Summon (26 page)

“
Serve
,”
Nimah spluttered.

Maeve lifted her chin proudly. “Those with power
have an obligation to lead. The strong defend the weak. Yes, we
serve
our people and are bound to them
until death. The most important thing is the protection of your people, Alec.”

“Like Breandan being Wyld Guardian,” Nimah said,
sardonic. “Didn’t he, oh,
break
that
sacred oath?”

“This duty is unbreakable regardless of how a far a
leader strays.” Maeve pinned her with a cold look. “No one gives Breandan more
grief than me. I love him. Fiercely. I know in the end he’ll sacrifice
everything for the just cause.”

Amelia nodded. “Rae will too. She could’ve run to
her mate when the Clerics had us, but she risked her life to free us instead.
Remember that?”

Nimah’s eyebrows rose. “They receive devotion
because they act as a decent person should?”

“Considering they could trot off into the sunset
and not look back, yeah,” Amelia said. “They stay when it’s dangerous. They
fight for demons who judge them for loving each other, and criticise everything
they do.”

“They might not make it obvious,” I said, “but they
support their friends in their decisions.”

“Regardless of what obstructions are thrown in our
path beneath the confusion we
serve
,
Nimah.” Maeve slid a diffident look toward me that diverted to the ground. “No
matter how wonderful those obstacles appear, and how they tempt us.”

The undertones to her words made me grit my teeth.
The beast sulked. It couldn’t understand why its mate didn’t feel the primal
need to mate and be dominated by a strong provider. As a human communicating
Maeve’s different point of view was impossible. There was no animal equivalent
for, “She’s from a different culture.”

“We leave tonight. Maeve will join the Pride as an
honoured guest.” I smiled fondly at Amelia and opened my arms for a hug. “You
have your Alpha’s blessing and support.”

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Nimah ignored us
when we reached for her to draw her into our embrace. “You better come home
alive, Melia.” She turned and fled into the woods.

Squeezing Amelia in comfort, I sighed, and looked
over her head at Maeve. “We leave at dawn.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

Alec

I
stood before the Pride Heart and stared into the bonfire, not entirely sure
what to make of the situation. The beast was quite certain of its feelings, and
they banged in my head like a drumbeat.

Territory.
Mine. Protect. Mate. Mine. Protect.

The enormous goblins stood in an uneasy cluster
behind me. I inhaled and smelt old sweat, leather and blood.

Rather than a battle to the death, when the Horde
saw our advance they’d gathered and waited for the shifters roaring and
screaming at them to stop. Enraged as I was, it took me a long while to realise
the supposed rivals weren’t attacking, and were perplexed or uninterested. A
staring match began between them and us. At a loss of what to do, I’d Changed
into my human form, and the biggest of the Horde finally spoke. “I am Lorken.”
His voice was deeper and more profound than even Baako’s. “We avoid humans. We
mean no harm.” That occurred over an hour ago, and the more of an explanation I
heard, the more incredulous I became. “So you didn’t oust my Pride from their
homes?”

Lorken shook his head. “They saw us and ran before
we could explain we had peaceful intentions.” He paused. “It is a reaction we
often get from others.”

Nimah snarled. “We’re not afraid of you.”

“He didn’t imply that we’re cowards,” I said. “Be
quiet, Ni. You’re not helping.” I scratched my chest, thoughtful. The reports I
had gotten were vague, and this might be why. “All the Horde appeared at once?”

“Yes.”

Flicking my eyes over the motley group, I knew
precisely what happened. The muscled chests and lofty heights of the goblins
set my instincts raging, and I was Alpha. They were intimidating standing still
and at peace. Seeing them marching towards me with grimaces of pain would set
my fight or flight response on high alert. “Why didn’t you send a patrol
ahead?”

“We were tired and hurt.” Jord, a smaller goblin
male with neat, softer features sighed, his gigantic shoulders drooping. “We
were just happy to find safety.”

