wasn’t happy about that wound. Hell, he wasn’t happy about anything that had taken place here tonight.
In the next moments they were both dressed and sitting in the front seat of the truck. He pulled out of the parking spot and was attempting to get out of the garage only to find that he was one of many. When two cougars jumped out of nowhere onto the car directly in front of them, Eli quickly put the truck in reverse and maneuvered the vehicle until it was moving around several other cars, crashing into some.
He drove like a madman, but he was determined to get them out of there. Outside there were policemen in the street, attempting to barricade the resort. But more cats appeared, more hybrids stomped along the ground like Neanderthals. The cops were outnumbered and quite possibly outpowered even though they diligently pulled their weapons, aimed, and fired at the assailants. As for Eli, he knew Rome’s original order had been the correct one. They had to get out and get out now; there was no other choice for the Shadows. Vastly outnumbered and now exposed to the world, they had no other option. The world now knew who and what they were. Now everything would change.
CHAPTER 25
Sitting in a recliner with a cup of hot tea cooling in her hands, Kalina watched the television screen as if she expected something to jump through it at any moment. She was still a bit stiff as the stitches at her side healed. Beside her in another chair Ary sat close, rubbing her hand over Kalina’s back in an effort to keep her and the baby she was carrying calm.
“He’s all right,” Ary said slowly, her gaze also intent on the television screen. “They’re all coming back to us, Kalina. You cannot think otherwise.”
“They’re everywhere,” Kalina said softly. “Just everywhere and they’re killing whatever is in their way. Humans and shifters.”
In the corner, which was his favorite spot in any room that he occupied, Baxter held Shya in his arms, rubbing his chin along the little girl’s soft ebony curls. She’d flourished so much in the weeks since the blood transfusion from Ezra. Her chubby cheeks were the highlight of her cherubic face, she had a smooth, heavily-creamed coffee complexion and hazel-brown eyes. She’d even grown two teeth at the bottom front of her mouth and now held tight to the spirit-filled stick that had been converted into a rattle Baxter had given her the day she was born. Magdalena had given him the stick when he’d first left the Gungi to travel to the States with the Reynolds family. It was for protection, strength, and solace, so Baxter had given it to Shya as the firstborn of the newest shifter generation. The Seer had already sent another spirited object for the first child of the Assembly Leader upon its birth.
Watching Kalina as she worked her fingers together, then released them and started the process again, Baxter wondered if that would come to fruition. The First Female looked tired after the injuries and subsequent surgery she’d endured because of the car accident. She’d lost a little weight but Ary assured them all that the baby inside her still thrived.
“There’s so much death,” Kalina whispered. “So much hate.”
Ary sighed. “I know. I know. But Rome is a good Leader. He’ll get them all out of there. I know he will.”
But even to Baxter’s ears she did not sound confident.
In the next few minutes the mood in the tunnels shifted quickly. The first SUVs came barreling into the parking area. Calls came in rushed screams over the intercom system that had been installed into each room and the hallways of the tunnel. “Medical assistance needed! Medical assistance ASAP!”
Ary immediately rose from where she was seated. “You stay right here,” she told Kalina. “Do not move. I’ll come get you if it’s Rome.”
Kalina had already come to the edge of her seat, about to get up.
“Baxter, make her stay,” Ary called to him.
Baxter moved slowly from the
In the next moments they were both dressed and sitting in the front seat of the truck. He pulled out of the parking spot and was attempting to get out of the garage only to find that he was one of many. When two cougars jumped out of nowhere onto the car directly in front of them, Eli quickly put the truck in reverse and maneuvered the vehicle until it was moving around several other cars, crashing into some.
He drove like a madman, but he was determined to get them out of there. Outside there were policemen in the street, attempting to barricade the resort. But more cats appeared, more hybrids stomped along the ground like Neanderthals. The cops were outnumbered and quite possibly outpowered even though they diligently pulled their weapons, aimed, and fired at the assailants. As for Eli, he knew Rome’s original order had been the correct one. They had to get out and get out now; there was no other choice for the Shadows. Vastly outnumbered and now exposed to the world, they had no other option. The world now knew who and what they were. Now everything would change.
CHAPTER 25
Sitting in a recliner with a cup of hot tea cooling in her hands, Kalina watched the television screen as if she expected something to jump through it at any moment. She was still a bit stiff as the stitches at her side healed. Beside her in another chair Ary sat close, rubbing her hand over Kalina’s back in an effort to keep her and the baby she was carrying calm.
“He’s all right,” Ary said slowly, her gaze also intent on the television screen. “They’re all coming back to us, Kalina. You cannot think otherwise.”
“They’re everywhere,” Kalina said softly. “Just everywhere and they’re killing whatever is in their way. Humans and shifters.”
In the corner, which was his favorite spot in any room that he occupied, Baxter held Shya in his arms, rubbing his chin along the little girl’s soft ebony curls. She’d flourished so much in the weeks since the blood transfusion from Ezra. Her chubby cheeks were the highlight of her cherubic face, she had a smooth, heavily-creamed coffee complexion and hazel-brown eyes. She’d even grown two teeth at the bottom front of her mouth and now held tight to the spirit-filled stick that had been converted into a rattle Baxter had given her the day she was born. Magdalena had given him the stick when he’d first left the Gungi to travel to the States with the Reynolds family. It was for protection, strength, and solace, so Baxter had given it to Shya as the firstborn of the newest shifter generation. The Seer had already sent another spirited object for the first child of the Assembly Leader upon its birth.
Watching Kalina as she worked her fingers together, then released them and started the process again, Baxter wondered if that would come to fruition. The First Female looked tired after the injuries and subsequent surgery she’d endured because of the car accident. She’d lost a little weight but Ary assured them all that the baby inside her still thrived.
“There’s so much death,” Kalina whispered. “So much hate.”
Ary sighed. “I know. I know. But Rome is a good Leader. He’ll get them all out of there. I know he will.”
But even to Baxter’s ears she did not sound confident.
In the next few minutes the mood in the tunnels shifted quickly. The first SUVs came barreling into the parking area. Calls came in rushed screams over the intercom system that had been installed into each room and the hallways of the tunnel. “Medical assistance needed! Medical assistance ASAP!”
Ary immediately rose from where she was seated. “You stay right here,” she told Kalina. “Do not move. I’ll come get you if it’s Rome.”
Kalina had already come to the edge of her seat, about to get up.
“Baxter, make her stay,” Ary called to him.
Baxter moved slowly from the
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