“I do hope you’ll come visit me there, though. I just need some time to…get my bearings and get used to this whole idea.”

  Lester nodded. “I understand. Plus you need to enact the changes within you and you’ll need both a vampire and a lycan for that.”

  And that was something she had to make sure never happened, or else her life would end. As soon as they found out she wasn’t a lycan/vampire hybrid, they would realize she was simply a human and kill her. She couldn’t have sex with Duncan and Adrian, though she wondered if maybe the reason wasn’t due to them finding out she wasn’t one of them, but her discovering she really was, after all, Amelia and Stefan’s daughter.

  “Yes, I’ll definitely need to get around to figuring all that out. Eventually. I’m in no hurry.”

  “But I am,” Adrian whispered behind her as they made their way downstairs again.

  Duncan made his way to her other side and added, “As am I.”

  She shuddered, the sensual promise in their voices creating an instantaneous sexual ache, awakening her mind to visuals of tangled bodies writhing together. Inhaling a shaky breath, she forced her thoughts on escape instead of passionate images of being naked, aroused and deliciously sandwiched between Duncan and Adrian.

  SEVEN

  After having lunch and more discussions about her background, they left to head back to Dark Moon. The sun had just begun its trek toward the horizon, the late dusky afternoon giving way to early darkness.

  Harlee was determined to start focusing. Enough of these ridiculous notions that she could possibly be the daughter of Stefan and Amelia. The fantasy was over. Duncan and Adrian were slowly moving in on her and weakening her defenses. If she was going to escape with her life and the information on the lycans and vampires, she had to do it soon.

  Maybe a diversion while they were driving. Getting out in public would be the best place to make a run for it. At Dark Moon, she was just as closely watched as she had been at the lycan mansion. It was now or never. She casually looked out the window of the SUV, trying to figure out where the hell they were. The windows were tinted so dark she could barely make out streets and road signs. Just like on the way over, none of the landmarks looked familiar. It was as if she’d been taken to some strange city she’d never been to before, some place in another realm.

  It made no sense.

  And the dark SUV didn’t help. No doubt they had to keep the windows darker than normal in order to protect Adrian, yet there was no sunlight today. Instead, a soft mist fell and the sky was overcast, threatening a deluge of storms.

  None of the landmarks looked familiar. They’d obviously taken her out of the city the first night in the helicopter, but for the life of her nothing they passed seemed familiar. They had flown for a while, but not long enough to leave the state, or at least she hadn’t thought so. Now she wasn’t so sure.

  Lost or not, there had to be humans milling about, and if she could get out of the car and make a run for it, she could find help and shelter. Duncan and Adrian wouldn’t dream of revealing themselves to humans.

  “Duncan, this is your territory and I’ve only been here a few times, but I don’t remember ever seeing any other cars on this route,” Adrian said.

  “It’s pretty secluded out here,” Duncan replied. “Usually anyone coming this far out is lost or taking a scenic drive. You hardly ever see any traffic this far out. Why?”

  “Just after we crossed that intersection, two cars came out and they’re closing on us fast. If you weren’t so busy ogling Harlee in the rear-view mirror, you might notice what’s happening on the road.”

  “Screw you.”

  Harlee whipped her head in the direction of Adrian’s thumb. Two black SUVs were rapidly gaining on them. They looked like government vehicles. Blacked-out windows, nondescript license tags. But how would they know where to find her?

  “I see them,” Duncan said, adjusting the rear-view mirror. “Probably nothing, but let’s keep an eye on them.”

  “I don’t like it,” Adrian said. “Something doesn’t feel right about this.”

  “Then let’s call for backup just in case something’s up.”

  “Give Harlee your phone and have her call your headquarters while I alert Dark Moon.”

  Duncan passed his cell phone back to Harlee and gave her quick instructions to speed dial the lycan mansion. “Tell them who you are and let them know I said to get some men ready if we need them.”

  “If you want me to give location details, somebody better tell me where the hell we are,” she said.

