Pack Master (Undeadly Secrets Book 4)

by Aaron L Speer

  The explosions rocked all around them as the compound returned fire on the tanks, but Alicia heard the one word she had missed hearing from his lips. “Mum…”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Fight Or Die

  The tanks couldn’t get through the debris left by the vampire’s missile, so Rykard’s soldiers leapt out of them and moved in on foot. Orders and screams were bellowed, followed by furious gunfire and roars. The battle had begun. It had only seemed a second that Alicia had held him, but she leant back to touch his soot stained face.

  “What are you…how are you here…what is going on?”

  Nick suddenly pushed her away violently and jumped back as an explosion cracked the ground directly between where they stood. She crawled towards her original cover, but another explosion shattered it to pieces. It was then Alicia looked up to see a soldier, standing on the battlements, harnessed with a rocket launcher readying another shot.

  Alicia jumped as a roar she hadn’t heard for so long, and never thought she would again, sounded to her right. Nick bolted forward, not in his full wolf form, waving his arms and screaming insults at the soldier. Leading his gaze away from Alicia. The vampire took the opportunity provided him, snapping off a chunk of the gunship’s tail blade and flinging it forward. Its aim was true, burying itself into the soldier’s skull, killing him in a flood of blood.

  “Heal that, ya toilet drinkin’ fuck…”

  *

  Talia stalked forward, careful to avoid any detection. The doorway to the tower lay just ahead.

  “Wait…” Alistair whispered, “I don’t like this.”

  “You never like anything. Come on.”

  “I’m serious…it’s too easy. Where are the guards?”

  “Probably outside fighting. There’s a war on in case you hadn’t noticed.”

  “No Talia…wait…”

  But she paid no attention, rushing over the threshold. Keen to find Nicole. To hug that baby. But ultimately to make Alicia proud. But she had only gone up three steps when they rattled from under her feet. Shaking violently. Not just those three. All of them. Talia figured she had to have tripped some alarm when the steps under her feet crumbled into dust and sand. Mechanised drill bits, buried in the cement, had suddenly sparked to life.

  Talia screamed just as she dropped directly on to them. Instinct dictated she put her hands out for protection. She saved her face but not her palms. Both hands and her knees went through the drills. Her screams echoed all the way up the spiral passage. Her whole body trembled as the bits spun through her skin. She couldn’t move. Every jerk to free herself brought more and more torn flesh and blood. Alistair gripped her by the shoulders in an attempt to help her.

  “Freeze!” a voice called from behind them.

  “Let me help her!” Alistair cried, again quickly attempting to grab her but he was held back. He cursed and yelled but it was no use. He was dragged away, desperately trying to fight them off, before he had three bullets put in his skull, killing him instantly.

  “What about her?” Talia heard one say through her tears and searing, blinding pain.

  “Leave the stupid bitch,” came the reply after a swift kick to Talia’s arse, digging the bits further in to grind harder into her bones. Through her humiliation and agony, all Talia could do was scream.

  *

  Alicia could not hide her smile as more of Rykard’s men poured into the compound. She took the opportunity to join the invaders and get a look at what faced her over the pile up of tanks. She reached the top and viewed the lay of the land.

  Tynan stood in front of his men on the other side of the field, weapons ready. Just in front of her, the first wave of Rykard’s soldiers bolted forward. Some were cut down before firing off a shot but some fired back. Alicia cringed and turned her face away as the ground exploded in several places as the invaders crossed the field. As they got closer and closer to Tynan, the numbers had thinned. Those that didn’t get blown up were finished quickly with bullets. Body after body fell as Tynan cackled madly.

  *

  Nicole held her screaming baby close, hoping by covering his little ears the sounds of chaos wouldn’t overwhelm him anymore than they already had. His skin was burning up, feeling clammy. Something was wrong. Whether it was a wolf thing or a human thing she wasn’t sure but both scared her. She was shushing him, trying to settle him but failing. His hands were quivering, fists tensing tight, holding on to her top.

