“There was nobody inside, Evan. Give me some credit.” She threw the box toward Lance. “I went inside to make sure the place was clear. See how you’re influencing me already?”
Influencing her? Considering he was in a cell and she was outside of it with two maniacal shifters, he wasn’t getting through to her. “I’d really appreciate it if you wouldn’t walk into danger like this.”
Allen fired the green gun toward the high roof. Green lasers zipped out and apparently turned into metal when hitting the interior metal of the roof. Shards rained down, all around him, and he didn’t so much as flinch. He then pointed the weapon at Tabitha. “Where is the formula?”
She tapped her head. “Right here, jackass. It’s the only place, you know. I created it.”
Lance stood to face her. “So we need your head and not your mate’s. Okay.”
“Nope,” she said, widening her stance. “I’m a demonness. You can’t torture me for information. He goes, and I go, and we’ll make an agreement. I’ll give you half of the company in exchange for your distribution channels. The labs remain mine.”
Evan reared up. “You are not giving in to blackmail.”
She waved a hand. “This is normal business practice in my world.”
Great. Just freaking great. “I don’t think kidnapping me should earn them fifty percent of your business, honey. It’s rewarding bad behavior,” Evan drawled, looking for a way out of the cell.
Surprise flashed in her eyes. “I thought I’d find you a little more freaked out. Maybe your time in the military prepared you better than I’d thought.”
At least she was finally seeing him. “Why are you here? Why come yourself?” He had to know.
She sighed. “Fine. I like you. Have since the beginning. You’re hot and strong and kind. Maybe a little bossy. Definitely sexy.”
“Just like me? Only like?” he asked, releasing his hold on the bars.
Allen cleared his throat. “Do you two mind? We’re in the middle of something here.”
“Right.” Tabi lowered her head. “I guess I’ll just fry your brains.” Power shot from her, nearly visible.
Allen immediately yelled in pain, blood spurting from his ears.
Lance leaped between them, taking the hit. He screamed.
Allen dropped to the floor, using his brother as a shield. He leaned around his writhing brother and fired several times toward Tabi.
Evan bellowed a warning.
Bullets hit her and she went down, her eyes wide as blood spurted from her torso. Agony darkened her expression. “Well, shit,” she muttered.
* * * *
Pain blew through Tabi’s chest and she cried out, trying to breathe. She might’ve overestimated her ability to take on both shifters with her mind. As her body rushed to heal itself, her brain slowed down with the demon mind attack. She’d been so intent on saving Evan that she hadn’t thought of the consequences. Not at all.
Whimpering, she shot out another mind attack, trying to remain conscious.
Allen stood and fired again. Blood burst from her leg a second before the pain jolted her system.
A savage roar bellowed from the cage, the sound so primal that everyone froze. She gasped and turned to see Evan grab above the bars and swing his legs, kicking two bars out. Then another two. They shot across the empty warehouse, dropping to the concrete and bouncing away with loud tings.
He moved faster than a blur, right at Allen, who pivoted and fired several lasers at Evan.
Tabi cried out and tried to sit, sending healing cells where she could. Blood continued to pour from her.
Evan impacted Allen, taking him down to the concrete. Blood and dirt coated the way he’d traveled. The gun spun away, smashing into the broken cell.
Tabitha scrambled toward it along with Lance, both of them fighting to reach the weapon.
Allen shrieked, the high decibels reaching every corner of the warehouse. Tabi paused, shaking, turning to see Evan lift the shifter’s head up and throw it into the cell. Allen’s hair caught on the broken bars, and his head hung there, swinging back and forth.
