Shifted Temptations (24 page)

Terry and Hawk stood to Teij’s right. Terry was a fox shifter and our best sniper. The woman could hit any target dead on and knew how to hide. She was average height
and slim build, with short dirty blonde hair that spiked up in the back. Her face was model beautiful when she wasn’t scowling at one of us. She was the only woman on our team and although we liked to tease by calling her ‘Foxy,’ we tried not to give her too much shit. She was too good at her job for that.

Hawk was just as his
namesake. He could fly over undetected and keep our asses out of trouble. The man was tall and lanky, but was as strong as the rest of us. His brown hair was cut short and business like; his eyes were brown and his face seemed average. In fact, his total appearance was average. If you didn’t know any better, you would have thought he was an accountant or some shit, not part of a paranormal militant operation.

Teij was a large man, around six foot, five inches and as dark as midnight.  His bald head and silver hoops dangling from his ears gave him a menacing appearance. His white teeth practically glowed against his dark skin adding to the effect.

Teij wasn’t a tyrant though. He was a bad ass, but he had an eerie calm about him that made you think he was just waiting for the right time to pounce. I thought shifting into a Bengal Tiger had something to do with that, hunting their prey and all.

Before moving into the town, we had mapped out our positions. Wilde Mountain was oddly shaped
, almost exactly like a dartboard. They were surrounded by mountains and then the first of their property began. The outside ring consisted of heavily wooded forest, which was excellent for shifters to run and hide. Next was a ring of farmland and then the residential area.

Our goal was to hit the bull’s eye, center of down town Wilde Mountain. The Town Hal
l was where we should find our first target, Alexander James Wright Sr.

“Alex and Leo, I want both of your alter egos coming in from the north.”
Teij pointed to the top of the map. “Make your way to this house, 124 Wickham Lane. That’s where the drugs were being stored as of last week. At Jordan’s command, fire it up.”

Teij didn’t wait for their approval, he just continued. “
Paul, I want you coming in from the east and meet up with Jordan at the bull’s eye.”

“Terry, you are coming in from the west. Make your way to the bull’
s eye and set up high. Hawk, do what you do best. Take to the sky and keep watch.”

Everyone
gave a nod ready to get going.

“Jordan will get to walk right in. Come up from the south, th
is will have all of our asses covered. Anyone out in those woods needs to be taken down. There can be no fire alarms. Find the enemy, take him out then torch the evidence. I want this quiet people.” He looked at each one of us, his dark eyes narrowed. “There will be innocent bystanders, so no bullets in the streets if at all possible.”

We broke from the meeting and packed up. As I had planned on staying human, I made sure to have my weapons ready. I had a .45 caliber pistol and 9mm as back up along with two hidden knives.

Luckily, there were enough fields in between the mountains and forests surrounding the town for a helicopter to drop us at our designated areas. The ride was silent as we mentally prepared. No one looked at Alex, but I wanted to badly. His father would be killed tonight and though he hid it well, I knew the strain he was under.

I w
as glad he had not argued about his role. He wanted to be a part of taking down Alexander, to be able to look in his father’s eyes and maybe even ask why. I knew that, but I agreed with Teij. It was better for us all if Alex stayed away from that task.

Terry was dropped first so she could get to her position. I needed her set up with the sniper rifle before I got to the town center. Hawk went with her and took to the skies.

As soon as I jumped from the copter, I took off through the trees. I was quick and silent as I kept an eye out for guards. From when I lived there, I knew they had regular patrols.

I reached farm land without sensing any other warm bodies. I though
t it was odd, but figured I must have been lucky. As I made my way closer to the residential section, I started to become a little uneasy. It was quiet, too quiet. Not a soul could be found.

I kept to the shadows
, going from house to house only coming out when I had to cross a street, until I reached the town. The main road going in was deserted. Cars lined the street, but no one was in them. The shops and buildings were empty and most looked just as I remembered, though some had been updated like the government buildings.

The Town Hall looked brand new. With its massive size and marble stairs and columns, it looked out of place against the older red brick structure
s. I snorted, knowing exactly whose idea that was. Alex’s father had always thought of himself as better than everyone else and I guessed he felt he needed a place that fit his ego.

I made my way closer to that monstrosity of a building, sticking to the alleys and shadows. I was only about a block away when I had no choice but to hit the main road. I stepped out carefully and looked around. There was no one. It was a dark, moonless night and not even a street light was on. That didn’t hinder my eyesight, but I had to admit it was odd. Had everyone skipped town?

I sniffed the air and found nothing. No one was lingering close by so I made my way down the street. My eyes scanned the area. All was clear, but I hoped Terry was ready. Something did not feel right.

I had just reached the four-
way crossing at the center of town, when a boy stepped out of the shadows and stood in the middle of the bisecting roads. I stopped. Where in the hell had he come from?

He was in his late teens,
early twenties with short blonde hair. I didn’t recognize him, but I did recognize the shot gun he carried. I knew the scent of my own gun would have hidden the smell of his, but how had I not known he was so close? He stood only ten feet in front of me.

My gun was aimed and ready to shoot when two jaguars stepped up behind him. Shit!

“Drop your gun,” The boy said.

Of course
, I had not obeyed and the boy fired. I dropped and rolled, then got up and ran to the last alley way I had passed. I hid behind the brick building then swung around to fire back. The shot went wild as I was slammed to the ground.

Another jaguar had been hiding in the alley. Fuck! How
in the hell was I missing them?

