The Sigma Menace Collection

by Marie Johnston

“What about me?” The soft voice asked behind them.

  “Sylva, would we forget about you?” Alex shot her a dazzling smile. “You’ll have to be flashed after these two, though. The witnesses take priority.”

  Can you flash that many times, with passengers?

  Dunno. Looks like we’re going to find out. Alex held her hand out at Damon and waggled her fingers.

  Damon gave it a dubious look before grabbing on.

  “By the way, after we arrive, you’ll feel like you just chugged a six-pack and jumped on a rollercoaster.”

  It wasn’t until the two disappeared that Rhys realized he didn’t think to ask where she planned on taking them.

  Chapter 13

  Alex arrived at the safe house where Malcolm and Harrison were waiting. It was a cabin deep in the woods that could be used for boat fishing in the summer and ice fishing in the winter.

  She still held Damon’s hand. She had to or he’d have spiraled into the wall. When he doubled over, she finally let go so he could prop himself up on his knees as he tried to regain his equilibrium.

  “We’re here, ladies,” she called, knowing the twins were somewhere nearby. They kept this room unoccupied for the sole purpose of her flashing into it.

  Harrison bust through the door, scowling. He was armed and his gun was raised, but he lowered it after he assessed the situation.

  Malcolm, identical to Harrison with his shaggy chestnut-brown hair and golden eyes, came striding in behind him. “You’re so obnoxious, Alex.”

  His grin made her grin back. Harrison kept scowling. She liked the twins. Her history with them wasn’t as peppered with altercations as the rest of the Guardians in Rhys’ pack.

  “You two are my boys, you know that?”

  Malcolm’s dimple had to be the reason why so many females threw themselves at him. He couldn’t hold a candle to Rhys in her opinion, but she could see his appeal.

  “You say that to all the twin Guardians you come across.”

  “So far, I have.” She looked down to where Damon was bent over, hands on his knees, heaving. “This is our primary witness. There’s one more and another prisoner, then Rhys.”

  She flashed back to the prison. Rhys stood in the same spot and Sylva’s violet eyes were wide with what she was seeing.

  “Good?” Alex asked Rhys.

  “So far, but I think they’re coming.”

  She held out her hand to William, who didn’t hesitate to grab onto it.

  Flashing back to the cabin, she went through the same process with him. She strongly suspected he would’ve hurled if he’d eaten anything in the last few hours.

  Malcolm was pacifying an apprehensive Damon, so she caught Harrison’s eye. “This is witness number two, Damon’s dad.”

  The male nodded, ever the somber twin. Alex suspected he had deep-seated issues of some sort. Don’t we all.

  Fatigue had begun settling in, she took a deep breath and flashed. Back in the prison, she jumped to the side, damn near getting rammed into by Rhys entangled with a guard.

  Shit, they’d been discovered. Another large shifter was fighting to get into the room but an unconscious Guardian blocked the door. Rhys had been busy while she was gone.

  Take Sylva to wherever you go, then flash back into the closet, Rhys grunted into her mind.

  Alex spun to hold her hand out to Sylva, only to find the female cowering back in her cell, gazing on in fear at the Guardian who Rhys was busy with. How the hell did the timid little female kill her mate?

  Letting out a frustrated breath, Alex flashed into the cell and grabbed Sylva. The girl squeaked, barely able to finish the sound before they appeared at the cabin.

  The young female dropped to her knees and Alex almost joined her. Her heart was racing, like she’d run all day and eaten nothing. Could she even get back to Rhys?

  Alex didn’t have time to waste, but she needed a few seconds before she flashed again. She looked at Sylva.

  “You didn’t kill him did you? You’re covering for someone.”

  Sylva’s eyes widened, but Alex didn’t miss the steel that lined her gaze. Ah, she was covering for someone who helped her kill her mate.

  “No big,” Alex reassured her. “There’s two Guardians here to protect you. Don’t let them scare you. They’re complete dicks, but straight-up honorable.”

  Confusion defined Sylva’s frown with Alex’s statement, until Harrison came into the room, then alarm crossed her features. Alex didn’t have time to reassure her anymore.

