Chapter 6

Fuck, he was tired. Albert had taken a while to recognize him, and Preston hated to admit that it was taking longer and longer for that to happen. He knew one day far too soon, Albert wouldn't recognize him at all, and Preston dreaded that day. Watching the man who had raised him slowly disappear but remain alive in front of him was devastating to see.

Part of him wanted to run away and not watch it happen, but this was his father, the man who had been there for him when he needed him, the man who had held them together when his mom had passed. How could he stay away now?

Sitting in his car, Preston closed his eyes and let a few tears fall. It wasn't a sign of weakness to cry over the loss of Albert. It hurt so fucking much to see him like this. How the fuck did people do this? How was he going to do this?

This was the toughest thing Preston had ever gone through, and he'd survived some of the worst war zones and terrorist attempts possible. The things he'd seen humans do to each other had left him with scars that would never go, but this with his dad… Fuck.

Wiping his eyes, Preston took several deep breaths, then started his car, but didn't move. He needed another couple of minutes before he felt like he was in any condition to drive. His hands shook, and his chest was tight. He ignored the ache in his throat and the gritty, itchy eyes. There would be a time to cry, and shut out the world to let is grief run its course. Not yet. Soon going by Albert's decline, but not yet.

Pulling away, Preston drove through Salutem until he found the road that led to Morefield Village. He would be home soon. His temporary home, that is. He wasn't sure if he would stay once Albert had passed. There was nothing holding him there, and that included Manu, his mate who wasn't his mate.

The drive was slow. There was little light in this area, so Preston made sure to remain focused and that was how he became aware of something in the trees to his left. It was keeping track of him, and at first, he assumed it was one of the security in the area, patrolling in animal form.

Smiling, Preston waved to let them know he'd seen them, then chuckled when the figure disappeared. A few minutes later, it was back, and Preston sped up a little, thinking of giving the shifter a run for his money. When it kept up, Preston's smile fell. Checking his speed, he knew whoever it was should have stopped tracking him a good couple of clicks back.

Putting his foot down, Preston sped away, and when he figured there was enough distance between them, he found a side road to pull onto and parked. Turning the engine off, he grabbed his gun and got out. The area was quiet. Too quiet. Preston was in a wooded area, so the sounds of wildlife should be all around him, but there were none.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he crouched as he made his way to the rear of the car. He paused and listened, not hearing anything, but the way his skin pebbled told him something was there. Something not pleasant.

Preston began a search of the area, moving in a circle to keep the car in the center. He didn't know the area, and he didn't want to get lost and lose his only way out. A twig snapping to his left had him crouching low and holding his breath, waiting to hear another sound, but there was none.

He moved cautiously, and when another twig snapping reached his ear, he paused again. That was closer. Whoever or whatever it was had his scent and was tracking him. Preston knew he only had his weapon to rely on, and he wasn't sure how much that would help. He'd seen shifters up close and personal and knew the damage they could inflict.

Moving back to the car, Preston paused after several steps, checking his surroundings. The unnatural silence made his body tense, and he tightened his grip on his gun. When he reached the car, he checked before getting inside, making sure no one could jump him when he had his back turned and nothing had been placed on it or near it.

Once inside, he called Eli. "We have trouble."

"Where?"

"Eastbourne Road. Near the turnoff to the old Miller place. I'm on that road. Something tracking me. Kept up while I was driving too. Woods silent."

"Completely silent?"

"Yeah. Made my skin crawl."

"Stay in your car. Team on route now."

Preston hung up and waited. He cranked the window down a sliver so he could hear what was happening outside, but all he heard was nothing. Absolutely nothing and that made him shiver. The only time he'd encountered this type of silence was when he'd been on a mission with Eli. The silence had descended, and they'd froze. Less than a minute later, they'd been attacked. They'd lost good men that day, and the rest of them had barely made it out alive.

Here now had that same feeling.

His phone lit up, and Preston glanced at it, then shoved it away. ETA Ten Minutes.

Ten minutes until a team arrived. Preston wasn't one to hide from trouble, but this unsettled feeling building inside, along with the silence, had him staying where he was. He was in unfamiliar territory and something or someone was outside and whatever it was, had the natural wildlife shutting the fuck up.

Lights cut through the dark, and Preston shielded his eyes until they cut off. Stepping out, he jogged over to the vehicle, seeing Albie inside. He'd only met the human a couple of days ago, but he'd read his report and knew the man would be good in a fight.

"I was close so headed over," Albie explained when Preston got in the truck. "I don't like how this feels. I've lived here for a few years now and never experienced this. How long has it been this quiet?"

"A good twenty minutes."

