by Susan Bliler
“No, no, NO!” Cindy scrambled over his body and tried to roll him over, but she couldn’t move him. She heard the crunch of snow and didn’t hesitate to grab a fallen tree branch. She kneeled over RedKnife’s body and held the branch baseball-bat-style as she glared at the men surrounding them. “Get the fuck away from him. Leave us alone!”
The scarred man titled his head, and she swore she saw the faintest hint of approval in his eyes before he spoke. “We’re taking you both in. You can choose to come willingly, or…” He didn’t finish, just flicked a glance at RedKnife.
“A-are you going to hurt him?”
The man now standing over her shook his head. “He’s one of us.”
She didn’t bother inquiring into her own safety. She knew where she stood. Monroe StoneCrow believed she was a threat, an enemy to his kind. He’d show no mercy.
With determination showing on her face, and terror quaking her limbs, Cindy threw the branch aside. “We’ll come.”
The man’s face broke into a broad smile, then as he offered a sarcastic, “So pleased to have your cooperation, Ms. Sambrano.” He turned and spoke to his men. “James, secure the female. Shane, York, and Legion, get that big mean bastard to the cage.”
Cage? What? No! She threw an arm protectively over RedKnife. “What do you mean cage? You said he’s one of you!”
“He is.” The scarred man eyed RedKnife warily. “But he’s also a potential threat.”
Cindy’s heart slammed in her chest. She didn’t know if she could trust these men, and suddenly she wished she knew how to get ahold of King.
When the smallest of the men approached her, Cindy’s initial instinct was to fight, but the three larger men were already lifting RedKnife out from under her and were carrying him away. She had to follow.
“Easy, lady.” The guy grabbed one elbow, then the other, before securing her hands behind her back. She tried to go after RedKnife, but the guy pulled on her arm to keep her in place. “Hang on.” He held onto her hands as he patted her down.
“I’m not carrying anything.” She tried again to follow after RedKnife.
“Better safe than sorry,” the guy chided.
“Listen, Einstein! If I had a fucking weapon I would have used it to protect RedKnife instead of that stupid tree branch.”
The guy actually laughed at her. “Good point.” He pulled on her hands, finally leading her in the direction they’d taken RedKnife. “And by the way, it’s James.”
Chapter 19
James led her to a clearing where two black, military-style helicopters were waiting. One had bars on both sides just inside the doors, and Cindy realized that the whole back cabin portion had been converted into a holding pen. She was appalled to find the three other men opening the cage and shoving RedKnife’s unconscious form inside.
She tried to go to him, but the scarred leader was suddenly blocking her path. “Have a seat, Ms. Sambrano.” He motioned with his head toward the other helicopter.
She frowned up at him. “You didn’t have to cage him like that. He’s not an animal!”
The guy bent down so he spoke right in her face. “Yes. He is. And he’s probably the most dangerous of us all.”
“Monroe was right,” James spoke from behind her. “It stopped snowing the second he was hit.”
What? What in the hell did the weather have to do with them shooting RedKnife?
The large guy in front of her stood and nodded over her head and James pulled her toward the opposite helicopter.
“WAIT!” She screamed, not wanting to be separated from RedKnife. “Let me go with him!”
“No room.” Was the leader’s simple response.
“P-put me in with him.” She eyed the cage. It was big enough for the both of them. Turning, she eyed the leader and saw contemplation flash in his eyes, so she hurried to add, “It’ll be better for you if he wakes and I’m there with him.”
That seemed to do the trick. The scarred leader nodded his head at James. He led her to the cage and lifted her inside, then closed the door.
She hurried to RedKnife, lifting his head into her lap as she brushed her hand over his cheek.
Minutes later, the helicopters were lifting off the ground. Cindy ignored the discomfort of the hard bars at her back and cold metal under her ass. Instead, she studied RedKnife as she settled for the flight. He looked pale.
She turned to scowl at James, who was riding up front beside the pilot. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?” She had to yell to be heard over the whomp, whomp, whomp of the helicopter blades.
