Page 47 of Outnumbered

I nodded. “You, too.

Riddick kissed my cheek then jumped up to grab Caleb’s now dragon foot.

“I’m going to pick you up in each claw,” Triston informed us. “That way I can fly more balanced.”

I nodded my understanding and waited as he shifted and flew up into the air. He picked me up gingerly, keeping his talons away from my skin, and then picked up Branson. Quickly, he flew around the other side of the building, out of the range of the attacker’s magic, and landed in the park.

They stood on either side of me, tense and ready for an attack.

My eyes were focused on Riddick and Caleb, battling the six mages who had been attacking our building with the help of three guards.

One of the mages used a spell that dropped Riddick to his knees.

I started to move forward, but Branson was already shifting into warrior form and running to help him.

Triston gripped my hand and pulled me in front of him. “Stay with me, Ember.”

“I’m here,” I said with a nod and squeezed our still joined hands.

Thankfully, they defeated the rest of the mages quickly and we were able to join the others. Triston kept his hold on my hand as we met up with them.

“Why does it seem like it’s more often mages than others that attack us?” I asked softly.

“There were shifters attacking Ambrose and you, remember?” Triston replied.

“Yeah, right. Maybe I’m just still holding grudges against mages for my childhood.” Though, I didn’t have any issues with Nico.

“Everyone okay?” Triston asked Riddick and Branson. Caleb was nearby, but on his cell phone.

They nodded.

Riddick kicked one of the now dead mages. “He hit me with an electrocution spell.”

“Those spells sting,” I said and cringed, remembering when I’d been hit by one.

Caleb finished his call and said, “We’re going to go to my parents’ house for today. They want to have the apartment building inspected before we go back inside. Martin is on his way to pick us up now.”

Looking around, I felt the hair on my nape on end. “We’re really exposed out here,” I whispered. “I feel like we’re being watched too.”

Branson rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. “Was just going to say that.”

“Can you tell from where?” Caleb asked me.

Letting go of Triston’s hand, I closed my eyes and turned in a slow circle, stopping when I felt that prickling sensation again. “Directly behind me,” I whispered and opened my eyes.

“Let’s move,” Caleb said and headed down the sidewalk towards a little café we got breakfast from sometimes. “We’ll be less exposed inside the café and I’ll update Martin as to our location.”

We started walking and I realized they’d put me in the center with each of them around me, Caleb in the front, Branson in the back, and Riddick and Triston on either side. Was this something they’d discussed and planned? Something they were making a habit?

“Ouch,” I hissed as I stepped on a sharp rock on the sidewalk and hopped on one foot.

Caleb turned around, scooped me up into his arms, and resumed walking. It was so fast and smooth I didn’t even get to gasp before he’d started walking again.

“Uh, thanks,” I mumbled, embarrassed that I was the only one of the four of us that were barefoot to step on a rock.

“Triston and I put our dragon’s scales on the bottom of our feet and Riddick and Branson shifted their feet into their animal form’s,” Caleb explained. “It’s something you learn when you’re little, so I didn’t think about teaching it to you.”

“So, shift my feet into my rabbit feet?” I asked.

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