by C. C. Hunter
“I could morph,” Perry offered. “He would never know it was me.”
“He has the alarm for shifters,” Burnett reminded Perry.
“Then I can’t go in until after you’ve made the first move. And I’ll go in morphed.”
“We’re using gas to prevent any shifts.”
“I’ll shift before I go in,” Perry countered.
Burnett looked prepared to argue, but instead he let out a string of curse words and motioned for Perry to follow him.
* * *
Miranda, Della, Kylie, and Chase crawled into the school’s silver Toyota Corolla at eight that morning. Chase had been given the duty of taking Miranda to get her cast off. When Holiday had told her this yesterday, Miranda pleaded with Burnett to let them make one other stop. To see Anthony.
He was conscious, and they’d moved him from Dr. Whitman’s office to a safe house. They’d had to put extra guards to keep the injured vampire from leaving to search for Tabitha.
The story Anthony had given had gotten him mostly out of hot water with the FRU. He’d explained that he’d gone to the drug house before the explosion with his cousin Frank to pick something up. Anthony hadn’t known his cousin was dealing drugs, but he’d gotten suspicious.
When the FRU started questioning Anthony, he hadn’t wanted to turn his cousin in. Instead Anthony planned to talk Frank into turning himself in, hoping it would lighten his cousin’s sentence. But then the FRU threatened to deport Anthony.
When he told Tabitha, she’d concocted a plan for them to run away. Told she needed a second MRI, she texted Anthony and told him to meet her on the sixth floor. Only when Anthony arrived thinking he and Tabitha were going to try to make a run for it, he found Agent Farrell unconscious. A shape-shifter, one who happened to be one of the guys Anthony met at the drug house earlier, had Tabitha. Anthony fought him, grabbed Tabitha, and took off.
On the run, not knowing who they could trust, Anthony got a text from his cousin offering a safe place for them to hide. When they got there, Frank was dead. While he didn’t know why, they took Tabitha and were trying to get Anthony to give up Miranda’s whereabouts.
When Miranda walked into the hospital room and saw Anthony, she almost cried. He looked terrible, and he’d gotten that way trying to protect her. She went over to his bedside to hug him but was afraid it might hurt him.
The guy’s eyes were almost swollen shut. Because he’d lost so much blood, his healing process was slower than normal vampires’. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have protected her.”
Knowing the person who did that to Anthony had her sister sent fear banging against her ribs, but she dug deep to find a little faith and then told him her secret.
“Don’t worry, I’ve had a … a premonition. Things are going to be okay.”
Problem was, Anthony wasn’t the only one to hear it. As soon as they walked out of the hospital room, the questions began.
“What premonition?” Kylie asked.
“You had it while you were in the falls, didn’t you?” Della asked.
“If you know something you need to tell us!” Chase added.
Miranda hedged. “I don’t have specific details.”
They knew she was holding back. But she offered nothing else, especially because she had a sneaking suspicion that today might be the day she’d make a run for it. It would be easier to get away outside the school’s alarm system.
Miranda hoped it was so, because her gut said that Chase would waste no time telling Burnett about her non-specific premonition. And … mother crackers, she didn’t think she could hold out being interrogated by that man.
* * *
Burnett had driven a less expensive Mustang to the Galveston FRU agency. Perry hadn’t even noticed the scenery, he’d been too busy chewing on what was about to go down. And what would go down after that. His parents. They hadn’t talked about it, but he knew it was just left unsaid.
A mix of different supernaturals were gathered in a room with about twenty agents. The plan was explained. They had at least twenty men going in on all sides. Twenty-one after the first agent made it into the house, Perry had thought. Armed with gas grenades with a chemical to prevent shifts, and guns—guns loaded with both more anti-shifting drugs, and bullets that would kill a mad hippo—the agents seemed ready.
They would first toss in the grenades to prevent shifting, then there would be one warning shout out for Jax to come out and surrender. If unanswered, they would hit all four sides. It pissed Perry off that he wouldn’t be included in the original surge that would overtake the house. But part of what Burnett had said was the truth. If Jax knew Perry was behind this, the chances of him cooperating would be zilch.
