Chapter 8 #4
They flew down the stairs and followed the cats through the village.
Anxious energy crackled in the air, but everyone seemed to know where to go and what role they would play.
Wolf attacks were nothing new. Zion was joined by more of his guardians.
He motioned and shouted orders as he ran. His cats immediately obeyed.
As Gabriel feared, the wolves were responsible for the attack. Hybrids wrestled all over the grassy clearing surrounding a cluster of cabins. There didn’t appear to be anything special about the target location. Cabins were arranged in similar clusters all over the feline village.
Groups of fully shifted wolves attacked fully shifted lions.
Gabriel gathered mystic energy into his chest, preparing for a partial shift.
A shrill, clearly female scream revealed the reason for the target.
Two women darted from one cabin and sprinted toward another.
Still, most of the action focused on the large barracks to the right.
A shower of sparks drew Gabriel’s attention to his left.
Zion transformed in an instant, flowing from human to lion in one sustained motion.
His lion self was even more impressive than his human shape.
Nearly twice the size of the lions surrounding him, Zion charged with savage intensity.
He batted aside one wolf with a massive claw as he caught another in his powerful jaws.
No wonder the other lions followed him. Even in animal form he was power personified.
Gabriel dragged his eyes away from the bloody fight and swept the entire scene with an assessing gaze. A group of feline shifters was gathering to form a protective ring around the barracks. Were the females still inside? Why hadn’t they been evacuated?
Pushing aside the distraction, Gabriel manifested wings. His back burned and the tingling rush of energy created a pulling sensation in his torso. Most of his shirts and jackets had slits in back so he could shift without undressing. It was only when he summoned his eagle that he ended up naked.
He wasn’t sure where he could be most helpful, so Gabriel just joined the fight. He ran toward the closest group of wolves and laid into them with his talons.
A lupine hybrid lunged for him, but Gabriel spun and knocked the hybrid backward with a swipe of his wing.
Another hybrid rushed to assist, attacking Gabriel from his other side.
Gabriel turned in time to see the hybrid become fully wolf.
Gabriel held up his arm instinctively and the wolf bit down hard.
Sharp teeth sank deep into his flesh, dragging a cry from his throat.
Hearing the sound, Raphael spun sharply and kicked the wolf in the side.
Gabriel’s flesh was torn as the wolf went flying.
He ignored the pain and the blood streaming down his arm.
He kicked and clawed his way through the pack of attacking wolves and took his place in the line of hybrids protecting the barracks.
The fighting continued for nearly an hour, but there were simply more cats than wolves.
The wolves retreated quickly once the lions outnumbered them five to one.
Gabriel watched the wolves slink away into the darkness.
Bitter frustration tore through his soul.
How could he ever have thought they would change?
It was humiliating to know that he’d defended them for so long.
Zion shifted back to his human form, unconcerned with his nudity. He approached the barracks with obvious reluctance.
Gabriel looked at his brother and shook his head as he reversed his partial shift. “We both know what he’ll find.”
“A bloodbath,” Raphael agreed as he dispersed his wings and talons. Noticing the wound on Gabriel’s forearm, Raphael shuddered. “Shift completely or that’s going to require stitches.”
As his adrenaline rush receded, searing pain spread through Gabriel’s arm. His brother was right. The bite was deep and jagged. Trying not to get blood on his clothing, he undressed carefully. Pausing to focus his mind, he drew energy into his body and summoned his bird.
Complete transformation was always painful, but the pain was exhilarating.
Bones cracked and tissues tore as one shape gave way to another.
His eyesight sharpened and his heart rate sped.
His wings flapped and his talons lifted from the ground.
He circled the area needing the sky, needing to escape the violence for a few moments before diving back into the aftermath of such a ruthless attack.
Gabriel returned to the ground a few minutes later, releasing his shift as he landed. Raphael handed him his pants and Gabriel pulled them on. “Where are we needed most?”
Diego, who stood nearby, heard the question and said, “Most of the guards inside are dead, but there are numerous wounded among the perimeter teams. They’ll need to be transported to the clinic.”
“Were any of the women hurt?”
“Two, but not badly,” Diego explained. He looked as if he’d say more, but Zion emerged from the barracks and strode toward them. “How many did they take?”
