Chapter 46

The cracking sound of gunshots woke Odin so suddenly he fell off Freyja's car. Panic, fear, and anger flooded the Link. Freyja's presence came through in stuttering bursts that set his fur on end as he bounded over the fence, and across the yard as quickly as he could, shifting somewhat to increase his speed.

Had she been shot?

Was he feeling her dying thoughts as her brain lost oxygen?

Please, do not die! he pleaded.

What's going on? Hemi asked.

On me, Odin ordered too all the Hive in the Link.

He didn't check that they were following as he raced past the Brothers of Fervor scaling the fence between their home and Kait's property. Odin ignored the clutch of young Humans huddled outside the Armory, skirted around Kait and Sam's legs to burst into the Barn, skidding in the powdery soil. At once, he understood why Freyja's presence in the Link had been uneven: she was actively paralyzing a Human he'd never seen before. The man had been restrained and disarmed but not before he'd shot several of the Barn Cats. Hal did his best to slow the bleeding in one's chest. Two others had injuries to their hind quarters partially paralyzing them as blood flowed from ragged wounds clotting the dirt below. Another unfortunate cat one was missing most of one leg and did their best to stumble away from where they'd initially fallen, leaving a bloody rut behind them. The final cat had been hit in the head.

The Human Freyja had her mental grip on screamed, other Humans shouted and spoke. Odin ignored it all. Most of the Hive could be saved. They just needed to activate their shapeshifting abilities.

"We need Sparks. Quickly!" he turned toward Freyja.

She had been against the new Humans joining the Link. She wouldn't like his request. He could feel some disgust at the idea emanating from her as she struggled to keep hold of the intruder's mind. She grit her teeth harder.

"Please!" Odin shouted. He rolled back over himself, shifting into his clothing as he resumed his Human disguise, falling to his knees. "Please! We need Sparks! Volunteers! We can save them!"

Freyja grimaced but didn't move as the man she was holding in place spasmed where he knelt in the dirt.

To Odin's surprise, Kait pushed past Freyja and hurried to the gray and white cat Hal was attempting to save. She dropped to the ground and raised a pocket knife in the air before stabbing it into her own left hand. She grabbed the cat's head and did her best to drip blood into their mouth. Odin hissed, then lunged forward, gripping one of her shoulders and moving her hand.

"It must be living blood and flesh taken from a Spark. If it has left you freely, it is dead," he said before guiding her hand into the mouth of the cat. "And they must take the flesh themself. It can not be fed."

Kait's eyes watered. "She's not biting me. Sticky Bun was always so sweet but...please, bite me, baby! You have to!"

Sticky Bun's breathing was shallow and wet. Odin wasn't sure how close to consciousness she was, nor did he know how much strength she had left. So, he moved around to the side, and took her head in his hands, then clamped her jaw down on Kait's palm hard enough to crack Sticky Bun's jaw. It went against Tradition and Teaching. He was forcing someone to join the Link. Her mind was faint when the Link formed, but it was there.

"Guide her in healing. Freyja is busy," Odin instructed Kait.

"I...I...don't know how. Can you?" she asked.

He sent her a packet of memories, information about shapeshifting and how to guide someone to do it via the Link. It wasn't an easy skill to master, nor was overwhelming someone the way Freyja currently demonstrated. He had no time to waste and moved to the next downed Hive member, an older long-haired brown and white tabby who'd been struck just above the back legs. Urine and feces soaked the mud along with blood.

"I need another volunteer! Quickly!" Odin shouted.

He licked Kait's blood from his hand, hesitating for a breath as he analyzed the woman's DNA. She was related to Freyja, and closely. Where Freyja and Gee shared a mother, Kait and Freyja shared a father. Her relation to Freyja explained how quickly she took to utilizing the information he'd just given her. Sticky Bun's wounds were already knitting together. The revelation of Kait's parentage would have to wait.

There were still three lives in danger.

"God damn it, Frank," Lawrence growled. Odin wasn't sure when the leader of the Brothers of Fervor had entered the Barn as he sat down in front of the older cat then looked up to Odin. "Tell him to bite me."

Odin growled and hissed out the order, "This is your Spark. Do not eat him. He's volunteering to save your life."

"Yes, Colonel. By your command," Frank replied in Hive Standard.

"He's ready," Odin said in English.

Frank bit down hard on Lawrence's calloused finger. Their minds both joined the Link at the same time, shortly thereafter Frank went about healing his wounds and got to his feet. He pressed his head against Lawrence's open palm silently.

Two left, Odin thought.

He was halfway to his feet when four new minds hit the Link at the same time. Startled, he discovered two of the teenagers had entered the building and tended to the remaining Hive members. Saffron was now Spark to Clamp, who's Host was an orange and white short hair. Snow cried as Shackle regrew his missing limb, fresh white hair growing past the still bloody stump. Odin stood in place, catching his breath.

"Jesús!" Kait shouted. She scrambled to her feet then hurried over to the remaining body on in the dirt. "Come on Jesús! Someone! I need Jesús to bite you! Please!"

"He's g-" Freyja's words stopped in her throat just as Officer Gatas let out another half-scream. She glared at him harder.

Sticky Bun hurried over to Kait's side as she picked up the limp body of Jesús. Odin padded over to her then knelt down on her other side, placing one hand on her back.

"Jesús is gone," he said he said softly.

"No! No! He can't be! He's got to splash in the water trough and make a mess! He does it every morning! Even after- even after he was," her grip on Jesús tightened while wracking sobs shook her body.

Odin gently wrapped his arms around her. It was a gesture he remembered numerous Humans had made toward his Host. He'd seen Freyja's family do the same thing to one another in her memories and in person. Comfort. Kait leaned into him, crying harder than before. Her grief drowned all other emotions and thoughts in the Link. If Freyja was shouting at him he couldn't tell.

I'm so sorry, Odin thought.

Kait didn't reply in words. Her raw emotion and tears shattered him like a tsunami. Hitching breaths broke way to bawling as he doubled over with her, overcome. Odin didn't know if anyone else was overwhelmed as he was swept away.