Night Angel (Angel Haven) (12 page)

His face elongated into a blunt muzzle and eyes that held a hint of humanity glared out from the gray furred face. He tried to snap at who held him, but couldn’t turn his head that far. His lips pulled back over white, pointed teeth as Edna filled her last vial.

James closed his eyes and reverted back to his human form. He rubbed his arm and watched as a bruise formed.

Randall nodded at him. “You did the right thing. Your father would be proud that you put pack safety ahead of your own.”

“Thanks, Guardian.”

“Now, Mr. Dupré, it’s your turn.” Edna pulled the machine into place as she put the scalpel tray in easy reach.

“What’re you doing?” James demanded.

Edna slapped James, eliciting chuckles from Cray and Harmon. “I don’t answer to you, boy. Now be quiet before I decide I don’t need you any more.”

“I won’t let you hurt him.” James started shifting again, and Cray clouted him hard on the side of the head. James turned human and he shook his head, trying to clear it. Cray hit him again, snapping his head back.

“Let me go to him,” Randall said quietly to Edna. “I promise, no tricks.”

She opened the straps. “If you hadn’t given me your word, you’d be out of luck.”

He lifted the boy’s face to inspect the damage and smiled at him. “Nothing serious, but you’re going to have a real shiner later. I’m in no danger. They still need me.” Randall turned, facing their enemies. “Take him back. He doesn’t need to see this.”

Cray grabbed a scalpel from the tray and held it to James’ throat. “Beg for it.”

Randall took a step forward, stopping when Cray pushed the scalpel harder into James’ skin, his hands balling into fists. “I beg you to please take him back to the others.”

Cray laughed. “No wonder the boss keeps you around.” He shoved Randall back to the chair. “Sit, freak. It’s going to be fun to watch you squirm.”

“Take the boy back, Harmon,” Edna ordered. “He’s just a distraction now.” She stood in front of Randall. “Your charges are undisciplined.”

Randall glared at her. “It’s hard for me to teach them anything when I’m not allowed to see them.”

“Keep up with that attitude and you’ll never see them again.” Edna picked up a scalpel. “Now, let’s try this again. Today I’m testing your regeneration. I’ll need to take more samples from you later.”

Randall’s lip curled back in a snarl, and he pulled at the straps holding him in the chair. “You’ve taken samples of everything I’ve got in me. What else could you possibly want?”

Edna’s gaze dropped to his lap. “Not everything. I haven’t even started getting in to how you people reproduce.”

Karen clamped a hand over her mouth, hoping to stem the full blown nausea that consumed her. Breakfast was in real danger of making a return appearance. She took several deep breaths. “Dayla, are you here?” she called in a hoarse whisper.

The fairy appeared, snapping off a salute. “Always, miss. How can I help?”

“There’s a man coming out of this building with a teenage boy. Follow them. The boy is the pack leader’s son. Find out where they’re going and tell Raesheen.” Karen stared at the window. Voices drifted to her, telling her she had to look. “I have to stay here in case Randall needs me.”

“I’m on it.” Dayla turned invisible, taking off after Harmon and James.

Karen peered in the window to see Edna turning some of the knobs that stuck out from the side. The large lens bending over the table moved back and forth, up and down while she tried to get the focus right.

“Cray, when I start, you’ll need to hold his arm straight out under the lens. Get the clipboard please. We’ll need to document everything.”

“Sure, Dr. Strathmore.” Cray handed her the clipboard with her notes and glared at Randall, his lips curling in a cruel smile. “This is going to hurt, southern boy. And I’m going to love every minute of it.”

Karen watched Randall’s eyes narrow as his mouth pulled down in a fierce scowl. Cray had better watch himself. When the werewolf children were safe, paybacks were definitely coming.

Edna picked up a small scalpel. “Let’s see what we can see. We’ll start with a shallow cut and go from there.” She leveled a stern gaze at Randall. “I’d like for this session to go smoother than last one.”

Cray walked behind Randall, smacking the back of his head before freeing one of his arms. “You heard the lady. Screw this up again and I’ll twist the head off one of those kids.”

Randall’s eyes grew as hard and cold as the ice they resembled. Cray took a step back as Randall’s stare bored holes through him. “If one child is harmed, there won’t be enough left of you for people to mourn over. Do you understand me?”

