Act of Surrender

by Mandy M. Roth

  “Aye, lass, eww,” said Striker, his Scottish brogue thick. He rubbed his groin in an unabashed way, shaking his head. “You had to kick me there? Of all places, there?”

  She got the feeling most of his deductive reasoning occurred between his legs, so she’d more than likely impeded his thought processes. He kept rubbing himself, as if he didn’t care who saw him do what, and she wondered if he’d say to hell with it and lift his kilt to check his man parts out.

  Seemed the type.

  “You’ve a hell of a kick, Punky,” he said.

  Punky?

  She eyed his groin, considering kicking him in it again. Friend of Hagen’s or not, she’d do it.

  “Easy, tiger.” He stepped back, cupping himself before nodding to Boomer. “Eleven o’clock.”

  Boomer twisted, thrust Laney at Striker and then punched out at a bad guy. This one looked mostly human except for the eyes. They were red, like Hagen’s currently were—again. Boomer bent, his movements very catlike as he came up, fur sprouting on his forearms as he sprang up at the bad guy, hitting him head-on in midair. The collision was so epic that it seemed to shake the ground they were all standing on.

  It’s like Clash of the Furry Gods.

  Another one of the ugly creatures descended from above and she did a double take.

  Holy-crap-on-a-pita-chip, it has wings!

  It didn’t matter how much training Casey had given her, there was no way she was prepared to take on a flying, pasty, smelly monster. In place of yelling, which she didn’t think she’d be judged upon at a later date because the damn thing had wings, Laney had a burning desire to have a cell phone handy to record the creature for her post on what walked among humans.

  Or in this case, flew.

  Her loyal blog readers would think this was the coolest thing ever.

  Striker leapt up and over Laney as if she wasn’t even there, landing before her, pushing the winged-creature away. She had to admit, she was somewhat impressed with the Scottish guy. He’d done that jump without taking a running start or anything.

  The winged thing hissed at him and he shook his head. “When you signed up for testing and to be an evil minion, did you know it was goin’ to leave you lookin’ like that? If so, yer a dumbass. If you did nae know, all I can say is fine print is apparently verra important. The devil is in the details.”

  The creature charged Striker and Striker moved an arm out gently, pushing Laney to a new spot just behind him as the two of them stepped out of the way of the attack. The creature went right past them and head first into the brick wall.

  Another bad guy came out of nowhere and struck Striker from the side, knocking him in the direction of the wall too. There was a struggle and then a huge bang as the creature lurched back from Striker.

  The Scot sat on the ground, his kilt fanned out in a way that only barely kept his private parts covered, gun in hand, grinning.

  The guy was grinning.

  Lunatic.

  He looked past her. “Lass, get down!”

  She did. He may have been crazy but he was on her side—at least she hoped. He fired again and the sound echoed off the buildings, making it hard for her to hear for a few seconds that managed to feel more like minutes. Turning, Laney saw Boomer’s mouth moving but couldn’t make out what he was saying.

  Danger!

  The word felt as if it were thrust into her mind. It wasn’t her own thought though. She knew that. Oddly, she thought of Gus, as if he had anything to do with what was happening. Wherever the thought came from, something deep down told her to listen.

  Gasping, she spun, acting on instinct and years of self-defense training from Casey. She came around in time to reach as one of the creatures extended a clawed hand at her throat. Laney threw up an arm, deflecting the blow as she punched the thing in the gut with more force than she thought she had in her. She hit it so hard it went hurtling backwards, in the direction of Hagen, who was still in wolf form. He leapt upon its back, making short work of it.

  Boomer grabbed her, yanking her back and out of harm’s way. He turned her and began looking her over. “Are you hurt?”

  She rubbed her ears. “How can you hear anything?”

  Striker was suddenly next to her as well. “Lass, are you harmed?”

  She shook her head.

  The two men glanced at the creature she’d fought with and then back to her. They both boldly sniffed the air. She groaned. “Really?”

  “I smell Fae,” said Striker.

  Boomer flashed a wide smile. “I smell panther.”

