G.H.O.S.T. Teams (Book 2) Shifters (17 page)

“Is there any chance that the Reds are behind the disappearances?”

They all snapped their heads in my direction, the crazy Alphas and Oldie barring teeth. Dolph and the Amazons held their expressions, but I clearly had their attention as well.

Bustier spoke up first, “Why does one so meek, think that he may speak?”

“Meek? I hardly think that’s fair. I work out and everything.”

“Bruce,” Freddy whispered, clearly trying to warn me.

The crazy couple was staring at me like I was a piece of meat, and Oldie seemed to be pondering something, so I took a moment to look at my team. Freddy’s face was full of worry and concern. Kara kept her eyes alert but she had her finger on her ear shell as if she was listening to check-ins. Danny opened his eyes and looked my way and gave me a thumbs up, which we agreed earlier would signal that the anger in the room was growing. To my right Erika’s body was tense and ready to react if necessary, and Vector was smirking in my direction. At least someone appreciated my sense of humor. 

“Look, I’m just saying perhaps you should be focused on your common enemy.”

“The missing started before the Reds arrived in town,” Oldie said.

“They will be dealt with soon enough,” Leather added.

“Wait, so you know where they are?”

“That is pack business and none of your concern,” he replied.

Oldie started laughing out loud, “Which is code for ‘you have no idea where they are.’”

“It is too old to be so bold,” Crazy Bustier said.

“One day, someone will let you off your leash, and you’ll find out just how old I am,” Oldie smiled.

Crazy Bustier growled at him before laughing hysterically. Leather licked the side of her face before joining in on the laugher. Once they quieted down, Leather got to his feet, his lady on his arm.

“This meeting was pointless. There is no reasoning with Macs, they are too old and set in their ways,” he said.

With that the Creek Pack headed back up the west stairs, Dolph watching their backs as they exited. Freddy attempted to call them back, but they ignored him. Once they vanished up the stairway, Oldie looked my direction.

“You can not reason with those who lack sanity,” he said.

“They did seem a bit off their rocker, didn’t they?”

“More so lately,” he stated.

“I know we’re outsiders, but we really do want to help. Is there anything you can tell us about these missing people?”

“Children,” he snarled.

“What?”

“They took our young. Wolves should have more honor.”

“Wait, they kidnapped your kids? No wonder you’re pissed. But, they accused you of the same thing. Did you retaliate?”

“Of course not,” he growled, “We have honor.”

“Right. Sorry. I meant no disrespect. Just trying to fit all the pieces together.”

At about that point Kara let me know that her sensor was tripped and the wolves had left the stairway. I nodded thanks and continued my conversation with Oldie.

“We’d also be more than happy to deal with your Red problem. If you know where they are, please tell us.”

“Of course we know where the Reds are. Unlike the Creek, I always know what’s going on in my city,” he smiled.

“Great. Where are they?”

I could feel Erika tensed up next to me, waiting for the answer.

“Oh, don’t worry. They’re very close. My sources assure me that they knew of our little meeting today. If I were them, I’d take advantage of such appealing targets,” he smiled.

“What?”

“I’m just saying it might be dangerous to be the first to exit this meeting. Especially if they were, say, emotional and not focused. But don’t worry, you heard the Creek, they know all about the Reds. I’m sure they already know to be on the lookout up there,” Oldie finished, a very satisfied grin on his face.

I looked over at Kara and her face went pale.

“I just lost communication with a team at the north end of the stadium,” she said.

“Shit.”

I sprang to my feet and sprinted for the western stairs. Oldie’s laughter filled the room as I left, Vector and Erika right on my heels. I thought I saw Kara and Danny start after us, but they weren’t as fast as our trio. We were bounding up the stairs, several at a time, the shallow rise of the steps making long lunges easier. Once we hit the top, I turned towards the nearest dwarf.

“Quick, which way did the wolves go?”

The dwarf pointed towards the proper doorway and another hurled a wooden doorknob in our direction. Vector snagged it out of the air, ran up to the stone door, and gave it the proper turn. Before the door had even finished opening, the three of us were tearing up the stairs. Another twist of the doorknob and Vector had the next stone door open. We flew up the last set of stairs, the regular door at the top already ajar. I didn’t bother to slow down, choosing instead to slam my shoulder into it and knock it open and out of our way. The scene in front of us was not pretty.

The three GHOST guards were down, but the lack of blood gave me hope that they were just unconscious. Two men in black tee shirts and tan military pants were lying on the ground, dead. One had an arrow sticking out of his head while the other had three in his chest. In front of them lay Leather, an arrow through his gut and another through his neck. His big crazy eyes were opened wide as death gripped his face. The closest thing to good news, if you could call it that, was the fact that both Crazy Bustier and Dolph were still alive.

