by B M Griffin
Shayla patted her chest. “Yeah, it’s not exactly Palm Springs down here. I feel like I need an oxygen tank and ice bath.”
“Yeah,” Jared tapped his chest. “Let’s find Adam and get out of here before we’re all in need of a new set of lungs.”
Megan looked around disappointed she hadn’t taken them directly to Adam. “I was so focused on Adam that I had hoped to take us right to him. Lord knows where he’s at down here.”
“Don’t worry,” Shayla said. “I can sense him through our bond. We’re close.”
Shayla closed her eyes and when she opened them Megan could see her sadness reflected back through her gaze. “I can feel him, but he must be knocked out or something because he’s not responding when I call out to him.” She dropped her head and Megan saw the tears that fell from her eyes. Megan wrapped her arms around Shayla’s shoulders. “Please, just let him be okay.”
Anger filled Megan while she watched her friend in pain. “We will find him,” she said, “and then we’re gonna kill Kevin for good.” She stated it like it was a fact because that was exactly what she intended for it to be. She would not let Shayla or Adam down. Not again.
Shayla lifted her head and rubbed the tears from her face. “You’re right. Let’s go get my mate.”
Jared took Megan’s hand in his, threading their fingers together as they followed Shayla. The further they walked the louder the screams around them became and Megan resisted the urge to pull her hand from Jared’s so she could cover her ears and block the noise.
“We’re getting close,” Shayla said, and Megan was glad to have something to interrupt the sounds of people being tortured around her. The thought crossed her mind a moment too soon. A moment later an ear-splitting shriek cut through the air, and all three of them dropped to their knees and covered their ears. Sometimes having supernatural hearing was not all it was cracked up to be, Megan thought.
“We have to hurry,” Shayla yelled. Her voice shook and Megan sensed the fear in her friend’s voice.
Megan reached for Shayla’s arm. “What’s wrong?”
Jared laughed, but there was no humor in his features. “You mean other than the fact that we are walking through Hell like it’s the park across town?”
Shayla shook her head repeatedly. “That was Adam. I know his voice, and I can feel his pain. He’s being tortured.”
Megan pulled her hand from Jared’s and quickly shifted into her wolf. “We can get to him faster this way,” she spoke to Jared telepathically, but it was Shayla who was first to follow her lead, and she was soon replaced by a giant, white wolf with bright purple eyes. Even as one of them now, Megan wasn’t sure she’d ever get over how beautiful each of them were as wolves, Shayla in particular.
“Good idea,” Shayla’s voice filled her mind. It was a shock since it was the first time she’d heard anyone other than Jared.
It took her a moment to realize Shayla had responded to the thoughts she’d shared with Jared. “Wait, you heard me too?”
“Of course,” Shayla responded like it was nothing.
Megan looked at Jared, who had also shifted while she’d been focused on Shayla, and met his eyes before looking back at Shayla. “I knew you could communicate with others, but I thought you could only hear us if you were listening?”
“True.”
“Looks like you might be able to talk with other members of the pack, too,” Jared said.
“Well, you’re the Alpha, and you changed her, so maybe she shares some of your Alpha abilities,” Shayla suggested.
“Maybe,” Jared said, “or it could be because we are mated. It’s hard to know for sure, but either seems like a plausible explanation.”
“It doesn’t really matter why,” Megan said. “I’m just glad we can all communicate. Now let’s get back to taking Adam away from this place.”
“Agreed,” Jared said.
Shayla took off and Megan and Jared followed right on her heels. They made it about ten yards before a swirl of black formed in front of them like a tornado made of oil and pure evil, and they all planted their back feet in the rock at the ground and slid to a stop just before coming in contact with the swirling mass.
“What the hell?” Shayla yelled.
Megan pulled back her lips, allowing her razor-sharp teeth to show, and a powerful growl rumbled up from her gut. “That is Kevin,” she growled. “This is how he got away with Adam.”
