If he found her and they escaped, what would keep Chen from taking her back?
This could start a war. The casualties marched through his imagination. Humans would be caught in the crossfire. Shifter relations in Chicago would spiral back to the dark ages. The peace they’d fought to win and keep would vanish.
He came across a rope winch and ran his hand over the cool machine. The Rube Goldberg machine he’d won the contest with contained simple string strategies. There wasn’t much difference between string and rope. What if he took Chen out of the equation for good?
* * * *
The cracks in the ceiling paint created an intrinsic pattern. Katrina followed the lines with her sight, trying to find a way out of the maze. Her eyes were the only thing on her body that didn’t hurt.
Chen hadn’t held back on the hits once she’d defied him.
She shuddered, then hissed at the sharp pain in her chest. Each deep breath stung. Her ribs were probably cracked. She couldn’t even shift to heal her injuries. It would take her at least a day to recover.
The pain distracted her from the growing need between her thighs, though. Thank goodness, for little miracles. But how long before her heat took control over her body?
They’d laid her on a bed inside a cabin on a cargo ship destined for China. She suspected the room was more for Chen’s future comfort than for her injuries. If only the ground would swallow her whole before he returned.
They’d left the collar around her neck without the chain, a reminder of her status as a dog, and locked her room door. She squeezed her eyes shut. All her tears had been shed. They didn’t do her any good.
The freighter would set sail soon, and all those who’d helped her wouldn’t be bothered anymore. She would return to China. A thousand terrible possibilities loomed in her future.
How pathetic that she couldn’t break out. Without her beast, she wasn’t any better than a human. Every time she reached for her animal self, she found nothing. She’d never been so alone. How did humans cope?
The doorknob twisted and rattled slightly. Someone snuffled on the other side.
Moving slowly, she sat on the edge of the bed, not wanting to appear weak when Chen entered. She swallowed the pain and tried to take strength from it. No more groveling. She was Vasi now. The old Katrina had died when she ran from Chen.
“Katrina?” A familiar voice whispered.
Her spine snapped straight. All her pain vanished while her heart did a pirouette into the sky. “Tyler?”
Chapter 9
Tyler leaned against the door at the sound of Katrina’s voice, as if he could pass through the metal. He had found her. Lightheaded, he took a deep breath. The lock didn’t appear heavy duty, just a simple thing to keep humans out. The muscles in his back and arm contracted while he applied pressure to the knob. If he broke it, the lock would go too.
It took all his willpower not to bust down the door, but noise would attract attention. Concentrating supernatural strength in his hand finally snapped the knob. Its shattered pieces tumbled into his palms.
He shoved the door open.
Katrina stood on shaky legs. The most radiant smile spread across her face like moonbeams and night skies.
In three strides, he gathered her in his arms and squeezed tight. Nothing short of a crowbar would pry his arms from her.
Or her flinching at his touch.
He let go right away. She hadn’t reacted to him this way since they’d first met. Stepping away, he scanned her from head to toe. Torn dress, bruised face and limbs, her bottom lip swollen with a split. That bastard! She splinted her side as she moved toward him as if it hurt to walk.
“No.” The denial grated in his throat with contained rage. His pulse pounded behind his eyes. Had she already gone into heat? Was he too late?
Chen. Would. Die.
He’d tear that alpha’s heart out and eat it. Never had he wished harm on anyone until tonight.
Tears sparkled on Katrina’s eyelashes. “It’s not what you think. He only beat me.” She reached for him.
“Only?” He could barely speak. This time he gathered her in his arms gently. “I’m going to kill him.”
“No, you’re not.” She gazed into his eyes as she rested her head on his chest. “You will take me home. Let the warriors fight. I can’t lose you.” She sobbed once. “I’m so sorry.”
He gave her a chaste kiss. “We need to go.”
“Wait.” She whispered. “There’s something you need to know. I will be in my season soon. Very soon.”
“I know.”
Her shocked, confused expression was priceless.
“I had someone translate your diary.” He met her stare without shame. He’d have done it again if it meant saving her.
“The whole thing?” A deep blush crept up her cheeks then she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Chen’s gathered other females. He’s going to do terrible things to them. We have to help.”
“First, I get you off the ship. Then I’ll come back with help.”
“I have to stay.”
“Katrina–”
She placed a finger over his lips. “It is non-negotiable. I won’t be separated from you.”
They could argue about this all night, but it wouldn’t get her home faster. “Fine. At any sign of trouble, you shift and run.” He turned toward the door.
“I can’t shift.”
“Shit, Spice told me. I forgot.” He’d have to stay in human form so she could keep up. “How long before it wears off?”
“I don’t know.”
“Fuck.” With a gentle hand, he guided her to the door. His acute sense of smell had led him to Katrina. She was his mate. He could recognize a trace of her scent, but strangers were a different thing. The ship was full of shifters.
They left the sleeping quarters and followed the stairs back to the deck where he’d set his trap by the rope winch. How would he lure Chen here?
