“Where are the others?” he asked, ignoring her question.
Holly’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a fool, Roger. Mason will kill you for this.”
He back stepped toward the elevator. “Get in the elevator, Holly.”
Holly shook her head. “I don’t think so, Roger.”
“If you think for an instant I won’t shoot you in the arm or the leg, and even kill you, you’re wrong,” he said. “I’m through with you, just like you are with me. They prefer you alive but they’ll be fine if you are dead. You choose.”
Holly stared at him, hardly believing this was the Roger she had considered a friend. Gone was the soft, nice man she had known. Had his whimpering the night before been an act? It must have been, because this was not the same person. Holly believed he would kill her. She saw it in his eyes.
She had never been afraid of dying but she wasn’t overly fond of the idea. And Mason needed her. Deep down, her doubts about their relationship weren’t justified and she knew it. She had to live for Mason, for the Black Knights, and to make a difference in the battle to save humanity.
“Fine,” Holly said bitterly. “Let’s go.”
* * * * *
Mason sat in the bushes, one mile west of Area 51, thinking about Holly, though keenly alert to his surroundings. Something about leaving her had really bothered him. Maybe it was guilt, because he had been holding back information from her. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
He felt Michael before he saw him, his senses alert and alive like they had never been. The wind shifted, at first slightly. A sudden gush of air produced Michael and two men Mason had never seen.
Mason and Michael made eye contact. To Mason’s astonishment, there was a mental awareness between them. He saw understanding in Michael’s eyes. Michael stepped forward, motioning for the others to stay where they were. Privacy was an issue with two Arions, who could both be traitors, so near. Options were limited. Mason walked several feet, with Michael following by his side, before he turned to face him. “We have trouble.”
“So I guessed,” Michael said, his tone calm but his eyes alert.
“Roger was a setup. He’s been injected with the first level of enhancements.”
Michael frowned. “We knew something was wrong.”
Mason’s expression was grim. “Yes, but since we killed both Arions, I hoped we had sidestepped whatever it was.”
“I won’t ask how you know this. I assume you’ve been thorough. Someone fed me bad information. How far up the chain is the question. Do you have any idea who the traitor is?”
“Besides Roger? No.”
“Roger was a willing participant?”
Mason gave a quick nod. “He’s lucky to be alive.” He nodded toward the other Arions. “I’m reluctant to trust your men.”
“These two I have no doubt about. Lucas and Diego are leaders, each with their own teams.” Michael sighed. “The problem is, to take over the 51 facility we have to trust their men.”
Mason’s jaw tensed. “Which is a death sentence.”
Michael seemed to contemplate. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
Mason’s brow inched up. “Meaning?”
“Meaning, my friend, that two can play this game of deceit.”
* * * * *
Holly’s mind was racing furiously as Roger nudged her forward. Her first step outside the cavern came with an overwhelming sense of finality. As if she would never return to the cavern.
The thought made her insides chill to icy levels. She felt a growing sense of dread, of a forbidding event to come. “Roger—”
Before she could finish the sentence the wind whipped against them, dirt swirling like a mini funnel cloud. Holly knew it was bad news. Roger was no threat. The wind brought the real danger.
She squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on Mason. He said she could communicate with him. Now, she prayed, he was right. With all her strength, she focused on Mason.
Her hair blew around her face, dirt stirring so heavily she could taste its bitterness. And then it was no more. Which could only mean one thing.
They were no longer alone.
Silently, she willed the seemingly impossible, putting her trust in her only hope.
Please hear me, Mason.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, tilting her chin up defiantly as she looked into the blackest eyes she had ever seen. And she knew who she now faced.
He smiled at her but evil lurked in the action. His voice, a deep, sultry tone, held malice he could never hide. “Well, well, Holly Heart. Finally, I meet my brother’s mate.”
* * * * *
Mason stood with Michael and the two Arion men he had brought with him. Together the men discussed options to deal with their unknown traitor.
Michael was halfway through a sentence when Mason felt Holly’s fear. It ripped through his heart like a dagger of death. Her danger was real, the evil near her… Malice was the word that came to mind, clearly, as if Holly had spoken it to him.
David.
“What is it?” Michael asked in a soft, seemingly calm voice but it held an underlying urgency.
“David has Holly.”
* * * * *
Mason stepped out of the trees with Michael, Lucas and Diego in position beside and behind him. Holly stood to the right of David, a defiant look in her eyes, and Mason couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. As scared as she had to be, she was not willing to cower to David or anyone, for that matter.
Roger was nowhere in sight. Probably hiding like the coward he was. He was thankful he had gotten to her before she was transported. It would have been harder to free her once David had her within his tightly held world of underground caverns.
