by Lynsay Sands
"Because I think the doors are wired to slam shut, and I don't want you trapped in here with us if we trigger something," Beth explained. "So, back away from the door."
"I will hold door open if starts to close. You hurry. Get Oksana," she ordered.
"Nobody listens to me," Beth muttered, turning her gaze to Oksana.
"Kira is stubborn like our father," Liliya said dryly.
"Our father?" Beth asked sharply, and Liliya looked dismayed at her slip.
Closing her eyes, the petite blond blew a breath out and then admitted quietly, "We are half sisters, but you mustn't tell her."
"Why?" Beth asked with amazement.
"Because our father is medieval in his mindset. I am the bastard he had with an old immortal lover. Kira is the daughter of his life mate. He will not have his life mate and daughter hurt by the news that he has bastard children."
"Children? As in more than one?" Beth asked with interest.
"Da," she said dryly, and then crawled a couple steps forward, grabbed the closer of Oksana's arms and rose up on her knees as she turned to hurl it toward the doors. It sailed over Kira's head and disappeared behind her.
"Nice," Beth murmured, moved close enough to grab the second arm and did the same.
"Now the hard parts," Liliya said grimly.
"The upper body's closer to you. I'll take the lower," Beth said.
Nodding, Liliya caught Oksana by the hair and then slowly began to back out the way she'd come, dragging the upper portion of Oksana's body with her.
Beth watched her for a minute and then turned to consider what remained of Oksana. It would be hard to crawl and drag the lower portion of her body. While Liliya had been able to make use of Oksana's long hair, Beth didn't have that option.
Her gaze slid over the large Russian and then settled on her weapons belt. Beth instinctively felt for her own belt, and then nodded and quickly undid and removed Oksana's belt. She looped it through two of the belt loops on the woman's jeans, and then slid it through her own belt and refastened the ends.
Satisfied that Oksana was now tethered safely to her, Beth began back toward the door as Liliya was doing.
The click when it came seemed extremely loud to Beth. Her gaze immediately jerked forward in search of the source, and she spotted the lever Oksana's lower half had been lying on and instinctively flattened herself to the ground just before the world erupted in noise and light. An explosion, and screaming and shouts all sounded at once. Beth ground her teeth and closed her eyes as a wave of terrible heat rolled over her, and then she just leapt up and began to run, hardly aware of Oksana's lower body bouncing against her legs as she went.
Through the smoke and flames, Beth spotted Liliya lying unconscious near the slowly closing doors. Changing direction, she ran toward the other woman, her gaze sliding to the doors as she went to see that Kira was struggling to keep the doors from closing. Pain burning along her back, and terrified they wouldn't make it out in time, Beth screamed and put on a burst of speed.
"Beth needs help."
Scotty's hand tightened convulsively around his phone at those words.
"Where is she?"
Mortimer rattled off an address that Scotty repeated to Rickart. The man immediately pulled a U-turn and headed back the way they'd come. Returning his attention to the phone, Scotty asked, "What's the situation?"
"I don't know. But it must be bad. One of Kira's bodyguards called, Marta I think. She was freaking out. She said Oksana was in pieces, Nika was down, and Beth said to call for blood, cleanup, backup, and just everyone. She'd never say 'just everyone' unless it was a shit storm. Beth doesn't panic."
"What the hell did ye send them into, Mortimer?" Scotty barked with dismay. "Ye were to be sending them on soft calls. Ye promised me that in exchange for me bringing me men o'er!"
"I did!" Mortimer yelled. "At least, it was supposed to be a soft call. Some kids found a coffin in an old barn. It was a joke job, for Christ's sake!"
Scotty forced himself to calm down. "Who's with her?"
"Kira and her bodyguards," Mortimer answered sharply. "There are six of them out there."
"Six minus the one in pieces and the one who's down," Scotty growled and then glanced to Rickart. "How far out are we?"
"Two minutes," Mortimer answered over the phone, having heard the question. "I have your vehicles on the monitor right now. Odilia and Donny are too far out to be of use, but Magnus is closer than you are. You should be able to see him when you turn the next corner. You are practically on his tail."
Scotty glanced forward as they took the corner and grunted when he saw the SUV speeding in front of them.
