by Tl Reeve
Nico rolled his eyes at the guy’s exaggerated bad guy persona. It was like watching a bad fucking movie.
“I don’t care how you do it, just do it,” Worthington ordered before leaving the room, dragging a wobbly Hayden behind him.
The bastard was dead. Nico would do everything in his power to make sure he had the honor of choking the shit out of the smarmy bastard. The minute the door closed behind him, the room filled up with more security guards. Fuck me. Even with his wolf, he’d never make it out of there without being seriously hurt, if not ending up dead. Even if Kalkin had the place surrounded by his best men they’d never make it in time. However, Nico wasn’t going down without a fight either.
“What the fuck are you, dude?” Nico sniffed the air for a second time, unable to get an idea of what type of shifter he was.
“That’s really what you want to know?” he asked.
Nico nodded his head.
“I’m a margay.”
Nico snorted, then curled his lip in disgust. Margays were cunning, jungle-dwelling wild cats with remarkable mimicry skills. Nico would bet Worthington used the shifter standing in front of him to capture most, if not all, of those held in cages tonight.
Motherfucking slime.
“You say it like you’re proud of it or some shit,” Nico said, keeping his focus on the other guards who positioned themselves behind the margay.
A warning yowl escaped his lips the closer they got.
“I am,” replied the margay.
“Of betraying your own kind?” Nico snarled. Having an in-depth conversation with these fuckers wasn’t ideal, but every second he delayed them meant he was hopefully giving Hayden more time.
“Last time I looked, asshole,” the margay sneered, “you’re a canine and definitely not one of my kind.”
“Hurry this shit up,” the guy behind the feline shifter spat. “Worthington promised us a chance of gang banging that little she-wolf he just dragged out of her.” The lewd, soon-to-be dead man cupped his junk and gave it a squeeze. “As tiny as she is, her pussy has gotta be nice and tight. Bet she’s a screamer.” He nudged one of the other security guards in anticipation. “I fuckin’ love those types of bitches. Makes my dick rock hard.”
Nico didn’t think, he reacted. He cocked his arm back and cold-cocked the son of a bitch. The crunch of bone under his knuckles gave him a sense of satisfaction. The guy never even saw it coming. The guard crumbled to the ground, unconscious, his legs twitching. He didn’t bother to hide the smirk covering his lips.
Asshole deserved it for even thinking of raping his mate.
Nico rolled his neck, loosening up the muscles. He kept his gaze on each of the remaining men in front of him. His confidence was high considering he’d gotten in a punch to their zero. “Who’s next.”
“You’re not going to come out the other end a winner, wolf,” the shifter sneered.
“And I’m not going down without a fight either,” Nico promised. Those who’d been staying back closed ranks. Shit, no way he was getting out of there.
“End result is all the same though, mate.” The bastard smiled. “You’ll be dead, and we’ll all at one point or another be buried balls deep in your girl.”
Nico shrugged off his tux jacket, dropped it to the floor before staring down the other men. He undid his cuffs then rolled the sleeves of his shirt, exposing the corded muscles of his forearms. The fine hairs on his arms stood on end as the wolf within brushed against the surface, lending his strength. Nico wasn’t lying when he said he wouldn’t make it easy for them. None of them were aware he’d been trained by the Raferty family. All the deputies were. Kalkin got some sort of sick sort of pleasure out of standing in the ring, watching his recruits getting the shit beat out of them until they learned to fight back. Yeah, sure, he never won against any of the Raferty brothers, but he was able to hold his own and impress his Alpha enough to get a coveted spot as a deputy sheriff.
“Bring it, motherfuckers,” he growled out, knowing this would be the fight of his life.
Death hadn’t been an option. Hayden and the cub she claimed—they claimed—were counting on him. He’d also been the only one who knew about the infinity necklace with the tracker in it. If anyone would be able to find her, it was him.
