Rebirth - Book 1 Rogues Shifter Series

by Gayle Parness

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Twenty minutes later I peeked around a salmonberry thicket to survey the lodge below. Although I heard nothing, three cars were parked in the lot and lights were on in the building. I was downwind but still afraid one of the werewolves might be able to scent me, so I stayed low, regulated my breathing, and watched silently.

  A woman, petite with light brown wavy hair and a man, stocky and tall with light shaggy hair came out the front door to stand under the porch light and talk. I caught a few angry phrases as their volume increased.

  “This was agreed upon beforehand. The spell must be invoked now. We had a contract.” The woman’s voice was becoming strident.

  “If you kill him now then we miss all the fun when the sun comes up. My pack will be very disappointed. They might even take it out on you, Miranda. Go ahead and torture him all you want, but you can’t kill him until he’s smoldering and almost dead from the sun, and that’s final. There must be a few organs you can remove without killing him.” He laughed, lowering his tone to speak. “He’s going to pay for those three deaths last night. Then we’ll go after his friends.”

  “I shouldn’t have agreed to help you, John,” she hissed and turned, storming to a black sedan in an angry huff. “Since I can’t perform the ritual I’d planned, I’ll be back at 4:30. I have another spell in mind and need a few more supplies.” She drove off, her tires kicking up dirt as she left the parking lot.

  The Pine Ridge pack leader glanced at the treeline. I flattened myself, afraid he might see or smell me. He sniffed the air and scowled. I hoped a wolf’s sense of smell wasn’t better than a cheetah’s, because I could smell him on the breeze. He paused, looking straight at the brush where I was hidden, then moved on to scan the entire perimeter. He opened the main door of the lodge and called out, “Hank, up here, now!”

  Hank, a very tall man with broad shoulders and muscular arms and legs, appeared at the door. “Take a look around. I thought I heard something. Can’t have any of his shifter friends showing up, though I’d like to get my hands on a few of their women.” He leered at Hank who grinned back.

  “Sure John.” He ran up into the trees to the right of where I hid.

  John strode back inside the building, closing the door behind him. My ears perked up as I heard Hank heading away from me. Knowing I had less time than ever, I tried again to reach out to Garrett. I found him, weak and in pain, but awake again. “Careful love,” he sent to me.

  “How many?” I visualized him being captured.

  “Four plus a witch. Silver poison and a spell.”

  “Feed from me?” I pictured him taking energy from me as he had when he was a raven trying to change to cheetah form.

  “How close are you?’ He seemed so weak; it made my heart ache with worry.

  “50 yards. Try now.” I dropped my shields and opened completely to the raw power of the lines, willing him to take whatever he could at this distance to stay alive. The magic burned through my chest and my stomach, directed through my mind to link with his.

  I clawed at the ground and closed my eyes against the horrible pain—holding on for as long as I could before I felt myself on the edge of blacking out. Finally I was forced to pull down my shields and close myself off to the line energy.

  Hank must have heard me whimper, because a few seconds later he was standing over me grinning. With the energy drain I had changed back to human form, and was lying naked on the ground at his feet, completely vulnerable. When he reached for me I made a feeble attempt at kicking him in the knee.

  He laughed loudly and grabbed my leg before it made contact, twisting it roughly at the ankle. I heard a bone snap and screamed. The pain was excruciating and I sobbed in agony. He laughed and twisted my injured ankle once more, just so he could hear me scream again. I didn’t disappoint him.

  “You’re a pretty one. When John’s through with you I’ll get a turn.” He was still smiling when I heard a thud and looked up. Hank wasn’t grinning any longer. He had a shocked expression on his face, probably because a long silver shaft was sticking out of his chest where his heart should be. He started to topple over on top of me as blood spewed out through the wound so I dragged myself away as quickly as I could, gritting my teeth against the pain. With a loud thump he fell across the bush I'd hidden behind, obviously dead, his eyes dull and his mouth still open in surprise.

  Ethan, Rob and Sinc appeared a moment later, still human, followed by Kyle holding what looked suspiciously like a crossbow. Sinc threw a jacket over me and Ethan propped me up against him and held me so I wasn’t lying on the cold ground. I sobbed and moaned as quietly as I could manage, trying not to give our location away to the other wolves inside the cabin. For some reason, they hadn’t appeared when I’d screamed.

