BirthStone (32 page)

“Ooof,” he groaned.

Jasmine touched his foot and sent the fire
trapped inside her into his body. She watched as he shook on the
floor like a fish out of water. This man had entered her home under
false pretenses. She removed her hand.

“Did you give my mom the poison?”

“Fuck you.”

No he didn’t. Growling, she touched his foot
with hers again and took the fire up a notch. Bastard. He screamed
worse than a girl. She removed her foot.

“Why did you try to kill my mama?”

“Didn’t try…to kill her. I love…love her.
Had no choice.”

Jasmine heard a sound behind her and saw
Asia standing slowly. Her heart went out for the young woman.
Moving toward her, she took Asia’s hand and led her back to
Mark.

“You love my mama? But you tried to kill my
babies? How does that work?”

He made a sound that was a mixture of
sobbing and laughing. “You don’t get a choice. They…never mind. You
already know about the poison in the lotion. There are some pills
too. She’s going through withdrawal. I… I couldn’t keep doing
it.”

Jasmine eyed the man on the floor with a
raised brow as his body shrank into the Mark she was accustomed to
seeing. “You were sent here to spy on my mate?”

“No.”

Asia stepped forward a bit, bent down and
touched his neck before standing. “He was sent to kill me.”

Shock raced through Jasmine. Her foot
slammed down on his.

His body jumped and jerked as she shot more
heat into him. When she stopped, his sobs filled the air. “You came
to kill Asia?” Jasmine asked through gritted teeth. Her fury leapt
at the idea that he’d try to destroy Asia after the woman had been
through so much.

“I…I can’t say.”

Jasmine’s foot rose to hit his again, Asia
stopped her.

“He truly cannot speak those words, his mind
and mouth will not allow him to betray his mission. Ask whatever
you can now because they are recharging him and his
other
will soon be in control again.”

Jasmine thought quickly. “Who started this
war?”

“I do not know.”

“Do you have metal inside you?” She couldn’t
think of anything, her thoughts were scattered. She squeezed Asia’s
hand for help.

“No.”

“Are they sending others for me?” Asia
asked. Jasmine released a breath. That was a good question.

“Yes. Until you are destroyed, don’t know
why.”

“How many are nearby? In the town, in the
state?” Asia asked, her voice calm.

“None in town. Twenty in the state.” He
paused. “Arrgh…” he groaned.

“Is there an attack planned on the
compound?” Asia asked as Mark’s upper body rose and fell with
ragged breathing.

“Not yet.”

“He is being recharged and soon will not be
able to think on his own, the only thing he will be concerned with
is the completion of the mission. If you will permit me, I will
kill him, but you need to be safe inside my room,” Asia said.

Jasmine stared at the young woman. “Go in
your room and lock the damn door.” She eyed Mark. His body was
changing. Asia hadn’t moved.

Leaning closer to Asia’s face, Jasmine
growled. “Go to your room. Do it now.”

Asia dropped her hand, scampered backward,
felt the wall until the metal of her door was beneath her palm. She
pulled it closed. Satisfied her charge was out of the way; Jasmine
backed up and prepared to bring down her mom’s fiancé.

She watched as Mark bulked, and leapt up,
hazy-eyed. She wondered if he could see. The next moment he
bypassed her and ran toward Asia’s room and pulled on the door. It
didn’t give. From her peripheral vision she saw Jarcee and another
guard standing in the shadows. She and Silas would have a long talk
on trust later on.

Mark slapped the door as if he could make a
dent in the thick metal. It was as if he didn’t see anyone else.
Inhaling, she calmed and pulled all of her energy to the center. If
she could save Mark she would, but seeing him like this, drooling
with erratic movements, she doubted he would ever be in his right
mind again.

