Undone (The Amoveo Legend) (17 page)

“Apologies.” The guard bowed his head. “I’m taking the patient to the medical lab as your father requested.”

“I’ll take her from here.” Savannah grabbed Marianna’s arm but didn’t look at her. “Artimus wants you to tend the patient hallway as your associate is keeping watch over the living quarters of the true believers.”

“Perhaps I should speak directly with Artimus. I don’t think—”

“You’re not paid to think,” Savannah snapped. Her eyes shifted to their clan form and glowed brightly at the guard. “Artimus is in a meeting with my father and would be most upset to be disturbed. Besides, I’m sure you don’t want me to inform him you’re questioning his orders. Do you?”

“No, ma’am.” He flicked his gaze from Savannah to Marianna. “Are you sure you can handle her?”

“Quite sure.” Savannah arched one pale eyebrow and removed the Taser from her pocket. “I suggest you get back to your post before Artimus comes looking for you.”

The guard gave her a curt nod and went on his way. Marianna watched him disappear around the corner and said nothing as Savannah walked her down the hall toward the medical labs. At least, she thought it was the labs, but the truth was that she wasn’t sure. The two times she’d been there, she’d been heavily drugged.

They came to a bright red door that seemed vaguely familiar, and without saying a word, Savannah placed her hand on the panel next to it. The door opened with a muted clicking sound and she proceeded to lead Marianna into a large room that resembled a hospital. To the left there was a birthing suite, several pieces of medical equipment, and a sonogram machine.

A nurse with mousy brown hair sat at a desk along the center of the back wall. She looked at them through scrutinizing eyes. Marianna could tell by the woman’s dense energy signature that she was a mated pure-blood from the Fox Clan. She stood from her chair and looked at Marianna like she was a bug that needed to be squashed.

“Where’s the guard?” the woman snipped as she looked past them to the door. “You should not be walking with this one unattended. She gave your father and Hayden quite a bit of trouble when she first arrived.”

“I can handle myself, Iris.” Savannah led Marianna to the curtained area to the right. “My father wanted to run some comparison tests on this one and the woman from the Coyote Clan. He’s curious to see if there are any differences between the hybrid pregnancy and the pure-blood.”

“Yes,” Iris sniffed. “He mentioned that to me, but I assumed that
I
would be running the tests.”

“Well, you assumed incorrectly. Why don’t you go ahead and take a break. This shouldn’t take long, and I’ll escort her to her room when I’m finished.”

Savannah pulled the curtain aside, and Marianna’s hand went her mouth as she let out a muffled cry. It was Courtney. She was either asleep or sedated and strapped to a hospital bed in only a white bra and underwear. She had electrodes stuck all over her body, and the steady beep of her heart monitor filled the room.

“Fine.” Iris snatched a folder off her desk and stuck it in Savannah’s face. “Be sure to write down all of your findings.” She shot an angry look at Marianna. “I need to use the ladies’ room, but I’ll be back shortly—so don’t get any ideas, missy.”

Marianna barely heard her because she couldn’t stop looking at her friend. Courtney’s sandy blond hair splayed over the pillow and looked like it hadn’t been washed or brushed in days. Marianna’s throat tightened, and as soon as Iris was out the door, she went directly to Courtney’s side and took her hand in hers.

“Court?” She sniffled as tears fell onto the sheet. She brushed stray strands of hair off Courtney’s face. “Can you hear me?”
Courtney?
She reached out to her friend’s mind but was met with a dark void. This woman, always full of life and often heard with a loud, raucous laugh, lay in the bed looking almost dead.

“They’re keeping her completely sedated.” Savannah stood at the foot of the bed and kept her voice low. “So far the pregnancy is fine, but I don’t how much longer it will be. Here,” she said gently. “Come sit on this bed next to her, and let me get some data.”

Marianna wiped the tears from her eyes and placed a kiss on Courtney’s forehead. She did as Savannah asked and sat near her friend as Savannah pulled a cart over and attached sticky sensors in the same places that Courtney had them.

“I’m going to collect the data like my father asked.” She attached the last two sensors beneath Marianna’s shirt. “Just lay back, and stay quiet for a few minutes. This won’t hurt you or the babies. They want to track your information and compare it with Courtney’s.”

Marianna complied and stared at the bright lights in the ceiling as tears fell freely down her face. Hopelessness reared its ugly head, threatened to swallow her whole and suck her into the abyss. She’d allowed hope to glimmer and trick her into thinking Savannah was going to help, but clearly that wasn’t the case. Was this how she’d spend the rest of her life? Like a lab rat in a maze?

Savannah removed the electrodes without saying a word and took notes in the folder that Iris had given her, before helping Marianna to a sitting position.

“Boy, you really had me fooled,” Marianna said bitterly. She tugged the sleeve of her shirt down and turned her furious eyes to Savannah.