Positioning his body in such a way as to shield her from further arrows, Dolph was fighting to drag Bustier away from danger. There were three arrows in his back and another in his calf. I didn’t know how he was even managing to stand, let alone have enough strength to try and move her. His wounds were obviously taking a toll on him and his movements were sluggish. She had an arrow in her right shoulder and another in her hand as she reached out, desperately trying to take hold of her dead mate. I know I said they were crazy, but even I could feel the crushing sadness of her loss. Losing the love of your life was a feeling I knew all too well. But now wasn’t the time to think about the past. We had to act fast if they were going to have a future.

Erika, Vector, and I all turned to our left and saw two ladies who matched Freddy’s earlier description. The older woman was in her late twenties with jet-black hair and bronze skin, while the younger was maybe sixteen, with fair skin and blonde hair. Both women wore tight black leather outfits, straps and buckles holding them in place and hinting at the curves that lay underneath. There were numerous blades and small weapons upon their person, but the crossbows in their hands were clearly their weapons of choice. To complete the look, flowing like capes, hoods upon their heads, they each wore a red velvet cloak.

More detailed descriptions would have to wait, as they let loose another volley of arrows. Erika’s motivation was clear as she took off towards the Reds. My first instinct was to save the lycan and clearly Vector’s mind was in the same place. I didn’t even want to think about the alternative. We were already on the verge of a pack war and the Creek losing their Alphas was only going to escalate hostilities. Since Vector was closer to the injured wolves than I was, he made a move and let me know that I could follow Erika and neutralize the threat.

“I got this,” he hollered.

I watched him out of the corner of my eye as I started after Erika. He was diving towards the wolves, his body outstretched like a human javelin. Reaching his right arm as far as he could, he got there just in time. Although, his method of protection made me very glad that elves could heal as fast as I do.

The first arrow tore through his palm, its silver tip covered in blood and protruding from the back of his hand. The second stabbed into the meat of his bicep. Twisting his body in the air, he managed to roll across his shoulders, keeping his injured arm from taking any of his weight. His momentum brought him into a half crouch, his body tensed for another attack. As it was, he wouldn’t have to worry, the wolves were no longer the targets.

I watched the brunette pull the trigger and my world slowed down. The arrow was streaking through the air, the silver tip gleaming in the light. I pushed myself forward, trying to will my body to move faster. But I already knew I’d never get there in time. Erika was so quick and she’d left before me. All I could do was watch as the bolt struck its target.

Erika’s body arched forward as the arrow impacted her chest. She took a couple more steps before losing her balance and dropping to her knees. Her legs kicked out from under her as she fell to the side. I slid the last few feet just in time to catch her head in my arms before it struck the ground.

The arrow was sticking out of her chest, just left of center, and very likely into her heart. I could hear it sizzling, as all silver does when in contract with a shifter’s skin. As fast as I could, I tore the arrow free and tossed it aside. As I’m sure you know, in most cases the last thing you want to do is yank an arrow from someone’s body. But, when it comes to shifters, silver burning their insides is much worse than the alternative. Luckily the barbs on the arrowhead were relatively small, minimizing the damage its removal had caused. Also, the chain around Erika’s neck reminded me of what Freddy told us earlier, the tags would help. The arrow had only penetrated an inch or two. I figured there was at least a chance that no significant damage had been done to her heart. But the blood pouring out of the wound made it impossible to tell.

“Stay with me. Stay awake.”

I patted her lightly on the cheek as I said it. She tried to smile and started coughing up blood. I held pressure on the wound in an attempt to slow the bleeding. Vector stepped up next to us and I could see that he had his gun trained on the Reds. A quick glance showed me that they had their weapons up in a vaguely surrender-y fashion. I decided I was going to trust my new friend and his deadly aim to watch my back, while I focused on Erika.

It was clear that she needed immediate medical attention. Since we were back on the surface, I knew that our communication gear would be working again. Vector had the same thought, and he radioed for medical assistance. At that exact moment, I heard footsteps approaching from the stairs.

Kara and Danny poked their heads out the door, checking to see if the coast was clear. The second they saw Erika, they both rushed over. I was cradling her head in one arm while holding pressure on the wound with the other. She’d sort of ended up in my lap as a matter of our relative positions. I tried to keep a reassuring look upon my face as her eyes stared into mine.

“You’re stronger than this. Fight!”

Again she coughed up blood and then she started to shake a bit, her body convulsing in my arms. Blood poured down the side of her face and then everything stopped. I called her name and slapped her on the cheek, but there was no reaction. Her eyes rolled back into her head just before her eyelids closed. Kara slid up next to me, mumbling and chanting some nonsense. I couldn’t begin to tell you what she said because as I sat there, Erika’s limp body in my arms, my mind went dark.

I gently released her body into Danny and Kara’s care, standing and turning to face the Reds. Their arms were still up and it seemed like they would be willing to come quietly. But that wasn’t how this was going to end. They’d taken something precious from me and they were going to pay. I glanced over at Vector, noting the arrows protruding from his right arm.

“I’ll handle this.”

