United (The Ushers) (18 page)

The stakes had changed, and suddenly.

“Bianca. You and Monica should return to the compound in New England, just to be safe,” Fionn ordered.

“Oh, hell no,” Monica retorted. “Oh no, mate. Don’t even think you’re sending me home to sit around decorating the nursery. No way. We are in this together.”

“She’s right.” Bianca turned, holding up her hands in a gesture of placation as she glanced at Jack. “Me, I’ll go home. Sarita is the third Usher, and she needs to be protected. Monica needs to stay with you, Fionn.”

“Take Kathy and Ellen,” Monica said, squeezing Bianca’s hand. “I’ll feel better knowing they’re with you.”

“Annie…” Fionn turned to his Guide. “I don’t want you being bait all by yourself.”

“I’ll go with her.” Graham smiled at her. “I’m not necessary, and she’s my friend.”

“Thanks, Graham.” Annie smiled back. “You know there’s more risk to you than to me, though.”

“It’s okay, I understand the risks.”

“We’re decided, then?” Fionn looked around the room, one eyebrow raised. The wolves nodded. “All right. I’m going to call Nikki.”

“What are you going to tell her?” Monica asked in an undertone.

He smiled and cupped her cheek.

“The truth. I know where our son is, and I’m going to get him.”

Chapter Eighteen

B
LUEFIELD
, W
EST
V
IRGINIA
, was a small city in the Appalachian Mountains where Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina met. Monica and the Murphy brothers were staying in a chain hotel right by the interstate. Graham and Annie were scouting the area where the tents were being set up just outside town. According to Annie, most of the people working were wolves in human form, but there were a handful of humans, as well. The rest of the Alphas were waiting across the Virginia border for a signal from Fionn that it was time to move in.

Fionn paced the room anxiously. His mate lay across the king-sized bed, watching him pace, massaging her belly thoughtfully. He knew she could feel his turmoil, but she said nothing, just watched. Finally, he spun on his heel and knelt by the bed.

“What if we can’t get him back?”

“We will,”
she reassured him.

“What if he won’t come with me?”

“He has to, darling.”

“What if someone hurts you?”
She was his family now, his partner. He couldn’t help but worry.

“No one will hurt me, love.”

He took her hand in his own, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “I love you so much. I’m so scared for you and the baby.” He brushed a hand over her cheek.

“Annie told me to stay with you. She promised me that as long as you and I are together, we’ll be fine. I trust her.”

“I’m glad. I never thought I’d hear you say that. Annie is different from Sara, Mo. She’s not as…”

“Go ahead. She’s not as steady and reliable?”

“No! She’s absolutely reliable. I’m the one who drove her away all those years ago. She’s more of a loner, a wanderer, I guess, than Sara was. Sara had the Inn and Bianca, but Annie is more of a free spirit.”

“Of course. Cats are more nomadic by nature. Birds nest. What are you trying to say, Fionn?”

“Well, I just thought you might have a hard time putting your faith in her the way you did with Sara. I’m glad that you trust her.”

“All these years, and you barely know your Guide,” she remarked, running a hand through his hair. She had dyed it for him, back to his natural brown, to make him less noticeable. It felt soft under her hands, and she began to wonder whether their baby would be brown-haired or black-haired like her.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve felt her in your mind, Fionn. How did she feel?”

He thought about it then, the rush that it was to feel her there, so potent and…“Fierce,” he whispered.

“Yeah. And that’s all in your hands. She’d do anything for you, Fionn. She loves you, and you love her, too.” She held up a hand when he began to protest. “I know, I can feel the affection between you both. It’s not like our mate bond. But you would do almost anything for her, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes.” It was all he could say. It was a simple truth.

“And she feels the same. And I love and trust you, so I love and trust her.”

“What an odd little triangle this is.” He sighed. “You know I’d never…”

“I know. Just like I’d never with Angelo again.”

“I know.”

“Are you two done talking about me?”
They felt Annie’s voice purr into their heads, and they laughed.

“What’s the story, Annie?”
Monica pushed the thought out to her.

“It looks like the testimonies start at seven—Dev introduces Kirk, Kirk gives a sermon, the humans take communion, he gives them silver shot, and they go hunt.”

“In Virginia,”
Fionn noted bitterly.

“Yes.”

“Okay, so you and Graham lead them north, farther into West Virginia instead, and we’ll make our move on the Kirks then.”

“There are a lot of Appalachian wolves here—all males. At least a hundred.”

“How strong?”

“A lot of beta. A few omega. No real alpha characters.”

“Thanks, Annie.”

Fionn called Robert and let him know it was time to move in.

From the parking lot across the street from the revival tent, Fionn and Monica watched as Devon entered the tent. Monica’s hand stroked slowly up and down Fionn’s arm to calm him. They watched as more humans arrived, and some wolves. Every wolf that entered was male. Monica raised a questioning eyebrow, but Fionn just shrugged. Behind them, Jack was whispering to Ted, and the two of them were giving instructions to the other Alphas over the cell phones. They heard when Devon started speaking, his voice echoing out of the speakers on the outside of the tent. When he described his affection and love for his father, Fionn’s eyes closed. But when Devon’s voice changed and he began to denounce his relationship with Monica, Fionn’s wolf lunged up and threatened to burst free. Reining in the animal side of his nature, he snarled and sank his claws into a nearby tree.

