by Julia Mills
What he did find and she felt right along with him was overwhelming pain and despair. Every soul he touched had given up hope. They were injured and tired and had been pushed farther both mentally and physically than their enhanced bodies could take. Time was running out. Olive felt the panic rise within her. They needed to get down there and save those shifters before it was too late.
Calling to Ettie, she asked, “How long till you get here?”
“No more than five minutes. Why? What’s wrong? You sound upset?” The eagle’s response was short and clipped. She was ready for battle.
“Oh, Ettie, it’s terrible. Kellan is out near the entrance and we can feel their agony. Y’all need to hurry. Some of them are very near the end. I don’t want them to die down there.”
Olive could hear Ettie talking to the other feathered shifters and then Claire relaying the information through Rory to the rest of the dragons. Maddox privately called to her and Kellan, who’d come up behind Olive and was now holding her in his arms.
“How you doing, boy?”
“I’m fine, old man. Just get your ass here. We need to get this done.”
“Two shakes, young’un, give me two shakes.”
Apparently, two shakes meant two minutes, because that was exactly how long it took to hear the roar of Maddox’s Harley right before he was parked beside the couple and was kicking the dust off his boots. The caravan of SUVs and vans followed not far behind, parking on both sides of the heavily wooden dirt lane Brannoc had found on one of his many maps of the area.
Declan, Rian, and Royce wore camo fatigues, had their faces painted with dark green and black face paint, and carried long soft cases strapped across their backs containing sniper rifles. The other Guardsmen were armed to the teeth with blades of every length and width and .9mm glocks. Kellan explained they had to be ready for any and all situations. Tariq’s men were ex-military, highly trained and ordered to kill intruders on sight.
Then there were the werepanthers; they were the only ones without conventional weapons. It had been decided that they would be in panther form guarding the perimeter and catching any zealots that escaped all the other precautions that had been set. Having some of their group in animal form would also be helpful for the shifters who were disoriented or without their usual enhanced senses. Kellan had done an excellent job of thinking of every contingency. Olive was proud and could see his brethren were just as happy to have the scarred dragon back in command as he was to be there.
Maddox stood beside Kellan as the Commander addressed the group one last time. The little dove had to smile at the proud papa look on the mad dragon’s face as her mate said, “We all know what to do. Watch your backs. Stay alert and let’s bring our people home.”
“And kick ass,” Rory yelled.
“And kick ass,” Kellan repeated, smiling at his brethren.
Walking to her mate, Olive stood patiently while he explained to Maddox about the weird feelings he’d gotten while out in the field. Maddox assured Kellan he would be on the lookout and walked away to talk to Rian before the Dragon Leader headed to his post with Declan and Royce.
Taking Kellan’s much larger hands into hers, Olive kissed the back of first one and then the other before looking into his eyes. “I want you to be careful, Kell. I know how important it is for you to confront Tariq, but I want you to remember that your life is worth way more than any amount of vengeance will ever be.”
Dropping his hands, she stepped closer and hugged him tight. “And I’ll kick your ass if you get hurt.”
His chest shook under her cheek with his laughter at her threat before he answered, “Never fear, mo chol beag, I have every intention of living a very long, very happy life right by your side.”
Pulling back, he gently placed his thumb and forefinger on her chin and lifted her face until they were once again looking into one another’s eyes. “It is you I want to remind to be careful. My life is worth nothing without you. I love you with all that I am, Olive. Please be safe.”
Standing on her tiptoes, Olive was glad her dragon met her halfway as their lips touched in a slow, earth-shattering kiss of love, commitment, and understanding that can only be shared between two souls meant to be united for all time. Only the catcalls from his brethren broke them apart, with Maddox’s thick brogue the loudest of all.
“You can kiss your lass later, boy. Let’s get a move on.”
