New Species 09 Shadow (20 page)

“Son of a bitch,” Breeze snarled. “I didn’t think of that. He was one of the rich Mercile investors. He’d have the resources to send humans after her and he was never caught.”

“It won’t happen,” he swore viciously. “No one is taking her from me.”

Master.
Beauty’s knees gave out and she sank to the carpet as memories assaulted her. He would do anything to get her back if he felt he could. Just the thought of returning to her old life made her feel sick to her stomach. She’d be locked back inside a dark basement, only being brought out when he wanted to dress her up like the doll he thought her to be. Guards would taunt her again, terrify her and attempt to starve her into submission.

She wrapped her arms tightly around her waist, hugging hard as the chills hit. Worse, the men hired to come after her would have to kill Shadow and Breeze to be able to take her from Reservation. No way would either Species allow her to be returned to the monster who’d held her captive all her life as long as they were breathing. That bit of knowledge drove the terror back.

It’s not happening. No!
Anger surged as she climbed to her unsteady legs and entered Shadow’s room. He kept weapons there too. She wasn’t going back to that hell. Never again would she be forced to suffer the touch of a man she hated. No guards would call her cruel names while they tormented her with threats of rape and molestation. She’d rather die first.

Shadow’s bag had at least six weapons of different sizes. She grabbed one of the smallest handguns, testing it in her hand. It was heavy and cold. It should have a safety. She located it, making sure it was off and kept the muzzle pointed away from her body. It wouldn’t do if she accidently shot herself.

She crept toward the closed window and peeked outside at the woods. There was no movement except for signs that it was a little windy. For once she wished she had the extremely heightened Species sense of smell—primate wasn’t as keen as canine or feline.

Her heart rate remained unsteady, part fear, part anger. Shadow and Breeze were in danger. No way would she curl up and hide in a metal tub while they fought, if it came down to it. They might think her useless but she didn’t agree. No one had ever really given her the chance to prove she wasn’t defenseless but she’d managed to attack Torrent.

Time crawled as the occasional whisper could be heard from below. Breeze and Shadow talked too low for her to pick up the words but she tensed when one of them growled. It had to mean they’d seen or sensed something they didn’t like.

“Fuck,” Breeze said louder. “Tree trunks don’t move but that’s what I just saw. They are wearing expensive camouflage clothing. I’ve got motion in two locations.”

“Three on this side,” Shadow snarled. “There are more than four.”

“I’m calling it in on my cell phone.” There was a pause. “I have no signal.”

“There should be.”

Beauty had to agree. She’d called Breeze from her cell phone without trouble.

“They must have taken out the antenna that boosts the signal this far out.” Breeze’s voice deepened in rage. “Do you have a satellite phone? They can’t stop us from using one of those.”

“It’s upstairs.”

“I’m on it,” Beauty called out, happy to do something.

“I told you to get inside the tub,” Shadow snarled loudly.

She ignored him to stride to the dresser. She’d seen one of the phones in the top drawer and pulled it out. It took her a few seconds to figure out how to turn it on. The Reservation number was programmed into the memory. She couldn’t get a signal.

“Oh no. It doesn’t work.”

“Bring it down,” Breeze snapped, her hearing keen.

“No,” Shadow protested. “Stay up there where it is safer.”

“We need help.” Breeze’s tone lowered. “They are approaching slowly but I see them. Bring it to me, Beauty. Hurry.”

Beauty put the gun down in case they got angry at her for having one and rushed downstairs. She handed the phone to the Species. Breeze rested the shotgun against her chest, cradled in one arm, and tried to use it. A shocked expression paled her features.

“This can’t be happening,” she whispered. “No signal is registering. How is that possible? We were assured these would work no matter what.”

“They must be jamming the entire area.” Shadow growled. “These aren’t typical humans.”

“What does that mean?” Beauty glanced between them.

“The task force had jamming equipment that could choke all airways.” He looked grim. “Military grade and it’s not cheap or easy to come by.”