"Hmm. Not good. Whoever or whatever feels comfortable enough to stay near. That gives me cause for concern." Albie twisted in his seat and grabbed a box from the rear of the vehicle. "You have a Glock. Only one?"

"Yeah. Visiting my old man. Didn't expect to encounter whatever is out there."

Albie opened the box, and Preston nodded when Albie handed him a PN 90. A personal defense weapon that could be considered as a submachine gun or assault rifle and one Preston had used before. Checking the weapon, he nodded to Albie.

"Let's sweep the area where you last heard movement."

Stepping out of the truck, Preston nodded in the direction he'd last heard the sounds. Albie nodded once, and they moved in that general direction. Preston took the lead, moving slowly and carefully so as not to make any sound. The continued silence around him had Preston on edge, a feeling he didn't like. He could count on one hand the number of times he'd felt this way and none of them good.

Another twig breaking had Preston snapping his head in that direction, and he went to move toward it, but Albie grabbed his arm and shook his head. He pointed to his ear, then nodded his head in the other direction of the sound. He'd picked up something Preston hadn't. He held up two fingers, and Preston nodded once. A series of sounds, like thunps, along with the ominous silence had both men making their back the way they'd come.

A scream filled the air, and both men dropped. Albie's wide eyes glanced at Preston, and he knew he looked the same. What the fuck had made that sound? Albie moved again, quicker this time, and Preston followed. If whatever that was made Albie pick up speed, then that meant it was something unusual.

They made it back to the truck, and Preston saw the slashed tires. Albie locked the doors as soon as they were both inside. He grabbed the phone. "Eli."

"Update."

"Some weird shit. Silent and skin's crawling shit. Sounds like an animal, but not one I've ever encountered. Two circling us."

"Cat and mouse," Preston murmured to which Albie nodded.

"Fabian is ten minutes away. Mark the area, then leave."

"Tires have been slashed." Preston's head was on a swivel as he kept an eye outside.

"Ten minutes. Stay inside the vehicle."

The line went dead, and Albie shoved the phone in his pocket. "They drew us away then, incapacitated our vehicles. We're not dealing with an ordinary animal." Albie licked his lips, glanced at Preston, then muttered, "They've been trying to mix species."

Preston sucked in a breath. "Think they've been successful?"

"Viridian and his mate Ishmael's son is a hybrid, but he's the only one we know of who has survived. Until now."

"Whatever is out there doesn't feel or sound?—"

The vehicle lurched to one side, and Preston slammed into the door. "Fuck!" Albie scrambled to get the truck started as they were hit again. "Fuck the tires. We're out." The vehicle whined as Albie moved forward, then they were hit again.

"I can't see shit." Preston remained calm as Albie attempted to drive, but every time they managed to move a couple of feet forward, they were slammed to the side.

"Call Fabien!" Albie snapped, both hands on the steering wheel as he gripped it tight, focused on the road ahead. Beams on full, Preston still couldn't see what was attacking their truck.

"Fabian. Under attack. Number and species unknown. Suspect two."

"Two mins." The line went dead, and Preston bounced around in his seat as Albie drove. The road was rough, and slashed tires made for a bumpy ride. Albie concentrated fully on the road ahead, and Preston had his weapon ready.

A truck ahead had Preston releasing the breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. They pulled up, and Albie jumped out, meeting Fabien and Manu. Preston was actually relieved to see Manu, not that he was going to tell him that anytime soon.

"Update."

Preston filled them in on what had happened—Albie taking over from when he'd arrived. Fabien shook his head. "Strange." He lifted his head and sniffed the air, then shook his head again. "I'm not picking anything up at all. It's like they've used that spray on the entire area."

"No sound." Manu shifted his weight as he moved, scanning the surrounding area. "Whatever it is, it's still here. Tells me it's comfortable in this area and comfortable in its abilities to take four of us on."

"We suspect there are two of them. Sounded like they wanted us to move to a specific location." Albie stopped and watched a hare jump into the middle of the road. It stopped, sniffed the air, then turned to look down the road before running away in the opposite direction.

A rumble in the distance followed by a second had Preston moving his weapon. "They're still here. Watching and waiting to see what we'll do."

"I don't like this." Manu moved closer to Preston. He glanced around the area. "We need to investigate. Two teams. One shifter, one human."

"Albie." Fabien moved away, and Albie followed. Manu took the opposite side, nodding at Preston as he passed.

"I don't like how quiet it is."

"Been like this for a good thirty minutes now. Whatever they are, they're not afraid of us, but everything around them is."

Manu nodded. "Keep eyes and ears open."

Nodding, Preston followed Manu. They'd find whatever was out there—or it would find them.