by Angela White
Arrows sailed a third time at Cameron’s motion, the leader’s lips were drawn back in a savage frown of anger. He felt the power of his ancestors, the strength of being a man, and yet, he felt powerless standing next to Linny and her magic.
Linny, sensing the other men with them were starting to feel the same, slid to her knees as if empty. It gave the braves a renewed sense of purpose. They began firing sharply, hitting their targets the first time.
Linny stayed on the ground, seeing that her young son’s magic didn’t have the same effect on the braves. They weren’t threatened by Ty. Is it because I’m female or because I’m older and stronger? She wondered.
She wasn’t prepared to hear an answer.
Both, Cameron sent, still acknowledging his new gifts and his weaknesses. It is our breeding, our heritage.
A soldier lunged at Cameron and Linny quickly lunged, slitting the man’s spinal cord through the back of his neck.
As the body fell to the ground, Linny raised a hand. Well?
Pride, Cameron answered, seeing the remaining soldiers had chosen to flee down into the chain of destruction that was slowly winding upward. It would reach this area shortly, but only with nets, not mines. The Ghost had known some of his own would be on these plains and ridges to keep any surviving soldiers from reaching his base. If you’re stronger than we are, you don’t need us.
We don’t, Linny stated harshly. She rose in a fluid motion, set to throw another fireball to chase away the remaining soldiers. Her boots sank in the mud…she fell forward, smothering the flames and drenching herself from head to toe in goop.
Cameron and his braves burst out laughing, male egos definitely in the good.
Linny spit out nasty mud as she pushed herself up, ignoring the snickers to concentrate on the lesson she’d just learned. She might not need a man, but she wanted one. Cameron’s hearty chuckle was sending chills through her soaked body.
Next to her, Ty glowered at Cameron, little face squished into concentration.
Cameron let the boy into his thoughts, but was unprepared for what the child wanted to know.
Tyson pulled the images as if he were flipping through a magazine, stopping on one of Cameron’s most ruthless moments against his enemy. You’ll teach me?
Cameron was shocked. Why? That man raped my daughter and caused my family disgrace. Who do you hate that much?
Tyson put an image into his head that reached Cameron’s stoic heart.
The image was of Linny being hurt. It was ugly, making the Indian chief hate the soldiers even more.
I will kill anyone who hurts my mom, Tyson growled, the warning ringing in Cameron’s head.
You’ll obey my teachings, my ways? Cameron asked firmly. He wasn’t afraid of magic. He respected it.
You’ll never hurt her, even when she’s mean to you?”
Cameron frowned. Mean to me?
Ty shrugged. I’ve heard the soldiers say women are mean to men and they have to be controlled.
Cameron’s anger rose. He knelt down in front of the soaked boy, aware of the others staring in surprise.
“Women are to be protected, loved, and allowed to grow in any way they chose to. It is what gives a society peace. I will teach you. You will be my second son, but just as loved as the first and any who come after.”
Tyson held out a hand to shake on it and Cameron followed his instincts of treating the boy the way he wanted. He grabbed the child for a hug. In time, he would blend their traditions. The child would be happy among them.
Ty responded right away, even lingering and Cameron looked up, expecting to have to convince the boy’s mother.
He found Linny waiting submissively at the edge of the flat area.
“We should go soon,” she said softly.
Cameron, now grinning from ear to ear, put an arm around the happy boy and led his new family up the cliff.
5
“How many?”
Donner didn’t sound worried and Trey made sure to match the casualness. “Three hundred, at best. We can’t get into the air until the storm stops.”
“Would you like the rain to quit?” Samantha offered from her seat in the corner. Right after the last explosion–the one that had rattled the ground and sent fear into Donner’s heart–he’d had her brought here where he could keep an eye on his prize.
Donner shook his head. “Save your strength, Ms. Moore.”
