Hunter's Promise

by Billi Jean

  Both beasts had the red-glowing eyes.

  He nailed his attacker harder between the eyes. It whimpered and backed off, shaking its shaggy head and snarling. Drool dripped from its mouth, and he swore it was sizing him up for how best to end him.

  “Try the electric shock, Hunter!” he shouted.

  The sound of more coming down the hall, growling menacingly, their claws scraping on the laminate flooring, registered even as he hit his beast hard with his rifle butt. After two more savage blows right to the cranium it stopped moving, either from that or from the tranquilizer finally taking hold.

  Hunter appeared, both of her hands glowing, and hit something behind him with her power.

  He twisted in time to see two more fall. Hunter fell on her knee, just missing another leaping over the others to snap at her.

  The floor was slippery as shit, but he didn’t have time for this.

  “Hunter, up! Come on, now!” He got her by a grip on her backpack and jerked her upright just as more beasts appeared at the end of the hallway. He worried over jostling her wound, but more over her getting eaten. “Mind on the game!”

  “Where does it look like it is?” she cried, jerking away and raising her hands to send a flare of blue at the group. “These are not changelings!”

  He agreed but saved his breath.

  The beasts merely shook their heads and raced forward, the bulk of them not even fazed this time, or else she’d missed. Not bothering to hold back, he brought his rifle butt down on the head of the first creature that neared them and sliced his knife down across the snarling snout of another. Growls, snarls and snapping jaws filled his existence, brightened with Hunter’s blue shots of power.

  “Kincaid, down. Down!”

  Her shout alerted him to haul ass out of the way, but a beast hit him like a load of bricks, locking its jaw on his rifle in an attempt to reach him. Hunter hit it with a blast of blue and it fell off, shuddering, to the side.

  “Sorry, sorry! I didn’t see that one!”

  “Just hit the others,” he managed, manning up enough to gain his feet. That beast could have ended life as he knew it. Its jaws alone would have killed him with just one snap. He shuddered to think what the hell the thing would do if it got a grip on him—or her.

  Hunter raised her hands and hit one after another with a snap of blue. She was amazing, but he knew she was scared. He was as well. They were out of their depth and he knew now why she said she couldn’t just gate them out of trouble.

  He struck one more as it fell, nailing it hard in the head, and dodged another snapping and snarling at his feet. Hunter spun to her left and shouted at him, shoving him in the side hard enough to get him to stagger back, right out of the jaws of another beast.

  “Shit, go. Go!” he shouted, fending off two more. He used his rifle and sheer good luck to gain enough space to grab Hunter’s hand and drag her with him then ahead of him. His rifle slipped and he nearly dropped it. He tightened his grip on the metal and ignored the blood and gore on it. He’d dropped his tranq gun, but there was no going back for that. Not now.

  “Run, Hunter, now!”

  The size of the creatures worked in their favor, but only because the hallway was too narrow for that many monsters to reach them all at one time.

  “Faster, faster,” he shouted. He slammed one with his rifle as he ran. Hunter hit it with a blue light then swung to include the ones coming up the side. “Fuck. How many are there? I’m counting way more than we saw leaving! Did they come back?”

  “Does it matter?” she cried. “In here!” she yelled a second later, frantically trying the doorknob of a room, only to cry out again when it wouldn’t open. “Kincaid!”

  “Back up!” He hit it with his rifle butt, busting the handle but getting it open. They both fell in. He shoved her into running down the new hallway. This one was white with a clinical feel to it. Lights blazed on as they ran, indicating that at least they were the only ones in the section. Behind them he could hear the beasts coming after them.

  “Go! Go! Don’t slow down,” he yelled, sliding at the corner. They bashed into the wall as if they were pinballs, but Hunter kept on, going as fast as he could “We need a door that’s open. We go in the first one.”

  Hunter didn’t slow but she jerked the handles down on the left side of the hallway as she ran. He tried one, then another with no luck.

  All locked? Why?

