by Honor James
“I’ll get a medevac helicopter on standby but leave it out of range of their hearing.” Talon motioned for Mac to get the pilots and crew on the move. Covering the phone he looked to him. “Call in Davyn, just in case,” he said softly, knowing the Wraith could pull miracles out of his ass more times than not. “Med team is getting ready. A second copter will be carrying in two Teams. They’ll drop in downwind and wait for your signal to round up the Rogues.”
“Keep them at least three miles downwind. Out in that area the winds shift direction on a bloody whim,” he said as he cranked the engine up higher and grinned at the surge of power. “Gordon and his Rogues might be psychotic and complete sociopaths, but that hasn’t stunted their sense of smell. If anything, it’s likely heightened it. They know they are wanted, hunted, and they know what happens to those termed Rogue.”
“So noted. The Teams will rappel in three miles out from wherever the Rogue camp is and move only on your signal. How are you going to get in there without spooking them?” Talon asked, his tone sounding curious.
“I plan on walking right on in.” He smiled faintly. “Besides, me and Gordon have a few things we need to clear up before his life is terminated.” The past could only be laid to rest with him beating the fucking snot out of the sadistic bastard. “Who’s on the Teams coming in?”
Snapping his fingers, Talon took the datapad of Team members on standby and ready to rock and roll. “Trey, Mac, Tryg, Aiden, Markus, Phillip, Drake and Morgan. We’ll have Pete, Jack, and Davyn on medical,” he said, handing the pad back over to Skittles, who was still frowning at his laptop.
“Make sure Aiden and Drake stay at the back. Don’t need Gordon getting a whiff of Dragon blood.” No better way to make a lesser changer turn tail and beat trail to fight another day than that. He checked the sign as he whipped past it. “I’m three miles out and closing in. Where do I go once I hit the logging trail?”
“Head north on the logger for about a mile.” Quincy took over, pulling up the maps he had layered on one another. “The camp is a mile west at that point but the bulk of the bodies are another half mile north and about three quarters of a mile west. Given current wind conditions your best bet is to stop on the logger just out of the camp and hoof it in. We’ve also got a weather advisory, snow storms coming in hard and fast off the Rockies. We’re looking at a full white-out blizzard in under three hours.”
“Fuck me,” he breathed out softly. Blizzards were bad enough in the cities. Out in the middle of God’s country and you were asking for trouble. Especially with helicopters in the mix. “Keep the medical on standby north of the storm,” he said to Quincy. “If we don’t need them pull them out and get them grounded ASAP.”
“Already on the same page with you, Zaidu,” Quincy muttered. “We’re sending in the Teams on a modified copter so they won’t need to worry about the storm. They’ll have a fucking nasty ride if they’re caught in it, but they’ll live,” he added.
“We’ll keep you updated on the storm. Keep your comms open on channel one. Teams will be on two and medical will be listening in on three,” Talon ordered him. “Update us when you’re on site,” he said before hanging up and looking to Mac. “Full armament and tranqs for any of the women and children they may have on site. Any of the males come at you, use deadly force as necessary.”
“Understood, boss.” Mac nodded and left to go and brief the Teams as well as their pilots.
Disconnecting on his end for the time being, Zaidu revved the engine more. The less time they spent on the ground the better. He did not want to get caught in the storm coming in, not without proper gear to protect himself and anyone they might find alive.
* * * *
Clicking on his comms again, he zipped his jacket up tight. The temperature was dropping, a warning that the storm was inbound. “On site,” he said softly, ensuring he stayed upright with the wind pounding at him. It would get harder the deeper he got into the woods, but he was a trained hunter or, as some referred to him, a dealer of death.
“Teams are in the air,” Quincy reported back, keeping his voice down so he didn’t mess up the Wolf’s hearing. “Medevac is hovering outside the perimeter to the north and the Teams are just circling around for the drop. Two minutes and counting,” he said quietly.
“Copy,” Z murmured back subvocally as he let the Wolf up to the surface. Moving with complete stealth, the animal guiding his movements and steps, he hunted for those he knew were in the woods.
