Melanie spoke to Paisley, “I’ll cover you. I need you to get to that house twenty yards from us.” I gaped at her because she should not be able to see Lexi’s Fairy enchanted and protected house. Melanie had never been invited inside the barrier. Lexi even gasped.
Dylan squealed, “I LOVE HER! SHE SEES THAT HOUSE? GOD BLESS MELASHLEY. Notice I said God not goddess, people. I feel that is an important note for all to have.” Paisley frowned saying, “Mel, there’s no house over there.”
Melanie argued, “Of course there is. There are three of them… that one is just the closet. Cute house, big porch… kind of hard to miss. I’m positive there is a weapon inside… or more than one. You could get it and barricade yourself in said house.”
Paisley looked at us then back at Melanie whispering, “Umm there’s nothing but trees over there.” Melanie groaned. EJ linked me, “What in the actual fuck?! First, she could tell Cassie was Cassie through a Fairy charm. NOW she can see inside a Fairy protected barrier, that no one can unless invited. What the what?!” I replied, “I don’t know.”
I linked Melanie, “You need to turn around because you’re being surrounded.” Melanie still didn’t turn around. Deline snorted, “Now you’re definitely coming with us.” Melanie sighed, “I’m still going to pass. I didn’t really like Nashville that much… and if you were being honest… you don’t like me. So, me being here works better for everyone.”
Deline smirked, “You should’ve listened to your friends.” Melanie spoke quite calmly when she said, “You mean the people linking me repeatedly and waving their arms around to get my attention about the people coming up behind me… right? That is what you mean.”
Deline gaped at her then shrugged saying, “Whatever. You are too cocky. Get her Nate!” Melanie snorted, “Yeah, Nate. By the way apparently, I’m unoriginal and not surprising enough… do something about that, would you?”
Nate took out a gun and shot the remaining men. Melanie sighed, “If only I could ask Deline if he was surprised now.” Nate knelt down by Paisley. He whispered, “Are you alright?” Paisley’s eyes were wide. I studied Nate and jolted.
I whisper yelled, “You’re a partial Fairy?” Nate turned, “Partial. Yes.” Paisley whispered, “Mel?” Melanie said, “Nate is a good guy and he’s with us.” My mom asked, “Umm what the actual fuck?!” Nate turned greeting, “Princess, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
My mom shouted, “How the fuck haven’t I met you before now?” Nate winked, “Well, I’m looking for revenge. I was a little too busy to come meet you. It would’ve blown my cover.” Melanie sighed, “This kind of does too. If you’re the only one who escapes…. they’ll know.”
Nate shrugged, “We will find my sisters another way.” My mom chimed back in, “Exfuckingcuse me. There are partial Fairies that are MISSING?!” Nate answered, “No. My adopted sisters are Werewolves. I was taken in by a pack after they found me abandoned in the woods.”
Nate winced, “I went to college out of state, and when I came home for break the pack was decimated. I helped the ones left behind and cared for them. There were a few that were injured pretty badly. I got them to new packs and ensured they would survive.”
“Those members told me what happened to my sisters. I couldn’t leave them behind, but I couldn’t get them. I swore to get vengeance and that I’d find my sisters. Now, I need to find them and take care of my mate.” Mom tried to pop and was thrown back. She said, “Well, it was worth a fucking try.” It was. Nate offered, “I have tried that.” Who the hell taught him to pop? Melanie was looking at the sky. Asked and answered then.
Melanie frowned asking, “Ummm… where are the rest of the Hunters? You fired a gun, so…. they should be running to us. I made A BIG production out of coming for Paisley.” Nate shrugged saying, “We came for you, so you’re right. They should be over here. Maybe they are regrouping.”
Melanie argued, “That doesn’t make sense… they never do smart things. Who did you bring to cast this dome thing?” Nate answered, “Ummm just some Coven.” Melanie paled and anxiety shot up from my foot. Melanie nervously asked, “What Coven?” Nate closed his eyes to think. The answer came to him, “Shadow Vice.” Melanie screamed, “PAIGE!” My mate took off like a shot.