  *

  Tynan called a ceasefire, which shocked Alicia, as more of Rykard’s men were storming the ground. Nick joined her, leaning over the tanks. But coughing, struggling. She hugged him again, and the thought of battle was forgotten just for a moment.

  “What’s wrong, are you hurt?”

  “I don’t know…my hands…” he held them up, showing her they were shaking.

  “Your eyes…they’re only partially silver but you haven’t turned. Your fangs too…”

  Nick clutched his chest and grimaced so hard blood streamed from his nose. He coughed again, wheezing more out of his mouth.

  “Oh my God…” she said, gripping Nick by the arm, realisation hitting her. “The same thing happened to me. He knows you’re here.”

  “Who?” Nick asked, spitting more blood to the ground.

  “Your son.” She ignored the look Nick gave her and spoke quickly, “He’s beautiful and he’s so…he called to me from inside Nicole. To help him. To help her. This feeling lead me to her in the hospital. I found Tynan with her in his arms. That’s how this whole thing started. Tynan wants your son.”

  “I have to get to them…” he replied.

  “We have a plan…”

  “Who’s we?” Nick asked.

  Screams unlike Alicia had ever heard stopped her from answering. A pink mist had covered the grounds like fog, emanating from small silver balls rolling along the undisturbed grass. The soldiers were tripping over themselves, struggling for air. Bloodied bile was spewing from their mouths as their bodies crumbled from underneath them. Flesh was stripping away like rotting meat.

  “God almighty…” she said softly.

  A dull crunch of heavy footsteps behind her indicated the vampire had arrived. He stood with pursed lips, scratching his cheek with the nails of the torn off forearm. He used the arm to point to the carnage. “What’s the go with that shit?”

  Alicia indicated to Nick, nodding towards the vampire. “Friend of yours?”

  “Um…”

  She heard Tynan’s voice clearly, if not loudly. Yelling his words for all to hear. “Tell me…was your plan worth it? You feel good about yourself now? Look at what happens to those that defy me. Alicia! I know you can hear me. You will die horribly. Talia is bleeding to death as we speak. Your pride won’t save her. But you can save your son…if you submit to your fate. Right here. Right now. No negotiations. Choose. Now.”

  Tynan’s forces, all of them, marched around the outskirts of the field. All with their weapons pointed to the entrance where they stood. She couldn’t begin to count how many were there.

  She dipped her chin just for a moment. Thinking of how to get around this. She would never trust Tynan, but could there be a way she could sacrifice herself for those she loved? Would Tynan allow them to live? Was it possible? What had happened to Talia? Had she failed to get the baby and mum out? If so, there was nothing else to be done. They wouldn’t have another element of surprise.

  “Surrender, Alicia. Tell your brat to stand down. Last chance, bitch…”

  Suddenly, Nick stood and set his shoulders, bellowing through a pained grimace, both hands forming into fists. “No, Tynan. It’s your only chance. You have something that belongs to me!” Alicia was half way to frantically telling him to get down, but she heard it too. A shriek from far away. A cry of love, of terror. Joy and relief. His name. Shouted from the tower. Nicole had heard what Tynan said and she had come to the window to see for herself. She had heard him and screamed his name again and again.<
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  “Nick don’t…you’re sick,” Alicia cried. “You can’t fight.”

  “I’m not letting you die for me. That’s my family.”

  “You’ll die if you run through there. Wait!”

  But he took off, faster than a normal wolf, disappearing into the mist. She screamed after him but it was no use. He was gone.

  *

  “Well this is all very dramatic…but I think it’s time to put boots ta arses. S’cuse me, luv.”

  Lee hopped over the tanks and tossed the arm aside, bending low and coming up with two assault rifles. One in each hand. He strolled, down the middle of the field, through the mist and spread his arms. Firing on each side of him. Most soldiers scattered out of the way, but some stood their ground to return serve. He moved like a strapping panther. Gliding across the field in an effortless swagger, dispatching soldier after soldier with clean shots to the head. When out of bullets, he threw both guns down and ran to the nearest and biggest congregation of soldiers. His fists broke bones, shattered them to pieces. His love of fighting was a sight to behold. He dropped the last of his victims, placing his hands on his hips, nodding at the devastation he caused.

