Wolfen Secrets (The Western Werewolf Legend #3) (20 page)

With Smitty and the others by her side, she
retraced her steps to the spot they’d lost sight of Ty. Unable to
swallow the panic rising in her throat, Sonja refused to shift.
Instead, she raced down the bank in her wolf hide hoping to get a
glimpse of Ty’s body still tethered to the board. Not being able to
discern where exactly he was, they relayed in position, always
leaving a scout behind in case Ty was behind them instead of in
front.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Brooks, we’ll find him.”
Smitty’s voice was full of determination.

“I know we will, Smitty.” Sonja scanned the
fog. “No sign of the lieutenant. I can’t even smell him. We’d
better keep going. How is your night vision coming, Smitty?”

The captain reined in his concern for the
lieutenant, giving Sonja his full attention. “Clear as daylight.”
Giving his chest a light thump, he sent her a shrewd squint. “Being
a werewolf has its good points, eh?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” She’d been so caught up
with being the target of a kidnapping, she’d little time to
consider any “good” points. “Have you practiced swimming when
you’re in the wolf?”

“Yeah, I have a great deal of respect for
dogs as swimmers now. Still, I do all right. Why, we takin’ a dip?”
His ruddy eyebrows swooped up while a wry grin played out on his
mug.

“Yes, Smitty. If we haven’t found the
lieutenant within thirty minutes, we’re going diving.”

His throaty chuckle of approval rang out in
the dark. “Splendid!”

Time dragged by on leaden feet. The
whereabouts of the lieutenant remained a mystery. Surely, he’d
appear, dragging himself to safety soon!

“All right, men. We’ll split up and scour the
banks before diving. No one goes down alone. Understand?”
Determined not to lose the only man she’d ever truly loved or the
father of her baby, Sonja went first. Thank the gods, the sight of
the wolf provided her with enough vision to see shadows in the
murky depths of the mighty river. Determining what those shadows
were, proved a test in patience, not to mention diligence. The
candor of the men when the wolf was upon them, made her marvel at
the similar traits in all those new werewolves. Pride swelled in
her chest even as the lieutenant’s men grumbled about the lack of
clarity in the water or the fact the demons stalked them still.
They bantered Draco’s name about as one after the other vowed
revenge on the warlock. It didn’t matter he was centuries, perhaps
millenniums older, they promised each other of the dire things
they’d do once they found the bastard.

“At the rate we’re going, the lieutenant is
half way to New Orleans by now,” one weary Connors said as he
rubbed the back of his dripping neck. We’ve covered every inch of
this bloody body of water. Haven’t seen hide nor hair of the
lieutenant.”

Others nodded, grumbling as Sonja fought to
gain a sound of Ty on the wind. Nothing came to her. Her heart
constricted. “Don’t worry, we’ll locate him. It’s just a matter of
time – that’s all,” she shot back. Her nerves wore thin with the
constant bombardment of questions, opinions and innuendos the men
dished out when one after another, they surfaced empty-handed.

Smitty came to her. Waiting for her to come
back from the deep concern she couldn’t allow to play out on her
face, he shook her gently. “Mrs. Brooks, Ty used to tell me you
could communicate with your mind. Can you try to contact him, or at
least get a handle on where he is?”

Blinking, Sonja wanted to
swear under her breath.
Why hadn’t she
considered that?
Despite the need to do
his bidding immediately, she told Smitty a little white lie about
how she’d been trying for several minutes. Bearing down, she closed
her eyes, concentrating while the air around her clawed at her
mind. Signals from her mate came in tiny snatches - mere glimmers.
She flinched as an image of the one with Tyler materialized. “Can’t
get through – he may be underwater or too far away.”

“What about Hortence, she can find him, can’t
she?”

Again, Sonja stood in bemused puzzlement. Did
she conjure up the trouble the witch brought with her or not?’ The
woman materialized with the mention of her name.

“You called, my pet?”

“Yes, Hortence. Smitty has an important
question. Can you look into your crystal ball? Is the lieutenant at
least where we can find him?”

“A simple task to perform, to be sure.”

When she stood staring at Sonja without
making a move to comply with their suggestion, Sonja fretted the
old woman may be talking in riddles again. “What do you see?”

“See? Nothing.” The vision is blocked.
Someone holds a dark power over my magic. Her face grew grave,
while tension laced her words. “The evil permeates the air. You
must leave this place now!” She waved her hands frantically.