“Darling.” Monica’s voice was steady at his side. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing. Listen to the rhythm of his voice. There’s something very wrong here, but that’s not Dev.”

Fionn listened to the odd, unfamiliar cadence. It was Devon’s voice, but Monica was right. Something was off. Next, they heard a smattering of applause and cheering as Tavis Kirk took the podium.

“Cover your ears,” Ted hissed suddenly. “He’s hypnotic. Don’t let him in.” Then Ted’s mind rushed into theirs, singing an earsplitting rendition of Foo Fighters’ “Monkey Wrench.”

They watched as humans out on the street approached the tent and went inside. It seemed everyone who heard his voice fell under its spell and turned to hear him talk. When the humans finally started to leave the tent, Ted had worked his way through several songs, never letting up on the relentless stream of pop music he shouted into their heads. Finally, he stopped, drained.

“He’s controlling them with his voice. He’s got a crazy power of suggestion thing going on here.”

“Thanks, Ted. That was quick thinking.” Monica patted her brother-in-law on the shoulder.

“Time to move in. Ted, do you think you can provide auditory cover if you need to?” Fionn turned to his brothers.

“I’ll do my best. My brain is jelly right now. I imagine after hypnotizing so many wolves and humans, Kirk is probably pretty drained. If you let loose the charm mojo on him, he might not be able to muster the strength to try to fight us. Damn, I wish Kathy were here.”

“Well, we’ll work with who we’ve got,” Fionn growled.

The other Alphas were arriving, pulling up in cars and emerging with teeth bared. The fight was on.

Chapter Nineteen

A P
IERCING
H
OWL
R
ENT
T
HE
A
IR
.
Graham.
Monica recognized Angelo’s lieutenant crying for the attention of the humans. The gathered Alphas could hear and smell the humans moving out as the wolves moved in on the tent.

Fionn and Monica approached the tent together, leaving the others in a semi-circle outside.

Inside, a tight knot of wolves stood by the makeshift altar, speaking in hushed tones. Fionn instantly recognized Tavis and Jonny and deduced that the man on Tavis’s far side must be Gordon, the third Kirk brother.

“Tavis Kirk,” Fionn called out.

The old man cackled, a half-laugh half-cough sound, his skin turning gray from the effort.

Gordon stepped forward. “Is it my brother you truly want to fight, Fionn Murphy?” Gordon asked in a melodic, soothing voice.

Monica braced a hand against Fionn’s shoulder.
“They all do it. This compulsion thing.”

“Shit.”

“Fionn, I can’t block him.”
Ted’s voice in his mind edged with panic.

“Gordon,” Fionn acknowledged. “Bare your shoulder, please.”

With a smirk, the other man complied, showing off the Alpha’s mark. It was slightly different for each pack, but there was no doubt this man was the Alpha of Appalachia.

“So, Fionn, now you know.” Gordon grinned. “And Monica. Aren’t you the loveliest?” He nearly purred. “Come here, sweetness.”

She shook her head against the compulsion to obey him. His voice was measured calm, smooth across her senses. Something in it called to her, making her want to move forward. Her hand dropped from Fionn’s shoulder, and she took a step.

“That’s right. My, you are a pretty thing, aren’t you?” He sighed, smiling at her. “Already breeding, even. Well, if it’s a female, it will be useful.”

Monica’s senses went to war within her. While her wolf rebelled against the compulsion to step toward Gordon, her brain seemed to have short-circuited and pushed her body forward against her will. Fionn reached for her and her wolf rolled back toward him, even as she took another step toward Gordon Kirk, shaking her head. The longer the other man stayed silent, the easier it was to clear the fog that filled her when he spoke, but every time he spoke, she moved closer to him and Fionn’s presence inside her dimmed.

“Hold on, love. I’m right here. Don’t let him cut our bond. I’m right here.”
Fionn spoke into her mind soothingly, but the effect was like a splintering headache sweeping into her head. She winced and shook as the two men played a metaphysical tug of war for her.

“Oh, I don’t expect your mate to just give you over to me, Monica. He’s the big bad, isn’t he? Would you like to see him fight for you? You lived in dangerous times. You’ve shed the blood of the unworthy. What makes you think this creature is worthy of you?” He pointed with disgust at Fionn. “A bi-polar mess of a man, with human children? Don’t you deserve better than that?”

Snarling, Fionn leapt forward.

“Now, now. Let’s not be hasty.” Jonny stepped forward. “Gor, we paid a lot of coin to rent this tent and the chairs and whatnot. Let’s not get ’em all bloody. Why don’t we go outside, brother?” They felt the edge of compulsion in Jonny’s voice as he made the suggestion.

Fionn took advantage of the moment and reached for Monica, pulling her into his arms. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and looked in her eyes. “I love you, mate. Fight him off.” And he bent his head low to bite her, hard, on the neck.

As his wolf-teeth pierced her skin, the fog around her senses lifted, and she snarled at Gordon. “You sick fuck,” she shouted, letting her claws and teeth shift.

“Outside,” Tavis rumbled.

Later, Fionn would have no recollection of walking out of the tent. He felt his brother Ted’s hand on his shoulder a moment before he shifted, and then his mate was beside him, her gray muzzle lifting in a snarl. Together, they circled a pair of small brown wolves. Around them, they felt the electric sensation of the other Alphas shifting into wolf form. Jack and Ted backed up to Fionn and Monica, protecting them from behind. Howls filled the air as a heady bloodlust settled on the wolves.