by Becca Van
“Do I look like an imbecile to you?” Darrien roared at her, making her eardrums reverberate and her head ache.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Niki hedged and sidled along the wall away from him. When the tall, muscular blond guy pushed away from the wall she froze. She kept her eyes pinned to him as he moved closer because she knew he was the bigger threat right now. Darrien was a pussy in comparison to the other guy’s muscular physique and the malevolence she could see in his soulless brown eyes.
“Back off, Sid. She’s mine.”
“Lord Jerome asked me to take over if she wouldn’t cooperate,” Sid said in a calm low voice as he reached under his jacket.
Niki’s knees grew weak and her legs began to tremble as fear assailed her nervous system. Her breathing sped up and her heart beat a hard rapid tattoo in her chest as her fight-or-flight reactions kicked in. She turned so that the hip she wore her gun on was close to the wall and out of sight and she slowly lifted her cuffed hands to feel for her weapon. When she found the holster empty she nearly screamed with frustration.
Sid moved in beside Darrien and then he moved so fast his movements were nearly a blur. She watched shock and pain cross Darrien’s face and when she looked down to where Sid’s hand was her mouth gaped open with fear. The asshole had just stabbed Darrien with a long-handled knife-looking weapon and when she saw the blood coated black blade she realized she was looking at obsidian.
When her legs threatened to buckle she locked her knees in place and tried to get her feet to move further away from Sid, but she was frozen with fear. That had never happened to her before because she’d been in deadly situations a few times when dealing with the apprehension of criminals, but seeing as how she was weaponless and this man was stronger and faster than her, she didn’t think she would stand a chance of winning if she fought him.
She cried out when Sid dropped Darrien on the floor and gagged as she stared at the blood dripping off the long sharp black blade and the blood pooling under her dead boss. And then her fear began to turn to anger. It didn’t matter that Darrien had been an asshole to work for, nor that he had been intent on hurting her to find her mates. There was no way anyone deserved to die let alone like that. He’d been duped by one of his own kind and she was going to make the fucker pay somehow.
Sid bent down and wiped the glass blade on Darrien’s shirt and that’s when Niki made her move. She rushed up behind him, clasping her hands together as she moved, raised them and then slammed them down on the back of his neck as hard as she could, and ran.
She made it to the doorway and just as she was about to race through a hand grabbed her long braid and tugged. She went flying backward, her body slamming onto the hardwood floor and her head connected with the frame of the bed. The agony stabbing through her brain was too much to endure and she sank back down into the pain-free darkness.
* * * *
“She’s not answering,” Rex snapped and paced restlessly.
“Something’s wrong, I can’t even feel her through our link.” Russ strode toward the door.
“Call the sheriff’s office,” Randy ordered. “Maybe she’s in a meeting and can’t answer us. It’s only 9 a.m. She would have had stuff to catch up on.”
“Do you believe that shit you’re spouting?” Rex snarled.
“No, but call the number anyway. We can’t just go rushing in. Her boss is a fucking hunter.”
“Randy, he’s probably done something to her,” Russ said as he came back to the kitchen doorway.
“The other deputy is her friend,” Randy explained. “He’ll know what’s going on. Darrien can’t do anything to Niki while Reece is there.”
“Unless he’s already taken the guy out,” Rex said.
“Just call the fucking number,” Randy shouted.
Russ hurried to the phone while Randy and Rex stared each other down. He sighed with relief when it was answered right away.
“Rock Springs Sheriff’s Department, Deputy Reece House speaking.”
“Yeah, hi, I’m a friend of Niki’s. I was wondering if I could have a word with her please.”
“She’s not here.”
“What? What do you mean she’s not there? She left for work a little over an hour ago.”
“Well she’s not here now and the sheriff hasn’t shown up either. Maybe they went out on a call before I came in.”
“Is there any way you can confirm that?” Russ asked in a calm voice. How he was able to do that was beyond him, especially when his gut was one big massive knot of fear and roiling so much he had to keep swallowing.
