Embrace the Night (34 page)
Authors: Crystal Jordan
“I needed your skills.” The vampire shrugged as he made the cold-blooded statement, but gave him an intense look, his eyes narrowing. “You realize your superiors at the police department may not be willing to look the other way if they get wind of everything we do tonight.”
Shrugging in return, Merek met the other man's stare. What was a job compared to Chloe and Alex? Nothing. It was that simple.
The considering expression didn't change. “For whatever it's worth, I'd look the other way . . . if I were your superior.”
“Let's just focus on everyone surviving.” Dredging up as much magic as he could, Merek threw a cloaking invisibility spell over them both.
The vampire gave a hum of approval as they disappeared from sight. “Shall we go?”
15
S
he was out of time.
he was out of time.
Smith entered the room, and Chloe just stared at him, so mentally, physically, and emotionally drained, she couldn't even think beyond the dread that had become a living force inside her.
A smile graced his face, and she'd already learned to hate that look on his face. He left the door open behind him, and she got the feeling he did it just to taunt her. Probably to taunt the wolves he had trapped in here as well. They'd begun to writhe and snap as dusk drew closer, salivating at the scent of a Normal in the room. Tess had huddled in her cage since she'd regained consciousness, silent, eyes glassy and vacant. Chloe had wanted to comfort her friend, but she didn't have the time or energy to spare, not for grief or kindness or even human decency.
Alex had worked with her in desperate tandem, telepathically stuffing information he'd pulled off his father's computer into her overloaded mind. The awesome speed with which the boy could process data overwhelmed her, left her staggering, but she'd pushed through because she had no other choice. Combined with her own theories, she'd refined Ivan's version of the formula until she had something that might work. Might. Possibly.
Helpless anger wrenched inside her. It should be tested and retested before it was ever administered to a human subject, but that obviously had no bearing on a terrorist's agenda.
Tremors shook her body as she drew a syringe of the potion from the large beaker she was working with. She set it on the table and stepped back while Smith prowled forward. Revulsion crawled over her skin when his arm brushed hers. His glance told her he knew how he affected her. She gritted her teeth, but said nothing.
“I think the honor of giving the first dose should be yours, don't you, Doctor? You should see the fruits of your labor.” Smith's gesture went from the syringe to Alex.
The boy shuddered, his struggle with Change obvious. The moon would rise soon, and she'd seen the self-loathing fill his green eyes every time he'd glanced at Tess's cage, the smell of a Normal as tempting to him as it was to the other wolves.
Smith's smile widened, and it was even more horrifying than it had been before. His fangs bared, but that was the only sign that Change affected him at all. Only a very old wolf could have that level of control. “Let's make this complete. Sasha, let the Normal out. We'll see how young Nemov does.”
A dazed Tess clambered out of her kennel, held upright by the Fae woman, who kept a weapon pointed at her, even though she just stood there and rocked in place. The wolves went wild, slamming against the doors to their cages, howling when they hit the silver bars. The din pounded on Chloe's eardrums, and she wanted nothing more than to slap her hands over her ears and pretend this wasn't happening.
Alex stood at soldierly attention, his gaze glued to a blank wall, but his fangs protruded over his bottom lip. His telepathic voice was as calm as ever.
Just do it, Chloe. There's nothing else we can do now except play his game. He'll just kill us outright if we don't.
Just do it, Chloe. There's nothing else we can do now except play his game. He'll just kill us outright if we don't.
He was going to kill them all anyway. They weren't on his side, so they were just a liability that had exhausted its usefulness. It was bitterly ironic that for once Alex was the one with the most hope. Chloe couldn't dredge up a shred of it. Not anymore. Swallowing down a huge lump in her throat, she picked up the syringe and approached her godson. “I'm sorry, Alex.”
Those green eyes moved over her face, his internal voice rough with emotion he didn't let show.
Don't be sorry. The last month has been the best of my life, and I know how pathetic that sounds, but it's true. If it has to end this way, I'm glad I had the time. Living with you and Merek. A family. People who stuck it out with me.
He tugged his shirtsleeve up, baring his arm for her. His telepathic tone became matter of fact.
Smith's going to have to shift for full moon, too, as well as any wolf he has working for him. I hacked the security system in this place, and you should have a twenty-minute window right when the moon goes up. Get out if you can. I wish I could have done more to help you.
He didn't blink, didn't flinch when the needle pierced his skin, though the trace amounts of silver in the potion would burn like lava in a wolf's veins. Chloe clenched her jaw and refused to give in to the sobs building in her chest.
