My Savior (23 page)

Darian shot a desperate look at Oron who raised his hands up grinning. "Don't look at me, baby brother, we both know I am not suited for diplomacy. I would, however, like a promotion to personal guard when you take over."

Brennus walked around his mate's chair to kneel in front of Amelia. He took both of her hands in his. "Just breathe darling, being a consort isn't so bad. For the most part, I just stand beside her and look pretty. I know you can do that."

Amelia looked past Brennus to Darian, and they shared a moment of pure panic. She took slow deep breaths as Brennus instructed and was able to smile reassuringly at her mate. "Think about it this way: is there anyone else you trust to do it?" she asked.

He immediately started to grin. "I think I can do anything if you're at my side."

"Even face the council regarding possible charges I may or may not be facing for attempting to kill a shifter family matriarch?" she asked smiling brightly.

Darian blinked. "Seriously?"

Amelia shrugged. "She was threatening Meryn."

Oron turned his face away, his entire body shaking with laughter. Darian let his head drop back as he mentally counted.

"Five...six...seven..." she said out loud.

He scowled at her, and she giggled. "There's my frowny face!"

Brennus stood and Amelia stood with him.

The queen laughed and then her eyes filled with tears. "Oh dear, I told myself not to cry. You can visit any time now."

Darian pulled her into a hug. "We'll visit every week. How's that?"

Aleksandra nodded and stepped back. "And bring the crazy human, too."

Oron stood. "That I have to see."

Darian slid the ring on his finger and turned to Oron. "You do the honors?"

"Sure thing." Oron stepped away from the table, held up his hand, and a portal of silver light appeared. "Ready when you are."

Darian kissed his mother's cheek and clasped forearms with Brennus. "I'll send an update as soon as I can." Brennus nodded.

Darian held out his hand to Amelia and they walked over to Oron who held out both hands. Darian took one and she the other. Together, they stepped through the portal.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Unlike the journey to Éire Danu, returning to the Alpha estate was much easier. There was no jarring or cold sensation. It was as easy as stepping from one room to another. One second they were in the royal dining room, the next they were stepping out onto the training field from where they had left. They men were doing evening drills before dinner.

Darian turned to Oron and Amelia. "Let's keep recent developments to ourselves for a while," he said, looking down at his ring. Amelia and Oron nodded.

"Aiden! Darian's back!" Keelan yelled before running over.

Amelia watched as Darian pulled the young witch into a brotherly hug. "Thank you. Thank you for everything you did to save me, even when I didn't want to save myself." He released Keelan and ruffled his hair.

Blushing furiously, Keelan ducked away from Darian's hand. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course, I'd try and save you. You're the only one who takes my side."

Darian grinned. "I'm back."

Keelan smiled wide. "Good!"

Aiden, Colton, and Gavriel clapped Darian on the back. Aiden exhaled, looking relieved. "I'm glad you're okay."

He turned to Amelia. "So how was your first trip to the fae city?"

"I got to meet the Queen."

"Don't tell Meryn; she'll mope for days." Aiden rolled his eyes.

"Where is she?" Amelia looked toward the house.

"She and Beth are upstairs in the nursery trying to decide where to put a Tardis, whatever that is." Aiden shrugged.

Amelia laughed. She couldn't wait to see the nursery. Immediately following that thought was the realization that this was truly home now. Grinning, she turned to Darian. "Guess I can officially move in now, huh?" she teased.

"You better." He pulled her close and kissed her passionately.

The men around them began to cheer and whistle.

Everyone quieted and looked around when a phone began ringing. When all eyes turned to Keelan, his eyes widened. "Crap! That's your phone, Aiden!" He pulled it out and handed it to Aiden.

"Aiden here. ... Say again? ... On our way." Aiden hung up and cupped his mouth with both hands. "All units report!"

Amelia stood close to Darian as the men began to crowd around. Aiden held out his phone after placing it on speaker. He looked up. "Ferals are attacking the city," he said shortly.

"Hello?" Sascha yelled.

"What's your status?" Aiden shouted into the phone.

"It's a clusterfuck out here, sir! We're getting hit from every direction. Requesting backup, ASAP!" Gunshots and screams nearly drowned out Sascha's voice.