“Yeah, I’ll check with dispatch. Hang on a sec.”
Russ heard the phone handset bang down and then drummed his fingers on the counter while he waited for Reece to come back. He didn’t need the other man to tell him over the phone that Niki and the sheriff hadn’t been called out. His dragon had picked up Reece’s and the female dispatchers voice as they spoke.
“Can I ask to whom I’m speaking?” Reece asked.
“Yeah, my name is Russ Charge. I’m Niki’s ma…boyfriend.”
“Okay, Russ, I’d love to be able to help you but no one knows where Niki or the sheriff is. Should I be worried?”
“Yes. The sheriff isn’t what he seems. Is there any way you can track them?”
“I can trace the sheriff’s vehicle with the GPS system inside it, but Niki’s patrol car is still in the lot out back.”
“Okay, I’m going to give you my cell phone number and I want you to call as soon as you pinpoint the sheriff. Do not under any circumstances go after him yourself. This is an IA matter.”
“You’re Internal Affairs?” Reece asked.
“Yeah,” Russ lied.
“Are you after Niki or Darrien?”
“Darrien.”
“Fuck!” Reece sighed. “I knew that bastard was full of shit.”
“What do you mean?”
“Darrien led me to believe that Niki was being investigated by IA because of the missing mayor.”
“Darrien is in it up to his neck. Niki is innocent. Look I have to go. Keep me posted,” Russ ordered.
“I will.”
“We need to shift and get our mate. Now!” Russ sprinted for the back door and to the rear of the yard. He called to his dragon, flapped his large wings, and took to the sky. Rex and Randy launched right behind him.
He let his dragon lead the way because he knew his beast would be able to find Niki a hell of a lot easier than he would. When his animal banked to the left toward the outskirts of Rock Springs, he knew they were on the right track.
He could feel the pull of his mate even though he couldn’t connect with her telepathically.
His dragon rumbled when he spotted a lone sedan with dark windows speeding down route 430 southwest away from town. Russ used his dragon eyes and his infrared ability to scan the car. There were two heat signatures in the vehicle. One was the driver and the other was lying lengthways across the backseat. He didn’t have to see Niki with his own eyes to know it was her, or that she was hurt. A roar built up in his massive dragon chest but Russ squelched it before his beast could let it loose. He didn’t want to alert the driver that they were onto him.
When his beast flapped his wings faster until they were right over the car, again he had to rein his animal back. His dragon was about to let loose with his dragon breath in his fury but he would end up killing his own mate.
“Get your fucking dragon under control,” Randy ordered.
“I’m trying,” Russ replied pithily.
“Let me get in front and see who’s driving,” Rex said before he flew past and then turned to head back. “I don’t know who it is, but it’s not the sheriff and he doesn’t fit the description of that Jerome guy.”
“Wait!” Randy said. “This guy could lead us to the hunter’s leader.”
“Are you fucking insane?” Russ roared. “Our mate is injured and in danger and you want to see if this guy me
ets up with his boss?”
“That was the whole idea of letting Niki go to work in the first place,” Randy snapped.
“Plans have changed. We need to get her out of there.”
“Niki’s going to be pissed,” Rex said.
“I don’t give a fuck. At least she’ll still be alive to get pissed.” Russ slowed as the car did.
“Look, he’s turning left onto Patrick Draw Rd. I can see a farmhouse just up ahead.” Randy turned at the same time Rex did.
When the car slowed again and turned into the long driveway, Russ hoped that the asshole wouldn’t feel them and lock onto their dragons hot bodies but right now that was the least of their worries. Plus, the hunter couldn’t get to them while they were in the air. He wasn’t scared for himself or the others back at the lair, but he was petrified for his mate.
“Shit, the front door just opened,” Russ said.
“He looks familiar and yet I know we’ve never seen him before,” Rex stated.
