Page 85 of Red Boar's Baby

“No!” Costa said sharply. “No one leaves the house until we have a plan. Once you’re out there, you might be cut off, and we won’t be able to get in touch with you. We need to get someone up to Jenny and Jay’s to check on them, too.”

Delgado said quietly, “Who are Jenny and Jay?”

“My sister-in-law and her son. They’re in a house on the back of the property.”

Costa’s voice was grim. Knowing how protective he was of his brother’s widow and her son, Diana knew he must be going half out of his mind with the urge to have everyone where he could keep an eye on them.

In fact, the whole situation was a kind of nightmare scenario for him. Costa had devoted his life to looking after and protecting his family. Now danger had come for him, and there was only one of him and a whole group of them, split between different households.

But one thing was different from all of Costa’s worst-case imaginings, she knew.

“You’re not alone, Quinn,” she said aloud. “We’re here. Tell us where to go and what to do.”

Vic came back with a sleepy Molly and settled her on the couch, wrapping a blanket around her. “Don’t worry, sweetie,” he said quietly. “We’re just having a power outage, so we figured everyone should be together in the main room. Nothing to worry about.”

Costa looked around the room. Diana could see his quick gaze cataloguing the entire group, making sure everyone was accounted for: his agents, the aunts, the kids.

“Okay, we gotta do a few different things,” he said quietly. “We need to get someone up to Jenny and Jay’s to check on them and lock them down. We need to get a message out to the SCB. And we need to secure the kids and civilians, probably here, as it’s the best place.”

“What about moving everyone down to the cars?” Delgado asked. “We could just leave.”

“We could,” Costa said, “but we’d be targets. Especially on the road. All they’d have to do is create a blockade or disable our vehicles, and we’ll be sitting ducks.”

“I hear engines,” Molly said suddenly from the couch.

In the sudden silence that followed, Diana did too.

“So they’re coming,” Costa said. “Auntie—” He addressed it to the group generally. “Do we still have the big gate?”

“Oh, yes,” Aunt Lo said. “It hasn’t been closed in years, though.”

“We can at least force them to come overland. Uncle Roddy’s traps will be good for something after all.”

“Are they shifters or humans?” Aunt Lo said, and Costa turned in her direction.

“What?”

“The people that you believe are coming for us. Shifters or humans?”

“I’m not sure,” Costa said. “We know they have some shifters working with them.” His eyes narrowed. “But I doubt if it’s an all-shifter task force. Probably some or most of them will be human.”

Maura turned a look on the other aunts. “So they won’t know any animals running around aren’t normal animals.”

“If they know about the shifter underground fights, they know about shifters,” Vic pointed out.

“So?” Aunt Lo asked, her eyes bright. “Do they know the countryside, do they know what’s usual out here? Are they going to pay any attention to a wild pig or two, just running around?”

“What are you thinking?” Costa asked her.

“I think one of us should shift and head up to Jenny’s to make sure they’re all right.”

“All right, I’ll leave you to decide who’s going to do that. If you can safely get them down here, do that; otherwise hole up there. Someone else see if you can find those CBs.” The sound of engines was louder now; Diana sensed time was running out. “Vic, you’re in charge of household defense. Cat, get the gun and radios from your car.” He turned to Diana. “And you and I are going to close a gate. Vic, lock the door behind us.”

“What about me?” Farley asked.

Costa ground his teeth. “With us,” he decided. “I’m not leaving you here with them.”

They went out onto the porch. Diana could pick out distinct engine sounds now. “At least two or three vehicles,” she said aloud, but quietly. Delgado was already off the porch, barely visible in the dark.

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