“TRANQS!” He yelled with a smirk.
“IF HE’S SEDATED, THEN WHY DID YOU CAGE HIM?”
Instead of answering, James grabbed something then reached between the bars, handing her a headset with a mouthpiece. When the man next spoke, she could hear him clearly.
“Because we don’t know how long he’ll stay down. We’re not taking chances.”
Cindy frowned up at the man. “He’s strong. These bars won’t hold him.”
The man smiled. “We’re hoping that because you’re in there with him, he’ll stay calm. The space is small, and you could very easily be hurt if he tries to get free.”
Her eyes darted to RedKnife and she wondered if he’d let them keep him caged in order to keep her from being injured.
“You’re all going to be in serious trouble when he wakes up.”
James chuffed a laugh. “Of that I have no doubt, Ms. Sambrano.”
Then her head set buzzed and she saw the pilot’s lips move as he spoke. “Sky cleared up, Conn. Should be a smooth flight.”
Conn?
She recognized the scarred man’s voice. “Good. Now, haul ass. I want to have these two delivered well before RedKnife wakes.”
James laughed. “X.O., X.O., don’t be a lame-o. Let’s stay on ‘til he wakes up.”
RedKnife stirred then, and James and the pilot’s gazes jerked to RedKnife as silence filled the cabin. Cindy turned to look at James and she grinned as she saw that the young man had paled. “Now who’s a lame-o?”
“Get this fucking thing moving!” James barked and the helicopter dipped and seemed to accelerate.
***
Cindy paced the cell she’d been taken to. Once they’d landed, it had been a mad rush to get RedKnife strapped to a gurney before they’d been separated. She’d fought to stay with him, but she was no match for even the smallest of the mercenaries. Hell, James accidentally cuffed her cheek when she’d been lunging for RedKnife, and the blow sent her to the ground hard. The reaction of the men was surprising. They all instantly tensed and turned horrified eyes on James.
“Shit, No!” he’d exclaimed as he dropped to his knees to examine her face. “Are you okay? Please be okay!”
He’d helped her to her feet and had to help steady her as she swayed from the blow and the fall.
“I’m fine!” She’d jerked out of his grip and frowned up at him, holding her throbbing cheek.
“Get this fucking beast moving!” The leader roared. James shook his head and secured her wrists before grabbing her arm and hauling her toward the Estate’s barn. The whole time he chanted in a quiet mumble. “He’s gonna kill me. He’s gonna kill me. He’s gonna fucking kill me!”
She had had no idea there were cells at StoneCrow. When James led her to the barn, she’d been confused. At first she was simply puzzled, until he opened a cellar door that led down into pitch-black. That’s when she started fighting again. She’d only gotten one scream out before James cursed and covered her mouth with a, “Jesus Christ lady, you seriously want me to die!”
He carried her, kicking and struggling, down the stairs and into a dimly-lit room with several monitors. More men were inside. The sat wearing headsets, lined up in front of rows and rows of monitors that showed every facility at StoneCrow and covered every inch of the grounds. The other Walkers gave the duo only a cursory glance as they continued to watch the monitors.
At the end of the rows
of monitors was a large iron door. A dark skinned man with lots of tattoos opened it and smirked at James. “Gotcha hands full, little brotha.”
James carried her through the open door. “Now you do.” He led her to another door down the hall. She didn’t realize it was cell until the other man opened it. She tried to fight going in, but James was too strong.
The heavy door slammed solidly behind her seconds after he released her.
“Let me OUT!” She lunged at the door, pounding on it with her fists. To her disappointment, the door was so thick that it completely absorbed the impact and made no sound at all. There was a small Plexiglas window that she had to tiptoe to peer through. She could see James and the other man staring down at her. Stepping back, she took a knee to yell through the slot she assumed was for meal delivery in the middle of the door. “He’s going to hurt you when he finds you!”
The stranger laughed, but spoke to James. “And just who is it this one belongs to that we should fear so much? And what happened to her face?”
