Chapter 4
Cara gasped in air and tried to shove imaginary shields all around her mind. Talen stood and brought her up, setting her behind him. A quick glance around found fire to one side, a rushing river to the other, and demons before him.
“I guess we fight, then,” he murmured.
The demons walked out of the smoke—three of them looking a little worse for wear. All were blond with black eyes, showing their lineage as purebred demons, and they had dressed in head-to-toe black from shoes to shirts. Blood matted their chests and necks from bullet holes that were still visibly closing. Who were they? Definitely not allies with the demon nation.
Feelings bombarded her from every direction. Anger from Talen, fear and intent from the demons. She drew protective shields into herself to mute her empathic abilities.
Talen’s body visibly tensed. “Love the matching outfits, boys.”
The guy in front held a green laser gun at his side. A cut marred his left cheekbone, and he rubbed it, his eyes glittering. “You shot me.”
“Looks like the bullet barely scraped you,” Talen returned. “You’re fine, so go away before you end up with the entire Realm on your ass. This is your one chance to avoid a lifetime of pain.”
“No.” The lead demon lowered his chin, and his pupils overtook his irises. “We have backup on the way, but I don’t think we’re gonna need it.”
Talen held up a hand.
The demon’s eyes opened wider, and he tried to move forward, his body shaking.
Whoa. Cara hadn’t seen Talen do that in eons. She’d almost forgotten his ability to attack and control the nervous system of an enemy. Apparently the gift halted a demon mind attack—at least temporarily.
The other two demons darted forward, only to also hit that invisible Talen wall. The first guy stopped completely, while the other one managed to twitch his hands.
“Cara? Start running and keep going until you reach the shifters. They should be here soon,” Talen said through gritted teeth, his voice a hoarse rumble.
She couldn’t leave him there with three furious demons. Even with his talents, at some point, they’d break free. Gingerly reaching into the back of her pants, she drew out a sopping wet laser gun. It probably still worked. “How about I just shoot them?” she whispered.
“Won’t work.”
Shoot. Immortal laser guns couldn’t take a little water? Definite flaw in the design. “I’m not leaving you.” The demon twitching his hands slid one foot forward.
“Now.” His order held bite this time.
This was one of those moments. She had a gun, and he needed backup, but having her there would complicate things. She calculated the odds in her mind and finally settled her stance. “You need me just in case.” She wasn’t an idiot plunging headfirst into danger. She was a healthy immortal who wanted to protect her mate.
“Move your ass now,” he growled, sweat rolling down the side of his face.
A mate who didn’t want her protection. The lead demon broke free.
Cara yelped and pulled the trigger. Her gun sputtered, and no laser came out. Shit.
The demon lunged for Talen, hitting him midcenter, and throwing them both into the sheer rock mountain.
The other two demons slowly broke free of their bonds, moving forward, determination on their smooth faces.
Cara shook out the gun, several times, and water went flying. Please work, damn it. She lifted and aimed. Green shot from the gun, the light impacting the nearest demon and turning to metal when it met flesh.
The demon yelled and grabbed his chest. She fired two more times, aiming for his face. The bullets took out his cheekbone, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.
Pain and brutal images of hell pierced her brain. Her mind exploded, and she dropped the gun, grabbing her ears.
The demon mind attacking her stalked nearer, his gaze hard, his vision focused.
“Stop,” she whimpered.
He increased the pressure, and imaginary blades ripped through her cerebellum. Her eyes closed, and blood spurted from her nose. She barely heard the roar of fury from her mate.
Suddenly, the pain stopped. She held perfectly still as her nervous system stopped firing her nerves to life. Her lungs relaxed. Slowly, she lifted her head.
Two demons were prone on the ground, out cold. Talen punched the demon who’d attacked her mind right in the face, and the demon crashed into a tree. He came up swinging, roaring with fury.
Talen caught him and they grappled.
The demon lowered his chin, and Talen’s head jerked back.
