Love Bites (Bitten Book 4) (30 page)

She groaned as she pushed to her feet. I was impressed that she made it, though barely. Meredith swayed as she straightened, holding her arms out. “See? Good as new.”

I shook my head. “I’ll take care of Brittany later….or someone else will.”

The children were scared to death, clinging to each other and crying. The older ones were doing a good job of trying to calm the younger ones, but there wasn’t time.

I strode across the room, stopping to crouch in front of the group. “I know this is really, really scary and that you just want to go home with your mommy and daddy. You’ll get to do that, just not yet. First, we have to hide. Then, later when it’s safe, your parents will come get you. Until then, they want me, Stella, and Meredith to take care of you. Can you let us do that?”

They all nodded or said yes, the tears slowly ending.

“Okay, so we’re going to Lachlan’s house. Do you all know where that is?”

Again a chorus of yeses.

I forced myself to smile. “Good. When we leave the building, you all need to stay close to either Stella, Meredith, or me. Keep a tight hold on your buddy. You might hear or see scary things, but whatever you do, don’t stop, okay?” When I was sure they all understood, I rose from my crouch. “Y’all are gonna do a great job.”

I turned to Stella, my ears pricked by the sounds of battle drawing closer. “We have to go now.”

Meredith looked better and I hoped that meant she was on the mend.

Quickly, we ushered the kids out of the meeting hall. In the distance, I could see shapes moving across the clearing. Some running, others fighting.

“Okay, we’re gonna run. Stay together and don’t let go of your buddy,” I instructed.

Meredith stayed at the rear of our group, Stella toward the middle, and I led. I was grateful the kids were shifters, because they moved almost as fast as adults. Though none of them were able to shift yet because they hadn’t hit puberty, they were stronger and quicker than human children.

As we ran, movement to our right caught my eye. I glanced over and glimpsed Brittany diving behind a house as we ran by. Goddammit. She was following us, no doubt to tell the Faction’s men where to find the children and me. That definitely wasn’t going to happen.

We made it to Lachlan’s house with no intervention. Leaving the lights off, I led them through the rooms and down to the basement. Though it was a bit musty, the large room was comfortable and clean. Lachlan had some old furniture down there, a couple of sofas, recliners, and even some lawn chairs.

“I have to go back outside,” I whispered to Meredith and Stella as the children were all getting settled.

“What? No,” Meredith insisted. “You need to stay with us.”

I leaned closer, lowering my voice even more so the children couldn’t hear. “Brittany followed us and I’m sure she’ll lead the enemy straight here. I’m going to find her before that happens.” I gestured to Meredith. “Are you feeling well enough to keep watch upstairs?”

She nodded. “I have a bitch of a headache, but the worst of the damage is healed.”

“Then you need to stay upstairs and keep an eye on what’s happening out there.” I turned to Stella. “Do you know where the other exits to the basement are?”

She nodded. “There’s the tunnel too, right?” she asked.

“Yes. Use it if they break into the house.”

I didn’t even want to think about what might happen if they decided to set the house on fire. I wouldn’t let that happen.

With one last glance at the children and their frightened faces, I headed back up the stairs and out into the night to find Brittany.

Calder

W
here in the
hell were Conner and the rest of his men?

A few seconds after I activated the amulet, a group of twenty wolves appeared out of the forest and surrounded the pack. We weren’t outnumbered, but we were weakened by the fact that most of the pack didn’t know what the fuck was going on. And being in wolf form, it wasn’t as if I could announce it.

It wasn’t until the attack began that the realization sank in and my pack began to fight. I stood shoulder to shoulder with Lachlan as we waded in. I only hoped my alpha was strong enough to make it through.

A loud boom shook the forest and there was a bright flash of light, almost as though a bomb had gone off. I hoped that meant the cavalry had arrived. I watched in horror as more wolves and a few vampires trickled out of the trees, adding to the forces against us, all thoughts of back-up gone. If they didn’t get here soon, it would be too late.

I heard Lachlan release a harsh bark and I searched for him in the dimly lit forest. When I finally found his form, two other wolves were circling him, their heads lowered, ears back as they looked for their opening to strike. Lach was bleeding from several minor wounds on his flanks but that appeared to be his only injuries. I could see that he was weakening and lunged forward to aid him.

Before I reached him, claws raked my back, leaving trails of fire as they broke through my skin. I twisted around, snapping my jaws at the paw that shot out to claw at me again. George crouched before me, his hackles standing on end.

I charged him, the two of us rolling across the ground, each of us trying to find a weak spot to sink our teeth into. I heard the yelps of the other wolves as they fought, snarls and growls filling the night.

Where the fuck was our back-up?

George managed to twist out of the grip of my fangs. I started to give chase as he ran back toward the compound, but flashes of light lit up the sky in the east. It had to be Kerry, using magic to aid Conner and Lex’s men, but they had to fight their way to us.

I snarled when I saw streaks of fur flying through the trees as the enemy sprinted toward the settlement. It didn’t appear to be in retreat, but rather with purpose. My pack mates were close behind. Now that they were aware of the traitors among us, they were holding their own against them.

God, I hoped Ricki was safe. She had to be.

With that thought in mind, I sprinted after George. As I tore through the woods, I smelled a wolf I recognized. I inhaled again, taking in the scent. I cursed my horrible memory. I knew that smell. Then it hit me. It was the scent of the wolf that had been listening at the window a couple of weeks ago. He was here.

I was torn between taking down George and finding that wolf. The decision was taken out of my hands, when I surged out of the trees into the clearing where we left our clothes. George suddenly wheeled around and launched himself at me.

