Gabrielle let out a low whistle, the signal to get ready. She raised her hands, and the boats slowed to a stop as they approached the shore. One by one, they hopped over the side and waded through the waist-deep water, the shadows concealing any noise they made.
He glanced around. No one seemed nervous or worried, and so he decided he would assume they could all handle themselves.
When they were all assembled on the shore, Gabrielle signaled for one of her cousins, Aurelie, to come up front. “Now,” she whispered, and the other witch nodded. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Slowly, a dark fog enveloped her, then flattened to the ground. The shadow began to spread farther, in the direction of the house. “Rising darkness,” Gabrielle had called it. The ability to create shadows.
“It’s time,” Gabrielle said.
He looked at Mika, then gave her a brief kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you soon, cher.”
Her green eyes glowed in the dark. “See you soon.”
After a quick nod to Gabrielle, he walked toward the shadow Aurelie created and walked into it. It was a narrow strip, as Aurelie could only produce a limited amount, but it was long enough for him to reach one of the generators that powered the freestanding flood lights illuminating the property. Once he got near it, he shut it off, and the area plunged into darkness.
He heard a commotion from inside the house, and a few seconds later, the door opened. A man came strolling out, one of Remy’s lackeys, and headed toward the generators. Delacroix sprang into action as soon as the man was close enough, grabbing him and taking him into the darkness.
“Merde! Where the fuck—Help!” He screamed as he tried to get away, but Delacroix threw a small bottle of knock out potion at him, and he crumpled to the ground. Once he was sure the other man was completely out cold, he dragged him as far away from the house as possible and tied and gagged him.
A few minutes later, another Lycan came out of the house. Delacroix repeated his earlier actions, dumping the unconscious man next to his companion.
He waited in the darkness, the seconds ticking by as he watched the front door. There was noise coming from inside the house, this time, hushed whispers. His instinct told him that they knew something was up. Remy wasn’t stupid, after all.
The front door opened, and paws pounded on the front porch as several Lycans poured out onto the front lawn, already in wolf form. Lycans were much larger than their animal counterparts, and even one that wasn’t well-trained in combat could do a lot of damage, and Remy made sure all his wolves knew how to fight.
That was why the Beaumonts would have to use every advantage they could. They stayed in the shadows, waiting for their enemies to advance. The Lycans would be able to see them in the dark, but that was the idea. Their one advantage wasn’t that they could stay hidden, but the shadows themselves. Everyone scattered about, and so the Lycans spread out. Just as planned.
A long, high-pitched whistle rang out, followed by two short bursts. That was the signal. Delacroix began to shift into his wolf form as the witches and warlocks held their positions.
He charged forward, moving into the shadows before reappearing behind two wolves in the back of the line. The element of surprise was on his side, so they didn’t notice him until it was too late. He sank his teeth into the neck of the larger one, digging deep until blood flooded his mouth, then did the same with the other. Though it might be inevitable, he wanted to avoid having to kill his kind, so he tried his best not to make it a fatal wound, but only slow down his opponents.
As the other wolf staggered to the ground, whining in pain, Delacroix’s wolf glanced around, using his enhanced vision. The Beaumonts were definitely holding their own, and the display of powers was impressive to say the least. One witch created a shield made of shadows, which stopped two wolves from knocking her down. Another seemed to be forming a dark fog over the eyes of a large gray wolf, blinding it. One of the older warlocks was surrounded by three wolves, and Delacroix was ready to charge in and help him when he turned into a dark gas and dissipated, only to re-form outside the circle, then hit them with a bottle of potion that knocked them out.
Knowing his relatives would be able to take care of their enemies, he shifted back into his human form and stalked up to the main house. His heart thumped so loudly in his chest, it was the only thing he could hear.
He was afraid of Remy; he had no problem admitting it. The man abused and tortured him, physically and mentally, making him feel worthless and unable to escape. It wasn’t until he saw that innocent child, and faced with the horrific thing he’d done, that he found the courage to run away.
And now, it could be his very own child’s future at stake. Remy would get his revenge at any cost. His mate and pup would never be safe until he was gone from this world. Delacroix wasn’t sure if he would be able to wait for a confession; even if Remy didn’t kill Helene and Armand, he already knew the Alpha was guilty of other things that he should answer for. If the Lycan High Council decided he should die for killing Remy, then he would be able to go gladly, knowing his family was safe.
With a determined stride, he drew closer to the house, ready to charge up the porch steps when the door flew open.
“What the fuck is—you!” Blue eyes
