Bound to Secrets (12 page)

She pushed herself up, needing to see his face when she spoke her reply.

His eyes held such tender passion that her heart ached. She rested her palm on the curve of his cheek, stared into his beautiful eyes.

“I—”

Her words were cut off abruptly as a small red dot appeared on Connor’s chest.

“What is it?” he asked.

She swallowed and nodded downward.

“Shit.”

Don’t move, Keira.

The voice spoke inside her head. And she went instantly still.

And tell your friend not to move.

“Connor, don’t move.”

She sat totally still. The red dot never wavered from Connor’s heart. She peered sideways as four people stepped out from the trees to their left.

A woman flanked by three men. Dressed in a black pant suit, with dark glasses covering her eyes, something seemed familiar about her. Was this the woman who had been hunting her on Rannoch Moor? Keira thought it must be, but as before, she couldn’t shake the idea it was more than that.

The woman came to a halt in front of them, a smile curving her crimson lips, a pistol gripped in one hand. She waved the other and the red dot vanished. Keira breathed again.

“Sorry to disturb you,” the woman said. “But at least we waited until you’d finished.”

“Who are you?” Keira asked.

The woman took off the glasses revealing dark golden eyes and arched brows. “My name is Darla.”

“Shit, you’re twins,” Connor muttered.

The woman grinned. “I’m guessing you’re right, though those bastards back at the Agency never let on. They could have warned me—not that it makes a difference.” Her gaze wandered down over Connor’s naked form. “Nice.”

She strolled across the clearing, picked up the bundle of clothes, and tossed them over. “I suggest the two of you get dressed. Pity to cover him up, but I want out of this place and quick. I’m not expecting any company, but I’m not a country lover and fresh air does nothing for me.”

Keira’s mind reeled. She had a twin sister.

Who worked for the Agency.

And was a complete bitch.

She searched the woman’s face. It was no surprise she hadn’t recognized her the other day. She’d been at a distance plus, Keira hadn’t seen her own reflection in years. And this glossy woman was like a pampered thoroughbred racehorse, next to Keira’s muddy underfed pony. She became acutely aware she was naked, her hair tangled, and she reeked of sex. What a time to get self-conscious about her appearance.

All along, she’d known the Agency would destroy her if they ever found her. How could she have forgotten them so completely? Now she’d got Connor taken as well. She had no doubt they would kill him without a second thought. But probably not before they tortured him to find out if he knew anything—if she had passed on any of her secrets.

“You don’t have to do this,” Connor said in a low voice that wouldn’t carry to the men who stood about ten feet away. “You can come back with us. We’ll help you get away from the Agency.”

“Now, why would I want to get away from the Agency? They’ve been good to me.”

Conner got to his feet and pulled on his pants. “Because they tried to kill your sisters, and as soon as your usefulness is over or they see you as a threat, they’ll turn on you.”

“Well, I’d better make sure that I stay useful then.”

Keira forced herself to function. Pushing herself to her feet, she took a deep breath and tried to control the shaking of her limbs. She dragged on the jeans and T-shirt. “How did you find me?”

“I sensed you back in Scotland. But I couldn’t hone in on you. Rather than waste time in that godforsaken place, I set up satellite surveillance on the area. We caught you leaving, but afterward, we lost you. And then not a flicker from either of you.”

She waved the pistol in the direction they had come from to indicate they should start walking.

“Then I got a message last night that your doctor friend had been spotted by another surveillance unit, driving through London. After that it was easy.”

“Do you know what they’ll do to me?”

“Do I seem the type to care? Look, sweetie, I’ve learned that you trust no one in this life. You’re alone in this world. You think your new boyfriend there wouldn’t turn on you in a moment if he thought it would save his life?”

Keira looked at Connor, and he smiled a slow smile that told her so much.

“You’re wrong,” she said. “He’d die for me.”

Darla shrugged. “No doubt he will. And probably soon. Now, let’s go.”

Keira pushed her fears aside. Somehow, she needed to get Connor out of this mess alive. She wouldn’t allow him to die because of her. Once they got inside the Agency, their chances of getting out were around zero. She had to find a way to avoid that.

