The noise came again, making her jerk her head toward the door.
Something about it didn’t sound right, a weird scuffling across the floor, followed by a crack, which sounded like a tree branch snapping. A low moan filtered through the closed door.
Autumn sat up straight, clutching the bedcovers to her chest, her eyes wide.
“Mia?” she called again, this time louder. She nudged Blake in the shoulder. “Come on. We need to see what’s going on out there. Mia might be in trouble.”
But Blake’s face was solemn, and he shook his head. “No, we don’t need to see it, Autumn. Please, just stay here with me.”
She wanted to. So badly. But more sounds came from outside, and though her heart pounded and her breath grew shallow, she knew she needed to open the door.
Why won’t Blake help me?
He’d never been a coward before … Her mind blurred. Before, what?
Autumn pushed the rest of the bedcovers off her body. Leaving Blake sitting up in bed, she swung her legs and stood, wearing just her panties and a cami. She wanted to cover herself up more, but couldn’t see any of her clothes. Cautiously, she moved on her tiptoes, creeping toward the door.
The sounds came again, a wet ripping noise, like someone tearing a piece of raw steak in half. A gentle whimper followed.
Oh God, what’s happening out there?
She reached out, her fingertips touching the door handle. Taking a deep breath, she slowly edged open the door.
She clutched her hand to her mouth. “Oh God,” she cried, and staggered back.
Mia lay in the entrance to the hallway, but she was only partially Mia. Her face appeared swollen and distorted, but that wasn’t the worst of it. Her back was morphed into a giant gray hump, spindly hairs sticking out from the thickened exoskeleton. Multi-jointed legs jutted from the bulbous body, more of the hairs poking from the limbs. Mia’s face was at an angle, so she looked at Autumn from upside down.
She’s done it, Autumn realized. She’d found someone who would change her because Autumn had refused. Whoever it had been hadn’t done the process correctly, and this is what she’d become.
“Oh God, Mia. What have you done?”
Mia opened her mouth to speak, but she started to gag. She retched, her mouth stretching open. Hundreds of tiny spiders pushed from between her lips and flooded out over her face and across the floor. Autumn screamed, reaching to slam the bedroom door shut in the face of this monstrosity. She staggered backward until she backed into the bed.
“Blake, oh God, Blake. What can we do? How can we help her?”
She turned to him, just as the baby spiders began to appear from beneath the bottom of the door. But his skin was white, his dark eyes covered in a milky sheen. He opened his mouth and she saw his tongue was black and rotting.
“I don’t know, Autumn. I’m dead, remember?”
SHE BOLTED UPRIGHT, a scream issuing from between her lips.
A hand touched hers and she looked down to find Mia crouched beside her. But her dream stayed with her and she yanked away again, barely repressing another scream. Sweat coated her skin in a sheen, her heart beating hard in her chest. She clenched a hand to her sternum, trying to control her breathing.
“You had a nightmare,” Mia said, gently.
Autumn nodded. “I know. It was horrible.” Then she remembered Blake holding her, how he’d said he would never leave her, and tears filled her eyes. “Horrible, and kind of wonderful at the same time.”
Mia gave a half-smile. “You want to talk about it?”
Autumn tried to put the image of spiders flooding out of Mia’s mouth out of her mind, and shook her head. “No, I’m fine. It was just a bad dream.”
She lifted her gaze to the rest of the room. The sky had begun to lighten beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, and people were starting to move, the engines of the vehicles roaring to life, the headlights of some of the cars lighting the forest surrounding them.
“Where’s Lakota?”
“He’s with Thorne and David. They’re doing the rounds, making sure everyone is okay, especially those who shifted for the first time last night. He’s also letting everyone know we’re leaving soon.”
Autumn nodded. “I hope Chogan, Peter, and the others find us quickly.”
“Me, too,” said Mia. “I miss Peter.”
“I guess I miss Chogan, too. Is that weird?”
