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Goblins leaped from the trees above the second Jennifer and Arabelle moved. They missed, landing on the ground beside them, reaching out for them with clawed hands. Mark clawed one into oblivion before it could touch his mate, and then he turned to dodge the attack of another ... but there were too many.

One latched onto his side. Another grabbed his back leg, weighing him down. Too many for him to fight. Too many to run from.

He just had to hold them off long enough for Arabelle and Jennifer to make it to the mansion. Even if he fell here, the goblins wouldn't make it through ... the defenses were too solid.

Mark rolled, trying to throw off the goblins holding him prisoner. He mauled the next one that came closer to his front paws, but another jumped onto his back, digging into his back with sharp claws. They scraped and cut him, sending spikes of pain all through his sides.

With a howl, he kicked up and tried to run, but the goblins were too heavy. He could barely move, barely stand ... and all around him, the goblins cackled like little demented children. They would eat him alive if he didn't stop them.

So foolish, to think he could outsmart these goblins ... but at least he would die having found the woman he loved withall his heart. Knowing that she still lived, and he had sacrificed himself for her.

Amongst the goblin's victorious cries, a booming roar silenced them.

A massive tiger leaped into the fray, a streak of amber and black as it clawed the goblins from Mark's back. In the instant he was free, Mark bit into the goblin right in front of him, cutting down another three with an angry swipe of his front claws, and finally kicked off the goblin on his hind leg.

Even with Jake in his tiger form here to help the fight, there were too many goblins. A dozen more replaced the ones they defeated, swarming around them from all sides.

They'd vastly underestimated just how many treasure goblins had come hunting them.

They had to get back to the mansion—rely on the defenses they put in place just for this purpose. Otherwise, they didn't stand a chance.

Jake and Mark fought their way free of the horde of goblins, sending another half-dozen of the wart-covered creatures into the dirt. As soon as there was an opening, they ran in the same direction as Jennifer and Arabelle, toward safety.

They broke through the tree line. In the distance, Mark made out the glinting window made of stained glass in the colors and shapes of scattered leaves. Safety.

Just below, he spotted Arabelle rushing into the house. Jennifer stopped on the front steps, watching.No, go inside!he wanted to yell at her, but she wouldn't understand him in his wolf form.

On the edges of his vision, the true extent of his 'pest' problem came into view. Fifty more treasure goblins swarmedthe grounds, creeping toward the house. Several attempted to cross the threshold and closer to the mansion, only to be shot down with blasts of light and fire.

Only ash was left behind.

At least the defenses worked. He could fight here knowing that, without a doubt, Arabelle and Jennifer were safe. Anotherbzzzsound and various flashes told him that more goblins tried to cross, only to get incinerated, as had always been the plan.

More waited in the trees. If enough of them charged at once, would the cannons be able to keep up?

Mark didn't want to think about that.

He and Jake rushed toward the mansion, but the space to make it in safely became smaller and smaller until everywhere in front of them was blocked by dozens more of the shiny, warty, ugly little creatures. They grinned up at Mark and Jake with their sharp teeth and claws, some already making to attack.

They knew they were significantly weaker than shifters ... but they won in number by a landslide.

Shit.Mark tossed his head to the side, searching for another escape route. The path behind them was blocked, as were their sides.

This time, it seemed like they were done for.

Mark glanced at Jake. Back at home, his mate, too, was waiting for him. Mark had dragged him into this mess ... a messy vendetta that should have just ended with his death. Then no one else would have had to get hurt.

Now, Jake would fall with him.

Yet, Jake didn't seem upset. The look he gave Mark was more like a reassurance that he wanted to go fighting rather thanstanding around, cornered. In a split second, they made a plan with simply their eyes. They might not make it to the protective zone around the mansion where the defenses were activated, but they were sure as hell going to try.

Mark met Jennifer's eyes way in the distance. He would hold her again. He would kiss her, make love to her, after all of this was over.

Or he would die dreaming of it.

The first goblins neared again, falling instantly to a flurry of claws and fangs. Mark and Jake protected each other's flanks, but there were still too many goblins for the two of them. They killed two, for five more to replace them. They scraped at Mark's sides, slowly wearing him down ...

And then there was a howl in the distance. No, not one howl, three, and then six. Mark's ears twitched, searching for the source, but it was difficult to pinpoint through all the growling of the goblins as they attacked.