Primal Instinct

by Ally Parker

  Ava looked at her unblinking, and Kenzie gave her a quick nod. “I’ll be back soon.”

  She opened the car door and jogged across the street. The crunch of her sneakers pounded on the asphalt. No late-night drunks wandered the roads; no cars sped past. It was almost like the street held its breath. A shiver skated down her spine. Shaking her head, she dashed to their front door. The brown door sat ajar from the invasion. Pushing through, she inched into the room. Her breath fluttered in her chest. She couldn’t tell if it was from the sickness swamping her body or the fallout of too much adrenaline. As much as she wanted to rush into the room, she forced herself to take her time. She scouted the place with her vision.

  The place was a mess. Chairs littered the floor, and the moonlight caught the glimmer of broken glass chips scattered across the carpet. Every dark and hidden crevice loomed toward her. She had to pull herself together. Her throat was dry as ash and refused to swallow. She headed to the kitchen, turned on the tap, and cupped the facet, guzzling down the cool liquid. Finishing, she wiped her palms on her jeans and headed to her room. God, she wanted to collapse onto her bed and sleep for a month. Maybe then she’d feel better.

  Groaning, she grabbed her backpack and shoved some clothes into it. All she needed was some food and some money. Spinning, she sank to her knees in the worn eighties carpet and riffled through the cupboard, yanking out a small metal box with a few hundred dollars in it. It wasn’t much but would get them across the state. Maybe. A cell started to ring, and it took her a moment to realize it was the cell Kali had given her.

  Well, Kali could go screw herself. She was done being told what to do. Done being someone’s puppet. This whole situation had nearly cost her everything. The phone rang out and a beat later started up again. On the fourth time, Kenzie growled and answered it. “I’m done,” she snapped.

  “I’ll tell you when…”

  “I have my sister. Our arrangement has been terminated. You, Doctor LeRoy, and William can kiss my ass.” She shook her head and zipped up the bag. She needed to get back to the car.

  Kali sighed, and Kenzie didn’t like the sound of it. “I’m afraid you’re wrong.”

  Kenzie stood and moved to the window, shoving the curtains back a crack, and peered down to the SUV. “Wrong?”

  Kali clicked her tongue. “You’re too predictable. You need to learn to think like your prey. They knew it was only a matter of time before you came back, and all we had to do was wait.”

  Bile rose in her throat.

  “As soon as you got out of the car,” Kali continued. “A tranq dart shot your sister. Bada Bing, Bada Boom, now she’s back into Delmac’s safekeeping. If we’d been friends maybe I could have done something to help. If only I’d known your plan.”

  Staring out the window, she wouldn’t have known anything had happened. All appeared quiet and undisturbed. The car was still parked in the same spot, and she couldn’t see any signs of struggle. Headlights lit up the street, and she spotted a dark SUV farther down the road. She heard some muffled noises through the phone line.

  “The deal is still on.” Kali disconnected the call.

  “No.” She shook her head. This couldn’t be happening.

  A floorboard creaked behind her, and she froze. Her hand crept towards a bat she kept hidden against the drawers near her bed.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Mackenzie Sutton.” A dark and dangerous voice vibrated through the air.

  Fear pulsed through her, laced with a heavy dose of anger. She had just about enough of people telling her what to do for the night. She spun with the bat in her grasp. The stranger’s eyes glowed green fire, and his hand shot out and caught the bat. It was the male she’d seen on the Harley, the same creature that had saved her at Delmac. No bat was going to help her.

  “Calm down. If I was here to hurt you, you would be dead already.” He pushed off the doorframe, took a couple of steps. Gently, he pried the bat from her grasp and placed it on a small desk along the opposite wall.

  Drawing in a breath, she held it. She didn’t doubt his words. Not after seeing firsthand what he was capable of. Her breath shot out of her in a rush, and she squared her stance. “If you’re not here to hurt me, what do you want?”

