A furious battle ensued. Back and forth they went, dueling it out with heavy swings. Smoke matched Kane’s every move, further infuriating the monster on purpose, looking for the right time to make his move.
That time came. Kane’s eyes lost their focus, the monster was so beside himself with rage.
Smoke sidestepped to counter a lunge Kane had tried before, and then smooth as silk, he pivoted on his foot, spun, and sliced right through Kane’s shoulder.
“Arrgh!” the shifter yelled. He sprang back, eyes once again wary.
Smoke raised his chin. “So, you can’t attack and be a ghost at the same time, can you.”
“Touché, but it will make no difference. I can still wear you down. However, I tire of this game.” Holding his bloodied shoulder, Kane tossed his sword to the floor and barked a command. “Kill him!”
Sid hip-tossed Vormus to the floor and kicked him in the head. Swift as a panther, she disarmed the nearest man of his assault rifle and started firing into the guards and deaders. Every shot hit its mark, dropping man after man and deader after deader like bowling pins.
She looked at Smoke. “What are you waiting for? Don’t you want to live forever?”
Sword arcing high, Smoke flung himself into the surge of bodies. The Arabian sword bit flesh and bone. But that wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted Kane. Vormus. Both had evacuated the scene. He punched a hole through a deader’s chest, chopped into another’s leg at the knee, filled his hands with his own assault rifle, and started firing off short bursts. Caught up in the heat of battle, he almost forgot the purpose of his mission.
This is an extraction, not an incursion.
“Sid! We need to make a break for it!”
She filled a deader’s chest full of lead and then looked over Smoke’s shoulder toward the gaping doorway. “Tell him that!”
Smoke glanced behind him.
Towering at eight feet tall and built like a mighty oak, a giant barred their path. He had a long chin, nose, and ears, and his eyes were black as coal. In his hands was an assault rifle. He snapped it in half and said in a cavernous voice, “Come. Come get some.”
CHAPTER 36
Grabbing another dead pea coat’s rifle, Sid said, “Did he really just say that?”
“That’s what I heard,” Smoke said.
“Thought so.” She squeezed the trigger and unloaded into the giant’s chest.
Budda-budda-budda-budda!
It started laughing. “Huh-huh-huh, pretty woman come. Come and die.” Fast for a huge man, it lunged at Sid.
Smoke shot a short burst of rounds into its temple.
Not slowing one bit, it grabbed Sid around her waist and picked her up like a doll. “Come-come. Kiss-Kiss.”
Abandoning his rifle, Smoke took up the Arabian sword and hacked into the monster man’s elbow. The blade bit down to the bone.
The giant dropped Sid and howled. “Eeooowwww!”
Smoke chopped it in the knee.
“No no no!” the giant bellowed like a child. It swatted Smoke back against the wall. Its fingers stretched for Smoke’s throat.
Sid came out of nowhere, sword in hand. She cut the giant’s hand off at the wrist.
The giant looked at his severed hand with astonished wide eyes. “Come-come—”
Smoke made a hard swipe at the back of the giant’s legs.
Hack!
Down the giant went.
Smoke remembered the giants from before in the city, Rexor and Thorgrim. He’d thought he had killed them before, but he’d seen later that they hadn’t died. This one probably wouldn’t either. “We need to go,” Smoke said to Sid.
Staring at the giant with a wild look in her eyes, she said, “Maybe we need to cut his head off, like David did to Goliath.”
“Come-Come. No-No!”
“Let’s go,” said Smoke. “The vitamins are fading, Sid.”
She took his hand, and they raced out the front doors with their scimitars. “Where are we headed?”
“Dock.” He’d felt the energy start to leave him, and that was bad. He was bleeding already from two nasty cuts, and there wouldn’t be any time to patch them up. They needed to go, and go now, in case more reinforcements arrived. The chopper caught his ear. The engines whirred with life, and the blades had started spinning. “Looks like Kane’s leaving your farewell party early. We can’t let that happen now, can we?”
“Let him go, Smoke. Come on, let’s go.”
The chopper took off.
“He’s already gotten away.”
