“Where was the tunnel Dimitri told you guys about?” he asked me as I got closer.
I pointed at the huge cliff, where a small hole could be seen. “The building is on the other side, and he said he saw trucks going inside through this passage.”
Marcus frowned, his eyes narrowing. “I watched for a while, and there was no one and no vehicles around.” He paused, turning a skeptical face toward me. “Might be because of the damn weather, but are you sure we’re at the right place?”
“Certain. We followed the map, didn’t we?”
“Yeah, but—” He let out a sigh. “I don’t like this. We don’t know what we’ll face inside, why Arc didn’t come back with Dimitri.”
I grabbed his hand and forced him to stand still. “We don’t. But we have a plan, don’t we? In case shit hits the fan.”
Marcus groaned. “I don’t like that plan either.”
“Why not?”
“Really?” I blinked at his sharp tone, waiting. “Because I’m going to getkilledif I run to your mates for help and leave you in there unprotected.”
I grinned. “They won’t kill you untilafterthey find me. And don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”
He rolled his eyes and stepped away, walking back to the car. “Funny.”
“I am.”
It was safer to go to the tunnel on foot and leave both our vehicles here. The girls were silent and quick as shadows as they moved ahead of us. I turned back into my invisible form, using the extra energy to conceal the weapons strapped to my body, walking at the end of our group to protect Marcus’ back. Wearing his full uniform and helmet made him look deadly. He had traded his usual one for a more form fitting and reinforced dark leather armor. His full face covering made his eyes look like bottomless pools of ink, and the dark crow beak appeared definitely sharp enough to stab anyone who got too close.
The girls stopped at each side of the small entrance and looked at us, moving their hands.
Clear.
Were the guards Dimitri mentioned not here? Maybe they had less people working during the night, or they were all inside, protecting themselves from the raging elements.
“Let’s go but stay alert,” Marcus instructed as we reached them. “There should be guards here. We’ll probably find some as we get deeper.”
I let go of my invisibility and shook the toxic water from my body as best I could as we started to make our way inside. And, obviously, Marcus ended up being right.
Not even a hundred feet further in the cool tunnel, the girls stilled. Savi pulled a gun and a dagger while Francesca went for two short swords at her back, as a dozen heavily armed guards’ faces turned to us.
Marcus cursed, pressing a hidden switch on the inside of his left wrist before grabbing a gun at his thigh with his right hand.
But the guards didn’t attack. They stayed still, looking at us, blocking the path.
I didn’t hear them as we approached…Were they even talking before they spotted us?Breathing?
Cold and emptiness filled their dark eyes.Demons. But something wasn’t right.
“What’s going on?” I whispered to Marcus.
“I don’t know,” he gritted out.
One of them suddenly moved, throwing a knife at Marcus’ face. My friend dodged easily, his left arm deflecting the blade and sending it scattering to the ground next to us.
Both the girls lunged, focusing their strength on the one who threw his weapon and the two closest to him as Marcus fired at the ones standing to the side.
I jumped forward, grabbing one of the poisoned daggers at my thigh and threw myself against the ones at the back of their tight group. The first one collapsed at the first slice of my blade against his throat, but two more came at my back, grabbing my hand and forcing it open to drop my weapon on the floor. My body was pushed against the wall and my arm pulled tight behind me. My nails turned to claws andI pierced someone’s chest. He groaned in pain but didn’t release his hold, the other one going for my other arm.
But I was already holding another serrated knife and sliced it across his forearm, slashing at the long sleeve of his greenish uniform. He stumbled back, holding the wound before his knees buckled and his body fell unconscious on the floor. I gritted my teeth and forced against the hold of the one restraining me, turning around to slash his face with the same blade.
There was no time to acknowledge any of them or how easy it had been before two more came at me, one holding some sort of battle axe, the other pointing a gun at my head.
