by Sydney Addae
“Not yet, there’s a special way it has to be done or something. She’s working on it.” She paused. “How are you holding up? Make any progress with him?”
“He spoke to me through a link.”
“Shit. Did you answer?”
“No. Silas may decide to terminate him rather than meet him on the battlefield later. I don’t want that connection.”
“I’m sorry you have to make a choice like that.”
He glanced at the hybrid created from his genes and shook his head. “What would you do?”
“What?”
“If they’d done this to you, and you met… you're… him? What would you do? Let him go? Have him killed? What?”
“That could have happened and I may not know. With all the surgeries I’ve had and all the time I’ve been out of it… who knows what they’ve done. But you cannot kill him, the Goddess made sure of that. The rest, I don’t know. Whatever you decide, I’m behind you, okay. Just remember that.”
“Thank you.” He released his breath and pushed up, bringing Damian with him. After they stood, placed his other hand around Damian’s neck and released his face. The skin healed over his nail marks and Hawke looked down into the pup's face.
“Do you want Gordon to die?”
Damian’s face tightened, his jaw clenched. He spoke through tight lips. “No.”
Curious, Hawke moved closer. “Why? Is he your sire?”
“No.”
“Why do you care if he dies or lives?”
Damian’s lips tightened.
Hawke shook him. “Answer me or you know what’ll happen.”
“He is my master.”
“You’re wolf. He’s human.”
Damian frowned. “Wolf?”
Hawke frowned and looked into eyes that mirrored his own. “Have you never shifted?”
“Impossible.” He shook his head and Hawke wondered if he were aware he spoke to Hawke through a link.
Hawke looked across the compound and called one of Radoff’s men over. “He does not believe we shift.”
The male looked surprised and the next moment he stood on his paws looking up at them. The next second he stood on two feet and then he returned to wolf form, looked at Hawke and then ran off.
Hawke sensed Damian’s surprise and wondered what type of training the Liege employed. The instructions for behavioral modification he had written took the temperament of the dual natured man into account. Based on Damian’s response the Liege did not teach the two sides must walk in harmony to be whole.
“That is impossible,” Damian said. “I cannot do that.” He looked at Hawke with a question in his eyes. “Master says you are my sire, do you also become wolf?”
“Yes. It is my nature and the nature of everyone else here except Gordon.”
Damian’s eyes widened and then narrowed. “Will they hurt my master?”
“It depends on how you behave out here.”
“How will they know?”
“I speak to them like this,” Hawke said through their link.
Damian jumped and struggled to break free from Hawke’s grip. Hawke squeezed his neck tighter, closing off oxygen until his movements slowed.
“Get out of my mind,” Damian said in a hard voice that might have been the equivalent of a scream if he could speak.
“Believe me, I hate to be here, but since I am…” Hawke invaded his thoughts and marveled at the ability to do so. “Your computer is different, not as hostile. It only controls your limbs not your actions, no tracking. Did they never expect you to meet your kind?”
“Get out,” Damian said, trying to move Hawke back but failing.
The computer chip lacked the kill mechanism, and camera. What had the pup used the other day? The fight on the side of the road had been recorded for Lancaster and the Liege, Hawke would bet money on that. The pup wore sunglasses, the camera must have been loaded near the lens.
“Calm down, has anyone ever linked with you before?”
Damian stopped moving and met Hawke’s gaze. “Linked? What is that?”
“Mind speak, wolves speak mind to mind and no one else can hear you or knows what we are saying. Humans cannot.”
Damian blinked a few times. “But I am not a wolf.”
“Technically you are a full-blood, which is a dual-natured person.” He paused. “Like me.” Hawke admitted the connection and continued searching through Damian’s memories. Gordon played a predominant role in Damian’s upbringing, their relationship more personal than master and slave. Gordon treated Damian as a son and had taken on the Liege for Damian.
“Lies, all lies.” Damian pushed against Hawke and punched him on the shoulder.
