Rain pounded down with a vengeance and I had to stop to find the switch that turned on the wipers. I had only driven the Hummer a handful of times, and wasn’t as familiar with it as I probably should have been. Hitting the wrong button in Alfred’s Hummer could be deadly. In fact, there was a switch underneath the steering wheel that if flipped, would launch grenades! Behind the seats, underneath the floorboard in a hidden compartment was where he kept the BFG, along with several other heavy artillery pieces.
The weapon was actually a modified plasma gun of some sort. It blew holes the size of a small crater in anything it was fired at. Of course, that didn’t do me any good. It was much too big for me to use with any skill. I had no clue what BFG actually stood for; I called it the big fucking gun.
Beside that there was another grenade launcher and a flame thrower. Alfred had removed what should have been a second row of seats in order to store more weapons underneath the floorboard. If I had time to remove it from the back, the flame thrower was plausible, but the others were useless to me when such speed was required.
There were smaller weapons back there, but I didn’t have time to look for them, or any place to conceal them. Going in guns blazing might not be an option once I got there. In all honesty, I had no idea what to expect once I arrived. All I knew was that someone had messed with Richard and that was a stupid thing to do. If he was hurt, I’d kill them. End of story.
The windows were dark enough to conceal any other weapons that might have been lurking about, and it was a good damn thing. Alfred looked like he’d packed to go off to war. I was driving around with more pieces of illegal weaponry than some third world countries.
Alfred was one of the Hunters who killed without mercy. If you were a werewolf, you were dead, period. When he took on a pack of werewolves back on Terra years ago, it made the news. He was described as having wiped them out, “as if he were fueled by the very wrath of God.”
In some circles I was known as The Silver Bullet, or Quicksilver (a play off my last name, Mercury). The lycans called me Death. But Death could be sweet, a release of sorts. And to those in misery, Death could be merciful. But Alfred was known as Vengeance. And that night, I had borrowed his truck.
*****
The drive to Richard’s office normally took an hour. I made it through the driving rain in forty-five minutes. I wanted to conceal my arrival as much as possible, but still have the truck in range in case I needed anything. I pulled to the back of the science building. Richard’s office was on the second floor. I didn’t drive directly into the parking lot, but pulled into the edge of the woods that surrounded the University.
I stepped out into the rain and was instantly soaked. As soon as I closed my door, a large shape darted past the front of the truck. Whatever it was, it was fast. I tore off through the woods, smacking tree limbs out of the way and slipping on wet leaves. Due to my genetic alterations, I could keep up with most anything. But a bigger animal with longer legs would unfortunately always have the upper hand. Much to my advantage, I knew those woods. I had spent many hours walking through them with Richard while he cataloged the local plant life for some of his classes.
I cut through a side trail as fast as I could. My boots slipped in the mud and I fought the urge to curse. The rain concealed much of the noise I was making, but the sudden appearance of foul language would definitely give away my position. The rain also helped to conceal the scent of the other creature that was tearing off through the woods. There was no way to tell for sure if it was a werewolf without seeing it.
At a full run I took a flying leap at a low-hanging tree branch and swung myself up just in time to be out of sight of whatever it was I’d been chasing. I blinked heavily against the downpour, focusing on the shadowy figure that had just emerged from the other side of the small clearing where I was hiding.
It was definitely a man. A very tall man. He was dressed all in black and his head was concealed by a hood that fit tightly over him. My muscles tensed as he walked underneath the tree I was perched in. The leaves concealed me very well and unless he looked up, he would never know what was about to hit him. I watched him look from side to side anxiously. He wasn’t stupid, he knew someone had been following him, but couldn’t tell where they had gone. I decided not to leave him in suspense.
I flung myself from the limb and tackled the tall stranger. I landed on his shoulders and wrapped my legs over the top of his arms, locking my feet into place against his sides. The momentum of my fall helped to carry me as I contracted every muscle in my body and flung him head over heels to the ground.
I landed on his chest with my ass in his face. Before he could react, I spun around to face him. As I’d slammed him flat on his back into the wet dirt and leaves his hood fell back. I was staring directly into the cool blue eyes of Bade Garren. Our last encounter had not been pleasant, and I wasn’t about to give Marco’s former beta wolf the chance to hurt me again. Before he could make a move I extended the blade that was strapped underneath my catsuit to my right forearm and pressed it against his throat.
“Easy, love. I didn’t come here for you,” he drawled in his thick Australian accent.
“Like it matters,” I growled.
“You wouldn’t kill me just for taking a stroll through the woods, now would you?”
“Stroll, my ass. What are you doing here, Bade?”
“Taking a walk.”
I was now straddling his ribs and I tightened my thighs painfully, as I pressed the blade close enough to pierce the delicate skin of his throat. A small trickle of blood ran down the side of his neck and mingled with the rain.
Bade growled as I squeezed harder with my thighs.
“You’re going to break my ribs,” he grunted.
I leaned forward, close enough to kiss. The rain that poured down my face fell from my lips to his as I said, “Just because Marco doesn’t want to kill you, does not mean that I have any hang ups about it.”
