All Hell Breaks Loose (The Hellcat Series)

by Sharon Hannaford

  Once they were alone, the gold locket in Gabi’s vest was a small but heavy burden. In the moonlight, Gabi turned to face Julius and pulled the piece of jewellery free. She held the locket out to him.

  “I’m sorry beyond words,” she told him.

  Julius reached for her hand and gently closed her fingers around the gold trinket. “It’s the way of life,” he said pragmatically. “I think he would like it if you kept this.”

  Gabi immediately shook her head. “You know I considered him a friend, but surely…” She tried again to give it to him.

  He allowed her to open her hand, but didn’t take it. “Open it,” he said.

  She chewed on her bottom lip but pulled it closer and depressed the tiny catch that held it shut. In the bright moonlight, the locket opened to reveal two tiny pictures, both of the same woman. She was dark haired and dark complexioned, but something about the shape of her face and the look in her eye reminded Gabi strongly of herself. Gabi was speechless. For all of Marcello’s teasing and flirting with every woman in sight, she’d assumed he had no sexual interest in women. She’d spent enough time with him to see how often he noticed attractive men. Julius sensed her confusion and cracked a small smile.

  “That is his sister, Michaela,” he explained. “She died of influenza a few years after Marcello was turned. He always hoped to meet her again, in the afterlife.” He took the locket from her fingers and dropped it back into her pocket. “He was always positive of the afterlife, even though he’d been brought up a Catholic. So many believe we are destined for the fiery pits of hell once we suffer the true death, but never Marcello.” His raw grief had ebbed to a weary sadness.

  Gabi nodded, wiped a tear from her cheek and then fell gratefully into his arms.

  They were standing exactly like that when Tim came running up to them minutes later.

  “Hellcat,” he gasped, panting a little.

  “Tim,” she said, pulling away from Julius. “Everything all right?”

  “Are you guys done here?” he asked, eyeing the smoke beginning to leak from the open doorway.

  “Yes,” Julius confirmed, “just making sure there is nothing salvageable left to find in the morning.”

  “Why, what’s going on?” Gabi asked, worried.

  “It’s mostly under control. There were a few pockets of resistance, but it went smoothly for the most part.” He looked at Gabi. “We need your help with Derek.” His voice was calm, but Gabi could sense the underlying concern. Her blood went cold.

  “What’s wrong?” she whispered.

  “He was injured, and he’s gone wolf. No one can get near him, and we’re worried he’s going to do himself further damage. Or kill someone.”

  “Shit,” Gabi swore, “let’s go.”

  The three of them sprinted through the dark airbase, dodging clean-up crews and vans already trickling into the base. Tim led them towards an area which, from Gabi’s memory of the aerial map, was the outdoor training area. Vampires were trying to steer others away, herding a group of unknowns towards one of the barracks buildings. Gabi knew the plan was to keep the Werewolves at the airbase until other arrangements could be made for them. Gabi slowed as they reached the scene. Several Werewolves in wolf form prowled the perimeter of a large, sandy training area restlessly. Gabi recognised one as Matthew. In the centre of the training area, two huge wolves stood eying each other warily. The sandy-coloured wolf was Kyle; Derek was the other, darker one. As the two wolves mirrored each other’s movements, both being careful not to give the other an opening, Gabi noticed that Derek was limping. Badly. As the moon burst out from behind a smear of cloud and illuminated the full extent of the damage, Gabi gasped in dismay.

  Derek’s left hind leg had been mutilated. Blood was pouring from an horrendous wound soaking into the sand beneath. The entire lower half of his leg was attached only by a section of skin and a few tendons. It had been severed at the knee joint. Gabi swallowed heavily, dread filling her. Not even a Werewolf could heal that sort of injury. They needed to get him to medical help immediately, before he bled out.

  She left the other two at the perimeter, trusting Julius not to follow too closely. She rushed to join Kyle, hoping his proximity would keep Derek’s wolf from attacking her on sight.