  Bone protruded through the skin near my ankle and I was bleeding heavily. Rob took a look and said he needed to splint my leg before my natural healing ability kicked in and the bones healed unevenly. He gave me a thick stick, told me to bite down on it and to stay as quiet as I could for Garrett’s safety. Ethan wrapped his arms around me to hold me still and I stifled the scream against Ethan’s arm when Rob pulled on my foot to realign the bones. He attached my leg to the splint and immobilized my ankle using strips from his ripped shirt. Ethan whispered encouraging words into my ear and Sinc wiped away some of my tears with her shirt sleeve. I desperately wanted to close my eyes and drift off into unconsciousness, but I had to tell them about Garrett and all that I’d learned.

  When I’d managed to stop sobbing and could speak again, I told them about the conversation between the pack leader and the witch but then hesitated to say more. Should I tell them how I communicated with Garrett and fed him through the lines?

  I turned to Ethan. “I need to tell them about—you know. Is there an oath or a promise or something?”

  He looked around at the others and smiled. “It’s all about the honor of the team, Jackie. Kind of an ‘unto death’ situation.” His eyes were deadly serious as he looked from Sinc to Kyle and back to me. Our lives depended on our integrity. In this world of incredible magic and corrupt power users, promises broken could end in death.

  Sinc decided for me. “You’re a cheetah. We know you have powers we can’t begin to imagine. We’ll keep your secrets.” Kyle nodded in agreement. I told them everything about what I’d learned to do.

  Kyle’s face lit up as he whispered, “Our team is freakin’ unstoppable now.” Sinc squeezed my hand and Ethan hugged me a little tighter. Despite the pain, I smiled.

  Rob spoke. “Aaron and the others are circling to the north end of the building and will wait there for my signal. Can you contact Garrett to see if you helped him?” I nodded and sent out my mental fingers. Instantly he responded, his energy feeling much stronger than before.

  “Are you all right? I heard you scream.” His panic twisted my stomach into a knot.

  I could talk to him more easily now that I was back in human form. “I’m weak, but okay. Rob and the team and Aaron are here. The witch will be back in thirty minutes. Hank is dead, thanks to Kyle and his crossbow.” I smiled at Kyle and sent Garrett a picture of Hank draped over the bush. “Are you all right?”

  “Much stronger, but I’m still bound with silver and the witch's block is in place. I’m in the basement near the stairs. There should only be three wolves now. Tell Rob to save me the witch.”

  I turned to Rob, “He says he’s better and to save him the witch. He’s still tied up with silver in a room near the basement stairs. There should be only three weres inside.”

  Rob pulled out his cell phone and sent Aaron a text. They agreed to move in on the lodge in one minute.

  My leg felt better, but when I made a move to get up, Ethan yanked me back down, saying, “You’re staying here with Sinc. Garrett’s going to be furious if anything else happens to you.” He walked over to speak to Kyle and Rob, assuming I would do what he told me to do. Huh.

  Sinc plopped down next t
o me and handed me my clothes, which she’d brought along in her backpack. I took them back gratefully and she helped me put them on. It sucked to be sitting naked on a bunch of pine needles. We had to cut the leg of my sweats with Sinc’s Swiss army knife in order to get the splint through the hole. She made me keep her jacket since I was still shivering even after getting dressed.

  I glanced at her, puzzled. “Don’t you want to fight with the guys?”

  “I’ve kicked some werewolf butt in my time, but I’m fine with hanging here with you. They’re all testosterone ridden right now anyway, and that makes them grouchy. I helped with the tech and the tracking so I’ve done my part.”

  She gazed at me appraisingly. “Are you and Ethan together?”

  “No. We’re friends. He treats me like I’m his little sister. I’m seeing Garrett.”

  I think her mouth dropped three inches before she snapped it back into place. “I don't want to crush your fantasy but Garrett doesn’t really date. Many female shifters have tried to catch his eye, including me.” She must have seen the shock on my face, so she shrugged, saying. “He’s uber hot. A girl would have to be dead not to try. But lately he’s all business. I can’t remember the last time I heard him laugh.”

  “Well, he’s dating now.” Our night hunting together and sharing energy might not have been traditional dating activities I admit, but it was still amazing. And I’d seen him smile and heard him laugh plenty of times, mostly when we were alone.

  We crouched in our hiding spot and watched tensely as our team and our allies crept down the hillside and entered the building. No one was standing guard on the first floor. Apparently these wolves were egotistical enough to think they could fight off whoever showed up, no problem. A few seconds passed before Sinc and I heard shouts and loud crashing noises, a couple of screams and a gun firing repeatedly. At this point I was ready to knock Sinc out and limp down the hill by myself to see if Garrett was okay.

