Page 12 of No Honor Amongst Shifters (It’s a Psychic World #9)

ALCOTT WAS SHAKING. No matter how hard he tried to keep his hands still, he couldn’t stop. He was terrified. That wouldn’t stop him, just like it wouldn’t stop any of the people around him.

He leaned against Roslin’s side and looked around the van. It was full to bursting, but thankfully, it was people he trusted. Most of Roslin’s family was there, including his parents. The only ones missing were Misha and Olsen, and Olsen hadn’t been happy about that. He’d wanted to stay with Misha to protect him, but he’d also wanted to protect the rest of his family. Unfortunately, he was human. There wasn’t much he could do in a fight.

Alcott was starting to wonder if there was anything he could do in a fight. He could shift into a dragon, but would that be enough?

It would have to be. There was no other option. He was here to protect his family, and he would.

His stomach churned as they got closer to cockatrice territory. They were about to break the law by invading cockatrice territory and bringing the fight to them. Hopefully, by the time morning came, they’d have won the fight, and the authorities wouldn’t be able to say anything about what happened. Alcott suspected that Elijah would have a lot of questions to answer, though. Humans didn’t like it when supernatural beings fought, not even amongst themselves. It made them realize how weak they were and how easy it would be to kill all of them.

Alcott bounced his knee. He knew that he wasn’t the only nervous person here because he could see the way Victor was twisting his fingers together and how Donahue was chewing on his lower lip. No one said anything. They were all in the same boat.

Alcott sucked in a breath when the van stopped. The doors opened, and people started stepping out, but before following, he turned to Roslin. They stared at each other for a moment. Alcott wished he could say that everything would be all right, but how could he? He didn’t want to lie.

“I’ll keep you safe,”

he promised Roslin.

“I know.”

Roslin and his brothers were psychics. They would use any ghost they could find to fight, but they were vulnerable to cockatrice shifters and mages. It was their partner’s job to keep them safe, and it was a job Alcott took seriously. He wasn’t here to get revenge or to kill the people who had hurt him. He was here to protect the people he cared about and to fight for the clan.

He could still hardly believe that he had a family now. He’d been hesitant, but they’d welcomed him as if he’d always been one of them. They didn’t even seem to care that he and Roslin had only recently gotten together.

He pressed his lips against Roslin’s, then scampered out of the van. The other vans were there, too, and people were gathering in small groups. Elijah was at the center, his expression grim.

“You all have earbuds, so you can hear Misha,”

he said, raising his voice loud enough that everyone could hear him.

“Don’t do anything stupid and follow his orders. He has all the information.”

People murmured and shifted on their feet. Alcott was trying not to panic, so he breathed in and out, keeping himself as calm as he could. They all had a role tonight, including him.

“Let’s go,”

Elijah said.

He didn’t have to say it twice. People started shifting and moving toward the edge of cockatrice territory. They weren’t on the city side of it but on the forest side, which meant there wasn’t a border they could see. It was hard to know when they’d stepped in, but Alcott didn’t think it mattered. Even if they were just outside their territory, the cockatrices wouldn’t take it nicely.

He exchanged one last glance with Roslin before shifting. As soon as he was in his dragon form, he stretched his legs, then his wings. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d shifted. Damien hadn’t allowed him to, and he hadn’t been able to when he was a prisoner. He probably should’ve taken advantage of his recent freedom, but spending time with Roslin had been more important.

A hand touched the side of his neck, and Alcott twisted his head to look at Roslin. Roslin looked impressed, which made Alcott puff out his chest.

“I want to see more of you once this is over,”

Roslin murmured before pressing a kiss to Alcott’s dragon snout and stepping away.

“Let’s go.”

He looked determined, and his attention was on something Alcott couldn’t see.

Alcott didn’t have to ask if Roslin could see any ghosts in the area.

He was sure there was a long line of them since the cockatrice clan had lived in the area for decades.