  “Hey,” she said to him, coming up on his right. His wolf answered with a little whuff, but didn’t take his eyes from the injured wolf. The rest of the world disappeared as she breathed in deeply, gathering her strength. Then she focussed and threw it straight at Derek. “Stop,” she boomed.

  The wolf turned to her, its silver-grey eyes narrowed in anger.

  “We’re here to help you,” Gabi said in a low voice, allowing her energy to wind around the enormous creature, threading her power with feelings of safety and security and trust.

  The anger in the eyes gradually ebbed, changing to pain and weariness.

  “Lie down,” she directed, gently but firmly.

  The wolf fought the command for a few seconds, but then relented, carefully lowering himself to the sand and collapsing on his right side. Gabi concentrated on breathing again as she began the process of forcing him to Change back. She didn’t know if it took seconds or minutes, but finally, she felt the wolf reluctantly subside and begin to withdraw.

  Darkness clouded the edges of her vision, and she suddenly felt a thick pelt of fur under her fingers. She reached out and gripped the wolf’s shoulder for support, knowing by scent that it was Kyle. Derek’s Change finally began, and medics rushed forward with blankets and emergency kits. Gabi swayed for a moment, trying to blink back the encroaching black. Then cool, muscled arms swept her up against a cool, muscled chest, Kyle’s fur slipping from her fingers.

  “Got her, Wolf,” Julius said.

  Gabi gratefully allowed her head to fall onto his shoulder, curling into his chest as she breathed through the dizziness.

  “You okay?” he asked quietly.

  Gabi nodded even though she felt anything but okay. Kyle joined them then, in human form with a blanket wrapped around his waist.

  “Thanks, Hellcat,” he said, his voice quiet. “I was beginning to think we’d lost him.”

  “Good to see you alive and kicking,” she replied, giving him a backhanded whack across the shoulder. “That’s for getting yourself kidnapped.”

  He pretended to grimace in pain.

  “He’s going to lose that leg, isn’t he?” Gabi asked. She already knew the answer.

  “Yeah.” Kyle blew out a breath. “I don’t think there’s much chance of saving it. Even if we did, it’d never be the same.”

  “Send him directly to the Estate,” Julius said. “I’ll have Jonathon ready and waiting.”

  “Do you think I should go with him? Just in case?” Gabi asked. She didn’t want to leave until she knew everything had been settled here at the base, but right now Derek was more important.

  “He’ll be okay now, Gabs,” Kyle assured her. “The medics will keep him sedated. He won’t be able to go wolf.”

  She nodded, still torn. “Perhaps you should go to Trish,” she suggested gently. “She’ll be beside herself with worry, and it’s really close to time.” She nodded up at the moon, which was only a few days from full.

  “Yeah, okay,” Kyle agreed. “That’s probably a good idea. If you don’t need me here?”

  “We’ve got it,” Julius assured him. “The Blackriver Pack will take first watch here, then there’s a rota system with the rest of the Packs, until the Society and the Packs can make other arrangements.”

  “We’ll join you at the Estate as soon as we’ve finished up here,” Gabi told him. “Let us know if anything changes. Please.”

  Kyle nodded and loped off to commandeer a vehicle.

  It took the better part of three hours to get human soldiers sorted from the Werewolf ones, separate the trouble-makers and send them to lock-up at SMV HQ, and establish some kind of hierarchy between the Blackriver wolves and the rest. Jason’s so-called
recruitment team had been the first shipped off site to keep them from instigating further trouble. Gabi was called on repeatedly to help some hapless Werewolf back to human form, until Julius called a stop to the requests. The strain from each forced Change had wearied her to the point that she was struggling to put one foot in front of the other. After a few more curt orders to Alexander and Patrick, Julius simply gathered her into his arms and strode off through the airbase, carrying her. She wondered for a moment if he intended on carrying her all the way back to the Estate, then she saw one of the black SUVs parked near the main gate.

  Julius opened one of the back doors and deposited her inside. With one eyelid half cracked, she realised that Tabari was in the driver’s seat. She was about to protest being sent home alone with the Vampire she always felt uneasy around, but Julius climbed in the other side of the car and pulled her up against his chest. She snuggled in against him and relaxed, allowing her eyes to drift completely closed. She’d wake when they got to the Estate and be able to check on Derek.

