Love and Payne Read online

  “That makes no sense. He was one of dozens of agents there.”

  “But he was the one who saved Aaron’s brat,” Kerner snarled, jabbing a finger in the direction of the house. “So of course Aaron’s focused his attention on him. Talking about him like he’s a goddamn hero, telling anyone who will listen, spouting nonsense about making changes, how we need more Human-Therian agencies like the THIRDS. It’s sickening. Agent Zach had to go. Maybe killing him would mean turning him into a martyr, but without him, I might have had the chance to retrain Aaron. Now it’s too late.”

  “Why are you here?” Austen asked, discreetly scanning their surroundings. While Kerner had been talking, Austen had been assessing the situation, checking for movement in the distance, listening for sounds they had company. It was eerily quiet.

  “Simple. You’re going to kill Aaron Barlow. You’ll be arrested for his murder, you’ll confess to your hatred for Humans, how you set up the assassination attempt. You’ll be convicted, sentenced to rot in prison, but you won’t make it there, because you’ll be so overcome with grief and remorse for the pain you’ve caused that you’re going to take your own life. And after my people fake your death, we’re going to bury you in a hole where your agency won’t be able to find you, and you’re going to tell us everything you know about TIN.”

  Austen’s brows shot up, and he let out a sharp bark of laughter. “Holy fuck, you got it worked out, huh? And why the fuck would I do that?”

  Kerner held his phone up and tapped away at it. “Because if you don’t—” He showed Austen the screen. “—everyone in that room will take a bullet to the head.” There on his phone was the live feed of a mercenary with a gun to Zach’s head. Colin, Bram, and Edan were on their knees behind Zach, their arms up—except for Edan, who was cradling an unconscious Brayden to his chest. They had guns pointed at their heads. Behind them Austen could see Gavin, Iona, and the others tied and gagged.

  Rage flooded through Austen. “Motherfucker, I’m going to kill you!” He drew his gun, but Kerner put his finger just over the screen.

  “No, you’re going to kill Aaron, and before you think of taking me out, if I don’t check in with the man you see holding a gun to your boyfriend’s head, dozens of men I have waiting will descend, and then the rest of the family will join your friend and the Zachary brothers in the afterlife. Mama Zachary, her lovely daughters, the children. Their blood will be on your hands.”

  If Brayden was alive, he needed to wake his ass up. Now. Maybe if Austen bought himself some time. “And I’m supposed to believe you’ll keep your word?” A shiver went through him, and it had nothing to do with the cold. How had this happened? Then again, the guy had been investigated by the THIRDS, and TIN had run a thorough check on him. He’d obviously used his damned connections, and they had a very dangerous leak within one of the Human intelligence agencies. He had to find a way to get that information to Sparks.

  “Dealing with one corpse is far easier than dealing with ninety-six,” Kerner said cheerfully. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “What makes you think they won’t turn you in?”

  “You. I’m certain you can be very persuasive. And so can I, which is why once you agree and the deed is done, I’ll be sending men to shadow the Zacharys. Any hint of you talking to your people, of trying to get out of this, and they’ll be taken out. Perhaps a series of tragic accidents.”

  “This makes no sense. You’ve been trying to kill Zach for weeks. Now you’re promising to keep him safe if I do what you say?”

  “Killing Zach only mattered while Aaron was alive and useful to me. He is no longer useful, but Zach is. Once Aaron is dead, I plan to take his place. The world will see Therians for the animals they are, and when I reach the White House, Humans will once again have control of this great country.”

  The man was totally unhinged. Movement caught Austen’s attention, and he spotted another group of armed men in the distance heading for the house. The intent in Kerner’s eyes sent a chill through Austen. He’d faced many a heartless killer in his day, and it was exactly what Kerner was.

  “You’re putting children in danger.”

  “They’re casualties of war,” Kerner spat, his black soulless gaze full of loathing. “A war Aaron was supposed to have led, but he’s proven to be as useless as those who’ve come before him.”

  Austen clenched his jaw. His finger itched to pull the trigger, but then Kerner showed him his phone again. The gunman in the video pushed the gun harder against Zach’s temple, making him wince.

