“You played war games today. There were two teams. Knives were requested by the female, but we allowed you to use them. Even with a knife she wasn’t strong enough for you. One of your men was hurt by the female as she cut him. It didn’t matter, you came out victorious taking her down viciously.”
Rim lay on the ground slumped, and finally Leza’s eyes closed.
Chapter Twenty-five
She woke up disorientated. A slow hiss made her jerk upright with her fingers changing to claws for protection. Her skin felt too tight and bloodlust made her gaze red. Looking around, she saw Rim trying to claw his way out his cell while he stared at her with animal eyes.
“Rim,” she said around the fangs emerging from her.
“What are you?” he hissed. “Why would you cut one of my men?”
She blinked at him trying to remember what happened earlier. It was fuzzy until she felt Tane, her mate, reach out to her. Suddenly the memories unfolded like a dream.
“I never touched your teammate. He was taken in to be operated on.”
Rim roared and banged up against the cage.
She laughed at him with a taunt. “Come get me, you animal.”
With a sigh she slid down the bars until she was sitting on the floor. Shaking her head, she eyed him before taking in a deep breath.
“Rim, I’m going to tell you the truth. There hasn’t been a lot of it in your life lately. Sit, you can’t get out and once they find you’re going feral they’ll never let you out. Here’s what happened today.”
She told him everything starting with how they captured her and brought her here and ending with what happened to them both. When she was done she lapsed into silence watching him as he either accepted or rejected what she told him.
“Why would they do that? We volunteered, for the good of our country.”
“This isn’t about the good of the country. As far as I can tell, it’s about the good of a few select men. Maybe they like playing god. I don’t know, but I do know they aren’t what you think they are. They’ve been hurting you and your men on a daily basis and feeding you false memories.”
“Lies,” he hissed. “It’s all been nothing but lies.”
“Are you remembering?”
“Some. I feel something in my chest that I have never felt before.”
“That’s your animal. You’re going to think you’re crazy for a while when it starts talking to you. I’m not sure it’s actually talking, more like giving you impressions of what it wants you to know.”
He nodded his head biting his tongue probably so he wouldn’t tell her how crazy she sounded right about now. She had to hide her smile.
“You and your men are going to get stronger. The next time they gas you with whatever toxin they’re using. Breathe shallowly so you won’t get as much of it in your system.”
She bit her lip wondering if she should tell him about the others and freedom. With a sad smile she rejected that possibility. He wasn’t ready. The men in this place were still too deeply engrained in his psyche. Even if he swore not to tell them, she had no clue what would happen once they were putting him under. What secrets he would spill.
“What should I do?”
“Stop drinking the soda.”
“I never used to drink it before I came here. Now I feel like I’m addicted to it.”
“I always drank it, but after I got here it got worse. Every day I had to have one, until I ended up some place where there wasn’t any. There’s a chemical in there that works against your body. It’s not harmful to humans. In fact, I bet it’s not harmful to born shifters. It just affects us and knowing the government it’s intentional. A built in failsafe to use against the animals they have created.”
“Animals, monsters,” his voice was deep with sadness.
“Only if you want to be. Only if you chose to be. I thought I was just that when I left here the first time, a monster. But in the weeks I was free, I found out that wasn’t true. I may not be human anymore but I’m not a monster. Besides, monsters come in all different sizes, shapes, skin color and DNA chains. The next time you look into one of the guards’ faces, tell me that you don’t see a monster.”
He nodded his head and slowly let go of the bars that his hands were gripped around.
“What do I do now?”
“Go to sleep and when tomorrow comes try to make the best decision you can for you and your men.”
“And what will you do?”
“Go to sleep and pray to wake someplace safer. If tomorrow I’m a figment of your imagination, do your best to remember that Leza was actually here.”
She gave him a smile that ignored the hell they were in. Closing her eyes she linked to Tane.
*~*~*~*
“How the hell are we going to get her out of there?” There was frustration in Dai’s voice.
They watched the compound all day. There were only two deliveries, neither of those vehicles left but there had been three vehicles that left using a different exit than the incoming deliveries.
The walked the grounds looking for traps and security measures. They were very few. Tane looked up in the sky to see that dark shape circling around. That’s why there wasn’t much security because they didn’t want whatever it was to be caught on video. The people in the compound felt safe and that would work in their favor.
“We’re going to do the one thing they’re not expecting.”
Jay and Dai turned to focus on him.
“We’re going to walk in. Change into the uniforms.”
They infiltrated one of the trucks before it reached the compound. It was loaded with uniforms guns and ammunition. From what they could tell, when the shifts changed each guard was required to leave in street clothes, as well as enter in street clothes. There was a small area that the guards came to in order to smoke or shoot the breeze. That’s where he planned to enter. The exit didn’t seem to be locked in order to give the guards freedom.