  “I’m going to get Rhys,” she announced as she rose to stand. The slight sway when she fully straightened wasn’t unexpected.

  Harrison’s gaze narrowed on her. “Are you okay?”

  The male usually let his brother do the talking. It wasn’t in Alex’s favor that she looked like shit enough for him to inquire about her.

  “Totes.” Alex flashed to the closet, feeling more than a little lethargic. Like she could eat a big steak, with a pound of bacon chaser, and sleep all night.

  Her vision was swimming, so she took a deep breath. Only then did she hear metallic thumping. She furrowed her brows and listened closer. Then it dawned on her. She and Rhys had been so quiet going through the ductwork, but the sounds she was hearing now was that of a large body thunking around in it.

  Or more than one large body.

  She jumped up and pulled herself into the duct. Rhys, are you trying to get back to the closet?

  Yes. Even mentally, he sounded out of breath. They must be trying to follow him.

  I’ll make my way toward you. All we need to do is grab hands.

  ’Kay.

  She heard more thumps and grunts. Whoever was behind Rhys was getting Rhys’ boot plastered all over his face.

  Army-crawling her way through the duct, sweat trickled down her brow. Maybe it was the enclosed space. Or maybe it was because she never flashed so many times in a row, so quickly, as she had the last few minutes. Hopefully it was a space issue. She still had a two-hundred and fifty pound male to flash away.

  Alex was moving faster than Rhys. They were almost within touching distance.

  Grab my hand. She reached one arm out as far as she could, they were only feet away from each other.

  Don’t flash until I tell you. The fucker keeps grabbing my legs to drag me backward.

  His strong hand enveloped her forearm. Relief poured through her. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the cabin, waiting for Rhys’ signal.

  He jerked as he kicked his leg back to shake the shifter off. Scooting back, Alex tried to give Rhys more room to move ahead so he wasn’t so easy to grab again.

  “Mother. Fucker.” Rhys gritted out the words before a mighty clang shook the whole duct. It was followed by another, then another, as Rhys repeatedly slammed his boot back.

  Now!

  Immediately, her senses were flooded with fresh air. What the…

  Opening her eyes, she saw patches of dirt with new green life poking through. Son of a bitch.

  Rhys still held onto her arm, but groaned and rolled over on his back. “Is this the meeting spot?”

  She rolled to her back also. Above her were branches with budding leaves and blue sky. “Sure isn’t.”

  He surprised her by chuckling. “Glad I was your last passenger, then.”

  She smiled and they both lay in silence. It was nice. Peaceful. Alex had many peaceful experiences in the past six months, but it was better with Rhys.

  It would sure be nice to stay with him.

  “Any idea where we’re at?”

  “Maybe somewhere between the council’s headquarters and the family lake cabin the twins were meeting us at. I’d say a forty-mile difference and we’re… in the middle?”

  “I know where the cabin’s at.” Rhys finally released her arm to sit up. “Malcolm told me about it when they first joined my pack.”

  Alex followed suit, sitting up. She let her senses roam. They were in the wilderness. Vast wilderness. West Cr
eek and Freemont were surrounded by woods, but were still large metropolitan areas. The two cities were ideal for shifters because they could take a short day trip and run in the woods, then return and blend in with humans.

  The council’s headquarters was farther north, where there were more trees than buildings in any given town. Lakes dotted the countryside, and only a few highways connected the small logging and fishing towns.

  “I guess we start walking.” Alex jumped up and stretched, only to feel the burn of Rhys’ gaze upon her.

  He stood slowly, moving like a predator, and her heart rate increased a notch. “I remember the last time we were alone in the woods.”

  She passed him a seductive smile. “Do you want me to reenact that scene again?”

  He glided close to her, his gaze intense. “Oh yes, but not now.” Rhys lifted his hand to her mouth, his thumb stroking her lower lip. “The next time I’m in you, it won’t be here, but,” he trailed his hand down her neck, stroking her breasts on his way down, where he cupped her sex, “here.”

