The angst in her voice was heartbreaking. “I can’t promise you we can alter every aspect of the future, but I will promise to protect and care for you.”

  “And what about love?” She laughed after asking the question. “I know. That’s ridiculous to talk about love when we’re all likely to perish.”

  “Come here,” I commanded, every portion of my body on fire.

  She walked toward me, her long legs peeking out from the shirt that fell just below her thighs. I fisted the material, dragging her closer. As I brushed the fingers of my other hand across her cheek, the heat seared my fingertips. “My beautiful mate.”

  “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I’m just nervous.”

  I lowered my head until I was able to whisper in her ear, “I will always love you, sweet Nicolina.” She shuddered in my arms, her eyes closing. For a few seconds, I held her against me, concentrating on the thumping of her heart. Love was a foreign concept with regard to a female, but there was no doubt about the way I felt.

  “Just don’t let anything happen.”

  “I have no intention of allowing that.” A trap. There was no doubt the price on my head would be enough several dissidents would keep watch, including at Yasmine’s house. I kissed her forehead, a growl erupting from my throat. “I’ll return soon, little one. No one will keep you from me.”

  After retrieving several weapons, I hesitated before walking out the door, turning to study her beautiful face. A part of me felt as if I’d never see her again. I was disgusted by the thought, refusing to allow demons to enter my mind. “You will be safe here until I return.”

  When I opened the door, I heard a slight whimper escaping her mouth. The yank on my emotions was intense.

  There was significant activity within the encampment, but I could feel the angst gnawing at my intestines. I also had to trust Luca, more so than I’d ever wanted to do, but we needed to work together. All of us. Every freaking Breed. Humans were indeed our greatest enemy.

  I tossed the weapons into the truck before shifting into the darkness to find Mika, which I did within minutes. He stood on the front porch of the house he’d chosen, his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

  “You’ve come to banish me,” he said with contempt in his tone.

  “You are lucky that’s the punishment I’ve selected.”

  He snorted as he gazed up and down the length of me. “You really believe I’ve betrayed you.”

  I remained several feet away, taking a single glance at the bright moon illuminating the sky. “You and I were once friends, something I cherished. Then your jealousy and desire for power changed everything. You’re hurting your own Streak, tigers who embraced you from the moment you were found abandoned and close to dying as a cub, or is that something you’ve forgotten?”

  A few tense seconds passed.

  Mika looked away, taking several deep breaths. “I have forgotten nothing, Akuma.”

  “Yet you have no problem issuing a possible death sentence on those who cared about you.” I half laughed, although the ache deep inside of me was tremendous. He’d been more like a brother, sharing every aspect of our youth together. He’d joined me on several adventures, hunting in dozens of forbidden zones.

  “I am not your enemy, nor have I betrayed you, at least other than trying to push you into being the great leader your father purported you to be. Meanwhile, you weren’t the one who remained by his side, ensuring the safety of our Streak.”

  Laughing, I shook my head, refusing to allow his usual digging at my wounds to enrage me. “You wear your betrayal like a badge of honor, Mika. While I’m not surprised that you’re working with the dissidents, I do hope you’re intelligent enough to know that whatever they’ve promised you will expire as soon as they get what they want, complete extinction of the Breeds. Then you’ll suffer the same wretched fate.”

  For the first time, I detected a level of remorse I hadn’t seen or felt with him before. He shifted down the two stairs, walking toward me slowly.

  “As I said, I’m not the one who betrayed you, especially not in the manner you toss out as if it could be easy for me to do.”

  “Everyone has their price. You are expected to leave immediately, and I assure you that if you try and return, you will be imprisoned and await an entirely different outcome. I hope I’ve made myself clear.”

  A wry smile curled across his face. “Crystal clear, great Alpha, but your hatred of me has led you to wear blinders. Unfortunately, when you do figure out that I’m not the monster you believe, it’ll be too late.”

