by Eva Gordon
“You apparently missed one.”
“So who is this mysterious hiker and how would the CIA find out about him and the so called pictures?”
“The hiker happened to be a Russian asset living in Croatia. I was bringing him in.”
He laughed. “And somehow you surmised we were working on wolf genetics.”
“Based on the grotesque pictures, my asset and I figured you were definitely playing gene roulette.”
“Clever, but it doesn’t explain how you are the only one who knows.”
“The truth is Danny Reed and I were engaged, but we kept our relationship a secret. I suspected you had him murdered, and decided to go dark. No one knew I was after you.”
Bolton raised a brow. “Is that so?” He sighed. “Like I said, I didn’t have him murdered.”
Emma glared at him. “Regardless, I pursued you with a vengeance.” Interesting, he didn’t have his men turn werewolf to see if they could smell the truth. Perhaps, they couldn’t.
Bolton blew out a long breath. “Boris is your asset.”
Shit. “No, he really is just a guide.”
Bolton stood. “You will stay here while I have a word with him.”
“What would it hurt if I came along?”
“It’s better if I get his side of the story.”
Once Nik compels you to obey, you'll be putty in his paws. “I take it that means no dinner?”
“I don’t go back on my word. The question is will it be your last meal?”
Bolton signaled to Ed. He grabbed her and then shoved her inside the cage. Locked in, they left her alone. At least he hadn’t injected her with the drug. But for how long?
The sound of the door opening gladdened her heart. Nik. Disappointment followed as an older but elegant woman entered. Svetlana, mobster queen. The most wanted woman on the LIA’s list. Svetlana walked up to the cage. “So this is the woman who discovered our secret?”
Chapter Ten
If Nik had the proper tools, he could open the locked door. He glanced at Montez. “You are not worried about being trapped?”
“The lockdown must be a security breach. Order something to eat. She’ll return before dessert is served.”
Hmm. Was Emma behind the breach? Whatever the emergency, she was likely the cause of it. She must have screwed up and needed rescuing. There had to be an exit through the kitchen. He smiled. “Might as well, I’m famished.” He walked up to the chef and met his eyes. “Take me through the kitchen and out the exit.”
Montez nodded and guided him to the back door.
Nik growled. Locked. He turned to the chef. “Open it.”
“I can’t. During lockdown all exit doors are sealed.” The chef lowered his head as if ashamed he could not help Nik.
Nik dashed into the kitchen to search for materials to create a small explosive but stopped. If they sensed another breach, things might get worse for Emma. If the werewolves scented Emma’s mask, her cover would be blown. He scanned the ceiling. The vents were too small to fit through. He turned back to the cook. “What if there’s a fire?”
The chef robotically nodded under Nik’s command. “Heavy smoke will override the lockdown, at least that’s what I’ve been told.”
Nik rolled his eyes. “Of course, I should have known that.” Then again, did Bolton really care about people burning alive?
Emma stared at the infamous Svetlana, shadowed by Bolton. Not only had she discovered Bolton’s werewolf experiments, but also located the LIA’s most wanted Stallo woman. Too bad Emma was not in a position to celebrate her coup. She gripped the bars. “Release me, Ms…?”
“You may call me, Mistress.” She turned to Bolton and glowered. “How were you duped into inviting a CIA agent to our compound?”
Bolton lowered his gaze. She was definitely the alpha of the operation. “Tank, head of Operation Stallo Wolves, convinced the pilot she was a scientist.”
Svetlana addressed Ed and Lee. “Kill Tank, the pilot and the other men from the expedition.”
They nodded and left. Bolton didn’t question her order or stop her from carrying out his men’s execution. He stood motionless. What power did this human woman have over him? His obedience meant she was in charge of life or death.
Had she found rogue werewolves to serve her bidding? She must have been the one who approached Bolton and gave him information about the Stallo gene. Hmm. What was in it for her?