The warm breeze of her energy enveloped and
filled her until she vibrated from the sheer beauty of it. Instead
of fearing who she was, mate of La Patron – aka First Bitch, she
embraced his fire, his purpose, his destiny. A roar of energy
whipped through her as she fought to retain control. Silas’ soft
words of encouragement rolled down her spine and lifted her higher.
Through the shine of energy she sighted Mark, raised her hand and
pointed. His back bowed as she dragged him from the door and pushed
him to his knees.

Anger at what her babies and mother suffered
raced through her. Not so much at Mark, according to Asia, he may
have been a pawn as she had been, but at those pulling his
strings.

“
Silas?”

“
Yes, sweet bitch.”

“
Stop flirting. I want to send a message
to whoever sent Mark. What do you suggest?”

“
Hmmm… great idea, and another reason
women are much scarier than men in war.”

“
Silas
,” she snapped.

“
Go inside his mind, find the mechanism
they are using to control him and fry it. They will feel the hit…it
may also kill him or turn him into a vegetable.” He paused. “ I
scanned him often and nothing ever came up, hmm.”

“
Talk to Asia, she felt the necklace he
has on and knew his mission. I see Jarcee, by the way.”

“
He won’t interfere. I thought it would
be good for others to see why we are a perfect match. Kick ass,
sweet bitch
.”

She disconnected and thought of the mental
connection inside Mark, within seconds she saw the small metal
patch. “I’m sorry, Mark,” she whispered just before she sent a
blast of energy directly to the miniscule plate.

His mouth flew open as his body jerked a few
times, and then he slumped over onto the ground with a loud
thud.

Chapter 28

“Sir?” Tyrese called to Silas, pulling him
from the conversation with Jarcee. The man had been in awe of
Jasmine’s abilities and swore she was a mini-version of the
Goddess. Asia had been equally wowed by Jasmine ordering her inside
for protection. No one had ever offered protection to the young
bitch before. Although, according to Asia, there was no offering
involved. The young bitch had asked him if he was sure Jasmine
wasn’t part wolf. His mate had racked up a large fan club in a
short space of time. He was pleased she now embraced her mantle as
his mate and protected those under their care.

Turning, he watched Tyrese jog toward him.
“Ready?”

Tyrese grinned. “Oh yeah.”

Silas nodded as adrenaline pumped through
his body at the prospect of the hunt. “Let’s go.” He shifted into
his wolf along with the Tyrese, Tyrone, and Leon. They took off
toward town. Silas stopped two miles out where Tyrese had stashed
equipment and shifted again. He sent out energy and located two
bodies with explosives. Silas encircled the two bodies with energy,
preventing them from moving or contacting anyone.

Tyrone and Leon shifted to their human
forms, grabbed the equipment and went in search of their targets.
Scanning the minds of the men carrying the explosives, it was as
Silas suspected, young half-breeds who had been forced into
servitude. Griggs used and abused those she claimed to protect.
Tyrone and Leon deactivated the explosives and left the breeds in a
drug-induced sleep so they couldn’t be utilized.

Silas repeated the process, and within an
hour, ten half-breeds had been spared. There was one more body with
explosives, but it was human. Had Merriweather armed himself? Silas
didn’t think so, but he couldn’t be sure. Instead of leaving it to
chance, he surrounded the human in an energy bubble and tightened
it so that if he exploded it would only kill him.

The four of them shifted and ran into town
to meet Merriweather. At the edge of town they shifted and strode
toward the rotunda in the middle of the county seat.

“Shit,” Tyrone murmured from behind
Silas.

Silas echoed his sentiments. Attached to the
swing set at the park was the police captain. Merriweather had
attached two small bombs to the man’s chest and placed gray tape
across his mouth. This was the human Silas had wrapped in energy. A
forlorn look of acceptance graced the captain’s face. Silas’ energy
lashed out in search of Merriweather and found no signs of the man.
The ground shook. He spun and stepped forward to get a better view.
The twins and Leonidas stepped behind him at first and then moved
to his side. Leonidas released a low whistle. Silas brow rose as
ten amped up hybrids walked toward them. He sought their wolves and
met with static interference. Strange. He sought to take control of
the wolves again and met static resistance. It was as if their
signals were blocked and they could not receive a transmission.

