Blood and Metal

by Nina Croft

  “Nothing much to see. Just you being taken down by some little girl.”

  “I was shot.” His eyes narrowed; he couldn’t believe he’d risen to the gibe. “Well?”

  “Help yourself.” The guard nodded to the console behind them and sat down again.

  Fergal pulled the laser pistol from where it was tucked under his shirt and glanced down to check it was set to stun. He shot the first guard in the back of the head and the second before he even had time to move. Turning back to the console, he pulled up the surveillance and wiped the last few minutes before disconnecting.

  When this was over, he’d come back here and one of the Blood Hunter crew would be kind enough to shoot him in the head to look like they were all shot at the same time.

  If all went well.

  And his gut feeling told him it would.

  Next, he disarmed the alarms and unlocked the rear entrance to the prison. “You can come in now.”

  He started working on the codes. Five minutes later, he had them. He’d always been good with computers—it was how he’d been so successful at going undercover—but these days they talked to him, spilling their secrets with the minimum of effort.

  A tap came at the door, and he glanced up as Rico peered through the glass window. He hurried across and let them in. Daisy gave him a quick grin, but he ignored it along with the hurt expression that followed.

  “Are we good?” Skylar asked.

  “Yeah. Just need to check the maximum-security section.”

  He went back to the console and tapped in a few codes, pulling off the wire from under his shirt and handing it to Skylar as he worked. “Shit.”

  “What is it?”

  “Your friend is scheduled for execution.”

  “When?”

  “Now.”

  “Dios.” Rico scowled. “We need to contact Tannis, tell her to get Alex out of there immediately.”

  Skylar nodded. “I’ll do it. I’ll get Callum—he’s clearer at this distance.”

  “Do it on the way,” Rico said. “We’re moving now.” He turned to Fergal. “Take us there.”

  Fergal hesitated. If they interrupted the execution, chances were his cover was blown.

  “Move,” Rico snarled.

  The order put his back up. He was pissed off with assholes telling him what to do. He stiffened. As he locked eyes on the vampire, his hand tightened on the pistol at his waist.

  “Please, Fergal,” Daisy said. “He’s our friend.”

  Her words broke the tension, and he forced his muscles to relax. Truth was, he couldn’t stand by and see an innocent man executed. He gave her a quick nod and whirled around. He left the room at a run, the others close behind him, and headed down toward the maximum-security section. A guard stood at the door. Rico drew his pistol and shot the man without slowing.

  Fergal punched in the code and pushed open the heavy doors. All the executions were carried out in room C, away from the cells. A narrow, bare stone corridor led deep below the ground, and he headed down there.

  “You get through?” he heard Rico ask.

  “Yes,” Skylar said. “They’re going in now. You think they mean to kill Alex?”

  “Why else would they execute Jon at this point? Because they don’t need him anymore. How much fucking farther?”

  “We’re there.”

  Fergal skidded to a halt outside a black door.

  He paused before he pushed it open. If he hung back, maybe there was still a chance he’d get away with this. “There’ll be the governor, a priest, and two guards.”

  Rico gave a curt nod. “I’ll go in with Devlin. Skylar, you stay out here and listen for Tannis. Daisy, keep an eye out for incoming.”

  Devlin moved up to stand beside him. Rico kicked out, and the door gave way. They were shooting as it opened. After thirty seconds, all went silent, and Fergal peered through the doorway. The guards and governor were down. Stunned or dead, he didn’t know. The priest remained upright, but not for long. Devlin shot him in the head, and he crumpled to the stone floor.

  The tall dark-haired prisoner stood chained to the wall, still alive but with a slightly dazed look on his face. The priest clutched the full needle, so he hadn’t yet administered the lethal injection, though the oven behind him was already stoked, and sweat beaded the prisoner’s forehead.

  “Alex?” he asked, and Fergal could hear the tension in his voice.

  “They’re pulling her out now,” Rico replied. “Skylar, what’s happening?”

