Skin Walkers: Leto Read online

  Shy lifted a shaky hand to flush the toilette as she got up off her knees and crossed to the sink before blasting on the water, washing her hands, and then cupping water to her lips to rinse her mouth. Gargling she repeated the action several times and then grabbed a hand clothe to wash her face. A knock at the door had her frowning at her wane image in the mirror. “I’m fine.” She spoke loudly before she dropped to sit on the edge of the tub, uncertain if she was finished being ill.

  “Shy?”

  When she didn’t answer the door clicked open and York watched her closely. “You okay?”

  How could she be this tired when she just woke from fourteen straight hours of sleep? She lifted her head and met York’s gaze. She knew she looked like hell, but it couldn’t be helped.

  “I’m just queasy is all,” she lied as she forced herself to her feet. She’d been sick every morning for the past week and half; only difference was that today she actually had something in her belly to throw up.

  “I’m sorry,” he apologized as he entered with a blanket and wrapped it around her. “But we gotta move.” He wrapped the blanket around her then scooped her up and carried her from

  the hotel.

  Chapter 5

  Leto frowned as they approached the small hotel nestled in the forest of Northern Montana. Instead of staying at StoneCrow and recuperating from his recent captivity, he opted to travel with Commander Conn Drago and his team of mercenaries as they trekked north to retrieve the woman who was also a captive at the Megalya facility and who apparently carried his scent. A growl escaped his parted lips. Every time he thought of the woman and what he’d been told of her, he growled in rage. She reeked of Megalya. How else could she carry his scent? He hadn’t touched her and certainly hadn’t claimed her.

  After resting and being fed—well fed—at StoneCrow, Leto was feeling a hundred times better. He knew the unknown drugs that the scientists had injected into his system were slowly being burned off. In the meantime, Dr. Jenny Arkinson had been quite upset over his refusal to allow her to draw blood samples in hopes of pinpointing what it was exactly that the scientist had been testing on him. It hadn’t taken him long to realize that the food delivery person was actually StoneCrow’s Chief of Surgery, and after a dozen refusals, Leto finally jerked the syringe from her hand, jabbed it into his own arm and filled the attached vial with his blood before shoving it at her and growling, “You won’t get more, so make it enough!”

  She hadn’t been pleased, but took what he’d offered with a promise to test his blood and have results by the time he’d returned with his angel. He’d fisted the halo that hung around his neck and challenged, “Does it look like I’ve claimed my one?”

  He didn’t know what the Megalya had done to infuse the other captive with his scent, but he doubted she was a captive at all. It made more sense to him that the Megalya would plant one of their own in the cells and pretend she were a captive in hopes that she’d be allowed to infiltrate StoneCrow when the Walkers came for Leto. They would know the Walkers would come. They always protected and defended their own.

  “Easy,” Conn urged addressing Leto and dragging him from his thoughts. “We’ll be there soon. Once you see her I’m sure it’ll all come back to you.”

  Leto frowned at the Walker commanding the mission. There was nothing to remember because he didn’t know the woman. He’d shared his thoughts with Monroe StoneCrow about the woman being a Megalya spy, but the CEO had quickly shot down the theory stating that communications from a man named York confirmed that she was in too rough of shape to be one of Megalya’s own. Monroe claimed she was ‘lucky to be alive’, which was enough to convince the CEO that she wasn’t Megalya. Leto wasn’t convinced and when he got to the hotel he had every intention of killing the Megalya spy who was so easily fooling his fellow Walkers.

  ***

  After stopping at a café to pick up a large go-order and force-feeding Shy some toast, scrambled eggs, and a carton of milk, York and his team drove Shy across the border and to a quaint hotel nestled in the mountainside. Surrounded by thick forestland, the hotel would have been easy to miss had one not been looking.

  Once again York’s team checked them in before he’d carried Shy to a much nicer room then the one they’d stayed at in Canada. He told her to shower and handed her a sack that contained new clothing one of his team had purchased for her. She’d been rescued wearing nothing but the flimsy hospital gown the Megalya had provided. York promised to return soon with more food and left after showing her to the bathroom.

