---

 

Oh, things were going pretty well so far. The Hunters were jumpy as a bunch of cats dumped in the dog pound and it was actually a little amusing, and satisfying to see them at least figuratively looking over their shoulders whenever I spotted any of them.

“They're moving around in groups now.”

Dani almost scared me into screeching a profanity, but I bit that off and just gave her a little glare before grinning. “You know, I think I'm actually getting used to you doing that, but couldn't you just once walk up and say hi like a normal person?”

“But I'm not a normal person.” She smirked.

“Point taken.” I sighed and shook my head. “You're even more than a little strange for your kind.”

“Ahh, you say such nice things to a girl.” She grinned then pointed to a group of hunters, six of them walking through the downtown area with her chin. “Nice to see them scared for a change.”

“That was the plan.” I nodded. “Frightened people do stupid things, and I understand that their numbers have been getting thinned without them having a clue as to how.”

“Speaking of stupid things,” Dani gave that group of Hunters another look. “I think one of those is about to happen. Want me to hang around?”

“If you want.” I nodded and grinned. “They never let me out without other backup these days, though.”

“I know.” She smirked. “I'm part of that backup most of the time. But don't worry, I don't mind at all because you're fun to watch in action. That guy in the lingerie department was hilarious.”

“Oh well, it's showtime.” I said as the six Hunters spread out a little and tried to force me into a small alleyway. I let them do that and Dani just amiably walked along as I went, chattering about nonsensical stuff while watching for any more of them hiding in the area.

If there had been, they weren't there now. I'd very specifically been just wandering in that particular part of town for a reason. So, I knew quite well that if the Hunters had set up an ambush in there, that it had been ambushed in turn.

Dani looked around, then at me, nodded and grinned and said. “Nice.”

“I've been reading a lot lately.” I told her. Specifically the books Mason Locke had recommended and I'd even spoken to him by phone several times to clarify a few things.

“Reading what? The Art of War?” She asked.

“Among other things.” I nodded.

“Makes sense. I didn't think you were the romance novel type.” She nodded.

“Oh well.” I shrugged as the Hunters finally got around to closing in. “What can I say? I'm not your usual girly girl here.”

“Point for you there.” Dani licked a finger and ran it down an imaginary board.

“You, goth girl, get out of here.” The leader of those Hunters, the same one who had threatened me glared at Dani. “This is none of your business.”

Have I ever mentioned that Dani is really good with the scared little girl look? She widened her eyes, tensed up a little, frowned, and just nodded while giving me an apologetic look before walking away. But she didn't go far and fast as she can move was in position to watch everything and be in range to help me if that was needed.

“Playtime is over, little girl.” The man growled at me as he reached to grab me.

I blocked that reach, just hard enough and at the right angle to break a bone in his forearm, punched him in the chest right at the sternum, and hit one of his ankles with a little half spin kick.

Needless to say, he hit the pavement of the alley like a sack of bricks.

“Please stop calling me little girl.” I almost pleasantly told him as he was gasping for breath and trying to get back up. “And playtime?”

I kept him down with the simple move of planting a foot on his throat and lightly pressing down as his companions started moving towards me. “You threatened me, my family, my friends. What in the Hell makes you think I'm playing here?”

Carson hit two of the others, Dani was using something I could swear looked like a huge, old and very rusty wrench and got two more, while Carly took the other one. They were dead before they knew anything was happening.

The guy with my foot on his throat hadn't even had time to notice the carnage.

“I'm giving one chance here.” I told him flatly. “Leave. Go get your people together and get out of Ravencrest.

“Dont, and next time I see you,” I went on in tone like I was just talking to someone in a casual setting, “you'll die and the rest of the filth you're with will die with you. Choice is yours.

“Personally, I hope you stick around.” I finished, then turned and walked away without saying another thing.

I did wait at the mouth of the alley as other people cleaned up my mess. I felt bad about that, but someone had to make sure no normal stumbled into that butcher's floor before the traces of the short, nasty ambush were gone.

