Page 181 of Love & Heart Braking

Unshed tears filled my voice. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“Release the woman,” a man bellowed.

I spun, staggering again as I flung my arms wide. “No. He’s okay. Don’t shoot him. He’s coming back.” I didn’t know any of the law enforcers here. “It’s Devereaux Vincori! Please just wait!”

They lowered their weapons.

A hand rested on my shoulder. A hand distinctly lacking in fur. I spun around and stared up at Devereaux.

“You’re back.” I threw myself into his arms, bursting into fresh tears. His chest rumbled as he stroked my hair, holding me close. “It’s okay, sweetheart.”

“He’d berserked,” someone whispered. “How did he do that?”

The awe in their voice was plain, and the same emotion filled me. I raised my head and looked into his eyes, and I gazed past his eyes to the predator within that this world didn’t understand and therefore didn’t deserve. “Thank you.”

Cool gray eyes flashed blue, and I smiled.

“Report,” Devereaux said to the law enforcers.

They glanced at each other, then a woman stepped forward. “The guests have been contained. Most of the twelve families are currently,” her attention flicked to me, “unconscious. The sphinx unleashed magical pandemonium, but the goblin helped to limit the effect on our side. The guests were thrown by the outburst of the magic, and we were able to wrestle the upper hand without too much trouble after that.”

I remained hugging Devereaux tightly as he asked her a few questions.

“Soleil and the others,” I murmured once he’d dismissed the other officers.

“Your head is bleeding.”

“It’s nothing. I need to see if everyone is okay.”

We walked back through the garden to what remained of the meadow. The paths had been ripped up along with the ground. Wildflowers were trampled and burned. Towers smoked. Some trees were still on fire. Unicorns and law enforcement were busy handcuffing guests and members of the twelve.

“Cerys!”

A golden blur was all the warning I had before Soleil snatched me up.

Devereaux growled. “Careful. Her head.”

She swore and set me down, but I ignored the throbbing in my head. I was high with joy. “Sol, are you okay?”

“I’m okay. A lot of the more powerful types couldn’t handle the detonation of their power. You should have seen how big Gug’s jaw got to swallow what went down. I’ve never seen someone move so fast.” Impressing Soleil took a lot, but the goblin had achieved it.

“Where are the others?”

She jerked her thumb, and I spotted Bain with some of his herd. Maligni and Gug were speaking to the sphinx not far away.

Devereaux stepped behind me, rubbing my upper arms. Could he feel my complete shock? It felt like this was over, but how could it be over? The most powerful of the twelve were simply unconscious. When they woke… “What happens from here?”

My berserker spoke, “The herds returned to take up their mantel as the bringers of justice in Nepos. They spent the last few days forcing out the NBC.”

“Sweet Minerva’s knee bone,” I blurted, then my brow cleared. “That’s what the lab researchers were talking about.”

“My source was able to get the evidence you hid in the garden out to us.”

Go, Mantel. Or should I say The Renegade of Nepos?

He added, “I also got an unexpected visit from a member of Trenley’s pack.”

The werewolf did deliver my message after all! “Did the information help?”

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