Page 4 of Powerless
He pranced around me playfully, eyes bright and alert. The drugs I gave him had worn off and he seemed like a brand-new pup.
"Well, if you're feeling better," I climbed to my feet. "I guess you can come with me on my quest for food.”
He let out an excited yip and immediately went to the door. We left Reaper's suite together, Hades' back nearly brushing my hip as we made our way down the quiet halls.
I was honestly relieved to have him with me. The Steel Demons escaped the outpost guards and rescued me, Reaper, and a badly injured Hades from a ravine just outside the property. Reaper told me it was safe to walk around now, which I took as code to mean they killed everyone in retaliation for their capture.
Everyone except for that guard now being interrogated in their custody, and who knew what his fate would be in the hands of these men?
Despite the threat of danger gone, the eerie quietness of the place set me on high alert. My sandaled feet and Hades' claws were the only sounds echoing off the sandstone tiles and columns. The kitchen was just as quiet as I pushed open the swinging door.
I went immediately to the large refrigerator while Hades sniffed along the supply shelf on the opposite wall.
He's probably starving, too, I realized as I scanned the produce and prepped ingredients in sealed containers. Meat and dairy was scarce, but if I could find some rice or potatoes, he would probably make do with that for a little while.
I pulled open a drawer and almost shouted with excitement. Eggs! A good source of protein and calories for dogs and humans. Running my hands over the various shades of brown shells, I counted more than thirty in the carton. It had to be insanely difficult to get fresh eggs from a farmer this far up in the mountains. The more plausible answer was this place had its own chicken coop.
"Hades!" I whistled as I grabbed two eggs in each hand. "Want a yummy scramble for—“
A threatening growl and a whimper cut me off. I set the eggs down on the counter and darted in the direction of the sound. "Hades, what—“
Tucked back in a corner of the kitchen, a girl sat on the floor with her knees to her chest. Hades' teeth were bared as he snarled inches away from her face.
"Hades, back off!"
He ignored me, naturally, so I pushed him out of the way and kneeled between him and the girl.
"Hey, he won't hurt you. He's just protective. Are you okay?"
She lifted her head just a few inches and nodded, peering at me over her knees. I recognized her as one of the kitchen girls who served us when we first arrived.
"No one's going to hurt you." I placed a hand on her arm in an attempt to soothe her. "My name's Mariposa."
"They killed everyone," she said in a shaky whisper.
"It's...it's not what it seems." I sounded like I was making really lame excuses for the MC's carnage, and maybe I was. "The club was deceived by the owner of this place. They retaliated and won. But you weren't involved. They don't hurt innocents, I promise you."
Her head lifted another few inches. "They won't... take me?"
How was I supposed to answer that? They took me, albeit not in the way she was probably thinking. I was afraid of that too at first, but by the time Reaper slid inside me, I wanted him just as badly as he did me.
While my feelings were a jumbled mess, I knew I could trust the Steel Demons president and his men to not hurt this girl. So I clasped my hand over hers and chose to reassure her.
"They won't touch you. I swear it."
"You better not fucking touch her!"
I turned my head slightly to see a gun barrel hovering in my peripheral vision.
"Step away!" the gun wielder demanded. "Back up slowly."
I did as instructed, finding out the gun's owner was the second kitchen worker as I backed up to the counter.
"Take it easy," I breathed, hands raised and eyes locked on the long, dark barrel pointed at my chest. "No one's hurting anyone."
Hades did not get the memo to calm down. He turned fearlessly to the girl with the gun, teeth bared and a low growl in his chest. It was enough for her eyes to cast a nervous flicker toward him, but she kept her focus on me.
"You're with them," she spat at me. "The road pirates who came here and killed everyone."
