~excerpt from Shadow's Embrace
“Very touching,” Axel said, the smile gone. “Anyway, on to more important stuff. Why the hell am I here?”
Kage ignored the insult so carelessly tossed out. Axel was trying to get a rise out of him, so he denied Axel the pleasure. For now. If Axel continued down that path, he would eventually get what he wanted—Kage’s attention. And may the gods help Axel when he did.
Kage took a deep breath, then he explained the situation with the hunters and the ramifications it had for all concerned. Once he’d thoroughly explained everything yet again, including Tammy and her request for help, he paused so everyone could get their thoughts in order.
He was curious to see if Axel would have questions. If he had recently taken over that pack, he most likely hadn’t had time to completely familiarize himself with the previous alpha’s businesses and correspondences. But apparently someone had told him about this meeting, since he was here.
When Axel didn’t speak up, Kage continued. “As Hudson said earlier, the labs and holding cells are a few miles below ground, which we’re going to need access to. He’s in the process of trying to get an up-to-date blueprint of the base.”
“Hopefully I will have that soon,” Hudson said.
“That’s good. Do we have any more information on the company funding these experiments?” Li Li’s mate, Jerome, asked.
“As was mentioned, the company’s name is Illuminacon,” Hudson said. “From what my hacker has found, it appears the organization is in bed with a couple of radical government officials who have world domination on their minds.”
“Humans and their never-ending need for world domination.” Isadora shook her head. “How tiring.”
“Mutating a human’s DNA with ours to make a super soldier is a good first step,” Raven said, his voice heavy with worry.
“And they’ve already had success,” Kage added. “Tammy is a perfect example.”
“We know they’ve had success with splicing werewolf DNA with that of a human,” Li Li said. “Any reports of them having success with a vampire?”
“Or a merperson?” Fenton asked.
“Not that I found, but vampires and merpeople are missing. I think it’s safe to assume these assholes are trying,” Hudson said. “In fact, I’d bet on it.”
Fenton shuddered. “Gods below, if these humans find a way to breathe underwater—”
“It would mean that not just land dwellers are in trouble,” Raven finished. “If they succeed, there won’t be a safe place on land, in water, during the day, or at night.”
“They already outnumber us,” Denisha spoke up. “And if they had our abilities, along with their numbers—”
“We’d be in trouble as a species.” Kage glanced around the room. Worry clouded nearly every paranormal face there.
“And they have other labs?” Fenton asked. “Here in the United States and possibly worldwide? How do we fight that?”
“We put the word out,” Hudson said. “Each leader here contacts leaders of their kind in other countries. We tell them what we know, and what we’re doing.”
Several of the leaders murmured their agreement.
“The most important thing is taking out the person at the top. We kill the one called Nighthawk,” Kage said. “We have the location of a base. We start there. I think it’s time the leaders of each group here makes a commitment to this cause.”
Everyone nodded.
“Good. Next: we need a base. I’m sure we can agree that no one wants this many paranormals in their territory, and some of us simply don’t have the room.”
“Exactly,” Raven said.
“I have a building I think would work,” Kage said. “It’s in the less popular side of downtown and is in desperate need of rehab, which I was getting ready to start, so it’s currently vacant. Another plus to the structure is it’s underground parking.”
“We have close to fifty people attacking that lab. We need something away from prying eyes. I think this will work,” Hudson said. “Everyone agree? If not, now is the time to speak up, especially if someone has a better idea.”
Everyone agreed Kage’s building would work.
“We’ll use that place to gather, then,” Kage said. “I’ll ask Susan—she’s a magic user in my clan—to go to the building and cast a look-away spell to help persuade people to mind their own business that Friday. We’ll meet on the bottom level of the parking garage so that our vehicles will be hidden.”
“Good idea,” Li Li said. “Even with a look-away spell.”
“I’ll leave it up to each leader here to decide what weapons they want to bring, if any,” Kage said. “Although most of us don’t need something like a gun, they could be useful.”
“Or knives,” Hudson added.
Several of the paranormal leaders nodded. Axel had a smirk on his face. Irritation flared briefly, but Kage smothered it.
“We need to make teams that have a mix of everyone too. We all have different strengths,” Hudson said. “Vampires have speed. Wolves are excellent trackers, for example.”
“I agree we need mixed teams,” Ward said.
“Me too,” Fenton added.
“What if someone is wounded?” Ward asked.
“My people will try to portal you back here,” Kage said. “Susan will already be there along with two more of my clan as protection. Jeannie and Jake, the twins, are paramedics. Susan has some healing ability.”
“Comm before portaling out anyhow, so the rest of us know,” Raven said. “That’s a good way for one group to end up there all alone.”
“I agree,” Kage said. “Now, the teams. Raven’s and Axel’s teams’ main job is to take care of the soldiers or mercenaries that the compound is using as security. Once they have, Raven and his group need to join Ward and me, while Axel and his group will join Hudson, Fenton, and Li Li. Is that agreeable?”
Both Raven and Axel nodded yes.
“My clan will provide the daemons to open portals. I will personally lead a group in the attack at the Bitterroot Range base,” Kage said.
