Chapter 1
Kara appeared in the clearing just in time to see the earth slam shut and Serra fall from the tree. Slowing the panther's fall, she winced as it wasn't enough and the panther's body still made a thud. She mindlinked Jared to come get his mate. A dark and sinister laugh rolled overhead like thunder. Kara tilted her head back, and then back further. "What the..." her voice trailed off when the giant demon took a step and Kara had to jump for Serra, scooping her up and rolling out of the way before she became a stain on the ground. Where the fuck was Jared and why wasn't he answering. Bolting the creature, she tucked Serra under her arm and ghosted to the back yard of the Morgan family. Her mouth hung open when she saw the flames and a wall crumbled, making her jump back. What the hell had happened?
Daniel didn't want to upset the twins anymore than they already were. He glared at Edge. "I'm leaving." He said about to ghost out, when Edge took hold of him. "I don't think so sport. My job is protect you all and you are not leaving this spot till we know the threat is gone." Edge said still trying to link Jared and getting nothing. He couldn't feel Jared anymore. Inside was panicking, but he wasn't going to show the kid that. Daniel slapped his hand away from him. "Get off me. I am not a damn kid anymore. This is my family. You are not gonna stand here and tell me shit." Daniel rage was building. Edge crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't make me tie you down and gag you kid. This isn't the time for pissing contest. And you need to be here for the cubs. Plus we have to wait for your grandparents to get back." Daniel growled. "Fine goddamn it." He said wanting to level Edge, but the kanon demon was right. Wait for his grandparents and go from there. If he couldn't be here to check on things he could only thing of one other person who could his uncle.
Brian pulled his truck into the back parking lot. He made a run for some supplies. His eyes widened when he say the building. "What in the holy fuck happened here?" He said about to get out of the truck. 'Brian! I need you're help. Something attacked us at the house. Edge, the cubs, and myself are fine, but the old man and Serra I don't know if they are.' Daniel mindlinked his uncle hoping the bear could help. Brian duty was to his family. Hearing Daniel's link he growled. 'Of course I'll go see what I can find out. Sit tight.' Brian linked back as he ghosted to Jared and Serra's place. Fire and smoke were filling the air. "Jared! Serra!" He yelled putting his nose in the air he could only smell Serra and the burning things around him. Then he thought he saw Kara through the smoke. Using his power he made it start to rain trying to put out the flames.
Kara blinked at the sky when the rain began to fall and it woke the panther she was carrying. "Calm down, I've got you." she tried to sound soothing but with all the shit that was going on, she wasn't sure she was pulling it off.
Serra's muzzle twitched when something cold and wet hit it and slowly her eyes opened. She blinked, trying to figure out why the wold was sideways and why two red hot fire pokers were jabbing into her sides. Then she saw the house and it all came crashing back. Jared falling into that hole and the ground slamming shut while War laughed. She squirmed out of the grasp of whatever held her and ghosted back to the forest. War was gone, but the spot that had swallowed Jared was marked with a jagged line of burnt grass and moss. Driven by desperation, she began pawing at the ground, throwing grass and clumps of sod into the air behind her.
"For fuck sake," Kara growled when the panther disappeared. She nodded to Brian when the smoke shifted and she could see the bear before ghosting after Serra. Her feet took form on the grass behind the dirt flinging feline and she had to put her hand up to prevent a surprise face full of dirt, before she stepped to the side and watched with confusion. "What is going on Serra?"
She growled and kept digging, ignoring the Valkyrie.
Brian ghosted himself to Serra an Kara. "Serra what happened? Where is Jared? Daniel said something attacked the house." He could tell she wasn't listening to him. She was in panic an frantic. Looking at Kara. "Can you tell if the babies are okay?" Hoping the mention of her babies would snap his sister out of her panic for a moment. Brian stopped the rain an looked at both females. They both looked like something had put them through the ringer and then thought it was could be fun to cram them into a blender.
Kara closed her eyes for a moment and reached through the pain of Serra's burnt skin and fur and found the cubs, confused, but healthy as their mother's adrenaline made them restless. She nodded. "The cubs are fine," she let a ghost of a smile flicker over her face. "I can't fell Jared, though." Sighing, she stepped forward and knelt in front of Serra, gently holding the panther's head between her palms and turning it's head up to see her. "Stop and tell me what's going on so I can help." She spoke slowly, not sure that she was being heard.
A sob ripped free from Serra's chest when she was forced to look into Kara's concerned eyes. "War made the ground swallow Jared." She yanked her head out of the Valkyrie's hands and went back to digging even though her muscles felt like they were on fire and were beginning to shake.
