Therian Prisoner

by Cyndi Friberg

  “Are they hoping I’ll jump you?” He didn’t need to make it sound so distasteful. “Don’t they know we’re enemies?”

  Already he was rubbing his legs and shifting his hips. “They threw us together because we’re enemies and yes, they expect you to jump me.” And she had every intention of fighting him off with the last breath in her body.

  He raised his face again and their gazes locked. “Never gonna happen. I’ll jerk myself raw before I stick it in a cat.”

  Her smile was shaky at best. She’d experienced the full force of the drug, while the hunger was just starting to build inside him. “Hang on to that hate, puppy. It’s our only hope.”

  * * * * *

  “Why would we believe one word Carly spoke?” Kyle objected. “She’s Osric’s whore.”

  “Is there a better option?” Payne’s Czech accent always grew more pronounced when he was tired and they were all exhausted now.

  They’d liberated—and then destroyed—the secluded mountain lab less than two days before and already Kyle had rejoined the search for Devon. Despite his mother’s urging to take a few days off and trust his friends to finish the job, Kyle couldn’t rest until he knew his beloved sister was safe. Ian couldn’t blame him. Everyone who knew Devon was frantic with worry. And Kyle’s concern was augmented by a major helping of guilt.

  Kyle was the youngest Therian cougar ever to lead his clan and many established members of the feline network were trying to take advantage of his youth and inexperience. When Lokesh, a powerful jaguar leader, offered to support Kyle’s positions if Kyle would allow him to mate with Devon, Kyle had reluctantly asked Devon if she’d agree to the match. Devon’s reaction had been spirited and decisive. She’d told Kyle she would never allow herself to be used as a political pawn and took off without telling anyone where she was going.

  For the first few days Kyle allowed Devon’s rebellion and “gave her some space” to work through her feelings. But days turned into weeks and her calls became text messages, leading Kyle to wonder if Devon was still in control of her phone. By the time Kyle accepted that something was seriously wrong, Devon’s trail was beyond cold.

  They sat now in a diner off I-25. Ian had asked the other two to meet him when his cursory sweep of a supposedly abandoned facility proved it was anything but. He looked from Payne to Kyle and back before he explained. “The complex was exactly where Carly said it would be, but it wasn’t deserted. In the short time I was there, an SUV drove up and two grunts unloaded an unconscious body. Young male would be my guess. Then a silver Lexus drove away.”

  Kyle shook his head. “Even if they’re using the old lab again, how do we know that’s where they took Devon?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Ian stressed. “We have an obligation to help any Therian, not just Devon.”

  “You’re right.” Kyle rubbed his eyes as he sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m too damn tired to think straight right now.”

  “Americans.” Payne rolled his eyes in mock disdain then grinned at Ian. “I am made of sturdier stuff. You can count on me.”

  “Unfortunately you can’t fly and I’m sure as hell not carrying you all the way to Wyoming.” It was more natural for Ian to shift into a golden eagle than to manifest wings, but years of practice had enabled him to master the skill.

  “You could fly on ahead and we’ll follow in one of the trucks,” Kyle suggested. “At least that way we’d have some warning if the situation has changed since you left.”

  “I don’t think I could hold the shift that long. I’m almost as tired as you are.”

  “When it comes to stealth, Ian and I are a far better team. You go home to mommy and get some sleep.” Payne punctuated the provocation with a lazy smile. “Leave this to the adults.”

  Kyle glared at the lion-shifter but didn’t argue. “What if you need backup?”

  “This is recon, nothing more. Payne’s right. You look like shit. Go get some sleep.”

  Kyle hesitated a minute longer, obviously reluctant to bow out.

  “If Ava were waiting at home for me, I wouldn’t hesitate. If you’re tired of her already, I’d be happy to—”

  “Not in your wildest dreams.” Kyle pushed back his chair and stood. “You’re welcome to crash at the sanctuary when you’re done. It will save you a trip into the mountains and back. If this place is as hot as you say, we’ll want to plan the attack quickly and pounce.”