My gun went flying as we tumbled to the ground with him on my back. I rolled over quickly and grabbed his nec
k. Before I could throw him off me, he ripped his neck out of my grip and went for my throat.

He was strong, stronger than any shifter I had ever come across. I was able to block
his fangs from ripping out my throat, but that was about it. His claws dug into my chest, holding me as we rolled around the ground. I knew we were in the middle of the street and there were other threats nearby, but there was nothing I could do.

My hands shifted and I used my own claws to ripping into his sides. Blood soaked me through, but it didn’t stop him. He snarled in my face and I watched in horror as pink
foam dripped from his mouth onto my cheek. His eyes were glowing red. I held back my shock at seeing the disgusting abnormalities and punched him. His claws loosened enough for me to throw him to the side.

I reached for my 9mm and shot him in the chest just as he launched himself at me again. He should have dropped. It wasn’t a killing blow. We heal
ed quickly enough that he could have survived, but he should have been down for hours. Instead he kept coming.

He landed on top of me, his claws sliced down my chest and stomach. The pain was intense, but survivable. One of my hands had tu
rned human to hold the gun, but the other was still shifted. I used it to dig my claws into his stomach. I ripped upwards just as his jaw clamped down on my shoulder. I screamed and brought my gun up to his head.

One shot and he slumped dea
d on top of me. I shoved him away from me and began to stand up. I had to see where the others went. Where in the hell was Terry? I hoped she was taking care of the other three.

Just as I stood a shot gun went off and I stumbled back. At
first, I wasn’t sure what happened, but then I looked down. Blood cover my entire body, some mine, some the jaguars. It was soaked through my torn clothes with more pouring out of the gaping hole in my right side.

I looked up and saw the boy
lowering his shotgun with a satisfied smile spread across his lips. I lifted my 9mm, ignoring the burning pain and pulled the trigger. The shotgun fell to the pavement as the boys eyes stared wide at me. Blood began to trickle out of the single bullet wound on the center of his forehead, before he slumped to the ground.

I staggered to the building beside me, using the brick
wall for support as I tried to catch my breath. I couldn’t though. Each breath was excruciating and I knew a lung had been damaged. I blinked repeatedly as black spots blurred my vision and I fell to my knees. My legs felt numb.

I watched as the two jaguars approached slowly. What
in the hell was wrong with these shifters? They were the same as the other one. That disgusting pink foam was pouring out of their open jaws and their red eyes glowed in the dark night. I was sure they were just as strong and I did not have it in me to fight another one.

I tried to lift my gun, but my arm refused to wor
k and just hung useless by my side. My eyesight was blurring more and I could feel myself falling. The next thing I knew my face was pressed against the hard pavement as I watched them get closer. My last thought before I closed my eyes, was that we had been set up.

~ 26 ~

Terry

The trek through the forest and farmland had been surprisingly easy and before I knew it, I was at my destination. I set up on the flat roof of a retail shop across the street from the Town Hall.

I snorted at the
sight of the stupid building. I shook my head, Wilde Mountain was a redneck town and those marble columns looked ridiculous.

I set up my equipment
quickly and using the scope, searched the empty streets below. Where was everyone? I was beginning to think the town was deserted. Maybe they packed up their drugs and moved on. I hoped not. We had to catch these people before local law enforcements from neighboring towns caught on to what was going down. Our secret would get out and all hell could break loose.

“There he is,” I whispered as I caught Jordan making his way to the Town Hall. He was good. I hadn’t caught sight of him until he had to come out onto the main road.

I scoped around the area again. So far, so good, I thought.

Wait! Where did that guy come from? He just came strolling out of nowhere with a shotgun in his hands and two jaguars following. I sighted my scope and was ready to shoot when I heard a noise behind me.

Turning swiftly, I came face to face with three ugly ass jaguars. Their fur was ratty and pink drool coated their mouths as they snarled.

“Eww!
You guys look like shit. You know that, right?” I said and one snarled, showing of gleaming fangs. I rolled my eyes. “Obviously you can’t take constructive criticism.”

I
was glad I had packed a back up gun. I had it stashed in my bag only a couple feet on my right. I lunged for it just as one of the cats leaped. My hand found the 9mm quickly and with practiced ease I aimed, but it was too late. The jaguar landed on top of me with a grunt, causing the gun to drop from my hand and slide across the roof.

Damn! He was fast. I elbowed him in the face and rolled.

As I got to my feet, I saw all three pairs of menacing red eyes coming towards me. There was no way I could take them all.

I smiled wide and said, “Sorry, but I can’t stay and play. See ya later boys!”

I turned and ran across the roof shifting in mid sprint. My fox form was small and I got trapped in my clothes for a second, but was able to keep going.

My paws hit the
tar-covered roof and I knew they couldn’t catch me. The problem was where would I go? The only way down was a metal ladder and in fox form that was impossible. I should have thought of that, but if I had stayed human, I would have been cat chow.

The edge was coming fast.
I glanced behind me and saw them right on my heels. My head snapped forward. I had to jump.

Shit! Either I would be one lucky woman and land on the next building over or I was about to be in a lot of pain. The drop was six stories. Yeah, I would survive, but
it would hurt like a SOB.

I had no choice. I leaped off the building, hoping for the best, prepared for the worst. My heart was flutter
ing fast and my stomach was doing summersaults.

I wasn’t going to make it. The other building was too far away. I was falling fast, so I prepared for the landing. Always land in a roll, was what we were taught. I starting tucking myself into a ball wh
en all of sudden something grab the fur on my back.