Page 14 of The Haunting
“Stay with the women,” Drake ordered Chance, who glowered.
“You aren’t going out there alone,” Chance retorted.
“No, I’ll go with him,” Lucian said.
“And me,” Vladimir stated. I was close enough to hear him when he leaned forward and whispered in Emmaline’s ear. “Protect them. We can erase their memories if we have to.”
What the hell was he on about? Was Vladimir talking about hypnosis? Emmaline agreed, and Vladimir kissed her gently and picked up a knife.
Drake eyed him.
“Perhaps we should be armed,” Vladimir suggested.
Drake nodded and pulled out a gun from the back of his waist. “Totally agree.”
I couldn’t help myself and released a snort. What was the betting that James, Calamity, Chance, and Inglorious were also armed similarly? I caught Nanci nodding at Inglorious and guessed she had a weapon too.
“Let’s go.” Lucian moved towards the kitchen door, grabbing his own knife.
Once they’d left, Calamity took one side of the door and Chance the other. Daniel watched the barred window carefully as Inglorious prowled, making sure there was no other entrance.
“Will they be okay?” I worried as Calamity glanced at me. He offered a reassuring smile.
“Who’s going to mess with Drake?” he murmured, and I smiled. True.
Drake
My senses were on high alert as we left the kitchen. To my utter surprise, Vladimir sniffed the air and frowned.
“Odd, I smell sulphur,” he muttered, and Lucian stiffened and sent him a wary glance.
“Sulphur?” I asked, and Vladimir jolted. “Is that important?”
“No,” Lucian answered for Vladimir, and I wondered what the hell they knew as they swapped glances.
“I’ll take the lead,” I said, and Vladimir shook his head.
“No offence, my friend, but I’m stronger than you,” Vladimir stated, and my back went up.
“Doubt that,” I retorted, my pride stung.
“Forget the piddling match,” Lucian snapped, and we both swung to him, confused.
“The what?” Vladimir asked.
“Did I say it wrong? The piddling match?”
“Pissing match, Lucian,” I corrected with a chuckle.
Lucian frowned and shrugged. “Modern idiocies,” he complained, making me look at him again.
I shook my head and moved out. Vladimir snorted, but was on my heels.
Together, we walked down the hallway seeking anything out of the ordinary. Once we checked everywhere possible, we ended up back in the vast entrance hall. I eyed the door through which Eden and Jacques had disappeared earlier this afternoon.
“They said it’s dangerous on that side,” Lucian mused as he too considered the door.
“The windows were boarded up,” Vladimir added.
