Claiming Her Mates Complete Series Collection

by Dia Cole

  Mason looked at the blood-smeared floor. “It’s not as bad as I expected.”

  Gagging on the rancid stench, I gave him a WTF look.

  “It’s better if you breathe through your mouth,” Mason advised.

  Finding that mouth breathing helped, I scanned the tram. The inside was surprisingly large—nearly as big as my old apartment bedroom. There were no seats though. Based on the straps dangling from the ceiling, riders were supposed to stand.

  Not wanting to risk sliding into the bloody carcass again, I shifted into my human form and grabbed the nearest strap.

  Following my lead, Mason shifted too.

  As we stood in silence, my anxiety rose. Did we make the right call in not bringing weapons?

  Reading my mind, Mason slid his arm around my bare shoulder and pulled me into his chest. “As wolves we’ll be much faster than the reanimated and our claws and teeth will shred their decaying flesh.”

  “And we can heal any injuries we get by shifting?”

  “That’s right.” He kissed the top of my head. “As long as we don’t get trapped by a horde of them, we’ll be fine.”

  I stiffened. “What happens if we get trapped by a horde?”

  “Best to not think of that. Just remember to incapacitate the brains of the reanimated. It’s the only way to stop them.”

  “Take out their brain. Got it,” I stated with false confidence. How the hell are we going to do that in wolf form?

  The doors slid closed with a metallic clang and the tram rocked forward.

  The sudden propulsion threw me off-kilter.

  Mason tightened his arms around me, holding me in place. “To keep your center of gravity, keep your knees slightly bent and your feet wide.”

  “Or I could just cling to you,” I said, giving him a quick kiss. There was much I could learn from my Omega like how he could remain calm when we were hurling into a potential nightmare.

  Trying to channel some inner-Mason, I took a deep breath and looked out the window. Although the views of the snow-laden trees and pristine white ski slopes should have eased my anxiety, they didn’t. The gray sky was darkening. Soon the sun would set leaving us to battle the dead in the black of night.

  Fighting back a shiver, I turned my attention to the strange holes dotting the slopes. Some holes were wide enough to crawl through while others were barely softball-sized. Weird. I squinted to get a better look at one. The hole grew wider under my gaze. A glove-covered hand emerged briefly only to be swallowed by more shifting snow.

  Oh, God. Those are zombies. They were buried right now, but when the snow melted… A sick feeling gripped me. “Mas—”

  He cursed, his attention fixed on the front window.

  I followed his gaze and my stomach fell to the floor. The next tram terminal, along with another large building, was visible in the distance. They teemed with zombies.

  From this vantage point, the dead looked like swarms of colorful ants crowding around the platform. Shit! When the tram doors open, they’ll all rush in. “Mason, what do we do?”

  “First, we take a deep breath and let it out.” Mason inhaled and exhaled audibly. "Remember we anticipated this. We just need to stop the doors from opening." He strode over to the doors and ran his hands down the side of each one. “There has to be some kind of mechanism here.”

  We were getting closer to the terminal. The lurching figures were recognizable now. Most wore blood-covered ski apparel; some dragged half-eaten limbs behind them. “Did you find it?”

  “No.” There was a hint of anxiety in his voice. It was enough to push my panic button.

  I searched the small space for some kind of solution, my gaze coming to rest on the bloody carcass. Oh, crap. That’s how we’ll end up.

  “I’ll keep looking,” Mason said, turning his attention back to the doors. “Maybe if we could find something to wedge in here.”

  “What about the guy’s femur?” I pointed at the floor.

  Mason shook his head. “I need something longer like a ski or a ski pole. Bloody hell. Why couldn’t someone have left one aboard?” He smacked the door.

  The station was only a hundred yards away. Several zombies on the platform were lifting their heads and sniffing the air. Can they smell us? “Mason! We’re almost there.”

  He clenched his jaw. “Okay, here’s plan B. When the doors open, I’ll run out—”

  “No!” I shouted.

  He continued. “I’ll run out and try to get them to follow me. You’ll continue the rest of the way by yourself, and I’ll meet you at the bottom.”