  “You, the were, and the child need to come with me.” He folded his arms across his chest and took a step into the pool of moonlight shining in through the window. She frowned, and her heart started to pound in her chest. It took a moment for his words to sink through her thoughts.

  She snorted. “Look big guy as tempting as that sounds I’ve already got other plans.”

  “Jaxx. My name’s Jaxx Reynolds.”

  Her vision wavered, and his hand wrapped around her shoulders, holding her steady. Damn stupid dizziness. She quickly glanced to her bite and saw blood seeping through her sweater. She looked up and caught him eyeing her wound, and he swallowed, the action drawing her attention to the tip of an intricate tattoo that branched down his neck.

  He took a step closer. “You’re injured. I can help. But, you need to come with me.”

  So he could keep her locked up or control her every move? No thanks. She pulled from his hold. “As I said, I have to politely decline.”

  She grabbed her bag and tossed it over her shoulder, wincing as her muscles protested even that small movement.

  “Some place to be?”

  Yeah, out finishing her mission so she could get her sister back, damn it. He stepped into her path and arched a brow. She collided with a wall of warm, hard male. Only a breath separated them. She met his gaze, and he smiled. The action softened his face into the most exquisite thing she’d ever seen.

  “Come with me, Mackenzie. The Shadow Moon pack can keep you safe and help your transition.”

  His words confirmed her suspicions that she was going to turn into a werewolf. Dread for the unknown ate at her. His offer sounded a tiny bit appealing, but at the end of the day, for all she knew, he could have been part of the sick and twisted experiments at Delmac.

  “I try not to make it a habit of following strangers to God only knows where. I think I’ll pass. People keep telling me what to do today, and so far, it hasn’t worked out for me.”

  A loud growl echoed from outside, and she tensed. Was Milly still out there in the back of the SUV? Or had Kali taken her too? She needed to get out of there.

  “Don’t even think about it. I’ll get to you before you take your first step. You’re alone. The pack enforcers have been holding off more of Delmac’s drones outside. Come with me.” His hand clamped around her arm, holding her in place.

  The term pack enforcers didn’t sound good. She blinked away the haze fogging her brain and fought off the need to lean on something. Stay with it just a little longer. The man had come from the same property she’d been sent to investigate. Now that Kali held her sister captive, she still needed to complete her mission. Her ticket into the place she needed to investigate wanted her to go with him. It would be dangerous, but it was her only choice. “I… okay. I’ll come with you.”

  He exhaled as if he was relieved. “Good. You’ve made the right decision.”

  Suddenly, he tensed, and his head cocked at an odd angle as if he was listening to something. The muscles in his neck flexed, and he cursed again. His eyes bored into hers, and for a moment she stood motionless, trapped in the depth of his gaze. “Do you have a weapon?” His words were as effective as ice-cold water.

  “In the kitchen.”

  He released her and gave a nod. She looked toward the window one last time and turned, heading for the kitchen. If a man as imposing as him was telling her to lock and load, she would damn well lock and load.

  Jaxx’s pulse jackknifed in his chest. He could hear Mackenzie searching in the kitchen for a weapon as he approached the window. With his mate so close, all of his senses were on high alert. The smell of her fear and panic only amplified the issue. He took a deep breath and craned his neck. Keep it together. His glyph itch
ed, and he could tell another accent had darkened against his skin. How much time did he have left? Flexing his fingers, he reminded himself to keep cool. It wouldn’t do him or his wolf any good to freak Mackenzie out more than she already was.

  Keeping to the shadows, he peered out the glass, and his suspicions were confirmed. Two more Humvees had parked down the street, and eight men dressed in Delmac fatigues slid out, all of them armed to the hilt. A growl vibrated in his chest. If those sick sons of bitches thought for a second they would be getting reacquainted with his mate or Lucas’s child, he would take great pleasure in setting them straight.

