by Kim Faulks
Ace spun, stumbled, dropped to one knee, and the scent of his blood filled the air as he reached for his rifle. Crimson spread along his arm.
The sight more painful than any metal sting, more cruel than Human hands touching, probing, lingering in places that felt wrong—and the burn of rage filled me.
I wrenched my hand high, fingers curled. There was no time for claws—no time for Spirit as I dropped my head and charged. Human’s eyes widened, rifle yanked high as I drove my shoulder into his body and lifted him from the ground.
I opened my mouth as Spirit moved in. Teeth lengthened into canines as I struck, and struck and struck, carving flesh, until I hit bone.
Blood rushed, flooding my mouth with the bitter tang as I dropped the body to the ground. Sick. He tasted Sick. I stared at his face. The flesh twisted and distorted. Long teeth were covered in blood…but his eyes were pitch black—there was no animal there—no Spirit.
There was nothing.
The seedy, musty scent of Human flooded me. More…many, many more. I wrenched my head up, snarled, and lunged toward the rise.
In an instant I was back there, to the rush—to the hunt…only this time it was different. This was nightmares combined. Black birds flew overhead as I raced to the peak.
The sun swallowed the compound, burning lick of yellow tongues reached through metal and wood, until the sky burned too.
There, over there.
I kept my steps light, moving downwind, they’d never smell me—they’d never see me—not until it was too late.
Movement darted through the trees in the distance. Not fast, not panicked…not yet.
Once again I hunted, only this time not for food…this time for rage.
The musky scent of wolf flooded my senses…young, female. I didn’t stop, didn’t slow as Human covered in black came from the green. A crack made me flinch, but then I was running, pushing Spirit into flesh and bone and leapt.
The wolf came from nowhere, lunging from between the trees. Her savage snarls filled the air as she swung metal high, drove metal into Human’s spine, and rode his body to the ground. Her head snapped up, wide brown eyes met mine—and in an instant, hunger and rage gave way to something more primal—fear.
I curled my lips and came closer. She looked like Human, but smelled like wolf.
She was filthy, bloodstained…her fabric ripped and bloody.
But there was something else, Human….male Human…the same one I smelled before. The same one Ace called, brother.
She wrenched the handle, dragging metal from Human’s spine and slowly slid from his body to stand. The crack of a bite found its mark. The wolf flinched, stumbled, blood welled and ran down her arm.
“Friend,” she murmured, lifted her hand as her lip curled in fear. “Friend, I promise.”
The choking scent of burning filled my nose. Black tendrils gathered in the air as movement surrounded us.
“X,” another called and stumbled from the trees.
He glanced to the wolf, and then to me. This human was hurt. He limped, bloody, beaten…worse than Ace. His brow narrowed, just like Ace as he drew his metal high and took aim. Alpha, his name is Alpha…
Red lights danced across my chest, and moved to silver bristles. A growl reverberated in my throat, tremors arcing outwards.
“Don’t shoot, Alpha,” wolf growled. “I said, don’t shoot.”
Thick black filled the air, blurring Human as another slipped from trees behind him.
I knew him. Knew the cold cruel gaze, knew the feel of his hands. He was the monster of my nightmares—the terror of my past, and as more Humans dressed in green surrounded me, I knew what he came for with his bang…bang…bang.
He came for me.
Blood lights blinded me as I stepped forward.
The wolf turned, catching movement behind Alpha as Human raised his weapon high. Wolf lunged, meeting my stride as more of the invaders closed in.
Only this time there was no black coat to hide their faces, and no Sick to mask their stench.
“No,” Wolf snarled, shook her head and took a step toward her mate.
I could smell him all over her, and see the way her body reacted to his—an echo consumed my heart as Alpha turned.
Human came in droves, like packs and packs of wolves that rushed in like the river to surround me. Human Monster turned his head. “Commander Marks, carry out the command I gave you. Leave no one behind.”