Oh, hell. Mind attack. Cara’s vision was fuzzy, but she patted around her to find the gun. Where was the freaking gun?
Talen growled in pain, his movements slowing. The demon continued the mind assault, his gaze intense, and kicked Talen in the chin.
Cara cried out and tried to scramble to her feet.
The demon turned on her, and pain sliced through her eyes.
She fell, and dizziness swirled around her. “Talen,” she whispered.
“Cara,” he yelled. His head went back, and his shoulders straightened. Bellowing, he rushed the demon and plunged fingers into the demon’s throat, angling just right. A brutal twist of his wrist, and he yanked the demon into his fangs to pierce and cut. The demon’s head flopped down its body to roll into the river.
One in a million vampire soldiers could’ve succeeded in that move.
He turned then, his fangs down, his eyes a glowing gold. Sometimes she forgot the deadly predator that lived inside her mate.
She swallowed and tried to stand.
Instantly, he was at her side, wiping blood off her face. “Are you all right?” he asked.
She nodded, even as tears spilled from her eyes. “Are you?”
“Fine.” He took her hand and glanced around. Blood dripped down his chin. Then he stiffened and pressed her against the rock before covering her.
Several wolves, graceful and brown, ran out of the forest.
Talen’s shoulders relaxed. “You’re late,” he muttered.
* * *
After washing the blood off in the river, Talen kept an eye on his mate as they maneuvered through the forest, covered on all sides by a wolf shifter contingent. The shifters remained in wolf form and easily avoided the fires being snuffed out by human fighters.
Finally, they reached an old logging road, where several off-road vehicles waited. The wolves shifted into human form and quickly donned clothing.
Terrent Vilks, the Alpha of the Raze pack, loped toward him. “It’s good to see you,” he said as they shook hands.
Talen grinned at his old friend. “You, too. Sorry about the unexpected visit.”
Terrent shrugged. “You’re welcome any time, and I know Maggie would love to see Cara.” His eyes darkened with concern as he took in Cara’s bedraggled form. “You okay, darlin’?”
She nodded, her body shivering.
Talen slid an arm around her and tucked her close, not liking the pallor of her skin. “She could use dry clothing and some warm food.”
“Absolutely.” Terrent motioned them into a battered Jeep. “We’re a couple of hours out, but I’ll blast the heat.” He jerked his head toward three of his soldiers. “Go back and clean up the garbage.”
Talen lifted Cara into the backseat and slid in next to her, settling her against his body. Fury threatened to consume him, but he kept his hold gentle and murmured a thanks when Terrent tossed back a blanket. He wrapped her close and tried to keep his temper in check.
When he’d seen her, blood pouring down her face, raw agony in her pretty blue eyes from the demon attack, he’d nearly lost his mind. He’d torn the head off a demon, which sure as hell wasn’t a normal ability.
Besides anger, confusion swamped him. His order for her to run had been crystal-clear, and she’d disobeyed it completely. While he knew she had her own mind, when it came to battles or fighting, he was the strategic leader of the entire Realm, much less within his little family. Just because the current war had ended didn’t mean the danger to them was also gone.
He’d been mated to the woman for over two decades, and he still couldn’t figure out how her mind worked.
Before they had family, if anything had happened to her, he would’ve avenged her slightest pain and then followed her into the unknown. Now they had kids and even a grandchild, and he couldn’t leave them alone.
So Cara needed to keep herself safe, damn it.
She murmured and cuddled closer to his side, her eyes closing. He tucked her into his body, holding her close, providing safety and warmth.
Terrent ignited the engine and drove over several bumps. “Sorry.”
“It’s all right. She’s out,” Talen said softly.
Somber brown eyes met his in the rearview mirror. “Demon mind attack?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t she run?” Terrent asked, his eyebrows drawing down.
Talen shook his head. “She stayed and fought with the gun.”
“Did you tell her to run? We would’ve caught up with her quickly and then helped you.”
“Of course I told her to run,” Talen snapped.
Terrent grinned. “How’d she do?”