They followed close along the cargo crates stacked on the deck three boxes high. Guards on the control deck came out to scan the dock once in awhile. However, they did it half-heartedly. Maybe they didn’t think the Vasi would retaliate? Or that Eric had died in the explosion? The reasons didn’t matter. It meant they could search the ship if very careful.
At the winch, he pointed to the rope, which traveled up to the top of the three-crate-high cargo stack. “By triggering this switch, it will pull those containers down on whoever is standing next to them.” He prayed it would work. Rube Goldberg machines were his hobby, but he’d never built one on this scale. Without testing it, anything could happen.
Faint voices got closer. Tyler backtracked, pulling Katrina along, until they reached a gap between cargo containers. They were both thin enough to squeeze into the tight space.
He pushed Katrina in first, then sniffed the air. They’d be downwind from the voices, so there was a good chance their scents would get mixed in with everyone else’s.
Pressed close together, Katrina’s small fingers entwined with his. He’d gotten her back! Another wave of relief washed over him. He leaned his forehead against the hard metal and listened as the guards drew closer.
They chatted in what must be Mandarin.
He sensed Katrina stiffen next to him. Glancing in his direction, her wide eyes danced with his.
The guards passed, too busy chatting to notice them.
Tyler made Katrina wait before letting her speak.
She whispered, “Those guards just placed two girls in an empty cargo container. They’re waiting to trade them or something?”
“They want to swap them for Spice.” Those girls must be Tony’s sisters. Since they were waiting on the unconscious shifter, that meant the ship wouldn’t be taking off anytime soon. “First, we need to take care of Chen. Once he’s out, we’ll have a better chance of setting the girls free.” The pack should be here by then.
“There are hundreds of boxes on this ship. We need to track where the guard
s have been before their scent fades.”
He wanted to slam his head against the metal container. “If I wanted to live dangerously, I’d cancel Daedalus’s NFL TV subscription.”
A grin bloomed on Katrina’s face, then she kissed his cheek. “I missed you.”
“The winch I showed you. If we get a chance to bait Chen there, we should take it. Prisoners or not, okay?” They didn’t have a chance in hell of getting off this boat alive.
She nodded.
He stroked her cheek. At least she knew he’d risk everything for her. “Let’s go.” They crept out from their hiding space and Tyler bent close to the ground, sniffing. The guards’ scent remained strong.
They followed the trail away from where Tyler had climbed onto the ship. This was a terrible idea. With Katrina unable to shift, everyone relied on him to defend them, a huge, massive, terrible, terrible idea.
He detected a trace of sour anxiety in the air. Sweat and fear grew stronger as they traveled along the length of the deck. Each cargo container stood well over six feet tall and at least eight feet wide. They could easily hold people.
The barbarians couldn’t even house the girls in a room.
* * * *
Ignoring the pain with each breath, Katrina followed Tyler until he stopped at a container on deck level. Her stomach clenched and sweat beaded her skin even in the cool night air.
“The scent is strongest here.” He gestured to the sealed doors.
They’d found them. Knocking lightly, she spoke in Mandarin for someone to knock back. Her fear seemed amplified by the small amount of noise she’d made.
Multiple loud bangs answered her. She met Tyler’s concerned gaze. Someone had to have heard that.
Her mate took the padlock with both hands and braced his foot against the door. The muscles along his sturdy shoulders bunched and he twisted the lock back and forth until it broke. He was so much stronger than he thought.
Katrina lifted the handle and unlatched the closing mechanism. The metal door swung open on oiled hinges.
Two young Asian women swarmed out and into her arms. Their tear-stained faces said more than any words could. They complained about not being able to shift.
She didn’t have time to explain. They needed to get off the ship. Now. She faced Tyler. “Show us the way off.”
Tyler scooped her into his arms.
The pain blinded her. “What are you doing?” Her mouth could barely articulate through her clenched teeth.
“We need to hurry and you’re too hurt to run.”
She rested her head on his shoulder and focused on his face, ignoring the jarring hurt as he raced along the deck. The girls followed close behind. They looked so much alike, they had to be related.
Stopping by the rail, Tyler pointed over the side. “You speak English?”
“Yes.” The girls both answered.
“Climb down this ladder. When you get to the docks, stay together and run for the shadows by those warehouses. Hide until we or someone from the Vasi come get you.”
Tyler set her down. “Lead them. I’ll guard your backs.”
She shook her head. “I am not leaving you. They go first.” She leaned against his chest and watched the girls climb over the rail.
“Your turn.” Tyler guided her.
Someone behind them coughed.
Chapter 10
Tyler shoved her behind him while he spun to face the cougher. “Go, Katrina.”
She stumbled against the rail and grimaced at the jolt. The pain faded as she laid eyes on Chen.
He stood in human form, his hands clasped in front of him, leaning a little to the left. The evil of his presence sucked what energy she had left.
A massive beast dropped in front of them from the three-story container stack above them, landing next to Chen. Her heart jumped in her throat and choked her scream. She glanced at Tyler’s back, his presence steady and secure. He’d never desert her.
Chen waited until her gaze met his. “You can’t run.”
Her eyes went wide and she held onto the rail with a death grip.
He laughed.
They’d been caught. Now what? Slavery for her and death for Tyler.
