Control

by Crissy Smith

  “We have to take the chance. We don’t have much time before they’ll be on their way, and we need those cameras off or Bradley will know we’re here,” Jackson stated.

  “If they don’t already,” Kieran commented.

  “I don’t think so.” Jackson held up an earpiece. “There’s no chatter yet.”

  Kieran breathed a sigh of relief. This might actually work. “To the left then.” He strolled a little deeper into their passageway while Jackson went over the plan with his men.

  Once Jackson was with him again, Kieran turned to his old friend.

  “I can’t believe we’re here again.”

  “It’s time for our revenge,” Jackson replied.

  “Just be safe,” Kieran said.

  “About that.” Jackson gripped his arm. “I heard what you made Remy promise. I need the same from you.”

  “No,” Kieran said automatically.

  “I won’t make it. I can’t go through this again.”

  “I do know,” Kieran said. “I won’t let them take you alive.”

  “Thank you,” Jackson replied.

  Kieran glanced at his watch. “We only have four minutes.”

  “So let’s run,” Jackson said before he sprinted off.

  He grinned as he followed Jackson deeper into the mountain. The adrenaline was so strong it seemed like his hearing was increasing. Finally, he could hear others walking around, talking and even moaning. He’d been right. They were headed to the correct location.

  Light began to bleed through. They crept the rest of the way to the opening and peered out.

  The room that had been built was a large space with the walls forming a circle that also showed the openings of four additional tunnels. Five guards stood around the area, laughing and talking.

  Kieran backed up, pulling Jackson with him. “Now what?”

  “We can take them.”

  “There’re cameras all over that room.”

  “So we’ll lose the element of surprise.”

  “We could wait for the others.”

  “No,” Jackson answered. “We’re too close.”

  Kieran nodded. “They’ll send more in as soon as they spot us.”

  “Dakota and the others will be here soon. Let’s clear the way.”

  “On the count of three,” Kieran ordered.

  Together they moved to the mouth of the gap. Kieran held up his fist then began the countdown. Once three fingers were in the air, they leapt out of their hiding place and attacked.

  Roaring filled the small space, but Kieran ignored the distraction. Instead he concentrated on each move. He was so focused he could see each strike and kick as if he was watching from afar. He didn’t understand what was happening with his senses and powers, but Kieran was going to use them to his advantage.

  He took out three before he heard Dakota’s call.

  She was coming.

  “Finish this off,” Kieran yelled to Jackson as he leapt to his feet. He darted through the opening in front of him, his instincts pushing him on. His vision narrowed until he could only see a small pinprick ahead.

  The lab.

  The scent of blood, bile, fear and agony were overpowering, but Kieran didn’t slow down. He knew it was just up ahead. He could taste the death in his mouth.

  He slid to a stop at the steel door. It was so familiar to him. Just like the one at Mount Fauna. He put his hand on the knob, forcing himself to continue. He yelped and jerked back as electricity scorched him.

  Fuck! He’d forgotten they did that. The guards had worn rubber gloves and always let the door open from the inside. They knocked. Three times.

  Kieran stepped back then raised his hand to the door and knocked, three times.

  “Who is that?” Someone asked.

  “One of the shifters that is scheduled,” another answered.

  The second voice sent a shiver of chill down his spine. He knew that voice. It’d been haunting him for years. Kieran took a deep breath and knocked again, three times.

  “Coming!” someone who had to be the guard yelled.

  Kieran moved to the side of the door and waited. As soon as the door opened, he slammed his fist into the opening and landed a hard punch to the guard’s face. He used all his strength and the guard went flying back.

  “What?” the doctor hollered.

  Kieran followed the guard in and slammed the door behind him. He turned and faced the hyena shifter. His heart was pounding, but Kieran didn’t know whether it was fear or excitement. He’d dreamed of this moment for so long. “Hello, Doc.”

  The asshole actually smiled at him. “Kieran, my pet.”