  “You’ll be torn apart. There has to be another way. Don’t these things come with emergency exits? I mean even elevators have an opening on top.”

  We both looked up at the ceiling at the same time. Between the dangling straps was the outline of a hatch.

  “You’re bloody brilliant.” Mason moved underneath the hatch. He reached up, but wasn’t tall enough to reach it.

  “Here!” I rushed over and picked him up. Despite his tall, muscular build, his weight barely registered.

  He let out a sound of surprise. “Havana—”

  “Swallow your manly pride and open that damn hatch.” My voice rose as the tram began to slow. We were just feet from the terminal.

  Mason fumbled with the hatch.

  “Hurry!”

  The tram came to a stop.

  In a scene straight out of a horror movie, dozens of zombies in brightly colored ski jackets surrounded the tram on all sides. Their grotesque, rotting faces smeared the glass. The tram shuddered under their beating fists. One window by the door shattered. A sea of rotting hands reached inside.

  Oh, God! We’ll die in here! “Mason!”

  “I can’t get it. It’s stuck!” Panic, anger, and grief thrummed through our bond.

  Refusing to accept our grim fate, I set Mason down. Then I bent my knees and jumped upward with my fist outstretched. Using every bit of my strength, I punched straight through the hatch sending the square piece of metal flying over the side of the car and into the mass of rioting dead. My knuckles screamed in agony, but there wasn’t time for pain.

  The tram doors whooshed open. The zombie horde tried to rush in but there were too many of them crushing together. For a brief moment, none could get through.

  I grabbed Mason and all but threw him through the hatch. Then I jumped after him. I’d barely pulled myself up on the roof when the tram filled with putrid-smelling zombies.

  “Bloody hell,” Mason shouted over the chorus of clicking teeth and clunking ski boots.

  As my adrenaline crashed, I collapsed next to him, cradling my throbbing right hand. It was probably broken in at least three places.

  Mason reached for my hand. “Let me look.”

  “There’s no need.” To prove my point, I shifted into a wolf and back. The pain vanished. “Look, good as new,” I held up my healed hand for him to inspect.

  He gave me a tight smile. “Well. That’s one problem solved. What do we do about them?” He motioned down.

  Dozens of milky-white eyes stared up at us from faces in varying states of decay. Some bloated faces were a mottled purplish-blue color, while others were as white as spider eggs and covered in dense black veins. All of their lips were black and drawn back to expose their chattering bloody teeth.

  The clicking sound made my skin crawl. “Why are they doing that?”

  “I don’t know. But if they don’t move out of the tram, it’s not going anywhere.”

  To prove his words, the tram doors started to close. As soon as they hit the zombies trying to cram their way inside, the doors retracted.

  Crap. I scanned the area looking for some kind of solution and found none. The building next to the terminal offered only more zombies. Through the broken windows, I could see the dead stumbling over chairs and lurching into tables. At least the creatures weren’t too bright. If we could only distract them with something…

  Mason nodded as if
I’d spoken out loud. “Back to plan B then. I’ll draw them away from the tram.” He stood and walked to the edge of the roof.

  “No!” I scrambled after him and grabbed his arm. “I’m not letting you commit suicide.”

  He cracked a smile. “While I would gladly sacrifice my life for yours, if I die, you die, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah.” When I first bonded with my mates, they’d explained how we’d tied our life forces together. I didn’t pretend to understand the mechanics of it, but I trusted the guys at their word. It gave even more urgency to our current mission. If we didn’t save Liam and Gabriel, and they ended up dying, so would we.

  Mason rotated his arms around as if loosening them. “Once I’ve outrun the dead, I’ll head the rest of the way down the mountain on foot.”

  “On paws you mean,” I corrected.

  “Right,” he said with a wry grin. “You take the tram down and I’ll meet you at the base tram terminal.”

  Before I could argue that I should be the one to jump out since I was bigger and faster, he shifted and dove over the side of the tram.

  Heart in my throat, I watched him run several yards away from the platform. Then he stopped and let out a long, loud howl.