Picking you as my godmother was the best thing my parents ever did for me. Don't ever blame yourself for this. I love you.
Don't be sorry. The last month has been the best of my life, and I know how pathetic that sounds, but it's true. If it has to end this way, I'm glad I had the time. Living with you and Merek. A family. People who stuck it out with me.
He tugged his shirtsleeve up, baring his arm for her. His telepathic tone became matter of fact.
Smith's going to have to shift for full moon, too, as well as any wolf he has working for him. I hacked the security system in this place, and you should have a twenty-minute window right when the moon goes up. Get out if you can. I wish I could have done more to help you.
He didn't blink, didn't flinch when the needle pierced his skin, though the trace amounts of silver in the potion would burn like lava in a wolf's veins. Chloe clenched her jaw and refused to give in to the sobs building in her chest.
Picking you as my godmother was the best thing my parents ever did for me. Don't ever blame yourself for this. I love you.
“I love you, too,” she breathed and dropped the empty syringe to the table. Then she grabbed his hand, and waited for the inevitable with him, this boy who was neither her flesh nor her blood, but was still hers.
His young body began to shake, and his grip tightened as he fell to his knees with a keen of animalistic pain. She went down beside him, steadying him with a hand on his shoulder. Trying to keep the panic out of her voice, she sucked in a breath. “Alex? Alex, tell me what's going on. What do you feel? I can try some healing spells if you talk to me.”
Never had she felt the inadequacy of her healing skills as sharply as she did now. Treating his bullet wound was nothing compared to thisâa poison she'd administered herself. Her heart hammered in her chest, guilt and nausea roiling in her until she wanted to scream.
“No. No!” A large form came hurtling through the open door, and gunfire rang hollowly in the wide lab. Peyton. Chloe's heart stopped as the man moved with stunning speed.
The Fae, Sasha, stumbled back as a bullet hit her. She screamed when she slammed into the wolf cages, and those who could reach her latched onto her limbs, her clothes, her hair. Spells shot out from her in wild sparks as she made noises worthy of the trapped and terrified animals who grabbed her.
Gregor and Smith dove into action to try to tackle Peyton. Both wolves shifted midair, the crunch of bone barely audible over the clamor from Sasha. Blood sprayed from bullets and teeth, talons and claws. Peyton's gaze met Chloe's for a single instant, and his telepathic command pierced her mind.
Run!
Run!
Alex was already standing, jerking and twitching as if he were having a seizure, but on his feet. That was enough to spur Chloe into action. She leaped for the tottering Tess, drew back her hand, and slapped her friend as hard as she could. “Tess, get it together. Let's
go!
”
go!
”
The redhead blinked as if waking up from a deep slumber, but Chloe wasn't about to lose this opportunity. She grabbed her friend's arm and hauled her toward the door, shoving Alex along in front of her. He moved, not as fast as a werewolf should be able to, but they were out of the room without being hit by any stray bullets or spells.
They reached a door to an outside hallway, and it wouldn't open. “No. Damn it.” Chloe slammed her fist against it, already feeling the pulsating waves of shielding magic that would be difficult to dismantle, even if she knew how to magically disarm a door, which she didn't.
A gurgle came from Alex's mouth, spittle falling from his lips.
My hack . . . should have . . .
My hack . . . should have . . .
The door clicked, the small, lighted panel beside it flashing from red to green.
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
Hope she'd lost so recently came rocketing back, and Chloe prayed to whatever deity was paying attention that they made it out of here, that they could get help. Wrenching open the door, she gathered every scrap of magic she had and pushed against the shield spells around the labs. The spells became a visible blue force field, rippling every time Chloe rammed her power into it. Sweat coursed down her face, stuck her clothes to her skin. A shaky opening began to slice through the shield, and Alex shoved the smaller women through it.
“No, you are coming with us, young man. That. Is. Final.” Chloe latched on to his hand, drew on his energy, and used it to widen the opening just enough to yank him over to her side. She lurched forward, almost face-planted into the floor, and made Alex stumble, both of them shaking. They'd have gone down, but Tess latched on to her other wrist, held her up, and steadied the wolf.
“O-okay.” Tess's voice was shaky, but her grip was firm as she held on to both of them. “How do we get out of here?”
