Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Don’t finish that sentence,” I ordered as Lucy’s expression fell. “My brothers will be here in a few hours to fly us home. Just have to sit tight.”
Time passed so fucking slow. I’d been in tight spots plenty of times before—I’d been leading a unit for Vampire Command for nearly a hundred years—but this time was different. I wasn’t surrounded by trained members of my unit or even my brothers. I was holed up with the woman I’d die happily to protect and the man who’d given my brother a reason to live before he’d been killed. The stakes were infinitely higher, and we were fucking blind inside that room.
I paced back and forth, trying not to stare at my watch.
Charlie and Lucy sat on the floor near the bathroom. There were two beds and a nightstand between them and the door, and it still didn’t feel like enough. I closed and locked the door between Charlie’s room and ours as an extra barrier, but it would only take seconds for them to realize where he was if they made entry and didn’t find him inside.
None of us slept.
Lucy used the bathroom three times, mumbling that she was a nervous pee-er. If the situation hadn’t been so stressful, I would’ve laughed. Both she and Charlie had put their shoes back on and held their bags at their sides in case we needed to move quickly.
Charlie had run his hands through his hair so many times that it stood straight up like he’d been electrocuted, but he was fully present. For the time being, he’d checked back in. I knew it was because Lucy was in danger, not because he was worried for himself, but I didn’t care about the reason. It was a lot easier to keep someone safe when they were actively trying to help.
Around five o’clock that morning, something shifted outside.
“Stay low,” I ordered, meeting Lucy’s gaze.
She and Charlie huddled together, their knees pulled to their chests.
The sound of carefully placed footsteps sounded along the sidewalk outside our room. There were four pairs. No voices.
Standing in the center of the room, where I could see both points of entry, I checked the magazine in my Glock one last time and then slowly and quietly pulled back the slide.
Lucy let out a shuddery breath behind me.
“Ulf,” a familiar voice called. “My mate will castrate you if you shoot.”
Relief made my head feel light as I strode toward the exit door.
“It’s all right,” I said, looking over my shoulder at Lucy.
Her eyes were wide and dark with fear, but we didn’t have time for me to reassure her.
I’d barely gotten the door open before the cavalry pushed their way inside.
Chapter 5
Lucy
Charlie stood and tugged me up with him as four Vampires crowded into the room. I recognized three of them, but I knew instantly who the fourth was. Zeke’s family had arrived.
“I thought you said a couple of hours,” Ambrose said as the door closed.
“No fucking airport,” Danny replied, barely glancing at us. “Didn’t feel like putting it down on the highway.”
“Is that where you come in?” Ambrose asked in amusement, looking at the Vampire I hadn’t seen in months.
His curly hair had been pulled back in tight braids, and the casual shorts and T-shirts he’d worn in Europe had been replaced with some kind of tactical vest and boots, but I would’ve known him anywhere.
“Matthias,” Charlie said, his voice barely a whisper.
Matthias’s head snapped to the side. His eyes were sympathetic as he looked my brother over. “Charlie,” he greeted quietly.
“We landed at the property,” Chance informed Ambrose. “Took the helicopter from there. You ready to move?”
“Situation outside?”
“Found five. Assuming they work in twos, there’s someone still out there. Nothing we can’t handle if the need arises.”
“Let’s do it.”
“Josiah is keeping an eye,” Danny said as Ambrose walked my way. “It’s going to be a tight fit.”
“We’ll make it work,” Ambrose said over his shoulder as he reached me. He turned back and cupped my cheek in his hand. “Just do whatever we tell you,” he said softly. “We’ll be out of here soon.”
“Okay.” I swallowed hard. Sneaking around had been scary, but we’d never actually known for sure if someone was searching for us. We’d just followed Zeke’s directions. It was an entirely new experience to know the wolves were at the door. “Give me a gun.”
“You won’t need it,” Ambrose replied.
“You don’t know that.”
“You think any of us would ever let something happen to you?”
I looked around the room. “Evidence says no,” I replied. “But give me one anyway.”
Ambrose stared into my eyes for a long moment, then turned. “Who has a pistol for Lucy?”
Chance scoffed, but the brother I hadn’t met yet walked toward us and pulled a pistol out of a holster on his thigh. It looked like Ambrose’s.