“Now y’all are gonna hafta run that one by me again,” Mama Vee said incredulously. “Why in the hell would the two of y’all want ta travel around the damn countryside in that thar rig of Annie Lee’s when yer family is all settin’ right here in Californy, Stanley?”

Annie Lee shook her head vigorously. “No, Mama Vee. It isn’t that we don’t want to be with you guys, it’s that I need to spread the good word. I don’t dare leak it on my website or newsletter, or The Man will find out. Instead, I need to travel around and let all my Cornies know about you one group at a time. I have a promotional tour all set up. We’re going to travel through four states and meet with seven different groups over the next two weeks.”

“And you seriously plan to fund this tour by taking photographs? Of Stanley in unicorn form, with Cornies standing next to him?” Sam asked curiously. “Aren’t you afraid that people you don’t want to know the truth will also find out that unicorns exist? People like The Man?”

Mama Vee waved off his concerns. “No, baby, we ain’t worried none about that shit. If any of them pictures fall into the wrong hands, most folks will just assume it’s that Photoshop voodoo at work. Naw, I jes hate to see Stanley and Annie Lee leavin’ us.”

“Aw, Mama Vee. You’re too sweet! But we plan to stay in touch, and we’ll only be gone a few weeks. Besides, I’m visiting three of my major groups next week near Salt Lake City. It would be nice if Stanley could try to make contact with his cousin while we’re there.”

At the mention of Salt Lake City, we all got quiet. Just thinking about poor Beepee out there living undercover for so long was disturbing. I was seven and a half months pregnant now, and he’d been gone for most of my pregnancy. Surely things had to come to a head soon.

As if reading my mind, Blaze came walking in just then with a serious look on his face. “We need to have an emergency meeting. Beepee just checked in—things are stepping up. Orris knows where we are, and he’s planning an attack.”

* * *

An hour later we were all sitting around the dining room table, still discussing the new turn of events. Stanley and Annie Lee had made their exit and were already on the road for their big tour. They’d taken their chance and gotten out while Mama was distracted.

“Did Beepee ever say how Orris discovered our whereabouts?” Sam asked cautiously. “You don’t think there’s anyone still watching us, do you?”

Blaze reached over and put his arm around Sam, pulling his mate against his shoulder protectively. He kissed Sam’s temple. “I’m assuming that one of us was followed at some point from Vivian’s shop, babe. I can’t think of any other way that they would’ve discovered our home, after all of the precautions you set up... but you don’t need to worry. You know your safeguards are enough to keep them from entering our property. And if Orris does dare show his ass around here? By the time I’m done with him, he’s going to wish that he stayed back in Novis.”

“True. It does make me feel better that Annie Lee wasn’t able to get in when she arrived until we allowed her to, but… I don’t know.” Sam looked over at me thoughtfully before glancing at Mama Vee.

“I’m pretty sure the only reason Nate’s family were able to gate-crash is because Mama Vee took some of Nate’s blood inside of her after she adopted him. My safeguards didn’t work because I had already set them up to accept Nate, and when she crashed the gate, the rest of the rigs were able to enter without issue, since our defenses were knocked out.”

“That makes perfect sense, Sam,” Sana said. “Blood is more powerful than anyone realizes, and when you do even a simple exchange, you retain a piece of the other person forever. At least, you do if you carry any blood magic within you.”

Mama nodded in agreement. “Uh-huh. That’s right, honey. That’s the truth of it, ain’t it? I know where any of mine are at any time. I can feel ‘em right there in my heart, ya know?”

Sam nodded. “That makes the most sense of any of the possible explanations I’ve come up with. And, frankly, it’s the most soothing to me.”

Cory looked over at Blaze. “But back to the attack plans. You’re saying we have exactly two weeks from tomorrow before Orris leads an attack on our estate with his pack of rabid hunters? We will have to act before then. Mobilizing won’t be an issue, but the problem I’m coming up against is how we’ll take down the church and the Central Compound at the same time. If our unicorn brethren still insist on helping, we could split the party... but I’m concerned because unicorns don’t have the same protective scales that dragons do. And should we divide our forces, I’m afraid we’ll be spread too thin to take on both places at once. I just don’t see another option.”

“Actually, I got me an idea fer that,” Mama said. “Our Annie Lee has that big ol’ group of horn chasers spread out all over the damn place. I say we use ‘em fer manpower and let ‘em give us a hand. We’ll let them Cornies attack the church while we all take on that there compound.”

“Mama, it won’t be safe for you,” I said, trying my best not to show how afraid I was that my family might be hurt. The last thing I wanted to do was make them feel like they weren’t equal warriors to the draconians, but Cory had said it best—they lacked the natural armor that we had when in dragon form.

“Oh, hush. Ya think yer mama don’t know yer worried? That’s alright, Natty boy. What’s ain’t alright is ta let yer fear keep ya down. You gotta kick fear in the ass and give it what for,” Mama said with a grin.

“How about this,” Peter said. “Mama had a good idea about utilizing some of Annie Lee’s followers, and she’ll know which ones to recruit, I’m sure. But we don’t want the Cornies to get caught on camera. Why don’t we order up a bunch of face masks that look like unicorn heads? The Cornies will love that, and they can wear them during their assault on the church. Mama and the clan can camp out near the compound, and be the second wave of our assault there. We dragons will go in and clear the way with our flames while the unicorns will make sure that no one escapes. They’ll be the ground force while we make our air raid. Working together is a good idea, as long as we plan it right.”

Mama slapped the table with the flat of her hand. “Now that thar’s the kinda outta-the-box thinking we need. I’ll set Annie Lee up with pipe bombs and flamethrowers—I don’t think bullets will do shit at that big-assed church. We’s jes gonna hafta let Annie Lee and Stanley run that operation fer us. Stanley has experience with that type a thang, but that’s a story fer another day. And it ain’t mine ta tell nohow. Now we jes need ta get on that Google thing and figger out a good campin’ spot what ain’t too far from that compound.”

“Jordan River State Park.” Sam straightened in his chair as he tapped on his phone. “It’s less than 5 miles from the compound, which makes it just close enough, yet still far enough away, for it to be a perfect campsite. They have full RV hookups, so you guys will be able to blend right in. I can reserve you an area right now in a private corner where you won’t have to worry about people tripping over you or disturbing your privacy.”

Mama flashed him the thumbs-up signal. “That sounds right good, baby. We’ll jes head out a few days ahead a y’all and get us all settled in. We’ll keep a good watch on that thar compound until it’s time fer the raid. Now, what night exactly are we doin’ that, honey?”

Brick answered first. “If Orris plans to attack our home two weeks from tomorrow, then we’ll just hit their compound two nights before that.”

“Will we be flying there in dragon form, or do you want me to ride with Mama and Pappy since the baby is due next month?” I asked Brick. I was good either way, although the idea of traveling in the RV wasn’t quite as attractive as flying next to my mate through the cool night skies.

Brick’s mouth tightened, and he walled off his emotions. “I’m not questioning your abilities as a dragon, but there’s no way that I’m going to let you be anywhere near that fight, angel. And if you think I’m being overprotective, just glance down at your belly and ask me that question again. You’re not in any state to travel, let alone join the war effort. And trust me, this will be a battle to the death. It’s either us or him, and I will not risk you. I’m sorry, angel. I don’t know what I’d do if you were to come to harm.”