Swiping the sweat from her brow, Chloe cast a frantic look around. A cacophony of roaring came from the lab behind them, followed by the sound of someone crashing into something solid. Or
through
something solid, like a wall. The thought made ice run through her veins. Whatever they did, getting away from this spot was imperative. There was no telling how long Peyton could or would keep fighting, or how long they had before someone came to investigate the breach in the spell shield. She moved to Alex's other side and grabbed the boy's arm. He still swayed where he stood, shivering and panting through clenched fangs.
through
something solid, like a wall. The thought made ice run through her veins. Whatever they did, getting away from this spot was imperative. There was no telling how long Peyton could or would keep fighting, or how long they had before someone came to investigate the breach in the spell shield. She moved to Alex's other side and grabbed the boy's arm. He still swayed where he stood, shivering and panting through clenched fangs.
“Let's just keep moving.” Chloe pushed them forward and Tess nodded, helping her prop the wolf up so they could shuffle into an ungainly trot. They ignored the elevators and followed the signs for the emergency staircase.
Spilling out onto a cement landing, they faced a sign that said they were on the hundredth floor. Tess leaned over the rail to look down. “I have bad news.”
“I really don't want any bad news,” Chloe wheezed as she hefted more of Alex's weight. The kid was pure muscle and getting heavier by the second. She hoped that was just her perception and that he wasn't starting a half-shift. They'd never be able to carry him then. Panic made her heart trip, but she refused to give in now.
Tess glanced back over her shoulder. “Well, suck it up, princess, because that's what you're getting. We have to go up, maybe use a door for a higher floor. There are people coming up these stairs at a run. Listen.”
It was faint, but there was definitely the pounding of footsteps from further down, and moving at much faster speeds than a human could run. Since any sane werewolf was running on pack land or locked in for the full moon, she had to assume that meant vampires. Or, worse,
not
sane werewolves. Neither option was one she wanted to deal with. “All right. Up we go. Let's get out of Smithville.”
not
sane werewolves. Neither option was one she wanted to deal with. “All right. Up we go. Let's get out of Smithville.”
Heaving Alex up the steps one at a time, her heart broke every time he tripped and stumbled. His breath came out at a pant, sweat pouring down his face. He didn't even pause to wipe it away, just used one hand on the railing to help haul himself up the stairs. Filtering as much of her own healing energy to him as she could spare, she took a moment to be grateful he didn't tell them to leave him, because they didn't have time for that argument. The little genius had to know she wouldn't do it. Neither would Tess, when she wasn't damn near catatonic.
All three of them staggered drunkenly up to the landing one floor above where they had started, only to find there was no going any further. They'd reached the roof. “Oh, fuck.”
“Better out there than sardined on a stairway,” Tess stated, shoving on the metal bar that opened the door.
A piercing alarm shrieked when it swung wide, and Chloe winced, but worked with Tess to jockey Alex through the opening.
“Can you use your magic woo-woo to booby trap the door?” Tess gave her a hopeful look, swatted the heavy metal door shut, and shrugged. “Because there went any element of surprise we had about where we got off the stairwell.”
“They can track us by scent anyway. They're werewolves. And vampires. Both are coming after us, so they'll find us in the next minute or so.” Alex sucked in a deep breath of the cool air, untainted by the oppressive fear and human waste of the laboratory. “I can smell them.”
He pushed away from their support, managed a few steps on his own before he threw his head back to stare at the full moon peeking out from between the clouds. Chloe used the free moment to press her hands against the door. Booby trap. She'd never tried to booby trap anything in her entire life. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on what she wanted, letting her ugly emotions feed the energy needed for the spell. Pain, agony, fire, corrosion, death for whoever opened the door. She twisted the words into an endless litany in her mind, building a shield around the door, a shield that sparked with red and orange and white-hot flames. Heat radiated from the metal surface in front of her, and she gasped, jolting backward.
“Holy freaking shit,” Tess breathed.
No kidding. The door had expanded, warping, melting into its frame. The shield around it shimmered, smelled of molten iron, and whispered of ominous things. Chloe shook out her hands, ridding herself of the dark energy the spell had generated.
A choking sound from Alex brought her around to face him, and a low sob from the boy made her hurry to his side. She cupped his cheeks between her palms. “Alex, honey. You can't freak out on me now. I know it's not good, but the other option was dying in a silver cage. We'll find a way out of this. I know we will.”
“No.” He shook his head, a single tear streaking down his face, and he swiped it away, embarrassment reflecting in his eyes. “It's full moon, and I'm still
human.
” He flung his arms out, extending and retracting his claws. “Look. I can shift, but I don't
have
to. We did it, Chloe. It
worked.
”
human.
” He flung his arms out, extending and retracting his claws. “Look. I can shift, but I don't
have
to. We did it, Chloe. It
worked.
”
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