by Eva Gordon
Nik hesitated. Lycan law stated that he could not mind control a team member unless Rylee deemed it necessary. She would never allow the memory loss of such a high team member, but he had no other choice. If he didn’t, Emma was as good as dead.
“Do it,” demanded Saskia.
Nik continued. “You will forget ever meeting me and forget going to Russia to look for the missing wolves. You will not remember meeting Bolton’s men, the ride over here and you will forget ever knowing of Bolton, the island, lab, Svetlana and Saskia. Understood?”
Emma nodded. “Yes.”
“You will awaken and think you are here for a vacation. Once you get off the island, you will take the next plane home and not report for duty with the CIA for a month.”
“Yes.”
“You will remember only a vacation.”
“Yes.”
“You will sleep when I snap my fingers. When you wake in four hours, you will be in your vacation cabana, waiting for the boat off the island.” He snapped his fingers.
Emma fell forward and he caught her so she wouldn’t fall on the floor.
Saskia turned to Bolton. “Take her to the cabana. Arrange for the boat as soon as she awakens. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Chapter Sixteen
Emma woke to someone shaking her. “Huh?” She opened her eyes. She looked around in panic. Nexus let go of her. She wore a dark hood and carried a backpack. If she didn’t know any better, Emma would have thought a high school student needed a ride to school. “Where am I?” The last thing she remembered was being hypnotized by Nik.
“You are in Bolton’s cabana, waiting for transport off the island. I’m supposed to video you leaving in the morning.”
“Oh, yeah.” Nik couldn’t command her. So why had she fallen asleep? It was as though she decided to go along with the sleep command. Odd. Not sure if she should fake it for Nexus, she nonetheless decided to trust her. “Nik struck a deal. He will be Saskia’s mate if I leave the island and forget everything.”
She laughed. “How could they think you will forget?”
“They tried a new hypnotic technique.” No point explaining the alpha male mind control thing. Did Nexus even know Nik had successfully compelled her? Too bad it didn’t work on the other new werewolves. Good thing I took the mind control prevention pill.
Nexus glanced at the door and shifted from foot to foot. “If you say so. Anyway, change of plans. I came to warn you.”
“What do you mean?”
“They mean to ‘feed you to the fishes.’ ”
“Huh?”
“It’s a line from the Godfather.”
“I figured Saskia intended to kill me, so no big surprise.”
Nexus straightened. “I monitored her private conversation with one of the guards, that is, until the listening device cut off.”
“Shit. They must have suspected you were listening.” Odds were they would get rid of Nexus or permanently keep her as a lab rat.
Nexus shrugged. “My job is to video you waving from the boat. Make your boyfriend happy.”
“Nik’s not my boyfriend.”
“You might fool me when I’m in human form, but in wolf form, I scented his attraction for you. And you to him.”
“Saskia must have made the same observation, hence her obsession with murdering me.”
“At daybreak, I’m supposed to meet you at the dock.” She glanced at her watch. “We better leave now. Only four hours before sunrise.”
“You’re helping me?”
“Duh.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m hoping you’ll help me when we get off this island.”
“Sure. I think you will be a great asset as an agent.” No need to tell her about Team Greywolf just yet.
“Actually, I need help getting rid of the shifter thing.”
Didn’t Nexus think shifting was cool? She probably worried about her future and any unknown side effects, especially those seen in males. “I know someone, a scientist, familiar with chimeras.” That is, if Rylee was okay with her joining her pack.
Nexus sighed. “Thanks.”
Emma peeked out the window. “I don’t see any guards.”
“I radioed the guards to return to base immediately.”
Emma raised her brows. “And they followed your instructions?”
Nexus smirked. “They heard Bolton giving the orders.”
Emma wasn’t sure how she accomplished that feat, but it didn’t matter. “Good work.”
“We need to get on the boat.”
“It must be guarded.”
“Not anymore. The captain is the only one on board.”
“They will definitely see us with all the cameras they have posted,” said Emma.
Nexus took a small chip with a clip on it. “Put this on.”
“What is it?”
“Something I invented, but you are the first to know about it.” She had hers pinned to her hair.
