Abandoned (13 page)

“Good. She’s sleeping. She slept most of the day and now she’s at rest again.”

“I’m sure she needs the z’s.”

“No doubt. So she told me about the weird hospital place she was taken. I wanted to punch a hole in the wall.”

“Yeah. Don’t we all. Did she add anything new?”

“No. She seems to have amnesia about the entire thing. Not sure if it’s a result of self-preservation or the drugs.”

“Could be a combo.”

“We may never find out more from her.”

“I know.”

“I’ll let you know if anything new comes to light.” Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, hating the chill that raced down his spine. Something niggled at him. Worried him. Reasonable or not, he wasn’t the kind of man to ignore premonitions. He stared into the darkness as if he might see something out there between the trees. He didn’t scent another shifter, but nevertheless he felt like he was being watched. He shook the thought from his mind for a moment. “I need to make a few more calls. Talk to you later?”

“Of course. Later.” Evan hung up.

Daniel dialed his father next.

“Son,” he answered.

“Dad.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yep. With the exception of the fact that my mate was held prisoner and drugged mysteriously for the last year. Peachy otherwise.”

His father exhaled loudly. “I’m sorry for that.”

“Are her parents okay?”

“Yes. They’re here at the main house with us this evening. They’re fine. They know what’s up.”

“Please tell them I will speak to them as soon as possible. I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I can’t leave Allison here alone
,
and she’s exhausted.”

“They understand, Daniel. Don’t worry. Why don’t you and Allison come to the main house for breakfast tomorrow
,
and I’ll have the Watkins join us.”

“Sounds good.”

“Good night.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Daniel pressed the end button and set the phone in his lap. It was still blazing hot out
,
even in the late evening air. He stared into the darkness again. He could see quite well even at night
,
and he peered into the tree line as though someone were going to pop out at any minute and try to ruin what he’d just solidified today.

It wasn’t reasonable, but the feeling persisted. He finally dragged himself inside and joined his mate in bed, wrapping himself around her and holding her tight against his chest.

Whatever else they had to face would be there in the morning.

•●•

Henry’s hands shook as he answered the phone. Receiving more than one call within a few days from his superior was never a good thing. “Yes.” His voice squeaked and cracked on that one word.

“Did you get a man out to that dude ranch?”

“Yes, sir. He got a visual on Allison Watkins. I’ve already dispatched a team to retrieve her. Shouldn’t be tough. She’s alone in a cabin with some guy from the ranch.”

“Good. Act fast. I don’t want Allison Watkins slipping away, dammit.”

“I understand, sir.” Henry drummed his fingers on his thigh as he spoke.

“And Henry. I need you to pick up the pace on your end. This means war.”

“Pick up the pace?”
Is he crazy?
As it was they’d been working around the clock trying to meet the demands of his superior and whoever was above him.

“Did I stutter?” The man’s voice rose. He was angry, but Henry heard a thread of fear in it also.
So, there is another man above this guy. There has to be. He wouldn’t be so nervous if he were the end of the line.
The man didn’t wait for Henry to respond. “How many subjects are ready to fight?”

“Maybe two dozen, sir.”

“Only two dozen? Fuck.” His voice rose. “I need more than that and I need them ready within a week. Do you understand how critical this is?”

No, I don’t have the foggiest clue how critical this is? Why don’t you tell me?

The man continued. The more Henry spoke to him, the more he realized by his voice the man was older, significantly older than Henry. “Do you think NAR has just two dozen men ready to fight against us?”

“No, sir. I’m sure they are far more prepared than that.” Henry cringed. NAR was mobilizing. They surely had hundreds of men at the ready. But what NAR didn’t know was that the Romulus was coming. The Romulus was stronger. The Romulus would take them down unexpectedly and take over the entire shifter government system so fast they wouldn’t know what hit them. But Henry needed more time. At least a few weeks. Maybe more. No sense telling his superior that
,
though. The man needed to be placated right now before he had a stroke.

“Are you with me on this, Fairfield?”

“Of course, sir.” As aggravating as his superior was, Henry was totally on board. One thing he agreed with wholeheartedly was that The Head Council needed to be taken down and destroyed. Those bastards had ruined his life and he would get them back. When he’d come to work for the Romulus, he’d been giddy. Finally, a group organizing to take out the mother fuckers who thought they ruled the universe.

