by Lacey Thorn
“She's coming around, Mr. Blane. Should I hit her again?” the one called Wyatt asked from just above her.
Blane shook his head and removed a hypodermic from his pocket. He uncapped it and held it up so she could see.
“There’s a sedative in here. That’s the good news. The bad news is there’s also a little something to poke at that beast you have inside you. I’m going to make it roar with pain.” He leaned down farther, and Lyra felt a sharp sting as the needle pierced the vein in the side of her neck. “You’re going to help me destroy that fucking pride. I’ll watch them fall, one by one, until there’s not a damn one of you left.”
He stood, tossing the evidence of what he’d used on her in the direction of the trash bin.
“Get her and be quick. The van is around the corner. Hurry before that Costas mongrel gets out here. The others won’t be able to keep him contained inside for much longer.”
Costas mongrel? It was Lyra’s last thought before the world faded away.
Chapter Two
Aleksy Costas stood stone still just inside the door of the Chicago bar he’d been sent to check out. He was certain the illusion he’d just witnessed hadn’t been anticipated by those who’d sent him. Hell, it had left him immobile, his attention held away from the one he’d been sent to extract. A shifter, being stalked by Marcus Blane himself. The man was a notorious hunter, a savage who played the savior when he was more savage than any animal he hunted. And he’d been quiet lately. Too quiet as far as Aleksy was concerned. He had the impression those around him knew more, but they hadn’t shared it with Aleksy yet.
Still, no amount of information could have prepared him for what he’d encountered so far tonight. The woman and the vision had almost rocked him to his knees. His head still spun.
He’d been blasted by the usual bar scents when he’d opened the door. The aroma of booze, lust and sex slapped him in the face, with a side of sweat and drugs. And underneath it all was something softer, elusive, yet calling to the beast within him. He’d felt the attention focused on him, male and female, their desire reaching out in an attempt to woo him. In the past, he’d had no problem taking a willing woman up on the offer of mutual pleasure, but never while on the job. Then he’d heard the animal rumble of anger and glanced up, only to be caught by the heated gaze of the woman behind the bar.
She’d claimed his full attention. His animal had weeded through every other smell and focused solely on her. Aleksy had inhaled, and in that moment, both man and beast had known their lives would be changed forever. Holding her gaze, he’d made a promise.
Mine.
She’d be alone no more, and neither would he.
As if she didn’t feel the bond, she’d shaken her head in denial, and he’d barely caged the animalistic growl that had rumbled up his chest. Then her gaze had left him, and witnessing the shock on her face had prompted Aleksy to see what had pulled her interest.
A man had appeared. There but not there. Aleksy swore he’d heard a voice in his head, one that urged Aleksy to come to him. No, not Aleksy. The other man had been calling to the woman, Aleksy’s mate, and Aleksy’s beast had rumbled at the fact she didn’t wear his scent on her skin…yet. Especially, when he’d picked up on her need to bow before this other man in submission. She’d bow before no man. Ever. As Aleksy’s mate, she would stand on equal ground with him and submission was not in his nature.
Luckily, he’d picked up nothing sexual from the other man. In fact, it had been more of a fatherly vibe. Funny, since Aleksy was sure the other man was close to Aleksy’s age. He also had a feeling that had he not been focused on the female, he wouldn’t have seen the vision. Who was this woman destined to be his life mate? Who was the man urging her to come to him? More importantly, why was Marcus Blane himself hunting her?
Aleksy finally cleared his head, taking another short step forward as he turned back to where she’d been standing. She was gone. The crowd was thick, but if he made his way to the bar, he’d be able to track her fresher scent and follow it to her.
The hairs on the back of his neck and arms lifted, and he scanned the crowded club again, purposely pushing her scent away to search for what had alluded him due to the unexpected discovery of his mate.
Hunters. Armed hunters. He picked up the metallic scent of the blades they carried. He let his sense of smell point them out. Two off to his left, one casually leaning back at the corner of the bar. They hadn’t been there before. Where had they been? Hiding somewhere else within the throng? Surely, the woman would have picked up on that. Had they come through another entrance?
