by Anna Hackett
She attacked the giant raptor using every ounce of her speed. She got in a quick stab to his shoulder before she landed back on the ground in a crouch. She went in low, and jabbed up into his gut. The alien roared and kicked out, catching her in the side.
Taylor fell back in a sprawl, pain radiating through her. Damn. She jumped back to her feet.
“Taylor!”
She turned, just in time to see another raptor jumping at her. He was even bigger than the first.
She moved to dodge away, but her first opponent wrapped his arms around her middle and held her in place. She struggled against his brawny, scaly arms but she couldn’t move. Her arms were trapped at her sides.
The incoming raptor had his claws out, aiming for her gut.
Suddenly, a lean body leaped in front of her. The raptor’s claws sunk deep into Devlin’s stomach.
No! “Dev!”
Emotions coalesced to a tight, hard ball in Taylor, her head clearing of everything. Once before, she’d felt this. A will to survive. A will to fight. And now, she felt a desperate need to see Devlin survive.
She lifted her legs and dropped her body weight. She surprised her captor and his hold loosened enough for her to get an arm free. She swung out with the blade, fighting like a crazy woman.
Four vicious stabs and he fell back with a cry.
She spun, reached past Dev, and slammed her blade up into the gut of the raptor whose claws were still embedded in Dev’s skin. The raptor pulled back, and as his claws came free, Dev let out a long, pained groan.
As the raptors pulled back to regroup, Taylor slid an arm around Devlin. She started backing them toward the trees. It wasn’t too far now.
But he was limping. “How bad?”
“Bad.” His voice was a pain-ravaged rasp.
She felt goose bumps on her skin, despite the warm sun. Something told her that a man like Devlin Gray didn’t use the word “bad” unless he really meant it.
She took more of his weight, glancing back at the raptors. Another patrol was racing to join the battered remains of the first one. They were pointing toward Taylor and Devlin.
They’d be in pursuit soon.
When they finally reached the trees, she felt a shudder of relief. The trees wouldn’t stop the raptors completely, but it would slow them down. She urged Dev on into the deepest vegetation.
“This is where you lie to me, super spy, and tell me you’ll be fine.”
As they moved deeper into the trees, he made a pained sound. “This is where I tell you that I have internal injuries and I’m bleeding out.”
Taylor felt like she had a rock lodged in her throat. “You know what, for a spy, you suck at lying.”
“I’ll never lie to you, Taylor.” Deep blue eyes stared down at her. “I’m not going to make it, but you are.”
***
Dammit, he couldn’t block the pain anymore. Fighting through the agony, he focused on Taylor.
“You need to leave me. Get out of the alien jamming zone around the factory, and try to make contact with the Enclave.”
Devlin felt Taylor’s arm tighten around him. “And leave you here? Save myself?”
Her voice was cool, completely practical. Good. “That’s right. It’s the best option.”
“Maybe I should put you out of your misery first?” Her tone was downright icy now. “If they catch you, they might interrogate you. They could get valuable information about the Enclave.”
Devlin blinked. He wasn’t an idiot. She was mad. “I want you to survive, Taylor. I’m doing this for you. If we hobble together like this through the trees, we’ll both get caught.”
She sniffed. “I’ll take my chances. I’m planning to save your fine ass, Devlin Gray.” She urged him on, skirting a large tree.
He felt some unfamiliar emotion digging into his chest. Panic. “If you die, you’d be missed.”
Her mouth firmed into a flat line. “And you wouldn’t?”
His lack of connections was his own choice, and he knew regrets weren’t worth the effort or energy. “No. I wouldn’t.”
“I think it’s cowardly not to have relationships. To not care for anybody.”
As they jostled over some rough ground, air hissed through his teeth. “You’re calling me a coward?”
She rolled her eyes. “I know you’re a super spy, and that you charge into danger in the blink of an eye. But risking your body is one thing. Risking your heart, that’s something else.”