“That has to be Lord Jerome,” Randy said. “Niki did a great job drawing him.”
“Do you think there are other hunters close by? My dragon’s not picking up anyone else in the area.” Russ was having a hard time keeping his dragon in one place as he and his flight pod brothers hovered high above the farmhouse. His beast wanted to take those assholes out, but they needed to get Niki out of range so she wouldn’t get hurt more than she already was. His heart was beating way too fast and his muscles were quivering as he held his animal back. Niki hadn’t moved from her supine position on the backseat of the car.
“We’re going to have to land,” Randy slowly moved closer to the ground. “If I change back I can confront and distract them while one of you gets Niki out of here. The other one can remain in dragon form and fry the fuckers once it’s all clear.”
“I think we should grab the asshole getting out of the car. Maybe with enough incentive we can find out who the leader is,” Rex suggested.
“I want to know who it is as much as you do, Rex, but we need to get Niki to safety. She’s our priority right now.”
Russ nodded his agreement.
“Okay, I’m going to land behind the house. Once I’m human again I’ll come round to the front. Make sure you’re ready to save Niki, Russ.”
“I’m ready. My dragon’s itching to get to her. I think it would be better for me to stay in dragon form. That way I can hide her body with mine and she won’t get burnt by Rex’s dragon fire.”
“How are you going to get the door to the car open if you’re in dragon form?” Rex asked.
“I’ll just rip the fucker off.”
“Here goes.” Randy began a slow glide down to the ground behind the house. Russ knew he wouldn’t flap his large wings unless absolutely necessary because the unexpected wind would alert the hunters to their presence, although he had a feeling they already knew they were there.
Chapter Sixteen
Niki felt sick to her stomach and she could feel warm, sticky blood seeping from the back of her head and it was beginning to dry in her hair. She’d been conscious for a few minutes and although her head was pounding something fierce she hadn’t been able to pry her eyelids open more than small slits. Every time she forced them open nausea roiled in her stomach and the piercing pain in her head was excruciating.
The low hum of an engine and tires on the road alerted her to the fact she was in a car and every time she thought about who had her she trembled with fear. Sid’s eyes were way colder and harder than Darrien’s had been and she’d been able to see the leashed violence inside of him when she’d looked into his depthless soul back at the house Darrien had taken her to.
When the car slowed and turned, her heart beat hard and fast inside of her chest and although she tried to remain calm, her breathing sped up. Deciding she was fighting a losing battle at keeping composed, she made sure to inhale shallowly and as quiet as possible even though she couldn’t slow her panting breaths.
The car stopped and the driver’s side door opened. When she heard footsteps coming closer and the sound of another man’s voice she knew Sid was no longer alone. Niki decided she was going to need help to get out of this situation and decided to call for her mates. She just hoped that none of them got hurt because of her.
“Randy, Rex, Russ, can you hear me?”
“Yes, baby. Are you okay?” Randy asked.
“Um…not really. I’m in trouble.”
“We know you are, love,” Rex said. “Don’t worry, Niki. We’re here with you.”
“You are?”
“Yes, darlin’,” Russ said. “When we tried to contact you earlier and we couldn’t, we knew you were in trouble. How bad are you hurt?”
“I got two cuts on my head. It’s pounding like a bitch. Other than that I’m okay.”
“Who hurt you, baby?” Randy asked.
“Darrien hit me with the butt of his gun only minutes after I got to work. The other guy called Sid hit me in the face and when I fell I hit my head on the frame of a bed.”
“He’s a dead man,” Rex yelled.
“Oh god. Sid killed Darrien,” she sobbed.
“Don’t worry about that now, baby. We’re going to get you out of here. Just be ready. Okay?”
“Okay. Please be careful. I don’t want any of you getting hurt.”
“We’ll be fine, darlin’,” Russ said. “I’m coming to get you out of the car as soon as Randy distracts them.”
