Genetically Altered Complete Box Set
Page 69
Crouching down low, Zephyr let out a howl that could be heard all over Olento Research. The scientists in the safe room would hear his distress pierce their walls. Adelaide and Connor would hear it from the rendezvous point. And it wouldn’t seek to call them to Zephyr, but rather to let them know he’d been unsuccessful. That was always a possibility.
Zephyr launched himself forward in a last-ditch effort at survival. He spun, his claws out, his fangs bared with his mouth open wide and a large scream spilling out of him. Ramming into Mika, he continued to spin, ripping his claws at the other man’s body. Mika stood like a statue, unharmed by Zephyr’s tornado of attacks. That’s why Zephyr stopped, but taking in the demented expression of the unstoppable man, he forced all of his anger into a series of punches. They connected with Mika’s chest like rain into pavement. The water droplets dissipated, but the concrete remained firm, not even softened by strongest of elements.
A laugh that resonated deep in Mika’s throat brought his chin up. Then he pulled both his hands into his body before skyrocketing them forward, straight into Zephyr’s chest. The werewolf shot up and straight into the air and then flew backward, his back nearly breaking as he collided with the bars of the cell. Wincing from a sudden aching in his torso, Zephyr tried to breathe, but found the effort taxing. Something was broken. At least a few somethings. He cradled his hand to his ribs, feeling the fracture with his hand, which was now in man form. The wolf had retreated, too wounded to aid him.
“You thought you could defeat me, but you’ve underestimated everything,” Mika said, striding over to Zephyr as he pushed to a standing position. He wouldn’t lie down and die. He’d fight with his last remaining breath. It was futile, but that didn’t matter anymore. Not giving up was what mattered.
Too close, Mika pulled back his fist but just before he launched it at Zephyr, Zephyr shot his hand forward, pushing wind from his body. It pressed Mika six feet back before it waned into only a soft breeze. That was all Zephyr had left and it wasn’t enough.
“Bow to your alpha before I kill you,” Mika said.
“Never,” Zephyr said with a growl, his midsection screaming with pain as he forced himself to stand up tall.
At Mika’s back a noise echoed in the hallway. He heard it too, which was why he turned just as the door flew open. There standing in the doorway was the best and worst sight ever. Connor stood in the front, the other pack members at his back. Adelaide must have taken Rox to safety.
The beta wolf held up his palm and shot a large fireball from his hand. It spiraled across the space and Mika allowed it to meet his chest, where it simply bounced off and dissolved. Zephyr spied the rise of Mika’s hand and sprinted around him using his super speed. He threw another round of wind as the wave of water flew from Mika. The wave was so strong that the wind did little to stop it, but the blast that hit the werewolves was minimized. They tumbled to the ground from the tsunami force, but they quickly rose to their feet, Connor pulling Zephyr up.
“You won’t hurt them. This fight is between you and me, remember?” Zephyr said to Mika.
“You’re right, I don’t plan to hurt them. I want them to watch me kill you so they know who is in control,” Mika said, reaching his hand forward and drawing Zephyr off his feet as he did. “Prepare to die, you failure of an experiment.”
“No!” Connor yelled.
Zephyr looked into the eyes of his would-be murderer. Mika’s eyes glowed brighter. Suddenly his hand shook in the air. Panic blanketed his features. Violently his arm flew up an inch and then down an inch. Zephyr dropped to the ground, the telekinesis having been distracted from something. Suddenly Mika’s body rocked forward and backward. Every part of him seemed to vibrate. The man turned for the side wall, focusing on something. Zephyr honed his vision in that direction where cages sat against the wall. Various imprisoned animals sat behind bars, some staring out. On the far side of the room a spider monkey lay dead in a cage, its red eyes still glowing. Zephyr tore himself from the image and back to Mika.
“Draaaaaaaake!” Mika yelled, clutching at his chest, his red eyes now heavy with furious fire.
“You did this to yourself,” Zephyr said, limping forward. Mika crumbled to his knees, suddenly appearing weak. He clawed at his skin.
“Make it stop! It burns,” he said, rubbing his fingers over his face and head. He covered his arms over him as he made himself into a ball, looking suddenly so small. “Make it stop…”
Whatever Mika had done to himself was now killing him. He hopefully had the same fate as the red-eyed monkey in the corner.
“I wouldn’t even if I could. This is for all the innocent lives you’ve harmed. This is your sentence, Mika Lenna,” Zephyr said, standing over the crouched man, feeling the pack at his back. Even with broken ribs and many other possible injuries, Zephyr suddenly felt strong, like the pack was aiding him physically just by being close.
Mika let out a muffled yell, his body shaking viciously. Then he convulsed, his body jumping up in the air as he rolled over to his back. “Nooooo!” he sang to the lab, clutching his chest and head, an unfathomable pain making his face look suddenly old. Then he fell completely still. His body lay frozen. His heart, Zephyr knew with his heightened hearing, had stopped. But his red eyes stared straight up to the heavens, although he was destined to be in hell forever.