“Do you think they are members of your team?” Breeze paled. “Would they betray us this way?”

Shadow shook his head. “No. It’s not the task force out there. I’m just saying, if they got their hands on that equipment, then they aren’t a standard group of humans. They have money and contacts.” His gaze slid to Beauty. “Get upstairs.”

“You think Master sent them after me?”

He growled. “I told you to stop calling him that.”

“That’s what you think, isn’t it?”

He nodded sharply. “He is rich and could hire the best mercenaries. Go upstairs.”

“Where are our males? Where is Torrent? He’s supposed to be hunting them.” Breeze passed the phone back. “Do as he says, Beauty. Stay in the tub. I’m sure they are armed. The gunfire will at least draw some of the residents here if they don’t pick up the scent of humans on the wind first.”

“Two more,” Shadow growled. “That’s seven in all unless you have spotted more.”

“Eight,” Breeze hissed. “One is in the trees. I just saw a glint reflect off something. He’s probably using binoculars to check us out.” She hugged the wall tighter, trying to hide. “We’re greatly outnumbered.” She released the shotgun with one hand and used her knuckle to tap the wall. “Not good. Bullets are going to slice right through the wood. This is one of the original cabins that was already here, not the better-quality ones we built.”

“We have to assume the worst.” Shadow spoke calmly but he looked furious. “There are more of them than Torrent knew of. Security wasn’t aware of it either or they would have given him more accurate information.”

“You want to assume Torrent and the officers in this area are dead?” Breeze grimly met his gaze.

“Yes.”

“We would have heard it if they shot our males. They couldn’t take out a Species in a hand-to-hand fight. They are human.”

“Silencers.” Shadow looked out the window. “We wouldn’t have heard anything either if they have snipers taking them out from a distance. Our males wouldn’t have even spotted them until it was too late. They could fire before their scents were picked up.”

Breeze paled but focused her attention out the window too. “What do we do?”

“Beauty? Get upstairs.” Shadow sounded calm when he spoke.

She hesitated, watching them. Fear and dread raged inside her. Her friend and the man she loved were in danger because her of her past. Shadow had admitted they were outnumbered and she had spotted fear lurking in Breeze’s eyes before she’d looked away. She was the most fearless woman she knew.

“I could go out there and surrender to them.”

Shadow’s head whipped in her direction and his gaze filled with fury. “What?”

“They’ll leave with me. Both of you will be safe.” It was a sacrifice she was willing to make. She held Shadow’s gaze. “You’ll find me again with the task force. I know you will. You have to live to be able to do that. Master won’t kill me. He obviously wants me back pretty bad to hire those men.” She hugged her waist. “I can’t let you die.”

He snarled. “Get upstairs. Don’t call that bastard ‘Master’ again and no way will I allow you to be returned to him.”

At one time she would have run from his harsh tone but she knew Shadow now. Beauty held her ground and kept eye contact with him. “It makes sense. You’ll die trying to protect me but they’ll still retrieve me in the end. This is the only way to avoid that.” She glanced at Breeze. “Tell him I’m right. You both need to survive. Those men out there need me alive to get paid. I know the man who used to own me.” She carefully avoided his name. “He just wants me back. The task force will find me the way they did before.”

Breeze’s mouth opened then closed. Tears filled her eyes but she blinked them back. “What makes you think we’ll lose? I’m so proud of you right now for being brave enough to offer your life for ours but it’s not happening.” Her features tensed. “Now get your ass upstairs and in that bathtub. We’re Species. We fight. No way are we just sending you out there to be returned to a prison.”

Beauty’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “You know I’m right.”

“We’re stubborn by nature.” Breeze suddenly grinned. “And we love a good fight.”

“Get upstairs,” Shadow ordered.

She met his gaze. He was still enraged. No amount of talking would change their minds.

“Do it before I tie you up and put you there,” he rasped. “I’ll do anything to protect you, even that.”

