The Shifter's Choice Read online

  “Attacking his red blood cells. I told you it would be rough,” Zharov said.

  “Do they all do this?” asked Mac.

  “Yes.”

  The poison scalded down his arms and an instant later the muscles of his chest burned. A second after that his diaphragm stopped working. It was just like having the wind knocked from him. He could not breathe in or out. He stared up at Mac and saw the fear in his captain’s eyes. Johnny’s chest ached so badly he lifted a hand to press down on the spot and felt his heart go still. His fingers went numb. The pain ebbed. His vision darkened and his body went slack.

  He felt the cold metal paddles on his chest and heard Zharov shout, “Clear.”

  The electricity jolted his body into involuntary movement. But he didn’t feel it. In fact, he had a whole different view. Instead of looking up at the doctor and Mac, he was looking down on them from above. They were all leaning over something, hairy and black. He recognized himself but felt no attachment to that pain-wracked body. It was so much nicer here, above all the sorrow and pain.

  He wanted to drift away like a cloud. The doctor shoved something that looked like a hard piece of white plastic down Johnny’s throat. He watched himself and realized his old body was slack and still. A moment later a breathing tube was inserted. Monitors screamed and Johnny saw Mac cover his eyes with a forearm as he gripped Johnny’s slack hand.

  “No,” Mac whispered. “Not Johnny, too.”

  Johnny felt sorry for his friend, but not sorry enough to come back. Maybe he would go to Sonia.

  Sonia.

  Johnny looked down at his body on the table and saw he was now human. It worked. He was human again, but he was also dead—or dying. He wasn’t sure.

  Zharov inserted an IV into his slack arm and red blood began to flow from the sack on the stand.

  He thought about his mother and sister. Then he thought of losing Sonia forever. No. He wouldn’t. He loved her and he wanted to be with her. In that instant, he dropped back into his body like a stone heaved into a lake. The reconnection jarred him and the pain seared his insides. Surely he wouldn’t survive this much pain.

  The monitor’s stopped screaming. They beeped and blipped in an erratic rhythm, a cacophony chorus. Was that his heart beating? Johnny drew air into his oxygen-starved lungs.

  “He’s back,” said Zharov. “Get an IV into his other arm.”

  Johnny smiled. He was human again.

  “Mac,” he whispered, still too tired to open his eyes.

  “Here I am, buddy. You gave us a scare.” His captain leaned close as Johnny whispered to him.

  “Sonia. Don’t let her leave.”

  “You got it. Just rest. She’s not going anywhere.”

  * * *

  Johnny came to in the recovery room and then drifted out again. He asked for Sonia and Mac and Sonia again. Mac was there, but where was Sonia? They fed him juice and Jello. He marveled at his hands, bare and smooth.

  He inhaled and could not scent who was in the room when Mac sat right beside his bed.

  “I can’t smell you,” he whispered.

  “You’re human, Johnny. No more super sight. No more super hearing. No more super strength.”

  That was right. He’d never been like Mac, changing at will, keeping his powers in human form. Now he was just human.

  “You know what that means?” asked Mac.

  “Less time trying to wear shredded clothing,” Johnny said and grinned. His gums ached.

  “It means I can kick your ass again.”

  Johnny’s eyes drifted closed. “You wish.”

  When he came to again, he was in a private room with the television playing a ball game. Playoffs. Angels were winning. Mac was speaking to Dr. Zharov.

  “What time is it?” asked Johnny.

  Mac startled and moved to flank the bed as Zharov took the opposite side. He was surrounded.

  “Welcome back,” said Zharov.

  “It’s sixteen hundred. How are you feeling? Hungry?”

  “As a wolf.”

  Mac finally smiled. Then he reached for the buzzer corded around the bed rail. A woman’s voice came through the speaker behind him.

  “Yes, Sergeant Lam?”

  “Bring some food, please,” said Mac.

  “Yes, sir.”

  Mac smiled down at Johnny. “Forgot how ugly you are.”

  “You’re just jealous.”

  Mac’s smile faltered a moment. “A little. But if I were human, I couldn’t be near Brianna.”

