custodes watched over the fae, using their superior strength and speed to keep the beasties away. It was because of this efficiency and brutality in battle that they earned a nickname from the rest of the magical world. They weren’t called protectors—they were called warriors.
Steve didn’t often listen to Alder’s history lessons, but this one had had him in rapt attention. He remembered Charity at what he now referred to as Vlad’s impromptu barbecue. She was fierce and intense, ripping through vamps and demons like she was born to it. It had been thrilling. He wanted to know more of her people.
But first, they had to know more about her.
So after the little meet-and-greet with Daddy, they would trek deep into the Realm, hoping to get Charity fixed up. Roger figured Charity could get the pack past the old man and his shotgun without someone getting shot. From what Steve had heard, Charity wasn’t so sure.
Barbara stepped through the portal next, her camo jumpsuit and army boots strange for this detail. The only plants in the area were the brown, scraggly bushes and a few dying trees dotting the sidewalk. She clearly hadn’t quite understood the term urban jungle.
Despite her dress-code confusion, she was a moderately attractive lady with a good, perky rack. Steve had heard she was a humorless woman with no use for men, but maybe that was because she hadn’t gotten tickled just right yet. He wouldn’t mind showing her how fun a man could be. They’d have to do something about that intense scowl, though. It was a dick shriveler, for sure.
Cole came through last, all six feet, five inches of him. The guy was massive, with a barrel chest, thick, swinging arms, and a big, flat face. He looked like he’d gotten kicked repeatedly with an ugly boot and left for dead.
Steve had seen the were-yeti in battle a few times, and the dude was fierce. Cole didn’t give a damn what the danger was; he ran flat-out at anything the enemy could throw at him. Granted, flat-out was more of a slow lumber, but when he eventually got there, he ripped through his opponent no holds barred, vicious and intense.
Steve nearly chuckled.
Three intense fighters, a Rogue Natural who’d earned his stripes by going his own way, a warrior fae losing control of her magic, and a green alpha who intended to lead them all.
Steve would never say it to the alpha’s face, because he didn’t want his head ripped off, but this whole situation was a clusterfuck. Roger was crazy for thinking a college kid could lead these rough-and-tumble shifters. They’d walk all over Devon the instant he issued an order one of them didn’t like. The discord would likely make the Rogue Natural bugger off back to his crazy old lady and her vampire-loving friend.
If Steve were a smarter man, he never would have volunteered for this detail.
“What’s the story with the kid alpha, anyway?” Dale asked as Barbara noticed the condoms not far from her boot. She didn’t bother shifting away, just looked on, scouting the area. Nerves of steel, definitely. “Roger didn’t give us too much to go on.”
“He’s an up-and-comer,” Steve answered, checking the time on his phone. No word on what was keeping Devon. They must’ve been close. “He was the head of a pack in charge of extinguishing newbies. Did well there. I hear he took out a couple mid-level vamps on his own, and had a go at Vlad.”
“Got his ass handed to him,” Barbara said, eyes scanning. “Rookie move, going for Vlad.”
“He did it to save the fae,” Cole boomed, incapable of volume control. He’d be great at the hiding game, surely. Good call, Roger. “I was there. I saw it.”
“Still,” Barbara said.
Dale spat out a stream of brown liquid. “Vlad is of particular interest to the elves, lately. I got stopped by one of their grunts as I was running through the Realm. A sprite. She asked what had prompted Roger to try to take Vlad down.”
“What’d you say?” Cole boomed.
“He’s only a few feet away from you, bro,” Steve said, putting some distance between himself and the were-yeti. “You don’t need to yell.”
Dale shrugged at Cole. “A load of bollocks. That they had a grudge match because Roger got all his newbies…”
“If an elf had stopped you, they would’ve known you were lying,” Barbara said. “They would’ve hauled you in.”
“No shit,” Dale said, exasperated. “I would’ve run like hell from an elf. What do