Why would they lock it? Tane slumped against the vehicle after he changed and armed himself. Why would they lock it when you were so sure that the shifters you had wouldn’t cause you a problem? He wanted to storm the place, raze it to the ground. Watch it burn. He didn’t have the manpower yet but eventually he would and then he would come back. Set free the innocent and kill the true monsters that lived within.
Dai’s hand on his shoulder was heavy and warm and reminded him he wasn’t alone. Right now he needed to get them in and out safely and bring Leza out alive and in one piece. The shifters in there would have to make up their minds about what they wanted to do. He didn’t think they were ready to be set free; they hadn’t bled and suffered enough. Soon they would, and then they would understand what Leza told them.
He looked at the path they would be taking. There was nowhere to hide between the trees they were in and the small patch of ground with a bulb casting a light on the small area of ground near the metal door. As far as they could tell there didn’t seem to be a camera covering the door, which didn’t mean they didn’t have any there. The land between their destination was flat with nothing but grass growing. No one had taken the time to cut it recently. It was ankle high. There would be no protection there.
Casting his eyes upward, he watched the giant bird fly off. “We have seven minutes before that prehistoric bird makes its way back. Let’s move out. No running, make it a casual stroll.”
They nodded and followed him out of the trees and across the compound. He did an internal check on time wondering if they would make it. Dai gave a slight whistle through his teeth. The three-minute warning. They couldn’t go any faster. The yard was strewn with motion sensors. Theses caught movement at a certain speed. There were animals all around this place; they would always be going off. No, those motion sensors were looking for men walking fast, jogging or running. They had to casually stroll to their destination.
Jay gave the minute warning. They could see their destination. It was so close; he could envision touchin
g it. Looking up, he could see the dark shape in the distance closing in faster than he was walking. Deep breath. They kept walking.
They stepped into the circle of light just as the bird flew overhead. It circled them four times as they leaned casually against the door and carried on a conversation of what they were going to do when they got home to their women. Finally, it backed off and went to check the rest of the perimeter.
Jay gave them a smile that didn’t reach his eyes as he communicated without words how close it had been. Tane nodded and pointed to the sides of the door. Dai took one side and Jay the other.
Tane placed himself in front of Dai and opened the door making himself the target. It opened quietly. He ducked inside, gun cocked, to be met with a stairwell. The walls were a dingy gray color. The stairs were a grated metal. Stepping inside, the soft soles of the boots he had on didn’t make any sound.
The others came in behind him and he pointed down the stairs. Leza had showed him the walls of where she was being held. They agreed it was underground. They walked down. The next level was labeled S1. He ignored it and walked down the next level that was S2 and still they walked down until the came to the bottom floor labeled S3.
With nowhere else to go, he motioned for them to flatten against the wall as he opened the door waiting to be challenged by guards. There was no one in the corridor beyond it.
He looked around; the walls were made from the same concrete bricks Leza had shown him. The walls were a dingy white and the corridors were only big enough for two people to walk shoulder to shoulder.
He motioned his men to begin walking down the corridor. With a hand raised up he stopped them. There was a murmur of voices.
He got a little closer to the source of the voice. There were at least ten guards sitting in a room, a deck of cards between them as well as several bottles of liquor.
“What are you going to do?” one guard asked as he lifted his hand to take a better look at his cards.
“I’m going to find me a hot little hell cat like the one we have in the cage.” Everyone laughed.
Tane felt his claws biting into his hands to help him maintain his calm.
“They should give her to us. We’d know what to do with her,” another guard stated.
“Maybe they will, after they capture him.” That was said with venom.
“I’m going to kill him,” the guard with the cards said. “I will cut his throat.”
Another guard laughed. “Really? You’re too scared to say his name.”
“Tane.” He snarled. “I’m not scared of him. I’m going to kill him and rape his woman.”
Another man looked at him shaking his head. “You shouldn’t have said his name. What’s the saying? Call the devil and he will come.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Tane held up his hand, five fingers in the air. Would they be able to get Leza free and leave without attracting the attention of the guards? He wanted to kill them. Bloodlust rode him hard but he could control it. He wasn’t a monster despite what the doctors and the government labeled him.
Deep breath in. Today they would never know how close they came to death.
“I say we pay her a visit,” the guard who was begging for Tane to kill him said.
“Roger, Johnson said…”
“Johnson’s not here and what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Roger said. That same soldier with a death wish.
“The doctor…” another soldier said, his voice trailing off at Roger shaking his head.
“You know the doctor is sick and twisted; as long as we take pictures of what we do to her and give them to him, he won’t say a word.
Tane grinned. It was macabre and promised death. He tried to leave them their lives but they were determined to die this night and he was in the mood to grant their wish.
Tane put a finger down. His men surrounded the door and took out their weapons. He put another finger down and they raised the weapons. Two more fingers down they cocked the guns and checked the knives. He curled his thumb over his fist and threw the door open.
The guards were still reaching for their guns when three of them hit the floor no longer moving.
Tane’s eyes were on Roger.
“You were looking for me?”
