From the Ashes Read online

  Kyle cradled her close as he stood, picking out injuries–new and old–and the other women glowered resentfully.

  “Thank you.”

  Jennifer’s weak whisper gave him relief, and reminded him of the nightmare with Angela. Ignoring the audience, Kyle quickly took her to his truck, slightly haunted. Not this one.

  “Hey, wait!” Lilly shouted, following. “There are some things you need to know about that slave.”

  Neil grabbed Lilly’s arm. “Why did you do that?”

  “You shouldn’t let the bruja into your camp!” Lilly growled, spinning free of his hold. “She’s trouble.”

  “What?” Neil stared, mind also going to Angie. Bruja meant witch, didn’t it?

  Lilly didn’t lower her voice. “She had them fighting over her from day one, and she’ll do the same to you. She killed to get top slot here.”

  “Sounds like survival,” Neil commented, watching the girl in question peer up at Kyle with a bleeding lip and a dazed expression that the trooper thought would be hard to resist. It was, apparently, because Kyle stiffened and stopped walking.

  “She’s done that and then some,” Lilly informed him, subtly moving closer. This man was also in the chain of command. “She made them believe she was a witch, and Cesar put her in charge of us.”

  “A witch? What made him think that?” Neil questioned casually, not liking how Kyle was staring down at the girl. He’d started walking again, but his expression was much too protective.

  “Bad things used to happen to his men–the ones who hurt her. None of them would cross her again after what she did to Kern.”

  “They’re nice to her now!” another woman threw in, arms streaked in blood and bruises.

  “She makes deals with the men, and she always gets what she wants,” Gracie added, standing next to Lilly.

  Like it’s an honor, Neil thought sarcastically. He was reading the jealousy loud and clear. “Deals?”

  “She protects those kids like they’re hers–makes us take their place,” Grace answered.

  “She’s steals men’s minds,” Lilly whispered, leaning in. “She’s a threat.”

  “If she’s a witch, then why is she a slave?” Neil questioned Lilly coldly. “And why aren’t you dead for what just happened?”

  “Cesar won’t let her use it. He threatened those damn kids.”

  “It doesn’t stop his men from trying, though. They think if she comes to them willing that they’ll be able to kill Cesar.”

  “He keeps her weak–just enough food and energy to keep her and the baby alive.”

  “She can’t kill them all, though she’s tried to get us to help her enough times. We knew better than to fight back.”

  Neil let the women spew, pulling the details that mattered. Jennifer was special. And that was dangerous because she might not be good, like Angela. It sounded like this one might use her power at will, but that wasn’t the big problem here–the other slaves were.

  These jealous, power hungry women not only knew of magic–they had accepted its existence and developed a fierce hatred of it. When they got to Safe Haven...

  Neil let the thought go, observing how tenderly Kyle was attending the pregnant teenager. This isn’t good. Not good at all.

  6

  Kyle slid Jennifer into the seat and hastily backed away. His control was weak compared to the flames shooting through his skin at the contact.

  Jennifer looked up to find Kyle staring at her with a dangerously observant expression. Did he understand that she was hated by her own kind? That she was alone and might be easily taken advantage of?

  Jennifer winced as her stomach muscles seemed to clamp down. Yes. There was heat growing in his eyes as he studied her. It was a fire that Jennifer recognized, one she would use. Those kids wouldn’t be slaves forever and neither would she.

  “Are you okay?”

  Even Kyle heard how winded he sounded.

  “Yes. Just have to rest for a minute.” The cramps were subsiding. Her back and head had taken most of the blows.

  Kyle wanted to be alone with her, and found himself using Adrian for his own gain for the first time, though, it was only a small manipulation. Pregnant sheep were to be protected at all costs.

  Kyle hit his radio. “Take ‘em on, Neil. I’ll catch up.”

  Jennifer closed her eyes and put her head back, heart thumping. If he hurt her now, she was certain to lose the baby, but a car ride with the other women would do the same. Tears of frustration began to ooze from beneath her lashes.

  Neil came to Kyle as he knelt at the open passenger door. He understood when he saw Jennifer’s face. “She can’t travel.”