“What do you mean?” Savannah asked as she checked Courtney’s vital signs.

“When you took me from the guard in the hallway,” she seethed. “I thought you were helping me get out, but you’re a good little girl for daddy, aren’t you?”

Before she could answer, the door clicked open, and Iris huffed in with a large cup of coffee.

“We’re finished here, Iris.” Savannah didn’t spare a glance to Marianna as she handed the folder off. “I’ll leave it to my father to analyze the information. It’s time for me to get this one back to her room before dinner.”

“Fine by me.” Iris took the folder and shot Marianna a look of contempt. “I still don’t know how you could do it.”

“Do what?” Marianna asked as she hopped off the gurney with Savannah’s help.

“Sleep with a
human
and let him impregnate you.” She shuddered as the words escaped her lips and made a sound of disgust.

“Well, that makes us even,” Marianna ground out. “Because I don’t know how you can declare your allegiance to a psychopath. Better watch your step, Iris. Veronica was a devoted follower, and look where it got her.”

Iris’s complexion paled at the mention of Veronica’s name, and Marianna tried to suppress the grin, but it was no use. Getting under this bitch’s skin was a small victory, but she’d take it.

Iris turned her back on the two and settled herself at her desk. “Get her out of here.”

Savannah walked Marianna to her room in silence. Tweedle Dee was back at his post in the hallway as usual, but he barely spared them a glance when they walked past him to Marianna’s room.

Savannah escorted her in and motioned for her to sit on the bed. Still furious, Marianna complied, but remained silent as Savannah took out her stethoscope and once again checked her heart rate. She glanced over her shoulder at the door as she jotted more notes into her notebook.

Marianna watched her intently, but she avoided her gaze as she finished her usual tasks. Savannah took something from her pocket, leaned past Marianna, and slipped it beneath her pillow before she left the room in silence.

The door shut with a gentle click. Savannah’s bright green eyes peered through the window.
Be
ready.
Savannah’s voice touched her mind as her face disappeared from view.
We’re getting out of here tonight so get some sleep. You’ll need as much of your strength as possible.

Marianna sat motionless on the bed, uncertain if she’d heard her correctly. She slipped her hand beneath the pillow, and a grin cracked her face as she wrapped her fingers around Savannah’s Taser. Relief and hope washed over her, and in that moment, she knew that she would get out alive.

Marianna lay on the bed and rested her head on the pillow, with the precious gift beneath, as she closed her eyes and waited for sleep to claim her.

Pete double-checked the four ammo magazines attached to the specially designed utility belt and loaded his Beretta with the ease of experience. Satisfied with his supplies, he holstered his gun and checked on the others. Layla and Kerry opted not to carry weapons due to their inexperience, but Dante, Richard, and William were stocking up just as Pete had.

“Are you sure that you two don’t want a weapon?” Pete asked Kerry and Layla.

“Absolutely.” Layla tied her curly red hair into a ponytail as William hovered nearby. “I hate guns, and the last thing that we need are nervous trigger fingers added to the mix. Kerry and I have gotten stronger in our human form since our mating, and we’ve been schooled in hand-to-hand combat over the past few weeks. Once Richard gets the dampening shield down, we can shift and provide backup in our clan forms.”

“Agreed.” Kerry winked. “I’m far more confident fighting in my panther form, but thanks to Dominic’s crash course in ass-kicking, I should be able to hold my own.” Kerry took a folded piece of paper from her back pocket and handed it to Pete. “Here, I drew us a map of the compound from Daniella’s memories.”

Pete unfolded the paper and scanned the hand-drawn diagram intently, doing his best to commit as much as possible to memory. He laid the map on the dining room table as the rest gathered around.

“This hallway here,” Kerry said, pointing out a short corridor, “I think this is where they’re keeping the prisoners, and this larger room looks like some kind of meeting space. The halls and rooms to the left are the living quarters. Then, on the other side of this network of hallways, is the medical facility.”

“It’s a fucking maze,” Pete murmured. “If we make a wrong turn, we could get lost in there forever.” He turned his serious eyes to Richard. “How confident are you that you can get past this shield on your own?”

“He won’t be on his own.” Salinda’s melodic voice floated into the room and captured everyone’s attention instantly. She stood in the doorway of the dining room dressed in the same all-black, combat-ready outfit as the rest. Her dark hair was swept back in a tight ponytail, and looking at her shapely body, it was hard to believe that she’d had a baby a couple months ago.

“Absolutely not.” Richard’s eyes shifted and glowed brightly at his wife. “It’s not safe, and you should be here with our baby daughter.”

