by Ally Parker
Staring into the deep set of Jaxx’s eyes, Kenzie reached up and covered his hand that cradled her cheek. There was nothing simple or otherwise about Jaxx Reynolds. He had powered through every defense she’d erected to keep him at arm’s length. Was it a battle she still wanted to fight? Losing herself with Jaxx could be so easy, and so good. Maneuvering in his lap, she felt his hand slide to rest on her shoulder. The warm spray fanned across her back, and droplets of water ran from Jaxx’s hair, down his neck, and in between the contours of his pecs. Her eyes had never seen a sexier image. As if opposing ends of a magnet, her body drew closer until she caught his lips and took them captive.
His arms wrapped her in warmth. She felt safe, like nothing bad could ever reach her while she stayed within them. His hooded gaze started a different kind of warmth. One that made her want to do bad things in the worst way.
“Kenzie.” He breathed her name like a question.
Both of her hands ran through his hair to clasp behind his neck. In one move, she straddled his hips. Bands of steel tightened around her waist, and the hard outline of his cock pressed firmly against her from under wet denim. He deepened the kiss, his adept tongue stroking a fire that smoldered deep in her body. Lips trailed down her neck, and she arched, giving him better access. He cupped her breast and squeezed gently. She rocked against him, and he growled, the deep rumble sending moisture between her legs. The smell of her arousal filled the stall.
“God, you smell good enough to eat.”
His words sent a quiver racing through her stomach. She reached down and unfastened Jaxx’s jeans and he shoved them down, his length jutting up between them. Darkness had been eating away at her soul for years, and Jaxx made her feel different, like she mattered despite how damaged she was. On her knees she rose, then lowered herself onto her mate.
Jaxx hissed out a breath, his fingers flexing along her hips. She rode him like their kiss, slow, steady, and savoring every moment. His hand slid over her hip, and down between her folds, rubbing her clit. Her head kicked back, and she moaned. Jaxx leaned forward and kissed his way up to her mating mark, grazing his teeth over the sensitive flesh. Pleasure filled her body, and she struggled to keep her rhythm easy. Jaxx did that to her, made her feel wild inside—out of control.
Each strum on her clit fanned the desire bubbling inside of her. Jaxx clamped his teeth down softly on her mating mark, and she came undone. Her legs shook, her breath hitched, and she moaned her release. Bucking beneath her, Jaxx’s scorching kisses blazed down to her breast and drew her nipple into his mouth. He grunted, and his release pulsed inside of her. Inhaling, she collapsed onto his chest, and Jaxx wrapped his arms around her, holding her, keeping her safe, as he always did.
The water started to cool, and Jaxx stroked her hair and planted a kiss on the top of her head. Dreams she hadn’t dared to hope for seemed possible because of Jaxx, and it made her scared, scared that they’d shatter right before her eyes and there wouldn’t be a damn thing she could do about it.
“What’s going on in this head of yours?” Jaxx said, trailing his fingers up and down her back.
“Nothing.” She shook her head, still trying to process her feelings. “We better get moving.”
Easing off Jaxx, she stood and rinsed off, stepping out of the shower to dry herself. They were about to walk into a nightmare, and some of them might not walk out. She wasn’t living in a fantasy; it was real life, and there was no director about to order another take if she didn’t get it right the first time. There was one shot—that was it.
Nope. Not going down that path. She glanced down at her jeans and black tee, not ninja attire, but it would do. Jaxx stepped out of the stall, wrapped a towel around his waist, and padded into his room. She grabbed her boots and followed him, plonking on the bed, shoving a foot into her boot, and starting at the laces.
Dressed in unbuttoned denims, Jaxx walked toward her and knelt into the soft carpet between her legs. “We’re more than likely about to walk into another house of horrors, and it’s chewing me up inside that you’ll be there smack-bang in the middle of danger.” His face scrunched up like the thought was distasteful. “And, since there is nothing I can do to talk you out of coming, I need you to promise, no matter what happens, you’ll stick by my side.”
Darn it. Why did he have to ask the impossible from her? “I won’t make a promise I don’t know if I can keep.”