Svetlana turned her wrath to Bolton. “You didn’t vet the so-called wolf biologist before her arrival?”
Bolton sighed. “I did. Everything checked out.” He lifted his chin. “She’s clean of tracking devices.”
“And how did you find out she was an agent?”
“When Nexus returned, I had her dig deeper.”
“Did she not do this before the plane landed?”
“My apologies, Nexus returned to her station a few minutes after they arrived.”
Emma recalled Nik had said something about a woman being in. Nexus must be the hacker who broke her cover. How good was this woman? Did she figure out she worked for the CIA and LIA? Rylee had reassured Emma her cover was hack proof. The LIA’s personal hacker, Manny, made sure of it.
“I should have Nexus eliminated, too,” said Svetlana.
“She would have been back earlier from Georgetown, Guyana but the dentist appointment took longer than expected.” He swallowed. “Nexus is too valuable to lose.”
“Very well, have her dentist killed.”
Emma shuddered. If Svetlana had a dentist murdered for being late, I will be next.
The haughty woman grinned at Emma. “So you work for the CIA?”
“No comment.”
“They didn’t know she pursued this matter. This is personal.” He smirked. “Seems she’s looking for revenge and blames me for the death of her fiancé agent Danny Reed.”
Svetlana frowned. “The agent who destroyed your plague infested rats?”
“Yes.”
She smiled at Emma. “One of my men assassinated him and two others having drinks with him.”
My team. Emma shook the bars. “You bitch!”
Svetlana scoffed. “If I would have known you were lovers, I would have had my hitman kill you, too.”
Bolton looked surprised and turned to Svetlana. “That was you?”
She glared at him. “Someone had to clean up after your shit.”
Anger anchored Emma’s heart. She couldn’t believe the entire time the CIA’s investigation claimed a rogue Russian intelligence spy had killed her team. Only she suspected Bolton had been the culprit. As much as she loved Danny, they could have just killed him. “Why murder the other agents?”
“To cover my tracks. If we singled out Agent Reed, they might have looked too close into Bolton’s industry.” Svetlana sighed. “Tsk, tsk. Foolish woman. Yet, here you are alone. Out for revenge.”
A distant alarm sounded. Bolton glowered and picked up his phone. “What the fuck is going on?” He shook his head and put his phone away.
Svetlana snapped. “Find out!”
“Fire in the lounge kitchen.”
Svetlana narrowed her eyes. “Boris escaped the lounge.”
Bolton glowered. “Let’s go find out.”
They stalked out of the room, leaving Emma alone to worry about what mayhem Nik had unleashed.
Nik peeked out from behind a pillar as men dashed toward the fire. One man disrobed and began to shift. Slowly. Time to get out of Dodge. He followed Emma’s scent down the hallway and stopped at the elevator she’d entered. Growls and snarls indicated other men had started their transformation. About five he estimated. He entered the elevator and honed in on smells. Down or up. Down. The elevator opened at the bottom level. Confirming Emma’s sweet as spring flowers scent, he ran along the corridor. One guard remained in front of the door. A human with the residual smell of werewolf.
Nik bolted toward him and before the guard could react, Nik snapped his neck. The door was
locked and required retinal identification. Would the guard’s eyeball work? As he bent to find out, the door opened.
“Emma!” Her mask? Gone. Why? Nonetheless, he wanted to howl with joy.
“Hey, you didn’t get much of a tan.”
Nik wanted to kiss those shapely lips, but time was of the essence. “Good thing the door unlocked from the inside.”
“Nope. I broke out of a cage and then this door.”
“I like a woman with skills.”
“And I like a guy who can find an exit.”
“Come.”
Emma followed him out down the narrow corridor. “Where are we going?”
Nik glanced at the elevator. “There must be stairs.”
“Lead the way.”
Suddenly, he stopped and narrowed his eyes.
She gazed up at him. “What’s wrong?”
“Bad werewolves prefer stairs.”
“Shit.”