Megan took a couple of steps forward, moving in closer while she waited for Kevin to appear out of the mass and show his ugly face. Jared quickly moved in front of her, his eyes drawn tight while his wolf glared at her. When she tried to move around him, he snapped his teeth in a warning and she had to fight back her anger to push him out of her way. She knew he was afraid for her to get too close to the monster in front of them, no doubt afraid that Kevin would snatch her away from the same way he’d done with Adam, but she didn’t care. They had come to get Adam back and she’d be damned if Kevin got away again.
“Back off, Jared. We need to be ready to attack him the moment he lands in front of us. It might be our only chance.”
“You don’t have to be in such a hurry to put yourself in the line of fire,” Jared argued.
“That’s not what I’m doing. I’m just not sitting back and letting this asshole get away with our friend and your beta, not again.”
Megan felt something bump against her shoulder hard enough that she bumped into Jared in return. When she turned her head Shayla’s eyes were flaming purple and Megan could practically feel the anger and annoyance radiating off her friend. “The two of you have to knock this shit out! If we’re going to save Adam, we need to stay focused. Work your shit out when we aren’t literally in the middle of Hell.”
Shame washed over Megan, but with it came clarity. She put her issues with Jared’s need to always act like her protector to the side and focused on the issue in front of them. Jared seemed to get Shayla’s message too because he slowly moved from his position blocking Megan and took up his stance on her side so she was flanked by him and Shayla.
“Oh, you two are so cute, but I’ve got to say, I think Megan is my up and coming favorite. The way she so openly defies you, Jared; her Alpha. It’s refreshing, truly. You really should join me, my dear. Your obviously too much for your mate to handle.”
Kevin was just as gruesome and horrifying to look at as Megan remembered from his brief appearance at the packhouse, but she wouldn’t let him see her fear. She lurched forward and snapped her teeth. Kevin didn’t so much as flinch, but Jared blocked her from moving any closer and she was pretty sure that Kevin smirked at her, although on his monstrous face it was hard to be sure of what facial expression he was making. With his long fangs, he almost always seemed to be flashing a wicked smile.
Megan refused to acknowledge his jab at her, or Kevin, with a response. It was what he wanted, to get under their skin, and she would not satisfy his need to ruffle them.
“Adam is close by,” Shayla said quietly. “It feels like he’s right here with us, but I can’t see him.”
“I see you looking for your mate, Shayla,” Kevin hissed. “You won’t find him here, but I might be willing to make a trade. What do you say? You up for spending some more time with me to save your mate’s life again?”
“I’ll get him back, but I won’t be making any deals with you, demon!” Shayla snarled.
Jared lunged, digging his canines into Kevin’s thigh. Megan knew he wouldn’t be able to take the monster down, but it was the distraction she needed. Once more she shut her eyes and focused on finding Adam. It only took seconds before she felt herself move through time and space, and then she bumped into something and heard it moan. Opening her eyes. She was right beside Adam. He was tied up with some strange rope that looked like it was made of the same oily slime that now coated Kevin’s body. She tried to bite through it but it was too strong and she didn’t have much time. Not sure how she would be able to travel with Adam in tow
as a wolf she shifted, then she quickly grabbed him by the arm and traveled back to Shayla and Jared.
Without releasing her hold on Adam, she grabbed Shayla, but she had no clue how she could get her to hold on all three of them. Megan met Jared’s eyes and he saw the problem. He nodded just before she heard him order, “Take them, then hurry and come back for me.”
“Jared, no!”
He didn’t listen to her, instead, he lunged at Kevin again. Her heart was pounding and she was pretty sure she’d never been more afraid of losing someone in her life. The thought made her feel like a horrible person, knowing she’d lost her mother in such a horrible way, but she couldn’t help how she felt.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Jared
Right after Megan left with Shayla and Adam the shit hit the fan. Kevin had thrown Jared off him before Megan pulled her Houdini move and managed to get Adam out of the monster’s grasp. When Jared saw her pop back up he quickly went for the same leg he’d jammed his teeth through the first time, hoping that the wound would be bad enough that a second attack would slow Kevin down at least a little. He just had to buy enough time for Megan to grab Shayla so she could travel back to the surface with Shayla and Adam in tow.
