He was an Alpha. A loner. Created by the Piedmont Corporation as a weapon to be used by General Caruthers and the Ruling Council. Thanks to genetic enhancements, his senses were more acute than a regular person’s, his reflexes faster, his body stronger. The microcomputer that was part of his brain allowed him to learn at an incredible speed, to calculate the odds and make split-second decisions in any situation. In short, he was the perfect killer—intelligent, adaptable, ruthless and strong.
But there had been problems with the program and the scientists had decided that half the Alphas needed to be destroyed. He’d been one of the Alphas slated for termination over twelve years ago. Out of the group that had been taken outside the Gate and shot, he was the only one who’d managed to survive. The guards hadn’t bothered to check to see if he was dead, assuming the bullets they’d put in him had done the job.
But he’d survived. He’d regained consciousness to discover rats nibbling at his fingers and flies feeding on his open wounds. It had taken him hours to drag his injured body away from the others and find minimal shelter.
The damage to his body had been so great it had taken him weeks to recover. Even with his superior healing ability it had been a slow and painful process. But he was an Alpha. He knew how to survive against the odds, to ignore pain, to push past it when it seemed overwhelming. He’d not only recovered, he’d grown even stronger.
It was then and there, as a bitter eighteen-year-old that he’d vowed to destroy the Piedmont Corporation and the General and bring down the Gate. As an Alpha, there was no backing down from a goal once it was set. It wasn’t in an Alpha to give up. They’d keep going until they literally dropped. They didn’t know any other way. He didn’t know any other way. Adrian had made it his life’s mission to be a thorn in the General’s side ever since.
A shadow in the distance caught his eye and his head jerked up. As he watched, a ragged child raced from the dubious cover of one building to another, probably searching for food or shelter. It was the children who really got to him. They deserved better than to have to scrabble in the dirt for survival.
He knew what it was like to feel hunger gnawing at his backbone, to be so thirsty his lips cracked, to be cold all the way to his soul. He turned away from the window knowing he couldn’t save all the children. Not yet.
If only he could bring down the Gate, then everyone would have the same access to food, water, medical supplies and so much more. He would make it happen. And soon. It had been quiet for several weeks now. That was never a good thing where the General was concerned.
One of their trackers was missing. Manuel had gone out almost a week ago and hadn’t returned. He was probably captured and dead. Adrian’s jaw tightened as he turned away from the window. There was nothing he or anyone else could do about it. They all knew the score, all lived with the possibility that they could die on any given day. They were at war, but that didn’t make the loss any easier.
One of the drawbacks of being an Alpha was having perfect recall. Adrian could picture the faces and names of everyone he’d lost over the past twelve years. The list was a long one.
He scrubbed his hand over his face and sighed. He didn’t know what the hell was wrong with him tonight. Maybe it was the fact that his fellow Alphas, Tienan and Logan, would be here tomorrow for a quick briefing and they’d both be accompanied by their women. Silence and Mercy were two incredible ladies, both of them able to get past the fact that their men were genetically altered killers and love them anyway.
A twinge of an unfamiliar emotion hit him square in the chest. He rubbed the area over his heart as he pondered it. Envy. He’d never felt anything like it before. He’d spent so many years simply doing what needed to be done in order to survive, he’d never had time to worry about what he didn’t have.
But he wanted what Tienan and Logan had found. He wanted to know what it was like to trust someone that much, to want to be with them, to make love with them each night. The sheer intimacy of it was beyond his understanding.
Adrian had sex when he needed the physical release, but he’d never had a relationship that went beyond a few nights of fucking, of burning off sexual energy and tension. Maybe that’s what he needed. A night with a woman spread beneath him, her soft body cradling his as he drove his cock into her welcoming heat. Maybe then he’d rid himself of the strange mood that held him in its grasp.
He turned back to the window and gazed out, searching the gloom. Something was coming.
* * *
Charity ducked into the doorway of an abandoned building and huddled close to the crumbling wall. It wasn’t much protection but it was better than being out on the street. Getting out of the inner city had been much easier than she’d anticipated.
Earlier today, she’d packed her knapsack and waited until well after dark before making her way to the edge of the inner city. She’d sneaked past several patrols within the city, but had managed to make it to the Gate without incident. She’d stood there for an hour, wondering what she was going to do. A security officer manned the station that controlled the opening and closing of the exit. Several other guards were positioned nearby as well, keeping a continuous watch on the surrounding area. It had seemed hopeless.
Just as she had almost convinced herself that this was a stupid idea and she should try to make her way back home and forget her ill-conceived plan, a garbage vehicle had pulled up. The man driving obviously knew the guard stationed at the Gate and the two of them had stopped to chat. Without giving herself time to think, Charity had taken a quick glance at the guards to make sure they weren’t watching, darted out of her hiding spot and climbed into the back of the garbage vehicle. She’d crouched there, hand over her mouth and nose, trying not to breathe too deeply.
