Werewolf Academy Book 5: Lost (6 page)

He recognized Officer Dune’s graying brown hair and close-trimmed beard. The officer regarded him warily.

As much as Alex hated the thought of the gang members receiving care after what they had done to the girls, he couldn’t deny that a few of them would need medical attention if they were going to survive the night.

Alex ducked inside. A few seconds later, the sound of footsteps followed. He led the way back up the ramps toward the coppery scent of blood.

“Keep him away from us,” a gang member cried, holding his mangled arm.

“What a mess,” an officer behind him said.

Officer Dune surveyed the mattresses and handcuffs. He looked back at Alex and met his gaze. “Can’t say I blame you.” His eyes narrowed and he studied the beaten men and women. “I have a daughter of my own.” He put a hand to the radio near his shoulder. “Eleven-forty-one. Requesting two ambulances dispatched to Seventy-eight and Madison.”

The voice on the other end confirmed his request. Alex padded back outside and was surprised when the officer followed.

“We’ve sent task forces here before. They move the girls.” Officer Dune clenched his hands before shoving them in his pockets. “I hate to think of more girls stuck here in the Saa.”

A cold shiver ran through Alex’s body. He could feel the small aches of the blades and clubs that had struck home, but the night was young and the pull of the moon was strong. He wasn’t done.

Alex lifted his muzzle to the sky. A long, low, threatening howl rolled from his chest and echoed down the streets. It was a warning to those who dared to hurt defenseless citizens. The Demon of Greyton was coming.

Chapter Six

The officers followed Alex down the next hall. The building was older and smelled of mildew. After barreling down the door, the only obstacles Alex had encountered were two armed gang members at the stairs. Officer Dune had dispatched them before their bullets struck home.

Alex stalked slowly to the end of the hallway. He could hear the stilted breaths of individuals waiting beyond. If they were armed, the officers could get shot. Alex wasn’t about to let that happen.

He threw a glance back at the men who followed him. Officer Dune held up a hand, motioning his companions to halt. Alex took a few more steps forward before giving a sharp snarl that tore through the hallway. Silence answered. Alex heard the slide of metal from leather as an officer pulled his secondary weapon. Alex’s muscles tightened. He was prepared to do things the hard way.

“Uh, we give up,” a voice called.

Alex paused. He glanced back at Officer Dune. The officer gave a small shrug, his attention on the end of the hall.

“You give up?”

“Yeah,” the man said. “We heard what happened to Blue Clover. You can have the girls.”

“Someone has to answer for their kidnapping,” one of the officers whispered.

“We’ll worry about that when the girls are safe,” Officer Dune replied.

A few minutes later, Alex found himself following the police officers and girls back up the musty hallway. He kept checking over his shoulder, but the gang members had remained true to their word and let them leave without confrontation.

The girls were escorted to the new batch of waiting police cars. Alex turned away as soon as the last door shut.

“Really?” Officer Dune asked. “Another one?”

Alex left him to follow if he wished. He wasn’t surprised to hear the officer’s footsteps. Soon, they reached a parking garage with a red fifty-five spray-painted on the front two pillars.

“We might want to leave this one for another night,” Officer Dune suggested. At Alex’s look, he let out a slight breath. “Let’s just say the Fivers are known for two things, guns and their aversion to authority. Cruz takes any encroachment to his territory personally.”

The thought of confronting another gang who would fight back matched the restlessness that pulsed through Alex’s veins. He couldn’t stop; he couldn’t let memories of Kalia and the graveyard shrouded in rain overpower him. He had to fight, to push it away, and he would free others in her name. He had failed her; he couldn’t fail them. He couldn’t stop.

“Wait,” Officer Dune called.

But Alex was already loping down into the dark parking garage. He could smell girls, fear, and pain underlying the scents of iron, drugs, and the sickly sweet odor of unwashed bodies.

“I can’t believe I’m following a werewolf on the night of a full moon into the Fivers’ hideout,” Officer Dune muttered when Alex slowed for him to catch up.

Alex threw him a look.

“You’ve got to admit this isn’t normal,” the officer said.

“It’s not normal,” the other officer who had come with them echoed as he hurried to catch up. The name on his uniform read Officer Smith.

“You don’t have to come down here,” Officer Dune told him.

“Like I’d let you go alone.”

