by Dia Cole
Paul opened his jaws monstrously wide.
I refused to flinch as death prowled closer.
Inches away, Paul suddenly froze. Something jagged and white burst through the center of his forehead. Paul opened and closed his mouth, then collapsed.
What the hell?
Vana stepped around his fallen body. “Nathan! Are you okay?”
I gaped at the sight of her.
She was even more beautiful than I remembered. Her golden skin seemed to glow against the ivory snow as she knelt by my side. She’s a hallucination. I must be dying.
“The child is safe—he’s waiting at the tram terminal. I killed all the zombies there.” Vana’s warm hands cupped my muzzle. “You have to shift and heal yourself, Nathan.”
I wanted to respond, but couldn’t. I lacked even the strength to lift my head.
A golden wolf ran to Vana’s side. A split second later, it shifted into Mason.
Vana turned to him, tears running down her face. “Thank God you made it, Mason. Nathan isn’t shifting. Do something!”
The doctor stared silently down at me.
I refused to tear my gaze from Vana. I wanted the last thing I saw to be her face.
Mason shook his head. “There’s nothing I can do. Do you want to say goodbye?”
“Goodbye? You mean—” she made a choking sound. “Damn it, Nathan. You have to shift!” Tears swam in her brilliant gold eyes.
That’s not right. Vana has brown eyes. My mind must be playing tricks on me. I wanted to look again, but my eyelids were too heavy to keep open. I burned with the need to tell her how much I loved her. A buzzing noise distracted me.
Vana held my head in her lap and stroked my fur. “I can’t lose him, Mason. I can’t.”
How I wanted to ease her pain. I never wanted her to suffer on account of me.
“There may be a way to save him,” Mason said softly. “If you bonded with him, you could give him some of your strength. It might be enough for him to shift.”
Vana sniffed. “But he could still die. You said if one bonded mate dies, they all die.”
The buzzing sound grew louder making it harder to follow their conversation.
Mason let out a deep breath. “True. But I’ve also seen it where one mate kept the other alive, akin to a lifeline. You’d have to decide whether to risk it.”
No! I didn’t want her to risk her life. I tried to reach her mind telepathically, but the buzzing in my head blocked me.
Vana sobbed. “But—”
“He doesn’t have more than a minute, Havana.”
The buzzing now sounded like voices. It’d been decades since I’d heard my parents. Mama? Papa? A strong pulling sensation lifted my consciousness. I let out one last labored breath. Then I floated toward the voices. Toward the light.
“Nathan Steele, you will not die. I order you to bond to me!” The power in Vana’s voice dragged me back to my body.
“You’re mine!” she said. “Say you’re mine.”
“I am yours,” I whispered. A soul-deep connection snapped between us. Energy from her life force raced through our bond, strengthening me.
"Now shift!" she ordered.
The shift, one of the most painful of my life, took an agonizing minute and left me panting, still paralyzed in my human form. Stunned with the impossibly of it all, I laid dazed in the snow staring up at her.
“You’re mine!” she said again, leaning over me.
“Always,” I gasped, feeling her worry, her fear, and her love. It was that last emotion I focused on as the last of my energy ebbed and I sank into oblivion.
10
Havana
Panic beat inside my chest as Nathan’s eyes rolled back. “Is he—” I couldn’t even say the words.
“Relax. He’s unconscious. Not dead.” Mason put a hand on my shoulder. “He should be fine after some rest. You did it. You saved his life.”
I let out a deep breath. I’d claimed him. Nathan is my mate. I couldn’t wrap my head around that. Everything happened so fast.
From the top of the tram I’d seen Nathan trying to protect a child from that thing, whatever it was. I looked over at the lifeless creature I’d staked in the head with the femur. Whatever it was, it had to be very powerful to take down Nathan.
When I saw Nathan fall all my anger and bitterness had been swept away by grief. In that moment, I knew I had to save him and the child I'd thought was Mira.
I peered at the tram terminal where I’d compelled the boy to stay. Where’s Mira? I looked down at Nathan wishing I could ask him.