  Hagen made a strange growling noise that sounded muffed. When she looked at him, she nearly lost control and threw up. He had a huge piece of creature meat hanging from his mouth, as his red eyes found her.

  Laney groaned and looked to Striker who had his nose wrinkled as well. “Lass, he normally has much better eatin’ habits. He’s into healthy livin’.”

  “Does that include eating gargoyles?” she asked, fascinated with what she was seeing, yet completely repulsed as well.

  Striker eyed the now dead slab of creature. “I do nae think it’s a gargoyle. More of a bat thingamabob.” He turned to Boomer. “Hey, Batman, something to look forward to.”

  “Suck me, Milkshake.” Boomer moved alongside them and also made a face, indicating he thought seeing Hagen’s wolf eat the creature was disgusting too. “Striker, pull James off the…what the hell is that?”

  “I vote gargoyle,” said Laney, lifting a hand in the air, feeling oddly at ease with all she’d witnessed so far. “Redhead here votes part bat.”

  “Well, it’s all ugly,” added Boomer.

  She and Striker nodded.

  Laney found herself bonding with the two men under the strangest of circumstances. Striker looked to Boomer and put out his hand. “Before I stop James, give me yer phone.”

  “Why?” asked Boomer.

  “I want a picture of this to show James later when he’s lecturin’ me on eatin’ less red meat.”

  Laney laughed and found she couldn’t seem to stop laughing. She knew it was a mix of shock and adrenaline, but that didn’t matter. The giggle-fit kept going.

  Striker eyed her. “Should you nae be passed out or screamin’?”

  She lifted her hands to suggest she was clueless. “Is that how one should respond to this?”

  “’Tis how girls do,” he said snidely.

  She looked at his groin again.

  He pursed his lips. “Did I say girls? I meant to say…well, I do nae know. Stop lookin’ at my most prized possession like you wish him harm.”

  She laughed more.

  He lifted a brow. “By chance are you part pixie too? They’ve a thing for laughing under stress, and apparently, if you are, they’re procreating at an alarming rate.”

  “I’m a hacktivist,” she said proudly.

  He nodded and then stopped, mid-nod, eyeing her. “I’ve no idea what that is.”

  She smiled and giggled more.

  He made a move to go for Hagen and Hagen turned, his red eyes ablaze, his long teeth showing as he snarled and then snapped at Striker’s hand. Striker yanked his arm back.

  “Bad wolf,” he said sternly.

  Hagen growled and went low as if ready to attack.

  Striker made a move for Laney. “Lass, you do nae want to be too close to him. He’s nae safe to be near right now.”

  Hagen was suddenly between them, taking a bite at Striker. He missed. Just barely.

  Gasping, Laney swatted the massive wolf. “Hagen, no!”

  She froze.

  So did Striker.

  Had she just corrected an enraged werewolf?

  She replayed the events in her head.

  Oh crap.

  “Lass,” said Striker, drawing Hagen’s attention to him. “Back up verra slowly and get behind Boomer.” He stared past her. “You kept a vial of that sedative Mercy gave us?” he asked Boomer.

  “No. Corbin frisked me right after he did
you,” answered Boomer. “Said we weren’t allowed to use it to get high. He’s a killjoy.”

  “Aye, the Bloody-English-Bastard-Out-to-Steal-My-Country wouldnae know a good time if it bit him in the arse.”

  Laney put her hands on her hips. Her saviors were talking about getting high? “Focus on Hagen. And not illegal substances.”

  “Och, it’s nae illegal. Yet. Besides, I do nae need to focus on James. He’s focused enough on me, lass,” said Striker, staying very still. “Cannae be sure but I think he has plans to try to eat me too.”

  “It’s probably your milkshake magnetism,” added Boomer dryly from beside her.

  Lost, Laney glanced between them. “Serious moment here, boys.”

  “Nah,” said Boomer. “We’ve been in worse situations, and it’s not the first time a teammate has tried to eat us. Just over a week ago our teammate Duke took a chunk out of each of us when he was stuck in wolf form.”

