by Elle Thorne
“This is strange. You wouldn’t think they’d have allowed this to be here.” She pointed to a gun that had fallen out of a jacket she’d been searching.
“That could come in handy.” He wiped the badge dry with some paper towels and picked up the pistol, checking to see if it was loaded.
“I’m a pacifist. Just so you know.”
He glanced up from the weapon. “So, don’t use deadly force to save your life? Let you die?”
She scowled. “I’d rather not die.”
“Just checking the limits.” There was a twinkle in his eye. “See, we all have rules we live by. Mine is to stay alive. Sometimes that means staying alive at all costs.”
“I thought you were in a hurry. What’s the plan?”
“Getting the hell out of here. In one piece.”
Chapter Nine
Dunn wasn’t familiar with the morgue area of Razorpeak, but if she could get him to the Quad, then he could handle the rest. One of the entrances in the Quad led to the exit. Why she didn’t know this was surprising to him, but then again, maybe it shouldn’t be, since she was drugged.
And about that drugging… Shifty bastards. Drugging her. He had questions for her. Such as, what kind of arrangement did she have with them? She’d mentioned Notre Dame. How was Razorpeak associated with Notre Dame? There had to be something more to this.
None of that mattered if he didn’t get out of here. And it appeared he was taking her with. Especially since she’d pointed out she’d be in trouble and blamed for his escape.
He pocketed the Glock and unlocked the door. “Ready to roll?”
She nodded.
Slipping out of the morgue and into the hallway, he noticed the carpeting. Yeah, they were at Razorpeak. He wouldn’t allow himself to speculate about the possibility of there being another facility, also hidden, with the same décor—or non-décor, in this case. “Lead the way,” he told her, since she was familiar with getting to the Quad from here. “Don’t act like a fugitive. Act as though I’m just another escort.”
“You do realize that not many here have been walking around in bullet-riddled clothing.”
“Got another option? Like maybe calling Wheeler so I can steal his clothing? What’s he in, a fed suit?”
“A tan uniform.”
Tan uniform? The military arm of the Para Conclave. Had to be. But he couldn’t be a shifter. A shifter would have picked up his heartbeat. Would have scented that there was another live shifter in the room. So, Wheeler was a human, and probably part of the Conclave, which did have a few humans attached to it. A stipulation of the federal government. A concession to those few humans who knew about shifters and other supernatural beings.
“Keep moving.” He hoped he wouldn’t run into anyone who knew him. That was the last thing he needed. He had no clue how many were aware he was being sought, so the less he saw who knew him, the better off he’d be.
She led the way down the dimly lit, naked-bulb corridor. Shadows played eerie games with his mind through the silent and empty passageway. They passed several doorways, and it occurred to him they were moving on a grade. The passageway had a slight incline to it. So, the morgue was deeper underground than the rest of Razorpeak. Was it a basement of a hospital? He wished he’d explored more when he’d been here before.
“Dr. Morales?” A new voice.
His bear picked up her sharp inhale, how her pulse jumped.
“I told you I’d escort you.” It was a voice he instantly recognized as Wheeler’s, and it was behind them.
“I don’t mind,” Dunn said, not turning completely around. “She poked her head out of the morgue. Said she was looking for you, but like I said, I don’t mind.”
“I’ll take it from here.” Wheeler’s voice grew closer.
“That’s okay,” she said, but her voice quavered, and it definitely didn’t seem like it was okay. He’d have to help her work on her deception skills. She sucked at lying.
“Doctor, I must—”
She whirled around. “Listen, Wheeler. You said I had to have an escort. You didn’t say it had to be you. Quit being a damn stalker. This nice guy offered to take me to my quarters. There. I have an escort. Now leave me the hell alone.” She snapped a sudden 180, glanced at Dunn. “Let’s go, please. Now.”
“Dr, Morales.” Wheeler grabbed her arm. “You can’t just—”
She jerked her arm out of his grasp. “Don’t touch me. Who the hell do you think you are? I’m not your employee. I don’t owe you anything.” Her voice steadily grew louder. Of course, this was the last thing Dunn needed. That’d be bound to bring out curiosity-driven looky-loos.
Wheeler stepped between them, his back to Dunn. “Morales. That’s enough.” He put his hands on her shoulders and—
This shit just went south.
That was all it took for Dunn and his bear. He turned the knob on the nearest door and shoved Wheeler inside.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doi—” Wheeler took one good luck at Dunn’s face. “Y—”
Meri followed them inside, closing the door behind them.
Wheeler pulled a weapon from his ankle.
“You’re supposed to check that at the gate when you enter Razorpeak,” Dunn told him, calculating the distance and time it would take him to neutralize Wheeler.
“Dispensation. Extenuating circumstances, Youngblood.” He waved the tip of the gun between the two bullet holes in Dunn’s attire. “So, it’s true.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What’s true is you’re trying to illegally detain me,” Dunn said.
Meri eyes ping-ponged between the two of them.
Wheeler laughed. “To me, you’re more valuable dead than you are alive. He fished a silencer out of his pocket and proceeded to screw it on.
