Hell Spawn: Shifter Squad 09 Read online

  Kurt didn’t just despise humans, he also hated the fae. Once he was done with our world, he would move on to theirs next. He’d spent the past four hundred years plotting revenge and hoarding power. We still didn’t know the true extent of what he was capable of.

  Sensing my thoughts through our link, Kala leaned forward. She put her arms around both me and my dad. “Don’t worry, we’ll find that bald little weirdo and tear his head off before he can annihilate everyone in the world.”

  My dad sent her an amused look, unsure how to respond to her enthusiasm.

  “Thanks, Kala,” I said dryly. “You’ve really cheered me up.”

  “I do what I can,” she said with false modesty then slouched back again.

  Sitting beside her, Ava was wrapped up in her own thoughts. She was still an enigma, but I’d rather have her with us where we could keep our eye on her. Plus, she was in love with our boss. Anyone who cared so deeply for Mark couldn’t be entirely evil.

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Three

  With the knowledge of the devastation that was happening in Wardel weighing on our minds, our conversation was sparse during the drive. We were halfway to our destination when Zeus’ head came up and he began to growl. It sounded hollow and strange, almost as if it was coming from somewhere far away. His hackles rose and he climbed to his feet and stood in front of me protectively. Something was coming and whatever it was, it wasn’t friendly.

  “Can anyone else feel that?” Kala asked. I looked over my shoulder to see her frowning. Her golden eyes were slightly pained. Her hand rose to her temple as if she was getting a headache, which was troubling. Shifters rarely suffered from the aches and pains that were so common to humans.

  “Feel what?” Mark asked.

  “Something is trying to get inside my head.”

  Using our link, I took a peek inside her mind. Just as she’d described, a presence was attempting to insinuate itself into her thoughts. Linked to her just like I was, Reece felt it as well. His hands tightened on the wheel at the sensation of the invading presence. He’d been on the receiving end of having his mind taken over and he knew exactly what she was going through.

  I brought Flynn in as well so he could sense what Kala was experiencing. “It’s a golem,” he said bleakly. “It feels like the hydra that took over my mind, but different. I think this is something new. It’s a feline of some type.” It would have to be if it was trying to control a werecougar.

  We had just enough time to exchange worried looks before something hit us. The van spun around in uncontrollable circles and I caught glimpses of an enormous stone creature through the windows. Flynn was right, it was a new type of golem, but I couldn’t tell exactly what it was yet.

  When it finally came to a stop, the van rocked from side to side before settling on its burst tires. A moment later, the golem pranced into view. It was the same size as the Cerberus, but it had the head and body of a lion. Strangely, it also had a horned goat head growing out of its back. Its tail whipped around to reveal the hissing head of a snake. It paused to allow us to have a sidelong view of it. It seemed like it wanted to be admired before it tried to kill us. Mostly feline, it was just as vain as an ordinary housecat.

  “What the hell is it?” Kala asked more in fascination than fear. Her link to us was the only thing keeping it out of her head. Reece and I were her alphas and no one was ever going to steal her, or Flynn, away from us again.

  “It’s a chimera,” Mark said in an awed tone. His hand twitched towards his cell phone. Even in the middle of danger, he was tempted to take photos of it.

  Our new foe went on the move before we could ask him any further questions. Shifting around to the side of the van, it lashed out with its claws. I shielded my father as the side of the vehicle was torn open. Kala leaped out of her seat and pulled the side door open. She was reaching for her gun even before her feet hit the road. Moving with the uncanny speed that being part-vampire gave me, I grabbed hold of my dad and carried him to safety.

  Shaken, but unharmed, he pulled his weapon when I put him down on the side of the road. Everyone had exited from the van, but the chimera wasn’t done with it yet. Just like a real cat playing with its prey, it battered the van to pieces. Then the lion head opened its mouth and breathed fire on the vehicle. It stood back to watch as a small explosion sent metal and debris flying. When the flames died down, the van had been reduced to a melted lump of twisted metal and rubber.

