Shadow’s words stunned Beauty. “Why would they come for me?”
Breeze glanced up, anger clear on her face. “You heard Shadow. Get inside that tub and stay down!”
They think I’m useless. It stung as Beauty backed out of their sight but stayed close enough to hear their conversation.
“Do you think they are really after her?” Breeze lowered her voice. “How would they know where to find her?”
“There were meetings about us coming to Reservation, weren’t there?” He growled his words, obviously still furious. “Why else would they suddenly breach this area? It’s less protected than Homeland. Someone must know she’s here.”
“I don’t know.” The shotgun pumped—a distinctive sound. “The humans really are curious about Species females. Justice and the council have purposely avoided our pictures being publicized by using victim laws to protect our privacy. They might just want to take pictures. Humans would know she couldn’t put up much of a fight. She’d be the perfect target in that case. They might also be after her for ransom if we do have another leak of information. Gifts are our weakest members and they think we’d pay the most for them.”
Shadow hesitated. “The asshole who owned her wants her back. I know I’d do anything to retrieve her if she were taken from me. I made it my business to learn about him after I met Beauty. The few guards captured when she was rescued stated the human was obsessed with her. They feared death by him for allowing her to be taken.”
“Son of a bitch,” Breeze snarled. “I didn’t think of that. He was one of the rich Mercile investors. He’d have the resources to send humans after her and he was never caught.”
“It won’t happen,” he swore viciously. “No one is taking her from me.”
Master. Beauty’s knees gave out and she sank to the carpet as memories assaulted her. He would do anything to get her back if he felt he could. Just the thought of returning to her old life made her feel sick to her stomach. She’d be locked back inside a dark basement, only being brought out when he wanted to dress her up like the doll he thought her to be. Guards would taunt her again, terrify her and attempt to starve her into submission.
She wrapped her arms tightly around her waist, hugging hard as the chills hit. Worse, the men hired to come after her would have to kill Shadow and Breeze to be able to take her from Reservation. No way would either Species allow her to be returned to the monster who’d held her captive all her life as long as they were breathing. That bit of knowledge drove the terror back.
It’s not happening. No! Anger surged as she climbed to her unsteady legs and entered Shadow’s room. He kept weapons there too. She wasn’t going back to that hell. Never again would she be forced to suffer the touch of a man she hated. No guards would call her cruel names while they tormented her with threats of rape and molestation. She’d rather die first.
Shadow’s bag had at least six weapons of different sizes. She grabbed one of the smallest handguns, testing it in her hand. It was heavy and cold. It should have a safety. She located it, making sure it was off and kept the muzzle pointed away from her body. It wouldn’t do if she accidently shot herself.
She crept toward the closed window and peeked outside at the woods. There was no movement except for signs that it was a little windy. For once she wished she had the extremely heightened Species sense of smell—primate wasn’t as keen as canine or feline.
Her heart rate remained unsteady, part fear, part anger. Shadow and Breeze were in danger. No way would she curl up and hide in a metal tub while they fought, if it came down to it. They might think her useless but she didn’t agree. No one had ever really given her the chance to prove she wasn’t defenseless but she’d managed to attack Torrent.
Time crawled as the occasional whisper could be heard from below. Breeze and Shadow talked too low for her to pick up the words but she tensed when one of them growled. It had to mean they’d seen or sensed something they didn’t like.“Fuck,” Breeze said louder. “Tree trunks don’t move but that’s what I just saw. They are wearing expensive camouflage clothing. I’ve got motion in two locations.”
“Three on this side,” Shadow snarled. “There are more than four.”
“I’m calling it in on my cell phone.” There was a pause. “I have no signal.”
“There should be.”
Beauty had to agree. She’d called Breeze from her cell phone without trouble.
“They must have taken out the antenna that boosts the signal this far out.” Breeze’s voice deepened in rage. “Do you have a satellite phone? They can’t stop us from using one of those.”