  Shower? The thought brought tears to her eyes. At Megalya she’d been brought a bucket, soap, and a wash cloth only once a week. She hadn’t stood under the hot spray of a shower since the morning she’d left her apartment for work and hadn’t returned.

  Before York departed he promised her that Marko was posted outside her door and Bodi was patrolling the perimeter outside. He’d sworn she’d be safe until he returned.

  Once York left the room, Shy started a pot of coffee with the equipment and supplies provided in the room. She knew the caffeine would help revive her some, but still opted for decaff. The aroma had her belly convulsing painfully at the promise of the favored beverage she hadn’t enjoyed in five months. She rubbed a hand over her flat tummy.

  She savored a cup of coffee before creaming and sugaring a second cup and carrying it with her to the bathroom. Locking the door she turned on the shower and stripped while the room slowly began to cloud with heavenly steam. Rummaging through the toiletries provided by hotel she found a razor, tooth brush, tooth paste, shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, fluffy towels and an enormous fuzzy bathrobe.

  Showering felt so good that after she’d washed and conditioned her hair, brushed her teeth, then shaved her body, she’d opted to wash and condition her hair a second time to delay having to get out. Finally, after long minutes she turned off the shower, dried, lathered herself with lotion, and then covered her naked body with the oversized robe with intentions of enjoying another cup of coffee while she waited for York to return.

  She found a brush and for the first time in five months, brushed out her long red mane as hope blossomed within her. The Walkers were taking her home and soon she’d talk to her sister and be back with her family.

  The smile vanished from her face as the brush slid from her fingers and clattered to the floor. Walkers!

  Shy had to grip the counter to keep from falling over as she remembered York’s men diving from the helicopter. Contrary to what York had claimed, there was no way his men were wearing chutes unless the military had invented a chute that was so damn small that it was practically non-existent.

  Shy blinked rapidly as she stared unseeing at her own reflection. Working for the Megalya, she’d studied the Skin Walker’s incessantly, all while never truly believing that they could exist. The idea had been so outlandish and supported by no real evidence so Shy had immediately discarded the likelihood of their existence. She’d written off Conn Drago’s rumored relation to Skin Walkers by his fierce reputation. After reading his military record, anyone could easily assume there was something supernatural about the highly decorated and now retired Marine. But what of everyone else?

  Is Leto a Walker? Is that why he’d been held against his will and experimented on? If so that means that…she blanched. York and his men are Walkers too. Her hands trembled, Holy shit, can they really exist?

  She tried to remember if she’d read anything about them being dangerous. Dr. Chambers had been certain that Walkers hated humans, so why were they tolerating her? She swallowed hard when she remembered York’s words, ‘My Commander has your mate.”

  Oh God! They think I’m dating Leto. They think I’m on their side through association. If they found out that she had originally worked at the Megalya facility things could be bad, but if they found out she had no involvement at all with Leto… She didn’t even want to think of the ramifications.

  Finding the bag of clothing she’d dropped in a chair outside the bathroom, she retrieved it and quickly dressed in the underclothes, tight jeans, t-shirt, and tennis shoes that York had purchased for her.

  She had no idea that outside the hotel, Commander Conn Drago had just arrived with a very anxious and equally enraged Leto Reigns.

  Chapter 6

  Shy spun as she heard a key slide into the mechanism on the door and it beeped its admittance before the door to her room opened. She’d planned to be gone when York returned but she hadn’t dressed quickly enough. Her heart skidded to a halt when York didn’t enter, but a large, extremely attractive man with waist length, straight, black hair, and dark eyes that sparked with undisguised fury.

  He growled before his expression faltered a brief second and he dropped to a knee. Light must have glinted off something around his neck and it temporarily blinded Shy even as she heard an odd high-pitched whine.

  A viscous growl escaped the man’s parted lips as his head snapped up, his eyes pinning her in place, one large hand fisting the shirt at his midsection. “What did you just do to me?” The words were growled from between clenched teeth, and if Shy thought he’d been angry when he’d entered, he was enraged now.

