Chapter Twenty-Three
"It was just another lie, Nix," March called. The Shaman's words turned his stomach. The lies were so clear to see now and they were all his. The more March talked, the weaker he felt, only Orion's strong arm across his chest keeping him upright as March forced Maia's head back. Her cry had him struggling to free himself.
"Please, Orion. Please. I need to save her."
He could feel his body heating as his energy dwindled. Too long in the sky? Or was the loss of his family simply a thought too terrible to bear?
"Shh," his mate murmured. "It'll all be okay."
"You think you have us, don't you?" March said. "I can see the confidence in you. The arrogance. What chance have a small group of coyotes got against three fierce bears?" As he spoke, more coyotes stepped out of the shadows. They were everywhere, on rooftops, walls, appearing from behind doors. Nix had grown up with coyote shifters, knew them well, but he'd never seen any who looked quite like this. Even with the light from the lanterns and fires, their eyes were the inky black of night. Their growls echoed unnaturally through the village.
"We were right," he heard Orion whisper. "The Darkness."
Nix didn't understand, except that these coyotes shifters weren't just shifters. They were something different, something other. March seemed to grow in height as they took in the force now surrounding them.
"Today doesn't have to end in bloodshed. Give us Nix, let him return to us, to his family."
Nix sagged in Orion's arms as his skin continued to heat.
"Phoenix is mine!" Orion roared and silence fell across the village. "You will never put a hand on him again."
March's lips curled in a vicious smile. "I don't need to put my hands on him to touch him."
As he spoke, another wave of dizziness overtook Nix and he sank to his knees.
"Nix," Orion said. "Damn it. You're burning up."
"We can save him," March said. "Leave him in our care, return to your homes, and you will all live to see another day."
Nix could hear the lie in March's voice. He didn't intend any of them to walk out of there alive.
He tried to speak but what came out was garbled.
"Shh," Orion said again. "Just hold on, Nix. It's almost dawn."
Nix didn't understand. What different would daybreak make?
Orion stood, his body shielding Nix.
"Why kill Nix's father, March? Tell me that much."
"He didn't die by my hand. He died by yours, or don't you recall?"
"We both know the truth. I just can't understand why. You're a powerful Shaman. Was that not enough? You needed control of the people, you needed to be leader."
"Nix's father was weak. If he had listened to my advice, acted as I told him we must, he would never have succumbed to death at your hands."
"Was that when the Darkness found you? In your quest for power?"
"Isn't that where it finds everyone?"
"We've seen it in grief, in anger. But purely in those who desire power, that's a new one, on us at least."
"Dawn isn't going to save you, Orion. It won't frighten away this darkness."
Orion laughed, his voice echoing around the village. Both his brothers made noises too, odd grunts and clicks that Nix realized was laughter.
Nix managed to lift his head, catching the look of surprise on March's face. He didn't understand their mirth and it made him uneasy. Nix was ready to see him squirm.
The first light of dawn appeared in the distance, just the tiniest sliver.
"You're a fool, March," Orion said, stepping forward. "Did you truly think we'd fight magic with brute force?"
Two low growls echoed through the square and Nix turned to see a tiger at either end of the village.
"The Evenfall family is a family of shifters and magic. And we have many friends."
A chorus of growls joined the tigers and a large group of wolves spilled in either side.
"You…" March started to say.
"Three bears make a pretty fantastic distraction," Orion said. "You may want to reconsider that surrender."
"Never," March growled and another wave of heat stole across Nix, forcing a cry from his mouth. It felt like he was burning.
Orion was by his side a moment later. He reached out and touched his forehead, yanking his hand back and staring at the burn mark on it.
"Nix…"
"Finish it. Save my family. I'll be okay."
He sank down, letting his head rest on his arms against the ground. Voices continued to talk over him, growls crossed the air, and then there was a sudden flurry of movement across the village. Shouting, yelling, screaming. Another wave of heat seared across him and he screamed, yanking his body upwards as even the touch of the ground was too much.
Orion was gone from his side but he wasn't unprotected. There were shifters all around him, a tight circle of protection. He couldn't see Orion. He couldn't see March. He couldn't see Maia or his mother. Just the fast movement of shifters and the shadows of his people crouched against walls and in doorways.
Then he found March, in the distance. He still had Maia, dragging her with him across the ground, an arm across her shoulders. March's eyes found his and he was caught, unable to escape their dark gaze and the memories March forced into his head. His father, struck motionless by magic but all too aware as coyotes circled him. His brother, on his knees, defiant as he stared up at March, hate burning in his eyes.
His body was on fire, every inch of his skin screamed from the heat and he bounded from his knees to his feet, his mouth open in wordless agony. It broke the connection with March, but it was too late. Whatever this was, it had taken hold. His body was burning from the inside out. Orion, where was Orion?
His last conscious thought as his eyes found his mate, was how strong and fierce the bear looked as he bore down on March.
Thane found Fionn in the aftermath, back in human form and looking no worse for wear, apart from a fast healing scratch on his cheek. His took his Omega in his arms and checked him over, head to toe.
"I'm fine, Thane, really."
Catching Fionn's chin between finger and thumb, he let his other hand brush across the scratched skin. "I'll be the judge of that."
Fionn surrendered to him, letting him trace across his body with light hands.
"You're hurt too," his mate pointed out. Thane huffed, brushing off the scratches on his back with a wave of his hand.
"They were no match for us, not once you and Dylan had chased off the Darkness."
The magic they'd used had been something Thane had seen both Fionn and Dylan use before, but on a much smaller scale. This time, it had worked in tandem with whatever had happened to poor Nix, the light reaching every corner of the village, leaving no shadow for the Dark to hide in.
He glanced over to where the younger man lay, cradled in Orion's arms.
"Will he be okay?" Fionn asked, following his gaze.
"For Orion's sake, I hope so."
In the distance, he could see Cal and Dylan helping the injured.
"Come on, there's lots to be done here. And most of the coyotes have fled. We'll need to start rounding them up."
"It's all work when you're around, isn't it?" Fionn teased.
Thane caught him around the waist, tugged him so their bodies were flush. "Work now, play later."
"Promise?" Fionn said, smiling coyly.
Thane bent his head and pressed a kiss to Fionn's willing lips, drawing a moan from his Omega. "I promise, my love."