Lincoln ran flat out after her, his panther rising to the surface but she was going so fast he struggled to catch up with her. As they neared the house he could smell it, Hunters. His panther growled and paced in his mind.
They stopped in the front yard; the door had been kicked open. “Alice!” Lexia’s strangled whisper hit him in the gut, she couldn’t handle any more death, and a fresh bloom of fear clutched hold of his chest as realized he might not be able to bring her back this time.
“Lexia, wait! They could be inside still.”
“Oh I hope they are!” Her eyes glowed impossibly brighter and she was gone, a blur of speed. She pushed the door aside and it shattered to pieces, then he heard her scream.
Lincoln raced into the house after her and found Lexia in the kitchen standing at the back door, glass littered at her feet and a piece of paper clutched in her hand. But that’s not what Lincoln noticed first. First he noticed the blood that slowly dripped to the floor from Lexia’s hand and then he noticed how her body seemed to hum with power, how she stood shaking with rage and her eyes as she turned slowly to look at him shined as bright as the sun.
His panther snarled in his mind, its fur standing on end. Lincoln walked slowly towards her. “Lex?” Her eyes snapped up focusing on his own gold cat eyes.
“They will pay!” Her voice was like a deadly blade, so cold, so empty, she trembled in anger. Lincoln reached for her, he needed to do something, this wasn’t Lexia.
But as his hands touched her, she lashed out sending him sliding across the room. He hit the wall with an “oomph.” His panther growled and snarled, ready to attack, but he forced it down because this was Lexia, he loved her.
Lexia gasped as she saw Lincoln fly across the room; she looked down at her hands like they belonged to someone else. What did I do?
She collapsed to the floor, great heaving sobs leaving her body. She’d lost control, all that power that rushed through her veins and she’d lost control.
“Lincoln, I... I...I’m, I didn’t mean to.” She looked up, swiping at the tears that blurred her vision; she feared what she would see there. It would finally break her to see Lincoln look at her like she was a stranger, a monster, but when she looked into his cat eyes, she saw concern, love, and fear. Fear for her.
“What’s happening to me?”
“Oh, baby.” Lincoln rushed to her, holding her tight. Lexia clung to him and buried her face into his chest, she breathed in his musky, earthy scent. He softly stroked her hair and slowly she calmed down. Lincoln was her anchor, as long as she had him, everything would be okay.
“They have her, Lincoln; they’ll let her go if I turn myself in.”
“You know as soon as they have you, she’s dead. As long as you’re free she lives.”
“She’s my best friend, Linc, I have to do something, and she’s in this because of me.”
“We will do something but we can’t just going running in head first. Let me clean your hand and let’s see what your father left you. Maybe he left answers that will help.”
Twenty minutes later Lexia sat with her hand bandaged and took the backpack off her back. She pulled out the box and sat there just holding it in her hands. “It’s funny; I’ve wanted this box for so long but now that I have it, I’m frightened of what I’ll find.”
“My Wildcat, scared?” She looked at him and smiled at the cheeky glint in his eyes, he was right. She opened the box. Inside she saw a letter; opening it she ran her fingers over the crisp white paper and started to read the scrawled handwriting
My dearest Lex,
If you’re reading this, then I have failed to keep you safe and for that I am truly sorry. Sorry that your life has now been turned upside down and I’m sorry that I’m not there to help you. I can only say that I lied to you to keep you safe and I hope that you can forgive me.
You must have so many questions. But to answer them I must start at the beginning:
I’m a scientist, Lexia, and I used to work for a secret government agency. That’s how I met your mom, Lucy Hunter. She was the head scientist on the project we worked on, to enhance soldiers so that they were stronger, faster, and healed quicker than the average human.
In the year 2010, Lucy made the breakthrough that led to the creation of Hunters. They were everything we had hoped for, built to fight and protect; the only difference in their appearance was that all their eyes turned to gold. Your mom volunteered to be changed, too. Before she was changed she had blue eyes just like you.