They tried to sneak in, but they knew they wouldn’t be able to get far without anyone realizing they were there.

A handful of minutes later, an alarm started blaring.

Alcott didn’t know who had set it off, but it didn’t matter.

He had better things to focus on than wondering.

A cockatrice burst out from between the trees, their wings extended, and their beak open on a screech.

Roslin swore and scrambled back, but he didn’t have to worry.

Alcott snapped forward and grabbed the cockatrice around the neck.

He wasn’t sure who was more surprised by the move between the two of them, but he didn’t waste time.

He snapped the cockatrice’s neck, wincing at the sound and trying not to feel guilty.

Either Alcott killed the cockatrice, or he allowed the cockatrice to kill him and Roslin. That wasn’t something he could allow to happen.

It was an easy choice.

He dropped the body and shuddered.

He glanced at Roslin, hoping his boyfriend didn’t think differently of him now that he’d seen him kill, but Roslin was talking to a spot of thin air in front of him.

He absently patted Alcott’s side, and Alcott knew they were okay.

He hoped they would continue to be.

He’d taken the first cockatrice shifter by surprise, but he couldn’t do the same with the second one.

When they rushed toward them, Alcott used brute force to push them back.

He grabbed one of their wings and slammed them against a tree, trying to ignore the flash of pain in his side when the cockatrice’s claws raked his skin.

He dropped the cockatrice, and they launched toward him again, but something invisible dragged them back, giving Alcott a chance to latch onto their wing again.

He pulled while pushing the cockatrice away with his front legs.

A horrible tearing sound made him want to puke, but he continued pulling until the cockatrice screamed and dropped to the ground.

Alcott was left with a detached wing in his mouth that he quickly spat out.

He told himself that he wasn’t a monster, but he couldn’t stop to think about the people he was killing. They wouldn’t hesitate to hurt him and Roslin, and he couldn’t hesitate to hurt them.

“You’re okay?”

Roslin asked.

Alcott nodded. He knew that Roslin and his ghosts had helped him, and he was grateful.

He nuzzled his nose against Roslin’s neck for a second and inhaled his scent, hoping it would eclipse the smell of blood. He suspected that nothing would until he showered, unfortunately.

“I wish I could hug you,”

Roslin said.

Alcott could make that happen. He shifted back to his human form and ignored the way Roslin’s eyes widened as he pressed into his arms. Roslin hugged him back, even though he was grumbling.

“You need to stay in your dragon form. It’s too dangerous for you to shift back.”

“You’re in your human form.”

“Because I don’t have another form. Please, Alcott.”

“Oh, look who’s back,”

a voice Alcott recognized drawled.

Alcott stiffened. The panic he’d managed to keep at bay until now rose in his chest. He’d told himself that Damien didn’t matter anymore, that he never had and that he didn’t have any power over him.

He’d been lying.

ROSLIN DIDN’T ASK WHO the man was. There was only one person who would talk to Alcott that way, and it was Damien.

Right now, Roslin wished he was anything but human.

He wanted to shift into a dragon or hell, even a cockatrice, and tear Damien apart.

Instead, the only thing he could do was push Alcott back and stand in front of him.

He expected Alcott to protest, but instead, he felt Alcott’s hands tangled in his shirt.

Alcott held on tightly, and Roslin didn’t think that he was ready to confront Damien.

He didn’t know if there was anything he could do, but he’d try.

Damien appeared from behind the trees.

He was a handsome man, but that didn’t hide the maliciousness in his expression.

Roslin hated him on sight, and he suspected he would have even if he hadn’t known what the mage had done to Alcott.

There was just something about Damien that screamed predator, even though he wasn’t a shifter.

“I didn’t expect to see you again,”

Damien continued.

He had to look at Roslin because Alcott was behind him, but it was like he didn’t see him.

His focus was on Alcott, and Roslin might as well not exist.

Roslin wasn’t offended—he didn’t want Damien to perceive him as anything to worry about because it gave him a chance to surprise the man.