James tone held reverence. “She’s RedKnife’s.
“Ooh, Fuck. Me!”
Cindy watched as the stranger stepped back and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.
“What’d you bring her here for?”
James shook his head. “Like I said, Haka. Now, you’ve got your hands full.”
“Where is he?”
The men’s voices began to fade as they walked away, but Cindy heard James’ words echoing back down the hall. “Infirmary. We had to tranq him to get to her.”
“This is bad.”
“You have no idea.” James stopped just at the door. He shot an apologetic look back towards Cindy’s door. “This… hasn’t even begun.”
“Well, what happened to her face? Please tell me it was like that when you found her.”
“Fuck!” James hissed. “Bro, I’m so screwed. I gotta get off the Estate before he wakes.”
Then the second door clanged closed and Cindy was left in silence.
Chapter 20
Monroe stood staring out the window in RedKnife’s exam room. He was waiting for the Walker to wake, and dreading it at the same time.
“Maybe we should bring her here,” Jenny prodded quietly. “If he wakes and she’s here, maybe…”
“No.” Monroe wouldn’t give RedKnife what he wanted after he’d run with the traitor. Monroe’s shoulders tensed, and his eyes jerked up toward the clouds. An inexplicable snow storm had hit the area hard. It had started the day Cindy had touched RedKnife when he’d been guarding Lilly, and it hadn’t stopped since. Now, dark clouds rolled in and thunder clapped loudly, lightning brightening the sky in blinding flashes even as the snow continued to fall. Slowly, Monroe turned to watch RedKnife.
RedKnife’s eyes snapped open. Instinctually, as he’d done for the past few mornings, his mouth parted slightly and he inhaled slowly, needing to scent Cindy, to feel the taste of her scent on his tongue. Instead, he picked up the stinging burn of astringent, the smoky musk of the Dominant, and the sweet scent of a female…but not his. Cindy wasn’t there.
Memory came flooding back and he made to jerk up, but thick chains held him bound to the exam table. He knew where he was from the bitter scent. Infirmary.
Dr. Jenny Houlton stepped forward hurriedly with a worried expression. “H-how ya feeling?”
Delicate, trembling fingers reached for him, but halted when Monroe’s voice barked out a command from across the room. “Leave us.”
Jenny’s eyes darted over her shoulder to a corner of the room.
“Go!” Monroe commanded a second time.
RedKnife knew the reason for the command, and it was insulting. The Dominant wasn’t sure if RedKnife would harm the female.
Jenny shot RedKnife an apologetic look, then hurried from the room. RedKnife’s eyes shot just above his left shoulder, where he knew Monroe was standing.
The CEO was leaning casually against the pristine exam room wall, arms crossed, as he frowned at RedKnife. “You should have brought her in.”
Enough! Rolling his neck, he let a series of lightning fast partial shifts overtake him. In seconds he was free of the chains that held him.
Try as he might, Monroe couldn’t disguise the awe that flashed across his face seconds before it was masked.
“Where is she?”
Monroe shoved off the wall. “Here.”
RedKnife took a menacing step toward Monroe when the exam room door opened behind him. Unlike the other Walkers, it took no time for RedKnife to recognize scents. It was immediate. Without turning, he knew that King was behind him.
“If you’ve harmed her…” He didn’t get to finish the threat before Monroe cut him off.
“She’s safe. For now.”
The threat wasn’t even veiled, and the fact was both galling and flattering. Monroe knew better than to lie to him, but he should have also known better than to take something that belonged to RedKnife. RedKnife’s head dipped and his eyes narrowed on the CEO. “You think you can keep her from me?”
Anger flashed in the arctic depths of Monroe’s eyes. He knew that not even he had the power to stop him. “We need answers, RedKnife. This is about more than just her. There are Walker lives at stake here. Too many to chance on one expendable female.”
Expendable? Fuck the sentence, the one word alone had RedKnife taking another step toward Monroe before a large hand curled over his shoulder.
