The Hunt

[Marissa]

The winter was holding on tight in the mountains to the north of Rhy'Din City. Feet of snow lay across the ground, drifting under the power of blizzard winds that showed no mercy to those who made their home here. The blood hunters were here by choice, deeming it a safe refuge from the packs and prides that would undoubtedly like more than a piece of them, but it meant that they were not doing so well when it came to recruitment. New recruits were hard to find; the newest were perhaps not as rigorously checked as they should have been.

One of those new recruits stood on guard in the dark hour before dawn, bundled up in a thick fur-lined coat, one gloved hand resting lightly on the back of the handsome wolf that stood beside him. Only his eyes were visible between layers of fur and cloth as he went down onto one knee to speak quietly to his companion. "They've started the hike," he murmured. "Half an hour, tops, before they're in sight."

The man's remark was answered with a soft whine to indicate he was heard and understood. It was hard to keep still when he could scent the pack's imminent arrival, both the human and wolf parts of him anxious to be done with the blood hunters once and for all. That they'd let a shifter walk among them as a wolf attested to their arrogance.

"You go with your pack when they get here," the man went on. "I've got to get Cam away from those mages before they bleed her again." His fingers twitched on the wolf's back, but he restrained his anger. It had been hell, watching his little sister treated so poorly for the sake of someone else's power for the past few days, but he hadn't dared let her know he was there.

The wolf growled this time, as if to indicate how much he, too, hated the hunters and was eager for their end. Not alone, came the response in the man's head. A common enemy had created a bond between the pair, and the wolf had no intentions of letting his friend risk his life alone.

"Not alone," the man promised his friend. "Dax is with your pack, and probably Kamara, too. First priority is our kin. Then we kill everyone else we can find."

We do it together, the wolf's voice was heard inside the man's head again. Normally, he was only able to communicate telepathically with other pack members, but this was not a normal situation.

The man sighed, scratching his head through his heavy hat. "I don't want to make you choose between your kin and mine," he pointed out. "Makes sense you'd go to your siblings first; makes sense I'd go to mine."

We all want the same thing, the voice of the wolf pointed out. He did want to see his pack mates, but more importantly, he wanted to free the hunters' prisoners, especially those who were his kin.

"But they're in two different places," was the answer from the man. "When they get here, we'll split the group anyway." He patted the wolf on the shoulder, almost as though they were two human friends exchanging words.

The wolf gave another low growl in grudging agreement. Don't do anything stupid, he told his companion telepathically. It was just another way of saying, "Don't be a hero." Everyone knew what happened to heroes.

"Aww, but I'm so good at stupid," the man chuckled back to him, though there was a tone of agreement in his voice. He stiffened, peering through the blustery snow. "Is that them?"

The wolf lifted his snout to scent the air, as he turned to peer into the distance. The part of him that was wolf couldn't help but howl. It wasn't so much a signal to his pack as it was simple instinct. Hopefully, the hunters wouldn't see it as anything out of the ordinary. Wolves howled; it's what they did.

Lupine and feline forms flowed over the snow, alternately rushing ahead and falling back to nudge their two legged companions onward. They couldn't make too much of a fuss out here, in case stray eyes looked their way, but for now, at least, they were secure where they stood.

The part of the wolf's mind that was human realized there were a few extra pack members among his own, but there was no time to question it now. It would take all of them to defeat the blood hunters, especially knowing they couldn't count on the captives for help. His body language mimicked his thoughts, his tail wagging in welcome.

The larger of the two wolves came forward, bending his neck to greet the new wolf formally as the Alpha of the pack that had arrived. In his mind, the young wolf heard Emrys' soft voice. All well, little brother?

The wolf tucked his tail between his legs, not in fear but in a show of submissiveness. Though he did not know this wolf, some instinct inside him recognized him as the pack's Alpha. But where were Dante and Skylar, and who were these others with him? So many questions he did not have the time to ask right now. They are still alive, for now, he replied.

A ripple of relief went through the pack, and for a brief moment, the new wolf might have felt the information being relayed along a pack bond to others who were not immediately present. As this happened, the tallest of the walkers who had joined the pack on the ground reached out to embrace the man roughly. "You know where they are?" he asked quietly. The man nodded. "I do. Darius will take the pack to the wolves. Cam is being kept with the mages."

The wolf, who in human form was called Darius growled low, as his friend made that decision for him despite his earlier protests. He was the smallest of the pack, his fur a light brown, but what he lacked in size, he more than made up for in wits. He was, after all, still alive and had not become one of the hunters' captives. Duncan is not well, Darius informed the Alpha. He caught scent of the female and realized with a shock who she must be, but this was not the time for getting better acquainted.

Emrys stiffened, tilting his head as he fought the urge to rush blindly into this fortress to rescue an injured member of their pack. Take us to him, he suggested silently. Dante and Skylar are entering from another side - the humans do not yet know this, but they will be joining your friend and his brother.

Very well, Darius replied silently. Most of the hunters are still sleeping, but the mages are the real danger, he added. What is the plan? he asked, assuming there was one.

It took a moment to relay this between Darius and Bran, the human man he had bonded with, and a quick planning circle took place. Dax knelt beside his brother, listening as Bran relayed the comments from the wolves as they went. "Seems like the best thing to do is sneak in as far as we can," he suggested. "Avoid any fighting until there's no other choice."

There will be no other choice, Darius pointed out silently, though Bran would hear his voice in his head, as would the rest of the pack.

They don't deserve to live, came another voice - this one female - as an orange and black striped tiger moved forward to stand beside the Alpha.

But our goal is rescue before revenge, the Alpha's voice said calmly. He nodded his big head, shaking out his fur. The beast-walker will join us. The humans have a better chance of reaching the girl without anyone furred in their company.

Marissa didn't want to argue, but as far as she was concerned, this wasn't about revenge – at least, not yet. And if we do not finish them, what then? she countered. She wasn't fond of killing either, but she didn't want anyone left to come after them or to try and hurt anyone else. [i/]This ends today.[/i]

Emrys shot Marissa a sharp look. He was in full agreement with her, but he needed the pack to understand that their lust of blood came second to the need to save the innocent today. He didn't speak again, however, straightening his back as he reached out to Skylar and Dante. Are you in position, little sister?

The tiger that was Marissa nudged the Alpha's muzzle in a show of affection. She sensed they were in agreement, but she also understood the need not to lose themselves to bloodlust of their own.

We're ready, came Skylar's answer down the line.

[Marissa]

This was passed on, and the sense of something looming heightened over the group. Dawn was just starting to peek over the mountains, turning the sky to pink and gold. Inside the fortress, the weary night guards struggled to stay awake; the sleeping hunters rolled tighter into their blankets. It was now or never. Time to go.

The part of Marissa that was still human said a silent prayer to the goddess for the courage and strength to defeat their enemies once and for all, and to see them safely home. As far as she was concerned, they were in the hands of the goddess now.

Bran and Darius lead the group toward the side entrance of the little fortress village that had been constructed here, pausing just a moment as they entered to share a nod before the two groups split off. The humans would have to get to the next level up as quickly as possible and hope that the pack and Kamara were not challenged or caught before they were within range of Cam, but they were confident. If all else failed, they were fully prepared to raise hell until The Emerald Skies could swoop in and rescue them.

The pack headed off in another direction in search of Marissa's siblings. If their intel was right, they knew where to look; it was just a matter of getting there, and there was a good possibility they'd have to fight their way through.

With the place lulled in the hour before dawn, there were no patrols within the halls as the fluid group of lupine and feline forms hurried along, Kamara in their midst and ready with her daggers. Bran and Darius had been pretty sure the cages were left unguarded at night, but had not been able to verify that; there was always the chance there would be blood before the reunion. In the forefront of the pack, with Darius at his shoulder in Dante's place, Emrys forged onward cautiously, scenting the air before every turn to be sure they were still alone.

The rest of the pack filed in behind Emrys and Darius, all of their senses on high alert. Skylar and Dante had gone with Bran, preferring to fight this battle in their human form. Marissa had made sure Mira was in the center of the pack, with herself ahead and Neville and Demi behind. Let me scout ahead, Marissa's voice was heard inside Emrys' head. She didn't bother to explain that she could do it silently, as she'd already told him that earlier. She didn't like to flaunt her abilities, but she was capable of doing some things the others couldn't.

