Page 22 of Shadow (Marinah and the Apocalypse #1)

King

E ight weeks had passed since Marinah arrived. We still had no inside information from the Federation. Frustration dripped off me in waves.

A peculiar rhythm had settled between me and Marinah. Most nights, we shared dinner, a ritual that had morphed into a subtle game of cat and mouse. My half-grunted answers drove her to the edge of insanity, though she was clever enough to turn the tables, responding in kind when I asked questions she’d rather avoid. It was clear she was learning to navigate the political dance, and I couldn’t decide whether to be amused or impressed.

On the evenings I didn’t plan to have her join me, Beast grew restless, his agitation creeping under my skin until I inevitably had food for two delivered to my quarters. It was as if he were caught in a paradox, unable to live with her presence yet equally incapable of enduring her absence. His incessant grumbling reminded me of a petulant child. This was a comparison I was sure he loathed. Tonight was no different.

Marinah entered my room, freshly showered, her wet hair appearing even darker against the white tee clinging to her frame. She collapsed into the chair with a heavy sigh, her jeans creasing as she shifted to find a comfortable position. Exhaustion radiated off her, a result of the grueling training sessions she had been pushing herself through. It pleased me to see her so determined, though I’d never admit it aloud. More than that, I felt a twinge of pride at her growing ability.

The awareness that stirred whenever she was near added another layer of complexity to our evenings. Beast simmered with his usual complaints, heating my blood with K-5 until I wrestled him back into submission. It was a relentless struggle, this tug-of-war between control and something far more primal. Yet, the longer she lingered, the more his growls subsided, leaving me with an inexplicable ache I couldn’t name.

Her dark eyes flicked to the food first, her perennial fascination evident, before snapping to me. “Don’t look so smug,” she muttered, her voice tinged with irritation. The smirk I was wearing only fanned her flames. “If I could get out of this chair, I’d probably kick your ass.”

Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for a roll. I slid the butter closer without a word, an unspoken concession due to her training. She didn’t complain.

“Boot says you’re working hard in the gym,” I said casually, not bothering to mention how her newfound muscle definition and confident stride hadn’t escaped my notice.

“He’s a liar. I half-ass it every day,” she said, her tone laced with defiance.

Boot wouldn’t lie to me, and we both knew it.

“You’ve been training for eight weeks. I’m surprised you’ve stuck with it.”

Her eyes snapped up, smoldering with a challenge that Beast didn’t take lightly. His low grumble vibrated within me, but I shoved him aside, unwilling to let him interrupt.

“I’m thinking about taking a day off tomorrow and touring the island,” I said, watching her closely. The flicker of longing in her gaze was unmistakable, and the small sigh she tried to suppress cut deeper than I expected. I wished, just for a moment, that the look was for something other than leaving the citadel.

Desire was a game we had been playing since the night she drank the rum. It was a subtle dance of veiled innuendo and unspoken truths. Neither of us had crossed the line, though it felt thinner with every passing day.

She shrugged with forced indifference, but I saw through it. “As your prisoner, mentioning new surroundings is cruel and unusual punishment.”

I arched a brow, her sour mood tonight feeding my determination to draw her out. “You’re part of my escape plan, you know. You seem to think life for the rest of us is all fun and games.”

Her expression shifted, morphing from a pout to intrigue and back to frustration, each change more fascinating than the last.

“Should I beg you to take me with you?” she snapped, her voice sharp enough to sting.

“If you’d like,” I replied, my tone deliberately even.

Her fire was uncontainable, and when it focused on me, it set my blood ablaze. Beast surged, his own frustrations fueling mine, and for a fleeting second, I wanted to tell him to get over himself and accept this woman, and not just for sex.

She took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling as she exhaled slowly. “You’re needling me on purpose,” she accused, her voice calmer but no less pointed.

The grin I had been holding back slipped free, along with a nod. “I am.”

Her expression shifted again; the spark of humor extinguished by a veil of sadness.

“The Federation thinks I’m dead,” she murmured.

This week, for the first time, she hadn’t asked about returning home. It was an odd change; one I couldn’t quite unravel.

“They know you’re alive,” I said.