"We're on our way!" Aiden hung up the phone, and he had just turned to face them when a huge explosion rocked the group. Amelia would have fallen if Darian hadn't had his arm wrapped around her.

Coughing and waving the dust away from their faces, the men ran to the back of the house. A huge fire was climbing up the side of a small building.

"Meryn!" Aiden roared.

"Wasn't me!" Meryn replied. Everyone turned and looked up; Meryn and Beth were staring wide-eyed out an open window.

"Gods, they were trying to take out the armory." Colton said.

"Those four foot thick walls looking worth the effort now?" Aiden asked. The men scrambled for water hoses and fire extinguishers.

Aiden roared loudly getting everyone's attention. "Epsilon, Delta, head to the city to back up Gamma. Their backs are against the wall, and there are a ton of civilians in the crossfire. Gavriel, check in with Zeta; they were on perimeter patrol. Colton, get my father on the phone. We need every man he can muster in the city, and I'd like him to come here to guard the estate. Everyone else, let's get this fire out!"

Amelia turned to Darian. "I bet Ryuu has a fire extinguisher in the kitchen."

He nodded and worked with Oron, unraveling the hose. She leaned up and kissed him quickly. "Be right back."

She ran up the back steps and through the door, looked around the kitchen, and decided to check under the sink first. As she knelt down, the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up. As she turned, stars exploded behind her eyes, then nothing.

*****

"Sir, Kade has checked; the fire's out." Lorcan, the unit leader for Beta, reported.

Darian stood back and wiped his forehead. It had taken nearly half an hour to put the blaze completely out. Aiden wasn't satisfied until the fire witch confirmed it was out.

"Good work," Aiden said, his face just as smudged as everyone else's.

"Looks like you're having fun without me," a deep voice said. Darian turned around and smiled. Byron and his old unit members were walking around the side of the house.

"Father, thank all the Gods! What do you know?" Aiden wiped his hands on his pants before pulling his father into a hug.

Byron clapped his son on the back and let go. "Gamma, Epsilon and Delta are doing the best they can in the city. The ferals are coming in waves, which means they aren't being overwhelmed yet, but they have been fighting non-stop." Byron nodded to his old friends John Younger and Abraham Carter. "They came from the city. Most streets have been blocked off, but there are still a lot of people trapped in buildings."

Gavriel walked up. "I checked in with Zeta. They haven't seen a thing."

Aiden cursed under his breath. "Gods damn those necklaces! Have them abandon the perimeter and head into the city. Patrols are useless at this point."

Gavriel nodded and reached for his phone and walked away to redeploy the Zeta Unit.

Byron turned to Aiden. "I have activated all retired or inactive unit warriors in the city. Most had already suited up and jumped into the fray with Gamma."

Aiden looked relieved. "We'll take all the help we can get." When Gavriel rejoined them Aiden looked at the men. "Let's check in with the ladies and head to the city."

Darian didn't have to hear that twice. They all jogged to the front of the house and headed inside.

"Meryn!" Aiden called out.

Meryn, Beth, and Ryuu came down the stairs. "Is it true there are ferals in the city?" Meryn asked.

Aiden frowned. "How did you know that?"

Meryn held up a military-issue walkie-talkie.

Aiden sighed. "Yes, we're about to head there now."

Darian looked around. When he saw Jaxon and Noah come out of their office and Amelia wasn't with them, he started to get nervous.

"Where's Amelia?" he asked.

Everyone froze.

"Amelia! Amelia!" Darian yelled, his gut twisting painfully.

He ran for the kitchen, that was where she said she was going. His entire world crashed around him when he saw the cabinet doors under the sink open and the rug bunched and twisted. He looked toward the door, and his heart stopped when he saw drops of blood on the floor.

He threw his head back and roared. His mind narrowed to a single purpose: he had to find his mate. Strong arms wrapped around his chest and wrestled him to the floor. He fought and snarled, trying to break free.

"Darian, brother, you have to keep it together! You're not going to help her by losing it like this!" a voice yelled in his ear.