  “Get the others to Adrian,” Kyle ordered. “We’ll catch up.”

  Neil shook his head. “Better to stay together.”

  Kyle looked angrily toward the satisfied females cramming into the second truck. “Really?”

  Neil couldn’t argue. It wasn’t the first time they’d done this, though, both of those trips had seen deliveries with dead mothers and infants that Adrian hadn’t been informed of. “At least pick a couple men to stay with you.”

  “They’ve all been on this run from hell for four days,” Kyle stated. “Get them–and yourself–home.”

  Neil didn’t pull rank. Safe Haven was exactly where he wanted to be. “All right.”

  As Neil slid into the driver’s seat, Lilly delivered another warning.

  “It’s a bad idea to leave him alone with her. You might not see him again.”

  Neil shifted and hit the gas.

  “This witch story looks like jealousy on your part, ladies, and my boss won’t like it,” Neil warned. “He might not let you in. We don’t admit bad people.”

  Lilly snorted from the passenger seat. “Then be ready to deny Jenny. She’s as bad as women come.”

  Neil didn’t answer. That was an awfully heavy reputation for one pregnant teenager to be carrying. Surely, after spending time around Angela, Kyle would be able to handle her.

  Neil keyed the mike. “Base, mission team is headed in. ETA after dawn. One man down, 29 survivors.”

  “Copy,” Mitch responded right away. “Boss says to hurry home.”

  Neil started to give the usual response and listened to his instinct instead. “It feels like there might be a cat in my barn. Blonde and blue, with hunting claws.”

  Neil used the codes with a tremor in his voice, and the former slave in the seat next to him tensed as she noticed.

  “Yeah, I’m afraid there is, but the boss says enough dogs are chasing it,” Mitch replied uneasily.

  Neil didn’t answer the subtle order to stay focused on his mission. He only drove a bit faster and started preparing himself the way he assumed Marc had while flying to the rest stop. That meant running through anything that could be wrong enough for Adrian to have given that prepared message to their radioman. Adrian had known he might figure something out, so there had to be an answer ready.

  Rick had beaten them back to Safe Haven. That was the only answer that fit and it was the worst of the lot. Had he hurt Samantha? Killed her?

  Neil went through the worst possibilities first, no longer worried over the slaves’ words or Kyle’s actions. Samantha was in trouble, and he couldn’t help her. It was so close of a mirror to Marc’s pain that acid churned in Neil’s gut. Marc had been allowed to keep his world–Angie would live. What about Samantha?

  Behind Neil’s truck, Jeremy was busy singing songs and trying to distract the full load of kids from missing the girl with Kyle. They’d been crying for her, and he had switched off the truck’s radio in favor of the sound of a soothing voice. In the passenger seat, Billy was keeping up with the team vehicle ahead of them and playing along. Their ride, though a bit stressful at this level of exhaustion, wasn’t nearly as long as Neil’s.

  Kyle was silent as the teams left, giving Neil a comforting nod as he rolled by. But inside...

  Kyle looked down at the crying girl, torn
. He wanted her–and he didn’t. She would be his downfall, maybe, or his salvation. The choice would be up to her.

  Jennifer began her count, using the only defense she had against the fear. Numbers began flying across her mental chalkboards. In them, were unknown formulas and unthought-of equations. Chemistry, biology, physics, all of them and yet none, this was a complex web of connections and explanations to some of the puzzles and mysteries that mankind would have given anything for only six months ago. Now, it was locked inside this teenager’s brain, a constantly repeating pattern that she used to keep herself from crying or begging, two things Cesar hadn’t tolerated.

  Jennifer felt the weight of his stare and was terrified by it. “I won’t fight you. Please don’t hurt me.”

  Kyle growled in denial and spun away from the door. He was an Eagle–he didn’t take by force.

  Then make her willing, his heart whispered ruthlessly. Willing is better.

  Yes. Kyle moved for the driver’s door, picking out a small farmhouse nearby. To have her wrap her arms around me, to pull me closer...

  He closed the door, grunting in longing. That would be worth my place… Maybe even my life.

