by Gail Koger
A soul-haunting howl echoed through the catacombs.
I shuddered. “That poor creature.”
“Probably one of Giovanni’s lab creations. Speaking of creatures, eight of Giovanni’s super soldiers are running loose in the catacombs,” CeeCee said.
The images of what had once been human males formed in my mind. They were now hairless, white skinned monstrosities with elongated snout-filled with sharp crocodile teeth. Blood-red eyes and claw-tipped fingers completed the horror show. “Dio mio.” I crossed myself.
“Shrek and my uncle are the two best healers in the galaxy. They should be able to help your brother and the others.”
Who was Shrek? I’d play along with their little game for now. “I pray you’re right.” My mouth a grim line, I pulled my sword with a dramatic flourish, and waved it around. “Those monsters die today.”
CeeCee stared at me for a long moment.
What could I say? I had flunked fencing, but I was very good with a knife and this was one way to appear harmless.
“Two of those monsters are coming our way,” CeeCee abruptly announced.
The old guy pranced down the passageway without a care in the world.
“That old fool is going to get himself killed.”
CeeCee smiled. “My uncle is many things, but his harmless act is just that. An act.”
Two hairless, white-skinned monstrosities charged toward him.
Golden waves of energy swirled around CeeCee’s uncle. Poof! Like magic, he transformed into a gargantuan bear.
I gaped at him. “Your uncle turned into a bear! How is that possible?”
“Uncle Jesse is a one-of-a-kind Skinwalker and a damned good tow truck driver too,” CeeCee replied.
Skinwalker? Was that another word for shapeshifter?
Roaring ferociously, her uncle attacked. The super soldiers were no match for his ten-inch claws and fangs.
CeeCee grimaced as blood and body parts splattered her. “Unfortunately, standing too close to him can get a bit messy.”
“Merda!” I wiped the blood off my face and took a step back. “What kind of magic is that?”
“Navajo.” CeeCee frowned. “Rodan soldiers are in the catacombs.”
“Can’t the all-powerful Overlord deal with them?”
Boom! Boom! The walls shuddered and bits of rocky debris rained down on us.
Adam suddenly linked with me. “Help me. I don’t want to die.”
His pain rolled over me and I caught fleeting glimpse of a Rodan injecting him again. I took off running. “They’re hurting Adam.”
“Wait! It could be a trap.” CeeCee ran after me.
The bear jumped on me, pinning me to the floor. I pulled my dagger.
CeeCee kicked it out of my hand. “Do not stab my uncle.”
“Let me up! I have to help Adam,” I cried.
“You won’t do your brother any good dead. You’re an assassin. Think like one.”
I stopped struggling and gave CeeCee the evil eye. “If anything happens to Adam…”
“You’ll gut me like a fish?”
“You will die a slow, agonizing death and the old man too,” I promised darkly.
The bear bared his awesome fangs and growled menacingly.
“Please. I need to help my brother.” Desperation and anger warred in my voice.
“We’re going to free all the captives and if you do anything stupid, I’ll let Uncle Jesse eat you. Understand?”
The bear licked my face like it was a lollipop. I grimaced in disgust and spat, “I understand.”
CeeCee patted the bear’s furry shoulder. “Let her up.”
The minute the bear climbed off me, I shot to my feet and gave him the one-finger-salute.
The bear nipped my butt.
“Touch me again you old, pervert and I’ll…” I yelped as Jesse’s massive jaws closed around the top of my head. Not only was I getting a closeup view of his fangs, he also needed a breath mint. My stomach rolled as hot saliva dripped on my face.
“Apologize or he’ll eat you.”
I’d do anything to get him to release me. “Sorry,” I mumbled.
CeeCee cocked her head. “What? I didn’t quite hear you.”
“I said, I’m sorry. Okay? Can we please go rescue Adam now?”
The bear opened his mouth and I fell to the floor. I tried to ignore the noticeable tremor in my hand as I wiped the slobber off my face. My nerves were shot. Who knew people could turn into bears, throw lightning bolts or that Giovanni, the mad scientist, was changing men into alien beasts?
