Compel (Rae Wilder #2)

Chapter Six

Eyes wide, I spun looking for the source of the noise. I knew his voice, his presence, but had never felt him so strongly in my mind before.

A screaming Cleric fell from the sky and hit the floor in the centre of the courtyard with a loud thump, arms and legs sprawled. This in itself would have caused a stunned reaction, but the uproar was heightened since Conall was crouched on his chest. He’d ridden the Cleric to the dirt like a sled.

Broad chest bare, his dark hair flowed across his shoulders. His brawny legs were covered with dark leather plates engraved with leaves, and a thick strap of leather latched his sword to his back.

A Cleric half mad with rage bounded toward him and a small ball of fire appeared in Conall’s hand. He sent it at the man with a wide throwing motion and it collided with his face in a shower of sparks and blood. Conall calmly unsheathed his sword and sounded an ululating wail to the sky. Then he set his legs apart and braced himself.

The wall of Clerics roared in fury and surged forward.

A swirl of fiery hair and green limbs dropped down to stand behind my brother. Maeve, with a bow in hand, dressed in armour sleeker and darker than Conall’s, hissed at the line of Clerics. She notched her bow and sent an arrow flying in one smooth fluent move, then ducked as a tazer probe went flying overhead from a Cleric’s gun even as her arrow impaled him.

A panther with long white whiskers leapt down beside her, and brushed his boxy head and ebony flank across the back of her calves.

A massive male cougar, his entire body rippling with muscle under mottled yellow-gold fur, followed him. The were-cat – missing one eye – had fluffy tufts sticking out of his pointed ears, and his mouth opened wide to release a loud string of enraged growls.

Amelia tipped her head back and screamed. She bunched her fore and hind paws together, short, sharp rumblings breaking from her throat. Nimah looked fierce beside her swaying from side to side her fingers curled into claws. The shifter twins took one glance at each other, back at the male cougar, and leapt forward toward their Alpha.

Lex darted behind them – a white streak of death. Ro followed a moment later.

The demons launched themselves on the outer line of Clerics, determined to fight and protect me.

A Cleric drifted too close to the shadows and was yanked back into the darkness. He did not appear again.

I was appalled by it – them - all of them - protecting me. Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around?

Even as I fretted for the safety of those who fought for me, it was the fairy darting between the Clerics on Sanctuary roof that captured my total and immediate attention.

Men draped in red cloaks were flung screaming from the rooftop by a blur of black and silver, to land hard on the concrete with a sickening crunch, twitching before they were still.

He leaped down and landed protectively in front of the others.

Breandan.

I opened my mouth to call to him but magic thickened the air and was practically shoved down my throat. It was disgusting, vile, and I retched. I wasn’t the only one affected. Ana’s hand covered her mouth and clutched her stomach.

Unable to take hold of me the magic swirled away.

The Disciples freaked, batting their clothes and clawing at their faces. In eerie synchronicity they fell silent and still. At some hidden signal they stepped forward as one, small knives and batons unhooked from their belts. Their faces were vacant, like the personalities that animated them weren’t there any more.