“This won’t be pretty.”
“Sweets, not doing things pretty is something we have in common.”
She stopped in front of an SUV. “Shit. We forgot the keys.”
Kane chuckled. “Ready for more surprises?”
“What?”
He broke the driver’s window with his fist. “Apparently, I know how to hot-wire a car.” He went to work and in seconds, the engine started. “This will do until we find another.”
“I still think you were a special forces’ soldier turned werewolf.”
“You might be right. Avery suspected I was on some lycan army mission.” He glanced at the fork on the road. “Hmm. Which direction?”
Gaby looked at the group of animals lingering in the shadows. “My cabin is on the right along the way.”
“That’s the first place they’ll look.”
“Sucks. I could use more clothing.”
He winked. “Money won’t be an issue.” Mind control made stealing so much easier. He stepped out and threw the ball with the tracking device in the direction of her cabin.
“Good throw. Might even land on the front porch.”
“Have the big cats head toward your cabin.”
“And the others?”
“Have them attack anyone who runs out.”
She raised her arms and the animals from bears to dogs obeyed her commands.
Kane snarled and she turned.
Director Giles and one of his men stood with assault rifles aimed at them. “Don’t move!”
Gaby froze and held Kane’s arm. If he charged, Gaby might be shot and killed. “Let her go, and I’m yours.”
“I don’t bargain with assets.”
Gaby scowled. “I quit.”
Giles twisted a wicked grin. “Nelson, if she doesn’t come, shoot her in the leg.” He snorted. “Make that both legs.”
Kane tried to make eye contact with Giles, but he stared only at Gaby, knowing how to avoid his mind control. If he could grab him, he could force him to look into his eyes. The stalking tiger and African male lion came ever so slowly toward them. Better yet, he’d let the cats deal with him.
The tiger attacked the director’s soldier and ripped his head off. Giles shot at the tiger winging him, but the lion pounced on him. The lion muffled his cries as he bit into his scalp, crushing and spilling gray matter like gruesome tapioca.
Gaby gaped.
Kane drew her in his arms and opened the car door. “Let’s go.”
She hopped in and they sped away.
Gaby glanced at her watch, five thirty p.m. on a Sunday. Almost an hour since their escape. They made it to the main freeway out of the closest town. Traffic consisted of campers and other vacationers heading home from a weekend in the country. She clutched her bracelet and looked back. I’m free. Away from the man-eaters she turned loose. Away from Director Giles, who forced her to kill and robbed her of a normal life. Project Sabertooth was over or was it? Tomlin would take over. What now? Would Tomlin and Avery hunt them to the ends of the Earth? Would Kane’s memory return? If he was Prince Steele, he meant something to his kind, or to a pack or even mate. If he remembered, she had to be prepared to let him go. Not that they had an intimate relationship. Just friends on the run. Yet, their explosive sexual tension could annihilate their friend status. He kissed her passionately the first day they met as if they had been parted lovers. He flirted with his eyes, language, and so had she. Removing his shirt displaying his broad chest and ripped abs didn’t help. No mistake as to why she dressed in her tightest dress for dinner. A rotor clap from above brought her back to reality.
Kane barked, “Shit, helicopters.”