Boondock stopped cold. He paled. "You did not."
Heat burst in her face, but she kept his gaze. "I did." Slowly, deliberately, she tugged her shirt to the side to reveal the mating mark. "I burned the hell out of his back, too."
Boondock gasped.
"Damn it," George yelled. "I knew I couldn't trust you. Attack."
Men poured from the other two silent planes, guns blazing. The Guards turned to defend themselves. George grabbed Nessa and pushed his gun to her throat.
The warehouse door burst open, and several flash grenades rolled across the floor, blowing up and sheeting the room in blue light. Nessa dropped fast and swung out, nailing George in the knee.
Her head rang, and she couldn't see. The smoke was thick and blue. Combat boots poured into the room. Bear grabbed her up to her feet, Lucas covering him. "Nessa?" Panic gripped his voice. He shook her, running his hands down her body. "Are you all right?"
She nodded, her head lolling. The flash grenade had been too close to her. "Fine. Don't kill the soldiers in black-they're actually with us. The ones in green are fair game."
"Fine." He set her to his side.
His men rushed forward and into the fight as Garrett yelled a war cry.
Boondock lunged up, firing green lasers at Bear. Nessa screamed. The lasers would turn into hard bullets when they hit flesh, and too many could kill even a bear shifter. Several hit Bear's vest and he growled, reaching up and slapping the gun away. He swung out and nailed Boon in the temple. Her uncle dropped like a rock.
"Why was your uncle shooting at me?" Bear asked.
Nessa coughed, her eyes burning. "Long story. He's fine."
"Fucking witches," Bear bellowed.
She cringed but couldn't quite blame him. Just then, George rose from the smoke, firing rapidly at Bear's face.
Out of pure instinct, Nessa jumped in the way. One bullet hit her neck, and she cried out, pain ricocheting up to her ear. She fell, her cheekbone hitting the concrete.
Bear lunged over her, connecting with George and taking him to the ground. It was no contest. George fought with all his training, but Bear methodically countered every move with another intended specifically to cause pain. Blood flowed freely-all of it from George. Bear played with him like an animal with prey until George was pretty much sobbing. Bleeding and sobbing. He grabbed his ear, screaming.
Nessa rolled over. "Bear," she croaked, holding her neck. "Don't kill him."
Bear turned her way, the thirst for blood bright in his eyes.
"Please," she whispered, trying to stay alert.
He looked at her for a moment. Then he punched George square in the face, breaking his nose and several facial bones. The witch flopped to the ground, unconscious.
She lifted her head and tried to smile, but her strength deserted her.
Bear slid on his knees and caught her head before her nose smashed onto the concrete floor. "You're okay." He gingerly pulled her hand away from her neck. "You have to be."
"Ouch."
The sounds of men fighting slowly died down.
She looked over at her unconscious uncle. "I can't believe-"
An explosion blasted against the side of the warehouse, buckling the metal siding. "Damn." Bear jumped up and hurried to the door to look outside, turning almost instantly to yell, "Transport blown." He tapped his ear. "Need plan B. Now. He turned back to Nessa just as the entire rear of the building blew in.
Shock and fury sizzled across his face. So, that wasn't part of his plan.
The plane had been blown up? She gasped, turning almost in slow motion. The blue smoke flew out into the night. A squad of five ran inside wearing full tactical gear with even their faces covered. The first two held dart guns. Apollo dart guns.
One spotted her and gave a signal. They ran for her, all shooting rapidly. Darts flew all around her.
"Shit." Bear grabbed her and raced for the main door, rushing through it with a shattering of glass. "Secondary vacate, now. Now," he yelled, running out onto the tarmac near the smoldering mess of his plane.
Nessa struggled until he put her down. "We can't run. Have to fight," she gasped, whirling around.
Two of the men with darts leaped through the broken glass doors.
Bear roared a battle cry and rushed them both, ignoring the darts impacting his body. He ripped the guns away and threw them onto the burning roof. "Get the other dart guns," he ordered. Hopefully, everyone else still had their comm units on.
One of the dart soldiers tackled Bear, taking him down. He fought furiously, smashing his hands against the attacker's ears.