“I don’t know.” Her voice trembled, and she stumbled to the middle of the room, where bolts had been fastened into the floor in the outline of some sort of table. She crossed her arms. “I don’t like how it feels in here.” Her voice sounded hollow, and she looked breakable.
He moved to her. Brave little mate. “It’s okay. Let’s go back upstairs, and I’ll have a team scour this area.” He’d need them to look for other hidden rooms, although this one was big enough to accommodate any secret activity the monks had wanted to carry out. “Tell me more about these monks.” He kept a tight hold on her as they went back up the stairs, trying to take her weight but not wanting to overwhelm her. “I promise we’re going to find out what happened to you, Destiny.”
She looked up at him, her pupils dilated. Fear? “So you believe me now?”
Did he? She’d fought like a trained warrior the other night and had almost killed him. Was it possible to have those kinds of skills and not know it? He’d met plenty of trained assassins who could seduce a target successfully, and it made sense that his enemies would send a fragile-looking, petite human after him. His guard had been down with her. Very much so. Apparently she was his type. Who knew?
She sighed. “Forget it. Your nonanswer is an answer.” Even so, she didn’t move away from him.
Logan jogged through the rain and paused at the open door. “Storm’s getting worse. Let’s go and come back tomorrow to search.”
The sound of waves crashing far below echoed up with an energy that had Garrett staring at the mottled purple clouds. “Agreed.” He gave a high-pitched whistle, and soldiers began moving toward the three helicopters in the center of what might’ve been a training field at one point. Then he readjusted Dessie’s light blue knit hat. “Keep to my side—we’re gonna run.”
She nodded.
He took her hand and ducked into the rain, letting the fierce drops pelt his head.
Something whistled through the air.
He paused just as Logan and Sam did the same. A missile from the sea blasted the far side of the monks’ building. Rocks and shrapnel blew out, along with a wild firestorm of smoke.
Dessie screamed.
Another blast hit, and Logan flew through the air to land near the other helicopters, his legs on fire.
Garrett grabbed Dessie and tossed her over his shoulder, ducked his head, and ran full bore toward his friend. “Retreat!” he bellowed. “Everyone get the hell off this island!”
Two more missiles zipped through the air, going high and then angling toward the ground. The first struck dead center in the main building, and the next blew up the rest of the monks’ building. Heated air smashed against his back, and he went sprawling toward the ground. Grunting, he flipped Dessie off his shoulder, catching her in his arms as he fell to his knees. Pain ricocheted up his legs.
Sam somersaulted next to him and landed near his brother, furiously patting out the fire.
Logan rolled over several times, and the rain extinguished the flames. Blood flowed wildly from his temple, covering his face.
A volley of new missiles pounded the center of the field, right where most pilots would’ve landed their craft.
Sam grunted and yanked up his brother, setting a shoulder beneath his arm. Garrett went to take the other arm, but Logan waved him off. “I’m good, G. Get to our copter.”
Garrett ran for the helicopter while holding Dessie against his chest.
Another missile landed, throwing all of them into the air. Garrett landed on his knees, still protecting Dessie. Smoke billowed up. He looked around frantically to see both Kyllwood men spinning toward the edge of the cliff.
“No!” he bellowed.
* * * *
Dessie coughed out smoke as tears slid down her burning cheeks. Smoke and flames clouded her vision.
Garrett held her so tight against his chest that she couldn’t breathe as he careened through the haze to the helicopter. He placed her inside. “Stay here.” Then he turned and ran toward the cliff edge.
She tried to gasp in air and then pushed her head out of the craft, trying to see better. Another explosion rocked the island, sending sharp shards of rock to impact every standing object. Pain burst along her arm, and she frantically shook it. The haze cleared to her right, and she could see Garrett diving to the ground next to Sam, who had his hand over the edge.
Oh no. Was he holding on to Logan?
She had to help. Blinking away soot, she brushed burning embers off her hair and jumped out, running toward the men.
Garrett and Sam hauled Logan up over the burning bushes, pulling him free of the cliff.
She paused. Thank goodness.
