I blink, taking my first step towards my fallen sister. “Plenty.”
"Good,” Vessa whispers. Stalking towards the dead guard, she kicks the pistol away from him and scoops it up, stuffing it in my waistband. “C'mon, I'll cover for you."
Gathering Demi’s broken body, I sling her over my shoulder. Vessa adjusts the helmet on her head and props the rifle in position. Cutting the lights, she takes the lead, sneaking usthrough a sterilization room with a row of shower stalls, locating an exit at the far end. As we head to the basement, my ears pick up activity on the other side of the door. More humans. Over a dozen, from what I can tell. Vessa’s hand grasps the handle, but before I can stop her, she slips through. I have no choice but to follow.
Four men point guns at our heads as we cross the threshold. My eyes instantly lock onto the lycan with white-blond hair. The male who brought this nightmare to my club. Levi.
“Look at that,” he croons. “We can call off the search.”
Vessa fixes her gaze on the queue of women alongside the door. Disgust pulses through me as I realize some are as young as twelve. Maybe ten. Her heart beats steadily, assessing the room, contemplating which of these pricks are worth wasting ammunition on. The bulkiest guard of the group raises his walkie to his lips. Vessa blasts the device out of his hands. Cursing, he springs back in shock, as do I.
“Stay behind me,” she hisses. “If these assholes want their money, they won’t risk shooting me.”
The back door swings open, revealing a burly male with buzzcut hair. Spotting Vessa, he raises his weapon.
“Butch, no!” Levi barks. “Put it down.”
He does no such thing. And now we’ve got ourselves a standoff.
Seeing I have no choice, I carefully lay Demi’s body on the floor and unstrap my rifle. “How do you wanna play this?” I whisper.
Before she can answer, Levi cuts in. “Be a good girl and lay down that gun. I can assure you, they are only being transported to safety.”
Her eyes narrow. “Who’s the liar now?”
A guard crosses the room and yanks the arm of the first captive in line. Butch stands aside as he kicks open the door.Vessa’s finger pulls back on the trigger, putting a bullet through the male’s forehead. The captives in line gasp, cowering away from the door.
Levi flinches. “Stay in line,” he yells at the girls. Several begin to cry.
“If you want me, you’re going to have to cut a deal.”
Above us, the ceiling rattles. Lycans, probably led by Jabir. I nod to Vessa, urging her to try to buy us a little more time. She subtly checks the count on her rounds, frowning.
“You aremine,” he sneers. “Now put the fucking gun down before my boys do it for you.”
Three guards step out of the shadows, aiming their weapons right at me. Vessa lowers her arm, reaching behind her back to nudge my belt. When I slip a new mag into her palm, I notice her hair has brushed back, revealing a gruesome bite on her shoulder. I know for a fact that it isn’t my brother’s work, and that has my blood boiling like a geyser.
“You fuckingbither?!”
The wolf beneath is seething. Thrashing. Begging to be freed. For years, I’ve shoved this monster down. This needy, perverse animal. But no longer. My gun and helmet clatter to the ground. Fingers become claws. Senses multiply, charged with fury.
Vessa curses under her breath. Maybe I’m about to blow this. But I don’t give a damn. I’m going to rip this scumbag apart.
Promptly, the guards open fire at me. Vessa takes another one out, screaming over the shots. “I will go with you! I will go if you hear me out!”
What?!
Levi cocks his head to the side, calling off the men. “I’m listening.”
“Allow Dominik to escort the girls out. Once they’ve made it, I’ll put the gun down. I’ll do whatever you want.”
My head whips to her, but her eyes are locked dead on Butch. The only thing that stands between the captives and their freedom.
Vessa
The grey wolf droops, desperately begging me to reconsider. Though Dominik can’t speak, it’s written clearly in his expression.Don’t do this.
“Take the girls,” I whisper. “We’ll come back for your sister.”