He flinched, but did not otherwise reply.
“Tell me why you’re here, Bade,” I said as I brushed my face against his, “or I’ll bite off your other nipple.”
“Bloody bitch,” he growled.
I pulled the soft skin of his throat between my teeth as I retracted the blade and pressed myself fully against him, bracing my body just in case I had to rip his throat out.
“Stop,” he panted.
“Why?” I asked thickly with his skin between my teeth.
“Why are you here?” he asked.
I growled and tugged on his throat. Not enough to seriously hurt him, not yet.
“Please, tell me,” he said.
That was unexpected. Not only had he asked nicely, but Bade actually said please. It wasn’t like him to beg. Bade Garren liked to be in control. It didn’t make sense.
I released his throat, sat back up, and gripped his ribs with my thighs once more.
“A friend of mine is here. He’s in trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” He grunted as I squeezed him harder.
“I don’t know, but that’s why I’m here.”
He looked at me blankly and I added, “Are you going to tell me it was a coincidence that I drove up just in time to see you making a mad dash through the woods? I don’t think so.”
“It’s not a coincidence, but I don’t know anything about your friend.”
My hand was a blur as I unzipped the front of his jacket, quickly exposing his bare chest to the cold rain. There was something about Bade that made me want to torment him. I can’t explain it. I’ve never wanted to punish anyone else, not like that. In fact, I don’t even torture people. It’s not that I’m opposed to the idea if the situation is dire enough, but Alfred usually handles that sort of thing. There are some places I’ve simply never wanted to go. Remembering what it felt like to torture another living being is one of the places I had chosen to avoid. It’s just not a memory I’d ever want to have.
Maybe it was because I was touching hi
s bare skin both times I experienced that particular feeling. I’m not sure. I knew Bade was into S&M, so channeling his thoughts was at least a plausible explanation as to why I wanted to hurt him. And it was easier for me to accept than the thought of such desires being entirely my own.
I smiled with satisfaction as I observed that not only had his nipple healed without a scar, but he’d had it re-pierced with another silver stud. I bent low over his body and watched his chest rise and fall. The closer I came to his flesh the quicker the breaths.
He cried out when I ran my tongue over his chest.
“I swear,” he gasped. “I don’t know anything about it.”
I hovered over his nipple as I responded, “Why don’t you fight back? Surely a big strong wolf like you isn’t held in place by someone as small as me.”
“I don’t particularly relish the thought of you breaking several of my ribs if I tried to throw you off.”
“It’s more than that.” I flicked his nipple with my tongue and he shivered in a way that had nothing to do with the cool rain.
“I want you,” he breathed.
His response shocked me so that I completely forgot myself. I sat on Bade’s chest and looked at him incredulously.
“The last time we met, I ripped off your nipple and you’re attracted to me?!”
“Extremely,” he said with a grin.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?!”
“How much time do you have?”
“Oh shit.”
I stood up quickly and began to march through the woods toward the building Richard was in.
“Where are you going?” he called.
But Bade was no longer my concern. I was satisfied that he wasn’t there for Richard. Beyond that, I didn’t care. His long legs caught up with me before I got far.
“What if I help you?” he asked.
I stopped and turned to face him through the rain.
“Why would you do that?”
“Well, once we hear from the council, it might not be your job to kill me anymore. Might as well be nice.” He shrugged.
Bade smiled, but his angelic features didn’t fool me.
“Look, I’m out of time for this. And whatever the council decides is irrelevant. I’ll most likely have to kill you one of these days anyway.”
I tried to walk away and he pulled me back.
“Then why didn’t you kill me back there? Why not kill me now?”
“Because you aren’t trying to hurt me or anyone else at the moment, and I don’t have time to fool with you.”
When I turned to leave again, I heard him take a step to follow me and I rounded on him.
“Bade, come to the point or I swear, I will hurt you in a way that you would not enjoy.”
He threw back his head and laughed. The pale gold of his hair clung to his face and neck. The small place where my sliver blade had nicked him had already begun to heal. With my eyes I traced the water that cascaded over his lovely features and tried to fight what I was feeling. I wanted Bade too, physically at least. Who could blame me?
Bade wasn’t handsome in the classical sense of the word. He looked like an angel. Not the fat little cherubs, but the warriors. The tall magnificently crafted cherubim of legend. He was the essence of sin, captured in the embodiment of heaven. What could be more appealing than the devil trapped in an angel’s body? He knew all the wrong things to do, and had all the right equipment to do it with.
“Once things have settled down, I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Shit. I’d heard that line before. I didn’t like where the conversation was leading.
“You and I have nothing to discuss.”
“Perhaps, but things change. Marco might not always be in charge.”
My heart beat faster at the implied threat which was exactly what I needed to shut off my libido.
“Do not threaten Marco in my presence.” My voice was calm, which meant I was really pissed.