  Oh yeah, she wanted that, too.

  “First,” he wrapped the same arm around her waist, “we need to get to a town and figure out where we’re at.”

  “I could try to flash again.”

  He brought his other arm around her so she was in his embrace. “Not until you rest up, get some sleep.”

  “Sleep?” Her tone was coy.

  A slow smile spread across the lips she couldn’t quit staring at. “Sleep. After we get…reacquainted, you need sleep.”

  Rhys had never been in such a hurry to get somewhere so quickly. He and Alex ran through the trees, the terrain not as rugged as he was used to around West Creek. Both of them sensed civilization nearby and ran toward it, twice having to circle around good-sized lakes. The trip would’ve been much faster as wolves, but they had nothing to carry their clothing and gear in. On two legs, the trip was enjoyable, even though hunger gnawed at him. Alex looked worn, but it didn’t slow her stride at all. After months of confinement, even with the recovering he’d had to do after his sessions with Mastiff, the run invigorated him.

  Daylight was fading and that would probably work in their favor. They wouldn’t be as easily identifiable to anyone in town if the council sent out their descriptions to nearby packs.

  “Three miles,” Alex huffed ahead of him.

  They took turns taking the lead because there were too many obstacles to run side by side. Rhys liked when she ran ahead of him; she really was something to watch. Her strong, lithe body maneuvering over rocks and around tree limbs, climbing the steeper inclines without any hitch in her stride, she was made for the woods. She was made for him.

  He just had to figure out how to keep her.

  From the beginning, it seemed like their relationship was doomed. Sigma had been decimated, thanks to that bastard Demetrius. Alex should be free, but because of her blood, she was now hunted. He let her go six months ago, sensed she needed time, but now she was back and he wanted to make sure she didn’t leave his side again. Whatever it took.

  Easier said than done. They were at the cusp of rebellion, moving their pawns into place to topple their own government. Could it be as simple as replacing a few leaders on the council?

  Nothing was ever simple.

  Cresting a rise, Rhys picked up clear scents of civilization. Then he could see buildings and hear the dull drones of vehicles in the distance.

  Alex pulled up short. “Do you see what I see?”

  Rhys squinted into the darkness and scanned the expanse where the trees were thinning and small homes dotted the landscape. A sign with half the neon burned out barely stood above the rooftops.

  “Motel.”

  Alex grinned and wiped her face. They were both covered in grit and sweat. “Perfect. It looks like one of those strip motels with the entrances on the outside.”

  “We can bust into one of the rooms and hope they don’t realize it’s occupied until we’re gone.”

  Alex’s lush lips stretched even further, and her eyes twinkled. “Or, I could pay for it and hypno the clerk into thinking I’m an old blond lady passing through.”

  Rhys blinked. He had guns, knives, and enough silver lined his blades to pay for a whole stretch of rooms. But no money, in any form. “You have enough cash?”

  “Please. I didn’t reach the ripe old age of thirty by being unprepared.” She took off again.

  He had no choice but to follow, and he did so gladly. Watching that fine ass sway in front of him was a sight he’d never tire of.

  As the buildings became more frequent and closer together, they both slowed their pace. It was completely dark now, but they still utilized as much cover as possible.

  The Treetop Motel sat on the edge of town, where Main Street turned into a highway to nowhere. The building was nestled into a copse of trees that at one time may have been a beautiful shade. Now, the trees were scraggly and nearing the end of their lifespan. Every windstorm, the owner probably prayed one of them didn’t topple over and crush the roof.

  They made their way to the edge of the clearing around the motel. Alex unbuckled her shoulder holster and tactical belt. When each one slipped off, she handed it to Rhys. After her most obvious weapons were removed, she ran a hand through her hair to shake out any debris and ruffled it until it hung over her eyes. She untucked her shirt and tied the bottom until a tantalizing strip of belly was visible.

  “It’s easier to sway their mind when they’re distracted.”

  Rhys pulled his gaze up to hers. “What if it’s a woman?”

  Alex winked at him. “Chicks look too. Be right back.” She jogged around the motel to the entrance.

