The Shifter's Choice

by Jenna Kernan

  Zharov rose from the floor, rubbing the place where his head had cracked the wall.

  “Lam. Don’t. There has to be another way.”

  “There isn’t.”

  Sonia’s capture had made everything so clear. Johnny didn’t hesitate. He had to rescue Sonia even if it meant he’d be a werewolf forever because he couldn’t live knowing he might have saved her and didn’t. She was his family, too. Not the kind you were born into but the kind you choose. He pushed the plunger into his arm. Mac’s blood mingled with his. Either way, he’d have no regrets because he was doing all he could do to save her life.

  The rush of power flooded his nervous system. He threw his head back and roared as his body shifted, stretched and transformed into his wolf form. His senses buzzed to life. He headed out the back, charging up the mountain, following the scent trail that was now as clear as an open highway.

  Nine vampires and two were familiar to him. He recognized their odor. These were the ones who had escaped the first attack, back in California. This time, none of the vampires would escape because he planned to kill every last one.

  I’m coming, Sonia. Please don’t die.

  * * *

  Johnny tore over the open ground, leaping like a lion over the rocky pinnacles and dangerous chasms. How did those vampires beat their perimeter alarms?

  Sonia’s image floated before him, urging him on. He knew he would catch the vampires and he knew he would kill them. But he did not know if he would be in time to rescue Sonia and help Mac or if he would be there only to exact revenge.

  The promise of her recovery and the pain caused by the possibility of her impending death stabbed at his heart, peaks and valleys of hope and despair. He loved her. That truth he could no longer deny. He would rescue her if he could or he would die in the attempt.

  The scent of the vampires grew stronger with each powerful stride. He followed Mac’s trail, straight at those purple-faced monsters. He could find Brianna’s sweet fragrance there, as well. He scented Mac’s fear and Sonia’s terror. He knew Mac’s upset came from the same place as his own. He did not fear death, except the death of the one he loved.

  Close. He was close now. As he tore into the cover of the jungle he heard the helicopters thumping blades as they sought a visual on the escaping vampires. But Johnny knew, even burdened with two women, the vampires moved too fast for even a werewolf to see. It was one of many advantages to the bloodsuckers. They were fast and they could only be killed by opening a vein and keeping it open until they bled out. Impossible for a human to accomplish because the vampires healed so damned fast. But they couldn’t heal a wound inflicted by a werewolf. Advantage, werewolf.

  Vampires had teeth strong enough to puncture a werewolf’s hide and, once open, they could inject their deadly poison. They used a little to stun their prey, but they could inject enough even to stop the heart of a werewolf, if they got a good hold. Advantage, vampire.

  He pictured Mac facing nine of them. Seeing them only when they slowed to take a bite. Brianna could see them, too. She could also move as fast as they could. But only if she were free.

  He heard Mac’s roar an instant before he broke from cover and took in the scene. Two vampires were down, bleeding out, one decapitated and the other torn nearly in half. Four surrounded Mac, circling like hyenas as another two held Brianna and Sonia. He didn’t think. Just acted on instinct, leaping at the closest vamp and using his front claws to puncture its lungs as he tore a bite out of the side of its neck. He dropped the dying carcass and bounded toward Sonia’s captor who released her, pushing her at him like a weapon as he ran. In an eye’s blink he had vanished.

  Johnny changed direction and swiped at Brianna’s captor, tearing away the side of his face. Screaming, the vampire released her instantly, baring his teeth and lunging. His movements were lightning fast. Johnny could not see them, but he blocked and got in a lucky blow, sending the bloodsucker reeling. It took only one more slashing cut of all four of his claws to tear through flesh until he contacted the thing’s spine. It writhed and screeched, not recognizing it was already dead. Even its ability to heal would not save it because the blood poured in a river from the artery that supplied the lower half of its body.

  “Look out,” shouted Sonia.

