by Jade White
Morgan slipped his hand inside Terrence’s withered one, tugging on the old man’s heart-strings with his sweetness.
“Are we going to see Mommy and Daddy now?”
“All in good time, little tiger. All in good time.”
**
Darkness shrouded the forest surrounding the cabin. Gary and Tom paced constantly, peering into the black night, waiting for any sign that the shifters were moving in.
“Do you suppose they’re coming tonight?” Gary asked.
Tom resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Gary was a “Grade A” idiot, and Tom couldn’t stand him. He hoped Gary would die in the crossfire when the time came. He smiled to himself at the thought. With bullets flying, it wouldn’t be hard to take the man out without anyone being the wiser.
“Tonight or tomorrow. They’ve been casing the other hideouts. It’s only a matter of time before they find this place. When they do, we’ll be ready.”
Gary nodded, his eyes glazing over and a goofy grin spreading across his face. He’d been going on about Grace all day, and Tom was about sick of him. He could have her if he wanted, but he doubted any amount of time would make her fall in love with Gary, as he claimed. The way he told it, the new world order would be ushered in after this battle and he’d rise to power beside Laskin, taking Grace as his wife in the process. It was all Tom could do to keep from laughing at the man.
A branch snapped in the woods and the man stopped, bringing the night vision binoculars up to their eyes to search the forest. A single man walked out of the woods and strode towards the man. Gary put his binoculars down and put his hand out to lower Tom’s shotgun.
“It’s only Laskin.”
Laskin walked quickly, bearing down on them, his face twisted in a sneer. “Two sedans turned off the highway towards the north cabin. They won’t be here tonight, the fools are too busy chasing their tails.”
Laskin went up the steps and into the house, letting the door slam behind him. He called out over his shoulder. “I hope I don’t have to tell you that you still need to be on watch.”
“No Sir, you don’t.” Gary was quick to answer, and Tom was thankful for the darkness. An idiot and a brownnoser, Gray made Tom’s skin crawl and his face itch to punch something.
“I’m going to make rounds, Gary. Unless you want to.” Gary looked back at the door, surely thinking about Grace, lying there alone in the house. Laskin would be holed up in his office, locked away for hours on end, leaving Gary practically alone with Grace.
“I’ll go, Gary. Spend some time with her. Maybe today will be better for you two.” His voice was dripping with sarcasm as he clapped Gary on the back heartily, but the fool was too stupid to notice. He nodded and went into the door, leaving Tom to do the rounds on his own.
Grabbing a flashlight and shoving his firearm into his waistband, he headed off into the night. The cabin had a solid acre of cleared land around it, making it difficult for anyone to sneak out of the woods without being seen before they reached the building. Still, the moonless night was working against them, and Tom silently wished for a full moon.
He walked quickly along the edge of the forest, swinging the flashlight back and forth lazily, searching the ground for footprints that didn’t belong. The cabin to the north was several miles away, and Tom was as assured as Laskin that they wouldn’t be there that night. There had been more than one report the night before of shifters spotted lurking around the other strongholds, searching in vain for their friend.
A movement ahead of him caught his eye, his hand moving to rest on the butt of his gun. He panned the light in the direction of the shadow, lighting up a young opossum that froze as soon as the light touched it. Tom laughed, pulling out his gun to take aim at the helpless creature.
An arm went around his neck and he was pulled off his feet. He dropped the gun, reaching up to claw at the arm cutting off windpipe. He gurgled and flailed, trying unsuccessfully to shake off the hold Sable had on him. The world began going dark, and his last thought was to wonder if the opossum he was about to shoot would scavenge from his body before he was completely dead.
The man went completely limp, though Sable held him a few more moments for good measure before dropping him to the ground. He whistled low, and three shadowy figures moved out of the tree line and fanned out around the cabin.
Olivia hung back, bringing up the rear. She bent down and picked up Tom’s firearm, giving him a good kick in the chest as she walked by. Sable smiled to himself. He didn’t want Olivia here, but he knew he couldn’t stop her. He was enjoying angry Olivia.