  The response threw him off, but he wouldn’t let the doc see it. He glanced over to the guard and saw him lying with his head angled wrong. Oops, looked like he’d broken the guy’s neck. He gave his attention back to the psychotic in front of him. The last time that Kieran had seen him, Kieran had been desperately clinging to life. As many times as he’d prayed to die and just have his pain end, Kieran was a fighter.

  “You don’t look surprised to see me, Doc,” Kieran said. He rolled his shoulders back and made sure he was at his full height. The years with the Organization had made him fit and he was proud to stand strong in front of his biggest nightmare.

  “Because I’m not,” the madman responded with a smirk. “I told Bradley it was a mistake to continue my research here after you came to town.”

  Kieran ignored the mention of Bradley for the moment. This was about him and the man who’d grinned and laughed as he’d tormented Kieran. “How long have you been here?” Kieran questioned. He wanted to believe that the fucking experiments hadn’t continued the entire time Kieran had been free. His stomach rolled just at the thought.

  “Since I had to leave you behind. We’d already begun work on this new establishment. You were going to be our first patient, but the Organization got too close.”

  Kieran snorted. “Establishment? It’s not exactly five star here.”

  The doctor sighed deeply. “I know. I’ve had to make sacrifices for the cause.”

  “The cause?” Kieran repeated in disgust. It’d been a few years, but it was obvious the doctor had seriously lost his mind.

  “To make the greatest supernatural creation ever.”

  “Why would you want to do that?”

  The doc shook his head as he walked over to a stool. He sat before spinning around to face Kieran.

  “Everlasting life, of course,” Doc answered.

  “There is no such thing.”

  “Not yet,” Doc agreed. “But if we combine the best genes of the shifters and your kind, we might be able to create something that can come close.”

  “We don’t need shifter genes. We can already do all that. That’s what makes my kind special.” Kieran made sure his tone held the right amount of mockery.

  “Except for the fact that most of you go crazy and end up homicidal.”

  “Except that,” Kieran admitted dismissively.

  The doctor waved his finger at him. “But you’re different. Even after everything that was done to you, somehow you never allowed the darkness in.”

  Kieran laughed. “Guess you haven’t been paying attention.”

  “Oh, you went a little crazy,” Doc said. “But you also formed bonds with your partner. A wolf shifter.”

  “And?”

  “And,” Doc continued, “you fell in love.”

  Kieran stiffened even though he really tried not to.

  “Don’t worry. I have a plan for the two of you. It doesn’t include her joining my little family yet.”

  “What plan?”

  “That, I’m not going to tell you. Not quite yet.”

  “Then I might as well kill you,” Kieran said.

  “You won’t kill me,” Doc said.

  Kieran let his fangs drop. It was time to use his rage. He wanted to rub his hands together and laugh, but that was over the top even for him. “Oh yeah, I think I will
.”

  “You’ll never get the answer you need.”

  “I don’t need anything from you,” Kieran said. He didn’t know what the doctor was trying to play at, but the shifter did love his games. “In fact”—Kieran crept closer—“I’m really going to enjoy this.”

  Kieran grabbed the doctor by the lapels of his coat, lifted him up and dangled him off the ground. His glowing eyes warned the doc he was about to lose some blood. Hell, even his mouth watered.

  “Do it!” Doc ordered. “Bite me, Kieran.”

  “Gladly.” Kieran bent forward.

  “Don’t!” Dakota yelled as she rushed in.

  Kieran snarled but turned his head to Dakota.

  “It’s what he wants,” she said. “And if it’s what he wants then you shouldn’t do it.”

  Chapter Eight

  Dakota hoped like hell Kieran listened to her, because she’d heard the doctor tell Kieran to bite him, and that wasn’t right. She couldn’t let this man hurt her lover ever again. He was trying to fuck with Kieran’s mind and that was unacceptable. If she hadn’t promised to bring in as many alive as she could, she’d slash his throat. Of course, she would have to shift back into her jaguar form.