It wasn’t long before Kevin figured out that it was just him and Jared. “Where are they?” he shouted. His voice was like ice and fire combined in one, and even Jared had to admit it scared the shit out of him. There was no doubt that Kevin, this demon glaring down at him, was livid and Jared was the only one around for Kevin to aim his anger at that moment.
Still, Jared wasn’t about to show Kevin an ounce of fear. His mate and two strongest pack members had gotten out, and that was what truly mattered. If he died it would be worth it knowing he’d at least been the distraction they needed to make it to safety.
“Where are they, mutt?” Kevin thundered.
“They’re gone, you filthy demonic bastard.” Jared knew Kevin had heard him when his eyes narrowed, the black pits almost seeming to be swarmed by the fire with the anger reflected in them, and he bared his fangs in Jared’s face.
Jared quickly shot to the right, then he jumped with as much force as he could muster and propelled himself upward, toward Kevin’s neck. When he tore into Kevin’s neck his mouth filled with the thick, black substance that coated Kevin’s body, like it was pouring out of his veins. The thickness of it had Jared choking in moments and he was forced to release his bite and he fell to the ground beside Kevin, choking and sputtering on the sludge. Jared didn’t have a chance to get back to his feet before Kevin wrapped his large clawed hand around Jared’s throat. His grip was so tight the Jared could feel his talon-like claws piercing his flesh, and he smelled his own blood when it began to drip into his fur.
Kevin shoved his ugly face so close to Jared’s that he was nearly touching Jared’s nose. Jared had noticed a pungent smell in the air but just contributed it to one of the realities of being in the true confines of Hell, but with Kevin so close to his sensitive nose it was overwhelmingly obvious that the smell was Kevin himself. The demon smelled like rotting flesh, as if he’d been murdered, dropped in sewage-filled water, pulled out, and laid in the hot, desert sun for weeks while his flesh rotten and decayed.
“Don’t worry,” Kevin spoke low and menacingly, “I’m not going to kill you. Not yet, at least. You’ll be of more use to me alive. If I’ve read that new mate of yours there is no doubt she’ll be quick to trade herself to me so she can save you.”
Jared jerked, trying to break free from Kevin’s grip, but all he managed to do was drive Kevin’s claws deeper into his flesh. Jared had been injured before, and he knew the usual pain associated with having his flesh torn. This was something much different. One moment Jared was fine, the pain tolerable, and the next he felt like he was on fire, only the pain was emanating from beneath his skin. The pain struck him with such force his body convulsed and he shifted back into his human form without any control over the shift.
Just before the pain made him black out Jared saw Megan appear five feet away. She ran for him and he tried his damnedest to keep his eyes open, but the pain had stripped him bare of all his energy and he lost the battle against his heavy lids. He could still feel her, though, and as much as her presence usually brought him comfort, in that moment he wanted nothing more than for her to be as far away from him as physically possible. He would never forgive himself if Kevin were to harm her while she was busy trying to save him. Unfortunately, he was unable to do anything to stop whatever was going to happen.
He tried to reach out to her through their thoughts, “Megan, get out of here. Leave me!” No matter how much he pleaded he could still sense her near him. Either he was too weak to project his thoughts to her, or she was too stubborn to listen to him; knowing her it was most likely the latter. Soon more than just his eyelids lost their battle again the pain and he found his senses to be glitching in and out until everything was black and he had passed out completely.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Megan
It took Megan far too long to get back to Jared after she left Shayla and Adam in the main living room at the packhouse. Even as far apart as she knew they were, what with Jared still down in Hell while she was back up on the earth, Megan felt the pain that was coursing through Jared’s body. The pain brought her to her knees and it took all of her willpower and then some for her to get back to her feet so she could focus on getting back to Jared. She would not fail him the way she had Adam. She would not be too late, not again. She focused harder than ever before, using Jared’s pain to drive her back to him instead of allowing the pain to overtake her.
