Callyn
I can’t stop thinking about the other night. It’s distracting me from everything that I’m supposed to be doing. Right now, I’m supposed to be training and all I can think about is Zeke and how much I want to do that again with him and with the others. I wonder how it will be with the others.
“Callie, focus,” Cat says as she snaps her fingers in front of my face. “What has you daydreaming?”
I grab her arm, dragging her to a secluded corner. There are too many shifters in here and I don’t want them to overhear.
“You have to promise you won’t say thing.”
“Like you have to ask.”
“Okay, so you know the other day I told you that I had another date with Zeke.” She nods her head. “Well, we stayed in. You know, watched some movies, ate some snacks, cuddled a little. Well, one thing lead to another, and we had sex,” I whispered.
“Holy shit,” she practically yells.
“Ssshhh.”
“Shit, sorry. But you have to tell me everything.”
“I will, later. I promise.”
“Well, at least tell me how it was.”
“It was great. It wasn’t perfect and there were some mishaps, but he was sweet and caring. I couldn’t have asked for more.”
Cat pulls me by the shoulders, hugging me. “I’m so glad and happy for you. I want to know all about those mishaps.”
“Let’s just say, they were funny but lightened the tension.” We both start to giggle.
A pair of arms wrap around my waist, pulling me back into a body; a pair of lips land on my cheek. Max. I love his sunshine smell.
“What are you two ladies doing over here in the corner?”
“Oh, just girl stuff, like gossiping.”
“Well, when you’re done, I need to ask this pretty lady a question.”
“How about I just give you two a moment alone. Come find me when you’re done Callie, so we can finish our training session.” Cat winks at me before she walks away.
I turn in Max’s arms, wrapping mine around him. “What did you want to ask me?”
“Would you like to come over my house on Saturday? We haven’t pranked Graydon in a while and I figured we could do that and just hang out.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Good.” He gives me a peck on the lips. “Now,” he spins me around, “I’ll let you get your fine ass back to training.” He smacks my ass before giving me a slight nudge in the direction that Cat went.
I look over my shoulder. “You know, you’re lucky you're so cute.”
He pushes his hair behind his ears and winks at me. “Just cute? You wound me.”
“I don’t need to inflate your ego anymore.”
“Love you too, angel.”
I shake my head. I’m walking over to Cat when one of the new people comes rushing into the gym.
“The center of town is being attacked. We need to go, now.”
The guys and Cat all rush over to me. The rest of the gym starts to file out the front door.
“Did anyone get a message from their parents about this? We need to warn the people out back.”
“I’ll go tell everyone outside,” Alcina says before taking off toward the back door.
“None of us has received any messages,” Zeke says.
“I’ll call my grandmother.”
“Should we go?” I ask.
“She’s not answering.”
Alcina comes racing back in. “They’re on their way.”
“Let’s go. We’re wasting time. Callie, Alcina, and Zeke with me. Cat you go with Lucian and Max.” Graydon’s voice leaves no room for arguments.
We all run out to the cars, piling in, taking off the second all the doors were closed.
Graydon?
Yeah?
What the hell are we going to do when we get there? We don’t know where or if any of our parents are safe?
I don’t know. We’re just going to have to wait to see what we’re walking into.
That doesn’t make me feel any better.
It’s not supposed to. Be on guard, check your surroundings, and don’t leave our side.
I won’t.
Good.
The rest of the ride no one says a word. When we finally get there, which felt more like hours than minutes, we pull up to complete and utter mayhem. Broken glass from nearby buildings litters the street. There are cars on fire, people and animals fighting in the middle of the road. All of us hop out of the car as soon as it’s parked. Max and Lucian come running towards us.
“Jesus, this looks like an episode of When Animals Attack, Max says. “What the hell are we supposed to do?”
“Let’s circle the outside and see if we can spot one of our parents.”
Halfway around the riot, we finally spot Graydon’s dad.
“Dad!” Graydon yells. “Dad!”
He can’t hear us over all this noise. I glance around to see if I have a clear enough path to get to Mr. James. Everyone is occupied with whoever is in front of them that I doubt they realize me and the boys are even here. I take a deep breath and take off running before on the guys stop me.
“Callie!” I hear all of them shout behind me, but I don’t stop. I can’t.
