warriors even as he began plucking knives from his boots and shoving them in the drawer of the hall table. If they frisked him, he clearly didnât want them finding his weapons. âIf they get inside, knock them out and cloud their minds. No deaths.â
The last thing they needed was to become a target for the humans. Kara might not be a warrior, but she could certainly understand the ramifications of the humansâ believing that the Ferals posed a danger. Theyâd have to leave Feral House, perhaps battle their way out, likely revealing their immortality. A disaster in every possible way.
Delaney came running down the stairs, a gun strapped to her still slender waist. Less than two months pregnant, she had yet to start showing.
âIâll get Xavier and Pink,â Delaney said.
Skye hurried after her, then glanced back at Kara.
Kara nodded. âIâll join you in a minute.â Her heart was pounding at the thought of Lyonâs walking outside where all those humans would be training guns on him. While the immortals didnât age and healed most wounds almost instantly, none of them were truly immortal. They could die. And the thought of losing Lyon terrified her.
She glanced at Jag, saw the hard granite of his jaw, and knew he was just as worried about Olivia. But he was a warrior first, and what was more, so was Olivia, and he knew it. Olivia was the best woman for this job, and Jag would keep his mouth shut even if it killed him. By the clench of his fists, Kara suspected it just might.
âPolice! Come out with your hands up!â
Lyon eyed Olivia and took a deep breath. âAre you ready, wife?â he said, reminding her of her role.
The redhead gave him a decisive nod. âReady, husband.â
âLynks, cover the back of the house,â Tighe called. âEveryone else, out of the foyer.â If the cops saw several more large males, it would make it impossible for Lyon to convince them Feral House was merely an innocuous, if huge, family home.
Kara slipped into the hallway that led to both the back of the house and the basement, Lynks following. As he brushed past her, she paused. She knew she should go downstairs. Thatâs what Lyon wanted her to do. But she couldnât make her feet move. Not when Lyon could die out there. Through the now-open front door, she heard him.
âWhatâs the problem, Officer?â Lyon asked.
âGet on the ground. Facedown!â
âThereâs no need for that,â Lyon replied calmly.
Kara wished she could see what was happening. Was he clouding their minds, pushing suggestions into them? He was trying, she knew that much.
âWe have a report of gunshots and screaming coming from this house,â another cop said.
Kara clenched her teeth against the lie. The house was fully warded against sound. Not even standing on the front doorstep would anyone hear the roar of the animals inside. The âreportâ was bogus and had probably come from the Mage just to cause them trouble.
âKara.â
Lynks startled her, squeezing her shoulder. âTheyâre going to overrun this place. Youâve got to hide.â
She looked at the new shifter, meeting his nervous gaze. She agreed with Lyonâs assessment, that Lynks was not the one meant to be marked. He had the mien of a teacher or an accountant, not a warrior. If the humans got inside, it would be up to Jag and Tighe to contain them. She seriously doubted Lynks would be of much help.
âOkay.â Pressing her fist against her tense stomach, she turned and strode to the basement door, slipping inside, surprised when Lynks followed her down instead of closing it behind her.
âIâm just going to check on the others,â he said.
Which would leave the back door unprotected. Coward or not, was the man stupid? âLynks . . .â
But as she turned to urge him to cover his post, he gripped her shoulder, too tight. A