  Turning its head, the stone feline saw us and roared a challenge. I had the feeling it had been distracted by the blaze and had forgotten all about us. Just like Kala tended to be, it was easily distracted.

  Reece appeared beside me with Mark and Ava tucked beneath his arms. He dumped them next to my father and the trio stood huddled together, ready to defend themselves. Mark might be immortal now, but he didn’t have our strength or speed. Standing a few yards away from us, Kala and Flynn were protecting Sabine, not that she seemed particularly frightened. Nothing seemed to rattle the lamia.

  Zeus stalked towards the chimera, barking at it savagely. A gigantic paw swiped at him and he went flying through the air. He hit a tree and was on his feet again in an instant. The tears made by the feline’s claws healed instantly. My death magic permeated his entire body, ensuring he could heal any wound, no matter how catastrophic. Bound to me, he would live as long as I would, which was apparently forever.

  Enraged by the attack, Zeus began to transform. Dark shadows enveloped him and his eyes glowed scarlet. He didn’t stop growing when he was the size of a horse this time. Morphing into a wraith hound, he continued to grow until he was about half the size of the chimera and stood over ten feet tall. Maybe he grew in proportion to the size of the threat that he faced. His new form was still largely a mystery to us.

  Eyeing the Rottweiler, the golem wasn’t sure what to make of him. It swiped at him again, but this time its claws swept through his insubstantial form. Throwing his head back, Zeus howled in savage joy. Charging at the chimera, he didn’t pass through it, but smashed into its solid stone form. He was able to make himself solid or spectral at will and I was slightly envious of his abilities.

  With a snarl of surprise, the chimera hit the ground and slid for several yards. Scrambling to its feet, it circled around my guardian, searching for an opening. It had completely forgotten about the rest of us again.

  Zeus’ jaws caused damage every time they closed on his enemy, but the chimera’s wounds healed just as quickly as his did. He could keep it from attacking us, but he couldn’t finish it off without help. We had to find a way to remove the lion’s head, assuming Kurt’s soul was trapped inside it rather than the goat or snake heads.

  An idea of how to behead the creature came to me. Reece caught the thought and glanced at me in surprise. Then he grinned and nodded his agreement. Using our link, I spoke directly to Flynn and Kala. I have a plan, but we’re all going to have to change into our wereforms to pull it off.

  I’m in, Kala thought back at me before I could even tell them my idea.

  Me, too, Flynn agreed. What do you want us to do?

  I outlined the plan and he shook his head in stunned amazement. I’m glad you’re on our side. I’d hate to have you as an enemy.

  Let’s do this, I said and turned to my dad. “Stay here and try not to get killed.”

  “That’s supposed to be my line,” he said in mock complaint then winked. “Go get ‘em, kiddo.”

  The moon was still a few days away from being full and it shouldn’t have been possible for us to transform into our wereforms. Thanks to being a hybrid, I could now change whenever I wanted. I’d recently discovered that I could make Flynn change by waking his inner snake. I assumed Kala was just as susceptible to being forced to change as he was.

  Quickly stripping off so my clothes wouldn’t be torn to shreds, I waited for the rest of the team to do the same. When they were ready, I took Reece’s hand and we called on our power as alphas.

/>   Kala and Flynn’s inner beasts woke when we prodded them. Bowing their heads to our authority, they knew what we needed them to do and they complied without question. In seconds, all four of us transformed into our respective wereforms. Reece and I became our strange new cross between vampire and werewolf with pitch black coats and elongated fangs and claws.

  Kala became a sleek werecougar with tawny fur. Unlike us, she had a tail. It twitched in annoyance and she hissed at the much larger chimera in challenge. A low growl came from her throat. It was the sound a cat made right before it was about to attack.

  Flynn’s change was the most impressive. His head became shaped like a cobra and his legs turned into a long, sinuous tail. His arms and upper torso still resembled a human, but everything else about him was reptilian. His scales ranged from dark green to a light cream. A hood flared behind his head and the pattern on the back was almost mesmerizing.

