hand. They were the two youngest outside with him, the others either being in nap time or doing a lesson with one of the tutors.
Before he made it more than a few steps, Toby heard the familiar rumble of Brooks’s truck. He let out a sigh of relief.
Marigold mimicked his sound. “Brooks’ll know what to do.” She nodded to add emphasis to the point.
“He will.” At least on that point, Toby didn’t have any doubts.
“Brooks! Brooks!”
Daisy released her hold on Toby’s hand and began to run across the grass. Toby and the others followed at a more sedate pace, even though the hair on Toby’s arms continued to stand on end. Daisy leaped once she was within a couple of feet of Brooks. He easily caught her and lifted her into the air over his head.
Her startled laughter helped Toby relax slightly. He adjusted his hold on Gus and wrapped his free arm over Jeremy’s shoulder.
“It’s good that he’s here,” Jeremy said. “We could have gotten the guards, though.”
Toby had considered it. But what, exactly, would he have said to the vampires? “I feel funny?” Or maybe, “Something feels weird?” Or better yet, “My spidey senses are tingling!”
So yes, he’d considered it, but decided not to make a fool out of himself. Surely, like had happened with the pixies, he’d have seen something, heard something, had some inkling of proof that something strange was going on?
And that was just the thing: what if that something was actually nothing? But then again, what if it wasn’t?
Brooks carried Daisy over to him and quickly realized Toby was upset. He gripped Toby’s neck with his free hand and met his gaze. “What’s wrong?”
“Noth—” Toby stopped himself, not wanting to lie. He blew out a breath instead. “I don’t know. I can’t explain it. Something.”
“Did you talk to the guards?”
Jeremy huffed. He might as well have said “I told ya so” out loud. The turkey.
Toby scowled down at him. “What? You could have talked to them too.”
“That’s your job,” Jeremy muttered. “Not mine.”
“It’s both of your job,” Brooks said.
His tone made it clear he wasn’t happy with either of them.
“Sorry, Brooks.” Jeremy lowered his head and tilted it to the side, showing Brooks his neck.
Toby returned his attention to his mate and lifted his hand to touch the one still holding on to Toby’s neck. “I just… I don’t know what to do here. It’s weird.”
“Let’s get the kids inside, and then I’ll get the guards.”
Toby wanted to agree, but a shriek ripped through the clearing, drawing a pained gasp from all of them. Gus whimpered and pressed his hand over one ear. The other he pushed against Toby’s chest. If the sound had been painful to his human ears, Toby couldn’t imagine what it must have felt like for them.
Smoky forms began to flow through the wards and from between the trees. There were dozens of them, including several keeping them from the safety of the rec hall.
Before Toby could react, he heard a whoosh from behind him. He turned, but Brooks was faster, moving Toby back and pushing Daisy into his arms. Both Gus and Daisy clung to him as a huge woman on a ginormous horse—no, pegasus, that horse had wings, which would make her a Valkyrie—burst through the clearing with her sword drawn.
“Where is the alpha?” the Valkyrie demanded.
“Not here,” Brooks said. “What’s happening?”
“We must get the children to the Lady. Hurry, get through the portal. The Erlkings have come.”
Toby’s stomach flipped. “Oh crap.”
“Toby?”
He didn’t want to say in front of the kids exactly what the fae demons did, since it involved making meals out of them. He hoped the fear in his gaze would communicate enough.
“Guards!” Brooks yelled.
They were already on their way.
“Iron!” Her bellow had the vampires engaging the smoky forms with their already drawn swords. They had divided into two groups. One headed toward them while the other attacked the rapidly forming wall of smoke that kept them from safely crossing the field to the warded rec hall.
“Hildr, what is it?” One of the vampires, who Toby recognized as one of the leaders, ran toward them while asking the question.
“The Lady wants the Smith pack to come to her. We must hurry. More of the Erlkings approach.”
“Brooks! We need to get the kids to safety.” Toby didn’t need to explain the danger to his mate, but he couldn’t help his immense fear. He’d read the legends of the Erlkings. He knew exactly what they were capable of.