“Then let us commence,” De Rossi said.
Nelson and the other men turned and walked out of the room. Marie sobbed quietly, and Coral tried to think of words of comfort, but failed to come up with any. The best she could think of was “It’ll all be over soon,” which wasn’t particularly comforting.
She struggled against her bonds, but she was pinned down and helpless.
Suddenly, she heard a scraping noise over her head, and the ceiling above her moved. As she stared, the ceiling slid back, further and further.
Sunlight flooded in, and she blinked hard, temporarily blinded. Dr. De Rossi must have wanted to ensure that they’d be exposed to the full effect of the meteor shower.
Coral blinked back hot, despairing tears. Would this be the last time she’d ever feel the sun warming her skin?
She lay there with the sun beating down on her, and the minutes ticked by, and Dr. De Rossi paced anxiously around the room, checking the readouts on their monitors.
He stopped by Marie’s monitor and peered at it closely, and a smile spread across his face. “Well, well,” he said. “It’s beginning.”
Chapter Fifteen
Melinda’s heart leaped with joy as she saw Flint and his men swarming through the wooded area. The sun shone down on him, only on him, lighting him as if he were a figure in a classical painting. Her unbearably handsome bear, the man who was meant to be with her. Today would be the day he’d finally realize it.
She rushed from behind the trees, calling his name. He turned to look at her, a startled expression on his face. Rory was by his side, and there were close to a hundred Enforcers with them. About half were in their animal forms, and the other half had remained in their human form so they could carry weapons.
They were a mile from the site where Dr. De Rossi held the shifters and humans prisoner.
Rory and Flint were leading the charge. They all halted, as did the rest of the Enforcers, as Melinda rushed towards her beloved.
“Melinda, what the hell are you doing here? You’re suspended from the force,” Rory snarled. She ignored him, hate flaring up inside her. Bastard. He’d tried to keep her and Flint apart. Before the day was over, she’d make sure he was dead.
She turned to Flint, and gave him her sweetest smile. “Flint, I couldn’t let you go in there without my help. I’ve been scouting out the area and…I’m sorry.” She fished out the bloodstained cloth she’d snatched from Coral’s pants leg, and held it up. “I found the body of that wolf reporter. She’s dead, Flint, there was nothing I could do for her. I’m sorry.”
“What?” Flint’s eyes flew wide open with shock and horror. Too much shock and horror. Why should he care so much about that fat wolf bitch? She forced down her anger, and hoped that her expression of pity was convincing.
“She can’t be dead…she can’t be!” He let out a low, anguished groan and snatched the bloodstained cloth from her. He swayed where he stood. The expression on his face was blank and disbelieving.
Perfect! Now was the time to comfort him. He’d fall into her arms gratefully, she just knew it.
She threw her arms around him, hugging him with all of her strength. He felt so good in her arms, so right…but he angrily shoved her away from him, pushing so hard she stumbled back several steps. He clutched the cloth, letting out a low, keening moan. Melinda might as well have been invisible.
Hurt bubbled up inside her, burning like hot lava. She felt her throat closing with grief, and she let out a low, heartbroken whimper. Why must he be like this? Maybe it would just take a little while for him to get over the surprise of Coral’s death. Then he’d let her comfort him. He’d turn to her in his pain and grief. Only her.
One of the Enforcers, who was a wolf shifter, sniffed at the bloody patch of cloth. “She’s not dead,” he said. “A dead body gives off a certain scent. This person isn’t dead.”
Melinda gave a strangled cry of rage, as Flint’s eyes lit up with hope. “Take me to where you found her,” he demanded. “I know she’s not dead. I’d feel it if she were dead.”
“What?” Melinda cried out, stumbling back. This couldn’t be happening. No. She’d planned so carefully.
“Take me there, now! There’s still time to save her! I know there is!”
“Absolutely not!” Flint and Rory and the other shifters crowding around them turned to stare at her, and she frantically struggled to think up a reason why not.
“You need to concentrate on your mission!” she said stoutly, folding her arms. “You’ve let that wolf distract you for far too long. We all need to go to the ley line intersection, right now. The wolf was miles away from there; you’d have to abort the entire mission to get to her.”
“I’m going,” Flint snapped. “She’s my fated mate. I can’t leave her. Rory, you and the men go on ahead. I’ll meet you there.” Rory nodded in agreement.