  “I-I…”

  The man’s breathing hiked as he forced himself to his feet. He tried to hide a wince, but Shy saw it. He slowly approached and Shy felt sheer terror seize her. She recognized him…he was the Megalya captive she’d attempted to rescue. Leto!

  Her eyes darted from Leto to the closed door. “S-sorry. I thought this was m-my room.” She hoped to feign ignorance to escape. Dropping her head, she moved to step around him when he lunged to cut off her escape.

  “What. Did you. Just do to me?” He growled a second time.

  “N-nothing,” she stammered while backing up several steps. “I didn’t…”

  “Lies!”

  Shy considered screaming for Marko, but knew the Walker would have been aware of Conn and Leto’s arrival. She’d find no help there.

  “I’m…I’m sorry about the mistake,” she apologized again, unsure what else to do. “They said this was my room.” Unable to stand his hate-filled glare any longer, she dropped her eyes, “I’ll leave.”

  “There’s been no mistake,” he growled seeming to compose himself some. The hand that had been clutching his stomach dropped to curl in a tight fist at his side. “They put you in my room intentionally.”

  Shy felt betrayed and knew she shouldn’t. They all assumed she and Leto were an item. It would make sense to send him straight to her. She swallowed hard wishing York would return. “I-I don’t know what you mean.”

  “You carry my scent Shy and as long as you do they’ll all assume you belong to me.”

  Shy began to tremble visibly. He knows who I am. “I’m sorry. If you’ll excuse me I’ll…”

  “You’re not leaving. Not until I get what I want.”

  She took a step back until her legs hit the edge of the bed. She kept her eyes down, focused on the floor. She remembered hearing that Walkers carried many of the same instincts and characteristics as their animal brethren. She was being as submissive and non-assuming as she knew how to be. “W-what do you want?”

  Leto was on her in a second. One moment she was cowering in front of him and the next she was pinned to the bed, her upper arms crushed under his rough grasp. His face was inches from hers and he sniffed at her loudly for long minutes before he sneered through gritted teeth, “I want the fucking truth. I know what you are and what you’ve done, and you’re going to tell me why the Megalya are experimenting on Walkers or I swear to you Shy you will regret your silence. But first,” his grip tightened on her arms, evoking a whine from her. “You’ll tell me why you’re infused with my scent and how you managed to injure me the second I walked in that door!”

  Shy struggled under his grip even as his hips pinned hers to the bed. “Leto! STOP! I didn’t do anything!” She watched as his eyes dimmed and he inhaled sharply.

  “I don’t even need to shift to smell your fucking lies.”

  Shift? It’s true! Oh God, it’s true!

  A knock sounded at the door and when it drew Leto’s attention. Shy shoved his massive chest with both arms forcing him off balance as she rolled and slipped off the bed. She was racing for the door when an arm clamped around her waist and hauled her back. As she made to scream, Leto’s other hand covered her mouth as she flailed and kicked, fighting for freedom.

  The knock sounded at the door again, and Leto growled impatiently, “What?”

  “Everything alright in there?” Marko questioned from the hall.

  Leto snapped his response, “Mind your own fucking business.”

  Shy’s heart sank when she heard the footsteps stalk away from the door. Then she was flying through the air as Leto threw her back to the bed. She bounced and the back of her head smacked against the headboard drawing forth tears. Shy’s hand reached to rub the back of her head even as she kicked her legs and scrambled backward trying to avoid Leto as he closed the distance between them and reached for her. She held out both hands defensively as she pleaded, “Please Leto, let me explain!”

  “Lies,” he growled, “that’s all the Megalya deal in…fucking lies!”

  Shy screamed as he caught an ankle and jerked her to him. “PLEASE! DON’T!”

  Leto ignored her screams as he wrapped one massive hand around her throat. She’d seen the Megalya torture Leto; she knew well the expression that lanced across his rugged features. It was pure maniacal rage and she also knew from past experience that there was no controlling him when he was in this state.