  “Wait a second.” She was silent for a moment. Fergal’s back itched. He needed them out of here before reinforcements arrived. There was still a chance.

  Skylar grinned. “Tannis has her. She was at the church, so they pulled her straight out. They’re heading back to the shuttle, but no one’s after them.”

  “Thank Christ.” The tall man—Jon—sagged against the chains that held him. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, they gleamed feral. “I’m going to rip that fucker Hatcher’s throat out.”

  “Get in line,” Rico said.

  Narrowed golden eyes turned on the vampire. “Well, it took you fucking long enough,” he said. “Twenty fucking years. Where the fuck have you been?”

  Rico grinned. “It’s a long story.”

  There were a lot of long stories about. And one day, Fergal would really like to hear them. Just not now. “Can we move this along?” he suggested.

  Golden eyes turned on him, filled with savage intent. Where had he seen eyes like that before?

  Jon’s nostrils flared, and he breathed in, his gaze running over Fergal’s uniform. “Why is he alive?” he snarled.

  “He got us in here,” Rico said. “So it would have been a little ungrateful to kill him. Jon, meet, Fergal Cain, journalist and…actually, I’m really not sure what else.” He studied Jon for a moment. “You want to hold yourself away from the wall and I’ll shoot those chains off?”

  “Or how about I unlock them,” Skylar suggested. She was crouched down beside one of the guards; now she straightened and waved a key in their direction. Crossing the small space to Jon, she unlocked the cuffs about his wrists. They dropped away, and he rubbed the reddened skin. “She’s really safe?”

  “Really.”

  “Shit.” He closed his eyes, ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair. “I could have shifted, escaped, but not while they had Alex.” He looked around. “It’s been a long time. I need…”

  “Go ahead,” Rico said.

  Jon dragged the T-shirt over his head. His feet were bare, and when he kicked his pants off, he was naked. The move took Fergal by surprise. He glanced around, but no one else appeared to find it odd.

  A ripple ran through the man. Fergal stood, his mouth hanging open, as Jon dropped to all fours and a change flowed over him. One moment a man, the next a huge shaggy black…dog? As tall as Fergal’s shoulder.

  “What the fuck…”

  “Did we forget to mention he’s a werewolf?”

  “Shit. Yeah—I think I would have remembered.”

  The great beast stretched, then raised its head and howled. The sound filled the room, echoing off the walls.

  “Right,” Rico said. “You might want to cut that out.” The howl was cut short. “Okay, we’re out of here.” He turned to Fergal. “You still plan on staying?”

  He hesitated, but only for a second. He wouldn’t last much longer without finding Stefan. He really did have no choice. “Yeah. If we can go back via the control room. And if one of you would be so kind as to shoot me.”

  “My pleasure.” Rico headed to the door and peered out. “All clear?”

  “Nothing moving yet,” Daisy replied.

  That couldn’t hold out for long. “Let’s go.”

  “Wait a minute,” Skylar said.

  “What is it?” Rico came back toward her. “Have you heard something?”

  “Yes, but not from Tannis or Callum.” She turned to Fergal. “The other polit
ical prisoner—is he Collective?”

  “Yes. So?” He glanced at the door. They needed to move now.

  But Skylar turned to Rico. “It’s the colonel.”

  “Your old boss? The head of the Corps?” She nodded. “And that’s a problem why?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “We need to get him out, Rico.”

  “We do?” But Rico sounded resigned.

  “He’s a good man,” Skylar said. “And besides, he’s Callum’s friend. You know he’s been looking for him.”

  “You sure it’s him?”

  “Yes, the signal is weak. They must have him drugged, which is why Callum’s never picked him up, but it’s definitely him.”

  “Okay.”

  “Not okay,” Fergal said, taking a step toward Rico. “You need to get out of here now. I signed on to get one person out of here. Not two.”

  A low growl came from the wolf. Its upper lip curled, showing fangs that rivaled even Rico’s and Daisy’s.