“First of all,” Salinda began calmly, “you should know, after three centuries together, that I don’t take orders. Secondly, I love you, and what kind of mate would I be if I allowed you to do this on your own?” Her pale brown eyes shifted into the amber eyes of the Tiger Clan and shined as she slowly moved toward her husband. “Dominic is here guarding the property and will assure that Daniella doesn’t leave. And as for our sweet baby girl Jessica, she is staying with Malcolm and Samantha until our return. Actually, Samantha was thrilled to have an opportunity to practice her mothering skills, since her own baby is due in a couple months.”

“I’d argue with you, but I know it wouldn’t get me anywhere.” Richard hugged his wife and placed a kiss on her head before handing her one of the nine-millimeter handguns.

“Thank you.” Salinda tucked it into the waistband of her pants and smiled at Pete. “Using our energies to disable the dampening field will be more effective and far faster than if Richard does it alone.”

Pete nodded and looked pointedly at each couple that stood around the table. They were about to go in there and risk their lives to get Marianna back. His throat tightened with an unexpected wave of emotion because he couldn’t remember the last time he felt like part of a family. He’d been a loner—and alone—for so long that he’d practically forgotten what it felt like to belong.

“I realize that this probably goes without saying,” Pete said quietly, as he folded the map and tucked it into his pocket. “But I want to thank you for helping me get her back. You don’t have to do it, and you’re putting your own lives at risk.”

When he looked up again, all six stared at him through the glowing eyes of their clans, and for the first time, he wasn’t unnerved. In fact, he was comforted. He knew that they would stop at nothing to retrieve Marianna and the others held by Artimus.

Kerry held out her hands and nodded. “I’d say it’s time for a jail break.”

The seven held hands and completed the circle. Eyes closed, they joined energy signatures as they tuned into Kerry and the imprinted path that she took from Daniella. Pete held on and kept his mind fixed on Kerry as they took him along for the ride.

He saw bright light and felt a slight breeze. The scent of raw earth, fresh snow, and pine filled his nostrils. Static electricity flared in a prickling wave, and was instantly followed by a frigid blast of arctic air.

Biting wind whipped over his face as he squinted against the freezing air and dropped the hands of his companions. They were standing in snow halfway to their knees with towering pine trees on either side, and twenty feet in front loomed the rocky side of a small mountain, and other than the seven of them, there wasn’t a soul in sight.

Richard’s voice touched their collective minds.
William, take flight, and check the surroundings for guards that might be outside the entrance of the cave. Layla, Kerry, and Dante, take your clan forms, and scan for energy signatures, or see if you can pick up familiar scents. We’ll meet at the mouth of the cave once we have an all clear. Salinda and I will work on penetrating the shield. If we can create a weak point, then that’s all we’ll need to break through.

Pete took his Beretta from the holster, and just feeling the weight in his hand made him more at ease. He held his breath and waited for the group to shift and set the plan in motion. They whispered the ancient language, and in a rush of static and a ripple of heat, the others shifted into their clan forms in one massive power pulse.

William shifted into his gyrfalcon and soared into the air with a few powerful pumps of his enormous wings. Pete waited as he soared effortlessly and circled the area like a stealth bomber silhouetted against the moonlit sky.

Layla’s spotted cheetah burst across the snow in a blur and disappeared in the trees. Kerry’s sleek panther loped into the dark night, and her glowing yellow eyes twinkled over her shoulder as her familiar teasing tone touched their minds.
Make
sure
you
cover
our
asses, Castro.

Pete merely nodded and kept his gun at the ready. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting in cold and silence, the others sent back the all clear. Pete, Richard, and Salinda crouched low and silently made their way to the mouth of the small cave. Dante, still in his fox form, had gone into the cave to see the layout and find the actual entrance to the compound network.

As he trotted out, his glowing amber eyes were the first thing they all saw. Once he emerged, he shifted into his human form and hunkered down with the others.

“There’s a door about fifty feet in,” he said, keeping his voice low. “It’s designed to look like the cave wall, and there’s some kind of panel next to it.”

“I think it’s heat-sensitive,” Kerry said. “In the vision, I saw Artimus put his hand on it.” Brow furrowed, she looked at Pete. “It must be rigged to open only to certain people’s heat signatures, but I bet you could pick that lock.”

“Me?” Pete shifted his weight and rubbed the silver ring. “How?”

“Asmodeus told you that part of the demon thing is being able to manipulate heat, right? So maybe you can trick the sensor into thinking you’re Artimus?” She shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.”

“I’ll give it a try.” His mouth set in a tight line, and he checked the magazine in his gun before slamming it back in place. “If that doesn’t work, then I’ll just fucking shoot it.”

“Stick to the plan,” Richard directed. “You go to the patient rooms first, and if she’s not there, then you go to the medical facility. If you see any missing women, grab them, and take them with you as well. Salinda and I will stay here and focus on creating a tear in the shield. Once we’ve broken through, we should be able to use telepathy, and then you can visualize yourselves, and anyone you can rescue, back to the safety of the ranch.”

