Hyena Moon, page 21
Alaric was beside Cormac, whispering in his ear. The younger werewolf listened, some of the tension leaking out of him. Burke was also listening intently. Rafe had the feeling the Alpha was giving some commands.
Mebis tapped the map, getting Rafe and Kess' attention. He began to outline a very simple plan for Rafe while Kess nodded. "You'll go in with your sister and free Lenore. You'll need to disable or kill Teresa." Mebis met Rafe's eyes. "Can you do that?"
Rafe nodded slowly. He wouldn't be able to get the upper hand on Teresa in a fair fight, but there was going to be nothing fair about this. Lenore was his number one priority. "Yeah. Who's going with me?"
Mebis smiled grimly. "I think that's on a need to know basis. And you don't need to know." Rafe understood that they were hedging their bets. If he broke or was a spy, he wouldn't be able to give away the number or names of those planning the escape. "Your job is to take out Teresa and get Lenore. Got it?"
"Yes." He looked at Kess. "I can do this."
"A lot is riding on you, Rafe," she said, eyes serious. He nodded again. He knew what was at stake.
"I'm going to take our boy here and see if I don't have something that can give him an advantage when dealing with his sister." Mebis draped his arm over Rafe's shoulder and the werehyena tried not to shudder away. "And there's the problem of your face."
Rafe jerked his head around to glare at the Keeper. "What's wrong with my face?"
"Not enough blood on it, for one." Mebis spoke to Kess. "They won't believe you let him go unscathed. He'll need something to show his pack."
Kess looked at Rafe, carefully taking stock of him. Before she could answer, Rafe said, "Fine. Do it." He'd probably had worse beatings from Teresa. Probably.
Mebis led him away, whispering, "Don't worry. I'll be gentle." He smiled wickedly. "Sort of."
**********
Rafe walked with Teresa, trying to act as natural as he could. He was nervous now that he was actually here with his sister, positive that she would grok to his plan and kill him where he stood. He tried to put those kind of negative thoughts out of his head. He had deliberately worn the jacket their mother had given him--Samara had presented the leather motocross jacket to him when he returned from Miami—as a way to piss her off, make her unstable. Teresa had always done the same thing to him when she got a gift from Samara. She'd done it to rub his nose in the fact that Samara cared for her more. He'd done it tonight to hide the tire iron Mebis had given him that he had up his sleeve.
It was damned hot though. He was glad they were going into the water tunnels below the city. It would be marginally cooler there. He hoped that Cormac and Wyatt and Alaric would be able to finish off the guards outside quickly. They wouldn’t hear the struggle all the way down here, so he would have no way of knowing if they were successful.
"You really believe Kess fell for the switch? And she bought that you were going to help?" Teresa's voice was hard and it echoed off the walls.
Rafe nodded, smiling grimly. He had to act the part or she'd never take him to Lenore. "Yeah, she's pretty easy to manipulate once you know how." He tried to sound just as cold as she did.
His sister laughed, a weird barking sound that echoed off the walls of the tunnel they were in. This was the access tunnel; as you went farther into the bowels of the city, they got smaller and tighter. He and Teresa could stand upright in this one with room to spare.
"We've only got a few minutes before we have to leave." Rafe nodded at her. "Too bad you couldn't find out more in Miami." Teresa was suspicious, but then again, she always was.
Rafe pretended a regret he didn't feel. "I couldn't push it too far or they'd get wise. The werewolves were already wigging out over her. Still, they weren't happy to see me at first." He rubbed at one of the bruises on his face. Mebis had worked him over some to make the tale of him being attacked ring true. It was a ruse, but Teresa wouldn't know that. And by the time she could do anything about it, they'd be long gone. He hoped.
Teresa shrugged, trying to look nonchalant and failing. It must be killing her to know that she wasn't the favored one anymore. Rafe realized now that his favored position would never last long. His sister would always find a way to bring him down. Even if she had to kill him to do it. He'd never had any doubt that she was capable of it.
"Kess is stupid if she ever thought we'd return Little Miss Sunshine in anything other than a body bag," Teresa snarled, picking up the pace. "Mom would never have cut a deal like that."
