Silverbow (31 page)

I raced through town and into the desert between Silverbow and the Nellis Air Force Base and Gunnery Range. As I approached the thickening smoke a litter of flashing red and white lights lit the area like a nightclub. There were at least nine trucks lined up at the fence and two dozen people rushing about. I parked at a distance and quietly moved toward the scene. I was sure someone would stop me soon. There was no telling what type of test or experiment they had fail. I just wanted to find Greyden. I pulled my cell phone from my back pocket and flipped it open. No signal. All signals appeared to be blocked this close to the fence.

I let my sharp eyes dart over the area as I tried my best to stay out of sight. I could feel the warm static of a few Weres but none of them were Greyden. I noticed three huge transformers were on fire. Wires hung limp and by the way people were touching the electric fence I knew it had gone cold. This was a huge problem. I wondered how much of a security issue this was. Workers were diligently working to repair the transformers. More trucks were pulling in and soldiers were climbing out and lining up along the fence.

After a couple minutes of being unable to find Greyden, I turned back towards my truck. I stopped in my tracks when I heard a blood curdling scream and several gunshots. Before I turned to look back at the chaos I saw something huge and black dart across my path and blend into the dark desert. A heavy scent lingered in its wake: leather and a thick woodsy musk. My heart stuttered and my thoughts flickered to Murphy as my body grew stiff. It couldn’t have been; the scent wasn’t quite the same but my beast begged to follow. Forcing myself back to the scene, I turned to see a huge black tarp being lowered over a large figure. To the side a worker laid trembling and screaming. The scent of blood and gun powder stung my nostrils and I felt a low growl in my chest. The tarp covered mass was quickly picked up by five men and shoved into the back of a truck and the hurt worker was loaded into a military ambulance. I held my breath and found my truck. My mind was buzzing with all the possibilities. I needed to get a hold of Greyden. I had no idea what I had seen and wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

A dark green jeep sped into view and cut me off before I could reach the road. Almost sliding into it, I skid to a halt and watched a soldier jump from the driver’s side and approach my window. Rolling the window down, I waited for twenty-one questions.

“Miss, why are you out here,” asked the older gentleman with a stern face and a heavy southern accent.

“I saw the fire. My friend Greyden works out here. I was worried,” I tried to explain.  He pulled my truck door open and motioned for me to exit. I exhaled and slid from my seat. There was no need to resist. 

“You shouldn’t be out here. I am going to have to ask you to come with me,” he informed me and I growled.

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I exclaimed and he held a hand up to hush me.

“Not sure what you have seen out here. Just come with me. I promise you that you are not in any trouble,” he replied and fell silent as he ushered me to his jeep and held the door open for me. Rolling my eyes, I got in and sat trying to control my anger as we started towards the base. Fuck, I was in for it.

We sped over the desert towards two huge gates. As we approached they began to part and the man sped right through. Huge white lights flooded the streets and parking lots beyond the gates yet the buildings all seemed dark. I turned to the man to ask a question but kept my lips sealed when he reached for his radio and barked into it. Through the military code I was only able to catch that he was looking for someone’s location.

My attention shifted to the hospital as we pulled up to a well lit side entrance and he motioned for me to get out. I quickly hopped out and joined him at the doors of the medical facility. Placing a hand at the small of my back, he guided me inside and led me down the bright white hall. I shivered at his touch. His static hummed ever so faintly. He was very skilled at containing his Were traits. I hadn’t even picked up on them until now.

The smell of the building brought memories of my father’s murder rushing back. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep my nerves calm. The heavy scent of sanitizing products stung my nose. The sound of beeping machines sped my heart up as I recalled my father’s blood coating my arms, lap and legs years ago. The soldier glanced at me and quickly halted, turned and shoved open a door. Guiding me inside, he flipped on a light and sat me on an empty hospital bed. It was a very tiny room.

“What’s your name,” he asked as he removed his camouflaged hat to reveal his buzzed white hair and heavily tanned skin. The light of the room gave me a better view of his dark eyes: contacts. I wrinkled my nose at the thought of sticking something in my eye and then answered when he appeared impatient.

“Dakota Marshall, sir,” I replied and folded my hands in my lap feeling worried and seconds from panicking.

“Miss Marshall, I need you to relax. If people here see you with your eyes like that, you will start a commotion. Things are already on edge as is. You are not in trouble. Can I trust you to stay right here until I return,” he asked and I nodded. I felt bad for letting my emotions get the best of me. I was sure my eyes were glowing. His dark brown eyes with heavy wrinkles at their corners smiled slightly, he turned on heel and exited the room. As the door closed I could hear a woman’s voice approach. His reply to the woman was too muffled to understand. I kept silent and waited.

I wondered if they would question me for hours and then use some crazy tool to wipe my memory. I smiled at my wild thoughts and glanced around the room. Most of the equipment in the room looked pretty old. I found the sink and slid off the bed to wash my hands and straighten myself out in the small mirror above it. I combed my hair with my fingers and watched my eyes slowly return to normal. After returning to my seat on the bed I heard heavy footsteps outside the door.

I watched the door swing open and Greyden appear. He pushed his shoulder length blonde hair back with a worried hand and dark blue eyes darted over me. I jumped from the bed and ran to throw my arms around him.

“Dakota, are you okay,” he asked as he grabbed me up and my feet left the floor.

“Me? Yes. You,” I asked as he put me down.

“I’m unharmed,” he said and glanced back at the old soldier now standing in the doorway. The man nodded at Greyden and he nodded in return. “May I take her home,” he asked and the man looked me over before nodding again. I figured he needed Greyden’s word that I was truly someone he knew and not someone trying to breech security at the fence. “Come on, lets go,” Greyden said as he took my hand and led me further into the hospital towards the front entrance. My eyes darted around the facility and I spied a gurney roll in with the injured worker on it. I recognized the scent of his blood. I gulped hard as I noticed the huge rips through the flesh of his chest and forced my eyes away. Wide eyed, I looked up at Greyden as my hand tightened around his.

“Greyden, don’t go yet,” called out a sweet voice behind us as we entered the lobby. We stopped and Greyden turned. A young woman in green scrubs raced towards us with a piece of paper in her hand. She tucked her long black hair behind her ear and held out the paper. “Don’t forget this,” she spoke softly. She smiled and her big dark brown eyes slid from him to me. I suddenly felt a soft static touch in the air. She, too, shared our nature. I nodded to her and turned to Greyden who suddenly seemed a little uncomfortable between the stranger and I.

“Sophie, this is Dakota. Dakota, Sophie,” he introduced us. The pretty woman shook my hand and turned back to Greyden. I watched her stuff the paper into the chest pocket of his button up flannel shirt and pat it before returning to the nurses’ station. Arching a brow, I glanced up at him and headed for the door. On my heels, he reached out and took my hand again. I didn’t know what that was all about but I was sure I was going to be jealous and I didn’t like it.

About the Author

Shannon Simmons is a single mom who works hard to keep up with her six year old son, Connor. They live in the comfy town of Wake Forest, NC where she has been for most of her life. She has a love for the supernatural but has a total weakness for werewolves. She has written several novels but Silverbow is her first step into the public eye.