Chapter 471: Werewolf Rescue
It wasn't far to go to the courtyard I'd seen in my mind. Good for the pair of vampires I held firmly in my grip. Not so good for the crowd gathered around the panting, snapping, howling mess of my bodywere.
I emerged at a stomping pace through a half-open door into the chilly evening air, my breath escaping in a soft puff of white from my mouth as my heels clattered over the cobbled courtyard. The interior space was all stone just as the vision showed, tall windows high above blacked out, the clear sky sharply pinpointed with uncaring stars.
The two vampires in my grip went sliding forward and crashed into their fellows as my vampire power propelled them along, the hovering mob hissing and swiping at Charlotte, glimpses of her through their milling bodies showing me she'd transformed into her werewolf shape. They turned almost en masse to glare at me, spirit magic flashing in flames and lightning strikes around them.
Assholes. Charlotte crouched, clothing torn to shreds around her, tongue hanging from her furred snout as she hunched over scorch marks on her pelt. Still mostly human shaped though larger in size, back legs hinged like a wolf's, she represented the best of both races, tied into one very dangerous package.
If she'd been free, the vampires wouldn't have stood a chance. But chained and collared, tortured from a distance while her only focus was on finding and saving me, she was at a distinct disadvantage.
One I was about to correct.
They let me through, though I felt their animosity, none of them bending to help their fellows rise from where they'd fallen. Nice to know family meant so much to them. I ignored them as though they were of no consequence, though I snarled and let my vampire show her power to one who reached out to pull me back. The vampire retreated, ducking her head while she hissed at me.
Charlotte whined, low and deep, a painful sound as I came to stand next to her. I wished I could crouch and put my arms around her, comfort her, but no way was I showing weakness in front of this particular bunch. Not when the icy fury of my vampire still had a firm hold, fed by my own human rage.
The locked cuff around her neck released under my touch, spirit magic tearing apart the mechanism holding it in place. She clawed at it a moment until it fell free, clattering to the chilly stones, the sound echoing back at us from the surrounding walls. I reached for her cuffs when one of the vampires finally managed to stir enough guts to speak out.
"Stand aside," he snarled. I spun on the vampire who spoke as he continued, pretty-boy face ugly to me, no matter how polished undeath made him. "This abomination is sentenced to die."
"On whose authority?" I touched her cuffs, heard them fall away, felt her slide up beside me, pressing her furred body against my skirt.
"Vampire authority," he snapped back, looking around for support while the others nodded, power pulsing and fluttering.
"Just so you know," I said. "You have no idea who you're dealing with. Not really." Are you ready to fight for her? I reached for my vampire.
No spoken answer. But yes, yes indeed. She was so ready.
The pulse of magic she'd sent out in the throne room had scattered the approaching vampires, knocked a few down. I'd been impressed. But that had nothing on the sheets of lightning she now sent out, slamming full-force into the central mass of the hovering vampires, sending them back at such a speed thunder rolled through the quiet of the courtyard, the sound of splintering bone and cries of pain rumbling like an approaching storm.
"Just so you know," I said.
Naturally I was given a glare or two by Margaret as she and Mom, the two Queens flaring with rage behind them, hurried into the courtyard to survey the damage.
I reached down and helped Charlotte to her feet, wincing inwardly as her face shifted, hands shrinking, her human form taking over again. She stood shivering beside me at last, one arm over her exposed chest, head down, body covered in tiny burns, the remains of her torture session.
All of a sudden my vampire's attack just didn't seem like it was enough. And from the rush of her power flooding to the surface, she agreed with me.
I didn't get a chance at a second strike. Not with Margaret sizzling with magic, plump body blocking my way.
"What the bloody hell is going on out here?" She spun to survey the damage before refocusing on me. "Tell me this was self-defense."
"Absolutely," I said. "These undead," I wrinkled my nose though I caught the wince from Sebastian as he joined us, Sunny wide-eyed with a grinning Uncle Frank beside her, "dared to attack my bodywere. Mine." I pulled Charlotte closer. "Under my protection."
Margaret heaved an angry sigh as Pannera drifted forward. "What is the meaning of this, Pannera?"
The vampire Queen caught my gaze and held it. "I surely don't know," she said.
"Batsheva." The name grated from between the portly Council Leader's clenched teeth.
"This thing attacked my people, from what I understand." Batsheva sniffed, turned away as though the sight of Charlotte offended her. "Punishment is death. Law. Vampire law."
"Like I said," I shot back. "Charlotte is under my protection."
"And mine," Mom said, stepping forward. "If she attacked your vampires," Mom didn't even bother to turn and address Batsheva directly, a total snub I would hug her for later, "it was because Syd's life was in danger. She is, after all, her protector. So tell me, Batsheva," Mom spun slowly at last, her very best cold, powerful, majestic face firmly in place, "was my daughter's life in danger?"
Batsheva had enough of a hold on her marbles to stay quiet.
"And yet," Pannera said, narrowed eyes locked on Charlotte, "the werewolf attacked vampires. What are we to do about the law?"
"Maybe if you people would stop kidnapping me," I snarled back, vampire rising, a challenge right there on the edge of my tongue, "she wouldn't have to defend me against you. Or defend herself for that matter."
Right back atcha.
Pannera's scowl deepened, but I didn't give her a chance to talk. Hell no, not while I was on a roll.
"I'll tell you one thing," I said, stepping forward into her space while her vampires hissed at me, "the next time one of you tries it, I'm not going to stop at broken bones. The offender will be dead for real. And there won't be any coming back from the kind of death I'll deliver, you better believe it."
Pannera didn't exactly back down. There was too much anger in her for that. But I guess I got my message across because she spun and refocused her attention on Batsheva. "I want to know why she was in your company, alone."
I snorted, actually enjoying the irritation Pannera showed at my amusement and the sudden defensiveness on Batsheva's face. More interesting, however, was the flare of anger and disgust from Celeste before she put a cap on it.
"You're just pissed she had access to the power and you didn't," I whispered to Pannera. Who twitched as if I'd poked her with a pin.
"Enough of this childishness." Margaret rubbed her face with both hands. "Vampires. A bunch of petty children with stupid rules and not a lick of sense among you."
Pannera backed off, though even as her face settled into calm, she allowed her power to touch the vampire inside me.
"Your pet may live," she said, much to the disappointed outcries of the gathered vampires, some of whom had recovered and regenerated enough to join us again. "But you are responsible for her, Sydlynn. And if she breaks our laws, it will be as though you have, too."
Oh, hell no.
"One more attack," she said with a small smile now mirrored by the hovering vampires, "and I'll kill her while you watch, before draining you dry."
***