She spun and jogged up the stairs. The handgun felt a little better in her hand when she retrieved it from the dresser top. The safety was off and she entered the bathroom. One glance at the bathtub made her turn and go into her bedroom instead. She peeked out the window, looking for signs of the men Master must have sent after her.

She was Species and she’d fight too.

Chapter Sixteen

Shadow fumed. Beauty had dared offer to give herself up to those humans to be returned to the male who had abused her. The idea was insulting and outrageous.

“Calm,” Breeze whispered. “I’m almost choking on the scent of your rage from across the room.”

He didn’t spare her a glance. “She was willing to give up.”

“I heard.” She sighed. “It was sweet.”

He growled. He’d rather face an army of heavily armed humans than allow Beauty to be captured.

“Her heart was in the right place.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Her heart belonged with him.

“Damn, Shadow. Give her a break. She’s putting us before herself. Do you really think she misses the bastard who held her captive? I was there when she was brought to us. There’s no way she wants to go back. It proves how much we matter to her.”

His temper cooled slightly. “They are holding their positions. What are they waiting for?”

“I don’t know but it beats them opening fire on us.”

“They don’t want to risk shooting Beauty if that’s who they are after. That’s why I wanted her in the tub. It might help hide her if they can look for heat signatures. It depends on what they are using. Her size is going to make it easy for them to distinguish her from us if they can see through the walls.”

“Like in the movies?”

“Yes.”

“Working with the task force taught you a lot.”

He didn’t deny it. The technology the task force had at its disposal was impressive. “How many Wild Zone residents are out here?”

“About forty in all.” Breeze paused. “They were specifically told not to venture into this area but I’m hoping the stench of human intruders prompts them to ignore the order.”

“Me too.” A little help would be good but it might just get some of them killed. He didn’t want that. “I wonder what is going on at the gates. Maybe they launched another attack there to keep Security busy.”

“Another attack?”

He grimaced, realizing he hadn’t filled her in on all the information. He told Breeze about Moon being tranquilized. “It had to be a diversion.”

“A good one,” she agreed. “We’re screwed. Security would have ordered all available officers to the gates to assist there. General protocol is to take all the officers assigned to ground patrol to the hot spot while the ones on the walls keep their posts. They wouldn’t dare leave their positions for fear of a wall breach. Somehow the humans got past them.”

“It’s not over.” He refused to lose hope. “There are eight of them but humans are weak. We have a chance.”

“Not a good one,” she whispered. “What the hell though, right? It’s a beautiful day to kill some bad humans. Some of them are going out with me. I figure I’m on borrowed time anyway.” She paused, her voice lowering. “I always figured I’d die at Mercile.”

Shadow hoped the mercenaries would decide it was too risky to rush the cabin. Time wasn’t in their favor. The longer they were on NSO land, the less chance they had of fulfilling their mission. Species officers would eventually swarm the area.

Movement drew him from his musings. Part of a tree trunk separated and took on a human shape. It lunged forward to another tree.

“They are coming.”

“I was about to tell you that. Two of them just darted closer.”

“Don’t shoot until you’re sure you have a target. There’s open space between the cabin and the woods. They’ll be exposed when they attempt to reach us.”

Breeze took an unsteady breath. “I guess I should tell you that I’m not a really good shot. I’m better at fighting with my hands but I’ve passed my training. I won’t shoot my own foot.”

He clenched his teeth. “Shoot them in the feet instead. It will slow them down.”

“I can do that.”

“Avoid chest shots. They’ll be wearing vests. Target their legs or heads. Just get off as many shots as you can.”

“Got it.” Determination sounded in Breeze’s voice.

Shadow took a deep breath, tracking the movements in the woods around them. One human darted closer and he almost reached where the trees had been cut back from the cabin. He was close enough that the black markings of paint on his face were visible. These were definitely not typical humans.
Skilled mercenaries.

