“That’s right,” she confirmed, turning to head inside so she could quickly change.“I’ll be right back, sugar,” she said, dredging up her old Montana accent she’d left behind eighteen years ago.
“And I’ll be waiting for you, Glenda Golen,” he said mischievously, making her scowl in response.
GG knew Dalton Ashton was still a gentleman, despite whatever he’d done to be left behind when the Rapture had struck.She removed her ski suit long enough to turn it inside out, then pulled a blue beanie from a pocket.She tucked her hair beneath it until none of the blonde strands were visible.Now far less recognizable, she emerged from the warehouse.“Rahab and his goons can sense humans, but we all feel the same to them,” she said.“I doubt he’ll be able to track me down very easily as long as I stay out of sight.”
“Let’s hope so,” Dalt said grimly.Handing her the spare assault rifle, they headed back to the city they’d only just fled from last night.
Chapter Five
––––––––
RAHAB WAS SEETHINGwith quiet fury as he sat in the foyer of his base.He was waiting for his men to report in.Soldiers had scoured Manhattan for GG and the other females who’d escaped.His former consort had played him like a fiddle, pandering to his ego while plotting behind his back.Wynter, Berit’s offspring, had murdered her sire and another soldier.Only Wynter’s inexperience and lack of killer instincts had allowed the other six victims of her magic to survive.She’d only partially frozen their internal organs.
“I suppose I should be glad Fate severed our parental bonds with the cambions,” he muttered as he drummed his fingers on the gold armrest of the velvet chair.Their younglings weren’t the unstable, bloodthirsty cambions like the ones from past eras.These females had control of their emotions, if not their talents.Wynter’s skills had been suppressed before Berit had forced a bond between them.Now they were fully operational again.
“What skill doesmyoffspring possess?”he mused, impatience increasing by the second.So far, he hadn’t even sensed a trace of his progeny.They’d all been female so far.Xathan was certain Fate had engineered their genders.Each cambion was apparently paired with a Knight of Order.He’d witnessed Tolas and Wynter falling for each other during their very first meeting.“Now they’re undoubtedly bonded, just like the other cambions our enemies have located,” he said with a scowl.
The ham radio in the maintenance room down the hallway crackled, then the human who’d been dubbed the ‘Mad Prophet’ spoke.“Rise and shine, survivors of the apocalypse,” he said in an intense tone that reflected a hint of insanity.“I had a dream last night that another good guy arrived in a blazing gold comet.He’s safe, far, far away from the once glittering and now dark city where evil lurks.The devils with red eyes won’t get their hands on this one so easily.”
His sly, mocking tone was enough to make Rahab’s blood boil.The commander knew that message had been meant for him.Fate was working behind the scenes even more than usual.She was determined that her knights would win this final war.
“We’re not going to just roll over and let you win without a long, bloody fight,” Rahab snarled, clenching his hand into a fist.“I’ll make sure we take down as many of your minions as we can, as well as their precious mates.”
The soldier in the maintenance room froze halfway through scribbling down the Mad Prophet’s message.It was wise to pretend not to exist when their leader was showing signs of instability.The pen resumed quietly jotting down the short speech when Rahab quietened down again.
Rahab almost wished he hadn’t ordered the glass walls and door in the foyer to be painted black.His view of the expensive and exclusive buildings on 5thAvenue was now blocked.He was tempted to head to the gym further up the road, but remained where he was.Once GG was found, he planned to take her straight to the penthouse.Her punishment for deserting him would be long, painful and creative.He’d spent the past twenty-four hours fantasizing about how he would make her pay.
Sensing some of his men approaching, his anticipation turned to disappointment when he didn’t sense any humans with them.The door opened and Phul, Lachial, Xathan and Vetis entered.
“We have bad news, Lord,” Phul said.As his second in command, it was his duty to report in.
“Is GG dead?”Rahab asked, keeping his tone flat.While he wanted GG to suffer, he wanted to be the one to cause her pain.There would be no justice if someone else killed her.
“No, Lord,” Phul said cautiously.“We couldn’t find any traces of any of the females who escaped.We followed their tracks for as long as we could, but lost them in Morningside Heights.We searched the neighborhoods nearby, but saw no signs of them.”
Rahab’s nostrils flared as his instincts to rend and tear tried to take over.Xathan lowered his head first, sensing his change of mood instantly.The others followed suit, waiting for the explosion they assumed was coming.