"War? As in like four horsemen end of the world." He was totally confused. He was glad the babies were okay. "We need to get you to the clinic. And then you can fill us in on what happened other than the ground eating Jared."
Serra swung her head to glare at Brian, 'I don't need the clinic, I need to get my mate back,' She went back to digging.
Kara exchanged looks with Brain and stood up, watching her dig. She understood where the female was coming from, but this wasn't getting them anywhere. "Step back. I'll bolt it. If it gets us in, we'll go. If it doesn't then we go with Brian and find another way. Deal?"
Serra didn't want to give up, but her body was to hurt and exhausted to do much more. Still, only the Possibility of Kara being able to break the fault wide open made her back up and collapse, panting and her eyes locked on the ground. She nodded, not looking up.
"Good," Kara looked at Brian and then sent a series of 3 bolts into the ground, sending bigger chunks of earth into the air to rain down around them. Stepping forward, she looked over the edge of the crater. It was about fifty feet deep, but at the bottom was just more dirt.
Brian peered over the edge and saw nothing at the bottom. "It's empty. I don't think he was buried alive. With all the weird shit that has been happening it's really not safe for us to be out here in the open. The humans have declared war on all supernatural creatures. And if the fight and fire didn't alert them, then the Valkyrie blowing a hole in ground might do it. If the police come and drag us all off to jail getting him back won't happen at all. Granted Kara can get away better than a bear and pregnant panther can, but still we're all in danger here."
Serra's muzzle hit the dirt as her front legs gave out and she vomited. She didn't want to go. She looked up at Brain and sighed, nodding. She was to exhausted to shift. 'I just want my cubs," she mindlinked him and wiped her tongue on the grass.
Brian knelt down and ran his hand through her matted black fur. "Yes we'll get him back. Daniel said Edge, the cub and himself were safe. I assume they are at Jared's parents home in Ireland. The Pit has a huge hole in the side of the building. I don't what made the hole, but I don't think we can take you back there. So I suggest we go to your in laws." He said still petting her. "If you want I'll carry you and ghost us out." He looked up at the Valkyrie. "Unless you have any other ideas Kara."
Kara shook her head. "I asked nice and the bear didn't listen." She shook her head, trying t get back with the program. "Ireland sounds like a good plan. I'll let Damion know what's going on as best I can." It made her feel better to have something to do, because finding out that Brock hated her for infecting him with her blood, she could wait a lifetime for that.
Serra looked up at them from the ground, trying not to be sick again. She needed her mints, but they were inside a burning house and she'd already tried that once. She lowered her head to the grass and sighed. 'Okay.' Tears rolled down her muzzle, the salt stinging the fresh burns.
Brian scooped her up and stood up carefully. "Okay when you tell Damion what happened come join us in Ireland please." Brian said before ghosting out with Serra into the living room of Frank and Brenda Morgan's cottage in Ireland. Laying Serra carefully on the floor Brian gently pulled his hands out from under her.
Edge's head snapped up when he felt someone knew in the house. Coming into the living room he saw Brian and holding Serra. The twins toddled behind him. "Momma." They squealed and shifted into their cub forms running to her side. Edge looked around not seeing Jared. "Where is Jared?" He asked as Daniel appeared behind him.
"War made the ground swallow him. Kara tried to blast the spot open where he was and nothing but empty hole." Brian said as the cubs went to Serra an started licking her muzzle.
Serra rolled to the side and pulled Theo and justice to her tightly. The tears flowed harder and her chest ached as she looked up at them all staring at her. 'Don't stand there gawking. Find him.' she demanded through mindlink. The lamp behind Edge burst into flames and Serra sighed, dropping her head to the floor. She should apologize, but instead she just concentrated and extinguished the fire. Pops would know what to to, she told herself and closed her eyes still holding the cubs against her chest.
Kara ghosted into Damion's office at the Asylum. He was talking to someone about something. She didn't care who or what and ghosted them into the hall, slamming the door behind them. "We've gotta go."
Damion arched a brow at the Valkyrie. "What the hell do you think you're doing Kara? That was important and they were human," he growled. "We don't need to make it easy for the fuckers to know who is on the most wanted list."
Kara shrugged and motioned for him to hurry up. When he opened his mouth to say more, she cut him off. "Jared has been sucked into some place I can't feel him and Serra is hurt. She needs you. So what do you say we save the lecture for later and we deal with important shit?"
