Neal (Golden Streak Series) (12 page)

Neal’s temper snapped. He jerked his
brother up so hard that he startled little Gabriella into waking suddenly. But
he didn’t let him down. Not even when she started screaming in his brother’s
arms.

“You’ll keep your tongue behind your
teeth or so help me to Christ, I will lay you out beside him when I find the
bastard who dared touch what is mine.” He gave Ryland a hard shake.

Brock touched his arm. “Let him go. Neal,
let him go before you hurt the baby, and then Bronwyn will have your ass.”

He let Ryland go and realized that he’d
never fought back. He walked away just as he felt the room tighten and there
stood the vampire. He bowed before him and looked around.

“Karin said you wanted to talk to me. This
is amazing being out in the….What’s happened here?”

“Someone took them. Both Rayne and
Bronwyn and hurt Karin bad enough that she’s lost a great deal of blood and has
a few broken bones too. Also, I think they were looking for my baby. I can only
imagine what they wanted with an infant, can you?”

“To raise her to breed for them,” Peter
told Ryland in answer to his question. “I know where they are taking them,
but…I cannot get into the building. Someone knew about me and has blocked my
kind from entering. Unless someone enters and allows me to come in, I’m afraid
all I can assist you with is getting you there.”

“Take me there.” Before he could make arrangements
to drive anywhere with Peter, he was suddenly standing just outside the massive
building. “I thought we’d all come together.”

He leaned over, feeling sick when
suddenly Brock was there too. When he returned with Ryland as well, Neal could
have kissed the man. Ryland hugged the vamp to him.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorrier than I’ve ever
been.” Ryland looked at Neal. “Will you forgive me as well? I was…she’s all I
have, and I was stupid.”

“Yes you were, and an asshole too. You
made Rayne cry, and for that I should knock the shit out of you.” Peter laughed
at him, and he glared at him. “Well, he is when he wants to be.”

“But he is your male.” Peter moved to
the front of the building and stood still. “She is inside. There is another
with her, but I cannot read her, so I can only surmise that it is your female. Rayne
is hurt but not badly. The other woman is as well. Again, not badly. What is
the plan?”

“There are several men that could help
us. How many times can you do this before you have to rest?” Neal looked at
Brock with a raised brow. “This is not my first vampire. I know a few of them.”

“I can make perhaps five more trips.
Less if the person is large. Like the bear at your home, Ryland. Shall I bring
him to you?” As soon as Ryland nodded, Peter disappeared only to return with
Max. Just as Peter let him go, Max took a swing at him.

“I was having dinner with my family, you
fucking asshole. What the fuck did you have to do that for, Peter?” Neal wasn’t
even surprised to know that the two of them knew each other. “You could have at
least said hi to my wife and children before you snatched me from my home like
it was an emergency or something.”

“It is. Bronwyn and Rayne have been
kidnapped and we think they might have been intent on taking my daughter.” Max
looked at the building and asked Ryland if the women were inside there. “Yes. I
need to get them out.”

“You’ll need the other cats. The ones the
missus got as a streak the first time out. Mike will know how to get ’em here,
Jonny quick like if you want them.” Max looked at Peter. “You know how to find
the rogue cat, don’t you?”

Peter made another trip back and brought
three of the cats with him. They were hanging on him like ornaments on a tree. When
he staggered slightly, Neal helped him sit down.

“I might have overestimated myself a
little.” Without thought to what might happen, Neal offered him his wrist. “You
know what this means, do you not? It means we are about to have the best sex of
your life.”

Neal jerked his arm back, and Peter fell
over laughing. Neal kicked at him, cursing. “Stupid ass, don’t you know how
serious this is? I was trying to help you, and you make jokes.”

He laughed with him and was glad that
the old man had done it. It had broken the tension. And he took his first deep
breath in hours. He shook his head when Peter continued to laugh for another
five minutes or so.

“I am sorry, but had you been able to
see your face, you would have....” He took his wrist again and this time licked
along the vein. “I will only take what I need to help. Nothing more. But we’ll
have a connection akin to the one that Rayne and I have.”

“You help me get them out and I’ll be
happy to discuss whatever connection you want. After we get them out.” Peter
nodded and sank his teeth into his wrist.