  Ian nodded. “We’ll see how long this takes. If it’s not too late, I’d love to sleep in my own bed for a change.”

  Payne chuckled. “You would have to fly me to Prague for such a luxury.”

  Ian tossed his keys to Payne as they exited the restaurant. “Your eyes are still focusing, aren’t they?”

  “For now.”

  Ian slumped in the passenger seat and closed his eyes. “Stay on I-25 until you hit the state line. I’ll navigate from there.”

  “You are not going to entertain me. How rude.”

  Something about the way Payne rolled his Rs struck Ian’s funny bone. Desperately needing the release, he laughed until his cheeks hurt and his companion was glaring with real annoyance. “Sorry. I get irrational when I’m this sleep deprived.”

  “Then go to sleep.”

  Ian rolled his shoulders and his neck popped, releasing a knot of tension. “I’m too damn tall to sleep in a vehicle, but I’ll keep the hysterics to a minimum.”

  “Glad to hear it.” After a few minutes of companionable silence, Payne asked, “Do you think they are ready to deal with the aftermath of her captivity?”

  “They will be so relieved to get her back alive, the rest won’t matter.”

  “Are you sure? Devon has been at their mercy for nearly a month. That is a long time for any female, much less one as innocent as Devon.”

  “Devon is stronger than you think. She’s Erin’s daughter after all.”

  Payne shot him a sidelong glance. “Are you trying to convince me or you?”

  “I’m glad you didn’t go all doom and gloom while Kyle was still around. Why the sudden pessimism?”

  “Resentments run deep between felines and canines here, but you have not experienced the devastation of a true clan war.”

  “Not in the past century,” Ian grumbled.

  “To je pravda. I forget how old you are. My point was only that I have seen the sort of atrocities that erode a person’s soul. I think Kyle and Erin need to be prepared for anything.”

  “Erin Lashton is the most patient and companionate person I’ve ever known. And as you so kindly pointed out, I’m old as dirt.”

  “Erin is also Devon’s mother. She will not be objective no matter how hard she tries.”

  “I hear you. I just prefer to cross that bridge when and if we come to it.”

  “As you say.”

  Payne lapsed into silence and Ian stared out the window. It was hard to think of Devon as anything but a precocious adolescent. He knew she was a woman now, but the majority of their interaction had been while she was in her early teens. He’d lived in a guesthouse owned by the Lashtons after a tragedy left him so consumed by rage he could barely function. Erin had helped him process the anger and accept the underlying loss. Then, last year, when Erin lost her mate, everyone expected Ian to claim her as his own. But he refused to mate without a true soul bond and with Erin he’d never felt the pull. She was the closest friend he’d ever had, but their relationship had never been romantic.

  Devon had been thirteen when he moved into the guesthouse. For the first few months she’d watched him with a mixture of fascination and fear, but little by little her interest took on an entirely different light. He’d been chopping wood one afternoon, shirtless and covered in sweat, when he spotted her spying on him.

  The memory was crystal clear and surprisingly poignant. He’d lodged the ax in the tree stump and spun around. “Little girls shouldn’t spy on grown men. Tends to get grown men shot.”

  She stepped out from behind the tree
that had failed to hide her completely and held her arms away from her body. “I’m unarmed.” Mischief gleamed in her clear green eyes, making her look older than her thirteen years.

  There was no way in hell he was going to encourage a schoolgirl crush, especially when the schoolgirl was his best friend’s daughter. So he put his fists on his hips and did his best to look foreboding. “What do you want?”

  “I know my father can be an ass at times, but he won’t let you steal his mate.” She stood a little straighter and raised her chin. “Leave my mother alone.”

  It was a convenient excuse and they both knew it. She hadn’t been watching him out of loyalty to her mother. “What makes you think I’m interested in your mother?” She’d blushed to the roots of her shiny black hair and he wanted to bite off his tongue. That hadn’t been much of a discouragement, so he made himself perfectly clear. “Go back to your house, Devon. There is nothing for you here.”