Silence fell between them. She might be right, but he just sucked at caring for people. He could never quite get it right, and the one time he’d tried, it had been a disaster.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” His voice was sharper than he intended. “Risking emotional connections can be just as dangerous. And afterward, the emotional upheaval isn’t worth it.”
“My mother died protecting me. Died right in front of me. Afterward, my father erased her from our life. He threw out all photos of her, all mentions of her, and he refused to talk about her. So, I think I know a little bit about it.”
Devlin closed his eyes for a minute. This was just more proof that he was really bad at this kind of stuff.
“Dad said he just wanted to forget.” Her voice wavered. “And I never want to forget. I want to always remember everything I experience, in my mother’s memory. I want to be important to the people I care about.”
They kept moving in silence. “I’m sorry about your mother, Taylor.”
“Thanks,” she said quietly.
“Do you know what happened to your father after the invasion?”
She shook her head.
Devlin kept trying to catch any indication they were being followed, but all he heard were the birds in the trees. He felt sweat sliding down his face. Damn, it was hot today. Just one more discomfort to add to the agony tearing through his gut.
Finally, Taylor slowed. “Let’s stop here for a quick rest.”
She leaned him against a tree, and Devlin knew he could no longer stay upright on his own.
“Let me check your wounds.” She pressed her fingers to his abs, and hissed. “Dev.”
“We have no first aid kit,” he said. “We both know I need nanomeds to survive.”
“Just be quiet.” She sounded angry again. She reached down and gripped the bottom of her tank top. She tore a strip of fabric off the bottom, leaving her toned stomach bare. She pressed the wadded fabric against his wounds.
“I’d miss you,” she said quietly.
Her voice was so quiet, he almost missed her words. “What?”
She looked up, amber eyes glowing. “I’d miss you, if you were gone.”
The moment turned charged, and they just stared at each other.
Then, she straightened. “Now.” She patted the makeshift bandage gently, tucking it into the waistband of his trousers. “The Gizzida have a mind-control device, and we need to get back to warn the others. Get moving, super spy.”
Dev glanced down at his bloody, torn stomach. The pain was outrageous, and he wasn’t sure how much farther he could go.
“In order to save humanity, Devlin, you need to get up and get moving.” Her tone warned him that she wasn’t taking no for an answer.
He gave a short nod. She slipped her arm back around him. As they moved, pain shot through him, like he was being roasted in the fires of Hell. He gritted his teeth, trying to hide it from her.
“Sorry,” she murmured. “I know it hurts.”
Devlin ground his teeth together. “I’ve been trained to block out the pain.”
They kept moving, their steps agonizingly slow. “They taught you to block out the pain…in case you were tortured?”
“Yes.”
“We did a few sessions during my Army training. But I guess you had the advanced lessons.”
She was right. There was no way he’d tell her about the hell he and the other MI6 recruits had been put through.
They passed close to som
e abandoned houses that backed onto the bush. They all had that eerie, empty feel. Some had overgrown gardens and broken windows. But others looked pristine, as though kids would run out to play in the yard at any minute.
“Do you think we’re out of the jamming range yet?” she asked.
Devlin’s head was starting to go fuzzy. It was hard to keep his thoughts straight. “I don’t know.” He stumbled, nearly taking them both down.
She grunted, jamming her arms against him and keeping them both upright. “You’re heavier than you look. Come on, Devlin. Keep it together.”
But the dizziness was getting bad. Dammit.
He felt a sense of hopelessness. She was so damn stubborn, and he knew she wouldn’t leave him. He gritted his teeth, and kept putting one foot in front of the other.
They hadn’t gone much farther, when they heard a quiet rustling in the trees.
It was close. And it was ahead of them.
They both froze. “Shit,” she muttered.
The aliens had circled ahead of them. Devlin closed his eyes. Goddammit.
Taylor turned to the left, away from the sounds. “Move it, super spy.”