  Austen closed his eyes. It was obvious what he had to do. Zach’s safety, his family’s safety, came first. Whatever happened to Austen, whether he could get himself out of this or not, didn’t matter. What mattered was Zach.

  “Can I say goodbye to him?”

  Kerner sighed but handed him the phone. “Make it quick.”

  “Zach?”

  Zach looked up, his eyes widening slightly. “Austen? Are you okay?”

  Austen swallowed past the lump in his throat and blinked away the tears threatening to break free. “Hi, Z. Everything’s going to be fine. You’re going to be safe. Tell Edan to take care of Brayden for me. He’s a bit of a sentimental sap,” he said, laughing softly. He choked back a sob and quickly wiped at his eyes with the heel of his hand. “My life’s been pretty fucked-up, Z, but I guess it couldn’t have been that bad if I managed to get a guy like you to stick around. You were the best part. I’m sorry. Looks like I’m going to have to leave.”

  Realization dawned on Zach, and he shook head. “No, Austen! Whatever they want you to do, don’t.” He made to get up, and was struck across the head with the gun, knocking him onto his side with a groan.

  “You son of a bitch! I’m going to rip your throat out,” Austen snarled, his grip so tight on the phone, he had to force himself to ease up before he ended up breaking it and losing the feed.

  Zach shut his eyes tight and pushed himself to sit up before moving his murderous glare to the guy who’d hit him.

  “Just cooperate, Z,” Austen pleaded quietly. “It’s going to be okay. This time, I’m going to take care of you.”

  Zach shook his head, tears in his eyes. “I can’t lose you. I love you.”

  Austen’s smile couldn’t get any wider, and his heart flipped at hearing those words again. He couldn’t get enough of hearing Zach say them. Too bad it would be the last time.

  “I love you too, baby.”

  Kerner moved the phone away, and Austen flinched at the sound of Zach screaming for him. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, then got himself together. After breathing in deeply through his mouth, he held it, then released it slowly. When he opened his mouth, he felt nothing but ice in his veins and an unfiltered hatred for the man in front of him. Kerner might not die by his hands, but he was going to make sure that one day, the life drained from this man.

  “The gun.” Kerner held out his hand, and Austen handed over the Glock. Kerner took it and motioned behind him. “The car’s in the drive. Let’s go pay Aaron a little visit.”

  Austen remained silent as they walked. He wished he could say Kerner did the same.

  “You only have yourself to blame. Someone in your position should know better than to get involved with a civilian. How long did you think it would last? You should be thanking me.”

  “Did you say I should be shanking you? Because that’s the urge I’m getting right now.”

  Kerner chuckled. “Think about it, Austen. Once you’re out of his life, no one can make him a target again.”

  Austen agreed. No one would ever make Zach and his family a target again. He’d make sure of it. Whatever happened, Kerner wasn’t going to walk away from this. Asshole thought he knew Austen? Knew Zach, his brothers, and Brayden? The guy didn’t know shit. At one point, Austen would have gone at this alone, believing he could only rely on himself, but not now. He had a family now. One that would fight alongside him with everything they had.

 
“KEEP YOUR hands behind your head and get up. Slowly.”

  Zach gritted his teeth and did as he was asked, his fingers laced behind his head as he stood and turned to face one of the masked gunmen. He made over a dozen armed Humans. Their masks covered their necks where their classifications would be if they’d been Therians, but their eyes gave them away, which explained why so many of them. Without their weapons, they’d be no match for Zach and his brothers.

  Zach glared at the man in front of him pointing the semiautomatic weapon. It was taking everything he had to tamp down the rage spreading through him. They’d ambushed his family, tied and gagged his parents, his sisters, and his brothers’ spouses. On top of everything, they’d taken Austen from him.

  “Turn back around,” the man spat, raising his rifle to aim at Zach’s face.

  The feral growl that rose through Zach’s chest had the guy tightening his grip on his rifle.

  “I said turn around, you Therian piece of shit!”

