by Cheree Alsop
“We have got to teach that werewolf how to fight,” Jaze said as he finished another man. His arm bled from what looked like a knife wound, but he ignored it and fought next to Jet.
“Looks like he’s doing fine to me,” Jet replied. I glanced up to see him drop one man with a straight punch to the jaw, kick another in the head hard enough that he turned a full circle before falling to the ground, then drop to his knee and uppercut a third man in the groin hard enough that I think everyone within hearing winced.
I turned to meet three more attackers.
“Stop!” I jumped at a gunshot and glanced over to see Dr. Tannin holding a gun to Mouse’s head. I rose slowly from my crouch and lifted my hands.
“Everyone freeze where you stand.” He met my eyes, his own cold and calculating. “Except you, Kaynan. You get in the van with Grace and I’ll let everyone go without a scratch, or more scratches than they already have.” He threw a wicked smile at Jaze and I fought back the urge to wipe it from his face.
I was the closest to Mouse, and they stood a few feet to the right of the van Dr. Tannin indicated. Mouse met my eyes, his own filled with terror but also with a edge of steel that surprised me. “Save her,” he mouthed, his gaze burning into mine.
My heart turned over at the thought of a bullet burying itself into the quiet, brilliant werewolf’s brain. Dr. Tannin would kill him without a second thought, of that I was certain. I took a step toward them. Dr. Tannin smiled, thinking I was headed for the van. I walked closer and the edges of his eyes tightened. His lips creased and he pressed the gun harder into Mouse’s skull.
“I’ll kill him, Kaynan. Don’t push me,” he threatened.
I shrugged. “Do what you want with him. You hurt Grace. It’s you I’m after.”
His eyes widened and he turned so that Mouse was between us. “Stop right there!”
I closed the distance quickly. “You destroyed her life once, Tannin. I’m not going to let you take her again.”
He backed up, pulling Mouse with him. I met Mouse’s gaze, then looked at the ground. He gave a barely perceptible nod, then stumbled as if he tripped. Dr. Tannin aimed down at him, but I crossed the last six feet in a blur. Dr. Tannin looked up and his eyes widened; he aimed wildly, then shot.
The bullet tore into my chest. I gasped at the pain, then bowled the doctor over. He fell to the ground with a yell and the gun left his hands. He rolled with the force of the blow, looked around blindly, then struggled for the gun that landed a few feet away. I grabbed his ankles and pulled him back. A yell of terror escaped his lips.
“You've messed with your last werewolf, Doctor,” I growled in his ear. I put my hands on either side of his head, wanting more than anything to end his life and stop the terror that filled Grace’s blind world. My conscience warred with the wolf instinct to destroy any threat to my loved ones.
“Wait,” Dr. Tannin protested. “Your sister.”
The words sent a jolt of surprise through my body. “What about her?” I growled. My hands shook with the effort to stay human and not rip out his throat.
“She’s waiting for you.”
My heart slowed. My breathing stopped. Everything in the world held still for the moments it took for his words to sink in. “What did you say?” I whispered.
“Colleen’s at the Development Center. She’s waiting for you.” His voice took on a note of triumph now that he knew he had my attention. “I promised her I would bring you back. She misses you.”
I shook my head, denying his words and the surge of agony they brought. “You have my sister?” I asked in disbelief.
He moved his head and I let him go and backed up, staring. He rubbed his head, then rose on his knees and turned around to face me. “She told me to tell you she forgives you.”
Cold washed through me. A growl ripped from my throat and I rose, stalked the few steps to the waiting van, then grabbed one of the back doors with both hands and pulled with the force of the anger and adrenaline that flooded my veins. The door creaked on its hinges, then ripped free. A primal yell tore from my lips and I threw it as hard as I could. The door sailed across the parking lot and embedded into the trunk of two trees. The trees shuddered and several leaves and branches fell to the pavement.
My heart turned over at the small form in the back of the van.
