Page 47 of Act of Passion

Malik collided with the men, roaring, the fierce need to get to Brooke all-consuming. The men lifted him off the ground, a true testament to their strength. He flipped, rotating his arms, breaking their hold on him. The second his feet touched the ground, he struck out at the man nearest him, connecting. The man’s head snapped back but he kept coming. So did theother.

Auberi’s curses in French reached Malik, and he knew his friend was figuring out they were up against super powered supernaturals. The knowledge that something as lethal as the hybrids were after his woman did something to Malik, giving him the added boost he needed to strike with a vengeance. Claws emerged from his fingertips and he slashed out, catching one of the men by the throat. Malik pushed hard, cutting through the man’s neck fully. He then set his sights on the other male. He made short work of the man and raced down the alley to thestreet.

He was just in time to see a dark van speeding away, its tires squealing, the scent of honey and lotus coming from it. They had Brooke. They had hiswoman.

Auberi rushed up next to him. “We really need to see about the vitamin regimen Dr. Franken-Krauss has those assholes on. I want some. Do you think it would be like the little blue pill? Best inventionever.”

Malik’s mouth burned with the need to change at the thought of Brooke with the men. He took off running after the van as if he had a chance of catching up with them. He was fast, but even he couldn’t run at the speed they were going. The knowledge that he’d never catch them on foot did nothing to deter him. He had to get to her. He had to protecther.

As the red taillights drew farther away, a profound sense of loss hit Malik. If they got away, the chances of him ever finding Brooke again were nearly zero. That simply was not anoption.

“No!” heroared.

Auberi caught him by the shoulders and spun Malik to face him fully. “Tut! Focus. Take a deepbreath.”

He did but it didn’t help. “Auberi, I have to findBrooke.”

Auberi stiffened. “As in the same Brooke you mentioned spending time with several years back? The one you lost control of your beast with and bit, trying to claim? Thehuman?”

Malik nodded, still trying to home in on his senses to figure out what direction the enemy had taken Brooke. “It was her. The girl from the club. They haveher.”

“It’s clear she’s anything but human.” Auberi sighed. “We’ll call for backup and request satellite footage of the area. We will find out where they went withher.”

Malik knew that wasn’t likely. The Corporation had moles and traitors working for them within PSI. They also had their own technology that was leaps and bounds above that ofhumans.

Knowing it was hopeless, Malik fell to his knees, his entire body aching. He wanted to scream, to shout, to kill, anything to get the hurt out of his system. He knew it wouldn’t help, but still it was what he wanted to do. He lowered his head, emotions welling in him. He wasn’t the type of man who cried. His mother had been fierce, as had his father. Crying was something that simply was nottolerated.

Auberi pulled out his cell phone and put a hand to Malik’s shoulder. “James, by chance is your mate still a hacking genius? Can she reposition a satellite for us and grab any imagery it has? The Corporation has struck again and they’ve taken a youngwoman.”

Auberi gave their coordinates and stayed on the line with James. The man had only just been freed from nearly a year of being a prisoner in one of The Corporation’s facilities. James knew better than anyone what horrors the place could and would inflict on those ittook.

Malik fought to keep from shedding tears that desperately wanted to come. He’d been so close to her again. He’d touched her, caressed her, inhaled her glorious scent, had her lips on his skin, all to have her ripped away at the last second. Fate couldn’t be that cruel, couldit?

Unable to contain his emotions any longer, Malik growled loudly and punched the concrete as if that would solve anything. All it did was hurt hishand.

“Yes, that is just three blocks from here if memory serves,” said Auberi, surprise in hisvoice.

Malik perked. “What? Laney got the satellite repositioned already?” Even for Laney, an expert hacktivist, that was impressive. “Where are they takingBrooke?”

Auberi had the nerve to shush him. “If they had her, they would not be tearing up the area looking for her. Call me back if anything changes. We’re headed in that direction. Send backup. Only the most trusted. And equip them with tranquilizers. I believe my furry friend here may have a repeat plaza performance if this endspoorly.”

Malik didn’t even bother to object. It was true. He would lose control if he didn’t find her or if she was hurt. There would be no way he could keep ittogether.

Auberi yanked him off the ground and then brushed Malik’s open shirt, trying to smooth out the wrinkles. It was such an Auberi thing to do that it actually helped Malik to gather his wits about him. His friend disconnected thecall.

“James and Laney are patched into the police frequencies. Reports of armed men in black SUVs are coming in three blocks from here. They wouldn’t stop for takeout if they had what they wanted—yourwoman.”

Auberi cupped Malik’s cheek in a manly way. “I believe she lives, and she has managed to escape them, at least fornow.”

Chapter Fifteen

Brooke ran down a side street,trying to lose the men who were after her. While she’d managed to break free from the van, she was far from out of the woods. Elm and his men from the club wouldn’t be out of commission for long. She’d basically stunned them and it would wear off. And Elm would heal his woundsquickly.

And most of them could track her scent. She’d learned that years ago. Being held by sick bastards had taught her a lot about things she’d never dreamed were real. She’d gotten a crash course in the paranormal and supernatural. And she’d had to learn the rest on herown.

She went up and over a set of trash cans by a backdoor to what smelled like a restaurant. Clearing them with room to spare, Brooke landed on her feet and looked back, needing to know if she’d lost themyet.

As men poured in from around the end of the building, each wearing earpieces and openly carrying weapons, her entire body tensed as cold began to form in her hands. She couldn’t lose it now. Not yet. She needed to get away, and if she couldn’t avoid capture, she needed to be sure she didn’t live to be able to give them anyinformation.

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