Reno

by Nini Church

  Sensitive to how quietly Matty spoke, in a low voice so his words didn't carry, Cal demanded, "Fuck, Matty, talk to me! Aili? Esme? What the fuck are you doing…”

  Matty ended the call and blocked all incoming calls, but didn’t pocket her cell. Instead, she kept it in her hand as she locked the camera onto video record – checking that the infrared app was on and the cell was still on dark mode. Cal had added a whole bunch of apps he created onto their cells – they were little wizards – clones of Cal.

  Now that the call was made, Esme smiled widely, keeping her teeth covered. That sturdy reinforcements were on the way made her heart sing. Too old to get her hands bloodied – although she would at a moment’s notice – she was glad help was coming. So long as Aili was safe and Matty too – a female warrior to her core – all would be well.

  Ever so slowly, the three females inched back, needing more space between them and the monster beyond the boulders. More screams of terror and pain split the otherwise quiet night, but they kept moving until finding a snug, shadowy enclosure surrounded by big boulders. They hadn’t gone far, but it was enough for now.

  All Aili cared about was that her brothers and Reno were on the way. To help with Stryker. She couldn’t really face – right now – what exactly she wanted Reno to do to him – what she ultimately needed him to do.

  If not Reno, then her brothers would…

  Full of pure terror, her mind flashed back to the five horrendous days with Stryker, reliving it. Each long day held underground in a damp, moldy cell while he built a bigger cage for her above ground. His second major obsession was constantly masturbating in front of Aili while telling her what he was going to do to her once they mated. Vomit gorged up her throat.

  Panic took over and Aili slumped slowly onto her haunches. In her mind’s eye, certain horrifying events returned in disjointed flashes, sickening and frightening her until she laid her forehead on her knees, praying for Reno to hurry.

  It only took minutes.

  From behind the three females came the faintest rustle and then a soft warning whistle as though air shooting through a breeze. Esme and Matty, standing together, lifted their noses, scenting.

  Down on her haunches with her back to the wall – which was really holding her up – she didn’t stand when Reno moved in on her, his arms outstretched in a gesture of WTF?

  His sea fresh, smoky scent washed over her and Aili released a long sigh of relief. Reno crouched down, crowding her, tilting her chin upwards so that she had to face him.

  Reno’s piercing blue eyes were a cyclone of anger along with a good measure of disbelief as he checked her over before he helped her to stand. He leaned into her, pressing her back into the boulder, caging her.

  With no time to lose, Jericho grabbed Reno’s shoulder and gave it a forceful shake. Reno turned to the side as Jericho’s finger pointed to Aili then back at his eyes. He clenched his fist in the air, signaling everyone to gather in close.

  Conn, Zulu, Matty and Esme with her two sons, all collected into a small group.

  Reno pointed at Aili and she motioned a strike to her palm, conveying they’d found Stryker. He grabbed Aili by the waist, waving his hand in the direction of the forest behind, then pointed to Esme and Matty, meaning Aili was to take them to safety inside the forest.

  Viscously, Aili shook her head, her dark chocolate eyes gleaming with determination. Silently, she implored Reno by fisting her right hand over her heart.

  Reno only shook his head fiercely, the hard planes of his face revealing he wasn’t fooling around here as he put his hand over hers and turned her towards the forest and safety.

  Reno wasn't asking Aili – there was no soft and cuddly to him right now – his emotions were tucked securely away and not up for grabs. He was full on in warrior mode, no talking to him – no reasoning either. Whether Aili liked it or not – her safety and protection were always gonna be Reno’s number one priority.

  Finally, Aili nodded as if agreeing – regretfully, even Reno didn't understand what she needed or why she needed it.

  Esme held fast to Aili’s elbow, pulling her away. They bent low and made for a thick stand of trees at the edge of the forest until Aili twisted out of Ma’s grip.

  Hands on hips and wearing a determined expression while shaking her head, Aili refused to take one more step into the forest.

  Esme sucked in a stunned breath as Matty hovered. Her daughter wasn't giving in – she wanted Stryker dead. Esme wished that closure for Aili – she had suffered so after being rescued from the fecker. And, twelve years in prison for his terrible crimes were but an affront to her clan and a drop in the bucket of Aili's healing.

