“To me.” Gigi mentally commanded Canary, watching him bound off his glittering dais and head towards her, even as Gigi turned her attention to pulling apart and smashing together the elements making up the cloud of knock out gas drifting in their direction. It was too large an area, watching in dismay as several relatives the furthest away from her sank to the grass. Crap, she wrestled with the elements, working faster, very relieved when one of her wind mage relatives worked out what was going on and released a blustery gale.
Phew. Gigi cut her magic off. Acknowledging Canary who was now hopping back and forth a few feet away on the other side of the invisible shield. Acting as sentry.
“Incoming.” Drum must have sensed them.
Ten creatures dropped out of thin air, landing with ground shaking thuds. They were massive, probably falling on the ogre and cyclops family trees somewhere. But these things were hairless, all but naked except for wearing matching grey gym shorts, their heads looking tiny on their massive muscular bodies. More worrisome, their legs and arms were abnormally long. Their fists and feet big massive blocks. And clearly they enjoyed hitting things, as they swung their arms about menacingly. Gleefully stomping on things, as one leapt high in the air, attempting to land on Elijah. Who with five quick sword swipes managed to amputate its left leg almost to the knee. It roared with pain, landing awkwardly but still a threat, swinging its overlong arms about.
Even as Maat’s Warriors and Hadleigh raced forward to engage the gate crashers, Drum and Nico moved to stand in front of Nell. Drum holding a large curved scimitar that glittered with golden lights. Nico likewise had a sword, one he’d hidden behind Nell’s big comfy chair earlier in the day. Devon, rocking a recent Parisian runway summery dark green dress, had no weapons, but her long raven locks were currently on high alert.Several of them swivelling back and forth, looking for any approaching danger. Devon’s Makura needle sharp nails out and ready also.
Gigi felt the odd person out. Gaze travelling over the chaos. Tables and chairs had been knocked aside. Plates of food trampled underfoot, or pounded into the ground by their stomping interlopers. The increasingly pock marked garden making things doubly treacherous. Something catching her attention, drawing her gaze to the sky.
“Neith.” Or Belinda, or whatever name the demi-goddess was using these days was coming in for a landing. Her white blonde hair plaited tightly to her skull, the female wearing a skin tight blue jumpsuit with white ankle boots. Her companions, one of either side of her, both dark of skin and dressed in camo black, guns and knives strapped to their belts, were the ones performing the taxi service. As each man had a set of enormous black wings that disappeared the moment they landed.
“Scarabs.” Drum rumbled the word out, his tone tinged with distaste. “Murderers for hire. Their skin is like the carapace of beetles. Not much penetrates it.”
Well, fuck. Nico watched as eight more Scarabs landed. The group forming a protective circle around Neith. “How do we kill them?”
“Snapping their necks is pretty effective. Explosives. Drowning.”
Nico glared at Drum before shifting his attention to watch Neith and her Scarabs make their way through the chaos caused by her long legged first wave distraction. Who unfortunately it appeared had the ability to regrow those worrisomely long limbs of theirs way too speedily.
“Oh, that bitch needs her ass stomped on until she’s nothing but a bloody smear on the ground.” Nell hissed, trying to lean to the side and peer around her very wide meld mate. “Everyonestand back, I’m going to, crap, will someone please, ow, help me up?”
“Ow?” Drum picked up the one word Nell was praying he’d ignore. “What do you mean, ow?” Turning, staring at Nell with a searching look..
Devon swinging around, doing the same. One of her long curls tapping her on the shoulder hard in emphasis. “Yes. Yes. She’s in labour. I get it. The whole world gets it. Keep those legs crossed, Pollyanna, now is not the time.”
“You’re in labour? The baby’s coming?” Drum looked equal parts horrified and excited. A green cast descending over his normally café lait complexion, sweat breaking out across his brow. The head of his snake tattoo moving across his skin, eyes ink black like Drum’s, staring intently at Nell.
A dark curl of Devon’s snapped out, flicking Drum hard on the back of his closely shaved head. “Keep it together. Babies come every day.”
“Not my baby.” Drum rumbled. “And not whilst we’re under attack.”
“Speaking of which.” Nico interrupted, a dark scowl on his face as he stared at Neith and her approaching squadron of Scarabs.
“You two.” Neith pointed at two Scarabs on her left. “Find the one creating this barrier and kill them. Bring it down. Then we kill everyone, slit the breeder from neck to knees and take the baby.”
Everyone inside the shield took umbrage at Neith’s instructions, even Sunny, who pulsed a glow so bright that everyone looking that way winced.
Nell bit back a small moan. When Sunny used her powers, sometimes she inadvertently tapped into Nell. It was draining. And the one thing she couldn’t afford to be right now was weak. “Shssss. Daddy’s got this.” Glancing up at her meld mate, flinching as another contraction seized her. They werecoming closer than three minutes apart now. Damn. “Kill them.” Nell wasn’t normally bloodthirsty. But right now her blue eyes shimmered with blood lust. “Kill them all.”
Drum’s colour returned, his expression remote and hard. Anyone witnessing that look would have thought the grim reaper had come calling. And when necessary, Drum was happy to don that mantle. Turning, glaring at Neith and the Scarabs through the barrier. Aware of the chaos further afield but knowing where the immediate threat was. Lifting his hand he tapped a button on his collar. “Bring the shield down for a two beat in three, two, one.” Drum stepped off the shed porch, Nico at his side.
Canary, hopping over to sit at Nico’s feet on his left. Three against way too many some would have said. Drum just grinned grimly, his face lighting up in anticipation.
“Hey.” Devon glared at Nell, who had captured one of her floating curls. Keeping her locked in place. “What do you think you’re doing? I’m supposed to be on the other side of that barrier.”
“No. You’re designated catcher. The baby’s coming.”
Devon scowled down at Nell, whilst several of her curls followed the action taking place on the other side of the barrier, a couple of others reaching out to pat Nell on the arm soothingly. Devon glancing at them, her expression darkening. “Squeeze those knees together tighter. This is neither the time, nor the place.” A body slammed against the barrier, one of the Scarabs. Hitting it so hard their carapace cracked, though they still managed to get to their feet and rejoin the battle.
Drum was beyond angry out there. But he was also distracted. Nell noted he kept glancing back to check on her, even though she was safe behind the barrier with Devon and Gigi for company. Determinedly forcing a smile as another contraction hit. She must have been convincing as Drum turned and engaged three Scarabs at once, their swords clashing loudly.
Gigi frowned, watching Drum and Nico fight for their lives. Instructing Canary to hug the barrier, not wanting him stepped on. Mentally reviewing what Canary was packing in his arsenal, forced to discount a lot of options, Drum and Nico were moving too fast and erratically, they’d definitely be hit by friendly fire if Canary loosed anything in liquid or gas form. Damn, which left solid projectiles, but even then, Canary was stuck on the ground and all those legs were moving too fast. “Nico. Pick up Canary.” She moved to stand closer to the barrier.
Nico swung his sword, lashing out with a fist, before he chanced a glance back, his look clearly stating without words he thought Gigi was crazy.
“Pick up the rabbit, trust me.” Instructing Canary with a thought to hop cautiously over Nico’s way. Come on. He wasn’t going to be a stubborn ass, was he? Watching as Nico tousled with two Scarabs at once, parrying so fast his sword was a blur. Then he abruptly kicked out. Catching one of his opponents hard on the thigh, sending him stumbling, forcing the second Scarab to rear back, whilst Nico leaned over, scooping Canary up. Sword raised in time to block the next combined attacked.
