Born of Fire

Rochelle

They took Rochelle’s car to Ben’s house and rode in silence most of the way. Kenna rode in the backseat and watched Darren stare morosely out the window. He would stiffen and stare at pedestrians and people in other cars in search of his wife’s murderer. Now that he was getting over the initial shock, he looked ready for battle.

He had actually growled at Ben when he was told to wait in safety at the mansion. Unfortunately, his Alpha couldn’t ignore such a blatant challenge from a subordinate and had to lock his arm behind him before he again ordered him to safety.

“Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on Kenna in case she gets sick again,” Ben reminded him. Darren looked guiltily at Kenna for a moment and mumbled an apology. Obviously, he’d forgotten about her illness. Jacob got the killer’s description from him and sent the three of them on their way.

“How are you feeling?” Darren asked her when they got out of the car.

“Worried,” she linked an arm through his and ignored a glare from Rochelle. “If you’re referring to the fevers, I don’t feel one coming on just yet. I’ll let you know if that changes.”

He patted her hand and they followed Rochelle into the house that was now overflowing with shapeshifters and their families.

Originally, packs were organized by families, but now that people moved around for work and school, it was organized by region. Rarely would a werelion or a werewolf be part of the same pack, but here in the US and the larger foreign cities it was becoming more the norm.

She bent down to pat the head of a little werelion cub in his beast form. He tugged her shoelaces loose and ran off to hide under the coffee table with a huge grin on his feline face. A short brown-haired woman pulled him out from under the table and scooped him into her arms.

“I apologize for my son, Steven.” She ruffled his fur and kissed his head. “His father thinks it’s funny to undo all the hard work I put into teaching him manners.” The cub hopped out of her arms and landed with barely a sound before sauntering off with his tail in the air.

“Hi, I’m Lacy Jones,” she said as she extended her freed hand.

“Kenna.” The woman was submissive and Kenna wanted to put her at ease. “Don’t worry about it. I love kids.”

The woman gave her an appreciative smile and started introducing her to various pack members. John, Lacy’s husband, was Ben’s Beta, Lacy was Pack Omega and the bottom in rank. Timothy Berger was Ben’s brother. He came with his wife and eight-year-old daughter. She met several dozen other pack members, which included human and other types of spouses and children. In total, there were at least eighty people crammed into Ben’s house, although his pack ranged in the hundreds. She felt dizzy trying to keep all the names straight and eventually gave up attempting to remember them all.

Several someones brought her plates of food and joked and laughed as if she’d been part of the pack her whole life. The shifters had undoubtedly smelled her anger and distress and some had taken it upon themselves to cheer her up.

“What do you get when a donkey and horse sing Christmas carols together?” Tim asked.

“I don’t know,” she said hesitantly. This was starting to sound much like the sort of jokes Jacob liked to tell.

“Muletide carol!” He exclaimed and slapped his knee as he whooped in laughter. She gave a pity chuckle to spare his feelings and started looking for an escape route.

She found her escape when a woman entered the living room and announced that the Coven was there to cast their protection spell. Lacy introduced Frank's widow to her. Kenna remembered Frank was the cougar who attacked Ben yesterday.

“Hi, I’m Kenna.” She extended her hand for a shake and noted the looks of disdain from the pack.

“Lisa,” she said quietly.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Kenna said awkwardly. She wasn’t used to consoling people yet felt the need to acknowledge the woman’s pain.

“Frank was a good man, he adored Ben and loved him as a son,” she told them with tears welling in her eyes.

“Then why did he ambush him?” A male shifter whose name Kenna had already forgotten came in leading a group of human women that smelled of magic. Those must be the witches.

She turned to the shifter and a deep rumbling growl rose in her chest. She summoned her beast and the man bowed his head and bared his neck in submission, though he knew she couldn’t do anything to hurt him. He belonged to Ben and interference would lead to the kind of fight that didn’t have a happy ending or three.

One of the witches stepped forward and cleared her throat. Her chocolate brown hair hung in waves past her hips, framing her face and setting off her hazel eyes. She looked like a hippy with her peasant blouse and flowing maxi skirt. The navy fanny pack seemed a little out of place though.

