Winter reached through the bars hoping to offer him comfort. He purred as she stroked his hair. She smiled. "Are you okay?"
"He's fine." Tristan growled. He stalked to the far side of his cell, before throwing her a glare over his shoulder. His sexy eyes glowed bright amber.
She rolled her eyes at his obvious jealousy. The man needed to get his possessiveness under control. Animal linguistic experts were born to comfort and protect all the creatures of the human realm and those protected by the Gods, including shifters. She could communicate with the beast inside them in a way no one else could. Offer comfort and soothe them. She wouldn't deny Jax to soothe Tristan's wounded pride.
He needed to get over it already.
Besides, she wasn't his. As if hearing her thoughts, Tristan growled and began to pace again.
"Thank you," Jax whispered. "But your mate deserves your comfort more than—"
She spoke softly. "He gave up his right a long time ago."
Tristan's breathing grew heavy. Anyone could see his wolf needed freedom. She sensed his anxiety and helplessness at being collared. Felt his resentment and anger at being at the human's mercy. She knew he wanted her safe. It was an alpha's job to protect and care for those he considered pack.
She also felt his need; his animal’s festering desire to claim and dominate his mate was unmistakable. She had to admit, it took every ounce of will to keep her distance from him. She couldn't afford the distraction his nearness caused her.
"He needs to be comforted." Jax frowned. She knew what he needed, but she feared what one touch would do to her. "Is it not your job, to serve shifters? All shifters?" She should never have told him she was an animal linguistics expert. She hit Jax with a glare. He chuckled. "Go on. He needs you."
After a few moments of hesitation, she stood with a frown—torn between what was right and what would certainly crush the tough exterior she had built over the years. Each slow step toward Tristan raised her awareness of him.
When Tristan first became alpha to his pack, he hadn't been ready. Young, unsure, and unprepared for the responsibility the title entailed. No longer insecure, he'd grown into the role. He'd become a powerful, confident male and as much as she hated to admit it, she was damn proud of him.
Tristan eyed her every move like a hungry predator eyeing a tasty morsel.
"I swear to the Goddess, Tristan, if you start drooling, I'm turning right back around." He licked his lips. She knelt beside the bars. "Come. Let me take care of you."
She had no idea how right those words would sound leaving her lips. With a shaking hand, she reached out to him through the cage. He scooted over. Not only did his gaze glow with his wolf, but claws had replaced his blunt nails, and sharp fangs now pressed into his bottom lip. His wolf was close. Too close.
He may not be able to shift, but he seemed to be more wolf than man and she feared he'd try to call his wolf forward.
"Hold your skin, Tristan. You need to calm down."
He sniffed her hand and scrunched his nose in disgust. "I smell the cat." His voice sounded demonic. "I don't like his scent on you."
She ran her fingers through his hair, and he groaned in pleasure. "There, now I smell like you."
"How it should be," he mumbled. He scooted right up to the bars. Her other hand joined the first, brushing his strands with her fingers. She slowly began to pour her calming magic into him. He sighed. "Win, I missed you so damn much."
She closed her eyes. She missed him to. Every day.
"I wish I could hold you." His voice lowered to a whisper. "Touch you." He pressed his lips to her wrist. She jumped at the unexpected contact.
"Please, Tristan. This isn't the place—"
He twisted. His hand came up, then cupped her cheek through the bars. "When we get out of this…you and I are going to talk. There is a lot we need to settle between us. Many misunderstandings that need to be…rectified."
Speechless, she simply shook her head.
Then, if the affection she found in his eyes wasn't enough to render her speechless, his lips lifted into the same arrogant grin that haunted her dreams for a decade. Helpless against his charm, she smiled back.
"There it is." His thumb stroked her cheek.
She tilted her head into his touch. "There's what?" she asked.
"The sexy smile I adore." He gave her a quick unexpected kiss against her pursed mouth before lying back on the floor in contentment.
Behind them, Jax cleared his throat breaking through the daze Tristan's last show of affection caused. Both Winter and Tristan glanced his way.
