“Lou said they’re closer to the docks,” I said as we walked at a fast pace. Adrenaline coursed through my veins and I couldn’t resist the grin that spread across my face. The anticipation of danger was my new choice of drug.
“There,” Roman pointed to the second to last row of containers. “That one’s on our list.”
We stuffed the paper that had the list of cargo shipments in our pockets and ran to the end of the dock. It was only a few feet away from the Southeast Basin where the Water Nymphs were located.
Roman drew a small black pouch from his pocket and unzipped it. Choosing a tension wrench and diamond pick, he put the rest of the tools in his pocket and went to work on the locked compartment.
“Hurry up,” I said as I stood as lookout. I peered around the shipyard as I heard voices. “I think someone’s inside, Rome.” I turned back and watched over his shoulder.
“It’s all about the tension,” Roman smirked as he turned the small wrench clockwise until the lock unclicked. “There.”
“Will you stop trying to show off your lock picking skills to uh…” I looked around us, “no one, and just open it up already.”
He chuckled. “Okay, okay, sorry for wanting to bask in the art of breaking and entering.” Roman unhooked the rod that locked the door, and swung it wide open. We both froze.
“Holy…” Roman started.
“Shit…” I gasped.
About a dozen women huddled in the back of the container—their clothes tattered, and their skin blotched with dirt and bruises. Greasy hair framed their terrified expressions, as an odor escaped toward us that made me swallow a gag. The smell of feces invaded my sensitivity and I wondered how long these women had been kept imprisoned.
“Rome, Ace, report?” Lou said through our ear buds.
“Lou—call the cavalry—we found them…all of them,” I said as I slowly inched inside, my hands outstretched in defense. “Hey…we won’t hurt you, we’re here to help.”
Their glossy wide eyes of terror would haunt me for years to come. I couldn’t imagine what they had been through.
“W-Who are you?” one of them asked. Her hands were spread out, as if protecting the others from us.
I gulped. “I’m Ace, and that’s my partner Roman,” I pointed behind me. “We’re part of SIU, we’ve been looking for you all for months.”
Many of the women relaxed as understanding dawned on them.
“You’re the Sucubi?” I asked.
A lot of them nodded in response. “Yes,” said the one I assumed was their leader. “We need to hurry, these compartments have silent alarms.”
“Shit,” I muttered. “You heard that, Rome, Lou?” I yelled back.
“I’m on it, disabling them now,” Lou said.
“Alright, let’s hurry up then,” Roman said, motioning the women forward. None of them moved.
“It’s okay,” I reassured them. “You can trust him.”
With some hesitation, they started moving forward and Roman herded them toward the road where our car was and a bus was on its way.
“My name is Sonya,” the leader introduced herself. “They’re more of us in other shipments. I’ll show you which ones.”
“Lou, we might need another bus,” I said. “How do you know they’re more?”
Sonya shivered. “We sometimes hear their screams in the middle of the night.”
***
I nodded and gave Roman a heads up before I left. Sonya and I walked around a few more cargo containers until stopping at another one I recognized from our list.
While I picked the lock, I asked, “How long have you guys been here?”
“It varies. Some of us have been here longer than others. I was taken around three weeks ago,” she said as I unlocked the door.
I was able to open three more containers with Sonya’s help, when a commotion by the road drew my attention. The shriek of multiple women rang out in the night, and I growled—my wolf making its presence known.
“What’s going on, Lou?” I said as I ran back to the entrance.
“Roman has company, Ace. Ogres—lots of them,” Lou said.
I stopped running and looked around. There were many frightened and tired faces that were in no position to fight, even if it was for their freedom. I scanned the area and I realized we were only a few feet from the Basin.
“Tell Roman to lead the Ogres toward the water. And what’s the ETA on back up?”
I started running in the opposite direction toward the Nymphs.
“They’re five minutes out and Rome is headed your way.”
“Good,” I said as I growled into the night. My canines and claws emerging, and my face morphing to half wolf—half human.