  “Just tell them we’re about twenty miles south of the main road. They’ll know where,” Duncan replied.

  Harlee made the call while scooting sideways in her seat so she could keep an eye on the SUVs. They had settled into position about fifty yards behind and didn’t seem to be making any attempt to close the gap. That alone made her suspicious. Plus the fact there were no other cars on this deserted stretch of road and her heart began to race.

  If it was her government, what was their intent? Had they found out about the lycan mansion and followed Duncan when he pulled away?

  “I’ve got Dark Moon on alert,” Adrian said.

  “Good. I’ve got a really bad feeling about this. We may need all the help we can get.”

  “Then let’s get them started this way,” Adrian suggested.

  “Not a bad…”

  Duncan was interrupted by what sounded like a loud pop in the back of the car.

  “That was gunfire!” Harlee shouted.

  Duncan swerved and hit the gas, but the two SUVs crept closer, the bright flash of weapons fire causing her to shrink down into the seat. She closed her eyes and waited for the rear window to break.

  “This car is armored and the glass is bulletproof, lass,” Duncan said, his concentration straight ahead as he maneuvered the winding road at breakneck speed. “They’re gonna need more powerful weapons than that to do any damage.”

  Good to know. She had no doubt the average car would be swiss cheese by now.

  Adrian turned around and faced her, a gun in his hand. “Get down on the floor and stay there.”

  Why the hell did she have to get down on the floor if the car was bulletproof? Nevertheless, she did what she was told but she didn’t like it. Feeling helpless wasn’t one of her favorite things to do.

  Harlee inched back up to peer out the rear window when she felt the vehicle speed up. Glancing into the front, she noticed Duncan was doing well over a hundred miles per hour and yet the vehicles behind them were still closing on them.

  “Call the lycans,” Adrian shouted. “Tell them we’re taking heavy fire,” he instructed her while shouting basically the same thing into his own cell phone.

  She did, at least feeling somewhat useful.

  “We need to speed up if we’re going to outrun them until our backup gets here,” Adrian said to Duncan.

  “Too many curves,” Duncan said. “If I hit it too hard we’ll be in the ditch.”

  “Why the hell didn’t we fly here in the chopper or be smart enough to bring an escort?” Adrian asked.

  “Well, it’s too fucking late to think of that shit now, isn’t it?” Duncan replied, swerving as they careened around a curving patch of road.

  The lead chase car had closed to within a few feet of them now, but for some reason, they had ceased firing at them.

  “They’ve stopped shooting,” she said. She wondered why.

  Her answer came seconds later when the vehicle rammed them. She lurched forward and crashed into the back of the front seat, grabbing onto it for support. Duncan somehow managed to keep them on the road despite swerving back and forth across both lanes.

  “Shit!” Adrian said. “They’re trying to drive us into the ditch. They figured out we’re bulletproof so the only way to stop us is get us off the road!”

  Harlee peered over the top of the back seat just in time to see the vehicle behind them pull even with their left rear quarter panel and swing into them, clipping them and causing their car to swerve violently.

  “Fuck! I’m losing speed!” Duncan said, trying to control the vehicle.

  “Harlee, can you see anyone?” Adrian asked.

  “Two people in the front of each vehicle,” she said. “Can’t make them out though. They’re wearing black baseball caps and sunglasses. White males.”

  “I see someone in the back seat of one of the vehicles too,” Adrian added. “They sure brought a big party with them.”

  Not that she would know every government agent, but she didn’t recognize the men in the vehicles.

  They weren’t going to make it before help arrived. She knew it, could tell they weren’t going as fast as they were before.

  Finally, Duncan regained control and floored the accelerator, seemingly pulling away from the vehicles chasing them.

  “We’re pulling away again,” she said, watching more and more distance appear between their car and the others. “Maybe they’re going to give up.”

  The two vehicles behind them had pulled side by side now. Harlee saw someone leaning out the window of one of the vehicles. A bright flash appeared and she held her breath as their vehicle rocked from the force of an explosion hitting the road next to them.

