Hunter Hunted Ch 08

Slaves to the man.

Chapter Eight

Shadow waved Hunter and Mirage toward the chairs that sat in front of his desk. Mirage sat, glancing over and meeting Hunter's eyes. He shrugged and then his gaze went to Shadow as the director of ASP sank down in the chair behind the desk.

"Have either of you ever seen one of the shells acting like that?"

Mirage shuddered. "No. I hate the damn things anyway."

"I can understand that. I just need to know if we're going to have a problem with a new strain of Vampire poison."

"Well, boss, I think we're going to need to dissect the shell."

Shadow glanced at Hunter before he turned to look at Mira. "You know where we can find this Vampire?"

"I do," Mira answered. "I just need a team for backup and we should be able to round up the whole crew."

"I need this Vampire alive," Shadow said, his eyes meeting Hunter's. "I will let you go after him and Myler Baer-Braxton. You are in charge, Hunter. Grab Kit and her team and the six of you will take them down."

"But..." Mira felt a spurt of rage and she turned to look at Hunter. Her mouth hung open and she glared at him.

"That's my decision, Mirage. If you're not happy with them..."

She rose, glaring at Hunter even as she walked out of Shadow's office. "I'm changing," she snapped at Hunter. "I'll meet you in the SUV."

"Mira..." He shut up when she turned around and glowerd at him. "I'll see you in the SUV."

Mirage walked out without waiting for him to say anything else. She slammed her hand on the button of the elevator and then glanced around, feeling the eyes of other agents as they stared at her. With a low curse, she pushed open the door to the stairs, slowing as she enjoyed the quiet. She was almost down to the level of the locker room when she saw him standing by the door with his arms crossed on his chest.

"Are you ready to discuss this?"

Mira snarled her foul mood irrational. She'd got what she wanted, even if she did have to work with another team to get it. So why was she so pissy? She didn't know and better yet, she really didn't fucking care. "Discuss what?" she snapped.

Hunter grabbed her arm when she tried to walk by him. When he found his face pressed against the wall, his arm twisted behind his back, it was his turn to curse. "Let me go," he snapped.

"Then don't fucking touch me. I haven't invited you to touch me, so just don't do it!" She let him go, adding a push to put some space between them. "What the fuck do you want?"

"To have a conversation where you aren't going to try to snap my head off!" The words were growled, his eyes almost glittering in the bright light of the stairs.

"So talk."

Hunter just stared at her, seeing the irritation in the icy blue of her eyes. She was antsy, pacing back and forth on the landing just outside of the gym floor. "Why is this pissing you off?"

Mirage glared at him. He could be so freaking annoying. He had to talk about feelings. The worst thing about it was she really didn't know why she was being so pissy. "Maybe because I don't feel like being mauled like I was some two bit hooker," she snapped.

She could see the anger as it flashed in his eyes, turning them to gold. He pushed his hand into his hair, and she could see that she'd gotten to him. "Two bit hooker? Dammit Mira, I've done no such thing."

"Maybe in your eyes."

Hunter glared at her and she could see that he was now angry. He reached out, grabbing her arm and yanking her along behind him as he headed down another three flights of stairs. He didn't say a word, just held her arm, his fingers like steely bracelets, and forced her to follow him.

When he finally opened the door off the stairs, she could see he'd brought her down to the crypts, the rooms that were used for those beings that couldn't be out during the day. He didn't say a word to her before he pulled her into one of the rooms, shutting the door and locking it.

"We are going to talk about this," he growled, releasing her as if she had some kind of contamination.

"Maybe I don't want to talk to you," she snapped back at him. Mira stared up and into his eyes for a single long moment. Then she turned, ignoring his voice, calling her name and going toward the door.

"Mirage!" His voice was loud and she sighed loudly.

"What?!"

"What in the hell is your problem?!" He took two huge steps, reaching her quickly and grabbing her arm again.

"You, Hunter. You are my fucking problem." She jerked her arm out of his grasp. "I hate it down here.

I

hate

you

down here!" She walked quickly back toward the door, her eyes narrowing when he came at her one more time. "Can't you just leave me alone?"

He glared at her, watching as she turned the lock on the door, flinging it open and walking out into the hallway. He followed her out.