"Kess had to," he scoffed, trying to sound disdainful and hoping he got it right. "What's she going to tell her werewolves? Sorry, no dice? I don't think so."
"We're going to wipe them all out," Teresa said, a feral smile on her face. "Every last one of them."
Rafe didn't say anything. They were nearing the room where Lenore would be, so he dropped behind his sister. She had the key out and in the lock, but hadn't twisted it yet. Rafe dropped the tire iron down his sleeve and into his hand. Teresa was just turning to say something to him when he slammed her in the side of the head with it.
His sister went down like a sack of bricks and Rafe was pulling the door to the cell open. Lenore was already at the door waiting for him. "Come on," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her deeper into the tunnels. He still held the tire iron. He hoped he'd hit Teresa hard enough. He thought about dragging her into the cell but she wasn't completely out and he didn't want to risk Lenore's one chance at escape. Best to be quick.
"Where are we going?" Lenore gasped, gripping his hand like it was a lifeline.
"Your parents are waiting for us by a drain a ways from here. But we've got to get a move on." Rafe led them unerringly through the tunnels, hoping that the water they were running through would throw Teresa off their trail. The only problem was that she had played in these tunnels too when they were younger. She knew them as well as he did so evading her was going to be tricky.
He pushed on. The tunnels were shrinking, so that he had to hunch to get through. He went as fast as he dared and Lenore kept up without complaint, her breathing rapid at his back. He led them through the dim tunnels, taking them left, then right. Lenore had to crouch down now and their pace slowed even more. He would be able to race through these tunnels a lot faster if he was in hyena form, but Lenore couldn't. Rafe wasn't leaving her behind.
They were coming up to a place where four tunnels met. They were almost there. But at the same time, he heard a splashing not that far behind them. He turned and made out glowing eyes, gaining on them. Teresa. He knew he should have knocked her again with the damn tire iron.
Rafe pulled Lenore in front of him, urging her to move faster. As they stagger ran through the tunnel, he told her, "When we get to the next junction, take the tunnel immediately to your right. Then take the second tunnel on the left that you come to. Follow that one until you see light. Your dad and brother should have the grate off and they'll be waiting for you."
"What about you?" Her voice was high, like she was fighting off panic.
"I've got to take care of Teresa. Just go as fast as you can and don't stop until you see your brother. I'll be right behind you." He hoped.
He could hear Teresa doing that hyena barking that was so damn unnerving. It bounced off of the walls, echoing eerily as they ran. She was gaining. Rafe hoped they made it to the junction before she closed on them; in the tunnel he didn't have room to swing the tire iron.
They surged out of the tunnel into the larger join and Rafe flung Lenore into the correct tunnel. "Go," he urged. She looked at him, eyes pleading but he waved her on. She took one more look at him and disappeared.
Rafe knew he only had a few seconds. He hoped his sister was more interested in getting payback for the tire iron than chasing after Lenore. He thought if Teresa saw him trying to make his escape, she'd be too enraged to stop herself. He saw her snout coming out of the tunnel and threw himself down a completely different one than Lenore.
She was hot after him, leaping like a bullet shot from a gun. He put on as much speed as he could, but this tunnel was a short one and he wound up coming out in another junction. He was racing through it when he felt jaws close around his lower leg, biting deep and he fell on his face, yelling in pain. He swung the tire iron and connected with her head and she let go.
Rafe watched her as she circled. She hadn't crushed the bones in his ankle, which was a small miracle, but he doubted he'd get far on it. The bottom of his jean leg was already turning red from the blood. Teresa licked his blood from her lips and did that crazy hyena laugh. God, she was such a bitch.
She feinted at him and he swung the tire iron again, driving her back. She was wary of it now, not wanting to get within striking range. Smart. He tried to climb to his feet, putting most of his weight on his good leg. He kept his eyes on her as he backed away towards one of the tunnels. He needed to lead her farther away from Lenore. Teresa prowled before him and he could tell she wasn't going to give him the opportunity to slip down a tunnel; every time he tried, she nipped at him, driving him away from his escape route. Not that he'd get far. She was just having fun playing with him.
