“What does Simon want?” Deep Voice asked. He lowered his voice. “I left the radio off for a reason. I didn’t want our position given away by Simon’s calls. He tells us to be stealthy, and then he blows our cover by radioing us. It happened once before.” He sounded very pissed.
“Well…maybe you should tell him that yourself.” The man sounded nervous. He continued in a small voice. “He wants to know if you’ve found her yet. He’s heading after one of those…creatures now. Michael’s been killed.”
There was a deep breath of air taken in by someone, and then Deep Voice spoke again.
“Fuck.”
Rose turned her attention back to Aidan, but the young man was no longer against the opposite wall. He had moved toward her and was now seated a few feet from her. Rose thought to reprimand him, but she decided against it. They would hear her.
Instead, she slowly and carefully peeked around the corner. Two of the men stood with their backs to her. The tallest of the three was a black man, and he was turned enough so she could see the profile of his face. He was speaking to a young man whose back was to Rose. The black man was Deep Voice.
She couldn’t listen in to what they were saying now. Aidan whispered harshly in her ear.
“Come on!” he urged and grabbed her by the arm. He tried to pull her away. “We have to go!” His face was chalk white and very frightened.
“Shh!” She hissed at him and moved to a crouching position. She could barely see the third man. She moved the Beretta and took aim at the guy closest to her. There was a clear shot at the back of his head, but her hands shook so much.
“No!” Aidan said, and his voice sounded like a shout to her ears. He grabbed her suddenly, pulled with much strength and she fell back onto the floor. She glared at him but she soon realized why he had done that. A moment later, a bullet hit the corner of the wall where her head had been only seconds ago.
“What the fuck are you doing, Sean?” Deep Voice yelled. “Are you insane? He said not to kill her!”
“I didn’t know it was her!”
“Fuck! After them!”
“Shit!” Rose said and scrambled to her feet, dragging Aidan with her. The boy stumbled over his own two feet and his knees hit the floor. He was quickly hoisted up by the back of his shirt. She had no time to wonder what Deep Voice’s words meant.
“I saw it happening,” Aidan told her as they ran. “I saw the bullet hit you.”
“Don’t worry about that now.” Rose knew he was referring to his precognitive abilities, and she had to admit she was thankful he had seen that. Now was not the time for relief or thanks.
She glanced behind her. All three of the men were following her, the youngest one ahead of the rest. A shot fired, and it thankfully missed both of them. She and Aidan instinctively ducked just the same, covering their heads as more gunfire began.
“Go!” Rose yelled at Aidan. She pushed him forward. He continued to race down the hall. Rose stopped and aimed the gun. The backfire of it nearly caught her off guard, and the shot was off.
“Fuck!” she said and she lifted the gun to try again. It had seemed so easy before when she used one on Marcus. This time, the bullet struck the man in the chest and he went down. The other two hunters still pursued.
Rose turned to run, but they were there before she had the chance. They jumped over the body of their fallen comrade and the dark-skinned man had a hold of Rose with a tight, two armed grip. She struggled against him and tried to turn the gun to fire at him, but he wrenched it free from her hand. The Beretta fell across the floor and hit the wall.
“After the boy!” he shouted at the other man. Rose kicked at him, but it was to no use. For all her werewolf strength, this man was doing well to hold her down. Rose snarled. She called on all her strength to pull him off her. He held her fast, but he knew he couldn’t for long.
“Hurry!” he shouted at the man running down the hall. He fumbled for something in his jacket pocket and had to release his two-armed hold on her. One hand now gripped her upper arm painfully.
Rose tore herself free from his grasp with a sharp elbow jab to his stomach. The man was taken off guard and Rose made a break for it. She ducked down and stumbled as she started forward down the hall. Just ahead, she could see Aidan, turning to fire his 380. He couldn’t pull the trigger and the hunter was on him instantly.
