What This Wolf Wants(63)

“No. Which is why they’re working as a team. To cover each other for exactly this type of thing.”

Jackie straightened. “For zip lines?”

Russell snorted. “And anything out of the ordinary. One thing they’ve learned is not to expect anything and how to adjust to unexpected situations. If you can’t be flexible in this line of work, you’re dead.”

What a pleasant thought. “Where’s Zan?”

“East quadrant. Moving toward the three perps.”

Perps. In the past, whenever she read or heard that word, she wanted to laugh. It sounded too much like peeps to her. Those yummy, Easter marshmallow treats.

She didn’t want to laugh now. “Why don’t you have big screens in here like you do downstairs?” She complained as she strained to see Zan on the small screen.

“It’s not like this is a common occurrence.” Russell all but growled at her.

Almost under her breath she hissed, “Could have fooled me.”

Intent on the screens as she was, she saw a small white flash go off in the distance and then that screen went black.

“What just happened?” Marion asked, leaning forward.

“Son of a bitch,” Russell grit between his teeth.

Someone had shot out the camera. “Night vision?” Jackie wondered.

“Not if he has any brains. Lightening flashes would blind him. Has to be infrared. Asshole. That camera was expensive.”

If Shider, who, no doubt was in the tree, could make out the electricity powering the cameras to shoot them out, then Zan stood no chance. He might be super strong, super fast, and have claws, but his super senses wouldn’t be of much use in the pouring rain. “Oh, God. Zan.”

Russell shot her a quick glance. “The suit he has on hides body heat. It’s also bullet resistant.”

Resistant? “Not bullet proof?”

The shifter rolled his chair a fraction to the left. “Depends on the bullet.”

Not comforting. Besides. “His head isn’t protected.”

Nothing for a moment. “Yeah. I know.” Russell spoke into his earpiece and relayed what was happening to Zan.

“We need to have sharpshooters on the roof.”

It was Marion that answered. “Thomas and Cooper were delayed by the storm. Otherwise we would have.”

Jackie tore her eyes from the flat screens to study Marion. “I take it you’ve done this before?”

A brief look of anger. “Once.”

While curious, Jackie wanted to know more, she didn’t know Marion well enough to prod, and now certainly wasn’t the time.

Movement on another screen drew her eye and there was Zan, threading past several trees, using them for cover, stalking the hunters. He disappeared again and two seconds later Jackie saw a dark shadow fall. Before she could gasp, Zan stepped onto the screen again. She almost sighed in relief. He was okay. He’d just taken down one of the intruders. Then his big body jerked sideways and he went down.

A scream of denial lodged in her throat. And then if she wasn’t feeling helpless enough in this sickening situation, there came a soft boom and everything went dark. “Zan,” she gasped.

“Generator’s gone.” Russell bit out several curses. “I need to get out there.”

She heard movement, a brush of clothing, and all she could see was the replay of Zan going down. He’d been shot. Again. How bad, she had no idea. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t even think. Couldn’t freaking breath!

“I need to get the back-up generator going. Ensure the house is protected.” She heard the sound of the metal cabinet opening. “And I need to get to Zan.”

“Baby,” Marion whispered, then stopped. A strangled sound came out of her, “Be careful.”

There were sounds of kissing. Jackie almost wanted to slap them both. Scream that they didn’t have time for that. Not when Zan was hurt, possibly even dead.

She pressed her lips tight, understanding that Russell was heading into that danger, leaving behind his mate, and unborn child. She couldn’t even imagine how hard that was for him. Or for Marion. But at the same time, Jackie’s mate lay injured. And she was a doctor, dammit. Russell couldn’t be in two places at once and she instinctively knew he would head for the generator to insure his mate’s safety. Zan was important to him, she knew that, but a mate’s safety came first. Always.

Just as hers came first. It was one of the reasons why she couldn’t remain with him if he continued to live this lifestyle. If he still lived at all.

“You get the generator up,” Jackie stated firmly, her mind made. “I’ll get to Zan.”

Shocked silence. “You’re not going out there. Zan would slice me open if anything happened to you.”