“Kaynan?” Grace’s hand lifted and I took it.
“I’m here.” I picked her up gently and carried her from the van to Jaze’s SUV.
“Get in,” I said to the others with barely concealed rage.
“Where are you going, Kaynan? She’s waiting for you. I promised her we’d bring you back with us,” Tannin yelled behind me.
I turned and crossed the parking lot until I stood nose to nose with him. He glared at me, a light of triumph in his eyes. My limbs burned hot with rage at his defiance and attitude that I owed him something. I clenched my hands into fists, barely able to remember that I needed him alive. A growl ripped from my throat and I stomped on his ankle. A loud snap sounded and Dr. Tannin let out a cry of shock and pain as he grabbed his foot. “Just to make sure you don’t go far,” I said between gritted teeth.
“I made you,” Dr. Tannin yelled, crouched over his ankle. “You’d be dead without me.”
I grabbed his broken ankle and dragged him across the parking lot to the SUV, then tossed him in the back where he cowered in the corner, true fear showing on his face for the first time. Jaze met my eyes with a searching look, but didn’t say anything.
I slid into the vehicle, pillowed Grace’s head on my lap, and shut the door. Mouse started the engine and drove us slowly from the parking lot.
***
Taye led Grace into the house while I dealt with Tannin. Roger had a storage room next to the kitchen that worked perfectly as a holding room. I might have been less than gentle when I dragged him through the house, but he excelled at the verbal abuse.
“So what’s your plan, Kaynan?” he asked, lounging as though he sat in a luxurious room instead of on a cold cement floor.
“You’re going to take me to Colleen and I’m getting her out of your labs,” I replied, glaring at him despite the throbbing in my chest from the bullet wound.
Dr. Tannin’s eyebrows rose. “You think it’ll be that easy?”
“I don’t see why not,” I growled.
A smirk curved the corner of his mouth. “You seem to think you hold all of the cards, but you don’t.” I wasn’t in the mood to be baited into asking questions, so I waited for his patience to expire. Luckily, his broken ankle seemed to have shortened his endurance. He gestured with one hand. “This new facility was my back-up in case I needed to move from the old one.” He gave me a wry look. “You assisted with that sooner than I intended, but I had the chance to hire extra security in the meantime. If you show up without me, or try to leave without my permission, they’ll kill you on sight.”
My heart slowed. “And if I take you at gunpoint?”
His smile sharpened. “I have very specific instructions when it comes to bringing anyone to the laboratory. If anything happens outside of protocol, they have orders to move your sister to a different facility until they hear from me. She’ll be long gone and it’ll be your fault that you lost her once again.”
I fought back the urge to wipe the grin from his face and took a calming breath. “What is protocol?” I asked, spacing the words carefully to avoid growling.
“I call my driver, he picks up one individual with me at an undisclosed location and takes us to the laboratory. Only one person can go, no tails, no weapons, and no police or you’ll never see Colleen again.” His expression turned serious. “But if I take you, you have to agree to stay. That’s the only way I’ll let Colleen leave.”
I shut the door to the storage room before I did something I truly regretted.
Chapter 20
“You really need to stop getting in the way of bullets,” Jaze said in a light tone.
“They need to stop sho
oting at people I care about,” I replied grimly. I met Mouse's gaze from across the room. He watched me, his eyes wide and unreadable.
“Just because they're silver doesn't mean they can't kill you,” Meg said, her tone distracted as she examined the bullet wound in my chest. “An inch to the right and your heart might not have fared so well.”
“He didn’t want me dead,” I said quietly.
“I don't think you gave him a chance to aim,” Jaze replied. His tone was strange and I looked up to see a serious expression on his face. He met my gaze. “You really do need to start taking care of yourself. You have things to live for, you know.”
“So does Mouse,” I said.
Jaze opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again. He watched Meg for a moment, then sighed. “I suppose you’re going to the labs?”
