Raven Moon (21 page)

Moxie fired a shotgun and barked. “Stop the fucking shooting and rope them in you imbeciles!”

Ted gazed at his watch. “Three more minutes.”

“Was she really a midwife nurse at your hospital?”

“No. She did have a nurse’s degree but then served as a midwife for a group of white supremacist in some other state. She never talked about that, I just overheard a conversation with Randy, her nephew. Her seven sons ran a crystal-meth lab. That is, when they weren’t serving time. Right before Z-phage, two of her incarcerated sons escaped and shot a state trooper. Because of the zombie outbreak they were never brought to justice.”

“And you obeyed her?” She didn’t regret her biting remark. He could have used his medical expertise to stop the sick operation. What would Moxie have done without a doctor?

“I learned all this slowly over the past year. When she arrived, four of us hid on the roof. The other doctor and nurse suspected something was up and tried to leave. Dr. John Benning was shot and Karly turned. I worried about my stepdaughter and stayed.”

“And then you participated?”

He stared at the hospital. “Yes, and because of it I lost my daughter.”

“The zombie women, did you…?”

He sighed. “I stitched their mouths and Mama Moxie cleaned them up for the auctions.” He made a fist. “I traded my doctor vows and morals to survive,” he hissed.

“That sucks, but as a physician you can still help others.” The din of angry men grew. Where were the explosions? Had the doctor failed? Had he incorrectly attached them? Had the explosives been found, disabled and now the tankers looked for the traitors? “Umm. It’s been more than three minutes.”

He swallowed hard. “Stay here.”

“No wait.”

“Don’t worry. I think it’s just a delay. I’m going after Mama Moxie.”

Rave whispered. “Are you crazy?”

Ted dashed away. Damn. He walked up to Mad Moxie, as if he belonged with them, rather than about to bring hell down on them. Her men had roped the remaining zombie women and shoved them in a cage.

A growl interrupted the catcalls, followed by a volley of bullets. What now? Her heart stilled. Had Maddox decided to sacrifice himself so she could get away? Is that what he meant when he said everything would sort out? To die in blaze of glory after committing the sin of lusting for a raven shifter? Real bullets could not kill him immediately, but some of the men were the Kindred. They had silver ammo and though she had the anecdote how would she get to him before he succumbed to the poison?

Boom! Stonefield hospital exploded. Rave was thrown to the ground. She shifted and scooted under the ambulance. Glass and debris rained everywhere, but as the doctor had foretold the hospital collapsed and a fire ensued.

Ted detonated one vehicle after another. Maddox stalked toward the men in his huge white Hollywood werewolf bipedal form. Two men, dressed in the Kindred’s black vest and green military jackets were torn asunder. The tankers shot at him and he leapt on them, savaging them. Death by a monster the tankers had not expected to see in this mad world. The burning vehicles created openings and a zombie horde struggled in.

In the middle of the chaos, Ted laughed and stepped toward Mama Moxie who shouted orders.

A big man hollered. “Mama!”

Ted aimed and shot the man, killing him. Moxie wailed. She turned and glowered at Ted. He pulled the trigger at Mama Moxie but the gun jammed. Like a maddened mama bear, she stalked toward the doctor with her shotgun. He scrambled back to Rave’s hideout. Mama Moxie shot him in the leg and he pummeled to the ground. Ted dragged himself toward the ambulance and Rave dashed out, her wings spread and cawed to draw her attention.

Mama Moxie ignored her and shot Ted in the back and his eyes glazed over. “You killed my baby!” She shot him again. And again. Overkill mutilation as if Mad Moxie revenged her son by filling him with lead.

Rave shifted and drew her Glock 19. “Get away from him.”

Mad Mama Moxie turned and glared at her. With the fire in the background, men being eaten by the invading zombies, and the snarls of Maddox tearing up tankers, Moxie looked like a demon. “You bitch!” She lifted her shotgun. “You could have had my grandbabies. But you had to be selfish!”

Before she pulled the trigger, Rave shot her in the head. “You as grandma to my kids, not ever!”

Two men drew their guns and screamed, “Mama!”

Hungry zombies shambled toward the fresh kill. Time to scram. Rave shifted and hid beneath a truck filled with tires.

One of her sons shot two zombies and shouted to the others, “Find that bitch!”

