Pack 11 - Wolf Whisperer

by Karen Whiddon

“Now you’ve done it, Spider,” Simon said wryly.

  Mac put his arm around Kelly’s shoulders and squeezed, making her close her mouth before she let loose with a scathing remark.

  “She’s coming with us,” he said, his voice sharp.

  Spider glanced at him, then at Simon. Finally, he shrugged.

  “Whatever.”

  “Not whatever.” Simon rounded on him. “She’s Tearlach, going up against her own kind. Her family is being held captive there. Of any of us, with the exception of Mac, she has the most to lose. She’s to be protected and assisted, at any cost. Do you understand?”

  Suitably chastened, Spider nodded. “Yes, sir.” Turning to her, he inclined his head. “Sorry, ma’am.”

  She smiled to let him know she was no longer angry. “It’s important we all work together as a team,” she said.

  After a second of startled silence, Mac laughed. “You’re preaching to the choir, sweetheart. This is a team, and a pretty airtight one, from what Simon tells me. They’ve worked together many times.”

  “We can be depended on,” Simon put in. “We trust each other with our lives. Now let’s go over this plan one more time.”

  Kelly listened, though to her it sounded like their so-called plan was basically to break in, disable any guards and round up anyone who didn’t want to be there. Not much of a plan, as plans went, but damned if she could think of another.

  Simon passed out wireless communicators, and they spent a moment testing them. They fit inside the ear, with a tiny mic that clipped to the shirt.

  “As far as you know, this place is the only location where they’re holding captives?” she asked Simon.

  “Yes,” he told her, without hesitation. “And we have people monitoring Danny and Ian. They’re still at the lake house. We’ll know the moment they decide to head out here.”

  She stepped close to Mac and gave his arm a quick squeeze, drawing strength from the scent and feel of him.

  “Then I’m as ready as I’m going to be,” she said. “Let’s do this.”

  Chapter 16

  Mac kept glancing at Kelly, trying to put himself into full Protector mode so he wouldn’t worry about her. He didn’t like the fact that he couldn’t seem to detach himself. This was why the Society wouldn’t let an individual work a case if he’d become personally attached.

  Nevertheless, this was one case he had to work himself, because of that very same attachment. He’d do it not only for himself and his children, but for his mate.

  Finally they’d hammered out a plan, reviewed the satellite photos on Simon’s laptop, went over the remarkably unsophisticated alarm system and piled into the Jeep.

  “Ready to roll?” Simon asked loudly.

  “Ready to roll,” his entire crew answered in unison, letting Mac know that this dialogue was a sort of ritual when they began a mission.

  And they were on their way.

  Once outside the small city of Corsicana, they took to the back roads. Kelly wished the sun would set, but it was still too early.

  “We tried to stall Ian, but he’s never called us back. My guess is he’s having to make a run out to the compound,” Mac said. “That is, if he intends to let us speak to the captives.” Sitting too long in silence only gave him too much time to think and too much time to worry.

  “Let’s just focus on getting ourselves there,” Simon said.

  Kelly seemed absorbed in her own thoughts. She simply huddled as close to the door as she could sit, apparently as an attempt to distance herself from the rest of them.

  Mac felt a stab of hurt. He could sort of understand her need to separate herself from the Protectors, but even from him?

  “Hey.” He touched her shoulder, sliding his hand around to the back of her head, where he massaged her neck. “How are you holding up?” he asked, keeping his voice low so the others wouldn’t stare at them.

  “Fine,” she said shortly, without even looking at him. In fact, her distant expression and the way she focused her gaze on the passing landscape out the window told him she wanted to be somewhere else. Anywhere else.

  Given her inherent distrust of Protectors, this was probably understandable. The way she lumped him in with them was not.

  The fact that he actually was a Protector didn’t help. He might be, but he was her mate first and foremost.

  This realization stunned him. Even when he and Maggie had been married, he’d always considered himself a Protector first, then a husband and father. Sure, he’d given them equal billing, at least in his own mind, but Maggie had always complained that he kept that part of his life closed off from her and their children. She’d been right.

