Time to get the h.e.l.l out of here for a while.

AFTER unlocking the door, Talon stood on the porch, sniffing the air. Once again, he thought that it didnat smell quite right, like there was someone lurking in the woods who shouldnat be there.

aSmell that?a he asked his cousins.

aIam not sure,a Ross answered. aYou know this area better than we do.a aIam wondering if that guy who tried to burn the place down is back.a aMitch Sutton,a Ross said.

Talonas head jerked toward him. aYou know his name?a aI got a police detective friend to run the plate you gave me. With everything that was going on, I forgot to tell you about it.a aNo problem.a Talon and Grant morphed to wolf form and went out to have a look around. Twenty minutes later, when theyad changed back, Talon said, aI think heas been here. But heas probably left. I guess we spooked him.a aWeall keep up the patrols,a Ross said. aIall take the next one.a aYeah. Thanks.a aDo you think we could focus on the Vandar problem?a Ramsay Gallagher asked in a tight voice.

Talon studied the tension around the other manas eyes. Man? Well, head better not fall into the trap of seeing this guy as human. Of course, there were people who would say the same thing about the Marshalls.

aYouare anxious to tangle with your other self?a aNo. But I think we have to get it over with, before things get worse.a Talon nodded. Theyad cooked up a plan as theyad flown back from Denver. It had sounded good in theory. But how well was it going to play out?

Another car came up the driveway, and he turned to see two more of his relatives get out. From what Ross had said, it must be Adam Marshall and Sam Morgana"and their life mates Sara and Olivia.

Both wives had strong powers, and they were going to join the other life mates. He didnat like the idea of sending the women into danger, but he couldnat come up with another plan, not when Vandar had a bunch of adepts on the other side of the portal waiting to do battle with anyone who challenged him.

In the living room, they brought the newcomers up to speed on the plans theyad made. Logan and Rinna were missing from the group. Theyad gone back to Maryland to use the other portal. Not for a direct attack on Vandar. They were going to nearby Sun Acres, where Rinna had been born and raised. Their mission was to talk with Griffin, the head of the city council. If Sun Acres could send a contingent of adepts north to the edge of Vandaras territory, they could join up with the Marshall women and help disable the dragon-shifteras adepts.

Rinna and Logan had elected to cross the badlandsa"the wild and lawless area between the citiesa"on dirt bikes. Although the machines were an anomaly in the other universe, Logan had insisted that riding would be safer than traveling on foot. Actually, from what Talon had seen, it looked like his cousin had been itching for an excuse to ride the bikes there.

Jacob was also missing from the group. Head gone off to collect some of the supplies theyad need for the a.s.sault on Vandaras stronghold.

Talon cut Ramsay Gallagher a glance. On the one hand, everybody understood that they needed him to pull off this operation. On the other hand, n.o.body was comfortable with his level of power. Kenna had described Vandar in vivid terms, and Gallagher was just as dangerous. There was still no guarantee that he wouldnat turn on them, once head taken care of the other dragon-shifter. If he could take care of the other dragon-shifter. That was another question. Apparently, Vandar had developed the cutthroat side of his personality, while Gallagher seemed to have made himself more human. They hoped.

Talon bit back a sigh. There was nothing they could do about Gallagher until the time came. Theyad just have to hope he was as tough as Vandar.

Ross looked at his watch. aI a.s.sume that Logan and Rinna have gone through the portal. As we agreed, weall give them six hours to collect some allies and get into position at the edge of Vandaras territory. And we should get some rest.a Talon watched Kenna stand, thinking that they could have a few more hours of private time together. But just as she started down the hall, Jacob came in, and he realized that he needed to stay for the menas planning session. aYou go on,a he said to his mate. aTo my bedroom. Iall be along after I see what Jacob managed to get.a She gave him a long look, then turned, and walked slowly down the hall. As he watched, it was all he could do to keep from following her. But he knew that he couldnat leave the pack now. Not when they were still making plans.

The pack!

When he had time, he should examine how much his perspective had changed over the past few weeks. If he lived long enough.

He cut off that thought and focused on what the other men had to say. As Logan had pointed out, theyad all worked together before, and he needed to learn some of their protocols.

Since they couldnat speak to each other as wolves, Ross had devised a system of signals, including bird whistles. Head also outfitted each of them with a small, flat backpack where they could carry clothing to put on after they changed back to human form.

After the other werewolves had filled him in, the meeting broke up. Wondering what Kenna was going to say, he tiptoed down the hall to the master bedroom. His mate was lying in his bed on her back, sleeping soundly. He stood for a long moment, looking down at her, longing to climb into bed with her and take her in his arms. But theyad already had a couple of difficult days, and it wasnat going to get any easier tomorrow. Better to let her get some sleep.

So he continued down the hall to one of the empty rooms. After kicking off his shoes, he lay down with shirt and jeans. In case someone needed him, he left the door ajar.

RAMSAY Gallagher closed the door to one of the bedrooms. Crossing to the bed, he lay down, relieved to be alone. Head let them think head help them kill Vandar.

Now he was wondering, was that really what he wanted to do?

