Page 73 of The Hunted

Ace. I turn my head into his chest and squeeze my eyes tight.

“My God. You all have been through hell. I have to find Knox. Something’s wrong. I…I feel it. I know it.”

“Let’s go over to the side, this way.” Ace ushers me along, my head still tucked into his bloodied shirt. “We’ll walk around, head toward the manor.”

It seems to take ages before he finally releases me, and I run again. Ace and Lazz keep pace. I almost feel bad that they’re following me. I know they must be exhausted.

“My sister?” My panicked voice carries on the breeze.

“Lucian, my brother, is watching after her. She’s fine. He’ll keep her safe.”

I have to trust his word. I have to find Knox.

We race across the grass. The manor looms in the distance. We make it to the doors, and luckily, Ace has access.

He touches the lock and pulls the door open. Lazz draws his gun.

“Stay here a minute. Let me check it out. I’ll be right back,” Lazz says as his hand rests on the door.

“I’m not waiting.”

“Raven, we can’t walk in blind. This place is too large. They could be anywhere.”

“Lazz, I will go through you if I have to. I’m going in.”

“Jesus, woman.” He huffs out a frustrated breath, hanging his head down and shaking it softly.

“Remember what I showed you about using a gun?”

“Yes.”

“Here.” He takes his gun and hands it to me. I look at it. I copy what Lazz taught me earlier and slide the safety off. I smile as I walk around him into the manor.

“Fuck. I may love you.”

His light laughter follows me through the door.

“Let Knox hear you say that shit. I’m pretty sure you’ll have a bullet in your brain, Lazz.”

“Boys, let’s go.”

“Let’s head toward his dad’s old office. He used to spend all his time in there when he was around,” Ace whispers as he takes the lead.

Lazz trails behind me as we make our way through the corridor. It’s eerily silent. Our soft footfalls seem to echo through the quiet of the night, as moonlight spills through the windows, casting a glow across the marble floors. Ace stops and turns to Lazz when we reach the end of the hall. There’s a turn to the right. Ace and Lazz throw some hand signals around. I’m not sure what they are quietly communicating but they obviously get it as Ace draws out a knife from the sheath at his waist before tucking his gun into his holster. He disappears quietly around the corner. Lazz bands his arm around my waist, drawing me back from peering around it. I hear a slight scuffle, and a few seconds later Ace returns with blood splattered across his face, fresh blood. He wipes the blood from his knife on his pant leg before securing it back in its sheath.

“Good to go. Clear line to Vaughn’s office.” He turns, and we follow.

The sound of a gunshot sends me reeling.

No! Knox!

I fly around Ace with Lazz hot on my heels. The door I assume is Vaughn’s office is slightly ajar. I push it open to see an Albatross soldier dressed fully in black pointing the barrel of his gun at a lifeless body lying on the floor. Only a fire in the fireplace illuminates the space. I don’t even think, I just react. I lift the gun. Its weight is steady in my hands as I fire off shot after shot until there’s no more bullets and the soldier falls to the floor, dead.

Light blinds me from overhead. My eyes struggle to adjust.

“Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Ace moves around me. I’m still frozen in position, the gun gripped tightly in my hands, still pointing ahead. Everything blends into a fuzzy haze when I see what Ace is staring at.

Knox.My Knox on the floor. Lying nearby, a dead Vaughn Bane. The gun begins to tremble in my grip as the weight of what is before me crushes my soul

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