Cray turned pale and fear clouded his eyes. He started to nod when Edna shoved him toward the end of the machine.

“Enough of this,” she snapped. “Let’s begin.”

Edna drew the scalpel down Randall’s arm in a shallow cut. “Surface skin heals almost instantaneously. I’m making a cut about a half an inch deeper.”

Edna pushed the blade deeper into his arm. Randall’s cheek twitched at the pain, but he made no sound. Cray stood across from him, smiling at his discomfort as he held his arm in a tight grip.

Edna stared into the scope as she made a two inch slice. “Amazing. The cut is still fresh, but the blood flow has already slowed. This is absolutely remarkable.” She turned to the instrument tray behind her and selected a scalpel with a longer blade. “Let’s try a little deeper. Cray, hold him securely for this one. And turn his arm over. I need a fresh area.”

Karen watched as Cray turned Randall’s arm so his palm was facing up. Blood still seeped from the cut on the other side, pooling under his elbow. Movement from the house caught her eye. Bradford marched toward the stable, his cell phone pressed to his ear and he was shouting at the person on the other end.

He flung open the office door, heading straight for Randall, backhanding him. “Your northeast clan just destroyed one of my research labs,” he shouted.

Blood trickled from the corner of Randall’s mouth. “So why take it out on me?” he growled, his voice shaking with pain and rage. “Go find the clan and tell them how displeased you are with them retaliating when you harm those close to them.”

Bradford hit him again. “Because you’re all I’ve got.” He turned to Edna. “Are you making any progress with him?”

“I’m mapping the process his skin undergoes during regeneration.” Edna handed him the clipboard. “This is just from today. I have to compile all my data, but things look very good. I should have the shape-shifter serum in another couple of weeks, the regeneration formula before that. I may have to dissect some of the children in different stages of the change so I can see how the internals work.” She nodded in Randall’s direction. “We should be done with him in another week.”

Bradford nodded. “I agree. Use the older brats.” He glared at Randall. “Getting rid of you will be a pleasure.”

“And to think I believed we had nothing in common,” Randall growled.

Edna jotted some notes on the clipboard. “I need to make one last deep cut on him to record how the muscle tissue knits together and then I’m done.”

“Troyington, listen to me,” Randall said, needing to say something, anything to stop them from hurting his charges. “If you kill any of the children, the pack won’t care any more. They’ll descend on you. They’ll rip you apart.” Randall bared his teeth at his captor as his voice dropped to a deep rumble. “And if they don’t, I will.”

Bradford turned back to Edna. He picked up the longest blade she had, studying it in the bright sunlight filtering in through the window. “You need to make one more cut? Let me help.”

He drove the scalpel straight down through Randall’s arm so it scratched the table underneath, smiling as Randall cried out. “Don’t threaten me, Guardian. I’m seriously considering letting none of you live.”

Blood splashed over the table, as Randall’s fingers twitched and veins stood out on his neck. Troyington pushed the scalpel in deeper, then yanked it out. Randall’s arm jerked as he tried to pull it out of Cray’s grip.

“Not yet, boy. The doctor’s still studying you,” the handyman said, squeezing his arm harder, making him cry out again.

Karen closed her eyes as she turned away, unable to stand watching them torture him any longer.

“I’m done,” she heard Edna say. “Get him out of here before his blood ruins my equipment.”

Randall hit the ground at the stable entrance and Karen ran to him. Casting a nervous glance over her shoulder, she yanked him to his feet and pulled him into the woods.

She eased him down next to a small, gurgling stream. Sunlight streamed through the trees, shining on the water. A bird’s call sounded, and she spared it a quick look before focusing on Randall. “How could they do that to you?”

“It’s what they do,” he said, cradling his bleeding arm. The pain in his voice made his drawl sound thicker than usual. Blood smeared his pants. “Damn it, this is my best pair of jeans.”

“Can I do anything?” She made herself sit there instead of running back to hurt them as badly as they’d hurt him. She wiped her eyes, cursing the tears that blurred her vision. She could feel her emotions breaking out of the internal bottle she’d stuffed them into.

“I’ve got it covered.” He dipped his fingers into the clear water. “Brek, I could use your help.” He angled his head to look at Karen. “Are you crying?”

She ignored him, choosing to inspect his arm instead. “That blade went all the way through, but the blood’s almost stopped.” The first cut Edna had made was already fading. “Regeneration, huh?”