“How did you get in here?” a shaky voice in the corner asked.
Tane took in a deep breath and looked at the guard who was leaning lazily against the wall. He was sure this male was some sort of shifter. With one last look he decided to trust him enough to refocus his attention.
He nodded his head and looked at the other guards. Tane ignored him and focused on Roger. There was still a chance the other guards may come out if this alive.
“Roger, here I am. Now is your chance to slit my throat.” He set his gun aside and popped claws on one hand.
“Thank your government for showing me how to change fully. You threatened my mate. Your life is forfeited unless you defeat me. Then you get to leave.”
“You lying bastard, your friends will be on me if I win. It won’t be a fair fight.”
“You’re right it won’t be, but that’s because you stink of fear. He lives if he defeats me.” Tane’s eyes punched into the guard leaning by the wall until his head shook with agreement.
Tane pulled a knife and threw it at Roger. He gripped it and snarled before he threw himself at Tane. Tane stumbled back a few feet with laughter.
“Come on, Roger you can do better than that. You’re the top of the fuckin’ food chain. I’m an animal. Good for nothing but feeding your family. Wait, you don’t have a family, do you? No woman waiting for you to come home every night, or do you beat up on them like the monster you are?”
A scream of anger left Rogers mouth as he attacked with the knife cutting Tane’s arm before he pulled back. As Roger retreated, Tane reached out and stroked his hand over Roger’s chest leaving four bloody marks. His shirt was jagged and torn as he sucked in a breath of pain.
Dai gave a little whistle. He was reminding Tane that he didn’t have time to play with his kill.
“Come on, Roger. Make me work for it.”
“You fool,” Roger spat. “We’re ready for you. You’re going back in a cage for the rest of your life. Kill them,” he shouted at the other guards.
He came at Tane, knife bared. He knocked him over going to the ground with Tane. Knife lifted to plunge into his heart. Tane lifted his hand and slashed open his throat.
He rolled Roger over as Dai and Jay killed the men who tried to fight them.
The only guard left standing was the male leaning against the wall.
“What are you doing here?” Tane asked, looking at him.
“Wanted to get a better understanding of what was happening so I infiltrated. Sort of like you. I know where they are keeping her.”
He looked at the guard. He was tall, well over six feet with light brown eyes that were now casting eerie shadows as his animal peered through them at him.
“What’s your name?”
“Rath.”
Tane lifted an eyebrow and bit back a surprised laugh. He could see the name. The man looked like he could give an ass kicking that would make you pray for a quick death.
“Why should I trust you, Rath?”
His eyes expanded allowing Tane to see his Otherness and the pure ruthlessness in him.
Rath shrugged, “You’re going to have to trust somebody.”
“Lead the way.”
Rath picked up a black container and made his way out the door. He moved with a grace that said he wasn’t worried about the shifters at his back. Tane kept his weapon ready waiting for him to betray them. They walked up the corridor until it branched off into two separate paths. He led them down the right until they came to a series of metal doors with windows in them. Stopping in front of one of them he punched in a code and the door swing open.
A dim light overhead turned on. There were seven cages in the room one of them held Leza who was curled in a ball,
sleeping.
“Wake up, Love I am here.”
“I know. Did you really need to fight that guard?”
“One less man alive who wants to hurt you.” Her heart turned over at his words.
Tane eyed the other cages taking in the males in each one before his eyes rested on Rim.
“The doors are monitored. You don’t have long.”
Rath made his way to one of the men as Tane walked to Leza who was standing up waiting for him. Taking the lock in hand it gave out a wave of electricity even as he twisted the metal breaking it.
“Are you all right?” She rushed out and threw herself at him.
“I’m fine.” He grabbed her holding her close burying his nose in her hair as his hands checked her body for injuries. “From now on if you have a problem with the waitress we kill her. We listen to every word you say, Leza. I couldn’t pick anything up from those waitresses because they weren’t a threat to me, but you knew. They were a threat to you. I’m so sorry, Babe.” He hugged her tight almost crushing her in his happiness to be with her.
A small laugh left her lips. He was hers and together they would figure a way to make this work for them. “I’ll live, let’s get out of here. Besides the next time you don’t pay attention to me, you’re sleeping on the couch for a week.”
He gave a grunt and grabbed her hand.
Rath stabbed the first man with a needle pumping a liquid into him.
“What are you doing?” Dai challenged.
“Giving him, giving them a chance at life. Undoing some of the mind altering that’s been done to them.” He moved on to the next male. “They won’t like it, but if they’re smart they’ll use it to escape.”
“Leza, who is that?” Rim’s deep voice rang out.
“This is my mate.”
“We can get you out if you want.” She looked at him with hope in her eyes.
“He’s not ready yet.” He placed his hand on her back to gentle the blow. I remember this phase. It’s where they make you think you’re the future hope of mankind.”
Tane's Mate: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Shifter's on the Run Book 1) Page 16
