“Come back to me,” Devon said to Charity, forcing another step forward.
Something moved in Charity’s chest, hot and sharp. It felt like her heart was being cut out. Devon winced and dropped his head, as though walking through a gale-force wind of razor blades.
“We can handle this,” he said.
“Ma’am, we’ll pay for it, I promise. If you’d just—” Andy’s pleas were cut short by the woman’s explicit description of what she’d like him to do to his balls.
Charity let the shrieking tune cover it up. She stomped on her magic. Wrestled with it. Forced it down. The effect stole her breath and deadened her legs. Her arms dragged at her shoulders. Her back gave out and bowed. A moment later, she was falling, the blackness coming for her again.Chapter FiveThe pain cut off suddenly, and then Charity fell bonelessly to the ground. Devon barely got there before her head hit the pavement.
“Everyone, load up,” Devon shouted, his heart in his throat. That was the most magic he’d ever felt from her. She clearly couldn’t handle it anymore. There was too much for her to force into submission. It was like being swept up in a tidal wave. “Dale, give that woman Roger’s card. Steve, get on the phone with Roger. We need to get word to Emery. Get him to the portal now.”
“The plan was to leave at daybreak when—”
“I don’t give a shit what the plan was, Dale.” Devon hefted Charity and headed toward the closer van. “She has no time. Get your ass in gear, or find yourself a new pack.”
“Roger assigned—”
Devon swung around and stared him down. “I don’t give a shit about Roger, and I certainly don’t give a shit about you. You heard me. Do as I say, or leave. Get in my way when I am trying to save this warrior fae, and I’ll kill you.”
Dale’s chest swelled, and he took a step Devon’s way, a dickhead to the last. Before he could get the words out of his open mouth, Steve grabbed him by the shirt, bunched it, and threw, all in one movement. Dale’s arms windmilled as he flew through the air for the second time that afternoon.
“I’ve got Roger’s card.” Cole reached into his sweats pocket and turned toward the ranting woman still waving her gun. Little did she know that a gun wouldn’t keep a shifter down for long, not unless it was a shot directly to the brain. Everything else would heal in time.
“You’ve won another one,” Barbara said softly as Devon passed.
He nearly did a double take, but he didn’t have time to dwell on her meaning. Charity’s breathing was shallow and her skin felt too hot. This was one of the bad episodes. One of the times when her body struggled to process her magic.
He pumped out more magic to help balance her. His magic always seemed to have a positive reaction—the yang to her yin. Unfortunately, if he did any more, he’d lose himself to his wolf and be forced to change.
“Only those with excellent control in Devon’s van,” Barbara said, following him and stopping by the door as he got Charity situated in the back.
“Good point,” Dillon said, jogging over. “We forgot to mention that. When Charity loses control and Devon has to flood her with power, he’ll drive you wild with wanting to change. It’s not pleasant.”
“I’m fine.” Macy jogged over as well, leaving Cole to deal with the irate woman. She seemed perturbed that he wasn’t worried about the gun two feet from his chest.
“I’m out.” Rod headed to the other van.
Steve paused with a phone to his ear, looking between the vans. Finally, his wild-eyed gaze settled on Devon. His lion clearly felt the call. He shook his head. “I better follow the linebacker kid without two brain cells to rub together.”
Andy chortled as he got into the other van.
Cole didn’t say a word as he got into the front passenger seat. Barbara filed into the middle bench seat, beside Dillon. Devon couldn’t see if Dale picked himself up and headed to the front van. At the moment, he didn’t care.
“You guys are coming around, huh?” Dillon said to Barbara and Cole as Macy hopped into the driver’s seat.
“That fae needs protection,” Cole said, buckling in. “It is our duty, but it’s also the smart thing to do. Protect her, and she’ll protect the pack. In this instance, I agree with the current alpha.”
Cole’s words weren’t lost on Devon. The current alpha. He wasn’t offering his allegiance, he was participating for now. It was a big distinction.
“Dude.” Macy looked at Cole. “Do you always sound like a robot with a broken volume button, or…”
“I hope you grow on me,” Cole muttered. Or, at least, it was a mutter for him.
Dillon jolted as the van pulled away. He spun around, looking down at Charity.