Once more, he tested his bonds. The duct tape had been wrapped around his wrists numerous times and it held tight. The same went for his feet, though he had a bit more wiggle room there. Didn’t matter. He had to get his hands free.
Though he twisted and clawed, trying to reach an edge of the tape proved futile. Instead, he began looking around the darkened interior of the cargo box to see if there was anything—a sharp corner, an edge—that he could use to cut through the tape.
But there wasn’t anything else at all. Except...on the back door. The handle that was used to raise the door. He wasn’t sure how sharp the edge would prove to be, but it was better than nothing.
Gingerly, shuffling on his knees, he made his way over there. He sat with his back to the door and uttered a quick prayer. Then, pressing hard, he pushed his bound hands against the handle.
The tape caught and held. The metal wasn’t sharp enough to cause a tear, even if he tried sawing back and forth. He attempted it anyway, desperate to get his hands free before the truck came to a stop.
After several minutes and numerous tries, all in different positions, Jake lowered his aching arms and admitted defeat. As he shuffled back to the front corner, he spied some sort of loop built into the side of the box. Clearly it had been designed to act as a tie-down. Since it was round, he knew it would be of no use to him. Just in case, he checked the one on the other side.
Jagged. Unable to believe his eyes, he scooted over. The bottom edge of the loop had broken off, just an inch or so of it, but enough to create a sharp shard. Like a homemade shiv, he thought, giddy and dizzy at the same time.
He backed up, caught the duct tape on the edge and yanked his hands down. Again and again he did this, until finally he felt the smallest tear.
Hope gave him energy and he worked furiously, putting every ounce of his flagging strength into getting free. The first tear grew, a bit at a time. Since there were several layers, as soon as he cut through one, he started on another.
Eventually, he had torn through enough to separate his hands. From there, it was a matter of simply removing the tape.
Except he decided to leave it on. Now that he had full use of his hands, it would give him a better advantage if his abductors still believed him to be tied. And he’d need every advantage he could get. Next, he removed the ties on his feet, though he made sure to leave the duct tape wrapped on each individual ankle. If he kept his legs close together, the initial impression would be that his bonds remained.
The truck made a sharp turn, nearly sending him flying. He scooted back to his corner, keeping his arms behind him as if he was still bound.
Judging from the sounds and feel, they’d left pavement and now traveled on a gravel road. Which had to mean they were getting closer to their destination. He couldn’t help but wonder if they meant to kill him and bury his body out in the country, where no one would find it. He set his jaw grimly. He wasn’t going down without a fight.
Finally, they slowed. Jake braced himself, wondering how many there were, and if he had a fighting chance.
As the vehicle shuddered to a stop, the driver killed the engine. Jake listened, waiting for conversation, something to tell him if there was a single assailant, or two or three. He heard nothing. Nothing but the sound of footsteps on gravel.
Someone raised the door with a squeal of metal. Jake blinked against the sudden brightness, momentarily confused. They hadn’t driven long enough for the night to become day, had they? He supposed it depended on how long he’d been unconscious.
“Get up,” a harsh voice ordered. Male, and somehow familiar.
As his sight adjusted to the light, Jake blinked. He recognized his assailant. “You,” he said, struggling to his feet. “You’re one of the guys that jumped me in that alley.”
“Good for you,” the man said. “Now less talk and more movement. Get up.”
Though not an easy feat with his ankles supposedly bound, Jake managed to hobble toward the door on his knees. He knew he had to get up, but had to be careful not to reveal the fact that he’d managed to remove his bonds. He needed to keep his eyes open for an escape possibility. As soon as one presented itself, he’d take it.
With a muttered curse, his captor reached up and hauled Jake the rest of the way out of the truck. Because he let go before Jake’s feet connected with the ground, Jake fell. Seizing the opportunity, Jake allowed himself to roll, putting a few more feet of distance between himself and the other man. Who, at least at this very moment, appeared to be alone.
Better odds, at least. Even if his captor outweighed him by at least forty pounds, Jake bet the other guy couldn’t outrun him. Especially if he got a good head start. The only problem would be if he guy was armed.
With that sobering thought, he decided to adopt a wait-and-see attitude. If an opportunity presented itself, he’d definitely respond, but he wouldn’t take foolish risks.
Plus, he had to admit to being curious about what this guy wanted with him.
A second later, he was glad he hadn’t tried running. Two more guys the size of pro football linebackers appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. Flanking him, they lifted him up and carried him into a long cinder block building. Down a dimly lit hallway, and into a better lit room that resembled a police interrogation setup.
“Sit,” guy number one growled.
The two goons deposited Jake in a metal chair. Carefully, he kept his ankles close together and, though his arms had begun to ache, his hands behind his back.
His captor stood on the other side of a battered wooden table and glowered at him, silent.
The door opened and another man strode in. Tall, with a thick head of dark hair, everything about him spoke of confident authority. He nodded at the first man, who immediately vacated the room.
As soon as they were alone, he faced Jake, his calm, gray-eyed expression unsmiling. “Explain yourself.”