Chapter Forty
“The truth is ghosts usually can’t move objects, but Dream Travelers can. We can move objects, write on chalkboards, and make quite the mess in the physical world while dream traveling.”
- Dream Traveler Codex
The conference room had never been so full. And Zephyr had rarely felt this good. He was almost complete. He stood, taking the position at the front of the room, staring out at the seven members of his pack. They stared back at him, each one’s expression perfectly describing the different parts of Zephyr. Loyalty, bravery, intelligence, compassion, thoughtfulness, wit and resourcefulness. Each member of the pack represented one of those traits. And now they were whole. They were safe.
“The Lucidites have offered for you to stay here for as long as you’d like. You’re welcome to seek refuge at the Institute whenever you want. However, you’ve all been gone for too long from your old lives and it is now safe for you to return to it,” Zephyr said.
“What if we don’t want to return to it?” Rio asked.
“Then start brand new. You aren’t the person you were before and it is unwise to assume you’ll assimilate back into your old life like you did before. However, now that you’ve all undergone wolf integration, you’re free to be whoever you’d like. More importantly, you don’t have to live in fear,” Zephyr said.
“And we have each other,” Connor said, his green eyes strong. The lone wolf had come a long way. They all had, and they’d lost so much, Zephyr mused, thinking of Orion, Hugo, and David. In the Lucidites prison Hunter would remain for all of his life. However, more had been saved than lost.
“Yes, and the Lucidites only ask that you don’t reveal the werewolf to others. It’s not something that people will easily understand and they’ve promised to take action against us for violating that new law,” Zephyr said.
“What will happen to Olento Research?” Clay asked from the far side of the table.
“It has been emptied of all animals and humans. The Lucidites have asked to handle that from here on out,” Zephyr said.
“What will you do now? Stay at the Institute?” It was Kaleb who asked the question. Zephyr had learned that more than any of the men, Kaleb was the one who craved closure. That’s the reason he wanted to know what Zephyr would do next. Kaleb was still working through his father’s death. And he’d soon return his mother to her home, since she was safe now that Mika wasn’t a threat. However, Kaleb would stay at the Institute because he’d finally found his home.
Kaleb sat next to Cole, whom Zephyr could be grateful to for healing his broken ribs as well as mending the internal bleeding that would have kill
ed him otherwise. In a way, he owed every man in this room his life. He turned to the two women at his back. Adelaide stood on one side, Rox on the other. Actually he owed everyone in this room his life, man and woman alike. He turned back, a smile on his face.
“I plan to go into private contracting, utilizing my experiences from Special Forces. However, my first responsibility is to you all and therefore know that if you should ever need me, I’ll always be there for you,” Zephyr said, feeling the wolf inside of him greatly approving of this decision.
Chapter Forty-One
“There are two things we can’t do: We can’t interact with those in the physical realm. Our presence passes through them. And we can’t remove objects from the physical realm. It must stay in that dimension.”
- Dream Traveler Codex
The men filed out of the conference room, talking excitedly as they did. Clay was happy to be returning to his old life in Baton Rouge. Rio sounded like he wanted to return to San Diego briefly before traveling the world. Derek and Cole were also intent on sinking straight back into their old lives, a new appreciation for that which they’d taken for granted. And Malcolm, well he was going to become something new, something better. All men were cautioned to hide their super powers, but also that using them for good was encouraged by the Lucidites. Cole would do a lot of good in his role as a nurse in Destin.
Adelaide turned to Rox, who was smacking her gum and peeling her bright pink nail polish off her thumb. “So, Hooker, what are your plans now?”
Rox pursed her lips. “FBI needs me. I’m the only one there with a fashion sense who can also kick ass,” she said.
“That’s true. You know Kris now works as an agent. She’s the first Middling employed at the Institute. Just goes to show we don’t care what people wear, since she’s invisible and all, you know,” Adelaide said.
“Which is probably why Trent will decline my request to become an agent,” Rox said. She looked tired, like she’d lost some of her pep when held at Olento Research. She’d get it back. If anyone could rally it was Rox Spear.
“Well, that’s kind of why I positioned it that way. Apparently the Lucidites really don’t care what you wear, that’s why Trent wanted me to tell you he’d like you to be a full-time agent with us. But…” Adelaide said, trailing away in a teasing way.
“But what?” Rox said, hiding a grin but it showed in her bright blue eyes.
“But he wants us to consider working together…” Adelaide said. She actually hadn’t hated the request. Rox wasn’t always tolerable, but Adelaide had a lot of respect for the girl who held herself so well among strong men. Furthermore, Adelaide didn’t like the idea of having a partner who wouldn’t volley with her. She needed to work with someone who could take her insults and send them back with a grin. That was absolutely Rox, which Adelaide couldn’t consider a better partner now. Hard to think when she first started this case she loathed the idea of working with the blonde bimbo. Now she couldn’t imagine a person who complemented her skills better. Adelaide was the brains and Rox the muscle.
