They were inside the small tunnel for less than five minutes, but for Dex it seemed to take forever. They finally emerged through a grate on the other side. As soon as Sloane had climbed out, Sparks replaced the grate, and they ran through the empty brick corridor to a set of stairs. Dex had never been this far down in HQ. There was never any need for him to be. There wasn’t even anything down here, or so he’d believed.
Sparks silently opened the fire door at the top of the stairs and slipped out. Dex and Sloane followed. They were on a landing in the emergency stairwell. Dex ran to the next fire door, the one that led to the holding cells. He carefully opened it, hearing the roars, hisses, and howls. The cells had at least half a dozen suspects still in their Therian forms, and something was upsetting them. A gunshot echoed, and Dex’s heart leaped in his throat. He ran out the door to his dad’s scream.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
Licorice. Oh God, it made him feel sick to his stomach. Dex rounded the corner in time to see the Chief of Therian Defense shoot his dad in the chest.
“No!” Dex roared as he barreled into the tiger Therian, sending them rolling on the concrete floor. Dex lunged at Admiral Moros, straddling him and planting a fist across his face. “You son of a bitch!”
Moros hissed, slamming his hands into Dex’s chest and sending him flying off. Dex hit the floor hard. He rolled and saw Sparks and Sloane holding Tony, blood seeping from the gunshot wound in his chest. Dex pushed himself to his feet to face the asshole.
“Sloane, get this building up and running! We need a medevac stat!” Sparks ordered before Dex heard her yell at Sloane again. “Dex can handle it. Save Tony!”
Dex faced Moros, circling him, his fury rising through him. “You’re the one behind all this. Behind the facility, the torture, the control drug, everything. And now you shot my father.”
“It’s his own fault.” Moros spat out a mouthful of saliv
a mixed with blood. “He should have gone back upstairs like I told him to, but he wouldn’t leave his post. I couldn’t have any witnesses.”
Dex glanced at Sparks, who had her forehead pressed against Tony’s as she comforted him. A white rage rose inside Dex. Not again. “You took my parents. I won’t let you take him too.”
Moros laughed at him. “And what are you going to do? I’m a Therian, and a tiger one at that. You’re no match for me, and your boyfriend isn’t here to protect you. You think because you’re infected that it makes you like me?” His steel-gray eyes filled with fury. “You’re an abomination! Neither Human nor Therian.” Moros unbuttoned his Naval officer’s jacket and tossed it to one side, the medals clinking against the floor. “You’re going to join all those other abominations in hell.”
“They were innocent people! My parents were innocent. And for the record, I’m nothing like you.”
“The Therian species is superior. This war between us and the Humans is only beginning. Everyone wants to be at the top of the food chain. I couldn’t have Humans running around with Therian traits, with our eyesight, our strength, our healing abilities? How long would it take Human military officials to decide they needed an army of freaks like you?” He rolled up his sleeves and ran a hand through his silver hair.
“Humanity has had its day, Dexter. Not you, TIN, or anyone else is going to stop Therians from being the true kings of this world. You think I’m alone in this?” He laughed bitterly. “Do you really think everything will stop if I’m in prison or dead? You stupid, naïve little boy. Playing soldier in a war you’re not ready for.” He motioned for Dex to advance. “Come on, then. Come join your parents in the afterlife. They failed, and so will you.”
Dex let out a fierce roar as he charged, pain shooting through his body like electric charges striking every muscle and nerve ending. Claws pierced his fingers as Dex launched himself into the air, jumping and coming down on Moros, who dodged away, but not before Dex’s claws scraped at his face.
Dex landed on his feet with a hiss. He looked up at Moros, who stared at him, eyes wide as he touched his bloodied cheek. With a war cry, Moros attacked, and Dex moved swiftly, staying out of Moros’s grasp. One hand to the throat, and Dex was dead. This man was responsible for the death of his parents, for the innocent couples whose only crime was to love without prejudice, only to die at the hands of this monster. It was all about greed and power. That was all it ever was about.
Dex ducked under Moros’s fist and swiped his claws, tearing at Moros’s pant leg and drawing blood. The man was strong as hell, but Dex was strong too. He drew on his newfound strength, on his speed and agility, on all the training he’d been doing over the last few months. He struck as hard as he could whenever Moros left himself vulnerable, retracting his claws and driving his fist against the man’s kidneys, his ribs, and then releasing his claws, striking wherever he could. Moros roared with fury as he tried to get his hands on Dex. Tiger Therians were big, fast, but all that bulk and muscle, their size could be used against them. Ash had taught Dex that, and now that Dex was faster, unrelenting, his body pulsating with Therian blood, he grabbed fistfuls of Moros’s clothes and jerked him, sending him sliding across the floor.
The alarms beeped as the building’s security-measure protocol was removed. Moros screamed, a wail of frustration and anger. Instead of heading for Dex, he changed trajectory.
“No!”
Dex sped toward Moros as he headed for Sparks and Tony. Sparks was applying pressure to Tony’s wound. Dex could see his father trying to move Sparks out of the way. They’d both be killed. Images flashed through Dex’s mind. His parents had been taken from him too soon, but he’d found love again. His parents had made sure of it. Sparks brought Tony against her, shielding him with her body. Dex raced across the floor, sliding on his knees in front of Sparks as Moros raised his own claws, his fangs bared.
Moros’s eyes went wide, blood bubbling up and spurting from his lips. He staggered back, his hands going to his gut. Dex’s chest rose and fell as he tried to catch his breath. He watched as Moros gaped at Dex before falling to his knees, and even then he still tried to crawl over to Tony. Dex retracted his claws as he walked over, his jaw set as he put his boot to Moros’s shoulder and kicked. The guy dropped onto his side before rolling onto his back, his guts spilling through the tears in his abdomen. The EMTs reached Tony and hurriedly got to work under Sparks’s orders. Sloane came running, stopping beside Dex and putting his arm around him, his deep frown on Moros.
Moros looked at them and laughed, a horrible gurgling sound. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his head falling back against the floor. “There… there will be others.”
“We’ll be waiting,” Dex said, watching the light go out of the bastard’s eyes. He was dead. Dex followed the EMTs as they wheeled Tony to the ambulance, Sparks holding his hand. Dex couldn’t help his smirk. “Guess we know what my dad was doing working late.”
Chapter 12
“SO, YOU and my dad.”
Dex stood beside Sparks outside his dad’s hospital room. Cael was inside, asleep in the armchair next to their dad’s bed. He’d cried himself to exhaustion before falling asleep. The bullet had done some damage, but not nearly as much as the doctors had expected. Dex was convinced Tony had intimidated the thing into leaving his body without any more grief. Tony would be off his feet, not to mention be on leave for some time, but he was alive, and the doctors were confident the recovery would go smoothly. Dex expected no less from Sergeant Anthony Maddock. Sparks had remained outside, and Dex felt for her. No one could know about her relationship with his dad. Not because the THIRDS cared, but because TIN didn’t know, and it could pose a threat to her position. Too many risks. Too many risks to Tony’s life. To their family.
Sparks gave him a small smile. “He wanted to tell you and Cael, but I asked him to wait, telling him you were already going through so much. The truth is, I was scared.”
“Of what?”
“That you wouldn’t approve, and I know if you’re against something, it’s likely Cael will feel the same.”