He sat back, staring at the stream as the water began to swirl and bubble. “Yeah. It’s how my race has lived so long.” He turned her head to him, brushing a tear away with his thumb. “Don’t cry. It’s not as bad as it seems.” He gave a snort of laughter. “They’ve done worse to me.”

Karen just nodded. She’d wanted to save him, save them both, but she’d just watched. A cold hand clamped around her heart. Feeling powerless was new to her and she didn’t like it.

Randall started to speak when a beautiful woman rose out of the stream. “How can I be of service to you, my friend?” Her body, her hair, even her dress were all made from the stream she floated in.

He held his arm out for her to see. “They stuck a scalpel in me, Brek. Strathmore was studying my regeneration, then she had me thrown in the dirt. Can you clean it out?” He brushed away some of the dust, crying out when he hit the cut.

She gently held his arm. “Of course. Hold still.” She held her hands above and below the wounds, water pouring from her fingers as she washed out the cuts.

He sucked air through his teeth. “Damn, that hurts.”

She laughed, the sound reminding Karen of fast running rivers or a small waterfall. “You’ve had a knife stuck through your arm. It’s supposed to hurt. The cold water will help with the pain. If it’s possible, keep it clean. I know how you are. Sometimes I think you are more child than man.”

Randall grinned. “You just say that because you’re hundreds of years older than me.” He flexed his arm, making blood ooze out.

“Yes, I am, and I would wish for a little more respect from you.” She turned her attention to Karen. “She’s the one we felt?”

Randall nodded, taking Karen’s hand. “Karen, this is Brek. She’s a water nixie. Brek, this is Karen.”

The nixie stretched herself out to surround Karen, looking at her from all angles. She flowed back to the steam, satisfied by what she found. “She’s a lovely person, inside and out. I approve.”

He watched Karen walk away, her shaking shoulders telling him she was crying. “What’s wrong?”

Karen kept her back to them. “How can the two of you treat this so lightly?” She glanced over her shoulder. “Randall, they tortured you. You’ve been stabbed and I just stood there. I’m as bad as they are.” She turned and stared at them.

She wiped at her face with her hands. “Every time I’ve fought someone or helped with a rescue operation, I’ve always known what to do. This time, nothing. I stood there and watched and did nothing.”

He pulled her into his arms, raising her face to his. “Listen to me. Anything you could’ve done or tried to do, would’ve gotten you caught or killed and made things worse for me.”

She stared at the ground. “When Harmon came out with the boy, I wanted to follow him, but I couldn’t leave you. I sent Dayla after them instead.”

“Karen, look at me.” He gazed tenderly at her, smiling when she finally raised her eyes to his. “That was the best thing you could’ve done. Dayla is Raesheen’s chief tracker.” He wiped her tears away, gently caressing her face. “See? You knew exactly what to do.”

“Oh?” Karen’s voice trembled.

His power rose around them, pouring into her. “Yes. If you’d gone after Harmon, then this wouldn’t have happened.”

She trembled as he lowered his mouth to hers.

Chapter Ten

Electricity shot through her entire body, tingling her nerves and sending her soul soaring. Blood raced through her veins as his power poured into her and moved around her, caressing her. And her blood wasn’t just singing, it was belting out the “Hallelujah Chorus.” She felt his heart thump against her breasts as hers began to pound in time to his rhythm. She could smell the wild magic that filled him even as she tasted it on her lips.

She twined her arms around his neck, reveling in the hardness of his chest and arms as he held her. Her skin flamed everywhere he touched her. She sighed into his mouth as he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss they finally shared.

“Randall,
no
!” Raesheen dashed into the clearing, grabbing Randall by his hair and yanking his head back.

“
Ow
! Raesheen, cut it out!” He pried the dryad off his scalp, setting her on the ground.

“How could you?” she screamed. “You promised me you’d wait. Do you realize what you’ve done?”

Randall’s eyes hardened as he glared at his friend. “Yes, I do. You approved of her. I’ve got the High Mother’s blessing and the Oracle said it was to be. What’s the problem?”

“
The problem
?” she shouted. “You have the nerve to ask me that?”

Karen moved in between the two of them, wondering if they were going to come to blows. “I don’t understand. What’s going on?”