  There was no one left to contest Aili's demand.

  Maybe no one would ever truly understand that if Stryker was going to die, and Aili had a good idea he was, then she needed to see it, not hear it second hand.

  Matty stepped close to Aili, nodding aggressively, showing her support with a squeeze to Aili’s arm.

  Esme caved, knowing her daughter – her last born with the will of the entire clan instilled in the wee lass – Aili wasn’t about to give up until getting what she wanted – seeing Stryker actually die. Esme knew this was best for Aili and couldn’t stand in her way.

  Aili didn't hesitate to scamper quietly away. Matty and Esme shifted deeper into the dark forest to hover in the safety of its shadows.

  Alone now, no one to argue with her choices, Aili's blackened face and camo suit blended into the dark night as she stayed low, moving swiftly through the darkness. From a distance, she watched the warriors ahead of her blend into the night and disappear.

  Reno, with a too silent Zulu, and Conn beside Jericho, fanned out their formation as darkness folded in around them. Gone, too, in a blink, Sean – dark as a ghost – moved like the wind with Trevor tight at his side.

  By the sounds of it, only moments later, the Jinn warriors weren't hiding that they had found Stryker’s camp.

  In the lead, Reno stormed towards Stryker, but at the last second split off as Sean and Trevor swarmed past to fill the gap.

  Stryker began screaming and bizarrely laughing – bone chilling, eerie sounds. At first, it was all babble – but his attention held fast on Sean McFeerson, calling him by name, Trevor also. His screams were mumbo jumbo filtered with a lot of, Fecking McFeersons.

  His hatred of them ran deep, they’d always kept his mate away from him. In prison, he’d spent years formulating plans to achieve his revenge and the ultimate goal – snatch Aili McFeerson and keep her for good this time. He’d spent years and years planning this and no one was gonna deny him now.

  Eyes burning red and his bloodlust spiking, Stryker’s obsession with the McFeersons kept his focus on the two Scots he meant to kill tonight – and completely missed Reno mowing in on him from behind.

  Muscles pumped and adrenaline surging, Reno circled behind Stryker – with fresh humans hogtied and ready for the next round of death. Evidently, he tore the first victim apart with not much more than hunks of flesh layered in and around the blazing fire. Rank odors were pungent in the air.

  Reno ignored everything, his sightline solely on the fucker who dared threatened his Aili.

  The noxious, cloyingly sweet odor of burning human flesh hovered thickly over the campsite, reminding Reno that he thought he’d seen it all, but never anything like this animal. For that is all Stryker was. Truly – no honor, no nothing left – a disgusting and disgraceful piece of shit.

  Jericho stayed to the side as did Conn and Zulu while Sean baited Stryker who trembled with rage, lashing out with long arms and deadly leather clad fists beaded with spikes and short blades between his clenched fingers. Oddly, Stryker didn’t seem to notice that none were close enough for him to assault.

  Trevor shifted back and forth, around and behind Sean, forcing Stryker’s attention to lock on both of them.

  Jericho signalled Conn, who ghosted without anyone else noticing.

  Reno had n
o need of weapons, his body, his mind and his fists were more than enough to get the job done. Long ago it had been trained into him that when you depended on a weapon in any fight or battle, your focus remained on holding and keeping that weapon – for a Jinn, an unnecessary use of valuable energy. Reno had learned well that weapons were useful, but only slowed him down, slowed his momentum as he searched for cracks or weakness in his opponent. So – fuck the weapons.

  She slipped into shadows beside a huge bolder and didn’t move. Aili watched Reno swing in, his big fists crashing into the back of Stryker’s head, pitching him forward.

  Every other male stayed on point – but held back. Even Sean sensed the Jinn warrior owned this – owned Stryker like no one ever had – the huge demon–human cross just didn’t know it yet. Without a doubt, there was an unmistakeable vibe to Reno – mean and brutal, cold and deadly.

  Reno prowled around the big male, taking a few glancing blows – a slash or two from Stryker's fist blades made him bleed a little, but he got in several jarring punches of his own. For appearances only – Reno wanted Stryker to think them evenly matched – and meant to throw his opponent off before he took control.