He heard them long before he got close, the wind whipping the occasional taunt and curse his way. Slowing so he didn’t make any mistakes he paused when he heard a woman telling them to stick it where the sun didn’t shine. Grinning, he guessed that was Bethany Parker giving it to the Rogues.
Shaking his head, Zaidu got closer and paused on a small hill to take in the scene below. “Parker is alive and currently treed,” he said softly. “Gordon and twelve other Rogues are circling. Only other one I can identify is Harken. The others are all in Wolf form. Winds are coming from the west with a slight northerly push. Warn the Teams and have them start their approach to camp. If our numbers are right, there should only be six males still in camp with the women and children.”
“Copy,” Quincy said and switched to comms two to pass the information along. Listening a moment longer he switched back to channel one. “Teams are moving in. Storm has picked up speed and we’re under the gun. Do you need the medevac?” he asked.
“Negative, Parker looks a bit scratched up but she’s conscious and giving them hell. She’ll likely be in shock after we get her down but she looks fine from here,” Z reported. “Have medevac return to base. We’ll handle anything on this end on-site,” he said.
“Medevac pulling back,” Quincy said after sending the message to the other copter. “Teams, you are all on your own for medical needs, repeat, medevac is returning to base, you are on your own for medical.”
“Copy,” Z said and knew the Teams would be reporting in the same thing. Licking his lips, he eyed the situation and knew going in alone would be sheer suicide. But if he could pull a few of the Wolves off at a time, weed them down, he knew Gordon would turn tail and run. The Wolf was tough when he had his crew with him, but once it was thinned he developed a chicken complex right fast. “Moving in closer,” he murmured even as he began to work his way stealthily down the hill.
The ground was cold from an earlier frost which was making the mud hard but also made it a little slick going. He made it down to the valley with only minimal near-death experiences and only a bit of lost skin off his left knuckles. Not that bad, all things considered. Now came the hard part, luring the Wolves away one at a time to deal with them.
Getting in closer, he made the smallest of sounds and watched a pair of ears perk. A moment later the Wolf seemed to relax, so he repeated it in a slightly different spot. Ears perked and head turned, sharp eyes searching the darkness. One more small sound, that of material to tree bark, in a different spot had the Wolves’ lips curling in a silent snarl. Then he began to move in Zaidu’s direction, stalking for prey. Once the Wolf was far enough out, Zaidu grabbed the muzzle and throat and squeezed hard, staring into the disbelieving eyes for a long time before all light faded from them.
Dropping the body, he let out a breath, one down and more to go. Over and over he repeated the small moves, always staying downwind so no one had any idea just what was in the dark. But soon enough Gordon noticed the seriously thinned-out numbers. Hell, there were only four left surrounding him and the tree. Deciding the odds were well enough in his favor given the Teams were out in the woods with him now as backup Z stood and walked in closer.
“You’ve been a bad, bad boy, Gordon,” he said in a conversational tone. “And you know what we do with bad boys that abduct women, don’t you, Gordon?”
“Shit, it’s Metzger.” Another of the Wolves had shifted and was looking ready to piss his pants.
Chapter Three
Turning from
the base of the tree to look toward the man, Gordon growled. “This is not your fucking concern, Hunter.” He wouldn’t give power to the man who stood there, only pithy snark. “I suggest that you leave now while the leaving is good while I deal with my girl, who thought to tree herself instead of coming to my bed.”
“Your what?” Bethany screamed down at the man. “It will be a cold day in fucking hell before I would ever sleep with a monster like you.” Oh God, she knew that she was going to land in the middle of a psych ward after this. Well, if she told the police it was a bunch of Wolves that took her. Yeah, that would go over well. Clutching the tree tighter, she began to pray again. “I just want out of here. Wake and find this all a bad dream.” She knew nightmares, though, and sadly this wasn’t even close to one—yet.
