The Breed: Nora's Choice (30 page)

Her
eyes widened and suddenly the tears were back. He wiped them away from her
sweet eyes and trudged through his story.

“My
life had been a wash. Not a friend in the world who wasn’t captured or dead. I
had long since accepted that my family thought I was dead, and there was no
great love in my life to keep me clinging to hope.

When
you and Cass walked into that subway, my plan had already been long since
sealed. Even him telling me my family was out there searching for me every day
didn’t have any effect on me. I was too dead inside already, too broken, and
too committed to dying in a blaze of vengeance. I wanted them to be happy and
to move on. I was so far from the son and brother that they used to have, they
wouldn’t even have recognized me anymore. It would have terrified Tessa and my
mother to see me, and even worse for them to have spoken to me.

Then
you came. My fiery little siren, charging into my life full force. Naked as the
day you were born and more strong and proud than any other woman I had ever
met. You weren’t intimidated by me in the least, in fact, you were pretty dead
set on kicking my ass and that’s hot.”

“I’m
still dead set on kicking your ass,” she smiled through the slow falling tears.

“When
we parted, I hated you. I didn’t understand the bond or why you were so deep in
my head. For the first time in years I had something beautiful and positive to
look forward to. I knew where you were, and all I had to do was go and get you.
You were waiting for me.

I
tried to reject you, at points I was furious with myself for wasting energy and
hope on thoughts of you. In the end, I couldn’t stop myself. My mind wanted you
too badly and I clung to my thoughts of you. Your image invaded every dark
corner of my mind, bringing light and happiness with it.

I
started imagining what it would be like to be together. Pretty little fantasies
like holding hands and walking through a park, or singing songs on the radio
together filled my head. In my mind you had better taste in music,” he quipped,
and she flicked him on the nose as a reward.

“By
the time that the day to fight the Hunters arrived, I had become obsessed. I
wanted those things in my fantasy to really happen.  I wanted me and you to
really happen. All of a sudden I had to survive this fight, it couldn’t be my
last one. I had to make it to you.”

“Are
you saying-”

“I’m
saying that you’re the only reason why I didn’t kill myself that night. That my
love for you, before I ever really even knew you, was my reason to live. It
burned through me like the most incredible fire,” placing a hand on either side
of her face he pulled her close so that they were nose to nose, “that I have
been in love with you since the minute I saw you, and I don’t care what you put
me through, if you make me jump through a hundred more hoops to get to you,
it’ll all be worth it to me because I want you that badly, I need you that much
Nora.”

For
a long while she stayed quiet, just silently shaking with sobs as he held her
close.

He
shouldn’t have told her all this, it was too much too soon, he should have
waited for a better time.

“I’m
sorry,” he started but she cut him off.

“Stupid
tears,” she gave a half hearted laugh as she wiped them away with both hands,
“stupid emotional deficiency. Stupid love.”

“Yeah,
stupid love,” he smiled at her.

“You
know, being in love with you is ruining my badass image. Look at me, ugh, I
need to go to the gym and punch something,” she looked down at herself and her
lip curled.

“Excuse
me?” he raised an eye brow.

“You
heard me. I’m not repeating it either so I hope you have a secret video camera
set up in here,” she shrugged her shoulders and gave him a defiant look.

“Oh
no?” with lightning speed he rolled so that she was wedged beneath him, then he
held up one crooked finger like a weapon.

“Don’t
you DARE! I will
murder
you!” she howled, struggling to get free.

“I
guess you had better tell me you’re in love with me then,” he wiggled his
finger closer to her rib cage.

“Never!”
she screamed fiercely.

The
moment his finger touched her rib cage she was squealing with laughter and
bucking like a bronco. Her fists pushed and punched at him, but he easily
swatted the blows.

“Say
you’re in love with me again!” he laughed as he narrowly missed a punch to the
mouth.

“I
hate you!” she half laughed, half screamed as she landed a solid blow to his
diaphragm.

For
a moment he gasped for air and she rolled from under him and jumped onto the
floor like a little ninja.

“Come
on!” she waved him on, “now you die!”

Jumping
onto the bed he shook his head at her, “that was a cheap shot and when I get a
hold of you this time I’m not gonna stop tickling until you pee.”

“What’s
that?” she stopped laughing and looked around quizzically. He had heard it too,
some sort of loud buzzing.

“It’s…
helicopters?” he hopped off the bed to investigate.

The
sound of gunfire erupted through the night, bullets exploding through every
window in their apartment.

            Alarms
bellowed over head as thick steel grates fell over all the holes that used to
be windows, and Quinn grabbed Nora, pulling her to safety and rushing towards
the outside hallway.

            He had to
get to Tessa and Cass. His sister needed protecting and Cass would know what to
do.

            As they
scrambled to the stairwell door it exploded open in front of them. Cass stood
filling the frame holding Tessa in his arms, his big boot still raised in the
air from the force of his kick.