He caught the expression on my face and clearly understood my meaning. There was a pause, almost as if he was debating how to respond. Then, his eyes trained on my face, watching my reaction, he lowered his voice and made an offer.

“I can just shoot them and save you the trouble if that’s your intention,” he stated.

“No. No weapons. She doesn’t get off that easy.”

I started to stalk forward, the expression on my face making my intentions clear. My gaze and rage was focused on the brunette, as she was the one who shot Erika. The Reds knew they were in trouble and they reacted as most warriors do: they attacked. It was a predictable response. When given the choice, most of us prefer to go down fighting. I heard Vector call from behind me just as the Reds fired their bows.

“Fair enough. One for each of us then,” he said.

The arrow had barely left the blonde’s bow when Vector fired a single shot. The bullet split the arrow in half, Robin Hood-style, before slamming into the crossbow. There were splinters and debris, which caused the blond to drop down on one knee, releasing her broken weapon in the process. That was all I had time to see as I had my own arrow to deal with.

I knew that the team and Erika’s body were behind me, so while it would have been easier to just sidestep the arrow, I didn’t have that luxury. The first shot was heading for my chest, so I twisted my right shoulder back and chopped down with my left hand. Snapping the arrow in half, I listened as two broken pieces bounced harmlessly against the ground behind me. I was suddenly very grateful for the weird training techniques we had used in the temple. But this wasn’t a game. This time I was a predator stalking his prey.

Many times I’ve told you how ashamed I am to be a killer. The act of killing, however, is really the least of it. The scary part, the part that should keep you up at night, is not how many lives I’ve taken. It’s how easily I’ve learned to live with it. That is the true monster inside of me.

There are many reasons to take a life. Whether it’s money, revenge, self-defense, or even sport, everyone has
their own justifications. But very few have the stomach to repeat the act. Slowly and methodically, I eliminated the entire Black Dragon Society. It took me years. They killed my father, and for that I needed to make them pay. While revenge is a pure motive, it doesn’t justify my actions. But even my dark past paled in comparison to the thoughts currently flying through my head. I didn’t just want to kill the Reds. I wanted them to suffer.

Brunette fired and at this point there wasn’t much more than fifty feet between us. To protect the lives of my team, I had no choice but to be perfect. My whole body was focused on stopping the arrows and getting to the brunette. I twisted my left shoulder back and chopped down with my right. The result was the same, the sound of an arrow snapping in half followed by two broken pieces bouncing off the floor. The crossbows used an interesting mechanic in order to reload. Brunette pushed the stock down and back up, cocking the bow, and then a tall skinny clip on top dropped another arrow onto the groove. Again she fired and again I chopped. I noticed that Vector was actually walking next to me, keeping a safe distance, but matching my pace. His gun was trained on Blondie and I could tell that he was watching the show. I had a feeling that things were about to get much darker than he was anticipating.

My head wasn’t a fun place to be right now. Even Brunette’s form fitting outfit went unnoticed as I looked for the places upon her body where I could do the most damage. Spots where I could break bones, tear muscles, and snap ligaments. Places of extreme pain that wouldn’t render her unconscious. I didn’t like thinking that way. This job was supposed to serve as the instrument to take me away from my dark past. Instead, it was fueling the fire.

The rage building up inside of me was intense. It took a lot of strength to keep stalking forward, maintaining my pace. A small part of me wanted to rush ahead and start delivering the punishment. But the dark recesses of my mind were in charge right now, and they wanted to make her wait. Make her think about what was coming. I snapped the next arrow and the next and the next, each step bringing me closer to the prize.

She had two, maybe three shots before I’d be in range. After snapping the next arrow in half, I grinned. The expression on her face turned grim. I snapped the next and watched the color drain from her face. Her bronze skin was suddenly very pale. She had time for one more shot, desperation covering her face, as she knew it needed to count.

We were a few feet apart and she aimed for my head. But ninjas train for these moments, pushing our bodies to the extreme in order to be the best assassins that we can be. I didn’t have to think, my arm moving on its own, years of training taking control. Don’t for a moment think it was easy. But today, as rage and retribution fueled my movements and let me push myself to the extreme, I was just fast enough. My hand shot up, catching the arrow, the silver tip an inch shy of my eye, my gaze locked onto hers.

You could hear the loud intake of breath as the shock hit her. Her crossbow sagged in her arms as the expression on her face turned to one of pure horror. I didn’t stop. To keep her distracted, I tossed the arrow at her face, causing her to flinch as I kicked up, knocking the bow out of her hands. As the crossbow crashed to the ground behind me, I watched her eyes dart back and forth, desperately searching for help. But my new friend was taking care of her partner.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see that Vector had Blondie wrapped up. After the shot he’d made, I didn’t think she’d be dumb enough to try and move on him anyway. But just to be safe, he was a few feet away, his gun trained on her head. Blondie’s expression made it clear that she had been defeated, her body sagging in surrender. Brunette had a similar expression, but she wasn’t ready to quit. I stood there, allowing her to swing first, because it fit my mood.