Talen’s lips twitched. “She was magnificent. Kicked ass, actually.” He didn’t bother to keep the pride from his voice. “Though my heart almost stopped.”
Terrent chuckled. “My mate never listens, either.”
No. Maggie Malone Vilks was one stubborn little wolf, and Talen knew, because he’d helped to train her years ago. “Is Maggie still as clumsy as ever?”
Terrent’s eyes sparkled as he nodded. “I swear she tripped over air the other day. She claims there was something in her way, but, Talen? It was just air.”
Talen grinned. “I’ve seen her in action.”
“Oh, and we’re having the wedding next spring,” Terrent said with a sigh.
Only Maggie would want a real human wedding. She and Terrent had been planning it for years, but the war had kept intruding. “Can’t wait,” Talen said, biting back another smile.
“Shut up.” Terrent shook his head. “She’s not even human. I mean, she was never human. The woman is a wolf, for Pete’s sake.”
And yet, the tough Alpha was going through with a wedding to make her happy. Talen breathed out, his body finally calming after the fight. “Sometimes they want weddings. Cara and I had one.”
“Yeah, but not with the white dress, flowers, and all the music,” Terrent rumbled, speeding up until trees flew by outside.
“Sometimes they don’t make any damn sense,” Talen whispered.
Terrent scratched his chin. “You and your mate aren’t gonna fight at my place, are you? Because then the women will be on her side, the men on yours, and then I have a bunch of pissed-off wolves to deal with. Including my mate, who has a mean streak.”
“Sucks being Alpha.”
Terrent sighed. “Well, at least you didn’t bring your youngest with you.”
Talen winced. “Um.”
“Um, what?”
“When the demons started following us, I’m sure Dage gave Garrett a call. He’s in Seattle working with the witch Enforcers, and his mama would like to see him.” Talen leaned back and rested his head. “He’ll behave.”
“I’m more worried about a couple of young wolf shifters, crazy cheerleaders, I have to keep a constant eye on,” Terrent ground out.
“Then I should probably warn you that Garrett’s best friend, Logan Kyllwood, will more than likely be with him if they visit.” Talen didn’t have time to worry about female wolves.
Terrent tapped impatient fingers against the steering wheel. “Great. Twenty-year-old vampire and demon, two horny kids you sent to work in Seattle because they kept getting in trouble, and they’re coming here.”
Well, since he put it like that. “I give you my word they will both behave and not deflower anybody.”
“Hell.”
Yeah, the boys could be a little wild, but they’d be on their best behavior with Cara there. Truth be told, Talen missed both of them and pretty much would jump at the chance to meet up at the wolf headquarters. The work they were doing was important and good training, but his home was kind of quiet without them. Although his kitchen was stocked for once. “I hope you have a lot of food on hand.”
“Plenty.” Terrent relaxed as the fires dissipated around them. “Also, we’re safe. The land around our headquarters is well protected from the fires.”
“Good. Cara was having problems breathing.” Yet another reason the woman should’ve listened to him and gotten out of the line of fire.
“It’s weird, right?” Terrent asked.
“What?”
“Life without the war. Trying to have normal lives when we’ve been fighting for so long. It’s like everybody is trying on new skin that doesn’t quite fit.” The Alpha wolf rubbed his chin, his tone thoughtful. “Although, it’s nice to have peace.”
“Those of us who’ve lived centuries know that peace is temporary. It’s always just temporary, my friend.” Talen shrugged. “It’s not just that. My instincts are flaring and sharp . . . and I don’t know why. Danger is near, and I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
“Living through peace is sometimes the hardest part,” Terrent murmured.
Amen to that. Talen looked down at his sleeping mate. Her dark lashes lay against too-pale skin, and even now a dot of blood marred her upper lip. They had to find some sort of way to allow her the freedom she craved without putting her at risk. “The bigger problem is that when peace ends, it’s often at the price of losing those we love.”
Nothing and nobody could take this woman from him. Not even peace.
No matter what.