Be safe, was the only response she got in words, but it came with a wave of confidence in her abilities and concern for her safety. With indefinable motions, he slowed the pack to a halt, each of them seeking shadows to slink into and wait until it was safe to continue on.

She had no way of making herself invisible, but as quiet as she was on padded paws, Marissa had a way of making herself completely silent when necessary. Not a sound was heard as she slipped past the pack, not even the creak of a single floorboard or the sound of her breathing.

As she reached the end of the next hallway, there was a choice of two open doorways. In one direction, there was the smell of humans, at least ten of them; probably sleeping quarters. In the other ... she could smell blood and pain, and family.

She felt a strong temptation to go in the direction of the humans and finish them off while they were sleeping, but something inside her - some small voice that reminded her of Emrys - stopped her. As much as she hated them, as much as the tiger wanted to taste their blood, she would not murder them in their beds. Instead, she chose the other doorway - the one where she sensed her siblings were being held.

There was another thing that disturbed her about the humans and made her keep her distance. The smell of it was unmistakable to any of her kind, even from a distance. They have silver, she silently warned along the bond, though they had expected as much. Anyone hunting were-creatures would be stupid to be without it.

A ripple of worried acknowledgement came back to her through the bond, along with an echo of the reassurance Emrys then extended to the rest of the pack along with this news. Ahead of her, the space opened out, the scent of pain and blood and silver growing stronger, as well as the sound of her siblings' fitful slumber. There was one guard in that room, as well, but like the other humans, he was sleeping.

The part of Marissa that was a tiger was sorely tempted to kill the guard outright before he could wake and summon help, but the part of her that was human didn't want to murder him in cold blood. Instead, she backed away from the door, keeping to the shadows so as not to be seen, still silent, and sent a message down the line to Emrys and the others. They're here. Drugged or asleep. One guard, also asleep.

Understood. Stay out of sight until we get to you. The ghost of a reassuring kiss touched her mind from her mate as he set the pack moving again, this time with Kamara up front with him. Of all of them, the beast-walker had the best chance of silently incapacitating the guard without leaving any sign of what had happened.

Understood, Marissa echoed. She worried it might be a mistake not exterminating the blood hunters entirely, but she would leave that decision up to Emrys. And if the hunters proved a problem, well, then the decision would be made for them.

It was a shame Emrys hadn't been able to communicate to his mate exactly what his plan was, or she might have been less concerned. He fully intended to leave no one alive in this place, but only after their kin and Dax's sister had been found and made safe. Until then, all his focus was on the rescue. The slaughter would come afterward, and he would not force anyone to join him in that.

It wasn't too long before Kamara came into sight, walking silently on nimble feet, pausing until she found Marissa's form in the shadows. She jerked her head toward the sleeping guard, raising one brow questioningly. Even without a telepathic bond, the query was obvious – Am I taking out that one?

Marissa thought the answer an obvious one, but instead, she only nodded her furred head in response. While in this form, she wasn't much more than a sharp-toothed, razor-clawed killing machine, but the option was always there to change shape if she needed to.

Kamara nodded, easing her way to the side of the guard. She studied him for a moment, then reached out and inserted both her stiletto knives into his ears with a rough jerk of motion. No one had told her not to kill the man, after all. He barely even jerked, the only sign of his death the thin trickle of blood from his nose and ears as she pulled the knives free.

Marissa growled low in her throat. If she'd known the woman was going to kill him, she would have saved her the trouble. All clear, she sent down the line to the pack as she withdrew from the shadows and moved past Kamara to the locked cells inside the room.

[Marissa]

If a wolf could frown, Emrys would have been as he padded into the room and saw what was in front of him. Caged family, dead lycans, blood spatters, and a dead guard.

Kamara answered his gaze coolly as she wiped her knives clean. "He won't be yelling anytime soon."

Marissa padded past Kamara to the cell that held her siblings - two of them anyway. She had expected to find them still in their wolf form, but what she found instead was a wounded wolf lying on his side with his head resting in the lap of a young woman who appeared to be either drugged or unconscious. Marissa frowned at the sight of them, realizing this might be harder than she had anticipated. Can she pick a lock? she silently asked Emrys concerning Kamara. Marissa could do it easily enough, but not while in her tiger form.

Emrys came to her side, gently nuzzling into her fur for a moment. I don't think so, he answered. You can, kitten. Let me grab you a blanket or something.

No need, she replied back. Either she didn't mind being naked, or she had more tricks up her sleeve than she had previously let on. She rubbed her face against his, as if to reassure him, and then padded a few steps away so that she could make the shift. It was as easy as changing clothes for one as practiced as she, but instead of shifting to her human form, she gave herself over to the were-tiger - half human, half tiger, bipedal but with the head and fur, teeth and claws of a tiger. It was a form she rarely surrendered to and one Emrys had never seen on her.

The Alpha wolf backed up as his mate shifted, fighting for a moment to keep his wolf's instinctive desire to cower at bay. Marissa's hybrid form was terrifying, and beautiful, and dangerous, all at once. For just a brief moment, his tail ducked between his legs, momentarily frightened before his human mind reasserted itself. Still with us, kitten? he asked, needing to know if the link was still active with her half-shifted.

It took a moment for her to regain control of that part of herself that was Marissa, but only a moment and Emrys would hear her voice in his head again: I'm here. In this body, she could easily have torn the door right off the cage, but instead, she somehow managed to work the lock free and swing the door open, moving inside to check on her siblings, far gentler than it seemed this form was capable of. They're alive. Drugged, I think. She paused a moment as she looked the wolf over. Duncan's been bled.

Emrys growled low in his throat, padding into the cage after her to gently nudge at the young pair with his nose. We're going to need hands and feet, he mused, glancing about the room, his thought for his mate alone. Should we fort up here and ask Darius to tell his friend to get their group down here so we can protect all of them before we kill them all?

Or we leave someone here with the twins and join them up there, Marissa suggested. There are more of them asleep in their quarters, she reminded him. But not for long. Those hunters would need to be dealt with first, she thought.

He nodded his big head, turning his attention to the rest of the pack. Neville, Demi, Mira, he called to them. Make sure the humans in that room we passed don't wake up.

If Marissa could have frowned, she would have. Not Mira, her mind whispered for Emrys alone. Though she knew her younger counterpart would have to spill first blood sometime, she didn't really want it to be now.

As if sensing the other's thoughts, Mira let out a low growl of her own. I can do it, she assured the others. She needed to do it; if not now, when?

Burying the Alpha link so Mira would not be able to follow his thought, Emrys looked back to Marissa. Better she does it now than freezes when there are humans fighting back, he pointed out to his mate gently. I don't like it any more than you do, but she has every right to express this anger. Better she learn how to do it quickly and painlessly than have her first kill be drawn out and tortuous.

With Emrys reasoning with her and Mira insisting she could do it, what choice did Marissa have but to let her "little sister" share in the bloodletting. He was right, in a way. At least, she would not have to experience her first kill alone. Very well, the were-tiger that was Marissa reluctantly agreed. She could not keep her younger counterpart safe forever, after all.

With that decided, the wolf that was Mira followed the pair of white tigers back the way they'd come.

Letting their small pack leave to deal with the humans, confident in their ability, Emrys turned back to the two drugged siblings in the cage. What can we do, kitten?

It soothed her heart to hear him call her by his pet name for her, though she didn't look like much of a kitten now - towering over him, feral and ferocious. She was able to maintain control over this form better than some of the others, but it was one she rarely dared use, unless absolutely necessary. Before she could answer his question, she needed to get a better look at her siblings. I need to see to Duncan, she told him through the link.

He nodded his grizzled head, turning his eyes about the room for a moment. Let me try to link them to us, he suggested. It will be easier for you to reach them through the pain with the link.

She gave a nod of her head to indicate her agreement, even as she moved closer to see to her brother's wounds. She wasn't sure if the link would be necessary, seeing how there was a blood bond between herself and her siblings, but she might need her mate's help to reach her brother through his pain.