“How nice of you,” she snapped, bitterness lacing her words.

I didn’t bother responding. It was nice of me. Her government had made it painfully obvious they couldn’t care less about her. They hadn’t asked to speak with her once. Not even a coded message in the Morse system we used. No questions about her well-being, no signs of concern. It was as if her survival or lack thereof meant nothing to them.

Why they had sent her here in the first place remained a mystery, especially given the absurdity of her title as Secretary of Defense. None of it added up, but I would unravel it eventually. What was becoming harder to ignore was the growing realization that Marinah might not have the answers either.

∞∞∞

We set out early the next morning, or at least we tried .

“I’m not riding that thing,” Marinah declared, glaring at the vintage Russian two-stroke twin like it was some grotesque creature.

The bike was a work of art, its polished chrome gleaming in the morning sun.

“I’m not asking you to drive it, just to hop on the back,” I grumbled, already irritated. Leave it to a woman to drain the joy out of riding along the coast with the wind in your face, open air, and freedom.

She crossed her arms and planted her feet, her stance practically screaming defiance.

“I’ll eat pavement. And what about my hair? It’ll be in my face the whole time. And helmets? Where are those, huh?” Her eyes darted around as if expecting safety gear to materialize from the bushes.

Straightening up from adjusting the choke, something I had noticed was off yesterday, I mimicked her stance, arms crossed, exasperation written all over my face.

“You want to run back to your room with your tail between your legs? Be my guest.”

I was trying to stay civil, but Beast wasn’t helping. His grumbles echoed in my chest, testing my patience. He really needed to stop this behavior.

She glanced at the bike, and I caught the flicker of unexplainable longing in her eyes. Boot’s praise for her training had risen to the point that I was jealous it wasn’t me in the gym with her.

“Scared?” I challenged, tilting my head back to look down my nose. Just enough to push her buttons.

Her gaze locked onto mine in defiance. “Terrified,” she admitted, but her expression betrayed nerves along with a hidden quest for adventure.

I smiled, though it was far from comforting. “You only live once.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t have helmets, do you?”

“Nope.”

“Will you at least promise me a quick death?” she asked, raising her hand to chew on a nail. The gesture was almost endearing, though I’d never tell her.

“If it comes to that, sure.”

Her hesitation lasted a beat longer. Then she climbed onto the bike. Once she was settled, I reached back to secure her hands around my waist.

The old engine roared to life, its growl echoing in the quiet morning as I glanced over my shoulder and nodded at Beck. His disapproval was written all over his face.

Beck wasn’t thrilled about me taking her out alone, not after I went out solo a few weeks ago. The Warriors had been tracking more hellhounds, and tension was running high. The hounds were moving toward the southern coast, and we needed to figure out where they were going and why.

But not today.

Today was about freedom.

Marinah’s arms tightened around me as we took off, her grip panicked like I had expected. Beast internally rumbled his discontent at the contact, though he didn’t seem to mind as much as he pretended. I grinned as I pulled back on the throttle, picking up speed.

Her face buried into my back, and I heard faint, whispered prayers against my ear. It made me laugh, a deep, genuine sound that surprised even me, and I pushed the bike harder. The engine snarled as we tore through the city streets, heading for the open highway.

Within thirty minutes, Marinah’s fear started to ebb. She peeled her hair from her face with one hand, glancing around at the scenery as it flew by. She then locked her arms around me again, but her posture had shifted. She was less rigid, more curious. She might even have been enjoying herself.

That was what I was counting on.

With this ride and the lunch packed in the saddlebags, I was hoping to unravel a little more about the enigmatic Ms. Church. At the same time, I needed to figure out what was going on with Beast and his relentless aversion to her.

Something wasn’t adding up, and it was time I found out what.

For now, I had a beautiful woman on the back of my bike, and I intended to savor the moment. Yeah, I was getting soft. This felt like a glimpse of the younger me who had dreamed of a normal life, of raising a family and working the land like my father.

Greystone was never a farmer, but I learned early on that it was in my blood. The earth had a way of cooling my beast blood like nothing else. Our Shadow Warrior ancestors knew what they were doing when they chose farming as a way to blend in with humans. They grounded themselves in the soil while keeping the beast at bay.