He might be able to make it out as a hyena, if he could change fast enough. He would still have the bum leg, but even if he couldn't run as fast, he would be able to fight her better in that form. He waited until she was in mid-turn of her prowl and chucked the tire iron at her. He was already changing, but he saw it glance off her skull. It clanged as it hit the ground, but he was almost done, ready to move when Teresa plowed into him with all of the finesse of a semi.
He scrambled, trying to get away, turning to snap at her before she could sink her jaws into him anywhere. She was close, her jaws near enough to his face that spittle hit his snout. Awesome. He grabbed at the first thing he saw--her ear--and sank his teeth into it. She yipped and tried to bite him, but he had her good.
Rafe wasn't expecting her to wrench her head around, leaving him holding part of her ear in his teeth. Of course Teresa would do that. He spat out the piece he had in his mouth. She was shaking her head, but then she looked at him, her black eyes dead. He knew then that she was going to kill him.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Cormac waited at the end of the drainage tunnel. He and Alaric had pried the metal grate off of it and now they stood there, listening for any sound that might indicate Rafe and Lenore were close. He had wanted to go in, but his father had ordered him to stay. He'd said that there was no point in Cormac getting lost in there. The plan was to wait. Cormac grudgingly agreed. He had no idea what the tunnels were like and, as much as he wanted to be doing something--anything--he knew it wouldn't help anyone if he wound up wandering around in there for hours. He'd just have to trust Rafe.
That galled him. Rafe had already betrayed them once. To put their trust in him again was worse than stupid. He'd told Kess as much. She'd listened but then did what she wanted anyway. He was torn between wishing he was with her out in the glades and wanting to be here to see that Lenore was safe. Kess hadn't even asked him to go with her. She'd just said it was better if he stayed with Alaric and Emmeline and Wyatt. He could join her once they had his sister safely back.
He was pretty sure he'd screwed things up majorly with Kess. He was still angry with her, but the things he'd said to her were horrible and cruel. He didn't know he'd had that inside of him. He'd been more angry at himself when she'd tried to talk to him--angry that he hadn't kept a better watch on Lenore, that he'd been too distracted by what had happened to Kess to think about what could happen to his sister. And as much as she tried to be understanding, he could sense the walls she'd thrown up, could sense the growing distance between them.
He didn't want to think about her alone in the glades. Her idea was crazy. She was going to lead all of the hyenas on a merry chase all over the glades where her people were placed and waiting. Mebis and Laila were with Finn. Griff, Burke and Masud were another group. Wereleopards were going to be positioned throughout the swamp, ready to take down hyenas so that Kess would be assured of a fair fight with Samara. If it all worked out according to plan. And if Rafe, the little bastard, didn't betray them again. He conveniently forgot that Kess had left Rafe out of all of their plans except for the rescue of Lenore. The boy didn't have anything to give away, but Cormac was holding a grudge.
His sensitive ears picked out the sound of water sloshing, and beneath it ragged breathing. Lenore was stumbling toward their lights. Cormac was in the tunnel and pulling her out as quickly as he could. She looked okay, a cut on her lip the only thing that looked out of place. Emmeline, Alaric and Wyatt huddled around her, but she wouldn't let go of him.
Lenore sobbed, her breath hitching but she managed to get out, "You've got to go back for him! She's going to kill him!"
"It's okay, Lenore, we're getting you out of here," he soothed. Their mother stroked her hair.
His sister glared at him, eyes blazing. "I'm not leaving until you get him." Her voice was harsh and ragged, but she was not going to let this go. Cormac had seen her like this before.
"Lenore, we need to go." He tried to reason with her, but her grip on his arm was like iron.
"You're wasting time," she said, her voice spiking higher as she neared hysterics. "If he dies, I will never forgive you. MOVE!"
Cormac sighed and looked at his father. Alaric nodded. They needed to get moving, but Lenore wouldn't leave without Rafe. His sister could be as stubborn as the damn mountain if she wanted to be, and they didn't have time to reason around it. "Fine." He listened as she gave him instructions.
