Running with the Pack: Cannon Pack, Book 3

by Beverly Rae

  “Oh? What’s that? That your boogers aren’t the best tasting things around?” Lauren pushed back against the seat to avoid John’s attempt to smack her.

  “You better watch your mouth, bitch.” He composed himself, wiping the grimace of pain off his face and bringing back the controlled John she liked even less. “Never mind. You’ll see once we get there.”

  The Jeep sped by industrial buildings and factories, then past neatly organized neighborhoods into the outskirts of town. After a brief stop at a skuzzy-looking all-night medical clinic where John had his wounds disinfected and bandaged, they continued on into the countryside.

  By the time they pulled into the deserted carnival, Lauren had already dismissed several escape plans. How could she trick four hunters and get away? She scanned the area around the dilapidated buildings and rides. Unfortunately, the area was deserted. If she screamed, would anyone hear her? And even if someone did hang out at Reject Land, would they ignore her cries and stay inside, safely out of trouble?

  “Get out.” John stood at the open door and waited for her to scoot out of the Jeep. If anyone had seen them, they would’ve thought he was a courteous boyfriend.

  His glittering eyes were not those of a sane man, and Lauren wondered if it was insanity or the pain medication making him appear crazy. Was he so determined to hurt her that he’d do anything, take anything to keep going?

  “Not a word, Lauren. You call for help and you die. Got it?” He struck his palm against his forehead. “Oh, wait. Not to worry. There’s no one to hear you anyway. So go ahead. Scream, yell, whatever. Do your best. The coyotes won’t mind.”

  What did she have to lose? Lauren leaned her head back and yelled. Her call of “help”, however, changed into a combination screech and howl.

  John clamped a hand over her mouth. “Damn it. Shut the hell up.” When she did, he took his hand off her mouth. “Shit, Lauren. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were already one of them.”

  She howled again, this time making it sound even more like a wolf call. Maybe if she got lucky, Daniel would be close enough to hear her.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  She couldn’t help it. She had to take another dig at him. “I know I wasn’t the dumb one in our relationship, but come on, John. I assumed even you could figure that out.” She scoffed and delighted in watching the vein in his forehead throb. The men chuckled along with her, but John put a stop to their laughter soon enough. “Okay, let me spell it out for you. That was a distress call.” She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling. But this time, the giggles were from enjoying the worried expression on his face and not her nerves. “I called the pack, John. So, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll let me go before they get here.”

  “No, you didn’t.”

  She could see he was a lot less confident than he was trying to put on. “Oh, yes I did. And when they get hold of you, all of you—” she pointed at each hunter, “—you’re going to regret it big-time. Why, John, is that sweat I see? Tsk, tsk. And here I thought you were the big, bad hunter.”

  “Watch what you say, skank. I’m in no mood for a snarky woman.”

  “Snarky? Did you learn a new word watching Nickelodeon?” John’s hard shove couldn’t wipe the zing of excitement she got from the look on his face. She giggled again. Still, she couldn’t spend her time baiting him. Instead, she needed to concentrate on a way to escape. He grabbed her arm and pulled her past the entrance gates.

  Her mind whirled with possibilities. Should she do the dead weight thing and make them carry her? At least it might slow them down in case the shifters were able to save Daniel and he was on the way to help her. If they could find her. Should she try to make a run for it? She knew she could outrun the other three, but John was faster. If he had to chase her, would that make him more determined to see her die?

  “Up the steps.”

  She stalled for a moment and squinted at the fun house. In the daylight, the place would appear rundown and sad. But at night the dilapidated appearance worked with the darkness to cast eerie shadows. She shuddered, started to refuse to move and earned another shove. Gritting back a retort, she stomped up the stairs to the front door. If she’d made that much noise at her apartment, Mr. Gallagher from downstairs would’ve stuck his head out of his apartment to complain. If only Grumpy Gallagher were around! Again, she surveyed the area around her, hoping to find someone, anyone, and came up empty.

  Fumbling with the rusty lock bought her a minute’s delay but, at last, John broke the rusted metal apart and kicked the door wide.

  “Lauren, is that you? Thank goodness.”

