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her head on part of the caved in roof. Sobering pain throbbed through her head but it was nothing compared to the contraction.

  A low moan issued from Kevan and his eyelids fluttered as he reached for her. Her fingers brushed his just as the car shook violently. The sound of metal tearing pulled her attention back to the passenger side of the car. Part of the Subaru’s roof and the entire passenger door were gone. She stared out at the glass and car bits littering the asphalt like glittering garbage. Tall spruce trees at the edge of the road promised cover and escape that she knew she’d never reach in her condition. A figure stepped in to fill her view and Shannon’s power rose into her hands in preparation to fight. In her state she knew she wouldn’t last long but she had to at least try, for Aiden’s sake.

  Gold energy glowed around her hand as she lifted it. But the face she saw stopped her. It was a Romanian woman of athletic build, black hair framing a familiar face that was pinched with worry. Her hands glowed red with energy. She must have used her power to heighten her strength, allowing her to tear the door off.

  “I’m going to get you out of there Shannon, hang on,” the woman said.

  “Camilia? What, how?” Shannon murmured, finding the words hard to form.

  Pulling out a small knife, Camilia leaned in across her. Shannon tried to jerk away but there was nowhere to go. This woman was her friend, the very first friend she’d made in America, but right now she didn’t trust anyone. Power built inside her, focusing down into her hands until they shook with the effort of holding it back. Comfort radiated from Camilia, taking away a bit of Shannon’s fear.

  With two deft slices, Camilia removed the seatbelt. She stepped back and extended her hands out. They began to glow red, then the glow pulsed out from them and surrounded Shannon. It tingled and made her skin a bit numb, like plunging into cold water. But she didn’t fear it because it was only a channeler’s power, the very same power she possessed.

  That power lifted her with ease out of the car. Guided by Camilia’s extended hands, she floated to the side of the road and settled into the grass. She started to ask Camilia something but the words turned into a scream as another contraction seized her. For a moment she was lost in the pain, abandoned by even her worries. When she came back to herself, Camilia was knelt beside her in the grass, brushing her hair back from her forehead. Desperation pressed down on Shannon, making it hard to breathe.

  “Kevan is still in there! Ye have to help ‘im,” she gasped.

  “Don’t worry, Virgil’s taking care of him. Let’s just focus on bringing that baby into the world, shall we?” Camilia said in a voice that sounded just a little too sweet.

  Her husband was here too. That struck Shannon as odd, sending a shiver of trepidation through her. Maybe they had seen who did this.

  “Someone drove us off the road, we’re not safe out in the open,” Shannon said.

  Camilia gave her hand a reassuring pat before moving around to kneel between Shannon’s legs. “Not a problem dear, we’ve taken care of them.”

  Relief shuddered through Shannon as she allowed herself to relax ever so slightly. Of all the people to be traveling the same road as she and Kevan, she was glad it had been Camilia and Virgil to come across them. Not only were they the best friends the two of them had made in America, they were powerful warrior channelers.

  “Did you see who it was?” Shannon asked between short breaths accented by pain.

  “We did, but don’t you worry about that now. It’s time for you to push,” Camilia said in a commanding tone that helped ground Shannon and ease her worries.

  Thoughts of Hunters fled as Shannon gave in to the demands of labor. Between contractions and pushing she searched the darkness for Kevan. She called out for him, begged Camilia to go get him, but her friend ignored her pleas. Excruciating agony tore through her and still all she could think of was her husband. Through it all there was no sign of him or of Camilia’s husband Virgil. Had the Hunters gotten them? She couldn’t bear not knowing. But she had no choice as her world became consumed with pain and pushing.

  Labor took only minutes, though it felt like an eternity. Full dark fell just as Shannon heard Aiden cry for the very first time. His voice was strong and filled with fear. The need to hold him and banish his fear was so overwhelming it almost gave Shannon the strength to sit up, almost.

  A crackling sound drew her attention and she rolled her head in the direction of the Subaru. Orange flames licked at the under carriage of the vehicle, spreading along asphalt that was wet with an oily substance.

  A powerful wave of panic over-road her exhaustion and pain and she bolted into a sitting position. “Kevan!” she screamed.

