"Don't be stupid. Shift, V. Into whatever you need to save yourself. That's an order."
"Only if you let Ray pull you into the kitchen. Go, Glory, I promise VU meet you there. Don't want you to see me do it." He coughed and I thought I was going to knock Ray on his ass and take my chances with the flames anyway. "Not a pretty sight."
"Damn it, V." I wiped my eyes, almost leveling Ray when he made the mistake of trying to force me. "Be careful where you step. There's broken glass everywhere."
"Go. Before I fry my pretty ass. Just wait till you see."
"Okay. Meet me. Promise." I took one last look through the heavy smoke then ran with Ray to the kitchen.
"He'll be okay, Glory. The shifter's resourceful. He's come out of worse, hasn't he?" Ray was practically dragging me. We heard another crash behind us and I stopped in the kitchen doorway.
"Maybe we should have gone out the front with Drac and his buds. Then Valdez wouldn't have been hurt." At least so far the flames hadn't made it to the kitchen. Brittany was there, a worried look on her face.
"What? Valdez is hurt?"
"No. I'm right here. And no way I'd take you out front with men shooting arrows out there. See, Glory, told you I'd make it." Valdez was right behind me. At least I guess it was Valdez. A dark-haired, dark-eyed stranger stood there. He was grimy and covered with soot and not much else. At least he'd tied a red towel around his waist. I took inventory. Broad shoulders. Ripped abs. Quick grin with dimples?
"Valdez?" I stood rooted to the spot.
"None other. Had to shift twice to get through there, but now you finally know what I look like when I'm not in dog body. Hope you can deal."
"Are you a bodyguard or not, Rafe? Seems we're in the middle of a situation here." Brittany was obviously over the worry and ready to move on. She waited by the back door.
"What ya got, Brit?"
"Seems like they're hitting the front and back. I shifted and did reconnaissance. They've got a boat and three men with crossbows on the water hitting the lake side. Guess they went out as soon as the weather cleared. The land side there's three more men armed the same way working out of a black Hummer. No sign of them here at the side door. Maybe they couldn't get access." She looked Valdez up and down. "You going cowboy again? You could use a bigger towel."
"Boss gave me permission. You find me a bigger one and I'll use it. Now let's hit it. Where're Aggie and Will? I saw them run in here when the fire started." Valdez eased open the door and crept outside a few feet to look around.
"They insisted on going ahead. Since Will didn't smell any mortals, they figured it was okay. Aggie's headed for what she called her little hideaway across the lake, and Will was going along. They shifted into dolphins or something, I guess. Aggie said she'd bring Glory and Ray up to speed later, if they lived through the attack. Her words, not mine." Brittany grabbed Valdez's shoulder. "I hear something. Get back in here."
"What you hear are sirens, Brit." Valdez looked back and we could all feel the heat and noise from the fire getting worse. "We definitely need to get the hell out of here right now. I figure one of the neighbors called this in. Sirens will send Westwood running. Doubt he wants an arson charge to deal with." He grinned and I swear I saw something of my old pal in his eyes. "Man, do I hope Drac and crew get the jump on him and bring Blade a trophy."
"Yeah, well. If you're sure we've got an all clear, Valdez, let's get downstairs. I can hear whiskey bottles exploding in the bar. That's too damned close. Come on, Glory." Ray grabbed my hand and pulled me along. Valdez took point, Brittany guarded the rear. I was on autopilot, stuck safely in the middle. I know. Where was my kick-butt attitude? Ray's house was going up in flames behind me. A freak with an arrow could pop up out of nowhere at any moment and yet all I could think about was the man in front of me with a towel flapping in the breeze showing off a buff butt. Yep, he did have bragging rights on that ass. This was crazy. Valdez was my friend. We'd lived together for five freakin' years. Thissorry, but I had to call it like I saw it stud couldn't be my Valdez.
We got to the bottom of the stairs and I realized the other three were staring at me.
"What?"
"Don't suppose you'd consider doing the bat thing, Glory?" Ray put his hand on my shoulder.
"No, don't even ask her." Valdez gave Ray a firm look. "She has a hard time shifting back. It stresses her out."
"Thanks, V. Not sure I could shift right now if I wanted to. Achy did something to me" Ray and Valdez stared and I shrugged."Never mind. I survived, but it took a lot out of me. If it's the only way, I'll give it a go." Valdez looked back at the burning house. "We've got some time. There are other options."
"What about the boat?" Not my favorite mode of transportation, but it was fast.