  Kyle had called earlier to say that Jonathon had completed the amputation, and Derek was resting comfortably. He hadn’t come around from the anaesthetic yet. Trish had been stoic and composed, but had had a hard time keeping her wolf under control. Kyle sounded impressed by her efforts, though. Gabi was just glad she was okay. Derek was another story; how he was going to cope with this second, life-changing ordeal would remain to be seen. On that troubling thought, sleep claimed her.

  Chapter 25

  She hadn’t woken when they got to the Estate. She hadn’t woken when Julius carried her to the cottage they’d used the night of the bomb, and she hadn’t woken as he undressed and tucked her into the bed. She did finally wake the following morning to the sound of heavy metal music. It took her several seconds to remember that it was the ringtone on her cellphone. She tumbled out of bed and searched for the phone in the darkened room, trying to work out exactly where she was and how long she’d been asleep. Her brain was in neutral, or possibly reverse. When she eventually traced the phone to the kitchen counter, it had stopped ringing. A small chime announced the arrival of a voicemail. She glanced at the display. Byron. Byron had been calling, and it was mid morning, and they were in Rowan cottage at the Estate. That much established, she called voicemail and filled the coffee maker that had thoughtfully been left on the kitchen counter alongside a bag of choc-chip cookies. Byron sounded strained. He was requesting her presence in front of the Council that afternoon. She was deep in the shit, and she knew it.

  “Oh well, time to put the big-girl panties on,” she sighed to herself. The scent of fresh coffee permeated the air, and her brain slowly began to work in forward gear. She was dressed in a T-shirt from her overnight bag. She didn’t remember dressing herself, so assumed it had been Julius. She couldn’t see him leaving the job to anyone else. She went back to the bedroom and found him tangled in the sheets on the other side of the bed, dead to the world. Well, he deserved some rest. She was about to head off to shower when she noticed something on the small table next to her side of the bed. It was a single, deep burgundy rose, a small gift box and a note. She lifted the rose to her nose, pleasantly surprised by its delicate perfume, as she read the note.

  I took the liberty of arranging you a new car. I hope you like it.

  You may exact your revenge tonight, I’ve ordered extra tequila.

  Stand tall at your meeting.

  J.

  The box contained two small key cards. One was attached to a short chain sporting a small, perfectly sculpted lioness on the other end. The body was cast in gold, and the eyes were tiny green gems. She was beautiful.

  After a shower, a cup of strong coffee and a set of fresh clothes, Gabi felt ready to face the world. She opened the front door and stepped out only to freeze in surprise. She wasn’t sure what shocked her more. The fact that all the rubble from the main house had been cleared and work had already begun on the new one, or the three cars parked one next to the other in all their brand-new, gleaming, metallic glory. The first was a bright red Ferrari, the second was an Aston Martin Vanquish and the third, closest to the cottage was…well, she wasn’t quite sure at first. It looked like a cross between a supercar and an SUV. It was also red, but not the bright, garish red of the Ferrari. As she lifted the key card with the lioness attached, the SUV thing responded by unlocking. So this was her new car. She walked cautiously closer and realised with a jolt that she recognised the make if not the vehicle.

  “Lord and Lady, that’s a—”

  “Lamborghini,” Kyle finished for her, coming around the side of the cottage.

  “But it’s a…” Gabi just couldn’t finish her thought. Too many things were whirling through her mind. Foremost was that Julius had just spent a small fortune on a car for her.

  “It’s an SUV,” Kyle put in again, “but not as you know it.” He was clearly enjoying her state of bewilderment. “This thing has enough power that even you won’t be able to reach top speed.” He was still grinning at her. “I think your boyfriend’s realised you drag around a lot of gear and, with you adopting that idiotic dog, figured you’d need something with a bit more room than the average supercar offers. I don’t think it’s a bad compromise, personally.”