A mystified frown crossed CeeCee’s face. It was like I was a puzzle she couldn’t quite figure out.
That mournful howl sounded again.
“We’re freeing whatever that is too,” I announced and marched down the corridor.
The bear lumbered after me.
Adam latched onto my mind. “Don’t let them take me. Please. Don’t let them take me.” Our link broke.
“I’m coming Adam,” I shouted and darted into a large burial chamber with colorful mosaic tiles covering the walls and mounds of ancient bones littering the floor. I flinched as the stench of death hit me and skidded to a stop when I spotted a large pile of rotting corpses. By the monstrous deformities I knew these poor souls had been Giovanni’s test subjects. Was Adam among them? I frantically checked the bodies. “Please. Please don’t be dead. Please.”
“Stop! Your brother’s not here.” CeeCee pulled me away from the awful remains. “They’ve been dead for days.”
“I can’t sense Adam anymore. Our link has been severed.” Tears rolled down my cheeks.
“You’re not an assassin or master thief, are you?”
I sighed wearily and sidestepped her question with a half-truth, “I’m not an assassin, but Bianca is.”
“Let me guess. She looks a lot like you and decided to borrow your identity,” CeeCee said.
My mouth tightened. “I’m still trying to clear my name.”
“What psychic abilities do you have?”
Did she really think I would tell her everything? “I can cloud minds, disrupt power sources and if I get close enough, I can zap you with enough electricity to put you down.”
“Like a taser?” CeeCee inquired.
That made my “talent” sound harmless. “Exactly.”
CeeCee frowned. “Anything else?”
“Animals of all kinds are drawn to me,” I answered.
CeeCee rubbed the muscles in her neck. “You’re an animal lover?”
“Si, very much so. I’m the co-owner of Lost Souls Animal Rescue.”
Multiple glittering blue lights formed in the chamber.
“Rodan!” CeeCee shoved me out of the way.
A crackling red energy beam missed my shoulder by an inch. Merda!
The shaman grunted as a barrage of laser fire struck her armored chest.
I had to steal me some of that armor.
Her uncle pounced on the Rodan soldier firing at us and literally ripped him to pieces.
I watched as CeeCee quickly incinerated two Rodan soldiers and her uncle, the bear, pounced on the last one. Nice to know the suppression field had been disabled. My psychic senses screamed a warning as one of Giovanni’s creations appeared. I thrust the image into CeeCee’s mind and yelled, “Behind you!”
CeeCee spun around and got smacked across the face by the skinny monstrosity’s long scaly tail. Her knees buckled and down she went.
The need to kill burned through my veins. Taking a deep breath, I fought it down. Now was not the time to display my battle skills. If CeeCee and her Coletti friends knew what I was capable of, they’d lock me up. I stabbed at the half-naked freak with my sword. “Shoo. Shoo.”
The monster gave me a grotesque parody of a smile. “First, I’ll eat your pussy, then your heart, little girl.”
“You won’t be eating anything but metal. Die, alligator man!” I swung my sword and missed the monster by a good foot.
Giving a hissing laugh, the monstrosity whacked me with his tail and sent me flying across the chamber. I landed in a graceless sprawl. Oof!
CeeCee hurled a lightning bolt at the misshapen monster.
With a startling quick movement, the creature leaped high into the air. The bolt passed under him and cremated the pile of rotting bodies.
“Well, hell. There went the evidence,” CeeCee groused.
A ferocious roar echoed around the chamber and a small black beastie exploded out of the shadows. It was an odd mixture of chihuahua and wolverine. My jaw dropped as the little guy did a great job of mauling the monster’s legs.
“Mean little shit.” Jesse helped CeeCee up. His fur was covered with mustard colored blood.
“Isn’t he,” CeeCee agreed.
I climbed to my feet and shook my head, trying to get rid of the funny black spots dancing in my vision.
The beastie let out a yelp as the monster’s claws raked across its back.
“Enough!” A black rage overwhelmed my survival instincts. I scooped up my sword and with a full-throated banshee scream, beheaded the monster.
“I’ll be damned,” Jesse rumbled.