The big Alpha wolf lowered his muzzle to Duncan's matted fur, gently nudging at the younger wolf, his mind seeking out the dim flicker of his mate's sibling's consciousness. It was strangely easy to link Duncan into their pack, to pour a little strength into him, but the girl ... that was harder.

It wasn't too hard to know what Duncan was feeling; most of it was pain, the rest anger and confusion. It was the pain that worried Marissa most. Had they only bled her brother or had they done something more? Diana seemed only drugged, as far as she could tell, but she couldn’t be sure. He's weak, she told her mate, though that much was probably obvious. We’ll have to carry them.

[Marissa]

We will need to stay here and have the other party join us before we break out, he reminded her. This is not a fight we should engage in without our full strength. Perhaps the little sorceress will have power to help us, too.

Emrys ... Marissa’s mind reached out to her mate’s. It was taking all her self-control not to lose herself to the rage and hatred she was feeling inside. If it wasn't for the fact that Duncan and Diana needed her and that Emrys was close by, she might have already lost herself to rage and bloodlust.

He was on alert instantly, drawing his mind away from Diana to envelop his mate in his own consciousness. He had never needed to suppress her before this moment, but he knew she would never forgive herself if she lost control. Her mind and senses were blanketed by him, by his love, his calm, his care, his absolute authority gentled by the concern that came with it. Easy, kitten. They will pay. But first we need to see to our kin.

Some feral part of her being wanted to kill - to rip the hunters to shreds and gorge on their flesh. They had killed the tribe and hurt her family. They deserved no less in return, and yet, she was terrified of losing herself to the beast that lurked inside her. It was only Emrys who kept her from that. He had never seen her in this form before; she had made sure of that. She didn't want him to see the nightmare she was capable of becoming, and yet, they were not so very different really. She had helped him regain control of the wolf, and he was doing the same for her in return. Slowly, her form shifted - claws retracting, teeth receding, fur changing to flesh - until she was something closer to but not quite human.

His tongue lapped over her shoulder comfortingly as she shook in his mind's grasp, soothing her the only way he could as a wolf. If he could have done so without losing the telepathic link to the rest of the pack, he would have shifted in an instant to take her in his arms, but there was no space to do that just yet. Good girl he praised her fondly. You're in control.

She was not yet fully human, her body still covered in tiger stripes, her teeth and claws and tail intact, but not as predominant as in the other form. She breathed a sigh of relief, the bloodlust slowly easing. "Thank you," she told him in her own voice, pausing a brief moment to lovingly stroke his fur before crouching down to check on her siblings. "He's lost a lot of blood and ..." She paused a moment, frowning worriedly. "There are traces of magic here." That should have come as no surprise.

Dax did say the hunters were using mages, Emrys mused, resting his furry chin on her shoulder. There is a spell sometimes used that can take over someone's will entirely. Does it seem harmful, this magic, or just enchanting?

"No ..." she murmured, furrowing her brows as she tried to touch her brother's mind. "They were drugged, but ... Something ... Some spell to control them. I'm not sure I can get through ..."

He growled softly by her ear, pausing a moment to send a thought to Skylar and Dante and Darius. Kill those mages if you can. They have spells in place on your brother and sister that we cannot break through.

"Maybe Cam ..." Marissa said, with a defeated sigh. "I'm not skilled enough." She could do something about her brother's wounds though, but it would cost her.

Kill the mage who cast the spell, and the spell breaks, kitten. Emrys' tone was unforgiving. He did not easily give in to the need for blood and violence, but this was pushing his buttons fiercely.

She understood that much, but it was her brother's wounds that were worrying her. "I can help, but he's lost a lot of blood," she reminded her mate. She wasn't going to be able to heal him without draining herself, and they might still need her help in defeating the hunters.

Do what you can, kitten, her mate encouraged her. We won't be alone here for long. Even as he spoke, he could feel the progress of the two other groups, as one ended the lives of the humans in a room not far from here, and the other crept closer to the room where the mages kept watch over their precious commodity.

Marissa frowned, torn between the desire to save her brother's life and the need to make sure they all got away safely. Thankfully, it didn't look like her sister had suffered any serious wounds and was only drugged. In the end, the decision was easy - her brother's life outweighed the risks. She didn't bother to warn Emrys that healing her brother would weaken her; he had seen that sort of magic from her before, to a lesser degree. She carefully unwound the wrappings around her brother's wounds and shifted slowly to her feline form so that the tiger could do what she could to heal him.

One level up, the group of four infiltrators had found one another by the tertiary exit, and after a brief introduction and debrief, were walking with cautious confidence toward the mages' quarters. Dax was itching to start hurting people, but even he knew they had to get Cam safe and the mages neutralized before anything could happen.

Wasting no opportunity to flirt with the airship captain on the way there, even Skylar had gone silent, all of her attention focused on finding Cam. It wasn't the first time she and Dante had hunted together, no matter which form they chose to do it in, and the twins moved together almost as if they were of one mind. Both of them brandished blaster pistols - their weapon of choice. Why get up close and personal, if you didn't need to?

In a way, the human brothers mirrored the shifter twins, though Dax was clearly the elder and the authority. Both he and Bran carried wicked looking daggers and short swords, their entire focus on finding their little sister and getting her out of there as safely as they could. Although that hadn't stopped Bran from offering Skylar an appreciative grin on first meeting.

Though a shameless flirt herself, Skylar had reacted to Bran's grin with a scowl, as if she was insulted by the way he was leering at her. "Watch yourself, pirate boy," she warned him on the sly. "I'd hate to have to carry your ass out of here, like a baby."

"Message heard and understood, sweetheart," he murmured back to her, utterly unfazed. "I will appreciate your arse another time." He flashed her a grin and a wink, focusing his gaze forward again in time to touch Dax's shoulder and jerk his head in the right direction.

She only scowled further, irritated by his brash response, even as she paused a moment to admire the view in return. He wasn't unpleasant to look at, but he seemed like such a baby compared to his brother.

[Marissa]

Dante grumbled a warning under his breath, reminding his sister to focus on the task at hand. There would be time to play later, so long as they made it out alive.

These were the living quarters for the more powerful of the hunters, the men and women who did not take night watches and did not believe they needed guards to watch over them in the dawning hours. Bran put his flirtation out of his mind as he moved to the front of the group, biting down on the urge to yell profanities at every single doorway they passed while leading the way to the mages' quarters. He stopped before the door, glancing back at the little group. "Three mages, two familiars," he explained in a tense tone. "Cam's been collared so she can't use her magic. We need to hit them hard and fast."

"Four against five. Sounds like a fair fight," Skylar muttered, mostly to herself. They weren't mages, but they did have the advantage of surprise. She couldn't help but wonder how powerful these mages were if they hadn't detected their presence by now. Then again, the hunters had taken the tribe by surprise in a similar manner. Perhaps they were just arrogant enough to think themselves safe here.

"These fuckers hurt my baby sister," Dax growled under his breath, knowing the shifters would be able to hear him. "I don't want a fair fight, I want them dead." He nodded to his brother, watching as Bran pressed a dispelling stone to the door to negate any magical traps or locks. The younger man looked back at their group briefly. "In we go."

Skylar furrowed her brows at Dax's remark. She shared his feelings more than she cared to admit. After all, the hunters had decimated her tribe and captured two of her siblings, leaving only Darius, who had somehow managed to escape. "You're not the only one," she muttered under her breath," for which she got a look of warning from her older brother.

There was no more time for muttered promises of death, however. Bran eased the door open, gesturing for them to move stealthily after them. There were three rather luxurious beds, each one of which held a sleeping person buried under furs to keep out the chill. The central area was a collection of tables, desks, and comfortable chairs; workbenches and alchemical equipment and books spread out across all of them. Against the far wall, a young woman with a soot-stained face opened her eyes. It took only a split second for her to recognize the two men in the lead, and only a second longer for her to dart out a hand and grab the white fox that was sleeping beside her, wrapping her fingers tight about its muzzle. That was one familiar disabled and silenced, at least.

The twins took in the room, moving as silently as Death itself as they followed after Dax and Bran. Skylar tightened her grip on the blaster pistol, even as she slid a dagger from its sheath. If this called for stealth, she was ready for it. Dante, too.