  7

  Samantha yanked harder, hurting her arm, but not budging the cuffs securing her to the steering wheel. Rick had made sure she wasn’t going anywhere.

  Sam had come awake as he pulled them inside this garage and took something from the back of the truck. She’d started trying to get free as soon as she heard his heavy steps in the house above her.

  Samantha strained to see the interior of the truck, hoping for the knife he’d taken from her belt–along with the Taser–but found only trash.

  Her eyes went to the horn, but she hesitated. If he heard her, he might come back and he would be angry. He’ll hurt me.

  He’s going to anyway, the voice inside remarked almost eagerly. You have to kill him.

  “Nooooo!”

  The scream echoed through the darkness, full of fear and pain, and Samantha’s head snapped upward. “Becky?”

  “Please, no! Stop!”

  Rick had Becky up there.

  Samantha twisted again, this time using her palm to lean on the horn.

  Honk! Honk! Honk!

  In the house above her, Rick didn’t react to the noise. Sporadic gunfire was still echoing from the slaver camp, Samantha wasn’t going anywhere as long as the cuffs held, and the Eagles were gone. He could spare an hour to enjoy what Becky had been teasing him with for the last months. Her battered body would torture Neil and Adrian–if it was ever found.

  Rick thrust again, fingers squeezing, scratching, pinching.

  Becky only whimpered, and he began slapping her between strokes.

  Rick shuddered in ecstasy when she shrieked, leaning down to taste her tears.

  Outside, the horn continued to blare those three distinctive blasts.

  Honk! Honk! Honk!

  Seth headed for the faint sound determinedly, hoping it didn’t tip-off Rick. The emergency code sounded like any other alarm on an abandoned car, adopted by Adrian for just this reason.

  Honk! Honk! Honk!

  The light in the window was only a thin beam in the darkness that Seth would have missed if not for the horn leading him to the right house in the row. Above the garage, shadows struggled violently and Seth headed that way.

  He noted vaguely that the horn had stopped, but now that he thought he knew where Rick was, it didn’t matter.

  Determined to help Samantha, Seth let himself in through an already broken window and quietly found the stairs.

  8

  Kevin cut the gag from Samantha’s mouth as they headed inside the house. He did her hands next, following her lead. She had jumped from the truck the instant the cuffs were off, motioning him to be quiet.

  “That’s perfect!”

  Kevin heard the familiar, hated voice, and the awful sounds under it as they found the stairs and took the lead. Murder filled his thoughts.

  “You feel good, Becky baby, real good!” Rick groaned. Bedsprings creaked rhythmically as he wallowed between her bloody legs.

  Slap!

  “Uggg!” Becky cringed, turning her head to avoid the next blow and saw someone in black coming up behind Rick.

  Creak...

  Becky grabbed Rick’s hair before he could look, and pulled his slimy mouth down to hers–then bit into his lip. Blood flew into her mouth, gagging her.

  “You bitch!” Rick drew back to punch and saw a cold eagerness in her eyes that screamed duck!

  Rick did, but it was too late.

  “Uh-uh!” Seth knocked Rick off Samantha with a nasty temple shot and found a different naked body curling into a bloody ball.

  It’s not Samantha. “Becky?”

  Coming out of the daze of lust to feel pain, Rick scrambled backward for his gun and fell off the bed.

  Seeing the weapon, Seth instantly guessed that Becky wasn’t supposed to come out of here alive. He moved toward Rick with a harsh smile. “Where ya goin? This party’s just started!”

  Rick gained his feet and darted for the stairs.

  Kevin appeared in the doorway, blocking his exit in angry satisfaction. “He ain’t done yet. Get back in there and take it like you were giving it!”

  Samantha appeared behind Kevin, sneering, “Miss me?”

  “That’s mine!” Rick cried, lunging forward.

  “No!” Kevin punched him hard enough to send the traitor reeling back into Seth’s reach. “She’s Adrian’s!”

  Rick spun for the other door in the room and Seth kicked out, bringing the evil man back to the floor by his knees.

  “Ahhh!”