“No he hasn’t.” Smoke started regurgitating. He spat a red-tipped bullet out into his hand, loaded it into a clip, shoved it in the gun, and took aim. He paused, looked at Sid, and tossed her the gun. “Let ’em have it, baby!”
Sid took aim and squeezed the trigger.
The entire chopper exploded. Chunks of metal and propeller blades whizzed overhead. The chopper bounced off the ground. Metal grinded on stone, made a twisted groaning sound, and went still. Only a huge ball of flame remained.
“Nice shot,” Smoke said, “but I’m not calling the fire department. Let’s go.”
He took a few steps forward. His knees buckled, and he dropped his scimitar.
Sid swept under his arm and gave him support. “I’ve got you, John.”
Exhausted and bleeding, the pair stumbled toward the dock, where the river wind cooled Smoke’s aching limbs.
“It’s been one heckuva night, hasn’t it?”
“You’ve never failed to show me a good time, John. Why would tonight be any different?”
“Never a dull moment, huh?”
“Not so far.” She smiled, and they kissed again, more briefly this time.
They were on the lawn close to the dock where the yacht was moored. There weren’t any signs of Sam or Guppy, just the yacht. Stark and sleek in the night, it promised all the frivolities of the uber rich.
“You ever been on a cruise?”
“No. Why, you going to take me on one?”
“Yeah. That one.”
“It’s a pretty big boat. Can you drive it?”
Feeling woozy and sick to his stomach, he replied, “I can drive anything.”
He heard something behind them and wheeled him and Sid around.
With a machine gun in hand, Kane was marching straight for them through the trees. “Don’t even think about it, you fools!”
Both of them were supporting each other now. Sid sagged at his side. He did his best to hold her up, but he was losing the battle.
“Sid, you’re out of juice too, aren’t you.”
“Yes.”
“What’s the matter, you two?” Kane said with a sneer. His clothes were scorched and in tatters. Most of his shirt was gone. He was all flaring nostrils and heaving chest muscles. “Is there no more juice in your caboose?”
Sid rolled her eyes.
Smoke squeezed her close.
Kane spat. “I have to admit, I underestimated both of you. It turns out you would rather suffer than just die. Well, I’m not toying around anymore. Using this technological tool is beneath me, but screw it.” He cocked the assault rifle. “I want you assholes dead!”
Caught flat-footed in the wide open, Smoke pushed Sid behind him, saying to her softly, “I’ve still got my suit. Stay behind me.”
“That won’t help, fool! I’ll be aiming for your head, so unless your skull is made of metal, you’ll be oozing brains all over your woman in a moment.”
Kane took aim.
Sid squeezed Smoke’s waist.
The shifter pulled the trigger.
Click!
“Damn them all to hell! I hate these modern things!” Kane charged the handle again and resumed his aim. “I hope you enjoyed that moment.”
A figure dropped out of the sky and landed right on top of Kane’s back, knocking the weapon to the ground. It was Vormus.
“What are you doing, fool for a brother?” Kane spat.
“I’
m uncrossing my double cross,” Vormus said, squeezing Kane’s throat. “Or maybe it’s called a triple cross. I don’t know, but my vengeance is at hand.” His eyes were white fire, his fangs pure silver. He looked at Sid and Smoke. “Make haste, you fools. If I don’t win, he’ll tear us all apart.”
With a new surge of strength, Smoke and Sid were off and running. Their feet hit the dock at full speed. Ahead and previously obscured by the yacht, Smoke saw a pair of arms waving. It was Sam, yelling from a speedboat that looked small in front of the yacht. “Over here! Over here!”
Two guards in pea coats popped up on the yacht and started firing. One aimed for Sam, the other Sid and Smoke. Sam went down.
CHAPTER 37
“Noooo!” Smoke jumped forward. A bullet caught him in the shoulder, knocking him flat on his back. He could still see the deaders with machine guns, blasting away. Bullets were zipping by all over when suddenly it stopped. The gunmen teetered on the railing. One dropped on the dock. The other into the river.
Guppy.
“Come on.” Sid helped him to his feet.
The two labored forward to the boat Sam was in.