"The scent of other shifters was strong today. I heard them too. Sounded like a cat, maybe tiger. It was a distant roar. I learned something else too. Something disturbing." Tristan gripped the bars at Jax's comment. "The guards will be coming to get Winter this evening. They're not drugging her to subdue her. They need her body free of drugs.
"The wolf and I on the other hand, they intend to shoot us up with breeding drugs, a full dose of the aphrodisiac they've been testing on us, and some other fucked-up fertility drug. Then they are going to throw her in with us. One at a time. They want to see who puts a cub in her first, a supposed mate or me."
"They said this in front of you?" Tristan tone sounded furious. His knuckles turned white as his fingers strangled the bars.
Jax shrugged. "Humans are stupid. They flapped their lips without regard as they beat me." His voice lowered to a whisper meant for only Tristan and Winter to hear. "I'm building immunity to their tranquilizers. They are not hitting me as hard, but I didn't let them know that.
"Being an alpha, the same will happen to you. Only faster, I figure." He leaned back. His gaze landed on Winter. "It's up to you, Winter. You have some use of your powers. We need the guards out. We need their keys and weapons. If we can get these collars off, we can shift."
"Are you crazy? She's going to get hurt." Tristan growled.
"If she doesn't do this, she will definitely get hurt. They are going to pump us up with breeding drugs. You have experienced the effect, wolf. We won't be able to stop. You know how bad those drugs hit us. We will mount her. Both of us, until she is bred."
Tristan's gaze fell to the floor, his fury evident in his tense posture. "I don't like this. She could get hurt or worse."
"They won't kill her or damage her. She is too valuable to them. Most likely they'll use us as collateral against her in order to keep her obedient. They know she will do whatever necessary to keep us safe."
Winter had a wicked grin on her face. "It's as good as done, Jax." She glanced at Tristan. "A lot has changed since I left Tristan. I've learned much over the years. I'm much stronger than I look and far more skilled than you know."
Tristan growled. "A lot of good it did you when they captured you."
"I can take them." Screw him, he thinks I'm weak. Well, he's about to get a show he'll never forget.
"These are highly trained humans, Winter. Not some bums off the street."
"They're not the only ones highly trained," she mumbled.
"What," Tristan asked. "What the hell did you say?"
She ignored him. "I'm doing this, so be ready."
She shut down any further argument by showing him her back. She smiled at Jax and then winked.
Chapter 9
Time seemed to slow to a grinding halt as Winter waited for the shift change. She sat through a half of day filled with instructions from the alpha. True, in the real world he would outrank her, but damn if she didn't want to kick his know-it-all ass anyway.
After several hours of his condescending instructions, she was ready to reach through the bars and strangle his thick wolf neck. In his defense, he had no idea she was a trained guard. He didn't know she knew how to take down an enemy a hundred different ways or that she excelled in self-defense, reaching the top of her class in under a month.
The door to her cell suddenly slid open.
Okay, showtime.
She took a de
ep breath and released it quickly, time to give these humans one hell of a performance. She had to act fast once she lowered their defenses. They may be human, but they were trained.
Being a witch, she was quicker and stronger than an average human, but she had another advantage. She inherited her mother's petite frame, making her appear fragile in the eyes of most men. They always underestimated her. She was by no means delicate, a fact the human men stepping in her cell would soon discover.
Winter smiled at them when they entered. Both men maintained their stern expressions. One stood tall with dark hair and darker eyes. The other guard had a slightly smaller build with an auburn buzz cut and deep-blue eyes. They stalked toward her.
"You know, I've never fucked a human male."
They stopped short.
"Tell me, boys, do you fuck as good as you look?" They glanced at each other and then back at her. She rubbed her hands up her hips, over her stomach, and over her breasts. "Whatever they've given me makes me ache."
Both men licked their lips. She scented their lust and fought the sickness it caused inside her. Witches, like most supernaturals, had a natural sex appeal they could amp up at will. She gave them the full effect of her femininity.
Tristan gave a low, almost indiscernible, growl as she stepped closer to the men. She flashed him a glare. He quieted. She quickly returned her gaze to the guards. Her lure had reeled them in with ease. She didn't need Tristan's bloated jealousy to ruin everything.