Damion just blinked at her, trying to absorb everything she'd just said. "What's wrong with Serra?"
Kara growled and grabbed him by the collar. "Show is faster than tell," she sighed before ghosting them both to where she felt Serra. "Bitch me out later."
Damion's nose flared at the smell of burnt fur and half cooked meat and let his eyes follow the scent to his daughter on the floor in panther form. "Fuck," He growled, flipping his eyes to Kara before going to his daughter and kneeling beside her. "It's okay Munchkin. It's all going to be okay," he promised and god help anyone who tried to stand in his way of making that promise reality.
The cubs nuzzled their mother an when their father didn't appear they started to cry. Edge looked at Serra he was about to ask what he could do for her when Kara and Damion appeared.
Daniel wasn't sure what to do to help when Damion and Kara appeared. "I was outside when it started." The young panther offered. "I can tell you what happened before Lurch here drug me off."
Serra lifted her muzzle the rest it on Damion's knee and cried harder as the twins grew louder. She didn't know what to do to make any of this better or understandable for them. Hell, she didn't know how to do that for herself.
Damion stroked her head gently, afraid of hurting her and used his magic to calm the twins. "Your Daddy will be home just as soon as he can." he purred at them.
Kara turned her attention to Daniel. "Please, we need all of the information we can get to get him back." She pulled over a kitchen chair and sat, watching the young male and noticing for the first time how much he looked like his father, even his body language was similar which was pretty amazing when you considered that Jared had been in prison when Daniel was growing up.
Daniel took a deep breathe before he took a seat also suddenly feeling tired as hell. "The old man an I were outside and it started raining blood. Then the ground opened up a three headed dog crawled." He stopped a moment thinking. The sky was dark as hell the rain blood mixed with lighting as some guy on a flying horse circled above us. He told me to find Edge and get the cubs to safety. As he pushing me towards the house the guy on the horse commanded the dog to take him. He wanted Dad's soul and he said something about the power Dad hides." Daniel looked at Damion and Kara. "After that all hell broke loose."
Serra closed her eyes and shuddered slightly as Daniel explained and summoned the last of her energy to shift and pulled a blanket down from the sofa, too tired to ghost on clothes. "I set two of the heads on fire before it shook me off." Her eyes rolled up to her father's face when his hand stopped stroking her hair. "I landed in the pool and when I came up, the house was on fire. I went in, trying to find the cubs, but they were already gone." She sniffed her nose and pulled JJ onto her chest. "Jared led them into the woods and killed the dog thing. I tought we'd taken War down too, but he turned into this giant demon thing, like the disturbed album covers and made the ground open up. Jared slipped. Before I could do anything, War clapped and closed the hole." She swallowed hard and bit her lip, trying not to cry. "Then it all went black and Kara and Brian were there."
Kara nodded her head at the description of the bastard she'd seen. "So all we have to figure out is where he went, go in and bring him back." she nodded decisively.
Brian ghosted Serra clothed an shook his head. "How do we track something like that?" Though it was his job as an Enforcer to seek and destroy things that threatened shifters. A horseman of the Apocalypse where a bit out of his wheel house.
Edge knew things would be much worse if War had gotten Jared's magic bobble. "Well the bright side of all this is he didn't get what he came for. The power part I mean." Edge said wondering where Jared's parents where.
Serra sighed, not knowing what Edge was talking about and too tired to ask. "I just want him to come home."
Damion shook his head as he sorted through contacts that he could leverage for information. He had a few ideas, but didn't want to get Serra's hopes up if he couldn't come through. "Kara can you find out anything up there?" he rolled his eyes skyward.
Kara shook her head no. "With Fen on the loose Asgard is on lock down. No one in and no one out." She sighed. "Isn't Rycker tracking this kind of thing already?" She looked at Brain.
"I think so, but I don't have any information on that he's found. Since I'm not part of Alpha Pride I'm not in the loop. And since Bart threw them all out no one has been around to ask about things." Brian bit his lip a moment. "I left to get some supplies I just getting back when Daniel mindlinked me about everything. We need help in a big way."
"Well, the full resources of the Mangus Prowl are on it," Damion smiled softly at his daughter wiping away another tear that leaked from her eye.
Kara looked at Brain, a little confused. "I thought the loud mouth kicked you out too and that you knocked his ass out." she smiled wide for a second as she imagined it in her head. "Damn, I'm disappointed as fuck now," she sighed.
"He tried to throw me out, but I reminded him who he was talking to and if I left that would make Salvation very unhappy. Which was a total fake out, but it worked. I left to get lumber and such to fix." He trailed off looking at Kara. "To fix somethings around The Pit that needed to be repaired."
