“I can’t tell you how pleased we all are to meet you.” Her voice was smooth, melodious. “Craig briefed us on you and Jonah, and, well…we’re very pleased for him. He’s been locked in the tragedy of Jenna’s death for a long time.”
“Thank you. And thank you all for coming.”
One by one the others shook hands with her while Jonah stood with her glued to his side. He was marking his territory, no mistake about it. She led them all back into the cabin and offered everyone coffee or cold drinks.
“So aren’t you a little nervous at the prospect of being in a roomful of wolves?” Logan Tanner seemed to dwarf everyone, towering over her as he filled his mug from the carafe.
She looked up at him, trying not to get a crick in her neck. She knew it was very important to Jonah that these people not only know that the two of them were mated but also that she accepted him…and them…for what they were.
“Of all the things I’m afraid of, Mr. Tanner, that one doesn’t even make the list.”
He studied her for a long moment, reading her face. Then he flashed a brief smile. “Logan. Call me Logan.”
She smiled back, accepting the offer of friendship. “Thank you.”
By the time she served dinner to everyone the nervous tension and energy in the room was so high it was almost palpable. With chairs at a premium they all sat on the floor, maps and notes spread out before them. Dakota tried to give everyone the space they need to plan for the evening. Not to encroach on the business of the team.
But Jonah kept pulling her in. Tugging her down to sit between his long legs. Holding her hand that extra second when she rose to refresh everyone’s drinks. And wherever she moved, she always felt his eyes on her.
“I printed out the lab reports we’ve managed to get,” Logan said, opening the folder in front of him, “and we all read through them again. As you can imagine, there are as many answers as there are reports. Everyone’s different, except…”
“Except?” Jonah prodded.
“Except they all agree that whatever this creature is, it’s an ABE—anomalous biological entity.”
“With nonspecific blood chemistry,” Chelsea added.
“What the hell does that mean?” Mark wanted to know.
“It means,” Logan told him, “that they can’t match the blood samples of those they’ve been able to get to any known animal anywhere on the planet.”
“Where did they get the specimens?” Dakota asked, her curiosity piqued.
“There have been some anomalous animals killed in various places that people insisted were El Chupacabra.” This from Dante. “Each time whoever made the kill thought they’d slain the real devil beast. But no one can actually prove it.”
“Another problem,” Dante added, “is each of these animals is a different size and configuration. Some people say it has bear DNA, others opossum. Still others say it’s deer or ferret.”
“Too big a range for any of it to be accurate,” Sam commented. “A security guard shot an animal in the airport in Austin, Texas. I’ve seen the photos. It looks like a devil breast, for sure, but I think it’s too small.”
“In an airport?” Dakota was astounded.
“Some guy was trying to smuggle it in from Mexico in his suitcase, if you can believe that. He got away so they were left with the dead body of a nightmare. But I still say it took a larger animal to make the kills we know about.” He shrugged. “Maybe we just have a lot of mutant animals running around the countryside.”
Dakota shivered. “Now there’s a thought to give you nightmares.”
“Any of the reports say anything about the scent of turpentine and gasoline?” Mark wanted to know.
Chelsea shuffled through the papers in front of her. “Not that we could find. Nobody mentions it. Not as a trace on the bodies or on any of the animals that are supposed to be the devil beast.”
Sam ran his fingers through his hair. “There’s something…I don’t know, something I think we’re missing. Maybe if I let go of it, it will come to me. Meanwhile, let’s go over tonight’s plans one more time.”
Chapter Twelve
The beast was restless again, a buzzing sensation that vibrated under its skin. The food in its belly was merely a stopgap, only temporarily satisfying. The beast’s taste buds lusted for human flesh. Human blood. Soft flesh to sink its fangs into. Warm red blood to drink.
Tonight it sensed a greater danger than usual. Other animals roamed in the area, feral animals that could be competition for its prey. Or maybe to try to attack the devil. If the beast could laugh it would. They were no match for its skills and strength.
It rose from its resting place and paced back and forth. There was human danger tonight, too, but the cycle must be completed. Then the devil beast could rest for a long time, seek new hunting grounds.
Pacing, pacing, pacing, its nose pointed in the direction of its prey.
* * * * *
They had it all arranged with military precision. Jonah had driven them all to the three most logical sites they’d pinpointed and familiarized them with the area around those places. Then they’d returned to the cabin and finished their planning. The Night Seekers who shifted would hunt. Dakota would stay with Dante and the helicopter. Now she was surrounded by six gorgeous wolves of all colors, ramped up and eager for the hunt. Each wore around its neck a thin chain with a chip hanging from it that could be easily reached with a paw. Whichever pair found the devil beast would signal Dante. He’d overfly with the helo, using the spotlight and radioing the location to Sheriff Denby.
What could go wrong? Right?
Wrong.