And more important than Perry’s ego was finding Tabitha and keeping Miranda safe. Not that Perry thought Jax would offer up anything to help. His half brother didn’t have any feelings. He used people and then he killed them.
But Perry would do what Burnett requested. He wouldn’t go in until they had made their entrance. If he was already shifted, the smoke bombs shouldn’t harm him, but it would make shifting back slower, which, if fatally wounded, might be bad news. Not that he planned being fatally wounded.
They pulled up to the house in four vans. The large century-old home looked more like a fortress than ever before. Probably because he’d never stood outside the gate. The thought of any of these men losing their life from his half brother’s hand made this hard, the thought of Jax hurting the man who’d taken the role of big brother, made Perry uncomfortable in his own skin.
Perry sat in the back of the van, ringing his hands. Burnett, poised to follow the others out, glanced back at Perry. He wore the protective vest and a look of determination. “Not until they are in, and don’t let him know it’s you.” Their eyes met, and as always Perry felt Burnett’s affection.
As soon as the door closed, Perry moved forward. He opened the door a bit so he could make a quick escape as soon as he knew the agent had made his entrance. He shifted into an extra-large silver wolf. Burnett had made him tell everyone what he’d be shifting into, to prevent anyone from confusing him with any of the other shifters. He sat on the seat on his haunches, waiting, ready to run like the wind.
It happened so fast. The sound of glass breaking as the agents tossed in the gas bombs. The call for Jax to come out and surrender. The fireworks of guns exploding. The sound of doors being ripped off hinges and windows shattering as the agents made entry.
Perry leapt out of the van, his front paws hitting the ground with force. Before he even got to the fence he could smell the smoke bombs.
He heard screams. “Agent down! Agent down!”
More gunfire exploded, loud pops sounded all around the house.
Growling, thinking of Burnett, he took a flying leap over the seven-foot fence. The front door was ajar, he darted inside, knowing Burnett’s orders had been to enter the front.
The drapes were all pulled. Darkness and smoke from the grenades hung heavy in the house. He ducked his head lower to breathe clearer air, and kept going.
One agent heard him and swung his gun around. Perry saw the vamp’s finger twitch on the trigger, then relax.
More gunfire exploded in the back of the house. The agent and he ran at the same time. A female agent, a witch, lay on the wood floor, pain in her eyes, blood oozing from her shoulder.
A low growl built in Perry’s chest. While the vampire agent knelt to check on his fellow agent, Perry shot into the next room. He heard breathing—tight, nervous breathing. His powerful gift of scent put the guy on the other side of the door.
Right then footsteps sounded behind him. Perry looked back. Burnett stepped into the doorway. And that’s when the perp in the bathroom shot out, and bullets started spraying.
Perry dove in front of the man who’d been his mentor, friend, and brother. But as Perry took his own bullet in the side, he saw Burnett hit the ground.
* * *
Miranda
sat silent in the backseat. Chase pulled up at Dr. Whitman’s office, Tension rode shotgun in the car. Miranda wanted to tell her friends she was sorry, but they’d know she was hiding something for sure.
Walking into the office, she smelled animals. Dr. Whitman was one of the best doctors in the supernatural community. But by all appearances, he was a vet in the human world, where he also had a thriving practice. Supposedly, Dr. Whitman tried to never schedule a supernatural case when his human clients showed up with their pets. To prove her point, there were two half shape-shifer-half-warlocks flipping through dog magazines in the waiting room.
“You must be new,” Della asked the man at the counter.
“Yup,” the sandy haired half-warlock half-vampire said. He looked at Miranda. “You must be our patient? Let me show you to the room.”
“Aren’t they first?” Miranda pointed back at the two guys.
“They didn’t have an appointment,” the man said.
Miranda felt a bit bad, but started following him back. Chase moved with her.
The employee frowned at Chase. “Sorry, we just let the patients go in the back.”