Edge sighed. "Salvation needs to be informed of what happened. Maybe he can do something to get Jared back. Or if anything put a boot in someone's ass about things at The Pit."
Kara dropped her eyes and sighed, knowing exactly what needed to be fixed. The booth where Brock had fought off the hell hound had been nothing but splinters. Glancing up at the bear through her hair, she grinned hopefully, "Tell me that you cleaned his clock. Let that part be true."
Damion nodded his agreement, "As much as I hate ta admit needing Salvation for anything, Edge is right. And we need the tribunal to meet, call truces and let get the clans together on sharing information and fighting this. Family pride doesn't do any of us any good if we're not around to enjoy it."
Serra winced a little as she opened her mouth, her voice was quiet and she doubted that Pops would be happy with what she had to tell him. "Reese came to us last week and asked Jared to help her and AP with this stuff. He agreed, but only if he and I were a package deal. If she holds up her end of the bargain, I should be able to find out what they know."
Brian nodded. "Yes I did." He said looking at The Valkyrie. He was about to suggest they call Salvation when Jared's parents arrived. Frank and Brenda both were covered in blood an some kind of slim.
"Jesus Christ! Why did you let that thing eat you?" Frank said growling not realizing his home was full of people. Brenda couldn't see anything her eyes where closed to keep the slim and blood from getting in. Wiping her face with her hand she spit out some of the gross that had got past her lips. "Well next time lamb chop I'll let it the damn thing step on your fat head. I jumped in its mouth to see if I could kill it from the inside. An it worked didn't it."
Serra groaned and held onto her father tighter. How was she supposed to look them in the eyes, when she'd lost their son? Coming here was a mistake.
Feeling Serra's anxiety, his stroked her hair and purred at her. It had always worked to calm her when she was small and he hoped it still did.
Kara looked up curiously and made a face at the goo that covered the female.
Frank's eye finally focused. "Dear we have company." He said looking at everyone. He used his power to make his wife and himself clean. "You can open your eyes. It's safe." He said looking at his grandson and Edge. Then at Brian an Serra. The cubs blinked up at their grandparents. Brenda opened her eyes. "Oh my I guess we do. What's going on?" She asked looking at them.
Serra's stomach rolled and her hand slapped over her mouth and realized that she had no idea where the bathroom was. Passing JJ to Pops, she ran past the Morgan's and threw up outside. Throwing up again when she saw the thick tarry substance that came out of her.
Kara smiled. "Jared got sucked into a hole by War and we're trying to decide what to do about it." She pulled out her phone to text Salvation, only to fnd that it was dead. She frowned.
"That sums it up," Damion snorted kissing JJ's head, before letting her down to run to her other grandparents. "We're sorry to intrude."
Brenda couldn't believe her ears. "My son got sucked into a hole?" She said feeling confused. When no one said psyche she felt like she might be sick.
Frank looked at Damion then at his wife who was about to collapse. He went to her and took hold of her. The color had drained from her face.
"Pretty much," Kara nodded. Shrugging when everyone gave her that look. "Well, he did," she muttered and stuffed her phone back into her pocket.
Damion shook his head. The Valkyrie had a way with words. "We're trying to figure out how to get him back from where ever he went. My daughter isn't taking it well," he looked over his shoulder at the door, hoping Serra was alright and that they didn't do anything that would make him kill them.
The Morgan's said nothing they stood there in shock. Edge knew this was about to get ugly. "I brought Daniel and the cubs here, because Jared told me to. Once everything happened Brian brought Serra and Kara here. Damion came because of his daughter." Edge explained. "As a family we should be together anyways." He said looking at them.
Damion arched a brow and waited to see which way this was going to go, silently praying that Kara wouldn't add anymore details.
Serra wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, grimacing when she also manage to wipe a piece of her charred skin for her cheek leaving a bloody streak on her wrist. Growling, she pushed herself back to her feet and went back inside to face the music.
When Serra appeared in the door Brenda stared at her. She swallowed the vomit trying to come up on her. "Edge get the first aid kit in the bathroom please. Daniel please take the cubs to their room." Brenda said leaving Frank's side. "Have a seat dear." She said to Serra. Her mind screamed for her baby, but on the outside she kept it together. Jared would want her to take care of his mate and their children.
Blinking her disbelief, Serra sank down into a chair, wincing as the clothes chafed her burnt skin. "You, don't have to," she said softly closing her eyes against the tears that filled her eyes again.
