Trapped In Shadow (Shadow Walker Romance Series Book 4)

by Caryn Moya Block

  “Ah, isn’t that sweet. It’s good to know my little sister has someone to love, but right now, we need to get out of here before the mercs who are following me arrive,” a woman’s voice with a Russian accent said from the front door.

  Chapter Three

  Stacey released Hugh and drew the weapon she stashed in the small of her back. She pointed the Walther PPK at the woman who could only be her half-sister.

  “Nadezhda Konstantinov, I presume,” Stacey said.

  Hugh moved to the side so Stacey had a clear shot. Not that she wanted to shoot her sister, but she didn’t know what side Nadezhda was on.

  “Grab your things. We need to get out of here,” Nadezhda said.

  A gunshot blast sounded from outside and Nadezhda was hit. The bullet continued across the room, hitting a glass on the kitchen counter. Nadezhda fell to the floor with a groan.

  “Get down!” Stacey pushed Hugh to the floor and then quickly rolled off him.

  She grabbed Nadezhda and pulled her from in front of the door before kicking it shut. Two more rounds went through the wood, hitting items in the room.

  “We have to Shadow Walk,” Hugh said kneeling next to Nadezhda. “I’ll carry your sister. She’s bleeding pretty badly.”

  “Nobody has to carry me. We need to go,” Nadezhda said, sitting up. She pulled a gun from behind her back and cocked it. More rounds poured into the building, each one leaving a circle of sunlight in its wake.

  Hugh opened a portal into Shadow. He reached back for Stacey’s hand.

  “We need to be in physical contact. Don’t let go!”

  Stacey nodded and grabbed Nadezhda’s arm. “You won’t need the gun where we’re going,” Stacey said.

  Hugh dragged them into Shadow, as a grenade was lobed through the window.

  He closed the portal and pulled the women into a huddle around him.

  “What is this place?” Nadezhda asked.

  “Close your eyes!” Hugh yelled.

  The blast engulfed the cabin in flames. Inside Shadow the dark misty landscape lit up with a strange orange glow.

  “I have a medical emergency, gunshot wound, coming in,” Hugh said.

  “Who’s he talking to?” Nadezhda asked. “Hey, my gun just disintegrated. Oww! Something is burning me.”

  Stacey smiled. It seemed that Shadow thought Nadezhda would also be a good mate to one of the tribe. “The burn will only hurt for a little while, but it will leave a mark on your breast. It’s a good thing you’re wearing cotton clothing.”

  “Yeah? Why?”

  “Only all natural items can withstand the Shadow dimension.”

  Hugh grabbed both women and there was a shift. Stacey blinked and saw the clinic at Isanti, Inc. He opened a door in Shadow and they walked into the waiting room in New Mexico. Raven Darkwood stood next to the doctor as well as a tall man Stacey hadn’t met before. Like the other tribesmen, he possessed dark hair and eyes.

  Nadezhda began to sway and the man jumped forward and caught her against his chest.

  “Bring her in here, Dasan. I need to check that wound,” the doctor said, moving into an exam room.

  Hugh put his arm around Stacey’s waist and pulled her close. “Damn, that was too close.”

  Stacey put her hand on his chest, trying to comfort him. He trembled under her palm. “It’s okay, Hugh. We made it.”

  “What exactly happened?” Raven asked, his face a mask of concern.

  “We almost died,” Stacey answered. “And like the last time I was pinned down, Hugh saved me.”

  §

  “How’s Nadezhda, Doctor Rick?” Hugh asked, following Stacey into the exam room.

  Dasan Fighting Eagle stood near the bed holding the woman’s hand. Nadezhda’s eyes were closed while the doctor worked on her side. Stacey bit her lip and Hugh realized she didn’t know what to say to her sister.

  “She’s going to be sore for a while, the bullet just grazed her side and missed anything vital. I think she’ll make a full recovery. I’m going to run a few tests. Oh, this is interesting.” The doctor ran a small paddle over Nadezhda’s arm.

  “What?” Stacey asked.

  “This woman has a tracking chip in her like we found in Lindy Quiet Thunder.”

  “What?” Nadezhda’s eyes flew opened. “Dammit, I led the mercs right to you. Get it out of me!”