The sun beat down on my head, the wind brushed my face, and my braids whipped back, tangling lightly with the woman behind me. It was a strange kind of peace and one I hadn’t expected but was starting to appreciate.

After an hour, I pulled the bike over to the side of the road. The engine rumbled as I hopped off and dug through the saddlebag.

“Stay on,” I told Marinah, pulling out a long piece of blue silk and handing it to her.

“For your hair,” I said, securing my own braids with an elastic band I always carried.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the scarf, disbelief written across her face. “You’ve had this the entire time?”

“You needed to unwind, and the only way to make that happen was to get you on the road,” I replied, smirking.

“You are so aggravating,” she snapped, her jaw clenched in frustration.

She adjusted the scarf over her head, tying it securely before wiggling on the seat to settle in. Her glare didn’t let up as I climbed back onto the bike. She squirmed on the seat, and her thighs pressed against my legs.

Beast stirred instantly; his interest impossible to ignore.

There was no denying it. Marinah was the most aggravating woman I had ever met.

Maybe Beast and I had finally met our match.

I revved the throttle to hurry her along, and it worked. With her arms wrapped tightly around my waist, we were back on the road.

I had a spot in mind for lunch, but it was another hour away.

This time, it was her who laughed when I pushed the speed.

For the first time in a long time, I felt free.

“I loved it,” Marinah said an hour later as I pulled the bike over. She was flushed, her hair a little wild despite the scarf, and there was a genuine brightness in her eyes. “I should learn to drive.”

“Walking and running first. Riding a motorcycle last,” I countered, watching as her tongue slipped out briefly.

The simple gesture stirred something in me. It was a sudden urge to close the distance and kiss her.

Instead, I turned to the saddlebags, pulling out our lunch and handing her the small blanket I had brought along with a pair of shorts she’d asked me to pack the night before.

I stepped away, giving her privacy to change, and did my best to ignore the rustling of fabric behind me. When she handed me her jeans, I took them without looking, stored them in the saddlebag, and nodded toward the path ahead.

“Come on. We’ve got a hike, but it’s worth it.”

Her skeptical gaze swept the area, taking in the cliffs rising to the right of the road and the ocean stretching out below. The faint trail ahead was nearly invisible unless you knew where to look.

She followed reluctantly as I led the way, her steps slowing when we reached the steep decline.

“You seem to forget I’m not exactly a gazelle when it comes to navigating down anything,” she muttered, eyeing the rocky path with open distrust.

I extended my hand. “Boot says your balance is improving daily. I won’t let you fall.”

Her fingers slipped into mine, and Beast jumped to attention again. It was always the same when we touched, a reaction I had asked Axel about more than once. He believed Marinah challenged Beast in some way, though neither of us could explain why.

Boot thought she was finally at the point where she could defend herself if it came down to it. Maybe not win every fight but at least hold her ground and not freeze in the face of danger. They had moved on to kickboxing and endurance drills, and he had even suggested weapons training.

But the thought of Marinah with a sharp object in her hands? Not exactly reassuring.

Her tendency to trip over nothing didn’t pair well with blades, and I wasn’t eager to test the theory.

Her progress was evident as we navigated the rocky descent through the cliffs. Not once did she stumble. The closer we got to the ocean, the more the world shifted around us. The crashing waves grew louder, mingling with the distant cries of seagulls.

A cove waited just beyond the next outcropping of rock, hidden from sight but offering shade and a spectacular view.

“Wow,” Marinah breathed as we waded through six inches of water, finally rounding the rocks to reveal the secluded spot. “This place is amazing.”

“I found it during one of my explorations,” I replied, watching her take it all in.

Once the blanket was spread out and we were settled, she turned to me, her tone teasing but curious. “So, what’s this about?”

I placed a hand over my heart, feigning injury. “You wound me,” I said with an exaggerated wink.

Her laughter was bright, and it jolted something deep within me. Beast stayed uncharacteristically quiet, and I found myself focusing on her rather than the surroundings.

