19. Nitro/Tommy

19

NITRO/TOMMY

NITRO

The truck engine roared to life as Spike and I settled in.

“Glad you controlled your temper and didn’t kill anyone by accident,” I joked, to lighten the mood.

It had been a hellish few hours.

Even though Olaf had been generous with his hospitality, my inner grizzly didn’t feel at home with his wolves.

Spike had been unusually quiet and behaved throughout our stay, I noticed.

That was unlike him at all. I wondered if something was bothering him.

Before I could bring up the topic, my cell phone’s ringtone blared. Finally. Cell reception was terrible out here.

I fished it out of my pocket, half-expecting to see Tommy's name on the screen. Instead, Corey's name glared back at me.

Every muscle in my body tensed up. Corey wouldn't interrupt our mission unless something was amiss.

"Corey?" I answered.

"Nitro, we've got trouble," Corey's voice crackled over the phone, the signal strained.

"What's going on?" I demanded, my grip on the phone tightening.

"Tommy's in danger. There’s been an incident at his place. His brother’s been taken. He told me he’ll send you the coordinates. Get there fast,” Corey said.

My heart sank. Danger. Tommy.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Without wasting a moment, I relayed the information to Spike, and he seemed to jolt awake.

I ended the call with Corey only to find a text message from Tommy.

He must’ve typed it in a hurry, because it only contained an address.

I thrust the phone back into my pocket and slammed my foot on the gas pedal, the truck tearing through the open road.

Tommy needed me, and I wouldn't waste another second getting back to him.

The truck sped through the open road, the scenery blurring in a haze of urgency. My mind raced, grappling with disbelief.

While we sat with Olaf and his pack, sharing a meal, Tommy faced danger, and I had been oblivious. Guilt slammed into my chest.

Spike shot me a sympathetic glance, but I couldn't afford to wallow in self-blame.

The wheels churned faster, but time seemed to stretch impossibly long.

Would we reach Tommy in time? The uncertainty clawed at me, but I needed to focus.

My hand found the steering wheel, fingers gripping it tight. A surge of frustration welled within me.

Tommy was in trouble, and I felt powerless to protect him.

In a desperate attempt to connect with him, I reached out through the mating bond. But the distance between us stretched like an unbridgeable chasm.

The bond, usually a source of comfort and reassurance, felt distant and muted.

I couldn't sense Tommy's emotions, his presence reduced to a faint echo. It was a stark reminder of our separation, and I only grew agitated.

"He's alive," I muttered, more to reassure myself than anything.

Spike shot me a glance, concern etched on his face. It wasn't much solace, but at least Tommy was still breathing.

Late afternoon had fallen by the time we arrived at the address Tommy had sent me.

Spike and I emerged from the truck and I sucked in a breath at the sight of the abandoned quarry.

I knew Moon Burrow used to be a mining town a long time ago.

"That bastard who took Marc picked a difficult location," Spike muttered under his breath and I had to agree.

"How the hell will we know where Tommy is?" Spike demanded.

Spike had a point. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the uneven ground, painting a sinister atmosphere.

The quarry was huge, and without a specific location, finding Tommy and Marc would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

I scanned the area, trying to discern any signs of recent activity, only to feel white hot pain in my chest.

I wasn't hurt, not physically, but my mate was.

"Nitro," Spike said in alarm as I clutched my chest.

"Tommy, he's nearby," I uttered.

"Right. You can sense him through the mate bond. Pinpoint where he is," Spike urged.

"That's not the easiest thing in the world to do," I muttered. "We're both still new to the bond."

"Nitro, hate to break it to you, but tommy's life is at stake here. Breathe in and out. Try to zero in on me," Spike told me.

A ragged laugh slipped out. It felt like Spike and my roles were reversed.

I was the calm one usually giving out instructions when we were stuck in a dangerous scenario.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart and focus on the bond that connected me to Tommy.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled slowly, attempting to drown out the chaos around us and tune into the connection with Tommy.

Spike's voice cut through my concentration. "You can do this, Nitro. Tommy needs us,” Spike said.

His words spurred me on, and I visualized the bond as a thread of light stretching out from my chest.

With each breath, I tried to extend my awareness along that link, reaching out to sense Tommy's presence.

I sensed Tommy’s distress and his anger. After a few moments, Tommy’s presence blazed in my mind.