"Go as a wolf," she said. "You'll move faster through the tunnels."
Cormac stripped down quickly and changed. He charged through the tunnels, following Lenore's directions. It didn't take him long to find the main junction. From there, he just followed the smell of blood.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Rafe knew he couldn't beat his sister, not even in hyena form. She was still bigger than he was and relatively uninjured. He'd gotten a few good licks in, but his legs were the biggest problem. His back leg wouldn't bear much of his weight and it was slowing him down. And he was pretty sure Teresa had broken his left front leg. He held it up off the floor, gimping around like a tool. Teresa had scored hits on him more times than he had on her. He'd managed to throw her off when she'd latched around the back of his neck, but she'd dug her teeth in good, almost able to pick him up and shake him. Rafe was bleeding from dozens of wounds and he knew he wouldn't last much longer.
His eyes fell on the tire iron. He couldn't wield it in this form, but if he changed back, he could maybe get in a few good strikes with it. He'd have to time it perfectly though. During the change, he'd be vulnerable.
Teresa was at the other end of the chamber. He could tell she was tired; his two hits with the tire iron must have messed her up a little. One of her eyes was shut; he’d managed to catch her with his claws before she snapped his leg. She was off her game; normally she would have finished with him long before now. Still, she was formidable and thinking this was anything but a last ditch effort on his part was ridiculous. He couldn't win. He could only hold her off until he was sure Lenore was free.
Rafe took one last look at her and launched himself toward where the tire iron lay, triggering his change as he went. It went faster this time, as if his body knew that speed was of the essence and he landed on his hands and knees, fully human. His left arm screamed at him, but he tried to ignore it and the sick feeling in his stomach. He scrambled for the tire iron, hearing the scrabble of her feet on the floor of the tunnel. His hands were slick with blood and sweat but he managed to grab it with his right hand and hold onto it. He swung it wildly as Teresa closed; she leapt lightly away. He fell back, sides heaving, exhausted from the quick changes and the fighting. His torn leg throbbed in time to his heartbeat. The back of his neck was a knot of pain and twisted muscles.
Teresa let out a hyena laugh. She knew he was seriously messed up, knew it better than anyone. Hyenas could sense weakness like sharks sensed blood in the water. He tried to make it to his feet, but couldn't get past his knees. He lay back, tired beyond imagining. He wondered if dying would hurt. Knowing his sister, she'd make sure it did. And that it lasted for a long time.
He watched her. She was still cautious of the tire iron, but he could sense her making up her mind. She didn't think he had the strength to use it anymore. And she was right. His arms felt like they were made of rubber.
Rafe sensed the moment she made her decision. Everything seemed to move in slow motion: Teresa pushed off with her hind feet, propelling herself across the room in a great leap; her jaws opening wide as she reached the apex of her jump. He felt the iron in his hand. He flipped it over so the sharp end was pointed out and braced it between his arm and side. Slowly her body seemed to drop, coming closer and closer. Rafe closed his eyes, not wanting to see what would happen. Teresa crashed into him like a freight train and he was grateful to let darkness have him.
**********
Cormac came to a second junction, not too far from the first. He could make out a dark shape near the furthest tunnel from the one he entered and he slowly made his way over to it. Puddles and splashes of blood were everywhere in the junction, but the strongest smell came from where the shape sat. The smell of strange animals also greeted him--hyenas were pungent to say the least. He saw shredded cloth and knew that Rafe must have changed at some point.
He was close enough now to see what the shape was. A hyena, dead, impaled on a tire iron. The metal bar had gone through its neck and come out the other side. The dead animal lay atop Rafe, who didn't look much better himself.
Cormac shifted back to human. He levered the dead hyena off of the teen, receiving a semi-conscious groan in response. He carefully felt the pale, bloodied neck for a pulse; it was thready but there. The kid was a mess. He saw deep bites on Rafe's shoulders and neck, but there was too much blood to see what else was wrong with him.