It didn’t matter. She was gone, and Aleksy had to find her. Now.
The door opened behind him. Two men stepped in. With one whiff, he knew they were there to prevent him from leaving. Fuck! Where was she? He wanted to shift, at least partially. Just enough to free his claws so he could rip their fucking throats out. He shut down the fear that wanted to latch onto him because he couldn’t see his fucking mate. He’d yet to mark her, to begin the bond that would keep them linked. If hunters were in the bar, then Blane had to be here. Aleksy had to get to her, to protect her.
He wasn’t one for public displays, preferring to keep as low a profile as a man of his size could, but she was more important. He had to get to her. He surged forward and almost knocked over the man coming toward him.
“Whoa there, buddy? Let me introduce myself. I’m Nathan, one of the bouncers here. I don’t like trouble in my bar, and you’ve got trouble written all over you. Take it outside.”
Fuck! He didn’t have time for this. He forced his gaze away from the bar and onto the man in front of him.
“I’m not looking for trouble,” he growled, and Nathan lifted a brow in what Aleksy took to be disbelief. Aleksy had to give him credit for not backing down. Most people did, human and shifter. Nathan crossed his arms over his chest, and his shirt sleeve tugged up, revealing the bottom edge of a tattoo that was all too familiar to Aleksy. Maybe, he’d caught some luck tonight after all.
“Ranger?” he questioned.
Nathan followed Aleksy’s gaze to his arm, narrowed his eyes then nodded.
“The name Sandoval mean anything to you?” Aleksy asked.
“Antonio Sandoval?”
Aleksy nodded.
“How do you know the Sandman?” Nathan demanded, eyes going cold.
Only a select few knew Tony was called Sandman. With that one word, Aleksy knew he count trust Nathan. At least for the moment. He held up his phone. “He’s the first speed dial on my phone. We’re here in Chicago…searching for someone. Someone in trouble. She saw me and spooked, and shit’s about to hit the fan in here.”
Nathan glanced around. “Fuck! It’s Lyra, isn’t it? I knew something was off with her. She doesn’t talk. At all. Never heard her say a single fucking word. Keeps to herself. Friendly but has a ten-foot wall of space around her. She’s good people, though. I’d bet my life on it. If you’re here to help her, I’ll help you in any way I can.”
Aleksy didn’t smell any lust on Nathan, which meant the other man got to live.
“Any clue where Lyra went?” He caressed her name with his tongue, loving the way it glided off his lips.
Nathan glanced around. “Back door most likely. She goes out to get fresh air. Sometimes, the crowd seems to overwhelm her. I didn’t think she’d last much more than a month. Two, maybe. She surprised me.”
Aleksy figured the smells and the play of the lights on the dance floor overpowered her at times. It made sense if she’d never been trained in how to handle her acute shifter senses. He’d met far too many shifters who had no idea who and what they were. They were damn lucky there was an organization like the Watchers, who made it their business to find as many as they could and save them. Even luckier, that a small group of those watchers, led by his best friend Antonio Sandoval, had decided to form a taskforce to go on the hunt, as well, though their primary job was to locate, extract and train. Not a bad gig
for a shifter who knew what it meant to be alone, walking on the fringes but never accepted into the small prides other shifters had formed.
“I want you to take this phone. Get Sandoval, and tell him where we are and to get his ass here now. Tell him I said there are six in the building and most likely more outside.”
“Fuck!” Nathan’s head whipped around. “Are the six in here armed?”
Aleksy debated for a few seconds. “Knives. Don’t worry. They’re here to keep me inside and away from Lyra.” He glanced around again, taking in the position of each of the hunters in the building. The two by the door were doing a good job of blocking his exit. “How many bouncers in the bar?”
“Three of us tonight. One called in sick at the last minute,” Nathan said. “What’re you thinking?”
