Path of the Hunters [PART 3]

"The things you learn when you are alone, non? I tried to make something the other day, but Nova nudged me into a chair and finished." She smiled. "'E worries too much."

Outside, the wind picked up. "Mm... I 'ope 'e gets back soon."

Crescent looked toward the window, eyes narrowed. "...Something does not feel right."

"Oui..." The baby within her had picked up speed, as had her heart rate. There was a blade in her hand, spinning as she tried to calm herself.

Outside, thirty Baudoins were advancing on the small house. They'd been tracking the rogue Amile Baudoin for months, after discovering that she had abandoned them. Now that she was on her own, with only some pregnant woman with her, it was the perfect time to attack...

[*insert dramatic suspense music here*]

She gripped her two blades tightly, cursed. "Baudoins, thirty of them, the entire Dread Blade unit, sans Kane and me, of course."

Aurélie frowned deeply. They would recognize her and kill them both, she was certain. Even if they'd attacked a month prior, she would have been more use. Now, though...

"I am useless," she muttered. "'Elp me up."

She growled softly, her blades retracting so she could lift the dog. "Do you have a safe room, 'ere?"

"Of course. But there is only one entrance and I cannot get to it. The other entrance isn't finished." They'd only recently moved into this house.

"Damn. Anything else?"

She shook her head. "Not 'ere. I suggest getting into the car before they 'ave that surrounded as well." Blades were spinning between her fingers again. "I can still throw."

She nodded. "Then we need to move, now." She led the dog to the garage door, quickly but gently, avoiding causing damage to her child.

She went along as quickly as she could, getting her phone out and calling Nova.

"Aurélie," Nova said as soon as he picked up. "Everything okay?"

"No. We are surrounded by Baudoins."

"...I'm on my way." The line went dead.

Crescent opened the passenger door of Nova's car, and immediately swung around to the driver's side.

Aurélie managed to heft herself in, but stilled before closing the door. "Laroche. I can feel them. Their blades are drawn; they are close." Her gaze went to Crescent. "Fifteen."

Crescent cursed in French. "Forty five trained warriors, all of them blades drawn. It would be good odds if only uncle Kane was 'ere."

"Nova is on 'is way. 'E may let Kane know." She called the wolf again, frowning. He needed to be updated. "If they 'ave both found us, we are in trouble."

Nova picked up quickly. "I've found Kane and let Cross and the others know. What's going on?"

"There are Laroches now. Fifteen. We're in the car now, but our odds of leaving 'ere alive are slim..."

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

"'Urry," she murmured, a hand on her swollen belly. "Je t'aime." There was a loud bang and the dog looked up. They'd made a small hole in the garage. "Merde!"

"Shit!" The wolf threw a blade into the eye of the Baudoin on the other side, then slammed the gas, breaking through the garage door, and speeding down the street.

*

Cross set the phone back in his pocket, sighed. "This was bound to happen sooner or later." He looked up at the human across from him. "Well, looks like you guys finally get to flex your muscles."

Damien smirked, "Hey, we've been flexing them, even if you haven't seen us. Our 'project' just needs a little field test, and this situation may prove to be quite useful in that regards..."

"About that... It doesn't have any permanent effects, does it?"