Bran very quietly closed the door, scanning the room for the other familiar - a raven, which seemed to be sleeping perched on the end of the woman's canopied bed. Dax crossed the room quickly to their sister, bending to kiss her fiercely on the forehead and slide his dagger into the white fox. The creature disappeared without a sound. One down, four to go.

The wolf inside Dante was itching to get out and taste some blood, but he remained in control, following Dax to the woman’s bed and closing a hand on the raven's beak before it could squawk a warning. That done, he viciously twisted the raven's head, breaking its neck. Meanwhile, Skylar gave a nod of her head to Bran, as if to indicate that she'd handle one of the mages, while he handled the other.

Bran caught that nod, answering it with his own, the three younger of the infiltrating group moving to stand over the beds of the mages. He unsheathed his dagger silently, glaring down at the portly man wrapped in furs, hating him all the more for the fact that he and his fellows were warm and comfortable, while his sister wore little but a thin dress and bore obvious chilblains on her hands and feet.

Though she didn't show it, Skylar was worried. It was almost too easy. Were they missing something or were the mages really that arrogant not to realize how vulnerable they really were? She didn't have much time to think on it though before she was brandishing a dagger with the intention of slitting the mage's throat.

"Wait ..." The word was barely more than a whisper in Skylar's mind, an unfamiliar voice pleading for more time. "We can help you." A pained gasp made itself known from Cam, her body curling up as she grimaced, clutching at her head, and inside Skylar's mind, the voice turned cold. "Or I could just kill her now."

"Or I could just blow your head off," Skylar warned in return, eyes flashing with rage and hatred as she leveled the blaster pistol at the mage's head. They had already waited too long, in her opinion. She would have rather gone in there and just blasted them in their beds while they were sleeping. This up close and personal stuff wasn't really her style.

"Her funeral." The voice went silent. A moment later, Dax's voice rose in panic. "Cam?!" The collared girl had gone completely limp in his arms. Bran didn't waste another moment, ramming his dagger into the eye socket of the sleeping man in front of him, leaving it there as he vaulted across the room to his brother and sister.

Skylar squeaked as the mage's fingers found their way around the wrist that was holding the knife, but instead of pulling away, she squeezed the trigger on her pistol, splattering the mage's brains all over his pillow. So much for stealth. Maybe it was a stupid thing to do, but she was willing to bet a dead mage didn't have much hold over Cam's life.

Meanwhile, Dante didn't waste any time blasting the brains out of the third mage.

"What happened?" Bran was demanding.

Dax lifted their little sister up into his arms. "I don't know what happened," he snapped back. "She was in pain, and then she just passed out. I think she passed out, anyway."

"She'd better just have passed out, or I'm going to raze this fucking place to the ground," Bran snarled.

Skylar winced, hoping she hadn't doomed their sister to death by hesitating.

"Is she all right?" Dante asked as he turned to face the other pair.

[Marissa]

Skylar froze in place, as she heard an inquiry from the Alpha passed along the pack bond. "Done," she murmured aloud in reply to Emrys. Are they alive? she asked the Alpha silently. Because if they weren't, she was going to share in Bran's rage.

For a moment, there was silence. Then Emrys' voice came back to them. Yes, but drugged and injured. We're going to need to clear this place out before we even think about moving them. Get done fast and bring them down here - we have a defensible position.

"Emrys wants us to join them as soon as we can," she said, turning away from the splattered brains and blood. She'd deal with the trauma of that later. Her gaze darted to the unconscious young woman in the bed. "Is she okay?" she asked, echoing her brother's inquiry. They both knew a little magic of their own, but nothing as powerful as the mages.

Dax was white, shaking with rage and concern, cradling his sister as gently as he could. "I don't ... I don't know," he answered the shifters. "Bran, get that damned collar off her neck, would you?"

Bran scowled, already focused on this task. "I'm trying."

"Here, let me try," Dante volunteered, stepping closer. He didn't want to interfere where his help wasn't wanted, but young as they were, the twins possessed some abilities the pirates didn't.

Frustrated and scared for his sister, Bran stepped back, turning to pace the room, tossing it for anything that might be useful. He needed to be doing something. If Cam was dead, there would be nothing left of this mountaintop by sunrise.

Skylar frowned as she watched Bran pace, worried that if Cam died, it would be her fault. Though she'd told no one, she'd felt the same about the tribe, but she'd been too busy dealing with Dante's inability to shift to dwell on it at the time.

Dante sheathed the blade and pistol and switched places with Bran, pausing a moment to examine the collar around the girl's neck. "There's no magic," he told them. "It's just locked. Let me see if I can ..." He trailed off, rubbing his hands together before leaning forward to place them gently on the collar. It wasn't really clear what he was doing, but it was only a matter of seconds before there was a click and the collar came away from Cam's neck.

It came away with a slick, sickening sound, revealing a concealed blade that had been thrust into the left side of the hollow of her throat, blood swiftly pouring from that wound. A fail safe, it seemed. "Bastards."

"Damn it," Dante murmured to himself, as he pressed his fingers to the side of her throat to stop the bleeding. He could use other means to stop the bleeding if he had to, though he didn't really want to do that here in front of her brothers.

"Oh, for the love of …" Skylar murmured with a roll of her eyes, as if reading her brother's mind. "Let me do it," she said, practically shoving him out of the way. She leaned close, almost as if she might kiss the sleeping woman, and then licked the blood from her throat, somehow managing to effectively close the wound and stop the bleeding.

"What the ..." Dax leaned back in confusion as Skylar started to lick at his sister's bleeding neck, seeking Dante for an explanation. "I don't think this is the time for this sort of thing ..."

Somehow it seemed fitting that Skylar be the one to see to Cam's healing, as she blamed herself for hesitating. "She's not ..." Dante furrowed his brows. How to explain exactly? "She’s … It’s a form of healing.”

"Did she have a heartbeat?" Bran asked Dante suddenly. "When you had your hands on her neck, did you feel her pulse?" He watched the lycan man intently, waiting for the answer; it was the same intensity with which Dax was watching Skylar somehow heal their sister with her tongue.

"Blood doesn't pour out of a wound like that if there's no pulse," Dante replied. It was more than he'd said all day. "She's weak but alive," he assured the girl's brothers. At least, he hoped so.

Bran closed his eyes, hard tension leaving his shoulders as he nodded in relief. "Let's check the hallway," he suggested to Dante. "We're going to have to book it to get down to the holding cell."

Dante nodded in agreement. "We should join the others," he said, reiterating what the Alpha had told him. "Emrys said they have a defensible position."

By sheer dumb luck, it seemed as though the blaster shots had gone unnoticed. Perhaps the mages had soundproofed their quarters, or perhaps the humans up here had drunk more than enough to sleep soundly until noon. Either way, it looked good for a swift regroup one level down.

In the room, Cam stirred as the wound on her neck closed, wincing for a moment before her eyes opened. "Oh," she breathed, surprised to find a woman up close and personal. "Hello?"

Skylar licked the blood from her lips as Cam came to, looking down into the prettiest brown eyes she had ever seen. "Sorry," she said, pulling away to give Dax room to properly greet his little sister. There was something about what had just happened that made her blush, despite the necessity of it.

"Oh, thank gods ..." Dax pulled his little sister into a tight hug, squeezing his eyes shut for a long moment. He didn't know what had happened, or how, but he knew this was debt he was never going to be able to repay. He opened his eyes, meeting Skylar's gaze. "Thank you," he whispered. "Just ... thank you."

"No need," Skylar murmured back, gaze drifting between the siblings, feeling the pull of her own bloodline suddenly calling her. "We should be going. Can you walk?" she asked Cam, though if she couldn't, she didn't think Dax would have any problem carrying his little sister. With muscles like those, he could probably carry them both.

[Marissa]

Cam pulled back - with difficulty, it has to be said; her brother was not letting go easily - tracing her fingers over her own brow. For a moment, her eyes glowed pure golden, and colour returned to her skin, strength seeming to flow through her body once again. She nodded to Skylar. "I can walk," she said, her voice suddenly no longer weak at all. "I can fight, too. Let's get going."