  “Calm down, tehila. The doctor will gladly remove the device,” Dasan said.

  “I don’t know what that word means. Who the hell are you?” Nadezhda asked, looking at Dasan.

  “Oh, I should have introduced you,” Hugh said. “Nadezhda this is Dasan Fighting Eagle. He’s security branch.” Dasan would have a challenge with this one. Hugh smiled.

  “I’m also your mate. I knew it when you fell into my arms,” Dasan said.

  “Yeah, thanks for catching me,” Nadezhda said. “You’ll have to put this place on lockdown. I’ve led Zenith right to you. I’m so sorry! How the hell did they put a chip in me?” Nadezhda moved her arm to get a better view.

  “Hold still, please. This is going to sting.” The doctor cut into Nadezhda’s arm with a scalpel and then reached in with forceps and removed the small glass vial holding the chip. He dropped it onto a metal tray and reached for the needle and silk thread.

  “Who or what is Zenith?” Stacey asked. Hugh wondered too.

  “The bad guys, trust me. You need to destroy it!” Nadezhda insisted, watching the doctor.

  “The building is shielded from electronic eavesdropping,” Hugh said, trying to calm her. “The signal from the chip won’t be picked up as long as it stays inside the building. It also can’t be read in the Shadow Dimension. So to the people looking for you, it will appear the device was destroyed in the fire and you along with it.”

  “Well, that’s good news at least.” Nadezhda sighed. “I had no idea they’d gotten close enough to chip me. I’ll have to contact the rest of my team.”

  The doctor raised the head of the bed so Nadezhda could sit comfortably and then took his equipment and a vial of blood from the room.

  “Who exactly is your team?” Stacey asked.

  Nadezhda smiled at Stacey. “You look so much like our mother.”

  “I could say the same about you.” Stacey looked pointedly at her half-sister.

  “I’m a member of an international unit fighting an organization called Zenith,” Nadezhda said. “Our code name is Star Fire. Zenith is a global terrorist group that wants to rule the world. Its members are highly placed businessmen and politicians who want to control the global markets and economies. They’re using gifted operatives as their own private task force. They have no problem killing hundreds of people to destabilize a region for financial gains. I found out about them a few years ago when I went searching for whomever killed Akilina Konstantinov, our mother.”

  “Wait. Are you saying this organization, Zenith, killed our mother?” Stacey asked.

  “It looks that way.” Nadezhda nodded. “I think they were actually going after controlling your father and forcing him to join Zenith.”

  “What were you doing with that arms dealer?” Stacey asked.

  “What arms dealer?” Hugh asked. Didn’t Charlie say something about an arms dealer?

  Stacey held up her hand to silence him.

  “I investigated him as a possible arms supplier for Zenith. He was, though it looked like he had shorted Zenith by several crates. Dumb move on his part. They would have killed him, if you hadn’t. I saw your face the night you made the hit. Don’t worry about the little girl. Her father left bruises on her body all the time. He had a nasty temper. He killed his wife before leaving South America. In all probability, he would have killed his daughter before too long. I made sure she went to a very good home. You did her a favor.”

  “I’m not sure she would see it that way,” Stacey said, her shoulders slumping.

  “The job you do as Stinger is a hard one. I’m sure you know that every bad guy you assassinate
is a plus for your country. I’m surprised our paths didn’t cross sooner.”

  “What? You’re Stinger?” Hugh looked at Stacey in horror. The woman he loved was an assassin of legendary proportions. He didn’t know her at all. How did she keep this a secret from him when they worked as a team for her father? When they found a moment of privacy, he would get answers from her.

  “I was doing my job, Hugh. I’ve been deep undercover since I was a child. My father tried to protect me.”

  “Your father is a pig,” Nadezhda said, disgust dripping in her tone. “He’s using you for his own ends. I’ve found evidence that Thomas Holland joined Zenith last year. He’s been targeting the Shadow Walkers, and now he’s trying to make you disappear, Anastacia.”

  “No,” Stacey looked at Hugh. “I can’t believe it. I won’t believe it.”

  He pulled her into his side. Could Nadezhda be right? Was General Holland trying to get rid of his own daughter?