“I would if I knew what I’m supposed to be explaining. I have no idea what you want from me,” Jake replied. “I haven’t been back bothering your precious alley, if that’s what this is about.”
“That is where this began,” the guy in charge said. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Colton Kinslow. I’d like to know what you’re up to behind my sister’s back.”
It took all of three seconds for the name and the statement to register. “You’re Maddie’s brother?”
“Yes. And we’ve picked up enough chatter to know you’re involved in something big, something top secret. Something someone like you has no business being involved in.”
Someone like you. The words made Jake bristle. All his life, there was always that one person who made assumptions about him due to the color of his skin. To blacks, he wasn’t dark enough. To whites, he was too dark. With his mixed parentage, he personally thought his skin tone was the perfect compromise between the two. Clearly, not everyone felt that way.
Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face.
“I’m not talking about race,” Colton explained.
Jake crossed his arms. “Then what did you mean?”
For the first time, Colton appeared uncomfortable. “I can’t explain. Not at this time. Let me just say that we consider you quite a bit more vulnerable than Maddie, Carmen or Rick.”
He knew their names. Fully alert now, Jake wondered if this guy, who claimed to be Maddie’s brother, had something to do with the virus. If so, then Jake had just lucked into the middle of the action without even trying.
Now all he had to do was keep himself alive.
Chapter 14
They drove until Rick started seeing double. While he wasn’t sure if Carmen wanted to drive, he knew he had to get some rest.
“I can drive,” she said when he asked her. “But I’d prefer not to. At least not tonight. How about we find an inexpensive motel and catch a few hours of sleep? We can get back on the road at the crack of dawn tomorrow.”
Relieved, he took the next exit, pulling up in front o
f an unassuming two-story motel that looked both inexpensive and clean. He went into the office, paid for a single room and emerged with a card key. Per his request, the room was on the ground floor near the back. Of necessity, he always had to consider if there might be an urgent need to escape.
The small room appeared neat, though the decorating looked like it had been last updated in 1982. Two full-sized beds with a nightstand in between them, a small desk-like table with a chair, plus a faded blue recliner were the extent of the furnishings.
“Not bad,” Carmen said, gliding around to inspect everything. She flicked on a light in the bathroom, and smiled. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“I’ll go after you,” he replied, even though images immediately assailed him of them both naked in the shower together, water running down their slick bodies. Shaking his head, he pushed these thoughts away, turning on the television to help distract him.
Ten minutes later, her short blond hair still damp, Carmen emerged. “Your turn,” she called out. “Nothing like a nice hot shower to make you feel better.”
Oh, he could think of a few other things that would work, but he wisely kept them to himself.
However, the shower did reenergize him. Toweling off, he emerged to find her engrossed in some talk show on the TV. She held a little plastic bag with a straw in one hand. Though it looked like a child’s juice pouch, upon closer inspection he realized it contained blood. Of course. Since blood was how she got nourishment.
His stomach growled, reminding him it had been a while since he’d eaten. He went to the curtain, peered outside and spotted the huge illuminated sign of a fast food restaurant next door. Hopefully, it would still be open.
After telling Carmen he’d be right back, he walked over and ordered a burger, fries and a chocolate shake. He brought those back to the room and sat at the desk and ate. Still watching her show, Carmen glanced over her shoulder at him, gave him a thumbs-up sign and continued sipping her own meal.
When his cell phone rang, Rick’s first thought was that Gus had thought of something else. But instead, he found himself once again on the phone with Olson, his Special Agent in Charge. He listened to what the other man had to say with mounting disbelief.
When he finally ended the call, he had to sit in silence for a moment and let what he’d heard sink in.
Carmen waited, impatience plain on her face. “Well?” she finally asked. “What’s up? I’m guessing whatever it is, it isn’t good. At least, judging by what I heard on your end.”
“The CDC called my boss.” Rick tried to keep the panic from his voice, not sure he succeeded. “They are about to release a public health warning.”
Her head snapped up, instantly alert. Inhaling, Carmen nodded. “About the virus?”
“Yes. They’re calling it a plague.”
She froze. “Where is the outbreak? Please tell me not a large metropolitan area.”
“Not yet. West Latvia.”
“The very country in Europe where the terrorists behind this were wanting to start a war. What the hell?”
“Exactly.” His stomach roiled. “Casualties are increasing by the hour. Apparently, there’s a twenty-four-hour period from infection to death.”
“What’s the fatality rate?”
“My boss said 100 percent. This thing seems unstoppable.”
She’d started shaking her head before he finished speaking. “Nope. We can’t let that happen. How close is the CDC to an antidote?”
“No idea. All I know is that they don’t have one.”
“Yet.” The fierceness in her voice matched the shine of determination in her beautiful eyes. “Do they want me to go there and help?”
“No. They want us to go back to the Sons of Darkness hideout and use the lab. They’re sending us samples of the actual virus. Oh, and they found Ted. Looks like he really did have the virus.”
“Is that where they’re getting it, then?”
He hesitated. “Sort of. Ted must have had the real thing. I don’t know what happened, but he got infected. He got really, really sick, and fast. He’s as good as dead. They’re having another Vampire transport him to you.”
