"Roxie...baby?"

Walker cradled his mate to his chest as the crowd watched in stunned silence as Niles was taken away.

Metgar wiped his bloodied hands on his jeans and shouted out to the crowd.

"Those of you willing to die for evil, come on up and join the son of a bitch!"

Suri and Jenny knelt next to Roxie as Walker held her close.

"Roxie, honey?" Suri was trying to soothe her daughter as Jaleesa and Jadis joined them.

"No one stopped her," Eric said, smiling, "Good riddance to the scumbag."

Roxie was in shock. She'd never killed anyone before, but she knew Walker had—he'd killed quite a few.

"He...he wasn't going to stop.." Roxie whispered as Walker cradled her to him, escaping from the stage and into the shadows, "I saw it..I saw it in his eyes. He was going to hurt our baby—our daughter.. He..I killed him...Oh, gods..I killed him..."

"I'm sure the gods are smiling down on you, baby," Walker assured her, "He wasn't meant to breathe the same air that you do."

Brett and Suri joined them.

"Does she need anything?" Brett asked, kneeling down to check on Roxie, "Jesus, she's a healer..."

"How do you know?"

"Her powers are fucking out of this world," Brett shuddered, "I've never felt anything like this. I wonder how she's able to do this with a baby in there."

Jadis peeked around the corner and sighed, "I gotta spell it all out for you? These two aren't just the barrier breakers, they're powerful indeed. Why the hell do you think Niles was angry?"

"Why wouldn't my father want me with someone like her then?" Walker asked.

"Because she's good and would only use these powers for good—not evil. Niles wanted her for his bidding and he was willing to keep her muted and caged under black magic to attain it."

"And help Maddy in the process?"

"Oh, honey, he wasn't stupid. He was helping them both, but they didn't know it."

"I..I want to go home.."

Crystal and Dante looked to Walker who didn't hesitate to take care of his mate.

Metgar nodded, "I agree. Take care of each other—this is nothing compared to what we're gonna have to do at that fucking ball."

Roxie wanted no one else except for her husband and Walker was OK with leaving her to do what she did to soothe her soul:

Painting.

He left her alone as she didn't want to talk. He made sure she had some water and brought her some food from the cantina. He made a batch of oatmeal cookies—Roxie's favorite and apparently the baby's too as that was what his wife had been craving for two weeks. He knew this is what she needed, but he'd be there when she wanted to talk.

Evans stopped by with Jenny later that evening, but only Evans stayed when Jenny knew Roxie wasn't up for talking.

"She's going to be OK, man," he said, handing Walker a beer, "You know that—I know that..."

"It's not that I don't know..it's just...fuck I don't know..."

"Bro, she knows deep down what she did was the right thing to do," Evans said, "I remember my first kill and that was also a decent friend of mine..."

"We're not..."

"We aren't humans, Walker," Evans said, "We barely live in their world anymore. We have our own set of rules."

"Hunters love that."

"Hunters can eat shit," Evans scoffed, "When's the last time you heard of a hunter being attacked before they came at us? Stupid assholes—always taking out OUR kind, but not worrying about their own. You see their legal system. What a crock of shit."

Walker smirked, "I'm starting to like you, Evans."

Evans chuckled, "Eh, I wouldn't say I like you all that much just yet, but you're growing on me."

Eric strolled over as Walker offered him a drink, "Thanks, man."

There was a silence that consumed the three of them for quite some time. No words had to be spoken—at least for a little while.

"They briefed you?" Evans chirped.

Eric nodded, leaning back in one of the folding chairs, "I have most of the information they want me to know and I am being watched as is Brett."

"Yeah," Evans chuckled, "Watched by Suri..."

Walker shook his head, "She's still in love with Steven."

"Well, maybe it's time to let him go."

"Crystal and Dante?" Eric raised his eyebrows, "Never in a million years would I have pegged Crystal for a wolf gal"

"Not until she met Dante," Walker smiled, "That was the fastest romance I've ever seen—save for the few mate bonds I've encountered."