Her limbs had begun to tremble, her entire body shaking so hard she was afraid someone would hear the chattering of her teeth. She was deathly afraid of being caught. What she was doing would be considered treason. Punishable by execution.
After what seemed an eternity, the vehicle had lurched forward. Once it was out of sight of the guards, she’d jumped from the back and rolled to the side of the road, hiding in some low bushes. Her escape was complete.
A sound caught her attention, bringing her back to her present situation. She flattened herself against the rotting wood of the building, trying to make herself smaller. The world outside the Gate was so different from the one inside the inner city. The air was thicker, harder to breathe. It was also dirty, cold and dark. There were no artificial lights out here, only the sliver of the moon.
Charity shivered as the noise receded. She must have been out of her mind to think she could come here, find this Adrian person and pass on the message from Manuel.
What would she do then? She hadn’t thought about that at all. She’d simply panicked after seeing her father’s latest act of brutality. It was a stark reminder of just how evil her father was. She knew he was planning to use her yet again as a pawn in his own games. If she stayed, she’d be married inside a month, two at the most.
No, live or die, she’d made the right choice. Better a few hours of freedom than a lifetime of none. But where to go? She wasn’t totally stupid. She knew it wasn’t safe for her to be roaming around the ruins of the outer city by herself. Especially at night.
Male voices caught her attention and they were getting closer. Charity crouched down, trying to make herself invisible.
“Everything is quiet tonight.”
“I haven’t seen anything unusual.” This voice was younger, more like a teenager’s.
Charity inched forward slowly, peeking around the corner of the doorway where she hid. In the distance she could make out two dark shapes.
“I’m heading back to base and report to Adrian. How about you?”
Charity’s ears perked up when she heard the name Adrian. Could this be the same m
an she was looking for? Surely it wouldn’t be this easy to find him. She was so busy trying to shift closer so she could hear better, she almost missed their next exchange.
“I’m going to take one last look around. You go ahead.”
“Be careful, Mouse,” the older man admonished.
“Always,” the teenager replied.
Squinting to try to see into the darkness, Charity watched as the older man started walking away from where she was hidden. The teenager was standing in the road one minute and the next he was gone. She blinked, sure she must be mistaken, but he’d disappeared.
A few seconds later, a low voice came from just off to her left. “I know you’re there. I have a gun. Come out with your hands up where I can see them.”
Pure terror swamped her. What should she do?
“Now.” The voice was stern, but young. This was the teenager the other man had called Mouse.
“Please,” she began and then stopped. Begging didn’t help. She’d learned that lesson years ago, first at her father’s hand, then her husband’s. Men did whatever they chose to do with little regard for what a woman wanted.
“Come out.”
Making certain her knapsack was secured on her back in case she needed to make a run for it, she raised her hands and stepped out into road.
“Who are you?” The voice was coming from off to the right now. She swiveled her head but still couldn’t see him.
“Charity.” She swallowed hard. It was now or never. “I have a message for Adrian.” She sensed the teenager’s interest and pressed on. “It’s from Manuel.”
She heard the swift intake of breath. “You know where Manuel is? You’ve talked with him?”
Charity nodded and then realized that the youth wouldn’t be able to see her. “Yes. He told me to give a message to Adrian. Only Adrian.” That wasn’t strictly true, but no one else knew that.
The teenager stepped out of the shadows, hand extended. In his grip was a gun of some kind. He motioned to her. “Take off the pack.”
She hesitated and he came closer.
“Look, lady. If you want to see Adrian, we do it my way.”
Slowly, she shrugged out of the pack and put it on the ground in front of her.
“Put your hands out by your sides.” She did as he asked and he moved closer, patting down her sides. He pulled her gun from her coat pocket and slipped it into his own. The knife was in her knapsack, which he took and slung over his shoulder. “Start walking.”
Charity did as he instructed. Dawn was still a few hours away and it was hard to see as she stumbled down the road, through alleys and over ruins. Several times, they paused and hid long enough for other groups of people to pass by. He’d warned her to be quiet. She wasn’t stupid. With Mouse she knew she was headed where she was supposed to be. They walked for at least an hour, maybe even longer. It was hard to tell. She was totally lost.
The teenager grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. She squinted at her surroundings. They seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. He let out a low whistle that was answered quickly. “Come on.” Keeping a grip on her, he led her toward what looked like an abandoned building.
It was anything but.
Inside, the light was dim, but she could see dozens of people moving around. The teenager pulled her toward a stocky man with dark brown hair. He was speaking to another man but gave them his full attention as they got closer, his sharp brown eyes missing nothing. “Who is this, Mouse?”
“She said she had a message for Adrian. From Manuel,” he added.
The older man stared at her, his eyes gone flat and deadly. She took a step back and wrapped her arms around her upper body. She was so cold.
“You spoke with Manuel?”
“Yes.”
“When?” He fired his second question at her, his impatience palpable.
“This morning.” She frowned. “Or yesterday morning since it’s almost dawn.” Had it only been less than twenty-four hours ago? Her life had turned upside down in such a short time.