It seemed as though Darla knew little of what was going on. Did she know they were werewolves? Could they shift and escape in the confusion. But she could almost feel the guns trained on them.

After a fifteen minute trek through the woods, they came to a black van. Darla indicated the open back door.

“Wait,” Keira said.

Darla gave an exaggerated sigh. “What?”

“You know once we get inside the Agency we’re as good as dead.”

“So?”

“I don’t want to die.”

“Well, isn’t that a goddamn pity. Neither do I. So if you’re after some sympathy, you’re looking in the wrong place.”

“Not sympathy. I may have something to trade.”

“Now what could you possibly have?”

“Why do you think they’re still after me after all these years? Why did they want me dead in the first place?”

“I don’t know, but are you going to get to the point?”

“I have secrets. Information they don’t want to get out. I’ve written it all down.”

Darla sighed. “Do you really think they’ll care?”

“Can
you
really risk that they won’t?”

“Shit.” Darla pulled a phone from her pocket and walked a little away so they couldn’t hear her words. Turning back, she shoved the phone in her pocket.

“So where are these notes?”

“I hid them on the moor.”

“Why did I guess that was coming?” Darla pursed her lips and cast Keira a black look. “Hey, sis, you know what, I’m beginning to dislike you.”

“The feeling is mutual. But take me back and I’ll get you them. But only once Connor is safe.”

She knew this was stupid. Why would they let him go? Or they’d let him go and then hunt him down and kill him afterward. But she couldn’t think of anything else and at least this might give him a chance. Especially if they didn’t know about the werewolf thing. If they divided the group, then there might be more of a chance that Connor could take his guards.

“Give me a minute alone with him. We need to set up a signal so I’ll know he’s really safe.”

“You are aware they’ll just go after him and kill him once you’re dead,” Darla pointed out in a reasonable tone.

Keira flinched at the callousness of the words, but forced a shrug. “He can take care of himself.”

“Go ahead then.”

She dragged Connor a few feet away and turned so her back was to the group. “They’ll split us up.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Connor, if you get the chance you have to escape. There’s no hope for me—as long as I’m alive the Agency will keep coming.”

“Why? What is it they think you know?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never known.”

“Don’t give up. Somehow we’ll get through this.”

“Of course we will.”

It was hard to believe that only half an hour ago, she’d been thinking how perfect everything was. She should never have forgotten that she didn’t believe in happy endings. Connor cupped her face, leaned down, and kissed her.

“Come on, you two,” Darla snapped. “We’re on a schedule here.”

Keira bit her lip as they cuffed her hands in front of her then watched as they did the same to Connor. She scrambled into the back of the van after him and Darla gave her one last disgusted look.

“Crap,” she muttered. “We’re heading back to the most desolate place God ever made.”

They were going home.

Keira realized she hadn’t told Connor she loved him. She turned, but as she opened her mouth, a needle pricked her arm and the darkness swallowed her.

Chapter Twelve

Connor’s mouth tasted like paint stripper. He pushed himself up on his elbows—awkward in the handcuffs—and retched. Nothing came out, and he realized he hadn’t eaten in twenty-four hours.

First, he’d been too keyed up, then he’d been too busy making love to Keira, and finally, he’d been unconscious.

Shit. How long had he been out for?

And where was Keira?

Panic tore at his insides. Connor forced the emotion down; he needed to keep a clear head. He blinked a couple of times to clear his vision, still blurred from whatever drug they’d given him. His limbs felt heavy but he was coming around fast. Drugs didn’t work the same on werewolves.

He lay on a carpet with fat pink roses. A matching pink sofa sat to his side facing an empty fireplace. Where the hell was he? Rain spattered against the window, the view outside wreathed in mist. He guessed he must be back in Scotland. So hopefully Keira was somewhere near.

A door opened and a pair of boots entered his line of sight. He peered up and recognized one of the guards who’d been with them in the forest. He frowned down at Connor. Probably expected him to be out a lot longer.

