“Stand back,” Topper said.
Topper mumbled something and snapped her finger. A small explosion occurred in front of them, but no one was hurt. When the smoke cleared, another dark hall was visible below them. Harmony had to be close.
***
Cold hands roamed up and down the back of her leg, waking Harmony from her latest drug induced sleep. She was now on her chest, her breasts jammed against the cold, unforgiving table. Her head was turned onto her left ear and secured to the hard metal. The silencer was still in her mouth.
Harmony didn’t survey her body to determine what procedures were performed on her while she was unconscious. The thought of what they could have done stopped her cold. She believed Dr. Argon had no barriers when it came to examining her body.
“We saw her run like a gazelle. I need to examine her muscular limbs,” Dr. Argon said.
“What about her sexual responses?”
Harmony tried to cry out, but the silencer still prevented her from communicating or screaming.
“We want to kill the aliens, not fuck them,” Dr. Argon barked at her assistant. “All the postmortems will be done together. We’ll keep her alive until I have completed the proper exams on the males. What you do to her during that time is unimportant to me. She’s just another animal as far as I am concerned. Conduct your own research after I am done here.”
Harmony sighed with relief. There was still time for Chase to rescue her. Or better yet, Frost or Dreyden would kill them both in their attempt to capture either of the Glacierian men.
“Hand me a scalpel,” the doctor requested.
Her stomach lurched at those words. She thought the woman would continue touching her legs, not cut her open. Harmony made another panic induced attempt at releasing her legs from the restraints. Her lungs released a scream, but her ears barely heard the resulting sound.
Searing pain emanated from her leg as the insane woman cut into her flesh. The incision was deep, exposing the bone and the surrounding muscles and tendons. Tears she was helpless to stop, ran down the sides of her face.
To manage her sanity through the pain, Harmony thought of the suffering her mother had endured as her genetic disease created an acid substance that ate through bone, muscle, and flesh until it finally killed her. She still remembered her mother’s screams as the degenerative disease started in her right ankle and progressed slowly.
Her cries were nearly silenced by the apparatus covering her mouth, but she continued her nearly quiet screams. She prayed the pain would render her unconscious, but she was not so lucky. Sharp bursts of agony resulted in continual unanswered cries for help.
Chapter 14
Chase stopped dead in his tracks. His mind sensed Harmony was in terrible pain. He couldn’t begin to explain how he knew where she was now.
“Follow me,” Chase called out as he sprinted in the direction he somehow knew Harmony was being held. Her pain was leading him to her.
Pati and Prue were beside him ready to cast whatever spell was necessary to remove any obstacles between him and his mate. Their men followed closely behind, Danyal in his leopard form. When they reached a dead end, Chase did not attempt to turn around. He knew Harmony was on the other side of the wall.
“Break it down or whatever you have to do,” Chase growled.
Prue chanted and the wall before them disintegrated. A man and a woman were visibly huddled over Harmony’s naked form. He could not tell what was occurring, but he knew Harmony was in tremendous pain.
Anger, the likes of which he never experienced, flashed through his body. The wolf he felt was gone surged forward and Chase shifted into the beast who would kill the beings hurting his mate. The humans were so focused on Harmony, they didn’t notice they had company.
Chase’s wolf launched himself at the woman he discovered cutting into Harmony’s leg. The table was saturated with blood. Danyal took down the man who assisted the female. If Theo wanted to interrogate one of his mate’s captors, he’d have to interview the male. His wolf launched himself at the arm of the hand holding the scalpel. The scientist, or whatever she was, would no longer be able to inflict pain or defend herself.
When the woman’s body lurched in response to his attack, Chase went for her torso next. He was going to make the woman suffer for what she had done to Harmony. His wolf, silent for too long, wanted blood.
He continued to rip into his victim as Pati and Prue released Harmony from the strips of wide leather restraining her. Whatever had been covering her mouth had been removed and his ears now heard Harmony’s cries. The sound broke his heart. As his teeth continued to tear at the woman’s flesh, he used his front claws to ravage her chest and legs. Blood seeped through her injuries, continuing to turn her white jacket a scarlet red.
“Let go of him, Danyal,” Chase heard Theo say. The lawman was not stopping Chase from exacting his revenge. “I need one of these monsters alive.”
It seemed a perfectly appropriate word to describe the beings who captured and attempted to dissect his woman. Magic was full of mythical and magical creatures, but the two humans before them were the true monsters.
“The woman is dead, Chase.” Pati ran her hand along his back, trying to calm his killing fury. “Take care of your mate.”
Chase released his jaws from the woman’s chest and leapt onto the table. His wolf straddled its mate and licked the perspiration from her face. Harmony grabbed the scruff at the back of his neck and pulled his nose into her shoulder. He whimpered in response to what had been done to her. His mate held him tighter. She was acting instinctually, no longer plagued by her subconscious’s fear of animals. His wolf provided her needed comfort.