“I thought for sure that your leader would kill you. That’s what I would’ve done in his place. Traitors don’t deserve to live, and you betrayed your clan,”

Damien said. He sounded bored, like the life of everyone in cockatrice territory wasn’t in danger.

“But maybe you gave him a special incentive to keep you around. You were good at that. It was the only thing you were good at, actually.”

Roslin took a step forward—to do what he didn’t know. He didn’t go far. Alcott whimpered and pulled him back by his shirt.

Damien’s smile widened.

“Oh, you’ve already replaced me? I shouldn’t be surprised. How many of them have you welcomed into your bed? Do they know about me and how you begged me? How you said that I was the only person you trusted? You know, if you hadn’t been so bruised and ugly the last time I saw you, I would’ve fucked you one last time. I was planning to, but I didn’t think you were smart enough to sneak out.”

Roslin was going to kill this guy. He might not have the ability to shift into anything, but he’d make do with his hands.

The problem was that Damien had magic. When Roslin moved forward again, Damien raised a hand, and Roslin hit an invisible wall. Damien still appeared amused, and Roslin hated him.

But he wouldn’t win this. Damien was toying with them. If Alcott didn’t shift, they wouldn’t stand a chance against the mage. The problem was that when Roslin turned to Alcott, it was to find him still staring. He was frozen, and it didn’t look like he’d be ready to do anything anytime soon.

That meant that Roslin was the only one who could protect both of them from Damien. He might be human, but he still had something up his sleeve. It wouldn’t kill or even hurt Damien too badly, but it would give him and Alcott time to run.

“You’re going to let this man protect you?”

Damien asked.

“I’m not surprised. You’ve always been weak. I’ve known that from the start, and it was fun to use that against you. You were always so eager for any scrap of affection I would throw your way. You would’ve done anything for me, wouldn’t you? Maybe you’d still do anything for me. Now that’s an idea. I could take you back if you help me.”

Roslin had enough. He’d known that cockatrice territory had ghosts because Kenneth had told him and the others, and they’d hoped to be able to convince those ghosts to help. Even if they couldn’t, they could still use their ability to use the ghosts against their will. It wasn’t something most psychics enjoyed, but Roslin was ready to do it.

“I don’t like this man,”

the ghost standing next to Roslin said.

She’d introduced herself as Hannah when she’d realized that Roslin could see her. There were other ghosts around them, but they seemed to have decided that Hannah was their leader, and she’d been the only one to talk to Roslin.

“You’re still willing to help?”

Roslin asked in a whisper.

Damien seemed too busy monologuing to notice that Roslin was doing anything. His full focus was on Alcott, which wasn’t great considering the state Alcott was in, but Roslin was working on it.

“He and his people have destroyed my home. I won’t let them destroy my family and the people I love,”

Hannah said.

“I need you to keep him occupied while I take Alcott away.”

She glanced at Roslin.

“How are we supposed to do that? We’re ghosts.”

“And I’m a psychic. I’ll use my ability to strengthen you.”

It would make taking Alcott away harder, but Roslin could do it.

He didn’t have a choice.

Hannah nodded and turned toward the other ghosts. Roslin took a deep breath, released it, and reached for his power.

He’d done this hundreds of times, so it was easy to release it. He pushed it toward the ghosts, giving them the ability to become visible and somewhat corporeal. That finally got Damien’s attention, but Roslin didn’t think he realized how much trouble he was in until Hannah rushed toward him and pushed him.

Damien stumbled back. The smile had been whipped from his face, and his eyes were wide, and while Roslin wished he could stick around to see the ghost kick Damien’s ass, he instead turned and grabbed Alcott’s hand. Alcott jolted and cringed away as if afraid of Roslin, but Roslin wasn’t offended or surprised. Alcott had been in his head since Damien had appeared and was focused on the man who’d hurt him so badly.

“We have to run,”

Roslin told him. He didn’t give him the chance to argue.