  “I’m sorry to interrupt,” Rick said, walking into the room. “General Holland isn’t just Stacey’s father, he’s yours too, Nadezhda. I ran a gene screening and it shows you two are siblings from the same parents.”

  “Nyet! That isn’t possible. My mother bore me before she was given the assignment from the KGB to seduce Thomas Holland. I was raised by my maternal grandparents.”

  “Well, the gene screening proves that Holland met your mother before she came to America. I thought you should know,” Dr. Rick said.

  “I’m sorry I reacted so strongly,” Nadezhda said frowning. “It looks like both our parents kept secrets from us.”

  Hugh’s phone rang. He looked at the caller identification and saw Holland’s number. “It’s your father. Should I answer it?” He looked from Nadezhda to Stacey.

  “No. Until we know what’s going on, I think we need to go dark for a while.” Stacey ran her fingers through her hair. “Can I use your computer, Hugh? I want to do some research. Nadezhda, I need to see what evidence you have against my father and what’s really going on.”

  Hugh used his mental telepathy to contact Raven in his office. “We have a situation. General Holland has been accused of targeting the Shadow Walkers. We need to keep him out of the loop until we can prove it one way or the other.”

  “That’s a serious accusation. What evidence do you have?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but we found a chip in Nadezhda, Stacey’s sister. She says a group called Zenith is behind it.”

  “Keep me informed.”

  “You got it, Chief. Are you feeling well enough to get up, Nadezhda? My office is upstairs. We can move this party there and see where the evidence takes us.”

  “Of course, some food would be nice. Can we have it delivered?”

  “Absolutely. I guess I don’t have to ask if you’re coming with us, Dasan. Since Shadow marked Nadezhda as your mate, I expect you’ll want to stay close.”

  Dasan nodded and helped Nadezhda sit up. Her top was ruined but she didn’t seem self-conscious in just a bra. Hugh smiled when Dasan took off his shirt and helped Nadezhda slip it on. She might not be self-conscious, but Dasan made sure nobody ogled his woman. Only as ripped as Dasan was, they would still be noticed.

  Hugh looked at Stacey. She’d lied to him, kept things from him. He couldn’t trust her, but she was his mate. He took her hand and led the group to the elevators. Taking out his cell phone, he dialed the kitchen and ordered a meal delivered to the tech department.

  §

  “What was mother like, Anastacia?” Nadezhda asked. “I was so young when she left me, I don’t remember her well.” Nadezhda sat at a table next to Dasan. Papers littered the surface.

  Stacey sat at a computer terminal, a cold piece of pizza forgotten on the desk. She’d gone into work mode, pouring over data for hours trying to track down any clues to what the general was doing. She blinked when Nadezhda spoke, trying to focus on the here and now.

  “Mom?” Stacey smiled. “She loved us, fixed my brother and me special treats. That cabin where you found me, it was our vacation spot. We didn’t own it. We rented it every year in the summer. For two weeks my father put everything behind him and concentrated on us, his family. Mom always seemed happier during that time. She’d be all smiles, playful even. I have a hard time remembering her too. She died when I was six.” An ache settled in Stacey’s chest

  “She sent me letters,” Nadezhda said. “Sometimes a photo of all of you. She promised to bring me to America. She never did.”

  “I’m sorry, Nadezhda. You must have felt abandoned.”

  “Yes and no, my grandparents loved me, but jealous of you, yes. My mother picked her family in America over me. Even my grandparents didn’t understand why mother wouldn’t send for me. I heard them argue about it.”

  “Are they still alive? Our grandparents?” Stacey asked. Did she have family in Russia?

  “Nyet,” Nadezhda answered quietly. “They passed very close to each other two years ago. I miss them every day, though I hadn’t lived with them since going away to university. That’s where I was recruited to join Star Fire.”

  “Star Fire, how many agents do you have?” Hugh asked. “I’d heard of an elite international group, but never their name and mission.”

  “I lead a team of five. Each member is gifted with a psychic talent. That’s one of the things they look for in a new recruit. General Holland does the same with his agents. We don’t have any Shadow Walkers though. That trick of moving through a different dimension would sure come in handy.” Nadezhda smiled and winked at Dasan.