“Water?” Connor’s voice was a raspy croak.

The man studied him for a second then reached into his pocket and brought out a key, he unfastened the cuff and looped it through a radiator pipe on the wall beside Connor. Then refastened it around his wrist, gave a tug, and left the room. He came back a minute later with a glass. Connor grasped it awkwardly. The water tasted wonderful. Afterward, he cleared his throat and struggled into a sitting position leaning back against the sofa, his handcuffed hands on his lap. “So what happens now?”

“We wait for a call.”

“And then?”

The man shrugged.

One thing was clear, they were unaware of the werewolf thing or there would have been more than one man guarding him.

He heard a sound from the next room. Two men. Still no problem. But that left at least six people guarding Keira. With so many, he didn’t dare do a full on attack. They’d kill her before he took them all out.

He needed help.

But first, he had to get out of here.

“Any chance of some food?” he asked.

He waited until the guard left the room and then concentrated on his hand. He’d never done this before, but he’d seen Sebastian do it. Magic shivered through the air. His skin rippled, faded, and reformed into a claw. He slipped it through the handcuff and willed it back to normal.

The soft sound of murmured voices drifted in from the next room. Connor rose silently and stepped lightly across the floor in his bare feet. He stood by the side of the door. When it opened, he held his breath, waiting until the man was fully in the room. He clipped him lightly on the jaw, measuring the force, knowing with his extra strength he could easily kill with one punch. Connor grabbed him as he fell and lowered him gently to the floor. He rifled through the pockets, found car keys, which he transferred to his own, and a small silver key for the cuffs. After dragging the man across the room, he fastened him by the cuff and then straightened.

One more to take down.

He pulled the pistol from the underarm holster and crossed the room. At the door, he hesitated, then peered out into a hallway. A second door stood open opposite where Connor stood. He spotted the guard with his back to him, fixing food at the counter. He raised his head, caught sight of Connor’s reflection in the darkened window, and whirled around.

Connor aimed the pistol and the man stopped. He seemed to weigh up his options and then kept coming. He moved fast, but not as fast as Connor. He raised the pistol and smashed it into the guard’s skull. This time he allowed his opponent to crash to the floor on his own. There was no one else to hear.

He went through his pockets and found a cell phone.

Sebastian picked up at the first ring. “Where the hell are you?”

“Scotland.”

“What the fuck are you doing in Scotland?”

“The Agency has Keira. She told them she has information hidden up here.”

“I take it you got free.”

“They separated us. I’ve taken down the two guards left with me, but I’m guessing there are at least six still with Keira. I’m not sure where I am—wait a second.” Connor opened the outer door and glanced outside. The house stood alone, but he recognized the moors to his right. He reckoned he was in one of the farmhouses at the edge of Rannoch Moor. “I’m a few miles from where I think Keira is taking them.”

“You can’t go in alone,” Sebastian said. “You could take them out but probably not before they kill Keira.”

Frustration gnawed at him. “I know.”

“Just a moment.” Connor heard him talking to someone in the background. He spoke again a minute later. “Jack reckons we can be there in less than two hours in the helicopter.”

“It’s still too long. But come anyway. You have the coordinates for Keira’s old home?”

“Yeah, we’ll head straight there. What about you—don’t do anything stupid, Connor.”

“I won’t. I’ve thought of somewhere I can get help.”

“And that would be?”

“The local pack.”

“I thought you said they were assholes.”

“The alpha is an asshole, the rest I don’t know. But I’m about to find out.”

Sebastian was silent for a second. “If you challenge him, don’t hesitate. It’s a fight to the death, Connor. It can be nothing else.”

“I know.”

Connor found the house exactly where Pete had told him it would be—at the northern end of the moor. In some ways it reminded him of Sebastian’s home, a large sprawling building set in its own grounds with a six foot wall around the perimeter. But where Sebastian’s had always felt welcoming, this had a depressing, dark aspect.

He drew up at the wrought iron gates and waited as the guard came around to speak to him.

“What do you want?”