The big man was suddenly just there, whistling, his hand over Eli. There was so much blood. Angie grabbed me by the thigh rig and pointed. “There, Ant Jane!”
She pointed to the tall brick fence as a big honking drone moved slowly, unerringly, toward HQ.
My team opened fire.
The drone didn’t go down. It was wrapped in an orange magic ward. A freaking portable, flying defensive ward. In midair. Even the Everharts hadn’t created that kind of ward.
The sound of small arms fire was intense. Deafening. The drone paused and then headed straight for us.
I glanced at the SUV. Big Evan was lifting Eli. The sorcerer’s lips were pursed, probably whistling his healing magic. Molly and Cia were there too, Moll’s hands covering the blood-soaked bandage, her earth magics like a golden glow, her fingers stained with Eli’s blood. The Everharts headed inside with Eli, his leg unmoving, supported. I looked back at the drone.
There was no one to help with the drone wrapped in magical energies. How much of a load was it carrying? Enough to take out HQ entirely? I aimed the Benelli and took a shot. Nothing.
The steel doors clanked as they closed.
“I’m sorry, Mama!” Angie yelled.
I got my head around fast enough to see her barrel through the narrow crack of the steel doors. Outside.
I caught a glance of Molly’s mouth open in panic.
Big Evan’s hand shoved into the cracked opening.
My godchild wrapped her arms round my waist andpulledmy magic to her. A silver-and-blue glow of raw power shot throughout with purple, red, and black motes surrounded us. Visceral, primitive, undirected power.
“Angie,no!” I screamed.
In a single instant, her clothes caught fire.
Her skin caught fire.
Her magic shot around and through me.
My armor flamed. My skin blistered where she touched me.
My own power joined the working, silver and black and red.
Angie swirled the power into a ball just like the witches in the beige van had. She threw it. Straight at the attacking drone. Screaming,“Squash!”
“Down!” I grabbed her. Dropped. Covered her magic-burning body with mine.
The drone explosion was massive. I lost time for a bit, coming to when the pain hit. The concussive wave had... busted something inside me. My body was on fire. So was Angie, the flames of her raw magic glowing between us. My armor was smoking.
I shifted. Fully to Beast. Faster than I ever had. My armor was in flames and pieces.
Beast is best hunter. Beast is best mother of kits.
***
Beast crawled out of the gear and ruined clothing. Burning. Angie’s magic was still scorching, smoking. Pelt was on fire. Flames crawled up snout, across fangs. Beast picked up Angie by her clothes, fangs tangling in them. Big Evan was shoving against the doors with all his might.
Beast raced, dragging Angie, slinking through the opening crack in the steel doors.
Dropped Angie at Molly’s feet. Molly snuffed fire. Took her daughter and followed Eli’s blood trail up the stairs into the security room. Pain eased as fire died, but...
Beast was hurt. Was burned by raw magic. Burned bad. Paw pads were agony to walk on. Each foot left watery bloody fluid in the paw prints behind us. Beast nearly fell, caught self against wall. Followed Molly and kit to security room.
In middle of big table Eli was sprawled. Bloody. Skin ashen, gray, blue, Dead?