  Yelping, she turned to face Boomer, her face ashen. “A shifter can get stuck in shifted form?”

  He swallowed hard, looking as if he didn’t want to tell her the answer. “Um…yes?”

  That meant Hagen could get stuck in wolf form. She shoved at him, but didn’t budge him. “Fix him!”

  “It’s not that easy,” he returned. Boomer reached for her and Hagen rushed past her, snapping at Boomer.

  Full up on crazy and hard to wrap her mind around scenarios, Laney reacted, swatting Hagen hard on the top of the head. “Enough!”

  He stopped and sat as if he wasn’t just about to eat his friend and hadn’t been snacking on the stuff of nightmares only moments prior.

  She watched Hagen, waiting for him to change back into himself. He didn’t. “Change. Stop being all wolfy.”

  Still nothing.

  “Lass, he cannae understand you right now,” said Striker. “He’s in a deep shift. The kind that leaves the man lost and the wolf in charge. We worried this would happen to him with all he’s been through.”

  Boomer took a large breath in and his violet gaze widened. He stared between the big wolf and Laney. Then his attention went to Striker. “Do you smell that?”

  Laney lifted her arms, and gave up trying to look ladylike as she sniffed her armpits. Why did they all keep smelling her?

  Striker inhaled and then paused. A second later, he whistled. “Two in a month. What are the odds?”

  “Two what?” she asked.

  Boomer looked to Hagen and ignored her question. “Doc, if you’re in there, anywhere, she’s safe. We’re not the enemy. We’d never hurt your mate.”

  Mate?

  Laney was so lost.

  What was he talking about?

  Striker nodded. “Aye, James, we’ll nae harm her. We’ll protect her as we would you.”

  “Your woman is safe,” said Boomer.

  Laney stiffened. “His woman? What? I’m not his woman. We just officially met tonight.”

  Striker laughed as he stepped over the carcass of the winged thing, keeping his eye on Hagen the entire time. She didn’t blame him. Hagen had already eaten how many things?

  “Lass, you most certainly are his woman. See how he guards you? Do you notice he only comes at us when we make a move to touch you?”

  She thought more on it.

  Striker was right. Hagen had only gone at him and Boomer when they’d tried to make contact with her.

  Huffing, Laney looked at Hagen. “You lied to me. You took me on a date that is seriously the worst date in the history of ever. You ate not one, not two, but at least three of those nasty butt-ugly things, and now you’re trapped in wolf form? LabLupus, if you don’t change back right this second, I swear to you that I’m never going to speak to you again. Worse than all that, you work for The Man!” She stomped her foot. “Your woman, my ass, bucko.”

  Boomer snorted. “Yeah, that will work.”

  No sooner had the words left his lips than Hagen began to change shape. If she’d blinked, she’d have missed it. He was suddenly there, standing before her, wearing nothing but what he’d been born in.

  Her cheeks flushed as her gaze raced to his groin. It was as if her eyes didn’t really care that her brain knew better than to look. They were stealing a peek come hell or high water. And, oh boy, there was a lot to peek at.

  If that punched my V-card, I might not be able to walk for weeks.

  Hagen attempted to shield his nudity with his hands. It didn’t work. With a sheepish grin, he looked at her. “I know our coffee date has been less than perfect, but the odds of me getting to take you out to dinner at some point are…?”

  “I just watched you eat a bat thing,” she said. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be hungry again.”

  Hagen sighed.

  A shaky smile reached her lips. “But I’d be willing to give it a try.”

  Joy filled his green gaze and she had to fight to stay in one place and not run to him and throw her arms around his neck. She wanted to make contact with him and soon.

  What is it with you? You’re not one of those girls.

  She stared harder at Hagen and realized he was her man.

  Oh crap. That means I am his girl.

  She licked her lower lip and held out her hand before realizing if he took her hand, his man bits would show. Hagen seemed to realize it too. He glanced at Boomer and let out a long breath. “I don’t suppose you have extra clothes in your car?”