“I don’t have a choice. If he has my sister, I’ve got to get her out of there.” My throat tightened at the thought of seeing her again; it was hard to think rationally.
“And if not?” Jet questioned, his dark blue eyes intent.
“Then I’ll kill them all.” My voice was expressionless, but my heart pounded at the thought.
Jet shook his head. “You’re not a killer.” I started to protest, but he put a hand on my shoulder and met my eyes. “You might be brave and crazy, but you’re not a killer. You can’t do this alone.”
I wanted to argue, but knew he was right. I took a painful breath and blew it out. “Okay, then what do I do?”
“You find your sister and let us do the rest,” Jaze said. He gritted his teeth as Nikki wrapped a bandage around his arm to slow the bleeding from the knife wound so it could heal.
I bit back a gasp when the needle-nosed pliers-like tool Meg held opened and latched onto the bullet in my chest. She pulled it out with a satisfied smile, then bathed the wound in antiseptic. “How do you find me?” I forced out.
“We could just follow you. That wacko can’t expect you to go alone,” Brock said from the kitchen.
I shook my head. “He’ll only take one person, and they’re serious about being followed. I can’t risk losing Colleen again.”
“We could use a tracker,” Mouse said.
He held my eyes for a moment, then looked at the floor. “It’s how they found you before. Maybe we could use their technology against them.”
The thought brought a smile to my lips. “Perfect.” I looked at Jaze. “Do you think Charles can help us out?” Meg held bandages on the bullet wound in my chest while Taye taped them down.
“Can’t hurt to give him a call,” Jaze said. “I think the Hunters might have something we can work with. If we know where you are, you can give a signal and we’ll bring our army down on top of them.”
Jet nodded appreciatively. “The element of surprise might give us the advantage.”
He left with Jaze, Nikki, and Brock while Meg finished the bandaging job. “Try not to move for a bit,” she suggested. “Give it a chance to at least start healing.”
“I don’t have time,” I argued.
She rolled her eyes. “Let the others do the leg work. You need to rest, especially if you’re actually going through with your fool-headed plan.” She handed back my bloody shirt and passed me the cup of water Taye brought. “Werewolves are so bad at taking care of themselves.”
“Tell me about it,” Taye replied, nodding her head toward the others in the kitchen.
They both turned to leave, but I grabbed Taye’s hand. A knife of pain stabbed through my chest and I held the bandages and fought to breathe. Taye turned back, her eyes bright with concern. She eased me back on the couch, her hands gentle. “How’s Grace?” I managed to get out.
“She’s sleeping,” she said with a small smile. “She’s not hurt, just scared.” Her eyes met mine. “She’s mostly worried about you.”
“Tell her not to worry. I’ll be fine.” I took a drink of the water she gave me, then grimaced at the pain of swallowing.
“Right,” Taye said, her tone doubtful.
I met her gaze. “I don’t really have a choice.”
Her lips softened into a sympathetic smile. “I know you don’t.” She stood and turned to go, then paused. “Just take care of yourself, for Grace’s sake.”
I nodded and she left the room.
***
Grace looked so small and fragile on the bed. I thought she was asleep and turned to go, but she opened her eyes. “You can't trust him,” she said softly.
“I don't.” I walked to the bed and knelt down next to her. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I was hit by a truck,” she replied. She moved gingerly and gave a wry smile. “Only I think a truck wouldn't hurt as bad.”
I smoothed the hair from her forehead, hesitated, then traced my fingers across her soft cheek. A tingle ran up my arm at the touch of her skin. I closed my eyes and put my lips where my fingers had been and brushed the skin softly. Her scent filled my senses and drove out any worry of what was to come. The pain from the healing bullet wound receded to leave only the feeling of her skin and the sound of her breath.
She reached up and touched my cheek, then turned her head so that her lips met mine. Her fingers tangled in my hair as her lips pressed softly into mine until my breath was hers and I knew only the feeling of her kiss. When she stopped, her taste lingered on my lips and each heartbeat begged me to take her in my arms and kiss her again. I took a deep breath, reminding myself that she was recovering from the silver and needed to rest.