  I stared into his eyes, no longer able to see anything but contempt. “I hope you find peace with your decisions, Mika. But I suspect you will be damned.” As I turned, I heard a strangled sound coming from deep within him.

  “You are right, Akuma. I’ve always been jealous of you. You had it all, including a family who adored you while I had nothing. Yes, this Streak has been good to me, providing me with everything I needed, including feeling like a family. At least until the day your father died. I was the one who held him in my arms as he lay dying. I was the one who killed the bastard who’d taken his life. Yet he said your name, longing for you to be by his side, not the tiger who’d protected and cared for him. You. Wouldn’t you call that betrayal?”

  His words both stunned and hurt. I fisted my hand, doing everything I could to wrangle my emotions. I had failed my father. I wasn’t going to do so again. “Goodbye, Mika.” As I walked away, I prayed that he would find some kind of happiness in the decisions he’d made.

  And I’d lost the only man I’d ever known as my brother. The scar as well as the pain would remain with me for life.

  Chapter 15

  Akuma

  Darkness.

  It hovered over the city oppressively. There were few people on the streets given the hour, the mono-train system shut down for the night. It would appear a new curfew had been ordered. That made our mission even more dangerous. While shifting before arriving would have been a better tactical decision, if a trap had been set, the soldiers would be prepared to face Breeds, not humans.

  “I don’t like this,” Tomas said as he glared out the side window.

  “No. I can smell the stench of the dissidents,” I huffed as I made the final turn, Yasmine’s house ahead on the right. I stared into the rearview mirror, unnerved by the level of quiet.

  I’d remained on the back roads for as long as possible, moving onto the side streets only when required.

  “Guard the front and the rear of the house,” I instructed the other two soldiers as I gazed at the dark house.

  “What if we’re compromised?” Michael asked. “Shoot to kill?”

  “Only if necessary.” I turned onto another road, easing the truck to the curb and immediately cutting the engine.

  “I don’t see any lights in the house,” Tomas commented.

  With the window partially open, I was able to detect the scent of a human female inside. “She’s inside, likely on the second floor.”

  Tomas sighed. “In and out in two minutes. That’s all the time we can afford.”

  “Agreed. We go in through the back door.”

  As the four of us moved into the darkness, the ominous feeling remained hovering over me. I didn’t like this shit on any level.

  I took a deep whiff, unable to detect any danger from humans. Tomas and I kept low to the ground, moving to the rear of the yard.

  While the lock had been engaged, the flimsy creation was easy to crush in my hand, the solid snap as it broke off the only sound. As we slipped into the darkness, my keen eyesight highlighted an entire room of carnage.

  “Fuck, it’s been tossed,” Tomas said, a low growl rumbling from his chest.

  I took another deep whiff, able to detect the scent of blood. “She’s upstairs. Stay by the door. There’s something off about this.”

  “Hell, yeah. We need to get the fuck out of here. We’re sitting ducks.”

  Ignoring his plea, I headed for the set of stairs, taking them two at a time, the weapon held in both hands. As I walked down the hallway, the odor increased, but I could sense that she was still alive.

  There wasn’t a room that hadn’t been trashed, the bastards smashing everything. I took long strides, moving into the last bedroom, scanning the area. Yasmine had been dumped on the floor, the stench of blood creating a wave of adrenaline. “Fuck.” As I bent down, I pressed my fingers against the side of her neck. Her pulse was thready, far too faint.

  She moaned in agony and fear, tossing her hand against me. “No. Please.”

  Why the hell had the bastards left her alive? After shoving the weapon into my waistband, I gently slid my arms under her torso and legs, pulling her against my chest and immediately heading for the stairs.

  The second I hit the landing, I heard vehicles approaching from less than a mile away.

  “Get moving,” I hissed. We both raced outside, the screech of tires making it evident that we’d been located, likely from a tracking device of some kind placed on the doors. The bastards had anticipated our arrival.