“It’s upstairs.”
“I’m on it,” Beauty called out, happy to do something.
“I told you to get inside the tub,” Shadow snarled loudly.
She ignored him to stride to the dresser. She’d seen one of the phones in the top drawer and pulled it out. It took her a few seconds to figure out how to turn it on. The Reservation number was programmed into the memory. She couldn’t get a signal.
“Oh no. It doesn’t work.”
“Bring it down,” Breeze snapped, her hearing keen.
“No,” Shadow protested. “Stay up there where it is safer.”
“We need help.” Breeze’s tone lowered. “They are approaching slowly but I see them. Bring it to me, Beauty. Hurry.”
Beauty put the gun down in case they got angry at her for having one and rushed downstairs. She handed the phone to the Species. Breeze rested the shotgun against her chest, cradled in one arm, and tried to use it. A shocked expression paled her features.
“This can’t be happening,” she whispered. “No signal is registering. How is that possible? We were assured these would work no matter what.”
“They must be jamming the entire area.” Shadow growled. “These aren’t typical humans.”
“What does that mean?” Beauty glanced between them.
“The task force had jamming equipment that could choke all airways.” He looked grim. “Military grade and it’s not cheap or easy to come by.”
“Do you think they are members of your team?” Breeze paled. “Would they betray us this way?”
Shadow shook his head. “No. It’s not the task force out there. I’m just saying, if they got their hands on that equipment, then they aren’t a standard group of humans. They have money and contacts.” His gaze slid to Beauty. “Get upstairs.”
“You think Master sent them after me?”
He growled. “I told you to stop calling him that.”
“That’s what you think, isn’t it?”
He nodded sharply. “He is rich and could hire the best mercenaries. Go upstairs.”
“Where are our males? Where is Torrent? He’s supposed to be hunting them.” Breeze passed the phone back. “Do as he says, Beauty. Stay in the tub. I’m sure they are armed. The gunfire will at least draw some of the residents here if they don’t pick up the scent of humans on the wind first.”
“Two more,” Shadow growled. “That’s seven in all unless you have spotted more.”
“Eight,” Breeze hissed. “One is in the trees. I just saw a glint reflect off something. He’s probably using binoculars to check us out.” She hugged the wall tighter, trying to hide. “We’re greatly outnumbered.” She released the shotgun with one hand and used her knuckle to tap the wall. “Not good. Bullets are going to slice right through the wood. This is one of the original cabins that was already here, not the better-quality ones we built.”
“We have to assume the worst.” Shadow spoke calmly but he looked furious. “There are more of them than Torrent knew of. Security wasn’t aware of it either or they would have given him more accurate information.”
“You want to assume Torrent and the officers in this area are dead?” Breeze grimly met his gaze.
“Yes.”
“We would have heard it if they shot our males. They couldn’t take out a Species in a hand-to-hand fight. They are human.”
“Silencers.” Shadow looked out the window. “We wouldn’t have heard anything either if they have snipers taking them out from a distance. Our males wouldn’t have even spotted them until it was too late. They could fire before their scents were picked up.”
Breeze paled but focused her attention out the window too. “What do we do?”
“Beauty? Get upstairs.” Shadow sounded calm when he spoke.
She hesitated, watching them. Fear and dread raged inside her. Her friend and the man she loved were in danger because her of her past. Shadow had admitted they were outnumbered and she had spotted fear lurking in Breeze’s eyes before she’d looked away. She was the most fearless woman she knew.
“I could go out there and surrender to them.”
Shadow’s head whipped in her direction and his gaze filled with fury. “What?”
“They’ll leave with me. Both of you will be safe.” It was a sacrifice she was willing to make. She held Shadow’s gaze. “You’ll find me again with the task force. I know you will. You have to live to be able to do that. Master won’t kill me. He obviously wants me back pretty bad to hire those men.” She hugged her waist. “I can’t let you die.”