Chapter Seventeen

Rocky was in the middle of cutting a board to fit the bottom of a shelf. He tried to pay attention to measuring and had to shut off thinking about Henri and his safety while using the saw. Vaughan and Echo were with him. Rocky told himself Vaughan was a capable fighter, which was true. But Echo’s presence was the reason Rocky had decided to take the day to finish the bookshelves. That and he wanted to make Henri happy.

Having the internal connection helped alleviate the worry. But he still wanted to hurry so he could get back to Henri. The problem was hurrying while using power tools was a bad idea.

Despite the anxiety, Rocky smiled on a near constant basis. And it was all Henri’s fault.

The others noticed, especially Sully and Bandos. Sully grinned without saying a word. Bandos chuckled every time he glanced at Rocky. At one point, he said, “Someone’s getting some.”

“Says the guy who has two mates.” Sully shook his head. “Leave him alone. He’s happy.”

Rocky didn’t remember a time when he’d been happier. Not even the threat hanging over them killed his contentment.

“Who knew the nerdiest shifter in town was a little firecracker in bed, though?” Gabe said.

Rocky growled and took a step toward Gabe. His eyes shifted to his dragon’s. “How do you know?”

Gabe held up his hands as if in surrender. “I don’t, man. Other than the change in you. I swear that’s all I meant.”

Rocky took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. “Don’t talk about my mate like that.”

“Understood. Sorry.”

Rocky met everyone’s gaze, including Garridan, who wouldn’t have made a lewd comment about Henri. In fact, Garridan frowned at Gabe. “It goes for everyone.”

“No more teasing. You all know not to push Rocky of all people. He’s too much of an alpha.” As dad of the Somersets, Garridan had a way of shutting down anything in one or two sentences. All the Somersets followed his orders, including Ladon, who was the alpha.

But Rocky didn’t need Garridan’s help. No one fucked with Rocky. He knew he was a strong shifter. Others could feel his alpha nature. It made them dial down the teasing when he wanted them to. He knew he wore his good mood on his face. While he couldn’t help it, it left him open for teasing, so he expected it. He didn’t want Henri to be included though. It would embarrass him if he’d been at the shop. And he didn’t want anyone speculating about what sort of lover Henri was.

“Sorry, Rocky,” Gabe said again.

Before Rocky could respond, he felt it—the pull in the center of his chest to get to the Somersets’ house. It was the signal they had all been waiting for. While the fear ramped up and the need to run to Henri, to protect him and the rest of the family, a part of him welcomed the fight. It meant the wait was over.

He’d felt Thomas’s magic once before, when the Stavros Coven had attacked them. It had been Thomas, the Saint Lakes clan warlock, who had created the pull in all clan members during the battle. The feeling was the same.

Everyone else felt it too. They all partially shifted.

Garridan turned toward Sage at the same time Sage stood and ran across the room to him.

Ramsey and Gabe started out of the shop. Bandos and Sully followed. Rocky waited for Garridan and Sage, taking up the rear to make sure everyone stayed together. If what he thought was happening was the reason for Thomas using his magic on the clan, then they needed each other if they were going to survive.

Where are you? His instinct was to get to Henri. It overrode the one Thomas had created in him. Not even magic could stop it.

They’re here. Vaughan went to fight by himself. He needs help. Oh gods! Gunshots!

Rocky heard them in the distance.

Rocky shifted his hands as they took in the scene outside the storefront window. He sniffed the air, smelling humans. Their scent was a little off. If he didn’t know about enhanced humans, their scent would have confused him. “They’re enhanced.”

Bandos shifted his hands as well. “They smell metallic.”

“Like they tried to hide their scent,” Ramsey whispered.

“They fucking failed if that’s the case.” Bennett stood in front of Sage as if he was the one who needed to be protected the most. “Sage, you need to shift. Curl around Dad’s arm or something.”

Sage didn’t hesitate. He wasn’t a big snake. Maybe five or six feet long, but he crawled up Garridan’s body and curled around his arm and up his shoulder, winding around Garridan’s neck.

Gabe was the tensest out of everyone. “Shawn says the humans can’t get close to Lucas because Thomas, Mom, and Lucas created a barrier. I’m not sure what they’ll do long-term, but they’re safe for now. The clan members there are too. Some haven’t made it there yet.”

“The humans are everywhere.” It was the first time Rocky had ever heard fear in Bennett’s voice. “Lucas says when he entered one of the human’s minds, he saw their plan. They’re in every paranormal town.”

Rocky cursed and then sighed, trying not to let the fear overtake him. He had to think.

How many were in Saint Lakes? How quickly could he make it to Henri and Echo?

“Echo’s in the most trouble. We need to get to him.” Rocky could feel Henri’s fear as if it was his own.

Bennett was the one who took a step toward the door. “I’m going to Lucas. I’m going to shift as soon as I get clear of their guns.”

Garridan nodded. “I’ll go with Bennett.”

“The rest of you need to get to Echo.”

The sounds of guns firing were a lot closer. Glass shattered, coming from the show room out front.

Rocky ducked, falling to the ground, covering his head. Something metal rolled across the floor right before the room filled with smoke.

“Everybody out!” Someone shouted. Rocky wasn’t sure who yelled it. He didn’t recognize the voice.

The smoke came from the back door.

Rocky stood, coughing as he stumbled toward the showroom. He knew some of the others followed but he didn’t know who until he they were far enough away from the billows of smoke to breathe easier.

His eyes burned as he took in everyone, coughing and wiping their faces.

“Fucking tear gas,” Garridan said.

They didn’t have time to recover before the front door burst open and humans with guns rushed in. “Everybody outside! Now!”

They didn’t have a choice but to do what the humans said.

When they were outside Rocky’s eyes still watered from the fumes of the smoke and the sun blinded him, but he made out clan members with their hands up, standing outside the diner and the grocery store.

Rocky followed suit, holding his hands up as if in surrender. Ramsey’s shifted face terrified them enough to give Gabe and Sully, who stood at the outside their circle, the advantage. They grabbed a gun and fired before the humans could react. It gave the rest of them an opening.

The parking lot turned into a war zone. Clan members shifted. Most were wolf shifters who went at the humans with teeth bared. Two cougars fought together so effectively, Rocky wondered if they’d had specialized training.

Rocky shifted again. He raked his claws over the abdomen of the closest human. The man could fight well, even while bleeding, although it wouldn’t take much for his guts to spew out of his wounds. He wouldn’t live long. Maybe he knew it, but he wasn’t stopping.

The human got a shot off, but the bullet went wide when Rocky clawed at his face and neck. Blood poured from his jugular.

Rocky attacked the next person. They were easier to kill.

Rocky didn’t get much of a breather, but he had enough of one to take in the scene.

Bennett shifted and took to the sky. He blew fire at the humans who managed to fire their guns, trying to prevent as many casualties as possible but the loss of life was evident. Clan members and humans littered the pavement.

Everyone kept fighting, including Sage, who struck anyone who got close to Garridan. They couldn’t shift. If any of them did, they became bigger targets.

They might not make it this time.

“Everyone get to Mother Estelle’s house!” Garridan yelled even as he fought.

The clan members who could run did. They were faster in their shifted forms than some of the humans. Other humans had obviously been enhanced because they went after them, running so fast they were a blur of movement.

The thought pushed Rocky to fight harder.

He shifted his mouth and breathed fire on a human who didn’t have a gun. He held a handgun but didn’t get a shot off before Rocky lit him on fire.

Hang in there, baby. I’m coming. It’s just going to be a while.

He hoped he could keep his promise.