Samantha didn’t respond to the slight threat in his tone. According to her guards, he was set to trade her for Adrian, but if Donner were pushed too hard, he would snap early.
Donner gazed at her with thoughtful orbs glowing brightly. “Are you still hiding something from me, Samantha?”
Heart picking up a beat, she answered, “I can’t block like my boss can. You’ve seen what’s there.”
Donner still stared, searching through her doors again to be sure. It was almost over now. He couldn’t afford to be careless.
Samantha didn’t try to hide or think of something to block him. Donner was an alpha and while she didn’t know much about that mysterious word, she knew she couldn’t stop him.
Donner finally let go of her, turning to the impatiently waiting man in front of him. “Go on.”
“We estimate that half made it to the top, but they’ll have no vehicles and very little gear.”
“Where does your information come from?”
“We’ve had a few survivors come in. They’ve described it as hell and refused to go back up.”
Donner rolled his eyes. “All of her traps are gone now. When the dust settles, we’ll have more men.”
Trey didn’t argue or tell Donner about the mini-riot he’d quelled this morning among the lower ranks to save Donner’s den from his own guards.
“I’m aware of the discontent,” Donner stated icily. “What else?”
“We have weak lines, but some calls are still getting through. When our scouts get to the top, they’ll call.”
“How long?”
“A few hours,” the man answered nervously.
“We’ll be contacted before that,” Donner predicted, almost sure now that Samantha was indeed hiding something from him. But what? And how?
“Will she surrender?”
Donner shrugged. “I’m prepared, if not. Get the chopper set to take us in. We’ll be collecting three.”
Trey left to carry out the orders and Donner turned to Samantha. “Let’s have that chat now, Ms. Moore.”
Samantha’s stomach tightened nauseatingly and she didn’t fight it, needing the distraction.
Donner flinched back from the pool of vomit, scowling in disgust. “Keep your fluids to yourself!”
Samantha retched again, thinking the MREs they’d been serving her weren’t mixing well after Safe Haven’s fresh food.
Donner waved a man to take her to her rooms until they were ready to go, forgetting about that nagging voice saying that the blonde woman and her twins were the key to a mystery that he needed to solve.
Samantha was still gagging as she was dragged from the room.
Donner stepped outside while his lackeys cleaned up the mess. He would have to take steps to cover this area. He hadn’t yet, hadn’t considered the waste products. Donner’s mind went back to planning how he would hold Angela captive until her child was born. After that, he would head for a different location that was already being stocked with the proper staff. He would add a waste management professional to that crew. He didn’t mind blood, snot or sweat, but puke screwed his guts every time.
6
“You have brought down part of the mountain!” Red Stone exclaimed as the clouds of thick smoke covered their view of the cliffs.
Marc didn’t have time to give credit where it was due. Soldiers had come pouring through the tunnels behind them as they fled into the final den. They were now locked in hand-to-hand combat while their people huddled, terrified, inside Oglethorpe Base. But they weren’t helpless by any means. Inside the den, we
re three more layers of hell waiting for any soldiers who made it through. When Angela had decreed that every portion of their population participate, she hadn’t been exaggerating. Only the infants and toddlers had been spared a role in this war.
Red Stone fired his last arrow, hitting a soldier climbing over the fence before turning to Marc in exasperation. “Why did you do that?”
Marc grunted, throwing his weight into a nasty hit that knocked his opponent out and allowed him to drag his knife across the man’s filthy throat.
“Ask the boss when we see her.”
Red Stone stared stupidly. “A woman did that?”
Marc’s grin slipped out, showing his pride at her ruthless intelligence.
Red Stone shook his head and went back to watching his section of the high fence around the base. Marc had the men in a thick line all the way around the main building, using arrows, guns, carefully aimed grenades and rifle shots. The noise was constant, echoing into the awful headache Marc had found himself with upon waking.
The next wave of soldiers came over the front fence together, two dozen at the same time.