“Brilliant.” She shot to her feet, her gaze glittering with excitement. “Working with a live subject will be much more intense. In fact, that should help me get quicker results than lab work. We need to keep him alive for as long as possible. When do we leave? I’d like to get on the road.”
He stared at her, aware that he hadn’t yet told her everything and not sure if he should. “Wow. That’s not quite the reaction I expected.”
“Why not?” She appeared the most animated he’d ever seen her. “I fail to see a downside. I mean, I feel bad for poor Ted, but he kind of brought this on himself. He was dead anyway. You know Gus and Landers would have taken him out if we’d brought him back.”
“True. But at least it would have been quick. From what I understand, he’s suffering greatly. All the victims suffer. And then they die.”
“Well, this way, at least he will have done something good for his fellow humankind,” Carmen pointed out, eyeing him curiously. “But how on earth are we going to explain this to Gus?”
“That’s easy. Ted—in an airtight, sealed container—is going to be delivered to us. We’re to take him back to Gus’s lab.”
“Perfect,” she exclaimed.
He only grimaced.
“I’m sorry.” Carmen squeezed his shoulder. “I take it you’re not a fan of the idea. Can you explain why?”
“I’m not.” Still he struggled with how to find the right words to say what his bosses wanted him to do. Finally, he decided to just say it. “And my reasoning is purely selfish. This virus is deadly, and I’d love for you to find an antidote. But...”
“But?” Arms crossed, she waited.
“But, so far all of the victims have been human, and no one knows how it interacts with Shifters.” He took a deep breath. “Because we really need to find out, they’re offering me up as a test case.”
At his words, all the animation vanished from her face. “They?”
“The Pack Protectors. My real job.”
Expression thunderous, she took a step toward him.
“Why would they do such a thing? You’re a valuable agent.”
“Because they don’t have anyone else. I know about it. They’re trying to slam the lid shut on any leaks until they know more. If word got out to the rest of the Pack Protectors...”
“There’d be a panic.”
“Exactly.” He scratched his head, wishing he could feel honored or relieved rather than horrified. “We can’t have the ones who are sworn to protect all Shifters worried about this...plague.”
“Then why release a public health warning at all? Seems contradictory to me.”
“They have to, at least for the humans. A thing like this can’t be kept hidden. The human press is starting to notice. People are dying. You know as well as I do that most Americans tend not to panic when an epidemic occurs on a faraway continent. But at least they’ll be aware. And when it starts to spread to other countries, it won’t come as a total shock.” He looked her square in the eye, hoping he seemed calm and resolute. “That’s why this is so important. You’ve got to develop an antidote.”
Arms crossed, she began to pace. She finally came to a stop right in front of him. “No. I won’t do it. I won’t be able to do my best work if I’m worried about you.”
His heart skipped a beat but he kept his face expressionless. “You have to. If the worst happens and I become infected, I’ll be collateral damage. This is too big, too important, to let the life of one Shifter get in the way.”
She didn’t react. “Surely you don’t believe that.”
“I do. And you should, too.” When she didn’t respond, he shrugged. “And we don’t know for certain that the virus can kill me. So far, only a silver bullet or fire can do that. Otherwise, I might get sick, I can get wounded, but I always heal. I’m ho
ping it will be the same with this virus.”
“But you don’t know,” she cried out. “I’d rather you don’t get involved.”
For the first time since taking the call, he smiled. “Me, too. But I have my orders. And either way, we have no choice. We leave in the morning.”
“What if I refuse to go?” she asked.
“Then I’m traveling without you.” One of the worst bluffs he’d ever made. She had to know how badly they needed her and her scientific expertise. Without it, he was just a shape-shifting guinea pig.
Her eyes widened. “Seriously? Because you have to know there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go in this without me to at least try to protect you. We’re partners, remember?”
“Yep.” He grinned. And then, because who knew what was going to happen to him once they reached the lab and took delivery of Ted, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Thoroughly and slowly, taking his time.
When he finally raised his head, they were both breathing hard.
“Yes,” she said. “Not that you asked.” And she kissed him again.
Hungrily, greedily, they clung together. Somehow, they shed their clothes, or at least enough of them to matter. Still standing, they were skin to slick skin. Carmen, so pale, so smooth, arching her back for him to taste her breasts. His body had become so hard it was painful, pulsing with need and desire. Almost frantic now, he pushed himself up and into her while they still stood, her back against the wall.
Inside, her body sheathed him like a glove. Wanting to prolong the moment, he gritted his teeth and tried to slow down, to contain the urgency. But Carmen, making sexy sounds low in her throat, became a wild woman. Shoving up against him, rotating her hips, she fought to make him go faster. “Hard and deep,” she ordered, raking her nails down his back. “Now.”
If control had been tenuous before, he now found himself clutching frantically to what tattered shreds remained. Four seconds in, he gave up, and abandoned himself to the mindless pleasure of making love with Carmen.
Fast and furious, they came crashing together, each meeting the other halfway, as if racing for an as yet unclimbed peak.
Finding the Texas Wolf Page 17