Shadow

by Laurann Dohner

  He wanted to keep them at a distance. He lifted the rifle from the weapons he had laid out, hit a panel of glass, and shattered it with the butt. The sound carried and he watched the human disappear behind the tree trunk.

  “We’re well armed,” he bluffed. “Security is on the way. Your time is up. Leave while you can. My people won’t allow you to live.”

  Silence. A full minute passed before a male voice responded from the far right, out of his sight.

  “Send out Mud. She is the small New Species with brown hair and eyes. We’ll allow you to live if you do.”

  Rage gripped him and his heart accelerated. Mud? I’m going to kill the bastard who named her that. He’d assumed they were there for Beauty and now his suspicions were confirmed. It took a lot of effort to get his emotions in check. New Species had been given numbers when they were test subjects but she’d been tagged with a derogatory title.

  “Fuck,” Breeze hissed.

  Shadow had bad words to say too but calmer ones came out of his mouth. He was careful to speak clearly instead of snarling. “We don’t know who you’re talking about. No one is here by that name.”

  “Don’t play games, Shadow. We know who you are. It’s you and Mud in there.”

  His absorbed that information. They knew his name, which had to mean someone had betrayed the NSO. The tub worked at hiding Beauty’s body temperature if they were using thermal scanning if they were mistaking Breeze for her. The other option was they couldn’t see inside. Their intel hadn’t warned them that another Species female would be present. Either way the humans obviously only expected to come up against him.

  “Son of a bitch,” Breeze whispered. “We do have a leak. I’m going to find out who it is and rip off his nuts.”

  He softly growled to silence her. They’d deal with that later. Right now they needed to stall for time. He decided to bluff by laughing loud enough for it to carry. “I’m Torrent. You are at the wrong cabin, humans. You paid for bad directions. I hope it cost you a small fortune to get screwed over.”

  “Bullshit.” It was another human male who called out. “We’ve got a lock on your signal. You’re Shadow.”

  The air in his lungs froze while his brain tried to work fast. How would they have a signal? He would have had to either carry something on his person or inside one of his bags. He mentally went over the list of items he’d packed and what he’d worn on the trip to Reservation. The other bag contained weapons. A dozen possibilities of when he might have been tagged with a tracker filled his head. They were small enough to hide in clothing, his boots, or even on the bags. The only people who’d had access to him or his belongings had been his task force team and the few Species he’d come into contact with at Homeland. Of course anyone could have sneaked inside his room at the dorm. Only Species had access though.

  “I’m Torrent,” he repeated. “I don’t know what signal you think you tracked but you’re wrong. Shadow is at another location.”

  “Bullshit.” The same human responded, probably the one in charge, and it was coming straight ahead from behind a large rock. “Stop wasting time and send out Mud. Her owner wants her back.”

  His fangs flashed as he fought the urge to howl. No one owns Beauty.

  The human spoke again. “It’s your coin, jackass. Every team member has them and carries them at all times. Stop stalling and send her out. We haven’t opened fire because she’s worth a lot of money alive but that’s all our orders were.” He paused. “Alive. It doesn’t mean we can’t return her injured. We have a medic to patch her up. It’s your choice. Either way we’ll come in there to get her or you live by having her walk out of that cabin to us. Those are the only options you have.”

  Shadow turned his head and caught Breeze gawking at him. “Coin?” She gave him a baffled look.

  “Task force,” he rasped. “Someone on the team betrayed me.” He glanced up at the ceiling, then back at her. “It’s still inside my bag. We all keep them, usually on us, in case a member is taken. Only Tim and three other members know the codes to activate the trackers inside them.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I understand.”

  That narrowed down the leak. Shadow silently swore revenge on the team member who’d betrayed him. “I have some of Shadow’s things but he’s not here.” He decided to keep bluffing. Every second could count. It might stall the mercenaries.

  “We’re coming in. I know what you’re hoping for and it isn’t going to work. We have at least half an hour before our location is compromised. I have snipers in the trees surrounding the area. Any Species spotted coming this way are being shot. No help is going to reach you.”