When she landed back in Hell her heart nearly ripped itself from her chest when she saw Kevin’s claw wrapped around Jared’s neck, his talons obviously piercing Jared’s flesh and causing him excruciating pain. Pain strong enough she had felt it all the way back on earth’s surface. Kevin had his face practically pressed against Jared’s, reveling in the pain he was inflicting on her mate. Her wolf wanted revenge; wanted to rip the monster limb from limb, but she didn’t have time to waste, especially when she wasn’t even sure she was strong enough to cause him any harm. Hell, Jared was one of the strongest werewolves in their pack and he had obviously been unable to defend himself against the demon.
Instead of attacking, Megan focused on just getting Jared out of Hell and back home, away from Kevin’s grip. She flashed herself closer to Jared and practically landed on top of him. As soon as she did so, she wrapped her hand around his arm and willed them back home. She knew the moment they were moving because the fierce pain she’d felt coming from Jared eased up a bit once Kevin’s claws were no longer digging into his flesh.
They landed in the center of the dining room; her aim thrown off by her fear for Jared. This time she landed hard causing Jared’s body to slam into the floor at her feet. Blood squirted from the wounds Kevin had left around his neck and he flinched, a low moan of agony passed his lips, but he still did not open his eyes.
“I need help in here!” Megan cried out.
She brought her hands to his throat and pressed her palms tightly against his wounds doing her best to slow the blood that was leaking from his neck. Tears ran down her face, making it difficult for her to see, but she couldn’t stop them from falling. Jared’s heartbeat was erratic and even with her limited experience, she knew that it was not a good sign.
It felt like forever before she heard the sound of footsteps running in their direction. In reality, she knew it had only been seconds since they landed in the house, but the fear that gripped her made it feel like it had been so much longer. Allen was the first one to get to her, with Zack and Joanna on his heels.
“Holy shit, that’s a lot of blood,” Zack said the moment he was close enough to look over Megan’s shoulders.
“Shut up, you idiot,” Joanna scolded him. Megan heard a popping sound and knew that Joanna had slapped Zack, most likely in the back of the head.
“What do we d
o?” Megan cried. “We have to save him. Stop the bleeding.”
“We need Shayla,” Allen said.
Without anyone having to call out to her, Shayla showed up only a moment later. “Get out of the way,” she ordered.
Everyone moved except for Megan. She wasn’t going anywhere, not with her mate bleeding out on the floor right in front of her. She felt a hand grip her arm and when she turned her head Shayla was bent down beside her, and the grim look on her friend’s face offered her zero comfort. “Let me help him, Megan. I might be able to stop the bleeding, but I need to do it fast.”
“What are you going to do?” Megan said through her tears.
“Cauterize his wounds. It should stop the bleeding and give us time to save his life.”
Megan looked back down at Jared. His skin had already grown pale from the blood loss and she knew if the bleeding didn’t stop soon that there would be no saving him. She turned back to Shayla and nodded.
“Good,” Shayla said. “I’m going to need you to give me some space.”
“I’m not leaving his side,” Megan said without hesitation.
“I won’t be able to help him if I’m worried about not hurting you, Megan. Please, just give me a little space so I can work on him.”
Someone squeezed Megan’s shoulder and she looked up to see Joanna standing over her. “We will be right here with you,” she said. “Come hang back here with me and let Shayla work her magic.”
Megan glanced at her mate one more time before she finally stood up and backed away from him, and gave Shayla the space she requested. She only stepped back a couple of feet, unwilling and unable to force herself to be any further away from him right then. It would have to be enough space for Shayla because she wasn’t going any further.
Shayla held her hands out in front of her and pressed her eyes shut tightly. Megan stepped forward, afraid of what Shayla was about to do without looking at Jared while she worked, but hands grabbed her arms on either side. Allen and Joanna had her in their grip and when she glared at them, they both shook their heads. “She’s done this before - for Adam,” Allen said. “Just let her help him.”
