Mr. Perkins came forward, although Riley noticed he didn’t step even an inch past the soldiers. “I’m afraid all I see are twoindividualtrespassers. And I would greatly appreciate it if you’d put away the fangs. One wrong move and you’ll be unconscious in an instant.” When neither Riley nor Wolfe reverted back to human form, Mr. Perkins made a deliberate gesture toward Violet. “And if you’ll kindly re-enable the locking mechanisms to our doors, we might allow your protected humans here to leave unharmed.”
That explained why the soldiers hadn’t shot them all on sight. The hacker was holding their system hostage. Good.
Although, now they were in a standoff, and Riley wasn’t sure how to break it.
If Riley and Wolfe sacrificed themselves, taking the tranquilizers head-on, Seth could run behind them and get out the stairwell door. But, for one, that would require Wolfe making a sacrifice on Seth’s behalf, which was incredibly unlikely. For two, Seth would have a horde of soldiers following right behind him.And for three, Violet would definitely get caught in the cross fire. Seth wouldn’t like that.
Where did that leave them? They could get word to Riley’s moms, have them sneak around the back and come up behind the soldiers. What were the chances of them arriving in time before all four of them were captured?
Seth tugged at Riley’s shirt. Riley held him tighter. He was ready to tell Seth that it was all going to be okay, that they’d figure it out. If nothing else, Eric would call for the Colorado den and they’d all be rescued eventually. Riley wouldn’t let anyone hurt Seth—he’d make that a clear condition of their surrender.
But Seth wasn’t asking for reassurance.
“Riley,” he whispered. “Let me borrow your phone.”
27
SETH
Seth took the phone from Riley’s hand.
For just a moment, in the midst of all the chaos, he was overcome by deep, overwhelming pride. Not for the rescue, exactly, though that was very welcome, especially if they managed to make it out alive and uncaptured. But for the fact that Riley washere. Present and accounted for. Seth had been able to tell from the moment he’d run into Riley’s waiting arms. Riley’s eyes were black, his fangs were out, but he was still undeniably at the forefront, looking out at Seth from that dark gaze, both parts of him united.
My brave, brave love.
Riley had come so far, andno onewas going to fuck with that progress. No scientists. No lawyers. No youth-hungry weirdo billionaires. No one was taking Riley. Seth would make sure of it.
Mr. Perkins, little weasel that he was, caught on to Seth’s movements immediately. “I would stop doing whatever it is you’redoing, if you don’t want your mate unconscious in the next three seconds.”
Seth didn’t even pause in the act of punching in one of the few numbers he knew by heart. “You’re going to shoot me for using the phone? Good luck getting your prison doors to ever lock again, then.”
Violet snorted. None of the soldiers fired.
That was what Seth had thought.
The other line picked up right away. Seth could hear grumbling in the background, like someone was annoyed by the interruption, but his cousin’s voice rang out, deep and clear and so, so welcome. “Seth?”
“Benny.” Tears of relief pricked at Seth’s eyes, and he blinked them rapidly.No crying in front of the enemy. “I—I need that backup we talked about. Um, right now?”
Benny didn’t hesitate. “Sure thing,” he said.
And then he hung up before Seth could tell him where he was or what was happening.
Well, okay. Had that been a hit or a miss?
Mr. Perkins cocked a brow. “By the time your ‘backup’ gets here?—”
And then Benny and Helio were right there, in the bunker, smack-dab in the middle of the two factions facing off in the hallway.
Benny couldn’t possibly have looked more out of place, broad-shouldered and golden and noticeably shirtless, wearing the tiniest swim trunks known to man. Helio didn’t exactly look suited to an underground lab either, haughty and coldly handsome as ever, wearing some white linen ensemble that definitely belonged at some all-inclusive island resort.
It was the middle of winter—where the hell had they come from?
At their appearance, there was the horrible, cacophonoussound of a dozen tranquilizer guns firing, but Helio waved a hand, and the shots froze in midair, then dropped uselessly to the floor.
“Seth!” Benny strode over and lifted Seth into a tight bear hug. Seth could feel Riley stiffen beside him, but he didn’t protest. No doubt somewhere in his tireless eavesdropping attempts, Riley had figured out Seth and Benny were cousins.
“Is that it?” Helio asked coolly, stopping another round of tranquilizer darts as Mr. Perkins yelled orders at his soldiers. “Can we go?”