"I'll keep my hands off of you, Mira. But we will have this out, if not here then later. Understood?"

"Fuck you, Hunter." She stormed into the elevator and hit the button to close the door, smiling sweetly as it closed in his face. She gave him a little wiggle of her fingers and then relaxed as the elevator started on its way back up.

It was almost too easy to make it to the locker room this time. Going inside, she sank down on the bench in front of her locker and sighed heavily. Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't it have been someone else that could touch her? She reached out, quickly unlocking her locker and tugging out her white leather.

She stripped, dropping his shirt on the bottom of her locker. Pulling on the tight white pants, she quickly did them up and then pulled on the short white vest, zipping it up. She reached out for the thick white belt that held her holster and the hook that she put her set of keys on. Sliding it around her hips, she buckled it tight and then stood, closing her locker.

The door to the locker room opened and she looked up, watching as Lelia walked into the room, spotting her and heading her way. "Hunt's looking for you," she said quickly. "What the hell happened to you?"

Lee pointed at the welts on her arms, welts left by Hunt's fingers. "A disagreement," Mira said. "Are we ready to go?"

"Just waiting for you."

They walked out of the locker room together, Mira tucking Shadow's blaster into her holster. They went out to the parking lot and split up, Mira going to the SUV that stood, engine running, Hunter in the driver's seat. She slid in, fastening her seat belt as Hunter tore out of the parking lot, almost sending her crashing into the passenger door.

"I'd rather not die in the truck," she said caustically.

"I'd rather not be court-martialed for killing you," he growled. He took the curving ramp almost too fast, the SUV coming up on two wheels before it slammed down again. Then they were in traffic, Hunter driving along the side streets, heading out of town.

Mira gave him directions, her eyes roaming over the darkened windows of the bar. She could hear the sound of the band, the blues with a smoky, mellow sound.

"Are they even open?"

Mira glanced at Drake. He was in full Tinman mode, everything about his shining with a steely glint. Lee's eyes were glittering and she was tripping on a ley-line, letting the black magic flow through her body, making her strong.

Blues?

Mage asked in her mind.

"I happen to like the Blues," she snapped. Mira shrugged, then she headed toward the front doors, ignoring Hunter when he tried to call her back. She opened the door to the bar, seeing the same bartender that had been there the night before. He glance up at her and then reached down, flipping open a lid off a bottle and setting it down on the bar for her.

She pulled out a fifty dollar bill, sliding it across the bar to him. "Keep it," she said, lifting the beer to her lips. "I need some information."

"What kind?" he answered, his eyes moving over her with caution.

"Myler Baer-Braxton, the scumbag from last night, where can I find him?"

The barman took a deep breath, picking up his rag and washing a few of the glasses that were in the sink. "We sell alcohol here, Miss, not information."

Mira pulled out another fifty. "Just give me the address," she said, waving the money in front of his face.

"I don't know it," he said, watching as she pulled another fifty out of a pocket in her leather, stacking them neatly in front of her. "Do you know what you're asking me to do?"

"I'm only asking for a number and a road," she said. "When's the last time you got this kind of money for a tip?"

He sighed heavily. "265 Old Mill Road. The drive is long and they have a ton of out buildings. I can't tell you where they're going to be."

Mira slid the money across the bar, picking up the bottle and draining half of it. She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. "Thanks."

"You and your ASP buddies can come out and work my murder tomorrow night," he grumped, glowering at her.

She shook her head and then slid off the stool, leaving the bar with the same feline pace that she'd come in with. Going back out to the SUV, she gave Hunter the address.

"Before we go anywhere," he growled, "you're going to learn how to listen to me, Mira. I'm not jeopardizing the job or the team because you have some idea of vengeance. If you can't listen to my orders, then I'm leaving you here until we get this vampire back to ASP."

"You wouldn't even know where to go if it wasn't for me."

Hunter stared her down, watching in satisfaction as she dropped her eyes. "Say the word, Mira, say it or stay here."

"I'll fucking listen," she snapped.

"And obey..." he added.

"Fine, but don't expect me to honor or respect you." She turned away from his eyes, gazing out the window as she tried to swallow her anger. It wasn't working very well, not very well at all.