Mia shook her head. “Not at all. Chogan is the closest thing you have to Blake.” She paused and then added, “You have feelings for him, don’t you?”
Autumn thought for a moment. “Yes, but not in the same way I felt about Blake. I don’t know, it’s all so confusing. I mean, if Blake hadn’t …”
“Dumped you, and then got himself killed?” Mia offered. “If that hadn’t happened, there never would have been any possibility of you being interested in Chogan.”
“Yeah, I guess. But I’m not interested in him. It’s too soon. Far too soon.” She didn’t want to tell Mia that she’d already kissed Chogan when Blake had still been alive. Nauseating guilt swept over her. She couldn’t let herself think about it now. She had bigger things to worry about.
Brushing off the last residues of sleep, she got to her feet and prepared herself mentally for what lay ahead.
Chapter Ten
THE CONVOY CONTINUED its journey down the freeway. Most of the new shifters had turned back to men and women again, but a few—in particular the birds—stayed as their animal guides and soared on ahead.
Autumn rode with Lakota, Mia, and David. Thorne had acquired a bike and rode up ahead, acting as though he thought he was some kind of body guard. They spoke only when needed, and Autumn sat with her elbow rested on the passenger door, her chin in her palm, staring out onto the road. She was desperate for news from Chogan and the others, wanting to know what they’d discovered, but at the same time the idea of them returning with Blake’s body filled her with dread. Seeing him like that would make it all real. She didn’t want to come face to face with his body, but if she didn’t, she doubted she’d ever move on. She’d spend the rest of her life hoping and wondering. Every time she caught sight of a man with Blake’s broad shoulders or skin coloring, her heart would leap, thinking it was him.
They drove without incident, occasionally new people joining the convoy, while some others left, only to catch up again later.
They would be approaching Minneapolis soon and would need to decide if they were going to risk going through the city, or around it. If they went through, they might pick up more supporters, but they might also run into trouble. Also, it would be a lot harder for Chogan and the others to find them in the midst of a big city.
She sank back into contemplation again.
Where the road had been spookily quiet, a small group of vehicles now headed north on the opposite side of the freeway.
Autumn’s heart lifted with joy as she caught sight of the approaching motorbikes and car. It might not be them, but she thought she recognized the old Honda as the same as the one that had left the previous day. But then she remembered the vehicle possibly contained Blake’s body and her insides twisted with sickening pain. Would she be able to bring herself to look at his face, inert, and touch him, perhaps even kiss him goodbye, knowing his skin would be so cold when once he burned so hot?
The approaching vehicles slowed and then drew to a stop. Lakota did the same with the truck, the cars and bikes behind them slowing to a stop as well. The moment Lakota stopped the vehicle, she threw open the door and jumped out onto the freeway. She ran across the asphalt, leaping over the barrier to get to the northbound lanes.
The door opened and Chogan’s familiar figure stepped out, his long hair down and swinging as he turned. Autumn rushed into his arms, and he gave a surprised ‘oh,’ before his arms wrapped around her and encased her in a tight squeeze. She had to admit, it felt good to have him back. Whatever else had happened between them, she felt better when he was around.
She hugged him back. “I’m glad you’re safe.”
Nadie got out of the passenger side. Autumn froze as a strange woman climbed from the back, followed by a little boy. Chogan looked over to them and took a step away from Autumn. The woman was strikingly beautiful, with long dark hair worn in a high ponytail, clear, porcelain skin, and almond shaped, emerald green eyes. Anxiously, she glanced at Chogan.
Who was this woman?
“What happened?”Autumn asked him, forcing her focus away from the new arrival. As far as she could tell, they didn’t appear to have Blake’s body. “Did you find Blake and Tala?”
Chogan shook his head. “Blake’s body was gone.”
“Gone?” She frowned. “Why would it be gone? Who would have taken it?”
“No one would have taken a dead body.”
“What are you saying?”