“Easy, brother.” King was the only living being that RedKnife had trusted…until Cindy.
RedKnife turned to scowl over his shoulder and King released him.
“He’s right.” King implored. “We need answers, and she’s the only one that’s got ‘em.”
“She is not our enemy,” RedKnife snarled.
Monroe stepped forward. “You’re the one that said she was here under false pretense.” He narrowed his eyes accusatorily. “You’re the one that brought her treachery to our attention!”
RedKnife’s response was immediate. “I was wrong.”
“Well.” Monroe dropped his eyes to flick a piece of lint off his impeccably tailored suit. “That’s not a chance I can take. Is it?”
“I’ll find her,” RedKnife threatened.
Monroe’s head shot up. “And I will get my answers.”
RedKnife held Monroe’s challenging gaze, slowly shaking his head with a menacing sneer before he turned. King blocked the door.
“You know I wouldn’t say he’s right, brother, if I didn’t truly believe it.”
“Move,” RedKnife growled.
“You’ve got to listen.” King implored. “You know he won’t stop until he gets answers from her, so help him get those answers.”
RedKnife’s expression darkened, and disappointment settled over him. “You don’t think I can protect her?”
“Of course I do! But that’ll mean taking her and running. You don’t deserve that. She doesn’t deserve that.” King’s voice lowered. “If she’s innocent, you do her harm by taking her. Help her! Prove to Monroe that you’re right.”
RedKnife’s scowl jerked to Monroe. “How? I can’t make him believe something he refuses to believe.”
“I believe in proof.” Monroe smirked and made for the door. “Get me proof.” And then he was gone.
***
Cindy sat with her hands planted on the edge of the small cot in her cell. Short enough for it, her feet swung, just skimming the floor as she waited. Waited and worried. She wondered if RedKnife was okay, and she wondered if he was thinking about her.
The sound of raised voices startled her and had her rising from the cot. She knelt at the slot in the door and turned her head so she could hear better. She instantly recognized RedKnife’s voice when he roared, “WHERE IS MY ONE!”
His one what? She sprang to her feet and inched away from the door to huddle in the corner, crossing her arms over herself as she slid down the wall to hug her knees. He sounded pissed.
Seconds l
ater, she heard the outer door open and then the door to her cell was jerked wide as if it weren’t made of heavy-ass steel.
RedKnife took one look at her, then threw back his head and roared so loud she had to cover her ears against it. Then he was kneeling in front of her and pulling her hands into his much larger ones.
“Who harmed you?” He demanded.
Now she understood the young Sentry’s reaction to accidentally hitting her. “I fell.” She lied and watched his nostrils flare. Shit!
“Who. Hurt. You?”
She should have known better than to lie, but she genuinely didn’t want to see the young kid hurt over something as simple as an accident. “No one. I’m fine. Can you…” She peered around him, expecting to see Sentries. “Can you get me out of here?”
Then she was in his arms as he carried her out of the cell. No Sentries stood guard, and when they exited the second door, the entire surveillance room had emptied. “Where is everyone?”
“Running.” He ground out, eyes focused forward. “And if they’re not, they fucking should be.”
They took the stairs up, and when they got to the top of the landing, Cindy’s heart stilled in her chest.
Dozens of Sentries surrounded them. Some had weapons drawn and pointed at them. Others just stood there, staring warily at RedKnife who snarled in response to the showing.
“Stand down!”
Cindy recognized King Mulholland as he stepped forward and barked again, “STAND THE FUCK DOWN!”
At first she thought he was talking to them, but when he turned to face the Sentries and they lowered their weapons, she realized he wasn’t.
Turning to face RedKnife, King looked grim. “Brother, he won’t let you leave with her.”
RedKnife set Cindy on her feet, then used an arm to force her behind him. “He can’t stop me.” He eyed the group of Sentries and smiled savagely. “None of you can stop me!” Hunching his shoulders, and balling his hands into tight fists, RedKnife was prepared for battle.