“Little wolf, I’m not asking this to be controlling; it’s for the safety of everyone we love. If I lose you… ” He swallowed. “It’ll be the end of me.”
She understood that, but she wouldn’t pass up an opportunity. “I’m not about to risk my life, but if there is an opening to save my sister I can’t sit around waiting.” The time for waiting was over.
Fear crawled across their mating link like a creature stalking prey. Her big, strong male was scared. Studying the emotion, Kenzie untangled the layers piled on top of each other and stilled. He wasn’t scared for himself; he was scared he wouldn’t be able to protect her from what was to come.
She left her unlaced boot and leaned forward, stroking along his arm. “Jaxx, we are in this together. I know without a doubt that both of us will walk out of that warehouse. The way I see it is, together we are working on patching up the bruised and battered parts of ourselves. Some might think those dents as a weakness, but those wounds nobody sees, the tarnished parts of our armor, say that despite what the world threw at us, we survived. So, getting my sister out of that place will be a walk in the park.”
Except the park was on fire and the ground was crumpling out from under their feet. Yet she knew that with Jaxx, anything was possible. Jaxx reached up and snatched her forward. His kiss stole her breath, and she loved it. It was fast and fleeting and held three unspoken words suspended between them.
Breathing deep, she wiped her palms on her jeans. “Like I said, I refuse to make promises I can’t keep. But I won’t take any unnecessary risks.”
Jaxx’s lips tugged down at the edges. “I can’t lose you.”
Hope ignited along their link, the emotion almost tangible. Kenzie frowned, catching the tail end of Jaxx’s thoughts. Nothing and no one will get past me, I’ll make sure of it. Her feelings were a mess, her thoughts not much better—all she knew was that the thought of Jaxx injured conjured something dark and ugly inside of her.
Ignoring the strong sensation, she forced a smile. “You won’t.”
Standing from between her legs, Jaxx offered his hand, though the gesture insinuated more—strength, security, and the knowledge she wasn’t alone. Wrapping her fingers around his, they headed to Saint’s office.
“Have there been any changes?” Saint’s voice hushed the murmurs.
They slipped into the room and leaned against the entrance wall. Cade adjusted his belt, and the glint of the light flickered off the sheathed machetes strapped to his back.
Seb cleared his throat. “Several minutes ago the doctor and Ava left the cell, making their way to a sublevel. Unfortunately, their security feed isn’t activated or set up in that section.”
Tensing, she forced the words past her lips. “Which means we’re effectively blind.”
Ava’s still in there. She had to focus on that. Jaxx squeezed her hand, his voice moved through their link. “We’ve got eyes on all the exits. If they leave the building, we’ll know.”
Seb glanced her way. “Essentially, yes. We’re not sure of the precise location, but we do know they haven’t left the building, and so far their security has been following her orders. We haven’t been able to get a clear idea of what the doctor is up to.”
Saint straightened from the desk to walk in front of the meeting table. “We’ll find our answers soon enough. First, let’s make sure we got everything clear. Seb, you’re on council-containment duty, and you’re to notify me the moment they arrive.” Saint’s gaze moved across the room. “Flynn, you’ll ride shotgun in the front with me. Jaxx and Mackenzie will be hidden in th
e back. Linkin, Slater, Cade, and Lucian will take the northern position, and we’ll let you in. Mason, Dominic, and Lucas will remain here with Quinn, Hunter, Hayden, Cadence, and Taryn. Any questions?”
Jaxx handed her three blades and fixed a holster to her belt.
Saint clapped his hands. “Good. It’s time to lock and load.”
As they weaved through the tunnels, Kenzie gave up on trying to keep track of the maze layout.
“Give it time, you’ll figure it out,” Jaxx said.
She arched her brow, thinking she might need several decades to find her way around the back hallways. It didn’t take long before the soft licks of cool air kissed her skin. Shivers raked down her back, and she was glad she’d grabbed a jacket last-minute. Saint pushed through some foliage and cleared the opening for the rest of the pack.
