Healing Their Mate (The Love of a Shifter) (26 page)

Jansen was starting to worry that Paddock had left the area when he heard vehicles coming down the dirt road.  Hand signals were given to everyone as they waited for them to exit the vehicles.  A black SUV pulled up first as five people exited the vehicle.  Stretching, the man driving tilted his nose in the air but continued on.  Jansen noticed the driver was a big vampire.  He could tell that this was Paddock’s number two man, Rick.  He appeared very arrogant as he exited the vehicle.  There was no mistaking who Paddock was.  When he exited the car, he was massive from drinking almost all of River’s blood.  The smile on his face said it all.  He knew the blood made him stronger and more powerful.  The four men and Paddock waited while three other vehicles pulled up. 

Jansen hoped that Paddock would see the white towel he left with River
’s blood on it laying off to the side of the house.  The plan was for him to smell it then investigate while the others went in the house.  He thought the plan had failed when the other big man informed everyone that there was food in the house.  All the men started to walk in but as Paddock looked back to tell the driver something he noticed the white towel lying on the ground.  He stopped then looked around the area.  Apparently the one River called Rick stopped with him.  Paddock jumped off the porch and walked toward the towel.  Three other vampires stopped and watched as Paddock walked toward the woods.  Paddock bent down and looked at the rag then jerked up scanning the area.  His eyes turned red as he crouched down in a predator’s stance.  The other men followed suit as they started scanning the woods. 

Jansen was already chanting as Reece and Jonas stepped out of the woods.  Paddock smiled, thinking he had the advantage with all his men there and only Reece and the shifter.  Before Jansen could complete the spell one other man ran out the door.  Paddock smiled further at Reece. 

“I think you are out-numbered,” Paddock said as he laughed.  “It’s been a long time and I’ve waited for the one chance where I would get to kill you.  I want you to suffer like your woman did.  First, I will kill you then I’m going to sink deep into her sweet body then drain every last drop or I may keep her around as my little pet.  I turned her.  I sucked every last drop of her blood then I gave her mine.  She actually died and I loved the fact that she is now mine.  All mine.” 

Reece never said a word but listened as Paddock taunted him.  The other men laughed along with Paddock trying to make Reece show some type of emotion.  Reece continued to count in his head.  He wanted to stay cool until the time was right to kill Paddock and his men.  He could feel his body trembling as Paddock spoke about making River his pet to do what he wanted to with. 

Thinking about what he was saying, Reece knew he was lying because she wasn’t a vampire. 
Did he think he killed her?  Reece and Jonas would need to speak to River when they got back and see if she remembered any of that.  Then again he was probably lying trying to get Reece to lose control.

Nash, Larken, Larsen, Paddock, Banks, and the guards and Protectors stepped out of the woods surrounding Paddock and his men.  They couldn
’t stay hidden any longer as Paddock spoke about raping and killing River.  The smile left Paddock’s face as the men stepped out.  Paddock called out to his clan who was still in the house.

The men could be heard as they ran to the front door.  Suddenly, they could hear someone hitting the door hard.  Jansen stepped out of the woods, making eye contact with Paddock.  The rest of the clan couldn
’t get out of the house.  They started yelling that they couldn’t get out of the house.  Paddock glared at Jansen.  He could see Jansen moving his hands around in a ball.  It dawned on Paddock that Jansen was a wizard and he had put a spell on the house.

Paddock yelled at his men inside the house. 
“Kill the girl in the basement.”  Smiling back at Reece, he waited for the men to find River.  

Reece couldn
’t help it when he smiled then laughed out loud as they listened as the vampires franticly searched the basement. 

Tilting his head sideways, Reece glared at Paddock. 
“I’ve waited a long time for you too.  Your ignorance has cost you this time, Paddock.  Really, you didn’t think I would leave my mate in the house.  I knew you were stupid but I didn’t know you were that stupid,” Reece yelled out, knowing his taunting would antagonize Paddock.  He wanted Paddock raging.  He needed him riled so he couldn’t think properly. 