Something shone in the very dim light of the hallway, something thin and sharp. It jabbed into Aidan’s arm. The young boy didn’t even have time to struggle. Rose froze where she was momentarily, staring as Aidan stumbled, then finally fell to the floor.
No! Is he dead? She wasn’t sure, but they had injected him with something. She was sure of it. She became so lost in her shock for a moment, that she forgot she was being followed. She turned to see Deep Voice chasing after her. She took off again and veered down a hallway to her left. The front staircase would be coming into view shortly and it was her only choice of escape now.
The man following her didn’t fire his gun, and his words once more rang in her thoughts.
He said not to kill her! What did that mean? Who was he? Why weren’t they going to kill her?
Suddenly, Rose knew she had the advantage. They wouldn’t risk hurting her, and maybe there was a small chance she could get out alive. She would have to play her cards smart.
But the man gained on her. The front hall landing was right there. She was almost there. Rose skidded to take the corner, and she started down the steps. She turned to see the man behind her do the same. She turned her attention back just in time to catch the heavy scent of blood, and the familiar were-scent she easily could recognize and that was all she had time for.
Unable to stop herself before reaching him, Rose tripped over the very much alive Davis sprawled near the steps and tumbled down the staircase to the very bottom.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The room was menacingly dark and the smell of blood was very strong. Jason walked carefully though the darkness, and his sight adjusted accordingly. He could see better now.
His feet had become wet with the blood from outside of the room and he was aware of the bloody footsteps he was leaving. One hand was held over the wound in his arm, adding pressure to stop the flow. It would take a while to heal, a couple of hours at the most, but if he could just get the bleeding to stop, he’d be all right.
Jason’s eyes moved to take in the room. It was a bedroom, fully furnished with a few arm chairs, dresser and wardrobe, desk, and a huge four poster bed in the center. Everything would’ve looked charming if hadn’t been for the air of death covering the place.
Blood covered the bed, and was dark as it pooled on the floor. It sank into the once plush and beautiful carpet. A vase Jason guessed had once occupied a place on the nightstand was shattered on the floor next to the wall. The hangings from the bed had been ripped down and surrounded the dead body slumped to the floor beside the bed.
It was Gavin. Jason recognized him immediately by the were-scent. His green eyes were open and vacant. A look of shock and disbelief remained on his dead face. Gaping wounds covered his body and Jason knew they had been made with the hollow-points. Nearly the entire clip had been emptied into him. The old man hadn’t stood a chance.
Rage once more began to consume Jason. Although Gavin had not been on favorable terms with him, he was still a werewolf and it had been an injustice that death had found him in this way. Jason’s bloody hand gripped the gun tightly.
He narrowed his eyes as he again searched the room. The hunter who had done this had met the end of Jason’s katana. He was sure this was the room he had stepped out of. His body outside the door was proof of that.
Well, he’s dead now.
Jason moved forward and took a clean piece of the bed hanging and ripped it. It neatly split in two, and he fashioned a makeshift tourniquet for his arm. He pulled the cloth together tight using his teeth. The bleeding would stop soon.
He was beginning to feel dizzy, but
he shook it off. He couldn’t pass out now. He had to fight. The hunters were still there. Rose and Aidan had gotten out and he had seen Glen run for it. He was the only one left, and the hunters were still there.
Well, they wouldn’t be for long, Jason mused darkly.
The sound of footfalls approached the door and Jason ducked down behind an armchair, his gun out. He lowered his head and his eyes became glued to the door.
The knob turned and the door opened. Light flooded Jason’s vision a moment or so, but he could see the figure standing in the doorway was most assuredly male. Whoever it was stood tall and entered the room with deliberately slow steps. The door shut behind him, and Jason could see once more as clear as he had before.
The man held a SIG P220. The gun rested in a relaxed grip at his side. His eyes searched the darkness. He regarded Gavin with a cold stare and a smirk moved over his face. He turned to where Jason was crouched behind the chair.
