SelkiesSeduction (18 page)

Wolfe whistled softly. “What do you know, Craig came
through.”

“Craig?” Nikki turned away from the sight. “Who’s Craig and
what did he do?”

“One of the rescue team. They told me he could jam the guns
so the guards would be forced to fight hand to hand. Gives us a huge advantage
because the guards count heavily on their weaponry. They don’t expect to have
to outmuscle their captives. On the downside, it means my rifle is probably
useless as well, unless I use it as a club.”

“We can up the odds in our favor.” Jackson gestured at four
of the pack including his second, who immediately stopped walking and crouched
down. As Nikki watched, clouds of magic swirled around each of the warriors.

Wolfe grabbed her arm and urged her forward. “You can gawk
at the big bad dogs later. Right now we need to keep moving.”

Sasha snickered. “I think he’s jealous, Nikki. Afraid you
might decide to get yourself a new pet.”

Nikki snorted. “I can barely handle one male ego. No way in
hell I’m going to go for two or three. If I decide to get a pet, it’s going to
be a cute little kitten. One of those fluffy ones you see in the pet shop
windows.”

“Thanks.” Wolfe looked over at Jackson with a wry grin. “I
think.”

“Damn right. A werewolf can outfight just about anything you
can bring against it so long as there are no firearms involved. The silver
thing is a myth, but a bullet is just as fatal to a werewolf as it is to a
human. Since we’re down to hand-to-hand combat, we are faster, nastier and
better fighters than just about anything on two or four legs, and right now we
are sworn to protect both of you as if you were part of our own pack.”

Nikki frowned, turning the corner of the main building that
housed the labs. “Why?”

Jackson shrugged, holding Sasha a little closer to his side.
“We owe you. You protected my mate, and you helped set us free. We might be a
nasty bunch, but we are loyal to our friends. If the doc wants to harm you, he’ll
have to go through my whole pack.”

Wolfe nodded. “Thanks. Appreciate that.”

They rounded the next corner, and stopped dead at the sight
of a squad of guards marching a group of women down the road. The group quickly
ducked back around the corner.

“Now that looks like it could be fun. Time to pay those
guards back for their hospitality these last few months.” Jackson grinned. “You
take your lady and find a route around the other side of the building. The pack
and I will take care of these guys, free those females and meet up with you at
the main gates. Take Sasha with you. I don’t want her getting hurt.”

“No way!” Sasha stamped one foot on the hard ground. “I just
got you back. I’m not leaving your side.”

Jackson looked uncertain, and Nikki could see his protective
instincts warring with his pride in his mate. “Okay, but you stay at the back
of the pack and do whatever you’re told. I can’t fight effectively if half my
attention is on you.” He turned and inclined his head to Wolfe and Nikki. “See
you two at the main gates.”

Wolfe took Nikki’s arm and drew her away from the corner. “He’s
right. They don’t need us. Let’s go.”

Nikki reluctantly let herself be led toward the rear of the
building. Splitting up didn’t seem like the best thing to do, but the
werewolves were more than capable of looking after themselves. She felt a tiny
bit of sympathy for the guards. They probably didn’t know their weapons were
useless or they wouldn’t be prowling out in the open like that. They’d made
their choices though, and they were about to reap the results.

Noise erupted from the other side of the building as the
werewolves attacked the guards. A high-pitched scream of terror cut off
abruptly, and Nikki shivered at the implication. Wolfe drew her closer to his
side. “Remember how those guards treated you and the others. They don’t deserve
your sympathy.”

“I know. I just…” She trailed off. What did she mean? She
wasn’t sure. There were a lot of things she wasn’t sure about anymore.

A lanky figure darted across the street up ahead of them,
teasing the edge of her memory for a moment before recognition came.

“Todd!” Nikki pointed as Sasha’s brother ducked into the
main complex building.

“Todd? Where?” Wolfe looked in the direction Nikki was
pointing, but the geek had already disappeared inside the building.

“We have to go help him. You probably led him right to this place.
He must be looking for Sasha.”

“Damn. We don’t have a lot of time.” Wolfe snarled softly. “Okay,
let’s go find him, but if it takes too long we have to leave him. I’m not
risking your life for a twit who should have known better than to come into this
compound.”