“You haven’t threatened to kill me in at least a week,” she said, her humor edged with a touch of suspicion. “But bringing me to a desolate hideaway doesn’t exactly put me at ease.”

I leaned back on my forearms, my left hand sinking into the cool sand. The sunlight caught her hair, turning it a richer brown, while the breeze teased loose strands not secured by her scarf.

“Tell me about your job before you became Secretary of Defense,” I said, deliberately ignoring her jab.

Her gaze narrowed slightly, and I could see her debating whether to indulge me. For now, I let the moment linger, content to wait for her answer while the sound of the ocean filled the space between us.

She rolled onto her side on the blanket, propping herself up to face me. “I held the job right up until the day I became Secretary of Defense. It was nothing important, really. We compiled data and forecast success ratios. Most of it was centered on estimating how many people we thought were still alive. Four of us did a job that one person could easily handle. But we were all children of someone important, a fact none of us ever ignored. The job was just a way to make us feel semi-useful, even though we knew the truth.”

Her voice lowered slightly, tinged with bitterness. “Of course, I’m the only one who no longer holds that status now that my father is dead. Honestly, I don’t think they expected me to survive five minutes after I arrived here. The only thing I’ve ever done as Secretary of Defense was board that plane to meet you. If I go home, even if I somehow manage to secure a peace treaty, I’ll probably be demoted. And I doubt I’d be reassigned to my old analytics job.”

Her honesty always caught me off guard. It was raw and unflinching, just like her father’s had been.

“What will your new job be?” I asked, dreading the answer.

She didn’t hesitate. “Red stripe.”

The words hit me like a gut punch. I knew all too well what the red stripe system entailed. The hellhounds slaughtered indiscriminately, and the Federation used red stripes as decoys to keep the beasts occupied while the military took out as many as possible. The death toll was always catastrophic. Once the “killing supply” ran out, the military sent in their best. The hounds that escaped disappeared, usually burrowing underground until they emerged again to wreak havoc.

I had never liked the Federation’s system, and neither had Marinah’s father.

Most red stripes were brainwashed to believe it was their duty to die for their country. It was a twisted sacrifice wrapped in patriotism.

Marinah wouldn’t last a day.

“Is there some kind of special Kool-Aid you drink before signing up for that duty?” I asked, my tone sharp enough to cut.

Her laughter surprised me. It was genuine despite the topic. “It’s called giving up, if you must know,” she said. “A lot of our young people put in for red stripe duty. The powers that be think of it as an honorary sacrifice, but it isn’t, not really. Living in constant fear wears you down. Sometimes, it feels easier to go out knowing you’ve been useful.”

Her gaze drifted away, fixing on the water. The breeze caught her scarf, and for a moment, the meaning of her words lingered between us.

I couldn’t wrap my head around her thinking. My Warriors and I would fight to the death if necessary, but we wouldn’t sacrifice ourselves recklessly. Forward or die might be our motto, but we tempered it with strategy. The most critical part of any fight was surviving to face the next one, even if it meant retreat.

Humans, though, confused me endlessly.

“Here,” I said, handing her a sandwich. “I hope you don’t mind chicken.”

She smiled as she took it, her fingers brushing mine. The spark of awareness that flashed between us was as familiar as it was unacknowledged. We had both become experts at ignoring it.

“You have no idea how good meat tastes to me now,” she said, biting into the sandwich with enthusiasm. Her eyes closed briefly as she sighed, savoring the flavor. “I’m craving it morning, noon, and night.”

I smirked. “Shadow Warriors are omnivores with a heavy dose of carnivorous. When we don’t get the right kind of protein, we get cranky.”

She paused mid-chew and raised an eyebrow. “Cranky?” A small smile tugged at her lips. “Noted. I’ll make meat a priority if you’re willing to fight with us.”

And just like that, she deftly steered the conversation back to negotiations. The cat-and-mouse game began again.

“And since we’re negotiating,” she continued, her tone calculated, “what else would you like?”

I decided to play along this time, matching her measured tone. “We want an embassy, run by our people, near your capital.”

Her eyes widened slightly, betraying her surprise at my willingness to engage. “I don’t think that would be a problem,” she said after a moment. “I’m sure you could’ve negotiated that before taking over the island.”