“I’m not leaving without Ty!” Sonja stepped
toward the old witch. “What evil do you mean – Draco – is Draco
blocking you?” She snatched up a handful of the woman’s sleeve.
“Where is the bastard?” she snarled.

“It will do no good to wonder where he might
be. His power is stronger than mine – I can’t stop him! You must
leave now!”

The wolf came on Sonja so fast she had no
time to consider. Snarling, she shoved the witch aside. With eyes
glowing feral, Sonja growled for the others to follow, bounding
ahead into the undergrowth. The old witch called after her.

“Take heed, Sonja, take heed! Guard the babe
against him!”

Chapter 9 - Wolfen Defense

“Are you
looking for someone, my dear?” Draco’s voice grew in volume. He
held Ty by the throat, his body wet and dripping from the
river.

“Let him go, you bastard!” Sonja shifted
back, screaming the words in one fluid motion.

“Ahhh, you want your lover back, eh?” Draco
ran a razor sharp nail down Ty’s neck drawing blood with the
effort. “See how he bleeds for you my pet? You’ve obviously cast
your spell over his poor soul.” His laugh shook the trees. “Come
and get him!” he shouted in challenge. The hot white light of his
eyes blazed in the dense darkness.

The men bolted forward, hoping to reduce the
warlock to rubble before he had a chance to snap Ty’s neck. Sonja
shifted, plunging into the melee.

No sooner than Draco had issued the
challenge, the whole pack attacked with gnashing teeth and foaming
mouths.

“Where do you think you’re going with the
lieutenant, you bastard?” Smitty’s words rang out through the
woods. “You’re barking up the wrong tree if you think you will get
away with this.”

“You amuse me, Captain. I’ll get away, while
you’ll be dead. How’s that for successful hunting?” Another booming
laugh ran out. Draco tossed Ty’s unconscious body from side to
side, the whole time laughing as if he were playing with a
doll.

“What the hell do you want, Draco?” Sonja’s
low growl had the others pausing.

“Want?” Draco chuckled lightly. “Well I want
what everyone wants, dear girl – your blood. Give me your blood and
I’ll hand him over.” He grinned as his hands rose in the air in a
sort of submissive surrender.

Sonja didn’t believe a word of the warlock’s
ploy. “Turn him over, Draco. I’ll go with you.”

Ty woke. “No!” His weak words echoed in the
stillness.

“Mrs. Brooks, you can’t do this!” Smitty shot
out a hand in restraint. “The lieutenant will have my hide if
anything happens to you.”

“Name your price, Draco. I’ll be your slave.
Just let Ty go, all right?”

Draco smirked wickedly as his eyes fanned
from Sonja to Ty. “Very well, your life and the whelp’s for the
lieutenant’s life.”

“No!” Ty struggled with the hold Draco had on
his neck. Hanging from the arm of the warlock, he jerked before
starting a change. Draco merely flicked a finger in his direction.
Fire shot from his fingertip. Pain sizzled up Ty’s body. He jerked
violently.

“God damn it, Draco. I said I’d go with you.
Let him go!”

His laughter sickened her, caustic, like the
evil that oozed from his pores. “Step this way, my dear and I will
release the lieutenant.”

Sonja swallowed before taking a step toward
the warlock. His long nails ran along Ty’s neck, leaving a red
trail of bloody scratches in their wake. “Closer, my dear. I have
to know you speak the truth.” The smile on his face was nauseating.
His gaze followed her like a lusty demon.

Smitty along with the men, burst through the
Draco’s barrier, falling into the middle of his play where they all
became pawns. Drawn to his side, each shifted immediately. In turn,
they lashed out, snarling and snapping at Ty’s body.

The tactic Draco intended to utilize had her
rushing forward in hopes of stopping the pack’s attack on their
master. The talisman she wore about her neck shot a flash of blue
light at the pack, which retreated immediately. Grateful, she
turned to Draco. “Doubt me again, warlock. I’ll see you burn in
hell. I’m here, let him go. When he didn’t respond, Sonja shouted.
“Let them all go! You have what you want, me!”

Draco, sardonic and theatrical, bent low over
his arm in a courtly bow. “My queen, I bid thee enter your new
kingdom.” His robe-covered arm swept wide to display a grand entry
hall filled with candles and gilded tapestries.

Sonja inhaled at the sight of the long,
opulent corridor. The hall held all manner of artwork, some from
artists of the renaissance if she wasn’t mistaken. Quiet harp music
played. An exotic bird flew low before disappearing down yet
another passage. “This is a figment of your imagination, Draco,
nothing more.”

