Despite his size and ferocity, she did not falter. Then she shifted, and it was Jessie standing there. “Ease out of it now,” she said in a coaxing voice. Her magic wafted peace and serenity across the onlookers. “Ease out of it. It’s over. Find your way back to me.”
The Kodiak lay on the ground. His panting was incredibly shallow, and it looked for all the world like he was dying. His shifters redoubled their efforts to get to him.
“No!” She half turned and shoved back at them. “Don’t touch him. He cannot be moved. He is on the brink. I’m stitching him back together and keeping him still. Leave him be so I can handle?—“
Austin roared again, angry and lost to his animal.
“Broken Sue, explain to them,” Jessie commanded, and he started around the magical dome to the other side of the circle. “Tristan, monitor everyone else. Keep everyone calm. The power and aggression in this circle is preventing Austin from releasing his beast.”
Tristan headed off to the other shifters in the resident pack.
“Come back to me,” Jessie cooed, stepping closer to Austin. “Ease out of it.”
The great bear spread out his paws, like he was about to lunge forward and wrap her in a bear hug, before huffing and dropping down to all fours. His nose was nearly level with her face, larger than his natural counterpart. He opened his mouth, revealing crimson teeth.
“Stop that.” She laid her hand atop his nose. “Relax. It’s over. I’m tired and stressed. Shift back.”
He closed his mouth, huffed at her again, his breath lifting her hair, and then shook his whole body. Drops of blood flew everywhere.
She stepped back, and so did he. Light and heat blazed, and the polar bear was replaced by a man. Blood oozed down his right side and across his chest. His neck dribbled red, and he had a huge gash in his leg. Even still, he stepped forward in a rush and wrapped her in his arms. His mouth came down onto hers, giving her a hard, deep, victorious kiss.
“That is so hot,” Nessa murmured from behind him.
“Gross,” Sebastian said, looking away. “He’s all bloody.”
The tab popped on another can of beer. “Yeah, I’d be fine with that. Where is that gorilla?”
“This is just about to go pear-shaped,” Niamh said, and a moment later, the basajaunak burst through the trees, roaring.
5
Jessie
I yanked awayfrom my mate in surprise. I was out of breath from that kiss, and my gargoyle was urging me to drag Austin into the trees to celebrate his victory with our bodies.
A dozen basajaunak ran toward the resident shifters, their hackles raised and their teeth bared. They were going for blood.
The shifters exploded into their animals without hesitation. Their readiness spoke well of them, but it was not conducive to calming things down.
“No, no, no!” I pulled back from Austin’s body and pivoted, throwing out my hands. “No, no! Don’t attack!”
Broken Sue and Tristan exploded into their animals. Thankfully, they were with the resident shifters. I threw up a wall as I ran, and Sebastian caught up to me and helped.
Tristan slammed into Dave, who tried to wrestle the gargoyle-monster out of the way. Phil batted at Broken Sue’s gorilla, but his arm was grabbed, and he was spun around. I ran into the fray. My wall shoved back as two basajaunak ran into it and tried to break through.
I hit them with a stinging spell. “Knock it off, it’s done!” I bellowed, my voice amplified. “Standdown!”
Ulric and Jasper dropped down in front ofHer, whose name she had yet to make up on the sly, and somersaulted in the air.Herknocked them away, making a beeline for the resident beta, somehow knowing that shifter had the most power of those still standing.
“Good God,” I ground out, pointing at Drex. “Someone make sure he isn’t moved or bothered.”
I hit another basajaun with a spell, then another, and planted myself in front of the resident shifters.
“Would youstop?” I yelled, blasting another basajaun and sending him flying backwards.
Slowly—much too slowly—the scene calmed down. Tristan flew just out of reach of Dave with his hands in the air, claws glistening. Broken Sue had his thick gorilla arms wrapped around Phil’s middle to keep him from joining the fray, and Ulric and Jasper picked themselves out of the dirt.
I put my hands out to the sides, exasperated. “What in the hell is going on, guys?”
