Unnaturals (41 page)

Bloodells had his mother. Max would go berserk once he found out and Sir Robert... Wilson remembered the old gentleman his father had called the most dangerous man in Europe.

He shuddered. Wilson bit down his anger and accepted what he would do if he had to. The same things his father would.

`Ready,' Nikki said from the doorway. She had dressed and was looking just as dangerous as her sister. `I hope you've got a plan.'

`Yep, same as what Dad would do.' He walked out, focused on keeping the heat building in his flesh under tight control. He didn't have time to explore his gift, but it was there, waiting. And willing.

`You've changed,' Nikki grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. `What happened out there?'

He considered not giving her anything. She wasn't his mother and her tone grated. `I handled it.' He pulled away, heat burning in his ears. `Let's go.'

`Wait, please,' she said, catching up on the steps. She touched his shoulder and Wilson stopped. Anger murmured in his ears. He didn't have time for this crap. Did he?

`We have to keep moving,' he said, looking over his shoulder at her. Dark eyes stared back, uncertain. `They have Mum, and Dad is out of action right now, so it's up to me. We've got to work together on this. Anything else can wait until we have Mum back.' He didn't wait for an answer.

The Bloodells would be moving fast. Away from him.

 

Mason sat on his bed, feeling where Renee's hand had rested, so warm, when she'd helped him to his room.

`So cold,' he muttered, watching her dig around in the wardrobe. `Cold, and heavy.' He closed his eyes, trying to get the anger hot inside him. Nothing — just cold.

`Put this on.' Renee threw a shirt at him. `You're lucky to be alive.' He watched, hands numb, while she ripped the remains of her own shirt off. `Why aren't you getting dressed?'

`Cold,' he managed. Weight pressed down. The cold would not fade. Warmth fell on him, a sweet, scented warmth. Renee. Her breasts lay against his chest. Warm.

`You can't feel the anger, can you?' she whispered, slipping her hand into his shorts. Warmth cupped his manhood. `You're cold, slow.'

He didn't respond to her touch.

`Like ice.'

She kissed his neck. `You saved her,' she whispered, stroking his shaft. `Thank you.'

`Okay.' He could barely speak. He wanted to feel. To move. To hunt Bloodells. To get Ruth back. Cold tied him down.

`I know what might work,' Renee said, resting her nose on his. `Death still has its hand on you. It's the cold of death that weakens you. Maybe this will burn it away.'

He couldn't resist as she kissed him, hard. Her lips were hot against his as her hand stroked him. Warmth seeped out from her skin, spreading across his. She took his hand and pressed it down into her shorts. `Do it,' she whispered. `Touch me.' She pushed his hand lower. `Bring the heat. Drive the cold out.'

Intense heat warmed his fingers. Sensation grew, focused on her sex and on his hand. He found it, her sweet spot. His fingers moved. Blood surged hot within him. She was right. He could feel again.

Renee moaned, her grip tight. `So good to feel you touch me. Harder. I want it harder.'

Mason touched her face as he pressed his fingers hard into her. `Kiss.'

Flavour and desire exploded into his mouth as Renee's lips crushed his, tongue hungry for him. Hard, hot nipples pressed into his flesh. He wanted to have her. She squirmed in pleasure.

There was no wrongness. He felt no guilt or shame.

`Bite me,' Renee growled. `Bite hard. Make it hurt.' She thrust her throat at his mouth and he bit down, her flesh soft and her cry high. `Mark me. Harder.'

Her blood flavoured his tongue.

Then his own pain began as her teeth and nails cut into his flesh. A wave of pleasure roared in his ears.

`Don't stop.' She pressed herself down hard to his hand, and pulled his shorts down. `I want you, now, before it's too late.' She guided him into her. `Love me, please.'

Mason pushed deep into her, aware of how her body moved together with his.

`Renee,' he gasped in the sweetness of their coupling. `The fire...'

He bucked, giving all that he had to her. Smoke tainted the scent of their lovemaking, but he couldn't stop. Her body and his were one. Bright green eyes looked down at him, hands tight on his arms as they rocked. Blood seeped from her lip. She had bit down on her cry of pleasure. She didn't stop, rolling against his groin, making his shaft hotter. Another wave rolled out and through him. Muscles contracted. His back arched and a shrill cry shook the room. Renee, he realised through the noise in his head.

Her Song of pleasure.