The unhappy grunt that escaped me wasn’t planned. “We didn’t come to Cuba as a bargain. We came to avoid annihilating humans altogether. Negotiating wasn’t exactly on our to-do list.” I paused, meeting her gaze evenly. “We have no interest in taking over your country. What we want is to ensure our own survival. And to do that, we have to find a way to work with the Federation.”

The wind carried the sound of the ocean between us, but her expression said she was considering my words carefully. I allowed the silence to stretch, content to let her make the next move.

Her body tensed slightly, a subtle shift she was probably unaware of. “I have the liberty to offer you pretty much anything you ask for,” she said, matter-of-factly but tinged with something deeper. “I’m probably not supposed to tell you that, but I think you should shoot for the moon and see where it gets you.”

“You sound like your father,” I replied.

Her fingers stopped fidgeting with the loose thread on the blanket, and she looked up, meeting my gaze. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” she said softly, a flicker of something vulnerable in her expression before she glanced away.

Beast grumbled low in my chest, a constant reminder of his unresolved unease with her. Whatever his issue was, it was going beyond irritating and crossing the line into pissing me off.

We finished our sandwiches in silence, washing them down with the water I’d brought. When I stood, Marinah rose as well, grabbing the blanket to shake out the sand. Her foot caught in the fabric, and she stumbled forward, straight into my arms.

If she hadn’t tried to pull away so quickly, I might have thought she planned it. My arms tightened around her instinctively, pulling her closer. The scent of her sun-warmed hair filled my senses, igniting something in me I didn’t fully understand.

“You can let me go now,” she mumbled against my chest, her voice flustered. “I’m fine.”

The words were there before I could stop them. “Do you ever wonder what it would be like if you stayed here?”

She tilted her head back, her eyes locking onto mine, searching for something.

“I wish I could,” she whispered, her honesty hitting me like a blow.

I lowered my head as she lifted hers, meeting me halfway. Our lips touched, soft at first, testing boundaries neither of us had acknowledged aloud.

I wanted more. I wanted to claim her, to lay her back on the blanket and drown in the heat of her body.

But I didn’t.

Her taste was a mix of everything that defied logic and ignited conflict within me. As the kiss deepened, I felt her walls crack, the emotions she had so carefully guarded bleeding into mine. And I couldn’t decide if I wanted to pull her closer or push her away before I lost myself completely.

The women who came to me over the past few years didn’t want romance. They wanted safety, security, a haven from the dangers of their world. Their desire didn’t include standing at the edge of the ocean and stealing kisses under the sky.

Maybe that was why they had never satisfied me.

To them, I was a tool. I understood or at least tried to. Vulnerability was not something I had ever experienced.

Her lips tasted like sunshine and longing; a bittersweet blend that stirred something primitive in me. Beast’s power simmered, but this time he wasn’t kicking ribs to send jolts of pain through me. Instead, he was tasting her too, soaking in the unique essence of who she was.

Her innocence, the newfound grace replacing her earlier clumsiness, her quiet but unyielding strength.

It was all there, and maybe it had been all along.

When we broke apart, her eyes searched mine, a question forming before she finally spoke.

“Why did you request a woman as the liaison?”

I caught a strand of her hair that had come loose, twisting it gently between my thumb and forefinger.

“To keep Beast from killing the emissary,” I replied simply.

She frowned, her brow furrowing slightly. “I thought Beast didn’t like me.”

I glanced past her at the ocean, the horizon stretching endlessly. “I think Beast protests too much. He just doesn’t know what to do with you.”

Her lips curved faintly, but the tension didn’t fade. “You don’t plan to kill me, do you?”

I lowered my eyes to hers. “I don’t think so.” My grin came slowly. “I’m like Beast. I haven’t figured out what to do with you yet.”

I knew the need in her eyes mirrored my own, but there was something stronger holding her back. It was her sense of duty and honor.

“I need to return home,” she said softly, her voice steady despite the longing beneath it. “I have to help my people prepare for the hellhounds, with or without the Shadow Warriors.”

Her words hung in the air between us, a reminder of the impossible choices that defined us both.