I stared at the faces with rifles raised high. There were so many, faces and faces and faces that crammed the trees and swallowed the slope. A shudder raced, memories surfaced of a time they came…and they killed.
They stared at me. They stared at the wolf. Our growls mingled. We were hunters…not prey.
I would claw and bite, and savage. I would leave no soft belly behind. I would gorge myself in this feast after winter and I would leave…with Ace.
We would make a new home—where Human couldn’t find us…ever…ever…again.
Alpha swung the metal in his hand. Monster grinned at him as the bright crimson light shone against his face.
The pungent scent of hate filled the air.
The wolf stepped close, moving to his side. Protect, the urgency drifted in the air. Protect, kill, love…need, as Alpha spoke. “You going to just follow orders, Commander? Murder innocent people without asking why?”
Monster grinned and stared at Alpha, but he spoke to another. “Burn the bodies when you’re done.”
“If you’re planning on killing us to cover this up, then you’re too late, Uncle.”
“Uncle?” Human strode forward. I sniffed the air. Didn’t know him…lips curled.
Distrust gave birth to a snarl, the throb deepened and spread through my chest.
Human glanced toward me, his gaze lingered on my mouth as he spoke. “You ordered us to take out the enemy, Sir. This enemy is your blood?”
Alpha grinned. “And the next question you should be asking yourself, Commander, is why?”
Commander glanced to Monster. The question burned in bright blue eyes. “That is a good question. I’d like to hear the answer to that.”
“I gave you an order, Marks. I gave you a fucking order. I still wear the goddamn stars around here. I still carry the fucking rank.”
Commander never flinched, only held his ground, heartbeats mingled with heartbeats as we waited. Still Monster never spoke, only glared at Commander with soulless eyes.
“This place might’ve started as a military research facility, but once men like my uncle here were involved it became something else. They wanted a hybrid—man, shifter. So they started performing experiments. Only they never infected animals. No, they went straight to the top—they infected humans.”
Commander flinched. Blue eyes flared like a summer’s sky.
“Oh, don’t worry, Commander. I haven’t got to the good part yet,” Alpha snarled. He raised his hands and took a step back. “Fingers off triggers, Marines. Nothing funky here. I’m just getting my pack.”
Alpha watched the men and stopped again, making his way toward the brush. Amongst the thorns and the thistle I saw the mark of boots. The dirt was scuffed, blood splattered the ground. Alpha watched them, one hand raised high as he knelt and reached inside.
Pack gouged the earth as he wrenched the straps and shoved his hand inside. “Easy,” he warned. “Just a laptop.” He dragged free and rose. “It started for us with our Gunnery Sergeant, Regan Rivers. Her leg was torn off by a shifter. Only this one was USA made in the middle of an Afghan field. We found out they were abducting the young ones, girls mostly, and infecting them…using them in an attempt to build an army.”
Commander wrenched his head toward Monster. “Is this true?”
Monster said nothing, hate leaked from his pores. He was hate, and cruelty, and rage.
“Don’t get too excited yet, Commander. You see they needed these young girls, because plan A failed…failed in a spectacular fashion. Didn’t it, Uncle
?”
“Plan A?” Commander repeated and looked to the laptop.
“Yes. Us. Trained Marines, young men and women at the start of their prime. And if you think you missed the sign up, then you’d be wrong. There wasn’t one. They stole, they abducted…they fucking infected…us. They discharged recruits and sent them to places like this where they…where they…” Alpha trembled as he stepped toward the monster. “Where they killed them. They just watched them die, and didn’t give a fuck. Kids with no families were their first choice. I mean, why wouldn’t they be, right? No one gave a fuck about them. They were only there to serve their fucking country.”
Blue eyes dulled as Commander shook his head. “I find this all—”
“Crazy right?” Alpha cut him off. “Fake…fake news, disloyal to the oath we stood by…the same oath I still stand by. All enemies, foreign and domestic—right?” He shoved the laptop toward him. “Open it up. See for yourself. Why do you think we’re here, Commander? Take a good look around and ask yourself the question. Why here? He wanted to burn everything, all the records…all the proof. But I took enough snapshots to bring the heat so far up his ass he’ll breathe fucking fire.”