  Movement caught Zach’s eye, and as he made to turn, he spotted Brayden subtly curling his fingers, leaving three out. Then two. One.

  Brayden kicked out, catching one of the gunmen in the knee, the man’s pained howl the only sound heard before the room plunged into chaos. The move had caught the gunmen’s attention just long enough for everyone to spring into action. Zach grabbed the rifle of the man in front of him with one hand, and jabbed with the other. The guy went reeling, tripping over his own feet, and landed on the floor. Gunfire erupted in the room as Brayden, Zach, and his brothers launched an assault on their captors.

  Someone had cut his father free, and Gavin quickly rounded up the rest of their family, rushing them from the room before he returned, throwing himself into the fray with the rest of them. Zach had his dad’s back as they faced off against two of the larger masked men.

  Gavin Zachary might be retired, but he was former military, which meant he never stopped being a soldier. Two men rushed Zach, and he grabbed one by the arm, swinging him toward his father, who threw his arms around the man, lifted him high, and slammed him down against the floor with a roar. The man didn’t get up.

  “The kids! You need to get them to the bunker,” Zach told his father, who grabbed two of the rifles, then took off. Who knew how many more armed men there were? They couldn’t take any chances. They’d done this drill a hundred times, and he was confident between his parents, Sheena, and the rest of his siblings and their spouses that they’d get everyone down to the bunker safely.

  Zach grunted at the punch that landed on his side, then retaliated with a fierce right hook that sent his adversary stumbling sideways. Zach was on him, releasing a roar as he snagged handfuls of the man’s shirt, hauled him off his feet, and lifted him high above his head before tossing him against the wall. A strangled cry left the man as he hit the wall, then fell in a heap onto the floor. The room was quiet once again, and Zach turned to find all the gunmen on the floor, a couple of them writhing in pain, the rest not moving, and his brothers now in possession of the firearms. One man groaned as he tried to push himself to his knees, and Zach marched over, grabbed him by the neck, and hauled him off his feet.

  “What the hell does Kerner want with Austen?”

  The man clawed at Zach’s hands, blood trickling down the side of his mouth. Zach pulled the mask off. As suspected, the man was Human. Zach grinned wickedly and tightened his grip on the man’s neck until he was gasping for breath.

  “Talk!”

  “Fuck you!”

  Zach’s inner bear was awake and as pissed as he was. He flinched as his fangs pierced his skin, the tips of claws following suit. “If you don’t answer me, your next breath will be your last,” Zach roared, the sound coming from his bear Therian half rather than his Human half, and the man’s eyes widened, filling with terror as Zach growled deep in his chest, his muscles straining against his tight skin, his vision sharpening. He was not going to lose Austen. Not now. “Tell me!”

  “Kerner’s going to make your boyfriend kill Barlow. If he doesn’t, Kerner will kill you and your family.”

  Zach’s heart twisted inside him. “What?” No. Zach retracted his claws and fangs before punching the man in the face. The guy went limp in his grip, and Zach dropped him to the floor. He turned to Colin and his other brothers. “We have to get there. Fast.”

  “You really think he’d do it?” Bram asked worriedly.

  “To save me? To save us?” Zach asked, and Bram blew out a breath.

  “Fuck. Okay, yeah. If we don’t get over there fast, Barlow’s a dead man.”

  “The snowmobiles in the garage,” Colin said. “There’s four, and they take two riders.”

  “What about the rest of Kerner’s men?” Edan asked as he came to stand beside Brayden, his hand resting on Brayden’s back. “My guess is there’s more of them out there. No way this is everyone.”

  “Leave that to me,” Brayden said, turning to Edan. None of them said anything when Edan pulled Brayden into his arms, his eyes filled with concern.

  “We don’t know how many there are.”

  “Which is why I’m going to call in the cavalry,” Brayden replied, a twinkle of mischief in his bright blue eyes. He pulled out his phone and held it up. “I’ll create a distraction and keep them busy while you guys make a break for it. Backup will be here in no time.”

  Zach shook his head, his frown deep. “It’s going to take longer than you think to get the THIRDS mobilized and out here to Bear Mountain.”