“Thanks, Mouse. I’ll take it from here.” The teenager nodded, placed her knapsack on the floor and left. The older man took her arm and urged her forward. “Let’s go talk to Adrian.”
She glanced over her shoulder at her knapsack, which sat forlornly on the dirt floor. It held everything she owned in the world and, within seconds, it had vanished. She swallowed hard, realizing it would be easy for the same thing to happen to her.
* * *
Adrian heard footsteps in the hallway and frowned. He recognized Derrick’s heavier tread. But there was a lighter step beside him. He rolled off his pallet and lit a candle. The light flared and settled just as Derrick knocked on the door.
“Enter.”
The door opened and Derrick entered, his hand grasped tight around the arm of a woman. Adrian’s senses exploded as he caught his first glimpse of her. His body tensed and his cock bolted to attention.
Within a split second, he catalogued her physical appearance. Average height, shoulder-length curly brown hair, light brown eyes, a pert nose covered in a smattering of freckles. Full kissable lips. The only thing to mar her features was a pale, jagged scar that ran the length of her left cheek.
Adrian wanted to know where that imperfection had come from. Was it an accident or had someone intentionally hurt her? A killing rage filled him at the thought of someone hurting this delicate creature in front of him. His hands fisted at his sides as he resisted the urge to reach out and touch her.
He shook his head to rid himself of the unwanted emotions surging through him. This was crazy. He didn’t even know who she was. He focused his attention on Derrick. “Who is she?”
“I didn’t get a name, but she says she has a message from Manuel.”
Chapter Two
Charity stared at the large, imposing man standing in front of her. There was no doubt in her mind that he was the mysterious Adrian. After seeing the organized crowd below and the weapons they had, she realized this group had to be part of the rebellion. It was then she finally remembered where she’d heard his name before. It was two months before Martin’s death and she’d been eavesdropping on a conversation between him and her father. What had piqued her attention the most was that they seemed to be afraid of this man, of Adrian.
Adrian was the leader of the Resistance, her father’s biggest nemesis.
Most people inside the Gate didn’t know much about the Resistance. The Ruling Council and the General did everything they could to downplay the threat. They didn’t want the general populace thinking that they couldn’t handle things. That would only create unrest in the inner city.
Members of the security force kept silent about their patrols. To do otherwise would bring death and destruction down on them and their families. Still, there were always rumors and rumblings of unrest. The Ruling Council quickly squashed those. Most folks went about their daily lives and kept their heads down and their noses out of government business. It was the safest way to live.
The man before her now had chosen anything but a safe course in life.
Adrian was tall, a few inches over six feet, with incredibly wide shoulders and a lean, muscular body. The T-shirt he was wearing clung to his torso, outlining the rippling muscles beneath the fabric. His waist was lean, his legs long.
His blond hair was cut short in the back, but was slightly longer in the front. He studied her with cool, pale blue eyes, assessing her much as she was him. His jaw was strong, his nose straight. Charity stared at his mouth. Adrian’s lips were full and managed to look soft, yet firm. She wondered what they’d feel like.
The thought startled her. How could she even think about touching a man, let alone having one touch her? Her only experience with sex had been with her husband and that had been cold at best, vio
lent and demeaning at its worst. Still, there was no denying the light fluttering in her belly and it made her uneasy.
“Who are you?” Adrian’s voice was deep and full and very compelling. He didn’t raise it, and yet he commanded immediate respect.
She swallowed the lump of fear rising in her throat. She was so tired of being afraid. “Charity.” Her voice was a mere whisper, so she tried again. “Charity,” she repeated, this time with more force.
Adrian glanced toward the man who’d brought her. “I’ll take it from here, Derrick.”
Charity sensed Derrick’s unease before he nodded. “If you’re sure.”
One corner of Adrian’s mouth quirked up. She couldn’t quite call it a smile, but it was close enough to have her wondering what he’d look like if he really smiled. He was already gorgeous. How would any woman resist him if he actually smiled?
“I think I can handle it.” Adrian prowled toward her and she took a step back. He was too big, too male, too powerful. In short, he was a man just like her father and husband. She shivered and locked her knees to keep from taking another step away. She’d come this far. There was no backing down.
Charity heard Derrick leave and close the door behind him, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Adrian. He was a large, sleek predator and she was very afraid that she was his prey.
Adrian circled her once before stopping behind her. She could feel his presence, the heat emanating from his large body. But more than that, she could sense the sheer power of the man. He was smart. He was tough. He was dangerous. And he was focused entirely on her.
Charity hunched her shoulders, an automatic response to the threat of having him behind her. She braced for an attack. But nothing happened. Her heart was racing, blood whooshing so fast in her ears she could barely hear above the din. Her skin was cold, clammy. The anticipation of being struck was almost as bad as the reality.
She jumped when his hand landed on her shoulder, then whirled away and turned to face him. She watched him, trying to anticipate his next move.
Alpha’s Revenge Page 2
