Roaring, he felt his body completely expand. Bones began to crack as he grew taller and wider. His face began to form a muzzle. His teeth began to thicken and lengthen. His mane, which had been at his shoulders earlier, was now to his waist. A light gold fur covered his arms and his hands became black claws.
He dug the claws into the steel door and pulled, ripping it off the hinges. The people behind him cleared the way, and he threw the door down the hallway. Slumped to one side, Kari's small, pale body lay motionless on the floor.
Declan reached into the smoke, pulling her out. Around him, everyone began to cough. Law began to chant low, and soon, a bright light appeared, chasing away the smoke and putting out the flames.
"Kari!" Declan roared his frustration and fear.
Hands reached for her and he swiped his claws at them.
"Declan, you need to let us help her. She is not breathing," Magnus ordered.
He hissed and shook his head. They were trying to take his mate away. He snarled at everyone until he smelled something familiar. An arm was thrust under his nose. Pride. He looked up. His older brother stood over him, his eyes turned yellow and his hair billowing around him.
Though not in third form, Rex had also expanded with his own fear. He gently pulled Kari away from Declan, and Declan let him. This was family, this was his blood, and his blood would not hurt his mate.
Immediately, Rex began CPR. He breathed into her mouth and began chest compressions. Anytime, someone tried to get near, Declan swiped at them. After a few moments, Kari began to cough. Relief flooded his body. He pulled her into his arms, muttering her name over and over and over again.
She blinked up at him. "I am okay; I knew you would come."
She ran a hand over his muzzle, taking in every whisker. Her eyes were dancing with laughter. "I am not saying I could deal with this every day, but it is not so bad," she teased.
Relief and gratitude chased away the change. Declan felt his body shrinking back to normal again. He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her bod
y between his legs and kept her caged there. "I'm never letting you out of my sight."
"What happened?" Magnus demanded
She gasped and turned to the Prince. "It was Marcus."
"Marcus!" Law exclaimed behind them.
She turned to her brother. "Yes, he is feral. He said something about serving a bigger purpose and that they would make him a prince. I am not sure what he was promised, but he came here after me. He is insane."
"I'll deal with him after I deal with Emeric," Law promised directly.
Kari shook her head. "You cannot get mad at him."
"Like hell, I can't!"
"You cannot, because even you said it yourself: They take orders from us, and I ordered him to help Tarragon to save the wolf shifter."
"His priority was you," Law argued.
"He was following chain of command as he was trained to do. Now, if you want to change the way teams are run, that is up to you, but this was my fault, not his."
Law took a deep breath and inclined his head. "I don't like it, but you're right. He only did as he was ordered. So after I find and destroy Marcus down to the cellular level, I will get together with our teams and establish a new set of rules." He glowered at her. "One where the safety of our charges are not compromised by orders from said charges."
She winced. Declan hissed at Law. Law growled right back. She could tell the two men were still fighting their own fear. She twisted her body to stand, but Declan growled, shaking his head. She took his face between her hands
"Are we going to live here in the hallway?" she asked.
He just gave her a helpless look. She put her hands on either side of his face and pulled him close, capturing his lips. He stiffened in surprise for a moment and then took over. She could feel his fear and desperation as he dominated her mouth, so she allowed him. When he pulled away and tucked her head under his chin, she let him. She knew his lion needed this, and frankly, so did she. With her still in his arms, he easily stood, carrying her weight. Rex was immediately at his side.
"Hey, little sister," he said. "Let us get you to Tarragon or to Doc St. John to look you over."
"Oh, I am fine," she refuted. "As soon as I began to breathe in the smoke, I shut my body down. Vampires do not really need to breathe that much."
Declan blinked. "Thank the gods."