Plaster fell around them. Smoke thickened the air. The cold was well gone. His hands sought out her breasts, full and hard, as she rocked on him. Shards of white fire flickered where Renee's groin ground against his.

`Marry me!' she gasped.

He almost stopped but she kept moving on him, keeping him hard and hot in her. Words couldn't come. Marry? He was already married.

She flicked long hair off her face and looked at him. `Don't worry. We marry those we want to share our lives with, have children with. Long before you humans found your god, Darkells married for life.'

He knew they were meant to find each other. But what about Ruth? `I—' He stopped, uncertain.

`Ruth will have to marry Nikki and you as well. It is our way and it's not taken lightly.'

`It's hard to argue with you, when you're doing that,' he said, trying to regain control as she moved on him. He couldn't let her breasts go. The house would not survive.

She smiled and leaned in. `I didn't plan for our first time to happen like this, but,' she kissed him and sat up on him, `it worked, you're back.'

`And you're amazing,' he said, rolling thumbs over her nipples. `The fire is coming. We have to move.'

`Hmm.' She rocked backwards and forwards slowly.

He shuddered, trying to stay focused. `Renee, please. Ruth.'

Cool air rushed in where her heat had been and Renee lay on the bed beside him, stretching. `Guess I'm a real bitch now, fucking you while this shit is going down.'

`Maybe,' he said, sitting up, feeling alive again. His body responded. Scales covered him. `But it worked. The cold is gone. I can feel Hunter again, so let's move.'

`Fucking now. Fighting next?' She sat up, excited.

`It wasn't fucking. Stop calling it that.' He pulled on the shirt Renee had found for him while his ears burned. What she'd said did excite him, even though Ruth was in danger. There. Anger flickered. Moving like a dangerous dragon inside. Good.

`I've never felt like this,' she said, arching her back. He avoided looking at her naked. Even the thought made him feel hot again.

`It's something that you never tire of, sharing yourself with another. Get dressed.' He flicked one of his shirts at her as she slipped her shorts back on. He paused. What was different about her?

`You're having second thoughts, aren't you? That's why you won't look at me? Mason?' Renee had moved closer, a tremor in her voice.

`No, just the opposite,' he said, wanting to kiss her again. `I don't trust myself now that we've started this. I can't let this distract us from what has happened.'

`So it's our little secret, then?' She buttoned her shirt, standing beside him and humming softly.

`There's no way we can hide what has happened.' He glanced at her. She had changed. Movement caught his eye — Lilly slipping past. `Besides, we had an audience.'

`You mean Lilly and Sally?' She licked her lips and tucked her shirt in. `We weren't exactly quiet either.'

He took her hand and moved towards the doorway. `There isn't going to be much we can keep from each other from now on, even from Wilson.'

`That's kind of what is supposed to happen. I think,' she said. `This family isn't exactly normal even by Darkells standards.'

He nodded to Lilly. Sally sat at the kitchen table looking flushed. Nothing would ever be normal, but he felt that the young girl watching him with wide eyes would become part of Wilson's life.

 

Lights flickered on in the huge shed as Wilson entered, Nikki close behind him.

`What is it you want me to do in here?'

`Syrus. Can he be transferred from one vehicle to another?' He moved past Renee's ute.

`Yes.' She ran a hand over the sleek bonnet.

`Good.' He activated another security panel, unlocking thick concrete doors at his feet. Steps led downwards. `Bring him with you.' He moved quickly down the steps, waiting for the lights to respond to his presence.

He had only come down here twice. Each time had given him goosebumps. A necessary evil, Max had told him. All scenarios had to be covered.

Nikki joined him as he stood staring at Max's necessary evil. `What is that?'

`This,' he said, slapping cold steel, `is our very own Anti-Terrorist Vehicle. The ultimate survival and combat machine on four wheels.' Wilson recalled the training he had to go through in order to operate it. `Designed for a nuclear war or a time when Unnaturals overran us. Built for me in case something ever happened to my parents.'

She moved to stand beside him, a dull ball of energy in her hand. `You want me to put Syrus in that?'

`Yes.' Wilson moved up to the driver's door. The ATV powered up at his touch. Another door sprang open beside Nikki, making her back away. `Get in.'

`You're angry at me,' Nikki stood, with Syrus in her hands beside the ATV, her face serious and eyes black.