  “Fuck. I’m so good, I scare myself,” he sighed as the sound of screaming and crying reached him. He rounded the corner and found a girl face down, lying in a pool of blood.

  “This reminds me of a weird porno I saw once…”

  He gripped her by the waist of her slacks and pulled her up, setting her down one handed. She lay still. Before his eyes, her wounds began to close.

  “Thank you…” she breathed into the floor.

  “I’m guessin’ you’re Tally-Ho?”

  “Talia…”

  “That’s what I said. Look there’s some shit goin’ on…outside…” Lee waved his hand in the air as if trying to remember a subject that bored him. “And…you know…you gotta do somethin’? I think? I dunno. Whatever.”

  “I have to…get the baby…”

  “Well ya ain’t gonna do shit if ya sittin’ down are ya. Let’s go Tally Ho. Ha…” he said, picking her up by the arm. “That rhymed.”

  *

  Nick ran until he felt blood formulate in his throat as he coughed. He had no idea where he was, the mist was so thick, he had to resort to blind instinct only. Tynan’s men wouldn’t dare come in to chase him, he just had to hope he was near the tower. With a silent prayer, Nick used all the strength he had and leapt out from the mist and over Tynan and his forces. All he focused on was Nicole. He landed, on the side of the tower, perhaps thirty feet under her window. His nails dug into the concrete and he held on but unsteadily. The skin of his fingers tore and split easily as he dug his fingers in. He could feel the mist, whatever it was, seeping into his system. He was woozy but he held on. His clothes were soaked with blood from his wounds, and he coughed a huge glob of it right there onto the brick. He could feel himself blacking out. He knew that if he fell, he was done for. His powers had failed him, and the mist had had its desired effect except that perhaps, being a tenth generation, it had taken longer. Nick knew he had minutes to live. It broke his heart, as it would anyone’s, but Nick knew it was all about how you spent those minutes. All he could focus on was Nicole. With a huge effort, focusing on nothing but her shocked, tear streaked, beautiful face, Nick began to climb.

  “Fire!” Tynan ordered. Nick looked back and down.

  Alicia ran forward, screaming, “No! What are you doing? Take me! Kill me! You’ll hit the baby!” she screeched.

  “I got what I needed. I said fire!” Tynan bellowed through a smile, “Bring the fucker down.”

  His army unleashed a furious spray of bullets towards the stone structure, spraying cement and brick every which way. The bullet damage rose higher and higher, towards their target as Nick tried to rise faster.

  He roared and gnashed his teeth as his back and shoulders were pierced and ripped through by hot lead. Nick felt his grip loosen. The skin of his fingers had been scraped down to the bone nub.

  “Nick please…!” Nicole reached her hand out, lowering it for him. If he let go to grab it, he would fall. His legs were shaking from the pain, his eyes fluttering. Nicole screamed his name again, to wake him, but there was no help for it. Death had come for him. His body wouldn’t move. He had lost control of his muscles. More and more bullets sank into his back, so much so he threw his head back. He could feel himself leaning back, heading to the ground and then suddenly his face struck the concrete, and a hand was at his back pushing him forward. Nick looked at what had happened. A lean girl with dark hair had leapt onto the wall beside him, her silver eyes looking at him. One hand digging into the wall, and the other hand under his armpit.

  She held him in her grip and dug in hard up the wall, helping his almost dead weight body. He heard the bullets firing, he could sense they struck her, but she kept climbing. She lifted him until Nicole could touch him and both women brought him inside through the window. Nicole sobbed over his body, kissing his forehead over and over again. Holding his head, rocking him gently. As wonderful as it was to finally see her, to be in her arms. There was one thing he wanted more.

  “Let me see him…hold him…please,” Nick wheezed, referring to the child he could hear cry but couldn’t see.