  I caught a sweet breeze half a second before I was lifted into Garrett’s arms and kissed repeatedly all over my face and my neck and my hair and…well you get the picture. Finally his lips gently brushed over mine.

  I pushed away to look him over. He looked shaken, battered, bloody and vulnerable, but he was alive. Not wanting to waste another second, I threw my arms around his neck and pressed my lips hard against his. He responded willingly and eagerly, helping me quickly forget all about my painful ankle.

  I heard Kyle. “Jeez. Get a room.”

  We pulled apart, laughing, our foreheads pressed together. I’d almost forgotten anyone else was there. He sat down gracefully with me still in his arms and held me close. That’s when my control crumbled and I started to cry. Sinc handed me some tissues as I sobbed from the release of hours of pent up tension. Garrett stroked my hair and whispered comforting words, some of them in French. I caught Sinc smiling and giving me a wink, then sauntering away like the cat she was to talk to Ethan, hugging him, playfully mussing his hair and kissing him on the cheek. He didn’t stand a chance.

  Aaron, Catherine and Franklin hiked back up the hill, splattered with blood but bearing no sign of injury. Garrett stood, leaving me leaning against the tree, and thanked them each personally.

  “Man, that’s three you owe us,” said Aaron chuckling and throwing his arm around Garrett’s shoulder.

  “I think you’re forgetting about the two sorcerers who had you by the short hairs last fall. They trump the three scraggly weres by a mile.” Garrett pushed his cousin hard against the nearest pine, needles falling like rain and landing in Aaron’s hair. He shook his head and grinned back, both of them laughing loudly.

  Suddenly Rob quieted us all as the witch drove up in her car. Garrett disappeared in a blur before I could ask him to stay with me. Rob grabbed my hand to keep me still and tried to turn me away so I wouldn’t see what was coming, but I had to look.

  She stepped out of her car totally unaware of the danger appearing like a ghost behind her. Garrett stood as still as stone, a cold otherness turning him alien, fangs extended and mouth curled up in a silent snarl. She stiffened as she sensed him and turned, tracing a shape in the air and mumbling a spell, but it was too late. Garrett grabbed her chin, breaking her jaw so she couldn’t speak the spell, reaching out to crush the hand tracing the symbols. She screamed in agony. He held her tightly and whispered something in her ear, then savagely tore into her neck, drinking her blood until she hung limp and dead in his arms. He threw her down on the blood-splattered dirt, spat on her body and disappeared into the lodge. All of this had taken about thirty seconds.

  No one said a word, but they all turned to look at me. I felt the blood drain from my face as I managed to support my shaking knees by leaning against Rob. I was terrified I was going to barf right there in front of everyone. Instead, I forced myself to stand up and start limping back toward where we’d parked our cars, miles away from where we were. Rob caught up to me and lifted me as if I weighed ten pounds. Kyle, Ethan, and Sinc gathered up their things and passed us to take the lead, staying at least 20 yards ahead. Aaron, Catherine, and Franklin had agreed to stay to clean up the site and dispose of the bodies. Aaron was on the Western Pack Council and would be reporting both incidents to the rest of the council. In both cases where wolves were killed, we’d been attacked and would not be held responsible for the deaths according to their laws. Rob had explained each species lived by different laws, making dealing with supernaturals more challenging than I’d imagined.

  After a few minutes, Garrett joined Rob and me. He’d washed the blood off his face and hands but seemed hesitant to touch me, as if he still felt dirty. We walked in silence for a few minutes, lost in our own thoughts.

  His fingers combed through his hair, an anxious gesture. “I’m sorry you saw me kill her. The blood of a black witch is powerful and I couldn’t waste it. More wolves could have shown up and attacked us.” He watched me closely. “I did warn you.”

  When I didn’t respond he spoke out loud so Rob could also hear. “Miranda knew you were a cheetah. She would have tortured and killed you when she was through with me. She's killed many humans and shifters over the years in order to work her blood spells.” He waited for a response, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak of personal things with Rob carrying me.

  Garrett sighed sadly. “I’m a vampire. If you can’t accept my darker nature, it’s better you realize it now rather than later. I understand. I’ll release you from my claim.”

  Garrett’s expression was strained, his hands clenching and unclenching. Even after ingesting the black witch’s blood he might still be feeling the effects of the silver poisoning. The ugly black burns from the silver restraints were healing, but it was a slower process than what I’d witnessed before. He reached out and touched my hand. “You shouldn’t have come. It’s my fault you got hurt.”