By the time they'd gotten to the Old Mill Road, she had steam coming out of her ears. She pulled Shadow's blaster, checking the load and smiling grimly in the green light. "Baer-Braxton is mine."

"We don't even know what we're going to find there, Mira. Just cool your jets."

"The man is a misogynistic jerk. He's mine."

Hunter sighed, wanting to reach out and grab her, maybe tear those white pants off of her round ass and then redden it until she couldn't sit without squirming. Then maybe he'd arrange her over him and fuck her until her screams of pleasure were louder than her screams of pain had been. "Why can't you be easy, Mira? Why do you always have to do things the hard way?"

"It's part of my charm," she said with a wave of her hand. "Why can't you realize after five years of working with me that I'll always want to work a case my way?"

"Because your way isn't always the best way." He turned off the road and into a long driveway, protected by a huge black iron gate. He pulled the truck half way across the road, watching as Kit pulled hers over to the other half. The driveway was blocked now. No one would be getting out that way. "We're walking it."

Mira nodded, sliding out of the SUV and pulling on the long, leather duster over her vest and pants. She tucked one side of the coat behind her holstered blaster and then headed off behind Hunter toward the house. The roof could barely be seen from the driveway and as they got closer, Hunter grew more intense.

"The place is huge," he groaned.

Drake nodded. "But the bigger they are..."

"The more work they are to clear," Mirage finished for him.

"Kit, you and Lelia take the front, Tinman, you and Mage get the back."

"And what are you and Mira going to be doing during all of this?"

Hunter nodded at the huge barn that stood to one side of the house. Unlike the house, the barn was lit up and they could see shadows moving. "Mira and I are going to clear the barn."

When it looked as if Kit was going to protest, he just gave her a look and she shut up. "Okay, team, you heard him. I want comms open and I want to know what you know when you know it. Drake, no shit head hero moves, got me?"

"How about regular hero moves?"

"Tinman!"

"Yes ma'am."

Hunter gave them a few moments to get into position and then he nodded at Mira. "Same goes as what Kit said to Drake."

"Yes, daddy."

Hunter growled, reaching out and grabbing hold of the collar of her duster. "When we get done with this op, you and I are going to have a long fucking talk."

"I'll bring my pillow and blanket."

Hunter almost ordered her back to the SUV right there. But he knew he was going to need help in the barn. "Let's go."

Mira took off, running bent over to make a smaller target in case anyone inside got a look at them. She reached a window in the barn and squatted under it, raising just enough to get a quick look inside. "There's some kind of meeting going on," she hissed. One more glimpse and she cursed. "They've got women in there. They're chained, Hunt. I don't think it's voluntary."

Hunter risked his own look and then squatted back beside her. "No, it's not voluntary. We've got whip marks on their backs. I saw some blood in there as well."

"Assholes," she growled and then ran toward the big sliding door that was partially open. Spinning, she went in low, hearing Hunter coming in behind her, but going high. His blaster blew out the side of one of the guys that were holding the chains of the women.

Mira was close behind him, popping off two quick blasts that killed two more of the men instantly. "That's him," she growled, nodding her head at one of the men. "That's the vamp."

Hunter rolled, using a water trough for cover as he blasted out a couple more of the men, shooting at the vamp's legs. The vampire blurred and Mira put out one foot, cursing as the vampire tripped over her, almost breaking her leg at the speed he was going. Putting her blaster to his head, she glared at him. "Please, move."

"Mirage, Shadow said alive."

"But if he moved, if he gets threatening..."

"Don't make me have to shoot you," he growled. Two more men came into the barn and he reached out, grabbing their heads and knocking them together. They went down hard and he ducked backward as a hail of bullets splintered the barn's wooden floor under him. "Fuck!"

Mirage slammed the butt end of her blaster down on top of the Vampire's head before shooting at the man with the automatic weapon. It took two shots and he screamed, his leg gone as he fell from the loft above them.

It only took a few more shots and the guards were either dead or injured. Mira rounded them up and then found the ring of keys that would unlock the women's chains. As soon as the heavy chains were off, the women curled into balls on the floor next to the wall. Each one of them had a look of emptiness in their eyes, a look of pain that was too immense for them to handle easily. They'd been through hell and it would take a lot to get them back from that hell.