“I need to get to that back door.” The need clawed inside him. His beast was hell bent on getting to their mate and ensuring her safety. The animal snarled under his skin, eager to burst free and take the upper hand. He had to rein it in. People spotting of a black liger in the middle of a downtown Chicago club wouldn’t go over well.
“Are they after her?” Nathan asked.
“Yes,” Aleksy replied. “I can’t let them get her.”
Nathan nodded, glanced around the bar as if trying to locate the danger with his human eyes. The way he immediately locked onto three of the hunters made Aleksy reevaluate the other man. Nathan might be as good as Tony.
“The fourth is by the edge of the dance floor, currently dancing with what appears to be a very drunk woman. Two in the doorway behind us,” Aleksy filled him in. Nathan never moved his head, but Aleksy knew the man was immediately aware.
“How do you want to play this?” Nathan asked.
“Call Sandoval, and tell him what I said. I’ll handle getting to the back door.”
Nathan grinned, holding up the phone. The screen lit up, showing Aleksy the open line with Sandman across the top. Aleksy had listed Tony in his phone by a nickname the man had earned while in the Rangers due to his ability to knock out a person with a grip on their necks. It was a gift that had come in handy many times.
“Called as we were talking. I’m betting he’s hightailing it here now.”
“Fuck,” Aleksy snapped. “They’re moving.”
The four in front of him were headed toward the back exit. He heard the door as the two behind him pushed out of it. He surged forward, forgetting Nathan in his rush to follow. His mate’s name sounded repeatedly in his head. He had to get to her. Now.
Hands pulled at him, a palm boldly cupping the crotch of his jeans as he entered the fray on the dance floor and worked his way to the other side. He ignored it all, snarling once or twice at the more brazen. The cloying scent of lust brushed his nostrils, making him want to puke. His skin crawled from the touch of others. His beast craved only the touch of his mate, the sweet scent of her filling his head. Lyra. He had to get to her.
He was almost at the edge of the dance floor when he felt the sharp jab in his side. He glanced down and caught the amber gaze of a dark-haired woman. Rage and hatred filled her eyes, marring what might have been a pretty face. She stepped back, the blade disappearing into her pocket as she allowed the crowd to swallow her up.
He’d missed her. He never missed, but he hadn’t scented the blade she carried. He hadn’t scented her. Even now, she’d successfully lost herself in the crowd. He couldn’t track her with his sense of smell. What the hell was going on?
The floor seemed to tilt beneath him. He dropped a hand to cup his side and kept walking.
“You okay?” Nathan asked as he moved into place beside him once they’d cleared the crowded floor.
“Get me to the door,” Aleksy ordered.
“This way.” Nathan pushed ahead of him, clearing a path for Aleksy to follow.
The bitch had put something on her blade. Aleksy knew it. Whatever it was, it was hitting him hard. The room kept tilting, and Aleksy wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to keep his feet beneath him. His vision was blurring at the edges.
Nathan pushed open a door ahead of him. Aleksy glanced out and saw the signs of a scuffle in the snow. He smelled death, but the alley was empty. His mate wasn’t there. He took two steps and crashed to his knees before falling forward onto his hands.
“Fuck!” Nathan said. “What happened? Is that blood?”
Aleksy shook his head, seeing the stain of red on the snow from his palm. He felt the trickle of more pouring from his side. The bitch had cut deep, the point sinking between his ribs. Hell, he was lucky she hadn’t managed to puncture a lung. He’d be in a lot worse shape if she had. Whatever drug she’d used was even slowing his animal. He was lucky they hadn’t given him something to call his beast free. That would have been one hell of show for the good people of Chicago.
“Check the dumpster,” Aleksy ordered. “Check behind it. In it. Find her.” He shook his head, doing his all to force his body to follow the command to get back on his feet. It wasn’t listening.
He might have blacked out for a few minutes. He came back with Nathan leaning over his prone body. When had he lain down?
“She’s not here, man, but I found this in the dumpster.” Nathan held up a needle.