“And I thought Mama San was scary.” Dani joined me a bit later and looked at me. “You took that guy down without breathing hard then kept him down.”

“I've been training with martial arts since I was four years old.” I shrugged. “And what was that you were using back there?”

“Bertha.” She grinned.

“So that was Bertha.” I shook my head. “I'd envisioned this really scary vampire or something the way you keep talking about her.”

“No vampire.” Dani let out a little laugh. “But she is kind of scary, isn't she?”

“There is that.” I agreed.

“You know they're really going to come after you now, since you let that one guy go.

“And you know the plan.” I answered with a shrug. “Worry them, scare them, then give them their target. Give them what they want right now, and they won't be looking around for other things.”

“Oh, you've got a spot of blood on your top there.” She pointed to one of the cap sleeves of the baby doll top I was wearing. It really didn't glare, but still...

“Damn, and I really like this top.”

“Cold water.” Dani told me. “Soak it in cold water for awhile.”

After the cleanup was finished we walked down the street, laughing, talking, and just acting like a couple of girls out for an afternoon of shopping and scoping out the boys.

But the ante had been upped, a lot.

And I was the chip my side tossed in to do it.

Before you ask, no, I wasn't happy about being the worm on the hook here.

But someone needed to hold the bad guys attention while other things were happening that we didn't want them to see.

Besides, I'd been a target since this whole mess got started and to be perfectly honest, I was really tired of it. In chess this would be called the end game. I was the queen in this chess game, cornered, threatened from a number of directions, and appearing to be vulnerable.

If the bastards took the bait, we'd sweep the board.

I don't like this at all.” My once aunt now mother flatly told me during another family meeting. “You just made yourself, and us a huge target.”

“We've all been targets since I brought Linda here.” I answered. “And I can't undo what has happened now. I'm tired of this dancing around the thing and it's time to end it, Mom.”

“Well the security people are on high alert.” Dad sighed and nodded. “Much as I hate to say this, Cindy is right. This has to end. Now.”

“The family is also ready to take care of our part of your plan.” Mom told me and gave me a look that held both respect and worry. “Are you sure you're up to this?”

“I'd better be.” I shrugged then gave her a smile and moved to hug her. “I am, and I've been building up to this since those bastards showed up in town. It's about time they really got their collective noses flattened, not just bloody around here. Maybe that will make them hesitate to come back and cause more trouble.”

“Or it might just make them concentrate more on us.” Mom pointed out.

“After this, if they come back, any of them will be fair game with no hunting restrictions, Mom,” I answered. The Lockes and Carmilla agree on this one.”

“I still don't like the idea of you being so friendly with vampires.” Mom sighed.

“Mom.” I put my hands on her shoulders and gave them a little squeeze. “Carmilla is on our side here, and she wants more friends here in town. She isn't going to harm me, and has in fact, done things to make sure I'm not harmed. One of these days, you're going to have to talk to her whether you really like the idea or not. She's been my strongest, staunchest ally through this other than Carson.

“She deserves the chance to at least talk with you and Dad, don't you think?”

“All right.” Mom answered while Dad nodded thoughtfully. “But you and a Wolf?”

“He's my mate, Mother.” I answered that one without thinking. “I know it, he knows it, and it is going to happen. Please don't be difficult about this.”

“But how can you be so sure?” She asked. “You haven't really had time to completely assimilate what being a female among us is.”

“I'm sure” I sighed. “I don't know how, and I fought the idea, too, but Carson Locke is going to be my mate for life, Mom. And he isn't a bad guy at all, by the way.”

“No, you wouldn't put up with that.” She let out a sigh of her own. “So fine, on both counts, I'll talk with Carmilla, but I will SPEAK with Carson once this mess if finished.”

I didn't envy Carson on that one at all, but nodded with a little smile. “Thank you, Mother.”