Without warning her, Tyler shifted with painful speed. His clothes tore at the seams, exploding from his body, and fluttered to the deck. As the last of his bones snapped into place, his red furred beast stepped between her and Chen.
She stroked her hand over his back and stayed by his side. The ladder was just below her, she only needed to swing her legs over the rail, but she couldn’t abandon him. If he fought, so would she. They’d been separated only a day, but it had been an eternity in her mind.
He glanced over his shoulder at her, his wolf eyes a brilliant green in the moonlight. It could be the last time they’d be together.
She pulled his face close, resting her forehead on his for a brief second.
A roar echoed over the dock and Tyler fell away from her grasp.
The guard had tackled him and they were airborne.
A dull gong rung in the air as Tyler’s head impacted the deck.
Katrina cringed. Reaching for her beast by instinct, she found nothing responded to her call. Useless. She wouldn’t go down without a fight. She turned her back on Tyler and faced her personal nightmare.
Chen’s dark stare never left hers while he changed to beast form. He shifted quick and easy. The midnight fur of his wolf was sleek and smooth, but his gaze held sharp edges.
Her chest seized as her body froze in place. She understood how prey felt. Flicking her gaze toward Tyler, she watched the guard pin her love to the deck.
Passing her, Chen approached her mate and aimed his claws for Tyler’s chest.
A scream tore from her throat. It seared her soul. She couldn’t let them hurt him. It was all her fault. She should be the one to suffer.
The shifters all turned toward her.
She pointed at Chen. “You’ll never have me.” Spinning around, she ran like the devil chased her. In way, he did. Pounding the deck in her bare feet, Katrina raced back to the narrow space she and Tyler had hidden in. The hot breath of Chen’s beast brushed her shoulders. She dived.
Pain shot through her chest. Cracked ribs protested and she couldn’t take in air. Sliding across the wet deck on her stomach, she watched Chen fly over her head and slam into the cargo. She rolled and scrambled until she spotted the hiding space. Her gaze traveled down the deck.
The winch.
Her stomach clenched. Could she make it before Chen caught her? Without another second of hesitation, Katrina passed her original destination and sprinted for the rope winch instead. Each breath caused a sharp stab in her chest. On weak knees, she leaned against the machine and twisted her head.
Chen was not far away.
She fumbled the switch on and it whined in protest. The rope went taut, the cargo containers above groaned, then metal squealed on metal before the top steel container dropped to the deck.
Katrina bounced with the impact. She fell to her knees, staring as the huge metal box balance on its side. It stood like a tower where Chen had been a second before. With a metallic creak, the cargo container toppled over the edge of the ship, crashing onto the dock.
That should catch the local authority’s attention. She peeked around the winch at where Chen had been. A crushed mass of flesh smeared across the deck.
Her stomach rolled and she blinked at the mess. She’d done it. Running her hand over her face, she leaned against the winch, then shut it off. Was he really dead? She couldn’t pull her eyes from the remains of his body. A spark of hope ignited.
She was free.
“You bastard.” She whispered. “I killed you. Me, your pedigreed dog.” A high pitched yelp carried from further away on the ship and snapped her back to reality.
Tyler.
She tried to jog, but her injuries wouldn’t let her. The adrenaline had faded and left in its wake a wave of agony. No matter her in
juries, she needed to see Tyler with her own eyes. Without her mate, life wasn’t worth living.
Tyler had tracked her down. After all her secrets, her geeky, clown of a soulmate truly loved her like no one ever had. She didn’t deserve him.
Another howl cracked the night.
Hustling, she returned to the area where she’d left him. Blood splattered the deck. Her heart jack hammered. She should have stayed. He could be dead and she’d never told him how much–she never told him anything.
Her beast awoke inside of her in a tidal wave of animosity. It submerged her and they melded. Rejoicing at its return, Katrina gave it control and shifted in exquisite anguish as it exploded from her flesh.
Tyler needed her. She could almost taste his desperation. Tilting her head back, she let loose a howl, waiting for a response.
It came, weak and short, as if he didn’t have the breath to waste.
Dashing over the deck on all fours, she found them not far away.
The impact of their battle had moved some of the metal cargo containers, creating a dead end. Slashing at his body with his claw, the guard had Tyler pinned.
Katrina’s world condensed into that small space. The drip, drip, drip of Tyler’s blood was the only thing she could hear. Launching her body off the ground, she landed on a guard’s massive back and dug her claws into his flesh until her fingertips met his skin.
The guard reared back, exposing his throat.
With a heavy arm, Tyler swung and sliced his assailant’s neck.
The beast collapsed under her weight in a heap, but she only had eyes for her mate. He stumbled as he moved toward her, his fur matted with blood. Before he could reach her, Tyler’s legs buckled.
She rushed over and sniffed at his wounds, licking those bleeding too much.
He rubbed his muzzle against hers before slumping against to the floor and shifting to his human form. “Chen?”
Regretting her beast’s retreat, Katrina changed as well. “He’s dead.” She paused while assessing his injuries to kiss his forehead. “Your winch trick worked.”
Omegas In Love Page 7