“If you participate in this fight in any
way, Sir Knight, I will blow up the captain,” Merriweather’s voice
blasted into the silence from some point beyond Silas’ vision. “I
have an audience and they want a show.”

Silas glanced at the eagerness in the twins’
eyes as they shifted into their wolves. He fought his wolf’s
demands to shift all the way.

Within seconds the onslaught of hybrid
wolves attacked, and from the outside it appeared they had the
upper hand.

Silas sent Hank a message. “
Pinpoint
Merriweather, I want him.”

“
Yes, Sir.”

Leon jumped back snarling as he landed on
his four paws outside the huddle. The first hybrid flew through the
air and landed with a thud. Leon jumped on the wolf before it could
rise and with a snap of his strong jaw broke his neck, tossing the
beast aside. Seconds later another hybrid was tossed aside and Leon
repeated his actions. It wasn’t until four of the hybrids had been
destroyed that Silas got a glimpse of the real fighting. Tyrone and
Tyrese moved in blurred precision, attacking so fast it was hard
for the hybrids to touch them. Leon had been in their way and it
made sense for him to be on the outside.

“
Sir, he’s off-site in a home outside of
town. I didn’t pick up any signs of explosives and there is one
other body with him
.”

Silas grinned, Merriweather had made the
same mistake so many others made, he had underestimated his
opponent. “
Send in a covert crew to pick him up. I want to know
who’s watching this fight, and any other data you can pick up. I
want him and the person with him alive and brought here for
justice.”

“
Yes, Sir.”

The numbers were even now, three for three.
Tyrese and Leon shifted to their two legged hybrid form. This was
the first time Silas had seen Leon’s hybrid in action although he
had given Dr. Passen permission to give Leon the shot. He was
shorter than Tyrese and not as fast but still a good fighter.

But Tyrone was the real surprise. He shifted
into something Silas had never seen before. He stood on two legs in
a crouched position, larger than Leon but not as big as Tyrese. He
was faster than everyone left on the battlefield and fought with
daunting ferocity. Tyrone jumped over his opponent and hit the
hybrid with a series of punches that were so fast the only thing
Silas saw was the resulting jerking of the hybrid as the blows
landed. The hybrid jumped up and flipped behind Tyrone only to
discover Tyrone had flipped and was now behind him.

The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the
air.

Leon knocked his opponent to the ground but
the beast jumped right back up with remarkable reflexes and landed
a punch in Leon’s gut, which sent him stumbling back a bit. When
the hybrid charged, Leon was prepared and slammed his fist into his
opponent’s throat, which would have killed a human. The half-beast
grabbed his throat as he staggered backward, leaving himself open
for Leon to pummel his chest and gut. When the hybrid doubled over,
Leon quickly got behind him and wrapped his arm around its neck. A
hybrid grabbed Tyrese and tried to place him in a choke hold.
Tyrese flipped the hybrid, who was almost double his size, over his
head and punched him in the face. The sound of crunching bones hit
the air. The hybrid pushed Tyrese back, jumped up and charged him.
Tyrese ducked out of the way of the outstretched arms, and landed a
punch in the beast’s gut. Silas looked on in approval as the loud
sound of air leaving the hybrid reached him. The hybrid fell to the
ground and rolled over, trying to breathe. Tyrese grabbed him by
his hair, pulled him up and powered down with his elbow into the
skull.

Silas stood with his arms crossed,
evaluating the fighting techniques of each man, and found little he
would correct or change. A moment later, Tyrone crushed the skull
of the hybrid he’d been fighting. He reared back and released a
loud howl as he tossed the beast aside. A few moments later, Leon
joined in, and then Tyrese. Impressed with the level of skill he’d
witnessed, Silas’ howl merged with theirs.