Sweat rolled down Gemma’s neck when Christian stopped them for what felt like the twentieth time.
“The holding cells are through there.” He tipped his head in the direction of a windowless door. A thick, metal beam lay across the middle, connected to each side of the frame, barring anyone from opening the access. How in the blazes were they going to get in?
Christian pulled a chunk of reddish, clay-like material from his vest. “I need to find a weak spot in the door. Stay here.”
Gemma ground her teeth. She definitely should have shown him she was capable of more than just stitching flesh back together.
“Found one!” a female voice shouted from the hall, and Gemma’s heart stopped.
Christian had been spotted.
Snarling, Gemma leapt out from her hiding place and slammed the female bounty hunter into the far wall. The hunter shouted, startled by Gemma’s ambush, and dropped her knife. Gemma thrust her own dagger into the woman’s abdomen, below the hem of the woman’s vest, and heaved upward.
The woman grunted, clutching her stomach as Gemma withdrew her blade. She backhanded the bounty hunter, silencing her before her cries led even more enemies to them.
But five more bounty hunters appeared from the shadows anyway.
Blast.There was no way she’d be able to take them all on by herself. A cold dread began to sink into her bones.
Christian appeared out of nowhere and pushed hertowardthe bounty hunters. “Back up, back up, back up.”
She shot a wide-eyed glance at him over her shoulder.What—
He turned and fired at the clay he’d stuck against the door.
The explosion sent Gemma sprawling onto the floor. She covered her head as metal shrapnel spewed from what had once been the door, wincing every time a piece hit her body. The floor beneath her vibrated until she thought it would give way, but then the tremor ceased.
“Kill them!” one of the bounty hunters shouted.
Gemma jumped onto her feet, dagger tight in her hand, and braced herself for the onslaught.
Two of the hunters lay sprawled on the floor, pools of blood forming beneath their bodies.At least it’s now just three on two.
Unwilling to die without a fight, Gemma flung herself at the nearest hunter, swiping at his gut with her blade.
He whacked her wrist, blocking her attack and sending her blade flying. Gemma gasped, a cold dread settling into her bones as she raised her fists to prepare for attack.
An evil glee filled the man’s eyes as he swung at her in a barrage of strikes until she was pressed against the wall. Gemma blocked the punch to her face, wincing at the wave of pain down her arm.
“I’m gonna kill you, you little whore,” the hunter said, slamming his knee into her side so hard that the air left her lungs.
She gulped in oxygen before the man’s large hand wrapped around her thin neck, not tight enough to constrict her airway, but enough that she couldn’t break free. She clawed at his arm, white hot terror filling her every pore with terror. His stare was ravenous, a predator ready to devour his prey.
Gemma aimed for the hunter’s privates, trying to strike him with her knee, but his quick movement caused her to connect with his thigh instead.
“Mmm, I love a bitch who puts up a fight,” her attacker said, slamming her head into the wall behind her.
Nauseating pain flooded every bone and muscle in her body.
A blade appeared in front of the bounty hunter’s neck and sliced his throat open from ear to ear. Blood sprayed from the man’s arteries, dousing Gemma, before the hunter’s hands loosened, and he fell limp to the floor.
The scream died in Gemma’s throat before it could escape.
Christian drew her into a calming embrace. “It’s all right. You’re okay. You’re safe now.”
Gemma turned to the side, out of his hold, and gagged. The memories that followed from this test would scar her for the rest of her life.
Another heave ripped through her body, and Christian held back her braid as a second and third dry heave hurled out of her. Then she wiped her mouth and face with the arm of her sleeve.
