Luther’s eyes widened as he grabbed his chest. He fell to his knees. Ice followed him down, hitting him in the face to make sure he stayed down.
Three fighters came from the woods. They surrounded Ice. Though they were smaller in size, their number would make it harder to defend against after the beating he’d just taken. Still, he lifted his hands, circling as he waited for the first to strike.
“Get him,” Dr. Hanklen ordered.
Suddenly, a battle cry rang out from the trees—and he heard the charging feet of his brothers. They’d gotten off the ship to aid him.
“Go back,” Ice ordered. “You can’t be here.”
“We’re not leaving you to have all the fun,” Snow dismissed.
Snow forced one of the three men to face him instead. Frost appeared and did the same with a second man. That left Ice with the third. The battle was over before it started. Snow took a few blows before locking his arm around the man’s neck and riding him to the ground until he passed out. Frost hit his opponent so hard that he fell and did not get back up.
Ice’s man jumped back and ran into the forest.
The three brothers faced Dr. Hanklen.
“Is this Elle?” Snow asked.
“Nice.” Frost grinned. “Are there more of her?”
“Stay back or I’ll kill her,” Dr. Hanklen warned, jamming the barrel into her so hard she cried out in pain.
“Kill her and we kill you,” Snow said. “Slowly.”
“Shoot one of us and we kill you,” Frost added.
“I think you can see how this is going to go,” Ice said.
Dr. Hanklen eyed each of them in turn. “This isn’t over.”
He released Elle, shoving her at Ice before slowly backing away. She fell weakly against him and couldn’t support her own weight. He lifted her into his arms. His brothers instantly formed a shield around her as they faced the doctor. Ice knew his brothers would do everything they could to protect his woman.
Hanklen backed away, his gun pointing at them. Snow and Frost took a step back, prompting Ice to carry Elle into the trees.
Suddenly, Hanklen turned and dove behind an uprooted tree.
“Go,” Snow ordered.
Ice didn’t have to be told again. He carried Elle as Frost darted ahead to lead the way back to the ship. It had moved locations, but they found it hidden in the shadows of a small cliff.
Frost banged on the metal. Seconds later, the door opened. Ice glanced behind them to make sure they weren’t being followed. Snow stood between them and the trees to offer protection.
“Get her inside.” Frost tugged Ice’s arm, prompting him to go first.
Ice ducked into the spaceship. The metal holding area wasn’t pretty, but it had seats. He set Elle on the largest one and strapped her in. The door closed, and they heard the rumble of an engine. Ice sat next to her. Her head dropped but her eyes were open.
Holding her hand as they took off, he didn’t take his gaze from hers.
“You came back for me,” she whispered, a ghost of a smile on her face.
“I could not leave you,” Ice said.
“You’re his woman,” Snow stated loudly from his chair.
The ship shifted, and he felt the pressure of takeoff.
“He loves you,” Frost added. “We saw it.”
