Shadows Of A Wolf Moon(84)

Lucien slumped and blood spurted from his chest wounds. Barrett eased him on the ground.

He looked over at Jaxon. “Go cut Mitchell down and check on him. And then go tell Zane we need transportation out of the city. Something that will carry us and our bikes.”

Damon and Jayden killed the two guards and shifted back into human form. Covered in their enemies’ blood, they stood over Lucien with worried expressions.

“We need to get out of here as soon as possible.”

Barrett looked back at his Guardian and silently cursed. “Lucien, you hold on. You hear me.” He looked up at Catty. He knew then she meant something to him. “Tell him, Catty. Tell him he better not fucking die.”

She buried her face against Lucien’s, and whispered to him.

He looked around and grabbed some dirty sheets laying on the floor. He quickly made a bandage. Before he placed them over Lucien’s gaping chest, Barrett stopped. He looked around on the floor and found the knife. Picking it up, he slashed his hand and made a fist.

“What are you doing?” Catty whispered.

“He’ll thank me for this later.” He squeezed his hand over his wound. Blood dripped from his hand into Lucien’s wound. He reached for the makeshift bandage and tied it around Lucien’s chest.

“I can’t get any transportation out of New Orleans. It’s going to be hours before someone gets here.” Zane ran in yelling.

Zane stopped and glanced around the bloody carnage. He looked at Barrett and then at Lucien lying on the floor. Catty lifted her head and met his eyes.

“Katy?” Zane’s voice cracked. “Oh my god, are you okay?” He knelt beside her and pulled her into his chest. “Did you get hurt? What are you doing here?”

“I’m fine, Zane.” She wiped her tears and looked back at Lucien. “Lucien’s not.”

Zane frowned and looked at the Guardian.

“Will he make it?” Zane looked at Barrett.

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” Lucien managed to say.

Everyone in the room came over and knelt beside him.

“It’s just a fucking scratch,” he murmured.

Catty buried her face in the crook of his neck and sobbed.

“It’s more than a scratch, dude.” Jaxon’s tone was low and serious.

“I’ll be all right.” He gave a weak smile.

“So how the fuck are we going to get out of here?” Jayden asked.

“We’re going to walk out of here.”

Everyone turned toward the unfamiliar voice on the other end of the room. Barrett jumped up, ready to shift. His Guardians flanked him, making a protective wall between the danger and Lucien.

“Easy. I don’t want a fight. Least of all with the Arkansas Pack Master.” The figure stepped forward into the light. He was covered in signature head-to-toe black leather and he held his hands up.

“Lorcan.” Barrett cocked his head. “What the fuck do you want? Come to gloat over your brother’s body?”

“Brother?” Jayden looked from Lucien to Lorcan. “Holy shit, Lorcan is Lucien’s brother? Did you guys know this?” He looked around the room and the other Guardians shook their heads.

“Don’t everyone sound so pleased,” Lorcan said. He frowned when his gaze landed on Lucien. “Why the hell is Lucien here? I told him not to come back to Louisiana. It was too dangerous.”

“Well, he didn’t listen. Lucien was on a mission to find my Guardians.” Barrett nodded over his shoulder. “We’ve gotten Mitchell, but Heimy is still missing.”

Lorcan’s eyes darkened. “Not missing. Dead. If I know Boudier, he probably fed his body to the alligators in the swamp.”

“You fucker,” Zane lunged but Barrett caught the werewolf before he could make contact with him.

“What are you doing here, Lorcan? Are the Louisiana Assassins now hunting Guardians? Is that what your Pack Master has assigned you to do?” Rage boiled in Barrett’s veins until he was consumed with hatred.

“You won’t believe me if I told you.” Lorcan looked away and then back at Barrett. “Right now you’ve got to get out of here.” Lorcan pulled out his phone and punched in a text. A few seconds later it dinged with a message.

“Fuck.” He slammed his hand into the wall of the tunnel. Concrete fell to the floor from the hole he left. “I thought I had an ambulance that could carry your men out of here. But it’s stuck in traffic five blocks away.”

“Why are you doing this? Why are you helping?” Barrett didn’t trust Assassins.

“Because I don’t like the ruler of our state. Because tyrants like him will always find a way to make others suffer. I believe in judgement and justice, that’s why I became an Assassin. Boudier is neither of those things. He rules his state with fear. I want out.”