"Forget him," she purred. "He's no better than an animal." She moved a step closer. "I need a male who can make me come, not a monster."
"Don't give us any trouble?" The taller guard warned. He swallowed hard.
She stood a foot away from them. "Trouble? I wouldn't think of it." She stepped closer. "In fact, I'd like to give you nothing. But. Pleasure." She accented each word as she stepped even closer.
The guard with the dark hair grinned. "I always wondered what it felt like to bang a witch."
"Have you?" Winter felt the lust rolling off the human as well as the fury pouring off Tristan.
"Danny, are you crazy?" said the redhead.
"Look at her, Jim. She's fucking hot and begging for it."
More like trying to stop from throwing up, she thought. She swallowed back the bile rising in her throat.
"If a witch is what you crave, Danny, then come here and I'll show you what you've been missing? In fact"—she set her sights on his friend—"your friend can watch, but I'd much rather he participates." She ran her hands over her breasts and tugged at a nipple. "Please, take me now, human. I burn."
As if yanked to her by a chain, Danny lunged.
"Wait," his partner warned. Danny froze. "Disable the camera first. I don't want this posted all over the damn internet."
Danny nodded. He walked over to the rotating camera above the door that watched all three cells.
"Give Ed the sign."
Danny looked up into the camera, took his pointer finger and thumb, making an O and then fucked it with a finger from the opposite hand.
Men were such pigs, she thought. Kicking their asses is going to be fun.
Danny leered at her. "Now where were we, sweetheart?"
"You were ready to show me what I've been missing."
Danny stalked toward her. She positioned her legs apart, diagonal from each other, lifted her hands, and struck. Quicker than any human, she hit his face with consecutive shots. His nose and cheekbone cracked beneath each blow. One final hit and he grunted, collapsing to the hard, cold floor. He didn't move. Blood coated her knuckles when she spun to disable the human behind her.
"You bitch," shouted Jim. He attacked.
Winter kicked him with a sharp foot between his legs and then spun, knocking him into the bars separating her from Jax.
Jax grabbed the male and slammed him back into the steel bars. The crack of his skull made Winter flinch.
Danny groaned and blindly reached for his gun attached to his hip.
"We won't have that, human." This time, she kicked him in the ribs. The blow sent him rolling into the wall. He didn't move.
"Hurry, get the keys," Tristan barked.
Collecting the keys, she threw the set to Tristan. He caught them with ease. His gaze narrowed on her. "Where the hell did you learn to hit like that?"
"Told you I had some tricks up my sleeve."
After trying several of the keys, Tristan found the one he was looking for and removed the collar. He stretched his neck. The relief on his face was instant. "I can scent now. Shit, it was the collar that hindered my senses." He lifted his hand and cursed. "My powers are still bound, though."
She grabbed the weapons. They now had two pistols and a pair of batons.
"Here," she said to Jax. She tossed him one of the guns and the other set of keys she ripped from the redhead's pocket.
"The large square key with the hollow chamber opens the collar," Tristan instructed. Jax nodded.
She pocketed the other gun, reached through the bars, and tossed Tristan a baton.
"Give me the gun, Winter."
She shook her head. "Nope, this baby is mine."
"You don't even know how to use it." He growled through gritted teeth.
She laughed. "Not know how to use it? I could shoot a damn fly off your shoulder and not even nick you. In case you haven't noticed it's been a long time since I was that naive girl living in the woods. I know how to shoot a gun and I have no problem pulling the trigger."
"Will you two stop bickering? We have to get the hell out of here," Jax snapped.
Tristan threw her a smirk as if enjoying this new Winter, before heading for the door. He held up his finger, giving her the signal to be quiet. She wanted to stick out her tongue at him like she did when she was younger and he acted like a bossy jerk. Hell, she wanted to smack the smile off his face, but it would have to wait. Jax was right. They needed to get out of there.
Tristan opened his door. He glanced out, and then disappeared through the doorway. A few moments later the door opened for Jax's cell. Hers was next and then they were on the move.