Graydon
“Callie!” For once, I would love if that girl would actually listen to me. “Guys, we need to go and protect our mate because she decided that running out in the middle of this fight was a good idea.” All of us take off after her. She makes it to my father seconds before we do.
“What should we do?” she asks.
“Nothing. I want you boys to take her and leave here. We got this. There are only handful of them left.”
“We can’t leave you here.”
“Yes, you can… and you must. They don’t need to see you, any of you.” He lightly grips her upper arms. “They came here for you, and we can’t let them get their hands on you. Do you understand me? Now, go. We’ll talk later. Graydon, take them to our house. You boys listen to me. “Nothing, and I mean nothing, gets through that door to her.” We all nod. My dad nods back. “Go!” He walks Callie back until she’s in my arms. The second he releases her he takes off in one direction, and I start tugging Callie in the other.
“You can’t seriously be leaving them here to defend themselves.”
“Yes, we are. You heard what my father said. They are here for you, and I’ll be damned if I let them touch you.” She starts trying to pull her hand free, but no way am I going to let her go. “My father told me to get you out of here, and goddamn it, that’s what I’m going to do. You might as well stop trying to escape.”
“Stop just for a minute and hear me out...please.”
I stop and take a deep breath. Why did she have to use her soft voice? It gets me every time. I hang my head because I know I’m going to let her say what she wants, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to do what she wants. I turn to face her, making sure I keep my grip on her hand.
“Fine, you have one minute to say what you want to say, and then I’m taking you home.”
“What kind of queen would I be if I didn’t stay and fight? These people are here because of me, because they believe in me. This is happening because of me; I can’t let them do this on their own. I need to set an example. I need to be the queen you and they deserve.”
Max groans, and I agree with that sentiment. She’s right, but I can’t risk it. Not when we have a bigger war to prepare for.
“I hear you, and while I can’t argue with what you said, we’re still not staying.” I turn back around and start tugging back to my truck.
“They need to see me out there. How can we ask people to risk their lives for us, when we’re not willing to do the same?”
I growl. “We’re leaving, and that’s final.” A loud squawk has me stopping in my tracks.
“Damn, you really pissed her off. I’d let go before she tries to peck your hand,” Max whispers.
I don’t get to answer because someone walks up to us.
“So, you’re the bitch that has my boss going crazy. I don’t see why. You don’t look like much. Maybe I should just snap your neck now and be done with all of this.” A round of growls can be heard.
I push Callie behind me. “Take one step toward her and you won’t live long enough to take another breath.”
“Ha-ha-ha. Do you really think that you can take me? You’re weak.”
This time it’s my turn to laugh. “You clearly don’t know who or what I am. Please, do me the favor. I haven’t had a good fight in a long time. I doubt that you would last more the five minutes against me.”
“Why you little... we’ll see about that.”
The guy shifts, dropping down on all fours as a leopard. I smirk. I shift, letting out a loud roar as I land on my paws. My nose twitches.
“Oh man, he’s pissing himself,” Max laughs.
I don’t have time for this. I move forward and the coward turns, running away. He’s not getting away that easy. I lumber after him. He’s not making it out of this alive.
Maximus
I can’t help the laugh that comes from me as I watch Graydon’s big bear ass try to run after a leopard. I don’t know what kind of show this Amos guy it is running, but it’s not informing his followers who they’re going up against.
“Max, stop laughing. Is anyone going to help him? We can’t just stand here.”
“We can, and we will,” Lucian growls. Callie crosses her arms, narrows her eyes as she stares down Lucian down.
“Oh, really?”
Angel, this is not a fight you want right now.
Yes, it is. I’m not going to stand here and do nothing. Screw this and you guys.
Callie, what are you thinking about doing? Callie! Answer me, please.
She doesn’t, and the next thing I know, a giant phoenix stands before us. I take a step toward her, but she screeches and launches herself in the air.
“Fuck, Graydon’s going to be pissed. We have to follow her. No way I want to be chewed out more than what we are going to get for letting her shift. I’m not getting yelled at for losing sight of her and not helping her too.”
“I’ll try and help as much as I can. I know a couple of spells to keep them at bay or stunned long enough for you guys to be able to do something about,” Alcina states.
“Go for it.”
“We need to keep one of them alive. We need to question them and see what else Amos and Circe have in store for us,” Lucian says.
“We’re wasting time,” Cat says before she shifts and takes off in the direction that Callie went.