David waved him forward, turning his body to face Mason, giving Holly his profile. “So good of you to join us, my dear brother.”
Mason took several more steps, not daring to meet Holly’s gaze, though the temptation was strong. It was enough to know she was alive and within reach. She stood too close to David for his comfort and Roger held her at gunpoint.
He regretted ever going after that man.
Assessing the situation, he noted five Arions, none of which he knew. They were fairly evenly matched, one thing in their favor, at least.
The two men Michael had brought with him had earned Mason’s loyalty. Now that they had exposed themselves to David, they could never go back.
“And Michael,” David said. “Always good to do business with you. I see you have recruited a few followers.” His eyes brushed Diego and Lucas as he made a tsk sound. “So few of you against so many. What are you thinking, Mason?”
Michael’s voice was like a knife slicing through the air. “There are many who will follow us, David.”
An evil smile played on his lips. “Everything is not always as it seems, Michael. You of all people should know this.”
The wind stirred and from the trees stepped a man. Not just any man. Tad. Arion and dangerous. He walked forward. “Michael,” he said with a nod. “I hear you played hardball with my look-alike.” He laughed. “Those damn clones really aren’t much of a match, are they?”
Mason knew something had been wrong when they managed to kill Tad so easily. “Good thing,” Mason said dryly. “I was disappointed I didn’t get to kill you myself. Today seems a good day for you to die, Tad.”
Tad focused on Mason as a sound, much like a growl, escaped his throat. He took a step forward. David held up a hand, instantly halting Tad’s steps.
“Enough,” David said, in a voice as deadly and quiet as the slice of a knife.
Mason and David locked gazes. “What game is it you’re playing, David? Why involve Holly?”
“I didn’t have to involve her,” he said with preciseness to each word. “You did a fine job by completed the mating ritual. As your mate, she is a part of what dictates your actions. Perhaps, if I make her see the light, she will make you do so as well.”
Mason could feel Holly’s eyes on him,
sense her confusion, her emotions running wild. Now she knew what he should have already told her. She was his mate. The ritual was complete.
Mason’s tone held the threat he intended. “Leave Holly out of this.”
“She is in this to stay,” David said without hesitation. “Join me and I will ensure her safety. I will pledge to protect her with my life.”
“No, Mason,” Holly said quietly, but with conviction. “Don’t follow him for me.”
Mason had no intention of following David but he damn sure wasn’t going to let him leave with Holly either. “Give me a week to think.”
David smiled. “Of course, Mason.”
Mason let out a silent breath of air.
An evil smile twisted David’s lips. “But Holly stays with me.”
Mason stiffened. “No way.”
One of his brows inched upward. “I don’t see you having much room to negotiate. Make the decision I want, the one that is your destiny, and she will be fine.”
A bullet sound whipped through the air. Tad grabbed his arm, a scowl filling his rigid features. “What the hell?”
“Option number one just arrived.” It was Sterling. Mason didn’t turn to look. Didn’t have to. Sterling, the “Renegade”, most certainly was up to something wild and crazy.
And Mason was damn glad.
His guess was Tad just took a tranquilizer.
“You’ll pay for that,” Tad said, moving toward Sterling.
Sterling laughed and made a come-to-me motion with his hand. “You were always more talk than action.”
In a matters of seconds, fighting broke out around them. Mason and David stood staring at one another. The battle was between the others.
“Join me, Mason,” David said, in a voice so quiet normal ears would never have heard it over the sounds of battle. But Mason wasn’t normal. “Make this nonsense stop.”
Mason grimaced. “Be a man and leave Holly out of this. Our battle is just that, between you and me.”
They stared at one another, a measure of wills passing between them, a test of who was stronger.
Abruptly, Holly darted forward and, before his eyes, as if in slow motion, Mason saw Roger reache for her. She flung her hands and feet, kicking and hitting him. Mason reached for her mind, trying to calm her, his premonition of disaster suddenly dangerously certain.
But it was too late.
The gunshot rang through the air like a missile seeking its target. Holly screamed. Mason’s heart lurched.
And then she crumpled to the ground.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“No!”
Mason’s scream reached beyond the ears of those directly around him. His pain, his absolute devastation, echoed through the mountains for miles.
Every muscle in his body was tense, his fists balled at the sides of his thighs. All movement around him simply ceased to exist as if every living creature within hearing range could actually feel his utter anguish.
Moving forward, Mason dropped to his knees. “Holly,” he whispered, reaching for her and pulling her in his arms.
Blood oozed from her chest, staining her cotton shirt, representing her pain. His pain. Mason felt her body ache, felt her mind sinking into darkness.