“I know you’re there,” the man called out. He had stopped in the center of the room, at the foot of the bed. He seemed casual as he looked around. There was something about him…
Jason shifted his weight. He wouldn’t be stupid and answer. He wouldn’t reveal his position. For all he knew, the guy had no clue where he was hiding. He could be bluffing. Jason lifted his firearm and took aim.
The gun went off with a sharp blast. It hit nothing. Jason was aghast. He stared at the place where moments earlier the hunter had stood.
“Bad move.” A voice sounded from somewhere beside him. Jason was on his feet in an instant, but a punch across his face threw him off balance. He stumbled backwards, over the chair, and slumped onto the floor. The man stared at him, grinning evilly. Jason could only stare up at him, in shock.
“You really have no fucking clue, do you?” the man asked. A kick to Jason’s side followed his statement. Jason’s gun had become lost somewhere on the floor in the dark.
Jason doubled over and gasped for air. His hand vainly scratched at the bloody carpet as he searched for his fallen gun.
How did he do that? How did he best me? Jason tried to rise to his feet, but his vision was cloudy and he stumbled again. His hand gripped one of the posts on the bed and held himself up.
The hunter laughed at him. Jason couldn’t understand it.
Another punch to the jaw once more threw him back and over the bed. The force of it had impacted a tooth and fresh blood spilled into his mouth. He could taste the coppery essence and he spat it and the broken tooth out upon the bed.
“How?” he tried to say. His head spun. Pain caused him to hardly focus on the laughing man. This isn’t possible! I’m faster, stronger. I’m a werewolf. This guy can’t overpower me. I’m not that far gone yet.
“You don’t know anything, do you, half-blood?” The man spoke somewhere in the darkness, his tone mocking. Jason lifted his head, trying to find him.
“Fuck you!” Jason yelled. He spit out a mouthful of blood as he did so.
“I’ve heard that before.”
A hand pulled him back from the bed and tossed him aside. Jason’s back slammed into the corner of the wardrobe and the large chest wobbled as if ready to topple onto him. Jason winced in pain. He felt that surely his back had to be broken. He steadied the wardrobe.
His eyes finally focused and he stared at the man. He stood a few feet from Jason and although he stood in the shadows, Jason knew he was smirking. A chuckled issued from the hunter.
“You aren’t so powerful. And I thought you’d be a challenge. I’m a little disappointed actually.”
Jason stood.
“Well…” he tried to say. His mouth was full of blood again. He spat once again in the direction of the hunter. “You should know my kind isn’t that easy to kill.”
There was another laugh. “I know that, all too well actually.”
Jason was sick of this banter and he moved forward. His fist found the side of the man’s face and he staggered back a few steps. An uppercut to the chin finished the effect and the man fell backwards. He stumbled over the same chair Jason had.
He scanned the floor and searched for his fallen weapon, but with no luck. He moved back a few paces and stood in a ready stance. The hunter regained his footing and rubbed his jaw. Jason couldn’t see his face, but he could sense the anger emanating from him. He wasn’t surprised to find it matched his own.
A sarcastic scoffing chuckle sounded from the hunter, and he gave a shake of head. Jason narrowed his burning eyes at him. They cut through the darkness, staring lividly at him.
“I guess I…underestimated you,” the hunter answered.
“You guess correctly.”
A woman’s scream sounded from somewhere not far from them, and Jason immediately recognized it. He started. His eyes left the hunter and stared at the door.
It was then the man took his advantage and used his gun. The firearm went off, but the bullet missed Jason. He had ducked just in time and it struck the wall behind him. More gunshots were fired. Jason was quick to avoid them. He moved, crouched and took cover behind a dresser.
The entire clip was soon empty and another was quickly reloaded. The hunter spoke loudly in the darkness.
“You can’t hide from me, you know this, right? I’m a hunter! This is what I do best! I’ll find you!”
Jason rested his head against the back of the dresser and took a deep breath. He was totally fucked. There was nothing he could do.