  “Come on, Doc,” said Boomer. “Let’s get you dressed and a cleanup team called in.”

  “What about my boys?” Laney asked. She needed to know what had happened to them.

  Hagen glanced at his friends. “Have either of you had any contact from Duke or Corbin since they splintered off to go to the hotel?”

  “No,” said Striker.

  Boomer shook his head.

  Laney’s heart sank.

  Striker pulled off his t-shirt and handed it to Hagen. “Here. Will do us no good parading you around the city naked.”

  Hagen’s lips drew to one side as he held the shirt in front of his groin. “Thanks.”

  “You’ve worn worse,” added Striker. “Captain should have checked in by now.”

  “Something is off,” said Boomer.

  Laney nodded. Something was really off.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Casey Black walked around his captives, looking them over, trying to figure out why they were there at all. One smelled of lion and the other of wolf. Neither belonged at the hotel. They’d followed on the heels of a hit team that had shown, probably expecting an easy in and an easy out.

  He laughed.

  They’d gotten more than they’d bargained for.

  Gus met Casey’s gaze.

  They aren’t human, pushed Gus with his mind.

  “I know,” said Casey out loud.

  The men on their knees, who had their hands bound behind their heads, shared a look that said they thought Casey was nuts. There were days he questioned his own sanity, so he didn’t give a rat’s ass what they thought of him. Besides, he was what the military had made him. A freak. Something that was against nature and the order of things. A man who was now part animal—part whatever else they did to him. Once, he’d been an elite soldier. And then he’d been their project, part of their experiment to make super soldiers. Now he was broken in their minds. An outcast, at first contained and locked away in what they wanted others to believe was a long-term care facility. It was a prison and then it had nearly been a tomb.

  “The government sent them,” stated Bill as he paced the edges of the room, shaking his head and moving in an erratic fashion—or as everyone else knew it as, Bill’s norm. “The government has Laney and they sent the bully with pink hair to try to scare us. Sent the mean one too. So mean he has black eyes. But they didn’t scare us, did they, Casey? We didn’t run from the mechanical elephants in the jungle and we didn’t run from pink hair or mean men.”

  Casey offered a warm grin. Bill had lost touch with anything close to
reality years ago. Probably before he ever left the jungles of Vietnam. “No, Bill, they didn’t scare us.”

  “Bag full of crazy shit in here,” said the one with onyx eyes, who Bill had referred to as mean. “Mechanical elephants? That never happened. DARPA just considered it.”

  The man with pink hair tilted his head and lowered his gaze. “Actually…”

  The dark eyed one groaned. “Figures. If you want a stupid plan, see them. I really hate scientists.”

  “You’re married to one,” reminded Pink Hair, an accent evident.

  British?

  The pink-haired guy was a Brit?

  “Oh, right,” said the other.

  Bill stared at the men. “I was there. I saw ‘em. I rode one.”

  Pink Hair seemed surprised. “You are the famed Wild Bill of Nam? The one who rode an out of control mechanical elephant for nearly ten minutes before they were able to disable it?”

  “One in the same,” said Bill with pride. “It couldn’t buck me. It didn’t scare me and neither did the enemy. But the government lied. Told people it never sent the elephants. All they do is lie. They said it was the drugs making me see elephants that weren’t there. But they were.”

  Pink Hair grinned. “They most certainly sent them. In fact, one is a lawn ornament for a friend of mine. He kept it as a souvenir.”

  “I knew they were real.” Bill whistled and then pointed to the captive with pink hair. “You know where Laney is. We want our Laney back. Give us Laney or we shall give you death…or LSD. We’ll do it, man. And you don’t want the LSD. It makes you see all the shit you don’t think is really there.”

  Gus stared off in the other direction but Casey knew the man was soaking in everything around him. That he saw more than most ever would or could. Whatever had been done to him by the scientists working for the government had left Gus with perceptive skills to a degree Casey had never seen before, and he’d seen a ton of weird shit. Gus didn’t speak out loud, only via mental connections with other supernaturals.