  Fuck! Shadow calmed his rage enough to aim his rifle, watching the location of the human who’d come the closest. He’d shoot the second the male moved. Maybe a few dead bodies would persuade them to rethink rushing the cabin. He doubted it though. Mercenaries were known to be single-minded and vicious. They probably calculated some losses amongst their ranks before agreeing to the mission.

  “Kill anyone who enters the open area,” he ordered Breeze softly.

  “Understood.”

  Beauty tiptoed away from the hallway, having heard most of what Shadow and Breeze had said. Eight humans were out there willing to kill to take her back to Master. Shadow had shown her how to really live. Breeze had given her friendship. Neither of them deserved to die for those wonderful things.

  The thought of Shadow dying left a gaping wound in her soul. She wasn’t about to allow that happen. She’d fight too. Three against eight were better odds. The bag inside Shadow’s room was heavy when she lifted it and carried it to her bedroom. They’d target him since he stood in their way. Her bedroom was on the back of the cabin, above where Shadow stood.

  She pulled out weapons the way he had, laying them out on the carpet so they were at the ready. It took a few minutes to figure out where to put her fingers on each weapon. Point and shoot. How hard can it be? She might not hit much but the extra firepower could surprise those men out there enough to give the two Species downstairs a better chance at survival.

  She was careful not to make noise as she dragged a heavy chest in front of the window. She opened the lid, staring inside at the spare bedding. She turned, her gaze sweeping the room. The hardback books lining the shelves by the door caught her attention. They would help prevent bullets from tearing all the way through the wood chest to strike her if those men returned fire. Every step was taken carefully in case she alerted Shadow that she wasn’t in the tub as she packed the chest.

  She knelt and shifted the curtain enough to peek out the window, watching for any sign of movement. It took a few sweeps but she saw one man right on the edge of the woods. Another was two trees behind him to the right. She didn’t spot any more of them but she had targets at least.

  It was too risky to crack the window open. She’d have to move the curtain out of the way and be seen if she lifted it up. It would be stupid to give her location away. She could just fire through the glass. Beauty took a few calming breaths trying to slow her rapidly beating heart. I can do this. She repeated that a few times. For Shadow.

  The first bullet fired wasn’t loud. It was a dull sound that reminded her of a firecracker coming from a distance but glass shattered somewhere on the first floor.

  “Get down,” Shadow yelled. “Incoming!”

  “Oh God.” It’s begun. Shadow was alive though. She’d heard his voice.

  The man closest to the house suddenly lunged from behind the tree into the open, something fisted in his hand. His arm arced back as if to toss a ball but the sound of bullets exploded from the first floor. Beauty watched in horrified fascination as the guy jerked while his clothes seemed to tear open in places. Blood bloomed across his arms, then legs, before he fell back.

  BOOM! The sound registered about the same instant the fallen man seemed to blow apart near his head. Blood and gore flew in all directions, mostly splattering across the tree trunk. Bile rose in her
throat but Beauty fought it down. The son of a bitch had been about to chuck a grenade at Shadow. It could have been him in pieces below if he hadn’t shot the man before he was able to throw it into the cabin.

  The second man she’d seen lifted a long gun and opened fire. It was rapid and glass shattered—a muted sound over the noisy weapon. Beauty’s hands shook but she pointed at him. Her finger pulled the trigger. The glass broke, a ragged hole appearing, and she kept firing. She missed the first three times and the guy seemed unaware of it until he jerked back. He stopped firing and looked down. She did too, pausing to watch him. He lifted his boot, frowning. She spotted a small defect along the edge.

  “Shit,” she cursed. She seemed to have hit him but not drawn blood. She aimed and fired again.

  This time she hit him in the leg just under his knee. He threw himself back out of sight and she ducked behind the chest, waiting for return fire as she grabbed a bigger gun. The handgun didn’t fire fast enough.