`Yes,' Wilson faced her. If she wanted the truth she could have it. `I accept who my mother is but that doesn't mean I understand or like you. I've never liked any of her partners. They always end up hurting her. She doesn't think I see it, but I do.'

As memories of his mother crying welled up he stepped closer to Nikki, anger hot on his skin. `My mother is unique. And so capable of loving but so easily hurt. You—'

He bit down on his anger. `You have a hold on her I've never seen before and then there's,' Wilson looked down at the small bump that was his brother growing within her, `then this happens; a baby. Everything she has ever wanted; here now, with you.'

`You think I'm going to hurt Ruth?' Nikki asked quietly.

`I know you will.' He stepped back, aware that his tone had an edge. Had he been wrong about her? `And it will be me and Dad who have to keep her together after it falls apart. If we get through today.'

`You're wrong about me,' she said. `When we get her back and we're a family again, you'll see that. Syrus will help us do that, get Ruth back.' She held the ball of energy that was Syrus up to him. `I'm with you, Wil. Those bastards have Ruth. Let's get her back, fast.'

`Get in and do your thing, then. The explosives on the exit wall are armed.' He climbed into the ATV. Time to move.

`Shit, Wilson!' Nikki muttered, strapping herself into the back seat as the doors sealed shut. `Explosives?'

`Yeah,' he muttered, checking the operating systems as the ATV roared into life. `Get Syrus into the ATV fast, because all hell is about to break loose.' He looked at her in the rear-view monitor, eyes closed, lips moving silently as the energy forming Syrus fanned out and was absorbed into the ATV. Renee had explained what Syrus was, but it was the conversation he had later with Syrus, alone, that had made him understand better. `You there, Syrus?'

`Yes.' Syrus answered back, close to his ear. `I am at one with this beautiful machine, Master Wilson.'

`Beautiful?' Nikki looked around and Wilson finally smiled. He liked Syrus. Time to bring the pain.

`Yes, Magi,' Syrus said, voice moving from speaker to speaker. `This I like.'

`Excellent,' Wilson said and pressed the detonation sequence on the dash. `Brace yourself.' He looked around his seat at her, hands white on the brace grips. `It's gunna get loud and wild.'

`Goddess!' she said, as he gunned the huge motor, ready to launch, while the countdown flickered on the dash.

Cool alloy greeted his hands, the control joysticks warming as he braced. Electronic sensors in his seat reacted until it gripped his legs and torso. Weapons armed. Optimum power reached. Motor at launch revs.

A quick glance at his refection in the windscreen showed what he felt. Determination.

He felt the explosion. Concrete and steel exploded outwards. Sunlight poured in through the opening as he released the lock-down mechanism. Unleashed horsepower launched the ATV forward, pressing him back into the seat.

`Shiiit!'' Nikki howled as the ATV shot out into the daylight, his own jubilant cry tempered by the anger he felt.

The Bloodells had his mother. Time for some payback.

 

Mason wet his lips, a touch awkward at knowing what the girls had just witnessed. `You both ready to go?'

`Yep,' Lilly said looking at him with bright eyes. `All set.'

Mason felt the air shimmer.

Explosion. Controlled. At the back of the shed. Wilson.

`Outside!' he ordered as Renee flashed past. `It's not an attack. That was Wilson.' He held his hand out to Sally, who was looking embarrassed and frightened at the same time. `We have to go, Sal. I won't let anything happen to you.'

He waited a second, hesitation clear on her face. To her he would look frightening, covered in scales, but she would have to fit in. Even if Wilson hadn't understood it yet.

`Okay,' she whispered.

`I'm still me, Sal.' He took her hand and moved, keeping her close. She was so soft to hold. `Everything you see and hear is still us. No more hiding the truth from you. Are you ready for this?' He held the door open for her.

`Yes. I'm ready,' she said. `And, Mason?' He looked down at her. `You don't look like a monster to me.'

Mason looked away before she could see the darkness growing in his eyes. The memory of exactly what had happened was seeping back, and with it came anger. Bloodells had come to his home. They had taken Ruth.

`Have you seen this thing?' Renee yelled over the roaring of a huge motor.

He knew what it was.

The ATV halted before them.
Last Hope
they'd named it. It had been designed to protect his son when he had nothing else to rely on. It was the only one of its kind in the world and, because of that, a symbol of the other world Mason had wanted to protect his family from.