  “Kieran, don’t do it.”

  His eyes were still glowing, but it wasn’t the same blue she’d seen before. Red bled through. He wouldn’t even be aware.

  “You have to stop.”

  “I want him dead.”

  “I know,” she answered. “But think.”

  He blinked and his eyes went back to normal.

  “Don’t listen to her,” Doc said. “She’s just jealous.”

  “What?” she and Kieran said at the same time.

  “See?” she pointed out. “Something’s off.”

  Kieran lowered the doctor and Dakota walked closer to him. She pulled out a pair of cuffs and secured him before drawing her fist back and hitting him as hard as she could. Kieran let the doctor drop to the ground.

  “That was my job,” he bitched. “And you’re naked.”

  Dakota laughed. “You can have the next one.” She stepped over the doctor and cupped Kieran’s face. “It was the right thing to do. There are too many unanswered questions. And I’ll shift back to my jaguar in a minute.”

  “I want in on his interrogation,” Kieran demanded.

  Dakota sighed. The Organization had their own team of interrogators who were trained to be the absolute best at extracting information. Kieran would be entering a dangerous situation. Walkers excelled at interrogation, but they didn’t last long in the position. They already suffered the dangerous affliction of going insane and attacking innocents. Very few managed to hang on to their humanity like Kieran. Dakota believed in her lover, but she still worried how any questioning of his enemies would affect him.

  “I’m not asking,” Kieran said.

  “Fine,” Dakota replied. “We still haven’t found Alex or the shifters.”

  “I’m not leaving him.” Kieran waved his hand at the doctor.

  “I’ll stay with him.” Gabe stepped into the room.

  Kieran glanced over at the bear shifter.

  “I trust him,” Dakota told her lover. “He’s my partner.”

  “I won’t let him out of my sight. I swear to you,” Gabe said.

  When Kieran still hesitated, Dakota gripped his hand. “We still need to get Bradley too.”

  She saw that connect with him so she pushed more. “Gabe will stay in this room with the doctor. I need you with me.”

  Kieran turned to Gabe. “He’ll mess with your mind. Don’t believe anything he says.”

  Gabe grinned then walked over to a cabinet. He sorted through a cabinet of some bottles before he held one up. “Got it.” He picked up a syringe next. “This will keep him out for hours. He won’t get a chance to mess with my head.”

  “Perfect,” Kieran responded.

  Dakota nodded at her partner before grabbing Kieran’s wrist and yanking him out of the door. “There’s more tunnels to search.”

  They raced back toward the center room that gave access to the other tunnels.

  “Which one?” Dakota asked.

  Kieran looked frantically around. “I don’t know. I don’t know.”

  “You have to decide.” His instincts had been spot on so far. “Which one?”

  “There’s two. I feel I need to be in two places at once. Damn it!”

  Shit, that meant they were going to have to split up again. She really didn’t want to do that. “Which two?”

  “This one.” Kieran pointed. “And that one.”

  “Fine.” She pushed Kieran toward the closest opening. “You go that way and I’ll take this one.”

  “Wait!” Kieran cried.

  Dakota spun back around. “What?”

  “Be careful,” he told her.

  “Always.” She winked at him. She dropped to her knees and called forward her animal. It took a little longer than usual, but eventually she was her large cat again. It always took a toll on her body to shift back and forth, but she’d had to return to human form when she’d heard the doctor tell Kieran he had a plan for them.

  She would be paying for it later, but she’d had to shift.

  Now she was back on all four paws, she sprinted down the tunnel. Their group had split up, so she was sure one of her team was already down this way, but that didn’t mean she didn’t need to be careful.

  As she ran, she listened for any sound, but it was hard to concentrate. The scents around her lowered all her other senses. She heard a scream and sped up. Dakota reached the gap in the cave faster than she realized. She tried to slow down, but her claws slipped on the smoothed-out ground and she flew out into the hall.