“Thank you!” Nikki stood on her tiptoes to place a kiss on
his cheek. Once Todd knew his sister was safe, he’d be happy to follow them to
safety.

* * * * *

Todd ran to the bank of elevators and stabbed the call
button repeatedly, his panic rising with every second that passed. The
explosions at the back wall had shaken him out of a deep slumber. When he’d
opened the door to find out what was going on, he’d seen what looked to be a
firefight over the back wall, and the cages to the animal pens standing open.

He knew the panther was out and prowling the grounds, and he’d
seen the werewolf pack heading for the main building, with both selkies and
that damn Druid in tow. So far they hadn’t spotted him, or the jig would be up.
Sasha would dispel the myth of worried brother in record time. When they found
out he’d sold them out, he didn’t want to come face-to-face with either of the selkies’
other halves.

The Druid was a big guy, with a lot of influence in the Dream
World, and the werewolf had an entire pack of monsters at his command. Hard to
say which would be worse, and he certainly didn’t want to find out the hard
way.

Dr. Kvordic must have a way out of this place that didn’t
involve exiting by the main gate, and he intended to tag along. The guy owed
him. Without him, the scientist would still be playing around with a panther
who’d never shown any sign of shifting to a human, and a quartet of women who
might or might not be witches. They certainly hadn’t shown any inclination to
use their magic to get themselves out of here. Sasha had been the first
creature he’d been able to truly prove was supernatural.

A muted ping announced the arrival of the elevator, and he
let out a sigh of relief. Taking one step toward it, he heard a sound behind
him and glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the Druid’s hand snake
out to hold the elevator door open.

“Slow down, buddy. Your sister’s not here.”

“Huh?” Todd stared at the larger man. What the heck?

“Sasha. She’s safe. She’s on her way out of the complex, and
the werewolves are looking after her.” Wolfe grinned. “I know. Doesn’t sound
good, but trust me. They’d lay down their lives for your little sister.” Wolfe
grabbed the younger man’s arm and urged him toward the exit. “Nikki’s with me,
and there’s a chopper waiting at the main gates to get us all away from this
madhouse.”

They didn’t know! Todd quickly reassessed his position. If
he let these two lead him out, he just might stand a chance of hijacking the
chopper and getting away scot free. So long as they didn’t meet up with Sasha,
his secret was safe.

He gave Wolfe a cheerful smile. “Great! Lead on then, and
let’s get out of here.”

Dr. Kvordic stood on a ridge to the north of the complex,
watching the destruction of all his carefully laid plans. That damn selkie and
her werewolf lover were to blame. He should have terminated the alpha as soon
as he’d realized the extent of his influence over the rest of the pack. Any of
those beasts could have served as a stud for the selkie, and without their
leader they would have been easier to handle. Next time he’d make sure he had
the animals under better control.

Somehow they’d managed to get word of his grand operation to
a group outside the complex and ruin all his plans. The traitor must have been
more talented than he suspected. Perhaps the new selkie?

Lucky for him he’d had the foresight to build the complex
over one of the deserted mines, shoring up the main horizontal shaft in case of
just such an emergency. He’d lost all of his carefully collected specimens, but
his research journals and the test results on the various subjects were safely
stored on a hard drive in his briefcase. He’d find a new site and begin again.

Turning, he climbed into the waiting helicopter and motioned
the pilot to dim the running lights while the ultralight craft lifted off.

“I wonder if Sasha will remember to let the fae creature
loose.” Nikki, Wolfe and Todd crouched in the bushes just outside the main
gate, waiting for the chopper to return and collect them.

“Sasha’s the one who opened all the enclosures?” Todd let
out a low whistle. “I always suspected she had more talents than I knew about.”

Wolfe frowned. “She didn’t talk to you about her abilities?”

Todd looked nonplussed for a moment. “Well yeah, but
sometimes I knew she was holding things back. You know how siblings are.”

The loud beating of the rotors drowned out conversation, and
signaled the arrival of the helicopter. Nikki tensed, ready to make the run
across the open clearing.

A blur of motion to her left caught Nikki’s attention as the
panther streaked out of the complex. Instead of running toward the waiting
chopper, it sprinted into the dense woods beyond the clearing. She hoped it
could survive this far from its native lands. She was just about positive that
the big cat was just that: a big cat.