"Christ.." Evans mumbled, "How many people have the traitors fucked over?"

"Hundreds," Walker said, downing the last of what would be at least his fourth beer, "But some have already done the job or they're in hiding."

"Done the job?" Eric asked.

"Suicide—murder...then it's all covered up by the witches or their covens.."

"Thought you were briefed?"

"Thought they were lying," Eric admitted,shuddering, "My awakening hasn't even started yet, man. What the hell do I do if I get that shit at the ball?"

"Did you get an invite?"

"I did...finally.." Eric said, "Jadis said they're pairing me with some professor's daughter from Rhode Island. What if I fall under their spell?"

"We got you," Evans said, "Jadis won't let that happen."

They heard the door open slowly and a robed Roxie stepped out onto the porch—Walker was at her side in a flash.

"You OK, baby?"

"I'm fine..I will be,"Roxie held onto him, but waved and smiled to Eric and Evans who stood up to go, "Oh, please! Don't leave. I like having the two of you here."

"You sure?" Eric asked, "We don't want to impose."

"You're not," Roxie smiled, "Just let me grab my juice."

Walker guidied her to their swing, "You settle in. I'll get your juice."

"Thanks, babe.."

"You doing OK?" Evans asked, gently as Eric's eyes told so many stories of love and loyalty to them.

"Yes, for now.." Roxie smiled, "Eric, you really did miss Walker, didn't you?"

"I did...he's like a brother to me," Eric said, "I knew it was a real deal when he took off with you. There was no way Walker was doing something so wild like that without true love—without feeling something deeper than...lust.."

He paused as the three took in the night breeze, "I'm sorry, Roxie, if I ever treated you poorly."

"You never did, though..." Roxie told him, "You weren't like the others."

Walker stepped out with a blanket and Roxie's juice.

"He didn't stand for my shit," Walker said, covering his mate with the blanket as she took the juice, "One of the few I let slide..."

Eric laughed, "Man, you had that whole school in the palm of your hands."

"What do people think about what happened?"

"Oh they think a few things," Eric smiled, "Lust...crazed...that you kidnapped her and made her your sex slave.."

Roxie coughed, "What? Seriously, Walker...how demented were you?"

"Blood orgy sacrifice...that she's pregnant and you won't tell anyone," Eric said, "Absolutely no one knows where we are. They haven't the slightest clue."

"They wouldn't," Walker said, inching closer to Roxie—not just for her comfort, but for his own, "How was the blood orgy?"

Eric and Evans raised their eyebrows as Roxie glared at her husband.

"What? I'm just asking," Walker grinned, "Besides, you were supposed to be my date."

Eric shook his head, "Dull. You bound the town, man. Most people were coming out of their stupor by the time the damn thing was supposed to start so not many people showed up."

"Oh boo hoo," Evans snickered, "No sex for the vamps."

Roxie lowered her gaze and Walker shook his head.

"I don't regret not being there, mouse...you know that."

"What's going to happen to us, Walker?" Roxie shivered as the baby in her belly moved.

"Good things, baby..everything we want, we'll have," Walker stroked her cheek, "I promise you that."

"She's dancing inside of me," Roxie Walker's hand to her stomach, "This is the most amazing feeling in the world."

Eric and Evans watched in awe and curiosity as Walker melted into his mate's touch and the feel of his daughter's growth.

"Will this get in the way?" Eric asked, "I mean...I wouldn't want Roxie to go into battle if she was my wife and a baby in her belly."

"I can't stop her," Walker huffed, glaring at his mate who stuck her tongue out, "She seems to think she knows it all."

"I do!" Roxie joked, "I have to be there—we discussed this. It's safer for me to be there than on my own."

"Does Annabelle hinder your skill?"

"Did you not see her bind me when she went after Niles?" Walker scoffed, "I think she's.."

"Yes, Mr. Wells.." Jaleesa smiled as she tiptoed out of the darkness, "You know exactly what Annabelle is doing, don't you?"

Roxie nodded, "She's strong...she knows me so well...she's,-"

"She's saving you."