by Eva Gordon
“You speak English,” she said.
The man, who looked ex-military, narrowed his eyes and the guy in charge, barked, “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m Dr. Jane Walker. I’m here gathering data on Siberian wolf populations.”
“Are you alone?”
“No. My guide went to relieve himself.” She figured they’d get suspicious if she didn’t have a guide. He’d probably wake up soon anyway.
“I’m Randy Coffer.” He didn’t bother introducing his men who looked every part paramilitary. “You are on private property.”
Emma pulled out a permit from her pack. “This paper clearly states I have permission to survey this wilderness area. Both in English and Russian.” She handed him the document.
He lifted a brow. “Who issued this?”
She stepped in and pointed to the government office address.
He glanced at the prone gray bodies. “I see. Are these all the members of the pack?”
Emma looked back at the wolves sprawled on the ground and nodded. “Yes, only five. What happened to them?”
“A high frequency device knocked them out. Only canines react to it.”
“Why?”
“We too are interested in wolf populations, but for genetic studies. This technique is safer than tranquilizing them with dart guns and less risk they’ll attack us.”
At least they didn’t kill them. More likely they would after getting blood. Tranquilizing them ensured they wouldn’t run and hide. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted a female wolf stirred. Likely, Nik was awake as well. She hoped he played it cool so she could gather more information from these goons. “Who are you doing research for?”
“Classified.”
One of the men approached the female and shot her with a tranquilizer and she returned to sleep.
Emma scoffed. “So much for not using tranquilizers.”
“Better than killing her.” He knelt and attached an electronic collar around her neck.
“Well then, I better let you get your data.”
He grinned. “We are keeping the females and culling the rest.”
“What? There’s no need for that. Besides you don’t have permission to kill them.”
“We do.”
She was right. They knocked them out so none would escape. “That I’d like to see.”
He sneered and took out a gun and aimed at her head. “Read my permit.”
“You are poachers,” she played along.
“Put your hands up.” He stepped back. “Call your guide.”
Now would be a good time to wake up, Nik. Emma complied. “Boris!” She swallowed. “What do you want with us?”
“You are right. We don’t have permission to hunt the wolves. Which is why you and your guide are a big problem.”
“I promise we won’t say a word.”
He scanned the area. “Where the fuck is your guide?”
“I bet he saw you holding a gun to my head and took off.”
He sighed. “We can’t have that.” He signaled to his two men. “Find him.”
Emma held her hands high while looking for weaknesses. He seemed completely surprised she was there. Wait and see what’s next, asshole. “The authorities will worry if my guide and I don’t return.”
He grinned. “People vanish in the wilderness all the time.”
“My guide is an experienced wolf tracker and hunter.”
“I’m not the least bit worried.” He gazed at his watch. “My men will find him in no time.”
“I bet he’ll lose them.” Emma smirked.
“No matter. I plan to kill you either way.”
Time to put my acting to good use. She fell back and faked a seizure. Appearing as a helpless woman was her best weapon.
“What the fuck?” He leaned in.
Emma swept him off his feet, and he pummeled to the ground, losing the grip on his gun. She stood, eyeing the distance to the tent and her hidden Yarygin pistol.
“You bitch,” he brandished a hunting knife. He lurched toward her.
Emma ran into the tent and grabbed her gun.
The big man stumbled through the opening.
Emma aimed and shot him squarely in the chest. He stared at the hole and then came at her. Before he reached her, she shot him in the forehead. He fell to the ground, dead. A rustle in the bush caught her attention and she stepped out of the tent.
His men! They must have heard the shots. She aimed her weapon. Frazzled she almost fired.
It was Nik. Not the friendly one. A chill traveled down her spine. He appeared in full Hollywood monster form. He snarled, but then cocked his head. His extended claws dripped blood and pieces of flesh. She knew how fierce werewolves could be in this form, but she’d only seen lycans in normal wolf form. How much humanity remained in him? Of course, she had to trust that even in monstrous werewolf form, they recognized their friends.
Emma lowered her gun. She said with false bravado, “Nik, we need to debrief about what just happened.”
Nik turned to where the man with the dagger lay still as a log, his eyes staring at the sky as if asking what the hell just happened. The werewolf sniffed and nodded as if in approval.
She couldn’t help but feel deep fear at his over seven-foot form, but finally found her voice, “I take it you took care of the other two.”
He nodded.
“Nik, shift back to human form.”
Moments later, he shifted back to human form.
This time she didn’t avert her eyes as he stood naked in front of her. His muscular body exuded raw masculine power. Six pack abs, broad shoulders and thick muscular legs. As a female of the species, human species, she stood gawking in pure awe.
Nik laughed. “I’m glad you are getting used to nudity.”
Emma shook her head. “I’m not. It’s just…I’m in shock.”
Nik looked at the dead man in distain. “Never liked poachers.”
“Better clean up.”
“No problem. Should take twenty minutes.”