  Every zombie in the vicinity stopped and turned toward him.

  “It’s working! They’re going after you.” I peered down at the emptying tram.

  Mason howled again.

  Zombies lurched toward him, moving closer and closer.

  Fear climbed up the back of my throat. “They’re surrounding you!”

  A short male zombie in a red ski jacket grabbed for him.

  Mason darted back just in time. “I got this. Don’t worry about me.”

  Below me, the tram doors closed and moments later the empty car swung forward. Nearly losing my footing, I grabbed the thick metal bar that connected the car to cables above.

  A war raged inside me. Do I jump down and help Mason or stay to find the others?

  The tram picked up speed, and the decision was made for me. As Mason faded from view I shouted, “Please don’t die!”

  He didn’t respond.

  9

  Nathan

  The ravenous dead pounded against the cracking glass walls of the skywalk above my head, but I didn’t dare tear my gaze from Paul Ackerman’s unblinking silver eyes.

  Paul watched us with preternatural stillness.

  His son, Kaden, trembled behind me, his teeth chattering in the icy wind. The human boy was no doubt freezing with only a thin jacket to protect him from the elements, but his parents presented a far greater threat to his life than hypothermia right now.

  Damn the fates. After watching our chances of survival fade with every hour, I’d thought Gabriel and Liam’s arrival meant our luck had finally turned.

  Mira, myself, and the humans I’d rescued were running dangerously low on food, but I refused to let anyone leave our stronghold on the third floor after what happened to the Ackermans. Seven days ago, Paul and Linda left to scavenge for food and had been killed.

  I didn’t know how or why, but they had reanimated into something far more threatening than the shambling dead. Their speed, stealth, and the way they hunted as a pack had reduced our survivor group by half and nearly cost me my life.

  Paul cocked his head to the side and studied me with an intensity that made my hair stand on end. His musty scent was definitely not Lykos and certainly not human. His formerly olive-toned skin held a grayish cast, and I knew from experience he possessed enough strength to rip a man apart with his bare hands. He wasn't alone. Despite Linda's size, she too was incredibly powerful. She might even be strong enough to pull a helicopter out of the sky.

  I spared a quick glance up at the hotel balcony railing where Linda stood, a coil of rope in her clawed hand. Why hadn’t the Enforcers cut the fucking rope? A sliver of fear arrowed down my spine.

  Gabriel and Liam will handle it, I told myself. I’d never imagined a day would come where I’d put Mira’s life in the hands of Tasha’s brute squad. But I was out of options and so was Kaden. If I left the boy to challenge his mother, his father would kill him. I can’t let that happen. I shifted my gaze back to Paul.

  He let out an earsplitting shriek and sank back into a crouch.

  Fuck! I’d been giving my rations to the other survivors, which greatly depleted my strength. However, I’d be damned if I showed the creature an inch of weakness. I threw my head back and howled.

  Kaden let out a shocked cry and released his death grip on my leg.

  Damnation. I can’t have the boy scared of me. I turned and stared into the boy’s wide brown eyes. “Kaden, you will not be afraid and you will stay with me when I turn into a wolf.”

  My compulsion did its job. The expression of terror on the boy’s face faded. He nodded, his eyes glassy.

  I stood protectively in front of him and turned to face Paul. Although I was an Alpha, I knew my chance of defeating Paul, who regenerated any injury instantly, were slim to none. Nevertheless, I had to try for the boy’s sake. Moving quickly, I tore off my clothing and shifted.

  Paul didn’t so much as blink when my bones lengthened, tendons snapped, and fur sprouted over my rippling muscles.

  Rising as a large silver wolf, I snarled at him.

  Paul gnashed his bloody teeth and looked up at Linda as if awaiting her command.

  I lowered myself to the ground. “Climb on,” I telepathically ordered the boy.

  Although humans normally couldn’t receive Lykos thoughts, Kaden did, reinforcing my suspicion that the family wasn’t entirely human. Slinging his legs over my back, the little boy grabbed hold of my fur.