“Sam! Sam!” Smoke pleaded, grimacing. It hurt to speak. The sweetheart suit had blocked most of the damage, but taking a powerful round still felt like getting hit by a speeding train. He climbed down into the boat. “Sam!”
“I’m hit,” Sam moaned. Her voice was coming from the cuddy cabin. “I’m hit.”
Smoke handed Sid into the boat and then climbed into the cabin. “Where?”
“Oh, my arm, my arm,” Sam groaned.
He checked her out. A bullet had torn a sliver of skin from her forearm. He sat her up. “You’re going to be okay.”
Looking at her arm then back at him, his sister made a face. “Are you kidding me? That’s going to leave a scar. I’m going to have to wear long sleeves from now on.”
Smoke popped his head out of the cabin and said to Sid, who was now speeding the boat across the river, “She’s going to be fine.”
“Good,” Sid replied with an exhausted and weary smile. “Good.”
“Take it straight across,” he said.
They beached the boat. Guppy jumped in the water and carried Sam out onto the shore.
“Why’d you let them shoot me for?” she said to him.
“Sorry, dear, it won’t happen again.”
“Well I hope not.”
Smoke and Sid helped each other out of the stern. Both of them were skinned up and bloody, and they enjoyed the cool river water for a minute before they high-stepped their way up the sandy beach. He found a large log and sat down.
Sid did the same and leaned against him and sighed.
“Ditto,” he said.
She placed her hand on his. “Smoke, thanks for coming. I don’t think I ever would have made it out of there without you. My mind, it was just, just gone. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“Yes, yes I do.” Her head sagged into her hands. “Thank God for that super vitamin. It got me out of that funk I was in. Kane, that Kane. He’s such a—”
“Monster?”
“Bastard monster.” She huffed a chuckle.
Asia appeared. “Aw look, love birds back together. Look like dirty farm boy and farm girl.” She sprayed something on Sid’s wounds.
“Ow!” Sid replied. “What is that?”
“Antiseptic spray. It will stop the bleeding. Clean the wound. Has a nice minty scent. Cover the stink on a pig.” She patted her stomach. “I’m getting hungry. Mal! Mal! I need to eat.” She started spraying Smoke’s gashes. “Aw, these are really bad. I’m going to need my sewing kit. Mal! Mal! Jungle boy here tore your suit. Very bad. Very, very bad. I can’t stitch this.” She walked away as she spoke.
“She’s awfully fussy,” Sid said.
“Cause she’s always hungry.”
“Morning glory, maybe she has a tapeworm.”
Smoke chuckled.
Sid joined in. As their laughter subsided, she said, “I’m worried about Megan.”
“Do you know where she is?”
“I think. Maybe Kane won’t hurt her, though. She’s Allison’s, and Allison’s in league with them now.”
“So you’ve given up on your sister?”
“Only Allison can save Allison. We’ll see.” Still snuggled next to him, she turned her head toward his. “Do you think Vormus killed Kane?”
Staring at the estate on the other side, he shrugged. It was pitch black over there, aside from the burning helicopter.
I should have planted some C4 over there and blown the whole place up.
“I doubt it.”
“I hope he did. I hope they killed each other. I really hate those guys.”
“I could go back over and finish the job.”
Sid locked her fingers with his. “No, we’ll just have to see what happens. It can wait. Besides, if he survives we’ll know about it soon enough.”
“How’s that?”
“I was around Kane long enough to know he’ll eliminate anything that threatens him. So if he lives, you can bet your boots we’ll be public enemy number one.”
“Sounds like a good time. I like being a wanted man.”
“You’re wanted, alright.”
Mal sauntered over and kneeled down in front of them. “What on earth did they cut my suit with?”
“A sword,” Smoke replied.
“What sword?”
“There’s one in the boat.”
Mal fetched it. “This is fascinating.” He swung it around a few times in an awkward motion and dropped it.
“Stop playing with that,” Asia said. “You’ll cut yourself. Enough wounds to patch up already. Now hurry up. It’s time to eat some food before my stomach eats itself.”
Staring out over the rippling black waters of the river, Smoke said to Sid, “Are you ready to go back to the real world?”
