Wolf’s Heart (20 page)

If it is Ryden out there, G has no clue what he is up against. Hell, I have no clue what he’s up against.

There was a sudden movement, forcing Carlee’s mind back to the current situation. The damn medication coursing through her brain made her thoughts jumbled. G jumped back away from the opening of the door. She watched everything happen in slow motion. One man turned as the sounds of the gunshots got closer. There were two holes in the middle of his forehead and blood covered his face as he slid to the floor.

Carlee began to panic. She had seen hundreds of bullet holes over the years working for the Bureau, just never any this fresh up close and personal. She’d never watched it happen, never seen the life drain from someone.

And then there were two. G merely used his foot to kick the dead man out of his way. With their weapons ready the two men backed into the room to stand at the foot of the bed.

Lou stood and whispered in Carlee’s ear, “Who the fuck are you? If you get me killed, I
will
come back and haunt your ass.” She held her breath, letting it out slowly. “You so fucking owe me for this.”

Lou moved fast. She was behind Carlee’s head one minute, the next she was beside the bed, IV pole in her hand swinging it like a Louisville Slugger. She managed to hit both G and his cohort before they turned around, their attention obviously too focused on the door to see her movements.

Carlee tugged and pulled at the restraints. “Hey, Babe Ruth, untie me, get me loose, dammit!”

Lou moved quickly to the side of the bed and began to release the restraints. A soft, “Fuck me,” slipped from her lips as two large ass men came busting through the door. Grabbing the only thing she could find, Carlee watched her take the bedpan in both hands and spin in a circle cracking one of them in the head. His growl was what drew her attention as he pushed Lou back, her ass and hands slapping against the floor as she fell. Then he went after G’s friend.

Carlee looked away; she didn’t want to see what was happening next but what her eyes landed on nearly stopped her heart as G was lifted into the air with one hand. She looked past him to see the angry glowing eyes. All she could do was mouth his name. There was no air in her lungs. He had saved Carlee before, and she had left him, pissed him off, yet here he was, saving her ass again.

“
Ryden…
”

With JT as Ryden’s back-up, they took them out one at a time. Clean head shots and very little hands-on fighting until they reached the room where he knew Carlee was. Ryden decided to put his gun away for this. No way the fucker would get an easy death. He could smell Carlee, sense her fear, and it was eating him alive. Anger rolled off him in waves, and JT knew to stay out of his way and watch his back. But when he got inside and saw Carlee strapped to that table, a thin sheet across her lower body, naked from the waist up with a fresh bandage over her incision, all hell broke loose inside him. The need to rip something open took over all human thinking.

The wolf saw his mate, in pain and crying, and took over. The need to consume the ones who hurt her was all that mattered. The taste of their blood would be a balm to the anger he felt. All he could see was a haze of red as he looked around at his enemy. This was the one, the one who’d hurt his mate. He knew this without a doubt. His scent was the same.

Guns were a hindrance now and he tossed them aside with his human hands. The beast broke out, clothes shredding until they lay in tatters. The man-enemy-prey stood there, his mouth agape as the wolf stalked closer. He wanted him, wanted to rip his throat out.

Pouncing, the beast struck the man right in the chest, knocking him flat onto the ground. Screams of terror rose from his mouth. He growled as he bit down hard on the arm that attempted to knock him aside. The screams rose, and he relished the sound, reveled in the pain he was inflicting.

He loved the taste of the fear-tinged blood and licked his mouth to better savor the blood of his intended prey. As he looked up, eyes riveted on the pulse points at the man’s neck, his throat ached for more. The man’s feet kicked and his hands clawed desperately to get away, but the wolf was stronger and wouldn’t be shoved aside so easily.

With a loud snarl, he attacked, gripping the man’s throat in his jaws, and bit down until he felt the warm blood spurt and coat his throat. He swallowed, gulping down and taking his fill before he pulled and ripped the side of his prey’s neck open completely. The man was limp and lifeless on the floor as he stepped away, looking around for any danger that was still there.

He crouched, ready to attack. He saw another man, one he knew and recognized as pack, family. The man was talking to him, hands raised and eyes averted. He was no threat. Behind him was a woman and he sniffed the air. Was she a danger to his mate? The man stood protectively in front of her, still talking quietly. He couldn’t comprehend the words but the man’s movements were those of one protecting another. It was enough that he knew the fight was over, for now at least.