He wanted to keep them at a distance. He lifted the rifle from the weapons he had laid out, hit a panel of glass, and shattered it with the butt. The sound carried and he watched the human disappear behind the tree trunk.

“We’re well armed,” he bluffed. “Security is on the way. Your time is up. Leave while you can. My people won’t allow you to live.”

Silence. A full minute passed before a male voice responded from the far right, out of his sight.

“Send out Mud. She is the small New Species with brown hair and eyes. We’ll allow you to live if you do.”

Rage gripped him and his heart accelerated.
Mud? I’m going to kill the bastard who named her that.
He’d assumed they were there for Beauty and now his suspicions were confirmed. It took a lot of effort to get his emotions in check. New Species had been given numbers when they were test subjects but she’d been tagged with a derogatory title.

“Fuck,” Breeze hissed.

Shadow had bad words to say too but calmer ones came out of his mouth. He was careful to speak clearly instead of snarling. “We don’t know who you’re talking about. No one is here by that name.”

“Don’t play games, Shadow. We know who you are. It’s you and Mud in there.”

His absorbed that information. They knew his name, which had to mean someone had betrayed the NSO. The tub worked at hiding Beauty’s body temperature if they were using thermal scanning if they were mistaking Breeze for her. The other option was they couldn’t see inside. Their intel hadn’t warned them that another Species female would be present. Either way the humans obviously only expected to come up against him.

“Son of a bitch,” Breeze whispered. “We do have a leak. I’m going to find out who it is and rip off his nuts.”

He softly growled to silence her. They’d deal with that later. Right now they needed to stall for time. He decided to bluff by laughing loud enough for it to carry. “I’m Torrent. You are at the wrong cabin, humans. You paid for bad directions. I hope it cost you a small fortune to get screwed over.”

“Bullshit.” It was another human male who called out. “We’ve got a lock on your signal. You’re Shadow.”

The air in his lungs froze while his brain tried to work fast. How would they have a signal? He would have had to either carry something on his person or inside one of his bags. He mentally went over the list of items he’d packed and what he’d worn on the trip to Reservation. The other bag contained weapons. A dozen possibilities of when he might have been tagged with a tracker filled his head. They were small enough to hide in clothing, his boots, or even on the bags. The only people who’d had access to him or his belongings had been his task force team and the few Species he’d come into contact with at Homeland. Of course anyone could have sneaked inside his room at the dorm. Only Species had access though.

“I’m Torrent,” he repeated. “I don’t know what signal you think you tracked but you’re wrong. Shadow is at another location.”

“Bullshit.” The same human responded, probably the one in charge, and it was coming straight ahead from behind a large rock. “Stop wasting time and send out Mud. Her owner wants her back.”

His fangs flashed as he fought the urge to howl.
No one owns Beauty.

The human spoke again. “It’s your coin, jackass. Every team member has them and carries them at all times. Stop stalling and send her out. We haven’t opened fire because she’s worth a lot of money alive but that’s all our orders were.” He paused. “Alive. It doesn’t mean we can’t return her injured. We have a medic to patch her up. It’s your choice. Either way we’ll come in there to get her or you live by having her walk out of that cabin to us. Those are the only options you have.”

Shadow turned his head and caught Breeze gawking at him. “Coin?” She gave him a baffled look.

“Task force,” he rasped. “Someone on the team betrayed me.” He glanced up at the ceiling, then back at her. “It’s still inside my bag. We all keep them, usually on us, in case a member is taken. Only Tim and three other members know the codes to activate the trackers inside them.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I understand.”

That narrowed down the leak. Shadow silently swore revenge on the team member who’d betrayed him. “I have some of Shadow’s things but he’s not here.” He decided to keep bluffing. Every second could count. It might stall the mercenaries.

“We’re coming in. I know what you’re hoping for and it isn’t going to work. We have at least half an hour before our location is compromised. I have snipers in the trees surrounding the area. Any Species spotted coming this way are being shot. No help is going to reach you.”

