Page 166 of Unmasked

People scattered as gasps sounded. Vaughn was swinging his weight and arms to each side trying to break Bram and Elec free. Demonic sounds seemed to leave him as his eyes darkened and stayed right on mine. For the first time, I felt myself take a step back. Not in fear but in… uncertainty.

Vaughn made it another step.

And then two more.

Three men could barely stop him.

A static of chattering and music put pressure in my ears. Elec was leaning in, half yelling something at Vaughn. The man went still, slowly cutting his gaze over, nodding. Mr. Prescott was yelling at Bram Whitlock. At more members from the Council as they came closer. Vaughn pinned me with a promise before he spun and raced for the exit with Mr. Prescott in tow.

Vaughn wasn’t going to let this go. If he wasn’t an enemy, he was now. And he’d try to kill me over what I’d done. It was obvious in the look he’d thrown me.

My smile came back.

Let him try.

CHAPTER 55

Vaughn

Thoughts wouldn’t come in more than a jumbled array of curses and cries. Sickness had my stomach in knots. The bile stayed at the back of my throat as I raced through the tunnels, jumping over my dead guards. My pulse was a sledgehammer in my chest. It chipped away what was left of my sanity, leaving an ache and fear so immense within me that I was sure I’d break to pieces because of it.

“Reeve!” My voice carried, echoing in a deep, desperate tone. “Able! Theodore!”

Metal clanked hard against me, and I could feel every step with jolting force. Blood was in random puddles, smeared as guards had tried to pull themselves to safety. God, what had I done by thinking she’d be okay from King Lawrence? How had I not known he’d go this far? Had I truly thought because I had The Council’s backing that we were safe? Had I not learned from my own life? From my murdered parents. Ancestors! The Evans would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, and I’d fallen right into the trap. He hadn’t taken my life physically, but emotionally… he’d torn my heart clean out.

“Reeve!”

Able burst around the corner ahead, and I nearly sobbed as guards crowded in behind him. His uniform was soaked in blood. His arm was in a sling, and my Reeve’s face was ghostly pale as I approached.

“What the hell happened? Where is she?”

I barely heard Mr. Prescott move in behind me. Two bullet holes punctured through Able’s shirt at his shoulder, and he was barely holding on. I didn’t wait for him to start talking. I was already walking to my study.

“Gone, Sire. I’ve pulled up the footage. She knocks out Theodore and leaves with the man she seems to recognize. But she tries to fight him once his guards were taken down by ours. Before she could get the upper hand, they gave her a shot and she went unconscious. He got her out of here quickly after that. I already have men pulling up footage so we can track them down.”

Faster, I walked, zigzagging through. When I surged through my study door, Theodore looked up from my computer. A large knot was at the top of his forehead, and blood was stained down the side of his face. He was clicking buttons, barely looking up at me as he continued.

“It was him. The one who stabbed me. He led the men.”

“Has anyone called Lord Oxley?”

“He’s on his way.” Able’s voice was weak as he leaned against the frame. Video footage projected on the large TV monitor on my wall. Theodore slowed it as he ran into the room, grabbing Penelope around the waist. Guards were falling all around her, and blood was splattered over her face. The sickness built as I watched them begin to run up the stairs, only to turn to head down towards the hall. They didn’t make it but a few steps before men in black moved in, surrounding them.

Theodore turned to the big screen, his hand shooting out as he pointed.

“Him. That’s him.”

My eyes narrowed, and I moved in closer, turning to glance at Able.

“Is that the one who was testing our boundaries. That looks like the same man.”

“It is.”

I cursed. “George. Penelope called him George. She was sure it was King Lawrence’s man. We didn’t know for sure, but I can bet you anything he’s behind this.”

“Possibly, Sire. We checked the guns and uniforms. There’s nothing that leads back to the palace. I was hoping there would be evidence.”

Nothing could make me turn away from the screen as I nodded and stared ahead. I saw Penelope’s fear and pain as she spoke to the man. I watched how she put herself in front of Theodore as he leaned towards the leader. How she tried protecting him as she brought the gun down on his head to knock him out.