He carefully made his way to his mate. She was all that mattered. Her face was tear-stained, eyes riveted on him, and he could smell her fear, but somehow he knew she wasn’t afraid of him. She knew he would never hurt her.

He approached her carefully, inhaling her scent, assuring himself she was okay, alive and with him again.

The voice he heard soothed him like no other. It was HER voice, his mate. He looked into her eyes, trying to concentrate on her words, desperately wanting to understand and reply. The wolf knew he had to retreat in favor of the man. With great effort, the wolf pulled back and returned control to the man. His vision wavered, and he felt his body begin to change.

“Ryden, look at me. Come back, Peaches. Please...it’s okay. I’m alright.”

“Carlee?” His voice was rough as if he hadn’t spoken in days or had strained his vocal cords. He remembered what he’d done, what the wolf had done. He watched as though from a distance, unable to stop him, but not really wanting to. He’d protected their mate.

Ryden looked at her, saw her naked body sitting on the table and struggled to keep the wolf back down. He quickly pulled her into his arms. JT approached slowly, carrying a blanket, but was careful not to touch her or Ryden. “Here, use this to cover her up. We’ve got to move.”

Carlee took the blanket from JT and covered herself while Ryden still held her close. He couldn’t let go even long enough to help her, nor did he care about his own nakedness. He nuzzled her neck, inhaling her scent, taking it deep into his lungs. She was safe.

“Carlee, I love you.”

The words weren’t said at the right time, but he could no more stop them from coming out than he could have stopped the wolf taking over to keep her safe from harm. Her eyes were wide as she looked up at her lover. Her hand caressed down his cheek and she opened her mouth to speak.

“No, don’t say anything. Later, Buttercup.” And before she could protest, Ryden turned to JT.

“Bring the doctor. We may need her.”

JT gave him an odd look but didn’t argue as he tossed Ryden a pair of scrubs he had found in the cabinets. He then grabbed Lou’s arm while she protested and tried to get out of his grip.

“Let me go! I’m not a doctor and I won’t be going anywhere with you freaks!” JT got right in her face and growled. He didn’t say a word. It worked like a charm, too. Lou shut her mouth, eyes wide, and stopped struggling. It was time to get the hell out of here.

“JT, my sidearm please?” He handed Ryden the gun, and shifted Carlee onto his back, so he was free to shoot if need be. “Babe, hang on as tight as you can. We’re going to be moving fast.”

Carlee wrapped her arms around Ryden’s neck as they walked from the room, trying to shake off what she had just witnessed. She wanted to tell him she was fine and could walk but she wasn’t sure that was exactly true, not to mention the look in his eyes kept her mouth shut even with the sodium amytal coursing through her veins.

She had somehow known deep inside that Ryden wouldn’t hurt her but the intense anger rolling off of him sent shivers through her body. She had wanted to force her eyes closed when he dealt with G but, for some reason she couldn’t. Blame it on the scientific part of her brain, the part that loved the mystery and always kept her ass in trouble. She’d forced her eyes open to watch the beast within him start to come forward and had witnessed the strain on Ryden’s face as he seemed to fight for control.

Now, she kept her gaze on him, only him. Not the carnage that lay around his feet or the blood that was on his chest. She didn’t have to see it, she could smell it.

“If you think for one second I am going to let go, you’re full of shit. That is, of course, unless you go turning into
Cujo
. Do that, and I am bailing and dialing the nearest vet.” She buried her face in his neck as she felt the muscles of shoulders move. She knew he was raising the gun, knew he was going to fire but still jumped at the blast. There were only a few more shots but these were from behind them along with a few more growls.

The one Ryden called JT had a very angry Lou in tow. She was spewing cuss words Carlee was going to have to check out in the dictionary if she made it through this.

Carlee had never met JT, but whoever he was, it was clear that Ryden trusted him to get them out of this hotel hell, so for now, she would trust him, too.

Ryden pressed a shoulder against the exit door, only to find it locked. He growled low and deep as he stepped back, and with just a few kicks, the door burst open, the metal twisting and falling from its hinges. As they passed through, JT came to take the lead.