Smiling at one another, the couple separated but remained linked mind-to-mind. Olive and her group, along with Lennox and Pearce, followed Kellan and Maddox’s lead around the perimeter, hiding behind a dense patch of trees, brush, and foliage less than fifty yards from the large iron lid that would lead them into the facility.
Tense minutes ticked by while the snipers got into place. The werepanthers shifted to their animal forms and then took their positions both on the ground and in the trees. It had been discussed early on about Olive and her cousins also taking their aviary forms and being aerial support. That idea, however, was quickly squashed when Brannoc located ten separate underground gun silos with telescopic lens and launch capabilities strategically placed all over the land covering the underground laboratory on the county maps.
Olive was deep in thought, preparing herself for what they were about to see when Rian’s call came in, closely followed by Royce, and finally Declan. Then it was Max on the earpiece in Kellan’s ear confirming his panthers were also in place and ready for action.
One last look over his shoulder with a nod and wink and the scarred dragon calmly ordered, “Let’s move.”
No sooner had the words floated through her mind than Kellan and Maddox were speeding across the field faster than she could track, with Lennox and Pearce right on their heels. The four dragons made quick work of the almost six-foot in diameter manhole cover, throwing it to the side as if it were a Frisbee. Olive held her breath as first her mate, then the mad dragon disappeared into the deep dark hole of the bunker. Holding her breath, the little dove counted the seconds while waiting on pins and needles for Kellan to give the okay for Lennox and Pearce to come down.
Nineteen...Twenty...Twenty-one...Twenty-...
“All clear.” Kellan’s voice was like music to her ears.
Watching the next two of their team disappear under the earth, Kayne and Rory stood, signaling for the feathered shifters to do the same. Once again, Olive played the waiting game, counting to pass the time until finally, she and her cousins could get in there and help the poor souls who’d already suffered so much.
Luckily, Kellan’s call came quickly. Rory turned and whispered, “Everybody ready?”
All nodding in unison, the ladies ran as fast as their enhanced speed would carry them the second Kayne ordered, “Let’s move!”
Tensions were high. Olive could feel each of her cousins preparing to not only rescue the injured but also fight whoever or whatever stood in their way. Hell hath no fury where the feathered shifters were concerned. She and her cousins would fight to the death if need be to end the pain and suffering the hunters under Tariq’s command were causing.
As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, she took in the tubular shaped metal walls with multiple pipes overhead and ladders running up the sides every few yards that were reminiscent of the pictures she’d seen of the inside of a submarine. Her cousins seemed to agree, especially Gabby.
“This place is creepy. I feel like I’m twenty thousand leagues under the sea.” The swan shifter chuckled.
“Creepy doesn’t even begin to describe it. Can you feel all that suffering and anguish?” Delilah, the empath, whispered.
Olive knew this was hard on all of them, but everything touched Dell more deeply. Trying to help, the dove said, “I know it’s hard, Dell, just focus on what we’re here to do. If it gets too hard, pull back.”
“Thanks, Ollie. I will,” the hawk whispered, sounding a little better.
“The corridors to the cells are coming up on the right. Everyone remember to stay
with your partner. Let’s get in and get ‘em out.” Kayne’s voice was quiet and clipped even though he used mindspeak.
Turning the corner and moving as one unit, the nine of them reached the first alcove when Lennox’s call came in. “Charges are set. Fifteen minutes on the clock.”
Looking at her watch, Olive noted the time. One glance over her shoulder showed Gabby standing watch at the mouth of the corridor while Tilly and Karleigh disappeared towards the first bank of cages. Next were Ettie and Delilah, then Rory and Claire, and finally Olive followed Kayne towards the dark dankness of what could only be described as death.
Step by step, the gloom and despair thickened. Their senses were assaulted by the stench of rancid flesh and fetid blood. Moving farther into the gloom with her hand on Kayne’s back, Olive almost ran right into the demi god when he stopped and turned, grabbing her by the shoulders and trying to push her back.
“What? What’s wrong?” Olive demanded, digging in her heels and refusing to be moved.