Tristan took the lead, followed by Winter, and then Jax. Cinder block walls lined the cold, sterile hallways. Beneath their feet, linoleum tiled floors, recently waxed, made each step echo no matter how softly they moved.
"It doesn't look like the halls are wired with cameras." Jax shook his head. "Stupid humans. And they think we're primitive."
Sounds of chatter up ahead brought them to a halt.
Tristan took a quick glance around the corner. He lifted three fingers and mouthed the number. Winter smiled. One for each of them. The second the guards turned the corner, they struck.
Tristan dispatched his guard quickly. Jax's eyes flashed with his cat the second he reached around the guard's neck and twisted with a vicious, swift jerk. The human fell with a thud. Winter attacked, but Tristan's superspeed beat her and took the final male down with a swift strike.
"Let's go." Tristan grabbed the revolver from the unconscious man. She so wanted to beat him.
"Wait," Jax said. "I smell shifters."
"Me too." Tristan agreed. "Let's go."
She frowned. But followed.
***
So help me, that damn woman was going to be the death of me.
She was right about one thing. The naive girl that walked away from him a decade ago had vanished, replaced by a powerful female with a wicked left hook and a killer aim.
When he saw her take down the guard like a damn assassin, he hid his reaction behind a snarl. She took his breath away. Sexy as hell. Her moves were as calculated and confident as a soldier. Strength surrounded each fluid attack.
Someone had trained her well. He'd have to find out who gave her the tools and confidence to take care of herself and thank them for doing what he didn't. Thank them for being there for her, when he was not.
Her scent surrounded him. Mixed within her luscious bouquet of sugar and spice, he scented the m
usk of other shifters. A young wolf and something else, a human, but her scent seemed off. Winter followed close behind him. A few times, her delicate hand brushed his spine and each time his cock grew harder.
Lifting his nose in the air, he filled his lungs with her heavenly scent. Even with danger hiding around the corner, he wanted her. The urge to claim her raged like a fire in his blood. How he kept himself composed with her so close served as a testament to his ironclad control and the powerful alpha blood flowing through his veins.
His cock strained against the sweatpants the scientists had put him in, giving anyone who dared to look a show. His balls remained tight, ready to fill her with his seed. Make her swollen with his pup. It didn't matter that they were stuck in a damn compound surrounded by soldiers out to destroy them, the need to claim her rode him hard. Had the drugs they pumped into him not dissipated, he wouldn't have been able to resist the mating heat.
They continued down the quiet hall, stopping the instant the scent of salt water drifted past him.
Jax lifted his chin and sniffed. He grinned. "Freedom."
"The others. I can sense them. They're close." Winter glanced between Tristan and Jax before heading off without them.
"Winter, wait up, damn it," he groaned through gritted teeth.
He caught up to her in two strides, with Jax right behind him. In stealth mode, they followed the opposite corridor toward the growing scent of supernaturals.
Suddenly, a door they were passing opened. A human in a lab coat stepped out with his eyes locked to the clipboard in his hands.
Stupid humans had no sense of self-preservation. Tristan scoffed in his mind.
The human glanced up from his papers, spotted them, and paled.
"Hello, Doc." Jax growled. "Remember me?"
Jax moved fast. He slapped a hand over the doctor's mouth and dragged him into the room the human had just left. Tristan and Winter followed behind.
"Struggle and I'll snap your neck like a fucking matchstick." Jax locked an arm around the doctor's throat.
The human ceased his resistance in an instant.
The room they stood in held a slight chill. Both Jax and Tristan snapped their eyes to the far left. In a cage, about the size of a doghouse, they found a wolf-shifter pup no older than four, lying on an old dingy blanket. She lifted her tiny snout in the air and growled. She had a collar around her neck like the one Tristan removed, but unlike Tristan's, the restraint hadn't prevented her from shifting, probably, due to her small size. The pup's bright-red-and-brown coat appeared clean, but matted where her fur was thicker. The child must have been in her animal form for a while.
Heart of a Wolf Wicked Series Book 2 Page 7