Lucy and I were very happy and we married later that year. A year after we were married I started to notice some changes in her moods; she would lose her temper very quickly and often talked of the Hunters feeling taken for granted. I didn’t tell anyone. I loved her, Lexia, and I didn’t want to see how my wife was slowly changing.
But the government started to lose control of the Hunters and your mom had changed so much that I no longer saw the beautiful, smart woman I fell in love with. But my plans to leave her changed in November 2011, she told me she was pregnant.
When you were born, I thought I finally had my wife back. For the first five months we were the perfect, happy family. But the morning you turned five months old, I came into your room to find that the gold eyes you were born with had turned to blue. Lucy lost it; she screamed and smashed your nursery apart. I quickly took you away from her and when she calmed down, she demanded to take you into her labs and do tests. I thought at first she was merely worried about your health but for some reason I couldn’t let you go, something felt very wrong. So I convinced her to just take some blood and when she left for her labs, I went searching in her home office. What I found, Lexia, made my stomach turn and I took all her work and left with you.
Everything I found is in this box and you mustn’t let anyone have the information, Lex. You see, you are not half-Hunter like Lucy wanted me to believe. She had started a new project to create better Hunters only she experimented on embryos this time. I don’t believe the government knew about this, they had lost complete control over them by then. I have no idea how many of the babies survived and at the end of 2013 the government terminated all Hunters and closed the project down.
I hoped that with them all gone we could finally settle down but I never could be sure so I kept moving us about until you turned six and I decided I had to try to give you a normal life. So we moved to Deadwood and you started school. After years of never being found I finally stopped looking over my shoulder but I always thought maybe someday they would come for you. I never believed they had managed to kill them all.
I want you to know that to me, you were always my daughter. From the moment I first looked at your beautiful face, I was in love and nothing, not even DNA, could change that. You’ve grown up into a beautiful young woman and I’m so proud of you, Lex.
You’re not very different from any other girl, maybe a bit stronger, but nothing like a Hunter. I expect the power lays dormant and a major emotional event will trigger the change.
My biggest fear is that the power will take over and you will become the monster Lucy set out to create, but I have faith that you were born with this power and can control it.
You must fight it, Lexia, and I’m sorry you have to do it alone. If your mother ever finds you, do not trust her, Lex. Please remember that. She may look and act like your mother but all her humanity died the day she became a Hunter.
I will always love you, my baby girl. Stay strong and be safe,
Dad
Xxx
Lexia sat staring at the words on the paper, they now blurred together as tears fell from her eyes; big drops fell onto the paper smudging the ink. She wasn’t even his real daughter and yet he’d risked his life for her, died for her, when he knew all along a monster lay hidden within her.
Did Lucy even love her? Or was she just some experiment in an attempt for power? At least she knew why they wanted her so badly now, she’d been created to be stronger than them.
A sob escaped her throat and Lincoln pulled her tighter against himself. He sat wrapped behind her, his chin rested on her shoulder so he could read the letter with her. He hadn’t said a word since she started reading and she worried now what he would think of her. As if he’d read her mind he whispered against her neck, “I will always love you, no matter what.”
Lexia turned in his embrace and buried her head into his chest and finally let go of all the pain she’d been keeping locked inside.
She didn’t know how long she sat there sobbing into Lincoln’s chest; he didn’t say anything, just held her tight and stroked her hair until her tears ran dry. Lexia pulled back, wiping at her face and looking at Lincoln’s t-shirt stained with black smudges of mascara.
“Sorry.”
“Lexia, stop saying sorry. It’s just a t-shirt.”
“What am I going to do?”
“We are going to hunt.” Lincoln smiled at his comment and his eyes flashed panther. Lexia shuddered; sometimes her panther could be very scary.
“It says I have until midnight.”
“Okay, well first, you will arrive early and you will be alone. Just not for long.”
