Bad Moon Rising

Aimee let out a wail of pain as Fang pulled her against him.

Fang didn’t know what to do for her as he rocked Aimee in his arms. She sobbed like a brokenhearted child. Parts of the bar were still burning, but Wren, Acheron, and Max appeared to have most of it under control.

Thorn, Varyk, Wynter, Zeke, and the Charonte had the demons on the run.

Remi let out a feral sound of pain an instant before he turned into a bear. He launched himself at Eli’s body, tearing it to shreds. Fang grimaced, grateful that Aimee wasn’t able to see the viciousness of his actions.

Not that she didn’t know Remi’s darker side or probably wouldn’t have done it herself had she been more aware. He buried his lips against her hair and rocked her while she let out all her pain. He hated that he couldn’t take this from her.

But there was nothing to do except comfort her.

And as everyone realized what had happened and that Eli lay dead, the fighting ceased.

Stone let out his own cry of pain as he saw his father slaughtered on the floor. He fell to his knees sobbing as the rest of their pack stared in disbelief.

“I’ll get you, bastards!” Stone shrieked. “I swear it! I’ll kill you all!”

Dev shook his head. “There’s been enough killing, Stone. Go home for the sake of the gods.”

Stone launched himself at Dev.

The Dark-Huntress Janice caught him and shoved him into the arms of the werewolves behind him. “Boy, you better learn to listen. It’s over. Take your punks and go home while you’re still on this side of the grave. This is a onetime offer and it’s about to expire. Go.”

He went, but the promise in his eyes was potent.

He would be back.

The werewolves and demons retreated. Constantine and Varyk passed a look of mutual hatred between them before Varyk, Thorn, and his crew followed after the others to make sure they didn’t double back.

Fang swept his gaze around the bar that had been all but destroyed. Tables and chairs along with railings and trim had been splintered. The entire area was charred. Broken glass and weapons littered the floor and were covered in blood.

He’d never seen anything like this.

And as his gaze went to the sign by the door, he felt his heart lurch.

Come in peace or leave in pieces.

The only question was, could they ever pick up the pieces that had been left here tonight?

Dev came forward to pull Aimee away from Fang so that he could hold on to her. Fang started to protest, but realized she needed her family as much as she needed him. While he ached for her, Dev truly felt the pain of the loss. Knowing that pain all too well himself, he released her to her brother.

Dev cradled her head against his shoulder. “It’ll be all right, Aim. We’re here.”

Aimee heard those words, but they did nothing to ease the ache inside her. All she’d wanted to do was to share her mating with her mother…

Her father…

It was why she’d come here tonight. She’d wanted her parents to be proud of her. To share in her joy.

Now they were gone. Forever.

Had you not been here, they would have been attacked unawares and Maman would have died without your ever seeing her again.

It was true, yet she couldn’t stop the pain inside her. The grief that cried out for her mother’s love. How could they be gone? How?

It was so unfair and she wanted blood for the loss…

Fang stood back as the bears circled and held on to one another to grieve. They were a family united.

He felt like a total outsider.

Until Aimee and Dev pulled him forward. He hesitated until Remi took his wrist to force him to join them. “You’re one of us, wolf.” Remi’s gaze went to Fury, Vane, Lia, and the others. “As are all of you. Thank you for coming to help us fight. It won’t be forgotten.”

Aimee reached up to wipe some of the blood off Fang’s face before she kissed him. “I guess we’re all brolf after all.”

Dev frowned. “Brolf?”

Simi huffed at him as if she thought he was completely dense. “A bear and wolf family. Jeez, doesn’t anyone understand Charonte English?”

Dev shook his head as he looked around at the hodgepodge of creatures who called Sanctuary home. “This is one fucked-up family.”

Fang laughed. “I think it’s the nature of all families to be fucked up.”

Aimee wiped her tears away. “Simi? What was it you told me once about families?”

“We have three kinds of family. Those we are born to, those who are born to us, and those we let into our hearts.”

Aimee held her hand out to Fang as Dev continued to hold her.

Family.

It was all that ever really mattered.

Those we are born to, those who are born to us, and those we let into our hearts.

The ones who were gathered here, they were family and no amount of malice would ever change that. Family could only be destroyed from within.

Never from without.

And tonight they were all closer than they’d ever been before. United in grief. United in spirit.

United in love.

Sanctuary forever.

One week later

Aimee stood in the center of the bar as Qui

In true Were-Hunter fashion, they’d cremated their parents and placed their ashes in an urn that now rested in the memorial chapel where Bastien and Gilbert were kept in a special room in Peltier House.

Aimee had visited with them just that morning. She didn’t think she’d ever get over the need to see her mother or feel her father’s warm hugs.

She would miss them always.

Fang came up behind her and offered her a cup of tea. “Are you all right?”

How could she really answer that?

She looked around at the damage that they had yet to repair. In one night, their lives had all been forever altered. One night that would leave a lasting scar on all of them.

But out of the pain was hope. And like the mythical phoenix, Sanctuary would rise out of the ashes and be every bit as strong as it had been before.

They might never again regain their limani license, but that was all right. That would allow them to pick and choose who they helped and it would give Remi and Dev the freedom to break ass over anyone who crossed the line.

“Yeah, I think I am.” She smiled at Fang before he went to help Dev and Xedrix move some of the lumber around.

The bar should be opened again in a couple of weeks. Everything would be back to normal except for two things.

There would be no more Mama and Papa Bear Peltier. That pain burned inside her.

But her brothers had come together and named her and Fang as the new owners of the bar. They would be the two faces that would carry on the legacy her parents had started, especially now that Fang was no longer wanted for what the demons had done. Stu had made sure of that.

For better or worse, Sanctuary would be here. And everyone would be welcomed here equally, so long as they maintained the one law.

Come in peace or leave in pieces.

“Hey?”

She turned at the sound of the unfamiliar voice coming in from the outside door. “Yes?”

A tall blond man stood in the bright sunlight as he skimmed the construction. “When are you opening back up?”

Qui

“Cool. See you then.”

It wasn’t until he’d left that they all realized something.

That man had been a Daimon.

And he’d just walked out into daylight.

“Oh, shit,” Dev breathed. “You guys think the Dark-Hunters know?”

Fang shook his head. “No, and I think the Dark-Hunters are about to get seriously owned.”