Wolfe urged the other two forward as a bone-chilling scream
ripped through the predawn chill. The sounds of fighting intensified, spurring
them forward. They made it to the waiting helicopter, and Nikki and Todd
clambered up first.

Another group appeared at the main gates, sprinting across
the ground toward the chopper and Wolfe paused, one hand on the chopper rails. “Jackson.
Sasha. You made it. We found Todd. He’s already on the chopper along with
Nikki. You guys can catch up when we’re out of here.”

“Who’s Todd?” Jackson frowned.

“Sasha’s brother.” Wolfe tilted his head, a ripple of
apprehension stirring inside him at the look on the young selkie’s face.

Sasha looked confused. “I don’t have a brother, unless you
count my stepdad’s son from his first marriage. His name is Todd, but he hates
me. He always blamed my mom for his parents not getting back together, and he
rarely came to visit his dad. Why would you think I had a brother?”

Wolfe glanced over his shoulder at Nikki, framed in the
doorway of the chopper. He felt his stomach twist as understanding dawned.

“Because he came to us and said he was looking for you. Said
you’d disappeared and he was worried.” Wolfe snarled softly. “We kind of helped
him look for you, and in the process gave him enough information to get Nikki
kidnapped as well. I’m going to rip that son of a bitch apart with my bare
hands.”

“I don’t think so.” Todd appeared behind Nikki, a snub-nose
revolver in his hand. Before anyone had time to react, he grabbed her around
the waist and pressed the barrel of the gun to her temple. “Not if you want to
see your little girlfriend here again. The nice pilot here is going to fly us
somewhere far, far away. I’ll let Nikki go when I’m sure you aren’t looking for
me. Now back off!”

Nikki let out a low whimper of fear, and Wolfe took one step
toward her.

Todd pointed the gun skyward and let off one quick round
before pointing it back at Nikki. “The next one goes into her pretty little
head. I don’t think you want me to do that.” He hollered over his shoulder at
the pilot. “Get us out of here.”

Wolfe stopped dead. Shit! The weapons-jamming bit obviously
didn’t extend beyond the compound perimeter. Nikki could be dead before he had
time to reach her.

“You have to back away from the doorway or you’re going to
be thrown out as soon as I start to lift.” The pilot had to holler to be heard
above the noise of the engines.

Todd inched his way backward, making sure he kept Nikki
between himself and the enraged group on the ground. An evil grin spread across
his face as the pilot prepared for takeoff. The noise level soared as the
rotors spun faster.

* * * * *

Equal doses of frustration and helplessness washed through
Nikki. She watched the ground recede an inch as the heavy machine lifted
slightly, swaying as it did so. If she timed it right, could she throw herself
out the door before they got too far off the ground? She was damned sure Todd
had no intention of letting her go once they were safely away from Wolfe and
Jackson. He’d either kill her or sell her back to that lunatic doctor.

The chopper lifted slowly, much more slowly than she would
have expected. They were about five feet off the ground now and she tensed.
Maybe if she let her legs go limp and dropped down before throwing herself out,
she’d take him by surprise and he wouldn’t have time to pull the trigger. She
took a deep breath, steadying her nerves.

Something brushed against her lower leg, and she caught a
glimpse of Wolfe’s arm as he reached past her to grab Todd’s foot.

The geek stumbled, losing his grip on Nikki. The revolver
clattered to the floor as Wolfe swung himself into the cargo hold.

Nikki dropped to her knees, grabbing for the gun. It slid
across the floor and she managed to grab it just before it fell out the open
doorway.

Todd swore loudly, staggering as Wolfe landed a right hook
on his jaw. The two men circled in the small area, Todd on the defensive as
Wolfe threw punch after punch in a fierce offensive.

Nikki picked up the gun, holding it in both hands as she
tried to aim it at Todd. The two men were close together though, constantly on
the move, and if she fired in such enclosed quarters, she could well kill the
wrong one. She lowered the weapon.

It actually looked like Wolfe was enjoying himself. Blood
poured from a cut on his bottom lip, but his eyes were lit with a murderous
delight as he took a half step forward and landed a roundhouse punch on the
side of Todd’s head, sending him reeling backward.

Both men staggered as the chopper settled to the ground with
a shudder, and Nikki realized the pilot had never intended to go anywhere.