Marc rushed forward to use the barrels he’d found as steps up to knock these desperate men down. The strategy that was only going to work for a while longer and then he would have to fall into the actual compound until Angela’s reinforcements arrive. She’d promised him more help than he would know what to do with.
As he knocked another surprised man back over the fence and felt his finger break, he hoped she would send it soon. He was getting tired.
Marc moved around the wall of his fighters, helping to dislodge stubborn soldier fingers clamped to the fence in a desperate attempt at survival. Angela’s plan had covered the areas around this base as well, leaving only one safe path to travel. Outside these fences, traps were springing, shrapnel was flying, and souls were leaving their bodies. It was exactly what he’d helped Angela with, these small details, and it was sickening to watch even as he celebrated the victory. He hadn’t forgotten that it was his former fellows-in-arms who were screaming.
“Incoming!”
“Get down! Down!” Marc sent out mentally as he shouted it, dropping to the mud as the shell exploded against the fence behind him, raining debris. Wood pierced his leg and his arm, but Marc barely noticed, ears ringing too hard to hear anything else.
He stayed down, scanning the wall where the soldiers were now coming up faster than he was able to handle.
“Retreat!” Marc was able to send it both ways again, but that command cost him. He crumbled to his knees as the pressure in his head increased.
Empty! the demon confirmed, both in terror and ecstasy. Let me out!
Eagles and shadow warriors fled for the single door Marc had left unblocked, grabbing friends and companions as they’d been instructed.
During this chaos, Quinn had also been roaming the walls, helping to defend.
He found Marc lying on his side, panting.
“Help!”
Marc waved him back. “Not safe. Leave me here.”
Quinn had heard the tales from Little Rock, and he’d seen some of the things that Marc could do, but leaving the wolfman wasn’t allowed even if he’d wanted to.
“I’ll cover you until you’re ready to go inside.”
Marc had to hope that would be enough because the door to the base clanged shut just as the front fence blew apart and dozens of furious soldiers charged into the courtyard.
Jennifer didn’t slow at the sound of a huge explosion ahead of them.
Kyle didn’t interfere. She was merged with the witch, eyes glowing, body cat-like, and Kyle knew better than to get in her way.
They ran into the clearing in front of the base that Jennifer had tracked down, but she still didn’t pause as they sighted the enemy rushing through the destroyed gates of a base.
“There!” Kyle shouted, discovering a Safe Haven marker in the upper window.
Jennifer already knew. She brought forth her mother’s rage to throw at the soldiers starting to turn her way.
The mental blast was harmful to everything it reached, rupturing the eyes and ears of those closest. Soldiers fell screaming in agony as blood poured down their faces.
Jennifer sent another blast, this one only a bit weaker.
A second line of the now panicking solders were injured, blood gushing.
A third blast was too risky as Kyle came to her side. They shoved their way through the soon-to-be corpses and broke through into the courtyard.
“Marc!”
Marc was in a struggle for his Colt against a mammoth Marine wearing a spiky vest.
Jennifer raised a hand, lifting the man into the air.
Marc quickly stabbed his knife through the man’s stunned eye and started reloading as the body fell. Despite being one of them, the moment shocked Marc a bit and he reloaded slower than usual as he calmed himself.
Moving away slightly, Jennifer sent out another blast, directly toward the gate this time.
The screams began to fade as the surviving soldiers fled.
Damn, Marc thought. Angie was right again. I’d never know what to do with that.
Marc looked up at Kyle, and took the arm, staggering to his feet. He’d taken a hell of a beating by Goliath.
Marc spit blood and groaned as a part of his tooth came out with it. “Tats gonna hurt, right?”
“Where is my baby?!” Jennifer screamed, bringing a halt to the relief the fighters had started to feel.
“Where is she?!”
Marc scanned the camp members inside the base and felt his stomach drop through his boots. “She’s not here.”
Jennifer spun on him and Kyle grabbed her around the waist as she fought to get to a target.