The night engulfed them, and Saint guided them down a shallow gully. Pebbles skated beneath her boots. The breeze blew with the scent of pack and family in the air. A few minutes later they trudged to the back of the ranch. The dim light shone from the large windows on the side of the log cabin and danced along the rock the pack had recessed into the mountain for part of the upper floor.
An engine purred from behind a bouquet of trees, and Lucas pulled up in a black van. Gravel crunched as the car rolled to a stop in front of them. Lucas opened the door and slid out. “You better bring those assholes to their knees.”
Lucas deserved justice, just as every nameless victim slaughtered by Delmac. Tonight, they would deliver.
Lucas tossed the keys to Saint; he caught them mid-air. “Everyone we get our hands on.”
“Good luck. I hope you kick their asses and make them pay for everything they’ve done.” The venom in Lucas’s voice wasn’t a shock after everything Delmac had put his family through, and oddly, she could sense a mixture of relief and disappointment coming from him.
“It’s the bond. Since Lucas changed you, you’ll always sense his strong emotions as he will with you,” Jaxx spoke via their link. His tone suggested he didn’t like that fact.
Jaxx reached out and clasped Lucas on the shoulder. “We will make them pay for what they’ve done. Go, be with your family.”
“I will.” Lucas’s smile dropped clean off his face. “Milly has been having night terrors and refuses to go to sleep unless I’m there with her.” He glanced down at his watch. “I better tail it in there. Just… stay safe out there.”
Poor kid. They might shut Delmac down, but the facility’s ghostly fingers would be holding fast to its victims for much longer. Linkin, Slater, Cade, and Lucian moved to another SUV, and they piled into the car. Saint and Flynn jumped in the front of the van and Jaxx opened the door, letting her climb into the back.
Flynn peered back and smiled. “Feck it. Let’s do this already.”
That male was bloodthirsty. Saint pulled a hard right and nosed out of the driveway, the SUV tailing behind them. Hours passed before Saint slowed the van down to a back road near the warehouse’s location. Their door opened, and in loaded the rest of the males. A feat, considering they were the size of body builders.
Saint turned in his seat, his gaze capturing them all. “Once Seb gives us the signal, we have to move fast. We stick together, and under no circumstances does anyone get left behind. Remember to be careful of their darts.”
Kenzie’s gaze swept each shifter in the car. Each male was willing to risk his life for not only her, but her sister, someone who meant nothing to them. But they were willing just the same. Shadow Moon was more than a pack, it was family, one she wanted to be a part of.
Peering out the tinted window, Kenzie saw the warehouse, and her heart started pounding. Once they walked through those doors, there was no turning back. Unlike the last time she stood in the yard waiting for Kali, light stretched out the windows, pooling on the pavement.
Saint pulled out his cell and pressed some keys. “We’re in position.”
A second clicked by, and darkness blanketed the area. They shot from the van and crept forward. She may have been blindsided the last time she’d stepped near the beat-up warehouse, but this time would be different. This time, she was calling the shots, and she had a pack of badass wolves at her side.
21
The cherry of a cigarette glowed as a bearded guard sucked a hit back. “What’s going on in there, Stan?”
Static filled the line, and a puff of smoke shot out of his mouth.
“Stan, do you copy?”
Jaxx knew Stan wouldn’t be responding; Cade would see to that. He looked toward his mate, and her gaze fixed on the guard. He could tell what she was thinking. Literally. Their mating link was an open door. If he were honest, it settled every nerve in his body. Right now, his little wolf wanted to strike hard and fast. She was using a hell of a lot of strength to keep herself in check.
The guard left his smoke hanging from his lip and slapped the comm unit with his hand. “Damn piece of shit.”
Jaxx turned to his mate. “Go with Saint and Flynn and approach the guard from the rear.”
She nodded, ducked low, and ran into the darkness. Once she was out of sight, he stood, approaching the guard. He kept to the shadows until he was in striking distance and he could see his alpha approach. “You know those things will kill you.”
The guard clipped the battery back into the walkie, and spun to face him, fumbling for his gun. Raising his brows, Jaxx flicked his chin up. “Then again, so will he.”
