From the Ashes (Force of Nature Book 1) (34 page)

“I did, thanks to Knox and the others.”

Jase and Dean turned to face the alpha, a look of respect in their eyes.

“You fought for her?” Dean asked, taking a step toward Knox. He nodded once. Dean raised an outstretched hand toward the werewolf, who accepted it from him. “We are in your debt.” The way he said those words—the weight they carried—told me that his sentiment was more than just lip service. He meant what he was saying.

Jase mimicked his brother's gesture, offering his gratitude to the alpha.

“So now what?” Dean asked, losing every bit of the formal tone he'd just possessed. “If you think the warlocks are coming for her eventually, then we need to get her out of here. He'll think she's still on the run. The last place he'll look is NYC.”

“She's not leaving,” Knox declared. “She was entrusted to you once and you failed her. We will not do the same.”

“Seems like it should really be Piper's choice, boys,” Kat observed, coming to stand on my right. “What do you want to do, Piper? Run? Go home? Stay here?”

I hesitated for a moment, realizing that no matter what decision I made, someone would be hurt by it.

“I can't go back, guys,” I said, my eyes imploring Jase and Dean to see the truth in that statement. “Merc made sure of that.” I then turned to Kat. “But I can't run either. Where can I go that I won't eventually be found? That's no way to live—always looking over my shoulder. I did that my whole life before I met you guys. I don't want to do it again.” I lowered my head, unable to face any of them when I delivered my final line. “I'd rather be dead.”

“That's not going to happen,” the four of them said in unison.

I couldn't help but let a nervous laugh escape.

“Glad we've got that all cleared up,” I joked.

“If you're staying, I'm staying, too,” Kat announced, flopping down into a recliner. “Until the threat is eliminated, of course. Living in the sticks isn't really my thing. No offense.” She gave Knox a half-heartedly apologetic look.

“I'd argue with you, but we could use your help. We lost a couple of fighters against Kingston.”

“We will do what we can as well,” Jase added.

“But how? You can't stay here,” I argued. “And I doubt we'll have time to call you if and when they show up another day, which we're still not certain will happen at all.”

“Why do you think that?” Dean asked, looking at me strangely.

“After the stunt he pulled in Anchorage? Reinhardt has to have noticed that a handful of his own are dead, or at least missing. He's no fool. He'll eventually get to the bottom of it.”

“Piper,” Jase started, using the voice he did when he thought I wouldn't be able to handle the news he was about to deliver. “Reinhardt has other things to worry about at the moment. Dead warlocks wouldn't be surprising to him at all right now.”

“Oh,” I exhaled. There went the shred of hope that a war with my nemesis could be avoided.

“Would it be possible to...
eat
before we continue this conversation?” Jase asked delicately, knowing that his request would surely be met with resistance. The wolves wouldn't enjoy the idea of being at the fangs of a vampire enforcer.

“You can use me,” I volunteered, hoping to avoid an argument. Apparently my suggestion did the opposite.

“Over my dead body,” Knox growled, pulling me behind him.

“Oh for fuck's sake,” Kat sighed, pushing the footrest of the chair in so she could stand. “You can eat me.”

“But you're still weak,” I protested.

“Weak?” She turned to wink at me. “Maybe I just want everyone to think that.” Without further ado, she headed toward the hallway, waving at the brothers to follow. “I'd like a little privacy, I'm sure you all understand,” she drawled, sauntering around the corner. Jase and Dean weren't far behind.

“If they leave here, Piper, we run the risk of them returning with more. They might take you by force.”

“They won't. I'm telling you, it's not going to be like that.”

Knox started to argue, but a flash of blue light crashing through the window cut him off. The wolves scattered, managing to dodge the fireball that landed in the middle of the room. Eerie blue flames roared to life on contact, engulfing anything in the vicinity. I looked at Knox across the growing inferno, the fear in my eyes telling him everything he needed to know.

Kingston had arrived.

Part Three:

THE SHOWDOWN

23

Jase and Dean came running only seconds after the window in the living room shattered under Kingston's attack. Blood trickled down their chins. They looked significantly better than they had, even with little time to feed, but I knew they weren't quite back to themselves. And Kat was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh Piperrrrrrrrr,” a familiar voice called from somewhere out in the yard. “Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be, shall we? I know you're in there. I know your babysitters are, too. If you'd all be so kind as to make your way outside, it will really just speed things along. And you know how I love efficiency.”

I looked to the brothers and saw that they were thinking the same thing I was.

Kingston appeared unable to sense the presence of the wolves.

“Knox,” I called as quietly as I could. “You guys need to slip out the back somehow and circle around. I'll buy you time, but Kingston can be unpredictable. It's hard to know when he'll tire of making a show.”

“No!” Knox growled.

“You have to. You agreed to this plan and you're going to keep your word.”

“We'll be with her,” Jase added. “We've kept her safe before. We'll do it again tonight.”

Knox appeared to want to argue, but Foust intervened, helping him see reason.

“It's now or never, man. We need to do as she says.”

“Fine,” Knox bit out before coming over to me. He grabbed the back of my head and pressed my lips to his, kissing me hard. “Do whatever you have to to keep him distracted. Understand?” I nodded. “That goes for you two as well.”

With a jerk of his head, he and the pack made their way toward the halls of bedrooms and disappeared down them. The possibility that the warlocks had the place surrounded was there, but not necessarily likely. They generally kept their ranks together. They were far stronger as a whole. Even if they’d had the forethought to secure the perimeter of the lodge, those relegated to that particular duty would be relatively easy to pick off without the benefit of the coven at their sides.