There was little pain, but he knew as a supernatural
being that the lick he’d given his wrist would deaden the pain. When he lifted
his head, Peter looked at him oddly but only told him thanks. By the time the
other cats were with them, a dozen total, they were about as ready to storm the
castle as they’d ever be. Just as they were about to enter onto the compound, a
large limo pulled up and a man stepped out.

“That is the man you need to end.” Peter
nodded to him. “He is Holden, Freddy Holden, and he’s a rogue.”

Neal turned to look at him. “Rogue, as
in vampire? You’ve got to be kidding me? Who the hell would want a rogue
vampire running around with the CIA?”

“One who does not care so long as the
job is finished. And he is not a vampire but a human who has no scruples or
anything redeeming about him.” Peter looked back at the building as he
continued. “He is not a good man, as you know, but if we go in there as we
are…I believe it is called half-cocked, though I don’t understand that term…we
will surely get ourselves killed as soon as we enter. He is a man who would
kill them rather than have anyone else get his prize. I think we need a plan.”

Neal agreed with him. “There’s a grove
of woods we can meet at over there. I think if we just sit down and think this
through, we can get the women out and get them home.”

“And the others.” They all looked at
Mike. “There will be others in there. This lab, it’s not unlike the others that
your mate and I have been in before. They will have others inside that they are
working on, killing, breeding. We need to make sure that they’re out as well.”

They all nodded. If it was possible to
get them all out, they would, but they were going to get their mates out first
and foremost. Neal would die if he didn’t have Rayne by his side.

Chapter 12

Rayne knew she had to help Bronwyn, but
she was afraid if she did, she wouldn’t be able to save either of them.
Reaching down to touch the other woman, she felt the need to heal course
through her. “Fuck it.”

Pressing her hands over her, she moved
along her body and found why she wasn’t waking up. They’d hit her pretty hard
in the head, and there was some major damage. Cursing more at the men who had
come to her place and took them, she sent all she was into her wound and repaired
all the damage. If Bronwyn was half as strong as she thought she was, Rayne
thought she would be able to get them both out.

When she opened her eyes twenty minutes
later, Rayne could have wept. She leaned down to her and told her not to move. Then
she nodded to the camera above them. Bronwyn asked if they had gotten
Gabriella.

“No. I heard them coming through the
room just after you’d left us and hid her. I put her into a little bit of a
sleep to keep her quiet. I’m sorry about that.” Bronwyn told her that it was
fine so long as her child was. “I called Neal on the cell phone before we were
brought inside, knowing that we wouldn’t be able to communicate with them after
that. They hurt my mom.”

“We’ll get out.” She closed her eyes
again, and Rayne walked to the other side of the room. When Bronwyn touched her
mind, she nearly screamed. She hadn’t realized that she could do that too.

“I’m getting stronger. I’m assuming that
you had something to do with that.”
She told her she had.
“I thank you. When
we get out of here and fuck this place up, you and I are going to do some
serious shopping. On line. I’m sick of malls and shops where we can get
cornered and shot up. That’s just fucked up no matter how you look at it.”

Rayne laughed, knowing that’s what she’d
meant for her to do. It felt good, invigorating, as well as lifting her
spirits. She sat down on the bed and looked out into the open lab.

“I’ve been to one like this before. I
think the same man runs it. Do you know a man by the name of Holden?”
She told her
that she didn’t but that didn’t mean she hadn’t had contact with him.
“You
more than likely had. Some guy I think we both knew helped him run one once
before. Cunningham. Him you do know.”

“Yes. He had a lab not far from here, as
a matter of fact. When we went in, it was such a mess. Dead bodies had been
stacked in rows in any room they could find a place to put them. Some of them
had been in there for so long that it had been difficult to tell what they were,
much less who they were.”
Rayne felt a small twinge of power come over her.
“I’m
giving you a little at a time until we’re both about even. What you gave me
healed me, and…I think you give up a part of yourself when you heal someone,
don’t you?”

“Yes, for the most part. I think I get
most of my energy from the plants when I…help them, I suppose. It’s why I
wanted to work with them. No matter what I’m feeling, the first time I touch
them I feel the difference.”
She leaned back against the wall.
“When
they come for us, they’re going to want you to tell them about your daughter. The
man who hit you said that he was to bring her back with him. I think Holden
thinks of her as a sort of prize or something. When I was here…they…I was to be
used for breeding purposes.”