  Lauren and the hunters pivoted, ready to find a pack of werewolves on their heels. What she saw, however, dashed her hopes and made her heart clench.

  Bobbie rushed through the entrance, past the merry-go-round and hurried over to them. “Good grief, Lauren, why didn’t you let me know what was going on? I mean, one call? That’s hardly keeping in touch. Thank goodness this is my day to visit my grandma or I wouldn’t have passed by here and seen John’s Jeep. When would I have heard from you again? And what the hell are you doing at this old carnival?” She stopped, her jaw dropping when she saw the hunters with their guns cradled in their arms. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you’d gone on another hunt.” Her brows scrunched together. “But wait. Didn’t you say you were away visiting a sick relative? Did you come home early? If so, why didn’t you call and let me know?” She crossed her arms. “This isn’t like you to be so unprofessional. For Pete’s sake, you have patients clamoring to get their teeth taken care of.”

  “Bobbie, run. Get out of here.”

  “Shut up!” John gripped Lauren’s arm and twisted. She yelped and tried to yank him off, but couldn’t.

  Bobbie’s surprise was matched by her indignation. “Don’t you tell her to shut up, John Rawlings. Being her boyfriend doesn’t give you the right to—”

  John’s rifle pointed at her head shocked Bobbie enough to shut her up. “Don’t you two females ever quit flapping your yaps?”

  “Lauren, what’s going on?” Bobbie’s voice trembled. Her gaze went from one hunter to the next, and the guns pointed at her. “You guys are scaring me.”

  “I said shut up.” John slung Lauren into the fun house and waved the frightened Bobbie after her. “Come join your friend and keep quiet.”

  Moonlight filtered through the rotting wood, enough light to see the faded colors on the walls and the hallways exiting in each direction. Pictures of clowns covered the peeling wallpaper and cobwebs floated with the breeze.

  “This is getting way too complicated.” Luke positioned himself next to Norman and Bruce. “We never signed up for murder, man.”

  “Murder?” squeaked Bobbie and clung to Lauren.

  “I told you. It’s not murder. Lauren’s as much a shifter as that animal she slept with.” John nibbled at his thumb, a sign Lauren knew meant he was nervous. “This is another shifter extermination, plain and simple.”

  Bruce, however, wasn’t buying it. “Naw, I don’t think so. She hasn’t changed. At least not as far as we know. I don’t think you can catch shifter like you can the flu. You know, by getting too close, or kissing, or having—”

  “He’s right, John,” said Norman. “She’s human and killing her—them—is cold-blooded murder.”

  Lauren giggled. “Yeah, John. Your men know what’s what so listen to them.”

  “They don’t know squat. I say what goes. And I say when a woman sleeps with a shifter, she’s his bitch through and through.”

  Bobbie leaned toward Lauren, her eyes sparkling with excitement and, for a moment, appeared to forget about the danger. “Oh, my God. Is it true? Are werewolves real? I thought you and John were just playing hunter, not actually hunting animals. And you actually know a werewolf? And you slept with him? Holy shit, Lauren, why didn’t you tell me?”

  Leave it to Bobbie to want the juicy details. “Dani
el’s a werewolf. And yes, we’re lovers.”

  “Who’s Daniel?”

  It figured that Bobbie wouldn’t remember Daniel. But Lauren knew who she would remember. “You remember. Tucker’s friend. The tall, dark hunk of a guy Tucker brought into the office?”

  Bobbie’s excitement warped into high speed. “Oh, no you didn’t!” She clapped and bounced on her tiptoes. “Oh, my God, you did, didn’t you? And he’s a real live werewolf? Wow, that’s huge, Lauren.” She gasped. “Does that mean Tucker’s one, too?”

  Now it was John’s turn to laugh. “Too bad Daniel’s not alive anymore. Is he, babe?”

  Lauren’s gut twisted. Was Daniel already dead? Or had his pack saved him? “If something happens to Daniel, John, I’m going to make you pay.”

  John’s delighted demeanor swept away, evil overtaking his features. “No, babe, you’ve got it all wrong. You’re the one who’s going to pay.”