  “You don’t mean that, Fergal. You really don’t want to upset Jon.”

  “Goddamn it.” He didn’t give a toss if he upset Jon, but maybe they could rescue this guy and still get out. He snorted. Of course they could. Why not rescue the whole fucking prison while they were at it? “You three head up to the control room.” He waved a hand to encompass, Rico, Devlin, and the wolf. “I’ll take her”—he nodded at Skylar—“and go get her friend. Then you shoot me and you’re out of here.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  As he stalked out of the room, Daisy turned from where she’d been watching the corridor. “What’s happening?”

  “Skylar wants to rescue someone else,” Rico said.

  “She does?”

  “Fergal’s taking her. We’ll meet you above ground.”

  “I’ll go with them. Watch their backs.”

  Rico studied her for a second. “Okay.”

  “Let’s go,” Fergal said, frustration clawing at him. His good feeling had evaporated, replaced by a very bad feeling. Beside him, Skylar still had her pistol drawn and he had the distinct impression she’d be quite happy to use it on him. Shit, she’d been Corps. He hadn’t known that. The Corps had been the Collective’s own private army, drawn from the Collective itself, ruthless, highly trained, and virtually indestructible. She wouldn’t hesitate to shoot him.

  Once again, he had no fucking choice. And he was getting sick of not having options.

  He led them to the lower level control room to access the codes to open the cell. Daisy waited in the doorway, keeping an eye out, but Skylar stood at his back, and he could sense her tapping her foot behind him. “Do you mind stopping that?” he snarled. “I’m trying to concentrate.”

  Finally, he had the codes, and they headed down to the cell. He tapped the panel next to the door. If they were wrong, they were fucked, because he was out of ideas. But the door slid open.

  He stepped back to allow Skylar to enter, and Daisy came up beside him.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “For nothing,” he replied. “It’s not as though I have a lot of choice.”

  “You have to help your friends,” she said. “If not, what’s any of it worth?”

  “I don’t have friends.”

  She rested a hand on his arm. “You have me.”

  For long moments, he gazed down into her eyes. “You don’t want to be my friend. I’m trouble.”

  “Maybe I like trouble. And hey, I’m a vampire, I can deal with trouble.” She went still and sniffed the air.

  “What is it?” Fergal asked.

  “Blood.” She shook her head. “People coming. Skylar, we have company.”

  Inside the cell, Skylar was crouched beside the slumped man. She glanced up at Daisy’s words, nodded and spoke quietly to him.

  “I’m okay,” he mumbled. “I can make it.” He staggered to his feet, swayed, but then straightened. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Great idea.” The thud of booted feet was growing louder by the second. They’d never make it.

  Skylar supported the prisoner across the cell. It was obvious they weren’t capable of moving fast. Beside him, Daisy drew her laser pistol. “You go ahead. I’ll hold them off.”

  “Alone?”

  She cast him a grin. “There are only five of them, Fergal. I can manage.”

  “Give us ten minutes,” Skylar said to her. “Then meet us at the control room as planned.

  He took a step after Skylar and stopped.

  Shit.

  What was he—a fucking savior of the world? These weren’t his people. They’d kidnapped him and coerced him into this. He owed them nothing. Then he had a flashback to waking up in Daisy’s arms. Her softness.

  Fuck!

  He gritted his teeth and turned back. “I’ll stay.”

  A grin tugged up the corner of her lips.

  “Ten minutes,” Skylar said. “No longer. Or we’ll be coming back. And comm if you have a problem.”

  Daisy nodded. “We will. Now go.”

  Skylar disappeared around the corner, supporting the colonel with one arm around his shoulder. Fergal turned back to Daisy, where she stood close to the wall peering around the corner. “Here they come.” She stretched out her arm and shot a continuous burst of laser toward the oncoming guards. A loud crash reverberated down the corridor as one hit the ground, and then they were shooting back.