Miranda spoke up. “It wasn’t like that—” Della cleared her throat. And somehow that scratchy sound seemed to mean something.
That’s when all hell broke loose.
Chase pulled out a gun, but before he got off one shot, popping sounds started firing off.
Voices started yelling from the back room.
Chase gave Miranda a forceful push, landing her behind the counter. Not willing to cower, she popped back up. The first thing she saw was Chase going down. Face down. Then Kylie dropped.
“No!” Miranda screamed.
Chapter Thirty-five
Della, in full vamp mode, kicked ass. She had one guy down. The attackers were now unarmed, but still coming at her hard. Then they morphed into lions.
The downed half-vamp got up and aimed his gun at Della. Miranda shot across the counter and tackled him. He jumped back up. “Come with us and no one else has to die.”
Fear shot bolts inside Miranda’s heart. Were Chase and Kylie…?
Della kicked one lion in his nose. He backed off and roared. She shot a glance back at Miranda. “Get your tattoo mojo on!”
Miranda didn’t know how, but then she felt it, her skin tingling. The half-vampire came at her. Miranda caught him by his upper arm and tossed him at one of the lions charging at Della.
Suddenly angrier than she was scared, Miranda dove right into the mix of things. The lions stopped when they saw her covered in tattoos. It gave Miranda and Della just enough time to grab the lions by their manes and throw them hard across the room.
Della dove for the gun Chase had dropped and shot all three of the attackers.
Miranda dropped to her knees beside Kylie. Hands trembling, Miranda touched the chameleon’s neck praying she’d find a pulse. Before she even felt it, she saw Kylie’s chest move, drawing in precious air. “She’s breathing,” Miranda said.
Screams rang out from the back room.
“It’s Dr. Whitman and his daughter,” Della yelled. “Go check on them.” With tears running down her cheeks, the vampire dropped down beside Chase.
Tears of empathy, of fear, ran down Miranda’s cheeks. Her heart felt like it would explode as she waited to see if Della found Chase alive.
But then she heard it. The voice. Not Dr. Whitman or his daughter. A voice in her head. It’s time. Go through the back. The door’s unlocked. Run. Now!
Miranda felt her pulse flutter at the base of her neck and on both wrists. How could she leave now when … when …
Everyone is okay. We switched the death darts in their guns with tranquilizers. You have to go, Miranda. Now, or people will die. Your sister, Perry, and others!
Miranda blinked the tears from her vision. Chase shifted as if coming to. Then Kylie started stirring.
The armadillo wasn’t lying about them just being tranquilized. Which meant he probably wasn’t lying about the others dying.
She did it then. She sped off.
She stopped when she saw Dr. Whitman and his daughter tied together on the floor, squirming to get free. Dr. Whitman’s face was bleeding. “Is anyone hurt? Cut us loose,” he said.
She almost did, but then the armadillo spoke again. Now!
“I’m sorry,” Miranda told the good doctor and bolted out holding on by the thinnest thread of faith she’d done the right thing.
* * *
One bullet wasn’t enough to stop a gray wolf. Especially a flesh wound. Perry charged, he buried his teeth into the guy’s face, felt the flesh tearing, and he tasted blood. The shifter fell to the ground screaming. Perry pushed the gun away with his snout and then turned to see Burnett.
He was back on his feet. Blood oozed out of his arm, he looked madder than a trapped rabid raccoon. His eyes glowed, his fangs were fully lowered. It obviously took more than one bullet to stop Burnett as well.
“We got Jax!” someone yelled from inside the house.
Burnett moved in and turned the guy over who had his cheek hanging open, and cuffed him.
“You okay?” Burnett asked.
Perry bobbed his snout up and down. He felt blood ooze from his side and he tasted blood oozing from his jowls. Thankfully that wasn’t his. “You?” Perry asked.
“Fine.” Burnett pulled up his sleeve. “Barely a scratch. The vest and you saved me.” He inhaled. “Get out of the house before you get more of that chemical in your system.”
