Hunting Tess by Kathryn Summers (best novels to read in english .TXT) 📗

my efforts on inching forward without banging about. After five minutes of this excruciating effort I have to stop. My arms are pinched painfully at my sides and my ankles hurt from propelling my weight forward. Resting against the cool metal, I take a shuddering breath and think of everything I could have done differently. Like maybe not forced myself into an enclosed space not quite big enough for me. That would have been good for starters.

Maybe one of these channels loops around and I can inch my way back out.

Before I can wriggle a little further the duct breaks out from under me sending me careening at an awkward angle toward the ground. Plastering my hands against a grated metal walkway, it takes a second to hear anything past the blood roaring in my ears.

But what I hear after isn’t encouraging. Hasty footsteps make their way to me, and before I can find something to hide behind a man points a gun at my head.

CHAPTER 7

HIM

Adjusting the shirt’s fabric to give me more room in one shoulder only makes the other side uncomfortable. The button-down shirt stretches tightly across my shoulders, far too small but currently my only option. At least the basketball shorts don’t ride up.

I stand with Marc in front of the warehouse’s security tapes trying to adjust this infernal shirt. Bringing my arms forward, the seams give out connecting the sleeves to the back and I can finally stand in peace. Thankfully Rob was wearing an extra layer today and offered up this covering, otherwise I would be in an unfortunate predicament. I didn’t stop to undress when I heard a gunshot fired. My clothes got shredded when I phased and tore off the door with my teeth.

The tech guy Marc’s team brought sits at the monitors with his own laptop plugged in, running his own program to manipulate the footage.

“Right there,” Marc says, pointing at the first monitor. The image shows Tess marching down the stairs with a man standing behind her, a gun to her head. I feel the hairs on my arms rise at the sight and blow a cool, steady breath out of my mouth. Other screens show different camera angles on the large enclosure, the huddled mass of seventeen young women the primary reason for our visit. “Okay, speed it up.”

Tess walks across the concrete floor to join the other girls staying submissive under threat of guns and vampires. The picture is too grainy to make out any subtle expressions, but I can definitely see the sneer on those who think they have the upper hand. Two men walk the perimeter of the girls, inspecting them like they’re cattle. One carries a gun but the other doesn’t. Vampire perhaps? Seeing something about to happen, the tech slows the video to its normal speed in time to see Tess faint and slump to the ground.

Too bad there isn’t audio since I would love to know what is being said.

The man without a weapon nudges Tess with his foot, looking opposed to bending over which would wrinkle his suit. After a couple of seconds, he leans down to shake her awake which is when Tess attacks. Kneeing him in the temple she makes it to her feet and uses the stunned man as a human shield.

I watch the different perspectives on the monitors of the other lowlifes coming to attention, creeping closer to surround the already terrified girls. Tess says something to which a new player responds. From what we’ve gleaned from the survivors, this new man was in charge of the operation. Stealing girls to sell to the highest bidder.

Marc gives a low whistle when Tess employs her fighting abilities, taking down three assailants without releasing her hold on the original guy. “No wonder we arrived too late to the action. Given enough time she probably could have cleared the whole warehouse of these criminals.”

A wolf comes bounding onto the screen and I know how the rest plays out. Seeing Tess unharmed after fearing the worst from hearing that gun was almost enough to pull me from the bloodlust that had taken over outside the warehouse. But not quite.

I shouldn’t have invited her to come, but keeping my distance is becoming tougher.

“That girl knows what she’s doing,” Marc comments, sparing a moment to glance at me. I can see the wheels in his head turning with the possibility of having someone like Tess on his team. She would be an excellent addition to hunting down monsters.

“She certainly does,” I respond with a slight smile, watching her lithe form take down enemies twice her size with ease. It would be nice to work together.

I see Rebecca from outside the manager’s window on the second-floor walking toward the last remaining girls who are being questioned. If we know how they were targeted we may be able to look into similar disappearances. While Rebecca works mainly with the victims of those we save she is still a field agent. Maybe she could recruit Tess, or at the very least get her interested.

The action on the screens doesn’t last much longer which is a good thing since I’m itching to go back downstairs.

“Alright, I’ve seen enough.” Marc leads the way back down and I skim a couple members of his team finishing up statements and processing. I work mainly from the comfort of my own home because of Caleb and Leo. Caleb, not so much anymore since he’s mated and will be moving back to Seattle in the next few months. But Leo still needs guidance and protection, no matter what he says. Breaking away from Marc who walks toward the thug in charge of kidnapping women, I angle toward a small group waiting for the others to finish their jobs.

Caleb is standing near Tess with his arms folded. Only when I get closer do I notice the tension in his muscles and remember his aversion to the aftermath. He loves being in the