That was a question no one wanted to answer. They were all aware of just how many things could fall off the radar before the night was over. And although none would turn from a fight, the prospect of battle with the devil beast gave them each cause for cautionary fear.
Dakota stood on the porch, watching them gather themselves. The large, sleek gray wolf that she knew was Jonah came to stand beside her, nudging her with his nose. With a quiet desperation she ran her fingers through the silky softness of his pelt, then knelt down and took his face between her hands.
“Do not let yourself get killed,” she commanded. “Do you hear me?”
His eyes flickered with knowledge and his tongue stretched out to swipe at her face.
“No kissing,” she admonished. “Just the promise you will do as I ask.”
His silver eyes looked directly into hers, and she saw her answer.
“Then go. Now. Let’s get this done quickly.” She pushed gently at him.
With one last swipe of his tongue and a low rumble in his throat, Jonah leaped down the stairs and loped off into the woods, the others following him.
Dakota turned back to Dante. “They’ll be okay, right?”
He touched her shoulder reassuringly. “They know the risks and how to deal with them. And hunting in pairs increases the safety.”
She sighed heavily. “But it’s all right if I worry about them?”
He smiled. “I’d wonder about it if you didn’t.” He paused and studied her face in the porch light. “Jonah is a very good man.”
Dakota gave a breathy little laugh. “Are you reassuring me or warning me off?”
For a long moment Dante said nothing. “Maybe a little bit of both, Look, Dakota. None of us knows you. Jonah has asked for and received permission to bring you back to Desolation Ranch with him. That means you’ll become an ancillary part of this group. I’m not a shifter myself so I haven’t experienced the mating thing, but I do know what it’s like to have a strong connection to someone.”
“Listen,” she interrupted.
Dante held up a hand to stop her. “Let me finish. None of us thought Jonah would ever recover from what happened to Jenna. We’ve all had experience with the results of a Chupacabra kill so we knew where he was, emotionally. So he wasn’t about to let anyone in under those walls unless he truly trusted that person. So we’re going with his instincts on this. I’m just telling you, you can believe whatever he tells you one hundred percent. And if you aren’t what he thinks, you’ll have more than just him to deal with.”
Dakota smiled. She knew she should feel insulted by the man’s words, but instead she was glad that Jonah has such a strong team supporting him. Impulsively she kissed Dante on his cheek.
“Thank you for caring about him. All of you. And I promise you have nothing to worry about where I’m concerned.”
That didn’t mean that she and Jonah didn’t still have things to work out. Logistics. Details. But the thought of being apart from him was completely unappealing as well as depressing.
“Would you like some coffee?” she asked, heading back into the cabin.
“Thanks. That would be great. We’ll have some time to kill until they get to their locations.”
* * * * *
Leo Merritt turned over in bed, wondering why he was having such a hard time falling asleep. Probably because Hilary wasn’t lying beside him. Habits built over the years were hard to deviate from. He missed the soft warmth of her body and the gentle sound of her breathing.
He punched his pillow, trying to mold it into a more comfortable position. His mind turned again to Fred, the very strange man he’d impulsively given a ride to and fed an evening meal. Really strange, as a matter of fact. Wouldn’t even come into the house to share dinner. Insisted on eating outside.
And what was all that about bedding down in the garage? You’d think a man as rootless as Fred would welcome a soft bed for a night instead of insisting on that old iron cot Leo kept in a corner for day laborers to rest on. Whenever he hired one, that is.
He flopped the covers and rearranged them. There was a restless energy in the air tonight that carried a heavy sense of unease. The distant wail of coyotes didn’t help his frame of mind, either. Then his ears picked up another sound, definitely animal but nothing he’d heard before. Something between a howl and a screech.
For a moment he debated going out to the garage and insisting Fred take cover in the house. Just in case. He immediately discarded the idea and instead went to fetch his rifle. He moved softly down the stairs to his den where he kept his gun cabinet, quietly unlocking it, taking out his favorite weapon and feeding shells into it.
Feeling somewhat easier he carried the rifle up to the bedroom with him and placed it on the bed beside him. Not that he expected an animal to break down the door, roar into the house and attack him in his bedroom. Although he’d heard if it happening before, with rabid feral hogs and javelinas that had incredible brute strength. Especially if they were ravenous enough.
And it didn’t hurt to be ready for anything.
* * * * *
The three pairs of Night Seekers raced through the night, muzzles alternately lifted to scent the air and sniffing the ground for traces of something that didn’t belong there. Chelsea was running with Jonah, keeping up with his steady pace.
I don’t smell anything unusual yet
, she said.
Me, neither, but we still have a way to go. And this creature seems to evaporate its scent at will, so there’s nothing that says it couldn’t have already come this way.
Do you think the others have found anything?
Don’t know. But if they had they’d have signaled Dante. Then we get a burst of a charge in these chips and we’d know.
But we won’t know which pair needs us. We didn’t think about that.
