Fang Chronicles: Zenya's Story (28 page)

“They are female children.”

“So?”

Nicolas spoke into Esta’s mind, “We can’t leave them here.”

“I know, but they may be too brainwashed to ever be on our side.”

“They helped the women and that’s all I need.”

“So be it, alpha. I will watch them myself and if they show signs of enemy behavior, I ask your permission to kill them.”

He wasn’t sure if it was wise but it was part of her responsibility, “I leave it in your hands, second.”

Nicolas looked at the new women of his pack. Only one showed signs of disfigurement and that was the one who had passed out. All of them appeared whole and able to travel, though the babies would slow them down.

“Korep, Honey, you will hold the children so we can move faster.”

The men didn’t object; they dressed, then reached for the infants.

“No, please.”

Nicolas placed his hand on the woman’s shoulder. “We must move quickly. It will take three days to get to our rendezvous point. We will travel as beastkind and the bears are the only ones that can keep up in human form.”

The other woman handed her child to Korep, who snuggled the baby against his large chest.

Honey reached his hands out and slowly lifted the other infant. “I will care for this child and make sure no harm befalls her. What is her name?”

“Alana.”

The large man looked at the sleeping child and then kissed her forehead.

Each she-cat, including Esta, stared in confusion. The males never protected females. If they survived it was because a she-cat took the female child under her care. Many she-cats refused because the loss of girl children was so high and they didn’t want to become attached.

Everyone but the bears shifted. They carried two large backpacks with everyone’s clothes and shoes, the children held against their shoulders.

The cats taught their babies to remain quiet from birth and they never did so much as fuss. It saddened Nicolas, but made the journey safer.

Samson and one of his wolves had flown out of Mexico City and would be waiting at the destination point. Now they just needed to make it there in one piece.

Chapter Thirty-nine

The she-cats explained to Nicolas and Esta that weaning the babies when they were young helped keep them safe. The women chewed small bits of meat and fed the children once they shifted to tiny mountain lions with sharp claws. When it was time to travel again, the women pinched their noses and the young beastkind changed to human.

Nicolas wondered if this trick would work with Sierra and Roland, but figured they were too old to start this type of training. The two young boys stayed silent. It was almost as if they wanted to be forgotten. Nicolas hoped they didn’t give Esta a reason to kill them. They too were only babies.

Every four hours they rested for one. The women and boys didn’t change from their beastkind form, just made a pile on any small, cleared space they could find. Like his pack of she-cats, they never complained. Twenty-four hours into their escape, Aster, while scouting, ran across a large contingent of cats that were following the wolf and bear scent.

Esta gave Nicolas the news and he ordered the bears to change and leave the babies with the she-cats. Approximately twenty men were coming toward them. Nicolas knew their only chance was to make the men think they were an easy target, so they didn’t call for vampire help.

Nicolas looked at the two young boys, handing them each a machete. “You are the last line of defense. Do what you must.”

He left the fate of the women in their hands. It was time to fight and kill the enemy.

His pack took out three cats before the others became aware they were under attack. Nicolas knew the bears could handle themselves, but if they made it out of this fight they needed to have as few injuries as possible. Notifying Vorlyk was the last resort.

Two cats came at Nicolas and he fought with everything he had. Claws managed to rip into the skin and muscle of his back upper thigh and took him down, but Honey charged in with raging jaws of death, knocked one of the cats away, then ended his life. Nicolas made short work of the other. His leg bled profusely, but he would survive. Turning to find his next foe, Nicolas spun again with the horrifying yell that came from Honey. A vampire had his hands around Korep’s throat, and with one savage twist the bear’s body fell to the ground. Nicolas opened his link to Vorlyk and hoped the vampire would stop Honey from ending his own life as the bear ran at the vamp that killed his friend. Vorlyk materialized two feet away from Nicolas and then instantly behind the other vampire. Honey’s large body charged into the fighting vamps and Nicolas joined the chaos to prevent Honey from making it harder on Vorlyk. The bear’s frenzy showed he no longer had control of his beast.

Nicolas shifted to human and grabbed the bear around the neck, bringing his legs up to circle the gargantuan chest. His alpha power poured from his body trying to suppress Honey’s insanity. He could no longer see what happened between the two vampires and held on while Honey tried to dislodge him. A cat attacked Honey and Nicolas let go, shifting again as another cat attacked him.

His injured leg weakened him, but he continued fighting, feeling light-headed from blood loss. The cat above him brought sharp fangs toward Nicolas’s throat. Suddenly the cat went flying and Honey continued after him. Nicolas looked around trying to catch his breath, but was unable to locate Vorlyk. He managed to get to his feet, then shook off the pain and walked, limping on three legs, to the females. Both boys held their machetes, covered in blood, with a dead cat a few feet away.

