by Paige Tyler
Carter had tackled one of the hybrids during the assault. His lightweight Kevlar vest had absorbed most of the damage as the creature tore into him, but his chest and stomach looked like he’d gone ten rounds with a cat on steroids. Angelo was pretty sure the guy had a few cracked ribs, too, but he was dealing with it.
“Fifteen miles, give or take,” Tanner said. “They put up a fight, that’s for sure. If we’d gotten there sooner, we might have been able to save them.”
Tanner’s voice was tinged with regret. Angelo got that. In battle, you always wondered if things would have ended differently if you’d only pushed a little harder, gotten there a little sooner.
Clayne strode into the small defensive position they’d set up so Derek could tend to the wounded. The wolf shifter was pissed the hybrids had slipped past him and had been out roaming the perimeter for the last hour. Clayne stopped in front of Landon and tossed a handful of something on the ground at his feet. It was dark, but Angelo was pretty sure they were flowers.
Landon regarded the flowers for a moment, then looked at Clayne. “And I didn’t get you anything.”
Clayne growled. “Funny, but it’s not a present. It’s the reason we haven’t been able to find Declan and Kendra.”
Ivy bent down and picked up the flowers. She held them at arm’s length and sniffed, then groaned. “Dammit.”
Landon frowned, looking from his wife to Clayne and back again. “What am I missing here?”
Angelo wanted to know the answer to that, too.
“Declan and Kendra have been rubbing these damn flowers all over themselves for days,” Clayne explained. “To you guys, they probably smell nice, but to us, they’re overpowering as hell. A shifter—or a hybrid—wouldn’t be able to smell anything cloaked by this fragrance.”
“Then how do you know Declan and Kendra used them to mask their scent?” Angelo asked.
“It wasn’t too hard to figure out once I realized a plant shouldn’t leave a trail through the forest like this.” Clayne jerked his head toward the trees. “I went back about a mile or so and checked. This flower’s scent follows right along with the prints we’ve been following. Declan covered their tracks with a fucking flower, and it took us almost three days to figure it out. I’m not sure if I should be impressed with him or pissed at myself. But it’s them, I know it.”
Ivy picked up her pack. “Let’s get going. If we’re lucky, we might be able to catch up with them tonight.”
“No,” Landon said.
She swung around to face him, her eyes glowing. “What do you mean, no?”
Landon moved to put his hands on her shoulders, but stopped himself. Angelo felt for his friend. God, it really sucked that Landon couldn’t touch his wife in front of other people simply because the DCO had some stupid policy that said they weren’t supposed to be married.
“I want to find Declan and Kendra as much as you do, but we can’t go after them right now,” Landon said gently. “Derek needs more time to finish patching everybody up and we all need to rest some after that attack. Besides, we can’t go charging around the jungle willy-nilly anymore. We’ll have to move much slower now that we know the hybrids are trying to ambush us.”
Ivy looked like she wanted to argue, but she didn’t. Even in the dark, the frustration on her face was clear as she nodded. “You’re right.” She fingered the wedding rings Angelo knew she wore on a necklace beneath her shirt as she looked at Landon, then turned to Clayne. “Get something to eat. I’ll cover the perimeter.”
Landon started to go after her, but thought better of it. Instead, he stood there and watched her disappear into the jungle.
“Should I go with her?” Tanner asked.
Landon shook his head, tossing him an MRE—meal ready to eat—from his pack. “No. I’ll head out in a little while. Right now, she needs some time to herself. She has a lot on her mind.”
Tanner frowned, but sat down beside Angelo and tore into the MRE. “Did I miss something while I was gone?”
Angelo dug in his own pack and pulled out some food. Unlike Landon, he didn’t have any complete MRE pouches—the things took up too much space. Instead, he’d raided an extra case of rations back at the base camp, taking only the best parts—the main entrées and the cheese—which in his opinion was the best thing the food nerds had ever invented. Angelo tore the corner of an entrée at random and squished the stuff into his mouth like toothpaste. Chicken and egg noodles…maybe.