“You must be the visitor,” she said and shook Kenna’s hand as well. “I’m Brooke, the Matron of this coven.” One would think the oldest would be matron, but Brooke looked the next to youngest.

“Kenna,” she answered.

“We’re going to perform the protection spell on the property and need all of the pack in the vicinity to be inside the house.”

“Of course. Just a moment please,” Kenna said and went in search for John, the Beta.

“There you are,” she said when she found him in the kitchen trying to coax his son off the refrigerator. He grabbed the boy by the nape of the neck and set him on the floor.

“We need you to round everyone up and get them inside the house for the protection spell.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered and gave a salute. He walked off barking orders at anyone in his path. He was a efficient Beta.

She went back to the living room and found Brooke speaking in hushed tones to her coven.

“Everyone ready?”

“Almost, though I’m curious about the safety of Ben and the others who haven’t made it here yet. How will you include them in your protection spell?”

“Oh, we only ask people to stay inside so they don’t get in our way. Shifters have a habit of taking grievance at the slightest provocation and mucking things up,” she said absently.

Kenna snorted. “No kidding. Do you mind if I tag along? I promise not to muck anything up, I just want to watch.” The witch gave a suspicious look and shrugged.

“Sure, but if you get in my way, I’ll turn you into a cat and give you to my children to play with.” Kenna agreed with a nervous chuckle.

She followed the women outside and stood near the house. They walked in single file around the perimeter of the mansion, leaving one witch behind at different points until Brooke stood at the point to the north. Kenna wasn’t entirely certain, but she thought they were arranged in the pattern of a five pointed star, or pentagram. Most people associated it with the devil, but apparently it belonged to the Pagans long before Christianity came into existence. The three women drew herbs from their satchels and cast them toward the home and chanted.

Light of the moon, Soul of earth

Next they drew out tiny vials of liquid and unstopped them, sprinkling the water toward the house as well.

May all danger pass thee by

They withdrew golf ball sized marble stones and placed them on the ground before them.

The moon protect all herein and Mother Earth bless this home.

Blessed Be.

Kenna had been raised Catholic and felt guilty that she wasn’t more wary of this sort of thing. Peace filled her and the land itself sang to her, promising protection and solace.

She sat in a little corner of the dining room thinking to herself when John and Brooke walked up.

“We’re going to go bless the safe houses as well,” Brooke said. “Will this be all?” Why were they asking her? Then it dawned on her that everyone was treating her like she was in charge. Or maybe she had been treating them as if she were in charge? Hopefully, this didn’t cause issues with Ben.

“Everything sounds fine to me,” she said. “You might want to call Ben to see if he needs anything else.”

They nodded and left her to her thinking.

It took her a while to realize that Darren wasn’t anywhere to be found. She spent fifteen minutes frantically searching the house, terrified that the witch had somehow gotten to him, when she found him in the study. He was sitting in a large leather armchair, spinning it from side to side and staring at the ceiling. She shut the door behind her and sat by his feet. She started picking idly at the threads on the area rug, waiting for him to speak when ready.

“How’s Rochelle?” he finally asked.

“She’s downstairs arguing with Ben’s brother about the new Bond movie.” She stopped picking at the threads so Ben would have some rug left when he got back.

“It’s okay to be scared,” she told him.

“That’s only a small part of it.” He sat up and ran both hands through his hair. “I should be out there hunting that thing down and ripping her throat out.”

“Didn’t you say you already tried that?”

“It’s gotta work eventually.” He stood and paced for a moment before reaching a hand down to help her up.

“You should be out there,” Kenna said forcefully. “Ben shouldn’t keep you out of it, and neither of us should have listened to him.”

“You don’t know what it’s like to have an Alpha. I have no desire to take his place even if I did have the energy to control an entire pack, or a hope of beating him in a fight. You might have a choice to listen, but I don’t.”

“Maybe he’s not thinking this through. You could explain your need to be out there, maybe he’ll listen.”

He looked doubtful and she thought he would argue.

