Page 70 of Scout’s Honor

Goldilocks yelled from the trees. “They’re here! We’re chasing them back to you!”

Bonhi grabbed up her knife, moving with her jaguar. Dakota fell into step next to them. Aven dropped to the ground and walked near Dakota on sharp talons, twice as large as a normal golden eagle. Two vampires saw them and ran away. Dakota and Aven peeled off after them. Two more vampires swarmed Dallas with knives and Bonhi wrapped them up in blue magic, stabbing them, but two more went for Dallas’ prosthesis and tore it off him! Dallas twisted and caught one in his jaws, chewing him up while the vampire screamed. Bonhi put him out of his misery, then turned to the one that held Dallas’ prosthesis.

“Drop it and I’ll kill you quick,” Bonhi snarled.

The vampire bared his fangs at her and hissed, then threw the prosthesis on the ground and jumped on it.

Bonhi whipped her knife right at him, using her magic from the moment it left her hand. It hit him between the eyes, and he fell backwards, red light and dust puffing from his corpse as he hit the ground.

Bonhi went to get her knife, breathing heavily. She pulled it out of the collapsing skull, gagging while she wiped it on the grass. Dallas limped over to his prosthesis and nosed the carcass.

“Is that it?” Dakota asked, looking around, her spear held at the ready. “There’s gotta be more.”

Dallas shifted into a man, sprawling on his back on the ground, arms out, his shirt on the ground near him. He stuck his hand in his pocket, checking for the bottle, then twisted and grabbed his prosthesis, examining it, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped down his skin, and his hair was soaked with it.

“Bonbon, I need you,” he panted.

Bonhi ran to her mate.

35—Heartbound

Bonhi knelt near Dallas, touching his bare chest.

“I need a clothing spell,” he told her, his face lined with sweat and dirt. “They call it an everweft. Dakota gave me this one, but it's always been a little broken. Yours will be perfect because you're my fated mate—”

Thirty feet away, six vampires appeared, then two disappeared, then six more appeared. Dallas turned his head to stare at them.

Dakota ran between them and the vampires, holding up her hands, ready for anything. Aven dropped down with a piercing shriek to stand near her, pacing with wings high, ready.

“Do it in the cabin,” Dakota said. “We’ll guard the door.”

Bonhi gave Dakota a panicked look, having no clue how to do a clothing spell.

“You'll do great, Bonhi,” Dakota said. “You're strong in magic.” She held her free hand out to Dallas. “Lemme see that.”

He handed over his prosthesis, pointing out a bent spot. Dakota ran her finger over it.

“Hm,” she said. “Breath Coven works with metal.” She raised her hand and shot green fireworks into the air. “Goldie!” she shouted. “We need you!”

The bear ran back and forth near the edge of the tree line, its eyes on the fresh group of vampires but when Dakota called, it turned and ran for them, the woman on its back watching the vampires.

They arrived and Goldie slid off the bear’s back and landed on the ground. Dakota handed over the prosthesis. “Can you fix this?”

“Yup.” Goldie held it with her hands on either side of the bend and twisted. Green speckles, lights, and fairy dust swarmed her hands and the metal.

Dallas put on his shirt, struggled to his feet, and leaned on Bonhi, then they watched the spell completion together. The light cleared and Goldie held the prosthesis out to Dallas, saying, “Good as new.”

Dallas took it, a grin spreading on his face. “I thought it was toast, Goldilocks. Thanks.”

The bear snarled, reaching out its long neck toward Dallas. Dallas grinned. “I mean, Goldie, or Ma’am. Thank you, Ma’am.”

He backed into Bonhi and she helped him to the door. They moved inside and shut the door behind them, then went to the table. Dallas took his pants off and sat down on a handmade wooden chair wearing only boxers. Bonhi put her knife down next to two water bottles, a bowl of steamy water and a stack of towels.

Dallas grabbed a water bottle and downed it. Bonhi drank some, too, and they rinsed their hands and faces with the hot water and towels.

Cleaned up, Dallas prepared to don his prosthesis.

Bonhi knelt in front of him, chewing her lip.