  The shock finally began to wear off, and Gabi walked closer to inspect it. It sure had the sleek, angular lines typical of a Lamborghini, but built well off the ground with large tyres. The interior looked distinctly space age. Kyle wasn’t wrong, the thing sure had plenty of room inside. She opened the driver’s side door and sat inside for a moment, allowing the strangeness of the situation to sink in. Then, noise from the construction site nearby brought her back to earth.

  “What’s happening? How’s Derek? And Trish?”

  Kyle held up his hands in defeat at the barrage of questions. “Trish is making breakfast, that’s why I came to see if you were up. I’ll fill you in as we walk.”

  Gabi climbed out of the car and shut the door, following Kyle in the direction of Hawthorn House.

  “Trish is doing remarkably well under the circumstances,” he said, pride clear in his tone. “She’s one strong woman.”

  Gabi nodded her agreement. Luckily, she felt the same way; she had the feeling that if she’d disagreed, Kyle would’ve sent her packing without breakfast.

  “And Derek?” she prodded, not sure she wanted to hear the news.

  Kyle took a few steps in silence and then stopped. They weren’t far from Hawthorn House, any closer and Trish would be able to overhear them.

  “He’s not coping very well right now,” Kyle said at last. “Don’t say anything to Trish; she has enough to deal with,” he warned her with a stern glance. “It’s very early days—I think he’s still in the shock stage, but he’s shut down from everyone. Trish is the only one he’s responding to at the moment, and even that is monosyllabic. The anger stage will come next, and we’re all on alert for that. I’m hoping Trish’s proximity will help him keep control.”

  Gabi nodded her understanding, but her heart was heavy.

  “The operation went as well as it possibly could.” Kyle had felt her despondency and was trying to be more positive. “Jonathon was very happy with the outcome. He even said that Derek would be up and around in a couple of days, and they’d be able to fit him for a prosthesis by the end of next week.” He pulled her towards him for a quick, reassuring hug. “He’ll be okay in time. We’ll all be here when he needs us.” He kept his arm around her shoulders and resumed their walk towards the delicious breakfast smells wafting from an open window.

  “So you and Julius are really on again, huh?” he teased her as they went inside.

  Derek had been distant and uncommunicative when she went in to see him. He’d come through the surgery well. He lost his left leg just above the knee. Gabi left after a few minutes, feeling frustrated and impotent. She knew her time to help would come later, once he’d begun to accept himself again. Only time, and a new purpose, would help him
heal.

  Just before lunch, Gabi and Kyle took the slightly intimidating Lamborghini and drove to SMV HQ. Kyle had his own debrief to give, as well as wanting to check on the troublemakers being detained downstairs. On the way he filled her in on what had happened while she slept.

  The blaze at the lab had burnt itself out by the time Byron’s fire truck had arrived on the scene. The clean-up crews had had a difficult night extracting the remains of the wolf-men and the bodies from the cold-storage. There had been nine bodies in total in the storage room: three wolf-man creatures and six humans, five of those had been infected with lycanthropy. They hadn’t recovered enough of Jason’s body to confirm whether he had indeed infected himself with the hybrid strain of lycanthropy. Gabi sighed; that wasn’t going to help her case.

  At least all traces of the research that had been conducted had been destroyed by the blaze. Very little remained of that section of the building besides ash and molten lumps of glass and metal. The bio-geneticist had spent the morning in the company of a Mind-bender, but Kyle didn’t know any more than that. Kimberley had had some kind of mental break once they’d revealed the true extent of what Jason had been doing. She’d been shipped off to a Shifter-run psychiatric recovery respite in another city. Once she was well enough, her punishment would be decided by the City Elders, but it would more than likely entail working for the SMV. The Werewolves remaining at the base totalled forty-two, and a further seven were being held at HQ. It was unlikely that all of them could be incorporated into the five City Packs without major ructions, so they were reaching out to Packs in nearby cities to try to accommodate some of them. The humans that were still on the base, including two who had worked in the lab, would get a session with the Mind-bender, and they would probably be found jobs where the SMV or the Packs could keep a close eye on them for a while.