  “Hang on!” As soon as I knew the boy was secure. I took off.

  Snarling, Paul bolted after us.

  Fuck! He’s fast.

  Paul stayed right on my heels, his fetid breath stinking the air.

  My lungs burned as I raced around the side of the hotel through the parking lot. Veering around the mounds of snow I knew were cars, I tried to formulate a plan.

  Where do I take Kaden? The hotel was filled with zombies and so was the first floor of the ski lodge, but we couldn’t stay out in the open. In the distance I spied a tram swinging into the base terminal. Thank the fates!

  For a week we’d watched the tram come and go up the mountain, but any survivor who made a run for it had met their bloody end at the hands of the Ackermans. I hadn’t dared risk Mira’s life to get to it and I refused to leave her behind. Now the tram might be Kaden’s only chance. I just needed to get him inside and then keep his father distracted while he escaped. Setting my sights on the terminal, I increased my pace.

  Kaden flattened himself over my back, his small boots digging into my ribs.

  Just past the ticket kiosks the snow deepened. It took more and more energy to push my way through. Damnation.

  Paul was gaining on me.

  I kept my gaze locked on the tram terminal. The tram was still in the dock, but I had to hurry. If it leaves, we're fucked! Summoning my waning strength, I forced myself to run even faster. My lungs burned, my breath sawed in and out.

  Almost there! We were close enough that I could make out the tram’s blood-smeared windows. It looked empty. Thank the fates. If I could just get the boy inside—

  Something moved on the roof of the tram.

  I blinked.

  A naked female rose from a crouch. As she looked out at me her long dark hair whipped around a beautiful face I knew better than my own.

  Vana? It can’t be. I stumbled.

  Something heavy slammed into my side.

  Fuck!

  Kaden flew off my back and landed in the snow a dozen feet away.

  Paul pinned me face-first to the ground.

  I tried to shake him off, but the bastard dug his claws into my hide and buried his jaws into the back of my neck. A pained yelp tore from my lips as Paul ripped out a large chunk of my flesh.

  Searing agony radiated from the w
ound. Have to get him off. I bucked hard and threw him.

  Paul landed on his feet, chewing noisily. A line of crimson streamed down his chin and bare chest. Over his shoulder I could see the tram. The roof was empty.

  I shook my head trying to clear the black dots in my line of vision. Did I hallucinate Vana? Blood poured from my throbbing wound.

  “Daddy, stop!” Kaden cried.

  Paul and I jerked our head in his direction.

  The boy stared at his father, my compulsion making him too brave for his own good.

  “Run!” I telepathically ordered. “Go to the tram! Get inside!”

  The boy took off toward the terminal.

  Paul started to follow.

  I forced myself to my feet and leaped in front of the undead creature. Have to protect the boy. Digging into the last of my reserves, I shifted to human and back to wolf. Instead of completely regenerating, my wound only partially healed. There was no time to acknowledge what that meant.

  Paul let out an inhuman roar and lunged for me.

  I jumped to meet him in midair—a hundred and seventy pounds of super zombie crashing into two hundred pounds of Alpha male.

  This time I snapped my jaws around his throat. His bitter-tasting blood filled my mouth making me gag. I forced my teeth in deeper.

  Seeming impervious to the bite, Paul locked his arms around my torso and squeezed so hard and fast that my spine snapped with an audible crack.

  My back exploded in pain and my limbs went numb. Unable to move my front or back paws, I panicked. Releasing his throat, I gnashed at his arms, chest, and neck with my teeth.

  He flung me away.

  I landed in a broken heap of gut-wrenching pain. I tried to shift and failed.

  Paul let out a victorious shriek.

  Darkness encroached on my vision. I fought it. Have to save the boy. I tried again to shift. I couldn’t. My lungs filled with blood. I fought to drag in a gulp of air.

  Paul stalked over, his eerie silver eyes gleaming.

  Damn the fates. This is it. The fiend would end me. I’d never be reunited with Vana. I’d never see my daughter grow up. Worse my failure would cost the boy his life.