A few seconds later, I saw Roman sprinting at full speed as a gaggle of Ogres chased him. His arms pumped at an inhuman speed, as his knees almost hit his chest. “Now!” he yelled.
My thumb and pointer finger pinched my lower lip, and I whistled into the night. A splash in the water was the only hint that the Water Nymphs heard my call.
I crouched on all fours as Roman skidded to a stop before me and whirled around to meet our incoming threat. “Ready?” he asked, not a bit out of breath.
“I was born ready,” I gloated and he rolled his eyes.
The Nymphs shot out of the water and landed on either side of us. Their wild beach waved hair in crazy knots, shells braided into strands, and their eyes a glowing black. They were a mix of cuteness from The Little Mermaid and psychotic-serial-killer Helena from Orphan Black. If they weren’t on our side, I would have been terrified of them. They were vicious water creatures who could only be appeased if offered shiny things. Roman promised them an array of silver costume jewelry for their assistance. About twenty Nymphs joined us, baring their razor sharp teeth at the enemy.
“Can we eat them?” the Nymph beside me asked.
I wrinkled my nose. “Uh…no, sorry.”
“Shame,” she sighed.
The Ogres came to a stop in front of us. “What a treat,” one of them said. “A whole feast, just for us, boys.”
“Ugh, gross,” I groaned and Roman nudged me to shut up. “Sorry.”
“Easy there, gentlemen,” a voice from behind the Ogres said. “I need a word with our intruders before you gorge on their flesh.”
“Flesh?” I muttered to Roman. “You told me they eat intestines!”
He glanced at me in disbelief. “As if that’s any better, Ace!”
“Ace?” The voice moved to the forefront of the group and we realized he wasn’t an Ogre. “Why is that name familiar?”
I took a few steps forward and shrugged. “What can I say, I’m a popular gal,” I smiled.
The tall slender man appeared human. He looked no younger than maybe sixty. He walked with a cane, his receding hairline only had a few strands of thinning black hair, streaked with white. His smile was sinister and it matched the filth I found the Sucubi in.
“Popular you are, dear. I’ve heard your name float around for quite some time. Sticking your muzzle where it doesn’t belong,” he said, resting his cane in front of him, both hands holding it steady.
“My muzzle?” I touched my nose and felt the ridges of my wolf’s snout. “That’s just insulting.”
“A comedian, I see,” the stranger observed.
“I’d like to think of myself as a Humorist Extraordinaire, but whatever floats your boat,” I grinned. “Now are we going to continue exchanging such stimulating banter, or are you going to tell us who you are? Can I guess?” I asked, not waiting for a response. “You’re Ron Goldstein, aren’t you?”
“Do you want a cookie?” he deadpanned.
I thought about it for a moment, tapping my finger on my chin. “Only if its chocolate chip. I don’t want none of that oatmeal shit,” I stuck my pointer finger in my mouth and gaged.
“Has anyone told you how goddamn annoying you are?” he snarled, his patience growing weary.
“All. The
. Damn. Time,” I smirked. I dropped to a crouching position and kicked off in a run on all fours, my wolf growling, canines snapping.
An Ogre jumped in front of me and I slashed my claws across its chest and kicked it out of my way. My silver eyes zeroed in on Ron. “Come back here, Ronnie,” I taunted as I ripped the throats of a few Ogres in my way. Six, seven. Blood dripped from the tips of my fingers as I prowled toward the skinny bastard who was walking backwards—away from me.
I could hear the fighting around me as Roman and the Nymphs joined the fun, giving me the opportunity to go after Ron.
“You think you’re better than me?” he spat as he almost tripped. “You wolves are worse!”
“All that yapping is makin’ me hungry, Ron,” I teased. I was catching up to his unsteady steps.
“Stop! Just stop!” he yelled, his palm outstretched. “You don’t want to kill me.”
“And why is that, Ronnie? Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t, as you say, gorge on your flesh?”
“Because,” he screamed, spittle coming out of his mouth. “I have one of yours!”