CeeCee stared at me in amazement. “Yeah, I didn’t think she had it in her.”
“My little hero.” I carefully picked up the beastie. I had just blown it big time, but I was driven to protect innocents of all shapes, sizes and species.
CeeCee walked over to me. “You okay?”
“I’ll live. You said your uncle is a healer. Can he help him?”
The little beastie whimpered.
A golden light spun around Uncle Jesse. When it cleared, he was human again.
“You’re naked,” I exclaimed and squeezed my eyes shut. When you lived with a nun, naked men were frowned on and dating even more so.
“Yes, I am.”
I cracked one eye open and watched Jesse hold his hands over the beastie. “Hozhq sitsiji shivaagi.” The gashes on the beastie’s back vanished. The little guy gratefully licked Jesse’s fingers. “Dii hastoi, small one.”
CeeCee rubbed the beastie’s ears and announced, “Your critter is as good as new.”
Putting on my brainless bimbo act, I gave a yip of relief. “Oh! Wow! He doesn’t have a mark on him.”
“It’s what I do,” Uncle Jesse said modestly.
I went up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. I’m sorry I called you an old pervert.”
“I accept your apology.”
I petted the beastie. “Isn’t he beautiful?”
“Ah, yeah. Cute as a button,” CeeCee lied.
“Momma,” the beastie said, snuggling against me.
CeeCee’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Whoa, he can talk. Giovanni has outdone himself.” She switched to mind talk, “What’s your name?”
“Mean little shit,” the beastie answered.
I hugged him. “No. You need a real name. I’m going to call you Pepe after my, ah, grandfather.”
Pepe’s black fur puffed up with pride. “Me Pepe.”
“Your grandfather must have been a great guy,” CeeCee said politely.
I smothered a grin. Pepe had been Matteo’s head enforcer and nasty didn’t even begin to describe him. “No. My grandfather was a malicious old bastard.”
“Oh, good choice then.”
Storm clouds rolled down the passageway and explosions rocked the catacombs.
“Samuel has gotten stronger,” Jesse said.
“Not a big surprise. Zarek’s blood changed Father on the cellular level and gave him one hell of a power boost. He’ll soon be a Coletti warlord. Like we need more of them,” CeeCee groused.
“Even if I had been there, Samuel’s injuries were beyond my ability to heal. Without that transfusion, Samuel would have died,” Jesse admonished.
“And I’m grateful for Zarek’s help, but Father’s not the same.”
“Aren’t you being a bit of a hypocrite?”
CeeCee winced. “I am. I knew the consequences of drinking Jake’s blood, but it was the only way to stop that murdering Chupacabra. Even now I can feel it changing me. I’m becoming something not quite human.”
And I thought my life was complicated. I butted in, “I’m not drinking anyone’s blood and who’s Samuel?”
“My father.”
“And Jake is?”
“My mate,” CeeCee replied.
“He’s a warlord?”
“He is.”
I grimaced. “Let me guess. He works for Zarek too?”
“And Central Command. General Saul Jones is Jake’s uncle.”
“Merde!” I backed away from them in horror. “Central Command hunts Dragos women.”
CeeCee arched a brow. “Are you Dragos? Is Stanka an alias?”
“I will never be a Coletti breeder,” I snapped.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” I eyed CeeCee suspiciously. “You’re not going to give me to a Coletti warrior?”
“Nope.” She placed a hand on her heart. “On my word of honor. You’ll never be a Coletti breeder.”
Jesse huffed in amusement.
“The Coletti never keep their word,” Loki announced.
I shoved him out of my head. “You’re not telling me the truth.”
“I’ll make a deal with you. If you’re honest with me, I’ll be honest with you,” CeeCee countered.
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t trust you.”
“Right back at ya.”
“Are you refusing to look for Adam?” I asked indignantly.
“I didn’t say that. We will stop Giovanni and free all his prisoners,” CeeCee replied.
“What is expected of me?”
Before CeeCee could answer, two men in Coletti battle armor teleported into the chamber with their weapons drawn.
“Good hunting Father?” CeeCee asked.