“The plans were wrong. There are no cells back there. It’s...” Kayne’s words trailed off just as the dove noticed the horror in his eyes.
“Kayne,” she grabbed his forearms where he still held her shoulders and shook the demi god. “Tell me or let me pass.”
Shaking his head, he once again tried to move her back, this time using mindspeak to communicate with Rory, “Are you finding survivors?”
“A few, but many more that didn’t make it.”
“Us too,” Ettie’s vehemence was palpable as she answered.
Karleigh’s response was little more than a murmur, “There are a few who just arrived but the few still with us will need to be carried.”
Using Kayne’s distress at her cousin’s answers as a diversion, Olive jerked out of his grasp, ducked under his arm, and immediately wished she’d stayed where she was, for what she saw could only be described as terrifying. Piled as high as the ceiling, stuffed from one wall to the next and as far as her enhanced vision would allow her to see were the dead and broken bodies of hundreds upon hundreds of dead shifters.
The stupid son of a bitch hadn’t even taken the time to bury them or at the very least, burn their remains. He’d simply ordered his scientists, his grim reapers, his minions, to use them up and throw them out like trash. Not only were they robbed of their lives, they were dishonored and left to be forgotten...dead and alone.
Olive vowed to go through every record and computer file Max and his werepanthers had been able to recover to make sure these brave shifters were remembered for their sacrifice. Her heart simply shattered at the thought that all they had suffered had been in vain. There was no way they would be forgotten.
Unable to move, unable to breathe, only able to silently weep, Olive left her mind open to share the heinous sight before her with Kellan. His voice floated through her mind, reminding her the fight was not over, “Olive, mo chroi’, get out of there. Kayne will lead you out and then come back and help the others.”
Swiping at the tears on her cheeks, rage filled both woman and dove as Olive spun around and speared Kayne with a look she hoped let him know that if he dared to try to make her leave the bunker, she would maim him where he stood. Taking a deep breath, she answered her mate with a sharp retort. “I will not leave until these people are out of here and don’t you try to make me, Kellan Aherne or I swear...”
“Okay, no offense intended. It’s just...”
Marching past the demi god, she tried to calm herself while answering her mate. “I know. You’re worried, but don’t be. I’ve got this. Do what you have to do and so will I. See you on the other side.”
“Damn, woman, I love you.”
Feeling a little bit better, Olive sighed, “I love you, too. Now, find that bastard and make him pay.”
She could hear the smile in Kellan’s voice when he answered, “Yes, ma’am.”
Turning the corner, Olive stopped just short of running headlong into Claire, who had a badly burned and extremely emaciated young woman under each arm as she slowly walked them towards the hallway. In one look, the little dove realized neither would be able to climb the stairs, let alone make the fifty-yard dash into the woods where the werepanthers were waiting to transform and help get them to the vehicles. This was so much worse than anyone had expected.
Claire’s words echoed Olive’s thoughts. “We’re gonna need help getting them out. This lot is in bad shape.”
“I’m on it. Max is sending in some of his cats. They should be here in two minutes,” Rory answered, having been listening to the ladies’ conversation.
“Good, we need them,” Olive responded, then to the mad bomber she asked, “How we doin’ on time, Lenn?”
“Twelve minutes and counting. Pearce and I are on the way to help, too. Be there in thirty seconds.”
“How can you do that and blow the charges when it’s time?” Olive asked, helping the two survivors sit down next to the other ladies her cousins had liberated from their shackles before turning to head back to the cages.
She almost laughed despite the situation when the mad bomber answered, “The wonders of modern technology, milady. All I have to do is press the magic button and the world goes boom.”
“Stop flirting with my mate, Lenn,” Kellan growled.
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Lennox teased a half a second before he and Pearce appeared around the corner.
Pointing over his shoulder, he asked, “Are the six in the hall ready to go? The werepanthers are right behind us.”