  Johnny ducked and rolled, coming to his feet as another vampire sailed past him in a vain attempt to land on Johnny’s back. He saw Brianna chew at her bonds and Sonia grab a rough bit of volcanic slag to saw through the bonds at her legs. Then she stood and removed her belt.

  Johnny turned to help Mac, seeing he had killed another and now faced two more. One disappeared. A moment later Brianna screamed. The thing had her and was vibrating as he prepared to vanish with her. Sonia stood only a foot away. She had wound her belt around her hand, the buckle on top like brass knuckles. She smashed her fist into the creature’s cheek. Flesh seared as it screamed and released Brianna who vanished instantly. The vampire reached for Sonia who had time for one backward stride before it had her.

  Johnny leaped and got hold of its leg cutting the calf muscles to the bone. The vampire screamed and crumbled to the earth. That would teach him to touch Sonia. Let’s see it run with no Achilles tendon, Johnny thought. He used his claws like a mountain climber’s crampons to climb the bloodsucker’s downed body as if it were K2. When he reached the thick thigh, he twisted its leg to expose its inner thigh and he sliced with his right and his left, opening deep gashes, shredding the femoral artery that spouted in a red fountain like a dying sperm whale. The thing made a last lunge at Johnny’s throat and Johnny cuffed him with an open hand. He died in a pool of his own warm blood.

  The remaining vampire rushed Mac and got so close to biting him, Johnny saw the poison squirting from his distended fangs. Johnny flipped, grabbing his enemy’s head and twisting until he heard a snap. He knew that wouldn’t kill him, but it gave Mac time to bite its neck, tearing away a massive amount of muscle and bone. Mac then dropped the body to step onto the center of his enemy’s lower back gaining better leverage. He twisted until he severed the head, tossing it away. It came to rest in a tree, the eyes still blinking and its lips still moving.

  Johnny looked to Mac who held up two fingers. Johnny scanned the ground finding seven bodies. Mac had told him he scented nine. Johnny had scented nine, as well. He knew the scent of the vampire he remembered calling the shots in California. None of these scents matched.

  One had run. One had been long gone when Johnny arrived.

  Now they faced a dilemma. Track the two remaining vampires or get Brianna and Sonia to safety.

  Chapter 16

  “Brianna?” Johnny heard Sonia call for her friend.

  The female vampire reappeared before her husband who was still a blood-covered gray werewolf and threw herself sobbing into his arms.

  Johnny gathered Sonia up in an embrace. She held tight, clutching the fur at his chest, the bloody belt dangling from her trembling fingers. He wanted to tell her how brave she had been, but that could wait. There were still two vampires loose and if they didn’t kill them, they’d be back.

  He stroked her head and relished the feel of her tucked close to him. He’d done it: he’d gotten to her in time and she was alive. That was all he wanted in the world.

  Johnny lifted his head to see Mac and Brianna locked in a similar embrace. The two marines caught each other’s gazes and Johnny motioned in the direction the retreating vampire had taken with a slight gesture of his head and then lifted his brows. Mac shook his head, glanced at his wife and then back toward the base. Johnny understood. He wanted to take them to safety. He drew back and Sonia met his gaze. He started to sign.

  Sonia watched him, speaking as he gestured. “He says, ‘We need to go after them now or they’ll come back with more.’”

  Mac could not sign but he shook his head. He was taking Brianna to safety. Johnny started signing again.

  Sonia shook her head, not liking his idea but she translated word for word. “
He says, ‘They can’t fly. Get the women to the helicopter and then we can track the bloodsuckers.’”

  Mac nodded and started off in the direction of open ground. The journey seemed to take forever with Mac and Johnny scenting the air and listening for signs of attack. He knew he wouldn’t see them. They moved too fast. Brianna could, however, and she kept her head swiveling as if she were center court at Wimbledon. Once on the rocky ground above the cover of the jungle it didn’t take long for one of the pilots to spot them. Johnny loaded Sonia onto the helo and Brianna kissed Mac’s furry cheek.

