Page 80 of Dark Rebel's Mystery

"We know," Anton said in heavily accented English.

Dima nodded, lips curled back to expose his elongated canines. "They smell different."

That was good to know. Max wasn't aware that Doomers smelled differently than other immortals, but now was not the time to inquire in what way. If he had to guess, though, it would be that they reeked because they didn't shower as often as they should.

On the next landing, a battered metal sign readThird Floor.

Max felt a thread of ice trickle through his veins. He recalled the soldier's memory of the broad corridor and the rows of locked cells.

This was where they were keeping Kyra.

52

MAX

The third floor was untouched, except for old bullet holes in the walls that had been covered with the same ugly greenish-yellowish oil-based paint that covered the walls of the other floors. And standing in the corridor, framed by the harsh overhead fluorescent light, was the man from the memory Max had picked from the soldier's mind, but he wasn't a man. The so-called doctor was an immortal, and given the fancy uniform and the two bodyguards flanking him, he was a high-ranking Doomer.

Kian would love to get his hands on this one.

Tall, impeccably dressed in a dark uniform that looked like it had been custom-tailored for him, he wore a haughty expression with a slight sneer twisting his mouth. While his bodyguards' eyes were blazing and their fangs were in full view, all the doctor projected was bored arrogance.

Why was he so cocky?

Multiple footsteps from the two flanking corridors provided the answer.

Two groups of four Doomers, each with soldiers behind them, were advancing to join the doctor and his bodyguards.

The doctor thought that he had them outnumbered, which was why he seemed so relaxed and assured. That, or he was a sociopath who felt nothing at all.

Yamanu's team split into two groups, each facing a corridor, which left the doctor and his goons for Max, Anton and Dima.

"Ell-rom," Max said calmly without taking his eyes off the doctor, "leave this one untouched. He's mine."

To Ell-rom's credit, he played along. "As you wish, Max."

"So," the doctor said, voice contemptuous, full of bravado Max suspected was not all really there. "The betrayer's whelps have come to play." His accent was thick, but his words were clear enough. His gaze flicked to the hybrids and then to the purebloods, lingering on their fangs. A glimmer of fascination mixed with further worry crossed his features. "And who are these? Have the betrayer's daughters stooped to breeding with monkeys?"

It had been meant as a provocation, but Max didn't know to what end, so he lifted his hand, stopping the hybrids from pouncing. Perhaps the doctor was counting on the enraged hybrids to lose control and do something stupid, like pounce on the immortals with their fangs bared.

Right now, it was a standoff, all weapons raised.

The Doomers and humans flanking them couldn't fire because they were as likely to hit each other as they were to hit Yamanu and his team, and they were clearly waiting for a signal from the doctor.

"I'm not about to engage in a game of insults with you," Max said.

The doctor's smirk widened, revealing elongated canines. "Annani's spawn are as pathetic as the humans they coddle. I'll enjoy dissecting your friends' corpses for whatever secrets they hide."

Max recognized the moment the two Doomers flanking the doctor tensed, probably responding to some secret signal he'd given.

"Tell your dogs to stand down." Max fixed his gaze on the doctor. "Let's do this the old-fashioned way," he said, forcing the words out in the Doomers' language. "One on one. Fangs and claws."

A heartbeat passed, the doctor's eyes narrowing in amusement. "You want to fight me?" he translated with mild surprise. Then he let out a mocking laugh. "It would be so much more pleasurable to rip out your throat with my fangs." He turned to his bodyguards, issuing a curt command. "Kill the monkeys."

He and Max locked eyes. For a moment, they both seemed to exhale. Then, as if on cue, they charged at each other, their weapons flung aside mid-step, clattering on the floor.

Max was dimly aware that everyone engaged in hand-to-hand combat at the same time. He had a split second to mentally smile at the surprise waiting for the Doomers.

Max collided with the doctor, grappling in a flurry of fists and elbows. The doctor's strength was staggering, even for an immortal, and it occurred to Max that he might be on drugs.

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