  Pushing away those thoughts—after all, he couldn’t change the past—he focused on their route.

  Sensing him watching, Simon turned and flashed him a grin. “We’re about to leave the blacktop. Get ready for a bumpy ride.”

  True to his word, a moment later they turned left, immediately hitting a rut hard enough to send them all bouncing.

  “How much farther?” Kelly asked.

  Spider consulted a printout. “Three point seven miles, ma’am.”

  She fell silent again, retreating back to her inner world. Mac didn’t know whether to try and reach her or let her come to terms with whatever was troubling her alone.

  The Jeep slowed. “We’re nearly there.” Simon clicked off the radio. “Everyone check your gear. As soon as we pull up to the main house, take your positions.”

  Mac touched Kelly’s arm. “Are you ready?” he asked.

  Barely even glancing at him, she nodded. “As ready as I’m ever going to be.”

  Though most of the group had been given solo assignments, Mac had wanted to keep Kelly close to him. To his surprise, rather than starting an argument, she’d agreed.

  “If your little ones are asleep, you’ll need someone to help you carry them out,” she’d said firmly.

  He’d loved her for that. Instead of worrying about her mother and her sister, her first concern had been for his twins—kids that she’d never even met.

  Ahead, the house loomed into view, the massive log structure easily as large as a Super Target. Several upstairs windows were open, though most of the downstairs appeared closed.

  Wait—two windows on one side were open, the screens black.

  The Jeep coasted to a stop. All four of its doors opened at once, and they all climbed out.

  “One, two, three,” Simon counted quietly. And they were off, slipping into the trees. For this mission, they’d decided to remain in their human form, saving shape-shifting into wolves for if and when it became absolutely necessary.

  Mac hoped it would not. Because if it did, that would mean things had become unfathomably bad.

  Kelly close to Mac’s side, they crept along the back of the house toward the first of the open windows, which should have been closed against the August heat. Through the screen and open curtains, they were able to see inside.

  A group of children was gathering around a middle-aged woman who appeared to be brushing one of the girls’ long hair. Several others seemed to be waiting in line for their turn. Though he searched in vain for Isobel’s bright red shock of hair, he saw only blondes and brunettes.

  “Do you see your daughter?” Kelly whispered.

  “No,” he whispered back. “These kids are older, maybe four or five.”

  “Let’s check the next window.”

  But that one, though also open, had the blinds completely closed, making it impossible to see within.

  “Guess we’re going in blind,” Mac said. He thumbed his mic and adjusted his earpiece. “What do you see?” he asked.

  Two others had been assigned perimeter detail, with Simon and Spider scoping out the other side of the house.

  “All the closed windows are empty rooms,” Simon said back. “And every one on the first floor that I’ve tried so far is locked.”

  “I’m at the back door,” Spider said. “And a m
an just exited. I’m gonna take him down, so we’ll have entry.”

  He clicked off.

  Exchanging a glance with Kelly, Mac took off at a run, with her right beside him. They reached the back portion of the house at the same time as Simon and the other two men, just in time to watch as Spider dragged the unconscious man into the bushes.

  “He’ll be out for a while,” Spider said, standing up and dusting his hands on the front of his black jeans. “But I tied him up and gagged him, just in case.”

  Simon tried the back door. “Unlocked,” he said. “Perfect. Now we don’t even have to worry about disabling the alarm.”

  Single file, they slipped inside. The building, rather than being laid out like a residence, on the inside much more resembled a school or a dorm building. Long hallways stretched out in both directions, with multiple doors lining both sides.

  “What now?” Kelly asked, sotto voce. “We can’t just stroll along, trying out every door.”

  As she spoke, a door ahead of them opened. Kelly’s mother walked out into the hall and stood staring at them.

  “Mom!” Kelly hurried over, stopping short at the distraught look on the older woman’s face.

