Rise to Embrace [Rise of the Changelings, Book 3] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) (21 page)

Deluca’s eyes flew open when he heard a strange noise coming from outside. He knew no one could get in and that there were motion sensors in the garden.

He lay there quietly, Willow’s naked form splayed over one side of his body. Deluca didn’t move. He didn’t breathe.

The noise came again. This time Brooke lifted his head and glanced across Willow’s body at Deluca. He gave a slight shake of his head, telling Brooke he had no clue what the sound was.

Oh so slowly, Deluca slid from under Willow’s body and dropped silently to his knees. He grabbed his pants and slid them on. Brooke was at his side in seconds, wearing jeans as well.

Brooke began talking, but no sound came from his mouth. He knew Deluca was damn good at reading lips. The man told him to go check the house while he stayed with Willow.

Deluca was gone, heading toward the hallway. He slipped into Trisha and Peanut’s room first, checking on the girls. Laura had set up a crib in there, and Deluca could see Kell sitting up, staring at him with big green eyes.

As Deluca looked around, Kell didn’t make a sound. It was as if he knew to be quiet. Trisha and Peanut were fast asleep, ignorant to the possible danger.

He wanted to keep them that way just in case this was a false alarm. But Deluca’s gut was telling him this was the real deal. His instincts had never steered him wrong before, not with this. Maybe trying to figure women out was something his instincts would never adapt to, but fighting, being a soldier, and protecting those he cared about were ingrained in him.

Kell crawled to the crib’s edge and then turned his head to look out of the window. Deluca’s eyes widened when he caught the tiny canines slowly slipping down from Kell’s gums.

Willow and Brooke had told him about this strange little trick, but to see it happening was just plain bizarre. When Kell looked back at Deluca, the green in his eyes had taken over, not a single spot of white could be seen.

Deluca walked silently to Kell’s crib and glanced out of the window. He saw a shadow high up in one of the trees…somewhere the motion sensors would not detect an intruder.

Kell shuddered and then a low growly moan was heard. Deluca picked him up from the crib and moved him away from the window. “Good job, buddy” he whispered. “I need you to stay on the bed and don’t make a sound.”

Brooke had told him that Kell seemed to understand what they were saying. Or at least, Kell had listened when Brooke had told the infant to put his canines away.

Kell sat perfectly still on the bed, motionless, silent.

Deluca wasn’t sure what Garrett had done to Kell, but whatever had been done was freaking Deluca out slightly. Six-month-old babies shouldn’t be able to understand and follow instructions.

Then again, six-month-old babies shouldn’t have canines hidden in their gums and their eyes shouldn’t be able to do that strange little trick.

Deluca had a feeling raising Kell was going to be very interesting. It didn’t make him want Kell any less. He was just going to have to make sure the changeling was well trained and learned how to control…whatever it was he could now do.

“He can feel the bad man,” Peanut said, which scared the shit out of Deluca. He hadn’t even known she was awake. She turned her tiny little head, glancing at the window. “I can feel him, too. He wants to hurt Willow and take Kell.”

Deluca wasn’t sure what in the hell was going on in this room with these babies, but he couldn’t ignore their warning. Whoever was outside wanted to hurt Willow and take Kell.

There was only one man Deluca knew of who would want Kell back.

Garrett.

But wasn’t Rick tracking him down in the Smoky Mountains right now? There was no way Garrett could be in two places at once. That just wasn’t possible. As freaky-deaky as things were getting around here, that was not a possibility Deluca was going to entertain.

He knew that even if the intruder was up in the trees, evading the motion sensors, there was no way he could get into the house. There were alarms on every window and door. The windows were also bulletproof.

But if that was Garrett outside, Deluca wasn’t taking any chances. “Wake Trisha,” he whispered to Peanut. The toddler reached over and shook the teenager until Trisha was staring Deluca right in his eyes. Deluca put a finger to his mouth, grabbed Kell from the bed, and waved for Peanut and Trisha to follow.

The teenager grabbed Peanut’s hand and hurried from the room. Pappy was coming out of his room, his jaw firm as he stared at the four. “I heard you guys moving around.” Pappy’s salt-and-pepper hair was tousled, and he was wearing nothing but pajama bottoms. But his blue eyes were wide open and assessing all four of them with sharp intelligence only found in a man who had seen his share of battles.

“Intruder outside the kids’ window,” Deluca said. “He’s using the trees so he won’t trip any alarms.”

“Take them in with Willow. I’ll go get Dad.”

Deluca nodded as the four of them quickly moved to Deluca’s bedroom. Willow was awake and pacing. She hurried to them and grabbed Kell from Deluca’s arms. “His eyes,” Willow gasped and then pushed at Kell’s top lip. “He has canines.”

“I told you,” Brooke said.

“When I told him to stay on the bed and not make a sound, the kid turned into a damn statue,” Deluca said to Brooke. He was still trying to figure Kell out, but knew he needed to think about the person outside trying to get in. “There is someone in the trees.”

“Avoiding the motion sensors,” Brooke surmised.

