by Eve Langlais
Inside the cages…
“Ah, shit,” he cursed. Seemed he’d just found some of the test subjects. About five of them at any rate. The one in the cage closest to him more octopus than man, the too human eyes—a bright blue—bobbing in a gelatinous mass that shook with rage.
The thing—because sympathy couldn’t go as far as calling it him—oozed toward the bars, jelly arms flailing, but stopped short of touching them. Good thing, because if it came after Jeb, he wasn’t too sure how to kill it. He’d left the flamethrower in the truck.
A few more steps and he got to see the next test subject. Some kind of lizard-man, it’s body a mishmash of reptile parts. It hissed. He hissed back.
The other cages held other impossible creatures. None of them able to speak in words. None of them human.
And then he saw the final cage, the one with the bars twisted and bent enough that someone could escape. Feathers were scattered on the floor.
The scent?
“Angel.” He whispered her name. What had happened?
It was then he heard it. A screeching scream of rage that somehow echoed throughout the building and goosed his skin.
He went running for the door and the stairs, intent on going up. Because when the cry faded, he caught the sound of a helicopter preparing for takeoff.
23
Boviary was right when he said people had a unique scent, and now that Nev knew to look for it, it wasn’t hard to follow.
The cell was a bit tricky to escape, the bars sizzling her skin. But her anger wasn’t about to let them stand in her away. Especially since she still felt the sting of the needles entering her skin.
Not even a prisoner a few minutes on the plane and they were filling her full of poison.
They’d put her to sleep, and she awoke in a cell.
In a foul mood.
A mood that exploded when she inhaled the perfume of that woman.
Her.
The one who wanted to hurt Jeb.
Once the bars bent, the red haze helped her through the obstacles in her path. They stood in the way of the smell she tracked.
It went all the way to the rooftop. Emerging on the top of the building, Nev didn’t even look as a body lunged at her.
Crack.
Necks were fragile things.
She cocked her head as she observed the slender column of her target. It wouldn’t take much pressure to break.
“You.” Nev pointed a finger with a rather longish nail at the end. Black, too, despite the fact she’d not had them painted in ages.
The lady in red never lost her cool, but she did bark an order to the men flanking her. “Shoot the subject.”
The darts hit, spreading their drug, and Nev sank to her knees. Damn it. Not now. She was so close to her revenge. So close to making the world a safer place.
She put out her hands so she wouldn’t splat on her face. She couldn’t focus on anything but the bright red pumps Jeb’s mama wore.
“Well, you were more trouble than it was worth. You led the boys to me.”
Despite the sluggishness in her veins, Nev managed a crooked smile. “I did. Tracker.”
“Smart. But easy enough to take care of when we’re in the air. Get in the chopper.”
“N-no.” She managed to stutter the word as she lifted her head.
“Get in the chopper or you and those curs who carry my blood will die.” The lady in red held up a small device with an antenna. “One push of this button and you’ll all go kaboom.”
“Your kids.”
“Those boys have been a never-ending source of annoyance. So don’t think I won’t push it.”
The threat moved Nev’s leaden legs. She staggered closer, aware of the guards with their weapons trained on her. Waiting to pump her full of more narcotics.
She wobbled and blinked, her eyes losing focus.
“Hold out your hands,” the woman ordered. “Tie her.”
A swaying Nev didn’t resist as the plastic strands went around her wrists and were cinched.
“Load her in the chopper. Time to go.”
Hands grabbed at Nev and thrust her inside, not taking care to be gentle. But she welcomed the pain. It helped ease some of the numbness from the drugs.
Jeb’s evil mama tossed the device to her henchman. “Once we’ve cleared the building, blow it up.”
But… “Jeb.” The word croaked from Nev, and a single tear managed to drop.
“Is in the building and will probably die. Or not. You never know with those damned Joneses. They’re a stubborn lot. In a way, I kind of hope Jeb makes it out. I’m sure he would jump at a chance to be reunited with you. To help me take the next step in our experiments.”
“He won’t help you.” The words were pushed past a thick tongue.
“Maybe he won’t want to, not at first, but there are ways of making him bend.”
The implication was clear. And horrifying.
“You can’t hurt him.”
“I won’t do it myself. But he will bow to my will and do as he’s told or suffer.”
The fact that this mother could so coldly speak of hurting her son, her child, roused the memories of Nev’s own youth. How her daddy liked to hurt her.
“No,” she said, the word but a soft whisper. “No.” It emerged louder and stronger, if unheard over the now roaring engine of the helicopter blades.
The rage grew stronger each time she said it. “No.” It burned in her veins. “No.” She wouldn’t allow it to happen. Hadn’t there been enough pain already?
