Page 68 of Ashes of Honor

For a second, I thought she’d done it.

The caravan slowed, the others hesitating. Then, the bastard stopped coughing. He peered up with a grin stretching across his face as he straightened. The others caught on quickly, falling into hysterics as the girl froze, horror etched into her face.

“I keep telling you,” one of the soldiers said. “Your magic doesn’t work with the suppressant.”

The girl cowered slightly then straightened, her lips pressing into a tight line as the soldiers kept laughing.

“Looked like it worked just all right for a few seconds,” a smaller brunette said. Still tucked behind the oldest but her words were steady and bold. “Are you blind?”

The soldiers hesitated for a moment before one of them moved—a hulking brute with a sneer deep enough it could have been carved into his face. He didn’t bother with words, shoving his arm through the bars as if he had every right to without remorse. The girls screamed, scrambling back in a desperate tangle, but the brunette wasn’t fast enough. His hand closed around her arm, yanking her forward until she hit the cage with a sharp clang.

“Defiant one, aren’t you, sweetheart?” he sneered, his lips curling into something ugly. “Don’t worry, they’ll fuck that right out of you.”

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t cry. She didn’t beg. No. Instead, she held her head up high—it pissed him off.

Some of the soldiers shifted uncomfortably, glancing at each other with darting eyes, as though they weren’t sure if they should step away or laugh along. Others turned their backs, muttering under their breath. But most of them stayed planted right where they were, letting out low, guttural laughs.

The soldier who’d mentioned the suppressant earlier stepped forward. His tone remained flat, tinged with apathy, as though he couldn’t be bothered to give a damn. “Give them another dose and call it a day. We’re almost back. You won’t have to see her again, so stop wasting our time. Some of us have families to get back to.”

The cage rattled softly as the brunette stumbled back, her chest rising and falling unevenly.

“Nah,” the brute said, his grip tightening as he leaned closer to the cage. “I’ll see her tonight. After she gets cleaned up.”

I thought my jaw might crack from how hard I clenched it, but I stayed hidden. Timing was everything.

The other soldier stepped closer, placing a hand on the brute’s shoulder, his grip firm. “Victor,” he snarled through his teeth, “would never waste her perfect genetics on a brute like you.”

The brute froze. They remained locked in a standoff as a flock of crows flew overhead. He let go of the girl. She stumbled back, her arm cradled to her chest, and the soldiers fell into silence. I took a moment to study them all. Memorize every face, every name I could catch, and every word they said.

Their time would come.

Upon closer inspection, a small detail on the uniform of the one who’d spoken up became apparent. Instead of the pouncing lion of Covert, a raven black as night sat on his lapel. Salem. Though his uniform was the same green and tan as Covert’s, the divide between allies was clear enough that they made sure to distinguish who was who.

The patch next to the raven was the same as Reina’s. A DNA helix. Scientist. It didn’t match the rest of the group—most wore the classic shield, their gear dirtied by time in the field. Two others, like him, didn’t fit. They were the same ones who were visibly uncomfortable earlier, their unease written across their faces.

The brute sniffed out a laugh, sharp and mocking, slicing through the heavy silence. Like trained dogs, the others followed suit. He held up his hands and backed off with exaggerated ease. “Ahh, I’m just inspiring a little fear. Take it easy,” he said, his grin stretching wide, the same sick satisfaction crawling across his face. He turned to the group, voice shifting to something almost friendly. “I could use a warm meal right about now. How ‘bout you, brothers?”

A few murmurs of agreement followed. The caravan groaned as it trudged down the dirt road. I kept my distance, the nausea twisting deeper inside me. Every laugh, every careless comment, every smirk—they all lingered, the scent of decay sticking to me, sinking under my skin.

It was too easy to off the idiot in the ‘watchtower.’ If this was what I was up against, tonight would be a walk on the beach. Or whatever the hell Reina always said. I pulled on his uniform and caught back up on the tail of the others. A reasonable, fair guess? I had maybe fifteen minutes before someone realized he wasn’t where he was supposed to be.

The gate, a solid slab of concrete reminiscent of Monterey’s defenses, greeted me as I stepped into San Jose. The flow ofsoldiers and the caravan moved with such precise rhythm, such practiced ease, no one gave me a second glance. I kept my pace steady, moving with the rhythm of their steps, blending in as a shadow among them.

I followed. Watched. Took mental notes on where the caravan ended up. And made a promise to myself—I’d be back for those girls before anyone ever touched them.

Monsters lurk in the dark.Everyone knew that. It’s why fear trickles up your spine when there’s a spot that’s a bittoodark in your room or at the entrance to an alley. Demons exist and so do their hounds.

I leaned against the harsh stucco of a house as I lay in wait. The small path between houses was pitch black, making it a nice little opportunity to keep cover after the debacle I’d caused. No one had come to get him yet to my dismay. To warn him that the girls were loose. They were timid at first, not wanting to trust someone they deemed another man in a world full of cruelty. But at the opportunity of freedom the brunette and the oldest took the others and ran. I’d given them the option to wait for a few miles outside the gate. From there, I’d escort them a town over before they’d be left on their own. If I had to guess, the ones that successfully made it out, would not be there. I wouldn’t if I were them.

Finally, the patchy green door of the house across the street opened, and he walked out. He’d glanced around a few times then turned to lock his door. With a sickening little grin, he swept a hand through his peppered hair and smoothed down hisclothes. The little pep in his step as he jogged down the steps made my skin fucking crawl.

I stepped out the alley way, Suckerpunch tucked low at my side. The movement put him on alert and his head went on a swivel. Our eyes met and recognition set in. Terror crept into his gray eyes as I closed the distance between us, the grin falling right off his face.

And as I suspected, Victor ran.

Of course he had. They always fucking did. I followed at a leisurely pace. The frantic shuffle of his boots and the slam of the door sliced through the calm San Jose night as he disappeared into his house.

“Knock, knock.” My boot connected with the door, sending it crashing open with enough force to make my entrance memorable. One step in, then another, slow and deliberate. The knife in my hand caught a sliver of moonlight through the window, its edge gleaming. I gave it a little twist, letting the light dance along the blade before pointing it at him. “Victor, right?”

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