Lexia smiled and picked up the research her dad had taken from Lucy. She fumbled through it, the paper creased and stained with age. Most of it made no sense at all but she put it back into the box, promising to read it all when she had time; when Alice was safe.
“I can’t see them killing me on the spot, Lincoln. Why create an elite army then kill them off?”
“I think you’re right, they will want you to join them. My only fear, Lexia, is that they won’t let Alice go, but keep her as a motivator.”
“They touch her and I will show them what they created.”
“You won’t need to, Lexia. I will come for you when night falls.”
“God everything is such a mess. We have hours until we need to go; I can’t just sit here.”
Lincoln looked into Lexia’s sad blue eyes. She was still so young, yet in the past month she’d seen more death and pain than most people saw their entire lives. And she was still strong, still fighting; he loved how strong she was, how she never gave up. So he kissed her hungrily, showing her how much she meant to him, making her forget...
The moment Lincoln’s lips touched Lexia’s the world fell away; all she could think about was how strong and sexy his body was, how it made every nerve flare to life as it now pressed against her. She clung to him, opening her mouth to let him deepen the kiss; his tongue swept into her mouth making her moan. Her legs wrapped around his body, pulling him closer, she needed him so badly, needed him closer. Lexia pulled at his clothes, needing to feel her naked skin against his. Her nails scratched along his back making Lincoln moan.
Lincoln pulled back pulling at Lexia’s jeans; he dragged them off her legs and stood, stepping out of his and pulled his torn t-shirt off. She locked eyes with Lincoln and then gazed down his body as he stood naked above her. Lexia moaned, her eyes bleeding to gold at the sight of his hard flesh.
He couldn’t hold back anymore, he needed to be in her, to feel the soft warm flesh wrapped around his hard shaft; panther and man wanted her with feral ferocity. Lincoln crushed his body against Lexia’s, thrusting into her; she cried out, arching her back to let him in deeper, welcoming him. He shuddered, taking a hard grip on her hip and then thrust again.
There was no managing the emotions she felt for Lincoln. Uncontrollable and infinite hunger, that’s what she felt for him. His hand clenched and unclenched on her hips, a whisper of claws against her skin. She met his gaze and demanded more.
Lincoln snapped; the panther taking over, he rode her with the uncontained power of his beast. Her body went tight around his velvet steel as she clawed his back, whimpering and moaning in need.
Lexia looked into Lincoln’s eyes as they flashed from man to panther over and over. He moved above her, his body a masterpiece for only her.
Lincoln pulled her leg off his waist and pushed her wide, he slammed into her over and over, her cries driving him on, a sweet melody for his ears only.
The last thing Lexia remembered was the kiss of his claws against her soft skin and the whisper calling her name. She had a fleeting thought of how in that moment, her life was perfect.
Chapter 29
Just as the sun was setting that night Lexia walked out of the forest and onto her driveway. The gravel crunched under her boots as she took slow steps toward the house; she couldn’t quite get over the fact that she could no longer walk around the streets of her hometown. Not only did she need to hide from the Hunters but she was wanted for murder. She shook her head and looked around her. It’s all just a mess; how could anyone think I killed my Dad? She looked to the sky as if praying to the cruel god that had messed up her life.
The sun was a rich, red ball dipping behind the dark green forest; bright streaks of pink, gold, purple, and orange covered the horizon. Lexia sighed; it was beautiful. She’d never really appreciated how nice her home was, a little white, wooden house nestled on a green canvas; it was so peaceful. She realized now why her dad loved it here so much. It was such a stark contrast to the labs and cities he must have lived in before she was born.
Lexia stopped as two men started to walk her way breaking the peace she was just enjoying. Time to work! She held up her hands, palms out as they approached but the energy that was coming of them didn’t feel at all non-threatening. “I’m unarmed, just like you asked.” She spoke in a low, level voice. They smiled cruelly at her and it was obvious they planned to fight.