The rest of us shift and follow after her. We find Graydon and what’s left of the leopard. Well, shit he didn’t waste any time with that. He shifts back.
“Where the hell is Callie?”
At least she has good timing, because she swoops down and lands in front of us. Sometimes, I forget just how big and magnificent she is as a phoenix. She lets out a mighty squawk, drawing the attention of everyone here. Two shifters run toward her. The wolf reaches her before the fox does. Callie grabs half of the wolf in her beak, using to her talons to hold the other half of it down. She pulls up, literally ripping the wolf in half. The fox tries to move out of her way, but lands in front of me instead. I growl, then lick my chops. The fox lowers to his belly, before rolling over, and turning his neck to the side.
I move closer and clamp my muzzle over his neck. We’ll keep this one alive. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Callie shift back. I move my mouth, and shift back, quickly grabbing the fox again by the neck.
“Enough,” she yells. “I want to talk to one of his followers.”
“We ain’t got nothing to say to you.”
“Why are you doing this? You have to know he sent you here to die. Did he tell you who we are?” He doesn’t answer.
“I take that as a no,” I say. “Maybe you should tell him.”
“I am the Alpha Queen and these four guards are my mates.” His eyes widen. “You have to know that whatever he has you doing, you have nothing to gain from it. Look around you. He sent you all here to be slaughtered. He knew there was no way you could beat us. Now, are you going to talk to us, or are we sending you back to him in pieces?”
“I ain’t got nothing to say.”
“So, be it. Graydon,” she holds out a hand to him, he takes it.
She had to have talked to him silently because the next I know there is a fireball hovering above is hand. Callie places her hand on his wrist and the ball grows in size and in heat. I can feel it from here. What does she plan to do with that?
“Are you sure you have nothing to say?”
“Like I said, I ain’t saying nothing.”
“Graydon, if you don’t mind.”
She moves her hand and Graydon hurls the giant fireball at the guy. He instantly catches fire. He’s doing the stop, drop, and roll method, but it’s not doing him any good. His screams are hurting my ears, but luckily, they don’t last long. Well, not lucky for him.
“Did she just...did they just...holy hell.” I’m stunned. I never would have expected sweet, shy, Callie to command an act like this.
“Are there any other survivors?” she questions.
“I have one,” I say. She looks at me and nods.
“Any others?”
“The few that were left, started slipping out after you went after that wolf,” Graydon’s father says.
“Cowards. Is there anywhere we can put this one and question him?”
“There is a secret room in the basement of the Elder Council building. It’s made to withstand any shifter.”
“Can you take him there?”
“Of course.”
“What about the rest of our parents? Are they safe?” Zeke asks.
“They’re fine. They are scattered around here somewhere.”
“I’m going to find Elder Harris and send him your way.”
“You did good out here tonight kid.” Mr. James pulls Callie in for hug and kisses the top of her head. “I wished you would have listened, but you looked like a real queen there. Keep that up, you’re going to need it.” Mr. James walks over to me and picks up the fox by the scruff of his neck and walks away.
“Are we in the twilight zone, because I’m seeing things tonight I never thought were possible,” I say.
Callie’s shoulders deflate. “That was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.”
“This may have been the first, but it won’t be the last. That’s the price to pay for being a queen. You’re gonna have to make hard choices like this,” Lucian states.
“If it makes you feel better, you looked hot...a little scary, but still hot.”
She shakes her head but smiles. “Only you would think that.”
I shrug my shoulders. “I’m not wrong, and the rest of them think it too. They’re just too scared to admit it.”
“You’re probably right, but we really need to find Elder Harris.”
“No need to, he’s coming this way,” Cat says.
“Well, that was easy.”
“That was quite the show young lady.”
Callie shrugs her shoulders. “I did what I had to.”
“Spoken like a true queen.”
She smiles. “Graydon’s dad is taking one of Amos’ followers to the holding cell. Can you question him to see what he knows?”
“I can.”
“Thank you.” He gives Callie a hug.
“I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks,” she says, ducking her head.
Elder Harris gives her a quick kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll let you know if I find out anything.”
“Thanks again, Elder,” I say as he walks away.
“What do we do now?” Callie asks.
“We go home and wait.”
“Who’s going to clean all this up?”
I put my arm around Callie’s shoulders, pulling her into my side. “Don’t worry your gorgeous head about that. A clean-up crew will come through. Come on, let’s get you home.”