crawled toward the opening. His claws scratched the metal making an irritating sound. She hoped there were no sound or movement sensors in the vents. The natural scent of his beast made her wolf push to shift. Asia took a moment and reminded the beast to be patient, safety first. Her beast calmed but let her know of her displeasure. Asia grabbed the iron grate and pushed. The damn thing didn’t move. Damn. She’d need the power in her legs.
“Can you back up a little? I need to turn.” She sensed his hesitation, and then he moved. After moving around a bit she managed to change positions and placed both feet against the grate and pushed. Instead of the grate pushing outward, she slid backward on the metal.
“Damn.” She scooted forward again. Hawke moved close, his furry chest rested against her back. She stiffened at the contact, and pushed again. This time she had the leverage necessary, and the grate bowed forward and then popped from the concrete on one side. She pushed it open and slid forward. The drop shouldn’t be too bad.
“ You should turn and look below to make sure it’s clear .” Hawke moved back, the soft warmth of his fur vanished.
Asia ground her teeth at his suggestion and jumped. It was further to the ground than she thought. The graveled walkway near the castle jolted her system on contact. Moments later, Hawke hit the ground beside her. He had partially shifted, which made for an easier landing. Their gazes met, and he returned to his wolf. She took off running into the woods, not quite sure what to do now. Once again she hadn’t thought beyond the mission, that whole act first think later thing had to change. For now the safety of the tree beckoned. The world appeared different from that vantage point.
“ Where are we headed?”
Asia ignored his question and continued running. Boris would send hybrids after them as soon as he realized all the test wolves were missing, including Hawke. Goddess please let the plane be on the way.
“ I need to access a computer.”
She rolled her eyes as they ran around trees and jumped over thick roots or vines. Where did he expect her to get a computer?
“ This is important. I need to get to a computer.” He sounded cross.
She stopped, turned and glared down at him. Two wolves slammed into his side, knocking him back, snapping at his hind legs. His inability to fight surprised her. He stood taller than his attackers and yet he didn’t fight. In human form she doubted she would’ve defeated him. Was his wolf that much different? These wolves were getting the best of him. Asia stepped forward prepared to grab one of the animals.
“ Don’t .” Hawke said to the savior who looked like Jerry the security guard. His wolf didn’t agree. He’d puzzled over the inconsistency since he heard the disturbance in his lab. Something big happened. Bigger than the destruction of the lab, the excitement of a new discovery niggled at the edge of his reason. He’d deal with her ability to alter her appearance later and focus on surviving the night.
Hawke recognized the scents from the test wolves before they attacked. Both had undergone several operations and were unwell. He refused to hurt them further. After allowing them a few nips, he batted the older wolf across the jaw with his paw, knocking him across the grass. The other wolf whimpered and ran to check on her mate. Both wolves shifted to human. Their combined pain and sorrow and anger buffeted him.
“ You travel with this scum?” the female hissed at Jerry. “He is a murderer, a defiler of innocents.” She spit in his direction. “I would kill you for what you’ve done. Goddess strengthen me to kill this abomination.” She rose, and he saw the glint of steel as she ran toward him. Hawke prepared to shift to his hybrid form, but Jerry stopped the woman.
“No, you cannot kill him. You don’t know everything, and cannot judge him.”
The remarks surprised Hawke.
“I know what I saw,” the
“Can you back up a little? I need to turn.” She sensed his hesitation, and then he moved. After moving around a bit she managed to change positions and placed both feet against the grate and pushed. Instead of the grate pushing outward, she slid backward on the metal.
“Damn.” She scooted forward again. Hawke moved close, his furry chest rested against her back. She stiffened at the contact, and pushed again. This time she had the leverage necessary, and the grate bowed forward and then popped from the concrete on one side. She pushed it open and slid forward. The drop shouldn’t be too bad.
“ You should turn and look below to make sure it’s clear .” Hawke moved back, the soft warmth of his fur vanished.
Asia ground her teeth at his suggestion and jumped. It was further to the ground than she thought. The graveled walkway near the castle jolted her system on contact. Moments later, Hawke hit the ground beside her. He had partially shifted, which made for an easier landing. Their gazes met, and he returned to his wolf. She took off running into the woods, not quite sure what to do now. Once again she hadn’t thought beyond the mission, that whole act first think later thing had to change. For now the safety of the tree beckoned. The world appeared different from that vantage point.
“ Where are we headed?”
Asia ignored his question and continued running. Boris would send hybrids after them as soon as he realized all the test wolves were missing, including Hawke. Goddess please let the plane be on the way.
“ I need to access a computer.”
She rolled her eyes as they ran around trees and jumped over thick roots or vines. Where did he expect her to get a computer?
“ This is important. I need to get to a computer.” He sounded cross.
She stopped, turned and glared down at him. Two wolves slammed into his side, knocking him back, snapping at his hind legs. His inability to fight surprised her. He stood taller than his attackers and yet he didn’t fight. In human form she doubted she would’ve defeated him. Was his wolf that much different? These wolves were getting the best of him. Asia stepped forward prepared to grab one of the animals.
“ Don’t .” Hawke said to the savior who looked like Jerry the security guard. His wolf didn’t agree. He’d puzzled over the inconsistency since he heard the disturbance in his lab. Something big happened. Bigger than the destruction of the lab, the excitement of a new discovery niggled at the edge of his reason. He’d deal with her ability to alter her appearance later and focus on surviving the night.
Hawke recognized the scents from the test wolves before they attacked. Both had undergone several operations and were unwell. He refused to hurt them further. After allowing them a few nips, he batted the older wolf across the jaw with his paw, knocking him across the grass. The other wolf whimpered and ran to check on her mate. Both wolves shifted to human. Their combined pain and sorrow and anger buffeted him.
“ You travel with this scum?” the female hissed at Jerry. “He is a murderer, a defiler of innocents.” She spit in his direction. “I would kill you for what you’ve done. Goddess strengthen me to kill this abomination.” She rose, and he saw the glint of steel as she ran toward him. Hawke prepared to shift to his hybrid form, but Jerry stopped the woman.
“No, you cannot kill him. You don’t know everything, and cannot judge him.”
The remarks surprised Hawke.
“I know what I saw,” the
Similar Books