Lexia centered her mind, breathing slow, steady breaths until she felt the rush of power run through her veins, which was now as familiar as breathing to her. They stopped a few paces ahead and her whole body itched to fight but she held back, allowing one of the men to take hold of her hands, bringing them behind her back.
“I’m turning myself in, let my friend go.” Lexia made no attempt to struggle against the Hunter’s hold even though it took all her resolve to restrain her instincts. She knew what was coming, she could see it in their eyes; the thirst to fight, to draw blood. Lexia prayed she was strong enough to get Alice out of this.
The Hunter to her right smiled at her, evil intent etched on his face.
“Such a pretty face but no brains.” He swung his fist towards Lexia’s face and she watched it move through the air, felt it whisper past as it brushed against her skin. And at the last second Lexia forced her head back into the face of the Hunter behind her, she broke free as he fell back from the impact.
She kicked the Hunter square in his chest as he came at her again and watched as he flew backwards towards the floor. She walked towards him, watched as he cowered back and brought her fist down. He grunted before collapsing to the floor unconscious. “No brains, hey?”
She turned to find the last Hunter sprawled on the floor; his hand clutched his nose as blood poured through his fingers.
“You broke my nose!”
“Well I was told you wouldn’t harm me if I was unarmed, serves you right really,” and she turned, striding away from them up to her front door. The closer she came to the door the more the fear gripped at her, adrenaline still pumped around her blood from the last fight making her hands quiver. She had to succeed; Alice’s life was on the line.
Failure is not an option.
The door was closed so Lexia knocked and took a step back. The Hunter that answered the door froze as he saw her, confusion crossing his face. Lexia stepped forward, punching him before he’d even registered who she was. He slumped to the floor and she jumped over him into the swarm of Hunters filling the hall. Her fear had gone and her instincts took over, a small thrill ran through her as she started to fight.
They came at her on all sides, but she stood her ground fighting them off as best as she could in the tight space. She took a blow to the back of the head that made her vision blur, she faltered slightly giving him the chance to clamp his arms around her. Lexia bent forward
, forcing all her muscles to lift the heavy weight off the ground and flip him over her back. He landed with a grunt on two other Hunters in front of her. Lexia spun around, kicking the man behind her in the gut. He doubled over in pain and Lexia brought her fist to his head, knocking him unconscious.
As she went to spin around again, ready and willing to fight whoever came next she felt the cool metal of a gun being pressed to her head. She froze, fear clenching her heart.
“Oh I’m going to enjoy killing you. You’ll wish you’d never touched me when I’m done.” Each word was said with the cold edge of evil and Lexia wondered how she’d ever thought she was like them. Slowly she turned, hands held up, to face the Hunter that she had attacked in the drive. Dried blood stained his face and his bright gold eyes held no warmth, just pure hatred.
“Problem is I probably don’t have enough time to torture you before Lucy arrives. I will just have to be satisfied with shooting you in the head then, I guess.” He smiled cruelly, making Lexia shiver.
“Hey!”
Lexia looked toward the voice to see a tall, well-muscled Hunter walk in through the front door, his voice held the notes of authority. She looked back to the Hunter in front of her, his gun still aimed at her head.
“She broke my nose!” he whined.
“I don’t care what she broke, there’s a no kill order on her.”
“But, but look what she did,” he gestured to the moaning men on the floor.
“I was told I wouldn’t be attacked. All I did was defend myself.”
“Shut up, bitch!” She saw the flick of his hand as he brought the gun towards her head. Lexia twisted to the side, the hilt of the gun grazed past her cheek. She turned her back to him and spun, bringing her elbow down on his head. He crumpled to the floor with a grunt.
“Don’t move.” Lexia held up her hands again, slowly facing the Hunter in the doorway.
“Let my friend go, you have me now,” she sighed.
Lexia (The Deadwood Hunter Series) Page 21
