A scuffle of footsteps behind us was the first indication we weren’t alone. The five of us were already on high alert; we spun and fell into a fighting stance. And I didn’t relax my pose when I saw who was standing there. If anything, my beasts inside were closer, hands semi-shifted into claws.
It was the Craiz brothers. The Four. Spread out, standing in a line about twenty feet from us. They weren’t moving, and their expressions were benign, nothing threatening in their demeanor at all, but I was still wary. They were the assholes who had locked away babies and innocent victims of Larky. Some of those supernaturals were in chains for hundreds of years. There would be no forgiveness for these males, no matter how justified they were in their actions. They would have killed every single marked if we hadn’t been unkillable at the time. They’d basically admitted that they’d tried every way possible over the years. I couldn’t even comprehend the level of torture some of the marked must have gone through at their hands.
When Louis and the quads had mentioned that they would work with the Four, I thought I was okay with it – not happy or anything, but it was a means to the end of Larky, and I would do anything to end him. Now, though, as I stood before them, with growls rumbling my chest and my dragon straining against me, I wasn’t sure I could do it. I couldn’t fight with them when I really wanted to kill them.
“Jessa, babe, a little care with the muscles please.”
I glanced down and realized my clawed hands were ripping Tyson’s biceps to shreds.
“Sorry.” I relaxed my grip but the growls wouldn’t cease. My animals were just too riled up to settle, and therefore I couldn’t settle either.
I eyeballed the Four. “I don’t think I can work with them. I really want to kill them. Can’t we just kill them?”
I heard Braxton chuckle, and turned to see him flashing me that smile, the one with the double dimples. “As soon as we deal with this crisis, you have my permission to destroy the Four. I’ll be right there to help you hide their bodies. But for now we need them, and so do the rest of the supernatural world.”
I knew the Four could hear us. They were not that far away. None of them showed any concern, and I realized how much they reminded me of soldiers, the ones who go out there and do horrible shit so that the rest of the world doesn’t have to. I knew that in war you had to make tough decisions – sometimes it might seem cruel, but the greater good was important. Still, I believed every supe, human, and other, needed to have a set of morals they stuck with. You must draw a line in the sand and never step over it. Otherwise, how will you ever know when to stop?
Some things were too much, even in war. Children was where I drew that line, and it made me more than a little angry that the Four had not felt the same way.
The one on the far right spoke first. “We promise we’re only here to defeat the king and make sure he doesn’t gain control of Jessa or any more of the supernatural communities. We mean the marked no harm unless they’re part of his army and need to be subdued. We have the power to hold them, to counteract their dragon ghosting abilities. You need us.”
Truth. Dammit, I really had no choice. They were right. We did need them.
Somehow I managed to get my animals to settle, and my hands returned to their nice human shape. I turned my back on the Four. I did not fear them any longer. I could access my dragon on command now, and I doubted their power could halt her change.
I focused on Louis. “Did you figure out what happened here?”
His expression was stone cold. “Don’t worry about the Four, Jess. If they step out of line, I will not hesitate to end them.”
Truth.
He continued: “Stratford wasn’t like this when I left your father here, but clearly in the additional time on Faerie, a lot has happened. I’m pretty sure most of Stratford has been evacuated. They left in their vehicles, which is why Braxton could smell the diesel. There’s still some energy inside the town hall. I think a few members remained behind.”
All of us swung around to face the large building behind us. I knew it was heavily spelled to protect its contents, including the Book of Guidance, which would explain why none of us – except the powerful sorcerer – had picked up on the life inside. I didn’t hesitate, I needed to know if my family was in there. I needed to see my parents and Mischa. Fear for them was a hot thrumming in my veins, and until I saw with my own eyes that they were safe, I would not be able to calm.
The moment I thought of Mischa, it was like our bond kicked into gear, pushing through all the other bonds inside of me – dragon, wolf, and partial mate bond – urging me to find my twin. I had to see her. I moved swiftly, the others a step behind. Even in my haste, I kept one eye on the Four. They fell into the back of our group, keeping a decent distance between them and us. It was smart of them to not get close. I wasn’t sure I could control my actions.
I slammed against the main entrance but it was locked down in that unbreakable magic way, like when there was a trial going on. I knew there was no way to budge it with so much magic slicked across it, but the quads were still going to have a go.
Braxton came first, barging against the door with his shoulder. The building shook but the doorway held strong. I was lifted and deposited to the side by Maximus, and then he joined his brother. The two of them were the biggest and strongest of the quads and had the best shot.
They both smashed against the door, and this time I felt the rumble under my feet, but still there was no opening. The four Compasses were just stepping up when Louis spoke.