Read SavageLust for Free Online

and Wildlife helo taking care of business. In fact, I think we’ll
have to find a way to get some answers from them. See if they sent one of their
choppers in here for anything. If not, someone could have done a really good
job of faking one.”
    “Jesus.” Dante blew out a breath. “So not only are the
beasts possibly changing shapes to get in and out of areas. Now whoever’s
creating them has stepped up their game to a whole new level, using a helo to
retrieve living victims, like Chloe’s friend. Possibly to retrieve the beasts,
as well.”
    “Frightening, isn’t it?” Ric rubbed his forehead. “It gives
at least a little more substance to our theory that some madman is running a
lab so secret we aren’t even sure how to find it.” He looked at Dante. “Chloe’s
friend has never been found, and now the fiancée of the dead guy has
disappeared. If it was a rabid animal, as the people handling these cases want
everyone to think, someone probably would have found some remains.”
    “Yeah. That’s a good news, bad news kind of thing.”
    “Indeed. Good news because the women might still be alive.
Bad news because it could end up confirming our theory about this guy meddling
with human DNA.”
    The thought was too goddamn awful to contemplate. Dante had
to swallow hard against the suddenly rising nausea at the very concept.
    “All right.” He pulled out his cell again. “Let’s get some
pictures here for the file. Then you can give your magic fingers a workout and
see if there are any reports at all of a helo in this airspace.”
    “Yes,” Ric agreed. “Although I’m guessing if someone has
enough money to do what our invisible madman is doing, he knows how to avoid
radar too. But it’s definitely worth a shot.”
    “Question.” Dante snapped one last pic. “I’m going to talk
to the victim’s sister. Do I share our knowledge with her or not?”
    Ric motioned for them to head back down the trail. “I think
you kind of have to play it by ear. The concept is so far out of left field for
most, she might think we’re crazy. Even report us to someone, although I don’t
know who. Craig has enough money and connections to handle that.”
    Dante moved a branch out of the way and ducked his head.
“Would any of us have accepted this nightmare if we hadn’t had
experience with it? And subsequently seen more evidence?”
    “Like I said, you’ll have to get a read on her and decide
how much she can handle.”
    “I’m going to call her when we get back to the ranch.” He
stopped for a moment and took another swig of his water. “I figure if I tell
her I’m a cop from Chicago who’s dealt with something like that before, I can
at least get one foot in the door.”
    “We’ll all meet and discuss what we’ve found. Then you’re
on.”
    Yes. I am. And I’ll do whatever it takes.
    * * * * *
    The creature usually avoided sunlight. Any bright light made
its head burn on the inside and shot incredible pain through its body. The
forestation had been so thick where it had found the last prey, however, that
there were huge areas where sunlight couldn’t break through. And finding two
targets at the same time had activated a signal in its brain that said These
two. Take them.
    The beast had no recollection of how it arrived at any
particular spot, only that it had woken up hidden away in a tiny, cave-like
hollow, protected on all sides by the abundance of trees and the thick growth
of vegetation. Whatever was sending signals to its brain apparently deleted
unnecessary information. The passage of time was immaterial to the devil beast
so it had no idea how to register the length of time it had been in its
hidey-hole.
    It scented prey not long after it had been placed in the
area. Crawling out of the shelter and moving with superhuman speed, it had
overtaken its prey within seconds. The indicators from its brain had prompted
its actions, leading it to destroy the one and capture the others. The
excessive