“We’ve been hit a few times by hybrids since you took off to look for those locals,” Landon replied to Tanner’s question as he sat down on the ground opposite them. “Nothing like the ambush they just pulled on us, but bad enough to slow us down.”
“Is that why Ivy’s upset?” Tanner opened the MRE. “Because she feels like we aren’t getting any closer to her friend?”
“That’s some of it,” Landon admitted, digging out another MRE. “But I’m guessing she’s still freaked out by the three hybrids we stumbled across earlier today.”
Tanner looked up from the mystery goo he was spooning into his mouth, his eyes sharp. “Why? What happened?”
Angelo picked up the story so his former captain could eat. “It wasn’t anything that happened. It was how they acted. One was a lookout, while the other two crawled around on their hands and knees, sniffing the ground like a couple of freaking bloodhounds.”
Tanner’s brow furrowed. “That’s strange.”
“No shit,” Angelo agreed. “They were so intent on sniffing the ground, they didn’t even notice us until we were practically right in front of them. It wasn’t until we put them down that we noticed the two bloodhounds had been carrying ripped up pieces of Kendra’s clothing.”
“Oh, shit,” Tanner murmured.
“Yeah, it’s not good. But we’re all trying to stay positive.” Landon took a ration bar out of its wrapper and bit into it. “It wouldn’t make sense for the hybrids to use pieces of Kendra’s clothing to track her if she wasn’t still out here somewhere.”
“But Ivy still doesn’t like the idea of the hybrids being close enough to Kendra to get pieces of her clothing,” Angelo added. “And just because we think Kendra might still be out there, that doesn’t mean Declan is. They didn’t have any of his clothing.”
“So, Ivy is wondering if Declan might already be dead and Kendra is out there on her own,” Tanner finished.
Angelo nodded. Regardless of what Landon said about not thinking the worst, they were all worried about the same thing.
“Tanner, did Zarina tell you about what happened to Ivy out in Washington State?” Landon asked, opening his canteen and taking a swallow of water.
Tanner dug around in the bottom of his MRE pouch, came out with the small tan packet of cheese, and wordlessly passed it to Angelo. “She told me those doctors took DNA samples from Ivy and that Ivy is terrified they’ll use it to create a hybrid-shifter blend.” He frowned. “I hope it wasn’t wrong of Zarina to tell me that?”
Landon shook his head. “No. Ivy and I trust Zarina completely. If she felt it necessary for you to know about it, that’s good enough for us.”
Tanner relaxed. “I think she wanted me to understand how horrible the people behind the hybrid program are.” He snorted. “As if I needed a reminder. She forgets I’m living proof of what they’re willing to do.”
“Then you probably understand better than anyone what Ivy is going through,” Landon said. “It’s bad enough she has to worry about her friends being dead, but the thing that has her pacing around out there in the jungle right now is the thought that they might be dead at the hands of hybrids who were created from her DNA. If that happens, and Kendra and Declan truly are dead, I don’t think she’ll be able to handle it.”
“She’ll blame herself,” Tanner said.
“Yeah.” Landon dug in his pack and came out with another MRE pouch. “I’m going to go spend some time with Ivy—see if I can get her to eat something.”
Angelo leaned fo
rward and handed him the pack of cheese Tanner had given him. “Here, take this. Everything tastes better with MRE cheese on it.”
Landon shook his head as he stood up and adjusted his NVGs. “I think there’s a T-shirt somewhere with that slogan on it.”
Angelo grinned. “And if there isn’t, there should be.”
As Landon moved off quietly into the bush and disappeared from sight, Angelo wondered how he’d find Ivy out there in the jungle, but decided she’d probably find him first.
“You two seem like you’re tight,” Tanner observed.
“We’ve known each other for a long time,” Angelo said. “We went through a lot of crap together in Special Forces. Before he got pulled into the DCO.”
“Looks like you’re still going through a lot of crap together, regardless of the fact that he’s in the DCO.”
Angelo chuckled. “You got that right. Although it seems like the crap’s a lot weirder now.”