  Johnny knew the truth of that. And now Johnny couldn’t be around her any more. That realization made him sad. What else had he lost by losing his wolf half?

  As if on queue, the doctor began speaking. “You’re body’s reaction to the treatment was worse than expected. We lost you for several minutes. Do you understand what I’m saying, Sergeant?”

  “Yes. I died.”

  “Just so. But we brought you back.”

  “I remember leaving my body.” He turned to Mac. “You said, ‘Not Johnny, too.’”

  The color left Mac’s face at that and he glanced to the doctor who shrugged one shoulder. “Sometimes you can still hear when you’re heart has stopped. It’s been known to happen.”

  “I saw you. I was up on the ceiling.”

  That made the doctor give him a long hard stare. “Regardless of where you went, you’re back now and I have to say that it is well you survived because you would never survive such a treatment again.”

  “How do you know?” asked Johnny.

  “We’ve tried with test subjects. Turned some of the successful transitions back to their were-form. Zero survival rates on any of the initial survivors when attempts were made to return them to their natural forms. Congratulations, Lam. You’re human and you’ll be staying human so don’t forget your flak jacket, because you’re not bulletproof any longer.”

  If it meant he could hold Sonia, he didn’t care.

  “How long until I can get out of here?” he asked.

  “I’m keeping you overnight. No arguments. MacConnelly said you don’t remember the initial attack.”

  Johnny nodded.

  “Still there should be evidence.”

  Johnny had bigger concerns. He turned to Mac. “What about Sonia. Is she still here?”

  “Until tomorrow.”

  “Does she know I made it?”

  “Not yet. I’ll call her shortly.”

  “Why not now?”

  “Because, even though you didn’t die, you look like you did. You’d scare the shit out of her. I’ll have her report here tomorrow. See if you two can patch things up.”

  “She doesn’t want me to take a combat assignment.”

  “That’s between the two of you.”

  “But you’ll cancel the transfer?”

  Mac sighed. “Looks like you got it bad.”

  “It’s not bad.”

  Zharov patted Johnny on the shoulder. “I’ll check in with you this evening.”

  “Thanks for everything, Doc.”

  Zharov gave a rare and brief smile, and strode from the room saluting as Major Scofield marched in.

  “There’s my boy,” he said, smiling at Johnny. “You gave us all a scare, Lam. But I knew you’d make it. You’ve got the heart of a warrior.”

  The major shook his hand and then folded his hands behind his back glancing from John to Mac and back again.

  “I’ve got some news. If you’re well enough, Lam, I’d like to tell you what we turned up about your initial attack in Afghanistan.”

  Mac blanched but remained on his feet, his body tense as if he expected the major to punch him in the face. Johnny gripped the bed rail.

  “Yes, sir,” he said, still getting accustomed to the sound of his own voice.

  “I’ll cut to the chase. I got ahold of the missing video footage.” He met Mac’s gaze as he continued. “The ones from the helmets of your rifleman, Robert Towsen, and your grenadier, John Lam. We didn�
��t get much from Towsen. But you sure could see what attacked him.”

  Johnny glanced to Mac noticing he looked positively ill. Was he recalling Bobby being swept off his feet by something they couldn’t even see? All this time he’d carried the guilt of attacking his own man, of turning him into a monster. Now he was going to hear what really happened. Johnny knew it would be the truth because the major was a straight shooter. His grip on the bed rail tightened.

  “Captain, Lam’s camera footage is very clear. You can see it for yourself, though I’d understand if you preferred not to. The camera captured you knocking Lam out of harm’s way and the werewolf attacking you then leaving you for dead.”

  “But that doesn’t make any sense,” said Mac.

  “I had Zharov check Johnny over. He doesn’t have a scar anywhere on his body. No bite, Captain.”

  Johnny knew it was true. He and Mac stared at each other. Mac reached up to rub his shoulder. Beneath his shirt, Johnny knew there was a massive scar that covered his shoulder, back and chest from the jaws of their attacker. Still his friend couldn’t understand what the major was telling him. He clung to his guilt like some lost child with his stuffed bear, afraid to set it aside and walk away.