  Once they were away, Mac and Johnny communicated wordlessly. They found the trail of the vampires and pursued. Both were determined to finish this and them. Surprisingly, the two vampires did not separate, which would have been a better tactical move. Perhaps the vamps didn’t feel pursuit was likely because they had the advantage of speed. True, they were faster than werewolves for short stretches but they lacked the endurance of the wolf.

  Mac and Johnny followed their scent trail over ground and through a short mostly natural volcanic tunnel that undermined the fence system and broke ground beyond the reach of cameras and sensors. The trail lead overland from there and continued all the way to the docks, ending at a sixty-eight-foot yacht.

  Mac and Johnny surveyed the vessel. Close quarters gave them a large advantage because their quarry could not outrun them here. But the vamps had speed and knew the layout of the vessel. Both Mac and Johnny recognized that the vampires might have set an ambush. One quick attack, one bite and the vampires won. But if Johnny and Mac could get a hold of them, they would finish them.

  It was hard for a nine-foot werewolf to go unnoticed and as they had feared, the vampires had human sentries who sounded the alarm with a cry and gunfire before Mac got on deck and threw the shooter overboard. Johnny took out the other two humans, heaving one into the water after his comrade. He could sense the vampires stirring below decks and Johnny and Mac separated, blocking the two exits.

  The first ran right into Johnny’s arms. He tried for Johnny’s neck as Johnny opened his and left him to bleed out on the steps. He met Mac before the main cabin. One vampire left and he was behind that door.

  “I know you’re out there,” said a male voice. “I also know my associate is dead. I have a deal to propose.”

  Mac made a snorting sound, dismissing any deal. Johnny kicked down the door.

  The vampire stood with his back to the window, his white eyes seeming sightless and his mottled skin a mask of scarlet and purple blotches. God, he’d seen snapping turtles who were better looking.

  “Others of my kind know our position. If you kill me, more will come.”

  Mac pulled up extending his hand to Johnny.

  The vampire spoke very fast now. “I have to report in. If I don’t, they’ll know. But I could lead them away from here. Keep her safe while you escape.” He let his words die.

  Mac looked to Johnny who drew a finger across his throat. He didn’t trust this vampire. Better to kill him than leave him knowing their position.

  Mac stepped back behind Johnny and transformed. Johnny kept his eyes on the vampire, waiting for an opportunity to kill him.

  “Why should I trust you?” asked Mac.

  “Because you are a marine. We work much the same as you. What would happen if a squad did not check in?”

  Johnny and Mac exchanged looks.

  “What are you offering for your miserable life?” asked Mac.

  “I will depart for our next location. I won’t report any trouble until I am in, let’s say Japan. That gives you time to move to one of the locations we have searched, Europe, Africa, North America. We haven’t finished the Middle East or South America. They are all looking for her there, too.”

  Johnny knew why the vampires would go to such trouble for one of their own. Mac had told him how rare Brianna was.

  “This female we hunt is special, you know,” said the vamp. “First generation. Her mother was an actual Leanan Sidhe, a true fairy muse. So this halfling can bear children from vampire or humans. But I don’t know if she can bear your young. To my knowledge there has never been such a liaison between natural enemies.”

  “Maybe if you didn’t keep your women captive, they’d be more likely to stick around.”

  The vampire laughed. “Look at me, Captain. What woman would willingly choose this?” He motioned to his deformed face. “The rest of me is just as pretty. My kind does what it must to survive.”

  “What’s your name?” asked Mac.

  “Burne Farrell. We met briefly in California.”

  When he and Mac had killed all but two of his men, Johnny thought.

  The vampire glanced at Johnny. “Your friend was in werewolf form then, too. Brianna said that this one can’t change back. Is it true?”

  Johnny growled. Why would Brianna tell them this?

  “Why should you care?” asked Mac.

  “Just curiosity. We’ve never seen that before. Did you know that you cannot sire werewolves? Unlike Vampires, werewolves are made, not born.”