  “There, there!” He pointed to a side door.

  She hit the handle and it opened quickly enough that she fell in. He caught her by the back of her pants and dove right in after her. Immediately he slammed it shut, right on the snarling face of one of the beasts.

  “Damn,” he muttered and shoved harder, barely able to get the door to click closed.

  “Shit! Shit, shit!” She was breathless. She was also a step away from blowing on him. “Shit! I told you. Didn’t I tell you this was a bad idea?”

  Or maybe she wasn’t a step away. He motioned for her to calm down and caught his breath.

  “Slow down. Take a breath. They can’t turn a door knob. We’re safe. Until we came in this section, it was empty, right?”

  Of course the door rattled and the knob moved downward. He shoved against the steel and kept the handle upright. “Get this locked, Hunter,” he gritted, nodding to the control panel.

  “Right, right, lock.” She raced to the keypad, crashed into the wall in her rush, but kept her feet, and did something to the controls. Seconds later he heard the snick of the lock. Hunter exhaled in a huge sigh of relief.

  “Damage?” he asked, already scanning her for injury. There weren’t any new ones, but he had the irresistible urge to hug her tight, just so he was sure. “Here, let me see,” he said, moving over to check her gunshot wound. The bandage was a bit red, but not heavy with blood.

  “Just tender,” she said without him having to ask.

  “We need to subdue these guys without another attack like that.” An understatement, but the truth all the same. “That tranq did nothing.”

  “No shit!” She pulled her pack off and searched through the side pockets, then hung her head. “Lost my phone out there, damn it.”

  After her last few phone calls, he was relieved, so he shrugged. “Like that matters? You didn’t lose a leg. That’s what—”

  “No! I can’t be without it. Just give me a minute,” she snapped, clearly not agreeing that being phoneless was a good option. She closed her eyes tightly and massaged her temples, head down. The growl of a creature filled the air and he spun to face the dark hallway branching off to the left in the new room.

  “We gotta go, princess. Your phone’s going to have to wait,” he said, motioning for her to get going. He glanced over when nothing happened. She was still doing the temple rubbing thing. “Hunter—”

  “A second, a second,” she murmured, then crouched low and stretched one arm out, as if trying to grab something.

  He moved to yank her up by her backpack and heard something skidding along the floor, too quiet and steady to be a creature. Hunter swore softly, and made a demanding gesture. Suddenly he saw her phone slide over the floor and right into her palm. She exhaled and shook herself.

  “What the hell was that?” He was impressed even if they were running out of time. A louder growl answered him, and either it was a trick of the room, or the creatures were now closer.

  “Was that in here?” Hunter asked, moving closer to him.

  “I’m not sure, but we’re not taking chances.” He added, “Just so you don’t plan on losing your phone again, eh?”

  She snorted. “I didn’t plan on it the first time.”

  “Right.” Rifle up and ready, he eased closer to the corner and peered around it. Nothing but more darkened space and a door to the left.

  “Kincaid, be careful,” Hunter whispered, right at his elbow. She was pressing against his side, too, seriously cute. He didn’t see anything and after a second or two more, eased back and grinned
down at her. Hell, he’d been on some screwed up missions, not with foaming at the mouth beasts the size of Smart cars, but he’d never had a woman at his elbow, clearly concerned for him.

  He liked it.

  “What?” she asked, frowning in confusion from him to the corner.

  “Nothing.” He shrugged. “I just didn’t know you cared. But don’t worry, we’ll get to that quickie soon enough.”

  She hung her head. “Will you be serious?”

  He squeezed her delicate shoulder, just because he wanted to ease the tension he could see in her smaller frame. “All right, lighten up. We survived. You got your phone. All’s good. Now, will a gunshot kill them?”

  Hunter rubbed her temples again, but dropped her hands wearily and assessed his sincerity, he guessed. He kept his business face on and she sighed and said, “Not if they’re immortal, but it will piss them off.”