Hawke tightened his grip around his neck and continued looking through the memory bank of Damian’s life. The pup excelled early and lived in a decent environment, nothing like the cell Hawke had endured. It took a moment before he realized Damian had entered his mind. Hawke shut down the area leading to Asia, but allowed Damian to see the brutality he suffered at the hands of the Liege.
Damian’s eyes widened and then narrowed as if he suspected some sort of trick.
Hawke chuckled and didn’t pull back.
“Black wolf.”
Hawke’s brow rose at the two words.
“They are the top of the line.” He frowned. “That is what we were taught.”
“How many were in your class?”
“Three started. I alone finished.”
“Are there more classes behind yours?”
“Yes. Why are you in chains?” He looked at Hawke with a perplexed look. “Why is Master Lancaster standing over you while you are chained?”
“That was my training with the Liege, different from what I saw you went through.” Hawke heard a vehicle approach and turned aside to see Angus pull to a stop.
“Angus is here, are we about ready to start?” he asked Asia.
“Yes, she just took his blood and secured it in an ice pouch. How does it feel being linked to your son?”
Hawke should have known she would sense the connection. “Gordon treated him more of a son than I have. He has had a decent life so far. Is Gordon caged?”
“Yes. You can bring Damian inside. I’m not sure the cage will hold him if he morphs, it wouldn’t hold me.”
“Okay.”
Angus and Byte approached. “So this is your seed? I see the resemblance. It’s time, let’s do this.”
Hawke loosened his grip slightly and they walked toward the building housing the basement. “Byte and I will take him in. You go ahead and prepare,” Angus said, moving into position to contain the young pup.
Hawke looked down at Byte and then at Damian. “If you try and run or move too fast the TerraByte will catch you, he took down a bluebird, I doubt he’ll have a hard time with you.” He removed his hand and walked inside.
“Don’t move,” Angus said to Damian when he turned to follow. Byte growled.
Hawke looked over his shoulder at Damian, who stared at him. “Don’t kill him, please.”
“It’s not my decision,” Hawke said as he walked inside and met Asia at the bottom of the stairs, took her hand and walked over to Maheegan. The woman offered him a small smile, removed the needle and while murmuring what sounded like a chant took a few vials of his blood. When done, she stored the vials in what appeared to be a cooler, removed another and locked the chest. Radoff removed the box and took it somewhere. Seemed like a lot of extra work, but as long as the contract was broken, Asia didn’t care. She wondered what they would do next.
Radoff stood on the dais and Maheegan stood next to him holding the two vials.
“We will begin,” Radoff said as he looked down at a page of paper on the podium. Hawke watched as Radoff’s beta brought a bowl of water for him to cleanse his hands and then dried them.
“What’s that?” Hawke asked Asia.
“Hmm? What?”
“I thought I heard something.” He listened hard. “Neve
r mind.”
“Angus isn’t coming?” Asia asked.
“La Patron has him doing something right now, he’ll be down when he is done.”
A few minutes into the ceremony Hawke’s eyes watered and his vision dimmed as Radoff continued reading the paper. He cleared his throat and wiped his nose. “You okay?” he asked Asia who leaned into him.
“No. Tired.” He caught her as she fell forward.
“Asia?” He called through their link even though his mind seemed fuzzy and his vision blurred. He went to his knees, holding her and looked over his shoulder. Everyone lay on the ground as if sleeping. Struggling to remain awake, he glanced at the dais, Maheegan and Radoff had fallen to the ground, the blood spilled and ran across the wood hitting the floor.
In his mind he called out to Angus but wasn’t sure if his call was heard before he fell forward and hit the floor. In the distance he heard footsteps and tried to open his eyes but couldn’t. He recognized the voice.
“I told you he could do it, see the blood hasn’t been used,” Granari said in a low tone. “Everyone overlooks him because of his size, but he slew Goliath as promised. That one is not Angus, I told you that.” She paused. “We kept our end of the deal.”
“Yes, you have. Chemical engineer, indeed, potent stuff, no sound or smell. Verrick, give her the case and then bring Gordon and these two. I’m curious to discover just who is his mate,” Boris Lancaster said.
