Blake caught sight of Autumn. “I’m sorry you had to be a part of this. Now you’re welcome to him.”
“Hang on a minute!” Chogan reached out and grabbed him.
Blake lashed back around, his face a sneer.
His eyes flashed yellow …
AUTUMN GASPED AND backed against the wall supporting the bed’s headboard.
Blake’s snarl made her jump. His eyes flashed that burning yellow she had seen as a wolf, and he suddenly hunched over, a low roar emitting from his chest.
Her eyes flicked to Chogan.
“Don’t do this, Cuz,” the other man warned, but the warning came too late. The change had already started.
Chogan’s face whipped toward her and she saw the same amber color in his dark eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but long, sharp teeth already filled his mouth, his jaw beginning to elongate. “Go,” he managed to tell her, his words mumbled, like he had a mouthful of cotton. “Run!”
She darted one way, but Blake’s changing form already blocked the door to the room. She tried to move toward the window, but now Chogan filled that space, his body in the throes of the shift. Unlike before, when they’d both removed their clothing, now their shirts ripped with their changing bodies, jeans left in tatters.
“Stop it, both of you!” she demanded, but they didn’t even hear her.
Blake lifted his now almost fully-wolf head and howled, a mournful, heartbreaking sound that seemed to echo right inside her head. Autumn clamped her hands to her ears, thinking her eardrums might burst from the vibrations. He shook his coat, the final remains of his clothing falling from his body. She caught sight of Chogan, his beautiful russet coat now complete.
The big, silver wolf that had been Blake lowered his chest to the floor, like a cat after a mouse, and pounced.
In a twisted, snarling bundle of fur and teeth, the two wolves fought, crashing over everything they came into contact with. The stack of tapes exploded, plastic shattering. The small collection of sports trophies crashed to the floor.
Autumn screamed, pressing her back tight to the wall, her heart in her throat.
The two wolves separated, circling each other as best they could in the limited space. Chogan’s massive shoulder brushed by her, the fur soft and warm, a total contrast to the fierce terror she experienced at the sight of them.
Both wolves crouched and sprang at each other again, meeting in midair. They hit with a clash of teeth and claws. With Blake being the stronger wolf, he forced the other wolf to land on its back, crushing a bookshelf beneath their combined weight. Autumn gave another shriek of fear, and Blake spun around to face her.
Blake’s amber eyes locked on Autumn, and a shiver of terror trembled through her. Would he attack her? Would he even know who she was, or had his wolf completely taken over? She didn’t know how much of him still existed in there.
“Blake?” Tentatively, she reached out a hand. Behind him, Chogan paced in the small space, his eyes fixed on the scene unraveling. “Nothing happened between me and Chogan. It’s you I want.”
There, I’ve said it out loud. And to a giant wolf at that.
He moved forward, lowering his head. He pressed against her body, his nose nuzzled against her hand, his cheek against her breast, rubbing up against her like a cat. Her hand went up and rubbed the top of his head, traveling over to run the tips of his ears, like slips of velvet, between her fingertips.
Above his head, her eyes darted toward Chogan. The other wolf didn’t look like he wanted to fight, pacing, alert, but not attacking.
Blake stepped away from her and sat back on his haunches. A shudder went through him and he whimpered as the change began, the whimper morphing into a howl. She winced as bones cracked and reformed, as his fur melted back to skin and his eyes became human once more. Blake rose from a crouch. This time she couldn’t feel anything except empathy for him, no reaction to his nudity. His vulnerability for such a strong man caught at her heart. He’d loved someone and lost her; that much was clear. She now knew the reason for his abandonment of his home, for the pain she saw in his eyes when he spoke of his past, and the reason for his antagonism toward his cousin. Not only did he blame Chogan for his girlfriend’s death, but he also thought Chogan had been playing behind his back. No wonder he’d reacted so badly to seeing his cousin and her in such an intimate position before.
Suddenly, nothing seemed more important than making him understand how she felt. Though she’d not quite figured out her own emotions in her mind, she knew in her heart that the most vital part of her life suddenly focused around him being in it.
Behind them, Chogan, too, changed back to a man. She couldn’t help her eyes being drawn to the sight. Would the change ever seem real, or would she forever feel like she was watching it happen on the television, complete with special effects?
Chogan grabbed some clothes from the dresser and pulled them on, both the shirt and jeans hanging from his frame even though he was a big man himself.
Blake reached out and took her hand. She wanted to step toward him, to close the gap between their bodies and lay her head against his chest, feel his heartbeat, but something held her back.
“I’m sorry,” he told her. “I didn’t want to get you involved in all of this.”
“I meant what I said.”
He shook his head. “I can’t do this again. I’ve been here before and it split my life in two. I can’t put my heart through that sort of pain again. Perhaps Chogan would be the best man for you. At least he knows what he wants.”
Chogan wanted her? Was that what he was saying?
She glanced at the other man, but Chogan’s face was unreadable, not making eye contact with either of them, his attention fixed at some spot on the floor. She didn’t know how she felt about the idea of the other man being interested in her. She couldn’t deny he was attractive, and sometimes even gentle, but he had something else about him—a hard edge Blake didn’t have—that made her uninterested.