“Maybe she’s in the helicopter with Gabriel and Liam,” Mason said, reading my mind.
I looked up at the sky. “I don’t see the helicopter.”
Mason’s brows drew together. “It was just there—”
A thunderous crash sounded.
We both twisted in the hotel's direction. Smoke billowed from the skywalk.
My bonds with Liam and Gabriel exploded in intense pain. “Oh, God! No!” I had to go to them.
“Keep Nathan and the boy safe!” I ordered Mason. Then I shifted into a wolf and ran straight toward the clouds of black smoke. “Liam! Gabriel!”
Neither male responded.
Anguish threatened to overwhelm me. No. If I’m still here, they’re still here. Pushing the negative emotions away, I bounded toward the hotel and lodge. My legs nearly gave out when I spied the wreckage of the helicopter between the two buildings.
The mangled machine looked as if it had sideswiped the skywalk before slamming nose down into a deep snowdrift. From this vantage point, the helicopter looked like a broken toy with the tail snapped half-off. Somehow the smoking main rotor still spun, churning clumps of snow into the air like a macabre hand mixer.
The smell of fuel stung my nostrils. Fuel and smoke. Oh no! I ran faster, pushing my new abilities to the limits. “Liam! Gabriel!” Masses of people surrounded the crash site.
For one deluded moment, I thought the mob of people were actually trying to help my mates. Then several figures lurched into the path of the spinning blade and were cut to pieces. More followed and met the same messy end.
I ducked as a bloody arm flew over my head.
They’re zombies. I skidded to a stop. There had to be a hundred of those things. Every moment more dead fell out of a gaping hole in the skywalk and stumbled toward the helicopter. Their shambling limbs made it impossible to get a clear view. Please let my mates be okay.
More and more zombies stumbled into the helicopter rotor and ended up splattered on the hotel wall. The snow around the aircraft quickly turned a deep rust color.
As disgusting as it was, I was thankful the spinning blade kept the dead at bay.
“Liam! Gabriel! Answer me!”
Liam met my telepathic shout with a groan. “H-havana?”
Relief made me dizzy. “Liam! Are you hurt? Where is Gabriel?”
“G-Gabe’s not answering. I-I can’t see… Too much smoke. The babes…”
“Liam!”
The smoke rising out of the rotor grew thicker as did the smell of gasoline. “Liam, you have to get out of there!”
The rotor made a grinding noise and stopped spinning.
My stomach dropped. Oh, no!
As if realizing the situation had shifted in their favor, the dead advanced on the helicopter. I have to do something! I threw back my head and howled.
None of the zombies even looked my way. Shit! Out of ideas and time, I barreled into the horde. My plan was to run straight through them, but I didn’t count on them turning and reaching for me.
There were too many. A sea of dead crashed into me with snapping teeth and grasping hands. My fur and flesh ripped apart under their jagged fingernails. Battling through the excruciating pain, I kept running.
I have to save my mates! More dead piled on top of me. Teeth sank into my back and sides. Biting back my scream, I shook myself violently trying to toss them off. Have to keep going.
>
An eerie howl cut through the grating sound of their clicking teeth.
The zombies immediately backed away from me with the exception of one tenacious teenage zombie in a black ski jacket. He merely dug his teeth deeper into the back of my neck.
My breath came in an agonized gasp. I tossed my head from side to side trying to dislodge him.
A naked woman with silver eyes stalked toward us. She reached out and ripped the teenager from my back. She had a small build, but that didn’t stop her from flinging the teenage zombie at the hotel wall with such force his head exploded like an overripe melon. Then she threw back her head and let out an eerie banshee-like cry.
She’s like the guy who attacked Nathan. Shit. If Nathan couldn’t take one of them down in a fight, do I even stand a chance?
The woman smiled. The sight of her bloodstained teeth chilled my blood. Over her shoulder I could see zombies tearing at the helicopter. The windows shattered under their fists. The cabin rocked back and forth.
Goddamn it. I didn’t care what kind of monster the woman was. She was in my way. Growling, I launched myself at her.