Moving in closer, his hands tucked in his pockets like he was out for a casual walk, Z shrugged. “I don’t think she is liking your plans at all, Gordon. Plus the very fact that you’re completely surrounded,” he told him as the laser sights were turned on on each of the weapons trained on the men. Stopping on the other side of the tree, Zaidu shot a look up and blinked. “How in the hell did she get up there?” he asked in genuine curiosity.
“I climbed,” Bethany shot down. “Seemed to be the better alternative to being mauled and killed by a pack of Wolves.” Her forehead was to the tree as she shouted down to the man in question. And then, before she could censor herself, she said, “And that asshole needs his damn head checked. Thinks that I would ever stoop that low to crawl into bed with a no-good flea-bitten hick with three fucking teeth missing. He has got to be a few fucking cards short of a deck if he thinks that I would ever fuck anyone with the IQ below fucking room temperature.”
“You fucking cunt.” Gordon growled now and went to move, pausing only when the laser sight moved on him as well. “You are going to fucking pay for this.” Gordon growled low to Zaidu.
“No, actually you are going to pay for it,” he said, waving in the Teams to neutralize the Rogues. They would face the Council and their punishments would be more severe than those that had been killed outright. As Gordon and his crew were rounded up, Z looked up the tree again. “Can you get down from there on your own, Ms. Parker?” he asked her softly.
“I think I will stay up here,” Bethany whispered as she clung to the thin trunk of the tree she had climbed. “It’s a beautiful view, no Wolves. Yep, this is a very good place to be.” Her mind was beginning to fritz and sizzle and she knew it. This had to have been some kind of hallucination brought on by the latest letter from her twin. Yep, that was it. This couldn’t be real. Sure she was feeling things, hurt like hell, but it was all a lucid hallucination and she knew it.
Moving around the tree he looked up at her. “There’s a blizzard coming in, Ms. Parker. The temperature is already dropping quickly, so you can’t stay up there. Can you come down or do you need help coming down?” he asked her. He could climb the tree. His Wolf wouldn’t like it in the least but he could do it. In reality Tryggr would be the better choice being a cat, but he didn’t think she’d much like the sarcastic cat.
“I think I’m stuck,” she whispered softly. “I’m terrified to move.” She needed to move. She knew she did. She could feel the wind picking up and felt the drop in the temperature, but she couldn’t seem to get her muscles to unlock or her mind to unfreeze. “Is he gone?” she asked quietly. “They, the Wolves, are they gone?” She was going to be in a fucking padded room just like her brother. After all, what was it that the note said? Something about being from the same DNA pool. Yep, she had the crazy, too.
“They are gone,” he told her and looked to Tryggr. “I’m going up. Catch my ass when I fall, will you?”
Snorting, Tryg crossed his arms. “I wouldn’t bet on it, pup.”
Taking off his jacket, Z shivered slightly at the temperature drop. “Storm’s coming even faster,” he commented, handing his jacket over to the other man. “See if Q has an update on that blizzard,” he said before he jumped up and caught the limb lowest to the ground. Moving with care he worked his way up very slowly toward the woman. “How you doing, Ms. Parker?” he asked, trying to keep both their minds off the sway of the tree with his added weight.
“Beth,” she whispered her eyes closing tight. “Ms Parker just isn’t me. Even at work.” She gulped, audibly. “Sssss–top,” her teeth were chattering. “It’s too thin up here, no closer.” She knew she had to get down, he saw it in her eyes when she looked his way. She seemed to force her fingers to release one at a time and her hands to move one at a time slowly. “Please, please, please, please,” she was whispering to herself as she began to move slowly down toward him.
“Nice and easy, Beth,” he told her quietly. Bracing his feet on two limbs he held on to a third, ensuring his other hand was free, just in case. “Go slow,” he said. “I’m right here,” he added since talking was keeping his mind off the fact that Wolves really did not like climbing trees. “You’re doing great. Just keep on coming down to me.”
Beth moved slowly down the tree, whispering her prayers as she did so. When his hand touched her ankle, she squeaked and paused, but continued to move when he ushered her to do so. Finally she was there with his body against her back and the tree trunk against her front. The heat of the man enveloped her, and she wanted to curl into that heat and let darkness take her, but she couldn’t, not yet. “How do I know that you are not a part of that guy’s crowd? Maybe he called you in to get me out of the tree?” She knew how silly it sounded, especially with her pressed there against the man, but she asked it anyway.