“I’m not alone.” Officer Dune pointed at Alex. “I’ve got him.”

“And that’s supposed to be reassuring?” Officer Smith asked dryly.

“He hasn’t failed us yet.”

Alex led the way down the cement ramp.

“Ever stop to wonder why a werewolf is so crazed about freeing girls from the Saa?” Officer Smith asked quietly as they followed Alex.

“I’m just glad someone is getting them out,” Officer Dune replied. “How many times have we tried to storm the Saa only to have red tape get in the way or we find the girls moved? It’s about time something actually works.”

“They could have our badges for going down here without orders.”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Officer Dune replied, his voice quiet. “If Jamie was down here, I’d be grateful someone dared to take a stand.”

The officers fell silent as they followed Alex deeper into the parking garage. A small flashing light caught Alex’s attention. The small movement of a camera came from the corner. The gang knew they were there. The sound of a foot on cement was loud within the confines of the garage.

“Look out!” Officer Smith yelled.

Light flashed and the officers dove behind two cement pillars. Gunshots echoed as they returned fire. Other footsteps thundered down from above. They were trapped between two groups. A glance showed the officers effectively pinned behind the pillars. A growl rumbled from Alex’s throat. He wasn’t about to let the officers be killed because of his foolish stubbornness.

“Wait,” Officer Dune yelled.

Alex dove between gunshots, crossing the dimly lit ground to the waiting gang faster than they could react. He leaped past and grabbed one man’s gun hand in his jaws as he did so. The man yelled as he was thrown bodily into two of his comrades. Alex bowled down two more, and jumped back before two bullets buried into the ground where he had stood.

Alex gathered his legs beneath him and leaped. He hit the first man straight on, slamming him to the ground with the force of his rage. He grabbed the second man’s arm in his jaw and ground down, forcing him to his knees as he writhed in pain.

“Let me go! Let me go!” the man screamed.

Alex jerked his head to the right, snapping the man’s gun arm. His cry of agony echoed through the parking garage.

“What’s going on?” A gang member from the group on the level above demanded.

“There’s a monster!” one of the men yelled.

“It’s the Demon,” another shouted.

“Then kill it,” the man above commanded.

The order seemed to give the gang members courage. Guns were pointed and knives raised. Alex bared his teeth in a snarl. He knew he was about to feel some serious pain.

A gunshot rang out and one of the men dropped his gun with a shout. Another bullet sunk into his leg. The man next to him swore and grabbed his arm. Alex used the distraction to attack. He jumped on the back of the man holding his leg and leaped off him to the throat of another man who was trying to shoot at the officers. The man fell back with Alex on top of him. Alex’s fangs inched toward the jugular where the man’s lifeblood flowed millimeters from the surface.

The man strained, fighting to push him off, but he couldn’t move the werewolf. Alex thought of the girls he knew they would find, their pain, their fear, the cruelty that had been done to them that they didn’t deserve. He had no doubt the man had been involved in hurting them. He could smell the girls on him. Alex’s jaws ached to close. He could end the man’s life and stop his reign of terror forever.

Something slammed into the back of Alex’s head. His jaws opened and he rolled to the right, struggling to regain his senses. The bar hit him again and again, bruising his shoulders and ribs. Alex wondered where the officers were. A bullet would stop the attack and give him the second he needed to regroup.

Alex pushed up and his heart skipped a beat.

Officer Dune and Officer Smith knelt on the cement with their hands up. Four members of the Fivers gang stood around them with guns trained on their heads.

“That’s right, Demon,” the one who had shouted the commands growled. His eyes narrowed and he gave a gold-capped smile. “See what messing with the Fivers will get you? Two slugs between the eyes.” He pointed his gun at Officer Dune.

“Don’t do it, Cruz,” the officer said. “We just want to free the girls.”

“You and what army?” Cruz asked. His eyes narrowed. “I have a feeling nobody’s going to come here searching for your bodies.” His finger tightened on the trigger.

Rage surged through Alex. He barely felt the crowbar that slammed against his shoulders again. He tore the crowbar from the man’s grasp with his jaws. The second his paws hit the ground, Alex leaped at the gang leader using his full power. Cruz’s eyes widened before Alex slammed into him, driving him into the cement pillar. A gun went off. Alex spun, his heart skipping beats in his panic.