  His gaze swung to the sedan across the street. Seb had found Milly hiding in some bushes near the car. There was no sign of the were when they had arrived. The trees swayed, and Seb froze, no doubt smelling company. Seb glanced up toward him, and Jaxx knew they needed to get the hell out of there. Fast. He inched closer to the window and said. “Take the kid and get to safety.”

  Seb remained motionless for a moment, and Jaxx could see the indecision on his face. “I’m right behind you. Now go!”

  Seb nodded and spun toward the car, opening the driver’s door, and within minutes drove off into the night. Jaxx’s body hummed with his mate’s approach. Her whispered words were edged with anxiety, but he could hear the note of determination, and his chest swelled with pride. His mate was a fighter, and that was something he could relate to. “What are we dealing with?”

  He was nothing short of impressed. A human who had been bitten and battled her way out of a war zone with a child in tow was still keeping her cool under ongoing pressure. He doubted many people had that level-headedness about them. Guns fitted with silencers shot and pinged off a street sign, barely missing Seb’s getaway car.

  “What the hell was that?” She inched closer to the window, and he reached out, yanking her flush against him, keeping her in the safety of the shadows, and in his arms. Her ass ground against his cock, and he tried not to notice how his blood headed south. Keeping an eye outside, he dipped his head and whispered into her ear. “Two teams of Delmac’s men are outside. Seb has taken your car and the girl to safety. One team followed him, which leaves us with the other to deal with.”

  Her muscles strained, and he could sense her panic. “I can keep us safe.”

  She shook her head. “She’s just a kid. Please don’t let him hurt her.”

  He stared down at the top of her head. His female thought his kind would hurt a pup? He didn’t know whether to be offended at the insult or relieved that she was trying to protect Lucas’s child.

  “We don’t hurt pups. Human or otherwise.”

  She sucked in some measured breaths. “Okay. How are we getting out of here?”

  Grudgingly, he released her, and she stepped away. Noises from outside grew louder as the guards closed in. He scanned her body and took in several knives she had clutched in her hands and a backpack over her shoulder. “Good. You’re ready.”

  Audibly swallowing, she nodded. He stared at her a moment longer, taking in her sweaty face that had gradually lost more of its color since he arrived. By the looks of things, she wasn’t in any shape to fight. If everything went according to plan, she wouldn’t have to.

  “Whatever happens, stay behind me. If things go south, run. Got it?”

  He brushed past her before she could argue. The apartment was still dark and looked like there had already been a struggle. Just the thought of his mate in danger fighting for her life brought out a low growl. Calling on his wolf, he let his teeth lengthen and his claws burst forth. They stepped over a broken chair and headed to the door. He stole one last look at his future mate, and she gasped. “Don’t be scared. I’m stronger this way,” he assured her.

  She nodded, and he glanced away, steeling himself for the battle to come. Using precise movements, he opened the door and scented the air. The smell of gun oil and boot polish was absent. He eased out the door and waited for Mackenzie to follow. She cast nervous glances down the hall with wide eyes, and he wanted to reach out and take her in his arms.

  He used his finger to indicate which way he wanted them to go. Pools of moonlight fanned over the path. Damn it, even humans would be able to see them. His wolf clambered to take control of his body and protect his mate. He had to get them out of there before the animal got his way. Gravel crunched close by, and if he strained his hearing, he could hear the men fanning out around the building.

  “What are you waiting for?” Mackenzie hissed from behind him.

  Panting breaths and footsteps gave away the enemies’ locations. By the sounds of it, three men approached from the right and damn it, two from the left—the path they needed to take to get to his SUV in the middle.

  He held up his hand. “I’m listening for their positions. Can I have one of your knives?”

  “You can do that? Hear where people are, I mean.”

  She passed him the blade. He couldn’t deny liking the note of awe in her voice. “Among other things. We have three incoming from the right entrance, the other two on the left. If we play our cards right we’ll only deal with the two of them and be out of here before anyone’s the wiser. Stay behind me at all times.”

