Page 167 of You Only Love Twice
Time to kill somedhampir.
* * *
Workingwith the Nighthawks held an odd sense of familiarity that comforted Byrnes, even as he stared down into the dark waters.
Until the Guild Master paused beside him.
"Just like old times," Garrett said, flashing a grin at Byrnes. "You. Me. Vampire infested tunnels. Possible mayhem."
"Don’t get yourself killed," Byrnes said tightly, as he slipped the breathing apparatus over his head. "My heart’s barely recovered from last month. I amnotgoing to have to tell your wife somedhampirripped your throat out."
"I already promised Perry nothing’s going to happen to me. Apart from punching adhampiror two in the teeth with this." Garrett flexed the steel fingers of his bio-mech arm, and Byrnes couldn’t help looking at it.
A member of the Sons of Gilead had tried to shoot Garrett in the heart during a riot, in the hopes the Nighthawks would clash with the human populace. At the very last second, Ava had saved Garrett’s life by crying a warning, though he’d had lost his arm in the process.
The craving virus could heal almost everything, but as Byrnes paced outside Garrett’s room that day, he’d honestly wondered if Garrett would survive.
It had not been the best moment of his life.
Needless to say, the second Byrnes got a chance to breathe, he was going to go hunting for a certain SOG rifleman. He might even invite Perry. She could always be counted on for a certain spot of murderous revenge.
"Are you ready for this?" he asked Garrett, in a quieter voice.
They’d never exactly seen eye-to-eye, but Garrett was probably one of his first true friends, as much as Byrnes could call anyone a friend. He wasn’t… used to feeling like this for other people. Worrying about them. Nervous for the coming fight. All his emotions had been on edge since he’d been forcibly turned into adhampir, and he didn’t like it one bit.
Garrett squinted at him in the dark. "Well, I’ll be damned. I thought I was talking to Doyle then for a second. He’s the one who hovers over me like a nursemaid, not you. Are you sureyou’reall right? I’m not used to this more emotional Byrnes. Ingrid’s been a good influence on you."
"Sod off."
Garrett grinned at him. "I’m fine. I promise not to die, or get eaten by adhampir. And when this is all done, you’re going to sit down for that arm wrestle you’ve been promising me for the last month. I know I’m going to beat you,dhampiror not." He looked down into the dark waters. "Are you ready?"
Byrnes gave him a thin smile, "Last one in is—"
Garrett shoved him into the water.
* * *
Thedhampirinitiatesspent most of their lives in their personal quarters or the training center, Obsidian had explained. With the sun rising, a good number of them would be heading to bed.
Which meant they'd be handling the most dangerous section of the facility.
Gemma gestured several of the Nighthawks to fall into place behind her as she pressed her spine to the wall and held her pistol cocked.
Across the hallway from her, Obsidian did the same.
He arched a brow at her.Ready?
Gemma nodded.
Holding up three fingers, he slowly counted down. Then they were moving. Rolling into the corridor, she kicked the door of the closest cell open and tossed a smoke bomb inside. A coughing figure emerged, trying to haul his shirt up over his mouth and nose.
Gemma spun and kicked him in the head. As he staggered, she shot him five times. Head and heart. Brutal but efficient. One of the Nighthawks behind her was prepared to cut his heart out as she took point again.
Moving like clockwork, they cleared each cell. Gemma kicked the next door open, coming face to face with a startleddhampirwho had a knife in hand. He blinked in surprise, and she shot him right between the eyes. His body hit the floor, and she stepped forward and drilled two more bullets into his head, and one into his heart, just in case.
"Clear," she said, as she ducked back out into the corridor.
The Nighthawks were working in pairs.