Rather than try to backpedal, as he probably expected me to do, I pushed harder and faster. He frantically tried to change his path in mid-air but it was too late. As he flew over me, I leaped, my jaws snapping shut on his throat.

I twisted, taking him with me, and we slammed down on the ground. George yelped, kicking and clawing at me, but I bore down. Growling, I jerked my head to one side and pulled. His struggles ceased as blood poured from the wound on his neck.

“No!”

My head whipped around at the sound of Brittany’s voice. She ran across the clearing, screaming. My heart nearly stopped when I saw that Ricki was hot on her heels.

“Daddy!” Brittany cried as she fell to her knees beside George’s body.

Ricki came up behind her, her hands clenched into fists. She paused when she saw me, relief filling her face. Then her eyes flicked in the direction of something on my six. “Calder,” she mouthed without a sound. It was a warning.

I heard rustling behind me, that vaguely familiar scent of a strange wolf. It took all my willpower to keep my back to him and wait for him to strike, especially when I could hear him coming. When he did, I was ready.

I dodged his pounce, and when he hit where I’d been standing, I sank my teeth into his nape, snapping them tight over his spine. One good hard shake, and I would break his neck. He went rigid beneath me, then relaxed.

Suddenly, the fur in my mouth was gone and I was standing over a naked man. As he changed, his flesh slid from between my teeth, leaving deep scratches on his skin. He turned beneath me, the full moon illuminating his features. Like his scent, his features were oddly familiar.

How did I know him?

Ricki gasped, coming closer. I risked a quick glance up at her, but she was staring down at the man I had pinned. Tears filled her eyes, as did anger and hatred.

“Dad?”

I looked back down at him and saw the smug satisfaction in his face and it made me want to erase that smirk by pounding on his head until he was unrecognizable. Then he tilted his head back to look at Ricki, exposing his throat to me as if he didn’t have a single worry that I might rip it out. He didn’t even flinch when I growled. It was as if he believed he would be safe, which wasn’t the case.

“No, Ricki. I’m not your father.”

She looked completely confused. “But…you look just like him. I don’t understand.”

The man kept looking at her, a smile spreading across his expression. “I’m your grandfather.”

As much as I wanted to continue this conversation, now wasn’t the time. The flashes of light and explosions of sound were getting nearer, which meant that there would be more enemies to face.

I moved back from the man claiming to be Ricki’s grandfather and shifted, straightening to my full height.

Looking down at him, I snapped, “Get up.”

The man got to his feet. He looked to be in his mid-forties, but that didn’t mean squat to shifters because he could be several hundred years old. He didn’t attempt to resist or attack in any way, merely stood there.

Ricki stared at the guy with wide eyes, completely absorbed in studying him. I was just about to say her name to see if I could snap her out of it when she shook her head and blinked rapidly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she lifted her eyes, they were hard and clear. I’d never seen that look in them before.

Turning to Brittany, she commanded, “You get up too.”

Brittany didn’t hear her. She was too absorbed in crying over the body of her father.

Ricki marched over to her and grabbed her by her hair, hauling her to her feet. Even I wanted to balk at her rough treatment of the girl. She’d only been doing what her father wanted her to do. Lachlan would banish her from the pack, but he’d likely let her live.

“Calder,” Ricki snapped. When she had my attention, she shook her head. “She doesn’t deserve pity.”

Brittany whimpered as my mate yanked her head back.

Ricki leaned in to murmur in her ear. “Tell him what you were going to do.” When the girl didn’t speak, Ricki gave her a solid short arm punch to the gut.

Brittany started coughing and her knees buckled beneath her. I stepped forward to put a stop to this.

“Tell him!” Ricki demanded, wrenching Brittany’s head back with another vicious pull.

“I was supposed to help with the pups!” Brittany wailed.

At first I didn’t know what she meant. Help with the pups?

“Help how?” Ricki snarled, her fangs lengthening.

“T-t-they wanted me to lead their men to the pups so they could…” She didn’t finish but I got the gist.

This time when I stepped forward, it wasn’t out of pity. There was no way the little bitch would survive the night.

Ricki shook her head. “Not now.” Her eyes widened. “Calder!”

Something tackled me from behind, raking claws down my back and teeth clamping over my shoulder. I took a page from the enemy’s book and shifted right beneath him. Though his teeth hurt like hell when they scored my skin, it worked. A few seconds later, I was loose.

Growling, I whirled on my attacker. Make that attackers. The same two wolves I saw circling Lach earlier were crouched behind me. As one, they attacked.

Fighting two opponents in wolf form was a lot harder than in human. At least in human form, I could keep a hand on one opponent at a time, or kick with my legs while I held off another with my arms.

It quickly became apparent that these two were accustomed to working as a team. One would attack or lunge to distract me while the other circled around behind, constantly trying to flank me.

I was sure I was done for when a third wolf joined the fray, latching onto my rear leg with a vicious bite. As I turned to fend off the new attacker, I caught a glimpse of Brittany and Ricki fighting.

Desperate, I howled just before I clawed at the wolf holding my leg. Help had to come. I refused to go down and leave my mate alone to fight off four wolves.

Another set of teeth gripped my front leg and I lost my balance, collapsing under a pile of fur and bodies. I bit and slashed, snarled and growled. I would not leave my mate unprotected.

Suddenly, the weight on top of me lightened and I heard a thud and a yelp. Then more weight was lifted and suddenly I could see what was happening. Ricki was fighting with one of the twins, her hands holding his snapping jaws just inches away from her face.

I tried to get away from the last wolf, her grandfather, but he had his fangs in my shoulder, digging deeper and deeper, through muscle and bone. If I didn’t fight him off, I’d lose the use of my front leg.