I cupped her jaw and kissed her again, the warmth of her skin seeping deep inside me. As our lips met, I tugged the scarf free from her hair. My fingers wove into the dark tangles, holding her close, anchoring us both in the moment. Her mouth was soft and warm, inviting in ways I hadn’t allowed myself to imagine before now.

Why hadn’t I kissed her sooner?

Beast was unusually calm, savoring her taste as much as I was. He wanted more. I wanted more. She had gotten under our skin the moment she stumbled into our lives, and now she was buried so deep I couldn’t ignore it.

But the truth was unavoidable: this entire situation was impossible, and I never should have let it come this far.

When I finally pulled back, reluctantly breaking the connection, her voice was soft. “It’s not happening between us, is it?”

“No,” I said, the frustration heavy, almost a growl in that one word.

She nodded; her expression resigned. “I didn’t think so,” she admitted, then offered a faint smile. “But thank you for this.” Her gaze dropped briefly to the blanket and the bag that once held our lunch before meeting mine again.

“We need to leave,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. The wrong time, the right place. Maybe someday. But even I knew better than to plan for a future that might never come.

We gathered our things quickly, the silence between us heavy with unspoken thoughts.

The hike back up was steep, and the effort forced us both into our own heads.

When the incline grew sharpest, I guided Marinah to hold onto my belt. Her breathing was heavy by the time we reached the top, but she didn’t complain. Her training had clearly paid off.

I scanned the area instinctively, a strange feeling twisting in my gut. The bike hadn’t moved, yet something about the space felt wrong. Disturbed somehow.

Beast rumbled insistently, a warning vibrating through my body. My eyes swept the area again, sharper this time, and when Marinah started to speak, I held up a hand to silence her.

“We need to get out of here,” I said urgently.

Whatever was coming, it was close.

“Okay,” she replied uneasily as she followed me to the bike. I quickly stowed the bag and blanket, swinging my leg over the seat. Marinah climbed on swiftly, her hands gripping my waist as I started the engine.

The sharp crack of gunfire shattered the moment.

Pain exploded low in my shoulder, radiating through my chest like I’d been struck with a sledgehammer. The bullet might have caught my lung, but there was no time to assess.

“Are you hit?” I demanded.

“No,” she said loudly to be heard over the sound of the engine.

“Hold on!” I barked, revving the engine and turning us away from the direction of the shot. Another pop rang out, this one mercifully missing.

The road ahead was a death trap. I couldn’t risk it. Instead, I veered toward the cliffs, guiding the bike downhill at a reckless pace.

“You’re hit! There’s blood on the back of your shirt!” Marinah’s panicked cry cut through the roar of the engine as the bike jostled violently over rocks.

“I’m getting us out of here. Don’t let go!” I shouted back, the urgency in my voice leaving no room for argument. My shoulder throbbed, but I shoved the pain aside.

Beast absorbed most of it, his instincts surging as he attempted to pump K-5 into my system to force a shift.

Not now, I growled internally, fighting him off. I needed a clear head, not raw power, and though he grumbled, Beast relented.

The bike bucked as we hit a larger rock, and I forced it steady, my legs kicking off the terrain to guide the tires. The path was treacherous, but it was better than being a sitting target.

We launched over the last boulder and landed on sand, the tires skidding and slowing.

I steered closer to the cliffs, where the loose, dry sand provided cover. It was harder to maneuver, but it kept us hidden from whoever was above.

“Keep your feet up!” I warned, wrestling the bike as it lost traction. My arms burned, my grip relentless as I fought to keep us upright and pick up speed again.

Marinah’s worried voice sounded close to my ear. “We need to use the scarf to slow the bleeding.”

She was right. It was still wrapped around her hair. She had tied it securely before we started the climb. I gritted my teeth against the growing pain.

“No time,” I managed, focusing on the path ahead. Every second counted, and I needed to keep us moving if we were going to survive. “We’ll have more than one bullet hole if I don’t get us out of here,” I grit out, keeping my focus on the uneven terrain ahead.

