She held them tight in hers.
And she hoped.
* * * * *
In a Café Somewhere in Nevada
“Those must be werewolves,” a man said, crowding close to the long counter where every stool was taken, behind them a huddle of bodies. The patrons and the waitresses were all gathered, their heads tipped back, their eyes on a TV suspended from the ceiling. “And fuck, there are a lot of ’em.”
“You see that thing this mornin’? Those cats were on that program, and their women,” another man said, lifting his coffee cup to the screen. “That shit…that many of those immortal fuckers…they’re gonna be torn to pieces. Then we’re all gonna be screwed.”
“They aren’t backing down,” a waitress whispered.
“What, Naomi?” her colleague asked.
“They’re outnumbered. But they haven’t run. They haven’t given up,” Naomi said.
“Crazy,” one man said.
“Stupid,” another one said.
“Brave,” Naomi said quietly, her eyes never leaving the screen.
* * * * *
Delilah
One of the wolves took down Xun, opening a path to Leah, Sonia, and me.
As he went for Xun’s throat, I kicked out, hitting him in the jaw as Sonia transformed and attacked another beast that would breach us.
My kick offered Xun just enough time to scuttle back on his elbows, but the wolf found another target, baring his teeth and going for Xun’s thigh.
He didn’t latch on.
Another wolf, not Sonia, Abel, or Callum, attacked him from the side and, without hesitation, tore his throat out.
I recognized that wolf. I’d watched them training enough and done it with rapt attention.
Calder.
“Yes, yes, oh yes,” Leah breathed, her back pressed to mine as I jerked my head side to side.
They were all there.
Calder.
Caleb.
Ryon.
Maybe we had a chance.
We were seriously outnumbered, but please, God, let us have a chance.
I sent out my prayer, but it didn’t look good. Wolf bodies were strewn everywhere, not one I recognized, but the fighting was ferocious, bloody, relentless.
Sonia attacked anything that got close to besting Wei, Chen, and a Xun who was back on his feet, fighting. Then she emitted a high whine, her wolf eyes directed to the fray and I looked that way.
Ryon was going down.
“No, God, no!” Leah cried.
The wolf went for Ryon’s throat, but he was butted to the side viciously by the head of a wolf I’d never seen but who was very familiar. The new wolf skirmished with the one who nearly took Ryon and then Ryon joined the fight and the enemy lost his throat.
The new wolf turned and attacked one of the two Chen was holding back with sure swings of a sign post pole, and I knew when I saw his brown eyes, he was Cain.
Thank you, God.
There were high-pitched whines and strange-sounding barks and, suddenly, Callum leaped to man and bellowed, “Retreat and I’ll be merciful!”
Half the wolves that were left in the fight turned tail and bolted away.
The rest, in short order, at the teeth of our wolves, fell dead to the Tarmac.
As the last one went down, ours leaped back to man.
* * * * *
In a Pub Somewhere in London
“All right!” a man shouted, tossing his fist in the air.
“Did you see that, mate?” another man asked, slapping the man sitting on a stool on the shoulder. “Retreat and I’ll be merciful!” he shouted, then whooped, “The man is naked and outnumbered, and still, half those beasts tucked tail and ran. Bad-fuckin’-ass.”
“The one with the two-colored eyes is hot,” a girl said.
“Which one?” another girl said.
“Both of them.” The first girl smiled, not looking away from the telly.
“I like the good vampire. He’s lush,” a third girl said.
“Shut it, it isn’t done,” a man snapped.
“Testy,” the second girl mouthed, giving big eyes to the third.
The third smiled.
Then they both looked back to the TV.
* * * * *
Delilah
Callum pulled on his jeans. Abel pulled on his jeans.
Sonia circled around, stayed as wolf, and sat next to her king.
And Teona, appearing out of nowhere, grinned appreciatively as she handed out more jeans to her mate, Ryon, Caleb, and Calder.
“Jesus, you’re cock mad,” Cain muttered as he tugged his on, giving her a look that said he was close to laughing.
Or growling.
“Maybe,” she replied saucily. “But you know, baby, there’s only one cock for me.”
He rolled his eyes and turned, joining the line of The Real True who faced the posers.
Etienne took in Cain.
“A twin?” he asked quietly.
“Surprise,” Cain replied.
I tried not to giggle.
They kept bringing it; we kept giving it.
Hope bloomed inside me.
Etienne ignored Cain and looked beyond him.
“And there is your witch,” he noted.
“Dude, you are not cluing in,” Abel spat with frustration. “You’ve no idea what we’ve got, and I told you, you don’t wanna know.” He threw out both arms, indicating the dismembered bodies. “This enough evidence for you?”
“You also have no idea what I’ve got, young Abel,” Etienne returned.
“Maybe not, but I know it’s not enough,” Abel replied.
“Are you sure?” Etienne asked.
“Christ, what’s wrong with you?” Abel asked. “These jacked comebacks, like you’re the bad guy from a movie. Seriously, this is real, and if you don’t stand down, you’re not gonna be breathing much longer.”