“I suppose you don’t, but considering how much Gordon and his sort hate me should give you a clue I’m not a part of that mess,” he told her. “I need you to turn around so that you can wrap your arms and legs around me and then I will get us out of this bloody tree.” Shooting a look down, he darted his eyes back up and let out a breath. “I really don’t like trees and would really like to get out of this one.”
She nodded and whispered, “And I’m afraid of heights.” It was a true confession, one that had her gulping. “I think I would rather hold onto the tree,” she whispered then. “How about if we both climb down together?” she asked hopefully. “Cause I’ve grown to love this tree, think that I’m going to keep it.” She knew that she was muttering nonsense, but it was the only way to keep from going completely hysterical.
“Nope, I need you to turn around so that I can get us out of here fast,” he told her. Shifting closer, he took her one hand and tugged until he could get it around his neck. “You have ahold of me, turn your body and grab hold of me. I’m a hell of a lot warmer than this damned tree, Beth.”
Doing as he instructed, she wrapped her body around his. She didn’t care that her skirt was riding up and giving everyone a view of her panties, and he really was a lot warmer than the tree. Face pressed against the curve of his neck and eyes closed she whispered, “You are much warmer.”
“Told you I was.” He smiled and rubbed her back gently. “All right, hang on tight and keep your eyes closed. This next part is going to be tricky so pretend you are glued to me and we’ll be just fine.” With great care Zaidu began to pick his way down through the many branches to where he could get a straight drop to the ground. It took a few feet and then, when he had a clear shot, he balanced on a limb, arms around her tight, and dropped straight down as she screeched loud enough to raise the dead. Landing in a crouch he let his legs absorb the shock before straightening. “We’re on the ground,” he told her, her grip on him so tight he was sure to have the imprint for a good number of days to come.
“Don’t think I’m ready to let go yet.” She couldn’t seem to open her eyes or let this poor man go. A shiver of a chill raced through her entire body and she felt more than saw movement behind her. “Oh God, please tell me that is a person, not another Wolf.”
Chuckling, Tryg handed over the leather jacket. “Jaguar actually,” he said with a grin.
“Tryg
, go away,” Zaidu said as he wrapped his jacket around her shoulders to warm her back. “You don’t have to let go, Beth, but I’m going to head for a vehicle so that we can get you warm,” he told her. Wrapping his arm around her, he began moving toward one of the trucks that had arrived ten minutes earlier. “We’ll get you tucked inside and wrapped in some blankets so that we can get you back to the base and looked over by a medic.”
Bethany nodded dumbly, tucking away his choices of words to mill over later. He hadn’t said doctor or hospital but rather base and medic. “Warm would be good. Maybe some booze would help as well. Yep, anything.” She wasn’t a drinker, at all, but in this she was ready to give over and become a lush just so she could forget.
“That would be the shock talking and we’ll see. I doubt we have any alcohol in the trucks but we will see,” he told her. Walking carefully, he held her close and continued to rub her back. She was plastered to him tightly and he was having a hell of a time. Half his concentration was on walking without putting them both into a ditch or a hole. The other half was keeping his body reined in so he didn’t end up with an erection.
“Trust me, this isn’t shock.” Or it could be, but she had been through true shock before. “Just cold. So cold.” She rubbed her cheek to his neck, breathing him in and holding tighter to him. He very, very obviously didn’t know who she was and for that was thankful. “So cold.” She hated the cold. She cursed herself for not moving south before now. Maybe now it was time. Time to sell her gallery and move far, far away.
“We’ll get you warm soon,” he promised her quietly, moving carefully over the small rise. Spotting the truck parked ten feet from his bike he worked his way to it and opened the door. Leaning in, he had to brace a hand on the seat since she didn’t appear ready to release him. “Uh…” He grinned. “Beth darling, you have to let go so we can get you wrapped up in blankets.”