When Harmony quieted, he jumped from the table and shifted into his human form. Someone had covered Harmony’s body with Theo’s shirt. The lawman stood bare chested in the back of the room giving a variety of orders to people piling in. There was data to pull, equipment to liberate, a body to dispose of, and a prisoner to secure into custody.
The man who aided in violating Harmony was unconscious on the floor. His shirt was ripped to shreds and discolored with blood. Danyal had controlled his cat and had not killed the bastard. The sheriff would be able to gather what information he needed. Chase wanted what remained. His need for vengeance had barely been sated.
“Get a doctor down here,” the dragon shifter roared. “I want someone to look at her leg. Prue, perform a spell to stop the bleeding in the meantime.”
Chase stood back while his friends cared for his mate’s leg. Harmony reached out her hand to him and Chase took it. Her hand seemed so small in his.
Prue had the ability to manipulate elemental matter, but he wasn’t sure if the mage would be able to mend Harmony’s leg. She was working on getting the blood to clot. They may not know the extent of the injury to her leg until she tried to put weight on it.
“Maybe we should enter the portal between our worlds and have a Glacierian doctor examine her,” Chase suggested. The aliens were technologically superior. Perhaps, their medicine was more advanced than what existed on Earth.
After Prue was done working on the leg, first aid supplies appeared out of nowhere. “I’ve done all I can. I’ll wrap the leg and protect it from being bumped in transit. It makes sense to have someone familiar with her physiology take a look at her. Her muscle and tendon structure is different from ours and I don’t want to mess her up further.”
Topper entered the room, looking as flamboyant as she always did. Now that Harmony was safe, he truly looked at Topper. She was dressed in desert fatigues, which Chase found oddly charming. For as long as Chase could remember, Topper never did anything with moderation. He always found her to be larger than life. She stopped and looked at what he had done to the female scientist.
“Your wolf did this, didn’t he?” Topper asked.
Chase nodded. “As soon as I saw the scalpel cutting into Harmony’s leg my wolf materialized. Even before that, when only a wall separated us,
I knew she was there. I thought your magic had eliminated my wolf for a week.”
“There is one thing I have learned over the years,” Topper said with a warm smile gracing her face, “true love will always trump magic. There is no stronger force in the universe. That is why love spells are so dangerous. They always tend to backfire. Your wolf shares the love you have for your mate. When she is in danger, from this point on, it will not matter the cycle the moon, your wolf will be unleashed.”
Everything he had seen with the pairings of his two female friends just reinforced what Topper had said. For Pati and Danyal, their love reached across dimensions. For him and Prue, it somehow brought their Chosen Ones across the universe. As far as he was concerned, miracles surrounded him and his dear friends.
“Harmony is ready to be moved,” Prue said. “I cast a spell to make her sleep. The leg shouldn’t be jarred, but I don’t want to take any chances. She’s been through enough. I don’t want to be wrong and have her suffer any more. When she is back on Glacier and the doctor has seen to her injuries, Harmony will awaken.”
Chase lifted Harmony into his arms, careful not to come in direct contact with the part of her leg that was injured. He was grateful Prue had knocked Harmony out. Nothing and no one would ever hurt his mate again. His wolf would make sure of it.
***
The Planet Glacier
Harmony slowly woke from the magical spell. Prue had asked for her approval to put her under until her leg was properly cared for. It seemed the easiest way to temporarily escape the physical and mental trauma over what had been done to her.
She immediately became aware of an animal sitting beside her prone body. Chase was watching over her in his wolf form. His eyes were glued to the room’s entrance. Harmony was in her father’s house. She moved her hand and stroked his back. His fur was so soft. A slight whimper came from Chase in response to her touch.
“The wolf has not left your side.” Her father sat behind her, out of her line of sight. “He growled every time someone new entered your room. I was afraid he was going to rip out the doctor’s throat when he drew out a sharp object to cut off the temporary cast and bandages. Your Chosen One would kill for you.”
“He already has,” Harmony replied. She had witnessed the wolf attacking Dr. Argon before she could further slice open her leg. Panic consumed her over what lasting effects the cutting of her muscles produced. “What did the doctor say?”
“Fortunately, the damage was not as bad as we feared,” her father said. “Your muscles were already healing themselves, thanks to your Titian genetics. You may feel some discomfort, but the doctor left medication that will take the edge off any pain you experience. The Ruling Director was here while you were unconscious. Word of what happened has been widely distributed. If you do not wish to return to Earth, he will certainly understand.”
Another growl came from Chase. She stroked his back, attempting to reassure him. It didn’t matter where she lived, Chase would be at her side.
“I need to discuss our future with Chase,” Harmony advised her father. “He is my Chosen One. If you will excuse us, I’d like to start the discussion now.”
Her father hesitated leaving the room. “You will always have a home here. I know things between us have not been easy since your mother’s death. When I heard what happened on Earth, all I wanted to do was hold my little girl in my arms once again. There is nothing I want more than to heal our relationship and be part of your life again.”
Tears welled in the corner of her eyes. Harmony missed what they once had and wanted her children to know their grandfather.
“I’d like that, Dad,” Harmony’s voice cracked with emotion. “After I talk with Chase, we’ll work something out.”