Paddock
’s smile fell from his face knowing now that they had already gotten River out of the house.  Losing control, Paddock yelled, “I’m going to drain every drop from her, but before I do, I plan on killing you.  You always thought you were better than me.  Your father hated you.  He wanted me as his second in command.  Not you!” Paddock spit out.  He tried to provoke Reece but it wasn’t working and Reece continued to smile at Paddock, which infuriated him even more.

Jonas wanted to kill.  He wanted to rip that smile right off Paddock
’s face.  He would pay for what he did to River and to all those defenseless women he killed.  Not able to stop the shift and uttering a growl, Jonas shifted as his pants ripped from his body. 

Paddock had fought wolves before, but he had never seen one this big.  Paddock looked back over at Reece who was still smiling. 

“River is our mate.  The Wolf and mine.  We want your head on a stick and we plan on getting it.”  Reece and Jonas circled Paddock.  Jonas heard the other vampire as he charged him from the other direction.  Waiting until the vampire was closer, Jonas rolled as the vampire dove for him.  His momentum slung him as his body missed Jonas and hit the bottom of the tree hard.  Jumping to his feet, Jonas waited as the vampire jumped back up quickly. 

“
Yeah, I had your mate too.  She was nice and juicy when I ripped her shirt open—”  Before Rick could finish, Jonas was already charging him.  Knowing this was a ploy, Rick dodged Jonas who slipped on the ground giving Rick enough time to grab him and try to squeeze him to death.  Jonas felt some of his ribs break as the vampire slammed him to the ground.

Getting the advantage he needed, Rick kicked Jonas
’s bruised ribs.  His wolf rolled hitting the tree trunk.  Unfortunate for Rick, Jonas was a wolf who had been in many battles over the years and had learned a lot.  Using all of his strength, Jonas willed his wolf to get up from the ground.  His ribs hurt him when he moved.  It felt like he may have nicked one of his lungs making it hard for him to take deep breaths. 

Rick reached up at the tree branch and broke it off the tree.  The wolf
’s powerful teeth could rip his neck to pieces and eventually kill him.  Swinging the tree limb back and forth kept Jonas’s powerful jaws away from Rick. 

Reece and Paddock watched the battle between Jonas and Rick then without warning Paddock held his hand up and the other vampires charged at Reece.  Paddock ran toward Reece too.  Reece was out-numbered as four of the vampires charged.  Larken, Larsen, Nash, and Jansen shifted and charged toward the vampires who were also running toward Reece.  Paddock reached Reece first as he tackled him to the ground.  The hard ground bit into his back as they rolled over some rocks.  Gaining an advantage, Paddock and three other vampires held Reece down allowing Paddock an advantage. 

Paddock laid on top of Reece and he quickly slashed his claws across Reece’s face and stomach area.  Blood spurt out of the wounds as he tried to free himself from the other vampires.  The vampires hit Reece in the face and stomach area while Paddock hacked into Reece’s body.  Reece could feel the cold wet ground as his blood ran underneath him as he struggled to get out from the vampires hold.  Paddock quickly inflicted damage to Reece, bringing him closer and closer to death.  He felt like he was going to die.  This couldn’t happen.  River was waiting for him.  He couldn’t let him win.

Finally, Reece
’s arms and legs were freed as the wolves jumped on each of the men.  Gaining some leverage, one of Reece’s hands grabbed a hold of Paddock’s hair jerking him away.  Reece’s blood continued to flow out of his wounds as he struggled to his feet. 

Reece could feel his body losing strength.  Paddock didn
’t give Reece any time as he jumped toward him again knocking him to the ground.  Blow after blow, Reece struggled to defend himself.  Using his body, Reece rolled Paddock underneath him.  Paring the blows with all his strength, Reece drove his claws into Paddock’s face catching him off guard.  He could only hear the sound of his claws as they shredded into Paddock’s skin.  Blood poured from the wounds out of Paddock’s body.  Using all his strength, Reece continued to beat Paddock’s head into the ground.  All the fear and pent up anger flowed through Reece’s hands as he bashed Paddock’s body.  Reece needed his head cut off but didn’t have the strength.  Looking over at Jonas, Reece yelled out “TAG.”  He had Paddock down but needed Jonas’s strong jaws to rip his head off. 