***
The noise of a big body moving stealthily through the vegetation didn’t go away. Taylor scowled, trying to take more of Devlin’s weight. The raptors had gotten ahead of them, and were boxing them in.
God, she hoped they didn’t have canids. She hated those alien hunting dogs.
She could feel Devlin slowing, and knew that each step was agony for him. It made tears burn in her eyes.
Whatever happened, they weren’t going down without a fight.
“Taylor—”
She looked at him, and saw a steady acceptance in his eyes. The sounds of their pursuers were close now.
This was it. They were trapped, he was in no condition to fight back, and they’d run out of options.
“I know,” she said.
He pressed a hand to her arm, squeezing. In his eyes, she saw unspoken things. She touched his jaw, feeling the brush of his sexy scruff. Then she leaned him against another tree.
“I’m not going down without a fight.” She stepped in front of him, and pulled out the alien blade.
The branches ahead parted, and a large body appeared.
Taylor blinked, and the air rushed out of her.
Cruz Ramos, second-in-command of Hell Squad, raised a brow. “You two are hard to find.”
Behind the soldier, Marcus Steele’s bulky form broke through the vegetation. As his scarred face took them in, the rest of Hell Squad appeared.
“You had us worried,” Marcus said in his gravelly voice.
Taylor felt lightheaded with relief. Help had arrived. They were going to be okay. She reached back and gripped Devlin’s hand. “It is damn good to see you guys.”
Cruz studied Devlin and frowned. “He’s bleeding out.” The soldier moved to Dev’s other side, taking some of his weight.
“Raptor clawed him,” Taylor said.
Shaw Baird, Hell Squad’s tall, lanky sniper stepped forward, carrying a field first aid kit. “Hey there, Dev. Let ol’ Shaw take a look.” He shot them both a charming smile.
The man had liked the ladies—a lot—before he’d fallen in love. And since he’d fallen in love with Hell Squad’s only female soldier—one tough, deadly woman—he didn’t look at the ladies anymore but he was still a charmer.
“Shaw has a thing for playing doctor,” the female in question said dryly.
Taylor looked over at the woman dressed in all-black armor, her black braid over one shoulder and her carbine held lightly in her hands. Claudia Frost put the bad in badass.
Shaw probed Devlin’s stomach and cursed. “They sure did a number on you, mate.”
The sniper pulled some things out of the first aid kit, opening packets and then pressing adhesive sealers over Dev’s wounds.
“That’ll stop the bleeding.” Shaw held up a pressure injector. “And now for some painkillers and antibiotics.” He pressed it to Dev’s neck. “That’ll hold you until we get back to the Enclave.”
Taylor watched Dev’s face and instantly saw some of the lines bracketing his mouth ease. Thank God. The drugs would fully kick in before long, blocking his pain.
“Let’s get out of here,” Marcus ordered.
Big, silent Gabe appeared beside Taylor, gently pushing her out of the way. He moved in on the other side of Devlin. Sandwiched between Cruz and Gabe with their armor on, Devlin almost looked small. The two soldiers started moving, practically carrying Devlin.
Suddenly, strong arms lifted Taylor off her feet.
“I’m your ride.”
She turned her head and looked into Reed MacKinnon’s eyes. He was Hell Squad’s explosives expert.
“I can walk,” she said.
The former Coalition Navy SEAL just smiled. “Your feet are bleeding all over the place, Taylor, and you look like you’ve had a hell of a day.”
“It has been pretty sucky,” she conceded.
“Why don’t you just sit back and enjoy the ride?”
She leaned into him, keeping her gaze on Devlin’s back.
Ahead, Marcus touched a finger to his ear. “Elle, we found them. Get Finn and his Hawk back down here. The place is crawling with raptors.”
They pushed steadily through the trees, moving fast. They crossed a shallow river and passed more houses, long abandoned.
Suddenly, from behind them, she heard the distinctive sound of raptor fire, followed by howls and yelps.
Her blood ran cold. Canids. Dammit.