Unless he called on the wolf and shifted…
Even as he thought of it, Jason knew it would be a terrible attempt. After all, he was only half-blood. The shift would disable him for too long. It would leave him vulnerable. His only choice was to distract the hunter enough so he could shift, and then finish it here and now.
Because if he didn’t, Jason knew he would die.
“Come out and fight, you pussy wolf!” the man yelled. He walked around the room, his footfalls slow. He neared Jason.
With a snarl, Jason summoned up all the strength he could and pounced at the man. His body weight hit him full on, and the gun was lost from his hand. The hunter got a good grip on Jason’s shoulders and shoved him.
Jason fell back, stumbled, but was able to stand. His hands were balled into fists. He saw nothing but red. His rage once more began to devour him, and he knew his eyes were blazing with the golden hue of the wolf. He growled.
“Come on!” the man challenged. He made a gesture for Jason to attack. “I can wait all night if I have to!”
Then, Jason lunged at him.
* * *
Rose’s head hit the bottom step hard and she groaned. The man she had tripped over was covered in blood and he clutched his leg. Davis grimaced horribly and let out a cry of pain. She had fallen over his injured leg.
“Grab her!” the black hunter shouted at him from the top of the steps.
“I fucking can’t, man. I think I’m dead.” He spat out a mouthful of blood where he had been biting on his lip and shook his head.
“Fucking pussy,” the dark-skinned man muttered. Rose tried to climb to her feet, but he moved quickly.
The dark-skinned man was smarter than Rose had been. Instead of heading down the staircase gung-ho as she had, he took a few steps and then vaulted over the railing. Rose had just sat up when he approached her, a syringe in hand.
“Hold still, bitch. I promise this won’t hurt,” he said in a cold voice. Rose was roughly pulled to her feet. A pain throbbed in the back of her head. It circulated through her body and she felt lightheaded. He held her arm out, ready to prick her with the two-inch long needle.
The needle touched her skin and sent an electric shock throughout her body. It snapped her awake, and she moved swiftly. She stepped back and hooked one leg around his, her free hand and arm locking onto the wrist that poised the needle.
She pulled his arm back and increased the pressure on his wrist. The needle fell from his hand and he let out a cry of pain as she pulled it back and away. While his concent
ration was caught on the bending of his wrist, she elbowed him once again in the stomach, sweeping his leg with her own.
Releasing his arm, Rose allowed him to fall back. He released his hold on her and she pulled away from him. She swiped the blunt end of the syringe with the side of her bare foot and it went skidding across the hall and out of sight. She started to make a break for the open front door.
Dead bodies littered the front hall. The scent of blood and werewolves were strong. Rose held her breath as she started forward.
A firm hand grabbed hold of her ankle and she fell hard to the floor. The floor beneath her had done little to soften the blow and her fingernails scratched across the surface as she tried to claw her way from the tight grip.
She glanced back in time to see the black man’s dark eyes glaring at her. He grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up. Rose let out a scream and grabbed his wrist to ease the pain on her scalp.
Silenced gunshots sounded from somewhere near, and Rose, for one split second, thought she had been shot. She had felt no pain, and the sound had been too far away for that.
So who’s firing at whom and where had it come from?
There was no time for relief and the questions were left unanswered as his beefy arm wrapped around her neck, blocking her airway. She couldn’t breathe. She tried to pry his massive forearm away from her throat.
Rose immediately recognized his tactic. If he couldn’t knock her out with the damn drug, then he’d knock her unconscious by cutting off her air supply. She couldn’t let that happen. She was a werewolf after all. She was much stronger than this. She had survived much more than this.
She called upon the wolf.
She closed her eyes as she drew her strength from within. A low growl rose in her throat. Throwing her hips back to get him off balance, Rose grabbed the hunter's arm and flipped him forward over her shoulder.
Taken off guard, the man's broad backside hit the hard floor. A sound that might’ve been a chuckle came from the injured man on the steps behind them, but Rose paid it no mind.
Sweet Moon Dreams Page 23