Yanking his shirt over his head, Mason pressed it to the open would in her chest. The bleeding was extreme, the blood loss too fast.
Holly’s lips trembled, so pale, so deathlike, Mason wanted to die himself. “Holly, please don’t leave me.”
She tried to smile but her lips only trembled harder. Even this near death, he knew she was trying to smile because she wanted to comfort him. But her words held a reality he didn’t want to face. Not now. Not ever.
“I…don’t fix like you. I’m not sure I can.”
He buried his head in her hair. “Don’t say it.” His voice held desperate denial of her unspoken words. “You can’t leave me. I love you, Holly.” He breathed in her scent, soaking in her very essence. “I need you.”
Near his ear, he heard her whisper. “I…I…love—” Her voice trailed off.
Mason looked down at her, finding her eyes shut. “Holly! Holly, please, no! Don’t go.”
Tears were streaming down his face. He wasn’t aware of when they started, nor did he care. He just wanted Holly, alive and well and by his side. This couldn’t happen. Not now, not to Holly. Urgently, he felt for her pulse, desperate to find one, struggling in its absence. Then he found it—weak, slow, nearly gone.
David’s voice broke through his torment. “You can save her.”
Mason looked at him, still holding Holly close. There was no hesitation in his question. He needed to save Holly. If David knew how, then he had to know.
“How?”
Diego moved forward. Mason’s eyes landed on him, stopping him in his tracks with their intensity. And though the young, dark Arion halted his steps, he didn’t shy away from his intent. “I’m a doctor. Let me help.”
Mason eyed him cautiously. Michael trusted him but it wasn’t enough. This was Holly and her life was on the line. With a critical eye and every sense he owned, Mason assessed the man, never forgetting how near David was, observing,
“Yes,” David said as if he felt Mason’s awareness of his watchful eyes. “Let Diego tell you what we both already know. The answer is not as simple as a medical procedure. Holly is dying. It’s too late for anything short of a miracle.”
Mason fought the panic growing inside. He was aware of the group of his men, of David’s men, gathering around them. But he needed help none of them could offer. Except Diego… Could he help?
With an obvious Hispanic heritage, Diego’s dark looks only deepened the impact of his black Arion eyes. He looked the role of a fighter, maybe even mercenary, not doctor. But it was the combination of intellect and kindness he saw in his eyes that won Mason over.
“Yes,” he said softly. “Please help if you can.”
To Diego’s credit, he didn’t hesitate and Mason was thankful. Too much time had passed already. Holly needed help now. Seconds later, Diego was kneeling next to her, taking the shirt from Mason’s hand. Mason remained by her side, holding her limp, cold hand, not willing to break contact with her.
“Take her to the cave and stabilize her,” David said and then snapped his fingers. “Tad.”
Mason looked at David, trying to understand why he cared about Holly, what his agenda truly was. Helping was only to benefit his cause. There was no question about it. Still, if he helped save Holly, Mason would accept his efforts.
Sterling stepped forward. “Tad passed out.” Sterling looked at Mason. “Holly’s idea was brilliant.”
Mason nodded his understanding, feeling proud of his mate and praying she would live for him to tell her of her success.
David spoke directly to Sterling, “Help Diego get her to the cave and stabilized. I need a moment with my brother.”
Sterling looked at Mason, a question in his eyes. Diego spoke then, his voice soft, lightly accented and deadly serious. “He’s right. She won’t make it without his help. I can make her comfortable but she won’t make it through the night.”
“She doesn’t have to die,” David said quietly, his voice unreadable, as were his eyes.
Mason narrowed his eyes on his brother for a long, tense moment before turning his attention on Holly. Gently he brushed a loose lock of hair from her face. She looked so weak it ripped at his gut, making him tremble from the inside out. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to her forehead, letting his mouth linger on her skin.
It took effort to pull back from her but he had no choice. His eyes locked with Diego’s. “Take her to the cave.”
With superhuman will, he released Holly’s hand and pushed to his feet. Forcing his spine stiff, he nodded to Sterling. “Stay with her.”
* * * * *
As Mason and David both stepped forward, stopping mere inches from touching toe-to-toe, Mason had the eerie feeling of being about to sell his soul to the devil.
“Talk,” Mason said in a clipped tone.
David’s eyes glinted dangerously in the light of the overhead moon. He looked every bit the madman. “What price are you willing to pay to save your mate?”
“I won’t bargain with Holly’s life,” Mason bit out, silently praying it wouldn’t end his hope of saving Holly.
“I’m not asking you to. But there is a price. One that will impact Holly. You, and only you, can decide if you are willing to take the steps to save her despite the repercussions.”
Underground Guardians BOX SET: Includes 'Protector' and 'Healer' Page 29