“I won’t have any chance at all of going on the hunt if I don’t talk to him. I’ll just have to try.”

She smiled at him and hugged his shoulders. He awkwardly hugged her arm in return, then pulled away when they heard Ben’s footsteps outside the door.

“Any luck?” Kenna asked when he walked in the door. He shook his head gently.

“Not a single scent. No reports of bodies, nothing that might be suspicious.”

“There’s only three of you out there right now,” she pointed out. “Of course you won’t find anything.”

“I won’t risk my pack.” He bowed his head in frustration. He looked tired.

“Maybe you would have more luck if you took Darren and I along.”

Darren had a hopeful expression, but it left when his Alpha shook his head again.

“He might be her real target for all we know. He’s the last person I would take.”

“That’s not fair,” Darren said, surprising them both. “That thing killed my wife and son. I have more of a right to be out there than you do.”

She expected Ben to lose his temper, but he laid a hand on his wolf’s shoulder and spoke in gentle tones.

“You do have the right to be out there, but it’s my job to keep my people safe.” Darren’s lips tightened into a thin line as he stared at his Alpha’s feet.

“My life, my choice,” he said and lifted his gaze, staring his Alpha in the eye.

“No, I am your Alpha. Your life and choices are mine.”

“Not anymore.”

Kenna’s eyes widened and she prepared to throw herself in front of Darren if Ben made a move.

The Alpha looked stunned and hurt, then his face took on a cold expression.

“It would be a mistake to challenge me, Darren.” His voice was hard and his eyes glowed with the rage of his beast.

“I’m not challenging you, I don’t want your pack. I’m leaving you.” Ben’s stare could bore a hole through steel, but Darren didn’t back down. She recalled Ben’s earlier words that Darren was once a stronger Alpha than he. She hadn’t believed quite believed him then. She believed now.

“We’ve been friends for a long time, Darren. I’m not going to simply let you go.” Ben’s voice was softer this time. She could feel the concern in his tone.

“You’re the only one who gave me something to do, who made me feel like I wasn’t a burden after Sofia and Matthew died. But if you can’t let me be the one to take this thing down, then I have no choice but to make my own way.”

“I just want you to be safe. You’re one of my closest friends,” he told his wolf.

“If Dad leaves then I’m going with him,” Rochelle said from the doorway. The cacophony downstairs had kept their sharp ears from hearing her approach.

“So am I,” Kenna said. Ben glared at the girls. She wondered if he felt betrayed that they wouldn’t take his side.

“I can’t permit unaffiliated wolves to roam through my territory. You won’t have access to my resources,” Ben said angrily. “Furthermore, Council law states a shapeshifter has three days to leave an Alpha’s territory from the time notice is granted. The three of you have until Wednesday at 6 p.m. to vacate the area. If you are captured on my territory I am permitted to kill you or inform the Council Guard and have you arrested.”

He stomped angrily out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

“Crap,” Rochelle said. “I wonder if my professors will let me take my finals tomorrow.”

Darren gave her a one-armed hug and kissed her forehead. “You don’t have to come with me. Your life is here.”

“My life is with you, Dad. I know you think I stick around to try and take care of you, but the truth is I’m the one who needs you. My mouth gets me into enough trouble and you’re the one who always gets me out of it.”

“I need you if I’m going to survive whatever the hell is wrong with me,” Kenna pointed out, and he hesitated.

“Damn it. I’m going to have to beg Ben to let us stay. I wouldn’t forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. There are other doctor’s offices and labs. There wasn’t a whole lot Ben could do about my situation. You’re the one I need if I’m going to get better anyway.” He nodded after a moment.

“Alright, let’s hunt,” he said and turned toward the door. He stopped and smiled when Rochelle walked over to the closet and pulled out a few guns. She took out boxes of ammo too and passed them around. Kenna smiled at the image in her mind of Ben’s face when he discovered his weapons missing.

Though Darren was far less Alpha than either of the girls, it felt natural for him to lead, and they followed him out of the house.