"Non sense." Edge returned with the first aid kit, as Daniel picked up the cubs. "Come on lets go see if Nana and Papa left any candy in your room. You know Papa and his sucker addiction." Daniel took them to their room. Taking the kit from Edge Brenda opened it and started tending to Serra's wounds. "Damion she is in good hands if you have other things to do. She and the children are welcome to stay here with us if they like. We seem to be a lot safer in our part of the world. Frank and I just went to Germany an killed some slug demons or something like that. Horrible things."
Damion's brow arched and he had to bite back an angry retort. "I appreciate that Brenda, Thank you.' he all but choked on the words. "That is up to Serra once we've got a plan. Plan? Anyone?"
Kara watched the panther's and felt the tenseness that filled the room. She was obviously missing something. She opened her mouth to ask, but thought better of it.
Serra flinched as Brenda worked on her. "What about what Pops said about calling together the tribunal and putting our differences aside to work this together?"
"I don't think my wife meant anything by the safe comment. Other than Ireland seems to have not had as much odd things happening as other places. The closer to the mountain is seems to get worse." Frank said.
"Yes I didn't mean to sound rude." Brenda said once she was done.
Edge thought a moment. "The tribunal is a good idea. I can stay with the cubs and take care of them. If the rest of you want to get Serra to a real hospital and all that. Get the ball rolling on getting Jared back." Edge said putting in his two cents. "Edge you should be out helping find Jared. I'll stay here." Brenda offered. "I can keep an eye on them. Besides Frank speaks for our clan he hasn't passed his seat on to Jared yet." Brenda's voice caught a moment. Brian nodded in agreement. "Just tell us what we need to do for it Damion. I haven't ever been to one. Thank god." Brian said knowing those usually ended in death.
Serra's brow arched and she pulled her face out of Brenda's hand and turned her glare on Edge. "I'm fine. Healing already, no hospital needed. As as for who watches MY cubs, how about I do it, or don't I get a vote?" She'd had enough of everyone pretending like shit was fine when it wasn't and if one more person made it sound like Jared wasn't coming back, she was going to give Salvation reason to put her down for good. The shock of the situation seemed to lift and her temper took it's place. "I'm going home and I'm taking the cubs with me. When you all decide on a plan, let me know. Until then, Kara and I have work to do that involves more than sitting around and talking about it. Right Kara?"
Kara glanced up. She hadn't been listening. "What? I mean damn right we do!" She had no idea what she'd just agreed to.
Damion smiled, Serra quiet and docile scared him. His munchkin ready to fight, was closer to right. He was still chaffed a little raw by it being suggested that when his daughter needed him, he might have better things to do. "We need Salvation to call the tribunal. Only he has that power."
Edge cocked his head. "I assumed you'd be in the fight Serra. I was just trying to help, but hey fuck it. Tell me what you want me to do."
Brenda moved away from Serra. "Fine it's your choice dear to do what you wish with your cubs." Brenda started packing up the med kit. Slamming the lid of closed she left room and went to the bathroom. Closing the door she took hold of the sink as she put the kit inside it. Tears started to sting her eyes. "Why is my son always being taking from me? He has paid enough for others crimes. I didn't fight for him when Salvation locked him away last time. And now this shit." She didn't want to make a scene, but part of her wanted to go rip them all a new asshole. All the people who were suppose to be looking for him and taking care of him. They failed him. Though she put herself in the category with the others letting him down. Closing her eyes she started to count slow trying to get herself under control.
"Find him and bring him back." Serra growled and shot to her feet to find her cubs. "that's what I'll be doing. Give me a call when you catch up." She let herself into the room the twins were in and tried to calm herself. Kneeling down with difficulty, she smiled. "Who wants to see where Momma lived before she met your Daddy?" She hugged them tight when they toddled over to her. "You're welcome too Daniel, but that's up to you." She ghosted to her old home and turned on lights as the twins explored.
Brian watched Daniel come into the room with the rest of them. "She left with the cubs." Daniel said looking at Damion. "I guess we need to get a hold of Salvation." Brian said. "Well then its decided we find the Ghuardian and make him call a tribunal." Frank said looking at Edge. "Damion as the fathers an heads of our clan we should go together to find and speak with him."
"Agreed." Damion stood.
"Since I've over stayed my welcome, I'm gonna go keep a pissed off panther company," Kara looked around and all but the demon and bear could fill that slot. "The blonde one that just power waddled through here, I mean." Shrugging when no one seemed to understand what she was trying to say, she ghosted out.