too much to hope for that we’ve already found and destroyed all the labs.”
“I seriously doubt that,” Nick said. “Wherever Dr. Bowman is, his heinous work continues. I don’t think he’s in it just for the money.”
“He’s not.” Aric’s eyes went cold. “Trust me, the motherfucker totally enjoys his
“If there are more labs, there might be more survivors like me,” Micah put in quietly. All eyes swiveled to him and his gaze dropped to the floor—right about where his self-worth was located. One side of his face was like melted wax from the torture Bowman had inflicted on him, the other side unmarred, serving to remind him of the handsome man he’d never be again. He wasn’t near healthy enough to go on their assignments yet, but the group had started including him in the meetings.
Mulling over Micah’s speculation, part of Kalen hoped the other Pack members were dead, no longer suffering. The other part had witnessed a miracle when Micah was found and prayed for another one.
“If they’re out there, we’ll find them,” Nick assured his newest member. Even though Micah had known the Pack since their days as Navy SEALs, he was new to Nick. Their commander was about to say something more when his cell phone blasted out George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone,” breaking the tension. Several of the guys snickered as their boss answered the call. “Whatcha got?”
After a brief exchange and a couple of questions, he ended the call and briefed them. “That was Jax. He said three Sluagh showed up and hid at the park while they were watching the east end of the town, obviously sent to keep an eye out for us since Kalen spilled the beans. Jax and Zan took them out.”
“Just three?” Ryon asked. “Where are the rest?”
“Malik changed his plan, no doubt in hopes of avoiding us joining the fight, the cowardly bastard. The Unseelie is sending about a dozen Sluagh to the west end of town as we speak, where they’re planning to attack the citizens. We need to move, now.”
Chairs scraped on the carpet and a murmur of conversation ensued as the men began to file out, checking weapons and slapping each other on the back in support. Kalen was surprised when Micah stopped him.
“Be strong, man. If I can walk away from my hellhole, so can you.” A half smile pulled at his ruined face. His brown eyes were glazed with whatever shit he was on to help him cope, and he was far too thin. But as fucked up as his life might be, here he was trying to reach out and reassure someone he didn’t even know.
Kalen stood a bit taller and managed a smile. “Thanks, Micah. I’ll remember that.” Giving the man a nod, he headed after the group.
In the huge hangar that housed their land and air transportation, Nick led them to two of the sleek black SUVs for the trip. As the others loaded up, he turned to Kalen.
“I don’t suppose it would do any good to order you to stay here?”
“Mackenzie already tried, so no. I’m in.”
Nick’s scrutiny fell on the pendant. “At least you had enough sense to accept protection.”
“I didn’t want to, but the doc wouldn’t hear of me leaving without it.”
“You need it more tonight. She’ll be fine in the meantime, trust me.”
“Easy for a PreCog to say.”
“Isn’t it? Come on, let’s go kick some ugly Unseelie ass.” With a half smile, he climbed into the SUV his best friend, Hammer, was driving.
His words so closely echoed Mackenzie’s that Kalen wondered how much the man knew about what people said and did around the compound. It was freaky as hell. In the next instant, it struck him that Nick was joining in this time when he normally remained in command at the compound. From the looks some of the guys exchanged as they got into the vehicles, they thought it was unusual too, but no one questioned him. The more fighting on their side, the better.
Or maybe Nick foresaw something they didn’t. Kalen got into the SUV Ryon was driving, and tried not to dwell on their boss’s visions or his own part in the whole mess during the ride. On the outskirts of town, Ryon pulled over on an overgrown country road, parking behind Hammer. Kalen, Ryon, Aric, and Rowan piled out of one vehicle, Nick, Hammer, and A.J. out of the other.
Nine Pack soldiers against a dozen Sluagh. Not horrible odds, but it could’ve been better.
Rowan and A.J. carried plenty of hardware loaded with special bullets. Rowan was a newly turned wolf, A.J. a human, and as former cops they were both more comfortable with guns than fangs and claws. A.J. had also been a SWAT sniper years ago, and that skill had come in pretty damned handy once before—on the night Rowan had killed Chappell and they’d apprehended Beryl. The others would use a variety of man-made and supernatural weapons, whatever worked best in the situation.
“We’ll cut through here,” Nick said, raising his voice to be heard. “We’ll meet Jax and Zan near the clearing about a mile away and intercept the Sluagh. Capture one alive if you can, but don’t take unnecessary risks. Everybody be careful and get home in one piece.”
Murmuring in agreement, the Pack started off through the trees. The area was pretty rural, no houses in sight. Just acres of forest, though Kalen didn’t know if this was considered part of the vast Shoshone or not. Whatever. Traveling a mile through the undergrowth seemed ten times as long as walking down a stretch of lonely highway. He would know.
Kalen worried about all the noise they were making, no matter how cautiously they tread. But in the end, stealth didn’t matter. The screams of terror reached their ears before they broke the cover of the trees. In the lead, Nick began to run and everyone else followed suit.
When they charged into the clearing, Kalen’s blood ran cold. Across the meadow, a small house was nestled in the trees, a scene that might have been picturesque—except for the Sluagh ripping at the front door, tearing chunks out of the screen and wooden frame, trying to get inside. And the others at the windows, smashing glass panes.
“Go! Go!” Nick shouted. And in mid-stride, without shedding his clothes, he morphed into a big white wolf. His clothing simply vanished.
Kalen had been under the impression that he, as a Sorcerer, was the only one who could perform that particular trick. Born shifters like he and Nick must be different. But there was no time to dwell further on it. The Sluagh had broken into the house, and they were much too far away.
Kalen shifted too, letting his panther free to streak across the open expanse. As they neared, an adult male’s voice yelled in anger and fear, trying to defend his family. The
More screams. A woman and kids. Teenagers? God, what a clusterfuck!
As they reached the house, Kalen spotted two wolves already at the scene—one silver, one black—fighting Sluagh outside. Jax and Zan. Fangs and claws slashed as they attempted to get at either the heart or the throat of their opponents. They were two on two, so Kalen rushed into the house. The woman and children took priority.
Inside, the carnage in the living room was something Kalen never wanted to see again as long as he lived. Blood was everywhere, coating almost every surface. A man, presumably the father, lay sprawled on his back, eyes wide and unseeing, his head nearly severed from his neck. Still in his grip was a .357 Magnum, a weapon that would discourage almost any intruder.
Except minions from hell.
Half a dozen Sluagh were ransacking the living room and the tiny adjoining kitchen, mindless in their destruction. From down the hall behind a closed door somewhere, the woman and children were screeching, and from the noises, at least two more creatures were trying to get to them.
They had to get to the man’s family. But first they had to dispatch these bastards. The Sluagh froze upon seeing their fun interrupted, then roared and charged to meet the threat. Kalen rushed one, quickly maneuvering behind him and slashing the back of its leg. He hit his target, slicing the thing’s hamstring, and it went down squealing in pain.
Lightning fast, Kalen shifted back to human form and leaped on its chest. Shifting just his right hand to use his razor-sharp claws, he drove them straight into the Sluagh’s heart. In seconds, the thing was dead.
Leaping to his feet, Kalen spun just in time to avoid the same fate as the unfortunate man whose family they were trying to save. He ducked and the Sluagh’s big mouth full of long teeth snapped the air where his neck had