He ran a hand through his wet golden hair. “Easy love, don’t take it personally. Besides, you haven’t accepted his offer ... have you? I mean, that wouldn’t exactly go over well, would it? The daughter of the commander of the Hunters, cavorting with the head of the local werewolf pack.”
“I take any threat against Marco personally. The rest is none of your business.”
The instant I uttered the words I knew they were true, but it still shocked me to hear it out loud. I had just admitted that I would defend the safety of a man who only months ago, I’d been sworn to kill. Technically, I was still sworn to kill Marco. But like Bade said, that could all change very soon. Even if it didn’t change, I knew in that instant I would never hurt Marco. I wasn’t capable of it.
Bade was a different story. I would enjoy hurting Bade, and that was the problem. Just looking at him made me feel dirty, no matter how much rain washed over me. I felt like I could never be washed of the wickedness in his touch.
“If you’re not here for anything to do with Richard, then why are you here?”
“I’ve come for Dr. David Kane. Do you know him?”
“Yes. But—”
“What I do with him is my business,” he interrupted.
He was right, whatever business he had with David was out of my hands. I had another priority tonight.
“Fine,” I said as I turned my back to him again. “I’ll deal with you later.”
“It’s the full moon,” he called after me. “You might find my help more valuable than you think.”
“Why? Do you know there to be other werewolves in this building? You know, I can sense most anything you can. Nothing is visible from here, and this rain makes it impossible to pick up a scent.”
He smirked. “What about that?” Bade pointed to a huge footprint just ahead of me in the mud. The print was deep and fresh, and clearly not human. “You picking that up, love?”
“Eat shit, Bade,” I snapped at him through the downpour.
He laughed again as a frightening thought crossed my mind and I began to think out loud.
“Wait a minute. Why would you be offering to help me?”
“I thought I explained that—”
“None of Marco’s wolves would do this, that only leaves you and whatever followers you might have.”
“Now wait a minute. I told you, I don’t know what’s going on with that friend of yours.” He sounded angry.
“Then why would you be willing to help me? You wouldn’t attack your own people, and this is no doing of Marco’s.”
Bade placed his hands on his hips in frustration as he said, “I guess you’re just going to have to find out, because your guess is as good as mine.”
I thought it over for a moment before turning my back on him again. “Go take care of your business, Bade. I don’t need your help.”
I had barely gotten the words out of my mouth before I was tackled to the ground. A large werewolf smashed into my left side and was trying its best to tear my arm off. I felt its massive teeth sink into the flesh of my forearm. I extended the blade on my right arm once more and stabbed it repeatedly in the side of the head and throat.
No matter how hard I stabbed, the beast would not let go of my left arm. I fought to get my right arm between our bodies and began sawing off its head. Even when I’d severed its head, the werewolf’s powerful jaws were still clamped tight to my arm.
I looked up into the rain and could barely blink my eyes. Water bounced off my face so violently it hurt.
“Get this thing off me,” I growled.
Bade had stood by and watched the whole thing.
“I thought you didn’t need my help.” He flung the body off of me, even as he spoke.
I began to pry the jaws open and he stopped me.
“Let me,” he said.
I had to admit, it was difficult to force open a werewolf’s jaws with one hand. I flinched when the teeth were pulled out of my skin.
“Are you all right?”
&n
bsp; “I’ll live. There’s a first aid kit inside the security office. It’s through the side entrance.”
I didn’t question him anymore. I didn’t have time. If werewolves were running loose in the woods, God only knows what had happened to poor Richard.
“What about this?” Bade held up the head.
“Bring it with you.”
I watched as he removed his wet jacket and tied the massive head inside it. I tried hard not to pay attention to what great shape he was in, but that was a losing battle. Bade straightened his back and water flooded down the front of his body, causing his rigid muscles to glisten in the moonlight.
I shook my head and started for the side entrance. Once we reached the door, I found it slightly ajar. I gave Bade a questioning look over my shoulder before entering. He shrugged as if to say he didn’t know anything about the door either. He might not be entirely trustworthy, but I believed him.
Once we were inside I turned to the left where the security guard could normally be found in his office reading a magazine or a sci-fi novel instead of patrolling like he was supposed to. The security office was open too, but that wasn’t unusual. He normally left the door open just a crack to see people come and go. Actually, he left it open to make sure his supervisor didn’t sneak up and catch him not doing his job.
I tried to think up a good excuse for bleeding all over the carpet before opening the door, and motioned Bade to stand around the corner. Shawn wasn’t exactly the most emotionally stable guy in the world. If he saw Bade carrying a large black jacket with a severed werewolf head in it, he’d most likely have to be committed.
I opened the door and found Shawn still sitting in his chair, but something wasn’t right about the way he was slumped over the desk. He was wearing a rain coat, so it was difficult to see the rest of his body other than his head. I touched his shoulder and turned him to face me. Shawn’s head flopped to the side, revealing that his throat had been cut almost to the point of decapitation. Not only that, but there was blood all down his legs. I didn’t even want to know where the blood on his thighs was coming from.
Lilith Mercury, Werewolf Hunter Series (Boxed Set, Books 1-3) Page 41