“That we think there might be a chance Blake is still alive.”
Her heart felt like it was breaking all over again. “No. Don’t you do this to me Chogan Pallaton! Don’t you tell me he is dead, and then decide he might be alive after all. Do you know what this is doing to me?”
He reached down and took both her hands. His dark, intense gaze bored into hers. “I know exactly how you’re feeling because I feel the same way. Despite all of our differences, he’s still my cousin. I love him too, Autumn.”
She hung her head in shame. “I’m sorry.”
Lakota had followed her across, albeit at a slower pace. She turned to him, tears in her eyes making her vision sparkle. “Did you hear, Lakota? Chogan thinks Blake might still be alive.”
The older man grew serious. “Tell me why?”
“His body was missing,” said Chogan, “and it didn’t appear to have been dragged by animals or anything else. We can’t think of any reason why someone would carefully carry a dead body—especially considering the men who would have found him would have been the same soldiers who’d been hunting us.”
“Why didn’t you detect that he was still alive when you left him? You should have been able to pick up on something like that.”
“I was exhausted and frightened. Maybe I made a mistake. Maybe part of me wanted him to be dead so I was free to escape.”
“Chogan!” Autumn exclaimed, horrified.
He shook his head and clutched a hand in his hair.
Mia ran up to Peter, who climbed off the bike he was riding. He kissed her and then added to the conversation. “Or there’s a chance the soldiers had someone with them who was medically trained. Blake could have been dead when Chogan left him, but the soldiers managed to resuscitate him.”
Autumn found she didn’t want to believe the worst of Chogan. “Yes, I’m sure that’s it.” All the muscles in her body tensed in excitement and nerves. “So what now?”
A number of others, including Thorne and David, drifted over to find out the news.
Chogan turned his attention to the ex-government men. “Is there anywhere in the area, other than the place they held Autumn, where they might have taken Tala and Blake?”
David shook his head. “Not that I know of. It would make sense for them to go there, especially if they were in need of medical attention. The facility is fully equipped.”
Autumn looked around at the faces of the others. “So we go to the facility then?”
“You want to go back there?” Chogan said.
“We don’t have any other choice. I know they were already keeping people there, so it makes sense, and perhaps we can help those people at the same time.”
“Think about this carefully,” said Peter. “Blake was …” he corrected himself. “…is my friend, but we don’t know what we’re getting ourselves into by going back to the facility. Look at all the people you have behind you now, Autumn. This was supposed to be about us taking the city back, about making the military retreat so they wouldn’t be able to capture shifters and make people live in fear. You’re talking about changing the whole plan just for two people.”
“Would you do it for anyone else?” Chogan asked.
“He’s not just anyone.”
The determination was clear in her voice. Nothing anyone said would make her give up on Blake if there was the slightest possibility he was alive.
The men nodded, and Mia gave her a small smile.
Autumn took a deep breath, regrouping her thoughts. “Anyway, I’m not talking about changing the whole plan. The plan to take back Chicago remains. I’m simply talking about a detour and a stop-off along the way.” She looked around at their faces, faces she’d grown to trust and rely on. “Okay, so what do we have in our favor?”
“A shit load of shifters for one,” Chogan said with an amused chuckle. This was the first time he’d seen the results of Autumn and Lakota’s work.
“We also have Calvin Thorne and David, both of whom know the facility,” she added.
“We were coming to rescue you from it when we met you before,” mused Peter. “I guess our destiny was always to get into that place.”
“And meet Vivian Winters,” added David.
Autumn had almost forgotten about Vivian. She didn’t relish the idea of coming face to face with her again, but she did want to tear everything the other woman was working toward to shreds.
She turned to the two men who used to work at the facility. “David, Thorne? Can you get us in there?”
They glanced at each other and nodded.
“I still have access codes,” said Thorne. “Though they might have changed them by now.”
“It won’t matter,” said David. “I can override the access codes. We can get into the facility. I’m not saying we won’t be opposed, but I can get the doors open.”