  Too flustered to argue, she’d dashed into the trees, leaving him with the oddest ache in the center of his chest. He still remembered every nuance of her innocent face and the hurt clouding her eyes.

  He’d seen her often in the following years, but he’d made sure they were never alone together. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust himself to resist her appeal. He just wasn’t taking any chances. Erin meant too much to him and Devon deserved someone as young and untainted as she was.

  Payne turned on the radio as Ian let his mind wander. So much had happened in the past few months. The conflict with the wolves seemed to escalate daily and they kept identifying new enemies.

  They’d been fighting the radical obsession of the Abolitionists for years, but now they had the name of the person who called the shots. Nehema. Unfortunately they didn’t know a whole lot more than her name. What had inspired her ongoing crusade to wipe out Therian males and “rescue” Therian females was still a mystery.

  In fact, they’d thought the lab was an Abolitionist facility until the raid revealed an entirely new, and far more dangerous, enemy. According to Carly, one of the project doctors, a group of three “backers” funded and controlled the ambitious project. Therians were captured and experimented on in an effort to unlock the secret of their metamorphic abilities. The raiding party had freed all of the Therians being held captive in the lab, but Carly warned them that there were other facilities.

  “You are brooding, my friend.”

  “And we both know that’s not like me?” Ian glanced at Payne and smiled. They’d known each other longer than most of their friends had been alive. The average Therian lived one hundred and twenty-five years. Payne and Ian were both exceptions to the rule. Ian even more so than Payne.

  “We will find her.”

  “I know. But we could all use some good news right about now.”

  Payne made a dismissive sound that was entirely European. “Finding Jake’s sisters before they were harmed was not good news?”

  “Of course it was. Jake deserves all the happiness he can find after all he’s taken on. I just feel sorry for Erin and Kyle.”

  “We have all had to deal with misfortune and loss. The Lashtons are strong, as you say. They will be fine. You will see.”

  Ian shook his head and raked his hair with his hand. “Platitudes are clearly not your field of expertise.”

  “Only for you do I even bother trying.”

  They passed the sign welcoming them to Wyoming a few minutes later and Ian said, “Take I-80 east for about twenty miles. Then it gets tricky.”

  It was dark by the time they reached the second turnoff, so Ian missed it as Payne flew past. “Damn it. Things look considerably different from the air. Turn around as soon as you can and…” Payne steered the truck sharply left and cut across the deeply rutted median. “Or that works too.” They took a nondescript exit a few minutes later and continued on in the correct direction. “Three miles down, there’s a dirt road on the right. I don’t think it’s marked, so we’ll have to watch for it.”

  “You watch for it. I will drive.”

  “Fair enough.” Ian found the road and Payne navigated the truck onto the uneven surface. “You’re going to have to kill the lights or they’ll see us coming.”

  “What about the engine?”

  “We’ll park as soon as the complex is in sight.”

  Payne pulled over as well as the road allowed, and both men climbed out of the truck. “Why don’t you fly over and take a look. An eagle would be less conspicuous than a lion.”

  “Good point.” Ian drew energy into the center of his body, allowing it to build as he visualized his favorite bird, or at least the one he shifted into most often. With an ease achieved through centuries of practice, he flowed from human into eagle and shifted right out of his clothes.

  Chapter Two

  Devon watched Dhane pace the cell, wondering if his control was about to snap. His entire body was tense and ready to spring and still he kept his distance from her, muttering various feline slurs under his breath. He could insult her all he liked if it helped him keep his hands to himself.

  Her last injection had been the day before, unless they’d dosed her while she was unconscious. The effects had been so different that she’d wondered if they changed the formula or if her body was just adjusting to the chemicals. Rather than driving her into a sexual frenzy, she’d felt generally aggressive and restless as hell. She’d still felt lustful, but the symptoms had been more painful and far less humiliating.

  If Dhane had been given the more recent formula, there might be hope for them yet.

  “Dhane, you’re going to have to—”

  “Shut up!” He tossed his head then kept right on pacing. “Wolves do not screw cats. You are not worthy of my seed.”

