Night Angel (Angel Haven) (19 page)

“Give up the brats,” he growled.

Karen forced herself not to groan. Between Edna’s drugs and the short pounding she’d taken, her body just wanted to stay on the floor. She lifted her head and glared at them. “No. And you can tell your boss his days of experimentation are over.”

Cray stood over her. “Mr. Troyington isn’t going to like this.”

She pushed herself to her feet, using a hand to steady herself against the wall. “You think I give a damn what Troyington likes?” she growled. “Think again.” Harmon took a step toward her and she snapped her head around to glare at him. “You want more? Bring it!”

Cray stopped Harmon before he reached her. “Dupré said the same thing about a week ago and look where that’s got him.” Cray gave her an evil smile. “He’s not going to live out the day.” He pushed Harmon outside and slammed the door in her face.

“No!” She stumbled to the door and sank to the floor. “Dayla, if you can hear me, keep him safe.”

Chapter Sixteen

Troyington walked around Randall. “Cray and Harmon are bringing the older brats here. It’s time to begin the internal exam.”

Randall stared straight ahead, keeping the fear from his face. If Troyington and his goons got the kids, it meant he’d failed the pack and his clan. “Go to hell.”

Troyington leaned closer. “I also told them to get rid of your soul mate. I thought she might be useful, but I was mistaken. Like you, she’s more trouble than she’s worth.”

Karen’s power sang within him, flaring briefly. Randall gave Troyington a small smile. “I think Karen took exception to your orders.”

Troyington slammed his fist into Randall’s head, knocking him to the floor, opening the recent gashes. As Randall wiped at the blood running down the side of his face, Troyington kicked him in the stomach, doubling him up.

Edna came in, carrying two vials. She gestured to Randall, groaning on the floor. “Are you done with him?”

Troyington smoothed his hair back. “Yes. He’s got nothing left I need.”

“I thought as much.” She watched Randall as he pushed himself to his knees. “I need to get one more sample from him before disposal.”

He kissed her cheek. “Take whatever you want. He won’t need it where’s he’s going. Just be careful.” He glanced again at Randall. “He’s unpredictable.”

“In the condition he’s in right now, I don’t think I have to worry.” She pushed him toward the door. “Now scoot. I’ve got work to do.”

Edna shut the door behind him and turned to Randall. “This whole procedure will go much smoother if you don’t fight me. I don’t want to sedate you.”

Randall glared at her. “You’d better use whatever you’ve got, because if you don’t, I’m going to kill you. That’s a promise.”

Edna made clucking sounds with her tongue. “That doesn’t sound good at all. I suppose I should.”

She pulled out a hypodermic needle and jabbed it into his arm. “Now, this won’t knock you out. It’ll just make you more compliant with my wishes.” She patted his cheek. “It’s time to get those reproductive samples.”

He collapsed to the floor as his muscles gave out. Just great, he thought. Trapped in a room with a mad scientist pervert.

“Now, I want you to think of your woman, of how beautiful she is,” Edna said, rolling him to his back. “Think of how much you want her.”

Randall tried to think of anything but Karen, but whatever she’d shot him with channeled his thoughts in a more erotic direction. He felt her hands on his hips, slowly massaging them. His body felt like mud. It looked like whether he wanted to or not, he was going to give Edna the samples she wanted.

She smiled at him. “Doing this helps my test subject to relax. You really are quite the looker.” She started rubbing his thighs. “It’s a shame I can’t keep you.”

Randall scowled. “You’re dead. You know that, right?” he said, his words slurred.

She still smiled at him as she unhooked his jeans and pulled them partway down his legs. “I don’t think so.” She eyed his crotch and smiled as she dragged her hand across his stomach. “You’re almost ready.” She turned, setting up the vials and test tubes she brought with her.

Randall closed his eyes and thought of Karen. He could see her clearly in his mind.
Karen, I need you so much right now.

****

Karen checked the front door. “Who makes a door with no handle on the inside?” She’d already determined there wasn’t a back door. The window panes were shatterproof glass with bars crossing each other on the outside. The walls were solid logs, the floor concrete. There was no fireplace and nothing to use as a weapon. James was right. They were here to stay.

