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)
“Something went wrong,” Alice replied grimly.
“Ambrose?” I asked, searching her face. “Charlie?”
“Everyone is fine,” she replied as she started to move. “They’re on their way back.”
“Then what do you mean, something went wrong?” I followed along behind her.
“We’re the target,” Alice spat as we hurried toward the stairs. “Finau was bullshit. It was all bullshit.”
Distant gunshots sounded outside, and I flinched.
“Al,” Sven called as he hurried toward us, his hands full.
“How many?” she asked as she paused to let him catch up. I wasn’t paying attention and almost ran right into her.
“Not sure,” he replied. “Matthias and Josiah are outside with the others, but neither of them is answering their comms.”
“How much time do we have?”
He paused for a moment, tilting his head a little. Then he spoke, and not to us. “She’s here, and I’m looking at her.”
He focused on us again. “An hour until help arrives. How long until Erik is up?”
“Longer than that,” she said with a sigh. She tipped her head back, and he leaned down to kiss her.
I looked over the weaponry in his hands. “May I?” I asked.
He nodded, his eyebrows raised.
Slinging the quilt over my shoulders like a scarf, I looked over the weapons. I pulled a pistol and a box of ammunition from the box he carried, then what looked like some kind of club. I tested the weight of it and put it back.
“Take your time,” Alice sniped sarcastically.
Sven huffed in amusement.
I lifted another, but it wasn’t right either, and I put it back. I looked up at Sven.
“You don’t have brass knuckles, by any chance?”
“Doubt they’d fit you if I did.”
“Who the hell do you think you’d be using brass knuckles on?” Alice asked.
“Whoever I needed to.” I looked up at Sven and lifted the ammunition, shaking the small box. “Thanks.”
He nodded, and I turned back toward Alice.
“I’ll see you soon, love,” she called to Sven as she strode toward the stairs that led to Ambrose’s room.
He replied in a language I didn’t understand.
“I really wish you’d tell me what’s happening,” I said nervously as I followed her up, and a fresh burst of gunfire went off outside.
“Can’t you hear it?” she asked dryly. “Finau lied. I don’t know if he was working with the humans by choice or by chance, but I suppose it doesn’t matter now.”
“Where are we going?” I asked as she turned in the wrong direction.
“Beau’s rooms.”
“Why Beau’s?”
She threw open the door. “It’s me.”
“You didn’t, by chance, bring more ammunition for this rifle, did you?” Reese asked as she did something with the long gun on the kitchen table.
“Didn’t know you needed it,” Alice replied.
“I guess this will have to do.”
“Why are we in here?” I asked as Matilda moved away from the window.
“Our window faces the front of the house,” Reese replied, barely glancing at me. “I can watch the front door.”
“I’m headed back downstairs,” Matilda announced.
“We’ll be fine up here.”
“Wait.” I glanced around, still trying to get my bearings. I was holding an unfamiliar pistol, Finau had lied, Ambrose and Charlie were okay, there were people shooting outside—I felt like my head was going to explode.
“They lured the boys out of the house,” Reese told me as Alice went to the left side of the window and peered out. “So they could come here, I guess.”
“How do you know?”
Reese smirked as distant gunfire answered for her. She shook her head. “They figured it out when Finau’s earpiece went offline and the men on the perimeter called in at almost the same time. I’m not sure how many there are, but we have to keep them out of the house until the boys get back.”
“We’ve got an hour,” Alice said flatly. “At least.”
“An hour’s not so long,” Reese whispered to herself. Her hands were shaking.
I looked at the window. “But who’s watching the back door?”
“Sven,” Alice replied.
“Okay, but what about the garage?”
“I can see that from here,” Reese said.
Information raced through my mind. “Where’s Erik?”
“Downstairs in the guest bedroom. Mattie’s with him.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s fine,” Alice barked impatiently. She inhaled slowly through her nose and out through her mouth. When she spoke again, her voice was calm. “He’s unconscious.”
“Couldn’t you give him whatever you gave me?” I asked hesitantly. “You know, whatever woke me up.”
“No,” she said, her eyes on the window. “You were asleep to keep the heat bearable. There wasn’t anything physically wrong with you. Erik’s asleep while he heals.”
“What happened to him?”
“He was shot,” Reese answered for Alice. “But he’s going to be fine.”
“How do you know so much?” I asked Reese.
“I’m guessing Mattie was more forthcoming when I woke up,” Reese said, rolling her eyes and shooting a look at Alice.
“Reese,” Alice called, her voice low.
My heart pounded as Reese lifted the rifle and moved to the window.
“See him?” Alice asked. “At the tree line.”