He huffed, turned, and flattened onto his belly. A zip of bright blue light flew into the air and exploded like fireworks. It rained down over us, our positions now completely compromised and a pack of people running our way.

“Oh God, oh God,” I said, shutting off my brain and hurrying toward the colossal bear, much bigger than its natural counterpart. So big that I just didn’t understand the physics behind a human man changing into it.

The fur was coarse against my arms until I pushed past the outer layer. Beneath that it was downy soft. I swung a leg over and felt his paw bump me up. A moment later, the mountain was moving, muscle bunching and coiling under my legs.

He stopped for a moment and bellowed, the sound building as it blasted over the grounds. And then he launched himself forward in a burst of speed so great I nearly tumbled backward off his back. I clutched fur and gripped with my legs, holding on for all I was worth. Wind whipped by my face and tossed my hair, the cold air making my eyes water. Through them, the people organizing in front of us almost looked like they were swimming.

Niamh swooshed down from the air, sending them rolling out of the way. One stayed stuck to her horn, which was not a good look. She beat her great wings and flew farther right before dipping down again. A body flew up in her wake.

Austin did not slow for those rushing us. He did not alter course. He ran at them, speed and lumbering power. Once close enough, he batted them away with his front paw, almost a lazy effort. The enemy flew to the side, his head now on sideways, his body crumpling to the ground. Two more were trampled, and when I looked back, I saw that they did not get up, probably gouged by Austin’s six-inch-long claws.

Mr. Tom swooped down beside us, ripping into an enemy before grabbing another and flinging him screaming to the side.

My stomach swam. The house beckoned, screaming warnings about the strangers inside. Begging me to come to its aid.

Everyone had an agenda, and I guessed I was buying into this one.

Near the back door of the house, Austin swiped someone out of the way and dove onto his stomach. I jumped off, landed on my feet like I was born to this—then tumbled and skidded on my face. I might not be fast or be able to run for a long time just yet, but I was damned good at falling, bruising, and then getting back up.

With me off his back, Austin rose up to his hind legs, his size now dwarfing everyone. His roar shook my bones. Adrenaline coursed through my blood. And then he launched into action, ripping through enemy bodies like they were paper. Batting them away like flies.

A few foolish souls stopped running to cower at Austin, and Niamh swooped down at them, smashing with her sparkly golden hooves and piercing with her beautiful crystalline horn. Edgar dashed in behind her, clamping onto one person, stunning them, and then grabbing someone else, not so great at fighting but very good at a vampire’s equivalent of sucker punching. Mr. Tom held up his end of the bargain, as well, but I remembered their ages.

I remembered they couldn’t last forever, and there were still many more enemies to conquer and expel.

Twenty-Nine

The back door should’ve been locked, but the handle turned easily in my palm. I pulled it open and slipped inside, locking it behind me. The solid pulse of the house greeted me, deep and pure, vibrating through my body like a second heart.

Danger echoed down the hall to my left—no sound or voices, just a presence. To my right, the wallpaper crawled, outlining a pattern. A door. The handle was as clear as day, a little button and a thick groove.

Moments later, I stepped into a secret space and closed the door behind me, the soft click of the door comforting. I hadn’t found this particular passageway in the last couple of days, but I remembered it. I remembered scrubbing the cobwebs from my face and telling Diana, “Just a little farther. I think it’s just a little farther.”

“What is?” she’d asked.

“Just a little farther.”

Pressure built against my back, and lightly sucked at my front. I started forward, hoping my friends were okay. Knowing the dozen people loitering inside the house would probably go out and help. Knowing that at some point, the effort would be too great for my aging friends. Austin Steele couldn’t do it alone.

Faster.

I could almost hear the whisper. The urgency. But like before, it wasn’t a voice, per se, more of a feeling. The house speaking.

I slowed as I neared the end of the passageway, feeling the pressure change. Feeling that gentle suction—stronger with every step—urging me to slip into a little alcove I couldn’t see. One I remembered from the past.

In the past, I had been quite a bit smaller.

I turned sideways and ducked, hoping to hell I didn’t get stuck.

The floor sloped downward quickly. The walls jutted outward, the tunnel getting wider, wood turning to stone, stone turning to rock. The jagged edges scraped my arms. The rough floor tried to catch my feet. Still I pushed on, feeling that pressure behind me, pushing. Feeling the pulse ahead, pulling, urging me to take what it was ready to freely give.