Lorken winced. “I didn’t think.”

“
Idiots
.”
Unable to contain herself, Nimah marched up to Jord and throttled him. “We
thought our homeland was under siege. We came here to
kill you
. You’re telling us you’re
peaceful
and want
sanctuary
?
I left my sister with imbeciles to return, and all you needed was shelter and
food?” Nimah’s head snapped to me. “I’m going to rip the stripes of the
sentries my father left behind. Fierce tigers my ass.”

Thick claws dug into Jord’s neck, but he didn’t
appear to notice. He watched spellbound as her face lengthened and ochre fur
rippled across her cheeks before reverting back to smooth human skin again.

“Special female,” he rumbled.

“If this Horde were attacking two tigers wouldn’t have
been enough to protect those left behind. They were right to run.” I motioned
for her to release the male she strangled.
It’s
not like her attempt to hurt him is doing anything anyway.
When she didn’t,
my eyes shifted feline, and I snarled menacingly. “Let him go, Nimah. Resolve
your issues elsewhere.”

Shoving the goblin male’s chest, pissed when he
didn’t sway even a little, she stomped behind me, cheeks pink and muttering
under her breath about overprotective males.

Lorken cocked his head at the goblin. “Are you
well, Jord?”

The smaller demon nodded, face flushing a dull
colour as his gaze wandered in search of Nimah. A glint of something possessive
lurked there.

My eyebrows lifted as I met Lorken’s bemused gaze.
“This is my territory.”

“I am sorry, Alpha.” The trace of amusement fled,
and Lorken bowed, his baldhead reflecting light. “We do not know this land.” He
hesitated. “I look for fairies.”

Mate.
Mine. Protect.

“I want to offer you a refuge, but your timing is
bad. You must leave.” Uncomfortable by the devastated expression that flitted
across his face, I cracked my knuckles. Turning away those in need felt foreign
to me, but my responsibilities forced me to ignore the protest of my
conscience. “My Pride is afraid of the berserker rage, and there is too much
for them to fear nowadays for them to be frightened of what rests in their own
home.”

“We are spawned from half breeds. We have strong
control. The rage does not control us. We control it.”

Lorken seemed chatty and amiable for a goblin. It
was still a huge risk to take with my mate close and my people grieving. I
sighed. I didn’t like the idea of sending injured innocents on their way when I
could offer help, and whilst I had to protect the Pride as Alpha I needed to
strengthen our allies too.

Goblins were a secretive, tough race. Hordes were
run by dominant males known to be so aggressive that when their anger was
riled, and the frenzy took hold they’d kill dozens of demons in a blinding rage
until taken down. Nothing and no one would be safe until the anger cooled.
Hardened warriors, the elderly, breeding women and children had all fallen
under berserk goblins.

All demonkind were chary around them.

Moving closer, I lowered my voice. “Explain to me
how you have control when others of your kind are slaves to their moods.”

“The forefathers of this Horde were the evilest
creatures to walk this earth. But from their rapacious pillaging came life. Our
blood is diluted.” Lorken lowered his tone to match mine. “The frenzy does not
burn in us as in the pureblooded of our kind.” Lorken shrugged his enormous
shoulders. “It is why we look human too.”

I eyed his overtly muscular seven-foot frame, long
pointed ears, and twitchy pinprick pupils. “Yeah. Okay. And
your
temper?”

 
“I
have strong influence over these males, and my temper is fast, but only heats
when provoked.”

The goblin
had
remained calm while his people were under threat. If anything Lorken seemed
keen to avoid a fight though it was clear from the battered state of his Horde
they’d been in one. “What happened?” I nodded to a goblin with several blood
soaked bandages draped over his thick neck. “You are the Chief, aren’t you?”

“I am now.” Lorken scowled. “We were attacked.
Vampires drained the old Chief. He was kin to me, Runt’s older brother and my
cousin. I mourn his death.”