  Rhys let his senses roam. Whatever town this was, it seemed mostly human. That would benefit them greatly. There wasn’t much activity to be heard, other than some revving motors that told him the younger crowd was out and about for the night. He counted only three cars that used the road running past the motel in the time Alex was gone.

  When she came jogging back, she was holding some papers in her hand.

  “Everything go okay?” He didn’t doubt her, but couldn’t help asking.

  “The sixteen-year-old clerk didn’t stand a chance. Those young minds are like Play-Doh. We are Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, on our way to a family reunion.” She waved the papers in her hand. “I also grabbed a map and a brochure of everything to do in this great city, population twenty-five hundred.”

  Sweet. Now they knew where they were and could figure out how far away they were from the twin’s cabin.

  “Lead the way, Mrs. Johnson.”

  The motel had real keys, not digital cards. Alex let them into a sparse room that held a queen-size bed with a threadbare maroon comforter, a tiny flat-screen TV, and worn wooden tables. It smelled stale, but clean.

  “The kid said there was still one place open that delivers pizza, but we’d better call now because it closes soon.”

  Rhys’ stomach growled in agreement. He found the postcard for the pizza place next to the phone and dialed in their order.

  Alex headed to the bathroom. “I’m going to clean-up so I can be done by the time I have to convince the pizza guy I’m matronly Mrs. Johnson.”

  Alex let the spray hit her in the face, wash over the caked-on dirt and cemented-in perspiration. Several hours running in fresh air and untouched woods with her mate was glorious. Who could ask for more?

  Any memories she could make with Rhys would be cherished. The council wouldn’t leave her alone. Even if she and Rhys could prove their case against them and how they hunted mates, it was a stretch to believe she would ever be truly free. There was no way Rhys could leave his pack and run with her. He was a Guardian, through and through, and his people would need him now more than ever.

  She shut off the water and grabbed a thin towel from the rack. The Treetop Motel wasn’t the Hilton, but she’d stayed in worse. Once she was mostly dry, she threw on only her shirt, and wrapped the towel around h
er waist. She picked up the rest of her clothes from the bathroom floor and strode out of the small bathroom. Rhys sat on the bed with the map spread out. He glanced up at her, his eyes flaring with appreciation as he took in the way her shirt clung to her torso. His gaze slowly wandered down to where the towel ended and her bare legs started.

  “We’re not far from the lake cabin,” he said, his voice rough.

  “Good. Then I can convince our friendly pizza deliverer to let us use his phone.”

  The green in his hazel eyes gleamed as they roamed over her legs. Delicious heat pooled in her stomach and traveled further down. She contemplated going to him, considering what would happen next. The knock at the door interrupted the moment.

  The pizza smelled delightful, even through the closed door. Alex grabbed cash out of her pants and dropped them, and the rest of her clothing, on the table before answering the door.

  Catching the eyes of the young delivery driver, she murmured the same description of herself she gave to the motel clerk. Young minds were like slicing through room-temp butter.

  “You’re going to let us use your phone and not remember a thing.”

  The boy, with his eyes glazed over, handed over his cell. Rhys came up behind the door, remaining out of sight to make convincing the teen easier for Alex.

  Alex snatched the phone and told the boy to hold still. “Duuude,” she muttered, handing the cell over to Rhys, “No wonder the kid’s slinging pizza. That cell must’ve cost a fortune.”

  “I sure didn’t have anything like this at his age.” Rhys punched in Malcolm’s number.

  “The whole wheel thing was still pretty new when you were his age.”

  Rhys held the phone to his ear, amusement shining in his eyes. “Hey, it’s me. We can get to you in the morning. I want Alex to rest before she flashes again. Are the witnesses okay?” He paused while Alex tried to hear Malcolm’s response. “Nah. Wait ’til we get there and then we’ll figure out how to contact Bennett. His phone won’t be secure.”

  Rhys hit disconnect and returned the phone to her. She went into the call history and deleted everything, then gave it back to the kid. Once he handed over the pizzas, she hit him again with her hypnosis.