"Got it," I said, my eyes snapping open. "He's that way."

I pointed towards the direction where the connection felt strongest—the mineshaft.

Spike nodded, his expression grim. "Let's move. We're running out of time,” Spike said.

TOMMY

As I stumbled through the dimly lit tunnels, I wished for the hundredth time that I brought a flashlight.

Right now, all I could rely on was the small beam of light from my cellphone.

Some shifters could see in the dark but not magpie shifters.

I swallowed. The battery was going to die out any moment and when that happened, I didn’t know what I’d do next.

The moment I got out of my cab, I heard a voice in my head, telling me to go to the mine shafts.

That told me my opponent had mental powers and that worried me.

I was clearly way over my head, but I couldn’t just sit around and wait for Nitro to arrive.

The cold, rough walls of the mine seemed to close in, and every step I took felt like a gamble in this underground maze.

Doubts gnawed at my resolve. I replayed the events leading to this moment. Had Corey reached out to Nitro? Was help on its way?

What if this supernatural enemy had already killed Marc by the time I arrived? Even worse, was I going to die in his dark and dank place?

If that happened, death would claim Nitro next, because our life forces were linked.

Unexpected pain hit me in the chest at that thought.

"Don't think about now," I reminded myself.

The idea of losing Marc and failing Nitro continued to claw at my thoughts, threatening to overwhelm me.

Yet, with each step, I banished the paralyzing fear. I had to keep moving forward and wouldn't let fear consume me.

It felt like I'd been wandering through this maze for hours, the twisting passages and branching tunnels disorienting me at every turn.

But finally, after what seemed like forever, I stumbled upon a chamber deep within the quarry.

I took a moment to catch my breath, the cold sweat on my forehead beginning to chill as the adrenaline that had propelled me here started to fade.

My senses heightened, and I could feel Nitro's presence nearby. The bond we shared allowed me to sense him even in the dark mine.

Unlike me, Nitro would probably be able to navigate these tunnels more effortlessly. He wouldn’t be far behind.

For the first time since I had entered the mine, a spark of hope ignited inside me.

That glimmer of hope was quickly extinguished as I stumbled upon Marc's figure a few feet from me.

A chill crept up my spine, and my heart sank at the sight before me.

My brother, bound at the wrists and ankles, was alarmingly pale and he wasn’t moving.

Panic gripped me as I unthinkingly rushed to his side, my hands frantically examining the bindings that held him captive.

Horror filled me as I saw Marc's blood splattered neck. I let out a cry as I forced myself to examine the gruesome wounds.

Unlike Dylan's neat bites, these wounds were savage.

"Tommy, you sure took your time," a voice, unfamiliar and silky, cut through the silence.

Startled, I looked up to find a thin figure with a skeletal-like pale face standing a few feet away.

Hatred burned in his coal black eyes, and an unsettling smile twisted his features.

Recognition dawned on me, though I couldn't place where I had seen him before at first.

"You were really outside my window," I whispered, the pieces slowly falling into place.

This creature had been stalking me for awhile.

He flashed me that hideous smile again, revealing sharp canines. Vampire? A surge of thoughts flooded my mind.

If this creature could easily overwhelm an alpha shifter like Marc, my chances in direct combat were slim to none.

Panic clawed at the edges of my resolve, urging me to retreat, but there was no turning back now.

I needed to buy time, to distract the vampire until the cavalry arrived.

"Killian?" I tentatively called out, hoping to keep the creature engaged in conversation.

The name seemed to strike a chord, and the vampire turned its attention towards me.

"That's right. Don't you remember me?" he asked.

I shook my head, trying to conceal the unease coursing through my veins.

"Are you related to Gregory Hicks in any way?" I asked.

“Gregory was my half brother. I was in Paris when your grizzly friends took him and our entire operation down," Killian replied in a flat, emotionless voice.

I forced myself to look through my old memories. I vaguely recalled Gregory Hicks mentioning someone named Killian in passing.

"You...weren't a vampire back then, just a human," I whispered, the realization settling in.

Killian's transformation from a normal human involved in Gregory Hicks’ operations to a supernatural predator seemed like a twisted turn of fate.

"I got bitten by a rabid vampire while hunting down new merchandise," Killian explained.

"Merchandise." I hated that word.

It was wrong, dehumanizing to refer to living beings as such.

