`No,' Lilly said without hesitating, without looking away. Wilson's gut churned. `His heart belongs to you, Sally. We're close, but not like that.'
`I see how you look at him.'
Wilson sweated. The SUV cabin had become very hot.
`I won't lie,' Lilly almost whispered. `I have feelings for him and being around him makes me feel safe. We spent the night together. Ruth told you the truth. But there was no sex, or even a kiss.'
Lilly put a hand over her heart, touching the scars. `His enemy is mine. They tried to take me but I survived. I fought back.'
`Enemy?' Sally looked at him. He had never spoken much about them much. Just that they were terrorists.
`A very dangerous group of people,' Renee said, her voice firm. `Cruel, violent and with no regard for life.'
`Jesus, Renee,' he muttered. The conversation was heading into dangerous ground.
`It's okay, Wil.' Sally leant forward until she could touch his arm. `Ruth warned me a long time ago that there could still be a threat. I'm not that naive. What happened to your family was terrifying and I accept that being with you has always been a risk.'
`So you understand, then, that the danger is very real.' Lilly sounded surprised.
`Of course,' Sally said, sitting back looking between him and Lilly. `I've seen the knives Wil tries to keep hidden from me and the gun Ruth keeps in her handbag. Even at the house I see things, the security system and cupboards with steel doors with locks. They're for guns, aren't they?'
`Yeah.'
`Told you she would see through everything,' Renee said, focused on the road. `He's been so worried about you freaking out about everything.'
`Thanks for that,' he muttered.
`He does that — worry too much.' Sally smiled at him. `But I was more freaked out when I saw you, Renee. I thought he had found someone else in Sydney. Glad I was wrong.'
`You're safe. He's not my type.'
He caught her quick glance at him. No sign of a smile.
`Anything else you want to know?' Lilly asked.
`Um no, not yet.' she said coyly. `I kind of feel a bit awkward now. I didn't expect everyone to be so open about this.'
He smiled, that's my Sally. `You're telling me,' he huffed, still trying to settle the ripple of nerves in his gut. `So this means you're okay now, with us?'
`Down!' Renee shoved his head down and he heard the unmistakeable pok pok pok of bullets smacking into the windscreen.
Sally's muffled scream made him buck against Renee's grip. `It's bullet-proof!' he yelled, pinned under her hand.
`Shit! Get up, then!' Renee cursed as the SUV shuddered, losing traction.
Wilson twisted in his seat, seeking out Sally.
`She's fine, Wil,' Lilly said, arm around Sally's shoulders.
`They're right behind us,' Renee growled, driving her foot flat, getting the SUV back onto the bitumen.
`Sal?' He reached over touching her leg. She was so white.
`I'm fine! Just get us out of here, Renee.'
`Working on that.' Renee swerved side to side. Wilson tried to see the car behind them. In was another SUV. Green. Veering from side to side with them. Why hadn't he sensed Bloodells?
`They're not,' Renee said, hands white on the steering wheel. `Hired guns, nothing more.'
`Just the one SUV?' He punched the glove box button, ignoring that Renee seemed to know what he had been thinking.
`So far,' she said, glancing in the side mirror. `Could be scouts. I only saw two in the SUV and they're using small calibre firearms. I'd guess they didn't expect to see us out and about.'
Wilson knew what she was trying to not say. Things could have been a lot worse if it'd been a prepared ambush. `Slow down.'
`What?'
`Slow down and keep it straight.' He flicked open a concealed console in the glove box. `Max always builds nice surprises into our cars.'
`They're right on us.' More bullets smacked into the back of the SUV. `Do it now.'
He pressed the red button, well aware of what it would do. `Put your foot down.'
Their SUV surged forward. A dull noise shook them.
`Oh my god,' Sally muttered, looking out of the back window. `We did that?'
`Yep,' Wilson said with satisfaction as he watched the green SUV cartwheel behind them engulfed in flames. Max's grenades had been very effective.
`Chances are they alerted the people who hired them,' Renee said. `We have to work on that.'
`Let's hope Dad is awake.' Wilson hoped Sally didn't hear the worry in his voice. `We're gunna need him.'
`True,' Renee said, checking her mirrors again, sounding calm. `But he is still asleep.'