Aleksy tried to reach for it, but his hands weren’t working. He didn’t need it though. His nose worked just fine. The stench of Blane’s handiwork was all over this. And Lyra was gone. He didn’t know where they’d take her. Had no way of tracking her in his current condition. He’d found his mate only to lose her. With the last of his energy, he threw back his head and let out a roar of anger.
Nathan jumped back from him, landing on his ass in the snow. Aleksy knew his canines were clearly displayed. His animal was so close to the surface there was no way his bestial side wasn’t showing.
He blinked slowly as darkness tried to pull him under.
“Hey there, Coaster,” Tony said as he appeared above him. His swarthy face showed a deep look of concern. “Looks like you walked into some trouble. I’ve got you, buddy. Hold on until I can get you out of here.”
“Find…her…save…her…” Aleksy forced out.
“Just as soon as I save you,” Tony promised, and Aleksy’s world went dark.
Chapter Three
Lyra came awake with a jolt, back arching as her muscles knotted and pulled against whatever held her firmly in place. Her lips peeled back, revealing teeth clenched tight as pain rode her hard. Reality returned with a fiery burn. It licked her flesh and left her panting for breath.
She was naked, tied spread-eagle to a table that was tipped up to make it appear as if she were standing. Three men were in the room with her. The one called Blane and two others who’d taken part in the attack on her. One held what looked like a fucking cattle prod. The other had a wicked-looking blade with a serrated edge that gleamed as the light hit it.
Blane moved, stepping into her line of sight, and she focused on his lips.
“…finally joined us. Electricity’s always been a good catalyst for the beast inside you. Wakes up the animal. What do you say? Ready to let that cat of yours out to play?”
He was still bat shit crazy. What the fuck was with this guy and his obsession with cats?
The cattle prod struck her side, sending another jolt through her. She clenched her fists, fighting the chains that held her secure to the table. Her eyes closed, her breath locking in her lungs, her mouth open, neither inhaling nor exhaling. She blinked slowly, straining to focus, but her eyes kept slipping briefly closed, again and again.
“…beast…hate all…evil bastard…kill you all!”
Spittle flew from Blane’s lips with the last threat. He was set on killing someone, a lot of someones apparently. She’d walked into a nightmare. Stumbled into it actually, with the taste of puke still on her tongue. It was there again, and if the bastard hit her with the electricity one more time, she’d spew it everywhere.
Instead, Blane got in her face, hands ripping at h
er hair, fingers scraping along her scalp as he forced her to look at him.
“Wake it up!” he screamed.
He obviously thought she had some sort of animal inside her. She didn’t know how she should handle his delusion.
“I’m going to enjoy this, you bitch!” he snarled. “Almost as much as I’ll enjoy killing your brother.”
There he went with the brother comment again. He had the wrong woman, but with her hands tied, she had no way of telling him that. She doubted he’d understand, even if she attempted.
He bared his teeth at her in what she took as frustration then stepped back. “Beat her until that damn cat makes an appearance to try to save her. Then get the blood I want before we gut and skin the animal.”
Gut and skin?
She was still reeling from that when the first strike caught her on the chin, snapping her teeth together. The second blow hit her belly, knocking every ounce of air from her lungs. After that, they all bled together, raining over her like a violent downpour. Her vision swam. No part of her was left unscathed. Blood dripped from her nose, which she was sure was broken, and from the corner of her mouth to trickle down her side. She wasn’t certain but felt the probability of broken ribs was high.
She was on the verge of blacking out when they hit her with the electric cattle prod again. Her body surged forward as the instrument was left against her skin, her muscles taut and straining against her bonds.
Her mouth flew open, spittle flying, and she felt the vibration of sound along her jaw and throat. It was an endless cry that never touched her ears.
* * * *
Aleksy snapped awake, all his senses on edge, a growl rumbling from his chest. He sat up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed he found himself on.
“Whoa, there. Take it easy. You were bleeding out less than two hours ago.”
