Page 350 of Hunters and Prey

Shit, shit, shit. The stone must be blocking our body heat somehow, but if the sentinels scanned deeper, then we were screwed. The sentinels flashed red, then switched to orange. They rose higher and then fanned out, mimicking the Dragon Bloods searching on foot.

“It was Barret,” Helgi said. “He sold us out.”

She had to be right, but the question remained as to why. We’d ponder it at our leisure once we got our arses out of here.

I yanked Helgi toward the back of the ruined house. “They’re going to find us if we stay. We need to make a run for it.”

We ducked out a yawning gap in the back wall and burst into a sprint. A quarter of a mile in front of us was cover. Trees and bracken and hopefully a few hidey-holes where we could wait the Draco out. They’d assume we’d escaped and leave.

“There! There they are.” Boots thudded behind us.

Shit, double shit.

Helgi let out a cry and dropped like a stone. My legs kept pumping a moment longer, finally skidding to a halt when my brain’s desperate command filtered through. Helgi was down, her body silent and still. A sentinel hovered over her and then zoomed my way. Dark figures ran across the flat ground, aiming for me. They’d seen me. There was no way they were letting me go. I was a witness to whatever they were doing. Only one thing left to do.

Stand and fight.

My ankle burned and then the heat of adrenaline surged through my veins. Jezebel was in my hand in a blink. The sentinel zoomed nearer and my feet left the ground as I launched my body toward it. The air whistled and then Jezebel smashed into metal with a crunch, knocking the sentinel to the ground.

The Dragon Bloods’ perfect faces froze in shock. My grin was wide and crazy. “Yeah. Come and get it, fuckers.”

“What are you waiting for?” their leader shouted. “Take her down, you fools.”

One against eight, nine if you counted the leader. Odds were not in my favor, but if I was going down, I’d be taking as many of them with me as possible. It was time to dance. Jezebel whizzed and cut through the air—a scream here, a bellow there. Two down. Just getting warmed up, people. Something stung the side of my neck, warm and cold at the same time.

What?

What the ...

My grip on Jezebel slackened, my knees gave way, and the ground rose up to meet my face.

The hum of an engine, the chatter of excited voices, an acrid scent, and strange pressure around my throat all accompanied my transition from unconsciousness to waking.

“Anya, thank fuck you’re awake.”

Helgi’s face crowded my vision for a moment and then moved back to reveal an enclosed space lit by artificial light. We were moving. This must be the back of the van.

My attention was immediately drawn to the largest figure in the enclosed space with us. The red-haired guy had his back to the wall, head down and arms braced on his raised knees. His profile was strong, softened only by a tendril of hair that had escaped from his cue and brushed his cheek. My gaze snapped to the two mercs slumped against the opposite wall, their faces like thunder, and my eyes settled on the silver around their necks—collars. My hand went to my throat and made contact with smooth metal. Panic squeezed my lungs for a sharp beat as I fumbled for the clasp only to find none.

“The Dragon Bloods must have put them on us while we were knocked out,” Helgi said.

“Do you know why they grabbed us? What they want?”

Helgi shook her head, her face somber. “I only woke up a few minutes ago.”

I locked gazes with scale face. “Hey, merc, any idea what the fuck is going on?”

He shook his head. “And the name’s Bran. Trust me, we won’t be held hostage for much longer.” His dark eyes flashed wickedly. “I don’t take kindly to being attacked and shackled, and when I get free those Dragon Bloods will be getting intimately acquainted with the edge of my steel.”

“You’d do well to keep your head down,” Big Red said evenly.

“Yeah?” Bran said. “And why the fuck should we?”

Big Red lifted his chin and my breath caught in my throat. I’d seen many faces—strong, handsome, feral, you name it—but there was something hypnotically compelling about this one, as if fire burned in the amber depths of his eyes. Wait, there was no as if. Fire was actually burning in his eyes. But then he blinked and the flames winked out. Had I just imagined that? But Helgi’s fingers digging into my thigh told me I hadn’t.

“That thing about your neck,” Big Red said, tapping his own collar. “It’s not just for decoration.”

Bran’s eye twitched and he swallowed. “So, what is it?”

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