He crept along the outside of the cabin, sticking to the shadows while the others went around the back. Olivia was behind him, waiting for the all clear to follow him inside.
Sable stopped, holding his breath as he listened. He could hear a man talking, his voice rising now and again with anger. Grace’s voice was low, but the venom in each word was obvious as she defied her captor over and over.
He motioned to Olivia as he quietly opened the door and stepped into the house. The other shifters remained outside, watching for reinforcements sneaking in. Rescuing Grace from two humans was too easy. Much too easy, and they weren’t going to be caught unawares.
Sable saw the light around the closed door in front of them and the man’s voice coming from the other side. Grace was arguing with him, and for now, he was occupied. Sable went left, clearing the other two rooms before motioning to Olivia to come in. The man outside and the man in the room with Grace were alone. Sable listened for any signal from the men outside, but the night remained quiet.
Olivia slipped into the cabin and to Sable’s right, back against the wall, waiting for his cue. He kicked in the door and rushed in, taking down a surprised Gary. Grace was sitting on the floor, beaten and bound, one eye swollen shut from the blows she’d taken from Gary. Olivia rushed into the room, kneeling behind her friend and untying her hands. She tossed the rope to Sable, who bound Gary’s hands tightly behind him and yanked the man up off the floor.
Olivia stood in one swift motion, sucker punching Gary in the face before turning her attention back to her friend. She untied her feet and helped her up, pulling her in for a quick hug. Sable took the rest of the rope, trying unsuccessfully to tie Gary’s feet before slamming the man to the floor and hog tying him.
**
They hurried out the door, Olivia in the lead and Sable bringing up the rear with Grace in between them. They ran out the door and Sable whistled shrilly to let the others know they had Grace.
A man stepped out of the shadows. Olivia gasped and reeled backwards, unable to hide her shock at Laskin’s hideously scarred face as he emerged from the shadows. Behind him, the other shifters lay motionless. He stood between them and freedom, his gnarled face twisted in a sickening smile. Laskin let out a low whistle, and scores of men stepped out of the dark woods behind him.
“Going somewhere, shifter?” The words dripped from his lips, his voice slightly deeper than Olivia remembered it. “What’s the matter, Sable? Did you think I was dead?”
“I knew you were alive the moment I couldn’t find your body in the woods. No surprise that you need an army behind you to face me again.”
Laskin smiled at Sable, chuckling softly. “I can’t wait to get my hands on that little boy of yours, to make your entire family an example. When I’m through with you, it will only be a matter of time before people are calling on me to run for president. I’ll rule this country, and all those who dare cross me will be executed.”
“They’ll never elect a shifter.”
Laskin leaned in, his voice pitched low, “Do you think these stupid humans know what I am? When I rise to power, they’ll be the first to go.” Laskin stepped back, addressing the men over his shoulder. “Kill them!”
The men moved towards Sable and the women, holding the semi-circle to trap them. Sable lunged at Laskin, grabbing the man and pulling him down in the dirt. Both men began throwing punches while the ot
hers continued advancing on Olivia and Grace. Olivia pulled out Tom’s gun, firing wildly into the group.
Sable looked up, surprised for a moment. Laskin kicked him off, using the distraction to pin Sable beneath him. He pulled out a knife, going in for the kill. Sable held his wrists, struggling to keep the knife from his throat. Laskin was surprisingly strong, and the knife nicked Sable’s throat more than once.
The men stood away from Sable and Laskin, the two men rolling in the dirt and blocking them from Grace and Olivia. The men cheered on Laskin, whooping with delight each time the knife connected with Sable’s skin.
Sable held fast, putting the danger out of his mind as he began to shift. He hurried his body, the pain ripping through him as he changed from human to tiger. With a final cry, he threw Laskin off him and into the dirt beyond. Laskin hit the ground with a thud, stunning him. Sable advanced on him, and the group of men turned their attention from the women to Laskin and Sable. They stood their ground, but they were ready to step in with a single word from Laskin.