  When he said we, what he really meant was him. Even if the dark circles surrounding her glassy gaze weren’t there, or the tremble he could see quivering up her arm, he wouldn’t have allowed her to risk her life in battle. Hedging the balcony, he heard the men crawling forward. He plastered Mackenzie against the wall and propelled himself into the opening.

  “Freeze!”

  The guard cocked his trigger on his gun like he was some kind of law enforcement and not a sick bastard that worked for Delmac. Like hell! Jaxx lifted his leg and booted the first asshole down the stairs. The second guard stumbled back, and at the last minute righted himself before charging at them.

  Jaxx gripped the knife in his hand, and with a flick of his wrist it sailed through the air and lodged itself in his opponent’s neck. It took the man’s body a moment to realize what had happened; he toppled forward and landed on his knees, his eyes opened wide, before falling lifeless upon the stairs.

  Bullets zinged past Jaxx, and he lurched into action. The first guard stood at the foot of the staircase, his gun trained their way. Instincts pushed him forward, and his wolf snarled to protect his mate. His attention honed into the threat, and he jumped to the next landing. Jaxx wrapped his hands around the man’s neck and twisted until death glazed in the human’s eyes.

  To his left a male grunted. Jaxx glanced up to see a guard wrap his hand around a butcher’s knife protruding from his gut. He snarled, knowing that Mackenzie had been in danger. In two steps he was on the soldier and swiped his claws across the man’s neck. Spinning, he faced his mate. She gasped, and he hated that he put fear on her face. But, damn it, she had disobeyed his orders. “You were meant to stay behind me.”

  It took her a second before she regrouped and bent, picking up a gun. She swayed, and her hand shot out to the railing as she moved down the stairs, pushing past him. “You’re welcome. I only stopped you from getting shot point-blank.”

  For a moment he was stunned; she had protected him? A warm sensation passed through him, and he couldn’t place the feeling. He frowned and shook it off. This wasn’t the place for exploring his inner wolf. He grabbed the other guns, checked the safety, and followed closely behind her. Guns weren’t normally his thing, but he couldn’t afford his fragile mate to be getting in close confines with another battle.

  The rest of the Delmac team had heard the commotion and were heading in their direction. Unfortunately, they weren’t the only ones who had taken notice of the noise. In the distance sirens blared. Damn. Lucky thing that Linkin was part of the local law enforcement. He could help cover any shifter evidence left on the scene.

  A bullet grazed past his arm, and he whirled around to see Delmac’s henchmen gunning after them. He glanced to his female, who was struggling to remain upright. “Sorry about th
is.”

  Her breath was labored. “About what?”

  He slid the guns into the back of his jeans, and scooped her up, running across the parking lot. He picked up the pace with a burst of preternatural speed. She winced and her fingers clawed into his shoulders. Cradling her tightly against his chest, he leapt the low-lying brick fence and headed straight for his SUV.

  The immediate threat dissolved into an echo in the distance. Her hand clutched tightly to his shirt, and she buried her head into his neck. As sad as it was, he couldn’t deny the pleasure that filled him. Despite the circumstances, he finally held his mate, his savior, in his arms. All too soon he stood in front of the car.

  “You can put me down now,” she whispered.

  In other circumstances he might have refused, but since they still weren’t in the clear, he didn’t argue. He fished out his key and unlocked the car, sliding her into the backseat. She glanced behind them, searching the darkness. Sirens wailed closer, and he knew the Delmac foot soldiers would be pressed for time to pick up their trail. Satisfied there was no imminent threat, he got in the car and slid the key in the ignition. Within seconds the engine purred to life, and he nosed the car out and drove toward Shadow Moon territory.

  In the rear-view mirror he saw Mackenzie’s head lean against the car door. She wiped her brow and shivered. His fingers flexed on the wheel. Damn it, she was going through the change too quickly. The change varied for everyone depending on their genetic makeup. His mate was in the prime of her human life with minimal wounds, and the full moon was cresting, calling to the animal forming within her. They needed to be back in the safety of pack lands before she shifted.