Page 75 of Fire Bound

“Is Winslow all set?” I ask Ranger.

“She’s up in a tree by the binding circle.” I don’t miss the slight grimace when he says, “She’ll take care of any of them that don’t go inside like we planned.” It’s easier for some to accept that sometimes in this world, we don’t have any other choice but to kill. It’s something Isabeau and I came to terms with early on.

“This is how we get your sister back,” I remind him.My mate back.“And Winslow isn’t alone out there. Most of the pack is there with her.”

Only a handful are the lucky ones who get to be the bait.

“If you’re fast in your wolf form, shift now. You’re going to want to outrun these fuckers,” I tell the people around me. On top of a few enforcers and other pack members, Ransom and Ranger are with me. Ryker is back at the location where Esme cast the binding circle. Like Winslow, he’s in charge of either forcing people inside or eliminating the ones who get away.

Like always, Isabeau has the very important job of pulling the trigger tonight. “Ready, Beau?”

She has her feet planted and gun pressed into her shoulder as she looks through the scope at her target. “One sec.”

“I just don’t understand why we aren’t shooting them. They’re just standing there like sitting ducks,” an enforcer I’ve never talked to complains to his buddy at his side, but the remark isn’t missed.

“There are two reasons we’re doing it this way,” I tell him as I spin on my heels to face him. “First, we’re trying to avoid as much bloodshed as possible. I don’t know about you, but I think enough of your pack has died this year. There are about fifty more of Sterling’s people here than I expected which means we are outnumbered. The more people we get into that binding circle the bigger chance we have at a fair fight. The second thing is not all of these people are going to be soulless monsters. Sure, some of them are beyond help, but if we can spare even a few of Sterling’s creations, I vote we do it. No one deserves that life.” I didn’t used to be into second chances, but after Remi gave me one, I feel more inclined to do the same for others. “If you’re worried you’re not going to be able to fight, I wouldn’t get too bent out of shape about it. Blood is going to be spilled tonight, don’t you worry.” With that, I return my attention back to the vampire. “Ready?”

“Ready,” she responds calmly. “Everyone clear on what they need to do?” There’s a chorus of confirmations before Beau nods her head. “Three… two… one.”

At a speed that is too fast for the human eyes to track, Isabeau shoots off five rounds at five different targets. As each bullet hits its target, the night is filled with deafening explosions. Sterling isn’t the only one who likes explosives. Isabeau also has a knack for them.

Using her power to walk through shadows, Isabeau had snuck over the territory fence to where the enemy was waiting patiently for us and planted five packs of C4 in various places.

Our thought is Sterling will assume we’ve thrown the first punch and he’ll release the hold he has on his minions and the battle will begin.

With each explosion, the battle-like cries that come from his soldiers get louder as they are woken from their motionless state. The ground beneath us rattles as they charge through our fences and in our direction.

As their yells get louder, I can’t help the morbid laugh that escapes me. I feel like I’m in a war movie and the enemy is charging at me with their muskets raised.

Ranger passes me an unamused look. “You really are twisted.”

I salute him muckily before bringing my finger to my lips and whistling at the people around me. “Run!”

As a unit, we take off through the woods. Weaving and darting between the trees. The sound of our feet and paws digging in the earth is overshadowed by the roar of people following behind us.

If I wanted to, I could easily outrun all of them by miles, but I want them to follow me. I want to stay just close enough to tease them and make them think they’re going to get to me, but really, I’m just out of arm’s reach.

The binding circle was set up in a large, rounded clearing the pack usually uses as a pack meeting place during pack runs. The space is vast enough that we will have space if things go south.

“We’re almost there!” Beau yells back at me, her black curtain of hair blowing behind her. “I can see the lights.”

Watching Esme create the circle was an interesting sight to behold. She’d used an ornate, ritualistic knife to slice the palm of her hand before placing eight black stones around the parameter of the clearing. The stones were pitch black, making me wonder if they were onyx. These are questions I’ll ask another time if given the chance.

Esme had walked around each of the perfectly spaced stones and whispered something I couldn’t quite make out. I’m not even positive it was in English. While she chanted, blood from her hand poured over the stones. She did this eight times. When she was done with the eighth one, a glowing line, almost like a laser shot out of it, one by one, the pale orange line connected to each of the stones until there was a glowing circle shining on the ground.

In my peripheral vision, I see one of the hexed soldiers dart out of the horde of people. Her arm is outstretched in front of her as she picks up an immense amount of speed. Her nails have turned into talon-like claws as she reaches for the pack member running ahead of her.

“Beau!” I call out, getting the vampire’s attention. She’s closer than I am.

In a flash, she’s pulled a throwing knife from her thigh and is hurling it toward the attacker. I look away before I see where it lands, but I don’t have to look to know that Beau hit her target. She never misses.

The lights up ahead get brighter and with a last push of energy, we sprint toward them before abruptly moving to either side of the circle. The first wave of hexed soldiers don’t have enough time to turn or change course. They skid across the glowing line on the ground one by one.

Forty or so of them are inside before the screaming and the yelling begins as they quickly discover they’ve been trapped inside. They run and bang against an imaginary shield, trying to get out, but it’s no use.

As more are caught inside the circle, the pack members emerge from the shadows of the woods all around us. The looks on their faces tell you exactly what you need to know. This is their land, these are their people and they’re going to defend each other and their home with their last dying breath.

It doesn’t take long for the remaining hexed that are at the back of the horde to learn to not cross the line. They try to get their comrades out of the circle, but the shield doesn’t budge.

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