Sierra frowned and Nate popped in. I was proud of him. We’d worked on his distance. I wasn’t the best teacher he could have but he didn’t want to meet the Conners yet. He had to have a powerful bloodline to do all he was doing. We were still working on where his sisters were.
I was gaining traction into the Hunter files, but I was going slowly like I was with the Ring. Nate smiled saying, “I made it on the first try.” I smiled offering, “Good job. What are you doing here?” Sierra inclined her head asking him, “Is that Cassie Conners, Nate?”
Nate studied her before answering, “Well, it could be. That girl has a Fairy charm.” I rolled my eyes, “You all need to get your eyes checked. It IS Cassie Conners. As the one who saw her pictures… I’m right. Also, she looks EXACTLY like her mother. I know things about my Xander and his family… all the things.”
Nate shrugged, “Sorry Mel, the jury’s out on whether that’s Cassie Conners or not.” He popped out while I rolled my eyes. The jury was NOT out. It was Cassie. They needed their heads examined stat. Ceila could have new patients that weren’t me. She’d be thrilled.
Valentina admitted, “She does know everything about her Xander.” Sierra snorted, “That woman still looks nothing like Cassie Conners.” She looked exactly like her because she was her! I scrunched up my face when Cassie went inside. I didn’t like it.
In fact, I was twitching to text Micah and ask what the gosh darn heck Cayden was thinking sending Cassie here. He wasn’t thinking….is what he wasn’t doing….clearly. Was this a post sex haze assignment he made? That no one thought... ‘hey maybe we send…. literally anyone else.’ Literally even Micah with his same dang name. ANYONE ELSE.
Honestly, if they’d sent Xander I’d be calling Micah’s SO FAST. Maybe I should call them anyway. I started to pace. Sierra sighed, “Potentially Cassie is probably fine. She went to a buying room.” We did have eyes inside. Just not in the buying rooms themselves.
I sighed, “If she’s not out in five minutes… I’m calling Micah and we are going in. I won’t let anything happen to Cassie orlet her be ambushed alone. CRAP! She’s probably not alone. Someone else is here.” Cayden wouldn’t send her alone…nor would her family…King Bjourn definitely had back up here.
Valentina nervously said, “We should go then.” I shook my head, “No, I won’t leave Xander’s sister here alone. Cassie is also important to….” I trailed off. Sierra’s eyes softened, “Jason.” I nodded. They weren’t mates, but Jason cared about Cassie.
I knew they were still friends. He would be devastated if something happened to her. Not to mention my Xander. Everyone knew the Conners boys doted on their sisters. If something happened to her, Xander would be greatly affected.
Especially since he was more attuned to his siblings' pain. Particularly Cassie and EJ because they were triplets. I would never let her get hurt. She was meant to be my sister in law. I couldn’t leave without knowing she was safe.
Sierra announced, “See, potential Cassie is out of the room. Everyone is all smiles.” I argued, “That guy keeps checking his phone. I don’t like it.” Valentina agreed, “His whole demeanor just changed.” I cringed, “I’m going around the side to scale the building. You guys cover the front. Call out if you need help.”
Valentina grabbed my arm offering, “I’ll shimmer you to the top of the warehouse. You might want to get ready to shoot.” I nodded and was watching. This wasn’t good. I needed time to think. I watched Cassie and it hit me that I actually missed someone I didn’t know.
Now, I was seriously considering just going to Black Mountain to see if I could spot Xander. I wasn't going to go to him… I just wanted to see him. Not just on a computer screen as he talked through fighting moves. Actually see him, in person.
I just didn’t know how far away to be so his wolf wouldn’t sense me. If he could. I could spray myself and I didn’t have a wolf for him to sense... I shook myself. I needed to focus on what happening in front of me. I needed to make sure Cassie was safe.
Sierra called over our coms, “You’re right. Something is off.” I knew that. Then watched the guy with Cassie pull a knife. Cassie had it handled, but the guy hit a panic button. She took off. I began shooting to cover her. Sierra and Valentina stepped out.
I yelled over the coms, “What are you doing? I’ve got this!” Valentina whispered, “The Hackura women spotted us. We had to move.” I could not get a break. Return fire engaged, but they weren’t aiming at us. I shot as many as I could.
Sierra yelled, “Bravo One, I’m pinned down! I’m pinned down!” Fury filled my core because these people thinking they could get one of mine. I scaled down the building quickly and dropped the remaining several feet.
I pulled the gun I’d been working on, that would shoot gel packs of Laxenread to give a Fairy their powers back, out of my watch. Now was as good a time as ever to test if it worked. An idea clicked. I could leave it for her. The Hackura would search the area. I’d worked really hard on it…it was for them.
I’d wanted to give it Xander… with a note, but Cassie needed her powers back. Someone came around the corner. He snorted, “That Fairy charmed chick will go down. We hit her with our paralytic.” She wouldn’t because they didn’t have it tailored to hybrids.
No one paid attention to the papers King Aiden Holloran put out either, except me, because it would’ve told them that. I shook myself and killed him quickly.
I grabbed the kerosene kit we all carried for emergencies. Most people probably didn’t prepare to blow up drug labs but… most people weren’t us. I hopped on the bike and revved it letting Sierra know I was coming.
Valentina’s voice came over coms, “Cassie’s been hit. Not bad but the bullet grazed her.” I knew that because the dead guy told me. This was good. The allies would discover the bullets were laced with other things. I grumbled, “People should reallyread King Aiden’s papers and books.” He had literally written an entire book about hybrids. I’d managed to get myself a copy. Through bartering…and blackmail.
The same reason the coating on the bullets would not affect Cassie didn’t concern me played into part of my fear…. Some days… I thought that maybe I really wasn’t Drake McAlister’s biological daughter. Drugs didn’t affect me right either. I was a possible Hunter hybrid though. I shook myself chiding, “FOCUS!”
I drove quickly towards the window of the building, waving what was basically a lit up stick of dynamite. They began to focus on me. Good. They started chasing me on foot. Seriously? Who ran these things? Because it was not these people. They were so dumb.
Who thought they were going to outrun someone on a motorcycle on foot? Maybe the Werecheetah’s I’d met in the Safari realm… but these guys had no cheetah blood. Honestly, it was basic math and common sense.
I looked over my shoulder noting Valentina used the distraction to shimmer Sierra out. I sighed in relief. Valentina had to stay out of the path of those bullets. It affected her more harshly than anyone we’d come across.
I began to shoot to try and cover Cassie’s escape. She wasn’t moving though. She was standing her ground. Dang it. I should’ve anticipated that. A Demon started to fight her. I winced when I saw he had hurt her. I quickly shot him in the head… which was fair… since he was a jerk.
Cassie turned to watch me. I quickly switched guns and shot at her arm. The gel pack exploded and was absorbed into her skin. I smiled knowing she’d have her powers back soon. I gunned it to the lake knowing we were running out of time.
I tossed the gun down when Cassie was looking and pointed back to the building, so she’d remember to run. It was going toblow. It was moderately impressive it hadn’t. She popped away. In midair, I put my feet on the seat and jumped for the opposite side of the pond. I felt the explosion reverberate around me in the water.