  Cocking his gun, he raised the barrel and aimed it at her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Daniel moaned and fought his way back to consciousness, back to Lauren. Voices floated around him, sifting through the fog surrounding his mind. He fought to remember, worked to get his thoughts clear and managed to bring forth bits of information. He remembered attacking John. If his head didn’t hurt so much, he’d dance a jig. But then what happened? Why did he sense that something was wrong?

  “You do it.” The young voice continued, “Besides, you haven’t had a kill in over a year. It’s your turn, Charlie. Take it.”

  “Yeah, Chuckie, you’d better get it done before he changes out of wolf form.” An older male joined the first man. “Shoot him in the head and let’s get out of here. This place is giving me the creeps.”

  “Why do I have to kill him? I ain’t never seen one turn human before. Makes me feel like I’m killing a real man. Besides, John’s the one who wanted it done. Why didn’t he do it?”

  Hunters. Daniel lay still, waiting to hear more, gathering his strength. Why hadn’t they already killed him? The brain fog slowly filtered away. He opened slitted eyes, sniffed and tried to sort through the myriad of smells. Yet the one scent he wanted to find wasn’t there. Where was Lauren?

  “I don’t know, man. Maybe he was too mad about his girl. I mean that had to sting. His girl screwing around with werewolves? Talk about cutting him off at the balls.” The man called Charlie moved closer and bent over Daniel. “Maybe he’s already dead.”

  “Naw, he ain’t. I heard him groan a minute ago.”

  The older hunter stood on the other side of him. If he knew where the third man, the younger man stood, he could ready his attack, taking out the two hunters closest to him first. Daniel wasn’t certain he could disarm all three before one of them got off a shot, but he had to try. He couldn’t simply lie there and wait to die. But where was Lauren? Was she nearby? He wouldn’t want a stray bullet to hit her. And if she wasn’t near, was she safe?

  Daniel never heard sounds more wonderful than the ones easing into the night. Quiet movements at the sides of the alley, movements only his sensitive ears could hear. A dark form dashed from one side to another, unseen by the hunters. The relative quiet lasted a moment longer, then growls erupted from every side and with them, the cries of the three men. Wolves jumped out of the shadows, landing on the hunters, ripping their guns from their hands. Leaping to his feet, Daniel got ready to attack. But his attack never came. The pack had already surrounded the hunters, forcing them to the ground, their weapons lying on the pavement.

  “Brother, how do you get into these messes?” said Devlin, his dark fur blackened with the blood of the hunters. He shook himself as though trying to rid his body of the blood, then changed into his human form.

  “Beats the hell out of me.” Daniel shifted to human, his injuries making the change more painful than usual. “How did you know where to find me?”

  “Hell, Daniel, you know I’m not going to let anything happen to my brother. Tucker kind of figured something would go wrong while you were playing house with the little hunter, so I had him watch the place. You know, just in case.”

  “Why does everyone call Lauren ‘little hunter’? Granted, she’s not big, but you guys make her sound like a child.”

  “That’s what you’re thinking about? What we call Lauren? Not where she is or what we’re going to do with these jokers?”

  “Of course I’m worried about her. And, for the record, I’m glad you two checked up on us.”

  Tucker, his white fur splattered with blood, padded next to Devlin, then morphed, his growl changing to groans as limbs lengthened, and fangs and claws withdrew. He stretched to his full human height, his muscles rippling with each movement.

  “Yeah, and it’s a good thing we did, too. When I saw the little hunter, er, Lauren—” he grinned at Daniel, “—rush out of the apartment, I knew something was up. Then when you came dashing out of there, I stayed right on your heels. I called the pack together, got them to see what was what and, voila, here we are. Saving your sorry ass once again.”

  Daniel could’ve hugged both men, but he resisted. Especially since they were naked. “Like I said, for once I’m glad you butted your nose in where it didn’t belong.”

  “Hey, just following orders, man. If you don’t like it, talk to your bro.”

  Devlin signaled to a gray werewolf who changed, then raced into a nearby alley. He came back carrying clothing. Tucker took the clothing and gave Daniel a pair of jeans and a shirt. “Michael, you don’t mind loaning Daniel your clothes, do you?” The young man started to argue, then shook his head. “Good boy.”