  She smacked the opposite wall with a thud.

  “Ouch, that sounded like it hurt.”

  Dakota rolled onto her paws and looked up. Damon stood above her, naked and grinning. She swiped her paw at him to get him to back off.

  “Okay, little cat,” Damon said. “I can smell my pack members close by.”

  So could she, along with other species of shifters. They’d found the rescued shifters. She could also smell death. They weren’t going to be bringing everyone back alive.

  Screaming split the air.

  “Come on!” Damon roared before he started to shift.

  Dakota leapt over him before she hurried toward the sound. When she reached the steel door, she rammed it, but it barely moved.

  “Here, let me.”

  She looked up and saw one of Jackson’s Walkers standing beside Damon. Dakota moved over and the Walker grabbed the handle and pulled. There was a groan of metal before the steel began to bend.

  Finally, the door came off the hinges and the Walker tossed it aside. Cages lined an entire room. The scent of shifters and death was so strong her eyes began to water.

  She stepped inside, but the Walker placed his hand on her back.

  “Be careful,” he said. “We don’t know if all the shifters in here are innocent.”

  Dakota paused before shaking her body. If she could get past the horrid smells inside, she could use her senses to find the injured and scared. She relaxed her body before taking another step. The first two cages were empty, but the third held a female cougar naked in human form. Dakota pressed her nose up to the cage. The female shifter started to shake and cry.

  Dakota called forward her human form.

  “It’s okay,” she told the young girl. “We’re here to save you.”

  “G…gggooooo away,” the cougar sobbed. “Thhhhhey’lll hurt you.”

  “No,” Dakota assured her. “They won’t hurt you anymore. We’re getting you out of here.”

  She yanked on the door, but it didn’t move. What the hell? She tried again. “What are these things made of?” she asked.

  “I don’t know,” Damon said coming up behind her. “Let’s try together.”

  Feet braced shoulder-width apart, she gripped one bar while Damon t
ook another. They started to pull. It took all her strength, but finally they were able to bend the cage enough for Dakota to get through.

  “We’re not going to be able to do that for all of them,” Dakota told Damon.

  “You’re right,” he agreed. “I’ll see if I can find someone who knows the codes.” He cracked his knuckles. “This might be fun.”

  Dakota shook her head and crouched at the gap they’d made. “Stay here, we’re going to get the others out.”

  The woman just stared blankly back at her.

  “Okay,” Dakota said and stood. She strolled down the line of cages, glancing at both sides. It worried her that many of them were unoccupied. Did that mean the others were already dead? Or were they somewhere in this maze of tunnels?

  “Alex?” Dakota stepped up to the last cage. The Walker was sprawled on his back. “Alex!”

  “They just brought him back. He’ll be out for a while.”

  She looked over at the last cell and the young man who’d crawled forward and spoken.

  “I don’t think they hurt him as much as they did the first time,” he told her.

  “Hi,” she said. “I’m Dakota.” She sniffed and the strong odor of wolf shifter assaulted her. “Are you Max?”

  “You know who I am?” he asked, surprised.

  “We’ve been looking for you. Your Alpha is with us.”

  “Damon came?” Max curled his fingers around the bars. “He really came?”

  “Of course he did. He went to find someone who knows the code to the doors.”

  “Five, one, one, three,” Max said.

  Dakota pressed the numbers into Max’s keypad and the door clicked open. “Oh my god, Max! That’s great. Is it the same for all the cells?”

  Max nodded. “Alex told me the code. He said I would need to know it to get out.”

  Dakota threw the door open the rest of the way and went over to Max to help him to his feet. “Can you stand?”

  “I think so.” Max climbed to his feet but lurched forward. Dakota caught him.

  “Come on. You need to help me with Alex.”

  “Yeah,” Max replied. “I want to help him.”

  Even with Max’s full mass, Dakota had no problem holding him up. The poor kid barely weighed anything at all. She lifted him up with her arm around his waist.