Deluca raced for his gun when the alarm was tripped. He grabbed it and then pointed a finger toward the door. “Basement.” The sound was ear shattering for him. Deluca could just imagine what the changelings were going through. Their hearing was far superior to humans. It had to be pure torture.

Willow ran with Kell. Brooke grabbed Peanut. Deluca snagged Trisha’s hand and pulled her alongside of him. They were heading for the underground bunker.

Mark and Brennan had built the room before Brooke was even born. Deluca had always teased his best friend about having overzealous parents, and he never thought he would have a need for that room. Fuck if he wasn’t grateful for it now.

Dad was already downstairs loading weapons. Deluca shot to the bunker and hurried Trisha inside. He saw that Laura was already in there. Deluca knew Brooke’s fathers would not take a chance with her life.

The alarm finally fell silent, but Deluca’s ears were still ringing loudly. Dad was on the phone with the alarm company, telling them it was a false alarm.

The man didn’t intend to let the intruder live, so why involve the cops?

“But I can help,” Trisha said as she grabbed Deluca’s arm. “I can fight.”

Deluca cupped her face and kissed the young girl on her forehead. He then ran his hand down her length of hair, knowing Trisha was scared and needed touch. “The most important job is yours. Keep everyone inside this room safe.”

She swallowed hard and nodded rapidly. “Grammy knows what to do,” he said to her, still seeing the fear echoing in her deep brown eyes. “Don’t be afraid, and there are monitors inside to show you what’s going on.”

“I’ll make sure Peanut and Kell are occupied.”

“That’s my girl.” She knew without Deluca telling her to make sure the little ones didn’t see any violence. He wished he could tell her the same, but knew Trisha was going to be keeping a close eye on them. She might be afraid, but Deluca could see strength in her that would come in handy once she became an adult. She would need it if she was going to survive in this ever-changing world.

Laura pulled Trisha back and then closed the door, sealing in the people he cared about the most. With one worry lifted from his shoulders, Deluca knew he could concentrate on whoever had the balls to break into this place.

“The girls and Kell are taken care of,” Deluca said as he spun around and headed for the steps with grim determination. “Now it’s time we hunt.”

* * * *

Brooke swept the bedroom, his gun tight in his hands as his eyes scanned every inch of the room. There was someone in his parents’ home, and he planned on teaching them what messing with a member of the Brooke family entailed. He had never been so scared in his life when he heard the alarms sound and his family was standing around him in harm’s way.

Once the room checked out, Brooke moved back into the hallway. “Has Dad found where the break-in occurred?” he asked Pappy when the man came out of the dining room.

“The kitchen, but he hasn’t found anyone in there. I’m guessing that the man who broke in isn’t untrained. He’s slipped around us so far.”

Brooke had guessed the same thing. Whoever was here was a either a trained soldier or changeling. No one could get past the alarms. Breathing hard on the windows would have set them off. But now that the intruder was inside, it was up to the four men to find him and stop him from harming their family.

Deluca came out of the kids’ room, his eyes scanning the kitchen across the hall. There was no way the guy could still be hiding somewhere. The only place they hadn’t checked was the attic.

Brooke made the sign with his hand and Deluca nodded. Both started toward the attic door when it crashed open. Deluca was thrown clear, slamming into the wall. Brooke raised his gun and opened fire, but the bastard was on him changeling-fast.

It was Garrett.

Brooke slammed his head into Garrett’s, trying to get the man off of him, but the werecoyote had a tight grip on his neck. He spun, placing Brooke in the line of fire.

“Let him go,” Pappy said with steel in his tone.

“Just as soon as you bring me Willow and Kell.” Garrett pulled Brooke closer, ensuring he was well protected against any gunshots. His claws dug into Brooke’s throat, the burn of broken skin shooting across his neck.

“Shoot him,” Brooke said right before Garrett squeezed harder. The coyote took a step, and then another, pressing closer to Dad and Pappy, using Brooke as a human shield as he inched toward the basement steps.

Deluca was to their right. He had his gun aimed, but Brooke knew he wouldn’t take a shot unless he knew Brooke was clear of any danger.

Brooke mouthed to Deluca to shoot Garrett, but Deluca shook his head no. Brooke understood everyone’s reluctance to take a chance with his life, but he couldn’t allow Garrett down those steps. The man wouldn’t be able to get into the bunker. It was built to withstand the battering and abuse someone might inflict to gain entrance, but just the thought of Garrett anywhere near their family was making Brooke desperate.

He had to find a way to get away from Garrett so the men could open fire on his ass. Dad had his M249, and that was a big enough gun to kill Garrett ten times over.

But he had to get Garrett out in the open first.

Brooke knew Garrett was going to use him to get to Willow and Kell, so he did the only thing he could think of.

Brooke ripped himself away from the werecoyote. He could feel his throat being torn open as he hit the floor. Gunshots rang out all around him as Brooke lay there bleeding to death from his jagged wound.