Fuck!
Shadow calmed his rage enough to aim his rifle, watching the location of the human who’d come the closest. He’d shoot the second the male moved. Maybe a few dead bodies would persuade them to rethink rushing the cabin. He doubted it though. Mercenaries were known to be single-minded and vicious. They probably calculated some losses amongst their ranks before agreeing to the mission.

“Kill anyone who enters the open area,” he ordered Breeze softly.

“Understood.”

Beauty tiptoed away from the hallway, having heard most of what Shadow and Breeze had said. Eight humans were out there willing to kill to take her back to Master. Shadow had shown her how to really live. Breeze had given her friendship. Neither of them deserved to die for those wonderful things.

The thought of Shadow dying left a gaping wound in her soul. She wasn’t about to allow that happen. She’d fight too. Three against eight were better odds. The bag inside Shadow’s room was heavy when she lifted it and carried it to her bedroom. They’d target him since he stood in their way. Her bedroom was on the back of the cabin, above where Shadow stood.

She pulled out weapons the way he had, laying them out on the carpet so they were at the ready. It took a few minutes to figure out where to put her fingers on each weapon.
Point and shoot. How hard can it be?
She might not hit much but the extra firepower could surprise those men out there enough to give the two Species downstairs a better chance at survival.

She was careful not to make noise as she dragged a heavy chest in front of the window. She opened the lid, staring inside at the spare bedding. She turned, her gaze sweeping the room. The hardback books lining the shelves by the door caught her attention. They would help prevent bullets from tearing all the way through the wood chest to strike her if those men returned fire. Every step was taken carefully in case she alerted Shadow that she wasn’t in the tub as she packed the chest.

She knelt and shifted the curtain enough to peek out the window, watching for any sign of movement. It took a few sweeps but she saw one man right on the edge of the woods. Another was two trees behind him to the right. She didn’t spot any more of them but she had targets at least.

It was too risky to crack the window open. She’d have to move the curtain out of the way and be seen if she lifted it up. It would be stupid to give her location away. She could just fire through the glass. Beauty took a few calming breaths trying to slow her rapidly beating heart.
I can do this.
She repeated that a few times.
For Shadow.

The first bullet fired wasn’t loud. It was a dull sound that reminded her of a firecracker coming from a distance but glass shattered somewhere on the first floor.

“Get down,” Shadow yelled. “Incoming!”

“Oh God.”
It’s begun.
Shadow was alive though. She’d heard his voice.

The man closest to the house suddenly lunged from behind the tree into the open, something fisted in his hand. His arm arced back as if to toss a ball but the sound of bullets exploded from the first floor. Beauty watched in horrified fascination as the guy jerked while his clothes seemed to tear open in places. Blood bloomed across his arms, then legs, before he fell back.

BOOM!
The sound registered about the same instant the fallen man seemed to blow apart near his head. Blood and gore flew in all directions, mostly splattering across the tree trunk. Bile rose in her throat but Beauty fought it down. The son of a bitch had been about to chuck a grenade at Shadow. It could have been him in pieces below if he hadn’t shot the man before he was able to throw it into the cabin.

The second man she’d seen lifted a long gun and opened fire. It was rapid and glass shattered—a muted sound over the noisy weapon. Beauty’s hands shook but she pointed at him. Her finger pulled the trigger. The glass broke, a ragged hole appearing, and she kept firing. She missed the first three times and the guy seemed unaware of it until he jerked back. He stopped firing and looked down. She did too, pausing to watch him. He lifted his boot, frowning. She spotted a small defect along the edge.

“Shit,” she cursed. She seemed to have hit him but not drawn blood. She aimed and fired again.

This time she hit him in the leg just under his knee. He threw himself back out of sight and she ducked behind the chest, waiting for return fire as she grabbed a bigger gun. The handgun didn’t fire fast enough.