Skylar met Cam's gaze and nodded her head, before turning to lead the way from the room. In all honestly, she couldn't get away from the stench of the mages’ blood fast enough. Not even the tiger was tempted to taste of that flesh. She made sure not to meet Dax's gaze, still feeling the sting of guilt for almost losing his sister.

With Cam up and about, it might have been comical to see the way her older brothers fell into line with her, standing at her shoulders protectively but entirely under her control. She was filthy, exhausted, and definitely not dressed for the cold, but she was determined to get out of here.

"It's quiet," Dante told the group as the trio rejoined him and Bran. Maybe too quiet, he thought to himself, though he hoped not. "This way," he added, taking the lead back the way they'd come to regroup with the others.

Skylar paused a moment before falling into line, shrugging the fur-lined leather jacket from her shoulders and handing it to Cam, since it seemed no one else was going to do it. "Here, take this." She, at least, had noticed how the other woman was shivering and woefully under-dressed.

"Are you sure?" Cam asked, fingers closing on the soft leather automatically. The jacket was still warm, very tempting despite her attempt to be polite in the chill as they hurried down the stone hallways.

"I'm sure," Skylar replied. "You can give it back to me later," she assured the young woman. She wasn't giving Cam her jacket so much as loaning it to her. She wasn't planning on shifting, and even if she did, she knew her jacket was in safe hands.

"We should hurry," Dante scolded, doing his best not to look too hard at the half-clad young woman that they'd just rescued.

"Thank you." Cam smiled at Skylar as she shrugged into the jacket, picking up the pace as Dante urged them on. She murmured something under her breath as they hurried on, her eyes glowing gold for just a moment longer, and they all became aware of the sounds of their footsteps being muted, a haziness settling about their forms.

"Geez, Cam, ease up on the magic, would you?" Bran complained from the back. "You just died."

Skylar smirked at Bran's warning. She knew his sister hadn't died, but it was amusing to think her brothers hadn't realized that yet.

Dante had gone quiet again, feeling the same urgency to find his siblings as Dax and Bran had to find Cam, hurrying along the corridor to the level below theirs.

As they got closer, they were met with the scent of freshly spilled blood mingling with old blood and anger from the animals in their midst. Two white tigers and a wolf stood in the doorway to the cells, their fur splattered with red, clearly guarding whatever was within.

"The mages are dead," Dante assured the trio. Though he couldn't help but catch the scent of fresh blood, he had a feeling they weren't finished. "How are they?" he asked with a nod of his head toward the cells where he knew the rest of his siblings were located.

For a moment, there was a struggle along the link - communicating inter-species could be difficult at times. Whatever the spell was, it broke, Demi's voice came to them along the link finally. Marissa is doing her best to heal them up, but they need more than she's got in her right now, I think.

"We're not done here," Dante said with a grim expression on his face. He didn't need to be told they still had the majority of hunters left to fight. Though the hunters might have the advantage in numbers, at least now they wouldn't have the mages there to help them.

"We need to be done with this, so we can help Marissa," Skylar broke in, a hand on her brother's arm.

"I can help her," Cam said softly, looking over their shoulders toward the wounded lycans.

Dax frowned, touching her shoulder. "Are you sure?" he asked. "You've been through -"

"This is what I'm good at," she pointed out to him. "Don't get killed, all right?"

Thankfully, Emrys had found a ragged blanket to toss over Marissa's shoulders, not only to keep out the cold but for the sake of his mate's modesty. She got up now and moved over to the small group, her face pale and strained. "I've done all I can for now," she told them, clutching the blanket tighter. "You must be Cam," she said, looking to the woman with a weary smile. "I'm Marissa."

Cam smiled once again. "Hi. May I?" She gestured toward Duncan and Diana tentatively, not wanting to do anything that wasn't approved of. She didn't know these people or why they were there, but she trusted her brothers' judgment.

That was probably just as well, because the biggest of the wolves had pulled away, turning to take charge of the pack of wolves and tigers and men. The hunt was on.

"If you can help, I would be grateful," Marissa replied, moving aside to let Cam pass.

"There will be time for introductions later," Dante growled. He was clearly itching for a fight. This wasn't over yet, and he was eager for vengeance.

[Marissa]

"Go," Cam told the rest of them. "I can defend this room."

Bran rolled his eyes, biting back an argument.

Emrys turned his head toward Marissa, amusement flowing down their mental link. Who do you want to stay with you, kitten?

Marissa's gaze drifted over the group with a thoughtful frown. She would choose all of them, if she could. She wasn't eager to see any of them get hurt, especially not Emrys or Mira, but she needed to choose someone who could defend them, if the need arose.

"I'll stay," Skylar abruptly volunteered. She already blamed herself for this situation and felt the need to protect her wounded siblings.

One of the white tigers chuffed in agreement as well, gently nudging the smallest of the wolves.

Emrys nodded his grizzled head, looking back to Marissa. Demi and Mira will hold the hallway leading to this room, he told her. We won't be long, kitten.

Marissa looked almost relieved to know her younger counterpart wouldn't have to be part of the bigger fight. Thank you, she told Emrys gratefully without saying a word. It meant the female members of the pack would remain behind while the males clashed with the hunters, but she thought them capable enough. "Be careful. They have silver," she warned those who belonged to the pack. "And they're going to be even more ruthless now that we've killed their mages."

Though she wasn't part of the pack, Kamara nodded, grinning fiercely as her mantle of grey fur rippled with the motion. "Reckon I can draw some of that silver off you," she told the 'shifters who would be going out there. "I look more feral than you do."

Even in the midst of concentrating, Cam snorted softly, the obvious affection she held for the beast-walker plain to see.

Dax and Bran exchanged a look, unslinging hand crossbows and blasters from their hips. "Looks like we're going hunting."

"Try not to get hurt, boys," Skylar warned, a half-teasing smirk on her face. She said nothing in regard to Kamara's remark, though both she and Dante exchanged a knowing glance. If things got dire, they wouldn't hesitate to shift to their own more feral forms.

"Worried about us, beautiful?" Dax asked, a wild grin on his face. As far as he was concerned, the hard part was done. This was just going to be messy.

"Worried I'm gonna have to cover both your asses," Skylar retorted, though from the look on her face, she was just returning his teasing with some of her own. It helped to ease the tension anyway.

"Admire both their asses, you mean," Dante mumbled, loud enough for his twin to hear.

Emrys let out a low growling rumble from his throat, offering a last nuzzle to Marissa before moving to take point with the attacking pack. He couldn't pretend he wasn't relieved the female members of the pack were staying back to secure their base and protect their female Alpha.

"Anyway, you're staying behind, remember?" Dante reminded his sister.

"Just don't get yourself killed," she warned her brother in a voice so quiet only he could hear. It annoyed her a little that she'd volunteered to stay behind, but despite her teasing, she was confident the others could handle the fight.

"Be safe," a soft voice chimed in from behind Skylar, where Cam was looking over all of them with worried brown eyes. "It's not worth getting us out if you don't come home with us."

"Like she said," Skylar said, jerking a thumb at Cam, while eying the mixed group of pirates and shifters, her gaze settling lastly on her twin. It was hard not to look worried, especially where silver was involved.

"If we don't come back ..." Dante reached over to close his fingers around his sister’s.

"Don't even think about it," she warned. "Same goes for all of you," she added.

"We're coming back," Bran offered, absently dropping his hand to squeeze Darius' furred shoulder as though reinforcing his confidence there to the friend he would never have made without all this going on. "Should get going, though - they'll be waking up any time now."

Skylar glanced at Bran, a hint of worry on her face, before her gaze moved on.

"Should have killed them in their sleep," Dante murmured. Even if it was cowardly, in his opinion, the blood hunters were only getting everything they deserved.

Emrys let out a sharp bark, suddenly surging forward and out through the door, the pack at his heels.

Kamara sprinted forward with them, apparently not as surprised as Dax, who was the last to react. But it didn't stop him from jogging forward, content to bring up the rear and protect the wolves and tigers as best he could.

The worry on Skylar's face as the group departed echoed the anxiety of those left behind, but when she turned back to take her place in front of the cell, flanked by a white tiger and a small wolf, there was only a look of determination in its place.