“I’ve never been more ready.” She pushed herself up to her feet and reached down to help Smoke up. “Let’s go. I feel like I need a month of sleep.”
Despite her tired appearance, Sid looked beautiful in the moonlight. Strength and confidence had returned to her dark eyes. Something about her demeanor stirred Smoke’s blood. It always had. He knew it always would. He grabbed her hand, fished something out of his second skin, and took a knee.
“What are you doing?” Sid asked with a look of surprise on her face.
“Yes, what you doing, raggedy man?” Asia said. “Let’s get going.”
Sam and Guppy approached, and with the others it almost completed a circle.
Smoke looked up into Sid’s eyes and showed her the engagement ring in his hand. “With God and our friends as witnesses, I ask you, Sid, will you take this ring and be my wife?”
Smoke Signals: Book 7
CHAPTER 1
Smoke still had one knee planted in the soft dirt of the river shore. In one hand he held the engagement ring and in the other hand was Sid’s palm. They were surrounded by Sam, Guppy, Mal, Asia, the breeze of the river, and the moon shining down in his eyes.
Sid’s brows were creased. Her eyes watered. She pulled a strand of long black hair from her mouth.
He said it again. “Will you marry me, Sid?”
“I—I,” she said, swallowing.
“Tsk, tsk,” Asia said. She sprayed more antiseptic on Smoke’s wounds. “What horrible timing to ask such an important question. Not very romantic. Just answer the man’s question, Sidney. Yes or no. I want to go. I’m hungry.”
Soft eyed and scholarly, Mal Gunderson got ahold of Asia’s arm and said, “Perhaps we should leave them alone for a moment.”
“Pfft!” Asia said. “She’s going to say no. I already can tell. She’s a difficult woman.” She patted Smoke on the shoulder. “You’ll find another, not so stubborn.”
Fists drawn up at her sides, Sam blurted out, “Will you shut up, Asia?” She glanced at Smoke, shrugged, and took h
old of Guppy’s arm. The pair of them walked away.
Sid took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“It’s just the two of us now, Sid,” he said. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking I’m tired and thankful. Also, Asia is right. Your timing is horrible.” She sniffed and wiped her face. Her eyes drifted over the river to the bank on the other side. “But I wouldn’t expect anything else from you.”
He could see the distant flames from the chopper in her eyes. She wasn’t there with him at the moment. She was back over on the other side at Kane Lancaster’s mansion. There was no telling what all Sid had been through. How much she’d been subjected to. How much suffering? Was there pain? Did she have a case of Stockholm syndrome coursing through her veins? He started to pull the ring back, saying, “I know my timing isn’t the best, but nothing in my life has felt right without you in it. You’re the one for me and I’m the one for you. Search your heart, look me in the eye, and tell me you don’t feel that way too.”
A tear ran down her cheek, but she didn’t look him in the eye. Without looking at him, she said, “What kind of life will we have together? This world is sick and full of monsters.” Her hand squeezed his. “They’ll come after us and destroy everything we have. Kane is vengeful. If he lives, we’ll be dead.”
Smoke tugged on her hand. “Get down here and look at me.”
Slowly, she sank to her knees. Her watery eyes were downcast.
Smoke tipped her chin up with his fingers until her eyes met his, and he said, “You aren’t the kind of woman who lets someone else dictate life to you. You’re strong. You do what you want. And you’re allowed to have what you want—unless you’re going to let those monsters stop you. But they aren’t going to stop me from having what I want. I want you. I need you. I love you.”
Her breath shuddered. She sobbed. “I’m a mess.”
“We both are.”
Trembling, she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. Her warm tears dropped down his neck. She said, “I love you, John. You know I love you.”
His heart pounded. Sid was the one he’d give anything for. He wanted her more now than ever, and he was sincere about it. He’d go to hell and back for her no matter how many times it took. But doubt crept into his thoughts as soon as she parted her lips to speak again. Don’t say “but.” Don’t say “but.”
The Supernatural Bounty Hunter Files Collector's Set: Books 1-10: Urban Fantasy Shifter Series Page 80