“You don’t happen to have vaporo on you?”
“No.”
Perhaps she thought they would search her. “I’ll distract them while you run.”
“They’ll kill you.”
“Don’t worry, Sparrow.”
“They’ll probably come from all sides.”
“Good point.” He scanned the other doors. Locked and without proper identification, impossible to unlock. He unbuttoned his shirt to shift.
“Wait, you really think you can fight so many?”
“I have no choice.”
Hissing came from above.
They both looked up at the air vents.
Gas filtered in.
Emma used her sleeve to cover her face, but fainted in his arms.
Nik recognized the knockout gas as Kolokol-1. Bastards! He lifted her, but stumbled to his knees. He set her down and stood to fight.
The doors open.
He growled, but fell to the floor. Not even he could fight the overpowering gas.
Emma’s eyes slowly opened to find herself lying on a comfortable bed. Immediately, she sat up and looked around. She appeared to be in a nice guest room. How did I get here? How long have I been knocked out? Am I still on the island? Her pulse raced. Where is Nik? She gasped. The door to an adjoining room stood ajar. Is this a trick?
Nik bounded in. “Emma, you are awake.”
“The question is—”
With the speed only a werewolf could muster, Nik swept her into his arms.
She blinked up at him.
Nik kissed her, long and hard. His fangs out, yet not hurting her.
Emotions of being reunited with a long lost lover unleashed from her and she responded with unfettered passion.
Like a wave finally receding, Nik released her. “Sorry. I worried when you slept for almost four hours. It’s sundown.”
Her face heated. “Of course, no problem. You were just making sure your comrade was okay.” Great, now I sound like an idiot.
His large hands held her shoulders. “No, I was overjoyed the most beautiful, clever woman I’ve ever met had not been harmed.”
Her body tingled with desire. Emma wanted to return to kissing and perhaps more, but now was not the time. Actually, there would never be the time for a human and a werewolf. “The last thing I remember was the sound of gas leaking into the hallway.”
He released her and sighed. “Yes. Kolokol-1, which happens to be…”
“A derivative of fentanyl used by the Russian government during 2002 Moscow theatre hostage crisis.” She raised her brows. “As I recall, over a hundred hostages died from the so-called knock-out agent.”
Nik nodded and raked his fingers through his hair. “Most unfortunate, which is why I was worried.”
Emma shook her head. “I can’t believe they used that.”
He wrinkled his nose. “I’m sure Svetlana and her mobster husband used it.”
“Yes, I finally had the pleasure of meeting the infamous Svetlana.” Emma frowned. “Too bad I was locked up or I would have punched her.”
“She appears in good health.” Nik sneered.
Her eyes widened. “You saw her, too?”
“Yes, she met with me in the lounge while you were on tour with Bolton. When she left, she locked me in. Took me longer than usual to escape.”
She smiled. “The fire alarm.”
“Worked like a charm.” Nik smirked.
“I wonder where she is now?”
He closed his eyes and flared his nose, then stared at the door. “Her stench is coming from the lab area.”
“Did you try the mind control on her?”
Nik blew out a long breath. “Yes. Svetlana is immune to an alpha’s influence.”
“I heard the Keep uses a mind control preventive, and apparently, Svetlana knows the secret.”
“Oh?”
“A pill my father devised from a formula members of the Keep used to prevent alpha males from compelling humans to obey their commands.” She had tried the red pill several times and it worked beautifully, even on Trevor, one of Rylee’s elite alphas. The only humans who knew of their lycan society, the Keep, persistently invented techniques to combat werewolves. Their primary goal since time immemorial had always been to destroy lycan kind.
“I suspect her once-lethal werewolf mob might have kidnapped a member of the Keep for the secret. Their torture techniques probably made him sing the formula.”
Emma furrowed her brow. “I wonder if Svetlana told Bolton about the lycan society.”
Nik grimaced. “There is no doubt she would betray our kind for revenge.” He sat on the bed with the disheveled blankets and sheets.