Or so I hoped.

“So you like efficiency?” I yelled from the living room. “Too bad you suck at it. I'd be dead right now if you didn't.”

My blow was met with silence. It appeared that his failure to kill me last time was a bit of a sore spot with him. And I'd just picked at the open wound.

“I'll admit I was surprised when I learned of your resilience in that matter,” he said, the control of his voice belying the rage that grew within him. “But I promise you this time, Piper, I'll finish the job with little effort at all.”

Jase and Dean flanked me as we made our way out to the front porch. There to greet us was a veritable army of warlocks. Far more than I'd ever seen in one place before. Far more than Kingston had ever commanded.

“Motherfucker,” Dean muttered to himself.

“No need to be shy,” Kingston said, waving for us to come forward. “I can assure you that you're no safer there than if you come closer.”

I tried to pull myself from the throes of panic threatening to take over. Instead, I refocused on the tactical plan that we'd put in place. I surveyed the crowd, doing a headcount. I also did what I could to see just how widespread Kingston's forces were. I hadn't heard any screams from dying wolves, so I figured that was a plus. Maybe Kingston's arrogance really would work to our advantage.

“I must say, Piper, you look far better than the last time I saw you.” The evil grin that spread across his face made me sick. He'd truly enjoyed watching me burn.

I had no doubt that he'd enjoy it just as much a second time.

“You look about the same,” I replied, doing all I could to keep my legs from quaking.

“And how is that?” he asked, cocking his head at me.

“Thin. Hand-less. Just as arrogant.” He laughed at my reply, but there was no joy in it. It was a harsh, cruel, all-knowing laugh that let me know that it was the pain he was about to bring down on me that he found enjoyment in. Not my candid insults. “How'd you find me?” I asked. He shot me a look of disappointment in my question.

“I followed a little kitty kat until I was close enough to use a locator spell. It's all really quite boring and over your head. I'd much rather talk about the here and now,” he said, the evil twinkle in his eyes flaring in the light of the moon. “I must say that your babysitters aren't looking that well today.” He turned his attention to the brothers at my sides. With steady steps, he approached us, stopping only a few yards away. His minions mirrored him pace for pace. “Did you have an unfortunate arrival?” he asked, feigning concern. “There was a faint smell of burnt flesh when we showed up.”

“We're up for whatever you have planned, Kingston,” Jase said calmly, dropping his eyes to the warlock's missing hands. “And I'll be happy to take a few more souvenirs this time too.”

“Don't be so greedy, Jase. I think it's my turn to lop something off of him,” Dean said, chiming in.

“What did you have in mind?” Jase asked, turning to look over me to his brother.

“I'm up for whatever. An ear...an arm. Maybe something a little more important than that.”

“I hardly think you two are in any position to make threats,” Kingston countered, his calm expression faltering slightly. The faint blue glow at the ends of his arms gave him away.

We were running out of time.

Where is Knox...?

“Because this night is all about you, Piper, I'm going to let you choose,” he continued, folding his arms behind his back.

“Choose what?”

His wicked smile reappeared.

“Which of them you'd like to die first.”

While I fought to breathe, the wall of warlocks backing Kingston started to chant. As they did, the familiar blue flame that he normally brandished grew behind him until it was twice the size of his form. With his arms still behind him, the orb of swirling inferno remained there, but I knew that the second he moved, that mass of eerie blue fire was coming with him, destined for one of the boys.

I felt Jase's hand on my back in a weak effort to calm me, but it did nothing to help. One of the brothers was about to die.

“I can't make that decision,” I said, my voice cracking as I spoke.

“No?” Kingston replied, amusement in his tone. “Shall I choose for you then?”

“Fuck you,” Dean snarled, stepping forward a pace. “You're a pussy. You've always been a pussy. And I'm not going to die at the hands of a pussy, so do your worst. We'll see how you fare once you fail at killing me, but succeed at pissing me the fuck off.”

He looked over his shoulder at me, an apologetic and resigned expression on his face.

“Love you, P,” he said, just as the streak of blue flame throttled toward him.

“NO!” I screamed, lunging forward with my hands up as though they could somehow deflect the incoming fireball. Dean disappeared from sight just as the strike headed for him veered slightly off target, hitting the support post of the deck behind us. With little time to react, Jase snatched me around my waist and ran for the house at an inhuman speed. The door that slammed closed behind us flew off the hinges seconds later, narrowly missing us.

“Kat!” Jase shouted. “Time to make a break for it.”

We rounded the hallway to find Dean there, helping Kat toward us. She was weak and pale. There was no way she could fight.

Not giving it a second thought, I ran over to her and put my hand on her head.

“Help me help her,” I whispered, closing my eyes. I could feel the heat from the healing light blaze through my hand to her. Seconds later, it disappeared, leaving Kat standing there awestruck. But we had no time to admire my work.

The lodge was under siege.

“Where the fuck are your boys?” Dean growled, dodging a flaming log that flew past his head. Surrounded by flying pieces of splintered wood was not a vampire's idea of a good time. “I'm spent from my disappearing act. I don't have another of those left in me.”

“Here!” Kat said, shoving her wrist in his face. “And make it quick.”

Dean didn't hesitate, taking her offering like a starving animal.

“Something must have happened to the pack!” I shouted over the ruckus around us. “We have to try and find them.”

“Hardly the time for a supernatural scavenger hunt, Piper,” Kat scolded, pulling her arm away from Dean. “That's enough, you greedy shit.”

“Well, we have to do something. We're screwed if we stay here,” I pointed out.