Winter Halo (Outcast 2)

The bastard’s grip tightened. “Who took them away?”

“I don’t know. Nuri doesn’t exactly share information like that with someone like me.” My hands were beginning to tingle as the ties binding them loosened and blood rushed back into my fingers.

Nearly done. There was weariness in Bear’s mental tones. I’d pushed them to their limits today, and it made my heart want to weep. Especially given that it wasn’t over yet.

Winter stared at me, his gaze boring into mine, as if trying to unearth the secrets from my brain. After a moment, he snorted and released me. “No, I guess she wouldn’t. Especially when she’s got shifters on her staff. It’s a wonder you’re still alive.”

“She needs me.” Cat, I added silently. Get ready to toss me one of the assault rifles.

“Give he

r the truth drug.” Winter turned and walked across to the huge desk that dominated the other side of the room.

Undone, Bear said.

Cat, get ready. I waited until Harvey’s concentration was on the monitors rather than me, then ripped the IVs from my arm and threw myself sideways. I was out of the chair and rolling away from it even before it hit the floor. As Winter twisted around, Cat tossed me the rifle. I plucked it from the air, flipped it around, and unleashed at the guards. As they went down, the doors opened and two more men spilled into the room. I shot them as well, then jackknifed around and aimed at Winter. But he’d already disappeared behind the rather old-fashioned but solid-looking wooden desk. A second later, an alarm sounded, its shriek so loud it hurt my ears.

“Help is on its way,” Winter shouted. “There’s no escape for you, Tiger. This time, you will die.”

“Like fuck I will.”

I tore the remaining monitors from my chest and temples and sat up. I couldn’t see Winter, but Harvey was cowering behind one of the monitors, her expression terrified.

“Please,” she said. “I can help you . . .”

“Like you helped the children? Like you helped those women being dissected on the tables?” She didn’t reply, which only increased my fury. “How can you justify what is happening here? How can you even sleep at night, knowing what is being done to those women, let alone to the children?”

“They are shifters—”

“They are children,” I yelled, and, without a second thought, shot her.

As she fell lifeless to the floor, I grabbed the chair and used it as a brace as I forced my battered body upright. It hurt. Everything hurt. But that wasn’t going to stop me from confronting the man cowering behind the desk. Nothing would, not even the guards who were undoubtedly on their way thanks to that damn alarm.

The effort of standing left me light-headed. I sucked in several large gulps of air, then hobbled toward the desk. My two little ghosts joined me, their energy tingling across my skin, offering moral support but not strength. They were too close to exhaustion themselves.

And, Rhea help us all, I still needed their help.

Cat, I said, my gaze not wavering from the desk and the man still hiding behind it. Go to the foyer and let me know when the reinforcements get here. Bear, close the doors and then see if you can find some way to short them out.

As they raced off, I raised the rifle and shot at the desk. The bullet thudded into the wood, sending deadly splinters flying but doing little else. As I drew closer, I realized why. The desk might look like valuable wood, but underneath its skin lay metal—and not just any metal but, from the look of it, armored plating. No wonder the bastard was hiding behind it. I took a step sideways, and saw that the foot well area had been totally sealed. Winter obviously had every intention of sitting inside his safe little box until reinforcements got here.

“Well, well, well,” a sultry, smoky voice said. “Sal was right. You are extremely resourceful.”

My gaze jerked up to the light screen on the desk. The speaker was the dark-skinned woman I’d followed into the rift at Carleen—the one that had led to Government House. As my gaze met the green of hers, that odd sense of familiarity ran through me again. “I know you.”

“No surprise, given you followed me into the rift,” she said. “How did you manage that?”

“Magic.” I limped around the desk, studying the bolts holding it in place. There were only two—one at either side rather than at each of the corners—but they were sturdy and undoubtedly drilled deep into the concrete.

“Give up the children, Tiger, and we might just let you live.”

“I’ve seen your version of living in the labs downstairs,” I replied. “Thanks, but no, thanks.”

Guards are here, Cat said. Ten in each elevator.

Bear?

Almost—he paused—sealed.