She wasn’t a restless sleeper. Somebody else had been in the bed with her. “Did you…?”
“I slept with you, but I didn’t take advantage.” He wrinkled his brow. “In case you had a bad reaction and I needed to give you mouth to mouth.”
Her heart pounded so loud his wolf ears must have picked up her drumming. “Thanks, I owe you one.”
“You are more than a comrade.” He blushed. Who knew badass alpha Nik would be embarrassed? Why does he act like we are an item? An impossibility, at least as dictated by lycan society. Then again, he was not part of their culture until recently.
Emma pressed a finger over her lips. She mouthed. “They are listening.”
Nik took a crushed bugging device out of his pocket. “I found five.”
“Are you sure there aren’t more?”
“Positive. Wolf senses and Russian espionage training.” He gazed down at her. “You can thank me with CPR.”
No. I’m not getting involved in another romance with a partner. Losing Danny devastated her. Emma refused to repeat it. She looked away. “Svetlana admitted to hiring a hitman to murder Danny and the other two team members.”
“So it was not the Russian rogue agent or Bolton who killed them?’
“No. I was mistaken. Svetlana wanted to make it look like a Russian agent carried out the murders. I would have been killed too if I had not been late.”
He brushed back a loose hair from her brow. “I’m sorry. At least now you know the truth.”
“The question is why are we still alive?”
“They didn’t even put us in separate rooms.”
She smiled. “Nice rooms in fact.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Knowing Svetlana, she must suspect something more.”
“Does she know you are a lycan?”
“I don’t know. I fought the gas, but eventually passed out. All I know is I remained human long enough to see them.”
“So you saw them?”
He nodded. “Two ugly werewolves picked us up and brought us to our guest accommodations.”
“Good thing you didn’t go werewolf before you were knocked out.”
“I have good control.” He scratched his head. “I think Svetlana might suspect.”
“But she hasn’t said anything.”
“I see it in her face. She said I reminded her of her son.”
His expression tightened. “Perhaps she thought I’d shift to save you.”
“I’m not sure you could have fought them all off.”
Nik winked and grinned. “Don’t be so sure.” He scratched his head. “First, I need to know how different the new werewolves are from our kind.”
“Apparently, they only have enhanced wolf senses in werewolf form.”
“How do you know?”
“When you were at the pool party, I was taken to the wolf gym. Bolton wanted me to see his two men become werewolves. They admitted they only had better senses while in werewolf form. And it took them at least five minutes to shift.”
He frowned. “Yes, I noticed that, too. I think our kind has many advantages over the genetically modified men.”
“Actually, I’m pretty sure I know why I’m still alive.”
“Because you are too beautiful?”
“Ha, ha.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “So tell me.”
“Bolton claims the drug hasn’t worked on a woman. He volunteered me to be his guinea pig. The women he tried it on probably died.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get you out before he does.”
“He plans to inject you, too. Not sure what that would do.”
“Probably kill me.”
“Nah, you are too handsome to die.”
He grinned. “Good to know.”
The door opened and in waltzed Bolton. “Ah, you both look rested.”
Nik gaped. Why did he act so surprised? In fact, he looked like he’d seen a ghost. Emma folded her arms. “So where’s your bitch partner?”
Bolton laughed. “If you mean Mistress Svetlana, she left for Guyana to meet a new asset.”
Nik scowled. “Looks like you are her bitch.”
Bolton smiled at Nik. “Don’t push my hospitality.”
Nik snarled. “You could have killed us with Kolokol-1.”
“Our lab perfected it. I would never kill my guests. Even those who overstay their welcome.”
Emma cleared her throat and caught Nik’s attention then pointed her head at Bolton. Okay, do your mind trick and make him our bitch.
Nik met his eyes. “Listen to me.”
Bolton laughed. “Don’t you know it’s impolite to stare?”
Nik sighed and under his breath swore in Russian.