“Do you think she’s here to finish you off, Dad?” Rochelle leaned between the front driver and passenger seats with no regard for safety. Kenna clutched the steering wheel tightly and ground her teeth. She hated it when people didn’t wear their seatbelts. She tried to ignore it and adjusted the air conditioning so it blasted her in the face. Maybe they would follow her back to Norway. Or somewhere not so freaking hot.

“That’s one possibility,” he said thoughtfully. “It still doesn’t make sense. All I did was stop her from killing one of my people, and if she was unable to die, why would she hold a grudge for so long? Why wait until now to get revenge? You would think she had plenty 20 years ago.” He grimaced.

“She could have only recently learned that Rochelle lived, or had she expected you to die of heartbreak? That’s certainly common enough for our kind.”

“If it weren’t for my daughter I would have.”

Rochelle touched his arm and kissed his cheek. His expression softened a bit and touched her cheek fondly. Kenna was glad, anger didn’t look right on him.

“She might not even be here for us at all,” Rochelle argued. “I mean, if she were, you would think she would have done something to us by now.”

“That would be one awfully big coincidence,” Darren countered. Kenna agreed with Darren, the fact she was in the same exact town as Darren and his daughter was too circumstantial to ignore.

“I think we should try your house first, just in case this is about you,” Kenna told them.

“It’s a start, but after that I need to head north for a bit,” he said. He gave her directions and she turned west toward Marsh Station Road.

“I hope you don’t mean by yourself,” Kenna pointed out.

“I need to check on someone, make sure they’re safe.”

“Are you talking about whoever it is you’re spending your weekends with and returning with a big-ass grin on your face?”

“I think you should tell her,” Kenna said.

“You told her about whoever you’re banging and not me?” Rochelle turned a glare on him, her voice thick with hurt.

“I didn’t tell her much, and the less you girls know, the better.”

“You’re not going alone,” Rochelle told him.

“I agree, it’s far too dangerous for us to split up.” She didn’t mind agreeing with Rochelle if it kept Darren safe.

“One thing at a time, girls. We can discuss this after we check the house.” He turned the music on and laid his head back on the seat, a not-so-subtle hint that he didn’t want to discuss this anymore. He was getting bolder by the minute. Her little submissive was growing up! He and Rochelle chuckled and she realized she had spoken that last part out loud. Dammit.

She would have let one of them drive since they knew the area better, but she wanted to drive Ben’s car one last time. He would probably be upset about it, but that was just an added bonus.

The air was hot and dry, and though the air conditioner was on full blast, she suddenly felt like she was suffocating. She began to hyperventilate and Darren looked at her in concern. His lips moved and he touched her cheek, but all she heard was a buzzing sound in her ears.

Her vision went fuzzy and a drop of sweat slid into her eye. She hit the brakes and the car skidded and fishtailed off the side of the road. Luckily, it hit something soft, or they would have gone into the deep blackness on the other side. Her sight was getting hazy, but she guessed it to be a ravine few meters down at least.

She looked over and wondered why Rochelle was sitting in Darren’s lap. There was blood dripping from a wound over her eye and Kenna heard some intermittent swearing. The buzzing died down and Kenna started to shiver. She was sweltering, but she couldn’t stop shaking.

Rochelle and Darren forced their door open and he ran over to her side. The next minute his face was in front of hers, one hand holding her face steady while the other forced open her eyelids.

“I think she’s having one of her fevers.” She heard Darren say.

“Next time someone other than the invalid drives.” Rochelle grumbled as she held a bloodied tissue to her forehead.

“Rochelle, get the blanket, water bottles, and first aid kit from the trunk, please. We’ve got at least three miles to walk tonight.”

Kenna closed her eyes and woke and later found herself wrapped in a thin scratchy horse blanket. Strong arms lifted her and Darren’s clean scent filled her nose. He didn’t bob up and down while he walked like a human would have, but there was just enough motion to soothe her to sleep.

Every once in a while, the voices of her companions, the hoot of an owl, or song of a coyote would pull her from her rest. Sometimes the breeze would bring the invading scents of mesquite and cacti and she would bury her nose in Darren’s shoulder. She missed the smell of pine and snow from the arctic north.