Commander grasped the laptop from his hand and opened it.
“Screen’s cracked, I had a tumble off a fucking mountain, and had to fight a pack of damn wolves.”
I flinched with the words…the pack…the Alpha. Commander poked and prodded. Commander stared…and flinched. The muscles of his neck flared as he swallowed hard. He wrenched his gaze to Alpha. “What the fuck is this, do we have a problem here? You think I’d fall for this?” He shoved the laptop into the air. “This is lies. You see, you failed, Marine. You didn’t do your damn homework. Private First Class Hellsey was under my command. I knew that young man, knew him just as well as I know my men now. I should do…I was the one who sent him to his death.”
The air sparked with energy. I stared at the sea of Humans as their gazes hardened.
“He was killed in action by an enemy insurgent,” Commander finished.
“And you saw this? Saw his body?” Alpha’s voice lowered.
Commander shook his head. “No, but I didn’t need to…he….he…”
Alpha took a step closer. “He what?”
“He was taken before I had a chance to see what they did to him,” Commander lifted his head, but his stare not for Alpha—for Monster. “I was told his injuries were extensive and it was best I focus on the men I had alive. I didn’t believe it at the time. No Marine would wander off like they told me. No Marine would abandon his squad.”
“That’s what they told you, and that’s what you believed. Look at the pictures, Commander. Look at the dates. Look at the files and tell me what side you’re on.”
A battle raged in Commander’s blue eyes. He glanced down, looked away, turning to the Humans behind him. He stared at every face, and into every set of eyes. He stared until the laptop in his hand shook, and then he found cracked screen once more. His chest rose hard, breath a rush…
The blue in his gaze lost its sparkle as he stared and stared…and stared.
“I gave you an order.” Monster took a slow step closer.
Wolf snarled, her hatred danced with mine.
Monster wrenched his head toward her, and then found me.
I’m coming for you…the echo of his words surfaced. Hunger burned in his gaze.
My knees trembled. Spirit shook. I bared my teeth. I would fight. I would die…but Monster would never take from me again. Not my family…not my Ace.
“The files are a lie,” Monster spat. “Everything he’s told you is a lie. Now I gave you a command, Marine—”
Commander shook his head as he snapped laptop shut. “I don’t think so, Major General. I think we’ll be standing down until we launch a full investigation.”
“Standing down?” Monster lunged, hand raised, stabbing the air. “You don’t give the orders here. I give them! And I’m giving them right now. Carry out your goddamn order, or I’ll find someone who will.”
The Commander turned his head. Frigid breeze picked up, sending an icy lick along my spine. “I have sixty men here under my command. If you think for one second they will not bring the wrath down on any enemy—” he glanced at Alpha before turning back to the monster “—foreign or domestic, then you are very much mistaken.”
Monster took a step. He glared at Alpha, and then the Commander. “You think you know it all don’t you? You don’t know anything. You want proof?” His hand dropped to his side as he stepped again. “They won’t stop…and they’re more powerful than you could ever comprehend. This goes all the way to the damn White House, if you think that sixty goddamn Marines will put a dent in their armor, then you’re dead wrong. You refuse my order, then you’re not only signing your death warrant—you’re signing one for every one of the men under your command. You want that on your conscience?”
“We have more files,” Alpha broke in. “Plenty more where that came from. It’s all going to the media, and we’re going to blow this sky-fucking-high. There won’t be a rock big enough for you to crawl under, Uncle. There’ll be nowhere for you to hide. You’ll be hunted…just like she was.”
Monster flinched. He paled. The tiny shake of his head followed.
“Just like the Huntress. Did they tell you what she looked like when we found her? Did they tell you about the smell? She thought she was powerful. She thought she was safe—she was wrong. The Guardians are coming. They’re coming for you.”
“Guardians? Who are these men?”