"Afraid not. Look." Ray pointed and I saw that the Storm God's temper fit had left the boat battered and full of water. I could hear sirens getting closer. "You think we could flag down a fire truck?" I gasped when windows exploded above us.
"Westwood's guys could still be lurking out there with orders to shoot you on sight. I'm sure they've all been prepped with your picture, Blondie. I'm not willing to take that chance." Valdez was constantly looking around, just like he always did, I guess. It was just more obvious in his human form.
"Right. 'Cause I'm the vampire he really hates. Thanks for reminding me, V."
"He hates all vampires, Glory. Don't think this is all about you." Valdez glanced at Ray. "I'm sure he'd love to collect Caine's fangs."
"Not going to happen. Looks like we walk or swim out." I know which option I preferred.
"Forget walking. The high security fence is one reason I rented this place. So the paparazzi couldn't get in. And now we can't get out. There's razor wire and glass on top of those rock fences. The people that own this place had a child kidnapping scare before they moved here." Ray frowned up at the blaze that was so close we were sweating. "Hope they have the place fully insured."
"If they don't, you'll have to make good on it. You can afford it." I smiled to take the sting out of that. The heat, the sparks drifting down from above and then the windows that kept exploding now from the second floor, made where we were headed obvious.
"It's going to be a total loss." Ray took my hand. "Okay, Glory. Guess you're going to have to get wet again."
"Of course. That's all I do around you. Since I don't have a life jacket, maybe you'll keep me from drowning." I didn't look for Valdez's reaction. Somehow the human Valdez was a lot tougher to face. The dog version would just growl or show teeth. This guy Well, he'd just have to accept that Ray was a strong swimmer and I wasn't. So we'd be cozy in the water. I glanced at Brittany.
"Brit, would you fly up and see if Westwood's boat is gone first? Please?"
"Sure, Glory. No problem." Brittany shifted into hawk form as casually as I changed from black to brown shoes. Amazing. She was back in less than two minutes while we swatted away burning embers and huddled under the edge of the boat house.
"The boat's gone. No sign of it. Looks like you guys can swim down just a few hundred yards and climb out onto a grassy slope. It should put you not too far from where Rafe said you left Blade's car."
Rafe. Right. Rafael Valdez. At least the first name was his. The last name was the same for all my dogs. Shape-shifters. Not really dogs. I had a knot in the pit of my stomach and it had nothing to do with the fact that I was going to have to jump into Lake Travis for the umpteenth time.
"Okay, so we swim for it, but listen up." I forgot and took a breath, coughing when I inhaled smoke. When I could finally speak, I looked at Valdez. "Sorry, but I do not want to see this Valdez come out of the water sans towel. I know it's a lot to ask, bud, but it's back into dog body for you."
"No! Glory, you're kidding, right?" Brittany put her hand on Valdez's really nice bicep. "Give the guy a break."
"I get it, Brit." Valdez grinned, showing me those dimples. "Blondie and I have to live together for another year. She's not comfortable with me like this."
"You got that right." Flames blew out the back door above us with a bang that made me wince. "Kiss Brit goodbye. Come on, Ray. Don't let me drown." I kicked off my shoes and headed down the dock. Okay, I know I was being a bitch, but I was having a hell of a night. And Valdez the hunk was behind me laying a kiss on Brittany that looked to be world-class. Why was that twisting my gut?
"Glory, wait." Ray caught up with me. "Be careful of the rocks. This isn't like the pool or even when you went overboard in the lake before."
"Oh, great. Way to make me feel better, Ray." I looked back at the conflagration, at what had once had been a beautiful home, and tears filled my eyes. "Damn, Westwood! Ray, your piano, everything's being destroyed. This is terrible."
"Hell, it's just stuff." Ray pulled me close. "At least no one was hurt."
"Good attitude, Caine. I'm sure Glory's suitably impressed. Now let's get the hell out of here." Valdez was back in a form I could live with. He woofed and jumped off the end of the dock, landing with a splash that gave me a preview of how cold and wet I was going to be in a moment. Swell.
Ray gave Valdez a go-to-hell look. "For the record, I meant what I just said. Now let's go. Me first. Then, Glory, you come in after me." Ray cursed when sparks suddenly ignited the roof of the boat house. "Now I'm mad as hell. Some stuff I'm pretty attached to. I don't know what Benny was planning with his ax, but if he doesn't get to Westwood first, that bastard's mine." Ray coughed as clouds of smoke billowed out toward the lake. "Brittany?"