Rox pursed her lips and nodded her head. Then she extended her hand, the polish chipped on her fingernails. “Sounds good, Freckles,” she said.
Adelaide eyed the offered hand. “Yeah, it does. But remember you should never touch me, Helga. I have telepathy linked to touch,” she said.
Rox tilted her powdered face to the side, raising an eyebrow. “Right! And which is fucking badass,” she said.
Chapter Forty-Two
“It helps to visualize, to make a connection with the place. But just having the intention that you wish to travel to this location in your dreams is all you have to do. If you’ve done a sufficient job your vision will be blanketed in silver. This is the transport. At this point you’ve done it and the only way you can screw things up is by changing your mind. Actually there are lots of opportunities for snags and potential threats, but let’s not worry about those.”
- Dream Traveler Codex
Zephyr still didn’t like the sunlight, especially after all his time staying at the Lucidite Institute. However, there were many things that the wolf was going to have to get used to. One was behaving when he worked on various contract jobs. That really hadn’t been an issue since the integration, although sometimes the wolf barked loudly in his head.
Slipping his sunglasses down on his nose, Zephyr stepped out of the shadows of the neighboring house. He didn’t stop until he was standing straight in front of his childhood home. The door opened right on time. There were some things that never changed. He hadn’t appreciated that about his old life until now. Things had changed for him almost too much, but to stare at the older woman backing out of the house, carrying a few parcels in her hand, made him realize how much he needed static in other areas of his life. Zephyr’s mother turned, calling over her shoulder as she did. “Charlie, don’t forget—”
“The keys. I’m on it,” his father said, stepping out of the house, his eyes sinking straight on Zephyr at once. The keys he was about to dangle in the air dropped from his hand and he remained frozen, staring across the long yard at his son. Zephyr’s chin wrinkled as the tears prickled his mouth and eyes. His mother flinched, wondering what had made her husband freeze. She followed his gaze and dropped her parcels when her eyes connected with her son, standing in the distance.
“Zephyr,” the woman said, scrambling down the stairs of the porch, nearly falling as she did. Zephyr darted forward, using his enhanced speed, and he caught her by the elbow just before she fell.
“Mom,” he said, lifting her to her feet gently. Her hands were around him, her arms pulsating as she folded Zephyr in her embrace. He felt the warmth of his father press around them when he joined the reunion. His mother inched back, pushing her husband away. Her cold hands found Zephyr’s stubbled face, cradling it. “Where have you been, son? We thought…”
Zephyr reached up and grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips. “I know. I’m sorry. I was taken, but I’m back now and for good,” he said, smiling against his mother’s fingers, feeling at home in the way only his parents could make him feel.
Chapter Forty-Three
“Only those dream traveling can see each other and interact in that realm. The interactions feel somewhat real, but not enough for true enjoyment, if you know what I mean.”
- Dream Traveler Codex
“Again! Again,” Lucien sang, jumping up and down on the couch.
“All right, Lucy, but this is the last time,” Adelaide said, snapping her fingers. That wasn’t really necessary for creating an illusion, but it made the whole thing seem even cooler. A leopard sprung up from the blue carpet. The graceful, full-sized animal sank back on its hind legs, stretching its front legs as it yawned.
“See, it’s even the kitty’s nap time,” Adelaide said.
“NO!” Lucien said, a wide smile on his face. He was happier than she’d ever seen him. It just showed that it was never too late for some people. She’d always thought of him as a serious child, but maybe that’s just because she’d never really been with him. She’d read from her father’s book that morning that being in the present moment was the hardest thing for most.
“We live in the past and fret over the future, but god-fucking-forbid any of us actually live in the now,” it had said.
The leather-bound book was now under her pillow in her room. She didn’t need it with her all the time anymore. Maybe that’s because she now knew the one thing her father had been trying to teach her all along: that self-love is the most important one.
The book had been her crutch. It had been her strength, but now she had more. She had a belief in herself that she never thought she’d have. And she’d mended a rift with Lucien that at first felt akin to sewing up a gaping wound in her heart. All things can be healed though.
Pops sighed as he exited the bathroom, drying his wet hair with a hand towel as he did. “Oh, nothing feels better than a hot shower after a long day,” he said.
“Just a bit of quiet time will do,” he said, smiling at the pair fondly. “And maybe a few less wild animals in the living room.”
Adelaide turned her head to her son, a mock look of offense on her face. “How dare you call Lucy that,” she said.
“I meant that,” Pops said with a laugh, pointing at the leopard who was now licking its paw.
“Oh, I thought you’d enjoy the company,” she said and snapped her fingers, making the big cat disappear.
Pops kissed both Lucien and Adelaide on the head as they passed. At the door for the bathroom, Adelaide paused, not sure why. Maybe it was because Lucien was fidgeting on her back. She let him slide down and toddle off to his room. Just then something in the bathroom caught her eye. She slid the door back, turning on the light. The steam from the shower filled the space, but that’s not what caught her attention.
“Pops, did you do this?” Adelaide called to him.
“Do what?” he asked.
“Write on the mirror in here?”