Darian turned to Oron and Amelia. "Let's keep recent developments to ourselves for a while," he said, looking down at his ring. Amelia and Oron nodded.
"Aiden! Darian's back!" Keelan yelled before running over.
Amelia watched as Darian pulled the young witch into a brotherly hug. "Thank you. Thank you for everything you did to save me, even when I didn't want to save myself." He released Keelan and ruffled his hair.
Blushing furiously, Keelan ducked away from Darian's hand. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course, I'd try and save you. You're the only one who takes my side."
Darian grinned. "I'm back."
Keelan smiled wide. "Good!"
Aiden, Colton, and Gavriel clapped Darian on the back. Aiden exhaled, looking relieved. "I'm glad you're okay."
He turned to Amelia. "So how was your first trip to the fae city?"
"I got to meet the Queen."
"Don't tell Meryn; she'll mope for days." Aiden rolled his eyes.
"Where is she?" Amelia looked toward the house.
"She and Beth are upstairs in the nursery trying to decide where to put a Tardis, whatever that is." Aiden shrugged.
Amelia laughed. She couldn't wait to see the nursery. Immediately following that thought was the realization that this was truly home now. Grinning, she turned to Darian. "Guess I can officially move in now, huh?" she teased.
"You better." He pulled her close and kissed her passionately.
The men around them began to cheer and whistle.
Everyone quieted and looked around when a phone began ringing. When all eyes turned to Keelan, his eyes widened. "Crap! That's your phone, Aiden!" He pulled it out and handed it to Aiden.
"Aiden here. ... Say again? ... On our way." Aiden hung up and cupped his mouth with both hands. "All units report!"
Amelia stood close to Darian as the men began to crowd around. Aiden held out his phone after placing it on speaker. He looked up. "Ferals are attacking the city," he said shortly.
"Hello?" Sascha yelled.
"What's your status?" Aiden shouted into the phone.
"It's a clusterfuck out here, sir! We're getting hit from every direction. Requesting backup, ASAP!" Gunshots and screams nearly drowned out Sascha's voice.
"We're on our way!" Aiden hung up the phone, and he had just turned to face them when a huge explosion rocked the group. Amelia would have fallen if Darian hadn't had his arm wrapped around her.
Coughing and waving the dust away from their faces, the men ran to the back of the house. A huge fire was climbing up the side of a small building.
"Meryn!" Aiden roared.
"Wasn't me!" Meryn replied. Everyone turned and looked up; Meryn and Beth were staring wide-eyed out an open window.
"Gods, they were trying to take out the armory." Colton said.
"Those four foot thick walls looking worth the effort now?" Aiden asked. The men scrambled for water hoses and fire extinguishers.
Aiden roared loudly getting everyone's attention. "Epsilon, Delta, head to the city to back up Gamma. Their backs are against the wall, and there are a ton of civilians in the crossfire. Gavriel, check in with Zeta; they were on perimeter patrol. Colton, get my father on the phone. We need every man he can muster in the city, and I'd like him to come here to guard the estate. Everyone else, let's get this fire out!"
Amelia turned to Darian. "I bet Ryuu has a fire extinguisher in the kitchen."
He nodded and worked with Oron, unraveling the hose. She leaned up and kissed him quickly. "Be right back."
She ran up the back steps and through the door, looked around the kitchen, and decided to check under the sink first. As she knelt down, the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up. As she turned, stars exploded behind her eyes, then nothing.
*****
"Sir, Kade has checked; the fire's out." Lorcan, the unit leader for Beta, reported.
Darian stood back and wiped his forehead. It had taken nearly half an hour to put the blaze completely out. Aiden wasn't satisfied until the fire witch confirmed it was out.
"Good work," Aiden said, his face just as smudged as everyone else's.
"Looks like you're having fun without me," a deep voice said. Darian turned around and smiled. Byron and his old unit members were walking around the side of the house.
"Father, thank all the Gods! What do you know?" Aiden wiped his hands on his pants before pulling his father into a hug.
Byron clapped his son on the back and let go. "Gamma, Epsilon and Delta are doing the best they can in the city. The ferals are coming in waves, which means they aren't being overwhelmed yet, but they have been fighting non-stop." Byron nodded to his old friends John Younger and Abraham Carter. "They came from the city. Most streets have been blocked off, but there are still a lot of people trapped in buildings."