Red Awakening (Red Zone 2)

His only experience with dampening sound had been on a small scale—covering the noise of dishes being smashed or car doors being opened, that sort of thing. A breaking plate-glass window was going to make a massive amount of noise, and he wasn’t sure he even had the ability to neutralize it. But going out on the ledge was the only way they could avoid Freedom. Which meant it had to work.

With one last glance toward the spot where Keiko hid, he picked up one of the chairs sitting at the table. It was now or never. Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth and emitted a series of high-frequency sounds intended to cancel out the soundwaves made by shattering glass. Hoping for the best, he swung the chair at the window.

There was a dull thud as the chair hit. The glass didn’t break, but the chair crumpled. With a disgusted sigh at the poor workmanship, he tossed the chair aside and reached for another one.

“What are you doing?” Keiko hissed.

He glanced back to find her peeking over the sofa, her big eyes glaring at him. “Get back down,” he ordered.

“This isn’t going to work,” she said helpfully before disappearing.

Mace turned back to glare at the window. Would it have killed her to give him a little support? He didn’t hear her coming up with any ideas to get them out of this. With a grunt of frustration, he swung the chair.

Another muted thud. This time producing spiderwebs in the glass. Encouraged, he emitted the noises he hoped would dampen the sound and launched the chair at the window. The glass shattered with a faint tinkling instead of an almighty crash, sending shards out into the night. He breathed a sigh of relief. It worked better than he’d hoped.

Striding over to the sofa, he tapped Keiko on the shoulder. “Time to get out of here.”

She dropped her hands from her ears. “Did you change your mind? Are we doing my plan instead?” She peeked out from behind the sofa, and her jaw dropped. “Why didn’t I hear it smash?”

Mace grabbed a cushion from the sofa and strode back to the gaping hole that used to be a window. Leaning through it, he dusted as much of the glass as he could off the ledge.

“I don’t understand why I didn’t hear it smash.” Keiko sounded a little bewildered.

“Strip the covers off the other two pillows. We’re going to need them.”

“For what?” she asked as she did as she was told.

“To cushion the jagged frame so you don’t rip your ass open getting through the other window.” The opening in front of them was big enough to step through without getting cut on the sharp edges, but they wouldn’t be so lucky with the other one.

She put her hand on his arm to get his attention. “Mace, I really don’t want to go out on that ledge.”

His heart clenched tight. “I wish there was another way. I really do. But this is our only option. It’s this or take your chances with the Freedom soldiers who’re coming our way right this minute.”

She paled, and he covered her hand with his in a gesture meant to reassure. Her hand was so slender and dainty that it made his look like a bear’s paw. It was a shock to be reminded of just how much smaller Keiko was than him. Her personality and presence made it seem as though she were bigger, physically stronger, but really, she was tiny. Breakable, that’s what she was. Tiny and fragile.

Like me, a voice whispered in his mind.

Mace froze, his hand clasping Keiko’s tightly. Things had just gotten a whole lot worse for both of them. Because the voice he’d heard wasn’t his own but the one he’d heard in the nightclub. And this time, there was no denying that he’d heard it—his animal half was talking to him. Something it hadn’t done in the three years since Mace had woken changed. Somehow, some way, Keiko Sato had triggered a transformation in his mutated genetics.

And it would change both of their lives forever.

Chapter Twelve

“Are you okay?” Keiko stared up into Mace’s eyes, but they were strangely blank. He’d checked out on her. And considering she’d literally put her life in his hands, that wasn’t a good thing.

His jaw tightened as his eyes slowly focused on her again. “Yeah.”

“You don’t seem okay. You seem to have zoned out. Do you hear something I can’t again? Is that what it is?”

The muscle at the corner of his jaw clenched and unclenched. It wasn’t reassuring.

“Mace?” she pressed.

“I thought I heard something, but it was nothing.”

That would have been a lot more convincing if he didn’t seem so distracted. “Are you sure you’re up to this? You aren’t going to freak out on me and walk off the ledge, taking me with you, are you?”

“What? No.” He glared at her. “I’m just thinking.”