It’s time someone else felt the pain, the dark voice inside spoke, the words wrapping around her consciousness, soothing her with a promise. I can make this right.
Let me in. Let me take care of you.
Give in to her darkness? Yet what other choice did she have?
Fix this. Save us. Save Jeb.
The darkness flowed over her with cool calm and determination.
Strength pulsed inside her, burning away the drugs. Her muscles tensed, and the tether at her wrists broke with a firm tug. She stood inside the large helicopter.
Free.
Angry.
And finally, no longer a half-breed.
Her voice was terrible when she screamed.
24
The chopper had barely risen from the roof when Jeb heard the shriek. It raised the hair on his body, pimpled his flesh, and made his blood run cold.
“Angel.” He murmured her name and stared up at the sky. Too late.
Or was he?
The machine in the air wobbled, as if something happened on board. The windshield blew outward, and a body came flying out. The pilot. Immediately, the chopper began to list.
“Oh shit.” Jeb ran for the edge of the rooftop knowing there was nothing he could do, and yet he couldn’t help but follow.
“Jump,” he shouted. “Dammit, Angel. Get out of there!” Before it crashed. They could fix broken bones, but they couldn’t—
Boom! The chopper hit the ground, the impact enough to make everything around them shudder. The blades screeched and whined as they kept trying to turn. Smoke began to billow, and he could only watch, helpless, as it exploded, sending chunks of metal flying. He shielded his face only for a moment before looking again.
Looking for any signs of a survivor.
He dropped to his knees as the billowing smoke and flames filled the air.
His brother, he didn’t know or care which one, clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry.”
Such an inadequate word to describe his anguish.
“Kreeeeee!” The scream wasn’t his, even if it bubbled inside. His head lifted and lifted some more until he stared overhead at the dark angel descending from the heavens.
His angel. Who looked terrifying.
But alive.
Her eyes blazed, her skin was drawn and gray, her lip curled back over fangs, and her fingers, long, curved talons, but he’d never seen anything more beautiful.
; “Angel.” He held out his arms even as his brother whistled, “Are ye feckin’ nuts?”
Yes. He was. Nuts for this woman.
For a moment, he wondered if she’d hug or eviscerate him.
Then there was no wondering for she threw herself at him, her arms wrapping around him, sobs wracking her body while he held her, whispering soothing words. “It’s okay. You’re safe.” Which was all that mattered.
“She was gonna kill you,” Nev murmured against his skin.
“Now she can’t hurt anyone.” Because no way had anyone survived the inferno.
While his brothers handled the cleanup of the building, Jeb took Angel away. Took her to a safe place owned by a friend, the blanket over her head and shoulders doing much to hide her wings.
The first thing he did was put her in a shower.
The hot streaming water helped ease her out of the shock she was in.
“Jeb,” she said, murmuring his name against his skin.
“I’m here, Angel.”
“The plan worked.”
“It did, and I’m going on the record as saying right now, if you ever do something—”
“I would do it again if it meant saving you.” She pulled away from him.
“I’m not worth that kind of sacrifice, Angel.”
“You are to me.” She ducked her head.
He tilted her chin. “Aren’t we a fine pair? Both wanting to one-up the other when it comes to being the most in love.”
Her jaw dropped. “I never said…”
“But I am going to say it. I love you, Nevaeh, and I’m sorry. I should have told you everything in the treehouse, but I was—”
“—a man.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. “I was. And I’ll probably do more stupid things in the future, but despite that, I hope you’ll stay with me.”
“But what about these?” She ruffled her wings, sending droplets of water smattering against the curtain and wall.
“If we have to live in a remote mountain range for you to be able to go about freely, then so be it. I love you, Angel. Say you’ll be my mate.”
He assumed by the kiss it was a yes.
Her lips hungrily devoured his as their hot breaths mingled. Slippery tongues danced, and her body molded to his.
He let his hands roam her body, stripping her sodden clothes, skimming down her flanks then up, over bare skin.
On her back.
He blinked then blinked again in case there was water in his eyes.
But there was nothing wrong with his sight.
“Um, Angel. Your wings are gone.”
“What?” She whirled around as if she could see and, when she couldn’t, jumped out of the shower sopping wet.
She crowed as she peeked in the mirror. “They’re gone!”
For now. He’d wager they’d come back, but for the moment… He swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed.
He tossed her on it, and she squealed as she bounced.
“Jeb!”
“Right here, Angel.”
He covered her body with his own, his mouth finding hers, their passion a torrent of heat and need.
Jeb couldn’t content himself with only her lips. He went exploring the column of her throat, licking and nipping the flesh. Teasing her with soft caresses. He bit the flesh pulsing in time to her heartbeat.