Richard put his hand into the middle of their circle, and the rest immediately followed, clasping their hands, one on top of the other. Eyes glowing, they looked at Pete, waiting for him to add his hand to the group. Dante nodded, and even William tipped his head in encouragement. On a silent prayer, Pete placed his hands on the others as they whispered the ancient language in unison. “
Iunctus.”

He knew what it meant. They were proclaiming their unity, their vow to be a united front until the end. Pete looked back and whispered,
“Iunctus.”

“In for a penny, in for a pound,” Pete murmured as he started into the entrance of the cave and waved the others to follow. He adjusted his grip on the gun and stopped for a moment as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim light.

Pete snagged the small flashlight from his belt and pressed his finger to his lips, signaling the others to be silent. Leaning against the rough wall, Pete cupped the end of the flashlight and kept it shining along the floor, trying to light the way discreetly. The further they went in, the narrower the passage got, and Pete struggled against the growing sensation of being buried alive. The moist dank air filled his nostrils, and he was surprised by how warm it was within the cave.

It’s about five more feet on the right.
Dante’s voice cut into his mind. Pete didn’t answer, but nodded his understanding. He stopped and holstered his gun as he felt along the wall, searching for the disguised door. The rough surface, slick with moisture, rasped beneath his fingers, and he eventually found an unnaturally straight groove in the rock.

Pete reached to the left and felt around until he found a smooth, rectangular surface, which had to be the heat-sensitive panel that Kerry had mentioned. Sweating and anxious, Pete placed his palm over the cool surface and focused on Artimus. He pictured the smug bastard’s face and the expression when he’d disappeared with Marianna.

Heat raced down his arm as the soft click of a lock opening echoed through the passage. A rush of warm air blew over them, and a stream of bright light lit the cave as the door disappeared slowly into the wall.

No time to register what he’d done, Pete snatched the gun from his holster and pressed himself against the wall next to the opening doorway. Half expecting an army of Amoveo to come flooding out, they all braced themselves and waited.

No one came.

Pete peered around the corner and found the hallway empty. Before entering, he took note of the space. It was a small entry that led to two hallways. In the far left corner was a camera with a blinking red light scanning the entrance. Pete snagged the silencer from one compartment on the belt and quickly attached it to his gun. Knowing he’d get only one try, he intensified his focus and took out the camera with one stealthy shot.

He pulled back and waited to see if anyone was going to come running around the corner, but the only thing he heard was the crackling and hissing of the destroyed camera. He signaled to the group, and they all followed him across the threshold into the compound.

The door slid shut silently behind them, and he noticed the subtle shift in the demeanor of his companions. The dampening field was obviously in place, and they felt the effects already.

Pete took out the map as the others gathered around. “If we take the hallway to the right,” he whispered, “then that should take us to the patient rooms, and the hallway past that is where the medical labs are.”

“Stick to the plan.” William’s cool voice cut into the discussion. His glowing dark eyes latched intently onto Pete. “You, Dante, and Kerry go to the rooms where we suspect they’re holding the women. Layla and I will go to the medical labs and see if any are held there.”

“The faster we can do this, the better. If you turn off here,” Pete said, referencing the map, “then you should be able to take this corridor to the labs.”

“Understood.” William nodded curtly.

“Don’t take any chances.” Pete turned his serious gaze to each of them. “If it moves, and it’s not one of the women we’re looking for, shoot first, and ask questions later. It’s only a matter of time before they figure out we’re here—if they haven’t already. Check every corridor for cameras, and if you spot one, shoot it out.”

They nodded as Pete tucked the map into his pocket and checked the magazine in his gun. He held his gun in front of him as he checked around the corners of the hall to see that they were clear. Finding the halls empty, he signaled for the others to follow and silently made his way down the sterile corridor.

Game
on.
Dante’s voice touched their minds, and he could sense their relief. Even if they couldn’t shift, at least they could communicate with each other while inside. If he could hear them, then Marianna could hear him.

As Pete led the way down the white hallway, he reached out to Marianna with his mind and prayed that she could hear him.

I’m coming for you, Marianna.

***

The sound of the door to her room opening woke Marianna from a light sleep. She squinted against the fluorescent lighting as she came out of her slumber. Marianna rubbed her eyes, expecting to see Savannah, but instead, was greeted with Hayden’s lecherous, leering face just inches from hers.

He was on top of her before she could reach the Taser beneath her pillow. He straddled her, pinning her legs with his, as he held her arms on the bed along either side of her head. Marianna screamed and tried to buck him off, but it was no use—he was far stronger than she was.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, Marianna.”

Hayden leaned down and tried to kiss her, but she thrashed her head and held her mouth closed. Hayden licked the side of her face. She squeezed her eyes shut and shrank from him, but there was nowhere to go but deeper into the pillow. She could feel the lump of the Taser beneath the pillow and her frustration grew. So close, and yet so far.