“Angus, its Lancaster and Granari.” Hawke delivered the message and passed out.
Chapter 28
“So you’re Hawke’s pup?” Angus asked as he walked around Damian, whose gaze flicked between him and Byte.
Angus wasn’t surprised Damian didn’t respond, he doubted he would have either. Byte was the only reason the pup didn’t take off behind Hawke to rescue Gordon. Damian vibrated with indecision.
“Have you arrived?” Silas asked.
“Yes, I’m outside with Hawke’s pup while he prepares for the ceremony. Shouldn’t be that much longer.”
“The pup? Let me take a look at him.”
Angus moved to stand in front of Damian and sensed when Silas entered. “Something’s wrong with his beast.”
“What do you mean?” Angus moved closer to the pup, looking for signs of his wolf.
Damian straightened and braced his legs.
Byte grumbled his displeasure at the movement and stood as if daring the pup to move again.
“Not sure, but it’s weak, not like the Detective’s but he was much older. Wonder if he’s ever shifted?”
“Want me to ask?”
“No. Hold steady, I’m going to pull his wolf.”
One second Damian stood in front of Angus the next a lone black wolf lay wild-eyed panting on the ground.
“Based on his response, I’d say this is his first shift.”
Like a skittish colt, Damian tried to stand without success on his first two attempts. And then he stood, wobbling for a few seconds.
“Take him for a walk or run in the woods,” Silas said.
Angus shifted, looked at Damian and walked in the opposite direction from the building. Damian followed, slowly at first and then at a trot. Pleased with the pup’s progress, he picked up speed. Soon they were running in the woods at the base of the mountain which belonged to Alpha Radoff.
Byte took up the rear behind Damian but stopped every once in a while to explore. They came to a stream. Angus stepped into the cool water and lapped a drink. He watched Damian take small steps looking at his image before he drank. When he finished Damian took off running in the wrong direction which would take him off pack lands.
Angus chased and slammed into him before he got too far. Damian rolled on the ground and tried to rise. Angus stood over him snarling and baring his teeth. The pup didn’t move. When Angus felt he had made his point, he turned and ran back into the wooded area.
Once again Damian followed, they ran through the entire forest until Angus sensed Damian had connected with his wolf. Angus stalked a deer and along with Byte brought it down. Damian was hesitant at first, but after minutes of watching Byte rip into the meat and Angus eating his fill, he took a few nibbles. Pretty soon they were all sated and sat beneath a shade tree.
“Angus, its Lancaster and Granari,” Hawke said in a weird voice interrupting the impromptu training session.
“What?” Nothing. Hawke didn’t respond.
“Silas I got a weird message from Hawke –”
“I cannot reach him or Maheegan. Jasmine cannot contact Asia and is concerned. Go check things out,” Silas said.
“On it.” Angus jumped up and ran toward Radoff’s, Damian and Byte were fast behind him. They made good time in wolf form. He slowed as they broke through the trees. Granari, Niall, and a few other scents he wasn’t familiar with had been there.
Angus morphed into his human form and strode to the building where the ceremony took place. Someone locked the outer door. He morphed to his hybrid and kicked until it crashed open. Angus ran inside, pushed the locked door leading down to the basement aside and peeked in. From his vantage point everyone lay on the ground as if they were at a large sleep-over. Steady heartbeats and even breathing filled the room. Inhaling, he picked up Asia, Hawke, Granari and Niall’s scents. Verrick, that bastard, he’d been there as well.
He took the stairs two at a time searching for Hawke and Asia. Chacal lay on the floor in the corner, Maheegan and Radoff were on the dais, blood stained the floor, but Hawke and Asia were missing.
“Don’t see them. Everyone’s asleep, I don’t smell or taste anything in the air. Whatever they used, it’s new.” He started down the corridor searching for Niall or Granira’s bodies but came up empty. That sucked. “Niall and Granari were here. Gordon’s gone.” The woman had been too accommodating, he should have guessed she was up to something. But why? Why challenge him and Silas like this? Was it her or her Alpha? Why involve Niall? She had to know Hawke wouldn’t allow anyone to mess with his mate. He looked down the long corridor and sent Byte ahead to check for surprises.