  Johnny lifted his hand from the bed rail and clasped Mac’s forearm as the major explained.

  “You didn’t bite him, Captain. You saved him. And he saved you. Carried you out, called for medevac.” The major turned to Johnny. “A fine job on your first time under fire, son. You make an old Devil Dog proud.”

  Mac looked to Johnny who nodded. His captain, his first sergeant and the man who had lead him into combat covered his face with his hands and wept. Johnny dragged him into a fast embrace, dropping a kiss on his head.

  “Is it true?” whispered Mac.

  “You didn’t do it,” said Johnny.

  Mac drew back and stared at him in confusion then turned to Major Scofield.

  “So how did he end up a werewolf?”

  The major made a face. “Records have been destroyed. But I know he was human when you left that building and a werewolf when he left the field hospital. Zharov thinks Colonel Lewis used your blood, Mac, to inject Johnny. Not sure if he did it or if he ordered someone else to do it. But you bet your ass, I’m going to find out.”

  Mac shook his head as if he had an earache.

  “Might be that not being bitten was why you couldn’t change. Zharov is looking at that possibility now. Back to his research. He really doesn’t like treating patients. Prefers white rats, I think.” The major chuckled and gave them each a final look. “Well, I have reports to file and asses to kick.” He left the room muttering. “I’m going to cause holy hell over this. They’ll wish their mommas never met their poppas when I’m through with them. Gonna be some court-martials.”

  The captain’s phone rang and he drew it out. “It’s Touma.” He sounded surprised as he frowned down at the screen, jabbing the connect button and lifting the phone to his ear. “Touma?”

  His frown deepened. Johnny pushed himself up as the first wisp of worry curled inside him like tobacco smoke. “What’s wrong?”

  Mac stared at the phone and then lifted it back to his ear. “Touma?” His eyes flicked to Johnny. “Dropped. We’re three floors deep here. Spotty service.” He disconnected and headed to the wall phone. A moment later he was calling her. “No answer.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Barracks, I suppose. Maybe calling to check on you.” They stared at each other. Both had seen enough action not to ignore that trickle of uncertainty.

  “You’ll check on her?” asked Johnny.

  “Done,” said Mac, lifting his phone again as he strode from the room.

  Johnny ate his meal in record time and removed his IVs under the nurse’s protests, then he wouldn’t let her put them back in. Mac came back and ordered the nurses out. He’d had the grounds swept for Corporal Touma and did not find her. She’d checked out a Jeep but had not left the base. Johnny got dressed and switched off the ball game.

  “She might be at your place,” said the captain. “She have things there?”

  “Yes. She also might be at yours.”

  They both thought of the phone call, the open line with no one on the other end. Realization brought the captain to stillness.

  “I have to go.”

  “I’m coming, too.”

  “No, you’re not. You can barely walk.”

  The captain headed out the door with Johnny on his heels. The captain didn’t protest further. “Do you think it’s them?”

  Johnny didn’t have to ask who he meant.

  Vampires.

  Chapter 15

  Somehow Johnny kept up with Mac as they leaped into the Jeep. He was faster now than Johnny remembered, but that was the werewolf in him. Johnny glanced down at his watch and noticed the numbers were a bit blurred and suddenly he recalled the glasses he used for reading and now obviously needed again, though his distance sight had been twenty-twenty.

  “Brianna’s not answering,” said Mac gunning the engine.

  The radio on his hip clicked on as he accelerated up the road leading to their two homes. The voice on the other end sounded tinny.

  “No perimeter alarms, sir. Your wife is not visible on any outdoor cameras, but everything looks quiet.”

  Mac lifted the radio. “Check the last twenty minutes. Use the super slow-mo.”

  “Roger. Out.”

  “She might just be indoors concentrating on her work,” said Johnny.

  “No, she would have answered. Doesn’t feel right. Touma’s not answering her phone, either.”

  Johnny set his teeth together as worry ate away at the lining of his stomach. A few endless moments later they roared into the driveway. Mac threw the Jeep in Park and leaped out.