“Me too. They tried to take my eggs, but…well,
I’m pretty fucking bad assed when I’m pissed.”
Rayne laughed at
her.
“I’m betting you are, too. Other than the plants, what is your specialty?”

Before she could answer her, someone
came in the lab. She didn’t bother standing because, first of all, that would
show him she cared and, secondly, she was saving her energy. She glanced at
Bronwyn and saw that she’d closed her eyes again. She thought it was a good
idea that they thought her too hurt to defend herself for now.

“Well, well, well. We meet again, my
dear child. I had heard that you were dead. At least that’s what the little
tracers said when I asked them. How on earth did you get my markers out without
killing yourself?” He had a chair brought to him, and he sat down. He was well
away from the cell doors, but she knew if she wanted him he’d be close enough
in a second no matter what he did.

“I’m resourceful. How is it you get
fatter every time I see you and still live?” She laughed when he sputtered. “What
have you put on? Fifty? Sixty pounds? Must be all that desk work you do. Makes
you forget that you need to be in better shape to fuck with me, I’m thinking. Why
don’t you come a little closer and I’ll show you how resourceful I can be.”

“You think you’re so brave on the other
side of that cell? I can have you shot from here, and we both know that. How
many times did I do that before until you got the idea that I mean business? Ten?
Fifteen? I’m thinking the latter number.”

She laughed at him when he told the man
standing next to him to give him his gun. The man hesitated for several seconds
until he handed it over. The moment that he touched it, he dropped it and cried
out. Rayne wanted to look at Bronwyn but didn’t want to give away her being
awake.

“You fucking cunt. You’ll pay for this.”
He shook his hand, and she could see the blisters already forming. He’d been
burnt.

“He can’t shoot you, not if I have to heal
you and get us out of here.”
Bronwyn sounded pissed off.
“Asshole.
Yeah, I remember him, but he went by the name of Sandalwood back then. And
you’re right. He is a fucking tub of lard.”

“Where’s the kid?” She looked at him
oddly. “I know you know about her having a baby. You delivered the fucking
thing. I’m thinking with your power and hers together, that kid has to be
amazing.”

“I didn’t father her baby, you dimwit. I
only helped bring it into the world. Where do you get your information from? Your
boy Sheldon, or is it his nephew Bobby? Where is that boy, I wonder?” She
thanked Bronwyn for the extra information and knew that they had scared Bobby
into running where they hadn’t found him yet. “You killed poor Sheldon, and now
the manhunt is on for the boy. But you won’t find him. Want to know why?”

He stood up and came within a foot of
the cell. She could have gotten to him before he backed off, but she wanted to
give him just enough leeway to hang himself. Or her kill him, it didn’t matter
to her so long as he was dead.

“You think you’re so fucking special,
don’t you? The little faerie that has her little plants is so bad assed that no
one can touch her. But I did, didn’t I? I got news for you, bitch, you ain’t
all that special, and as far as your shop goes, I’m going to take care of that
tonight. You’re going to be fucking history, just like your shop.”

She didn’t move. Her shop would be
destroyed, and there wasn’t a fucking thing she could do about it but mourn the
loss. When she felt Bronwyn touch her mind again, she brushed her off. She was
in enough pain right now and didn’t want or need any sympathy from her.

“You think that the shop is going to
break me, Freddy? Make me just simply roll over and let you have what you
want?” She stood up, and he backed up, almost tripping over the chair behind
him. “You’d better fucking hope that when we get out of here that I kill you
first, because if I don’t, I’m going to give you to the ‘subjects’ that you’ve
been playing with. You think they’re going to let you go gentle in the night,
Freddy boy?”

“Stop calling me that fucking name. I
told you before it’s Frederick. And if you can’t remember that, then Mr.
Holden. Or Master. I like Master.” He took a step toward her and backed up
again when she stepped toward him. “You’re fucking going to beg me to kill you.
You and that fucking cunt laying there that just might live until tomorrow will
both be dead as soon as I get what I want from you both. And even if I have to
kill you myself without a single test, you’re not leaving this compound alive.”

He was nearly to the door when she said
his name. She didn’t say another word until he turned, and then she smiled at
him. “Wanna take bets on which one of us leaves here in a body bag? Will it be
you or me?”