Anger wrapped around me like a noose. I breathed in and out, trying to contain the fury coursing through my veins.

"That angered you," Killian observed.

He sounded amused. I gritted my teeth, fighting to keep my temper in check.

It wasn't just the word; it was the callousness with which he spoke it, as if lives were mere commodities to be traded.

"So you're here to avenge your brother?" I prodded.

"Our business was booming, and with me climbing up the food chain, we were going to expand overseas," Killian explained, a hint of pride in his voice.

The revelation only fueled my disdain.

"Enough talking. I know you're just buying time until your mate arrives, but it's too late," Killian declared, his eyes narrowing with focus.

Without warning, Killian lunged, his movements swift and deadly.

Instinct kicked in, and I dodged just in time, feeling the rush of air as he missed my throat by inches.

I knew that every second counted, and I needed to hold my ground until reinforcements arrived.

Luck abandoned me soon enough, leaving me vulnerable as Killian cornered me against the cold, rocky wall.

His skeletal fingers, grotesquely long, wrapped around my throat like a vise, cutting off my air supply.

I gasped, desperate for oxygen as the world blurred around me. Grim reality set in—I was outmatched.

The vampire was stronger and faster than I was, overpowering me with ease.

As Killian's grip tightened, the world dimmed. Each precious breath became a distant memory.

A chilling realization gripped my soul—was this it? Were these my final moments on earth?

Regret flooded through me, a bitter taste in the back of my throat. After everything I endured, this wasn’t fair.

Thoughts of Nitro, of a future we'd hoped to build together, triggered the desperation to survive.

I couldn't let it end like this. The fight for a future with Nitro, for my new life, couldn't be extinguished here.

I summoned the last reserves of strength within me, delivering a forceful kick to Killian's groin area.

The vampire staggered back. The relentless grip on my throat loosened just enough for another breath.

"Is that all you got?" Killian mocked.

Before I could respond, a deep growl echoed behind him.

"It's enough." The voice belonged to Nitro.

In an instant, my mate tore Killian away from me, breaking the vampire's hold on my throat.

I gasped, greedily inhaling a lungful of air as relief flooded through me.

Relief washed over me. I met Nitro’s gaze and he gave me a nod. The battle wasn't over.

Nitro and Killian clashed. Killian moved with uncanny speed, but my mate was able to match him for every strike and blow.

As I watched, my heart pounded in my chest, torn between fear and hope.

Nitro partially shifted his hands to claws and I thought that was it, but Killian was a formidable foe.

I gasped as Killian sunk his fangs into Nitro’s shoulder but Nitro easily shoved him backwards.

Killian looked momentarily distracted.

Nitro seized the opening. His claws found their mark, stabbing into Killian's chest.

The vampire's eerie cry pierced the air. Time seemed to slow as Nitro's claws remained embedded in Killian's chest.

A moment of silence followed, broken only by Nitro’s labored breaths. Killian's eyes, once filled with arrogance now held a glint of defeat.

Nitro, his breath heaving, pulled his claws free, and the vampire crumpled to the ground.

Nitro stood over Killian's fallen form, panting. It was finally over.

The weight of fear lifted from my chest, replaced by a surge of relief. Nitro turned towards me, and without hesitation, I sprinted towards him.

Wrapping my arms around him, I held him close, enjoying his familiar scent and warmth.

Over Nitro's shoulder, I caught sight of Spike, who was tending to Marc's injuries, using torn pieces of cloth from his own shirt to bind the wounds.

Our eyes met, and he offered a reassuring nod.

"He's a tough one. I made a call to Micah before we entered the mine. He and Greed are on their way here. Your brother will be just fine," Spike informed me.

"Thank you," I mouthed.

I wanted to say more, but Nitro abruptly pulled my mouth into a crushing kiss.

After everything we had just faced and the worry I put him through, I couldn't complain.

Spike's voice cut through the moment, breaking the kiss.

"I'm heading to the exit with Marc. You two can follow us whenever," Spike called out.

His footsteps gradually faded into the distance, leaving Nitro and me alone.

Nitro pulled away from the kiss, his eyes locking with mine as he smiled. I returned the smile.

"Don't ever worry me like that ever again," Nitro admonished, but I could hear the affection in his voice.

"I won't," I promised. "With Killian out of the picture, we can now focus on us.”