  “Beauty!” Shadow roared her name.

  She winced. He’d just realized she wasn’t cowering in the bathtub but she at least knew he was still alive. He yelled something else but she couldn’t make it out as more gunfire erupted below. It came from the front of the cabin. Breeze must have engaged the men too.

  Beauty wrapped her hands around the largest weapon. It looked like one she’d seen in a video game the women played at the dorm. It was chunky with a metal clip inserted in the bottom and was heavy. She was sure it was some kind of assault rifle. She cradled it, found the trigger and rose to her knees. She rested the weapon on the chest and peered through the broken glass at the bottom of the window.

  Two men rushed forward while she aimed and squeezed the trigger. Rapid shots blasted out of it. The thing knocked her back and bullets tore up the window to the ceiling before she could ease up on the trigger. She gaped at the damage from flat on her back where she’d landed. The glass in the window was totally gone now and holes were ugly scars on the wall and ceiling where bullets had ripped through them. She struggled to her knees again.

  Now that she knew what to expect, she braced her knees apart, tensed her arms and aimed again. Her finger hesitated this time, hoping the kick of the weapon wouldn’t send her to the floor once more. The men had taken refuge behind a tree but one darted out to rush the cabin. Someone fired from below, probably Shadow. The guy didn’t make it six feet into the cleared area before he went down. He stayed that way, not moving. Blood leaked onto the dirt.

  The loud sounds from below assured her both Species were firing weapons. Something struck the top of the mirror over the dresser, breaking the glass. She turned her head to glance back, seeing holes in it and at the top of the wall. It took her a second to realize someone had shot back at her. She ducked.

  Heart racing, she leaned back up over the chest and opened fire. Her arms hurt from the strength it took to keep the muzzle down and the gun deafened her but she managed to keep it trained at the forest. She turned the barrel, spraying bullets in a wide arc, not even sure what she was firing at. It didn’t matter. The enemy was out there and the people she cared about were inside. The weapon began to click instead of sending out bullets. It was empty.

  She threw it aside and grabbed one that was just a little smaller. Fear no longer hindered her. There was no time to think. Bullets were tearing apart the cabin—most of them had to be aimed at Shadow since she could hear the damage being done directly below where she knelt. She opened fire again, wildly shooting into the woods.

  Breeze shouted something but the words were lost to Beauty. It was chaos. She didn’t understand why help hadn’t arrived. The noise from the gun battle had to have been heard for miles. There were officers posted all over the place at Homeland.

  The weapon stopped spitting out bullets and she dumped it, grabbing another. She didn’t know how to reload, hating the concept of running out of guns but knowing she’d fight as long as she was able.

  It came as a shock when brutal hands suddenly gripped her shoulders and she was thrown sideways. The gun was knocked from her grip when she hit the floor with enough force to cause pain along her right side. A big body suddenly slammed down on top of her. She was wrenched onto her back and pinned down flat. A human face, smeared with black paint, was all she could see as she struggled to breathe under the weight crushing her chest.

  His eyes appeared dead, chilling as they stared into hers. He shifted and pain exploded in the side of her face when he clocked her with his fist. It came as a shock and blackness threatened to take her but she’d been hit plenty of times before by angry guards. She fought the urge to escape into unconsciousness.

  He grunted in satisfaction as he used the hand he’d hit her with retrieve and then speak into a radio. “I’ve got the bitch. She was the one on the second level. Clear me a path.”

  He rolled off her but Beauty couldn’t move, still reeling from the blow he’d dealt. She felt sick, as if she’d throw up, and spots blinded her while she continued to struggle to avoid passing out. Her cheek felt broken, throbbed in agony, and her neck hurt too from being hit so hard.

  Rough hands dug under her and she was hoisted up then shifted. He tossed her effortlessly over his shoulder. She hung there limply while an arm hooked behind her thighs. As he walked, the swaying motion made everything worse. She saw guns strapped to his thighs but her hands refused to grab them when her mind urged them to do just that. Instead her arms hung uselessly.