“Damian’s with you?”
“Yeah.” He looked over his shoulder at the pup who remained in wolf form. “Might need to help him shift.”
“No, let him become accustomed to this form and track Gordon. Find them, Angus.”
“Will do.” He looked at Damian, who walked slightly behind him. “Someone took Hawke, his mate and Gordon. Do you know who? Are any of the scents familiar?”
Damian’s body shook as he ran back toward the cell and then caught up with Angus who followed Byte. Damian ran ahead, stopped at the corner of another tunnel and watched Angus.
“They went that way? Okay.” Angus ran to catch up as both Byte and Damian took off. After many twists and turns Damian stood in front of what appeared to be a solid wall making noises.
Byte growled and watched the wall as if expecting someone or something to walk through at any moment. Angus slid his palms and fingers along the seams of the walls searching for a control mechanism. A click, a whirring sound and then the panel slid aside revealing a stairwell. Byte took off, followed by Damian and then Angus. They emerged on the outskirts of a small town and remained in the tree line to get an idea where they were.
Angus snapped his fingers. “Byte stay by my side.” The animal turned, walked to him and sat on his haunches watching Angus. “A blue dog and a wolf,” he murmured wondering how to get where they needed to be without being shot or attacked.
He pulled them back into the woods and stooped low. “We need to find Gordon and Hawke but we cannot allow the people to see us.” He looked at Damian and then Byte. “We cannot be seen by people, not these people anyway. Chances are whoever took Hawke had a car or truck waiting out here.”
Angus looked around wondering if he could rent a car. If Damian were in human form they could run without raising an alarm. There wasn’t much he could do about Byte, his new pet would always draw attention.
“Stay here.
I am going to find transportation and then we’ll find them.” He waited until the pup lay down with his head on his front paws. Angus stood. “Stay here, watch. Protect the wolf. I will be back,” he told Byte and headed out the woods.
After securing a small vehicle he returned to pick up Byte and Damian. “Silas I need Damian to give directions, I had to rent a car.”
Damian lifted his head as Angus approached, the next moment he stood in human form with a look of wonder on his face. His mouth opened and closed. He looked at his body and then at Angus. “That… that was unbelievable. Comfortable. Different.” He frowned. “My thoughts were linear, uncomplicated, simple.”
Angus snapped his fingers toward Byte, turned and headed toward the small SUV. “Can you lock onto Gordon’s scent?”
“What? Yes, although not as easy now. Before was a lot stronger. In fact, everything was amplified. Vision, hearing, taste, everything.” He followed Angus and slid into the front seat talking the entire time.
“Yep, you’re Hawke’s boy.”
“What?”
“Curious, like Hawke. The man’s a genius, dissects everything. When we find them, have him teach you how to shift. You can do it anytime, it’s not difficult.”
“Then why didn’t you teach me?”
“Had other things on my mind. Where’s Gordon? Which way do I go?” They were at an intersection with cars behind them.
Damian pointed. “That way.”
Angus made the turn.
“Back in the tunnel, the other scent, it was Master Lancaster. He left with Master Gordon.”
Angus was surprised. “Thought he skipped town, must’ve grown a conscience.”
“Why didn’t you teach me to shift?”
“Didn’t have time.”
“The wolf affects my limbs, my computer went silent. Everything on the inside stopped when I became wolf.”
“You are wolf and human. Both. Is your computer on now?”
Damian hesitated. “It’s running an assessment on my legs. Turn right.”
Angus glanced at Byte on the back seat. The animal lifted his head and met his stare. Angus chuckled. Three hundred years, no mate, but he got a mutt. Where was the justice in that? At least this one was loyal, followed directions and covered his back. When Byte attacked the bluebird and brought it down, Angus had been surprised at the ease and confidence of his pet. There had been nothing left for him to do except swing his blade and remove the head. Whoever created Byte had definitely been on to something, the beast would make the ultimate weapon.