Stas closed his eyes. He could feel the animals tearing at each other, ripping through his mind. His DNA didn’t want to accept the bear, but the creature couldn’t leave. Its essence was carried on every genetic strand in the serum-filled needle. The only way to get rid of it was for his other shifter genes to attack the invader and kill it. But as fast as they destroyed one strand, three more were created.
Stas struggled to breathe, to take control. In his slowly breaking mind, he called to the tiger and the wolf. Listen to me! Natalie is dead. If you two don’t accept the bear, we’ll all be dead!
The native predators stumbled. It was strange, sensing communication between the wolf and the cat without comprehension. They were both wounded, but Stas knew the bear was as well. A violent convulsion tore another guttural scream from his ravaged body and he lost focus.
Stas succumbed to the struggle under his skin. He did the only thing he could think of, he relinquished all control. With his body bound in pain, he wasn’t getting away, but severing all human command freed the man to think and organize. At this point, survival was most important. If he couldn’t get back control after that, well, chances were he wouldn’t survive in the first place.
“All these years I’ve spent trying to understand you, Stanislov.” His grandfather looked down at him, a power hungry glow in his misshapen eyes. “You’re more unique than you imagine, boy. I’ve only found three other natural chimeras, and none of them could manifest more than one animal.” Its grotesquery of a tongue lolled over one tusk, dripping saliva to the floor. “They didn’t survive the introduction of a non-original genetic strand. Only I have managed that.”
Stanislov struggled to speak. “You’re sick. The only thing you’ve managed to do is corrupt yourself into something out of nightmares!” He glanced at the rubble burying Natalie. Stas wept inside. Her lifeless hand peeking from beneath mortar and steel reminded him of his last memory of his mother.
Natalie! I need you!
Another wave of pain ripped the breath from his lungs. Heat and white light filled his head. Stanislov reached for it with everything he had. If God were benevolent, it would be the end. He’d be with Natalie again.
But it wasn’t the light of redemption. The moment Stas threw himself into the warm radiance it engulfed his whole body. The smell of dirt and leaves, the must of moss and the metallic flavor of clay flooded his senses. As the heat and light moved through him, Stas finally recognized what it was. Magic.
Earth energy poured into his body and the beasts stopped fighting. Stas continued to writhe, sweat breaking over his skin, but the pain was fading. A sense of calm and balance eased his tight muscles. Magic worked through his body.
Stas sensed it surrounding the beasts, mending wounds, rejuvenating him. When the power faded, Stas readied himself to attack, but the power wasn’t finished. A bolt of lightning plunged through his body, liberating his taut muscles, but bowing his spine off the floor, tearing an agonized bellow from him. He collapsed to the floor, exhausted, undone.
“It’s almost done now. Soon, you’ll be at my side where you belong. Together we’ll bring man and preternatural into a new millennium.”
“You’re a maniac. I won’t help you; I’ll kill you first. How could you think I’d join you? You killed my mother, your own daughter, for power!”
“I loved my daughter!” Igborski turned away from Stas, his words thick with sorrow. “I regret every day that she had to die, but my work is of greater importance than one life!” Stas wanted to be sick. Somehow it was worse knowing that Karl Igborski truly did love his daughter, truly did regret her death, but could excuse it in the name of his greed for power.
“Your work is an abomination.” Stas was so weak. He fought the blackness calling him.
“My work has saved millions of human lives! Without me, there’d be no cures! I used the knowledge I gained about shifters to better the entire world! I’m a savior!” Rage lit Igborski from the inside. He whirled on Stas, his hands curled into fists.
Stanislov curled his lip in disgust. “I’m ashamed to claim lineage from you.” He hurled the epithet before working his throat. The spit caught his grandfather on the cheek. The monster roared in rage, drawing back one massive leg, intent on stomping Stas to death.
Power surged through Stas’s body and he acquiesced to its dominion. Stas didn’t try to direct the magic; he simply fueled it with rage and despair. The floor beneath them exploded with roots and rock, knocking his grandfather to the ground. The entire lab detonated with wild energy, the earth herself searching out the monster within. Igborski tried to stand, but vegetation engulfed him, binding his arms and legs, stringing him up off the floor like some demented puppet.
The chimera’s supernatural strength was superior to Stas’s, but as Stas himself had learned, nothing was stronger than the flora. The image of Natalie slamming against the wall and collapsing to the floor burned in Stas’s mind. Rage, hatred, the pain of losing the only thing that mattered, exploded from him and into the magic.
“You’ll never win! I’m invinci --” The thickest tree root Stas had ever seen erupted through the floor, plunging upward into Igborski’s writhing body, tearing through the maniac. His words stopped, blood spewing from his chest and mouth. Shock slid over the monster’s face.
“No one’s invincible.” Stas looked away as the earth bore down on Karl Igborski. He didn’t have to watch to know stone rained down on him from above, crushing his body, even while branch and vine tore him limb from limb.