Rayne looked around the lab again and
then at the two men standing on the other side of the cell. They were armed
with weapons she was sure didn’t come from the local gun shop, and the body
armor they had on was thick and, she was sure, bullet proof. She didn’t care. If
she wanted them dead, they would be. She told Bronwyn to cover her face.

The cameras exploded all around the
room. The one in her cell stayed on long enough for her to stand up and flip
off the thing before she turned her back and it, too, exploded. She looked over
at the two men and smiled. The one on the right looked at his partner, then
back at her.

“Boo.” When he took a step back, she laughed.
“You have five seconds to leave here or so help me, you’ll be in twice as many
pieces as those cameras. Five, four, three….”

They were gone before she could say two.
Rayne turned to Bronwyn. She was sitting up and smiling at her. Blood no longer
seeped from the wound at her head, but she did look pale. When she stood up,
she reached her hands into the air and the lab came apart.

Tables bent in half. Glass jars along
the walls exploded and their contents spilled everywhere. Some of it smoked as
it hit the tiled floor; some just hardened. The chair that Freddy had been
sitting in ended up in the wall about a foot deep, and the cabinets that held
things like gloves and gowns rained down on the room as if it was a freak
storm. Rayne turned to look at her.

“I’m guessing you’re feeling better.”
Bronwyn nodded and reached for her. “No thanks. Whatever you have might kill
me.”

She touched her anyway, and Rayne felt
as if she had touched a live wire. Crying out with it, she gripped the cell
bars as her body adjusted to whatever she’d done to her. When she looked at her
again, Bronwyn was smiling.

“Don’t ever do that again.” She nodded.
“I’m fucking serious. That was…fuck, that hurt. You do that to Freddy boy and
he’ll piss his pants.”

“If I did it to Freddy at all, I won’t
hold back. And he’d be dead the moment I put my hands on him.” Rayne wanted to
ask her how much she’d held back but didn’t. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know
if she had held back a lot or just a little. Either way, she felt like she’d
been reenergized to the max.

~~~

Bronwyn was trying her best not to be
impressed with the little flower girl. She’d taken to calling Rayne that when
she and Ryland talked about her. She’d have to rethink that, because she could
now see she was more than just a person who played in the dirt. Rayne was
amazingly strong. And she’d taken her gift like no one ever had before, and
she’d taken all of her not a little like she’d told her. Christ, she’d killed
men with less.

“If this building is anything like his
other labs, there will be a holding area below us. I want you to get out of
here and back to your daughter, and I’ll—”

“Do you know her name? Her full name?” Rayne
looked at her oddly, then shook her head. “It’s Gabriella Rayne Golden. We were
going to have her middle name be Angel, but we wanted to name her for her
godmother.”

“You named your daughter after me? Why
would you do that? Hang on? Godmother? I can barely take care of me and you
want me to raise your daughter? I think you should rethink that pretty fucking
quick.” Bronwyn laughed. “I mean it’s a pretty name and all, but sheesh, the
kid will be called Stormy Weather for the rest of her life if anyone finds
out.”

“No, she won’t, because you’ll tell her
not to let them and show her how to beat the shit out of the first one who
tries.” Rayne shook her head. “And I’m not leaving here without you.
We’re
going to go to the holding area together, and
we’re
going to help those
out that can’t move, and
we’re
going to kill that fucking tub of lard
Holden as a team.”

She looked down the stairs, then back at
her. “You know you sound just like Neal. He gets pissy too when I think I can
do something all on my own. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the two of you
were sister and brother and not in-laws.”

She thanked her and followed her down
the flight of stairs. It took them ten minutes to find the area. Along the way,
they opened cell doors as they passed them and helped who they could to their
feet. Two were dead or so close it mattered little, and they found one child on
this floor. Handing the little boy off to one of the ones who could walk, they
showed them on the map how to leave the building from the basement.

“Nice of him to provide us with a fire
escape plan, don’t you think?” Rayne nodded as she opened another door. In this
cell were three small cubs, wild wolves that had been stolen from their mother
too soon and were starving. Going to the refrigerator, she found some meat that
was still vacuum sealed and tore it open and tossed it to them. They nearly
were too weak to eat. Rayne found a bowl and filled it with some water she’d
found too.

“They’ll need care.” Bronwyn nodded at
her. “I have a customer that works at the zoo. Maybe he can make sure they’re
taken care of. Put them somewhere they can get healthy again or something.”