The guards circled around him. Anticipation was vital to winning the fight. Choosing who was the weakest link would be key. The hairs on the back of his neck stood, sending a tingle of awareness through him. He cut his gaze to the side and caught a glimpse of one of the guards. He was antsy, twitchy. He didn’t have the discipline needed to keep himself in check and not tip of what might happen next. Nico suspected one of the humans would hold him down while the others got their licks in. It made sense, and he’d probably do the same in an outnumbered battle. However, unlike the guy behind him, Nico knew it was coming. He set himself, distributing his weight equally, then braced for the impact. If he timed it right, he could throw the guy over his shoulder and into those who’d advance on him first, taking them out of the fight before it even started.
When the guy made his move, Nico caught his arm and flung him over his body. The guard went tumbling past him, knocking three of them to the ground. For a split second, no one advanced, then everything devolved into slow motion. Another man came at Nico. Without hesitation, he batted the knife in his hand away, then wrapped his arm around the other guy’s throat. He snapped his neck with little effort. The satisfying sound of bones breaking had a surge of adrenaline, pure masculine power coursing through his veins. His chest heaved. His lip was curled back in a vicious snarl.
Several guards took steps back in horror at the bodies on the ground. Nico doubted any of them had signed up to die for this job. He glanced across the room at the margay shifter. He leaned against the wall in a relaxed pose, watching and waiting, a twisted smirk on his lips. Typical. Allows the others to do his dirty work while he stands back. The chicken shit couldn’t even fight shoulder to shoulder with his men. How did any of them respect him? They couldn’t. If a leader isn’t willing to fight for what they want or in their case what they believe is right, how could they expect him to ever be loyal to them or demand loyalty from them?
“Who’s next?” The edgy sensation filled him again. He tried to anticipate where the next attack would be coming from, but lost his focus. The attack came from his right, two of them this time.
One went high. His left hook connected with Nico’s mouth, splitting his bottom lip. The coppery tang of blood filled his mouth, enraging the beast. Before he could react, the other man went low, hitting Nico in the kidney. Pain rushed through his right side, stealing his breath. He pushed through the spots dancing in front of his eyes and connected with an uppercut to the guy in front of him. The one at his side continued to get his licks in. Nico absorbed the blows, waiting for his opportunity to lash out at the asshole.
Regrettably, the others, seeing the success of the first pair, followed suit and came at him two at a time. Nico lost count of how many blows he took, or how long they went round after round. He became numb to the pain, just trying to keep his eyes open and his mind sharp. He couldn’t lose Hayden. He couldn’t lose his son. Son... warmth bloomed in his chest, and a bolt of energy imbued his spirit.
Nico fought back. His knuckles were cut and bleeding, but he didn’t care. Any exposed body part, he hit, bringing most of them to their knees or at least leaving them staggering. He didn’t get why they didn’t jump him all at one time. All of them against one shifter, and even a strong one like himself would eventually falter to a brutal beating.
“Enough.” The margay shifter stepped forward, his face twisted in malice as he faced Nico. He gave a head bob, and a second later Nico was tased in the back.
Fifty thousand volts of electricity flowed through his body, making his knees wobble. Nico hissed through the pain, riding it out. His wolf surged forward, giving him added strength to fight the pain.
He swore his wolf chuckled in amusement.<
br />
“What the fuck?” The guy who’d tased him tossed the gun at Nico’s back in frustration.
Stupid asses.
Deputies were often tased and pepper sprayed during training on the off-chance a perp tried to use it against them. Kalkin made sure they all experienced the pleasure at least once a year. It had been over four years since Nico faced the electrical pulse coursing through his body. He’d have to thank his Alpha and his shifter genetics for not falling to the ground like a simpering baby.
“Take him,” the feline shifter snarled.
The guards moved in, shrinking the circle around him, giving him little room to maneuver. It became a free fall then. Punches came from every direction. Nico knew from the grunts of his opponent he landed all of his more powerful hits. Nevertheless, his reaction time was getting slower as he absorbed their punches.