“Get in and keep your damn heads down,” JT said. His car was parked not far from the entrance to the building. He opened the back door of the very average-looking sedan and Ryden slid inside with Carlee still attached to him like he was her lifeline. She tried to scramble to do as JT said, but Ryden kept a hand on her, pressing her down to the floor between his legs as he watched out the window. She could see his golden eyes scanning the building.

Lou’s voice came loud and clear. “Bite me, Colonel Klink. I am
not
getting in that car! I have my own wheels right over in the parking lot. Later, see ya, nice ta know ya, sayonara, dude.”

Another growl came, this time from outside the car. Lou suddenly appeared as the driver’s door opened, JT following behind her, his large frame pushing her into the passenger seat as he slid behind the wheel. Carlee poked her head up over the seat as he started the engine. JT grabbed Lou as she went for the door handle. She had the door open and was ready to bail when he grabbed the nape of her neck, and pulled her back into the car.

His voice was calm and very matter of fact. “Try that again and you’ll ride in the trunk. It won’t matter to me at all. In fact, I would prefer it. It would be quieter.”

Lou spit right back, guessing he was military of some sort. “Go for it, GI Jackass. Riding in the trunk would be better than sitting next to you and that thing in the back seat.” She slid down a bit in her seat as JT reached across and secured the seatbelt, pulling it extra tight across her hips.

JT’s tires squealed as he hit the gas and Carlee tried to keep from falling backwards. She felt bad that Lou was getting involved in her mess.

“Lou, they won’t hurt you. As soon as we get to safety they’ll let you go. I’ll make sure of it.”

Lou gave Carlee a look in reply that made her hope that JT was wearing a metal cup. Lou spoke through clinched teeth. “You can bet your friend’s freaky ass DNA I won’t be with you long.”

Ryden pulled Carlee back to him as they left the lot, wrapping the blanket around her. He spoke first to JT. “Get us some place safe. I need to deal with Carlee. The doc can go when I say she can.” Carlee felt his eyes on her. His voice was soft but the anger still evident. “Your ass is in so much trouble.”

Carlee swallowed hard and started to speak but changed her mind. His proclamation of love had come as quite a shock and definitely an odd moment. She had to focus.
Did he mean it?

Shit, do I love him?

He leaned down and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling slowly. Carlee thought she heard a muffled word.
“Mine.”
She relaxed against Ryden as JT announced they weren’t being followed.

Chewing her lip, Carlee said, “I hear California is safe.”

JT scoffed. “Maybe from whatever trouble you’ve gotten yourself into. There is no running from what has you now.” He looked between the two of them in the rear view mirror and then back to the road as he sped through traffic.

The ride in the car was long and filled with tension that was almost palpable. At least it was until Lou leaned in and turned on the radio. Tuning to a station, the sound of Usher,
You Got It Bad,
filled the car. That lasted about a minute until JT reached up and changed the station. Kenny Chesney was singing
Anything but Mine.
As JT reached for the dial again, he stopped at Ryden’s low comment.

“Let it play, man.” He hummed the tune softly, and Carlee wondered if he could sing. She kind of remembered drunken lyrics from years ago, but those didn’t count. Everyone’s a rock star after a few drinks. 

The car turned off the freeway, down to a dirt road into what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. Lou spoke what Carlee was thinking, “If there isn’t Starbucks within walking distance, you seriously should consider taking me back now. Me without my ‘Bucks will be like you without your balls.” 

JT actually chuckled and even that sounded—annoyed. “I have coffee at my place that doesn’t cost six bucks a cup, works just as well and tastes better, too.” He turned to look at Lou as she started to rebut that statement. “Don’t push, female. You’re along for the ride, not the commentary.”

Down the dirt road and through a thin clump of trees, a cabin finally came into view. It wasn’t something you would expect to find in the middle of nowhere. The logs and stone blended in perfectly with the surroundings, two-stories, and most likely had at least four bedrooms. The trees around it grew tall, almost hiding it from view. JT pressed a button and the large garage door lifted slowly, almost silently. He pulled inside, and it wasn’t until it closed again that he shut off the car, opened the door and stepped out. Lou followed, standing behind him as he pressed his hand to a display on the wall. They all heard the sound of the locks engaging. JT could almost hear Lou roll her eyes.