She slammed her fist against the door. “I can’t believe this stupid door has no handle, no lock, nothing!” She gave a short scream of frustration.

James came up behind her. “What now?”

Karen sat cross-legged on the floor. She hadn’t lost her temper like that since she’d been a little girl. “I need to calm down. Give me a few minutes, and we’ll start again.”

James nodded. “Call me when you’re ready.”

Karen closed her eyes.
Randall, I need you with me so badly right now.
He was definitely still alive; his power burned within her. She gave a mental sigh of relief.

She thought she heard something and frowned. Rena, the team telepath, had taught them all how to open their minds to pick up people trying to communicate with them.

Randall?
she called with her mind.

Karen.

She could sense the relief in him at finding her.
Are you all right?

Not really. Strathmore’s getting ready to do kinky and perverted things to me.

Karen seethed with anger. Edna had no right to heap more abuse on her soul mate. If she could only be with him. Protect him.
Use my power.

His mental voice grew faint.
I don’t know if I can. She drugged me with something. I can’t stop the reaction to it.

Her hands clenched.
I’ll help you.

Karen searched inside herself, finding the spark that was her power. Randall’s lavender light swirled around the silver in a beautiful and strange dance. She called both forth, strengthening them with her will before shooting them down the telepathic link to him.

****

“I think we’ll be able to get rid of these pants in another minute or two,” Edna said. “I believe you’re almost set for me to take my samples.”

Randall’s back arched as Karen’s power slammed into him. He could feel it burn the drugs in his system to nothing in seconds. Her light soothed the pains in his body as the silver dragon coiled around him, protecting him. He sat up, smacking Edna’s hands away. His body had healed faster than ever.
Thanks, sweetheart.

Edna quickly stood and ran for the door. Randall caught her, jerking her back to the center of the room.

“You know about my people,” he said in a low voice. “I promised you were dead.”

She backed away from him, terror on her face. “Stay away from me!”

“I’m bound by my word.” He grabbed her arm. “No more experiments, doctor. No more anything.” He twisted her head around with a sickening pop, dropping her lifeless body to the ground.

He closed his eyes as he knelt beside her, saying a silent prayer for her soul.

Randall stood and watched silver light dance across his body. He went to the cold iron door, and taking a deep breath, pushed it open. He hardly felt the metal sting his skin. He ran down the hallway, checking his hands. No burns, no blisters, nothing. Her power had saved him again. The silver light began to fade.

Karen?
he called telepathically. He couldn’t find her with his mind, but her power was still with him. He’d know if she’d been hurt. She must’ve exhausted herself.

He only had a few more hours until sundown. Then the search could truly begin.

****

Karen slumped forward as she felt the power return. She couldn’t hear Randall’s thoughts any more. “I don’t know how Rena does it,” she muttered. She wiped sweat from her forehead. It had taken more energy than she thought to maintain a telepathic link.

Nikki poked her head into the room. “Are you all right, Angel?”

Karen pushed herself to her feet. “Yeah. Just tired.”

“I saw the dragon energy form around you. You’re Sterling Dragon, aren’t you?”

Karen smiled at her. “Guilty as charged.” She stretched, working out some of the kinks from her neck and shoulders. Her body trembled as she remembered the feel of Randall’s hands massaging her neck from that morning.

She closed her eyes, almost feeling the warmth of his hands on her skin and her heart ached with missing him.

“While I was in telepathic contact with the guardian, I felt him escape. Hopefully, he’ll be able to find us soon. I could use his help.”

“Are the rest of the Angels coming?” Nikki asked.

“They should be here soon if they aren’t already settled in the town,” Karen said. “Randall’s got the rest of the guardians on standby.”

Nikki laid a hand on Karen’s arm. “Thanks for defending us earlier.”

Karen hugged the girl to her. “Well, we’ve got to stick together, right?”

She nodded. “The younger kids think you’re way cool. They want you teach them to kick butt.”

Karen patted her shoulder. “Let’s get out of this mess first. Where are the others?”