She watched as her father left the room and closed the door behind him. Once they were alone, Chase shifted into his human form. He gathered her into his arms, careful not to impact her leg. He treated her with such care, whether he was in his human or wolf form.
Chase pulled back a few strands of hair that fell across her cheek. He examined her face with such intensity. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to assess her mental state or merely studying her. Was the trauma of what she had been through evident in what he saw?
“I am so sorry for what you were subjected to,” Chase said. “If I had not asked Topper to remove my wolf, I would have been able to rescue you as soon as they abducted you.”
She didn’t know much about wolves, but she doubted they could outrun a motorized vehicle. He was taking the blame when he shouldn’t. Ultimately, it was Chase and the people of Magic who rescued her. If anyone was at fault, it was the Ruling Director sending her to a backward planet. But had he not, she never would have met her Chosen One.
“You stopped her, that’s what’s important,” Harmony finally said. “What did they do about the facility?”
“No one is ever going to use it again. The explosives Dreyden used to protect the spaceport from falling into the wrong hands were used to demolish the facility. Only a large hole exists. The witches have placed a spell over the area, making it appear as part of the flat desert.”
“The witches are one of the reasons why the Ruling Director has been able to get around Coalition law when it comes to Earth.” Harmony couldn’t help shivering as memories of what had occurred came flooding back to her. “When I speak to him, I will let him know I will not file a complaint. But Earth will not be approached for some time to join with other worlds. Overall, they are cruel, paranoid, and are not ready to be visited by other types of beings.”
Harmony could see Chase take a hard swallow, as if his throat had an obstruction in it. She needed to soothe his anxiety over whether or not they had a future.
“I want to return to Magic and make a life with you there,” Harmony said. “The portal between our worlds will allow me to see my father. But I no longer belong here. For some reason, I feel an affinity with the people of Magic over and above what I share with you. I am not the only one at risk in your world. The witches will have to find a better way to protect the town.”
She didn’t have a doubt Topper and the rest of the witches had already come up with some ideas to enhance the safeguards. There were children who were special and could be targeted. This time the scientists went after her, next time it could be a child.
“We can return in a couple of days.” Chase did not make eye contact. He was keeping something from her.
“Why not now? I’ll test my leg and we’ll go through the portal between our worlds.”
Chase ran a finger across her cheekbone. “It’s too dangerous. We have been on Glacier for two days. The moon will be full tomorrow night on Earth. On Glacier, it’s the end of one of your moon’s three-day cycles.”
A half-laugh escaped from her. “I am no longer afraid of your wolf.”
“You are recovering from what was done to you,” Chase said. “My wolf has an insatiable sex drive the night of the full moon.”
Harmony wrapped her arms around him. “Yes, please,” she purred. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sprint for several miles, but I can certainly handle anything your wolf can do to me in bed.”
She was actually looking forward to the experience. Different alien races had strong sexual drives and she never had any issues keeping up with any of them when she felt like having casual sex. It was her heart she feared for more than any physical strain his wolf could produce. For the first time since her mother’s death, Harmony was ready to care for another being.
Chapter 15
Magic, New Mexico
Harmony watched as the sky grew darker and the full moon became more dominate. In her travels, she rarely considered the satellites that orbited a planet. They were something to navigate around, not a celestial body that would impact a being’s behavior or physical form.
When they returned from Glacier, Chase immediately went to his basement and locked himself into the secured room. He had given her the choice to hold off any
physical contact until after the pull of the moon was no longer a threat. A small smile crossed her face at the ridiculous thought of Chase or his wolf ever presenting any type of danger to her.
Her body ached for his touch. If things got a little rough, she didn’t care. She had tangled with alien criminals and always came out the winner. Her Titian genetics could easily take on a werewolf. Besides, a little physical activity would take her mind off the memories of her abduction that continued to plague her. Getting lost in the act of loving her Chosen One seemed like the best way to deal with her mental anxiety.
Harmony continued to look out the living room window, not focusing on anything specific. She was not stalling joining Chase in the basement because she was afraid of his beast, but because she knew she’d lose herself in their lovemaking. For now, she needed a little more time to reflect on what had happened to her.
Every time she cleared her mind, she could feel the sharp pain in her leg as Dr. Argon made her incision. There was no empathy where the scientist was concerned, she was just a test subject. Even when Harmony went after the most vicious criminals, she knew she was up against someone who had a family somewhere. But it was the family of his or her victims she concentrated on. It was the only way she could do her job.
The sheriff had stopped by earlier to give them an update on his interrogation of Jordan. He and Dr. Argon had found notes a colleague had left behind about a strange town in New Mexico. Their friend had disappeared, but Dr. Argon felt she could make a name for herself if what the information she collected proved true. It was Jordan’s observations regarding Harmony that caused her to be the target.
Fortunately, Dr. Argon had destroyed the notes she had found, not wanting to share the credit when her research was published. Jordan confirmed Dr. Argon’s notes were in the facility when the explosion decimated the underground bunker. The threat for now was over.
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