“Maybe you could clarify!” Kyle suggested, grunting as Jennifer’s arm slammed down on his shoulder.
Marc saw Peggy coming from the den with Doug, both wanting an update, and ran toward them. “Who has Autumn?”
Peggy frowned. “She came and got the baby yesterday, said Angela wanted Jennifer to know that she was caring for the baby herself.”
“You didn’t think that was odd?” Kyle demanded, still holding Jennifer, who had started to cry and shake.
“Yes, of course, but the den was attacked and I thought she had to stay here,” Peggy explained, looking around. “I didn’t know she left!”
“Who, woman?” Doug demanded. “Who took the baby?”
“Lilly.”
Jennifer’s scream was the worst sound any of them had heard all day.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Unfinished Chores
1
“Can we talk?”
Crista stopped, waiting impatiently. She’d just come in with Zack’s team. She had only a short time to get cleaned up, eat, and head out to her next site.
They’d all reported to the boss, as much to verify that Angela was okay, as to deliver the news that their missions had been successful. Then, she’d been invited to rejoin Zack and his team for a quick meal. Crista had accepted in surprise. Zack was the only one with a full team. Everyone else was split between Angela’s most valued positions.
Jeff swept her, noting the filthy clothes and skin, the hungry expression as she stared at his arms. He felt his remaining resistance give. How bad could it be?
“I’m okay with it, I think. The…baby.”
Crista was too tired to give him the hell he deserved for hesitating. “Good. We’ll talk about it later, okay?”
Jeff watched her go toward the farthest shower camp and water tanker and followed, not on duty anywhere. “You, uh, need some help?”
Crista started to shoot him down and then nodded tiredly. “You can do my back.”
Jeff caught up and ran a hand over her cheek. “Wherever you want it, baby.”
Crista giggled as the pair disappeared into the shower camper.
Across the campsite, Zack saw them and tried to control his jealousy.
“That�
�s the last of our teams!” Greg called. “Lock us down!”
Activity filled the small area, but Angela tried to give her full attention to the filth-covered Indian coming toward her with careful footing. The mud had made the entire site a slick trap.
“I’m glad you’ve made it,” she said, but was unable to force a smile. The death shroud was almost covering her now. How many hundreds had she killed?
Atolius held out a hand, hoping this gift would be more to the demon woman’s liking.
Angela accepted the gift without a protest, much too tired to keep up a full act. She pulled out the machete in surprise, immediately liking the strength it gave her hand. “Thank you.”
Atolius could tell he’d pleased her this time. He inched away respectfully, trying to end the encounter without reoffending her.
Angela turned toward her command tent, sliding the sharp weapon into the pouch. She tossed it to Greg. “Hide that for me, will you? I’ll have Marc show me how to use it.”
Shawn slid the pouch onto his belt, nodding.
Angela continued toward the crowded command canvas.
Satisfied, Atolius raised his chin and spun around to rejoin his men. “My curse has been lifted!”
At that moment, Dog sailed over the gate and landed on Atolius, knocking him backward into the mud.
The wolf, happy with a soft landing, licked the furious man in the mouth and walked across his chest to avoid the mud.
Angela wanted to join in the laughter she heard, but that was impossible as she stared at the screen Jeremy turned her way. It showed their position and the signatures of camps around them. The soldiers had gathered faster than she’d estimated. The final showdown was about to begin, but she wasn’t ready yet.
“I will be,” she muttered, moving toward the tents that held their POWs. She had a full dozen of those now.
Angela ducked inside the soaked canvas and swept the bound, snoozing men and women. These were traitors, soldiers they’d captured, and Adrian. Conner was still among the wounded, now healing without complaint in exchange for food, water, and a possible second chance at his life.
Angela’s attention landed on Heather, noting the woman’s nose was still bleeding lightly. She’d been fed and watered with the other prisoners, but she gaped at Angela with fear she was right to have.