Autumn took a steadying breath. “That’s all I need to know.”
She left the small group standing on the other side of the freeway and headed back to Lakota’s truck. At least her indecision about Minneapolis had been decided for her. They wouldn’t be going anywhere near the city now.
Wanting to address her people, she jumped on top of the roof of the truck.
“Change of plan, folks,” she called out, as loud as she could. “We need to stop by and access and destroy the hub the woman controlling the war against shifters is directing her people from. While we’re there, we need to find Blake and Tala Wolfcollar, Lakota’s son and daughter. We believe they were taken there and have been held captive, the same as I was. They may be in need of medical attention. Others are there as well, people I saw who have been kept because of their paranormal abilities. The more people we can release, the better. Let’s put an end to the experiments, rescue Blake and Tala, and put a real spoke in the wheel of Vivian’s attempt to round up and imprison shifters like animals in a zoo.”
She’d worried her people would have argued against her, questioned her and doubted her motives, but they roared their agreement and her heart swelled with pride. What had she done to earn such amazing support?
Chapter Eleven
SOMETHING HAD CHANGED.
Though unable to put his thoughts together coherently enough to explain, he could only imagine himself as being closer to the surface. No longer was he surrounded, suspended, in a black nothingness. Now he sensed the change in light, shadows falling across his consciousness, and even a bright glare every so often.
And he didn’t feel alone anymore. That wasn’t in an emotional sense—he’d never felt more lonely in his life—but he sensed others around him, even caught a faint voice every now and again, like his brain was a radio being tuned and only now and then did he pick up on a station.
He still couldn’t remember what had happened to him, or even what his name was, though at least now he knew he should have a name. Before, he thought nothing at all, just drifted mindlessly, but now thoughts were starting to piece themselves together in something close to meaning.
Pressure against his eyes focused his attention, and then one of his eyelids was yanked up. A white blast of light hit him in the eyeball
, making his mind recede from the intrusion. The light withdrew, but his eyelid remained held open. A face appeared in his vision, huge and distorted due to the proximity.
Male? Female?
His jumbled thoughts tried to piece together what he knew of how to distinguish between the two …
Thick eyebrows, a thin mouth, a cleft chin.
This was a man, but not one he recognized. Or at least not that he remembered. The man frowned down at him and then turned his head to address someone standing out of his view. A woman’s voice came, stern and commanding. The man nodded before removing his hand.
His eyelid dropped shut, and once again, his world returned to darkness.
Chapter Twelve
MIA HAD NO intention of letting Peter out of her sight again anytime soon. She gave him a moment to inform Autumn of what they had discovered and discuss the plan going forward, and then she sidled up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her head against his chest.
She let out a sigh of relief.
He laughed and kissed the top of her head. She moved back slightly and lifted her face for a proper kiss. Peter didn’t disappoint her. His fingers cupped her chin and his mouth lowered to kiss her both firm and tender.
“Did you miss me?” he murmured against her mouth.
“Every second.”
He grinned and hugged her close. “Me, too.”
The traveling arrangements were changed again, with David switching the stolen car to Peter’s bike, allowing Peter and Mia to ride the next leg of the journey together and in comfort. David was happy to take the bike to ride up front with Calvin Thorne. The two men were in charge of leading them back to the facility, so, although David proclaimed it had been years since he’d ridden a motorbike, it made sense for them to be leading the way.
Mia was pleased to have the car to themselves. Just spending time alone with Peter felt like a rare treat. She couldn’t wait until their lives reached some kind of normality—whatever that meant for them now—and they could spend every moment together. She wanted them to sleep in a regular bed, curled up around each other, to wake in the morning, have long, slow, lazy sex, and then get up and have breakfast and read the papers together. It might seem boring to some, but she longed for that stability with all her soul.
Autumn's War (The Spirit Shifters Book 4) Page 7