Mira picked up the chains, going to the men who were still alive. She chained them up, using an extra set to chain the vampire with enough metal to keep him from moving. "Asshole," she growled.

Hunter reached up, his finger touching the small receiver that was inside his ear. "Yeah, Kit. We're fine."

He glanced at Mira before turning away to finish his conversation with the were-lion. When he turned back, Mira had finished chaining the survivors and checking the dead to make sure they actually were. "What's going on?"

"Kit and Lee have Myler, but his boss got away. He has some kind of tunnels set up under the mansion. He got out using those."

"Fucking Braxton," she growled. "We're going to need a bus to get these women back to ASP."

"Mira, they're human. They need to go to a doctor."

"They need Mage." She took two steps and then turned to glare at Hunt. "They've been raped and savaged, Hunter. Look at the bruises, do you have any idea what it's like to be unable to defend yourself, to be abused and degraded with no hope of recourse? I do. It's why Bia cursed me, why she killed my daughter and my husband. Her husband saw me in the gardens outside one of the houses of worship. He raped me, left me bleeding and bruised."

She couldn't look at him as she spoke. This was something she'd never told anyone, not since that terrible day when Bia took her vengeance. "When I tried to bring him to some kind of justice, she told everyone that I lied, that I was jealous because I wanted him and couldn't have him. He'd raped me and she had them believing that I wanted it and I was crying rape because he wouldn't have sex with me again."

"God, Mira, that's awful." He reached out for her but she ducked his hand.

"That son of a bitch raped me and then Bia did worse." She could feel the same shame, the same hurt and worse yet, the same betrayal she'd felt that day, the day when she'd been found guilty of falsifying testimony. Only Aphrodite had believed her, had befriended her after they were dead. Worse yet, she had no idea of why she was telling Hunter this. She should be heading into the house to get Myler, to show him her own kind of punishment.

But even as she thought it, a wave of exhaustion took her, making her feel too tired, too weary with life to deal with him. She moved away from Hunter and from the women, finding a small piece of wall out of the way and sinking down. She only nodded when Hunter asked if she were alright and then agreed to watch the prisoners while he called ASP to have a bus sent out.

"Bitch," the word held a world of loathing and Mira glanced up, seeing Myler, handcuffed and held by Tinman. She rose slowly, walking over toward him.

"You do know who I am," she asked the man.

He nodded, his eyes watching her every move.

"Then you know what would happen if I took you from Drake here?"

"Yeah."

"So, since you know of all of that, would you like to apologize to me now or would you rather hold my hand?" She held up her hand, slowly pulling off the thin white leather gloves she'd pulled on before the fight. Wiggling her fingers in front of his face, she waited for his answer.

"You keep that bitch away from me," he growled at Drake.

"Dude, she's my boss. That means if she tells me to let you go, I let you go. If she tells me to shoot you, then I shoot you. If she tells me to cut off your balls and string them up for her..."

"I know, you cut off my balls and string them up. Just keep her away from me." Myler took to steps back, tripping over the chains that bound his ankles and falling on his ass.

"You know, boss, I think he's a bit afraid of you."

"I guess he's not as stupid as he looks." Mira grinned at Drake. She'd always liked the Tinman. He was mouthy and irreverent, two qualities she liked in a person. "So, should we take him in, or should I just touch him and then we can go let him live with the voices out in the streets?"

"He might know how to find Braxton," Hunter said from behind them. "I'd hate to miss out on that information. These girls aren't the first slaves they'd taken, and they won't be the last if we don't round him up. He's selling them off to the Supernatural market."

"You mean, like vamps and weres and witches?"

Hunter nodded at Drake. "They don't seem to care if they're human or supernatural. They sell them off to the highest bidder. One of the girls told me that they were holding more at a different location. She just doesn't know where they are."

Mira pulled off her other glove, stuffing them into the pocket of her duster. She walked toward Myler, a look of pure pleasure in her eyes. "This will be worse for you than it is for me," she said softly, holding her hand up right before his face. "I'm the one that can't be touched. I'm the one who will drive you raving mad, Myler. And you know, it's a bit of a shame, but I just don't give a shit if you're hurt or not in the deal. So...do you want to tell us or should we get touchy feely?"

"Don't touch me," he cried, cringing back against Drake. "You can't let her touch me, Dude. You just can't."