  “Right,” he grunted, and motioned for her to follow him. “The tranq might have worked, but not fast enough. Your zaps did a better job, so keep yourself powered up. What is this place?” he asked, analyzing the white walls and cabinets. “It’s like a clinic.”

  “Lab, I think.” She shrugged. “I didn’t get to peek down here, remember?”

  “And? I need information, Hunter. You’ve seen some of the shit these people pull. What’s your opinion, girl.”

  She said something about she’d really like to give him her opinion on some other things, but after a few more silent seconds, she shrugged her backpack on and winced then lifted her hand up. There was blood on her fingertips.

  “What the hell? I thought you said there was no damage?” he demanded, fear making him raise his voice. She might be immortal, but she could still hurt. The plan was to not get her injured and already he’d fouled that up. He pulled her closer and examined her face, then her chest, about to do more, when she caught his hands.

  “It’s not mine. I’d know…” She glanced at her hand, then his. He had a slice along his wrist below his jacket he’d not felt until now. “Oh, Kincaid, oh no. You were bitten?”

  It was more like a slice or scrape than a bite. He remembered feeling a sharp something in his arm.

  “Nah, maybe that one that caught me by surprise. Not a big deal—”

  “It is. It’s my fault. I didn’t see that one. He got by my stupid blind side and he shouldn’t have,” she cried. “I should have told you! I can’t see—”

  His heart did an odd little thing as if she’d squeezed it in her fist. “Hunter, this is not your fault. You—”

  “It is,” she whispered tearfully, already holding his arm so she could examine it. He tried to pull free when another growl sounded at the door they’d locked. “Let me see it. Hold still!”

  “We don’t have time for this—”

  “To hell we don’t,” she said firmly, giving his face her full focus. “Kincaid, this could turn you into a four-legged monster. I need to take care of it,” she added, as if she worried he’d not let her. As if he wouldn’t trust her to…

  He could take her snippiness and even her sassy comebacks, but this, the softer side to Hunter, threw him for a loop. He wanted to do whatever she asked when she looked at him like that.

  “Fine, if you’re going to get all huffy on me.” He had to keep some of his dignity. It wouldn’t do to let Hunter know all she had to do was gaze up at him with that hopeful expression, and he’d cave. “But it doesn’t hurt. I’ve had worse, believe me,” he offered, but fell silent as her concern seemed to grow instead of lessen.

  She shook her head and rubbed her thumbs gently alongside the line of his wound. Head down, she whispered, “You may think so, but if this is what I hope it’s not, you haven’t had worse, believe me.” She dropped her bag again, immediately digging out a nifty little first-aid kit.

  “I didn’t know you cared,” he teased, but watched her pull out bandages. “And why didn’t you tell me you had bandages when you were shot?”

  “Kincaid,” she muttered, then met his eyes with a wince. “This is serious, real serious,” she said solemnly. “Deadly serious, actually.”

  “You really think I’m going to morph into a wolf-man?” The idea had merit. He knew a few good werewolves, but still he wasn’t ready for that much wild side. Jack was handling it well, but he didn’t grow fur, as far as Kincaid knew.

  She shrugged, not very reassuringly either, in his opinion. Neither was the growling at the door. At least it sounded like they had moved off, which actually wasn’t reassuring since now they could come at them from anywhere.

  “Hey, that’s cute and all, but they’re circling around and coming at us from this side.” He motioned with his free hand.

  “Just let me do this. Man, you’re stubborn,” she muttered. “I let you put freezing cold water on my wound, and snow!”

  “I kissed you, too, remember?”

  “And? Maybe I’ll kiss you, too, how’s that? Just hold still. This might hurt.” She opened a bottle of something and a second later poured what felt like acid on his cut.

  He was a man. He could tolerate pain, but that hurt. He hissed out a breath then sucked it in when she doused him with more.

  “Sorry, sorry. I’m sorry, but I think it’s better to clean it, okay? Just hold still,” she added. “One more thing I think I should try.”