  He entered Shadow’s room and another voice spoke. “Eyes got it right. Good thing he caught sight of her with his scope and we didn’t level the second floor the way we thought we’d have to.”

  “You want to take her down, or me?”

  “You. She’s not big, is she?”

  “Nope. Doesn’t weigh shit either.” He stepped up and turned. “Follow me.”

  Beauty stared down, realizing the man holding her stood on the windowsill of Shadow’s bedroom. It was a long drop to the ground below. She felt a flash of fear as he released the back of her thighs. Would he just let her fall? It was a horrifying concept.

  Instead both his arms rose, trapping her hips between his neck and biceps on one side. He jumped. They fell about five feet, but then his boots hit the side of the cabin when their momentum slowed. He rappelled the rest of the way down with two more jumps until he roughly hit the ground. Gunfire was loud, the battle still raging. He hesitated a moment while the second man left the cabin and then the arm hooked back around her thighs. He ran into the woods, carrying her with him.

  “No!” She tried to scream but it came out more of a ragged hiss.

  “Shut the fuck up,” he panted. “You’re a lot of trouble but you’re worth a hell of a lot of money, Mud.”

  No. NO! Her mind yelled when her voice refused. They were going to return her to Master and the life she’d once led. He kept running, taking her farther away from the cabin.

  The gunfire suddenly ceased and another fear struck. Did that mean Shadow and Breeze were dead? She couldn’t hear anything but the panting of the men as they ran.

  “She was more trouble than I thought she’d be.”

  “Yup,” the one holding her replied.

  “She doesn’t look like a million bucks to me.”

  “The customer is always right.” He slowed to a fast walk. “When is our helicopter coming?”

  “Three minutes out. We have to make the clearing. You want me to take her yet?”

  “Nope. She is fine and we’re close.”

  Once they got her into a helicopter, it was over. She’d disappear. There was a chance the NSO would locate her again but she didn’t believe in luck. Being freed once had been a miracle. She licked her lips and closed her eyes, trying to get control of her body. She was hurt but she was Species. Tough. Her jaw clenched and she opened her eyes.

  The guns on the man’s thighs were unsecured for easy access and the holster straps flopped with every step. She stared at one and clenched her hands. It had to
be done fast. Keeping her body limp was key to making him think she wasn’t a threat.

  The guy next to them moved slightly ahead and some bushes separated them a little. It was probably the only opportunity she’d have. She lunged and grabbed at the butt of the weapon. Her finger somehow found the trigger and she squeezed as she twisted it slightly. The gun went off, loud, and then the one holding her cried out.

  He staggered, blood pouring from the wound where she’d shot him. He went down, crashing to his knees. She managed to tear the gun from the holster as she was thrown away from him. Her back hit the grass but she was prepared to have the air knocked out of her lungs this time.

  She lifted the gun and fired at the other man. He threw his body to the side, falling into a bush to avoid the bullet. She was already twisting, struggling to get to her feet.

  “Fuck!”

  She swayed on her feet but ran. It didn’t matter where she went, she just had to get away. Shadow and Breeze needed help too. She might be able to find some of those Wild Zone residents.

  Something crashed after her and she knew the other guy chased her. She didn’t dare glance at him, afraid of running into a tree or tripping on something in her path.

  Run! She urged her legs to move faster. If there was one instinct she was familiar with, it was terror. She let it take her, submerged all her thoughts and only focused on survival.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Shadow shoved up from the floor where he’d dived to avoid the last splatter of bullets that had ripped open more of the walls. He saw Breeze crawl away from the fireplace. He could smell blood but wasn’t sure whose it was since they were both suffering from cuts from flying debris. The walls were destroyed from the massive amount of bullets that had ripped them apart.

  He raised his arm, just firing blindly from behind the two thick log end tables he’d sandwiched together on their sides to make them thicker. It wasn’t safe anymore to try to target the enemy by searching for them. That would mean revealing his face, something a sniper would hit.