  Power flowed out from her and engulfed the car in a golden mist that sucked the energy from the fire, dousing all but the smallest flames. She felt the slight pressure of Kevan’s energy still in the driver’s seat. It was faint but steady. Concentrating hard, she fed his power with her own until she felt him snap awake. It wouldn’t heal him—she didn’t share that ability with her son—but it would give him the strength he needed, she hoped.

  “Shannon.” Camilia’s sharp voice snapped her back into herself.

  The woman put a bloody, squirming baby into Shannon’s arms. Instinct made Shannon cling to him and banished thoughts of her husband, if even for just a moment. Beautiful hazel eyes gazed lovingly up at her from a face that resembled his father’s so much it tugged at her heart.

  “Oh Aiden, yer beautiful,” she murmured to him.

  He squirmed and wrapped a tiny hand around her finger. A mixture of pride and fear swirled through her at the strength her son possessed. She felt weak in comparison, so weak in fact that it was hard to keep a hold of him. The dark edges of unconsciousness were trying to close in on her but she resisted with the last ounce of energy she had.

  Aiden cried and gripped her finger tighter. Power flowed from him into her, tingling as it made its way to her core, energizing her as it went. It was more than power-sharing like she’d done with Kevan though, Aiden was actually healing her. She sucked in a deep breath as strength returned to her in a dizzying rush. The pain in her lower body was gone, leaving her feeling almost whole again.

  A shadow fell upon her and Aiden. Fire blazed around the outline of Camilia’s body, flames licking high into the black sky. How had she missed that starting back up? More importantly, how had it started back up?

  “Impossible, not even he should be able to do that until he comes into his power as an adolescent,” Camilia said.

  Camilia must have realized Aiden healed Shannon. At her harsh tone, a chill of suspicion crawled up Shannon’s neck. “What you mean ‘even ‘im’?” she asked.

  Power erupted around Camilia’s hands in a red glow and she shot forward and grabbed Aiden. Unprepared, and still a bit weak, Shannon was unable to resist the strength that Camilia’s power lent her.

  The woman tore Aiden from her arms easily. Shannon screamed as if it had been her heart Camilia had wrenched out. She stumbled to her feet and stood on shaking legs that threatened to give out. Aiden’s healing hadn’t been quite complete, which wasn’t surprising considering he was only a baby and such a thing shouldn’t have even been possible.

  “What are ye doing Camilia? Give me son back ta me,” she demanded.

  Lips curving up into a wicked grin, Camilia clutched Aiden to her chest. Fire licked the darkness behind them, consuming the car completely. The eerie glow it cast upon them sent a shiver through Shannon. Aiden wailed in protest and started to glow a beautiful green speckled through with gold. Camilia’s hands glowed a brighter crimson and Aiden’s power faded and retreated from the energy.

  Calling up her own power from where it slumbered deep within her, Shannon took a stumbling step toward them.

  “I told Virgil not to hit your car. I didn’t want to chance Aiden getting hurt. I’m sorry it had to be this way Shannon. I really did like you,” Camilia said.

  Chills of
trepidation raised the hair along Shannon’s arms. “Ye? But yer our friends. Why?”

  The woman’s smile grew, making her look crazed. “Because his power will shape the future.”

  Halos of golden power poured around Shannon’s hands. The press of her energy was slight and weak compared to what it usually was, but she didn’t care. She would fight anyway.

  “Camilia, don’t do this. We’re friends,” Shannon said, knowing that ship had sailed but hoping she could play off of it.

  “It was almost too easy to make you think so.”

  “Yer a Hunter, aren’t ye?” Shannon asked.

  Laughter barked from Camilia. “Since you’ve been hunted before I’m surprised it took you so long to figure it out,” she said.

  As they talked, Shannon’s eyes scanned the area around them, searching for anything that might help her. The blazing fire wasn’t that far away. If she could get Camilia to back up… Firelight gleamed off something on the ground next to Shannon.

  “Hunters are supposed to protect our kind, not try to kill innocent druids. What do they want with me son?”

  “Channelers, you damn European, we’re channelers, not druids,” Shannon said through gritted teeth.

  Eyes locked on Camilia, Shannon bent and picked up the object that was reflecting the fire light. It was a crowbar, solid iron, just what she needed. Channeler’s were hard to kill after they