Roslin pulled Alcott along as he rushed between the trees. He felt Alcott stumble, but he didn’t slow down. They couldn’t afford to.

They ran for as long as Roslin thought it would take them to get away from Damien. He could feel the drain on his power, but it lessened the further away he got from the ghosts and was fully gone by the time he and Alcott stopped. They were both panting, and Roslin could hear someone screaming close by and the sounds of fighting, but before they could go and help, he had to make sure that Alcott was okay.

He turned toward him and grabbed him by the shoulders. Alcott was pale and sweaty, but thankfully, he didn’t try to get away this time. Instead, he looked at Roslin with wide eyes.

“I’m sorry,”

he said.

“I’ll do better.”

Roslin shook his head.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“Damien’s right. I’m weak. I should be doing more to help Elijah and the dragons.”

Alcott stepped back.

“They’re fighting right now. We need to go.”

He was right, but Roslin was worried about what else was going on in Alcott’s mind. He didn’t think that Alcott had recovered from Damien’s appearance, but he didn’t have the time to. They did have to help the others if they wanted a chance to win this fight.

“You’re sure you’re okay?”

he asked, even though he already knew the answer Alcott would give him.

“I am. We need to go.”

Roslin nodded and, when Alcott turned, followed him.

He’d keep an eye on him to make sure he was okay, but he didn’t know what would happen if Damien found them again.

He’d done what he could the first time around, but would they be so lucky a second time?

THERE WAS NO TIME FOR Alcott to stop and freak out. The clan was still fighting and still needed his and Roslin’s help. That was what he should focus on, not Damien.

He wasn’t sure he could.

He’d known he might see Damien today, but he’d hoped he wouldn’t and that if he did, both of them would be too busy to care that the other was there.

He should have known better.

Damien was cruel, and he’d always taken every opportunity to hurt Alcott.

Even when Alcott told himself that Damien loved him and that was just the way he was, he’d known the truth.

Damien wasn’t a good person.

He never had been, and Alcott shouldn’t have allowed his need for someone to love him to push him into a relationship with the mage.

He’d been an idiot, and he’d paid for it.

He wasn’t done paying.

He needed to do more for the clan, which was why he was here.

He couldn’t let Elijah and everyone else down.

He especially couldn’t do so because he was freaking out about his ex being mean to him.

Alcott could tell that Roslin was worried, but thankfully, he didn’t push.

They could hear the sound of fighting coming from somewhere in front of them, and that was where they should be.

They needed to protect the other dragons and kill the cockatrices and mages who were fighting them.

That was what Alcott should focus on.

He continued walking until the sound of the fighting became louder.

He didn’t hesitate to shift.

He had to protect Roslin, and he couldn’t do that in his human form.

Hell, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to do it in his dragon form, either, but it would be easier than if he was human. Shifting and fighting also meant he wouldn’t have to think about Damien.

He hoped he never saw the man again.

Alcott wasn’t the only dragon fighting tonight.

Hopefully, another clan member would find Damien and eat him.

Alcott’s dragon body was much larger than his human one.

The trees around him bowed when he shifted, but he ignored them and the scraping of their trunks against his skin as he walked ahead.

Two cockatrices were circling a dragon.

They were in front of a house, and while all the lights inside were off, Alcott could see a face in one of the windows.

He didn’t know whose home it was, but he was relieved they weren’t out here fighting.

The dragon wouldn’t have made it against three cockatrices.

One of the cockatrices turned toward the house and squawked as if telling the person inside to help, but the person dropped the curtain and vanished.

Alcott took advantage of the distraction.

He launched himself forward, knowing that Roslin would follow.

The cockatrice wasn’t looking his way, and Alcott managed to reach them before they could even turn around.

He slammed his body into theirs, sending them flying. Cockatrice shifters were big and strong, but not bigger and stronger than a dragon shifter.

The cockatrice hit the porch railing.

The wood cracked, caving in.