One particularly brutal blow connected with Nico’s temple. Bright light exploded in front of his eyes, and everything around him shifted. A high-pitched ringing filled his ears as the room swam. Nico swayed. The room tilted on its axis. His knees gave out, and he crumpled to the floor hard enough to knock the breath out of him. Images of Hayden swirled through his mind. He clung to them, trying desperately to force his battered body to move. It didn’t work. His body wouldn’t comply with the orders to keep fighting. It’d literally been beaten out of him. He opened his eyes. The blurry mass of bodies surrounding him parted. The margay knelt in front of him. A cruel sneer twisted his mouth, turning his face into an evil visage. His lips moved, but whatever the asshole said, Nico couldn’t hear him. Instead, he focused on the void crowding in at the corner of his vision. He welcomed the darkness.
The endless nothing...
Chapter Six
Something wet and cold drizzled over his face and neck. A second later, it started again. Nico turned away from it and groaned. Everything fucking hurt. Something bright flashed in front of his face, and he groaned, trying to get away from it. However, he couldn’t. It stayed right in front of him, almost blindingly so. Warmth filled him, the injuries causing him to grimace in pain as they stitched back together, mending him. He sank into the sensations, determined to block out everything else.
Another splash of something cold hit his face and neck. He cracked an eye open but slammed it shut when the bright light burned his eye. What the fuck is going on here? He tried to recall the last several… what? Minutes? Hours? Days? He knew he’d been in a fight. What came after that?
“Nico?” a soft, feminine voice called to him, pulling him from the abyss.
He fought it, wrapping the healing warmth back around him. If he opened his eyes, the pain would come roaring back with vicious clarity and so would the awareness that his precious mate and their new son were gone.
“Wake up, pup,” a deeper, darker voice ordered.
Fuck. Could he ever just escape Kalkin and his demands? Nico groaned when his mind and body merged back into reality, and he became aware of the pain.
Nico hissed. Fuck. It even hurt to breath. He writhed on the ground, trying to find the calming balm of relief within the darkness. He grasped at it with both hands, but it faded with each second he became more lucid with his surroundings.
“Kalkin,” Keeley warned.
Kalkin growled, the threat clear. “I don’t have time to pussyfoot around, Keeley.”
Nico blinked awake. His vision was distorted, and everything had a hazy quality to it. In all the years Kalkin had been mated, Nico had never known his Alpha to speak to his mate in such a tone. Nico tried to brace himself on the ground, but still being woozy, his body couldn’t hold his weight, and he collapsed in a heap. A yelp of pain passed his lips. Fuck, this was bad. Really, really bad.
“Hayden is fucking missing.” His Alpha’s voice held a hint of controlled fury and sorrow.
It all rushed back to Nico in a millisecond. They had taken his mate and beat the shit out of him. “Tracker.” Blood pooled in his mouth from the cut to his lip, causing his stomach to clench. He rolled his head to the side and spat out the blood. “Receiver in limo.”
“On it,” Hauser announced from behind him.
Kalkin eased him up into a sitting position. “You need to shift, boy. It’ll speed up your healing.”
Nico already knew it, but he ignored his Alpha and asked the one question eating at his gut. “How long…”
“Six hours,” Kalkin said. “I need you. Hayden fucking needs you.”
He wanted to punch the other man, keenly aware of exactly what his mate needed. Instead he blinked. His vision cleared, and he became more aware of his surroundings. Cactus, hills, and miles and miles of nothing but tumbleweeds and sands spread out before him. That fucking margay dropped his body in the dessert. Probably hoped Nico would die at some point. Fucking idiot. For being a shifter, he was so damn ignorant. Did the asshole honestly think he’d be carrion for the buzzards? Nico would laugh, if it didn’t hurt so fucking much.
He took stock of his remaining injuries. The gentle warmth he experienced had to be Danielle. Later he’d thank her. He still had two broken ribs. Fractured cheekbone, the ending stages of a concussion, and a bruised kidney. It was going to hurt like a motherfucker the first time he pissed. He grabbed the canteen beside Kalkin. His tongue felt three sizes too big and his throat had been on fire. Every time he swallowed, it was like sandpaper gouged the sensitive tissue, rubbing it raw.