[Marissa]

It was impossible to miss the moment when battle was engaged, the sounds of snarling, shouting; blasters and crossbows firing; the sickening wet rip of flesh and spray of blood accompanied by pained screams. It felt like an eternity, but in a little less than an hour, all was quiet once again. Quiet, not silent. Because above them, they could hear the sounds of pained whimpers, and the panic in the voices of those who remained on two legs.

"Something's wrong," Skylar could be heard saying, more to herself than to anyone else. It was getting harder and harder to remain in place, even though she knew the task she'd volunteered for was crucial to the survival of those she was protecting. She and her twin had always shared a bond, and she didn't need to be told that something was wrong.

In Marissa's mind, Emrys' voice finally broke through the panic and fear in the pack. We need a healer, kitten. Dante and Dax took damage - silver on Dante. I think we need that little sorceress.

As weary as she was, Marissa wasted no time in reacting to her mate's news. "Dax and Dante are hurt," she informed the others without hesitation. This was no time to panic; she needed to keep a cool head about her, silver or otherwise. "Cam, are you well enough to help?" she asked the woman.

Outside the cell, Skylar groaned, sensing her twin's pain even before hearing it from Marissa.

"I can do it," Cam said, not giving a thought to her own exhaustion. A good sleep could replenish her magical strength; she was not afraid of expending everything to save a life. Rising to her feet, she moved to the door without a thought, pausing only when something occurred to her. "Um ... where are they?"

"Up a level," Skylar replied in a strained voice. "I'll take you there." She paused a moment to glance at Marissa and the others. "Will you be okay here?"

Marissa nodded, looking nearly as weary as Cam. In truth, she wasn't sure she had enough strength left to stand, much less help Dax and Dante. "It's silver," she told the little sorceress, her voice betraying her worry. At least, where Dante was concerned.

Cam nodded, a little harried, anxious to get eyes on her own brother as well as the man who had helped to rescue her. "I can purge poison," she assured them both, turning to Skylar. "Let's hurry."

Skylar nodded, her face pale and strained, despite the fact that it was her twin who'd been poisoned and not her. "I might be able to help," she told Cam, not bothering to remind her that she had been the one who'd had a hand in her healing a short time ago.

"Okay." Despite her bare feet, Cam moved with purpose in Skylar's wake, averting her eyes from the bodies they passed in the stone hallways. Though these people had mistreated her horribly, she wasn't comfortable with killing; their deaths had not been peaceful, after all.

"I'm sorry about all this," Skylar murmured, with a sidelong glance at the other woman. It was hardly her fault any of this had happened, but she still felt a certain amount of guilt for what Cam and her brothers had suffered.

Cam laid a gentle hand on her arm as they hurried along together. "None of this is your fault, you know," she said softly. "Whoever started this cult, it's their fault. You don't need to carry the weight of something you had nothing to do with."

"They hunt our kind for our blood," Skylar explained. She sighed wearily, as though all this was weighing on her far more than she let on. "It doesn't matter that we've taken a vow not to - not to harm others," she said, though it seemed she had been about to say something else.

"They took me for my blood as well," Cam told her. "Used me to make their spells more powerful. I don't like killing people, but I'm not going to shed tears over these people. We're all getting out of here, Skylar."

"No, I won't either," Skylar agreed. At least, she had restrained herself from shifting and devouring their flesh. "They are pure evil," she said, unable to hide the hatred from her voice. She knew there were those who thought the same of her people, but they were wrong.

"The ones who started it were," Cam said quietly. "The ones who ran it were. But the ones who just did what they were told? I think they were afraid."

"That doesn't make them any less guilty," Skylar replied, just as quietly, as she led the way toward the upper level. She was trying hard not to break into a run for Cam's sake, but everything inside her was urging her to hurry. "I can sense his pain," she whispered, her voice strained.

Cam's hand caught hers, squeezing tight as she did her best to speed up. "Courage," she said. "He'll make it."

Skylar nodded hopefully. If it was silver, there wasn't much she could do to help her twin, other than take the silver into herself. It wasn't only Dante that worried her; she knew Dax had been hurt, too, and Duncan and Diana weren't out of harm's way yet.

They came across the group with Dax first. The airship captain was propped against the wall, one hand pressed to a wound in his side that was bleeding profusely. He offered them a thin-lipped smile, ignoring Bran's order for him to stay still. "I'm not dead yet," he managed, waving a hand. "Go help Dante. That way."

"You're an ass, you know that?" was Skylar's greeting, moving over to crouch in front of Dax and examine his wound, despite his dismissal. There wasn't much she could do for Dante if silver was involved, but she could help Dax. "Go on," she told Cam. "I'll make sure your bullheaded brother doesn't bleed to death."

"All right," Cam agreed. "Yell if you need me." She turned to hurry toward the gathering of furry bodies all but piled on top of the human-shifted Dante. Dax gave Skylar a weak grin.

[Marissa]

"This isn't going to put me down, you know," he said, surprisingly cheerful, despite the pallor of his skin. "I'm too stubborn for that." At her touch, he drew his hand away from the wound, revealing a deep, jagged cut that betrayed a dagger driven in and twisted as he came back out again.

She tried hard to ignore his cheerful banter so that she could see just how serious that wound was. It looked nasty enough to concern her and deep enough to bleed out, if nothing was done to stop it. "You're an idiot," she scolded, though she assumed he hadn't intended on getting himself hurt. "Give me something to stanch the bleeding," she told Bran, extending a hand expectantly in his direction.

Frowning in concern, Bran shrugged out of his heavy coat, pulling off his shirt to rip it into manageable pieces for her to make use of. "Damn, Bran," Dax muttered. "Never seen you strip so fast for Cam. Should I leave you two alone?"

"Shut up and save your strength for healing," Skylar reprimanded. "You've lost a lot of blood," she told him, though it was probably unnecessary. She hardly glanced at Bran as she grabbed a strip of cloth from his hand and pressed it against the wound. Under other circumstances, she might have enjoyed the view, but that would have to wait until later. "I can seal the wound, but ..." she started, trailing off.

"But?" Bran prompted, the only sign of his anxiety the harshness of his tone. "What do you need? I can get anything you need."

Dax rolled his eyes, smiling to himself as he rested his head back against the wall. "A room," he muttered, supposedly to himself, though he knew perfectly well that Skylar could hear him.

Good goddess. What was it with these two? Especially Dax. "Is everything a joke to you?" Skylar snapped, not looking too pleased with him at that moment, though she had seen them both terrified for their sister only a short time ago. She wasn't going to apologize for her mood. It had been a long day, and she was feeling on edge. Not only was she feeling some of Dante's pain, but healing Cam had weakened her.

Bran bristled, but Dax met Skylar's gaze with utterly serious eyes. "Better to go out with a smile, sweetheart," he said softly. "I know it's not good."

"You're not going anywhere," she hissed under her breath. "Bran, go see if Cam needs help. I'll handle things here," she said, hoping Dax didn't gutter that, like he did everything else.

Bran's frown deepened, his gaze flickering back and forth between the two of them for a long moment before he nodded heavily. "All right," he agreed. "Just ... just don't leave him alone, okay?" The underlying wish for his brother not to die alone was painful in his voice, but he did as he was told, however reluctantly.

Dax chuckled painfully, resting his head back once again. "So mysterious, sweetheart."

If it wasn't for Dax and his annoying habit of spouting one-liners, she might have taken the time to assure his younger brother that he'd be all right. "You are, by far, the most infuriating man I have ever met," she told him. "And what I'm about to do is no joke, so keep your thoughts to yourself and your eyeballs inside your head."

"Hey." His unbloodied hand reached out, gently tilting her chin to keep her eyes on his, the smile gone again. "You don't have to," he told her softly. "I'm not going to bleed out in the next few minutes. Got at least an hour in me. Don't push yourself just to save me, Sky."

Forced to look at him - really look at him - she searched his eyes, knowing there was more to him than what he let the world see. She had seen him with Mira - the patient, almost gentle way he had been with her, putting her instantly at ease. Whatever this man was, he was more than just a bunch of muscles and a sarcastic sense of humor, but she wasn't sure she dared get to know him better. "I don't have much choice," she told him after a moment. "Dante doesn't stand a chance without Cam's help, and I don't have the skill to heal you without using a little magic. So, you're just going to have to suck it up and deal with it, got me?"