They scanned for Rave but were soon overrun by zombies. Hundreds, no, thousands. Their stench punched her nostrils and she suppressed her urge to vomit. Tankers were killed by the werewolf or eaten by zombies, depending on which B-movie monster you encountered. The cage holding the re-captured zombie woman had been crushed by a falling wall. Only one crawled, or rather just her torso. Stonefield Hospital and the tanker’s female slave market was no more.

Poor Ted. A crowd of zombies feasted on him before his body went rigor. In sorrow, she bent her head low until her beak touched the ground. At least his spirit could rest knowing Mama Moxie was dead and late as it was, he’d helped put an end to the sick operation. Another explosion shocked her out of her grief. The stench of burning zombies was beyond putrid. She gagged, shook her head and puked. Yuck!
Want warm cocoa now.
She closed her eyes
. Better.
She stepped away, and gagged out a pellet. Tilting her head, she looked to see if it was a good time to leave.

A flash of a large white wolf ran toward her and her heart gladdened. His paws padded closer and a big wet nose sniffed under her hiding place.

Happy to see him, she stepped out, and he snatched her in his jaw. She froze rather than struggle and risk being torn by his canines. He took off in a dead run away from hell.

Despite his fierce jaws, he never once bit down, reminding her of how a mother wolf could move her newborn cubs from one den to the other without hurting them.

Maddox dashed past another horde of zombies that ambled toward the flames. The drone of their moans sent a shiver up her spine. Where had they all come from? Duh! Texas! Its population stats numbered over 25 million.

In a forested area, far from the sea of zombies, he set her down and dug under the turf, uncovering his pack of cloths and katana. He shifted to his muscular gorgeous naked chiseled form. She tried not to gawk, but how could she not? He was dreamy. His streamlined muscles and sinew tapered to his taut six-pack abs. Geez. Wet dream hot. She roused in pleasure.

Maddox looked down at her. “It’s safe if you want to shift.”

Good idea before I start displaying mating behavior.
Not nesting, but rather spreading her legs in shameless flaunting of what she wanted. Had wanted since she first saw him swagger into the Consortium meeting all badass and surly. Rave shifted and the cold air accosted her featherless skin. “It’s freezing.”

“Up ahead, there are a few abandoned vehicles.”

Rave wished she had enough light to preen and instead braided her hair. Not that her hair needed it, but braiding kept her mind occupied rather than staring at him and making their reunion more awkward than it already was. Focus on the mission. “Mad Moxie killed Doctor Larsen.”

Maddox zipped his pants and donned his boots. “I know.”

Rave remembered the guilt written on Ted’s face. How many women, both living and dead, had he helped his leader put into slavery?

He reached in his pack and took out a small crossbow. “A going away present.”

She lifted the crossbow. Small like the one she left back at the hotel. Not the Carbon Express Covert CX2, she’d drooled over earlier, but lethal. “Thanks, but I didn’t get you anything.”

He gave her a wolfish grin. “Knowing you’re safe is enough for me.”

“Ahh.” Rave practically melted but just as quickly, her heart ached. Going away present? They would soon split ways. Not that she expected anything else, but there was always hope he would leave his pack and join her. Hah. Whom was she kidding? She gave him a pointed stare. “Are all the tankers dead?”

He tensed. “Those I didn’t kill, the zombies did. I also killed the two Kindred men, leaving no witnesses for Jaeger.”

“It might have been a good idea to interrogate them about the drone.”

He grimaced as if in regret, but this close to the full moon his control must be on thin ice. “That drone operator might be miles away, but they had silver ammo. They knew I was holed up here. One of the Kindred I killed had the scent of the Benandanti pilot who dropped me off.”

Rave had almost forgotten her partner was an enemy Benandanti werewolf. “So…they killed him.” She sighed. “I guess you won’t rendezvous with him any time soon.”

“Actually his plan was to return to San Antonio in a week. I assumed he would have gone to refuel and pass the time nearby. Instead, he ran in to the Kindred.”

“Sorry about your loss.”

Maddox shook his head. “No, the pilot’s scent I picked up was not a death odor.”

Rave sat on a log and tilted her head. “So, he’s captured.” A werewolf under the Kindred’s hold was as bad as it could get.

He blew out a long breath. “They’ll use him as bait, knowing I’m honor bound to rescue a pack member.”

“He might have scented you toward the direction of Stonefield.”

“Possibly, depending on how much torture he could withstand before agreeing to sniff me out.”

