She blushed again at my words. I found every opportunity to put that shade of pink on her cheeks. “You know who got you out of there once. Couldn’t he do it again?”
“Perhaps.” The vid reports I’d been monitoring while Adrian slept had repeated over and over the news of my escape. There had been no mention of the two who had come for me. As far as the public was concerned, they still had no idea who had helped me escape, nor why.
I picked up the helmet I’d set aside and activated the neural link. The familiar scan and sensor data streamed into my mind, the display in one eye showing me real time information.
“Fuck.”
The entire building was surrounded, at least twenty warlords waiting for orders. There were two beasts at the door with six more down the hall, waiting to rush me when the door opened. Twenty-six trained warlords. All for me?
My beast snorted as if to say, ‘Damn right. Should have brought more.’
Only that animal could make me grin at a time like this.
Adrian walked into my arms, pressed her body to mine and wrapped her arms around me. Just for a moment. “What are we going to do?”
“There are almost thirty warlords here to take me in.”
“That’s crazy. Why do they need so many for one person?”
“MINE.” The beast’s voice spilled from my throat.
“Oh.”
I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. Perhaps my last one.
The thought made me linger as she melted against me.
“Warlord Kovo! You have a count of ten to open this door. Ten. Nine—”
I set Adrian away from me, pointed to an out of the way corner where she would be safe, and transformed.
The door burst inward, no doubt the result of a beast’s fist ramming through. I waited as the door skidded across the floor, the top edge sliding to a stop at my feet.
“Kovo, we are coming in. We have orders to kill should you resist.” The loud voice carried easily in the small space. My mate covered her face with her hands for a moment, upset.
I wanted to kill each and every one of them for that alone.
“Get out of my way. Now.”
I knew that voice.
No. Gods, no.
Doctor Helion, I.C. Commander and evil fucking bastard walked through the door. “I told you, Kovo, a mate changes nothing.” He glanced to the corner at Adrian and gave her a slight bow. “I am sorry, Adrian Davis. I truly am, but this was not meant to be.”
My beast roared, leaping forward to kill the fucker and everyone with him.
Helion lifted a very large weapon from his side and pointed it at me. A heavy net flew through the air. The next instant the thick wires dug into my skin, wrapped tightly around me and sent shocks of electrical current through my body.
I dropped to the floor like a rock, the continuous current making my body twitch, my back arch in agony.
I heard Adrian scream.
My beast roared.
“Put him down. I don’t want to listen to that.” Helion gave the order and a flood of darts hit my back, the same sedative they’d used last time flooded my system.
I searched for Adrian. Tears streaked her face as two warlords gently attempted to convince her to leave the room.
