Page 65 of Blood Pearl
Why start trouble again, now? What scheme could they be cooking up this time? Arric must know that I wouldn’t stand for hostages again. I would go to war before I saw any other pack members held by him.
Arriving at the border, we see rogues darting here and there. Ensuring no rogues have crossed into our territory is our first order of business. Next is getting an accurate count so we can determine what we’re up against.
Gerry and Xavier head in opposite directions and I stay central to mobilize the warriors where they’re needed the most. Crispin notices that groups of rogues are drifting to our position. Before I can let Gerry know, Xavier appears from behind me and throws me across his shoulder. Running to the biggest tree in the immediate vicinity, he drops me on my feet and tells me to climb.
“Get as high as you can and stay near the trunk. Don’t come down unless Gerry or I come for you. Crispin, go with your Alpha. Protect her with your life. Anyone that gets into that tree, kill them.”
“Xavier, have you lost your mind? I’m not climbing a tree when I’m needed on the front line.” Glaring at him, I make to go past when he literally drags me to the trunk and snarls, “Get up the damn tree or you’ll die here. I don’t have time for this. MOVE!”
Gerry appears beside me and, seeing the look on mine and Xavier’s faces, asks what’s going on.
“If you want your mate to see the sunset, you’ll tell her to get her ass in that tree, pronto. This is a trap to kill Aurora.”
“Crispin, in the tree.” Turning to me, Gerry spins me around, grabs my waist and throws me in the air toward the lower branches. Crispin grabs me and hauls me onto a branch.
“Please, Alpha. Do as they say. Climb!” Crispin has such a fearful look, I just climb.
“I’ve never known you to be afraid of anything, Crispin. Why now?” I call over my shoulder as I climb.
“I don’t want your death on my watch, but worse than that, I don’t want to have to answer to Gerry and Xavier, if something happens to you.”
Hearing shouting below, I see Xavier, Gerry and the warriors surrounding the base of the trunk in waves. Facing my forty warriors, there seems about one hundred rogues. Safe at the back of them is Arric.
“Give me Aurora and there need be no bloodshed. Refuse and you’ll all die with her.” Arric stands there looking smug, as though this was already decided.
Xavier steps forward, almost to the first line of rogue warriors. Pointing through the rogues at Arric, they move aside and leave a clear path.
“Arric. You are nothing but a bully that has had his own way far too long. I have decided that it will be my kind’s mission to end your brutish behavior and when it is time for you to die, it will be by my hand or one like me.”
“And who or what might you be?” Arric sneers at Xavier.
“You may call me Shadow Warrior Xavier.”
“Shadow Warriors are a myth. An old wives' tale to frighten children and old men.”
Xavier moves to his left as Arric speaks. When he finishes his sentence, Xavier is back where he was, this time with a grin.
“That’s a nice knife you have on your belt at your right hip. Or should I say it was!”
Arric reaches for his knife, only to find an empty sheath.
“A Shadow Warrior can move with a stealth and speed you cannot begin to comprehend, Arric. Is this what you seek?”
Holding Arric’s knife by the tip of its blade, he shows it to the assembled rogues. With a quick flick of his wrist, the blade thuds into the earth between Arric’s feet.
“Take your rogue sheep and begone. I tire of your boring company.” Xavier turns to walk away when Arric shouts, “KILL HIM!”
The battle begins in earnest with Xavier separated from our warriors. As some rush to his aid, four dark shadows reach him first. As one, the four plus Xavier begin to lay waste to the rogues nearest them.
The rogues fall so fast that the pack warriors are left to pick up the stragglers from behind. When half the rogues lay dead, the rest take to their heels and run. The first to run is Arric.
When Xavier returns to the base of the tree, his four companions are revealed as more Shadow Warriors. These, however, have their faces masked.
Climbing down from the tree, I thank Xavier and his comrades for their bravery and skill. The four nod to me, nod at Xavier and leave.
“They have been here for a few days now. Supplementing the border patrols, you could say.”
Crispin looks at me, then Xavier. “We have not been aware of their presence. No one has sensed them. Not by scent or track.”