On Jason's Watch [Paladin Protection Agency 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (16 page)

Something hard hammered down on his skull, and he saw lights again, brilliant white and red starbursts so bright they hurt. He heard someone scream his name in a voice that he thought he should recognize, but then the darkness welled up and swept over him just as something sharp sank into his throat. The last thing he heard was the sound of flesh tearing as that familiar voice screamed again. Then there was nothing at all.

* * * *

They killed Jase.
The part of her that was still human shrieked in grief. Her pain and her rage swelled and merged with the primal drives of the wolf, and together they fought against the monsters trying to subdue her. The sound of gunfire came again, and she knew the others were fighting for their lives out there in the darkness. She had to get to them, had to protect them. She hadn’t been able to save Jase, but she wouldn’t let anyone else get hurt.

She pounced on one of the creatures and scented Jase’s blood on its fur. This was the one who had killed him. He’d killed her mate. She drove her teeth into the creature’s shoulder and flesh parted under her claws as she slashed again and again. She felt the creature’s life force fade as it managed one last choked-off scream of agony and then went limp. Blood, hot and sticky, matted her fur, and the taste of it flooded her mouth and filled her senses. She let the shredded remains fall to the ground and turned to find her next target.

The cough of a firearm filled her ears, and something smacked her in the chest, hard. Again the sound of a gun and again a stinging blow, this one making her stagger back a step. Her claws lifted to the site of the pain and snagged on something still buried in her flesh. She snarled as a wave of dizziness came over her and she managed to pull the offending
something
out of her body. Her vision blurred, and she struggled to think through the fog that filled her head.
Tranquilizer gun.
The words came, but the wolf didn’t understand. She staggered and fell to her knees, trying to breathe past a tongue that suddenly seemed far too big for her mouth.

Someone spoke, and she tried to make out the words, but it all sounded wrong, like a record played backward and much too slowly. She shook her head, and the world tipped on its axis. She felt as though she had fallen off the Earth and was tumbling into the darkness of space. When she finally collapsed and her head hit the ground, she was too far gone to really feel it.

It was the pain that woke her. She wanted nothing more than to fall back into the abyss of sleep, where she could hide away while her body finished healing the myriad of cuts, bruises, and bites she’d gained trying to fight her attackers. But even more than the physical pain, she wanted to retreat from the terrible, aching knowledge that Jase was gone. She’d seen him lying there, his throat torn open and his face ashen and lifeless. He’d died trying to protect her, and that hurt her more than any of her physical wounds.

She tried to move and immediately felt the heavy manacles that bound her hands and feet. If she tried to change while held this way, she’d lose body parts in the process. Jazz cracked open an eye and assessed her situation. She was lying on a bare, concrete floor, and the chill in her bones told her she’d been there awhile. Someone had thrown a woollen blanket over her, but beneath that thin cover, she was completely naked. Her wardrobe never survived a transformation to her hybrid form.

She extended her senses slightly and caught another scent, Val’s.
Oh damn. Val’s here, too.
The presence of the other woman from Paladin was more of a worry than a comfort. Jazz wasn’t sure how long she’d been out, but midnight couldn’t be far away now. When the full moon hit its apex, she would succumb to the compulsion to change into the hybrid, and she’d lose control again. If Val was near her when that happened, she was terrified of what the result could be.

A low groan sounded somewhere nearby, and Jazz lifted her head enough to be able to glance around. Val had been dumped into another corner of the room, a nasty-looking bruise already blooming on her temple. Her face was a collection of welts and scratches, and her bloodstained clothing was torn in several places.

“Val,” Jazz called out in a harsh whisper. “Are you badly hurt?”

“Jazz?” Val sat up and groaned again, her face visibly paling. “Son of a—they got us both? That was a serious clusterfuck back there.” Jazz watched as Val took a quick inventory of her injuries, her hands moving over her body and checking the tears in her clothing. “I feel like I’ve been through a blender, but I’ll live.” Her eyes widened and she stared at Jazz. “Jase? I thought I saw him on the ground.”

“They killed him.” Those three simple words hurt so badly she could barely choke them out. “I don’t know what happened to Tara, but I can’t find her scent anywhere nearby. I hope she got away.”

“Bastards!” Val wiped a single tear from her eye and curled both her hands into fists. “They’ll pay for that.”

Jazz sat up slowly, the clink of her metal bonds loud in the small, bare room. Apart from the two of them and the blanket covering her, it was entirely empty. Her body was healing itself quickly, but she was still feeling the effects of two transformations in one day. Every cell in her body was fatigued, and she felt sluggish and clumsy.

“They’ve got you chained up?” Val’s eyes followed the sets of chains that anchored Jazz to the wall behind her. “I guess they figure you’re more of a threat than I am, Fluffy.”

Jazz managed a half smile at the other woman’s jest. “Not enough of a threat to stop them. I’m sorry, Val.”

“Don’t be sorry! This isn’t your fault. We made a tactical error and underestimated the sleazy fur balls. Who knew they’d be insane enough to ram an SUV?” Val crawled over to Jazz and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “We’re going to get out of here, and then we’re going to make them regret the day they messed with Paladin. The others will find us.”

“The others don’t have much time.” She glanced at her wrist and sighed. “My watch band broke when I transformed, so I have no idea what time it is, but midnight isn’t far off now.” Jazz shuddered slightly at the thought of what would happen when that moment came. “They’ll have to undo my chains before then, but once they do…” She trailed off and looked at Val. “If you’re in here with me when the change happens, I’ll kill you.”