With impossibly fast reflexes, she caught me by the throat and threw me down on the icy ground.
I thrashed in her grip, trying to claw and bite her. Every time I slashed her skin, it healed instantaneously. Ah, hell.
She let out an earsplitting shriek and crushed my throat in her fist.
Blood filled my mouth. Blinded by pain, I struggled to take a breath. My heart beat frantically. Knowing I had to shift, or I’d die, I forced my body to change.
Halfway through my shift, the creature snapped her jaws around my vulnerable human throat and began gulping my blood.
No! I tried to fight, but my limbs weakened and my thoughts grew sluggish. She’s too strong. Fuck! If I die my mates die. Their handsome faces flashed in my mind.
Gabriel—my fierce, brooding warrior.
Liam—my gentle, protective giant.
Mason—my smart, sexy confidant.
Nathan—my…
My vision wavered. I have to get free. I beat against the woman’s face and head.
She only drank deeper.
The sound of a little girl screaming rose above the roaring in my ears. Mira! Mira is in the helicopter. She’ll die in there.
Anguished sorrow filled me. I shut my eyes and rallied my strength. No. She will not die. I will not die. I wrapped my hand around the woman’s hair. “You’ll die!” I wrenched the woman off my neck and kicked her away.
She landed on her feet in a catlike position. She lifted her head and let out a high-pitched shriek.
The sound triggered something predatory inside me. Without conscious thought, I began to shift. My limbs lengthened and my bones snapped as if I were changing into my wolf form. But as all my injuries healed, my muscles thickened and my frame continued to expand.
Instinct made me rock back on my hind legs. As I morphed into a strange form that was neither wolf nor human, a burst of incredible strength coursed through me. Throwing back my head, I let out a booming roar.
The woman, whose head now barely reached my hips, gnashed her teeth and came at me. This time, I caught her in one of my clawed hands and twisted her head off with the same effort Mira would use to pop the flower off a dandelion. Flinging her corpse away, I marched toward the helicopter.
Droves of zombies attacked, but this time their fingernails and teeth couldn’t penetrate my thick hide. Kick ass! A swing of my massive arms sent them flying as if they were bowling pins. When they landed, I trampled over them until they were nothing but stains on the snow.
A flicker of orange flame near the helicopter rotor snared my attention. Shit! I raced over to the aircraft and ripped off the badly dented metal door. Smoke poured out.
Kneeling down, I peered inside. The first thing I saw was Mira.
Her silver-streaked hair glinted inside the smoky haze of the small space. She crouched on the floor clutching a doll.
I tried to say her name, but it came out a growl.
Mira let out a cry. “The Beast!” She tightened her arms around the doll.
With a start, I realized she was holding a baby.
The infant’s head lolled back, its eyes open and unseeing.
My heart twisted. Not everyone had survived the crash.
Liam, still strapped into his seat, jerked up. The movement sent the blood dripping down his face onto the toddler slumped against the giant’s chest. The toddler let out a cry.
Liam’s eyes snapped open. He immediately bared his teeth.
“Liam, it’s me.”
His mouth dropped open. “Havana? B-but how?” His gaze widened as he scanned my monstrous form.
There was no time to explain. Not with smoke in the air and Gabriel slumped over the controls in the front seat. “Can you walk?”
Liam nodded and unbuckled his seat harness with a groan. His gaze went to the cockpit. “Gabe!” He reached between the seats and shook his friend’s arm.
Although his chest rose and fell with labored breaths, Gabriel didn’t move.
Liam gave me a worried look. “He looks trapped.”
Crap. I let out a deep breath and tried to assure Liam. “I’ll get him as soon as you’re out.”
Mira set down the infant’s body and launched herself at me. “I won’t let you hurt us!” Mira’s tiny fist hit with as much impact as a butterfly wing. I hated that this form frightened her, but I needed its strength. I gently picked her up, ignoring her punches and kicks.