"You will see the barn after the next corner," Mortimer said as the SUV in front disappeared around the corner in question.
Scotty didn't respond. He just ended the call to climb into the back of the SUV and grab the blood cooler.
"I see it. I--Holy Mother of God!" Rickart shouted as Scotty turned to make his way back to the front of the SUV with the cooler.
Scotty jerked his eyes forward at that and stared in horror at the barn in front of them as it seemed to implode. Fire rushed out through the doors as if they were the gates to hell. The flames receded back into the building just as quickly, but thick, dark smoke immediately began to billow out in its place, almost obscuring the inferno raging inside.
Cursing under his breath, Scotty unstrapped the fire extinguisher next to where the cooler had been, and climbed back to the front of the vehicle with both items as Rickart followed Magnus's SUV almost to the doors . . . the slowly closing doors, Scotty saw with a frown and spotted two women, one on each door, trying to hold them back.
Magnus's SUV stopped and the man was running for the doors first, but Scotty wasn't far behind, leaping from the vehicle before Rickart had quite brought it to a halt.
Magnus ran to the door on the left, adding his weight and strength to the woman's to try to keep it open, so Scotty went to the door on the right. Recognizing Kira Sarka struggling with that door, he dropped his burdens and moved up beside her.
"Where's Beth?" he shouted, slamming into the door and digging in his feet to try to prevent it moving. Much to his amazement, while he slowed the door, he didn't stop it.
"She's inside!" Kira yelled over the roar of the fire.
"I'm on it!" Rickart bellowed, rushing past them and racing into the smoke and flames.
Scotty almost let go of the door and chased in after him, but good sense made him hold his position. They had to keep the door open or Beth didn't have a chance. Grinding his teeth, he put his shoulder to the wood, desperate to stop its movement, but merely slowed it a little more. The doors were more than half-closed now.
Relief raced through him when he spotted Rickart hurrying out of the blinding smoke with Beth in his arms. He stayed where he was until the man carried her past him, and then released the door, grabbed up the cooler of blood and hurried to where Rickart was laying the woman on the ground. It wasn't until he stood over her that he realized it wasn't Beth, but the petite blond bodyguard, Liliya.
A shriek sounded behind him then, and Scotty whirled toward the barn. For a moment, all he saw was smoke and more smoke, and then fire raced out of the closing doors.
"Dear God, she's on fire!" Rickart gasped beside him.
Scotty knew at once that it was Beth. With his heart in his throat, he charged forward, throwing himself on her and rolling her across the ground. It didn't take him long to realize that was a mistake. Rather than put out the flames ravishing her, Scotty was quickly on fire himself. Fortunately, Magnus had more sense than him, and snatched up the fire extinguisher he'd left by the door. Rushing to them, he raised the extinguisher, and Scotty closed his eyes as the foam sprayed out of the nozzle.
Twelve
Scotty was walking along the ocean shore, enjoying the cool soothing water rushing over his feet. When he saw Beth walking toward him in a fiery red dress, a smile claimed his lips. Happy to see
her up and well, he hurried to meet her, eager to take her in his arms. She seemed just as eager, and they met and embraced there on the shore's edge. But as he bent to kiss her, Scotty realized it wasn't a dress she wore; Beth was engulfed in flames, and now so was he. The fire licked along his skin and burned his hands, arms, chest, and face as they fell to the ground screaming. They rolled, and rolled, and . . .
His own screams woke him. Scotty sat up abruptly, his heart drumming so loudly in his ears that it took a moment before he became aware of a soothing voice saying, "It's all right. You're safe. I've given you something for the pain. Rest now."
Turning his head, he stared blankly at the woman speaking, a redhead with soft silver-green eyes. "Who're you?"
"Rachel," she answered easily. "Dr. Rachel Argeneau. Your doctor, so be a good man and lie down and rest. Doctor's orders."
Scotty scowled groggily, and opened his mouth to tell her to bugger off, but for some reason he couldn't seem to get the words out. His mouth drooped and then his eyelids did, and he was pretty sure he fell back on the bed. Before he could worry about it too much, he was asleep.