When all sound ceased, Stanislov rolled to his side. His abused form didn’t want to cooperate, but he had to get up. He had to take Natalie’s body back to her family.
Pushing himself to his knees, Stas stilled, listening to those who lived inside. He clutched his head, bright white exploding behind his eyes. He saw his beasts clearly when the strength of the light dissipated. The tiger and the wolf stood strong on either side of a sleepy bear. Get our mate. Natalie, her magic, had saved him, saved them. Dark despair surged through him with every broken beat of his heart, but Stas ignored it. He had no right to feel sorry for himself. She’d given her life for him.
He stood, woozy at first, stumbling to the rubble covering Nat. With the strength of three predators working for him, the heavy walls flew through the air like tissue paper. Her still form finally revealed to him, Stanislov grabbed her close and wrapped his arms around her. He could smell blood all over her. It was sticky against his skin, some of the wounds still weeping.
Wait a minute, the dead don’t bleed.
“Natalie?” Stas whispered her name, tears erupting from his eyes when her eyelids flickered. Overwhelmed, he buried his face in her neck.
“Hold on, I’m getting you out of here!” Stas tried to rise, freezing when the terrifying rattle slipped past her lips. His eyes flew to her face, the dull blue of her eyes telling him it was too late.
“Not gonna make it.” Her voice, broken and dry, struggled for each word. “Is he dead?”
“Yes. I’m so sorry, Natalie. I swore I’d protect you. I failed.” More careful this time, he folded her closer to his body. She made a soft sound of reassurance.
“You did protect me. Stanislov --” Nat broke off, choking on blood. “I have to tell you --” Her body convulsed and she went still.
“No! No!” Stas squeezed her, his heart screaming the words he hadn’t given her. “I love you! Come back to me!”
Stas wanted to lie down beside her and drift into oblivion, but the retrieval team was waiting. He stood, struggling under the weight of grief and exhaustion. He had no idea how long the battle had waged, but Black must be worried.
As if conjured by thought, a low growl echoed through the ruined lab. “What have you done?” Black’s blood red eyes glowed with fury.
“I let her die.” Stanislov didn’t bother to make excuses.
Black’s jet-black hands clenched into fists and he showed his deadly teeth. “I’ll kill you.”
&n
bsp; “I’ll let you.” The two men faced off, Natalie’s lifeless body cradled in Stas’s arms. “I can’t --” Stas looked at Black for a moment. A ball of fire coalesced in his gut, power burning through him. He dropped to his knees, clearing debris with one hand. Laying Nat flat on the ground, Stas tore her tactical suit apart.
“What the hell are you doing?” Joshua charged at him, grabbing for his arm.
“Damn it, Black, help me! I can’t do this alone.”
“You’re mad, Rubenesso.” Disgust twisted Black’s scarred face.
“I can heal her, I know I can!”
“You’re not a healer!”
“You are! Tell me what the fuck to do, Joshua!” Stanislov moved fabric out of the way, exposing Nat’s broken body. Bones had ruptured her skin. Deep bruises spread from her collar bone to her thighs, blood both dry and congealed making a mockery of her once flawless flesh.
“What are you talking about?”
“Cut the shit, Black. Do you really fucking think I don’t know you can heal?”
Joshua looked away. “I’m not good enough to fix her.”
“I can! I can’t explain it, but somehow… I can use her magic. Now fucking help me save her. You owe her.” Black nodded, then dropped to his knees on Nat’s other side. “I don’t know how to heal. Tell me how.”
“Can you feel the fire?”
“Yes.”
“All right. Look at her. I know you’re not medically trained, but you can see what’s broken.”
“Yes! Fuck, Black, hurry up.”
“Shut the fuck up, Rubenesso! Focus on what’s wrong with her. Don’t think of anything else but what needs fixing. Now put your hands on her.”
Stas closed his eyes and obeyed. Her ribs needed repairing, her lungs, too. The black blood coating her belly suggested liver and maybe spleen damage as well. He placed his hands on Natalie and the molten power in his gut exploded up through his chest and down his arms.
“Now what?”
“Shove the power into her. Don’t hesitate. Force it into her and with the damage in mind, direct the magic to heal her.”
Stas squeezed his eyes tight and put the force of his will behind the energy in his hands. He felt it hesitate at the surface of her skin before plunging into Nat’s body. He concentrated on what he thought was wrong, immersing himself in the magic, guiding it as much as it guided him. He found every broken bone, every severed artery.
The magic pounded through him and into her, healing everything. As fast as it had balled in his gut, the magic dispersed, leaving Stas drained. Eyes closed he slumped to the floor. “I can’t do any more.”
He lay there heaving, tears clogging his throat. He’d still failed.
“Rubenesso.”
“We can’t leave her.”
“Rubenesso!”
Stas sat up and looked at Black. The other man jerked his head at Nat. Stas looked at her body, no bones showing, no bruises. Her body at least was whole. His eyes traveled over her chest, still bare, and he had a moment of jealousy. He looked over her throat and nose, and fell into pools of dark, living cerulean.