“Pick up speed,” Marcus growled.
They didn’t worry about stealth anymore, rushing through the forest. Then they broke out of the trees, facing an open field.
Marcus pointed ahead. “We need to cross this open ground and get back to those trees on the other side. The Hawk will meet us there.”
Along with Hell Squad, Taylor assessed the clearing. There’d be no cover. They’d be out in the open.
“Let’s do this,” Cruz said. “Fast.”
After Marcus’ nod, the team launched forward.
Taylor glanced back, watching as Shaw and Claudia brought up the rear, facing the way they’d come, with their weapons up and aimed.
They were half way across when the raptors broke out of the trees and started firing at them.
Shaw went down on one knee, aiming his long-range laser weapon. He started picking off the aliens with amazing precision. Claudia stood beside him, laying down cover fire.
“They’re hurting from the trees,” Shaw yelled. “Bleeding from the ears and nose.”
Taylor slipped her hand into the holster on Reed’s thigh, and pulled out his laser pistol. She aimed over his shoulder and fired.
“Hell Squad,” Marcus yelled. “Ready to go to hell?”
“Hell, yeah! The devil needs an ass kicking!”
“Take these bastards down,” Marcus shouted.
Taylor found herself set down on the ground beside Devlin.
“Keep the pistol,” Reed told her. “Guard him.”
She lifted the pistol and watched as Hell Squad did what they did best.
The team moved like clockwork, advancing on the aliens. Every face was cool, composed, focused on the task at hand, as Marcus bellowed out orders. Gabe and Cruz got in close, taking down a few raptors hand-to-hand. Reed tossed a grenade into the long grass where a few aliens had taken cover. Claudia and Shaw kept taking raptors down with precision shooting.
This was a group who’d fought together many times before. They trusted each other implicitly, and they fought with a gritty, focused style that was damn amazing.
In moments, the fight was over. All the were raptors down.
As Hell Squad walked back toward Taylor and Devlin, she felt a rush of air above her. She arched her head back, and stared at the Hawk quadcopter descending.
Its four rotors were spinning fast, the sunlight glinting off its dull gray hull. Its ski
ds touched down, and a second later, the side door opened.
“Get in.” Finn Erickson, the best Hawk pilot they had, stood in the doorway.
Taylor started to help Dev up and Gabe appeared to help. Soon, they were climbing into the seats in the back of the Hawk.
As soon as Hell Squad was all aboard, Marcus slammed the door shut. “Let’s go, Erickson.”
Taylor blinked, feeling a sense of surreal shock.
They’d made it.
They weren’t still locked up in that alien factory anymore. They were safe.
She studied Dev’s pale face. He looked better than before, but she knew he was barely holding onto consciousness. She helped him settle back against the chair, and when she went to pull away, he reached out and gripped her hand, holding on tight.
She hesitated, then sat back beside him, threading her fingers through his.
“We’re heading home, super spy. Hold on a little bit longer.”
Chapter Seven
Devlin drifted in and out of consciousness. He looked across the Hawk and watched Hell Squad. They hadn’t relaxed, and he knew they wouldn’t until they were safely back at the Enclave.
Marcus was talking quietly with Cruz, while Shaw was saying something to Claudia that made her elbow him in the side. Gabe was silent and menacing, leaning against the back wall of the quadcopter, and Reed was sitting nearby, eyes closed, but his body alert.
It was just another day at the office for Hell Squad. But even though they radiated a mean toughness, he sensed the camaraderie between them all. They all had lovers and other halves. They all jumped right into life, even knowing how bleak things could be.
Devlin felt Taylor shift beside him, her fingers tight on his. How many times had he come back from a mission injured? He’d lost count. How many times had he come back with someone holding his hand? The answer to that question was never.
He must have drifted away again, because the next thing he knew, the Hawk was descending straight downward.
Glancing out the window, he watched the quadcopter pass through the retracted docking bay doors leading into the Hawk hangar.
They were back at the Enclave.