“Someone took my baby.” Even to herself her own voice sounded so far away.
“Poor dear.” The nearly transparent figure clucked her tongue.
“Who is she talking to?” she heard Abby ask.
“Better get Doc.” She watched Moe walk toward Maddox.
“That pretty young man has him, dear.”
“Who?” Rebecca asked.
“Who, what Rebecca?” Abby asked, her face looking concerned.
“That pretty young man you showed me on your little box. They are in my basement.”
Rebecca felt the world suddenly come rushing back into focus. Smells returned and sounds slammed back into her.
“Oh my god! I know where he is!” she yelled.
Everyone in the diner was staring at her like she was crazy but she didn’t care, she had to get to her baby!
“Thank you, Ms. Whittaker!” Rebecca jumped up, heading to the door.
Abby caught her arm. “Where are they?”
“Ms. Whittaker says Rhys and Aidhan are in her basement!” There was a rush of movement and Rebecca and Abby left the diner at a run, Aleks and Moe and Gabriel right behind them.
* * * *
They were almost to the house when Abby heard it. The voice of an angel. Note after note blended together and lifted to the heavens. She and Rebecca stopped and listened. They tried the door only to find it locked. Moe came up behind them and, not even stopping, pulled the door from the hinges and threwit aside. Abby was impressed, that was an extremely heavy door that her mate had thrown like a Frisbee.
They followed the sound of the song to the kitchen. This time Aleks leaned back and with one kick destroyed the door. Abby followed Rebecca into the darkness to the ones their hearts were desperate to hold. Behind them light flooded the room as everyone gathered together with their flashlights and lanterns.
Rhys, hearing the door kick in, had stood. He was drenched in blood and so was Aidhan.
“I told you! He has killed the Arkadion!” Somehow Salsiby had joined them in the basement. Before anyone could think he lifted a small revolver and pointed it at Rhys. Within the confines of the small basement the shots were deafening.
“Aidhan, no!”
“Rhys!”
Rhys turned his body blocking Aidhan from the gunfire. His body jerked as each bullet buried itself deep in his flesh.
An inhuman roar filled the basement. Moe’s body seemed to expand and grow. At seven feet he was scary, at eight feet he was terrifying but at nine feet he was the thing of nightmares.
He had grown as broad as he had tall, with a fine coat of fur covering his body. His upper and lower canines had extended, his jaw and forehead had become squared. Locking his demon-like black eyes on Salsiby, he roared again.
Screaming in terror, the smell of urine filled the air. Salsiby dropped the gun and darted up the stairs. Moe was right behind him.
Rebecca, Abby and Rhys stared at the creature Moe had become, as he pounded up the wooden steps after the lawyer.
“Okay, that was totally fucking hot and owww!” Rhys exclaimed.
Rebecca took Aidhan and cuddled him close. Aleks wrapped himself around Rebecca and his son.
Abby held Rhys close, crying as she looked at the bullet holes in his shirt.
“Shush, I’ll heal and be good as new as soon as Doc removes the bullets. It’s one of the advantages of being this old.” Rhys held her close. They both looked at each other when they heard another inhuman roar as it vibrated the walls above them.