            “We’re
under attack and don’t have much time,” he rushed to speak and gun shots
rattled off over head, “Nora, I’ll need you and Tessa on the ground.”

            “Anything,”
she choked out as Tessa ran to hug her.

            “We’ve got
to get out there and defend this place, I need you girls to help us keep our
people safe. Everyone needs to get to the underground bunker below the housing
building. There’s going to be chaos and people fleeing everywhere, take the
ones in this building and get them to the bunker. If Thalia is still alive and
in this building she can lead the stragglers. Ghost should be here in a matter
of minutes, once he’s inside trip the emergency set of gates, you’ll find the
switch on the secretaries desk at the front, it’s got a control panel built
into it,” Cass ordered quickly, his words rushed and slurred by the impending
battle.

            “What about
Remy?” Tessa was doing her best to stay calm, but Quinn could hear her panic.

            “Balor has
gone to get her, and Memphis has gotten the new girls. Everyone is believed to
be safe. Take this key,” he pressed it into her tiny palm, “there’s a
compartment
under
the secretaries desk. Open it. It’s filled with
weapons, use your training. Be Calm. Stay focused and don’t you dare try and be
a hero Tessa, You hear me? You come back home to me.”

            “I will,”
her voice cracked and he scooped her into his arms for one last passionate
kiss.

            Quinn
turned to stare at Nora wondering just what the hell to say to her.

            “Kill ‘em
babe,” he finally smiled. There would be no dramatic passionate embrace, not
for them, it was the farthest thing from their style.

            “Wanna
compete for kills like on the Lord of the Rings?” She waggled her eye brows at
him.

            “Soul mate
is not a strong enough word for you,” he sighed lovingly.

            With no
time to spare they rushed down the stairs then separated. Tessa tried to go
back for one last kiss, but Nora dragged her off with her head held high and
not even a glance back for him.

           
Damn
his woman was fine.

            Walking
into the defense department was like walking into an active war zone. Every
steel grate full of weapons along the wall had been opened and pulled out.

            Piles of
guns and ammunition were loaded onto desks and all around them men wore grim
faces as they divided everything.

            Silently he
began loading himself down from top to bottom, just as everyone else in the
room had; with every single piece of weaponry they could carry.

            “We’ve got
to take these helicopters down, but there’s no way in hell this is all they’re
bringing. Make no mistake, foot soldiers are on the way,” Cass started barking
out orders as he strapped on his bullet proof vest, “They’re attempting to
bring the buildings down. Or at least kill everyone inside them. Twins take the
roof of this building; Jax, Kain you take the medical wing; Memphis, Ghost will
meet you at the education building; kid you’re coming with me to the housing
building. Let’s fucking move.”

            Like a
swarm of locusts they were out the door and headed to their destinations, the
sounds of their thunderous foot falls almost louder than the shots being fired
outside.

            “I’ve never
taken down a helicopter before,” Quinn rubbed his hands together eagerly.

            “Well get
ready kid. They’re fucking with the wrong group of bastards. I want blood on
all our hands tonight,” Cass bit out viciously.

~

            Nora was
scared out of her fucking mind, but with Tessa clinging to her arm like a
spider, she didn’t have any other choice but to be brave.

            “Memphis
trained you well,” Nora assured her, “you’re going to be fine, I won’t let
anything bad happen to you.”

            “I’m gonna
get my shit together,” she nodded her head, “just trying to work all the nerves
out now.”

            “You’ve
already killed someone once Tessa, I promise you, you can do it again,” there
was pure steel in her voice as she spoke. She had never enjoyed killing, but
she would do what she had to do, and that was that.

            “I know,”
Tessa shocked her with how cold her voice had suddenly become. The girl really
was becoming braver with every flight of stairs they galloped down.

            The
downstairs lobby was an absolute mad house, with people scrambling in all
directions. Poor Thalia stood in the middle of the chaos trying desperately to
direct and help people, but with the sound of rapid gunfire filling the air and
muzzle flare flashes lighting the sky like twinkle lights, the people just
scattered past her, too frantic to hear her words.

            “Get the
guns Tessa,” she barked then went to stand next to Thalia.

            “DO YOU
MOTHER FUCKERS WANT TO LIVE?!” she bellowed at a volume so loud even she was
impressed with herself.

            All around
her people flinched, then stopped to listen.

            “This
woman,” she held up Thalia’s hand, “is going to guide you to the underground
tunnels. From there you will make it to the bunker. You will be safe but you
have got to STOP PANICKING. Panic will get you killed.”

            For a
moment Thalia simply stood dumbstruck, then a particularly loud boom shook the
walls and she seemed to remember herself.

            “This way!”
she raised her arm straight over her head like a beacon and began to march
away.

            “Let’s go,
let’s go, let’s go,” Nora clapped her hands rushing the stragglers on. The
faster she herded everyone together, the faster they would all get to safety,
and then she and Tessa could worry about the real task at hand: fucking up some
Hunters.

            Tessa’s
arms came up again and again, each time filled with different guns and
ammunition. Whatever compartment they had built under that desk was filled with
enough fire power to take down a small army.