* * * *

“No!” Willow screamed at the monitors when she saw Brooke go down, his throat a bloody mess. He was lying there lifeless as the other men gunned Garrett down. She was glad the coyote was dead. He was a monster of the truest form. But Brooke was no monster. He was the third in their relationship, and Willow couldn’t imagine a life without him.

“I have to save him. Let me out of here!” She ran to the door, slamming her hands against the cold steel. Tears were stinging her eyes as she tried desperately to open the door.

“Hang on,” Laura said. She hit a series of buttons, and then the door clicked open. Willow raced from the basement and up the flight of stairs until she was in the upstairs hallway.

Pappy was holding Brooke, trying his best to stanch the bleeding. Willow knew it was futile. If she didn’t convert him, Brooke was going to die.

“I can save him,” she said as she dropped down onto her knees next to the man she loved. Brooke’s amethyst eyes flickered over to her, and Willow began to sob as she grabbed his hand. “Please let me save you, sugar.” Willow used Brooke’s endearment as she pressed his hand to her breasts.

“How?” Pappy asked. “How can you save my boy?”

“She has to convert him,” Deluca guessed correctly.

“It’s the only way,” Willow said as she glanced from Pappy to Deluca. She didn’t see Dad anywhere and guessed he was getting rid of Garrett’s body. The werecoyote wasn’t where he had fallen just moments before.

Willow prayed he was rotting in hell.

“Humans can’t mend a torn throat. If I don’t convert him, Brooke will bleed out,” she continued.

Pappy glanced over at Deluca. “This is your call. He’s your third. Decide now.”

“Do it,” Deluca said without hesitation. “I won’t lose Brooke. He might be a pain in the ass, but he’s my best friend.”

Willow could hear the tears in Deluca’s voice. She gave a firm nod and then leaned in toward Brooke. “Did you hear that? Deluca is okay with it.”

Brooke mouthed for her to convert him. Willow nodded, letting her canines elongate. She wiped the tears from her eyes, telling herself to concentrate. This was the first time she had converted anyone, and she didn’t want to screw things up.

Using the tips of her long, sharp teeth, Willow bit into her lower lip until she tasted the warm, metallic blood fill her mouth.

“What are you doing?” Dad asked as he walked into the hallway.

“Saving our boy,” Pappy answered.

Willow was terrified. She knew the first shift was violent. Brooke would survive, but he was going to go through a very agonizing night.

Being careful of his open wound, Willow bit into his shoulder. Her saliva and blood were transferred to Brooke’s bloodstream. She made sure to use as much of her blood as she could to ensure the conversion took.

Again, this was her first time.

Brooke grew utterly still, his breathing very shallow. Laura had come up with the kids, but ushered them into their room. Trisha argued to stay by Willow’s side in case she needed her, and Laura finally relented when Deluca said it was okay.

As Willow allowed the saliva-blood mixture to flow from her mouth to Brooke’s body, Trisha began to talk. Willow knew the teenager was nervous because she was sure Trisha wouldn’t have volunteered to talk to the men around her.

Trisha was at an awkward stage. Willow didn’t know any teenager who would voluntarily talk to strangers, men no less, if they had a choice.

“His first shift is going to be volatile and dangerous. His body is basically reforming itself on the inside, his skeletal frame taking on the characteristics known in the changeling world.”

“Will he look any different?” Dad asked.

“No,” Trisha answered. “But after his first shift, he will be stronger, faster, and his senses will be more attuned with everything around him.”

Willow eased back on the bite, licking the wound and then gazing into Brooke’s beautiful face. He had fallen into the sleep all people fell into when being converted. This was the easy part. As soon as her lycanthropic DNA fused with his red blood cells, the party would begin.

“His eyes might glow a lot at first,” Trisha continued, “until he gets them under control. I wouldn’t bleed around him either. He’s new, so he won’t have control over his baser need to eat what bleeds.”

“Sounds peachy,” Pappy said.

Trisha glanced down at her hands as they fidgeted. “I like being a werecoyote.”

Pappy reached over and squeezed her shoulder. “I wasn’t making fun of you, pumpkin. I’m just trying to take all of this in. He’s my boy, and I will do whatever it takes to keep him alive.”

“We need to get him into the bed and stripped down,” Willow said as she pushed to her feet. “Once the conversion starts, he is going to shift, and wearing clothes makes it all the more difficult. I’m warning you men, when Brooke shifts, it will look like his body is exploding. That’s normal, so don’t freak out.”

Deluca and Pappy carefully lifted Brooke from the floor and took him into the bedroom he shared with Deluca and Willow. She ran ahead, pulling the blanket all the way back.

“We’re going to need cold compresses and a pitcher of water. He’s going to dehydrate, and he’ll be begging for something to drink. A straw would help, too.”

Dad nodded and left the room as Deluca and Pappy undressed Brooke.

“What about his throat?” Deluca asked as he brushed a hand over Brooke’s head. “It still looks so damn raw.”

“It has already stopped bleeding,” Willow pointed out. “The wound will start healing once the conversion begins.” She reached for Deluca and pulled the scarred and calloused hand into hers. “Give it time.”

Willow saw Brooke’s arm jerk and knew the change had begun.