“Be safe.” Niki shivered and although she wanted to curl up into a little ball and go to sleep, she knew she couldn’t do that. She needed to stay alert and ready so that her mates didn’t get hurt.
She couldn’t stay still any longer. She needed to sit up and see what was happening so that she could help her mates get her free. When she pushed up on the seat, she breathed deeply and exhaled slowly when her head throbbed even harder. She rubbed her hand over her stomach, hoping she wouldn’t throw up. After blinking a few times against the bright sunlight and, as she tried to clear her hazy vision, she saw Sid and another guy talking near the front of the car. The stranger had his back to her so she couldn’t see his face.
All of a sudden the stranger turned and she sucked in a breath when she saw Lord Jerome. When his eyes connected with hers he gave her a malicious smile and took a step toward her, but then he stopped, tilted his head, and inhaled deeply.
Niki watched as he turned away from her and it was then she saw he had a long-handled black-tipped spear in his hand. When she looked to his other hand she saw a black, glass-bladed knife in it. She glanced at Sid and gasped when she noticed he was carrying the same weapons as his cohort.
And then she stared in horror as they moved toward the side of the house just as Randy came into view. She was panting so fast she couldn’t breathe and her heart hurt as it thumped rapidly against her chest.
Niki didn’t stop to think she just acted. She opened the back door of the car and got out. Her legs were so weak and her head was swimming and she needed to place a hand on the car for balance.
“Niki, stop!” Russ ordered in a hard voice. “I want you to move toward the back of the car.”
“What about Randy? We can’t just leave him there!”
“Damn it,” Rex cursed.
Niki didn’t know which way to go. Her head was hurting and she couldn’t think straight, but one thing was certain, she couldn’t leave Randy.
A great gust of wind swept over her, whipping the hair which had come loose from her braid into her face and dust into her eyes. She covered her eyes with a hand and took a step forward.
* * * *
Randy cursed under his breath when Niki took a step toward him. “Get her, Russ.”
He walked toward the two hunters, aware of the obsidian weapons in their hands but he needed to keep their focus on him. He kept his muscles loose and supple, ready to fight to save his mate.
“So which one are you,” Lord Jerome asked with a sneer on his face. “Did you bring Sir L
ancelot with you?”
Randy didn’t respond but he wondered how Lord Jerome had heard about Lance. He decided to talk and keep the men distracted because Russ was making his move toward Niki.
“You’re such a coward praying on an innocent woman.”
“You think so.”
“I know it. Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”
“Oh I would love to, but you lot are so scared of us you hide out.”
“We’re not scared of you. You’re a piece of shit.”
The air left Randy’s lungs when Sid ran at Niki and when he moved to get to her Jerome stopped him by pressing the tip of his spear into his chest. He felt the tip pierce his skin and knew if the fucker pushed it into his body he was a dead man. It was right over his heart.
When he glanced at Niki, fury raced through his body when he saw tears tracking down her face. Sid had the tip of his obsidian knife against her throat. Randy wished he and his flight pod brothers had taken her from the car earlier because now she could end up dying.
And then everything seemed to slow down until he was watching the action in slow motion.
Niki formed a fist, lifted her arm, and slammed it back into Sid’s nose. His bellow of pain and rage was so loud it hurt his ears. She spun around, twisted Sid’s arm, bent over at the waist, and flipped him over her body.
The instant she was free from Sid, Russ scooped her up into his front legs and covered her completely with his dragon’s body.
“Now,” Russ yelled.
Streams of white-hot dragon breath flowed from above Randy’s head, covering him and Lord Jerome in heat, and the spear dropped to the ground. The screams from Lord Jerome were horrific but died in his throat as his body burned to ashes. Russ moved his head and burned Sid, until he, too, was no more.
Randy looked down at the red-hot glowing obsidian and kicked it aside with his foot and then he was running toward Rex and Niki.
Russ landed behind him, changed back to his human form and rushed after him.