  Without a grenade to decapitate the chimera, we were going to have to improvise. We didn’t have any weapons handy that could destroy stone. Not even our claws were strong enough to really make a dent in the rocky hide of the beast. I could have transported myself to one of our bases to grab some grenades, but I was pretty sure my plan would work.

  Surrounding the golem, we forced it away from the road and into the forest. Zeus used his new size to barge into it, making it skid for several yards. It retaliated by spewing fire at us. We leapt back out of danger, but Zeus let the flames wash over him in complete unconcern. He darted in and became solid enough to bite the chimera on the lower leg. With a savage crunch, its paw became detached.

  Limping on three legs, it roared in rage. Kala’s snarl of triumph died when it lowered its stump to the missing appendage and it became reattached. She leaped at it and landed on its back. She tried to bite it on the neck, but her teeth weren’t strong enough to carve through the stone.

  Throwing Kala off, the chimera breathed fire again. Several trees caught and a small conflagration began to spread. Reece and I waded in, using our speed and strength to try to disable it. Swatting at us with claws and snapping with its mouth, the chimera wasn’t going to stand still long enough for us to enact our plan.

  Flynn’s head swiveled towards Sabine and I sensed them communicating. I couldn’t pick up what he said to her, but I sensed it was a question. Inclining her head at his request, she gracefully walked towards us. Stopping only yards away from the battle, her clothes magically melted away. Her legs melded and she assumed her snake-like form.

  Swaying from side to side, she caught the golem’s attention. The chimera went still as she began to sing in a high, sweet voice. It would have been easy to become trapped by her spell if she’d been directing it at us. The stone beast cocked all three of its heads to the side, utterly mesmerized by her.

  Ava stepped forward and lifted her hands. I sensed her wariness about seeing us in our wereforms, but she controlled her unease. I exchanged a glance with Reece and he shrugged. He had no idea what she was about to do.

  Mark’s hand hovered near the gun that was holstered beneath his jacket. My father was ready to shoot as well if she did anything that would jeopardize any of us. Ava chanted in a strange, ancient language and clouds formed directly over the fire that was beginning to spread through the trees. A brief, intense squall of rain doused the flames before they could become an inferno. At a wave of her hand, the clouds disappeared as quickly as they’d appeared.

  Examining the bamboozled golem, Ava gestured again and spoke a few words in her alien tongue. Tree roots erupted from the ground and wrapped around the chimera. They bore the creature to the ground and became embedded in the soil. The golem was held fast, but I sensed that the roots wouldn’t hold for long. At my silent command, Zeus pounced on it and held the lion’s head down with his paw. The goat tried to gore his side with its horns, but they passed through him harmlessly. He had full command of his body and spirit and could apparently make parts of himself insubstantial at will.

  Now, Flynn! I said to the wereconstrictor and he slithered forward. Wrapping his tail around the lion’s muzzle, he held it firmly shut so it couldn’t breathe fire on him. Then he sprayed venom onto the lion’s neck. His venom wasn’t just toxic, it was also highly acidic. As I’d hoped, it ate through the stone in seconds.

  The chimera let out muffled snarls as its head became separated from its body and the bulk of it turned into an inert statue. Ava directed some roots to wrap around the lion’s mouth and Flynn drew his tail free. The golem’s head rocked from side to side ineffectually. It couldn’t regenerate while its head was detached.

  Mark and my father walked over to join Ava as we returned to our human forms. Kala stood with her hands on her hips. Utterly naked, she was completely comfortable with her nudity. My father’s face reddened slightly and he determinedly kept his eyes anywhere but on her. I smelled a brief flare of what could only be attraction for her coming from him. She picked up on it and smiled widely. I caught her eye and she sent me an innocent look.

  With a quiet sigh, Reece moved to stand in front of Kala, blocking her from my father’s view. “Spoilsport,” she muttered quietly.