Jonas jumped back as the branch swung for his head then used the time Rick
’s body was turned to leap toward Reece.  Clamping his jaws over Paddock’s neck, Jonas bit down and flipped the vampire’s body over him and away from Rick.  Jonas tore into Paddock’s neck with his powerful jaws and teeth.  Using the ground to push off from, Jonas jerked and jerked hearing Paddock’s neck tearing. 

Reece saw the tree branch as Rick swung the branch back toward Jonas.  He used all his strength and jumped toward the branch catching Rick off guard and pushing him over to the ground.  Grabbing part of the branch, Reece broke it in two and swung it toward Rick
’s head.  Rick ducked but as he came back up Jansen shot him in the head two times dropping him to the ground.  Reece dove toward Rick jumping on his body using the stick, he drove the limb into Rick’s chest pinning him to the ground.  Rick frantically swung his arms as he tried to grab hold of the limb and pull it out of his chest.  His screams were frightening as he yelled out.  His high pitch voice gurgled as Reece grabbed him around the neck then used his claws and began ripping his head off. 

Finding the strength, Reece slashed through his neck muscles until he pulled his head from his body.  Feeling the blood loss and damage to his body, Reece fell to the ground.  He looked over at Jonas who had ripped Paddock
’s head off and still continued to rip his claws into Paddock’s body.

Taking in a deep breath, Reece muttered Jonas
’s name trying to get his attention.  “Jonas, can you hear me.”  Reece leaned up further and yelled out trying to get Jonas’s attention.  “Jonas…Jonas.” 

Finally, hearing Reece, Jonas stopped then turned toward Reece.  Looking around the area Jonas finally came back to reality.  He had allowed his wolf to take control.  Paddock and Rick were stronger than any vampires he had fought.  He needed his wolf
’s strength to help Reece kill them. 

Reece watched as Jonas
’s snout dripped with blood and parts of Paddocks body slipped from his mouth.  His eyes that had turned yellow were now turning back to his natural color.  Shifting, Jonas laid on the ground covered in blood and guts. 

Larken and his pack had killed the other vampires, ripping their heads off.  Jansen had helped by shooting the vampires giving the wolves an opportunity to grab them around the neck as the vampires looked down at their wounds. 

Reece leaned back against the ground shaking from the blood loss.  His eyes dropped then closed.  His body was trying to heal but he was messed up pretty badly from Paddock ripping into his body. 

Jansen came over and looked down at Reece knowing he wouldn
’t die but he needed blood and he needed it soon.  He may not die but it will take him a long time to heal and it will cause him a lot of pain.  “He has passed out.  We need to get him back to the lodge so he can be healed and get some blood in him.”  Jansen reached down and picked Reece up in his arms.  Even unconscious Reece’s face tensed showing the amount of pain he was in as Jansen moved him.  

“
Sorry, buddy,” Jansen muttered as he started carrying him to the van. 

“
Hey, what about the fuckers in the house?” Nash asked. 

Jansen turned around and could see the vampires looking out the window. 
“What do you want to do with them?” Jansen asked.

“
Kill every fucking one of them,” Jonas advised.

Walking over to Larken, Jansen stopped in front of him. 
“Can you hold him for me?”

Wondering what Jansen planned on doing, he carefully grabbed Reece
’s unconscious body from his arms.  After Reece was out of Jansen’s arms, he turned toward the house.  Everyone could hear the growls coming from inside the house.  The threats of what they were going to do to them when they got out could be heard as they banged on the walls and windows.  Jansen bowed his head and started chanting then he lifted his hands as a spark of fire flickered in his hands.  As he chanted the fire continued to grow until it looked like a ball of fire in his hands.  He moved his hands in a circular motion like he was rubbing a crystal ball.  Throwing his hands toward the house the ball of fire flew into the house blasting it into flames.  Screams could be heard as the vampires tried to get out of the house but the spell kept them confined until the house quickly blew up in flames. 

Nobody felt any remorse for the vampires who laid in the front yard and those burning in the house.  They chose their fate when they went with Paddock and attacked innocent people.  Larken and the others threw the dead bodies of the vampires into the burning fire.  Turning around, everyone walked back through the woods toward the vehicles.  They needed to hurry and get back so Reece could heal.