What if it didnat work out that way?

Vandar was him. Or theyad been the same being until the timelines had diverged. Could he really kill his other self? What if the amonstera wasnat as bad as Kenna thought? Or what if he had good reasons for his current behavior?

And what about the strange reality Ramsay was facing? He was going to meet another version of himself. Suppose they liked each other? Understood each other? What if it turned out they joined against the humans?

He honestly didnat know how this would go once the two of them met.

He had better stay open. To betraying himself? Or betraying the humans?

MAYBE Talon was the one beyond exhaustion. The next thing he knew, the sun was streaming in the window, and Kenna was standing over him, an accusing look on her face.

aYou didnat wake me.a aYou needed to sleep. We both did.a When she ducked her head and started to turn away, his hand whipped out and grabbed her by the wrist. With a tug, he pulled her down so that she was lying on top of him. His arms went around her, and he held on tight.

aNever doubt how much I want you. How much I want to build a life with you.a As he spoke, his hands moved over her, caressing her, molding her body to his.

In response, she moved against him, bringing his blood to a boiling point. He was about to pull off her shirt when a throat-clearing noise made his head jerk toward the door. Antonia was standing in the doorway.

aSorry to interrupt,a she murmured.

He knew she couldnat see them, but he still saw Kennaas face redden.

aWeall be there in a few minutes,a he called out.

When they were alone again, Kenna started to get up. But he held on to her. aStay here for a little while.a aIt all comes down to today,a she whispered.

aYeah. And weare going to stop the b.a.s.t.a.r.d once and for all.a aWe hope.a aWe will! So letas get the show on the road.a He laughed. aAnother strange expression.a When they stepped into the living room, Ross was filling in Lance and Savannah, who had just arrived. Lance was another cousin; Savannah was his mate. To Talonas way of thinking, she should be the most nervous. Unlike the rest of the women, she hadnat been born with special powers. But the other life mates had been working with her over the past couple of years, and it seemed that she could fit into the nexus of power that they generated together.

aWe should eat before we go through,a Rinna said.

aI donat know if I can swallow anything,a Kenna murmured.

aYou have to eat a littlea"to keep your strength up.a They all went into the dining room, where a buffet was waiting. The men, except for Gallagher, ate their usual meat. The women ate more lightly. n.o.body had much to say, since theyad already discussed what was going to happen when they got to the other side of the portal.

OFFICERS Ken Eckert and Frank Milner pulled up in front of the Winslow house. Ordinarily, the lieutenant wouldnat have sent them out to investigate a minor robbery. But this incident might be connected with the box of money that had turned up in the woods in the nearby state park. And then there was the added piece of strange information. When Winslow had called, head mentioned a green fountain of light down by the river.

When Eckert knocked, a lanky man wearing a running suit answered the door. Behind him stood a redheaded woman and two redheaded little girls.

aMr. Winslow?a Eckert asked.

aYes.a aCan we come in?a aSure.a He stepped aside. Eckert and his partner followed him into a living room decorated in relentless country kitsch.

aCome sit down. Thanks for showing up so promptly. We came up to the cabin on Tuesday. It took a while to realize several things were missing.a Mrs. Winslow glanced at the little girls. aWhy donat you go to your room and play? This will only take a few minutes.a aMom, we want to watch,a the older one whined.

aThis is adult stuff. You go to your room now,a Winslow said.

The kids left, dragging their feet. When they were gone, Eckert read off a list of stolen items.

aYes. I know thatas not much, but the door was locked. Iam worried that someone has the key.a Yeah, Eckert thought. And youare getting VIP service from us.

aYou donat have one under a rock outside?a he asked.

aNo.a aHow long since youave been here?a aA month.a aAny evidence that someone was living in the house?a aNot unless they cleaned up really well,a the woman answered.

Milner took out a kit and dusted the kitchen and the bathroom for fingerprints, of which there were many, but probably mostly from the family.

aAnd what about the green light you reported?a Eckert asked.

aI was out on the back deck when I saw it,a the husband said. aIt was like fireworks. It went up in an arc, from that direction.a He pointed toward Talon Marshallas house. aThen it plunged into the river. The ground shook, and a big spout of green water shot up.a aAnd youave never seen or felt anything like it before?a Winslow shook his head. aNo. It was weird.a aAnything else you want to tell us?a aNothing I can think of now. But I appreciate your coming out here.a aNot a problem.a Eckert and Milner both stood, and Winslow walked them to the door.

When they were back in the cruiser, Milner said, aMaybe theyare exaggerating about the ground shaking.a aYou think the bank robber was in therea"camping out?a Milner shrugged. aItas a strange kind of robbery.a aYeah.a He started the engine. aWe should go over to the Marshall lodge and see if he knows anything about that light.a aOr maybe we should poke around in the woods where he said he found that box. Then pay him a visit. Heas hiding something.a aWhat?a Milner shrugged again. aIad like to find out.a AFTER breakfast, Talon and Lance changed to wolf form. Then Kenna led the way toward the rock formation that hid the doorway between the worlds, the men carrying the supplies theyad bought and the wolves wearing the packs Ross had provided.

