True Read online

  “You’re wrong. I’ve met that couple,” she lied. “I spent a little time with them. They don’t have any children.”

  He stepped forward and slapped her. The sting of his palm on her cheek stunned her but he backed away before she could react and attack in retaliation.

  “These catacombs go under their house. At least one of those brats was a screamer when I checked it out. How many do they have? Tell me.”

  She was done. “I’ve never seen a baby here.” That was honest. “I bet you’re wrong about that Gift too.”

  “I have pictures of that little cat bitch.”

  He wasn’t going to tell her more. She was pretty sure of that as he turned his back to stare into the tunnel and glanced down at his watch.

  “Those slow, incompetent assholes. Two hours. I really hate them. Maybe I won’t kill them. I’ll just have them hauled into Fuller. Just leave their cell doors unlocked and spread a rumor that they’re informants, there to gather information. The prisoners would kill them the first damn night. I could plant that idea with Jeff. That asshole can’t ever keep his mouth shut. He’s too nice.”

  Jeanie rose as quietly as possible, hoping he wouldn’t turn.

  “And just for spite, once I’m far away and out of New Species’ reach, I’m going to cause them more shit.” He chuckled. “Do you want to know how people will react when they discover there’s a human woman who can pop out little New Species babies? Talk about making those anti-New Species groups blow their minds. They always preach about how the New Species will disappear in time. New Species will never die out as a race if they are breeding more little animals with sluts.”

  She tensed and stepped to the side. They’d chained her right arm, the one she used the most and she swung with all her might. The chair was a little heavier than she’d guessed. It only made the slightest scraping noise as the legs skidded on the floor before it sailed forward.

  Boris turned but it was too late. He was bigger but she had rage on her side.

  * * * * *

  True used a flashlight to stare down the hole. A ladder was at the bottom, partially visible in the standing water, but it appeared damaged. It had to be a good twenty-foot drop but he didn’t care. Jeanie was down there. He slid his feet over the edge and just dropped into the hole. The water softened his fall and he remained on his feet. He inhaled, picking up no scent of Jeanie but the water smelled bad. Males dropped into the water behind them with more flashlights.

  “Wait,” Darkness ordered. “We need to go in quiet and catch them by surprise.”

  It took control for True to listen to that order. There were two openings but he wasn’t sure which way to go. One had a grate over it but the other didn’t. He slogged through the water to the opening and sniffed. All he could pick up was stagnant water and a moldy stench.

  “Over here,” Justice whispered.

  True spun, quickly moving to the opposite side of the room.

  Justice pointed the beam of his flashlight on the inside wall of the tunnel. “Blood. It’s faint but it’s there.” He muscled the gate open. It squeaked but it wasn’t too loud.

  True stepped up, climbed out of the water and sniffed. “It’s hers.”

  Tiger chuckled. “She’s smart. I think she is purposely marking where they took her.”

  True fought tears. “She’s everything to me. What if they’ve killed her?”

  “They would have done it in the house and not bothered to take her with them,” Darkness rasped.

  True clenched his teeth, stifling a snarl.

  “You didn’t have to point that out,” Justice stated.

  “He needs to know they want her alive. That’s logical because taking her with them would only slow them down.” Darkness pushed past True. “I go first.”

  True wanted to protest but the male spread his arms, blocking the narrow passage. He’d have to fight him and that would ruin the plan to sneak up and attack the humans to get his mate back.

  The tunnel ended with a metal plate on the floor. True attempted to lift it but it wouldn’t open. Frustration rose. He looked at the team of New Species. Darkness crouched next to him, studying it with his flashlight.

  “Shit. There must be a lock on the other side.” He waved to one of the men. “We came prepared. Give me the jack I told you to grab from one of the vehicles.”

  It took too long for True’s antsy nerves but Darkness managed to use an edge of the jack to force the edge of the plate a little and then pried it open. It snapped the flimsy lock as they pulled it back. A ladder was attached the wall beneath the grate.

  “Here we go.” Darkness sighed. “I hate being underground and it seems we need to go deeper.”

  “Get out of my way.” True tried to climb down first.

  “Calm.”

  “My mate is down there. I smell her blood.” He could. She’d touched that ladder. “It’s there. My sense of smell is much better now that we’re away from the water.”

  “I go first and you take orders or you’re topside,” Darkness stated firmly.

  He wanted to argue but that would just waste more time. “Then go.”

  They came to a place where it branched off to two smaller tunnels. Darkness paused and glanced back at True. “See if you can pick her up.”

  He had to bend over to fit beneath the low ceiling and sniffed. He didn’t pick up her scent at all but he used his flashlight to try to spot blood on the walls.

  “You could do that just as well,” Tiger whispered.

  “He needs to,” Darkness whispered back.

  True ignored them as he backed out and stepped into the other tunnel. It was just as low but he caught a whiff of Jeanie’s blood. “This one.” He found smudges of it on one of the walls a few feet in as if she’d brushed against it with her hand.

  He led the way until they reached a curve and he saw light. He came to a halt, his ears straining. Darkness was suddenly there, pushing against him until they both were shoulder to shoulder.

  Jeanie’s voice was faint, along with male voice. The words weren’t distinguishable but he was certain that was her. Darkness turned his head and frowned at him.

  “Wait,” he mouthed. He removed his phone and texted something. He looked up and showed the screen to True and then touched it to pull up another app. It was a locator. Darkness pointed up. “They are surrounding the location. We know where we are and so do our males.”

  He wasn’t sure if he had patience. He could hear Jeanie though, she was talking, and a few words filtered through. Her tone implied she was angry. Another male touched his back and he twisted his head. The male passed a rifle forward. Darkness accepted it and leaned closer.

  “I won’t miss the shot. Back up and allow me to proceed. I’m going to go on my belly and crawl forward until I can reach them. I was trained as a sniper.”

  Darkness dropped down and did just as he’d stated. True knew he should stay put but he couldn’t resist. He fell to his belly and scooted after the male. The tunnel ahead wasn’t that long and Jeanie’s words became clear. He couldn’t see around Darkness without lifting up, too worried he’d reveal their location if he did. Shock ran through his system though when he could hear all the conversation.

  * * * * *

  The chair slammed into Boris’ side hard enough to knock him off his feet. Jeanie managed to grab the chair when it bounced back. She caught it on the rounded edge of the back of the seat and on the side where the handcuffs were locked on the bar of the chair. She lifted it and smashed it down on him again.

  He cried out and threw up an arm, trying to shield his head. It wasn’t effective as she used the legs of the chair to ram downward into his belly and chest. He gasped and she hit him again. Boris rolled onto his stomach at that point and she hit him one more time just for good measure.

  A lot of pent-up anger drove her to nail him a few more times until she was out of breath from exertion. She only wished the chair was heavier and more solidly made. She dropped