No problem. Dante will take the chopper out right away and we can follow the spotlight.
They continued along their planned route, every sense on high alert, well aware of the danger they could be heading toward.
* * * * *
The animal stared at the house, stark against the night sky. It smelled prey, its mouth salivating as it thought of the taste. But there was danger everywhere, too, the air almost alive with it. A different kind of danger than the animal was used to. Not the usual night creatures, or even humans. Something else. Something almost…evil.
The animal snorted and raised its snout, seeking the origin of its problem, but everything was too diluted. Too faint. Could it risk investigating? Or should it run and hunt for other prey.
Fear was a foreign emotion to the animal but tonight it had worked its way beneath its hairless skin and vibrated through its misshapen body. Sitting back on its haunches, it opened its mouth and added an eerie howl to the distant sound of coyotes.
* * * * *
Jonah stopped so suddenly Chelsea almost ran into him.
What?
Hear that?
Chelsea perked her ears and strained to listen.
It’s the same sound we heard before. Not coyote. Something else. Different.
Besides that. Almost blending with it. A new sound.
Okay. Yes. I hear it now. God, Jonah, it makes my fur stand on end.
I think we’re the ones heading in the right direction. Let’s get a little closer and we’ll see.
But they hadn’t gone another hundred yards before he stopped again. The very faint aroma of turpentine and gasoline drifted on the air. Lifting one paw he pressed the chip hanging from his neck. In a moment a static charge zapped back.
Okay, it’s a go. Let’s get closer. Keep an eye on things, just in case we need to move before Dante gets here.
We need to be very careful, Jonah.
Careful’s my middle name.
* * * * *
“I want to go with you.” Dakota followed Dante out to the helicopter.
“No offense, Dakota, but I don’t think Jonah would approve.” Dante opened the door to the bird’s cabin and hopped into the pilot’s seat.
“I’m not going away,” she insisted, and lifted the hand that had been hanging at her side. “I have my rifle and I’m a crack shot.”
She was in the cabin and settled in the copilot’s seat before Dante could object again. He just shook his head.
“No wonder Jonah fell so hard and so fast. Okay. Leave the side door open in case you have to shoot and belt yourself in.” The rotors were already whining as they picked up speed. “There’s another headset on that hook in front of you. Put it on and flip the switch on the right earpiece.”
They had barely lifted off before Dante hit the button for the spotlight and the ground beneath them was brightly lit up. Nocturnal animals scurried for cover, seeking to escape the spotlight’s unforgiving eye.
They swooped over trees, skirted the edge of Eagle Pass and headed for the coordinates relayed back from Jonah’s chip. Dakota could see deer now, scurrying for cover, frightened by both the noise and the bright, searching light.
At the far edge of town Dante throttled back to hover in place.
Dakota’s heartbeat ratcheted up at the scene below them. Jonah and Chelsea prowled at the edge of the clearing surrounding a small two-story house. At the opposite edge of the clearing a pack of coyotes howled and snapped across the empty space at the two wolves. And creeping along the shadows near the edge of the house was an animal so monstrous in its looks Dakota wasn’t even sure what she was seeing.
She spotted the headlights on a patrol car on the highway headed in the same direction they were, and in a moment she saw red and blue lights flash on atop the vehicle. Probably in reaction to the helicopter. They’d want to know what the hell was going on. But she could easily see they were too far away to reach the house before the beast roared its way inside.
Dakota reached out to touch Dante’s arm. “We can’t wait,” she said into her mic. “See that creature? It’s too close to the house. And those coyotes aren’t going to wait much longer before attacking Jonah and Chelsea.”
“If I get you low enough can you take a shot?”
“That’s not a real question, right?”
In answer, Dante sideslipped the helicopter toward the side of the house where the monster was lurking. Dakota unbuckled her seat belt and maneuvered herself behind the seat, kneeling and balancing herself as she sighted through the riflescope. Deliberately blocking everything else out of her mind, as she did when she was hunting, she tightened her finger on the trigger, held the barrel steady and fired.
The shot hit dead on, knocking the beast backward, but as the helicopter moved closer she saw the animal rise up on its hind legs and stagger toward the house. Taking aim again, she pumped three more shots into it in quick succession, letting out a slow breath when at last she saw it fall and lay there, unmoving.
As she moved back into her seat and buckled up again, she saw the pack of coyotes scatter, frightened by the rifle shots. Jonah and Chelsea were already heading back to the cabin, barely visible as they raced in and out among the trees.
“We can’t be here,” Dante said through the mic, shutting down the spotlight.
“I know. It’s all right. Can you signal the others to head back, too?”
“Already done. Okay, here we go.”
By the time they landed Dakota’s adrenaline rush had faded and she was shaking like an aspen in the wind. Dante shut down the helicopter, did his lockdown procedure, then came around to help her. Silently he took the rifle from her hands, helped her down to the ground and supported her as they walked to the cabin.