  After that, each time the male went for him, Reno moved like the wind with Stryker missing each punch and kick by a mile. When he leaned in and sucker punched Stryker in the face, breaking his nose – it was to let the male know he’d just fucking met his match.

  Reno kept on him, driving his powerful fists deeper with every blow.

  He was in for this kill.

  All.

  Fucking.

  In.

  This piece of shit would never threaten Aili again. Aili was his female. His mate.

  Rage torqued Reno's body, muscles tightening as he mapped a plan. In seconds, he was drilling massive fists into the big male, going all out, as Jericho moved in and out of his sight line lookin’ for an opening where there was none.

  Reno came into his full birthright then, a First Blooded, First Order, unsurpassed, male Jinn fighting for and protecting what was his – Dr. Aili McFeerson. Like a powerful wind, he moved, using the elements to slow his opponent, but also to draw out the agony and pain Stryker was suffering and it wasn’t the good kind. Nah, not the kind of pain he liked or thrived on.

  No – this had a different edge to it – these were killing blows.

  In torment, Stryker snarled wickedly before dissolving into nothing but mist beneath Reno’s fists. The mist hovered, before slowly dispersing – a tell that Stryker was injured.

  Reno erupted with frustration – letting go a long rumble of rage.

  Frantically, Esme yelled out, rushing out of the forest line and running fast, rounding the boulder that Aili had squatted down beside, to stand out in the open near the fire pit. Both hands thrust into the air to draw in elemental power, she chanted so fast it was hard to tell what language it was.

  Aili watched in awe as Ma drew energy to her, meaning to use it to hold Stryker’s essence so he couldn't escape. Gusts of wind and dirt blew around, flattening the huge bonfire until everything stilled briefly then returned to normal and Stryker was nowhere to be seen.

  Into the silence, Matty whistled a soft warning as she rolled in beside Aili, refusing to stay in the dark, creepy forest alone. There was safety in numbers and Matty meant to keep it that way.

  Zulu came out of nowhere, crouching down next to Aili and Matty, his massive hands swept wide and hardened body ready for battle. Females were good, had hidden themselves well. Dark eyes swishing back and forth to make sure no one flanked the three females – he seamlessly shifted away into the darkness to double check the area.

  To one side, Stryker materialized within feet of both Aili and Matty with his hands fisted and curled in front of his chest. Wild eyes turned bright as he took in Aili hunched down against a boulder and his mind exploded with sick pleasure. His plan was working, but too many thoughts jumbled his mind tearing his concentration away to loving that his hard cock was ready for her once again. He wanted to reach down and stroke himself a few times just to show Aili what she’d been missing.

  Stryker hated that he couldn’t get a couple of pleasure strokes in, cramping his usual style ‘cause he didn’t know where the males had gone to and he couldn’t take any chances. He needed this to work out the way he planned. Fecking whore was coming with him.

  Huge and daunting, Stryker frightened Matty, but she pulled out a Streiken star and her short knife, stepping in front of Aili.

  Aili froze, her heart beating in her mouth and white spots dancing crazily in front of her eyes. Stryker was too close – all he had to do was reach out and grab her. She curled into a tight ball, shoving up against the rock wall, tucking her arms and legs in tightly around her body so he wouldn’t have anything to grip if he did grab her. Real fear took over then.

  Matty started screaming. “Come on, you fucker. I’m gonna cut you, big time, motherfucker. You leave Aili alone, you sick fucking bastard.” Matty held her short knife tight in her right hand and out in front. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but Stryker didn’t know the real weapons were around him somewhere. Where the fuck had Zulu gone? Reno?

  Stryker threw back his head and cackled. He couldn’t believe this slip of a female dared to threaten him with her puny weapon. He lunged in as she skittered back. Fear always made him feel good and he liked the tiny female was full of it. Joy ripped through him as images came of ripping her to shreds, eating her heart or fisting her as she died…

  Zulu moved in shadow, ghosting for seconds to scan Stryker from above to pick his best next move.