“Enough!” Todd took another hit on his cheek and shook his
head, sending drops of blood flying from a dozen different wounds. “I
surrender! Arrest me. I want a lawyer.”

“I don’t think so.” Wolfe glared at the younger man. “No one
threatens my mate and walks away.” He stepped forward with a sharp undercut,
sending Todd flying backward.

The younger man hit the metal bulkhead behind him with a
solid thunk, his eyes glazing over as he sank to the floor, unconscious. Wolfe
waited a few seconds as if he hoped Todd would get up again before he turned to
pull Nikki into his arms.

He glared at her, blood clotting on his swollen lower lip. “I
am never letting you out of my sight again!”

The pilot bustled into the back and rolled Todd over,
checking to make sure he was still breathing. “Wouldn’t want him to die before
the trial.”

“You’re going to hand him over to the police?” Nikki arched
her brows. What on earth would they tell them? That he’d betrayed a couple of selkies
and attacked a Druid?

“Hardly.” The pilot smiled cheerfully. “He’ll have to stand
accused in front of the Druid Council. We have our own code of behavior and we
take the betrayal of any species under our protection very seriously. I doubt
you’ll be bothered by him again.”

Jackson and Sasha hopped into the chopper and walked over to
stare down at the unconscious Todd. The rest of the pack crowded the ground
below the door, all in human form once again.

“Is that your stepbrother?” Jackson nudged the unconscious
Todd with his foot.

Sasha nodded slowly. “Yeah. My God, I had no idea he hated
me this much!”

Todd’s eyes fluttered open as Jackson poked his foot at him
again. He blinked once, taking in the sea of unsympathetic faces staring down
at him. Before anyone had time to react, he surged to his feet and jumped out
the open door, sprinting toward the bush at breakneck speed. He made it within
yards of the dense greenery before a flash of black fur erupted from the
shadows. The panther grabbed the unlucky man by the scruff of the neck and
dragged him away into the forest.

“Well.” Nikki stared in horrified fascination at the spot
where the panther had disappeared. “Maybe it is more than a panther.”

A bone-chilling scream was followed by a triumphant yowl,
and the escapees exchanged knowing looks. The traitor wouldn’t be standing in
front of any committee. Justice had been served.

“I don’t know what that panther is, and I really don’t care.”
Wolfe urged the remainder of the group into the chopper. “I just want to get
the hell out of here and go home.”

As the rest of the werewolves crowded into the cargo bay,
Ian jogged out the main gate and headed toward the chopper, motioning them to
wait. Reaching the craft, he swung himself up, squeezing between two of the
werewolves. “Let’s get this bird in the air. The diversion group pulled out a
few minutes ago. Tony and Pete are still up on the back ridge, keeping an eye
out for any stragglers but it looks like we got everyone out.”

“What about the fae?” Sasha bit her lower lip. “I didn’t
unlock his enclosure until we were at the gates. We weren’t sure if he’d know
we were on his side.”

“I wouldn’t worry about him.” Ian shook his head. “The fae
have their own ways about them. We tend to keep a respectful distance between
us.”

“Did anyone see the doctor?” Nikki settled into Wolfe’s lap.

Ian shook his head. “He probably had an emergency escape
route planned. I sent the ghost into the main building but he didn’t find
anyone in there except a couple of terrified lab techs. We sent them to the
staging area, and we’ll let them go after we scare the hell out of them. They
claimed they were just following orders, but that’s no excuse for committing
atrocities against any sentient race.”

“Aren’t you afraid of them telling people about what they
saw?” Nikki snuggled back against Wolfe’s solid form, more grateful than she
was willing to admit to have him right there with her.

Ian grinned. “We’re Druids; we have a few tricks up our
sleeves. By the time we’re finished with them, those guys will be convinced the
doctor was insane and they’ve been helping him torture innocent human beings.
Hardly the sort of story they’re going to want spread around to their friends
and families.” He pulled the door shut and signaled the pilot to lift off. “This
isn’t the first time we’ve had to handle a scenario like this.”

Nikki let out a startled yelp as the chopper swayed
sideways, lifted off the ground. Her nerves were a bit more frazzled than she
thought! Wolfe wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back tight against
him, burying his face in her hair. She relaxed with a soft sigh. As long as he
was at her side, she felt safe. He’d better get used to picking berries!