“Amen to that,” Tanner agreed. “I saw a lot of strange stuff while I was in the army, but nothing like this.”
Angelo swallowed some water from his canteen. “Landon told me you used to be in the Rangers. How long were you in for?”
Tanner was slow to answer, and when he did, the words were so soft Angelo had a tough time hearing him. “Eight years. But it was so long ago it sometimes seems like it was all a dream.”
Landon hadn’t told him why Tanner left the army, but Angelo was familiar with the story of how Stutmeir had grabbed the former Ranger from the forests of Washington State and turned him into the hybrid he was now. It wasn’t too hard to imagine how a soldier could go from the battlefield one day to being an outcast in his own country the next. Unfortunately, Angelo had seen it far too often in the past few years. He loved serving his country, but facts were facts. The military was good at a lot of things—killing people and breaking things being at the top of the list—but taking care of soldiers who couldn’t fight anymore wasn’t one of them. Veterans like that usually ended up on the street, where they didn’t fit in and weren’t understood. If the Veterans Administration safety net didn’t catch them—and there were a lot of holes in that net—they ended up like Tanner. Alone and on their own.
“When did you get out?” Angelo asked.
Tanner’s brow creased as he tried to remember. “Maybe two years ago? With all the hybrid crap, and the other stuff, it’s hard to remember the details. But I do remember spending a full summer and winter out in the forest before I got grabbed by those bastards.”
Angelo wanted to ask Tanner if he’d ever talked to anyone from the VA, but he guessed things had progressed a little bit beyond the point where they could do anything for him.
“The DCO is helping you, though, right? With your hybrid problem…and the other stuff?”
Angelo didn’t know for sure, but if he had to guess what that “other stuff” was, he’d say it was probably PTSD. He’d seen a lot of that, too.
“The DCO probably thinks they’re helping, but I’m smart enough to know that some of the people there are only interested in how I can be turned into another weapon in their arsenal.” Tanner shook his head. “Nah. Most of the real help I get comes from Zarina.”
Angelo didn’t miss the fleeting smile that snuck across the hybrid’s face as he said her name. He’d be damned. Tanner had a thing for Zarina. He couldn’t blame the guy. Zarina Sokolov was a beautiful woman.
“She doesn’t exactly fit the image I have of a cold, detached Russian scientist,” Angelo said.
Tanner’s grin broadened. “No, she doesn’t, does she? Underneath that beautiful exterior is the smartest person I’ve ever met.”
Angelo screwed the cap back on his canteen. “Does she know you like her?”
Tanner’s eyes narrowed. “How did you know?”
Angelo laughed. Did Tanner really think he could hide something like that? Anyone could see it. “Well, for one thing, I’ve met her, and it’s hard not to notice how attractive she is. And then there’s that goofy-ass grin you get on your face every time you say her name. It’s sort of a dead giveaway.”
Tanner looked stunned, but then he gave Angelo that aforementioned goofy-ass grin. “I guess I do smile a lot when I think about her. It’s hard not to. She’s amazing.”
The poor guy had it bad. But at least Tanner had one thing going right in his life.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Angelo pointed out. “About whether she knows how you feel.”
Tanner grimaced. “As if a woman like her would be interested in a screwed-up mess like me.”
“You’re a basket case for sure, and she’s miles out of your league,” Angelo agreed. “But women seem to have their own set of criteria when it comes to evaluating men.”
“You sound like you speak from experience.”
“Me? Nah,” Angelo said. “But I have two sisters, and the guys they date sometimes make me scratch my head and wonder what the hell they’re thinking.”
Tanner snorted but was silent as he considered that. “Sometimes I wonder if Zarina is spending so much time with me because I’m such a scientific curiosity—a genetic freak of a hybrid with the barest modicum of restraint.”
Angelo chuckled. “It’s nice to finally meet a man who’s even more clueless about women than I am. Dude, women like Zarina don’t waste time playing games with men they’re not interested in. They don’t have to. If she’s taking a personal interest in you and all the crap you’re going through, it’s because she’s into you.”