            “Jesus
Christ is that a rocket launcher?” she gasped as Tessa hefted the thing onto
the desk.

            “I don’t
know, but I’m scared of it,” she shook her head just as her phone began to
ring.

            Ghost was
two hundred feet out and heavily flanked by Hunters.

            “Fuck.
We’re gonna have to stand our ground and fight,” Nora felt a surge of
adrenaline flow through her at the news.

            Quickly
they dressed in tactical gear and strapped on vests. Nora was impressed with
the fact that Cass had thought to stock up with not only men’s, but women’s
sizes in everything as well. That man thought of everything.

            She pulled
the straps and harnesses on everything Tessa was wearing so it fit her thin
body more securely.

            “You have a
gun, you know how to use it,” Nora grabbed her by the shoulders and stared her
friend down; Tessa was the only human in the entire building that was under
attack, the most fragile person in the entire Embassy, “Trust your instincts.
If you have the shot, take it. There’s no shame in running. Ghost and I can
take a lot of bullets without going down, but you can only take one.”

            She nodded
her head vigorously, and Nora hoped she was actually getting through to her.
She had known Tessa for long enough now to see that no matter how scared the
girl came off, inside of her a warrior lived, and when her adrenaline started
pumping, and her friends were in danger, that warrior came barreling out. Not
only had she attempted to fight off ‘blood thirsty’ werewolves for her brother,
but she had killed a man for her mate, and attempted to fight to the death when
she thought her loved ones had been killed.

            In her own
way, Tessa was just as much of a bad ass as she was, which would be fine and
dandy if the girl wasn’t still a damn human.

            “No
heroics,” she promised as she stuffed her wild curls into a messy bun at the
back of her neck.

            “You stay
inside to trigger the gate once Ghost is inside, I’m going out to try and hold
them off. The more we kill before they get inside, the better,” she recited her
plan as calmly as she could.

           
Have to
stay calm, have to keep Tessa calm. If you panic, you die
, she reminded
herself over and over again.

            The sound
of a motorcycle revving drew her attention. Time to go.

            With a last
glance at her friend, she was barreling out the door, gun drawn.

            When he had
said he was being heavily flanked by Hunters, the man was not kidding. He had a
20 foot advantage over them, but sleek crotch rockets driven by Hunters crowded
him on either side, and they were gaining on him by the second. Just behind
them she could see at least a dozen SUV’s bringing up the rear.

            There had
to be nearly fifty Hunters behind Ghost alone.

            She
immediately switched out her Glock 9 for the M16 strapped across her back.
Clearly she was going to have to amp up her game.

            Exhaling a
breath of nervous energy she took aim.

            She let out
a spray of bullets that missed every biker. Cursing she re leveled her aim and
tried again.

            This time
she managed to shoot a biker down, and blow out the tires of another one. The
SUV behind him tried to swerve to miss the motorcycle now spinning out on the
road, but ended up flipping the vehicle when he hit the steering wheel too hard
to the right.

            The small
victory was nothing to celebrate as she reloaded with a fresh magazine.

            Before she
could aim again a series of pops went off and four of the Hunters on Ghosts
heels went down instantly.

            Nora looked
up to see Roderick give her a fast wave from the top of the building before he
went back to help his brother fighting off the Hunters on the roof.

            Ghost was
ten yards from the open gates of the Embassy when Nora finally heard the gears
begin to grind. Tessa had tripped the emergency gate. Now Ghost just needed to
make it inside before the thing slammed shut.

            Sending out
another spray of bullets she hit metal, but not enough to take anyone down.

            Behind her
she heard Tessa’s rushed steps, as light as a hummingbirds wings.

            “Ghost is
the yellow and black one in front. Try to hit anything but that one,” Nora
barked over her shoulder while taking aim again.

            Tessa
copied her weapon choice and held the M16 out in front of her. The damn thing
looked like it would be too much for her thin arms to carry, but she took aim
with no problem. Holding her breath and narrowing her eyes she took aim, and
with her first try took down two motorcycles.

           
Shit
,
Nora cursed at herself. She really needed to get her ass back into the shooting
range.

            Whizzing
through the gates Ghost finally made it, but so did five Hunters on bikes and a
SUV before the gates closed.

            He damn
near jumped off the bike, leaving the machine running and sliding, as he neared
them.

            To her
surprise, before he pulled out his gun he pulled out three knives, throwing
them in unison. They landed in a straight line in the chest of the first Hunter
to hop off of his bike.

            “We can’t
let them breach the building,” Ghost hollered to them as he pulled a gun out
from his inside pocket.

            There were
nearly twenty heavily armed Hunters in front of them, and to top it all off the
SUV they had was bulletproof.

            Fuck.

~

            Quinn
pushed open the door to the roof and he and Cass barreled outside. Hunters were
emptying out of choppers and swarming the place.

            He smiled
in anticipation of the fight. He couldn’t wait to rid the world of a few more
scum bags.