Nat’s voice croaked. “Enjoying the view?”
“Natalya.” Stanislov gathered her from the floor and laughed with joy.
“Ease up, man. I’m healed but still sore.” Nat pressed her hands weakly against his shoulders.
Stas pulled back from her, his hands smoothing over her back and neck, assuring himself it wasn’t a dream. He looked past her face at Joshua, but the other man had turned away. Stas didn’t need to be psychic to know Black was overcome with relief.
Black cleared his throat. “Are we done?”
Stas stood, holding Nat close to his chest. “Yes.”
In half the time it took to get in, Black led Stas and Nat out of the lab. Once they were topside, Natalie helped Stanislov call upon the elements to obliterate the lab from existence. She kissed him softly when it was done. Nat wasn’t sad Igborski was dead or that The Veil was defeated. That Stas’s grandfather was responsible for so much pain was what made her heart ache.
“I’m so sorry, Nat. I should have told you. I should have…” His voice trailed off when her fingers grasped his chin.
“There’s nothing to forgive. We got the scientists out, killed the bad guy, and destroyed his hideout. All in a day’s work. Now, take me home.” Stas pressed his lips to hers and obeyed.
Chapter 16
Nat woke in her own bed, alone. She grumbled under her breath and fought back tears.
She’d been home for three days. After they’d destroyed the lab, Joshua had evaced them to Moscow and Stas had immediately put them on a plane to Wyoming. He’d brought her home, all right, just not the one she wanted to be at.
“Enough feeling sorry for yourself.” She rifled through her drawers, jerking clothes on. She was going after him.
The coward had waited until she’d fallen into exhausted sleep to leave, but he hadn’t returned. She’d cried. She wasn’t doing that again. If he wouldn’t come to her, she’d go to him.
She slammed the door to her bedroom and half-jogged down the hall to the kitchen. She needed coffee and car keys, then she’d hunt down the bastard. Nat lifted the steaming cup to her lips as she looked around for some keys. And finally noticed the very crowded kitchen.
“What’s up, fellas? Brian, nice to see you.” Nat set the cup down and crossed her arms over her chest. All six of her brothers, her father, Joshua, and Brian O’Connor lounged, sat, or reclined against every available surface in the large kitchen.
“Dad?” Nat looked at each of the men, but none would meet her gaze. Her brothers looked sheepish, O’Connor and Joshua looking downright embarrassed.
“Natalya.”
She spun around. “Where the hell have you been?”
Stas jerked in surprise. “Uh, I, uh…”
“You asshole. I asked you to take me home. Did you really think I meant to Mommy and Daddy’s?”
“I don’t know…”
“Obviously.” Nat clenched her teeth and stomped right to him. She stopped a few inches in front of him. Stas tensed, unsure what she wanted. Without any warning, she punched him hard in the gut.
“Oof.” She’d really nailed him and Stas tipped forward a bit.
“That’s for being an idiot. Now kiss me.”
Natalie didn’t give him time to react. She looped her arms around his neck, pressed her body to his, and captured his mouth. Their audience, the room, everything disappeared but the taste and feel of his Natalya.
She kissed him harder, using her tongue to open his lips, plunging her tongue deep. Stas’s hands raced over her body, assuaging his need to be sure she was whole. She’d tied her hair in a ponytail, which he wrapped around his fist, tugging softly. Nat tipped her head back and moaned.
The sound of several throats clearing finally pulled them apart.
“I love you.” Stas looked deep into her eyes, wanting her to see the truth.
“I’ve known that for a while.” Nat smiled when his eyes widened. “And I love you, too. Come on, let’s go outside.” She turned in his arms and pointedly looked at the men in her family.
Several of her brothers smiled, the other two nodded. She tugged him through the kitchen and out to the wrap-around porch.
Once outside, they attacked each other. Nat jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Stas walked them to the railing, pressing her body against a decorative beam, grinding his rock hard cock against her sweet spot.
“God, Nat, I thought I’d lost you.” Stas pulled back from her, guilt stilling his movements.
“You didn’t. Guess you got a little bit of me in ya, too.”
Stas looked at her confused and Nat smiled. She unwrapped her legs and moved to the swing. He followed.
“I want to tell you a story, Stas. It’s about a powerful earth mage with a secret ability. One she had no trouble controlling until she fell in love with a hard-assed, arrogant…” she paused a
nd took his hand in hers, “and so very noble were-tiger.”
Emma Ray Garrett
I took the road less traveled by, and let me tell you it’s a wild roller coaster, this life I live. Through it all, though, writing has kept me (moderately) sane. I’m the ultimate alpha female and my husband loves me anyway. I have three beautiful children who keep me busy but I always find time to get words on paper. Fans can contact me at [email protected], visit my website at http://www.romance-the-night.com, and join the Yahoo! group: renee_and_emma_ray. I love reader feedback!
Pret Ops: Familiar Page 8