Alpha’s lips curled into a sneer. “Oh, they’re no men, Commander. They’re your fucking nightmares.” He glanced to the wolf, and then to me. “You think these ones are scary?”
Panicked stares wrenched to me. I bared my teeth and opened my arms. Spirit moved in, sliding silver fur along my arms. The bear cloaked me…protected me…even alone the power of my people raged.
“Then you best be prepared for the ride of your fucking lives. Dragons, Vampires, things that don’t just go bump in the night—things that own the fucking night.”
“It won’t matter.” Monster shook his head. “The money’s been paid. The list has been sent. Soon there won’t be a person alive who has a file, has a name, or a fucking memory of what we’ve done here—and no Dragon will save you. Send it to the media, Darrion. Send it all. And all you’ll get is a fuckload of nothing in return. Turn on your TV, listen to the news. There’s no media…there’s no one who can help you. Run to your precious Senator…not even he can save you now.”
Commander lifted his hand, all Humans snapped to attention. The air was heavy, thick with deceit…laden down with hunger. He reached for his chest, gripped golden metal wings, and yanked. “All enemies, foreign and domestic,” he murmured. Pain flared in his gaze as he cast the sparkle through the air to land in the dirt. “This wasn’t the war I signed up for…and this is not the side I choose to fight to defend. If what you’re saying is true Major General, then I want no part of it. I want no part in any of this.”
Monster moved fast—for a Human. His hand went for his waist and drew his weapon free. Alpha was too slow, too busy staring at Commander to realize the danger. Metal glistened as the sun caught the steel as Monster pointed at Alpha’s head.
Wolf stilled beside me, muscles rippled, coiled like a snake as she leapt.
Then there was nothing but blood. The crimson mist coated the air as what was left of Monster crumbled to the ground. The boom came a heartbeat later, shattering the stillness…making Human flinch.
I wrenched my gaze over my shoulder—to the watcher in the distance—the savior with the rifle. I glanced back to the monster as he spilled across the ground. For him there was no more taking…no more touching…no more black birds in the sky.
No more of anything…ever…ever…again.
28
Ace
Thick, black smoke drifted into the air stealing my view. But I could hear her. T
he thunder of her feet, the feel of her heart. I swung my rifle over my shoulder and charged through the haze to the berserker.
I opened my arms as she hit me like a runaway train. Her hands went around my chest, finding the graze of the bullet. I swallowed the grunt and the pain, squeezing, lifting her feet from the ground.
“Monster,” she whispered. “No more.”
“That’s damn right.” I speared my hand into her hair and pulled her close, reliving the shot once more.
The wind picked up. Smoke stole my sight. I prayed…I fucking prayed…and squeezed the trigger. All eyes turned toward me as I carved a path, but it wasn’t the sniper they watched with fear now…it was the woman by my side.
Her lips curled in warning as she met their gazes, and for a second I wondered what they looked like to her…friend or foe? Were we all monsters…or all men?
What defined us wasn’t the blood we spilled…but who and what we spilled it for.
I searched for the tired gaze of my brother and then dropped my focus to the ground. I killed his kin…killed everything that made him the man he was…
Alpha took a slow limp toward me…and then another.
There were no words…not for men like us.
His steps quickened as he surged forward.
My knee locked, flared with the bite of agony. I lifted a hand, fingers cupped, clasping his and he wrenched me close. Thick arms wound around me tight. Tears blurred my gaze. He was my brother…he was my kin.
“Nice shot, my man. Must’ve been a record…”
I nodded…if he only knew. I closed my eyes and gripped him tight remembering the number on the scope…the number I’d been too frightened to see…two thousand meters in thick smoke with my brother inches away. One flinch, one miscalculation…one of anything and my life would’ve been over…my heart would’ve been done.
I never wanted to make that shot again.
But I would…if it meant saving his life.
“Ace,” X growled and stepped closer. She raised her hand, fingers barely touched my skin as a feral sound filled the air—a sound not of warning—but of cold-blooded rage.