Her breathing hitched, and hands stroked at his shoulders. Her bare breasts rubbed against his chest, her nipples taut, protruding buds that begged for his touch.
He kissed his way down to them, lavishing those tips with attention. Drawing them into his mouth and sucking. Letting them go that he might swirl his tongue around them.
Only when she writhed and moaned with her eyes closed did he move lower, rubbing his face on the soft skin of her belly.
He thrust an arm under her buttocks, hoisting her high enough to expose her pink and moist sex to his view.
He fanned his hot breath over her tender skin and watched her tremble. The wet tip of his tongue traced the outer edges of her nether lips. Teasing her. Arousing…
He licked her, a long, wet swipe of his tongue against her sensitive flesh. She writhed against his mouth as he lapped at her. When his lips latched onto her clit, she bucked and cried.
“Please,” she begged.
“Anything my angel desires,” were the rumbly words murmured against her sex.
He moved over her until the head of his cock brushed against her. He probed the entrance to her sex, wanting to prolong the moment.
But she was impatient. She grabbed him around the hips and surged upward, sheathing his shaft.
He dug his fingers into her hips as she squeezed him. Angled his hips to go deeper.
He thrust his way in and out of her, each slap of flesh drawing a moan from his angel. As he increased his pace, her breathing came faster and faster. Her fingers dug at the sheets.
Their bodies moved in rhythm. And even though it was considered kind of old school, and very outback, at the moment of climax, he bit her. Wouldn’t you know, she bit him harder.
Epilogue
Weeks later…
It had been weeks since the crash. Weeks of being with the man Nev loved. A man who’d helped her get a second chance at life.
Real life. Not the kind hidden or in a cage because she was now in control of her body.
Slowly but surely, she was getting the hang of not only flying but also hiding her wings. They’d spent some time with Maisy, who had been a big help, not allowing Nev to give up. The two of them often getting into yelling spats, but in the end, it worked. Nev could pass as human again, which, for some reason, seemed to cause Jeb some worry.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, draping herself on his lap. They currently lived at the ranch, which she struggled with at first, not used to having so many people around, but she had to admit it was growing on her. Having several big brothers looking out for her did a lot for her sense of security. And their spats provided entertainment.
“Guess you don’t need to run away with me anymore.”
“Nope.”
“You can be anywhere you want.”
“Yup.”
She did it on purpose to tease him until finally she laughed. She cupped his cheeks. “Silly man. You’re not seriously worried I’m going to leave, are you? I love you.” Loved him in spite of the fact that his mother had changed her. In spite of his brothers and the other males in his family who seemed to think loud and rough was how to show affection.
At least with each other. With Nev and the other ladies, they were very well behaved.
But that didn’t stop Nev from spending time on the internet, poring over images of treehouses. Lavish ones.
Forcing Jeb to ask, “What are you doing?”
“Research for our new home.”
“Ours?”
“Yes, ours.” And with that word, he finally relaxed.
“Guess it’s true what they say. Set someone free and they give you the best blowjobs ever.”
“Is that a hint?” she asked with a smile.
“Was hoping for a reality.”
Except they didn’t have time to get busy. His phone buzzed, the screen showing a one-line text message.
Turn on the news.
Frowning, he reached for the remote and flipped the channel. Both their jaws might have slammed to the floor as they recognized the woman on screen.
“Um, is that your mother?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
The woman they thought dead? Again. “Who is that with her?” asked Nev, pointing her finger.
“…exciting developments at the Bunyip Institute. Meet the future of science,” said Jeb’s mum to the reporters gathered. “Perfect children.” A pair of whom stared at the camera with the same vivid blue eyes and smiled at the same time. “With upgrades.”
“What do you mean by upgrades?” asked a reporter.
And that was when the twins—a pair o
f girls, their hair long, red and straight—suddenly had wings burst from their backs before they took flight.
“Oh shit.”
Maisy flipped off the telly, still frowning at the news.
The ex-Mrs. Jones had done it, divulged secrets endangering them all. The world wasn’t ready for the cryptids to emerge. Not ready for monsters.
What would this announcement mean?
A brisk knock at her door raised her head. Only one reason for anyone to be coming to her this late at night. Someone needed her help.
Wrapping her sweater more tightly around her body, she ignored the bristling of her inner feline to grab the shotgun that never left her side.
Saving lives was one thing. Protecting herself, another.
Pausing behind her door, a thick wooden affair that could withstand even the rampaging kick of a kanga, she hit the intercom button and said, “Who is it?”
The reply, just one word, sent a chill through her.
“Jakob.”
She opened her mouth to tell him to leave. She wasn’t ready to deal with him yet. She might never be ready.
But then he said the magic words she couldn’t ignore. “I need help.”
* * *
The End?
Maybe. Maybe not.
* * *
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