Cradling the crying toddler against his chest, Liam knelt down by the infant’s body on the floor. My mate’s face paled. “The babe is…” Liam couldn’t finish his sentence.
It was heartbreaking, but there was no time to mourn. The helicopter could explode at any moment. “We have to hurry!”
Liam must’ve heard the panic in my telepathic shout. He scooped up the infant and stumbled toward me.
With my free hand, I pulled my mate out of the aircraft and pushed Mira at him. Thankfully, the little girl immediately quieted and wrapped her arms around Liam’s leg.
“Head to the tram station.” Mason could treat the surviving children for injuries.
Liam looked conflicted. His gaze went from me to the helicopter.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” I hope.
My mate nodded and carried the children away.
Praying that the few zombie stragglers wouldn’t be an issue for them, I leaned inside the helicopter. The rising heat scalded my face and the thickening smoke blinded me. Not a good sign. I had to get Gabriel out and fast. But how?
Several feet of snow entombed the front of the helicopter making it impossible for me to access it or the mangled door on the left side of the aircraft. Also, there was no way I could fit my hulking body between the two front seats.
The sense we were nearly out of time had me leaning in farther and wrapping my claws around Gabriel’s seat. With a quick jerking motion, I tore out the entire seat with him still strapped in it. My stomach lurched when I saw the blood pouring from his mangled legs. He’ll heal, I told myself as I cut through his seat harness with my claws, tossed the large male over my shoulder, and ran in the direction Liam had gone.
Three heartbeats later there was a loud explosion.
Oh shit! Needing to protect Gabriel, I dropped him onto the ground and fell over him. Heat scorched my fur. I ignored the fleeting pain and focused on covering Gabriel’s body with mine. Something large and metal flew into my back. “Ugh.” The pain from that was harder to ignore. Gritting my teeth, I hunkered down lower and held the position until I felt sure the worst had passed. Then I slowly pushed myself up and looked around.
Behind us, the helicopter lay in unrecognizable pieces. A few smoldering zombies shuffled around the charred wreckage. I turned to look in the direction of the tram terminal. There were several figures moving around in the snow.
“Mason, is everybody okay?”
“
Havana! Bloody hell! Thank goodness you’re alive.” My bond with the doctor thrummed with relief and happiness. “Liam is taking out a few unwelcome friends that followed him over. Nathan is still unconscious, but the four children are just fine.”
I must’ve not heard him right. “Did you say four child—?”
Mason interrupted me. “Be careful. Liam says there is another super zombie out there.”
I snorted. “I already took her out.”
“Really? That’s brilliant. How’s Gabriel?”
I looked down at my dark-haired mate. “He’s breathing, but his legs look like mush.”
“Is that all?” Mason made a relieved sound. “He’ll heal that when he shifts. What about you? Were you injured?”
“No,” I lied. The gnawing pain from the shrapnel in my upper back was irritating the hell out of me. I tried to pull it out, but couldn’t. Fuck! A snarl escaped my lips.
A pair of dark eyes snapped open and looked up at me.
“Gabriel!” Relief and joy made me dizzy. “Mason, Gabriel is awake. Give us a minute and we’ll come to you.”
Gabriel let out a choked sound.
I leaned down and tried to kiss him.
He jerked back at the sight of my huge, fanged jaw.
I couldn’t blame him. If the situation were reversed, I probably would’ve peed myself. Giving him space, I moved back a few inches. “It’s me. Havana.”
He blinked hard. “P-princess?”
“In the flesh.” I looked down at my claws. “Or whatever?”
He winced. “You’ve got a piece of the rotor sticking out of your back.”
So that’s what that was. I reached behind me again and used all my strength to yank the piece of metal out. The wound healed instantly. Sweet!
I inspected the long chunk of metal in my hand. In my human form, it would’ve instantly killed me. There were definite benefits to becoming a monster werewolf.
Gabriel tried to lift himself and let out an agonized gasp.
A hiss of sympathy escaped my lips. “You have to shift, baby.”
With shaking hands he slid his jeans down. Then faster than I could blink, he shifted from human to wolf and back.