  Either unaware of, or ignoring the sexual tension, Mark contemplated the gigantic stone head. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he said to my father.

  “I’m thinking that it could come in useful as bait,” my dad replied.

  Mark smiled in agreement. “Exactly. Kurt Jorgen will need to retrieve the golem head if he wants to be able to create a new one. This will be the perfect opportunity to set a trap for him.”

  The half-faery had used his newest minion to try to kill us and it had failed. Now we were going to use it against him. As far as plans went, it was simple, but effective. This would enable us to choose the setting for our showdown. Kurt would need all of his golems to wreak havoc on the world. He wouldn’t be able to resist coming to collect the chimera.

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Four

  Nowhere near as comfortable with my nudity as Kala was, I took her and Flynn by the arm. Reece put his hand on my shoulder and I took us into the ground. We reappeared where we’d left our clothes a moment later. I doubted I’d ever be blasé about being naked in front of anyone but my mate.

  Kala was smiling to herself as she pulled her clothes on. I knew exactly what she was thinking without having to read her mind. After seeing her in all her naked glory, my dad was now having trouble denying his attraction to her. Like it or not, he was human and he had certain wants and needs. He was apparently just as susceptible to falling for her charms as any heterosexual male.

  “Do you have to flaunt yourself in front of my Dad like that?” I said, trying hard to control my glower.

  “Hey, it was your idea to turn us,” she said in self-defense. “It’s not like I stripped down deliberately so he could see my hot, naked rack.”

  My reply was sour. “Believe me, I wish I’d thought of a different plan.”

  “It’s inevitable now,” she said almost dreamily.

  “What’s inevitable?” Flynn asked.

  “That we’re going to end up in the sack together. No man can resist me once they’ve seen me naked.”

  I slapped my hands over my ears. “We are not having this conversation! No one is having sex with my Dad!”

  Flynn shook his head regretfully, but I picked up on his amusement. “I think Kala might be right. We all sensed his attraction to her.”

  “Help me out here,” I said to Reece imploringly.

  “No more getting naked in front of Major Levine, unless it’s absolutely necessary,” he said in a tone that couldn’t be denied. Unlike me, he’d been born an alpha. I’d only attained the rank due to Fate’s meddling. His authority came to him naturally while I had to work at mine.

  Kala threw her hands up in a huff. “You’re all acting like I’m going to molest him! I haven’t exactly dragged him into my bedroom like I’m some kind of prehistoric cavewoman!”

  “
You haven’t yet,” I muttered. She sent me a hurt glance then stomped off through the trees. Reece gave me a reproving look, but I couldn’t help being uncomfortable with our situation. The idea of someone nearly the same age as me lusting after my father wasn’t pleasant. We were almost as close as sisters, which just made all this even weirder.

  We returned to the others to see Mark talking to Ava and Sabine. I was completely unsurprised to see his tablet in his hand. “You can obviously control the weather and plants,” he was saying to Ava. He kept his tone carefully neutral. She might have stepped in to help us, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t a double-agent.

  Ava stood with her hands clasped together. Her scent was anxious. I realized she was afraid that Mark might think she was a freak. “Only to a small extent,” she said, “and only when it is necessary. Our task is to nurture, not to destroy.” She glanced at us and was relieved to see us back in our human forms. I didn’t know why she was afraid of us, but something must have happened to make her wary of our kind.

  Mark took some notes then turned to Sabine. I was certain he’d taken photos of the chimera while we’d been gone. All new monsters that we encountered were added to the archives. We had a large database that all PIA agents could access. They needed to know the types of creatures that were out there and how to kill them to be effective at their jobs. Our squad was sent out to take down the most dangerous ones, but other teams were sent out to either contain or destroy the lesser creatures.

  Kala was staring at the golem’s frozen body glumly. My father flicked a glance at her and his tension seeped away when he saw she was now clothed.

  “I take it you have the ability to mesmerize creatures?” Mark said to Sabine. She nodded serenely. “Have you ever encountered anything that is immune to your talents?”