"Kill them all," Kendrick said without emotion. Unlike Ryuu, Kendrick's element was fire, and the air around him began to crackle.

"What the hell?" Colton yelled.

Kendrick turned to look behind him. The unit warriors were backing up from the heat. Movement caught his eye from outside the window of the room they were standing next to.

"Aiden, we have company outside. It would be safer for you and your men to handle them. Let Ryuu and I take out the ones in the hallway."

Aiden hesitated. "That's my mate in there."

Kendrick let his power rise until Aiden stepped back again. "My mate is in there as well. Now go!"

"You heard the man!" Aiden led the men outside to deal with the ferals trying to flank them from behind.

Kendrick turned his attention back to the hallway where the hazy shapes were advancing on them. "Good, they want to play."

He raised his power hand. "Inferno!"

The hall was engulfed in heat and flame. The figures before him began to scream and fall to the floor.

"Oh, my fucking god, that is rank! What the fuck are you doing out there?" Meryn yelled.

Ryuu smiled. "And there is the helpless maiden," he said before lifting both hands. A wall of water rushed down the hallway extinguishing the flames that were climbing the walls.

Soot and ash covered bodies making them visible. They littered the hallway, blocking the way to the women.

"Can you remove them? Denka and Rheia have such sensitive stomachs these days," Ryuu asked politely--as if there weren't half burned corpses melting right in front of them.

"It would be my pleasure." Kendrick raised his hand again and floated the bodies down the hall and out the door where he flung them against a tree, creating a pile of smoldering flesh and bone.

"Is it safe to come out now?" Meryn shouted.

"No." Ryuu swiftly walked down the hall. When they were in front of the door, he knocked. "It is now safe, denka." The door opened slowly.

When Meryn saw Ryuu, she threw herself into his arms. "I'm so sorry! I never should have left without you!"

Ryuu picked her up as if she weighed no more than a child. "I am entirely to blame, denka. I forgot my first duty is to protect you. Like the others, I was lulled into a false sense of safety by the perimeter. But I can assure you, I won't let that happen again."

Meryn wiped her nose on her sleeve. "You can watch me pee for all I care."

Ryuu smiled softly. "I'm sure that won't be necessary."

"Anne?" Kendrick looked around the room.

Anne stood on shaky legs, her hands balled up into fists at her side, her face surprisingly calm. "I told them you would come for us."

Kendrick strode in and simply pulled her close. "This can never happen again. Never, do you hear me?" he managed to choke out. He was having a hard time speaking past the lump in his throat.

"Rheia! Rheia!" They heard Colton yelling.

One second he was in the hallway the next he had his mate in his arms swinging her around. "That's it! That! Is! It! No more clinic!" Rheia shook her head, laughing at his antics, but Kendrick noticed the tears streaming down her face.

Kendrick pulled back and looked at Anne. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I may freak out later, but right now, I think I'm okay."

"Okay? She was amazing!" Adam boomed. "This girl has nerves of steel. She kept Rheia and Meryn calm and helped me brace the door. She was also the one to notice that they had snuck in, and by remaining calm, she was able to get in here and lock the door without letting them know she saw them. That's one hell of a woman you got there."

"Meryn? Meryn!" Aiden's shouting had Meryn wiggling to get down. Ryuu set her down and stepped back.

Aiden came barreling through the door and scooped Meryn up in his arms. "Baby, I'm so sorry! I swear I'll wear my phone around my neck from now on!" Aiden buried his face in her shoulder.

Meryn wrapped her arms around his head. "I will kick your ass later. Right now, just hold me."

Anne looked up at Kendrick. "How'd they get in? I thought the perimeter kept these things from coming into the city."

Adam came back in from the hallway, waving a hand in front of his face. "I don't think I'll ever get this smell out of my nose." He sneezed twice and looked at Anne. "I think the perimeter is working fine. I suspect this was a sleeper cell. They were hiding out waiting for a chance to attack." He turned to Meryn and Rheia. "They saw the two of you without escort and moved in. It was probably their last ditch effort to get to you."

Meryn paled. "They were after our babies."

Kendrick gasped as pieces began to fall into place. He had to step back while everything processed.

"Kendrick?" He heard Anne call out.

"Leave him! He's working something out," Meryn exclaimed.

Souls, shifters, abilities, necklaces, couples, recruit, babies...

Kendrick shook his head. He looked around to find that he had backed himself into a corner and everyone was watching him intently.

His eyes met Anne's. "I know you need me, but I have to go. If I'm right..."

Anne pointed out the door, her eyes perfectly serene. "Go! I'm fine. Go check the tests, I'll be right behind you."

Kendrick turned to leave but had to kiss her first. He walked back over to her, kissed her urgently. He turned to Ryuu then Aiden. "I am trusting you both to bring her home safely."