Soul Avenged (Sons of Wrath, #1) (33 page)

“We were …
attacked.” Barrett choked, spitting blood, leaving a gurgle in his
throat.

“By what?”

The dull glow
of life his eyes clung to began a slow fade. “Lycans.”

“There were
five of you.” Five Alexi soldiers should have swept through even a
moderately-sized pack of lycans.

“Dead.” Blood
sputtered from his mouth. “All of them dead.”

“How many
lycans?”

“I’ve never …
seen so many at once.”

Draven’s lip
curled in disgust. “And you came back here? You led them to
us?”

“I’m sorry,
sir.” The boy’s lids drooped closed. His chest ceased to rise.

“Motherfu—” He
dropped the boy’s lifeless head to the ground.

Growls rose in
the distance. A mass of silver specks emerged like stars out of the
darkness.

All of the
soldiers rose slowly to a stand, Jacob coming to stand beside
Draven. “Should we run?”

“No. It’s too
late.”

***

“So you’re just
going to walk into the gym and kick his ass?” Kane asked, behind
Ayden on the bike.

She’d parked
up into a small copse adjacent to the gym’s parking lot. “No, I’m
going to stalk our prey first. Is this seriously your first hunting
lesson?”

“Considering I
wasn’t in the habit of hunting humans until today, yes.”

She hopped off
the bike and grinned, pulling her fingerless leather gloves tight.
“You never let them know you’re coming.” Her pointed finger
accompanied a level stare. “And don’t you dare get off this fucking
bike if you care to keep your nuts intact.”

“Why?”

“Because this
is
my
kill. Understand?” Something in her expression
revealed a sort of desperation, like a junkie begging for one last
hit.

“You think
he’s the one who attacked you?”

“I’m going
based on theory, Kane.” She ran her hands through her hair. “I have
no idea.”

A shiver of
surprise moved through his body. “Whoa. Weird.”

“What?”

“You just
called me Kane. I think that’s the only time I’ve heard you say my
name.”

Her gaze
quickly cut away from him. “That wasn’t … the first time.”

“Last night.
When you held—”

She flicked
her hand. “Can we
not
talk about that?”

“Can I just
ask one question?”

Rolling her
eyes, she climbed back on the bike, facing him, her legs straddling
steel and her back against the handlebars. “What?”

Goddamn,
that’s hot.
He reared up a little. “Why?”

“Why
what?”

Kane glanced
down, toying with the strap of his helmet in his lap. “Why did you
stay with me?”

“I don’t know
why.”

“Bullshit.”

Silence
lingered between them. One heavy with expectation and
reluctance.

***

Why the hell
can’t you just leave it alone?
Ayden huffed and cleared her
throat. “I know the pain.” She caught a glimpse of him staring at
her. “Not your pain. But the pain of something taking over your
body without your control. It takes two days for the Lywa antibody
to spread through our bodies. It works at a faster rate than the
lycan venom, integrating into our DNA. Changing our structure. The
pain is …” She shook her head. “… unlike anything I’ve ever known.
But ours wasn’t confined to nights. It was two straight days of
hell. I was placed in a room without a bed or blankets, forced to
endure it. Alone. The idea being, if you can face that, you’re
worthy of becoming an Alexi.”

“So it’s twice
the pain as changing into a lycan?”

“I don’t know
what changing into a lycan feels like …” She allowed herself to be
momentarily immersed in the memory of her transformation. “But it
was like someone lit a match in my blood. Every minute of the day,
it seared inside of me. And nothing could make the pain go away.
The antibody contains elements of both lycans and whatever Wade
concocted. He was a biochemist for the government for years before
this, but discharged on unethical behavior.” She sneered and swiped
at her nose. “Bastard was experimenting on human subjects.” Her
hand curled into a fist. “Some Alexi don’t survive it. Depends on
the human they were. For some, he administers the antibody in
smaller doses. Others, he tests their endurance by giving them the
full concentration at once. He’s like some sick, mad scientist. Of
course, I didn’t find out most of this until after I’d left. Wade
makes himself out to be some sort of military hero.”

“So this Wade,
he’s like the Dr. Jekyll of your little cult?”