“I’m not forcing you into anything,” she said, finally. “I certainly don’t want to come between you and your cousin. There’s obviously history between you which has nothing to do with me.”
“And I want to keep things so it has nothing to do with you. We have enough to worry about without dragging the past into our present.”
A knock at the front door drew their attention.
“I’ll get it,” said Chogan, now fully clothed. He didn’t look at either of them as he bustled past, leaving the room.
Blake pulled open a dresser drawer to retrieve more clothes. Her eyes skimmed his back, the hard curve of his buttocks, the strong thighs, the sculpted shoulders, and her heart ached. Had she ever wanted someone so badly? She didn’t want to believe that he didn’t want her, too, and a part of her didn’t. He was only trying to protect his heart from a past pain.
Voices came from down the hall—a man’s voice, joined by another, and another.
“They’ve arrived,” Blake said, pulling on a t-shirt and fastening a new pair of jeans.
Autumn frowned. “Who has?” If the voices had been angry, she’d have assumed Dumas’ men had arrived, but they sounded more urgent and serious than threatening.
“The people who are going to help us.”
Chapter Twenty
BLAKE HEADED OUT to the living room, Autumn following close behind. A small group of people had gathered in the space, perched upon the armrests of the couches, leaning against the walls, a couple of women even sitting on the floor.
He looked across the small group of men and women, and noted the presence of his father, standing in the corner. His presence reassured Blake, though he was surprised not to see Tala here. Even though he’d deliberately avoided her house—his sister wasn’t a shifter—she had a nose for trouble and would realize something was going down.
He took a breath and began. “I expect you’re all curious as to why I’ve asked you here.”
“No shit,” one of the men called o
ut, a skinny guy in his early thirties. “You’ve been gone almost ten years and now here you want our help. I feel like kicking you out myself.”
“Shut it, Enyeto,” one of the women said. “Like you’d be able to kick him out anyway. He’s twice your size.”
Nervous laughter erupted around the group, and the man, Enyeto, scowled.
Blake took back control. “This isn’t about me. As you may or may not know, I’ve been working for a department of the government linked to the military and defense. A certain man, General Maxim Dumas, somehow learned of our kind and what we are able to do. He decided our skills would be perfect for the military—being able to send troops into battle with the ability to not only see ahead into enemy territory, but also, if injured, healing faster, allowing them to be back on the field within a matter of hours. He’s set up his own project, Operation Pursuit. You’ve all heard rumors of spirit shifters going missing; well, I’m afraid in several cases I’m aware of, and probably more I’m not, Dumas is responsible. In fact, I know where several of these shifters are right now, which is why I need your help.”
“You know who took them?” another woman said.
“Yes, and now I need your help getting them back.”
“How are we supposed to help?” someone else called out.
“The shifters are being held beneath ground in a government facility in Chicago. The building is for research and development, but the levels below ground are being used for research into shifters. Only Dumas and those directly below him have access to this level. I’m one of those people. Some of you I need to use as a distraction to allow me to get access to the shifters without being noticed. The others, the ones who want to fight, I need to come in with me to deal with Dumas.”
Enyeto jumped up. “I’m in. I’m not going to let some crooked government official think he can use us!”
Blake smiled. He’d been hoping Enyeto would be in. Despite his size as a human, he could pack a punch when needed.
“Me too.” One of the women, in her forties with long, silky black hair got to her feet. “I’ll do whatever I need to help get them back.”
He gave her a slow nod. The woman’s particular skills would also come in handy. “Thank you, Peta”
“Hang on a minute!” another voice called out.
Blake’s attention moved to an older man he’d known from his childhood. His heart sank. The man was the uncle of Shian, and he’d never approved of Blake even when Shian had been alive.
“How can we even be sure he’s telling the truth? He’s been gone for years and suddenly he reappears back here and we’re supposed to just follow him? For all we know, he’s on the other guy’s side, and this is a trap to get us all in one place.
Chogan’s voice came from the back of the room. “That’s not true, Kanen. I’ve been with Blake over the last couple of days, during times this man, Dumas, has been trying to kill him. Blake’s given us no reason to doubt him.”
Blake’s father straightened. “I hope you’re not trying to say my son is capable of betraying his own kind, Kanen?”
The other man’s cheeks blossomed with color, his eyes shifting to the floor. “Well he did walk out on everyone, remember?”
“He did what he thought was best at the time.”
Blake didn’t want everyone else fighting his battles. “My time away has meant I’ve been able to monitor these people. If I hadn’t done that, none of you would be any the wiser in learning what had happened to the shifters who went missing.”
Chogan called out, his voice firm, “Blake is still loyal to us, no matter where he’s been.”
Blake’s gaze shifted to his cousin. Despite his affirmation of Blake’s character, the sight of the other man still riled him, especially after he’d walked in on him and Autumn getting up close and personal.