In two leaps I was in Ron’s face, my clawed hand wrapped tightly around his neck. I slammed his body to the ground. “Where,” I growled. The protectiveness of the wolf erupted out of me. It didn’t matter if I were a lone-wolf, I wouldn’t let him hold one of my own hostage—or anyone for that matter.
“Promise,” he squeaked. “You won’t kill me.”
“Yeah, whatever, now tell me where!”
“Ace?” Roman approached me. “What are you doing?”
“Speak you piece of shit!” I snapped my canines in his face.
“Container,” he choked. “Container 44-HJK-1579.”
I slammed his head on the concrete ground, making it bounce like a basketball, and knocking him unconscious.
“What the hell, Ace! We need him alive!” Roman shrieked as I released Ron and started looking around the Shipyard. He went toward the limp body and checked for a pulse. “You’re lucky he’s still breathing.”
“That’s not luck,” I muttered as I spotted the compartment.
A few uniformed police officers ran toward us and I directed them to Roman. I sprinted toward container 44-HJK-1579 and didn’t waste time trying to pick the lock. I ripped the bolt off with a loud roar—not caring if the human officers saw me. The doors flew open with the force and my eyes switched to night vision. Inside were a few Sucubi huddled over a girl who couldn’t be any more than ten years old. Her face was caked with dirt, light brown eyes wide and fearing, and strawberry blonde hair that needed a good wash. But most of all—she smelled like a Luna.
Chapter Four
Forty-eight Sucubi from up and down the West Coast had been rescued at the raid at the Port of Long Beach. Ron was an Incubus—a male Succubus—kidnapping his own kind to sell overseas as sex slaves. He had been using the Ogres as bodyguards but that backfired when most of them had been slaughtered tonight. A few got away, but most were either dead or incarcerated with their boss, waiting to be processed and shipped to Ironwood. Good riddance.
I sat behind my desk staring at the little girl seated in front of me, staring back. She was in that awkward stage as a kid when you’re too tall and thin that your pants hitch up to your ankles. Which was more noticeable as she kept bouncing her right leg. We were alone as most of the Sucubi were at the bus station going back home, and only a few milled around the station.
“Do you have a name?” I asked. Her eyes barely blinked as she watched me, not saying a word. “Alright, Kid, you need to tell me something. Where are your parents at least? Can I call someone to get you?” Silence. “Do you need to use the bathroom?” Nothing.
I slumped into my chair and rubbed harshly at my eyes. I was exhausted and hungry. Fatigue was rearing its ugly head and I was losing patience. The only thing I had left to do was to take care of this little Luna girl, and I had no idea how.
“She has no one,” a voice by the elevator startled me. I turned to the side and saw Sonya standing at the entrance of the squad room.
“Excuse me?” I said. “Do you know her?”
She nodded. “Her name is Emma. Her mother was a Succubus.”
My eyes widened. “How?”
“Her father was a wolf. The wolf gene is dominant over any other species,” she said.
I nodded. “Okay, do you know where I can find them?”
Sonya’s smile fell. “They’re both dead. Her father was a lone-wolf killed by the Pack, and her mother had been captured by the Incubus. She died last week of dehydration.”
My gaze went back to the girl whose eyes had glossed over but didn’t dare shed a tear. Her resolve was strong, I could see it in the rigidness of her body.
“Are you going to take responsibility for Emma?”
Sonya gasped. “What? I can’t!” she inched back to the elevators. “She needs to be given to The Summit. They’ll be able to care for her.”
“The Summit?” I jerked. “Are you nuts?”
“Are you?” she questioned. “You should know better!”
I froze. Shit. I couldn’t let it be known I was a lone-wolf. The only ones in the West Coast who knew my secret were Roman and La Loba of the Desert Wolves—I needed to keep it that way.
“What I mean is, shouldn’t she be with someone familiar?”
Sonya thought about it for a moment. “I can’t, I just met her and I’m not prepared to care for a wolf. The Summit is her best chance of survival. I’m sorry.” She apologized to the girl before turning to leave. “And Wolf?”
I glared at the Succubus. “What?”