  “Well she’s worthy of mine.” The guard laughed, his lecherous gaze boldly assessing her body. “Care if I take her for a spin?”

  Dhane growled, his skin gleaming gold as he wildly tossed his head. His shift was smooth and effortless, fueled no doubt by his heightened emotions. An instant after his wolf solidified, he charged. His shoulders slammed into the bars hard enough to rattle the cage as he snapped his teeth repeatedly at the guard. The human scrambled back so fast he smacked into the wall.

  “Holy shit. Roberto said he could…I never thought… How’d he do that?” With much belated urgency, the human drew his pistol and pointed it at the wolf.

  “If you shoot him Roberto will kill you.”

  Devon drew her legs up onto the bunk and wrapped her arms around her knees, struggling against the ache building inside her. So the Italian’s name was Roberto. Thank the gods for incompetent guards.

  “This is unbelievable,” the guard muttered to no one in particular.

  “You’re new, I take it?”

  Dhane resumed his pacing, not bothering to shift back. The transformation had seemed intentional. She didn’t think he was feral, just restless as hell. Was being torn apart by a wolf better than being screwed by a wolf-shifter? She honestly wasn’t sure.

  “What do you turn into?” The guard’s bravado resurfaced as suddenly as it had abandoned him. He lowered his weapon but didn’t put it away.

  She wasn’t in the mood to indulge a curious human, but his obvious inexperience was interesting. Could she capitalize on his ignorance? “He’s lost control,” she said in a stage whisper as if Dhane weren’t three feet away. “You’ve got to get me out of here.” Dhane’s head came up and he shot her an impatient glare. She ignored his confusion and pursued the potential opportunity. “He’ll tear me apart and that’s not what your boss has in mind. Weren’t you told to separate us if he transformed?” Determination made her voice shrill enough to pass for terror.

  “He said to move the wolf if you two screwed. You didn’t, so the door stays closed.”

  “It’s not my fault! I would have let him but he wouldn’t touch me. You’ve been watching us the whole time. Did I try to stop him?”

  “If I open the door that thing will
come after me.” The guard’s arm came back up and he pointed the pistol in Dhane’s general direction, but his hands shook so badly there was no way he’d do any damage.

  “I won’t give him enough time. Just unlock the door. I’ll do the rest.”

  “But…”

  “Hurry! It’s my only chance.”

  Finally understanding the ruse, Dhane turned toward her and bared his teeth. His ears laid back and his low growl sent a shiver down her spine.

  The guard looked up and down the corridor, eyes wide and barely blinking. Then he pulled the keys off the clip on his belt and approached the door. Dhane continued to snarl as the fool unlocked their cage.

  Before the guard could yank the key free, Devon jumped off the bunk, leapt over Dhane and shoved the bars open with all her might. The guard flew backward as Dhane emerged on her heels. Without reluctance or pause Dhane jumped into the air and caught the guard by the throat. With one vicious twist of Dhane’s powerful jaws, he ripped open the guard’s throat and ended his life.

  “There’s one more, so stay alert.” Dhane head-butted her thigh, a silent objection to her needless warning. She crept along the corridor, scanning with all her senses. Dhane’s head came up and jerked to the left several seconds before she smelled cigarette smoke. The wolf had a damn good nose. “Fine, you lead.”

  The corridor ended at the same metal door that had set off the alarm earlier. She looked for a way to disable the alarm, but Dhane growled his impatience. “Is he near the door?” To her astonishment the wolf nodded. Cats communicated telepathically while in animal form, but she’d never interacted with a Therian wolf before. “All right. I’ll throw the open door and let you out. Can you handle the rest?” Dhane tilted his head and gave her an exasperated look. “Sorry. We’ll go on three. One. Two. Three.”

  She shoved the door wide and waited for Dhane to lunge past before she stepped out into the blustery night. The alarm blared until the door swung shut, then the sound was mercifully muffled by the barrier. She kicked the guard’s rifle out of reach as Dhane took him down. The shadows concealed most of the carnage. All she could see was Dhane’s grayish fur as he straddled the guard’s chest.