  “Are you able to hold me?” Surprised, he nodded. Rob carefully passed me over to Garrett’s arms, joining the rest of the team and giving us some much-needed privacy.

  Holding me against his chest, Garrett’s expression grew calmer, although he wouldn’t look at my face. He just kept walking steadily along the path I’d taken to find him; the path I’d marked with scratches leading everyone to the lodge to rescue him. He could have rushed up ahead of the others with his vamp speed, but he probably thought I’d feel more secure with my team within reach. I breathed in his sweet fragrance to give myself a jolt of courage.

  I stretched my senses to connect to his mind. “I was so scared for you, even though I was positive you were alive. You knew I'd come, didn’t you?" I rubbed his shoulder, hoping it would offer him some comfort.

  “I was hoping Rob had left you behind to keep you safe. But yes, I knew. Your injury....” He shivered with emotion.

  He was drowning in guilt and wasn’t hearing me. “Garrett, listen to me. My ankle hurts, but it’s nothing. It’ll heal. Because of you and your training, I’ll be able to help people, maybe even save lives. For the fir
st time, I feel like I belong somewhere. You’re alive, that’s all that matters to me.”

  He tried to smile, but worry still drew creases in his forehead. “You were amazing, little cheetah. You'll do great things with your powers.” He hesitated before kissing the top of my head. It felt too much like a kiss goodbye.

  “Will you talk to me?” I touched his face and he glanced down in surprise as I sent him a wash of my energy. “You're hurting. I feel it. You can trust me.”

  We walked for a few moments in silence. Finally he spoke, opening his heart to me in a way he probably never had, his voice in my head colored with sadness. “I hate what I’ve become since I was changed. Ripping into Miranda was all about revenge and bloodlust and it went against everything I used to stand for as a shifter. I’m not against using torture to save innocent lives but that wasn’t the case today. I could have taken some blood and turned her over to the council. The vampire in me enjoys the violence of the kill as much as the meal. It nourishes my darker self.”

  “You were making sure we were safe.” I argued. “She would have gone on killing people. The execution was legal, according to Rob, and if you can use her blood to help other people, it makes sense.”

  He shrugged. “It’s true I’ve accomplished some things as an undead that I couldn’t have managed as a shifter, but I’ve never been able to accept what I am. I hide that fact from the world fairly well. Most people think I’m an arrogant asshole and I admit I’ve done things to earn that reputation.”

  He looked into my eyes, his emotions raw. “You seem to see through my feeble attempts to hide the truth. Until recently, I would have said that the day before my abduction by Eleanor was the last happy day of my very long life. Lately I feel there’s some hope for me….”

  I recognized the yearning in his gaze, a longing from years of feeling like a freak. Yeah, he was powerful and drop-dead gorgeous, but he was mostly alone. He had friends, but he needed more. I could be what he needed.

  I smiled and stroked his smooth cheek.“I almost hurled when I saw what you did to the witch. Remember, I’m new to all this supernatural craziness. But what you did doesn’t change how I feel about you. A vampire isn’t all that you are. Your spirit is still cheetah, like mine.”

  A shy smile cracked through his previously grim expression. Encouraged, I continued, “I love all the different pieces put together.” I leaned up and kissed his chin, the closest part of his face. “You should just resign yourself to the fact I’m not going anywhere, whether you drink from black witches or green aliens.”

  He stopped in the path, his body shuddering as the terrible tension he’d been holding inside was released back into the universe. Before I’d taken another breath I found myself pressed against a tree trunk, his body pinning me there and his lips on mine. I opened my mouth and our kiss deepened deliciously. Feeling playful, I pulled in line energy and pushed it into him. He actually gasped, grinning as he pushed it back at me. I tingled everywhere as magical heat poured through my body and looped back to him again.

  He pulled away, laughing. “Your cat is lively tonight. Maybe a little too lively for a man who wants to take this relationship slowly.”

  “You’re the one who pushed me up against the tree and kissed me until my toes curled.” I pretended to pout, but ended up laughing too. “Not that I’m complaining.”

  “I intend to make your toes curl on a regular basis.” He picked me up again and started walking more quickly. “Ethan is probably leading a rescue party back this way.”

  I snorted, then covered my nose and giggled properly. “Ethan is going to have his hands full with Sinc, I think.”

  An evil grin spread across Garrett’s handsome face. “Excellent,” he smirked.