  Daniel pulled on the clothes quickly, pausing once to stomp on Charlie’s hand. He yelped, dropped the cell phone he was trying to surreptitiously use and tucked his injured hand underneath him.

  “Uh-uh-uh, bad hunter.” Daniel scooped up the phone. “No texting while in class, kiddies. Men, confiscate their phones, then break their guns and toss them in the Dumpster.”

  The pack followed his directions, cracking cell phones with the butt of the guns, then breaking the weapons apart. The Dumpster rang with the noise of steel hitting the inside walls.

  Daniel grabbed Charlie by the hair and lifted him off the ground. He had to admit he enjoyed how the hunter squealed and squirmed. “Charlie, old buddy, how about you tell me where they took Lauren.”

  If the guy were any more scared, his eyes would pop out of his head. “I-I d-don’t know.”

  “Come on. Are you telling me you have no idea where good ol’ John would take her? Do you hunters have a secret hideaway where you like to take prisoners? Maybe a special place to torture them?” His mood blackened at his thought, but he had to ask it. “Maybe somewhere John likes to teach girlfriends a lesson or two?”

  If John hurt Lauren, he’d soon pay the price with a slow and excruciating exit from this world.

  The horrified expression on the scared hunter’s face reassured him. But not by much. If they pushed John too far, who knew what he was capable of? “No, sir. We don’t have a meeting place like that.”

  Daniel got in his face and let his fangs grow. “Hmm, I think you’re actually telling me the truth. But that still leaves us with the same problem. Where did he take her? Think and think hard.”

  “I’m not sure, but maybe he took her to his place?”

  “Possibly. But that’s too easy. I know John doesn’t look very smart, but he does have a few brain cells. Especially when thinking up devious things to do.” He snarled at Charlie to encourage him to talk. The terrified man writhed in his grip. “Let’s try again. Where else would he take her? To his work place? Maybe to a doctor? I did get a few licks in.”

  Charlie shook his head but didn’t offer any other help.

  “Would you like me to give him an incentive to cooperate?” Tucker, fangs out and eyes blazing amber, stood to the side of them, his saliva-dripping incisors less than an inch from Charlie’s ear. Charlie squeaked and struggled to get free.

>   “Calm down, hunter. No one’s going to hurt you.” Nonetheless, Daniel dropped his tone to a menacing level. “Unless, of course, you don’t fork over the information I need.”

  “But I don’t know anything.”

  “I’m betting you know more than you think you do.” Fear oozed from the hunter and Daniel had to remind himself that he wasn’t out to kill hunters. Unless he had no other choice to save Lauren. “Where does John like to go? Any special hangout places?” A glimmer passed through the hunter’s eyes and Daniel knew he was on to something. “What, Charlie? What are you thinking?”

  “I don’t know if this means anything, but…”

  “How about you let us decide what’s important?” Devlin growled, giving the frightened hunter more reason to speak.

  “John said he was going to take her to a fun place.”

  Devlin and Tucker were as clueless as he was. “What does that mean?”

  “John likes to hang out at the old abandoned carnival. The one off the interstate.”

  “You think he took her to an actual fun house? Are you sure?” Daniel shook him again, just for good measure—and to hear him shriek. Normally, he didn’t like treating anyone, even hunters, cruelly, but this man deserved it.

  “Eek! Please, don’t hurt me.”

  “I asked you if you’re sure.”

  “No. But I can’t think where else he’d take her.”

  Daniel didn’t think the hunter would lie, not with so many sets of fangs ready to tear him apart. But if he was lying and the pack went to the wrong place, Lauren would pay the price. Making the decision he hoped he wouldn’t regret, he dropped the hunter. Charlie landed in a heap at his feet. “Hunters, hand over your car keys. You won’t be going anywhere for a while.”

  John dragged Lauren through the dizzying maze of hallways and slanted floors, into a small mirrored room. Tossing her roughly to the floor, he tied her hands and feet, pulling the knots as tightly as he could.