Page 96 of Owned By Shadows

ROWAN

Bubby’s communication comes through and has us quickening our pace towards Sergi’s office and his safe room.

Safe room. What a fucking pathetic, spineless weasel. Who has a safe room, hiding behind doors rather than facing things like a man?

Then again, he’s not a man, but a monster of the worst kind.

My beast howls inside me at the thought of taking the lives of our enemies. I’ve let him take over, the blood we’ve already spilled fueling the bloodlust that sings through my veins in a captivating song, old as time.

I live for feeling the warmth on my hands, the lifeblood that flows through us so easily spilling under my blades. The grenades were fun too.

We encounter some of the military guards that Sergi has clearly employed, along with his Russian soldiers, but betweenNik, Dima, and myself, we dispatch them quickly. It’s a shame, because I like to play with my food, but the main objective is getting to Sergi, so we can’t waste time. Especially as my Lamb is expecting our son at any moment. Naughty Lamb, keeping that from us. I’ll have to punish her for it after this is done.

“We think Sergi knows about our movements.” Bubby’s voice comes over the comms, but more worryingly than his intel is the sound of a fight in the background.

“What’s happening, Bubs?” I demand as we enter the corridor that leads to Sergi’s office.

“There are guards. We’re trapped in the security room, but Hunt and Roman have it covered,” the teen states casually, like the love of my life is not in fucking danger and on the brink of giving birth.

“Moye Solntse?” Nik whispers as we move towards the office door.

“I’m here,” she pants, cursing. “Fuck, that one was strong.”

“Update on Iris, Andrei?” Nik somehow gets out the words while I’m about ready to turn around and storm through this fucking place to find my girl. She needs me.

“Labour has started, contractions are regular and gaining strength, but she’s still in the first stage, though I can’t check how dilated she is right now.” Andrei’s voice is calm, like it usually is, even despite the sounds of fighting still in the background.

“Nik, please deal with Sergi. I’ll be fine. Focus on that, then you can come and find me,” Iris pleads, her voice breathless and strained. “Roo?”

“Yes, Lamb?”

“Make sure he dies painfully,” she orders in a vicious hiss, and I grin even as a part of me is still desperate to abandon the mission and go and find her. But she needs me to do this for her,to make Nik stick to the plan. This is how we keep her and our son safe.

“Yes, Lamb.” I can do nothing but agree and trust that she’s got this covered. I can always bring her a present, a trophy from the kill. My lips split into a grin as the perfect idea springs to mind. “You heard our woman.”

Nik huffs a breath, then shakes himself. “Bubby, how many are behind the office door?”

“Six,” comes the teen’s reply. “Another nine in the safe room with Sergi.”

“Okay, boys. That’s two each to start, no cheating,” I tell them, taking out my second favourite knife, a bayonet that’s military issue, my first already in my hand. My short sword is on my back, for use later if I need it. “JUMANJI!”

I use my boot to kick the door in, Nik’s bark of laughter following me as I rush into the room, my cackle filling the space as I launch myself on my first target. He doesn’t even have time to raise his gun before my blade sinks into his right eye socket. His body goes limp, and I pout, even as the thrill of his death lights up my insides.

“I win!” I yell, sensing movement behind me, and twisting, I pull my knife out as I go.

The man standing in front of me is dressed head to toe in black tactical gear. Even his face is covered. He’s about my height, but maybe has a bit more muscle on him, more like Hunt’s size. Ah, well, what I lack in brawn, I make up for in crazy.

“You know, the average human body contains about two hundred and six bones,” I tell him conversationally, and the gun he has pointed at me wavers slightly when I flick the eye goop off my knife. “But I’ve always had a special fondness for the hyoid bone in the throat. It’s the only bone in the human bodythat doesn’t connect to any other bone...makes such a distinctive sound when it breaks. Would you like me to show you?”

I don’t give him time to answer, just leap at him. The gun goes off, but misses because the man clearly is a shit shot. Landing on top of him, I take him down with the force of my body, wrapping my hands around his throat, just above his Adam’s apple. Applying just the right pressure, I squeeze, and three…two…one…

Crack!

He makes a garbled sound as I break his hyoid bone.

“See? Such a unique sound, don’t you think?” I ask as he gasps for breath, his hands replacing mine as he claws at his throat. “Shame you won’t be able to appreciate it.” I open his tactical vest, then stare into his eyes as I bring up my bayonet knife, pressing it in just the right place on his chest. “The good thing about bayonets is they’re curved in order to push the ribs apart so you can stab directly into the heart. Plus, the grooves are blood channels that stop it from sticking. Though I guess with your background, you know that.” I give him a wink. “See you in hell.”

Pushing down, the blade slides between his ribs and straight into his heart. His eyes flare, then I watch as the light dims from them, the warmth of his blood pooling around the wound and coating my already crimson-soaked hands.

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