“He’s right.”Orlando cut in.“Someone should stay with them, and you, me, and Tex are well-trained.We can probably take on whatever we’ll find at this address on our own, and if we can’t, Seymour can shimmer back here.”
Tex looked between Ridge and Nymon, clearly torn.Nymon could feel how hesitant his mate was, just like he could feel when Tex made his decision.
“Okay.Ridge stays.”Tex turned back to Nymon, his hands coming up to touch his face.“But if anything feels wrong, you drop everything and run.Don’t try to be a hero.”
“I could say the same to you.”Nymon managed a small smile even though he didn’t think he’d ever been so scared.“Don’t do anything stupid.”
“I’ll do my best.”Tex kissed him again, affection flaring through their bond.“I’ll come back to you.I promise.”
“You better.”Nymon’s voice came out rougher than he intended.
Seymour was already at the kitchen window, carefully pulling back the vines just enough to see out.“Three in the back garden.Two moving toward the side of the house.”He glanced back at Tex.“We’ll need to be fast.Take them down before they can alert the others.”
“Non-lethal if possible,” Tex said, though his tone suggested he wasn’t optimistic.Nymon didn’t want to think about that.
“We’ll do what we have to do,” Orlando said.His expression was grim.
Nymon took a deep breath and reached out with his magic again, feeling the vines across the back door.“I can pull back the plants.”
Seymour nodded.“All right.I’ll shimmer out.Orlando and Tex will exit through the door.”
Ridge had moved closer to Kael, positioning himself between Nymon’s best friend and the door.At least by volunteering to stay, he could do both.
“Nymon?”Tex asked.
“Ready.”The magic thrummed through Nymon, and the plants were eager.Through the bond, he felt Tex’s wolf preparing for the fight.
“Be safe,” Nymon whispered, knowing Tex would hear him.
“Always.”
“Now,” Seymour breathed.
Nymon pulled the plants back from the front door in a rush.The vines retracted so quickly they seemed to vanish, leaving nothing but a few leaves slowly falling on the floor.Tex and Orlando were through quickly, disappearing between the trees.
Shouts erupted, then the sounds of a fight.
There was nothing to do but wait.
Nymon pushed his magic through every plant in and around his cottage and covered the door again.He could hear the fight outside.Kael stood by the window, his face white.Ridge had moved even closer to him, one hand hovering near his elbow without quite touching him.
“They’ll be okay,” Ridge said quietly.“They’re good at this.”
“People are getting hurt.”Kael’s voice shook.“People from our community.”
“People who were probably about to hurt Nymon,” Ridge said gently.
A heavy impact against the front door made all three of them jump.Nymon reinforced the vines, adding another layer of thorns.Someone cursed outside, then retreated.
“How long can you hold this?”Ridge asked.
“Long enough.”Nymon hoped it was true.His magic was strong, but maintaining this kind of control was exhausting.
“What if they try to burn us out?”Kael asked.
Nymon met his best friend’s eyes.“Then we run.But I don’t think they will.People would notice, and that’s the last thing the people involved in this want.”
Through the bond, Tex’s presence felt distant.Nymon clung to their connection, even though it was so new.
