* * * *
Mari couldn’t shake the niggling feeling at the back of her mind that said something was close to happening. She’d always trusted her instincts in everything, that’s why she’d lived so long with barely any issues. Glancing down, a soft smile lined her lips as she watched Rhys sleep. She knew they weren’t due back at the ops tent until later on this afternoon, but she couldn’t shake that she needed to be up there now. Silently sliding out from under the covers, Mari tossed her leather pants and t-shirt on before quietly grabbing her armor and weapons and scooting out the door without a twitch from her mate.
Buckling her chest armor as she headed for the front door, she hadn’t seen him until he spoke.
“Where are you headed before the sun’s even broke through?” Hoag asked.
Mari glanced over as he stepped out of the shadows. “To check on the front lines. My gut is uneasy.”
“Where’s Lord Rhys?”
“Asleep.”
“Don’t you think you should tell him before taking off?”
“He needs his rest,” Mari narrowed her eyes. “Why do you hate me so much?”
“I don’t hate you; I just don’t trust you, my lady.”
Mari smiled. “Well in that case, piss off then and stay on alert. Something’s coming, I can feel it.”
“Then shouldn’t we sound the alarm?”
“No, nothing’s made itself known yet. I’m not calling out the security forces until I know when and where the threat is.” Slapping her belly armor, she met his gaze. “Just keep those vamp senses tuned in and alert.” Stepping toward the door she stopped, turning to meet his gaze. “Hoag, stay by Rhys, don’t let him out of your sight. Will you do that for me?” she asked softly.
“Of course, my lady,” he answered, bowing from his waist.
Mari nodded before opening the door and took off at a run toward the ocean and the ops tent. Frowning, she wondered where in the hell Triton was. She’d called him three damn days ago and still no sign of the Sea God or his people. “I do not like this,” she muttered as she stepped up to the commander in charge of this wave’s fighters. “What’s happening?”
“Lady Mari.” Galen Moilanin of the Lyken Roven clan smiled as he turned her way. “I didn’t think you were due back until this afternoon.”
“Yeah, my gut’s twisting,” she said noticing the smile slide off his face.
“I’m not the only one then. They’ve been pulling back their forces slightly all night, but steadily. There are barely any attackers out there by sea or air. I don’t like it. It’s like the calm before the hurricane.”
Mari nodded as she walked toward the ocean’s edge. “Yeah I know what you mean.”
* * * *
Mari paced for about an hour before she sat down, grimacing as she held her stomach.
“Lady, are you alright?” Galen asked as he knelt down by her side.
“No,” she groaned, doubling over. “Call to arms, Galen.” Stumbling she made her way out of the ops tent to see hundreds of Other Kin flying in from the sea, and the sea’s surface turbulent with Other Kin coming in from below.
“Holy shit!” Galen exclaimed.
Mari listened to Galen place the call to arms over their portable radio before spreading her wings.
“It could be a trap, don’t go. Wait for back up!” Galen called as she took to air.
Mari ignored him as she charged into battle. The Alston line of defense was badly outnumbered by this new tactic and she wasn’t leaving them to fight this alone. Shifting partially, she called back her line and took a huge breath. She let it out, igniting it into a fireball the size of a bus. The screams of the Other Kin attackers died as she did it again, moving her head across the entire front line of their defense. The ones behind them stopped. Smoke streamed from her nostrils. “I am not playing with you mother fucker’s anymore! You want to attack then you will die!” Roaring, she lifted her hands, bringing any Other Kin attackers up from the sea, smashing them against the cliff rocks. She knew at that moment her roar had woken Rhys and he was on his way.
Turning when tingles flew down from her head to her spine, her eyes widened as goose bumps appeared all over her body. Her body thumped as if a large heartbeat had taken place. Mari motioned to the Alston fighters to stay at the line of defense, and flew quickly to the ops tent to see Rhys and Drake Roven standing there. “The darkness is here! Call all fighters out! He’s broken the protection shield on the other side of town, he’s going after Livi!” Mari yelled as she flew by them. Her wings pushed down, surging her forward at exceptional speeds, and casted an invisibility cloak around her. Mind-linking with Livi, she warned her to get to safety now, but Livi was screaming; her words and thoughts jumbled from her fright.