“Which does what?” Emma added it to her hair.
“Makes us invisible to any camera no matter how advanced. I call it the cryptic veil, or CV.”
Lycan society’s biggest problem was discovery of their existence. Imagine if they had that technology. “That’s amazing, are you for real?”
“Trust me, it is. I’ll explain later. We better go.”
Emma dashed after Nexus, who ran as fast as an Olympic sprinter. Probably the wolf gene.
Nik had to impart the mating bite, or else Emma would be murdered. Sadness, hatred and anger would forever haunt him if Emma didn’t escape. Alone with Saskia, the murderous werewolf, in her beautiful candlelit suite, he had no choice.
Saskia had stripped and poured a glass of champagne. “You are running out of time, my love.”
“How do I know Emma is on board? You said there would be a video.” Not that he’d believed it. Nexus could easily fake Emma’s departure.
“Not that it matters, but as soon as the sun rises, Bolton will release her, that is once I have the mark.”
“That wasn’t the deal.”
She growled and reached for her mobile. “If Bolton doesn’t hear from me that we are bonded, he’ll kill her.”
Nik winced. How could he trust her? Never. “At least let me see she is alive.”
Saskia rolled her eyes. “Very well, look what Bolton sent me.” She lifted the phone to show Emma. “Sleeping.”
Nik stared at her. Emma slept on the bed they had shared, likely a staged photo. It could have been taken hours ago. “If she is not taken safely out of here by the morning, I will not be your mate.”
Saskia growled and held the phone. “Be mine or I’ll have her killed immediately.”
“That wasn’t the deal.”
“Please, my darling, let us begin our life together as eternal mates.” She tilted her neck back. “I’m waiting.”
He did his best not to cringe. Once he returned to headquarters, Lev and the wolf shaman would remove the bond. Although, he’d never heard of it being done before, to save Emma, he’d risk it. He closed his eyes and bit her neck. Saskia’s blood tasted bitter, but he continued. She moaned in pleasure. Not knowing what to feel, he made sure he left a mark and released her. This might buy Emma some time.
Her satisfactory smile twisted into an ugly scowl. “No!”
Nik gave her a confused look. “What’s wrong?”
“Fool!”
He forced a smile. “You don’t like my bite?”
Saskia growled. “You tricked me.”
He didn’t understand her comment and moved to grab her.
She slashed his arm with claws, reached for a dart gun and shot him.
He growled and crashed onto his knees. The sedation was fast acting, and kept him aware of his surroundings, but unable to move or speak.
Saskia stood over him. “You lied about never bonding with another female!”
Confused, Nik wanted to say he never had. He tried to open h
is mouth, but remained frozen. She probably had Bolton create a wolfsbane tranquilizer that kept him conscious, but helpless, adding to his torment.
“I smelled your bite on Emma, but found no indication it was a mating mark. How could it be, she’s human.”
Was it possible? They had shared an ecstatic orgasmic experience, yet, wasn’t it just good sex? He was still learning about lycan culture, but believed the mating bond could only be between other lycans or Stallo women, not normal humans like Emma. He moaned, trying to tell her she was mistaken, but robbed of speech, he could do nothing. He attempted to shift. Nothing.
“Don’t worry. You will be back to normal in an hour. Once the bitch is dead, the bond will be broken and we’ll try it again. Actually, that will give me enough time to drain her blood and bathe in it. Perhaps then you will like my flavor?” She laughed. “Enjoy the rest, my darling.” She left and shut the door.
Nik howled in rage, but only in his mind. Saskia was about to murder his true mate. Paralyzed on the floor, he’d never felt so helpless.
Emma and Nexus approached the yacht. Emma crept to Nexus and whispered, “Do you know how to sail?”
“Not a clue, but I can hack into the computer. Maybe.” She frowned. “Although, I figured since you are a CIA agent, you could.”
“You’ve seen too many movies. I’m a spy, not a superhero.” She wrinkled her brow. “I heard it’s like driving a car so I’ll give it a go.” Her chest tightened. How could she leave Nik behind? She had to save him before he became permanently bonded to Saskia. Once the bonding bite was given, his soul would be lost to her forever. At least, that’s what she’d read about the lycan mate bond.