Marinah didn’t respond, her silence tense as we put distance between us and whoever had fired the shot. I kept the bike hugging the cliffs for thirty minutes, the shelter of rocks our best defense. When I finally veered toward wetter sand, the tires gripped better, and we gained much-needed speed.

But the dizziness was creeping in, a growing pressure behind my eyes. The whooshing sound in my ears grew louder, a warning I couldn’t ignore. I needed to shift. My body was demanding it, but shifting now would put Marinah in even greater danger.

I steered back toward loose sand, aiming for a cluster of trees jutting from the cliffs. The bike wobbled slightly as I slowed, guiding it into the undergrowth. “I’m turning on the bike’s beacon,” I told her as I shut off the engine. “My team will see it and know to get here. We’re stashing the bike and heading up to see if we can find a place in the rocks to hunker down until they arrive.”

I didn’t mention the beacon could attract hellhounds. We had to consider the guns first. We would deal with the rest as it came.

With Marinah’s help, we pushed the bike as far into the bushes as possible. She surveyed the ground. “What about the tire tracks?”

“Not much we can do,” I admitted. “They won’t be able to track us in the rocks. It’s the best option we’ve got.” I kept my tone even, masking the sharp stab of pain in my shoulder.

“They?” she asked cautiously.

“Him, her, them, I don’t know,” I said, shaking my head.

I grabbed the saddlebags and gestured uphill. “Let’s move.”

“I can carry those,” she offered, reaching for one of the bags.

“I’ve got them. Stay upright and don’t fall,” I snapped, more forceful than I meant to be.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t argue.

The climb was steep, and we made it in near silence. The bullet wound throbbed with every step. I could feel myself losing blood quickly. High-caliber rifle was my guess. I pressed on. About a hundred yards from the bike, I noticed a small crevasse. Pulling grass aside, I found a cave nestled in the rocks. It was large enough for us and the bags, with room to spare.

“The sun’ll be down in an hour,” I said as we settled in. “We’ll be safer in the dark.”

Marinah nodded, her eyes scanning the horizon as tension settled between us, the quiet filled with her unspoken fear.

“Marinah,” I said, my voice strict despite the exhaustion threatening to pull me under. She was watching outside the cave, her fear etched in every line of her body. When her gaze finally met mine, I saw the defeat lurking in her expression. That wouldn’t do.

“We’re safe here,” I said, holding her eyes. “But I need to shift. I’m losing too much blood.”

Her expression tightened, and I could see her grappling with my words. “Then shift,” she said, firmly despite her obvious apprehension. “Do whatever it takes.”

She didn’t understand. Not yet. I took a breath, forcing myself to explain. “There’s a chance Beast will break away from me because of the injury. He has issues with you, and he’s hard to control immediately after I shift.” I was telling her more than we had ever admitted to humans, but I didn’t have a choice.

“What do I need to do?” she asked allowing calm to replace her fear. It was her father’s no-nonsense approach all over again.

“Don’t look into my eyes, no matter what. Even if I speak to you, keep your gaze down. Don’t move suddenly or try to run if you’re scared. It takes time for me to gain full control.”

What I didn’t tell her was that running would help stabilize the chemicals in my system faster, but that wasn’t an option right now. Marinah running, would turn her into prey. The pain I was in might help ground me, but I didn’t know if it would be enough. If whoever was after us found us before I had fully shifted, I wouldn’t be able to do much until the shift completed. Beast, once he was in the forefront, could handle almost anything and the wound wouldn’t matter.

“Find a comfortable spot and stay as still as you can,” I said, pulling a knife from the saddlebag. With one sharp motion, I cut away my blood-soaked shirt.

“Should we take the bullet out first?” she asked, her eyes darting to my wound.

“No. Shifting will push it out on its own within twenty-four hours. Nothing major was hit. If it had nicked my lung, I’d be in worse shape. Right now, it’s blood loss that’s the problem.”

She nodded but didn’t say anything more, settling herself against the rock wall as I prepared.

“Stay still and quiet,” I told her, letting the K-5 surge through my system. The transformation began immediately, the familiar burn coursing through my veins as Beast rose.