“Eighteen.” Zion was clearly enraged by the development. He swallowed hard and sucked in a quick breath, then he looked at Raphael. “We could really use your help. We have so many wounded.”
“Of course,” Raphael offered without pause. “I’ll do anything I can.”
“Accept my proposal and I can give you medical supplies,” Natalie Morgan said from somewhere behind them.
Gabriel turned around and glared at the human. “Still determined to include the wolves in your ‘proposal’?”
“If I don’t, they’ll keep attacking,” she returned just as vehemently. “They came here for women, and they’re obviously willing to kill to get them. Is that really what you want?”
“I want the medical supplies,” Zion snarled, shoving Gabriel aside. “I agree to your proposal. Give me women and give me medical supplies. I don’t give a shit if you spy on my village. I have nothing to hide.”
She said something under her breath and a pile of crates appeared on the grass beside her. “There is some pretty sophisticated equipment in there. Do any of your cats have medical training?”
“Malik was a field medic,” Zion told her.
“None of the villages have a doctor?” she asked disbelievingly.
“My mate is a physician’s assistant,” Gabriel said. “But she’s up at Eagle Village.”
“I’ll go get her.” And Natalie faded from view.
“I think the fighting is over.”
Despite Patrick’s assurance, Heather couldn’t stop pacing. “What is wrong with the wolves?” she cried angrily as she walked from the bedroom doorway to the fireplace and back again. “Why do they keep doing this?”
“We both know the answer to that,” Patrick said calmly. He sat in the chair nearest the fireplace, but his warm gaze followed her. “They’re trying to survive just like the rest of us, but they have a horrible way of going about it.”
She stopped walking and faced him, hands on her hips. “You think we should accept Natalie’s offer?”
“I think we should consider it. Seriously consider it.”
“Wow.” She lowered her arms and moved to the chair facing him. “That surprises me. I thought you would fight this sort of thing tooth and nail.”
“I don’t trust her,” he stressed. “I would take every word she said with a grain of salt, but that uncertainty would be well worth it if she can get the wolves under control.”
Heather shook her head, unable to muster any faith in their mysterious visitor or the wolves. “They’ll agree to whatever she requires of them. And then twenty minutes after she departs for Earth, they’ll be right back to attacking the other villages.”
“If Elias was still village alpha, I’d agree with you. Alex is ruthless, but each of his attacks has had a specific purpose. He doesn’t kill just for the thrill of killing.”
“I don’t know. I’d still—”
Natalie Morgan suddenly appeared in the center of the living room. There was no warning, no flash of light. Her image simply faded into view and then the image became matter. “Sorry to barge in on you like this, but they need you right now in the feline village.”
Heather looked at Patrick. “Can you fly me down there?”
“No need,” Natalie insisted, motioning Heather toward her. “Teleporting is faster. Come here.”
“I’ll fly down there in the skimmer so we can bring you back,” Patrick told Heather. “Go.”
Heather grabbed her coat, pulled on her boots, then hesitantly approached Natalie. It was hard to place her life in the hands of someone she didn’t trust.
Natalie wrapped her hand around Heather’s wrist and said, “Return me to the feline village, and double the transport grid. There are two of us now.”
The floor beneath Heather’s feet disintegrated and she screamed. The cabin faded to black and when the light returned, she stood in a clearing in front of three unfamiliar buildings.
“The clinic is in the middle,” Natalie told her. “Hustle.”
Heather jogged toward the building, more than ready to feel useful again.
The clinic was small and wounded cats were near, sat or reclined on every conceivable surface.
She squeezed through the crowd, heading for Malik.
She’d only met the guardian once, but it was common knowledge that the former medic was the closest thing the feline shifters had to a doctor.
Raphael knelt beside a wounded cat, no doubt using his psychic gifts to heal the injuries.
“Am I glad to see you,” Malik greeted with a relieved smile.
“Raphael is amazing, but his abilities don’t work fast. The male in the black pants is in bad shape.
If you could stabilize him, I’ll assess the others.
” He handed her a compact data pad. “I’ll send you a prioritized list so you can move from patient to patient as quickly as possible. ”
“We need room badly,” she stressed.
“I agree,” Malik assured her. “I’ll have anyone who can wait moved out of the clinic. That will give us some elbow room.”
“Good.”