  Or they’d been told. How the fuck had Mika been able to contact the dissidents so quickly? With the other two soldiers flanking our sides, we made it to the truck as one of the vehicles raced around the corner.

  Pop! Pop! Pop!

  The rapid fire of weapons indicated at least three soldiers, but there were more.

  “Get her inside the truck,” I commanded, placing her in Tomas’ arms. “Then get the hell out of here.”

  “What the fuck do you think you’re going to do?” Tomas barked.

  “Just do as I say. She’s far too important.”

  “Not a chance.” Tomas opened the door, struggling to get Yasmine inside as Michael and Galen opened fire.

  “Now. Now. Now!” I roared, taking aim and firing several rounds. As the vehicle began to skid, still heading in our direction, I managed to shoot two of the tires. “I said. Now!” I allowed my beast to surface, the growl filled with rage.

  Three other vehicles approached. A wafting of the scent of blood indicated the three were injured, but that wouldn’t fucking matter.

  “Yes, sir. Damn it.” While Tomas obeyed my orders, jumping in and starting the engine, the other two soldiers hesitated.

  “Do as I say.”

  Michael finally dragged Galen to the back door, pushing him inside.

  As Tomas stepped on the accelerator, I got off several additional rounds before sprinting toward the bank of trees lining the rear of Yasmine’s property. If the humans wanted to play, they’d have to do it with one pissed-off tiger.

  Nicolina

  Cold.

  I’d never felt the kind of chill that encapsulated every inch, every molecule. I couldn’t seem to get warm, although I was wearing jeans and a flannel shirt in the middle of summer. While my nerves were frazzled, I knew the dancing sensations were about the changes occurring within my body.

  Darkness.

  Even the light of the moon did little but create shadows through the windows. I was beginning to hate the very time of day I used to love the most, although there was an intense draw toward the woods. As if I belonged there.

  As if I were no longer human.

  “Ugh.” The exclamation said out loud did little to soothe my nerves.

  I paced the floor, glancing at the door every few minutes. Akuma had been gone a long time. I’d heard the rumble of a massive vehicle engine, had seen his departure through a foggy window.

  And I’d been terrified that I’d never see him again. Mate. I continued to allow the word to roll through my mind. At least the horror of accepting the inevitable wasn’t as strong as it had been. There was a partial freedom to the electricity coursing through my body, a series of desires that were difficult to comprehend, but I wanted more.

  I’d felt his love in his touch and the way he held me, the sweet kiss as he’d said goodbye. I’d sensed his unbridled desire, a longing that kept my nipples aching and my pussy dampening my panties. I’d also felt his rage building. Perhaps that scared me most of all.

  A sudden laugh pushed past my lips. Maybe because of the circumstances. Maybe because I’d been living in a bubble my entire life, one that had recently been burst. Was I awakening as Akuma mentioned? Perhaps, but into a nightmare.

  I moved toward the window, trying to peer out around the haze in the glass surface. Everything was so damn quiet, far too much so. While Lars had been instructed to remain outside, I hadn’t seen a single sight of him in at least an hour, maybe longer, but I sensed his presence. The thought should be comforting, a different level of protection, but I couldn’t calm the sickness in my stomach.

  Or the dread.

  Even reaching out to Akuma hadn’t been successful, although I’d tried more than once. I knew so little about the communication we shared, the realization frustrating as hell. I could read minds, for God’s sake, yet I’d done a piss poor job of doing so thus far.

  Except for Akuma.

  Akuma. Where are you? Could he acquire my sister without fighting some crazy dissidents? What if she wasn’t even alive? I closed my eyes, leaning against the wall and taking several deep breaths.

  The single sound reminded me of metal being scraped across another piece. Immediately my hackles were raised, my pulse quickening. I darted a look out the window, able to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be two of the Streak members, both with weapons in their hand. Although my hearing was entirely different than even hours before, I was unable to pick up anything.