Perry did as told.
There were twelve guards, plus Jax. Three of the guards were dead, four more injuried. Two agents had been shot, and were already being driven by ambulance to see doctors. Jax, wearing three patches to prevent him from shifting, had been driven away. As Jax had walked past, he’d eyed Perry in wolf form. He glared, but there didn’t seem to be any recognition.
Perry waited until they took Jax away before turning. Either this bullet wasn’t as bad as the others he’d gotten recently, or he was getting used to being shot, because it didn’t hurt as bad.
“Good job,” Burnett said to Perry, as they loaded the last of the healthy guards into a van. “You are going to make a fine agent.”
“I’ve been trained by the best,” Perry said.
Burnett almost smiled and watched the vans pull away. “The bullet you took would have gotten me in the head.” He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s the second time in a week that you’ve saved my life.”
Perry nodded. “You saved mine every day you were there for me when I was in foster care.” Emotion tightened Perry’s voice.
Burnett reached over and gave Perry’s shoulder a squeeze. After a heartfelt second, Burnett spoke again. “If they know something they’ll tell us.”
“I sure as hell hope so.” Perry imagined Miranda sleeping again. More than he wanted air, he wanted to find her sister, wanted to wipe away every worry and concern she had. He wanted the whole thing with his parents behind him. He wanted to move forward with his life, with their life together.
For the first time in his eighteen years, he got a glimpse at his and Miranda’s future. Before, when he couldn’t control his powers, he’d been scared to imagine it. Now he saw it. Working beside Burnett. Waking up with Miranda every day.
Burnett’s phone rang. “Yeah?” he answered.
Perry couldn’t hear what was being said, but Burnett’s eyes turned neon green, and his fangs started to come out, telling Perry it wasn’t good.
“Call the office. Every agent is on this now. Set up roadblocks. I’m on my way,” Burnett ground out. He shoved his keys and phone back into his pocket and locked his car.
“What?” Perry asked.
“Trouble. Follow me!”
“What kind…”
Burnett didn’t answer, he took off in flight. Perry morphed into a falcon, and took after him. Burnett seldom broke the rule of flying during the day, where he could be seen by humans. This had to be bad.
After a long and hard flight, Perry spotted Dr. Whitman’s office below and saw Burnett going down. His heart knotted in fear. Miranda was supposed to get her cast off today. Descending, Perry saw the school’s car parked in the front.
He morphed right before he hit the ground behind the office and ran to catch up with Burnett, who’d went right for the door.
“Dr. Whitman is checking Chase and Kylie now,” Della said, her eyes neon bright, her canines partially out. “But they looked fine.”
Perry’s gaze shot around the room. Three males lay on the tile floor. Perry didn’t recognize them. But he recognized death. They weren’t breathing.
“Where’s Miranda?” Perry asked, his tone tight.
Della looked at him, her face bruised, and the look of failure in her eyes sent pain shooting through him.
“Is she hurt? Is she with Dr. Whitman?”
Della still didn’t answer. The now deeper emotion flashing in her eyes sent raw panic into Perry’s bloodstream. He felt himself losing it. Felt his blood on fire, felt his soul start to shift. Felt his future—the little bit of future he’d allowed himself to believe in—crumble.
Burnett put his hand on Perry’s shoulder and squeezed. “Miranda left. As far as we know she’s okay. Let me hear the rest of this.”
The cells in his body stopped fizzing. His skin stopped crawling, but he couldn’t remain silent. “Left? Left for where?”
“I don’t know.” Della looked defeated and the same feeling raged inside him.
“They took her?” His blood started fizzing again.
“I don’t think so,” Della said.
Burnett’s hand, still clasped on his shoulder, squeezed harder. “Let her talk. We need to hear what happened so we can look for Miranda. Pull yourself together.”
Perry nodded, fighting with every beast inside him wanting to come out, as Della told the story. When she finished by saying Miranda had apologized to Dr. Whitman and ran out the door, Perry snapped.