I had hoped to gauge how the new Secretary of Defense would handle seeing a Shadow Warrior in their beast state. This wasn’t how I had wanted to do it, but there was no other choice now.

Bones crunched, and pain seared through my skull as it reformed, the sensation agonizing and overshadowing the bullet wound. My teeth extended, deadly and sharp, while my arms and legs reshaped, growing larger, stronger. The bullet added to the excruciating pain as muscles twisted and contracted, trying to force out the foreign object from where it was lodged in the bone. A low growl vibrated through my chest, echoing in the confined space as the transformation progressed more slowly than usual.

When it was over, the world sharpened into vivid clarity. Colors were brighter, the scent of damp earth stronger, and every sound amplified. A noise far above the cave drew my attention instantly.

You cannot fight them yet, I told Beast, forcing control into my thoughts. Must protect the woman. Rest.

The rustling bushes and shifting rocks grew fainter as the search party moved away.

There is more than one, Beast growled within me. Kill. Must kill. Stay safe. Woman.

Beast’s eyes shifted to Marinah. She sat with her head lowered, avoiding his gaze as I had instructed.

Woman must die, Beast snarled.

No. Protect the woman, I pushed back, wrestling for more control than I had ever had so close to a shift.

Beast didn’t respond but squatted low, scanning the cave’s entrance. His ears twitched at a faint sound behind him, and he turned sharply.

“We need to stop the bleeding,” Marinah said, her voice soft. “I’m using the scarf to wrap your wound. Bite my head off if you need to.”

Her words made Beast rumble, his body tensing, ready to pounce. She was ignoring every warning I had given her.

She pulled the scarf from her hair and stepped closer, undeterred. Beast raised his snout, nostrils flaring as he inhaled her scent.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” she said gently. “I just need to stop the bleeding. It’ll help you feel better.”

She moved to the side cautiously, within easy reach. My claws instinctively wrapped around her upper thigh, the softness of her skin a distraction Beast hadn’t expected. He dipped his head, inhaling her scent; wild, sweet, and laced with something dangerous.

She knelt slightly, her fingers brushing against my skin as she wrapped the wide scarf tightly around the wound. Pain shot through me, and Beast snarled, his instincts battling mine.

Kill.

No, I countered fiercely.

“There,” she said. “I’ll just go back to my corner now and let you adjust or whatever it is you need to do.”

She retreated a step, then another, giving Beast no reason to attack. Her bravery, or recklessness, was staggering. Beast’s growl faded, but his eyes remained locked on her, his intent unpredictable.

I breathed deeply, trying to push the chaos within me into something resembling calm.

“No,” Beast growled, pulling her leg closer, his claws gently pressing into her skin.

Marinah didn’t panic. Instead, she sat down beside him and leaned into his massive side. The unexpected gesture made Beast exhale a deep, rumbling breath, his body slowly relaxing.

Safe. Woman safe.

Marinah patted his chest, unfazed by the deep rumble vibrating through it. “You’re not as scary as I thought you’d be,” she said, tilting her head to rub her cheek against his fur. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call you a big baby, but you need to know I probably couldn’t hurt you even if I tried.”

Stupid woman.

“My, what big teeth you have,” she teased with a laugh, clearly testing her limits. Beast answered with a low rumble that almost sounded like a laugh.

What the hell is going on with him? I wondered, watching the absurd scene unfold. He had wanted her dead, and now he was, what, cuddling?

Beast’s massive hand shifted around her leg, pulling her closer until the top of her head rested under his snout. His clawed fingers trailed over her shoulder and then started to move lower, circling toward…

“Stop that! Behave yourself,” Marinah snapped, slapping his hand just as it brushed her breast.

The sharp contact made Beast roar in her ear, a deafening sound that shook the cave walls. Marinah didn’t flinch; instead, she scooted away and raised her fist.

“You’re making way too much noise,” she said, utterly fearless. “Quiet down, or it’ll be more than a tap next time, and I’ll aim for your big nose.”

What happened next left me completely stunned.

Beast, of all things, leaned back against the wall, his glowing eyes fixed on her. With deliberate slowness, he circled his massive arm around Marinah’s shoulder and pulled her close, settling her against him like she belonged there.