  But an odd knowing settled in. They were coming for me.

  Pop!

  I slapped my hand across my mouth, holding in the scream. I’d know the sound of gunfire anywhere, the single shot echoing in my ears. When I heard a solid thump, I knew that Lars had been taken out.

  The tiger who’d betrayed Akuma had returned.

  I raced toward the back door, fumbling with the lock as I heard another noise coming from the front.

  Boots.

  Fuck. Fuck!

  They were trying to get in through the front door. Get the door open. Now! As I tossed a glance over my shoulder, I managed to unlatch the lock, swinging the door open and tumbling outside.

  “Not so fast, little human.”

  The deep baritone sent chills down my spine.

  The golden glow in the tiger’s eyes created a wave of sickening fear.

  But for a few seconds, my gift resurfaced, and I was able to read his mind.

  “No. No. No!”

  Akuma was dead.

  Akuma

  The humidity remained thick, dripping off the trees, but there was little comfort in the protection of the forest. Soon another group would begin hunting, powered by the fresh kills. I was forced to rest, the wounds inflicted making it difficult to continue. I eased onto a patch of broken limbs, struggling to control my ragged breathing. While I could sense healing had already begun, the pain was excruciating.

  I rested my head on my paws, still listening for any sign that I’d been followed. Sleep could come easily, although that wasn’t a possibility. Still, I closed my eyes, concentrating on my breathing.

  “Akuma…”

  Instantly, I jerked my head toward the sound, a growl erupting from my throat. Nicolina. Her cry was one of horror as well as fear. Something had happened during my absence. No. No! I gasped as I rose onto all fours, releasing a predatory cry into the night.

  Then I took off running toward the encampment, ignoring the anguish. As I raced through the forest, I could sense she was in danger. There was also something else, her thoughts jumbled.

  “Betrayal. He’s… You have to stop him.”

  “Where are you?” I called, the pain now biting, blood continuing to seep from a majority of wounds.

  Although I could still hear her ragged cries, when suddenly she went quiet, I increased my speed, flying over fallen debris and underbrush. I had to get to her. I had to save my mate.

  When I could no longer feel her heartbeat, the rage exploded from deep within. Nothing was going to stop me from getting to her.

  No beast.

  And no man.

  I suddenly heard shots in the distance. The fuckers were coming, attacking another group of Breeds. I could sense it in my bones.

  Run. Run. Run!

  “Nicolina…”

  “Help… me…”

  With another roar, I powered on, breaking through the last section of trees as I neared the encampment.

  “Fuck. You’re alive.” Tomas took off running in my direction, remaining in human form.

  “Where is Nicolina?”

  “Gone. So is Lars. It appears they were taken.”

  The deep bellow I issued sent vibrations beneath us, the cry one of battle as well as heartache. As I lumbered toward my cabin, taking a deep whiff, I gathered the smell of her fear. “Nicolina.”

  My father had told me that when I found the right mate, there would no heaven or hell that would stop me from finding her, keeping her safe. He also told me that the connection would be strong enough to endure almost anything.

  Except for the ultimate betrayal.

  The moment I swung my head toward the opposite side of the encampment, I was able to gather her scent. As the realization settled in, the alpha mate broke free. She was mine. Mine!

  And the bastard wasn’t going to take her from me.

  I knew others would follow as I raced through the camp, heading into the darkest portion of the forest. Within seconds, I heard intense snarls and growls, the fight vicious.

  And one to the death.

  Lunging forward, the sight of the two tigers was exactly as I knew I’d find.

  Mika and Lars.

  Now the asshole would die.

  When Nicolina let out another cry, I shifted my gaze, able to see her beautiful form clinging to a tree. As the rumble beneath my feet continued, I realized that my beloved mate’s rage had forced her into transition. There was no way to truly appreciate the sight of her as she reached out to me, her fingers flexed and her mouth twisting as the initial pain of shifting rushed into her system.