He nodded, catching her look. She couldn't hear Mason. If Renee couldn't hear him then Dad was still lying on the bed, unaware.
`You can let my hand go now, Sally.'
Wilson turned. His senses were all alive. He could just about taste Sally's fear and excitement. Her heart pounded loudly. Lilly's heartbeat was much calmer but her excitement also filled the air. Everything felt sharper.
`Thanks,' Sally let Lilly go. `Dear god, Wil.' She wiped sweat off her brow. `That was surreal. Like we're in the movies. They wanted us dead?'
`Yep.' He didn't say any more. More would be bad.
`Is it happening again, Wil? Like last year?'
`No,' Renee said, her voice deeper. `This time it will end.'
Her eyes had blackened and Wilson found he no longer cared that she could become Huntress in a second.
Sally sat quietly. He tried not to look, not trusting his own body, not wanting to know what Sally thought about what Renee had said. He was hot, itchy and agreed with Renee.
What was more, they didn't have a lot of time. Bloodells would come and they would have to fight. But they had come to his town and soon they would come to his home. He had avoided conflict for so long, but now it had come to him.
Anger stirred where once he'd felt only fear.
The Bloodells would pay.
Scarla staggered and fell to the forest floor. The teleport had been hasty, uncontrolled.
`SEEK, FIND AND REPORT,' boomed into her mind, the thick collar that was the link biting into her neck.
`I need to feed, Mistress, please,' she whimpered, lying on the dry leaves. `Eat first then seek.'
`NO.'
Scarla wailed as the collar tightened, digging its claws into her already torn flesh. Her scales offered no protection against this. The collar began to crush her neck.
`SEEK.'
`Yes,' she gasped when the collar relaxed enough for her to breathe. `I find, and then I eat. Seek I shall,' she muttered, getting to her feet. She called her gift forward, covering her scales. She became part of the forest. `But is He I shall find, you bitch.' She spat blood, getting her bearings from the sun.
Something familiar touched her. Mason. To the north. She smiled, letting her long tongue run over her sharp teeth. `And if I live. I will ask him to tear this foul thing from my neck.'
She took in the minute particles of Mason's unique scent. `Then, Mistress, you will taste the anger of a True Unnatural.' She snorted and moved off towards the north, feeling invigorated. She had to find the strength to keep going and to survive the day.
CHAPTER 30
Ruth lay on her bed, Mason cold beside her. Nikki studied herself in the wardrobe mirror.
`It's growing fast.' She stroked her swelling abdomen.
`We have to tell them tonight, Nikki.' Ruth stretched as Nikki pulled her blouse off.
`Maybe.' She grinned and fell onto Ruth, hands seeking out her sex. `But first I want you again.'
Ruth didn't resist, moving her legs so Nikki could pull her panties off. `You're a bad girl, a very bad girl,' she muttered as Nikki's fingers found her sweet spot.
`Yes I am, Mrs Douglas.' Nikki kissed her neck. Ruth closed her eyes, relishing the pleasure of Nikki's fingers and the warmth of her skin. `It's because I love you,' she whispered, biting Ruth's neck.
Ruth smiled, wrapping her legs across Nikki's back. `You say that easily.' Pleasure built in her as Nikki moved her fingers and bit her again.
`It's the truth.' Nikki nibbled her ear. Ruth held on tightly, tears threatening to build.
`Kiss me.' She craved to taste her again. Spice and ice filled her mouth as lips pressed against hers. She spasmed, waves of pleasure hitting her as Nikki bit her lip.
`I want to be with you, love you and have our baby,' Nikki whispered, kissing her on the cheek. `You're addictive.'
`Hmm,' Ruth hummed, basking in Nikki's warmth. She wanted her, more than any other woman.
Nikki slipped a hand under her top, teasing her nipple. Pain flashed across it. `Careful,' she muttered. Another small wave of pleasure washed through her and the heat from her nipple faded.
`Ruth.' Nikki's fingers slowed in her. `Ruth, you're lactating.'
`Can't be,' she said. But, even as she spoke, Ruth knew Nikki had spoken the truth.
Nikki rolled away and she pulled off her top, touching her breasts carefully. Beads of moisture seeped out as she massaged them.