Nikki stepped back. “In the other room. James made all of us stay there so we didn’t disturb you. Come on. I’ll introduce you.”

She led Karen to a small bedroom at the back of the cabin. The children sat on the floor around James as he told them a story. He looked up at her. “Are you okay?”

Karen nodded. “I think it’s time to go over this place inch by inch. Even if we have no way out, we might find something to use to defend ourselves. Spread out, troops. Look everywhere, including the ceiling.”

She held James back as the others left the room. “How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

“And the youngest?”

He frowned. “Five. Why?”

She could see questions burning in his face. “Can all of you change at will?”

He shook his head. “No. Just four of us.”

She lowered her voice when some of the group came near. “When we get out of here, the younger kids will be defenseless. I’m going to need you older kids to protect them.”

James nodded, his eyes serious. “I’ll tell them what to do.”

She watched his expression darken. “What’s wrong?”

He hung his head. “I should’ve been able to protect them from the start. I shouldn’t have needed help. I’m the son of Caledon, strongest leader in the history of the northeast pack. Why couldn’t I do anything?”

Karen pulled him close, holding him while his tears soaked her shirt. “It’s okay,” she murmured as his arms wrapped tightly around her. “Let it out.”

They stood like that for a few minutes until Karen felt him pull away. “I’m sorry,” he said, wiping his eyes. “I shouldn’t have shown weakness.”

She cupped his face. “James, you’re a teenager. You’re allowed a little uncertainty and weakness from time to time.”

“You won’t tell the others?”

She ruffled his hair. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

Nikki burst into the room. “We think we found something.”

Chapter Seventeen

Nikki pointed to the ceiling at the very end of the hallway. “Matt found it. It looks like a trap door.”

Karen narrowed her eyes. The seam was almost invisible unless one concentrated. “You’re right. There must be some kind of attic or crawl space.” She turned to the pack children. “Can somebody give me a boost?”

James waved to a teen who towered over the group. “Come on, Matt.”

Karen steadied herself as the two boys lifted her by her legs. She pushed on the square, feeling a slight resistance. She shoved harder and the panel popped free. Using her elbows, she levered herself up into a cramped, dusty crawl space that ran the length of the cabin. She stood, whacking her head on the low ceiling. “
Ow!
”

“Are you okay?” James called.

She looked down at them and waved. “It’s a little tight up here. I’m going to take a look around. Be right back.”

The first thing Karen noticed was a small camera at the edge of the trapdoor. She followed the wires to more cameras aimed at the other rooms of the cabin. She wanted to unplug them, but had a feeling that wasn’t such a good idea. If they were being monitored right now, someone could be on their way up to the cabin as soon as they saw her right in the lens. She hoped that whoever was watching right now was on a bathroom break or something. She continued checking out the crawl space.

She finally stuck her head through the opening. “There seems to be some sort of small window, but I can’t get it open. I think it’s locked on the outside.” She sat on the edge, dangling her legs through the opening. “It’s getting dark up here, so we’re going to have to put off any plan until tomorrow. Watch out. I’m coming down.”

Karen turned around and felt Matt and James grab her. She slid the panel into place before letting herself be lowered to the floor. She brushed herself off and herded them all back to the bedroom. “They’ve got cameras up there, and there’s no way of knowing if they saw me get into the crawl space.”

She stared at them, her breath catching, seeing so many emotions on their faces. Get a grip, she thought. They need you. “I think we can get out of here. Once we leave, we won’t be safe anywhere. We can’t trust anyone except the wood folk or the guardians, if we can find them.”

“Matt and I will stay with the younger kids.” James said. “We’ve got the most fighting experience.”

Karen nodded. “Good.”

Nikki spoke up. “Owen and I will help you. We don’t have any fighting experience, but we’ve had training.”

Karen smiled. Their willingness to help touched her. “Well, you’re all about to get some serious OJT.” At the younger kids’ confused looks, she clarified, “On the job training.” She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I’ve got a confession to make. I don’t know where we are or how to contact the guardian.”

James laid a hand on her arm. “We’ll be all right.”

Nikki grinned at the group. “Sure we will. We’ve got our own Angel to guide us.”