“Not that we're hurting at all,” Dad put in thoughtfully, though there was a glint of mischief in his eyes as he said it, “but an alliance with the Lockes wouldn't be a bad thing.”

Mom hit him, frowned, but I could tell she could see the truth and the humor Dad had used to get it across.

The cousins, twins, now sisters, managed to corner me after that meeting.

“Are you out of your little mind?” Mary Jane asked.

“Do you really think you can pull this off?” Clarissa questioned in her turn.

“Like I have a choice?” I asked them. “I know I didn't give birth to her, but Linda is MY baby. If someone takes her it's going to be over my dead, broken body. Besides, these Hunters have really pissed me off.”

“Mama bear syndrome, Mary Jane nodded and grinned. “Okay.”

“What else is going on with this?” Clarissa asked.

“Lots.” I told them. “More than the Harpers are after these assholes this time around.”

“About time.” Mary Jane nodded and gave me a hug. “You just watch yourself, I'd hate to loose the prettiest cousin, sister, I've ever had because of this crap.”

Mary Jane and Clarissa were what I used to call babes. They could turn heads if they walked into a place wearing burlap bags and with dirty feet.

Clarissa hugged me and said. “You get this done little sister. We'll hold up our end of it.”

Me? The really pretty sister?

Damn you Coyote.

Lady Moon, why me?

And if you're wondering, yes I had been out in the forest in coyote form more than once. It was exhilarating and renewing, just running on four legs and knowing nature. But Lady Moon and I had a much more intimate contact than most. I didn't need to sing to her at night, though I did.

In human form, I asked questions and got answers. Not verbally, but my questions were answered.

In coyote form, I heard her voice, but the answers were the same.

I wasn't one to annoy a deity with second guessing, so just took the answers I'd gotten.

For now those were enough, though I did the idea that SHE actually expected me to argue.

That would come later, probably, knowing me, but at the present time, I had other things to worry about. All I knew was that Lady Moon was on my side, and that's all I needed at the time.

“You play a very dangerous game, child.” A familiar voice intruded on my enjoyment of the park and with a little chill I turned to see Carmilla in all her glory regarding me thoughtfully.

“This isn't a game.” I countered while watching this extremely dangerous woman.

“So long as you know that.” She nodded and smiled. “You have taken on adversaries that would cause fear in some of the strongest here, you know?”

“I'm not doing it alone.” I pointed out.

“No.” She shrugged and sat next to me on the park bench. “But it is still dangerous, for you and those you love.”

“We're at the end game now.” I told her simply. “If I lose, a lot of people are going to die, I know that.”

“If you win, a lot of people are going to die.” She pointed out.

“Hopefully, not many of the ones I care about.” I answered.

“That bothers you?” She asked while smoothing her already perfect skirt. “People being dead because of your actions?”

“Shouldn't it?” I shot back. “I don't like killing just to kill, Carmilla. Everyone loses in a fight like this one. The winner only loses less.”

“Good enough.” She smiled and kissed me on the cheek. “You are all that I hoped for, and more, little Coyote. We will talk later.”

And she was gone. How, just how, do those girls do that?

“Well puppy.” Another voice I recognized but wasn't all that familiar with interrupted that bit of thought after Carmilla's visit. “It seems that you are growing teeth here.”

The dark haired beauty I had met only once, and knew as Wisteria gave me a careful looking over.

“I defend my own, lady.” I carefully answered.

“I too, have reason to hate these Hunters, Puppy.” She told me simply and shrugged. That gesture alone would have most males I knew of falling at her feet for more attention. “Manage to kill them, and I will leave you alone. Fail and I will bring you back from death. I don't think you would care for that, though.”

Carmilla was scary, but this woman terrified me.

“You have my message, Puppy.” She smiled and stroked my cheek. “Good luck.”

I spent about an hour just getting rid of the shakes that little meeting caused.

“Buck up, Cindy.” Another familiar voice stopped that. What? Had everyone I met agreed to meet me in the park without me knowing?