The next time Scotty woke, it was much more slowly. Pain and hunger drew him inexorably toward consciousness until he blinked his eyes open. He was in the blue room Sam had prepared for him at the Enforcer house. It was dark, the curtains open to reveal a full moon and twinkling stars, and he had to wonder what the hell he was doing in bed. He should have been up and about helping to catch rogues at this hour.
Pushing aside the sheets and blankets that covered him, Scotty sat up and slid his feet to the floor, but then just sat there for a moment. He felt incredibly weak and had no idea why. He probably needed blood, Scotty decided and grabbed the post of the headboard to steady himself as he stood up. His legs trembled, threatening to give out, but he was sure a bit of blood would fix that right up. Determined to find some, he started to move, intending to walk around the bed, but paused abruptly as he bumped into something in the dark. His eyes didn't appear to be focusing properly, and his night vision wasn't working as it should.
Beginning to worry now, Scotty reached for the lamp on the bedside table and flicked it on, startled when the bright light brought a moan from the other side of the bed. Turning, he stared at the figure lying on the opposite side, and then gaped at the horror looking back at him. Charred, black skin mixed with patches of bloody red spots and two eyes presently a solid gold as the nanos did their work. Scotty opened his mouth on an alarmed shout even as the figure in his bed released a terrified shriek, and then the floor was rushing up to meet him.
The next time Scotty woke, he did so abruptly, his eyes opening to stare at the ceiling overhead. Memories from the nightmares he'd endured crowded into his mind, but he forced them away to take stock of himself. He wasn't in pain, wasn't even feeling hunger, the room wasn't on fire, no burning women were dancing before him, and no charred monsters lay in the bed with him. Scotty was quite sure he was awake this time . . . and he didn't feel half-bad.
"Are you just going to lie there staring at the ceiling all day, or did you want to talk to me?"
Scotty turned his head on the pillow to peer at Magnus. He opened his mouth to ask how long he'd been down, and "Where's Beth?" came out.
Magnus's mouth twitched with amusement at the question.
"She is in her room. We thought it best to separate the two of you after you both had fits when you saw each other the last time," he answered easily. "I just came from there and she is doing well. She was burned worse than you, but seems to be healing quicker. Must be because she is younger," he taunted him.
Scotty scowled at him for the attempt to insult him, and sat up abruptly in bed, happy to find there was no weakness or trembling this time as he shifted his feet to the floor and stood. He was wearing one of those horrible hospital gowns, though, he noted with a grimace.
"You should not be out of bed, my friend," Magnus said, standing to move to his side. "You are not finished healing. Rachel will give you hell if she catches you."
"Who the devil is Rachel?" Scotty asked, but had a vague recollection of what he thought had been a dream. Some woman telling him her name was Rachel Argeneau, and she was his doctor. If he recalled correctly, she had ordered him to rest.
"She's the doctor who has been nursing you back to health," Magnus said easily as Scotty started around the bed toward the closet. Scotty had reached and opened the closet door when Magnus announced, "She found you most difficult, and said it was patients like you that made her decide to work with the dead in the morgue rather than live patients."
"The morgue?" Scotty turned on him with horror. "Ye had a mortician doctoring me?"
Magnus shrugged. "Well, she was the only one available and beggars cannot be choosers. Besides, the nanos really do all the work."
"You'd best not let my wife hear you say that. Hell, I'm offended to hear it myself."
Scotty had just turned back to the open closet door, but at that comment, swiveled to glance at the man in the doorway. He raised his eyebrows as he took in his slim build, dirty-blond hair, and silver-blue eyes.
"This is Etienne Argeneau," Magnus announced. "He is Rachel's life mate and husband."
"That I am," Etienne said mildly, and then eyed Scotty and said, "And you're Cullen MacDonald, the patient who has kept my wife busy for the last three nights and two days trying to keep you asleep and comfortable while you healed."
"Hmm," Magnus murmured. "That is true. She had a devil of a time keeping you under. You would wake up screaming, or get up and try to walk around. She had us put you in restraints at one point. Those tranquilizers they developed do not work well on you at all."
"No," Scotty admitted, turning to the closet to pull out a pair of black jeans. "I was shot with three of them my first day here and wasn't out for long."