Meri’s eyes widened. Her pupils dilated. Her breathing was rapid, and there was a good possibility she’d hyperventilate herself right into unconsciousness.
Dunn sidestepped, blocking her from fire.
“I don’t think so.” Wheeler’s smile made Dunn think of a cobra he’d seen at the Detroit Zoo when he was younger. “She’s not safe. After you’re dead, she will be, too. No witnesses. You know how that goes.”
From his peripheral vision, he saw Meri began to sway.
Yeah. This went way south.
Though his rigor hadn’t fully faded away, his shifter prowess provided the necessary boost—that and adrenaline—to leap onto Wheeler and, in one swift move, use the training he’d put aside long ago. Training he’d have rather kept buried, to never see the light of day again.
Blood wasn’t an option. He wanted Wheeler’s immaculate, unmarred uniform. Noise wasn’t an option, that would attract attention. Silent, deadly force. Only option he had. He’d made this assessment in the split second it took to call forth the instincts which had made him so proficient at the training he’d abandoned so long ago.
A penetration step.
A half-clinch takedown move.
One hand over in a hook, one hand under.
Wheeler’s head between his hands.
Snap!
And it was all over.
Dunn snagged the pistol before it could hit the ground. Dead and limp, Wheeler crumpled in his arms. He set him down gently. Not because he gave a damn about the bastard—no, not that—but because he didn’t want undue attention.
Dunn turned his attention to Meri. She’d gone deathly pale and was leaning against the desk. “You’re okay.” He helped her into the chair, leaned her head face down on her arms on the table. “Breath slow. I’ve got to change then we’re getting out of here.” He didn’t mention how much better it was now that he had a uniform instead of clothing that would clearly draw unwanted attention if anyone looked at it too closely. And he had the badge of a live guy instead of a dead one, because if they’d already deactivated the dead man’s badge, it either wouldn’t work or it would attract all the wrong people to his escape.
He stripped down and donned Wheeler’s uniform. A tight fit, but not too bad. Good thing Wheeler wasn’t a tiny guy. Moments later, he’d adjusted a military tuck on the shirt and secured the buttons on the sleeves. Ankle holster in place, gun in it, silencer in the pocket, badge in the breast pocket.
Back to Meri. He tipped her head up, studied her way-too-dilated eyes. “You got this. We need to get a move on.”
She was practically catatonic, not moving, her eyes not tracking, her cheeks clammy.
“Hey, look. You’re not doing too well. Tell them I attacked you and killed Wheeler. They won’t do anything to you.” He hoped. “Wish me luck.” His smile was grim, but it was the best he could manage. It didn’t sit well with him, leaving her here. He took a step toward the door.
A roar so loud, it made him freeze in place. His bear was not happy about leaving her. It wasn’t an option. He had to get to safety.
He took another step.
The roar grew louder.
Mentally, he shook his bear off. He didn’t have the time for this shit.
He tried to raise his foot to take another step, but he couldn’t. He struggled to move his leg to no avail. Same with the other leg. He tried to raise his arm. Also, no luck. What the hell was this about? This could not be happening.
You have got to be shitting me.
He’d heard of this before. A shifter’s animal taking control of the human body. Not shifting, yet not allowing the human to control his limbs.
“You cannot be doing this,” he told his bear. “This is reckless. It’s dangerous. She will be fine here. Not to mention, what are you thinking? That we drag her with us through who knows what kind of danger?”
The bear was silent then emitted a low rumble in Dunn’s head.
“No, she’s not better off with us. We are not her protector. Now, let me go."
Did the fucking bear let him go? Hell, no. They’d never had strife between the two of them. What was up with this damned bear. Why was he so protective right now? Of this girl. Why?
The bear was silent, not acquiescing, no longer interested in covering the matter.
Fuck. “Fine. But if she gets us killed—permanently—it’s on you, you fucking stubborn—”
A roar shut him up.
He tried to move his limbs and found he could, so he headed to the desk. Meri stared at him with those eerie eyes he found so hard to look away from earlier.
“Take me with you, please,” she whispered. “Don’t leave me here.” Her hands shook as she raised them to press her fingers to her temples.
“Can you pull it together long enough to make it out of Razorpeak?” He wasn’t trying to be a jerk, but he needed to get moving. Now that Wheeler was MIA, things would start happening faster, and down here would be the first place they’d search.
She rose to her feet, shook her head, as if to clear it, then nodded. “Let’s go, Wheeler.” She swallowed hard then pointed to the nametag he now wore.
After she moved out of the way, he shoved Wheeler under the desk and tucked the chair so it blocked sight of his body. Hopefully, that would suffice if someone gave a cursory look-see in the room. If they stepped in and actually searched, they’d find his body. Here’s to being long gone before alarms are raised.
Chapter Ten
Meri could fake it. Yes, she could. She had to convince herself she could. She’d fake it long enough to get out of here, then she’d have a breakdown. The vision of Dunnigan Youngblood breaking Wheeler’s neck had been too close to one she’d witnessed more than a decade ago. She’d been so young, so innocent and naïve, hiding in the closet, knowing if she gave herself away, she’d suffer the same fate as her mother, lying there like a dark-haired, olive-skinned doll, neck twisted at an odd angle, her blank unfocused eyes staring at little Meredith in the closet, fighting back the screams of terror and tears of despair.