He lifted the container to his mouth and took several swallows. It landed in his gut like a heavy brick, then came right back up. Nico puked. The heave of his body amplified every ache and pain. He shuddered, bracing himself as he hung his head in shame. It was then he realized, he’d been naked. A thread of shame washed over him. Not only had he had his ass handed to him, but the fuckers took his dignity too. Not that shifters cared about being naked, he didn’t. But, it was the fact they left him there, wearing nothing. If Kalkin hadn’t found him, someone else would have.
“It’s okay,” Keeley said. “Just take it easy.”
He cringed at her soft tone. He didn’t need her affection now. He didn’t need any of them. He needed his mate. “I appreciate the gesture, but get the fuck back.”
“Nico...” Kalkin growled.
He snorted. “Tell me, Kalkin, if she wasn’t your niece, would you be here right now?” All of his self-loathing came to the surface. He couldn’t protect his mate. He lied. He told her he’d be right there if she needed him. Six hours later, she was gone, and he was left for dead in the middle of the fucking desert.
“Don’t do this, son,” Kalkin whispered.
“I’m not your son,” Nico spat. “In fact, I’m nothing to no-fucking-body. I proved all of you right. I bet Holly is sitting all high and fucking mighty right now. Gloating like a fucking chicken. I couldn’t protect Hayden. It was all a fucking illusion. She was right. We shouldn’t have come back here.”
“You done?” Kalkin tilted his head.
“Fuck you.”
“That’s Jace’s thing, not mine. Now, get your sorry, no-good head out of your fucking ass, and shift or else I’ll make you do it. You should be lucky you’re in the state you’re in, boy. I’d wipe the fucking floor with your ass.” Kalkin wrapped a meaty palm around Nico’s throat. “How dare you assume to know what I feel for you or how we’re all reacting to what happened. You’re lucky I like you, or else, mate or no mate, you’d be dead.”
Nico eyed the gun at Kalkin’s side. In a split second he had it pulled. “Now’s your chance to be rid of me. Go on, do it.”
In an instant, he was flying backwards. Kalkin landed with a heavy thud at the same time he did. Keeley stood between them. Her hands were on her hips. Her face was twisted with rage and sorrow. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. “I’ve had enough of the both of you. While you’re both measuring your dicks, your niece” —she pointed to Kalkin— “and your mate” —she pointed at Nico— “could be dying. What the fuck is wrong with both of you?”
Keeley ha
rdly ever cussed. Nico groaned. “Mine’s bigger.” He rolled to his side and spat out more blood. “Hold that fucking thought. I think I’m dying.” He moaned.
Nico allowed the wolf to take over. The snap of his bones realigning hurt like a son of bitch. He whimpered and howled when his body contorted and fell into its wolf form. He staggered for a moment. His wolf was disoriented. After holding him back for so long, the beast went rabid, snapping at anyone who got too close, then whined when Nico took control and shifted back.
“Nope, didn’t help.” Nico lay flat on his back. His mind was clearer. His heart pounded while he took deep breaths. The broken bones were mending quicker. He shifted once more, this time with less pain than the last. When he came back, he could sit up without his head spinning or his heart feeling as though it would gallop out of his chest.
Hauser returned as well with a small phone and a bag of clothes. He shoved the phone into Kalkin’s hands and threw the bag at Nico.
He opened the bag. Tactical clothes, including his boots and gun, were inside. Nico dressed quickly. He holstered his side arm then stood. It took him a second to catch his balance. What the fuck did that asshole hit me with? He gingerly made his way over to where Hauser and Kalkin stood hunched over the phone.
“You’re sporting a nice brass knuckle tattoo at your temple,” Hauser said.
“I’m sure it’s tattooed my brain too,” Nico grumbled.
“It’s the only answer I have for the shit you just pulled,” Keeley stated.
“Fuck me.” Kalkin growled. “She’s in fucking New Mexico.”
Nico glanced over his Alpha’s shoulder at the marker on the map. “She’s near Tse Bonito.”
“Nothing out there for miles,” Hauser grunted.
“Old mines, some warehouses and shit,” Nico confirmed.