The man frowned, and his smoke dropped to the ground, tiny embers bouncing. Inch by inch the guard’s gaze jerked behind him. In the dim light, the guard’s human vision would see nothing but the glowing ice burning in Saint’s eyes. His alpha reached out, wrapping his hands around the guard’s neck, and jerked it to the side, the human crumpling at their feet.
Loose stones skated across the asphalt from a hundred yards away. A moment later, another guard rounded the corner.
“Hey, Ben. Is your unit working… ”
The man’s words tapered off. An arc of blood sprayed against the building. The guard dropped to his knees, and Cade appeared, his machete hanging at his side, coated in blood. The guard reached for his neck, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, before he fell to the ground. Cade bent and wiped the blade on the guard’s uniform, then he re-sheathed his weapon.
A wave of nausea washed over his mate, and he took a step toward her. She held out a hand. “I’m fine.” She shook her head, and repeated. “I’m fine.”
He didn’t know if she was telling him or herself. Either way, Kenzie wanted him focused on the mission. Jaxx dropped to a crouch and moved his hands over Ben’s uniform until he found a set of keys. “Payday.”
“Looks like we’ll make it home before the dust settles, lads and lassies,” Flynn said. Despite his light words, his golden gaze was nothing but serious.
Checking the coast was clear they approached the warehouse. Smashed-out glass lay on the pavement like chipped ice. If they hadn’t seen the lights on, anyone would assume the place hadn’t been used in years.
Saint’s voice filled his head “The others are in position. We need to hurry.”
It took a couple of tries before the right key turned the lock. The door opened with a whine, revealing an open dock that trucks must have used once upon a time.
Saint eased forward, his eyes darting left and right. “Let’s get the others.”
The open area left Jaxx feeling on edge. All of them would be exposed and vulnerable while crossing the bay. Drawing on his wolf, he sucked in a breath, tasting various scents of human sweat, old oil, and musty air. His hearing heightened, and in the distance boots clanged on the overhead steel walkway, the echoing obscuring the humans’ positions. Gun drawn, pointing across the empty room, Jaxx took a final glance around and checked to make sure Kenzie was right behind him before he toed into the room.
Halfway across the dock, human voices bounced off the walls. Damn it! He reached out and grabbed Kenzie’
s hand, hauling her as fast as he could into the safety of the darkness. They ran behind a set of stairs and waited.
A moment later a short, plump human walked around the corner. “This is a joke. I’m not getting paid to be a gas pump attendant. If they need gas for the generator, then someone like Ben should have been sent.”
Pressing Kenzie against the wall, Jaxx buffered her from view. His mate’s fear trickled into his senses, and despite his control, his wolf burred up, snapping and snarling to be let free, just as savage as the creature had always been. Saint and Cade crouched low, their claws on display, poised and ready for combat.
A stockier man that smelled like whiskey snorted. “The comms aren’t working, asshat. Ben is outside patrolling, following orders. I suggest you do the same if you know what’s good for you.”
“I don’t get paid enough for this shit. I’ll do it this time since the doctor’s in a mood, but it’s the last time I’m working under my pay grade.”
Their voices faded around the corner, and after waiting a moment longer Jaxx eased off Kenzie. She promptly whispered, “You heard what they said. They’re getting fuel for the generator. Our cover will be blown.”
He squeezed her hand.
Cade stepped out of the shadows and glanced back toward Kenzie. “They ain’t gonna make it far.”
Disappearing down the hall, Cade stalked his prey like a predator. Saint jerked his head left, staring down the darkened corridor. “This passage should lead us to the rear door. Those guards will run into our males.”
Saint swept the area and took off with Flynn toward the back entrance. There were several levels to check in the warehouse, and come hell or high water, Kenzie was determined to search every square inch of the facility to find Ava. And he would be with her every step of the way. His gaze trailed Saint and Flynn. “Come on.”
Silently, they crept down the passage, weaving around boxes and industrial-sized dumpsters filled with scrap metal. Saint pushed the exit open, and the stench of blood and death billowed through the air. Jaxx’s gaze jerked past Saint’s shoulders to the three guards lying dead at his feet.