  Brayden turned to Zach and waggled his eyebrows. “And who said anything about the THIRDS?”

  Shit. That meant he was calling in….

  “TIN?” Zach asked.

  “Leave it to me.” Brayden’s expression turned somber. “You bring Austen back alive. You got that?”

  Zach nodded. “Okay. Let’s do this.” His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket. “The kids are secure,” he informed them. “Dad’s got everyone in the bunker.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  Okay, maybe not everyone. They turned, stunned by Una stepping forward. What the hell? Why hadn’t she gone with their dad?

  “No way,” Monroe argued, coming to stand in front of his wife. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “Which is why I have to be there,” Una pleaded. “What if they need a medic?”

  Monroe shook his head. “Then I’ll go.”

  “Because you’re a dude?” Una said defensively, her arms crossed over her chest. “You know I can handle myself.”

  “Of course I do. I’m doing this because you’re their baby sister. If something’s going to happen to one of us, it should be me.”

  Una stared at him. “Monroe—”

  “Please, baby. Let me do this for you. For your brothers.”

  Una threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was brief but sweet. She pulled back and nodded. “There’s a medical kit in the garage. Be careful.” Her expression turned determined. “Kick ass, baby.”

  Monroe chuckled and nodded. “You bet. Now go join Gavin and the others.”

  “Let’s move out.” Colin headed for the door, and Zach followed with Edan, Bram, Finley, Boyd, Alastair, and Monroe. They got geared up as fast as they could, which was damned quick, considering how often they had to do the same at the THIRDS when they were called out. Vests on under their coats, they grabbed their firearms and ammunition, then hurried through the house to the door that led to the garage. Colin took the lead just as he did when on the job, and everyone fell into formation behind him, with Monroe kept safe between Zach and Edan.

  Colin eased the door to the garage open, his fist held up to signal everyone to halt. He listened, and when he didn’t hear anything, he moved forward and signaled for everyone to follow. Inside the huge garage housing the snowmobiles, Zach motioned for Monroe to join Bram, who handed him one of the medical kits. The kit was secured to the back of one of the snowmobiles, and Bram climbed onto the machine behind Monroe so he could
fire his MP5.

  There were eight of them, so two per vehicle with the passenger being the shooters. When they heard booming gunfire on the opposite side of the house, they waited several seconds before Colin peered out of the garage door window.

  “They’re heading toward the gunfire.” Colin pressed the button, and the door started opening. He ran to his snowmobile and climbed on behind Alastair, weapon in hand. “Let’s move out.”

  The heavy rubber conveyor belt built into the floor of the garage came to life and rolled forward. As soon as his machine hit the snow, Zach fired up the engine, and it roared to life. He was off, his brothers alongside him. They sped away from the main house toward the trees, where eventually their property would end and the property of the cabins next door began. Gunfire erupted, sending snow bursting into the air around them. Zach leaned forward, his grip tight on the handles as the icy wind whipped at his face. Behind him, he felt Edan shift and return fire.

  They tore through the snowy hills, driving through the forest, dodging trees and fallen logs. Unless Kerner’s men had snowmobiles, they weren’t going to be able to catch up so quick, giving them a head start.

  Hang on, Austen. Please, hang on.

  “HERE.”

  Kerner handed Austen his gun. “Time to put those acting skills to use. Make this look convincing, or your boyfriend’s—”

  “Yeah, I got you the first ten times. All I have to do is pull the trigger. There’s no fucking acting involved in that.”

  “Oh, but there is,” Kerner said, putting his hands up in surrender. “Because Aaron’s not alone.”

  Austen’s blood went cold. “What do you mean he’s not alone?”

  “Please, you think a man like Aaron is going to travel anywhere alone? Especially these days? No. His executive protection is with him, and so is his daughter.”

  Austen felt the blood drain from his face. “I’m not killing him in front of his kid.”

  “I need as many witnesses as possible. Once the deed is done, you’re going to turn around as if you’re going to shoot me as well, but I’m going to ‘overpower you,’ and take the gun from you. I think it’ll help sell it.”