Officer Dune was pulling Officer Smith back using the pillar to shield them from the gang members. Officer Smith held his leg. Blood dripped to the ground from a bullet hole in his calf.

“They’ll die because of you,” Cruz growled.

Alex grabbed the man’s throat in his jaws. He felt the leader stiffen with fear. Alex growled, a low, vibrating sound that echoed like thunder through the garage.

“L-let them go,” Cruz forced out.

“I’ll shoot the Demon,” a man said, pressing the muzzle of a gun against Alex’s head.

Alex met Officer Dune’s gaze, keeping his jaws locked around Cruz’s neck. Alex’s heart thundered in his chest, skipping every-other beat. He had to force his legs to hold as the gun barrel pressed harder.

Officer Dune shook his head. “If you shook him, he’ll kill Cruz.”

“He’d be dead,” the man spat.

“Don’t do it,” Officer Smith replied. “His body will spasm. He’ll tear out Cruz’s throat so fast he’ll bleed to death before he hits the ground.”

“Let them leave,” Cruz said tightly.

“Not without the girls,” Officer Dune said.

“You seriously want to press your luck right now?” the one with the gun pressed to Alex’s head asked.

“Back up,” Cruz told his man.

Alex felt a breath of relief when the man obeyed. He wondered if he would feel the impression of the gun against his skull for the rest of his life.

“Let me go,” Cruz said.

Alex knew better than to trust the gang leader. He gave another growl and bit down. He felt Cruz wince as his fangs pierced the sensitive skin of his throat.

“Put your guns down,” Cruz yelled.

His men hurried to obey. As soon as the last gun was set on the pile, Alex let up slowly. Cruz moved to push up, but Alex grabbed him again hard enough to send a warning.

“Alright, alright,” Cruz said with a touch of panic in his voice. “Just go.”

Alex fell back, taking care to face the gang members. The Fivers didn’t move as he reached Officer Smith’s side. He lowered his head and the officer put his arm around Alex’s shoulders. Alex backed up slowly, helping the officer to his feet. Officer Dune ducked under the officer’s other arm. Together, they helped him back up the ramp.

The second they reached fresh air and the touch of moonlight, Officer Dune radioed for backup.

Alex paced. He knew it was his fault Officer Smith had gotten shot. Neither officer would have gone below if it wasn’t for his actions.

“They’re on their way,” Officer Dune said. He kept pressure on Officer Smith’s leg to slow the bleeding.

Alex couldn’t risk them following him back in. He knew Officer Dune wouldn’t leave his partner.

“Don’t even think about it,” Officer Dune said, catching Alex studying the parking garage. “You’re in no shape to go back in there either.”

Alex could feel the bruises and cuts from the knives and crowbar. His head ached and his heart already skipped every couple of beats. He fought back a shiver as the icy cold of the night cut through his fur. Officer Dune was right. It would be a bad idea to enter the parking garage again. Maybe doing something so stupid would catch the Fivers off guard and give him the element of surprise.

Alex stalked back into the tunnel.

“Get back here,” Officer Dune yelled.

“He’s insane,” Officer Smith said.

Alex couldn’t help but agree as he entered the tunnel that smelled of gunpowder and blood. He kept to the darkest part, a shadow amid the shadows, his gray coat blending in perfectly with the darkness.

“He would have killed you,” a voice argued.

“How did they get so far?”

“We were ready. Juarez’s guys held up the front like you said. It was that demon wolf we weren’t ready for.”

“We need to move the girls.”

Alex’s lips pulled back in a silent snarl at the sound of Cruz’s voice.

“Get them to the Black Aces before the cops come back sniffing around.”

Alex stalked closer. He passed the place where they had fought and followed the voices left down a smaller tunnel.

“Rico and Tony need to go to a hospital,” a woman said.

“Can’t Chaser fix them up?” Cruz asked.

“Not with Rico’s arm half torn off, and Tony won’t be firing a gun anytime soon,” she answered.

“Not like he could hit anything anyway,” Cruz replied. “Have Oscar take them. Vic, you’re in charge of the girls.”

“Good,” Vic replied.

The fur on the back of Alex’s neck rose at the obvious expectation in the man’s voice.

“Get them to the Black Aces first,” Cruz replied with a sigh of exasperation. “Animals,” he concluded with a mutter.