.
Her coloring was also brighter, her orange and red scales appearing to ripple beneath the sunlight.
Lena gasped when Amanda’s form burst into flames.
But instead of devouring her, the flames receded, leaving behind a magnificent raptor in her place, her scales also multicolored, much like the Catalan serpent, Samantha.
But instead of serpent wings, she had feathers, like Lena’s own.
There were other differences between them.
The raptor had a long, elegant neck, but her head wasn’t triangular like the serpents, and she didn’t have horns.
Instead, she had a more elegant bird-like head, her round blue eyes flashing with anger.
She opened that wicked-looking curved beak and released a piercing screech that forced Lena to cover her ears.
Shots rang out from several directions, but if they were hitting the three shifters, they didn’t react.
Samantha and Seraphym lifted immediately into the air, spitting fire at the buildings where they suspected the shots were coming from.
The firebird screeched again before turning her attention to Lena and Gauge.
“Your aunt and uncle will keep the humans busy, Lena. I wish we had more time to do this the right way, but I’m afraid we’re going to have to force your shift. Will you let me enter your mind? I can show you what to do.”
Lena stiffened, remembering another voice asking her to drop all shields and let her in. It hadn’t been Amanda. That voice had been deeper, darker, more threatening, the memory alone sending a sliver of fear through Lena.
“Lena, you can save Gauge, but you need to trust me. Please, let me help you.”
Lena sobbed, horrified by the amount of blood Gauge was losing. She could feel the heat against her back from the flames her aunt and uncle were creating to keep the humans distracted. “How can I save him?”