Savage Awakening (Alpha Pack #2)(45)

Zan placed his palms over the oozing punctures and closed his eyes. A green glow began to pulse around his hands, increasing in brightness until it was white and almost blinding. This was like his healing Ryon at the church, but on a much grander scale. This was life and death, and every second counted.

Gradually, the light faded. Zan slumped backward and Nick caught him, eased him to the ground. The flesh on Aric's side was bloodied, but appeared totally intact. The redhead sat up with Jax's help and someone else tossed his shredded shirt and sweats into his lap. Moving carefully, he discarded the shirt as useless, stood and pulled on his sweats. They weren't in much better shape, but he'd be covered until they returned to the compound.

Aric looked at Nick. "How did you know we were in trouble? Did you get a vision?"

"No."

"Well, the bastard came in from the air, so I'm guessing he didn't sound the perimeter alarm."

"After you were kidnapped, Kalen used a spell to place some powerful wards over our property for a twenty-mile radius. Anything supernatural or human that breaches the wards and doesn't belong here is supposed to alert him, and it worked. He yelled for us and we came as fast as we could."

"Wow," Aric said, obviously impressed. "That's some strong mojo you've got. Saved our butts, too. Thanks, man."

Kalen waved off the praise. "Just glad it paid off." He nudged the dead creature with one toe. "This one was alone, like the one a couple of weeks ago. Gotta wonder why."

"Maybe he was a scout?" Ryon suggested.

Nick cursed. "I'm getting nothing on this guy, no vibes at all. If that's the case and he was looking for something or someone in particular, we need to dispose of all traces of the body." He shot Kalen a meaningful look, and Kalen's expression grew bleak. She wondered what the silent exchange was about.

"Whatever he was doing, that's not a bad idea," Rowan put in, staring at the awful thing. "He gives me the creeps."

"I'll take care of it," Kalen said. "But first..."

Waving a hand at his team, he spoke a couple of quiet words that, again, sounded like Latin. Instantly, the men were clothed. That's when Rowan realized Kalen was the only one who was clothed when he shifted back to human form. Handy.

"Having a Sorcerer on your side must be nice," she muttered. "Are you sure you don't want a job with the LAPD? I can put in a good word."

"He's taken," Nick quipped.

Grinning, Kalen turned toward the carcass, but before he had a chance to dispose of it, a voice called out from above.

"Wait!"

Shielding her eyes, Rowan looked toward the sky to see Sariel approaching. Gliding down, he landed on his feet with a graceful stretch of his azure wings, his golden eyes riveted to the creature's body. Approaching slowly, he stopped a short distance from it and crouched, studying it, his expression grim.

"Gods," he whispered. "This can't be."

Those four words went through the group like a bolt of lightning. The tension level shot through the roof as the guys glanced at one another.

"Sariel," Aric said, "if you know what this thing is, enlighten us."

Resting his elbows on his jean-clad knees, the Fae prince addressed the group at large. "First, tell me if this is what attacked your team months ago."

"Fuck yeah," Zan replied hoarsely. "There were a dozen of them or more, and the bastards cut through us like a hot knife through butter."

Micah and Aric-along with Zan and Jax-had almost died in that attack. Rowan shivered.

"One came after me and Mac two weeks ago when we were in town," Kalen added. "And there were lots of them at the church in Colorado, too."

Sariel shook his head, sapphire hair falling into haunted eyes. "More than a dozen? Even one shouldn't be possible, not in this world. These creatures are the Sluagh, and this is what happens when a member of the Seelie court turns to evil. They're cast out and land in the Fae Underworld, where their former beauty is twisted into this," he said sadly, gesturing to the deceased Sluagh.

Aric, incredulous, found his voice. "So, if you were to go over to the dark side, you'd become like that thing?"

"Yes. Well, partly." He sighed, but didn't explain what he meant by "partly." "Once the Sluagh are completely transformed, they are little more than drones who exist to cause mayhem. This makes them very popular for members of the born Unseelie court to use as sentinels, or watchdogs, to send out and do their terrible bidding. Spying, kidnapping the Seelie, murder-the list is endless. Once they're set on a mission, the Sluagh are relentless until the task is accomplished."

"Or they die trying," Nick said.

"Eagerly. They're single-minded, not stupid, and they know no fear, which makes them the perfect tool."

"You said they shouldn't be in this world, and yet they seem to be all over the place," Nick observed. "Explain."

Sariel pushed to his feet and stepped away from the body. "The barrier, or the 'hedge' as we call it, between the Fae realm and yours is inaccessible to the Sluagh. Or has been, until recent months, it would seem. Their presence here means that they were assisted through the barrier, and there's only one being powerful enough to accomplish that feat."