  Nicole sobbed and pressed her forehead against his, nodding as she did so. It was the unknown woman that spoke though, softly whispering, “I’ll get him.”

  *

  Talia picked the crying boy up and had to swallow her own tears. She slowly lowered herself down, trying not to focus too much on Nick’s appearance. Her half-brother was bathed in blood, lesions adorning so much of his visible skin. He was obviously in agony, yet all he wanted was one moment with his son. Just a minute to touch him. She didn’t know why he wouldn’t heal as she had. She could’ve tried to talk to him, to get to know him. Even just a few seconds. But she knew it was something she couldn’t have. The family deserved these last few moments together.

  Yet she couldn’t hold the tears in when Nick reached out his bloodied hand to his boy. Nick was hesitant but determined. The tips of his ruined fingers grazed the baby’s cheek and then his hand.

  It was then she had to look away. If only she hadn’t been so impulsive, this might never have happened. Maybe it was that the baby finally stopped crying, Talia didn’t know, but something told her to look back. When she did, her breath caught in her throat. Nick had risen to his feet, holding his son, silver eyes looking down at him. Though the blood still remained on his skin and clothes, his wounds were gone.

  Nicole had recovered from her shock and wrapped her arms around him tightly just over their son who was now peacefully asleep. That’s when Talia realised what had happened. The baby wanted its father. The pack was united. She wiped at her face as the family broke off their embrace.

  “How? I don’t understand.” Nicole sniffed, pawing over his face. “It’s really you.”

  Nick stared at her the way Talia knew she did looking at a white gold necklace the first time. He touched her face for a moment before lightly gripping her chin and turning her face to the side. Looking over her injuries.

  “Nothing happened,” she said softly. “It was close.”

  “Something happened…” Nick took a breath, reached his hand back a few inches and his fingernails extended and then sank back in. “Let me help you.”

  “No,” she said, placing a hand on his chest. “I don’t want to hide this. I want to heal naturally. Help me by getting us out of here.”

  “I second that,” Talia said, walking up to the couple and holding out her hand. “Hi. Talia, nice to meet you.”

  He took her hand and held on for a few seconds. Talia felt it too. The connection. Whether it was the blood they shared, or their generation, she wasn’t sure. Two tenth gens in the same place was unheard of, not to mention brother and sister. Did Nick even know? Oh man, this could get real tense, real quick.

  “I’m sorry, that was rude.” Nick said, ref
erring to the conversation he shared with Nicole while Talia was in the room.

  Talia waved a dismissal. “Nah, you got a baby, reunions and the coming back from the dead thing going on. It’s heavy stuff, I get it. But you could apologise better by us all fucking this place off already.”

  Nick secured the baby and held Nicole’s hand. “Lead the way.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  A Long Way Down

  Talia marched out and looked down at where the stairs should be, but thanks to Tynan’s booby trap they were gone, replaced by a smooth cement chute. She noticed a small censor in the wall at ankle height. She could still hear the drills whirring all the way down at the bottom. So this was a trap from both ends. The one Talia fell for, and if Nicole had escaped she would have tripped it as well. The stairs at the base would be destroyed either way, but from the top Nicole would have had to slide down with no idea what lay in wait for her at the bottom.

  “We have a problem. At the end of this chute, there are spikes and believe me they fuckin’ hurt. We can’t climb down as the army is on that side.”

  “Where do the spikes cover?” Nicole asked.

  “From the bottom base, about ten feet up.”

  “Are they in line with where the steps were?” Nicole asked.

  “Yes. Why?”

  Nicole twisted and went into the room. Moments later she came out with the bed mattress. “We can shape this to curve into the wall. The speed we pick up from up here should be enough to cover ten feet.”

  “Are you sure?” Talia asked.

  “No. But it’s the best chance we’ve got.”

  “Good enough for me.” Talia replied.

  They got on and pushed off. Nick with the baby in front, then Nicole and last Talia. They were gathering tremendous speed already with Nick being the heaviest. Round and round, down and down.

  “Get ready…” Talia said. “Almost.”