Turning his head, Lance licked Kennaas arm and gave her a wolfas grin.

aThe cave on the other side will give you cover,a she murmured.

He nodded against her hand, then turned to Logan. The two of them were going in first as werewolves, to a.s.sess the troop numbers, because they were less likely to be attacked. Lance was going to stay with the women.

If it seemed that the force in the parallel universe was too great, Talon and Lance would retreat to the portal, where Grant would be waiting for them to open the doorway again. If they didnat come back in fifteen minutes, the others would come through and attack.

Talon made a low growling sound, telling Kenna it was time. She walked toward the rock formation and reached to press her palm against the place that would open the portal.

He kept very still, watching the rock thin. This was new to him, and it was astonishing to see what looked like a solid wall disappear.

He and Logan were poised to enter when they both spotted a guy who looked like a Roman soldier lying on a blanket near the portal.

Apparently, head snuck in here to take a nap.

Looking up, the soldier gasped when he saw two wolves stepping through what had been solid rock. But he recovered quickly. Leaping to his feet, he raised the spear in his hand and threw it directly at Talon.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO.

TALON DODGED TO the side, hearing Kenna scream behind him. The spear clattered against the ground as he growled deep in his throat and leaped through the opening, taking the man down and going for his neck. He knew this soldier had nothing against him personally, but he also knew from Kenna that Vandaras forces were trained to kill any invaders. So his powerful teeth crunched through flesh and bone as hot blood spurted into his mouth.

Behind him, a snarling Lance took down another warrior who had been sleeping at his post.

Theyad worked out an invasion plan, but the soldier at the portal had screwed it all up.

As Talon and Logan burst from the cave onto blackened land that looked like it had been destroyed by a volcanic eruption, Ross and Grant stepped in front of the wolves.

Talon saw Ramsay Gallagher come through, too. Then he disappeared from sight.

The main body of the soldiers dashed toward the invaders, probably confident that they could take them down. But they didnat know what was in store for them.

Ross and Lance, who had already put on gas masks, waited until the warriors were thirty feet away, then lobbed tear gas grenades at the advancing troops.

At the same time, Kenna and Savanna, also protected by masks, rushed to the waiting werewolves. The life mates each put a mask on a wolf.

Talon watched the unfolding scene with awe. He had studied the effects of tear gas. He knew it caused burning skin, lungs, and eyes, but head never actually seen it in action.

As the white cloud hit the soldiers, they began to cough and sneeze, their noses running as they clawed at their faces.

Many cried out as they dropped their spears and knives and tried to run.

But the wolves were ready to prevent their escape from the field of battle. They leaped on the backs of the warriors, knocking them to the ground.

Grant, Lance, and Ross ran forward, shooting their automatic weapons.

The battle was over almost before it had started.

Talon knew the effects of the gas would wear off quickly. With his paw, he pushed the edge of the mask aside. When he felt no ill effects, he clawed it off his face.

Kenna, who had also removed her mask, came up beside him. Kneeling down, she threw her arms around his neck.

He heard her make a low sound. aIam sorry. I didnat know soldiers would be in the cave.a He pawed the ground, wanting to tell her that it wasnat her fault.

aNow weave lost the element of surprise,a she murmured.

Talon gave a wolfas shrug, turning his attention to the men scattered on the battlefield. Had they taken out all of them? Or had Vandar left some of his troops to guard the cave where the slaves lived?

As he started forward, a great winged shape appeared in the air above them.

Vandar!

The monster roared as it circled above the ma.s.sacred troops.

AS the defending dragon appeared on the scene, Ramsay Gallagher felt a thrill of antic.i.p.ation.

Renata believed that he and the other dragon had been born into the same body. Now he would find out if it was true.

He wanted to step into the open and wave his arm to attract Vandaras attention.

But not yet. Not until he found out how his other self would deal with the invaders.

WHEN Vandar spotted Kenna and Talon, he roared and changed course, aiming for them. Swooping low, he sent out a stream of fire that singed the already blackened ground in front of them, the hate-filled expression on his face making Talonas blood run cold.

With a growl, he put himself between his mate and the monster, urging her back toward the safety of the portal cave. But the fire wasnat the only weapon at Vandaras disposal. As Talon led Kenna toward shelter, a bolt of pain slashed through his head. It felt like someone had cut through his skull with an ax, hacking away at his mind, each stroke almost bringing him to his knees.

He stumbled, then fell.

aGet up,a Kenna cried out, her voice high and strained. aYou have to get up.a In a daze, he turned his head toward her, amazed that she was still on her feet when the pain inside his skull almost wiped out rational thought.

But she must be able to shield herself, at least partially. Catching him under the front legs, she tugged him back toward the portal. Before they reached its shelter, another bolt of fire shot from the beastas snout, this time singeing Talonas fur.

Kenna cried out as the monster wheeled around, preparing to come at them again with another blast of brimstone. This time it was going to fry them both.

Before the beast could muster more firepower, a mighty roar made it turn in the air as another dragon came winging out from behind the mountain, its silver scales glinting in the morning sun.