“He’s the
leader of the Alexi soldiers. Likes to be called General.”

“And you left
them … why?”

The cold
stinging sensation moved through her blood. “Because I belong to no
one. Especially not some sick bastard who will die before he gives
up hunting me down.”

“What does he
want from you? Why doesn’t he just let you go?”

“He’ll never
just let me go. I’m his prized creation. The first immortal that
successfully survived. He coined his own process for it.
Transposation. Integration and transformation into our DNA.”

If
administered immediately after the time of death, the Lywa antibody
concoction could impart immortality. Lycans already carried the
gene; it was just a matter of bringing it to the fore, a feat that
Wade had yet to perfect. Ayden remained his only success.

“Is that why
you took up with the demons?”

“No.” She
smiled. “I hooked up with Gavin for great sex and a comfy bed.”

Kane smiled
back, though his gaze shied away from hers. “Yeah. That’s one thing
I’m going to miss out on.”

“Great sex?
Typical man,” she said. “Give them a bucket list and half of it
will include some form of sex.”

“That’s not
what I meant.”

“Then,
what?”

“Making love
to a woman then waking up with her.” He scratched the back of his
neck. “I’ve never really
experienced
that.”

“So, you’re
one of those wham-bam, cash on the nightstand, kind of guys?”

“I didn’t want
to be.” He sighed. “I just never took it all seriously, I guess.
They all seemed superficial to me.”

Ayden rolled
her eyes. “Oh, please, isn’t that what all men say?”

“I guess.
Always thought I had all this time to settle down and get married.”
He shook his head. “I never really regretted not rushing into
anything until now.”

“Except the
chick you lied to? The one you told you didn’t love when you
did?”

His jaw
clenched. “I didn’t love her. I don’t even know what love is. I
just mean, maybe I could have. Maybe I’ve just been kidding myself
all these years.”

“Mortality’s a
bitch.”

“Yes. It is.”
He stared off then glanced up at her. “So, you’re going to jump him
on the way out, or something?”

“Something. I
like to think on the fly. His wolf nature is to keep out of the
spotlight. Not draw attention to himself. Although he’s been pretty
sloppy for a lycan. Believe it or not, their attacks are pretty
well-thought and controlled. This is one of the most calculated
alphas I’ve seen yet.”

“How so?”

“Their numbers
are growing. So is the crime rate, but they’ve managed it in such a
way that the cases don’t make sense. They’re not skyrocketing.
We’re seeing bigger packs as we infiltrate their lairs. It seems
like the body count doesn’t match the rise in lycans. There are
more missing people than murders. As if they’re being directed
not
to kill off their victims. It’s why I asked about you on
the landing. Like you were left out the way of the pack.”

Kane shifted
on the bike seat. “They would have left me on that landing through
all of this?”

“Eventually,
you would have gotten strong enough to fight off a scavenger.”

“So, you think
the alpha is intentionally trying to increase their numbers?”

“I’m pretty
sure. For the most part, they’re nothing more than animals.
Everything they do, they do on instinct. Mindless beasts.” She
glanced up at him. “No offense, but you’re not about to become the
cream of the crop, or anything.”

“None
taken.”

Her gaze
drifted in the direction of the gym. Inside, a bulky young guy with
short-cropped hair tipped back a can of Redbull. “I sense they’ve
got something bigger planned. We hunt them every night and still
their numbers grow.”

“But you don’t
know who the alpha is?”

“No.” Her
attention turned back toward Kane. “He leads, but often stays in
the shadows, allows his pack to take the kill.”

“Not a very
good leader, if you ask me.”

“Oh? And what
would you do if you were crowned Mr. Lycan of the Year?” She
smirked.

“A leader
leads the charge. Even at his own expense.” There was an impressive
conviction in his words.

“You must have
been quite a director.”

“You’d have to
ask my employees.” His gaze returned down to his helmet again. “I
was just doing my job.”

“Well what do
you say I go do that? He’s just leaving now.”

***

The sight alone
of Evan walking to his car in the empty parking lot of the run-down
gym had something snapping within Kane. Like thunder and lightning
humming through his body, a red haze clouding his eyes.