  Stacey was surprised to see the big man blush. They’d only known each other for a few hours and already Nadezhda wrapped Dasan around her little finger.

  The phone on Hugh’s desk rang and he spoke a few phrases before putting it on speaker.

  “I’d like a meeting,” Raven said. “Everyone report to the conference room.”

  “We’ll be right up,” Hugh answered for all of them.

  Stacey followed Hugh to the top floor. He carried a file folder with the information they compiled. It wasn’t much, but it did raise questions. Hugh was confused about how she was acting, but right now she held on by a thread. What if Nadezhda was right and her father turned out to be one of the bad guys? What if he always was?

  He didn’t raise her after her mom died. Did he ever love her, or was she always just a tool to him. He was a hard man to read. Her heart didn’t want to consider that her father was a traitor, her head said it could be a possibility.

  Everyone sat around the table. Katherine Sloane Darkwood carried a tray with coffee and other refreshments into the room. Stacey smiled and nodded. She made her peace with Kathy before she left the last time. They actually formed a friendship after Stacey’s relationship with Derek, Kathy’s husband, was explained. Stacey helped Derek take down the man who kidnapped Katherine and even stayed around for their wedding.

  Hugh started pushing for a relationship and Stacey ran again. She couldn’t commit to him when she kept so many secrets. Now her whole life blew apart and the only person she could rely on was the man she ran from.

  The way he looked at her when he realized she was Stinger cut right to the heart. She wasn’t even sure he still wanted her. They probably should take some time to talk about it, but finding out if her father was a traitor took precedence. After this whole mess was over, they’d find the time they needed.

  “Okay, I asked my brother to join us since he knows Stacey and is part of this. Derek should be here any minute,” Raven said. “Nadezhda, were you able to get a hold of your team? If they want to come into the clinic, Dr. Rick can check them for tracking chips.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Darkwood, however that would also let you know the identity of every member of my team. Part of what makes our team accomplished is the anonymity. Now that we know of the problem, we can take care of it.”

  “Just trying to be helpful, Ms. Konstantinov. I have some other bad news. Stacey, the house you owned as Ana Powe
rs blew up in an apparent gas leak at 4:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.”

  Stacey felt a wave of cold wash over her. If she hadn’t suffered from insomnia, thinking about her sister, she would have died in the explosion. Instead she’d packed and left a little after three, barely an hour before the explosion.

  “Dammit! Stacey, someone wants you dead.” Hugh gripped her hand almost painfully.

  “It looks that way,” she answered. All of her things gone. “I never thanked you for the book you sent, Hugh. I read it before I left for the cabin in New York.”

  Stacey didn’t have a lot of mementos from her life as Anastacia Holland, she learned early on that things like this could happen, one by one items dear to her were lost, and now the picture of her mother. The book of poetry Hugh sent made it to the cabin to be blown up there. They were just things, even if they couldn’t be replaced easily.

  The door opened and Derek “Red Hawk” Darkwood walked in. “Sorry, I’m late. Hi, honey.” Derek walked over to Katherine and kissed her. Stacey smiled to see the love between the couple. Derek still looked like every woman’s fantasy lover, which is how he got the reputation as a playboy, but he did well when he picked Kathy.

  Katherine whispered something to him and pushed Derek toward the conference table before leaving the room.

  “Now that we’re all here, what did you come up with?”

  “Well, it could be nothing, or a whole lot of something. I’m not sure,” Hugh said. “Remember that French doctor that kidnapped Derek in the Amazon, I found her name on the records of that pharmaceutical company that also makes the tracking chips. She was listed as a member of their research team.”

  “So, you’re saying she might have known I was in the Amazon and targeted me specifically?” Derek asked.

  “Well, if we look at what’s been happening since the incident with Faheed Adar and the terrorists kidnapping Cara, there are several people who can be traced. The blond haired man you saw in Iran with Adar was reportedly taken into custody. But I did a facial recognition scan on the drawing Raven made and a possible hit came up with 89 percent probability. Jason Hardy is considered a person of interest, and both the CIA and FBI list him on their most wanted index. He is considered to still be abroad and active.”