Chapter 11

I stayed in my room that night, but sleep never came. I played with the toys that had survived me growing up and deciding that I was too old for such things. I toyed with my make-up, but my black hair with purple highlights and my new purple irises were so stark I didn't feel make-up was necessary anymore.

It was strange to look at my new self in the mirror, as if I truly had been given a new life by the accident. Gone was the soft innocence of youth that I saw in the dozen photographs taped to my mirror, gone was the carefree smile and blue eyes, gone was the curly blond hair, caring about prom gowns, first kisses, and who talked to whom about what.

In place of the happy sophomore was a girl who looked to be in control of her future. I laughed at the thought because I had never felt more out of control sitting in the home of my youth and waiting to be attacked by government officials out to kill me, but there was a determined set to my jaw and a fearless light in my eyes that had never been there before. I looked like I was ready to face whatever came at me. I sighed, touched my black hair one last time, and hoped I was right.

The door opened a crack. My heart slowed when Jet hesitated, then pushed it open all the way. “They're here,” he said in his short, succinct way. There was a light of anticipation in his dark blue eyes.

I stared at him. “You're looking forward to this.”

A hint of a smile touched his lips, then faded. His brow creased. “You're afraid.”

I shook my head and said too quickly, “No, I'm not.”

Jet lifted an eyebrow at the lie. “We'll stop them.”

I couldn't hold back the argument that formed in my head. “Then what? We hide at Jaze's forever? My parents take up permanent residence with the Rasmussens? Wolves aren't meant to be hunted.”

“Tell me about it,” he said quietly, his tone strange. He took a small breath, then continued, “It's better than running.”

His words rang true. I sighed and gave in. “You're right. Like Kaynan said, at least we know where they'll strike.”

He nodded and pulled something from the back of his belt. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of Dad's pistol. I shook my head, but he handed it to me anyway and said, “Hide.”

It offended me to think that they expected me to let them face all the danger. “No way.”

“You've got-”

I cut him off. “I'm not hiding while you guys get yourselves killed. Kaynan and I are family. We fight together.”

I tried to give him back the gun, but he shook his head. “Look,” he said, his gaze intense. “Your brother is brave and can be a good fighter, but only if he doesn't have to worry about you. He lost you once. Worrying about losing you again will get him killed. Understand?”

His words sent daggers through my heart. I wanted to protest, but if me fighting put Kaynan in danger, I had to swallow my pride. “Fine.”

Relief showed briefly in his eyes before he turned and walked back down the hall. I followed him to the kitchen where Mouse, Jaze, and Kaynan spoke quietly together. They glanced up when I entered and Kaynan looked like he was about to argue.

I put up my hands. “It's okay. I already promised Jet that I'd hide.” I couldn't fight down the worry that filled my chest. “But I wanted to make sure you could take care of yourself.”

Kaynan put a hand on the metal wristband I hadn't seen him without since the accident. The band sprung loose and snapped out into a straight line like the slap bracelets I used to collect. Blades showed from one end and Kaynan flourished it briefly. He flipped it backward and forward. The dark blade glittered in the kitchen light as he worked it smoothly and efficiently. I could only stare at the sight of my older brother wielding a deadly instrument as though he was ready to use it.

He put the blade back on his wrist, then gave me a slightly embarrassed smile. “Jet's a good teacher. I'll be fine.”

I rushed to my brother and gave him a quick hug. “You'd better be,” I said fiercely. “I'm not explaining to Mom, Dad, or Grace why you aren't coming home, so you'd better take care of yourself.”

He surprised me by hugging me back as tightly instead of just tolerating it like he used to. “I will,” he promised.

I let go. “I'll be in the pantry in case you need backup.”

Kaynan opened his mouth to argue, then sighed and nodded. “Might be a good idea.”

I gave the others a weak smile, then went back into the hall and slipped into the pantry Dad had built in the slanted closet under the stairs. My breath sounded loud in my ears. I wondered how far away the enemy was, then froze at the sound of a window being forced open at the back of the house. I debated whether I should slip out and tell the boys, but Jet’s soft footsteps in the hall told me they already knew.

My heart pounded so loud I wondered if the other werewolves could hear it. I clutched the gun tightly in both hands and ran through the brief lesson Dad had given me on loading and unloading; I checked the safety about a million times while I waited in the darkness.

A muffled cry sounded, followed by a soft thud. Several running footsteps echoed down the hall, then several more cries. Kaynan shouted something and Jaze answered. Jet grunted a reply to them both. A shot rang out and I jumped. The sound was amplified by the tiny pantry and I almost dropped my gun in an attempt to cover my ears.

I pressed an ear to the door to check if the fighting had stopped. Images of each of the boys lying bleeding or dead on the floor flashed through my mind. I couldn't wait anymore.

I pushed open the door. The hinge squeaked like it always did and I froze, holding my breath. When nothing moved, I stepped softly down the hall. Adrenaline surged through my body and I had to force down the urge to phase and take them on as a wolf, but I knew less about fighting as a wolf than I did as a human. At least I had a gun.

I slid the safety off and watched the floorboards for the one that creaked. I paused by the entry to the living room, then turned slowly around the corner, gun out and a finger on the trigger.

A shadow moved by the window. A surprised squeak escaped my lips and I squinted, trying to make out who it was with the flutter of curtains and the shifting moonlight confusing my eyesight. A hand shot out from beside me, grabbing the gun and twisting it out of my grip in one smooth motion while pulling me back into the shadows. I recognized Jaze's scent and was glad I had the presence of mind not to shout. He put a finger to his lips, then pointed again at the window.

I followed his finger and almost screamed this time.