“I’ve heard the Benandanti can tolerate a lot of pain.” Rave recalled how Maddox had lashed his back. She muttered, “See, it wasn’t me who outed you.” She shrugged. “Any who. You are off to rescue your friend.”

“I didn’t know him personally but I must.” He gave her an incredulous look and his tone turned stern. “Not until I see to your safety.”

Rave stared at the ground and trembled from his uncompromising promise. “Honestly, I’m good. Besides, I’m glad you haven’t changed your mind about bringing me back to your pack.”

He drew her up to him, his voice husky. “In the beginning I thought of bringing you in, but I quickly changed my mind. I will never turn you in. Not to our so-called prophet.”

“Prophet?”

Instead of answering her, he captured her mouth with hungry urgency. She returned his passion with bittersweet furor. Too hell with their differences.
Oh yes, lust level, Defcon 1.
Her hands gripped his hard biceps. The scorching heat of his body caused her to combust in flames of raw desire.
Screw it all, I want you!
The dilemma of their illicit attraction could wait.

Maddox suddenly wrenched away and muttered, “Damn moon. Let’s get going.”

Chapter 14

The sun slowly rose, but a thick veil of fog gave the illusion of dusk. Maddox turned to Rave who was several cars down searching a small sedan’s steering column for keys. Even from this distance, her sensual fragrance washed away the scent of rotting flesh. Her aroma was like a beacon of tantalizing pheromones, promising hot sex. He swallowed.
Bloody hell. Get a grip
. “Found one.” He opened the door and peered into a mud-covered abandoned army jeep. “Good.” He grabbed the keys in the ignition.

Rave threw him a smile that made his wolf’s heart howl with joy as if he had provided for his mate, and she was proud of him. She swayed her alluring hips as she walked toward him. Fuck. He ached for her and the thought he must send her away embittered his beast. No werewolf could part from his intended mate. Especially, tonight on the full moon. Yet he must, for her sake. She was destined to be a raven queen, not the mate of a Kindred hunter and holy Templar. As soon as they arrived at the border of New Mexico, he would shift to natural wolf form and run as fast away from her as possible. Follow Jaeger’s lead north. Rescue the Benandanti pilot. And despite his questionable loyalty, warn Lazarus that Jaeger headed in his direction with five zombiefied chimpanzees. Not if he could kill the apes first. Could he take out five, while fighting off the Kindred? His wolf licked his chops, anticipating the taste of Jaeger’s blood and flared his nostrils. At least it was easy to follow the scent of the ghoulish apes.

Rave gazed at the jeep and smirked. “I thought we only drove British cars?”

“Only until we find another British Motors dealership.”

Rave threw a bag of snacks, complement of the last convenience store, in the back seat but as always kept her satchel on her person. Before she stepped in the car, she pulled out her makeup kit, and using the passenger side mirror, preened.

His wolf howled as she applied ruby red lipstick to her lips.
Lips I want to saver. Bite. Invade.
Claim
. Maddox dragged his tongue over his emerging fangs and forced them back in control. “You look fine as always.” He wanted to add,
a bewitching beauty need not mar her looks with makeup.

Rave smacked her luscious lips. The contrast between her alabaster skin and the blood red on her lips drove him mad with lust. Maddox stared at the road ahead, before his wolf escaped his den and fucked her. At least the fog began lifting. He scanned the area in silence as his shaft strained to plunge into her always moist sheath. Bloody fucking raven pheromones. “I’ll find more fuel and then we part ways.”

Rave dropped her makeup into her satchel and snatched his keys. “I’m driving.”

How the hell did she do that so fast?
He chuckled. “Drive? Didn’t you have a chauffeur for that?”

“No. At least not all the time.” Rave sat in the driver’s seat and turned the ignition. “Almost a full tank.”

Maddox sat on the passenger side. “Do you know the direction to California?”

“Are you trying to insult me, wolf? Remember I’m a bird. Directions are as natural to me as a sense of smell is to a dog.” She gave him a momentary look. “Seatbelt.”

“Right.” He snapped the seatbelt on then smiled. “Thank you for caring.”

“I care about a lot of things.” Rave stared at the steering wheel and her tone saddened. “Poor Ted. It’s like he had this ‘remember the Alamo’ death wish.”

Maddox felt no pity. The man had sold his adopted daughter to save his bloody ass. “After what Mama Moxie forced him to do, his sacrifice was justified.”