Slowly he regained his senses. He looked around, and his fellow unit members were standing around him looking worried. Meryn peered down at him, scowling. "Get your giant ass up and go find my big sister-cousin!"

He patted Oron's locked hands at his chest, and his brother released him. He stood and pulled Meryn into a hug. "I'm going to bring her home."

Darian watched as Oron disappeared down the hall. Where was his brother going?

She stepped back. "Of course you are, now get to it." She made a shooing motion with her hand.

Aiden turned to his father. "Can you take over as Unit Commander?"

Byron nodded. "You didn't have to ask, but you know son, that the rest of the council won't like you leaving Lycaonia when the city is under attack."

Aiden growled. "I am in charge of the units, not them. Alpha Unit move out. Beta, you're to report to my father. You're on guard duty here until we return."
 

The men drew their sidearms at the sound of heavy boot treads in the hallway. Oron was the first to appear in the kitchen doorway. He grinned at Aiden. "I brought some backup."
 

Everyone walked out to the foyer where sixteen fae warriors stood in burnished gold plate armor. "Her Majesty, Queen Aleksandra of The Fae has offered the assistance of her personal guard." Oron winked at Darian who'd never been more relieved in his life. Sixteen fae warriors could do a lot of damage. Closing his eyes, he focused on his bond with his mate. He let out a breath slowly and concentrated on her light. He opened his eyes and looked around. The room seemed brighter to the east.

"Yum," Meryn said ogling the warriors.

"Meryn, stop looking!" Aiden barked.

"No."

"No?" he asked incredulously.

"No. Because I have to focus on something or I am going to get real upset, real fast about someone breaking into our house
again
to kidnap my big sister-cousin!" Meryn roared back at her mate.

"Aiden..." Colton began looking anxious.

Aiden turned to John Younger. "Can you lead half of these men to the clinic and escort Rheia and my brother to the city?" John nodded and led half the fae out the door.

"Aiden, they should come here," Colton protested.

"They should, but they won't. You know as well as I that they will insist on going where they are needed, at least this way they'll be protected," Aiden countered.

Aiden turned to Oron. "Go with them and catch up with Gamma in the city."

Oron shook his head. "No."

Aiden threw up his hands. "Why is everyone telling me no?"

Oron checked the clip in his gun and holstered it. "Normally, I would obey any command you gave, but I'm going with my brother to get my sister back." Oron's tone booked no argument.

"Fine! Darian, do you have a direction yet?" Aiden asked.

"East. We head east," Darian replied.

"Okay men, move out!" Aiden yelled.

Hold on my love, I'm coming!

*****

Amelia blinked as she slowly came to; she had no idea how long she had been unconscious. Every time she had tried to wake up it had felt like she was trying to climb a slippery slope. Each time she thought she could open her eyes, she slipped back down and lost track of time. When she was finally able to open her eyes and keep them open, panic-induced adrenaline burned away any lingering traces of sluggishness.

"Ah. She's awake." A male voice said to her right.

She looked around and couldn't see anyone. She tried to move and realized she was strapped against a steel plate. Metal cuffs secured her in place around her neck, waist, wrists, thighs, and ankles. She twisted and pulled, but it was no use. She was trapped.

"I wouldn't try to escape if I were you. The metal edges on those cuffs can be sharp." The disembodied voice cautioned.

"Who are you? Where are you?" she called out.

"No need to shout, dear. Look to your right. Do you see a small box?"

She nodded.

"Good. That speaker is projecting my voice. If you look up and over the doorway, you'll see a camera. That is how I can see you."

She looked up and saw a white camera mounted to the wall over the door.

"Why am I here?" She wanted to keep him talking while she summoned her magic. With any luck, she could call some vines from the earth to break her free.

"You're here because you're valuable. Moreover, if you're thinking of using your magic to break free, I feel like it's my duty to tell you it won't do any good. In fact, it will help me enormously. I would say look above your head, but, well, you can't." There was light male laughter. "What you can't see is that you are strapped into a metal tube. There's a large crystal above your head that collects and stores magic. In less than an hour, it will be ready to suck you dry. By that time, your mate and his fellow unit members should be here to rescue you."