Tanner grabbed his canteen but didn’t open it. “I’d like to believe that. She’s sure as hell the best thing in my life right now. But even if she was interested in me before, she won’t be after I took off to come down here with you guys.”
Angelo leaned back and pulled a ration bar out of his pack. He was still hungry and they probably weren’t going to get a chance to eat again for a while. “Did you get in an argument with her before you left?”
“I didn’t get to talk to her,” Tanner said. “She wasn’t there when I stopped by the lab to tell her I was going, so I just left a note.”
“Ouch,” Angelo said. “You’re right, that is worse. What did you say in the note?”
“Landon didn’t want me to give her any details, so I was a little vague. I told her I was going on a mission with him, Ivy, and Clayne, that I’d be back soon, and that she shouldn’t worry.”
Angelo grimaced.
“That bad, huh?” Tanner asked.
Angelo thought about sugarcoating it but changed his mind. “Pretty much. Zarina’s trying to help you learn how to control your rage, right? Well, she’s not going to be thrilled that you’re down here getting into it with a bunch of hybrids. Hell, if I’m right and she actually cares about you, she’s probably going to be worried out of her mind.”
Tanner’s brows furrowed. “I never thought about that. Landon said Declan and Kendra were in trouble, and I just went with it.”
“A guy like me would find your willingness to risk your life for your friends as something admirable. A woman who cares about you? Probably not so much.”
Tanner swore. “I’m screwed, aren’t I?”
Angelo just looked at him.
Tanner stared at the ground as if contemplating exactly how screwed he was. After a moment, he lifted his head. “What would you do in this situation?”
Angelo laughed as he took another swig from his canteen. “Dude, I’m the last one you should be asking. I suck when it comes to knowing what women want to hear. Which is why I don’t have one waiting back at home worrying about me.”
The panicked look on Tanner’s face was painful to see. Angelo swore under his breath. Great. Just what we need out here. Another guy who’s distracted. He had to get Tanner’s head back in the game, and quick.
“Okay, I’m not sure how much this will help, but if I were you, the first thing I’d do when I got back would be to show up at her door with a gift of some kind,” Angelo advised. “F
lowers. Chocolates. Hell, I don’t know—a plush tree sloth if you can find a store that sells them. Anything like that. Then make sure the first words out of your mouth are, I’m sorry for making you worry. Women like a man who can apologize when he’s wrong.”
Or so his mom had always told him.
Tanner thought about that. “You really think it will work?”
“I have absolutely no idea. I suck pond water when it comes to charming women. But on the bright side, if this rescue goes south, we’ll probably all get killed and you won’t have to worry about what to say to her.”
It really wasn’t that funny when Angelo said it out loud, but Tanner grinned anyway, the worry disappearing from his face. “I’ll use that as my backup plan. Until then, I’ll keep my eyes open for a plush tree sloth.”
***
Declan lay on the sand-covered cave floor with nothing but a poncho separating him from the ground, and decided it was the most comfortable place he’d ever slept. Of course, the beautiful woman draped over his chest probably had something to do with that. Kendra had spent the whole night on top of him—first making love to him like a vixen, then sleeping like an angel, and he’d loved every second of it. Actually, he’d loved her more and more every second of it. Further resistance was futile. He was completely, one hundred percent in love with her.
Discovering Kendra felt the same way about him was what had finally pushed him over the edge. Okay, so maybe the word love hadn’t come up last night, but there was no mistaking the fact that Kendra cared for him. Right now, that was enough.
He grinned at the rock ceiling. To say last night had been incredible didn’t even begin to cover it. He’d never dreamed sex could be so good. He realized now that what he used to consider great sex had been barely average compared to what being with Kendra felt like. It almost hurt to think how hard—and how many times—he’d come. He was already dreaming of how much better it was going to be when he got her in a nice, soft bed.
A moan from beneath his chin let him know that his princess was finally waking up. Kendra lifted her head and gave him a sexy smile that made his cock start to harden. Or maybe it was simply the fact that she was naked.