  One more thing? The hairs on the back of his neck shivered. Hold still for what? She did something that felt like death by electrocution without the trial and time in jail, and his thought processes stalled out

  “Holy hell, woman!” He ground his back teeth and nearly fell on her. His legs trembled like overcooked noodles. If she hadn’t held him around the waist, he would have been face down on the floor.

  “Sorry, sorry,” she repeated, holding him tightly, and for some damn reason, caressing his back as if after that shit he needed soothing.

  When he could catch his breath, he picked his head up off her shoulder and met her worried gaze.

  He had to swallow twice before he could manage, “Warn a guy next time. Scratch that,” he decided, “don’t ever do that again to me, or any other poor man that gets near you.”

  “Sorry, I’m sorry, but I’ve read where electricity can negate a rattlesnake bite. I was hoping it would help with this…”

  “You read somewhere—” He swallowed again. “Never mind. I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Okay,” she said, which made him feel bad. She was just doing what she thought would keep him whole and not a slobbering monster.

  “Sorry,” he said, and cupped her face—the good cheek. “I didn’t mean to shout at you, I guess I’m not a good patient.”

  “It’s okay,” she whispered, so low he almost didn’t hear her.

  She’d always worn the most amazing makeup, especially around her big blue eyes. But he liked her better without it, and wondered why she’d always gone with such heavy paint when, even with her scar, she was stunning without anything at all.

  He straightened his shoulders and coughed, realizing that he’d been standing there, holding her around the waist and caressing her smooth cheek as he stared at her.

  “I’m kinda hoping I don’t do the wolf-man thing.”

  She stepped away. “I still need to wrap it.”

  “Right. Just wrap it, though,” he said quickly when she reached for him.

  “I will.”

  He rubbed his jaw against his shoulder and watched her put gauze over the wound. She knew what she was doing, which made him wonder how many times she’d either done the same for a teammate, or worse, herself.

  “So, I don’t hear them any longer,” she said calmly.

  “We didn’t hear the first time either,” he reminded her.

  “Right,” she finished up. “So, now what?”

  “Just stay close, and for the love of god, don’t hit me with any more of that, okay?”

  She gave him a half laugh and a small smile, but was on board with that order.

  Go
od, because he’d damn near pissed himself.

  “Come on, and keep your head on straight.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The echo of their footsteps in the deserted lab level was enough to give Hunter the hives. She only hoped the creatures weren’t hunting them, because she’d heard the gossip about Star and Ranger, and knew the couple had been stalked by something similar. Even if they might have helped them in the end—and might have actually been changelings instead of whatever these things were—the things were good trackers and these didn’t appear helpful at all.

  “How’s your side?”

  Kincaid was a smart guy. So far he’d not shifted to fur, but she wasn’t clear on how long it took. She thought Joey had said a half hour, but she wasn’t certain. Joey was immortal. And she’d been hit with a syringe. It might not travel by bite, but then again, it might. The things she didn’t know were staggering.

  “Hunter?”

  “Yeah?”

  Kincaid shoved her gently with his shoulder. “Focus. Did you hear me?”

  She nodded.

  “Yeah, well, how about you share?” he prompted. “Or I have a crayon somewhere.”

  “There’s just so much we don’t know,” she said when he opened his mouth. “Think about it. Why did the others leave? They were from the outside, maybe. I mean, the door was open and all that. So are these also from outside or have they always been down here? And if that’s the case, why did whoever created them leave them? And did we watch one changeling devour another, or are the red-eyed ones something different and not changelings, but…well, animals that the scientists fucked with?”

  “We’ve got a lot of unknowns,” he agreed, getting the dilemma right away.

  “Right.”

  “But you have an idea,” he added.

  She winced. Not really. “My team was here. The place was deserted, so, were these creatures lurking around the whole time?” The thought made her shiver. Wouldn’t Agni have known? Or Markee? And why aren’t they here? This is an important mission.

  Because no one trusts you. Just one human. And even he wants his men. Maybe me, but his men most of all.