“I don’t think you will.” Val shook her head in disagreement. “I saw you tonight. You weren’t out of control. You only targeted them. You were trying to protect us. It was obvious. I think you have more influence over your other half than you thought.”

“We better hope so.” Jazz considered what Val had said and realized she was right. She had been present and aware, even when the hybrid form was dominant. She’d chosen who to attack deliberately. “I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt you, Val.”

Val snorted with derisive laughter. “I have news for you and your alter ego. I’m not that easy to kill.”

Jazz detected footsteps approaching the door and gestured for Val to be quiet. Silence fell, and both of them tensed as the distinctive sound of locks being unbolted could be heard. The room’s only door swung open a few inches, and a face peered through the space. When he spotted both of them sitting together, his gray-bearded face split into a smirk, revealing tobacco-stained teeth.

“You’re both awake. Good.” The gap widened, and the man lumbered further into the room. He was older, in his sixties at least. His eyes were cold as he looked them both over, his expression cruel. “You.” He pointed to Jazz. “You killed my nephew tonight. He was one of my best. I’ve never known a breeder like you to have that sort of strength.”

“Breeder?” Jazz didn’t like the connotations behind that word.

He leered at her and nodded. “That’s what you are, or what you’re going to be. Female werewolves are rare. It seems you ladies don’t like the idea of running around all hairy, ugly, and naked.” He snickered at his own joke, his arms crossed over his chest. “I’ve only seen a few in my lifetime, and most of my boys have never seen one at all. They’re really looking forward to getting to know you.”

Another face appeared at the door, a younger version of the man standing in front of them. “Dad? It’s getting close to time.”

“Not just yet, Tim. Come on in here and introduce yourself.”

The younger man nodded and stepped inside the room obediently, his eyes glittering with interest as he stared at Jazz.

“This is my son, Tim. He’s going to be your first. Once you bear him a healthy son, you’ll be handed over to my nephew, Jess. Was going to be Jonathan, but he’s dead, thanks to you. Jess isn’t the gentlest of souls, and I know he’s going to make you very sorry you killed his brother, when the time comes.”

Anger made Jazz brave, and she tipped her chin high in the air. “I’m not breeding with any of you. Ever. The first one to touch me is going to lose a body part.”

Both men laughed, but there was no humor in it. The older one grinned and slapped his son on the shoulder. “She’s a right peach. Once we get her thinking straightened out, she’s going to fit in nicely.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my thinking. You’re the ones with a screw loose.”

“Oh but there is, sweetling. You and your wolf are free agents right now, but we’re going to fix that for you. Once you get a few kills under your belt, you’ll start coming around.”

“Starting with that one.” Tim pointed to Val. “It always helps when you kill someone you know. Speeds up the process.”

“No!” Jazz spat out the denial.

“The full moon crosses the meridian in less than an hour, sweetling. You argue all you want, but once your wolf is in control, we both know what’ll happen.” The older man drew a gun from his belt and trained it on Val. “Tim, you go unlock our new breeder. We don’t want her transforming and losing her pretty little hands, now do we?” He glowered at Jazz. “And don’t get any stupid ideas. I can empty this clip into your friend and still leave her alive long enough for you to finish the job. Her last minutes can be merely painful or downright agonizing, your choice.”

Jazz nodded and glanced over at Val, who stayed completely still. If Val was right, they still had a chance, but only if she could control herself after she’d transformed.

Tim fished out a key and unchained her, but not before he peeled away the blanket covering her to take a good, long look.

“You’re lovely,” he told her, palming her breast in his callused hand. “Tomorrow you and I are going to get to know each other better. I bet you’ve never done it with another werewolf.” He let her go with a wink. “Once you go wolf, you’ll never go back.”

“Bite me,” Jazz growled, more than a hint of the wolf present in her voice.

“Oh, believe me, I’m going to.” He slapped her bare thigh and stood, taking the blanket with him. “See you tomorrow.”

Tim stepped out of the room, leaving them alone with his father.

“Just one question,” Val said as she stripped off her jacket and covered Jazz with it as best she could. “Why is it so important to have a female werewolf as the mother to the little hell-spawns you want to breed?”

“Unbound werewolves like her are strong, trues are stronger, but the child of two werewolves is the strongest of all.” He tucked the gun back into its holster and backed up toward the door. “Night, ladies.”

The heavy clang of the steel door slamming shut sounded like a death knell to Jazz’s ears.

“That is one seriously fucked-up family,” Val observed as the door was bolted from the outside.

“Yeah, and if we don’t get out of here, they’re going to be my in-laws.”

The two women looked at each other, and Jazz grabbed Val’s hand, squeezing it hard. “Let’s hope the cavalry gets here soon.”

Chapter 11

Someone was holding his hand, and he tightened his fingers around theirs. “Jazz?” His voice was hoarse, and his tongue felt thick in his mouth. He turned his head and groaned as pain spiked into his temples.

“He’s awake, thank god.” Michelle’s voice seemed too loud, and he wondered why she felt the need to yell.

“Jason?” Another voice, this one not as familiar, but still he knew it. “Jason, I need you to open your eyes for me.”

He cracked his lids and found himself staring up at Richard Stamp, Paladin’s resident doctor. “Hey, doc. Mind talking a little softer? I’ve got a bitch of a headache right now.”

“Welcome back.” Richard placed a restraining hand on Jase’s chest, preventing him from sitting up. “You need to go very slowly. I’m not even sure why or how you’re alive and breathing right now, never mind awake and talking. You should be dead. I want you to remember that and try not to strain yourself.”