The other cockatrice turned, no doubt alerted by the noise, but the dragon they’d been fighting lunged forward.

They bit down on the cockatrice’s neck, causing blood to spurt.

Alcott didn’t think the dragon needed him to take down that cockatrice, so he turned his attention back to the cockatrice he’d pushed.

They were moving toward him, so he got ready to fight.

He wasn’t the only one.

The cockatrice suddenly stopped moving.

Their eyes went wide, and they tried taking another step forward, but something invisible stopped them.

Alcott didn’t have to ask to know what it was.

The taste of blood was becoming familiar already.

Alcott didn’t flinch when he bit the cockatrice’s wing and pulled.

Blood filled his mouth, and the cockatrice screamed.

Alcott tightened his jaw around the cockatrice’s wing and ignored their scrambling claws against his skin.

The screaming suddenly stopped when the other dragon struck from the side and bit the cockatrice’s neck.

Their body slumped, and Alcott let go.

He was panting, but the fight was far from over.

He glanced back at the house, not surprised to see that the curtain was up again.

He and the person behind the window stared at each other for a moment.

He couldn’t see well in the darkness, but he was glad they weren’t coming out to fight. He’d been afraid that even though they’d come to an understanding, some of the cockatrices would change their mind and attack the dragons, even though they’d said they wouldn’t.

“You’re okay?”

Roslin asked as he patted Alcott’s side.

Alcott turned his attention back to him and nodded. He was as okay as he could be considering the circumstances, and he was unwilling to stop and think of Damien. He couldn’t afford to let anything slow him down.

The other dragon was already walking away, no doubt to find someone else to fight. Alcott decided they might as well follow them. That way, Roslin would be protected by two dragons. Of course, there was a chance that the dragon hated Alcott and wanted him dead, but he couldn’t think about that right now.

He could only hope that the clan dragons wouldn’t hold the fact that Roslin was dating Alcott against him if anything happened.

He wasn’t sure how long they fought.

He wasn’t even sure where they were going.

Elijah had ordered them to try to get to the center of cockatrice territory because that was where Irwin and the mages would be from the intel they had, but Alcott had lost his sense of direction when he’d been running from Damien.

He just continued fighting, killing more people than he could have ever dreamed of killing and listening to Misha’s voice in his ear.

The thought made him nauseous, but he’d known what he was signing up for when he’d told Elijah he wanted to fight.

He was protecting his family and the people he loved.

He knew he’d have nightmares, but he’d deal with them when they happened since he couldn’t do anything to prevent them.

They followed the line of houses until they finally found a big clearing.

Alcott wasn’t sure this was the center of the cockatrice clan until he recognized the dragon standing at the center.

Elijah.

He wasn’t there alone.

Gunther was standing next to him, his back to Elijah’s side.

They were fighting together, Elijah with his claws and fangs, and Gunther with his magic.

It was impressive, and Alcott paused for a moment to take the scene in.

Everyone else around him was moving, which was probably why no one noticed the person creeping closer to Elijah’s unprotected side.

The person raised their hands, and Alcott moved before he could think about it.

He just knew that Elijah was being attacked, probably by a mage, and that he couldn’t see it coming.

The only one who could was Alcott, and he wouldn’t let anything happen to his clan leader.

He threw himself forward.

He heard Roslin call for him, but he didn’t stop.

For a moment, he was afraid that he was too far away and that he wouldn’t reach Elijah in time, so he opened his wings and pushed himself into the air.

He didn’t have to fly.

He just needed more speed, and he got that.

He dove into the space between the person and Elijah just in time.

Searing pain hit his side, and he screamed as his body dropped to the ground.

He felt Elijah jerk away, and he tried turning to check on his leader, but the pain made him breathless.

His body slumped in the dust.

He raised his head to check on Elijah.

He was still standing, so there was a good chance that Alcott had saved him.

Hopefully, this would finally redeem Alcott in the eyes of the clan—and Elijah.