"You always have a choice, Sky," he told her, still speaking softly, his voice only a little tight through the pain. "I'm telling you, this isn't going to kill me in just a few minutes. I've had stomach wounds before; takes a couple of hours to bleed out, I'm not there yet. You need to be there for your brother."

Skylar narrowed her eyes at him, anger rising up inside her at his insistence that Dante's life was somehow more important than his. She was tempted to tell him to shut up, but something twisted inside her and against her better instincts, she found herself kissing him. That should shut him up anyway.

Well, that certainly took him by surprise. He stilled, his eyes blinking wide for a moment before natural instinct had him responding. His fingers moved to the nape of her neck, gently tilting her head into a deeper kiss as he tasted her lips without shame or regret.

She indulged herself for a moment, letting him taste her and savoring the taste of him in return. She was confident she could save him, but it would cost her in more ways than one. What was it about him and his siblings that she found so intriguing? She was certainly not disappointed in his kiss or the way it made her feel inside, but if anything was going to come of this, it would have to wait until later. "I'm not going to let you die, Dax," she assured him, allowing herself a moment to run her fingers through his blond hair, just because she'd wanted to since she'd first laid eyes on him.

"Cripes, woman, you're as stubborn as I am," he breathed, smiling once again. But this time, the smile was gentle and understanding. "All right. But don't push yourself hard. You need to stop, you stop, you got me?"

"Yes, dear," she replied, with a hint of sarcasm. "Just try to relax, okay? And don't freak out about what happens next," she warned him.

He nodded, leaning back once again. "I've seen some crazy shit," he assured her. "I think I've got this. Besides, you're going to do the licking thing you did to Cam, right?"

"Something like that, yes," she told him, but what she didn't tell him was that she didn't intend to do it as a woman. "I assume you're not afraid of animals," she said, even as she slowly started to morph right before his eyes. Her clothing disappeared, replaced by fur, her body shifting from that of a woman to a tigress with black and orange stripes.

[Marissa]

"Something like that, yes," she told him, but what she didn't tell him was that she didn't intend to do it as a woman. "I assume you're not afraid of animals," she said, even as she slowly started to morph right before his eyes. Her clothing disappeared, replaced by fur, her body shifting from that of a woman to a tigress with black and orange stripes.

Dax watched, entranced - and a little light-headed, admittedly - as Skylar's form changed before him. But he showed no sign of fear or disgust. If anything, his smile quirked further with amusement. "Today I learned that it is possible to be attracted to a pretty tiger," he informed her cheekily.

Unable to respond with words, the tiger got straight to business, dipping her head in the direction of his side and nudging his hand away from the wound. Her tongue was warm and wet and a little bit rough, but gentle in the way she tended to his wound, carefully licking the blood from his side and then stroking her tongue over the wound to slowly and magically seal it shut.

Dax hissed just a little as she began her work, forcing himself not to flinch away. As Skylar focused herself on his injury, his hand unconsciously sought out her fur, stroking through the soft fur over her shoulders as the pain began to ease from the worst of his wound.

It wasn't like Cam's wound; this one was deeper and far more serious, and it was going to take everything Skylar had left in her to heal it, not unlike what Marissa had done for Duncan. It was one of their kind's gifts, though Skylar had sometimes wondered if it wasn't more of a curse. It was no secret that she preferred her human form to that of the others, but desperate times called for desperate measures and all that, and she wasn't about to let Dax die just because her tiger was shy about coming out.

"Hey." She might not have the self-restraint to keep herself from going too far, but Dax was not oblivious to what his body was telling him. As his blood ceased to flow from his side, his fingers tightened in her fur, gently but firmly pushing her back. "Enough, Sky. That's enough. I'm good."

Some part of the tiger understood his meaning, her tongue scraping against the wound one last time, as if for good measure. He would be left with a scar, but at least he would live. The tiger licked her face clean of blood and laid her head against his thigh, her body relaxing against him, panting slightly, eyes sliding closed. She wasn't unconscious, merely resting.

"You'd better not be dying on me, sweetheart," he murmured, still stroking his fingers through her fur. "Your brother'll kill me slowly, and then you'd have died for nothing." He flashed her a brief grin before letting out a low sigh. "Nap seems like a good idea, actually."

The tiger that was Skylar seemed content enough to remain where she was, as if she lacked the strength to get back up, much less shift form. It was probably a good thing the hunters were dead, as it was unlikely they were going anywhere just yet. She acknowledged his voice with a sound low in her throat, as if telling him without words to shut up again.

Chuckling once more, Dax relaxed back against the wall, catching his brother's eye with a smile and a nod. He was good. Just tired. Sleep would do the world of good. He just had to hope that Cam could bring Skylar's brother through, the way that Sky had done for him.

A short distance away, the rest of the pack was crowded around Dante who, like Dax, had been propped against the wall, a crossbow bolt sticking out of his thigh. As painful as it was, the wound itself wasn't life-threatening, but for the silver-tipped head that was buried in his leg and leaching poison into his bloodstream.

Cam had got straight to work, but there was a lot to be done before she could even begin to purge the poison from his system and heal the wound. "Someone needs to break off the bolt and remove the head," she was saying, eying Bran and Kamara pointedly. After all, they were the only ones with hands that she could see right now. Trying to ignore the push of furred forms around her, she turned her attention back to Dante, gently cradling his face in her hands so she could hold his gaze. "It's going to hurt like a bitch," she warned him. "But I've got this. You're going to walk out of here like nothing happened."

"You've no idea," Dante replied through gritted teeth, his face pale and strained. It already hurt like hell, but it wasn't the bolt buried in his leg that was giving him the most pain; it was the silver that was burning like fire in his veins. He knew he only had so long before it reached his heart and he was a goner, but he trusted those around him to stop that from happening. "Where's Skylar?" he asked, shifting slightly to try and see around the others. He could feel his twin near and he didn't like what he was sensing from her.

"She told me to keep going to you," Cam told him. "She stopped to deal with Dax."

She felt Bran move up beside her, her big brother focused on the shaft of the crossbow. "I can just pull this out," he offered. "These bolts were designed to deliver silver, not to get stuck in the wound."

"Then do it, Branaxos," Cam said, glancing over her shoulder at him with a frown. "All right, all right, don't get your knickers in a twist ..."

Dante turned his glance to Bran, his head feeling strangely heavy. "Just do it," he hissed again, knowing this was the easy part. With any luck, he'd pass out and not remember any of it, but he had a feeling he wasn't going to be so lucky. “On three ..." he said, bracing himself, curling his fingers into fists.

"All right. One ..." However, Bran ripped the bolt out on two, already feeling Dante's muscles starting to tense up around the bolt. It came out clean, no breaks in the wood or the metal, with a gush of blood that soaked Cam's knee.

Dante sucked in a breath as the bolt came free. It had only taken a moment, but that moment had been excruciating. Despite the pain, it was a relief to know his flesh was free of the shaft. The bleeding would help flush out the wound, but there was still the matter of the silver that was already flowing through his veins and slowly making its way to his heart.

Cam's fingers gently stroked Dante's cheeks as the bolt was pulled free, trying to soothe that first moment of terrible agony as best she could. She studied his eyes for a moment, trying to gauge how bad the poisoning was, but quickly moved her hands over the wound. As the pack watched her anxiously, she went very still, her lips moving soundlessly for a long moment. Then, she opened her eyes, and they shone with pure golden light as her innate power slipped through Dante's veins, seeking out the poison that was the silver to burn it thoroughly from his system.

Dante met Cam's gaze, finding some strange measure of relief there, as she seemed able to distract him from his pain with just a look. He couldn't deny she was pleasant to look at - quite possibly the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on - but the poison seeping through his veins was far more distracting. "Burns," he hissed through clenched teeth, every muscle in his body tensing against the onslaught of the poison. It was only when her eyes changed that he began to feel some measure of relief.