“Thank you…for saving our lives. If you ever need anything…you have our loyalty,” Sonya said before exiting the room.
“Well damn, ain’t that a bitch,” I mumbled.
“You got that right,” the kid said and I jerked up.
“What?”
“I said, you got that right. This shit sucks,” she said and I thought my jaw would drop to the floor.
“Uh…you shouldn’t talk like that,” I said baffled.
“You shouldn’t either,” she countered. “And you’re not sending me to The Summit. I don’t want to be a Luna.”
I wanted to burst out in laughter but had to swallow the urge. Ditto, Kid.
“Well unless you have some family I can send you to, The Summit is your only option. How old are you anyway?”
“Eleven in a half and The Summit isn’t my only choice. You could just let me go,” she countered. “I’m big enough to take care of myself.”
I chuckled. “No you’re not. You haven’t even hit puberty yet so you haven’t shifted. There’s no way you can survive.”
“Yes I can,” she said.
“No you can’t.”
“Yes I can.”
“No.”
“Yes,” she inched to the edge of her seat. “Yes, times infinity!”
“No, times infinity, times infinity!”
She gasped. “You can’t do that!”
I smirked. “I’m a grown up, I can do whatever I want.”
She slouched into the seat and huffed. “That’s bullshit.”
“Hey!” I reprimanded. “Language.”
“Whatever,” she muttered and turned her head away.
With that battle won, I stood and headed toward the breakroom to get her something to eat. She had already devoured two bottles of water.
Roman leaned against the doorway with a grin on his face. “How’s it going with the little one?”
“She’s impossible,” I complained. “And the mouth on her is despicable.”
He laughed. “Oh yeah? Seems a bit familiar, don’t you think?”
I glanced over my shoulder to find her flipping me off. “That little monster!” I gave her the finger in return. “And here I was about to get her a snack.”
Roman covered his mouth with the palm of his hand and he looked like he was about to sneeze. “Holy shit, Ace, don’t you see it?”
“See what?” I asked frustrated. “That she’s an annoying little girl with no manners? Yeah, I caught on.”
“No, Ace, she’s a mini you.”
I was taken aback. “Excuse me?” I placed a hand over my chest in mock horror. “That kid is nothing like me!”
Roman shook his head. “She is exactly like you,” he leaned forward and whispered. “Right down to the rebellious part that prefers to be a lone-wolf than conform.” He pushed off the door frame and walked over to Emma. She smiled brightly at him as he extended his hand in introduction to her. That conniving little person…she was going to be trouble.
“Do you need to use the bathroom?” I yelled to her. That bouncing leg was driving me nuts.
“I don’t use public bathrooms!” she screamed. What the fuck?
“Well aren’t you a bundle of rainbows and sunshine,” I mumbled.
I went in the break room and grabbed a roll of Ritz crackers that I had started eating last night and another bottle of water for Emma. She was giggling at Roman and I had to swallow the urge to growl. How come she was sweet with him and not with me? I was pretty darn lovable.
“Alright Kid, eat up because we have to go,” I said as I dropped her snacks on her lap.
“Go where?” she asked.
“Mojave Desert.”
Roman’s eyes snapped to me. “You’re taking her to the Desert Wolves?”
I nodded.
“So soon?”
“Yes, Roman,” I huffed. “I can’t take care of her, and she’s better off with the Pack anyways.”
His hazel eyes narrowed as he grabbed me and pulled me to the side, out of Emma’s ear shot.
“Isn’t that a bit hypocritical of you? You know she’s not better off with them.”
“What do you expect me to do?” I whispered. “You want her to shack up with us, and we become all domesticated and shit?”
He blanched, as I expected. “Of course not.”
“Then what other options do we have?”
“All I’m saying—”
“I know what you’re saying, Rome, but we don’t have any other choice. I’m sorry,” I said as I pushed past him. Emma was munching loudly on the crackers, crumbs decorating her face and shirt. “Ready, Kid?”
CAGED (Mackenzie Grey #2) Page 4