  “Oh, Kelly,” Rose said, her voice a weird mixture of dismayed and triumphant. “What on earth are you doing here?”

  Glancing over her shoulder, Kelly met Mac’s gaze before turning back to her mother. “We’ve come to rescue you, Mom. You and Bonnie and Katie and anyone else that Danny and Ian are holding prisoner here against their will.”

  Rose crossed her arms. “Rescue us? What if we’re perfectly happy exactly where we are?”

  Simon’s crew all looked at Simon, who looked at Mac, who lifted one shoulder in a shrug. This was a new development, though not completely unexpected. Captives often began to identify with their captors. Though not usually this quickly.

  Unless…

  Kelly gasped, apparently having reached the same conclusion on her own. “How long, Mother? How long have you been working with Danny?”

  Lowering her gaze, Rose studied her hands, twisting a large diamond ring. “You have to understand. After your father died and I had to send both my daughters away, I was so alone. More lonely than I’d ever been in my life. Danny has been a good friend to me over the years.”

  “What about Aunt Teresa?”

  Lifting her head to meet Kelly’s eyes, a glint of anger flashed in Rose’s gaze. “They divorced four years ago.”

  “I didn’t know,” Kelly said softly. “No one told me. So Danny was a friend, and now he’s more?” Waiting for the answer, she crossed her arms.

  “And now he’s more,” Rose agreed simply. “Much, much more.”

  Mac saw the hurt in Kelly’s expression an instant before she shut it down.

  “I should have known,” Kelly mused. “What did I expect from a woman who would send her kids away?”

  Rose slapped her, so hard that Kelly’s head snapped back. Lifting her hand to her rapidly reddening cheek, she stared at her mother.

  Mac stepped between them to prevent further violence. To his relief, Kelly made no move to stop him. “What about at the big meeting?” Mac said, unable to believe what he was hearing. “You confronted Danny and Ian, I heard you. And you stood up for Kelly. What was that all about?”

  A brief expression of sorrow crossed her patrician features, before being replaced by a look so confused that it made Mac want to shake her. “I was punished for that. Danny only wants what’s best for you, Kelly. For everyone.”

  Clenching his fists, Mac put his arm around Kelly, who, he belatedly realized, was shaking. “You betrayed your own daughter for that man?”

  “Daughters,” Kelly put in, her voice rough. “Where is Bonnie?”

  “Oh, she’s safe.” Rose waved her hand vaguely. Mac couldn’t help but again notice the huge diamond prominently displayed on her left ring finger. An engagement ring? Or worse, a wedding band?

  “Your sister is happy here,” Rose continued. “She’s pregnant with Ian’s child.”

  Kelly reeled back as if she’d been struck. “He’s her first cousin,” she cried out in disgust. “That’s sick.”

  “We had such plans for you,” Rose continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Pity you had to go ruin things by mating with this shifter.” She cut her gaze to Mac, dismissing him with her dazed eyes like he was vermin. “Bonnie was extremely fertile, conceiving immediately. We all had such high hopes for you.”

  “And now?” Kelly asked harshly, clinging to Mac as if he was her lifeline.

  “Now, you’ll have to take your punishment just like the others who are stupid enough to refuse.”

  As though her words were a signal, all at once about ten of the other doors, both in front of them and behind, opened. Men carrying assault rifles poured out.

  Men being a relative term. To his disgust, Mac realized most of them were vampires. Most likely the same ones that had shot him and Kelly in Wyoming.

  Urgently, he moved his thumb over his mic, speaking loudly and deliberately so they all could hear. “Those vamps are armed with silver bullets. Only Tearlachs are immune.”

  “Exactly.” Rose’s smile chilled him to the bone. “So nobody better move. Danny’s men will escort you to a holding cell, where you’ll wait for him and for Ian to arrive.”

  Despite the riot gear, which meant they had body armor, but nothing to protect their heads, in a terse voice Simon ordered his men to comply.

  Mac’s heart sank. Someone had tipped them off. That had to be it, otherwise how could they have known what Mac and Simon were planning to do?