Laskin’s face contorted with rage. He stood as Sable came closer, his face defiant. The men watched him, many with their hands on their weapons, waiting for a reason and an opportunity to shoot Sable dead without hitting their leader.
Tom stood closest to Laskin, back from the others, standing without a weapon. His brow furrowed as he watched Laskin, while the rest of the men were trained on the advancing Sable. Tom blinked rapidly, certain his eyes were deceiving him as Laskin’s hands appeared to elongate and hair began to appear. His gaze slid up to Laskin’s head, and he noticed the man’s head and shoulders widening.
Tom cried out over the sound of the men shouting, pointing at Laskin. “He’s one of them!”
Laskin turned, his face a mix of human and tiger features, the shiny silver hair sprouting in random places as his body continued to shift. Tom couldn’t believe his eyes. “He’s a half-breed!” Too late, Laskin turned back to Sable. He would deal with the humans later. Sable slammed into Laskin, who was mid-shift. He went down hard, completing the shift in his anger.
Sable and Laskin were a blur of silver and orange coat as they fought. Olivia grabbed Grace’s hand, dragging the stunned woman towards the road and away from the men, who were watching the fight in horror.
Sable landed on top of Laskin, pinning him to the ground and roaring mightily. He surveyed the crowd, noting the angry look on each face. They were staring at Laskin, completely oblivious to Sable. Moving off of Laskin, Sable walked away slowly, his back to Laskin. As he walked, he shifted back to human, his body gradually transforming with each step.
Laskin called out to him, out of breath, stumbling in human form towards Sable. “Coward! Do not walk away from me! We will end this, now!”
He turned to face Laskin, looking the angry man right in the eye. “You’re a disgrace. You let your anger rule your world, and you nearly destroyed mine in the process. Don’t worry about me, you have bigger problems.” He angled his head towards the men lined up around Laskin. Laskin’s face paled as he seemed to notice the men for the first time. Their angry glares were trained on him, and they each took menacing steps towards him, closing the gap.
Sable was walking away when he heard Laskin scream, begging the men for his life, and reminding them that he was their leader. Sable jogged towards the road, eager to get to Olivia and Grace. Before he hit the road, Laskin’s cries had died. He’d left the world much how he’d lived it, an angry, sniveling weasel of a man that no one would care to mourn.
THE FINAL CHAPTER
Terrence was sitting at the table with young Morgan, playing go fish for what seemed like the millionth time when they heard a car pull up to the house. Doors opened and closed, followed by footsteps on the porch. The door opened, Sable walking into the house and opening his arms in time to catch Morgan, who flung himself into the air at his father.
Behind him were Olivia and Grace. One look at Grace sent Terrence towards the phone, ringing for his doctor. Grace was battered and bleeding, a large cut over her eye in need of stitching. After a short conversation, Terrence hung up and went to Grace. He led her to the table, helping her sit down gently before rushing to the freezer to get some ice packs.
She laid her head on the table, took weak to move. Her face was nearly unrecognizable; her swollen eye a constant stream of hot tears.
“What about the curfew?” Sable asked.
“Medical and Law Enforcement are exempt. He’ll be here shortly to attend to Grace’s wounds.”
Olivia was standing in the doorway still, mouth slack, arms wrapped around her child. “Sable, would you like to explain to me why you’re not shocked to see our child? And where in the hell is Egan?”
Sable couldn’t deny the look on his face, or the truth in his eyes. He’d hidden Morgan’s whereabouts from her, and she was furious.
“It was my idea. Egan brought him to Florida and I didn’t want you to worry about him. Terrence went to the airport to pick him up and brought him here. He hasn’t left his sight since the plane landed. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want you distracted when we went after Grace.”
“And where’s Egan?”
Sable shrugged. “He’s gone after his fated mate. He has no idea where he’s heading and there’s no way to know when he’ll be back.”
Olivia scoffed, angrily shaking her head as she stormed out of the room.