“We’ll convince the captain to take us.”
“What if the captain is a werewolf?”
“I can only tell when I’m in wolf form.”
“I guess anyone associated with the island will soon have no choice but to take the drug.”
“You don’t know the half of it. Saskia plans to recruit more mercs, freed convicts and even known terrorists to work for her.”
“Continuing Bolton’s work.”
“Worse. She doesn’t plan on stopping on changing recruits, but having her new soldiers inject others, until there is something akin to a werewolf apocalypse.”
“As in similar to the zombie apocalypse?”
“Except, unlike zombies, maddened werewolves are smart and can sniff out survivors like trained scent dogs.”
“We need to put an end to them here.”
Nexus nodded. “Yep. I have all the evidence on my thumb drive. That’s why Bolton never wanted to take the drug. I was tricked as well. I took it before I figured out there was a problem. Too late for me. Also, they might remain in monster form until tranquilized or during sleep. Until then, it’s like they’re on crack. ”
“Saskia’s insane. Unfortunately, she has the means to put her nefarious goal to work.”
“Which is why I need to get the hell out of here and have you and others stop her.” Nexus sighed. “Then help me before I’m turned into a killer.”
“The good news is this only happens to males, thus far.”
“According to the data, but the long term is unknown.”
“Don’t worry. I promise nothing bad will happen to you.” Emma hoped, if she could get Nexus back to headquarters.
Nexus whispered, “There’s the captain.”
The captain paced as if expecting trouble. He wore a gun holster. “Figures he has a weapon,” said Emma.
Nexus smiled, handed Emma her backpack and took off her hoodie. “I’ll bite his ass if he tries anything.”
“I’m game,” said Emma.
Nexus stripped and then handed Emma her clothes. “Carry my clothes and do not lose the backpack.”
Emma unzipped the top part of the pack and looked in. “Laptop.”
“The thumb drive is in the inner pocket. It has everything on it. The laptop has all the financial data with all his holdings.”
“Okay, no problem.” Emma gathered them and nodded. “Shift.”
Nexus went on her knees and slowly transformed, very slowly compared to normal lycans. The one advantage her lycan team members had over the chimera werewolves.
Emma scanned the area, making sure the guards did not return.
Finally, Nexus shimmered into her floppy-eared wolf form. Her small size reminded Emma of team member, Cricket, who was born a runt.
Nexus shook her fur and then wagged her tail at Emma.
“Let’s find out about the captain’s pet policy.”
The captain stood by the steps. He stared at Emma and her canine companion. “Where are Bolton’s men?”
“Bolton said you can take us to the mainland. Now.”
The captain scowled. “Not buying it.” He reached for his radio when Nexus struck with no warning.
Nexus bit the arm holding the radio and he dropped it, screaming while trying to punch her.
He drew his gun.
A shot fired, but missed Nexus. She retreated, growling.
Then he aimed at Nexus, but Emma charged with a flying martial arts sidekick, slamming him against the rail, banging his head. Emma leaned over his body. On closer inspection, his neck was twisted, broken and his eyes glazed over. Dead.
Nexus moved closer to the dead man and growled.
Emma sighed. “So much for convincing him.”
Nexus slowly returned to human form. As soon as she shifted, she grabbed her clothes and dressed. “I guess you’re the captain now.”
Emma furrowed her brow at the dead man. “We’ll push him overboard once we’re out to sea.” She didn’t want his body to wash ashore, alerting everyone to search for the yacht.
Nexus nodded and looked in his pocket. “Here’s the key.”
Emma took it and frowned. “Good. Listen to me. If Nik and I are not back by daylight, you leave no matter what.”
“Are you insane? You’ll get caught.”
“I’m a CIA agent, remember?”
Nexus shook her head. “How are you going to help me if something happens to you?”
Okay, this goes against my better judgment. Emma took lipstick out of her pocket. “Take this.”
“Red is not my color.”