  She screamed again, but this time it was cut off as his hand tightened on her throat and she elected to conserve her oxygen as she clawed at his massive shoulders.

  Seconds later his attention was ripped from her as he was suddenly jerked backward and wrestled to the ground.

  Shy sucked in a harsh breath even as her feet found the floor and she raced to the bathroom. She slammed the bolt in place behind her, locking herself in as she quickly turned and scanned the room. She could hear Marko and Bodi trying to reason with Leto as loud crashing and the sound of shattered glass came from the other room. It wasn’t working. Something crashed against the bathroom door and snarls erupted from the other room as Shy eyed the sole window.

  She grabbed the handle and shook it furiously, but the window didn’t budge. She heard York roar, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?”

  Then another object shattered just outside the room. Shy snatched the towel from the wall ring next to the sink, wrapped it around her elbow and slammed it with all her weight through the glass before scrambling up through the window that was still lined with jagged glass before she dropped down the other side and out of the hotel room.

  She ignored the pain that seared the crease of her inner thigh as she struggled to her feet and raced blindly through the forest. She ran as hard as she could and even though the ground was covered in snow and she had no coat she was sweating within minutes. She jumped fallen trees and ducked low-lying branches before she raced through an outcropping of trees and came face to face with a woman.

  The woman was dressed in head-to-toe winter fatigues and when Shy saw the pistol holstered at the woman’s hip, she wondered if the woman was a hunter. The beautiful stranger had jet black hair with one thick white streak that formed at her right temple and disappeared with the rest as it was pulled back in a tight ponytail.

  Chapter 7

  Aries’ smile from mere moments earlier when her halo winked with its ethereal light and whined to signify the commencement of a Walker’s affliction upon meeting his mate, vanished as she eyed Shy’s tear soaked face, torn shirt, and the blood that soaked the crotch of the other woman’s pants. Her fine brows drew down as her jaw worked. She’d heard the woman screaming earlier, and it took all her will to keep from storming into Leto’s motel room and confronting him. “Did he…” Her words died off, she couldn’t say it.

  She must be a Walker. Shy dropped her eyes, shivering uncontrollably. Warm tears still slid down her face as she wrapped her arms around herself, “H-he hurt me.”

  Aries swore under her breath and swiped a small hand over her face. “Fuck!” She stripped off her winter-camo jacket and shoved it into Shy’s hands. “Put this on.” Aries’ eyes swung round to quickly scan the perimeter as Shy slid her arms into the jacket.

  Turning back to the other woman Aries pushed Shy’s trembling fingers away and zipped the jacket for her. “How did you get out?”

  Shy sucked in a shaky breath trying to stop her tears, “I-I climbed out the bathroom window.”

  Aries eyed the area again before sighing resolutely. “Alright, come on.”

  “Wh-where are we going?”

  Aries grabbed the other woman’s arm. “I’m getting you out of here. Now move. If Leto’s not already after you he will be soon.”

  As they made their way through the thick forest, both women jumped and spun at the rustling of the trees behind them.

  Shy was shoved behind the Walker woman as Aries spun and pulled her pistol simultaneously. Her sights leveled on RedKnife KillsPrettyEnemy as he stood scowling at the pair of women from the brush.

  Shy’s heart accelerated. She didn’t want this Walker woman hurt because of her. She offered tremulously from behind the slight woman shielding her. “I…I don’t want to cause any trouble. I don’t want anyone getting hurt over me.”

  RedKnife was silent as he eyed Aries and the gun she was pointing at him before his dark eyes slid to Shy and took in her appearance. His eyes lingered on the blood that stained the crotch of her pants. Then he looked back at Aries and slowly, silently back-stepped. Before he was swallowed by the thick foliage, he tilted his head to the heavens. His eyes darkened until they were a demonic looking solid black. Aries watched the Walker for several tense moments before he dropped his all black eyes to look at her. It was then that the snow began to fall thicker, in heavy near blinding sheets.

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