Nik dressed and then left to bury the bodies and get rid of any other evidence the men had been here. Although, once the helicopter returned for the men and wolves, they’d find nothing. She had to think of the next course of action. Leave now or, better yet, go with the bad guys?
Nik returned. “I will wake up the pack.”
“How?”
“A nip should do it.”
“I’ll remove the satellite collar from that female.”
“Quickly before they return.” He stared up at the sky as if looking for their helicopter.
In human form, his fangs emerged and he bit each wolf. They sprung to life and submitted to him on their bellies. He growled and barked something at them. They stood and ran toward the high ridge where the lone white wolf waited.
“What did you tell them?”
“I gave them instructions to seek a new territory. A good hundred miles from here.”
“That’ll work.”
“When they return, they’ll only find us. Or rather, we’ll let them find us.”
She smiled. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Infiltrate the enemy.”
“We think alike.” She winked at him. It was against Rylee’s orders, but how else would they get close to the evil scientists?
“The only problem will be explaining what happened to their men,” said Nik.
“What men?” Emma smirked. “This time you can convince them with your mind rather than claws.”
He laughed. “Good plan.”
“Unless you think it won’t work on more than one man.”
“I once persuaded five terrorists to come out of their caves and surrender.”
“Is that a record?”
“The most I’ve ever mesmerized at one time. I’m not as good as Lev, but I imagine there are not too many left on the helicopter for that to be an issue.”
Emma smiled. “Alpha wolf talents are sta
rting to grow on me.”
“Let’s move our camp, so they don’t get suspicious when they come looking for their men.”
“Agreed.”
Chapter Seven
Nik and Emma set up camp three miles from where they had confronted the men. He cocked his head. “I hear a helicopter. They’re searching for their comrades.”
“I don’t hear anything.”
He grinned. “Wolf ears.”
Emma looked skyward. “They’re in for a major disappointment.”
Nik narrowed his eyes. “It’s heading over the ridge.”
“What if they use the high frequency weapon?”
“I doubt it. They probably think the wolves are all dead.”
“Ready to draw them in?”
He scanned their camp in the open meadow. The perfect landing spot. “They will ask us if we’ve seen their men.”
“It might be better if I go alone,” said Emma. “I mean back to their headquarters.”
The hell you will. “Why would we split up?”
“I wouldn’t want you to shift in the middle of a ten hour flight or something.”
“No worries. My shift will last the trip.”
“I suppose.”
“Most alphas can sustain three days at the most. I can go five.”
“Really?”
“When I trained for Russian military, I controlled my shift.” He paused and then growled. “They are approaching.”
Emma frowned. “So much for our brief R&R.”
“Get the equipment out so we look convincing.”
She nodded and took out her notebook, wolf population maps, tranquilizer gun and satellite collar.
Nik smirked. “You are like Jane Goodall of the wolves.”
“Thanks. I memorized all the stats.”
“Impressive.”
“Photographic memory.”
“Yes, I know. Beautiful and a genius.”
She blushed. “Enough with the compliments.”
Nik winked. “Just facts.” His hackles rose. If she was right about Bolton, he might connect her with her fiancé’s death. “No. You can’t meet Bolton.”
“Why?”
“My gut says bad idea.”
“Elaborate, please.”
“If Bolton had a hand in your partner’s death, he could have been the one to hire the hit on you. Your cover will be blown.”
“I see your point. But you forget, I’m in disguise.”
“No, you are not. You still look the same.” He muttered. “Krasivaya.” Beautiful.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
The helicopter drew closer, making a wide sweep in their direction. “Looks like they spotted our campsite.”
Emma looked up. “Time to get intel. Don’t forget, you can do your mind thing and make him forget what Emma York looks like. That is, if Bolton really is behind this.”
She spoke with the confidence of experience. He winked. “Works for me.”
The helicopter landed and powered down. Two men in military attire exited and moved toward them.
Emma whispered, “Do you scent any werewolves?”
“No. Just humans.” At least if Bolton was here, he too would come under his control.
Emma nodded. “I’ll do all the talking.”
“No problem. I’m only a guide.”
The two men reached them. The stench of their adrenaline accosted his nose. No doubt worried about their missing men. Or what would happen if they returned without them.
The man in charge scowled, causing the scar on his chin to define. He spoke in American accented Russian. “Who are you?”
Emma spoke. “I’m Jane Walker, wolf biologist and this is Boris Orlov, my guide and professional hunter and tracker.”
The man shot her and then Nik a glance. “What a coincidence. We came to pick up our wolf trackers.”
Nik put out his hand. “And you are?”
The man blinked and then shook his hand. “Tank.” He tilted his head at his partner. “Joe.”
Emma stepped closer. “Really? As far as I know, I’m the only scientist with a permit to enter this pack’s territory.” Emma narrowed her eyes. “What institution are you with?”
Tank snorted in obvious impatience. “A private company.”
“Studying wolf behavior for some dog commercial,” she scoffed.