One by one, each of the people stood, voicing their support. Chogan hung out at the back of the room, leaning against the wall, his arms folded. Blake sensed Autumn’s presence at his shoulder. Should he tell them about the real reason for Autumn’s involvement? No, it would be too dangerous for her. He didn’t know how the others would react, and he was pretty sure more than one of them shared Chogan’s opinion that their kind should be the ones ruling the world, not the ones hiding in the shadows. But still, he needed to tell them something to explain her presence. They would start asking questions soon enough.
He reached back and wrapped his arm around Autumn’s waist. He felt her stiffen beneath his touch before she relaxed and allowed herself to be pulled to his side. The possibility his rejection of her had changed the way she thought of him stirred something dark and uncomfortable inside him. His feelings for her were a mess. He couldn’t face allowing himself to fall for someone again, not knowing whether he might lose her.
“I’m sure many of you will be wondering about Autumn here.” A low murmur went around the group. “Autumn is a scientist who was working on a project the man I told you about, Dumas, had set up for her. She had no idea what he was up to, and as soon as she found out she ran. Only now, her friend, Mia, has been kidnapped by Dumas and his men. Mia runs a charity for missing people and we think one of those people might have been one of our shifters. She was trying to help us and got caught up in this, so we need to find her as well. Okay?”
A murmur of confirmation rose up.
He felt Chogan’s eyes on him, knowing he’d want Blake to tell them the truth about Autumn. Perhaps his cousin would out her himself just to spite him, but if he had his suspicions right, then Chogan would also want to protect Autumn. He didn’t think he’d imagined the way his cousin acted around the blonde scientist.
But his cousin remained silent, and so Blake continued.
“General Maxim Dumas is at the core of all this, though I suspect someone higher up is probably pulling his strings. If any of you happen upon him before I do, unless your hand is forced, you’re to leave him to me. Is that understood?”
“How will we know when we find him?” Enyeto called.
“You’ll know. He’ll be the one shouting out orders.”
Blake stepped forward and pushed the coffee table to one side, creating a space on the rug. He dropped to his knees. “So here’s the plan. We’ll reconvene at midnight a couple of blocks from the building.”
He drew a map with his finger on the rug, the pressure leaving darkened lines in the pile.
“The roof is flat, with a helipad and a small building where the staircase is housed. This entrance is most likely going to be open. The staff tends to sneak up here for a smoke. We’ll take Dumas on from three levels. Those who can shift into birds will be going in from roof level to create an initial distraction. A group on the ground can enter into the main part of the building. I’ll be coming up from below through a series of tunnels which run below the street. I have the access codes, assuming Dumas hasn’t thought to change them.”
“And if he has?”
“Then I’ll be forced to make a slightly less discreet entrance. But Dumas wants Autumn and me back in the facility, so I’m relying on the fact that he won’t want to do anything to keep us out, including changing access codes.”
“So do you plan for us to go in our animal forms?” asked Enyeto.
Blake shook his head. “Not at first. We’ll go as men and women, but then we’ll change.”
“There will be a dangerous point when we’re shifting,” said Kanen, apparently now onboard, despite his misgivings. “It will leave us all vulnerable.”
“That’s why we won’t be shifting all at once. We’ll have someone watch each of our backs until the coast is clear. Our main focus is getting the other shifters out of the building. If I can get them back out through the tunnels without anyone even noticing the breach, then I will. But my secondary focus has to be on finding Dumas and putting an end to what he’s doing.
Enyeto frowned. “How are you planning on doing that?”
“It’s probably best if you don’t know.”
/> An uncomfortable silence fell over the shifters.
Blake cleared his throat. “Right, so we’ll reconvene in the city and smooth over the finer details there.”
They began to turn to each other, the low murmur of conversation rising to a heated discussion about Dumas and the things he’d done to their people.
Autumn’s touch on his arm drew his attention. “Where will you want me in all of this?”
Blake frowned. “Right here.”
“What? I’m not going to hang around here while you go in and save the day.”
A surge of annoyance welled up inside him and he took hold of her hand, tugging her away from the others and into the kitchen.
“You’re not going back to the facility!”
She crossed her arm and narrowed her eyes in a stance he’d come to think of as ‘Stubborn Autumn.’
“You need me. They outnumber us four to one, at least. You can use another set of hands. Besides, you wouldn’t even recognize Mia. How will you know if you find her?”
He scowled. “I guess I’ll just have to ask.”
She cocked her eyebrows. “How do you plan on doing that if you’re a wolf?”
She had him there.
“Also,” she continued. “I have a right to know what it is you plan on doing with Dumas. This involves me just as much as it does you.”
“It’s best if you don’t.”
“Well, not that you’ve asked for my opinion, but it seems to me that the only way to stop Dumas and make it so I’m not looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life is by exposing this whole thing.”
“I’ve told you what will happen if the public finds out about my kind. We’ll be thought of as freaks, targeted by those who fear us.”
“Okay, but if people find out he’s been holding people prisoner and torturing them, I’m going to guess his operation will get shut down pretty damn quick.”
“You’ll still be exposing the rest of us, plus, there’s a chance Dumas will walk free. The government is very good at covering up for their own. If he walks free, he’ll come after you. This is his obsession.”
Autumn's Blood: The Spirit Shifters, Book One Page 16