“You stopped?” she asked, her tone lightly teasing.
“You’ve been through so much.” I tried to ignore the way my breath caught at her voice and the smile that touched her lips.
“I love you,” she whispered.
I stared down at her. The moonlight from the window stole softy across her face and lit the curve of her smile in its gentle glow. Her fingers, so delicate, traced soft patterns along my cheek as she felt the plane of my face. I turned my lips to her palm and kissed it softly. “Can you feel how much just being with you completes me?” I asked in an unsteady voice. “I'm the one who's lost without you.” I swallowed. “Without you, I'm more than blind. Everything I see, feel, or hear is muted when you’re not there to experience it with me.”
She sniffed and I looked up to see tears running down her cheeks. “I don't want you to go.”
“I'll be alright,” I promised.
She shook her head and buried her face against my chest. “How do you know?” she asked, her voice soft.
“Because I have too much to live for.”
She sniffed again, then tipped her face toward me. “You mean that?”
I nodded. “Most definitely.”
She wiped her tears away. “What if she's not there?”
My heart clenched away from the thought. The promise of seeing Colleen again was too much to hope for. “It's probably just Tannin's way to get me back. She couldn't be there.”
“Then you go into a trap willingly?”
“If it means stopping him, yes.”
She sighed. “I guess you're right. I don't want anyone else to go through what we did.”
“Kaynan?” Mrs. Carso called up the stairs.
I touched Grace's cheek one last time. She grabbed my hand and held it for a moment, then gave a sad smile and let go. “Return to me, Kaynan.”
“I will,” I promised.
***
Mrs. Carso handed me a plate of lasagna that smelled so good my mouth watered, then escorted me back to the living room so that I would rest while I ate it.
She sat down on the easy chair and made sure I finished the meal, a worried look on her face. “Did you have a good visit with your parents?”
I nodded and swallowed a bite. “Far better than I could have expected.” I studied the remaining pieces of food on my plate. “They're amazing.”
I saw her smile out of the corner of my eye. “I'm glad.” Her eyes tightened thoughtfully. “How about your girlfrie
nd?”
I looked at her. “You knew about Renee?”
She nodded. “Grace told me.”
I fought back a smile. “Girls talk about everything, don't they?”
“It's one of our best qualities,” she replied with a small laugh. “That and not listening.”
It was my turn to laugh. I took another bite, then said, “Renee was with another guy.”
“You don't sound too upset about that.”
I looked up and met her smile. “I'm not,” I said honestly.
“I'm glad, for both of you.” She rose from the chair and straightened some movies next to the television, then turned to leave the room. She paused before she went through the door. “Kaynan, we've really enjoyed having you here. Our home is always open to you, just take care of yourself out there.” Her eyes met mine. “Your parents deserve to meet Grace.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “She deserves to meet them. They'd pamper her like their own daughter.” My throat tightened and tears touched my eyes. I blinked them away and turned back to the food to hide the sudden rush of emotion.
Mrs. Carso's footsteps hesitated at the doorway. “I promised your mother I would take care of you as if you were my own son.” Her voice softened. “I never could keep Jaze from putting his life on the line for others.”
I looked at her and she blinked away her own tears. “But I remind him that he has to take time out to just be a teenager. You and Grace deserve that, too.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. “I owe her a good life. Hopefully after all of this is over, she'll be able to live without the fear of them finding her again.”
“That would be good for both of you.” Mrs. Carso left me to my thoughts.
I set the plate down on the coffee table and hissed in a breath at the stab of pain that ran through my chest. I settled back on the couch and rubbed the bandages, hoping it would heal quickly but knowing I didn't have time to wait for it to close properly. I shut my eyes and took several testing breaths. Meg said that the bullet had broken at least one rib and bruised the others around it. They made it harder to breathe, which could be detrimental to our plan.
