Page 38 of Roman

Charlotte melted into his touch.“I’m fine.I just want to get out here.Somewhere safe,” she told him, guilt washing over her again.She should never have run away.This was all her fault.“Roman, I’m so sorry I stole your car and left.I had to find her.I needed to find Ava.”She had tears pooling in her eyes at the thought of Ava being tortured somewhere.

Roman looked pained, quickly pulling her into the warmth of his giant body, his arms wrapping around her.

“It’s okay, Charlotte.I will get you to safety.I’ll make sure we keep one guard alive.Maybe one of them has heard something about her.”

Charlotte nodded against his chest.

“Roman, what the fuck are you doing?We don’t have time for this!We need your help.”

Charlotte pulled away.A sandy-haired man with bright amber eyes stood behind Roman.Two long scars ran down one side of his face.Charlotte realized it was Phoenix, the man who’d given them a lift home from the club.

He was bare-chested, wearing black army-style cargo pants and the giant black combat boots that seemed to be the norm for these guys.He had guns and knives strapped all over his body, like Roman.“Reinforcements have arrived, at least forty of them.They are organized and led by a demon, but he’s not like the normal ones.I have a feeling we have finally met one of those Archdemons,” he said, wiping blood off his forehead.

Roman raised his eyebrows.“An Archdemon?We must capture him.I want everyone killed except for two guards and that demon.I want the three brought back to the mansion for questioning.Tell the others,” he ordered, and the man turned to leave.“And Phoenix.Don’t let the Archdemon get away.Capture him at all costs.”

Phoenix nodded, disappearing back into the fight.

“You,” Roman said, turning to Declan.“You are to get Charlotte out of here.If she comes to any harm, I will kill you.”

Declan rolled his eyes.“Calm down.As if I’d let anyone hurt her.I’ve just spent the last however many hours trying to keep her safe.”

Roman took a menacing step toward him.“Listen, dog, this is not a game.You will take her from here.”Roman put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a set of keys.“Out the back, beyond the perimeter fence, follow the train track east for a mile, and you will find an abandoned petrol station.We parked the car out back.Just tell the navigator ‘Home’ once you start the car, and it will show you the way.”

“How the hell are we supposed to get out of here?”Declan asked as bullets flew overhead.

Charlotte ducked in fright.Roman looked behind them at the brick wall, then he stepped out from behind the pellets, holding his gun up, shooting, and peering around them.

“Lucian,” he yelled, quickly ducking back to safety with them.“We will blow the wall,” he told them simply.

“What?Like, blow it up?”Charlotte asked, shocked.

Roman nodded as someone backed up, still shooting, jumping behind the pallets with them.His hair was black, and his eyes were the most intense ice blue she had ever seen.He had the same black army-style pants and combat boots as Phoenix but wore a black singlet and a black backpack.He had an assortment of guns and weapons strapped to him, giving him a menacing appearance.

“What do you need, boss?”he asked, giving Charlotte a once over.His gaze then settled on Declan, eyes going wide as he recognized him.“Declan, everyone’s been looking for you.What the fuck, man?”he said, walking over to him.“What the fuck happened?”

“The witch caught me, kept me here, tried the old torture method.They weren’t thrilled when they realized they could get nothing from me,” Declan answered.

“I don’t think that’s quite right, Declan,” Charlotte quietly spoke timidly, interrupting the two males.

All three of them looked at her.

“What do you mean?”Roman frowned.

“When they dragged you out, and you were unconscious, Tora did something to you.”

Declan looked horrified.“What do you mean, did something to me?What the fuck did she do to me?”

Charlotte looked back and forth between them all.

“It’s all right, Charlotte.This is important.What did she do?”Roman asked her gently.

“She placed her fingers to your head, one hand on either side,” Charlotte told them, lifting her hands to her own head, showing them.“Her eyes glowed, and she whispered low.It was like she was looking in your mind.It didn’t last long.She seemed satisfied once she had finished.”

“Shit,” Lucian snapped, looking at Roman.“The Lycan, the entire clan, will be in danger.She will know everything—where the compound is.Hell, Declan just got back from Europe.This is bad, Roman.”

Declan shook his head in horror.“I didn’t know.I didn’t tell her anything, I swear.”

Lucian placed a hand on Declan’s shoulder.“It’s okay, Declan.You did nothing wrong.There was nothing you could have done, even if you’d been awake.”He turned to Charlotte.“Thank God you saw what happened.Now we can warn everyone.”

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