Henry would be on the winning side in this history lesson. And he intended to make that clear as soon as possible. Nothing would make him happier. He didn’t give a flying fuck what his superior’s motives were. All he cared about was that their goals were the same. Take out The Head Council and end their rule for good.

When Henry hung up the phone, he leaned back and closed his eyes for a few minutes. A quick nap would refresh him. He didn’t expect it to be long before the phone rang again.

•●•

Something yanked Daniel from a deep sleep. His eyes shot open wide. He had no idea what it was. A noise? He couldn’t recall, but he wrapped himself tighter around Allison and listened closely, his heartbeat thumping in his ears loud enough to raise his blood pressure.

There it was again. Definitely a noise. He jerked upright, his hand still on his mate as he recognized the sound of someone trying to open the front door. The distinct noise of a rattling doorknob that wouldn’t turn.

“What is it?” Allison whispered.

Daniel set his finger against her lips, glancing only briefly in her direction.

Another noise. Coming from the kitchen. The window? Had he locked it? Hell, he’d never even locked the front door before tonight. His instinct must have been well-founded.

He couldn’t remain impassive any longer. He needed to act. Allison was naked, as was he. As silently as possible, he slipped from the bed, grabbed a T-shirt from the floor and slipped it over his mate’s head.

She trembled, her breaths coming in loud pants. She gripped his hand and pulled him closer.

Daniel set his mouth against her ear. “Get under the bed.” He pulled her to the edge
,
and she crouched down when her feet hit the floor.

“Daniel?” Her whispered voice was shaky and filled with fear.

Daniel grabbed his cell off the bedside table, dialed his father
,
and set the phone on the floor. “Don’t say anything. Just leave the line open.” He pressed her head and pointed at the floor. He needed her under that bed immediately, where he could at least hope she was safe from gunfire.

Allison squirmed her way under the low mattress, holding her breath, her eyes wide when he glanced at her.

He slid the phone under next to her, praying his father would answer if he hadn’t already and gather there was danger.

The rattling in the kitchen had ceased, but that only made Daniel more nervous. At least when there had been a noise, he’d known where the threat was located. Without that warning, he had no idea what direction to head first.

He crept to the bedroom door and listened carefully, hoping someone didn’t crash through the bedroom window as he exited. His hands were fisted at his sides as he inched the door open and peered through the slit.

Nothing. Whoever it was wasn’t inside. He’d be able to smell them, human or shifter, if they were. He held his breath, attempting to detect any noise at all. Leaving his mate unattended wasn’t on his short list, but sitting in the bedroom waiting to be attacked didn’t give him warm fuzzies
,
either. He hoped if he left her, he might be able to lure the bastard with him.

The front doorknob rattled again. Why? Did the asshole think it might have gotten itself unlocked in the last few minutes?

The second Daniel made a step into the hall, a crash behind him made him spin on his heels. Something had come through the bedroom window, shattering the pane
.
A brink clattered to the floor.

Allison let out a short scream.

“Fuck,” Daniel muttered under his breath. That meant there was more than one person outside. No way could the same man who’d rattled the front door also throw a brick through the bedroom window on the other side of the house so quickly. “Allison, stay down,” he whispered as he stepped back into the room and shut the door behind him.

Whoever was out there was determined. Without backup, there was no way Daniel could keep them safe.

A gunshot sent Daniel to the floor. He flattened himself on the broken glass and rolled toward the bed. He had no idea where the shot had come from or who it was aimed at, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

Silence. He breathed so heavily, it almost covered the whimpers of Allison under the bed. She reached out with one hand and grabbed his arm. “Are you hit?”

“No, baby. I’m fine,” he whispered.

Two more shots rang out in succession. This time he thought they came from the front of the house. He prayed whoever was doing the shooting was on his side and successful. He rolled over onto his back and then his front again, assuming it would be safer against the glass than crawling over it.

Reaching up with one hand, he managed to open the drawer on the bedside table and retrieve his gun. He set it on the floor under his chin and then reached back in to grapple for the box of bullets. The gun was loaded, but he had no idea how much ammunition he might need if he left the room.

“You have a gun?” Allison gasped.

Honestly, Daniel had never owned a pistol until he’d joined NAR. Now he’d never been so glad to have military experience in his life. He didn’t answer her rhetorical question. Instead he looked into her eyes and reached out to stroke her cheek. “Stay as quiet as you can, Allie. I need to check this out.”