Aria returned to consciousness to find herself and Hal half-covered in what was the ceiling. They found a Redcap Fae. This wasn’t a type of fae normally found in caves. Doing his thing. Covered in blood, the Redcap ate something until it ran past them and down the tunnel. Aria didn’t want to know more about the creature’s meal. Its meal would be stomach-turning.
Hal groaned then, and Aria felt relieved. He was alive; she hoped he was like her. Just sore but unhurt. “Where did that little asshole go?” His voice was rough. Probably from all the dust and crap in the air. Her throat and sinuses weren’t doing well either.
“I think he fled down the tunnel we come from and triggered something. I hope he’s squished like a bug.”
“Is he the only one you think?”
“Doubt it. He’s what we call a minion.
Devine stepped away from her pack-mate with reluctance. She didn’t have a choice but to leave her with a human. Another pack-mate was still missing. A human was missing with her. The one human they couldn’t afford to lose. If Ian Bennett didn’t reappear, there would be serious questions. This time, they wouldn’t stop until there were answers.Devine cursed the damn fae before she got into gear. She dragged herself towards the tunnel. Yolanda and Ian chose this one to explore.Debris partially blocked the other tunnels. She hoped the passage was the same. Otherwise, they would have to dig them out. They hadn’t prepared for that. If it were too thick or too unstable, they would need machinery. Or abandon the rescue effort.She climbed over the rubble with Jaxon picking up the rear. She wouldn’t complain because he wasn’t in her way. He stopped periodic
When the dust settled again, Ian saw through bleary eyes. An opening formed in the debris. A light was shining through the formed gap—a familiar-coloured light. Someone was on the other side. These were part of their team who come to rescue them. That’s when he prayed in relief that they could get free. There was a rescue coming. It was possible to leave this hellhole.Shadowed shapes and whispering voices came from the opening. Ian made out a quiet but lively debate going on. It was between Jaxon, and he thought, Devine. They were fine. Yolanda must have realized the same thing. She barked at them, ending with a low growl of some sort. He needed to learn wolf shifter communication.“She’s got a head injury. I don’t think she can get back to her human form. Just get us out of here. We’ll talk about it in a safe place.”“Shift back. It’s called shift back. That makes sense. Shifting is hard on the body. She co
“Fine, we know things we shouldn’t. Yes, we get the idea that silence is golden. I get it. We will lose our jobs. But that head. Oh, my god. That head proves to me we aren’t ready for this.I have no reason not to believe you ifyousaythat there are more. Suppose even a tenth of what folklore claims about them are true. We are the least of theproblems.” Ian straightened and lookedabout him.They stood in the cold and snowwracking their brains for a solution to their problems
Yolanda lay on a bed upstairs in the packhouse where Doctor Graves and his nurse/mate examined her wounds. She waited to hear his verdict. She needed to talk. Everyone would take the heat if she couldn’t. Times like this shifting sucked rocks. Fae. Thefaereturned to the world. Thatwould benefitno one.The summoner would learn.To summon thefaemay have&
It tooksome literal sniffing.Sheneededto do someasking around.Thenfoundthat the Luna was hiding in her office.Yolanda knew it well. She’d not been there in days. It felt like it’d been years. When Yolanda leftfor the m
Everyone returned to the office.The large room quickly filled with people.Now with the cave crawling team and the rest of the Hell Hounds. Introducing the Beta Jeff Bandor and his mate to Ian and his men.The Alpha Gregory Wolversen was all business.Aricka Wolversen was his mate and the Luna of the Black River Pack. She was the one that helped smooth out his rougher angles.The Alpha pair stepped out.That’s how Yolanda described them. Tospeak with
“Consider the fact that your life partner sits in this room. Even without that, they are the key to your survival. The laws I’m speaking to you are older than the country we belong to. If you walkaway at the end,you won’t survive very long. Each one of you has seen or learn something you can’t unsee, and it endangers thousands of people. Not just supernatural creatures. Throughout history, we have seen humans become obsessed with destroying supernatural creatures. It never ends well for them and often innocent supernatural beings. Humans die because they misidentify them as supernatural creatures. Now you are all lucky. My mate says that you are all show
The group found a lot of their things dropped in the packhouse entrance. Meaning the pups poked about at the baggage, trying to peek into the boxes and bags. The dangerous items went to the guarded armoury for care and storage. “Okay, guys. If it’s not yours, should your paws be on it?” Catching the pups’ red pawed as the pack joked about events like these. Yolanda watched various guilty parties jump back from what they’d been doing. “Okay, as punishment, you all need to haul these things for us. So, pick up a bag and let’s move out.” The others snickered through a chorus of groans. “Don’t give me puppy eyes. You know that doesn’t work. We all put in an effort. That’s how we get things done. Many hands make light work. Once the work’s done, then the fun begins. You ar