  The scents of scorched flesh and fresh blood filled the air. Beside him, Daisy went still. She sniffed, and a glazed expression slid down over her eyes. Her lip curled, and her tongue stroked over one sharp white fang.

  He’d seen that expression before. Last night, just before she’d jumped on him and tried to rip out his throat.

  Shit, this wasn’t good.

  Should he grab her? But that would leave neither of them able to shoot. Before he could decide, an alarm sounded. They must have the systems up and running.

  Not good suddenly turned to fucking catastrophic.

  Then the long continuous shrill changed to a pulsated ring.

  And things got even worse.

  “Daisy!” he yelled. “We have to get out of here.”

  She ignored him. All her attention focused on the group of men crouching ahead. They knew what the alarm meant. After shooting off a couple of blasts, they were up and running in the opposite direction.

  He had about two minutes to get Daisy out.

  There was one other way. They might make it. Except Daisy wasn’t paying any attention to him. He was about to grab her arm when she leaped forward. She flew through the air, slamming into the man at the back of the small group. As he crashed to the floor, the rest didn’t even look around.

  “Daisy!”

  Wrenching back the man’s head, she lunged for his throat, and blood sprayed from a severed artery. She swallowed frantically until the man was no longer struggling, just the occasional jerk from his feet.

  “Shit.” Fergal couldn’t look away.

  Finally, she glanced across at him, her eyes glowing red. Crimson covered her chin, and she swiped it away with the back of her hand.

  He hurried across, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to her feet. She tried to look back, but he hauled her after him. They weren’t going to make it.

  Almost there, but as they reached the final intersection, the steel shutters slid down from the ceiling, blocking the way out. All around him, he heard the clang as they were cut off. The whole of the maximum-security section was sealed, and any second now, gas would be released.

  Final protocol in the event of a break-in.

  He lifted Daisy’s arm—she was still almost totally unresponsive—and pressed the comm unit on her wrist. “Skylar? You out of here?”

  “Yeah, I’m back at the control center with the others. What’s going on?”

  “We’re sealed inside. Get out of here. I’ll get Daisy out another way.”

  “Can you do that? We have explosives—we can blow the place.”

&
nbsp; “No. They’re going release gas any moment. The whole place will blow.”

  “Cain.” Rico’s voice.

  “Yeah.”

  “Get her out of there or we’ll find you.”

  “Go fuck yourself.” He switched off the comm unit and turned to Daisy. A little awareness seemed to have slipped back into her expression. And she didn’t look happy.

  “I killed someone.”

  “You sure did.”

  “You could lie and tell me he might live.”

  “With half his throat gone, I don’t think so. But right now we have bigger problems. Any moment they’re going to release poisonous gas. It might not kill either of us, but it will most likely knock us out, and I don’t think you want the Church getting hold of you—I’m thinking they might consider you a little…”

  “Evil?” she said in a small voice. “They referred to Rico as son of Satan. That makes me…”

  “Dead if we don’t get out of here. And then your protector will hunt me down and make my life miserable. You can wallow in self-pity when we’re out.”

  She stuck out her lower lip, and he was pretty sure she was going to wallow some more, but instead, she drew back her shoulders. “What do we do?”

  He looked around. They were in a tunnel, one side—the side heading up to ground level—blocked off by the steel shutter. And he was betting what guards were left would be securing the main exit. So there wasn’t much point in heading that way.

  He cast his mind back to the plans of the place.

  “Come on.” He grabbed her arm again and ran back the way they had come, down another tunnel, and into the cell they had taken Skylar’s friend from.

  He stood for a moment orienting himself. If he was correct, on the other side of the wall should be the older section of the place, bricked off when the prison was built.

  “What are we doing?” Daisy asked.

  At least she sounded vaguely normal, but a quick glance showed that while most of the blood was gone from her face, her whole body was tense.

  “There should be an old tunnel, not part of the prison, behind that wall. We get into that and it should lead us out without banging into the welcome party I’m sure is waiting for us.”

  “So all we have to do is get through that wall. No problem then.”