“We protected the women.” The taller of the two boys’ chest puffed up and his voice no longer trembled.

Nicolas shifted. “You did well” He said to both of them, “But our fight isn’t over. Continue your duty.” He had to find his clan leader and check on his pack.

He managed to walk fifteen feet before his eyesight turned fuzzy. He went to his knees thinking he would crawl.

Esta’s small hand settled on his arm. “We survived alpha, but you need to stay down.”

“I must find Vorlyk.” The jungle spun.

“He defeated the vampire and he’ll be here to help you in a minute.”

“Honey?”

“He is with his brother bear. You have the worst injury. All but Korep will live to fight again.”

The last thing he saw was Vorlyk kneeling beside him. He didn’t feel the vampire’s teeth sink in.

He opened his eyes to a darkened sky and looked around. They were still at the battle site. He sat up and checked his injury. The healing was almost complete, which meant he had been out for approximately two hours.

Vorlyk sat against a tree a short distance away. “I’m glad you’re back with us.”

“So am I. Where is Honey?”

“He won’t leave his brother bear or change to human and communicate with us. If you don’t mind, I need to go to the ranch and have Marcus call Dmitri and see what must be done.”

“Thank you.”

Vorlyk disappeared and Nicolas rose to his feet and made his way to the women and children. “How are you?”

The boy who spoke earlier replied for them. “We are alive. Thank you.”

“You also helped. What is your name?”

“Mateo.”

“And yours?” Nicolas turned to the other boy.

“Cruz.”

Mateo offered Nicolas his machete.

“You have earned the right to carry a weapon. We still need your vigilance to keep the women and babies safe.”

“Thank you… um, ah...”

“Call me Nicolas. You have also earned that right.”

Mateo smiled.

“I need to check on my pack and also the bear. Keep your post until I return.”

“Yes, Nicolas.” …, the boys said at the same time.

Esta and Aster sat about twenty feet from Honey and watched as Nicolas approached.

“Where are Bernard and Reece?”

“They are circling our camp watching for the enemy,” Esta pointed to the surrounding area.

Vorlyk walked up beside Nicolas. “I spoke to Dmitri by telephone. He said Honey knows what to do and we must tell him when it is time to leave.”

Nicolas looked at the two bears, then back at his liege. “That time is now. I will speak to him.”

Nicolas approached slowly and spoke when he was five feet away. “It is time to leave, my friend. We will say the words of safe passage for your brother if that is your wish.”

The large bear shifted to human and his shoulders shook harshly as he lay across Korep’s body. Finally he managed to sit up. “No, thank you. I need my backpack and five minutes. I will be ready to leave when you are.”

Nicolas took the pack Esta offered and carried it to Honey. The bear removed a sharp blade and then lifted his brother’s hand and made the first cut at the top knuckle. Part of the finger and claw separated from the hand. Before Nicolas could turn away, Honey severed the next digit. His wolf screamed inside his head, but he walked to the women and informed them they were leaving. They needed to make up as much time as possible and leave the dead behind them.

When they were all up and walking from the scene of the battle, Honey joined them with the bloodied claws of his brother strung around his neck. No one said a word.

Vorlyk spoke in Nicolas’s mind an hour later. “I need to return to our clan. I think if other vampires were coming they would be here.”

“I agree. Hopefully you won’t hear from me until our return.”

“Be safe.”

And then he was gone.

Chapter Forty

Everyone was too tired to talk and the last day took the women almost past their limit. Esta kept them going with not-so-gentle coaxing and non-subtle threats. They continued their pace and finally reached the remote airfield using the GPS navigator located in one of the bags. A rough-looking cargo plane waited.

Samson and his pilot rested under the shade offered by the aircraft. He looked at Honey and shook his head with sadness. They boarded and took off. The women were past caring about anything but sleep and they passed out almost immediately. One of the babies became restless and for the first time since Korep’s death, Honey responded and picked up the unhappy she-cat. He walked to the back area of the plane and sat down to play with the infant. Everyone else settled down and fell asleep, including Nicolas.

They changed to Brandt’s jet at a military base on U.S. soil. It took an hour for the last part of their trip.

Nicolas took time to ask each woman’s name and assure them they were safe. Vorlyk waited inside an SUV at Marcus’s private airport, even though the sun was shining. Nicolas lifted an eyebrow when Vorlyk got out of the driver’s side.

“Amy taught me to drive.”

“Amy?”

“Yes. It was a study in extreme territorial behavior having us both in the same vehicle sitting a foot apart.”

Nicolas couldn’t help his grin. “Is she alive?”