Mason Locke gave me a cool look but I could almost swear that I saw a twitch that might have been a grin at the corner of his mouth. Mason Locke? Sort of smiling at me? Nah. “We're all afraid of that woman, but she can die just like we can.

“You have everything in place, and I'm proud of you, kid. Don't lose faith in yourself here.”

I hugged him in spite of his usually threatening demeanor and whispered. “Not a chance. These bastards are going to PAY this time around, not collect.”

“My cousin has himself a handful here.” Mason gave me an amused look. “I wonder if he knows that yet?”

“Some of it.” I grinned. “But a girl has to have some things in reserve, after all.”

“Oh, you are going to a fine addition to the family.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Just watch your back through this. There are a lot of people you haven't seen who are interested.”

“Watch or help, that's their choice.” I told him. “I won't beg them for help.”

“Good.” He nodded. “Asking is considered as a weakness around here.”

“I never asked for anything in my life.” I smiled back at him. “Why would I start now?”

“I knew you were one of the good ones. You do what you have to do. You have back up you don't even know about.”

He got up, walked away and I actually felt good.

Forbidding and mean as that man seemed to be, I really hoped he could find a woman who would see through that. If I wasn't already attached to Carson, I would have been tempted.

But distractions aside, it was game time.

Tonight was going to end this thing one way or another.

The pieces were set, the situation was there, and it was just time to end this.

Win or lose. It would end tonight.

I sent Connie a text that simply said, Now.

Other texts went out after that.

I went to the cradle that Linda was in and gently picked her up for a hug. “It's done tonight, love. I'm going to get rid of the nasty people who want to take you.”

Linda of course, didn't really understand what I was saying, but gurgled happily and played with my nose for a bit before I carefully put her back in the cradle.

“See you later, my sweet baby.” I told her.

Back in my room, I picked up the baby doll that I had bought a week earlier and activated the spell the witches had given me.

Now, for clarity I couldn't do magic. The witches had given me a cheap looking little ring that would activate the spell they had already cast with the right word.

Once I said that word, hard to pronounce by the way, the cheap mood ring vanished and I was holding a baby who seemed to be Linda. And the witches had been alerted that things were rolling now.

Everyone else was ready too.

It was time for some payback

Cradling the doll that looked and acted like a real baby I looked at the Hunter's camp.

“Hey! Assholes!” I shouted.

“You want me, and my baby? Well here we are! Now's your chance.”

With that I turned and ran. For all I was worth. Getting caught here would kind of complicate things, but not ruin the whole plan.

Carson, in the SUV that he had driven me here in was waiting and I piled in.

He started driving, slowly, to our destination.

“You think this is going to work?” He asked.

“Look behind us.” I grinned. There were about five SUVs following us. “They are scared enough, and angry enough, for this to work.”

“Let them think they're chasing us and that we don't have anywhere to go.” I reminded him.

“No problem.” He laughed and started doing random turns and trying to hide on side streets and in the few alleys Raven crest had.

Finally, our vehicle screeched into a gravel lot in front of a very run down and nondescript warehouse.

“You're on.” Carson kissed me and piled out of the driver's door to take the position he was supposed to be in.

I made a show of running aimlessly then darting into the warehouse.

It looked as if my help had abandoned me and I didn't know where to go.

“Come on out, little girl.” One of the Hunters shouted once they had followed me into the warehouse. “You've run out of places to run and your friends have left you.”

I let things hang for a few seconds, then took the biggest chance so far and stood up to walk into the middle of the empty place. “Okay, I'm here.”

They didn't try to kill me right then and there, so that worked.

“Too bad you lost your friends and are here all on your own.” The voice was almost gloating. “You should of at least kept enough friends to back you up here.”

“Yeah.” I sighed, then looked up at the shadowy figures around me and shrugged.

“Then I guess it's a good thing I didn't come alone, isn't it?”

I threw the baby doll into the air, ducked, and all Hell broke loose.