“Actually, wolf genetics.”
“I’m an expert in that field and if you wish, I can be of service.”
“Why would you want to help us? You don’t know a damn thing about us.”
“Funding. After I get back, we’ll have nothing left.” She leaned in. “Trust me I can help.”
“Doubtful, little lady.”
Emma shoved her hands in her pocket and shrugged. “No one is better at finding wolves, it’s your loss.”
“We have three men looking for wolves. Have you run across them?”
“No, but we heard a helicopter earlier. Did you drop them off?”
“Yes, but they never radioed back.”
Emma wrinkled her brow. “That’s odd.”
Nik shrugged. “Many people have gone missing in Siberian forests.”
The man took out a gun and glared at Nik. “You don’t look like a guide.”
Nik laughed. “What do I look like?”
“A soldier.”
“Former Russian army.” He cocked his head toward her. “Now guide for American scientist.”
Emma interrupted. “I hired him as a guide and protection, if need be.”
Nik made eye contact with Tank. He enthralled him with his alpha mind control. He stepped closer. “I believe your men were attacked by a bear and fell off a cliff, do you understand?”
Tank nodded. “I’ll report this to headquarters and retrieve their bodies.”
“No. You will report back that weather conditions are too severe to look for corpses.”
“Yes.”
“Tell them we will return with you.”
Joe frowned. “Are you nuts? We can’t bring them back.”
Nik met his eyes. “Obey my commands.”
Joe swallowed and nodded.
Nik smiled. “Jane is a brilliant wolf geneticist. She can help you find another pack. The ones here are dead.”
Both men tried to break contact, but instead looked confused.
Emma nodded. “Poachers got the entire pack. No more wolves to study. At least not in this area.”
“Call your boss and tell them what we told you. Then you will take me and Jane to your headquarters.”
Tank blinked.
Emma narrowed her eyes at Tank. “Who is your boss?”
The man’s breathing grew rapid, and shook his head as if fighting Nik’s control. “A woman and a man.”
Nik frowned. “Is she Russian?”
“Yes.”
He pressed his temples. “What is her name?”
Nik suspected no other than Saskia. Though she was werewolf, she was the niece of the eugenicist Nazi. They had once held vast data of all werewolves, and possibly all wolf packs with the unique ancestral genes. Saskia would betray their kind in a heartbeat.
“We don’t know her real name. She is known as Blood Mistress, but we call her Mistress.”
Nik frowned. “Saskia.”
Emma leaned in. “Really?”
Nik turned to the man. “How old is she?”
He shrugged. “We have not met her.”
Of course she wouldn’t reveal herself to just any human. Not to these lackeys. Nik glared at them. “And the man’s name?”
“Boss.”
Probably only a few knew the man’s real identity. “Tell your pilot to meet you here.”
The man called the pilot and then lowered his head. “He is on the way.”
The pilot joined them and looked confused. “What the hell is going on?”
Nik met his eyes. “Obey my orders.”
The pilot blinked then nodded. “Yes”
Nik addressed the enthralled men. “You will believe what we told you as complete truth.” They nodded. “Don’t move.”
Emma took him aside. “This so called Blood Mistress may not be Saskia.”
“The name describes her. She kills and then bathes in female human’s blood.”
“Not that I’m trying to teach lycan history to a werewolf, but a woman with Stallo’s gene is referred to as a blood mistress.”
“You think she might be Anton’s wife, Svetlana?”
“Why not? Her body was never recovered. Lev believes she escaped and either joined another criminal group, whether werewolf or human.”
Nik slowly nodded. He hoped the woman was Saskia so he could eliminate her before she killed more, but Emma’s hypothesis about the woman being Svetlana made sense. Either way, both women may have learned about the wolves with the chimera retrovirus. “Good idea to go with them.”
“Svetlana, being human, won’t know you are a werewolf, but Saskia will.”
“What are you saying?”
“Duh, your cover will be blown.”
Nik nodded. “Valid point. We’ll return with them, but spy on the so call Boss and Blood Mistress from a distance.”
She crossed her arms. “You can spy from a distance, I’ll infiltrate.”
“Better yet, you should return and let me case the place.”
Emma scoffed. “Are you going to break away and do your own thing?”
“You are safer back at the LIA. He might realize you are in disguise and finish the hit. ” I won’t let you risk your life, foolish woman.
“If he is the man who hired a hitman, I need to get to the bottom of this.”
“Nyet.”
“I’m in command, so if you have any complaints take it up with Rylee.”
His tone hardened. “I refuse to let you get killed.”
“No point in using your alpha card. Lycan pack rules don’t apply while on assignment.”
“Trust me. I will bring our enemies to justice.”
“If you cost us this mission, I’ll make sure Rylee fires your ass.”
“No problem. I’m not sure I wish to continue after I capture Saskia.”
“This mission is not about her or who killed Danny. It’s about finding out who is trying to create werewolves.”
“Why not, as you say in America, catch two birds with one stone?”