Morgan sat down next to Grace, his tiny hand grabbing hers and holding on. “We came here to save you, Grace. Are you going to come live at our house?”
Grace opened her good eye, unable to gather the strength to lift her head. She managed a small smile for the child, but she didn’t answer his question. She squeezed his hand and closed her eye once more.
Terrence handed Morgan the ice packs wrapped in hand towels. “Can you carry these and follow me?”
Morgan nodded. Terrence gingerly picked Grace up, cradling her against his chest gently as she moaned in protest, but didn’t fight. He walked down the hall to the great room, Morgan close on his heels. He set her down on the plush sofa, guiding her body as she stretched to lie flat on the soft surface. She trembled in pain before sinking into the plush upholstery.
Terrence kneeled before her, taking the first pack and tucking it between her and the back of the couch. Morgan handed each pack to Terrence as he placed each one. He held the last one gently against her swollen eye, turning to Morgan over his shoulder and speaking softly. “Would you get her a blanket and cover her?”
Morgan ran to a large wicker basket full of carefully folded throws. He picked the one from the top and rushed back to the sofa. Careful not to hurt Grace further, he gently spread the blanket over her, tucking the edges around her and under her feet. When she was adequately covered, he climbed onto the sofa by her feet and settled in.
“I’m going to protect Grace. No one will ever hurt her again.” Terrence smiled at the little boy, reaching out to tussle his hair.
“Good man.” The doorbell rang, announcing that the doctor had arrived. Terrence could hear Sable’s voice as the men spoke briefly before Sable led him into the room.
Sable left the men to care for Grace, walking down the hall in search of Olivia. He found her in his old room, sprawled out on the bed, face buried in a pillow. Sobs wracked her slender body, the sound tearing a hole in Sable’s heart. He slipped into the bed with her, pulling her against him and wrapping his arms around her. She buried her head in his chest. He rubbed her back and soothed her, his words pointless but gentle. The stress of the last week and the shock of finding her child in harm’s way were too much for her. He didn’t blame her.
Slowly she regained her composure, turning her head to the side and breathing deeply. “What are we going to do about Egan? We can’t just leave him here.”
“He’ll be back soon, or he’ll call. It’s hard to explain, Olivia, but the pull is something he can’t deny. He’s not thinking straight. It’s possible we’ll have to leave
him here.”
“Sable, we can’t do that. We can’t just leave him here to fend for himself.”
“He’s a man, Olivia. He made his choice. Whether I like or not is not my call. He’s going to do what he does, and we have to accept that.”
He pulled her in tighter, inhaling the scent of her hair. A mix of her shampoo and the heady scent of earth and something he couldn’t quite put his finger on reminded him of earlier that night.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get over you sucker punching that man in the face.”
Olivia laughed, flexing her sore hand and admiring the tiny bruises already gracing her delicate knuckles. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it somewhat. When I saw Grace’s face I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to kill that man on the spot.”
Sable bent down and gently tilted Olivia’s face to him. He kissed her softly and deeply, taking his time. She returned his kiss, her hand reaching up to cup his strong jaw. She broke the kiss and rested her head back on his chest. “Thank you for saving my friend. And me.” Olivia sat up slowly. “I want to see Grace.”
She stood and grabbed his hand, walking down the hall with him and into the great room. Grace’s limp body lay on the sofa, her head in Morgan’s tiny lap while the doctor worked. Her arm was limp on the floor. The doctor had obviously sedated her before beginning the daunting task of stitching the split area above her eye.
Morgan held perfectly still, his tiny hands holding Grace’s hair off her face while the doctor leaned over her and carefully stitched. Olivia peered over the doctor’s shoulder, sucking in a quick breath when she saw that there were already more than ten stiches running almost parallel to her eye brow.
“If you want to help, you can start cleaning out some of those wounds so I can see what I’m dealing with.” He gestured towards the pile of gauze sitting on the coffee table.
Olivia grabbed a handful, squirted some of the blue liquid onto the gauze and went to work gently swabbing the deep cuts on Grace’s knuckles.