Thunder roared as lighting hit the ground at
her feet. Sonja’s teeth rattled as static filled the air. Something
burned with a scorched smell. “Was that a figment? Never
underestimate my powers, my love. You’ll only regret your
ignorance. Who do you think has been a part of your dreams so many
nights of late?” His dark eyes smoldered in their sockets. “Come!”
He held out a hand.

Jolted by his admittance, Sonja stepped
forward woodenly, reaching out and touching his flesh. With the
contact, his arm jerked and sizzled. “What is this?” Grabbing his
arm with the other, he stepped away from her touch. Surprise
registered momentarily on his face. “Are you playing tricks with
me, my dear?”

She’d no idea what happened. One moment she
was reaching out to take his hand and the next the talisman was
growing hot. Suddenly, a bolt of blue light hit him hard in the
heart. Draco jerked uncontrollably, falling backward. His head hit
the draining table, cracking with a loud thud. Blood oozed from the
gash along the back of his skull.

Sonja gasped with the blood that flowed
profusely from the warlock. Scrambling up, she ran backward. Never
had she seen such a sight. The body of Draco shriveled to a prune
like wet leather left in the sun. Soon, nothing remained left
except ash. In the mist of the decomposition, Hortence’s face
appeared.

“Guard the babe. Be gone from here,
Sonja!”

Yanking Ty by the arm, she struggled to drag
the lieutenant with her until his legs caught up to her speed. The
force field dissipated with the death of the warlock. Though able
to escape, the vampires waited patiently for those who’d managed to
get out.

“Why didn’t you kill him?” Ty’s fuzzy voice
rang in her ear.

“Take it easy, Lieutenant, I did the next
best thing. I evaporated his nasty ass with your talisman!” Her
grin became infectious. Ty started to laugh uncontrollably. Then
taking her head he pulled her in for a lusty kiss. The words
weren’t out of her mouth before the vampires swarmed the pack.

Smitty charged through the now free air,
shooting as many as he could with the wooden bullets they’d made
for the occasion. Clemens positioned his sling so the short, wooden
stakes he’d fashioned, penetrated flesh, igniting the vamps
instantly. Screams of agony pierced the air as vampire after
vampire caught flame.

Ty caught the gun Smitty tossed him, aiming
at the first vamp. Bullet after bullet found its mark as the pack
fought to eradicate the vampires’ one by bloody one.

Sonja kicked out, striking one bloodsucker in
the throat. The stake Smitty had thrown her did the trick. Another
leach was toast.

Baby screamed as one vamp grabbed him by the
neck. Smitty pounced on the back of the vampire, severing his head
from his body. The vampire evaporated into dust.

Tearing limbs and shredding flesh did little
to stop the demons. It was time to use the stockpile of ammo, along
with gorilla tactical weapons she’d found while spying on Ty. “Take
the brush gun. Give me an angle, Captain.” Sonja shouted the order
at Smitty. “Give me the coordinates for an attack. These bastards
won’t stop coming. We have to take the fight to them.” Pivoting,
she hoisted the gun, before nodding to Ty as he gathered the
necessary ammo to carry through with an assault. “You’ve got to
keep the gun loaded with fuel” Her half werewolf shift helped her
handle the heavy gun. If her luck held, the fire would do the
trick.

“Give me a location. I’ll do the rest!” she
shouted as the others gathered ammo and fuel for the massive gun.
“Don’t overload the sucker, or we’ll all fry!”

Smitty pointed in the direction the vampires
kept flooding out of the dissipated force field as vampires poured
out of the cave.

A loud explosion erupted up ahead. Sonja
couldn’t believe her eyes. The smuggler, Sturgeon saluted as his
cronies loaded another cannon ball.

“Better bring ‘em round, Captain. We’ve got
help!” With relief in her words, the white wolf bound forward.
“I’ll meet you on the other side.” Sonja, the Western Werewolf
charged into the thick of the enemy.

***

Ty’s watch didn’t end when the white wolf
disappeared into the flames left by the brush gun.

“Make sure there’s not a blood sucker left
standing, Captain!” His voice carried on the smoke covering
everything in sight. “The best thing I’ll offer at this point is
load your ass with explosives or kiss it goodbye, Captain!” Ty
raced after the mate he’d never expected to have. This fight
wouldn’t be over until there was only one combatant left standing.
“Full blowers ahead, Smitty. Don’t let them get to the city or all
hell will break loose. I have my eye on the arsenal. So does the
king of the vampires. Be sure whatever you do, you don’t let them
get through!”