He hopped off
the bike before Ayden could stop him.

“Hey, Evan!”
Kane approached casually, smiling and waving.

Evan swung
around, his key in hand. “What the fuck are you doing here, dead
man?”

“Turning the
tables.” Kane slammed Evan up against the car door with his arm
pressed up against Evan’s neck. A buzz rocketed through Kane’s
brain, exhilaration at the thought tearing Evan’s head from his
body.

“We should
have killed you!” Evan’s veins sticking out of his neck as he
strained against his attacker. “I’ll take care … of the mess
now.”

“I don’t think
so, lycan.” Ayden stretched her arm across Evan’s chest, pinning
him, and jabbed her dagger into his shoulder. With little effort,
she busted the hilt clean off. “Sacrifices.” She held up the
destroyed piece of metal. “My favorite weapon.”

“Ah, fuck!”
Evan bellowed. “Bitch!” He spat in her face.

“Aww, you’re
so sweet!” She glanced over at Kane. “Thanks for following my
fucking orders. You have about two minutes before his wound pushes
the blade out. If you’re going to kick some ass, I suggest you do
it now.” Her expression hardened. “But, my kill in the end.”
Pushing off of Evan’s chest, she leapt back from him.

Kane lifted
Evan by his jacket then rammed him against the concrete.

Fuck, that
felt good.

Growling, Evan
rolled out of the way, quick and light, rising to his feet. He
hunched into a face-off, and Kane spun to follow as Evan began
circling him.

A rolling drum
of growls vied for domination.

Kane lunged
forward and barreled into Evan’s midsection, knocking him to the
ground again. They rolled around each other, snarling, grunting and
throwing punches that cracked against each other’s faces. Two wild
dogs ripping each other apart.

Kane heaved
Evan back into the air, landing him on his feet. A roll to the
side, and Kane caught Evan’s leg beneath his body. He whacked the
back of Evan’s knee with his elbow and cracked the bone, a hoarse
cry echoing around the dark lot as Kane rolled away and onto his
feet.

Grabbing his
injured knee, Evan flopped to the ground. His body trembled. The
blade from his shoulder emerged through his skin and dropped with a
clang. Smiling, Evan leaped into his wolf form, deep gray fur
covering his body.

The sight of
the wolf brought on a rush of adrenaline and Kane couldn’t help but
smile. “Come on, fucker.”

He beckoned
Evan, but Ayden stormed head first like a linebacker before the
lycan could respond, knocking Evan to the ground.

“Get back
halfling.”

“No.” Kane
gnarled.

“I told you,
he’s my kill.”

The glance
back at Kane cost her, and Evan launched himself into the air, the
downward plunge of his body knocking her backward.

***

Without her
dagger at the ready, Ayden was forced to fight hand to hand, and
she swung and punched, and blocked and ducked—until a tortured cry
rattled her skull.

Kane’s
change.

Dammit. I need
this shit right now?

She hammered
her boot into the wolf’s chest and jumped to a stand.

Grunts and
groans carried across from somewhere on the other side of Evan’s
car.

Her attention
returned to the charging lycan. Instinct kicked in.

Kill.

She threw out
her leg at the last second and the wolf dropped to the ground.
Ayden climbed atop of him. It squirmed and bucked beneath her, but
she held tight, dodging swiping claws and snapping jaws.

Kane’s bellows
and moans affected her concentration. She could have ripped Evan’s
spinal cord from his body because of it.

Not yet.

Ayden grabbed
hold of the beast. With her thighs flexed around its massive body,
it was no match for her strength.

Grabbing hold
of its arm, she bent back its claws and placed her hand against its
fleshy paw.

Evan’s brown
eyes stared back at her through the wolfish exterior as if
confused.

Ayden
concentrated. Nothing. She opened her eyes and wrapped its claw
around her wrist. A ballsy move, playing pat-a-cake with the
wolf.

Evan, however,
did nothing more than growl beneath her.

She clearly
hadn’t found the beast that’d bitten Kane. Or the memories hadn’t
been hers, after all.

The moment of
contemplation had her flying through the air.

Pain lanced
through her rump on landing.