Bronte nodded, his attention sweeping the room. His eyes were dark today, reflecting the storm that he was. But, right now, his hair was light in color. His ability to change those two features meant I would never stop admiring him. Finding something new.
Now though, it was his frustration and disappointment that I felt the most. I moved closer and took his hand. He looked at me, gave me a sad smile, and looked at the rest of our husbands. Waiting for direction while his hand stayed in mine.
“Let’s proceed as planned,” Saar said.
“Good idea,” a voice through the radio said. “I breeched their security cameras. The building is full of people.”
“We’re sure this is Silence, correct?” Kohara asked.
I frowned. Shouldn’t we have confirmed that a long time ago?
Several chuckles met my ears through the radio. “More than sure. Kill on sight.”
We turned toward the door where Raiden, Taranis, and Notus were waiting. Staring into the hall.
“We can make quick work of the two down here,” Tara said. “Keep moving forward. You’ll never be out of sight while we take care of them and catch up.”
Saar nodded, even as I bit my lip. I didn’t think splitting up, even this little distance, was a good idea. I didn’t want it. Too many things could happen. What if a barrier fell from the ceiling, cutting us off?
Bronte squeezed my hand, and I released a breath. Nodding. Several of my men were holding weapons of various kinds. It was… disconcerting. Seeing it only emphasized that we weren’t violent people. It was only reminding myself that these people had sent a whole damn army of men to kill us that had me moving forward.
Bronte held a long range taser in his hand. Gale and Notus had large, compact rifles. Large in that they were long, but their barrels were thin. Kohara, Saar, and Raiden were holding some space age guns that reminded me of a kids’ show. They had suspended rings around them that glowed.
The rest of us could use our storms inside. Arat and Tem with the force of their wind. Zilan would freeze the damn world and then Taranis would set it on fire. Me? I was going to send thousands of volts through their motherfucking bodies until I could see their skeletons through their skin with the glow.
My fingers flexed. Ready. There was a quiet yelp from one room. But no sound from the second. Then Tara, Raiden, and Notus were with us again. Walking with their backs toward us. Protecting the way we came. The rooms ahead had people. There were voices.
Kohara took one as Saar burst into the one directly across from it. In this fashion, we made it through the mostly empty top floor. By the time we headed into the stairwell, I was feeling okay about this. There wasn’t time to think about the blood on our hands. Especially not with my heart racing in my chest. Drumming so loudly that it almost overtook my thoughts.
We’d cleared one floor.
“What’s on the third?” Saar asked.
Bronte explained the layout and that it was part offices, conference rooms, and then there were rooms that had gurneys in them. Tables. Storage. Also, a few that were basically computer banks. “I think their security hub is on this floor,” he said. “We should probably take that out first.”
“Tell us how to get there,” Saar said.
I listened as Bronte explained the left, right, second door directions. And then told us every room we’d encounter along the way. I wasn’t the only one grinning at him when he finished. He paused, looking at us all before his face flushed. “What?”
Raiden took his chin between his fingers. “You’re a fucking amazing man, Bronte. That mind of yours is incredible.”
Bronte flushed further, licking his lips. “Thanks.”
Raiden kissed his lips, short but claiming, and let him go. He turned to his brother. “Ready.”
Saar nodded, giving Bronte the same adoring look that everyone else was. Affectionate and proud. I took Bronte’s hand again as we filed into the stairwell once more. Moving efficiently but quietly, we moved down to the third floor.
There was a dramatic increase in noise beyond the door, for which I was thankful. Still, it didn’t sound as though anyone was alarmed. Part of me thought this entire organization was incompetent if they hadn’t figured out that they were trapped, had been breached, and were now being hunted. And then I had to remind myself that this same organization had some sick fucking weapons that they weren’t afraid to use on people.
The idea that we were being led into a cage never let up. As often as I tried to shush the voice in my head, it was still there. Nagging and making me sweat.
“Ready?” Saar asked.
I was going to hear that word in my sleep. But I nodded as my men did. If we stalled too long, I think we were all going to back out. Storms aren’t violent. We just aren’t.
Licking my lips, I rested my hand on the metal door, ready to send currents through it. Zilan touched the handle as they crowded around, the twins and Neph holding their weapons at the door. The three of them nodded and Zilan pulled it open.
My body was pressed between the door and the wall, but I could see through the gap where the door hinged at the frame. I was looking into a junction where the hall split in three ways; left, right, and straight. It was a busy space. There were a dozen people who suddenly spun toward the door and froze.