“Okay, but here’s the thing.” I held out a finger as I ducked through the last little bit of tunnel and into a cavern made of rock and stone. The ceiling curved over me in a roughly hewn arch. A wrought iron light fixture dangled from a thick chain directly above a rock outcropping. Within it glowed a blue orb, the same sort that lit all of the house’s secret passages.

Large crystals in a plethora of colors rose from within the rock, almost crawling out like a rose bush. The blue orb above me throbbed, and refracted light from the crystals pulsed and danced across the walls in an abundance of color.

“I have some conditions.” I had no idea why I thought I could barter with an inanimate object, but I was going with my gut. This would be far from the weirdest thing I’d done lately. “I will stay me. I don’t need my age cut in half to be a badass. I am already a badass. But I’d love it if my back would stop hurting. And what’s with the crackling joints? What’s that all about? Maybe erase the stretch marks, too. I mean, that wasn’t my fault—my skin sucks and my son was enormous. Oh! Can I get a magical skin care regime? That sounds like a good one. I hate bothering with that stuff. And oh, if you could put my boobs back where they belong, that would be awesome. I have to date again eventually, and the boob issue was the kid’s fault, too, so I don’t mind asking for that. Basically…less aches and pains, and the body I would have had if the kid hadn’t stretched me out. Sure, I could diet and exercise, but let’s get real. I don’t want to. In return, I will return the house to its former glory, host your magic even though it’ll put me in danger, and…harden up to fighting. And freedom, or whatever.”

The crystals pulsed three times in quick succession. Butterflies filled my stomach. I felt like I was making a deal with the devil.

I took a deep breath, and reached out.

Thirty

The ground rumbled beneath Niamh’s feet. A low hum filled the air.

A host of enemy rounded the house, finally clued in to the battle and coming to lend their aid. Edgar, flagging, prepared for them. Mr. Tom, sagging as well, landed for a moment, catching his breath. Even Niamh felt the effects of her effort.

Only Austin Steele showed no signs of slowing. He charged the enemy, brawn and power. Bodies flew with abandon.

“He’s the best I’ve ever seen,” Edgar said, wiping a trickle of blood from his chin.

Niamh had to agree, and she’d battled a great many shifters. The best of the best. None of the others could hold a candle to the magnificence that was Austin Steele, even with age against him. He was larger than life, and used every ounce of his strength and power to his benefit.

But this new round of fighters had come prepared. Silver gleamed at the end of their spears, illuminated by the magical light showering them from above. He could withstand much, but he couldn’t withstand silver.

“Hurry!” she wanted to shout to Edgar, but her stupid horse face didn’t allow for it. She charged ahead, using everything she had. Silver wouldn’t harm her or Edgar.

A shock wave blasted through the air, stealing her breath. Another, knocking her out of the sky. One more, and suddenly her strength began to grow. Her energy doubled. Tripled. Little aches dried up and disappeared. Big aches evaporated. Her heart beat harder, pumping her blood in steady gushes. She didn’t even know that had been a problem.

Earl straightened up in front of her, put out his arms, and then snapped out his wings, spreading them wide. They no longer drooped. Muscles filled in his suddenly taut skin. Then swelled to the size they’d been in his prime. He bellowed and thumped his chest, fairly ridiculous.

Edgar straightened up and his eyes lit. His teeth became sharper. Whiter. Much cleaner. He poofed into a swarm of insects, flew ten feet, and materialized back into a vampire, running toward Austin. Midway there, he poofed back into insects, like a kid with a new toy. That was going to get annoying.

The ground bucked under Niamh’s hooves. A dark shadow rained from the sky, blotting out the moon. Blotting out the enemy’s magical light cascading down.

Except Niamh could see without a problem, and so could Austin, by the look of it. He took advantage of the enemy’s floundering, swiping away spears and clamping down on someone with his massive jaws. He stood, shook his head, then spat out the leftovers. His roar froze Niamh’s blood, and then an enormous swipe of his paw knocked out three enemies waving their hands in front of them, trying to see with their feelers.

Ivy House had woken up.

Screams emitted from inside. Glass broke on the second floor. Someone jumped out of a window. Another followed. Nets fired into the air from the third floor, catching one flier Niamh hadn’t even seen. The creature fell to the ground, struggling.

Another blast emitted from the house, this one from chest height all around the perimeter. Darts, tipped with poison or sleeping draught or who knew what. They sailed right through Niamh’s body as if she were a ghost, rematerializing on the other side. The same happened with Austin, Edgar, and Earl.

The invaders had no such luck. They reached around to touch their sudden wounds, confused. One by one, their knees weakened. They wobbled, reaching out for something to hold them upright. One by one, they hit the dirt.