Meri had faked many things from that day. She damned well could fake this. She squared her shoulders. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
“Welcome back.” Dunn held the door for her. “Thought you were going off the edge there for a minute.”
She didn’t want to tell him how close to the brink that had brought her. “I’m fine.”
They followed the passageway to the Quad, as she’d done with Wheeler, not talking, but she could see he was appraising their surroundings and keeping a vigilant eye. As they came closer to the Quad, the dim lighting in the corridor gave way to the slightly brighter Quad.
They passed not a single soul. She knew, though, this wouldn’t be the case once they were in the cross-section hub of the Quad. She’d yet to see the place anywhere near empty.
“Straight ahead,” she advised.
“I see. Once we’re out there, follow me to the passage that leads outside.”
“We’re going to just stride out the front door?” She kept her voice low, though she thought he was crazy if he thought they could simply walk out. They were bound to have guards posted at entrances and exits to this compound.
“No. I know of a split that will take us to a concealed tunnel. Nothing fancy but it leads outside without attracting attention.”
Interesting. “How do you come by this information?”
“I’ve seen the designs. I used to know someone.” His voice was mired in sadness and anger. “We’re going to stick close to the walls on our way to the entrance to that corridor. With any luck, we’ll stay unnoticed.”
“No one knows me here except the handful of people that brought me in or briefed me. What about you?”
“Wish I could say the same.” With that, they exited the corridor and began to walk along the perimeter of the Quad at a brisk pace, but not one that would be considered attention-getting.
“I have a question.”
He glanced at her, his face formidable. “Think it can wait until we’re out of peril?”
“I’d think it would look normal if we were conversing.”
“Yeah? You on friendly terms with Wheeler? Or any of them?”
Touché. “Guess not.” She clammed up and walked next to him, fingers crossed they’d get out of here.
Half the Quad’s outer wall and ten minutes later, he said, “This is us.” He took a sharp turn left, and she stayed in step with him.
This corridor wasn’t quite as polished as the one leading to the morgue. In truth, the walls were rough-hewn stone, as if they’d been carved out of the mountain—which, duh, she reminded herself, they were—and the floor was asphalt. It was wide enough for two vehicles to pass and had a walking area designated by chains suspended from three-foot posts every so often. The lighting was much dimmer than in the Quad, and for that, she was thankful.
“We’re close, aren’t we?”
“We’re there.” He felt along the wall. “It’s here. It’s got to be. I can’t imagine anyone—”
“What are you looking for?”
“A lever. This tunnel’s a false exit unless you know where the lever is to open a panel.”
“So, you’ve never actually used this exit.” Why was she starting to believe the secret outlet was a myth? Probably no exit at all. Someone had misled him. “Are you sure you can trust your sources?”
He glanced askance over his shoulder. “It’s here. Somewhere.” No sooner had he clenched those words out from a tight jaw, than a soft sound of grinding filled the tunnel. Metal on stone. “This is it. Come on.” He took her hand and pulled her through an exit that was barely wide enough for one person, then he pulled the stone door back in place, rolling it effortlessly on its runners.
Meri looked around. She could see nothing, it was so pitch black. But the fragrant scents gave away their location. They were in a forest. She could smell the damp moss, wet tree trunks, earthy soil. “Do you know where we are?”
“I do. For the most part. We—” The faint sound of an alarm interrupted him. It came from the exit they’d just taken. “They’ve noticed we’re gone. Time to get moving. Fast.”
<
br /> He took off at a sprint. She followed as quickly as she could, but his speed was superhuman and his strides long. She found herself losing him in the dimness, even though a slice of the moon cast occasional silver rays in their path. After stumbling twice on roots and pine needled clumps, she slowed down to catch her breath, leaning against a tree, her forehead on rough bark.
Dunn doubled back.
“Keep going,” she urged him. “Just get away. I can take care of myself. You’re the one they really want.”
“I can’t leave you behind.”
“Why the hell not? You just met me.” Not that she wasn’t grateful for the sentiment. She was. Damned grateful, actually, because he held the secret to a scientific marvel she’d love to research. But she’d hold him up and then they’d capture him, maybe kill him, maybe not, but either way she’d lose the opportunity to study him.
Plus…
Nope, not going to think of that. No, I’m not. Not at all.
But she was thinking of that. She couldn’t help but think of that. There was something about Dunnigan Youngblood. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but somehow, even in the middle of this shit they were in, she found his presence comforting. She found him—
Oh, for fuck’s sake, admit it already. She was attracted to him. Yes, she was. She’d never met anyone like him. He makes Josh seem like a little boy. And let’s face it, Josh didn’t need much help in that department anyway.
“It’s complicated. I can’t leave you. That’s all there is to it.”
Chapter Eleven
I can’t leave you because my bear wouldn’t let me, even if I wanted to.
And he didn’t want to. That was a conclusion he’d come to. There was no leaving her behind. He wanted to know more about this messy-haired, dark-eyed forensic pathologist who’d damned near cut his chest wide open with a razor-sharp scalpel.