“Inside is a phone number. Call Rylee and tell her it’s from Cloak, my code name. You can mention Nik’s code name as well, Dagger. If anyone can help you with the shifting issue, she can. Got it?”
“Cloak and Dagger, got it.” She snorted. “Maybe I can have the code name Fur, so we’ll be fur, cloak and dagger.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Give Rylee the compound’s coordinates, she’ll take it from there.” Emma handed Nexus the key. “Stay here. If I’m not back in an hour, leave and hide.”
“I really think you should come with me. If Saskia catches you, she’ll rip you to shreds.”
“I can’t abandon Nik.”
“He’s hers.”
Emma winced. “It might not be too late. He won’t bite her until he sees I’m safe.”
“Bolton texted a picture of you while you slept. Proof you are still alive. Although, I’m the one who sent it.”
“Really?”
“I wonder if Bolton will notice you missing.”
“Nope, I told him I quit.”
Her eyes widened. “He didn’t try to stop you?”
“Not while he’s out cold.”
“What did you do?”
“Shot him with some new tranquilizer Saskia brought with her. Bolton had tested it on a few werewolves. I stole some. I figured it’d come in handy.”
Emma nodded. “Wolfsbane tranquilizer.”
“Worked like a charm.”
“Can you locate Nik?”
Nexus took her phone out of her pocket. “Hold on.” She swiped. “I have to look at a million cameras.”
“Try Saskia’s room.”
Nexus nodded and gasped, “Shit.”
“What?”
“He
looks dead.”
Emma grabbed the phone from her and stared at what looked like a grotesque still life on the screen. Nik was curled in a fetal position, one clawed hand reaching out. A catatonic state, or like Nexus said, dead. She handed Nexus the phone. “If we are not back by the morning, leave. In the meantime, sail the boat to the opposite side of the cabana area.”
“They’ll immediately pick up your scent.”
Emma dug out the vaporo from her bra. “We’ll see.” She dusted her body with it and after she completed the task, she turned to Nexus. “What do you smell?”
Nexus sniffed. “Nothing. Not even your clothes. What is that?”
“I’ll tell you once we escape.” One thing was certain, if they got away, she’d have no choice but to bring Nexus to headquarters to determine her fate. Cross that bridge when and if we get to it.
“Okay, hurry. I’m not going to stick around if they get wind of this.”
Emma smiled. “Got it.” She didn’t know how much time she had before the wolf-men returned and set off the alarm. She needed to get in the lab as soon as possible. And find the wolfsbane tranquilizer or better yet, a werewolf gun.
Nexus handed Emma a piece of paper. “Use this code to enter any building.”
“Really?” She shined the light on it. “Memorized.”
“I’m impressed.”
Emma worried about her new ally. “Do you want me to help with the boat first?”
Nexus smirked and took out her laptop and a few other things including a small travel drive. “I’m going to connect the yacht’s computer with mine. Trust me, not my first time controlling vehicles. Just my first boat.”
“I bet.”
She handed Emma the backpack. “I took the liberty of grabbing some materials when I arrived from the mainland. Found it in your room beneath your mattress.”
Emma looked in and smiled. “You thought of everything.”
“Actually, there are few more surprises but hurry.”
“You mean like a distraction?”
“Let’s just say, rescue him before the entire compound comes crashing down.”
Chapter Seventeen
Nik tried to growl as Bolton’s men lifted his paralyzed body onto a gurney. They pushed him into a holding cage, locked him up and left. Rage clouded Nik’s mind. Not only had he erased Emma’s mind of him, but she would soon die. Saskia must already be stalking her. He tried not to imagine how Saskia would torture and murder Emma. How could Saskia think he would take her as his mate after she killed Emma? A human woman who, for all intents and purposes, appeared to be his mate. Something not allowed within their society, but whether biologically or spiritually, it happened. He stared at the digital clock. Saskia said it would take an hour for his body to return to normal, yet already he could wiggle his fingers. Not fast, but they moved. He groaned as he forced his hand into a fist and then released it. Evidently, Saskia miscalculated. Nik had not succumbed totally to the drug’s effects. Maybe because of his Siberian wolf blood.