[Marissa]

It seemed to take an eternity, tension rippling through the group when Cam started to shake with the effort of holding such tight control over her magical energies. But the silver was losing the battle, stripped from every vein and artery by the young sorceress whose rescue had only been incidental to the pack's mission. Bran fidgeted, wanting to pull his little sister away, but knowing she would not thank him for interrupting.

Slowly - very slowly - Dante's breathing eased, his muscles relaxing, the unbearable burning in his veins fading until the only pain left was a dull throbbing in his thigh where the bolt had once been buried. It was the first time he'd ever encountered silver, and he hoped it would be the last.

The golden light faded from Cam's eyes, and for just a moment, she swayed where she knelt, swallowing hard. Bran lurched in her direction, but she waved a hand at him irritably. "Not done yet," she told her brother. "Go check on Dax." Grumbling, Bran rolled his eyes as he did as he was told, absently ruffling Darius' fur on his way past. Flicking her blonde hair out of her face, Cam drew in a deep breath, offering Dante a small smile. "Soon be good as new," she promised him, laying her palm flat on the throbbing wound in his thigh. There was that golden light again, and the strangely painless sensation of flesh knitting back together.

"Stop," Dante told her, reaching for her wrist as soon as that light went on in her eyes again. He knew enough about healing to know what this was costing her. "Please, Cam ... Lady ..." he pleaded, his voice not much more than a whisper, all too aware of the onlookers who were watching them both.

The light stuttered, fading to warm brown as she looked up at him, startled by his pleading. "I can do it," she promised him quietly. "All I need is to sleep to replenish what I'm using. You'll be easier in yourself if you're good to go. Besides, I still have to finish off my brother - I doubt he's let Skylar fix everything wrong with him. Stubborn is a family trait."

"I doubt you can fix everything wrong with either of us," Dante remarked, the slightest hint of a smirk on his face, as if he was making a joke. His fingers found hers, though it was hard to say if that had been intentional or not. "See to your brother. I'll be fine," he told her, not bothering to mention he could finish healing himself, if needs be.

She let him take her hand, curling her fingers through his even as she placed her other palm over the half-healed wound. "Like I said, I'm stubborn," she told him with a smile. "Let me fix the physical stuff, at least." The golden glow was returning to her eyes, but she didn't look away from him, letting him see that, deep within the golden light, a nebula of blue and purple and black swirled as she cast her spell.

"I can ... do it ..." he mumbled, trailing off as his gaze met hers again, losing himself to the mesmerizing colors that were swirling in her eyes. It was almost as if she'd cast a spell over him, the way he felt drawn to her gaze. His fingers remained linked with hers, even as he could feel the wound in his thigh closing, the fleshing knitting itself back together until all that was left was a small scar to show for it.

A last burst of rejuvenating energy washed through him as she stroked her fingertip over that scar, the light fading from her eyes once more. Only Dante felt the weary shudder that ran through her, that stubbornness of hers refusing to let her show his pack weakness.

Beside his shoulder, Emrys nudged him gently with his muzzle, making sure he was good.

Dante's gaze remained fix on Cam, sensing the weariness in her, the price this healing had cost her. She was stubborn, that much was certain, but then, so was he. "Thank you," he told her, his voice quiet. That was the least he could do. It was only when Emrys nudged his shoulder that he blinked, as if the spell was broken. "I'm fine," he assured the Alpha. More than fine really. He felt better than he had in days, despite the injury.

Emrys nodded, licking his cheek, no doubt already relaying to Marissa that the danger was passed.

Cam reluctantly loosened her fingers in Dante's grip, offering him another small smile. "You're welcome," she assured him. "I should go see to Dax." Her limbs felt heavy, reminding her how close she was to fully burning herself out of her magical energies for the next day or more, but she wouldn't forgive herself if the people who came here for her left in pain.

Dante wasn't a man of many words, and so, he only gave her a brief nod of his head as he moved to his feet and flexed his leg to test the healing. He could have done it himself, but it would have taken longer and would have left him as weary and incapacitated as ... He turned abruptly to look for his twin, as if just remembering she was there.

Dax hadn't moved from where he was sleeping against the wall, his fingers buried in the soft fur of the big tiger resting against his leg. Neither one looked in imminent danger of death, which was probably just as well.

Behind Dante, Cam hissed as her clumsy effort to stand dragged her shin over the rough stone of the floor, opening abrasions in its wake.

Dante quickly surveyed the situation, glancing quickly around to see if anyone else was injured, but it seemed it had only been himself and Dax. He wasn't sure how he felt about his twin tending to Dax, but he knew better than to argue with her about it, especially now that it was done. His attention was drawn away from his sister when he heard Cam hissing behind him, and turned to find her struggling to get up. Without a word, he slid an arm around her waist to help her to her feet, taking one quick look at her face and realizing just how spent she was. "You should rest," he scolded her gently.

"I can do it," she insisted, though she didn't resist his grip, leaning into his chest as he helped her settle onto her feet again. "It's my fault everyone got hurt, I should help as much as I can ..."

"It's not your fault," Dante insisted, though he didn't want to argue with her. The fault belonged entirely to the blood hunters, and they'd got what they had coming to them. "Emrys," he said, his arm tightening on the little sorceress in case her legs went out from under her. "Cam and ..." He briefly glanced once again at his sister. "Cam and Skylar need to rest."

[Marissa]

Emrys nodded his big head, glancing around. He grumbled something, and a moment later, one of the others was dragging a blanket across the ground to the Alpha. Cam gasped, unused to seeing the full Shift, as Emrys forced himself onto two feet, wrapping the blanket around himself like a toga. "I can carry Skylar, if you want me to?" he offered to Dante, not needing to be in charge now the worst was over. "Pretty sure Bran can handle Captain Stubborn over there."

Dante nodded. There were enough of them that they should be able to manage the big man, though a few of them hadn't shifted back to human yet. "I'd appreciate that," he replied to the Alpha. Normally, he would have insisted on being the one to care for his twin, but he trusted Emrys as much as he trusted his own flesh and blood, and he was strangely reluctant to let Cam go.

"Sure, you two get the pretty ones," Bran muttered, waiting for Emrys to gently wake the tiger and get her on her feet before moving to hoist his older brother over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes.

Emrys was far more gentle with Skylar, easing her forepaws over his shoulders to lift her comfortably on his back.

"I can still help," Cam was trying to insist, but even she knew she was fighting a losing battle here. She was swaying on her feet, even with Dante holding her up.

"You've done plenty," Dante assured her quietly, gently sweeping her up into his arms, seemingly without much effort. Her weight was nothing to him, now that his energy had returned.

Darius remained in wolf from, preferring it to being human, and lingered beside Bran, as though he belonged there.

The white tiger that had been with them had wandered off during the healing, returning to them as a tall, dark-haired man clad in clothing he'd filched from the hunters.

"We're going to need to carry Marissa, Duncan, and Diana, too," Emrys was saying as the group made their way back toward the steps down to the next level.

"I'll contact the Skies," Bran said. "They'll come in for pick up."

It seemed like such a strangely mundane conversation to be having as they picked their way between bodies and body parts, but Cam was barely aware of it. She curled her hands to Dante's shoulders, letting her forehead rest at the crook of his neck. He was right, she was exhausted ... and for some reason, it was impossible to argue with him.

"The sooner we get away from here, the better," Neville murmured. He didn't really like the feel of the hunters’ clothes against his skin, but it was the best they could do on short notice. He'd grabbed a bunch of blankets and some clothes he thought might fit Demi, in case she wanted to shift back before the Skies arrived.

Though he agreed, Dante had nothing to say about that. He was too concerned about his siblings, not to mention the woman in his arms. If it hadn't been for her, it was possible he might have perished here; though it wasn't only gratitude that drew him to her, but something he couldn't quite put a name to yet.

Demi was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, Mira stationed not too far away, tiger and wolf eager to escort them back to safety despite the fact that there was no danger here any longer. Bran's voice reached all their ears, the reassuring response from Oreia on board the airship promising to be there for pick up in twenty minutes.

Though it had only been a few hours, it had seemed like an eternity. There wasn’t one among them who wasn’t eager to leave this place behind forever. There would likely be other hunts, other battles in the future, so long as there existed those who would seek to do them harm; but this one, at least, was over.