Darren came to an abrupt stop and lifted his nose to the air. He growled low in his chest. She felt him lower her slowly to the ground and she caught the scent of the enemy, and someone else.

“Stay with her,” Darren said, presumably to Rochelle. She sensed his change and looked up to see a cloaked figure standing a hundred yards away to the left, while three more walked toward them from downwind.

She felt so tired, but she started to lift herself from the ground and felt slim hands push her back down.

“Stay still. There’s a fight going on.”

That did nothing to convince her to be still, there was no way she would let Darren take on this witch by himself. Then she looked at the battle and saw that the fight wasn’t between Darren and the witch, but with Ben.

Jacob knelt beside her and felt her temperature. He swore under his breath. She lifted herself into a sitting position and rested against Jacob as he sat beside her. She wanted to stop this fight. She could still smell the enemy and wondered why they weren’t hunting it.

She turned to Rochelle. “Why are they fighting each other? Don’t you smell it? I can see it over there.” She pointed over to the cloaked figure.

“Smell what?”

“Your mother’s killer.” Rochelle sniffed a moment and shook her head.

“I don’t smell anything,” she said, though she looked around them uneasily. “I think you’re hallucinating.”

Kenna looked over and shouted something garbled. Ben had Darren pinned to the ground and his hand rested on his throat. Darren lay still and Ben whispered something in his ear. She couldn’t hear what he said from there, but the next moment Ben stood and helped Darren to his feet. Darren winced when Ben slapped his back.

“He didn’t kill him,” Kenna wondered aloud.

“They had the same idea we did and when they didn’t find anything they left. Ben saw his car when they were heading back and they tracked us here. Dad and Ben are old friends, this was their way of fixing things.” She knew that, but it was difficult to think through the fog in her mind. She felt a little better after her nap, but the fever would get worse before it got better.

Ben couldn’t go back on his word, but he could punish Darren for stealing his property and defying him, which would put him back in Ben’s control until the terms were fully met.

“Darren McGregor, you and your cohorts are hereby ordered to remain in my custody for as long as I deem necessary. You will also assist in the current investigation and are permitted to enact whatever justice against the one responsible for the deaths of your family and will have access to whatever resources are required to fulfill your duties, but you must report to me and will not track or face this enemy without my presence. Do you agree to these terms?”

“I agree,” Darren affirmed.

“Then I hope you can accept my apology. I was only trying to protect you.”

“It’s your nature, but you have to trust me. I’m not as broken as everyone thinks I am.”

“You’re stronger than anyone has given you credit for. If you trust me, I’ll make more of an effort to listen.”

Kenna smiled at her friends’ reunion. She wanted to speak, but felt so tired. She was shaking now, but her fever hadn’t broken. She vaguely wondered why that was, then her body flung itself back roughly against the hard ground. Her head smacked against a rock and she seized, her muscles shook and tightened in on themselves painfully. It went on forever and she prayed she would lose consciousness soon.

Finally, her body calmed itself, though she trembled weakly. Darren was pointing a light from Ben’s keychain in her eye and speaking quickly to those around him. The last thing she heard was Ben ordering them to get her back to his place, and she blacked out.

She stared at the darkened sky above and sat up in panic, unable to catch her breath.

“No, no no no…” she whispered frantically. “I have to get back.” She scrambled to her feet, flinging white sand all about. White glowing mountains peaked opposite the fiery expanse. Who knew Hell would look so exquisite? She ran away from the fire towards the mountains and stopped, unsure of where she was going.

“I just want to go home,” she said aloud. She hugged herself tight and looked at the sky above. There were no stars, nothing but the mountains to guide her. She was lost, or dead. People needed her and she didn’t know how to get back to them. She sobbed and gasped desperately for air and fell to the ground. She clutched the sand in her long fingers and tried to ignore her pain. Her lungs felt like they were on fire and she thought she was dying. This place seemed like a dream every time she woke, but while she was there it felt all too real. She closed her eyes and searched for home, for herself and her family.

“Please, God. Help me get home,” she prayed fervently.