  “Shit! That’s why they backed away. That was a fucking rocket. They must have some light anti-tank weapons or RPGs or something. Hold on!” Adrian yelled, reaching for Harlee and pulling her over the seat, tossing her underneath him and covering her with his body. Something detonated beneath the car, the impact knocking the breath from her. Another rocket. Their vehicle went airborne and she slammed against the dashboard. The only thing saving her from tumbling around like clothes in a dryer was Adrian’s strong grip holding her in place. She heard the rushing whoosh of the airbags deploying.

  Her equilibrium in ruins, she held on as the vehicle turned over and over, finally coming to rest on the driver’s side. Pain shot through her rib cage as she tried to move, her breath somehow stuck in her abdomen. All she could hear was a slow hiss like air escaping from a tire. Smoke filled the vehicle, making her cough. God, her stomach hurt. She needed to throw up. Her entire body felt battered and she could hardly move. But a tiny voice inside her screamed get the hell out of the vehicle.

  And Adrian no longer held onto her. Scrambling to a sitting position and fighting the dizziness and nausea, she looked out where the windshield used to be and saw they were in some kind of tall grass. She could see Adrian positioned on his belly, pistol aimed toward the road, but couldn’t figure out where the hell Duncan was.

  Before she could move to crawl out the window, Duncan snaked an arm around her middle and dragged her out of the car, literally tossing her to the ground. She hit with a thud and caught her breath, tucking her arms around her as she rolled a short distance and stopped near Adrian, who grabbed her and pulled her close to his side.

  “Know how to fire a weapon?” he asked.

  She nodded and he pulled a pistol from his waistband and thrust it at her.

  A Glock, she was grateful that it was at least familiar. God, how long had it been since she’d been to the firing range? Too damn long. And her hands were shaking, the aftereffects of the rolling vehicle taking its toll on her nervous system. Steadying her hands, she cocked the weapon, placed the butt in the palm of her left hand and aimed in the same place Adrian was looking. Duncan positioned himself to her other side, drawing a weapon of his own.

  “We’ll never hold them off,” Adrian said. Harlee looked at his grimacing face, realizing they’d never escape this.

  The only thing keeping them from discovery right now was the thick smoke from their damaged vehicle.

  “We’re screwed,” Duncan said.

  Harlee bit her lip, wanting to leap up and flag down the government, tell them to stop shooting, that she was human. But then what? Duncan and Adrian would be taken, or even worse, killed on the spot. Her stomach rolled at the thought.

  When the smoke cleared enough to see the black SUVs, Harlee spotted at least four men, weapons drawn and searching the smoke-soaked field for them.

  But she couldn’t see faces, couldn’t tell who they were, only shadowy bodies, though they seemed to be looking right at her. One drew his arm back and threw what appeared to be a canister of sorts in their direction. An explosion of white light turned night into brilliant day, temporarily blinding them.

  “Sonofabitch!” Adrian shouted. “They’re using light laser grenades!”

  Suddenly the sound of buzzing exploded near her ear as bullets whizzed past near her. They used the light to begin firing on them.

  Duncan and Adrian began firing back as a spray of both bullets and bright laser fire flew at them.

  God, what kind of weaponry were these people firing at them anyway?

  She heard Duncan grunt but had no time to see what he wanted. She aimed her weapon and fired, peppering the ground in front of the SUV with bullets. Instinct spurred her to defend her life. She couldn’t think about the fact she was firing at her own people, though she was careful to aim in front of them, not at them. They didn’t know she was there, and short of standing up and waving her arms around, they weren’t going to know. She wasn’t about to be shot trying to identify herself, and despite the mixed emotions it caused, she wouldn’t put Adrian and Duncan in jeopardy.

  All three of them fired nonstop, Adrian tossing her another clip when she went empty. But the others had more firepower, the smoke was rapidly clearing and soon they’d be sitting ducks again.