`You are lactating. And they're sore.'
`Can't be,' Ruth whispered again. `Maybe it's because you're pregnant? Or a hormonal imbalance from all the stress. I've never had it before.'
`You've never been through what's happened in the last few days either.' Nikki touched a nipple, making Ruth wince. She laid her hand flat on Ruth's breast. `Can you sense a child within?'
`What?' Ruth touched her stomach without thinking. Could she be? No. `I can feel nothing. Can't be. We weren't even meant to have Wil.'
`The human part of you was,' Nikki said. `But you're not human anymore. You're so much more. You're Gaia's oracle. You wield her power and part of her is in you.' Nikki sat up with an odd half-smile on her face that made Ruth hold her breath. `She is the goddess of fertility, Ruth.'
`We haven't had sex since the island.' She glanced at Mason beside them. `It's just been you.' No. It's not possible.
`We were both lost in each other that night at the lake house,' Nikki whispered as Ruth rubbed her stomach. `Love, sex and passion covered us for hours. Even after what we took from Mason, we made love again.'
Oh god, Ruth thought. The night had been intense. She'd loved Nikki long into the night. `We did.' Her words came out as a hoarse whisper as she fought the urge to believe what she was hoping.
`Ruth.' Nikki kissed her hand. `We made love and created our children that night. Our family.'
Ruth lay back. `When you say our children that includes Mason as well? You understand that, don't you?'
`I guess so.' Nikki looked at her with wet eyes and Ruth wanted to kiss her, but she had to be clear.
`You have to accept him as the father.' She pulled Nikki up to her face. `Whatever happened to you in the past stays in the past. Mason is the father. We made the decision, without him, to try it. Now it has worked, we think. Mason is my husband and father to our children. Even though he didn't have sex to create the child, believe me, he will see it as his own. This I know, Nikki. Say you understand this. Please understand.'
`I feel it in you. The words carry the truth.' Nikki caressed Ruth's stomach. `But to me, it was our love that brought the children to life. It's not Mason that I love or wish to share my life with. It is you. I will not let him control our lives or our children.'
Ruth sighed, touching Nikki's face. `You have no idea who he really is yet. The day he held Wilson for the first time, I saw right into his soul. Mason would love and protect Wilson, even give his own life. Then that day when I thought I had lost Wilson at the funeral…'
She swallowed, trying to keep the tears at bay; the memory was so vivid. `When Mason rolled him over covered in blood, it was then I knew Mason would die that day if Wil had gone as well. The connection he has with Wil — he is part of his soul, his blood. That day Mason did what was needed to protect his child.'
`He became Butcher,' Nikki whispered, wiping the tears off Ruth's face.
`Yes,' she said taking hold of Nikki's face. `Even through the madness that followed, I always knew he did it to protect us. To protect Wil. He will do the same for our children, even though we did this. You are still the child's mother, Nikki. Mason will never do anything that hurts us or the children.'
`You have so much belief in him,' Nikki whispered, staring into her eyes. `Even though you know he will be angry. He will really see the children as his own and accept them?'
`Yes, and you have to as well, Nikki.'
`In time, perhaps,' Nikki said sitting up. `Mason is not the only one we have to worry about.'
Ruth nodded, finding it hard to concentrate on the here and now. She was excited. Could she really be with child?
`Renee will be—' Nikki leapt up off the bed and stared out of the doorway.
`Nikki?' Ruth pulled her clothes back on. `What's wrong?'
`Renee. Angry. I can just feel her.'
Nikki ran out to the main veranda. Ruth followed, still feeling light-headed.
Ruth staggered as she reached out, feeling for Renee, for the connection they'd shared earlier. Heat, anger and Huntress snarled back at her. `Christ!'
`You feel it too?' Nikki grabbed her by the arms. `What is it? What can you feel?'
`Anger. Danger. Something's happened.' She gripped the handrail. `She's angry all right, but I can't get much more.'
Nikki cursed, spinning back to face the forest. `Try to wake Mason again. I'll make sure we don't have any unexpected visitors.'
Ruth focused. Danger was close.
She needed Mason.
Scarla scanned the house.