  Johnny saw Mac’s shoulders sag with relief before he stiffened again. His captain had never mentioned children to him. Now he knew why. Mac didn’t want to pass his wolf trait to his babies. Johnny realized it was a problem he had not even anticipated, Sonia having his children, the children being werewolves. He narrowed his eyes on Farrell, feeling a renewed sense of hate. The vamp might have killed her.

  “Why should I believe you?” asked Mac.

  “I have no interest in helping you create more werewolves. Why would I lie?” He flicked his gaze back to Mac. “So, do we have a deal?”

  “You might just as easily call in more men.”

  “I might. Or I might value my life more than you do.”

  “All right.” Mac extended his hand.

  Burne drew his closer to his chest and stared at the offered hand then glanced at Mac. He was wise to be cautious. Mac could kill him just as easily while in human form. Finally Burne accepted. Mac clasped his hand and pulled him in so that their noses nearly touched.

  “She’s my wife, Burne. If you visit us again nothing will stop me from killing you.”

  Burne cowered and Mac released him.

  “Understood.”

  “You’ve got ten minutes to be off this island,” said Mac. “We’ll be tracking you. If you turn back, I’ll have your ship blown out of the water.”

  “As you wish. Until we meet again, Captain,” said Farrell.

  “We better not.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. We often work with your government agencies. Our paths might cross after they let you off your leash.”

  “Ten minutes,” said Mac and left the vampire and his dead comrade on their floating morgue.

  * * *

  Sonia sat next to Brianna as their helo circled far above the island. The view would have been incredible if she was not sick with worry over Johnny and the captain. Finally the pilot received the call that the marines were both safely back at base. She was so relieved that Johnny had not gone through with the treatment. That, even more than their rescue from the vampires, filled her with hope and joy that lifted her like a bubble in sparkling wine.

  When they touched down, Major Scofield waited and hustled them into a secure facility. The major seemed more harried than usual to Sonia, though still thoroughly in command.

  “Lam and MacConnelly are waiting inside.”

  The marines guarding each entrance snapped to attention at their passing.

  Scofield continued speaking as he returned their salutes without breaking stride. “You gave us a scare, Brianna. I thought you could outrun them. That was the only reason I gave you permission to live off base.”

  Brianna glanced away.

  “It was my fault, sir,” Sonia said. “She came back for me and they caught her. She saved my life.”

  The major stopped and turned to look from one to the other. “That was very brave, Brianna. But if it e
ver happens again, you run. Touma is a marine. She knows how to fight.”

  “I hate to contradict, Major, but no human can best a vampire unless the vampire is lying on a bed of iron and even then I’d advise extreme caution.” She looked at Sonia and her eyes twinkled. “Though Corporal Touma did manage to use her belt buckle to burn the face of the one holding me. Kept him from making off with me and gave Mac and Johnny an important edge.”

  The major stared at Sonia and smiled. “I’m not surprised. She’s a Devil Dog, after all.”

  Sonia felt a painful bubble in her chest. It took a moment to recognize the unfamiliar emotion as pride. She smiled at the major and he returned it with one of his own. Then he motioned for them to precede him.

  “Let’s get you two secured. Lam and Mac are waiting. Lam, however, is in some very deep shit.” The major followed them into a bunker of a room, located two floors down and surrounded by volcanic rock. “Oh, apologies for the language.”

  Why was Lam in trouble, Sonia wondered. Before she could ask, the major left them. Brianna drew a chair from the conference table and dragged it to the far corner of the room. Sonia sat at the opposite side, restlessly jiggling her leg as they waited.

  A few minutes later Mac entered the room, tall and handsome in a uniform that showed fold marks on the trousers. Brianna rushed to meet him, kissing her husband with an enthusiasm and vigor that made Sonia’s cheeks go hot. Johnny was not right behind him and Sonia grew worried. The major stepped into the room and cleared his throat. Mac pulled away from his wife, seeming to only just notice them.

  “Where’s Johnny?” Sonia asked.

  “I ordered him to the medical unit,” said the major, “So they can check him out. Damn stupid thing, he did. Brave, though. Very brave.”