  Just then the whirring noise of an approaching helicopter and the screeching tires of fast-moving vehicles captured her attention. Through the haze of smoke she saw the men jump into their vehicles and go speeding off.

  “It’s Dark Moon security!” Adrian shouted, then half-stood in the tall grass and looked overhead. The whistling sound of a descending rocket made her cover her ears. The impact of the explosion rocked the ground underneath her. When she looked up, she saw a ball of flames where one of the black SUVs had been.

  “The others are taking off.” Adrian took out his cell phone to make contact with the helicopter, instructing his men to chase down the remaining SUV. It whirred off in a hurry.

  Adrian rushed toward the road, yelling at Harlee to stay put. She did as she was told, too confused and dizzy to want to move. Instead, she laid her head on her arms and fought for control over her breathing. When she managed her riotous emotions, she looked up to see the road clear with the exception of two bodies lying on the ground and an SUV engulfed in flames.

  “It’s all clear!” Adrian shouted. “Let’s get out of here!”

  “Let’s go,” she said to Duncan, urging him with her elbow as she stood. But when she turned around, he was still face down on the ground. Panic sent her heart hurtling to her stomach and she dropped beside him. “Duncan, are you hurt? Can you hear me?”

  No response, no movement. She turned him over, searched his body looking for a wound, reaching underneath him until she felt the warm, sticky wetness at his abdomen.

  Shit. With as much care as she could, she turned him over. Bright crimson spread from his chest to his midsection. Despite her shaking hands and upset stomach, she ripped the shirt away, using it to clear away the blood.

  The wound was huge, and near his heart. Quickly balling up the shirt, she pressed it hard to his chest to staunch the flow of blood, not daring to leave his side to go for Adrian. But it didn’t take Adrian long to come looking for them. His eyes widened when he caught sight of them and came running down the slope toward her.

  “What happened?”

  “He’s been shot or wounded in some way. I can’t tell whether it’s a bullet or something else.”

  Adrian took a close look at the wound, his face grim as he met her gaze. “The bullets were probably laced with silver. Otherwise he wouldn’t be down. We have to get him back to the lycans. They’ll know how to care for him.”

  And just where the hell were the lycans anyway, Adrian wondered. They were much closer to lycan territory than vampire, and even with Dark Moon using the chopper the lycans should have arrived first. So where the fuck were they?

  The answer came seconds later as six dark SUVs appeared around the curve and came to a screeching halt. Lester and William flew out of the lead car and ran over. Adrian hurried up to meet them.

  “What the hell happened here?”

  “Not now. Get your man down there to pick up Duncan. He’s been shot and there’s silver on the bullets.”

  Lester signaled for four of his men to retrieve Duncan, but he and William stayed with Adrian. “Now explain what happened.”

  Adrian dragged his fingers through his hair. “I have no fucking idea. Someone followed us from the mansion and shot at us.”

  William’s eyes narrowed. “Government?”

  “Maybe. I’m not sure. Couldn’t tell from their vehicles and haven’t gotten a close look at them yet. Two are in the ditch over there,” he motioned. “Let’s go see who they are.”

  They were interrupted as Duncan was carried up the slope and placed into the back of one of the lycan vehicles. Harlee came running over, her hands covered in blood. Duncan’s blood.

  “I…I want to go with them,” she said, a noticeable tremble in her hands. “Make sure he’s okay.”

  Her eyes glittered with unshed tears, etched lines of worry creasing her forehead. Adrian nodded and she turned and climbed into the vehicle carrying Duncan. His gaze lingered on the spot long after the car drove away, then he mentally shook his head to clear the visions of her. There were more important things to focus on than Harlee and her decision to go with Duncan. Hell, he didn’t much care for lycans in general, but Duncan was one of the few he considered a friend. Then again, he knew more about lycan recuperative powers than she did, so maybe she needed to see it for herself. Though he’d rather she’d stayed with him.

  For her own protection, of course.