"How long?" Donny asked, making his arrival known. The younger immortal narrowed his eyes on Scotty as he entered the room to stand next to Etienne. "You weren't awake when I dragged you to the SUV and hefted you into it, were you? Because you could have saved me a lot of trouble if you'd just let me know you were awake and could walk."
"Aye," Scotty agreed with an evil smile as he dragged his jeans on and did them up. "But then I wouldn't have been able to listen to the conversation ye had with Beth on the way to the house."
"Hear anything interesting?" Magnus asked with amusement.
"Just Donny being a wee clipe, and Beth saying she thinks I hate her," Scotty admitted as he removed the hospital gown and turned back to the closet to search for a shirt. He'd hoped to hear more, but Beth had turned the conversation to the boy rather than talk about herself.
"What's a clipe?" Donny asked with a frown.
"A tattletale," Magnus informed him.
"I don't tattle," Donny protested.
"Ye told her I was speeding to get to her," Scotty pointed out, shrugging into a white linen shirt.
"Well, yeah, but to prove you didn't hate her, not to get you in trouble," Donny pointed out.
"Hmm," Scotty muttered as he finished doing up his buttons. Glancing to Magnus then, he raised an eyebrow. "Where's Beth?"
"I told you, she's in her room," Magnus answered.
"Aye, but where is that?" Scotty asked impatiently.
"Oh, you do not know," Magnus realized and stood up. "Well, I can take you there, but you might give her nightmares."
"What?" Scotty asked with surprise. "Why?"
"Try looking in a mirror and see for yourself," Magnus said dryly.
Scotty hesitated, worry coursing through him when he noted the pity on Donny's and Etienne's faces. Frowning, he turned and walked into the bathroom and then closed the door. He could have just looked in the dresser mirror, but he wasn't sure what to expect, and would rather see what was what while on his own.
"God Almighty," Scotty breathed when he flicked on the light and saw his reflection. His long hair was gone, his scalp a mass of scars and still healing raw skin
, and his face . . . He didn't even recognize himself. The skin was the same mess as his head. It just looked like his scalp had slipped down to cover his face. His eyes were alarming too, a solid silver as the nanos tried to repair what the flames had apparently done.
Scotty peered down at his hands now, noting the same knotted skin there, and wondered that he hadn't noticed it while he was dressing. He supposed he'd been distracted by so much company. Now that he was thinking about it, though, Scotty couldn't believe he wasn't in agony. Weren't the nanos working to heal him even now?
A knock at the door drew his attention, and after a hesitation he said, "Come in."
Magnus stepped inside and smiled at him sympathetically as he closed the door.
"Rachel thinks the tranquilizer works differently on you," he said, meeting Scotty's gaze in the mirror. "That for some reason your nanos fixate on flushing those from your system, rather than tending to anything else. So that when she gives them to you, the healing stops . . . which is why you are not presently unconscious. She thought it would be better for you to heal."
Scotty let out a little breath of relief. "So it will heal?"
Magnus nodded, and then warned, "But once the nanos finish flushing the tranquilizer and set back to work on your skin, you will be in agony again."
Scotty nodded, and asked, "How long until that happens?"
Magnus shrugged helplessly. "I would not guess it would be too long from now. After all, you are awake, so the worst of the tranquilizer must already be flushed from your system."
Mouth firming determinedly, Scotty turned and opened the bathroom door. "Show me where Beth's room is. I want to see that she's all right before . . ." He didn't bother finishing. They both knew he meant before the healing set in and he was in agony once more.
Donny and Etienne were gone when Scotty stepped back into his room. He wondered briefly where they'd gone, but didn't ask. He merely followed Magnus into the hall. It turned out that Beth's room was just across the hall and down a room. The door was open, and Magnus stepped up to peer inside, then relaxed and gestured him over.
Scotty moved beside him and peered cautiously around the door frame. This was where Donny and Etienne had gone, he saw. And it was why Magnus had relaxed. The two men made something of a screen, blocking him from being seen by anyone in the room, and, in turn, blocking Beth from his view. He could hear her speaking, though, and she sounded just fine other than her voice being a touch husky. Probably from the smoke she'd inhaled, or maybe the flames, or possibly even from screaming. It was hard to say without seeing her.