  Esme whipped around to face Stryker with an eight–inch blade in her palm – a comfortable fit and her favorite weapon. She would gut the fecking son of a bitch if given half a chance. Yet, she’d contained him, but now he was too close to Aili. Her heart beat hard as she caught a glimpse of moving shadow, seeing it was Zulu filled her with utter relief.

  Aili lifted her head, refusing to look at Matty facing Stryker, but glanced at Ma with a big blade in hand and murderous eyes. The image flashed Aili back to long ago when Da insisted his family take part in war games – year after year on their vacation isle in the middle of nowhere. It had become a family tradition and one Aili would gladly carry on. No matter what – her Da had taught them skills normally left to the warriors of their clan. Ma would kill if she had to. So would Aili. Smart move, Da.

  Recalling that gave Aili a little more backbone. No matter the outcome, she’d never give up until she was dead. If Stryker took her now, she’d find a way to kill him before he killed her.

  Aili uncurled her body, slowly pressing into the rock as she stood up. Her head felt fuzzy and her legs unsteady, not sure they weren’t going to buckle under her. She gobbled in deep breaths and tried not the panic.

  A thick black shadow shot behind Stryker and he grunted loudly as Zulu grabbed him around the waist while kicking his feet out from under him, taking Stryker down hard. Matty threw the metal star with precision, slicing open Stryker’s shoulder as Zulu pressed a big thumb into his neck, connecting with a pressure point, causing the big male to go limp.

  Zu hauled back his massive shit–kicker and struck Stryker in the stomach. “No more move for him.” He bent over Stryker to dig his thumb into the pressure point again.

  Thundering shit–kickers were almost on top of them before Stryker broke Zulu’s hold. In a blink, he was on his feet with one large hand gripping Zulu by the throat.

  Face turning purple, the tribal warrior grinned.

  Stryker blinked in disbelief when Matty rushed him, cutting his wrist to the bone with a long, curved blade, severing the main artery to the hand strangling Zulu.

  Reno growled ferally, running up behind Stryker, he snapped both powerful arms around the male’s chest and hauled him backwards. “He’s mine.” A good shove and Stryker skittered away, but stayed on his feet.

  Surrounded by male warriors, blood no longer dripped from the deep wound as his wrist h
ealed and Stryker roared with crazy laughter, goading, “Ye need fecking females to protect ye? That all ye got?”

  “I’m all you’re ever gonna need.” Tough and fast, Reno went for him, fists pounding into flesh with satisfying thuds. Reno took several rapid, cutting blows to his ribs, bones starting to mash as Stryker's big fist plowed into his shoulder and another going for his face before Reno ducked and drilled into his gut, then his powerful fist driving up, Reno broke his nose again and went for both eyes.

  Stryker swung his big boot out, swiping Reno’s legs out from under him.

  The ground trembled when he hit it and Reno stayed down, playing it.

  Stryker hauled his foot back, going for a devastating blow to his opponent’s head – in his element and loving a dirty fight.

  Low to the ground, Reno easily caught the big missile and flipped Stryker onto his back, breaking his leg on the way down. Fuck! – that snap of bones was satisfying all right.

  They worked each other over until Reno had his fill. Then, his jackhammering blows hit Stryker’s head so many times it started to swell.

  Reno wanted his fucking brains bleeding out his ears.

  He had every right to take this animal out. No one could ever name this an unsanctioned kill. And the world needed to know, including Stryker before he died, that Aili was his mate. Even if he and Aili hadn’t exactly discussed it yet…

  Pumped, Reno powered down Stryker’s chest until he got to his heart, drilling into him, knuckles driving each punch deeper – Reno’s fists were his weapons honed to destroy and kill.

  “Doctor. Aili. McFeerson. Is. MINE. I’m gonna kill you for what you’ve done to her. Die, you sick fuck.”

  Stryker never got another punch, kick or head–butt in.

  Reno was too fast, too furious, too skilled, too experienced and it was all concentrated on Stryker. When he was done, Stryker wasn’t more than a puddle – his energy gone and no longer able to heal fast enough – when Reno landed his last punch, drilling deep into the male’s chest and stopping his heart.