“Very.” The helmet retracted revealing a silver-haired Navajo man in his seventies. He examined CeeCee’s blood covered form and raised an eyebrow at Jesse’s nudity.
CeeCee gave him a reassuring smile. “Not my blood and his bear came out to play.”
“Why is the old guy naked?” the other warrior inquired.
Dio mio, the young one was very handsome. For a Coletti that is.
The image of a snake-like penis with tentacles formed in my mind. “Do you find tentacles attractive? Do you wish to have sex with that? Loki inquired blandly.
Holy Mother Mary of God. The thing was huge and creepy! “No! Not at all.” I threw Loki out of my mind again and focused my attention on CeeCee.
“When Uncle Jesse turns into a bear, his clothing goes away.”
The warrior’s gaze shot to Jesse. “You can turn into a bear?”
“I have many talents,” Jesse boasted.
CeeCee’s father pulled a black belt from a pocket and handed it to Jesse. “Cover yourself.”
Jesse examined the belt. “What kind of belt is this?”
“Askole armor belt,” CeeCee’s father replied.
“How does it work?”
“Let me show you.” Her father fastened it around Jesse’s waist, and with one tap black armor covered CeeCee’s uncle from head-to-toe.
How awesome. I gingerly touched Jesse’s back. “I’ve heard this armor restricts your movements.”
Jesse gyrated wildly.
I suppressed a giggle. “Guess not.”
The younger warrior watched him for a moment. “Is he having a seizure?”
“No, he’s dancing.” CeeCee cringed when Jesse performed a crotch thrust.
“I know of a good nursing home you could put him in.”
CeeCee smacked the warrior in the stomach. “He might be a bit nuts, but never forget, he’s family.”
“The Jones family is full of crazy. He’ll fit right in, but can you get him to stop dancing.”
CeeCee and her father exchanged grins “There’s no stopping him,” they said at the same time.
&
nbsp; “I could stun him.”
CeeCee glared at the warrior.
He held up his hands. “Just saying.”
Avarice filled my soul and I asked casually, “Any chance of me getting a belt? I mean, they are shooting at me too.”
“Maybe,” CeeCee hedged.
The younger warrior commanded, “Introduce us.”
“Jia, this is my mate, Jake Jones and my father, Samuel Tsosie.”
“My condolences for the loss of your humanity,” I said politely.
CeeCee groaned.
“I have lost nothing but gained a great deal. You would do well to remember your manners, child,” Samuel Tsosie replied, and a small bolt of lightning zapped me in the ass.
I yelped.
Pepe growled.
CeeCee asked, “You hungry, Uncle Jesse?”
“Now that you mention it, I am.”
Merda! “I apologize. I apologize,” I cried.
Pepe snarled viciously.
Jake pointed at Pepe. “What is that?”
CeeCee shrugged. “Not sure. Giovanni created him. He’s a smart little guy and he can mind speak.”
“Huh. Zarek will definitely want to us to confiscate him.”
“No!” I clasped the little guy to my chest. “Pepe’s mine and I won’t let you take him from me.”
His eyes cold with menace, Jake stated, “Prisoners have no rights.”
“Prisoner?”
“Partner,” CeeCee hurriedly inserted.
Jake slid her a narrowed sidelong glance.
I glared at them. “I thought this was a team effort to stop Giovanni and free his prisoners?”
“We are currently hunting Giovanni and there were no prisoners. Just empty cells,” Jake shot back.
I could feel the color drain from my face. “Dio mio. I knew it. Giovanni killed my brother.”
“You don’t know that yet. There are several drugs that can sever mental links. Once his base was under attack, Giovanni probably had the Rodan transport all his test subjects to another location,” CeeCee quickly interjected.
Jake nodded. “We found several stasis chambers in Giovanni’s lab. If your brother was placed in one, you won’t be able to link with him.”
“Adam could still be alive?” Hope flickered to life. “We’ve got to find him before he turns into one of those horrible creatures. I can’t lose him too.”
“You won’t. You have my word we will find Adam. No matter where the hunt takes us. We will free him. The Coletti cannot make you the same promise,” Loki stated.