A man in dark clothes and with a shaved head had a knife to Kaynan's throat. Kaynan struggled, but stopped when the blade touched his neck. The man's teeth showed white as he said something softly in my brother's ear. Kaynan's lips curled back in a snarl, but he didn't answer. The man slowly slid the knife across my brother's throat.

A shadow detached from the curtain next to them. Jet drove a knife into the man's low back and caught away his arm at the same time, freeing Kaynan. Kaynan turned, dropped to one knee, and knifed the man in the stomach with the wristband blade I hadn't realized he still held. Jet finished the man with a slash across his throat. The attacker fell to the floor and the scent of thick, hot blood tainted the air.

“That was a little close,” Kaynan said, his chest heaving. He glanced at the corner of the room and I saw several men bound and gagged; most of them looked unconscious.

I pulled away from Jaze and ran to Kaynan's side. Blood trickled down his neck, but the knife wound was shallow. He grinned at me. “Think I'd get killed that easy after all we've been through?”

I hugged him and cursed him at the same time. “Be more careful. You're lucky Jet was there.”

He gave me a small smile. “I knew he was there or I wouldn't have gotten into that position.”

I rolled my eyes but hugged him again, glad he was alright. “Don't scare me like that again.”

“I'm just glad she didn't shoot you,” Jaze said from behind me.

“Would've served him right,” I shot back, but I couldn't help smiling in relief when Jaze handed the gun to Jet. He gave it to Kaynan and began to go through the pockets of the men on the floor.

Mouse came from the kitchen, a knick in his cheek and his hair tousled. “We aren't going to get anywhere with these guys.”

“Why not?” Kaynan asked.

Mouse kept his eyes on the body near the window. “They're hit men, hired guns. Threatening them won't get us any closer to stopping this.”

Kaynan's face tightened. He stalked over to the corner and took the gag out of one man's mouth. “Is that right? You're mercenaries?”

“For the right price,” the man answered. He grimaced. “But they didn't give us an accurate description of what to expect when we got here.”

“You thought you were facing an older couple, a defenseless, easy target?” Jaze asked.

The man nodded, but Jaze didn't look convinced. “Then why did they send so many of you?”

The man seemed taken back. He stared at the men around him, his eyebrows lowered. “I didn't think about it,” he concluded quietly.

Jet stood over the man, a knife in his hands. “If we let them go, whoever's after us will know they failed.”

Mouse cleared his throat quietly. “If they don't know already, they will soon. More deaths won't solve anything.”

“It'd make me feel better,” Kaynan said hotly. He glared at the man beneath Jet.

Jet lifted an eyebrow. “Really?”

Kaynan touched the knife wound on his neck and pulled away his fingers to look at the blood, but despite the anger in his eyes, he sighed. “No. Killing doesn't solve anything.” Relief blossomed in my chest and I gave him a small smile.

Jet nodded as though Kaynan had met his expectations. He made the man they had spoken to rise and ordered the others up with him. When one protested, he growled something softly that I didn't catch, but the look in his eyes left no doubt as to the threat. The men stood and he linked a curtain cord through the rope around their wrists, then pushed them down the hall and out the back door in a disorderly line. They carried the man who had been killed under the window, and it was a relief to see them leave the house.

My mind was numb, playing over and over again the sound of the gunshot and the image of Kaynan with a knife at his throat. Several spots of blood from the mercenaries tainted the carpet and the memories I had of our peaceful living room.

When Jet returned a few minutes later, Jaze gave him a careful look. “What did you do with them?”

Jet met his eyes with a slight gleam of cold humor. “I didn't kill them.” He tossed something to me. I caught it and saw that it was the permanent marker Mom always kept in the kitchen by the sink to write dates on the tupperware with leftovers so she would know if they had gone bad. “I called Rosco’s boys and left a message on the bald man's head so they would know they were dealing with hired murderers.”

At my stare, he shrugged and said in a softer voice, “I've killed more than my share, but never defenseless humans. There's a special place for men like that.” He turned away and concluded in a barely audible tone, “Maybe we all end up in the same place anyway.” Jaze touched his arm, but Jet ignored him and disappeared into the kitchen, his expression dark and eyes haunted.

Jaze sighed and turned back. At my questioning look, he said quietly, “Rosco’s the Alpha of the biggest pack in this area. He and the Hunters have worked with us before to resolve a few concerns. He’ll handle this discretely so the police don’t come knocking on your parents’ door.”

Kaynan leaned against the wall and let out a loud breath, his eyes on the blood-stained carpet. “That was a bit more than I expected.”

“But not more than they expected,” Jaze mused aloud. At my look, he nodded toward the door. “The hit men might not have known what they were facing, but the government men knew we would be here. They're anticipating our moves.”

“So what do we do now?” Kaynan asked.

Jaze frowned. “Go back to my place and keep your parents in hiding. They know they failed and they'll need to regroup, which'll give us some time to plan our next move.” His gaze tightened. “But I don't like leaving the girls unprotected.”

“They have Brock,” Mouse pointed out with an unexpected chuckle.

“At least the fridge will be safe,” Jaze replied.

“Only because it's empty,” Mouse shot back with a smile. Everyone laughed.

Kaynan sighed. “I'll call Mom and Dad and tell them to get comfortable.”

“Thank goodness for the Rasmussens,” I said. A memory surfaced and I smiled.

“What?” Kaynan asked.

I fought back a laugh. “I just remembered the time you kissed Samantha in the orange grove. They sure hated you!”

“I was ten,” Kaynan protested. “I didn't know any better!”

As we turned to the task of cleaning the house and preparing for the flight home, I felt a bit lighter but unsure about the future. Uncertainty made my skin shudder and I longed to return to the forest with Rafe.