Mason's scent strong. He was inside.
`REPORT.'
`She is here, Mistress.' Scarla let a false excitement fill her voice. `Butcher is not here, just his women. And the one you seek.'
`PREPARE. WE COME.'
`Mistress,' Scarla smiled, breaking cover from the trees and heading for the house. She let her glamour fall away. This time she needed to be seen. He was here and she would be freed.
Wilson watched the road ahead as Renee drove the SUV hard.
`Ten more klicks to the house,' Renee said, sounding strained.
Flashes of the creature he had seen back at the Darkells' house moved under her skin. Like Dad, he thought, watching her nails darken. She was getting ready to kill.
`Can you feel him yet?' he whispered so Sally wouldn't hear.
`Fuck.' Renee swerved as the road in front of them was torn up.
They heard the thump-thump of a helicopter — with a gun, that was firing at them.
`They're above us,' Wilson said, as the menacing shape shot over the top of them, its mini cannon clear on the underside. Renee gunned the SUV off road into the trees.
`Get out,' she ordered, jamming on the brakes.
Wilson strained to see where the helicopter had gone. The words caught him by surprise. `What?'
`GET OUT!' Huntress screamed. Renee had gone. A hard white face looked back at him. Claws grew from her fingers. `RUN.'
`Out! Lilly, get Sally out.' Wilson understood. He leapt out of the SUV, grabbing Sally as Lilly joined him. Renee would draw them away.
`GO, BOY!' Huntress ordered.
He felt her touch his mind. `Trust your instincts and live.'
She gunned the SUV and tore away from them. Overhead the sound of the helicopter circling back reached him.
`Move. Over there towards that pile of logs.' Wilson pulled Sally behind him until she caught up. Lilly flashed past, rolling a log to reveal a small hollow behind. `In. Get in.' He helped Sally crawl into the space, then followed. Lilly slipped in beside them and pulled the log back into place.
Sally, crushed against him, trembled. They listened to the helicopter growing closer.
`You're not the only one afraid, Sally,' Lilly whispered, moving to hold her. Her hand touched his.
`Once they follow Renee, we'll head for the house,' he whispered as the he
licopter hovered over the road. He could see the skids of the helicopter as it moved off, picking up speed.
`They've spotted Renee,' Lilly whispered.
Gunfire made him grit his teeth, fearing for Renee. `Time to move.' He nodded to Lilly who stood up, pushing the heavy log off them, and climbed out.
`That would be another surprise or two we need to talk about,' Sally whispered to him as she stood up, looking towards where Renee had gone. `But right now I'm glad she's here.'
`So am I,' Lilly said. `We've got to run and stay under cover. Wil, which way?'
`North along that ridge. It's the quickest and we can hide in the trees.' He already knew how they were going to get home.
Sally smiled as she tightened her shoelaces. `Well, I'm not strong like you and I'm going to even guess what Renee was, but running is something I can do.'
`Damn right, you can,' he said, grabbing her hand and heading into the tree line. `And today all that cross-country training you do is going to pay off. Stay with me. Lilly, scout ahead, make sure we're not running into a trap.'
`On it.' Lilly nodded and smiled before she ran ahead.
Wilson kept the pace brisk, Sally running beside him. Lilly flashed between trees ahead. Good.
`When this is over I'm going to cry for a week,' Sally said, not breaking her stride.
`What?' He managed to stay focused. Worrying about her distracted him. Renee had been right.
`Well, I've been shot at, chased by a helicopter gunship, seen some very strange things happen to Renee and Lilly.' She stopped speaking as they powered up a small rise, catching her breath as he glanced at her.
`We'll get through this, Sal.' He dodged around a tree as they raced down the other side. Sally hadn't slowed and he pumped to catch her up again. `You're angry.'
`Yes, I am, Wilson Douglas,' she growled at him, breaking away and forcing him to run faster.
`We can talk when this is over.' He ducked a branch.
`Damn right, we will,' Sally muttered. `After all we've been through you still couldn't trust me with the truth.'
Wilson watched Sally powering ahead of him. Instead of fear she felt anger. He shook his head. She still managed to surprise him, making him feel closer to her. He just hoped they would survive the day to have the talk she wanted.
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