With dual crisply clipped, “Yes, sir,” two of them approached and worked quickly to unbuckle the thick leather straps securing his arms and legs tightly to the chair. All the while, the older soldier was saying things that made his heart beat faster in his chest with something he thought might be hope. By military order, the facility was being shut down, the personnel who worked here were being remanded into custody, and the experiments were over…
As soon as he was free, he stood, forcing his legs to hold his weight through sheer willpower alone. The soldiers flanked him, their hands out, ready to catch him if he fell. He ignored them, looking instead at the nurse who was still cowering in the corner with her head ducked and her knees drawn up to her chest, trying to make herself as small as possible. “Are you all right?”
Swiping at the tears that had tracked mascara down her face, she nodded. “Are you?”
A bright red mark marred her cheek and he gritted his teeth before he bit out, “I will be.”
It was probably stupid, he was surrounded by armed unknown soldiers. They could shoot him, and as weak as he was right now, a bullet might kill him. But he marched forward amidst their numbers to confront Godwin anyway, fully intending to take him down, until the older soldier stepped into his path.
Perhaps his murderous thoughts had been in his eyes because the man held up a staying hand. “I get it, son. I do. I’d like to make him bleed right now just for what he’s done to you. But trust me, he’ll get his. I’ll make sure of it.”
His eyes flicked down to the uniform and the markings on it that proclaimed this man a colonel before his focus returned to Godwin. The interrogator’s hands had been secured behind his back and the soldiers held him. If it wasn’t for that, he would have attacked, would have snapped that bastard’s neck before anyone could stop him. But there was no honor in killing a restrained man. He emitted a low rumbling sound of frustration from deep in his chest and his lip curled up in a snarl, showing off his sharp canines.
“Death is too quick for him,” the colonel continued. “Mark my words, son. He will be punished for what he’s done here. For a long, long time.”
His hands itched to wrap themselves around Godwin’s neck, his primal instincts rising to the surface to kill his enemy and fight anyone who got in his way – honor be damned.
It was Laura’s gentle hand on his arm that stopped him. Her softly spoken, “Please,” stayed his hand and had him standing down. But he wouldn’t forget. Terrance Godwin’s days were numbered, and the former orderly better pray that death found him before he did. Because he’d made a vow and he didn’t break his promises.
Chapter One
Present Day, South America
With a deafening roar, Kong spread his arms wide and, uncaring of the automatic rifles spewing bullets in his direction, barreled through the knot of enemy combatants, knocking them over like bowling pins. When he reached the other side, he pounded his fists rhythmically on his chest, you know, just for the fun of it. He’d taken a hit high up on his left arm and two to his right leg – thigh and calf – but they were little more than grazes that were already healing. The largest target, his wide, vest-covered chest, had taken the majority of the slugs but the impact barely slowed him down while shouts of “Un demonio!”met his ears. He’d been called worse than a demon though. Hell, he’d been called worse by his friends.
“You don’t deserve these,” he said to the groaning bodies on the ground, speaking to them as if they were misbehaving children instead of hardened criminals as he collected their rifles. These guys had been selling weapons to terrorists.
He had to kick back down a couple of ambitious ones that thought they might be able to make a run for it. One was even brave enough to come at him with a blade but Kong easily incapacitated him. For the rest, all it took was a couple of his more menacing grunts and a flash of his long, sharp canines to keep them subdued while he secured all their wrists and ankles with zip ties. Normally, he didn’t like scaring people – he hated the stink of their fear – but sometimes, especially on operations like this, it was useful.
He heard Jace’s laughter through his earpiece. “You’re having way too much fun,” Jace told him and Kong grinned unrepentantly.
“Beast mode, baby.” He spotted him then, Jace’s perch up in a tree before his friend and brother leaped down and took out several more of the rag-tag crew that Terrence Godwin had been running with. They were scattering like rats now that they’d become aware that true predators were in their midst.
He heard Leo’s roar, followed by Erik’s howl and he knew he wasn’t the only one embracing his inner beast.
Perrin’s screech of victory that rivaled the call of a falcon hit his ears and he amended that thought to includeherinner beast as well. His smile widened as he got back to work.
“Where is Terrence Godwin?” he demanded of one of the prisoners. They hadn’t spotted the guy when they’d done their reconnaissance before going in and Kong was afraid the weasel had once again given him the slip.
The former orderly of Legratia Pharmaceuticals had been linked to this bunch. His face had come up on satellite images. The cache of weapons they’d seen in the images as well as their ties to terrorist groups had sanctioned this op but Kong’s personal mission was what was currently driving him. He was here for Godwin.
When no one answered, he repeated in Spanish, “Donde está, Terrence Godwin?”
All of the Beasts had learned the major world languages as part of their early education but Kong had to admit he was a bit rusty. If the conversation got too complicated, he’d have to call Perrin over to translate.
One of his prisoners spit on the ground before replying in stilted, heavily accented English, “We know no Godwin.”
Kong squatted down, getting right in the guy’s face, and flashed his canines in a savage smile. Whipping out the picture they’d gotten from satellite surveillance he showed him the image. Several of the men here were in the picture, as was Godwin.
“Things will go easier on you if you tell me where he is. Entender?”
The man’s brown eyes studied the picture for a moment, his lip curling with distaste. “Know as El Toro.”
The Bull. Fitting. As was the man’s clear dislike.
“Where is El Toro?”
“No sé. He bring weapons. Say wait for contact. Then he get call and leave fast.”