“Runt?” I glanced over my shoulder. Nimah glared at
us. “That female and her twin were held with him at the human Temple.”

Lorken pupils flicked up to stare over my head.
“Which one is she?”

“That’s Nimah.”

Jord softly repeated her name in his deep baritone,
lending a dreamy edge to it.

Cutting the male a warning look, Lorken asked me,
“Where is the other?”

“Amelia stayed at the fairy Wyld to become a
Familiar to the white witch, Ana.”

A grin stretched across his grisly face. “I know
these names.”

Hearing a commotion coming up behind me, I just
knew Maeve gave her protectors the slip. Scenting her creeping up on me from
behind, I sighed, and without turning asked, “Eve, my own, you need something?”

She huffed.

It amused me she failed to comprehend as silent as
her movement was she’d never sneak up on me.
 

Her scent was the most significant in my world.

Maeve’s slender hand slid around my waist, and she
leaned into my side. Her head settled on my chest and rubbed there. “I heard.
He’s looking for fairies.”

Purring and pulling her to my front, I crossed my
arms to cage her in. “Lorken, this is my mate, Maeve.” My voice filled with
pride. “A tribal fairy from the Grove Wyld.”

Lorken eyed her curiously. “You are a fairy, but
green not gold. I need a gold fairy.”

Eyes widening as they stared at Maeve, Jord nodded.
“Rae of the fae.”

“Rae of the fae,” Nimah echoed, elbowing her way back
in. “They make her sound like a deity or something.”

Angling her head back as I tilted mine, Maeve and I
shared a long look.

“You were meant to attend the Meet?” I asked.

“Yes. Our Horde is weak amongst our kind. Yet we
are strong in other ways. We are the only Horde that heeded the High Lord’s
call.” Lorken shrugged. “The fairies helped one of us. A debt is owed.”

“A debt to twin two-natured also.” Jord smiled at
Nimah. “Strong female.”

Nonplussed, Nimah looked at Lorken. “So you’re the
brains of this bunch, huh?”

While the goblins frowned, puzzling through the
veiled insult to Jord, I quickly thought of a way to get rid of her. “The Horde
is staying, Ni. Tell the others to round up the elderly and children hiding
across the plain. It’s safe to come home now.”

Studying the goblins’ bloodied weapons, she
snorted. “Safe? You have got to be joking.”

Maeve glanced at her coolly. “Your Alpha gave you
an order.”

Pivoting on her heel, Nimah stormed off muttering,
“Everything’s gone to hell.”

Jord took a confident step to follow, a determined
expression plastered across his face. “I will help her.”

“
Help
Nimah
,” Maeve said, blinking rapidly.

I jerked out an arm then held up a hand in
consolation when the goblin growled. “I can’t even begin to explain what a bad
idea that would be.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Rae

The
sun set below the broken buildings of the Northern City, vampire territory, and
the home of my brother and his Coven.

The earth stirred beneath my feet, and I backed up.

An arm thrust into the air then another. They
slammed onto the ground, and as the hands planted firmly the fingers splayed
and dug in. A head burst through the loose earth. Skin white against the black
soil, glaring, Tomas heaved his shoulders and upper chest from the mud. “You
couldn’t make it easier?” He continued to wriggle from the dirt.

He didn’t have to choose his vampiric corporeal form
and hide from the sun, but he described the ghostly plane his phantom form
faded into as barren and creepy.

My gaze skimmed his pale torso then stopped as it
reached his hips. I nudged his folded clothing with my foot. “Hurry.”

Slicking his dark hair back, Tomas frowned at the
clothes then me. “You’re mad still.”

“Yup.”

“And answering my questions one worded.”

I shrugged.

He unearthed the rest of his body to stand naked
and muddied under the moonlight. Throwing back his head, he breathed deep and
opened his arms wide. “It feels good to be alive.” His head dropped, and he
grinned fangs running out. “Well, in a sense.”