  A glance at Simon’s face revealed nothing. The man once known as The Terminator had always been, in times of crisis, able to shut down everything in order to function with the precision of a machine. It was one of the traits that made him so effective.

  “Danny is already on his way and will be joining us shortly,” Rose McKenzie said, managing to combine both satisfaction and longing in one sentence. She sounded, Mac realized, drugged or hypnotized.

  At her words, Simon turned to Mac and flashed him a grim, pleased smile. Nothing else, but it was enough to make Mac realize that Simon had planned for every possibility, even this.

  Silently, they allowed themselves to be herded like cattle into a large, windowless room. No one made any move to relieve them of their communication equipment or even check for weapons. Mac supposed they were that confident of the power of the silver bullets. He kept Kelly close, whispering to her not to say anything out loud.

  She nodded to show she understood.

  As the door closed, they heard the sound of the lock.

  “We’re trapped,” Spider said, fury and panic mingling in his voice. “What are we—?”

  “Be quiet,” Simon ordered, turning to face Mac. Moving close enough to whisper, he told Mac to be careful what he said, that the room was most likely bugged.

  “Thanks for the tip,” Mac whispered back. “Listen. Both Kelly and I are immune to the silver bullets. We’ll have to be the ones to get out of here.”

  “Good.” Simon even managed to sound like he’d planned this, too. “I have silver bullets as well, though I imagine most of the folks here are immune if they’re Tearlachs.”

  “True.” Mac squeezed Kelly closer. Though she’d seemed stunned and out of it since learning of her mother’s betrayal, she bent her head in so she could be included in the conversation.

  “We have men on the outside ready to grab Danny and Ian,” Simon murmured. “I’m hopeful they’ll stop them before they make it here. The plan is to run them off the road and take them down before they know what hit them.”

  Relief flooding him, Mac nodded. “Then we can use them to negotiate for our loved ones’ return.”

  “Exactly,” Simon said. “Assuming any of them actually want to leave. We can’t force anyone who’s an adult.”

  “I’ve got to find my children,” Mac said. “They aren’t old enough to have any
choice in this.”

  Just then, the lights went out.

  “That’s the signal.” Simon’s voice rang in the darkness. “As one, we’ll charge the door.”

  If they were worried about the vampires with silver bullets, they didn’t say it.

  Moving as one, the team rammed the door. Hard. It splintered on the first try, though not enough to allow them to leave.

  “Again.”

  This time, the wood gave way.

  “Follow me.” Simon led the way. His men followed him without question. Struck by the confidence in his voice, Mac realized what made the former Protector such a valued leader. Simon was definitely a good shifter to have on his side.

  They moved double file into the dimly lit hallway, Mac keeping a firm grip on Kelly. Luckily, shifters had better vision than humans, though not nearly as good as vampires.

  Silently, they jogged down the hall toward the same door they’d used to enter.

  Now Simon thumbed his microphone on. “Team Tres, report.”

  “We’re behind them, sir.” Because all mics were open, Mac and everyone else who had one could hear the exchange. Kelly squeezed his arm hard, in what might have been excitement or relief.

  “In a minute, we’ll be making our move.”

  “Good,” Simon said. “Notify me when your mission is accomplished.”

  Mac liked the way Simon had utmost faith in the success of his men.

  Simon flashed Mac a thumbs-up sign before moving past.

  Nearing the door, Mac’s heart raced. Closer, closer. Freedom almost upon them, they burst through the door and outside.

  Illuminated by candlelight, four armed vampires waited for them.

  Mac didn’t hesitate. Neither did Kelly. Holding hands, they moved to the front of their small group, using their bodies to provide cover for the others.

  One of the vampires laughed, displaying his shiny white fangs.

  “One, two, three.” In unison, Mac and Kelly drew their weapons and fired, mowing down two vampires almost simultaneously. At the same time, Simon and his men fired, having moved out from behind them to do so. The other two vamps fell without any of them getting off a single shot.