Nate sighed, “God damn it! Why is she so fast?” Melanie’s voice came over coms, “Mason?!” Nothing but silence greeted her. She screamed, “MASON?!” Still nothing. Melanie ordered, “Hendrick get to Mason right now! Dax, Caine, Si… hell anyone… where is Paige?!”
The dome shrank substantially. Caine yelled over coms, “We can’t get to her. There’s some barrier. Paige is just being brought to them, and we can’t do a goddamn thing!” Nate and Paisley were now on the outside of the dome. It had shrank enough, and they’d been close enough to us. Nate sighed, “Great.”
My mom leaned down to heal Paisley. I popped to the edge of where the dome now was. We were still in the tree line, but we could see the main yard of Yellow Hills. Addison, Dax, Caine, Abigail, Sierra, and Avery were fighting some invisible bubble, but they couldn't get past it. No one could.
Yellow Hills Warriors had joined them and were desperately trying to get to the Future Luna inside it. Paige was floating towards a Warlock who was smirking. My heart stopped because Melanie was going to hit the wall. Oden said, “Mate will be ok.” He was wrong.
Melanie screamed, “PAIGE! CUT THE CONNECTION AND FIGHT THEM!” I yelled, “MELANIE, STOP!” Tristan came up beside me. He yelled, “MELANIE STOP, YOU’LL GET HURT!” My mate didn't listen. I cringed as she caught up to the Warriors trying to get inside to protect Paige.
My family popped everyone else in. We stared on completely stunned as Melanie ran through the barrier like it was nothing. Yellow Hills and our own Warriors looked at each other.
KJ appeared and tried to grab her but missed. Melanie took out a gun and started firing. She hit everyone she aimed at in the head. The Coven members were slowly going down. Melanie screamed, “PAIGE!”
The man bringing Paige to him set her down. Dalton was being held back by his dad, Dakota, Jason, and Tristan. All of Melanie's friends were crying and yelling, but we couldn't say anything to console them. Nor could we help outside this damn dome. Bubbles inside a dome was absurd.
Melanie ran out of bullets, so she threw her gun and nailed a Warlock in the forehead. He went down in a heap. The man with Paige at his feet hissed as she kept chanting. He scoffed, “She’s been marked. Goddammit! What a waste.” The Warlock flicked his hand and Paige floated backwards, but she didn’t stop chanting.
We all growled at him as he took out a gun. Dalton lost it. I yelled, “NO! STOP!” I was beyond pissed. We were an all powerful family, but they’d found a way to lock us out. My mate was inside there without me.
The man aimed the gun at Paige’s head. Melanie screamed, “PAIGE!” Dalton begged her, “BABY, PLEASE! PAIGE, I NEED YOU!” The man fired. My mom was throwing her wind at the dome, but it was doing nothing.
EJ grabbed me as Melanie dove. I yelled, “MELANIE!” Sam screamed bloody murder as Melanie took the bullet intended for Paige’s head. I couldn’t see where it hit her though. Melanie fell to the ground as pain shot up my foot.
KJ shouted, “NO!” Melanie’s friends winced, but it was like this didn’t surprise them. I could not even begin to focus on that. I threw my head back and roared in anger. The Warlock looked over at me in shock as it took my entire family and several Warriors to hold me back.
I saw the look of surprise on his face for a brief second before several shots took his life. I looked down and saw Melanie had pulled another gun and killed him. I said, “Cayden, isn’t that the standard Hackura army issued gun.” My brother in law replied, “Yes, I gave her one along with the offer to join us.” I hugged him never taking my eyes off my mate.
Melanie was still on the ground and her pain was radiating throughout my body, shooting through my foot. As soon as the man died, her friends and the Yellow Hills Warriors were able to get to them. KJ reached her first though.