  “Bri!” he shouted and charged toward the open front door.

  Johnny stepped to the drive and saw something hot pink on the ground. He stooped and lifted Sonia’s mobile phone, neatly cased in the brightly colored rubber sheath. His fingers curled around the phone and he knew something terrible had happened. He searched the ground for blood.

  Mac charged out of the house. “Not here. Can you smell them? The vampires are everywhere.”

  Johnny lifted his nose but the air smelled as it used to, giving him no useful information.

  “Sonia?” he asked.

  “Some of her blood is inside,” said Mac.

  Johnny charged past him, finding a small red puddle on the tile in the living room. Not much, just enough to stop his heart. He spun to face Mac. “They took them?”

  Mac nodded. “Both. And headed up the mountain. I’m going after them.”

  “I’m coming, too.”

  Mac shook his head. “You can’t keep up. Even if you could you can’t beat a vampire anymore. Johnny, you’re food to them now.”

  He stared at Mac as the truth of his words tore through him. He’d lost his tough skin and his claws and everything else that might keep Sonia alive.

  “I’ll change back.”

  “You can’t. You heard Zharov. You barely survived the transition. He told you to your face you’d never survive it again.”

  Johnny didn’t care. He had to save Sonia.

  “You could bite me.”

  “Are you crazy? No! Get back to base. Tell them what happened and bring help.”

  Johnny hesitated under the direct order. “Why did they take Sonia?”

  Mac didn’t answer because they both knew. They were going to drain her blood and leave her behind as a warning to not follow. Johnny swayed.

  “Take the Jeep and bring a squad with full body armor. Seal off all ports and close down the airfields. The bastards can’t swim and they are not getting off this island.”

  “How’d they break perimeter without us knowing?”

  He shook his head in bafflement.

  “How many do you detect?” asked Johnny.

  Mac lowered his head. “Nine.” They both
knew the captain would never best that many. Not alone, he wouldn’t.

  “They’ll kill you,” said Johnny.

  “They have my wife.”

  * * *

  Mac tossed Johnny his radio and phone. The captain lay his personal sidearm on the hood of the Jeep before dragging off his shirt, boots and trousers. His transformation was so fast Johnny barely had time to retrieve his weapon and climb back into the Jeep before Mac was charging up the mountain after the scent of the vampires. Johnny barked orders into the radio, closing the ports and grounding all aircraft. He also ordered Zharov to the medical facility, issuing orders that Mac had never given him. He didn’t care.

  Without him, Mac was dead, Sonia was dead and Brianna was worse than dead. He knew what they’d do to Mac’s wife. She’d be a living breeder for the next decade, bearing as many vampires as possible in that time. All the while the indoctrination would take place. A year, a decade, it didn’t matter so long as they turned her into a puppet and all the time her soul-killing powers would be growing until just one night in her arms would mean death to any human unfortunate enough to be her target. The perfect assassin.

  Johnny floored it. Was Sonia still alive? He knew that the moment they recognized Mac was on their trail, they’d kill Sonia. Johnny skidded to a halt before the medical facility and raced inside to find Dr. Zharov in his lab.

  Zharov was none too pleased that Johnny had checked himself out of the hospital and was now issuing orders.

  “Mac ordered that you release one vile of his blood to me.”

  Zharov’s eyes narrowed.

  “Direct order. He needs it to fight the vampires,” said Johnny, but he could see his lie didn’t work.

  “His blood won’t do him any good. It’s not toxic unless injected....” His words trickled to a halt as he stiffened. “No. He can’t ask you to do that.”

  “He didn’t ask.”

  “Lam, are you crazy? I explained it to you. You do this and you never come back.”

  “Give me the shot, Doc.”

  “I will not.”

  “They took Sonia.”

  The doctor remained where he was. Johnny knew where he kept the blood and made for the refrigerator. Zharov tried to stop him. Johnny disengaged himself as gently as he could. Still, he thought the doctor would have one hell of a shiner. He retrieved Mac’s blood, neatly labeled, and found a syringe. He’d been around this place long enough to know how to fill one and how to get the air bubbles out.