  Seth kicked again, aiming for ribs this time, and was rewarded with a harsh snap and another loud shout.

  “Again!” Becky screamed, now standing shakily by the bed. She was awful to look at. “Do it again!”

  Seth was caught off guard by her hatred, pausing in surprise. That wasn’t the Becky they all knew.

  Rick took advantage, slamming his fist into Seth’s ankle. It brought the cop down, and they struggled for the gun, grunting and cursing each other.

  Becky limped to the table, the one Rick had tossed his things onto after shoving her down on the bed. What she needed was there.

  Seth elbowed Rick in the ribs and lunged backward in a vicious head-butt. He spun in the suddenly limp hold and swung. Quicker than Rick could defend, blood splattered at the blow.

  Seth repeated the motion, using more force. He took them both! He raped Becky!

  Seth swung again.

  Rick’s head smacked into the wall and he slumped there, barely conscious.

  “You are under arrest for...a lot of shit!” Seth gasped out, slinging blood from his hands so that he could grasp the cuffs on his belt. “You’ll stand trial...and hang!–in the camp you’ve tried so hard to destroy!”

  “No,” Becky stated regretful. “I won’t allow that.”

  “Don’t!” Rick cried.

  Faced with death, evil was filled with fear.

  Becky stepped around Seth and fired.

  Hands up in defense, the bullet plunged through Rick’s wrist and then his throat. Blood immediately gushed from the holes.

  That’s a shot any Eagle would be proud of, Seth thought vaguely, turning to stare at Becky in horror. “What have you done?”

  “She gave us justice!” Samantha answered harshly. Her face was also a swelled mass of bruises.

  In front of Samantha, Kevin was gaping in shock. He didn’t think he was capable of speech.

  Seth looked at the beautiful kill-shot pouring blood, at the dead man slowly slumping to the floor. It’s what Adrian would have had Kyle do after the trial.

  “Okay,” Seth sighed, suddenly feeling cheated out of his vengeance. “Samantha, get her to the truck. Kevin and I will provide an escort straight to John.”

  “No!” Becky shouted. She was naked, bloody and bruised, with Rick’s gun in her hand. “I want t
o see him burn.”

  They had all heard the story of Angela killing the man in Versailles, but did little Becky realize that burning was a curse to keep the man from gaining any peace in the afterlife? Did it matter?

  Samantha shrugged at Seth’s questioning look. “I have no problem with it.”

  She stepped toward Becky, meaning to cover the girl up.

  Becky recoiled violently, almost tripping over the corner of the soiled bed. “Don’t touch me!”

  Samantha stopped, throwing Seth a worried glance. “Okay.”

  Becky slowly lowered her head and the gun, standing there with no idea what came next. Maybe... Maybe there is no next.

  Picking up on the vibe, Seth held his hand out for the weapon.

  Becky flinched again, but Seth didn’t relent. “You don’t need it. I’ve got your six.”

  Becky stared back, mind scattered. “Yeah, like before?”

  No one moved for a minute at the accusation, and Becky let the gun fall to the carpet. “Stay away. You’ve all done enough.”

  The girl slowly turned toward Rick’s body, furious and empty at the same time. “He meant to leave my body here to destroy Safe Haven.”

  Becky spat at the evil man, suddenly sure she would never be free of him.

  Leaving Seth to deal with it, Kevin gently steered Samantha out of the room, not liking the way she was now staring at Rick’s body. “Come on.”

  Seth heard them leave, but didn’t take his attention away from Becky. She had that ‘on-the-edge’ look that wild animals sometimes got when they were cornered. That was the time they were the most likely to bite, and Seth didn’t fancy any more wounds over Rick. The traitor wasn’t worth it.

  Becky was only vaguely aware of the warm fluids running down her legs, her face, her neck. What she was feeling most clearly, was lost. She wasn’t happy little Becky anymore, and that injury was terrifying. Now, she would only be the girl who got herself raped by the traitor. “They’ll say I deserved it.”

  Seth took his jacket off and carefully placed it around her shoulders. She didn’t react–no violent jump this time–and he casually nudged the gun out of her reach with his boot.