Olive looked at the poor shifters and nodded. She watched as the dragons and panthers gently lifted their battered and beaten bodies into their arms. They were nothing but skin and bones. There wasn’t a square inch on their bodies that wasn’t a weeping sore or cuts and slashes so deep she could see their muscles and bone. Even the skin on the bottom of their feet and the palms of their hands had been peeled away or sliced off in some maniacal experiment Olive couldn’t begin to imagine.
It broke her heart to look into their sunken, hollow eyes. Olive had to turn away as they swallowed and struggled against their abused and abraded throats to squeak out the tiniest of raspy ‘thank yous’ to the men who were carrying them to safety. She knew time was running out but prayed Kellan had at least a few seconds to make Tariq suffer...if anyone deserved it, he was the man.
The process of bringing the survivors out of the cells continued until all who still could draw breath were sitting against the wall of the passageway leading out of the complex. Lennox gave the four-minute warning as he, Pearce, Juan Carlos, Matías, and two panthers whose names she didn’t know left the darkness of the cells with the last of those lucky enough to have hung onto life through hell on earth.
Looking back at the empty cells, Olive shuddered. It was the only time other than when she and Kayne discovered the mass grave that she’d allowed herself a moment to focus on anything other than the refugees. There were heavy iron shackles with large silver spikes coated in the blood of the prisoners, torn blankets and rags, ratty mattresses, and puddles of stale water that had leaked in during the rains then left to draw mold, mildew, and insects. It was absolutely deplorable what those poor people had been made to live in after and in-between their bouts of torture and experimentation. Turning to leave, she caught sight of the buckets of slop that had been left for those who could crawl to them to eat and nearly threw up when she realized that they stunk just as much as the buckets the shifters had been forced to use as their bathroom.
Raising a prayer to the Universe and Lugh, she asked that each soul sent to the Heavens before their time be granted an eternity of peace and that special blessings be placed on all the Guardsmen, panthers, and feathered shifters who’d helped to liberate the survivors. Stepping into the main passageway at the same time that Lennox called out the three-minute warning, Olive stopped dead in her tracks as Kellan’s bellow blasted through her thoughts.
“Son of a bitch, he’s got a...” And their connection was
severed.
Chapter Nine
After ten minutes of winding through the labyrinth of tunnels Kellen had an even clearer picture of the monster Tariq O’Baoill truly was. He and Maddox opened door after door during their search, each revealing the true horrors hundreds and hundreds of paranormal beings had been subjected to. The scarred dragon had been in constant contact with his mate and knew the serious condition of the poor wretches she and the others had liberated from the locked cages in the bottom level.
Several times during their pursuit a strange, unnerving sensation had descended upon both Guardsmen. Maddox swore he heard someone calling his name in a low, barely audible tone the farther into the bunker they ran. Unfortunately, the sensation and the voice had been gone as soon as they had been recognized and neither dragon could track its origin.
Lennox gave the four-minute warning at the precise moment Kellan and Maddox reached the main arena and slipped behind a large pallet of supplies. Using the boxes for cover, the scarred dragon searched the faces of the men wearing fatigues for Tariq, cursing under his breath when the leader of the hunters was nowhere to be seen.
“You got anything, old man?” he asked.
“Only two dozen or so people that look like the medical personnel in scrubs and lab coats being led by four soldier boys. What about you?” The mad dragon sounded just as frustrated and angry as Kellan felt.
Time was running out. He knew they were dangerously close to the three-minute warning. Kellan was just about to call off the hunt and pray O’Baoill got caught in the blast when Maddox shouted, “Got him. My three o’clock.”
With an intuition and speed that came only from years of fighting together, Kellan and Maddox switched places. One glance at the face of the man responsible for such unspeakable atrocities against so many made Kellan’s dragon roar in his head, claw and scrape to be released, and seethe with the need to seek vengeance for all the innocent lives Tariq had ordered taken in the name of his bigotry and hate.
