Page 66 of Claimed By a King

For once, I need to think with my head.

Getting Zoe out of here is top priority.

My men all know what they have to do. Their job is the same as mine. Whoever can get Zoe out, hopefully unnoticed, although I don’t know fucking how, then they do that. Others can try to run interference if needed, but the Kings are here tonight to rescue our princess, and nothing will stop that from happening.

Instinctively I step forward when Rusty’s sister kicks Zoe down, the sinister grin on her face doing nothing to calm my beast.

Brian is still balled up on the ground where the Reapers left him. I’m not sure why he doesn’t stand the fuck up and fight for his daughter, but Zoe declared she didn’t want anything from him, and trying to piece things together from what was said before the fight started, I get the feeling Brian was lured in by the Reapers’ Mama.

Fuck. Poor Zoe. This shit will kill her on the inside. I just know it.

My heart leaps with anticipation as Zoe tosses a handful of dirt in Irina’s face before launching her bony frame from the ground and flailing on her opponent.

“I hate you!” Zoe screams before swinging another couple of punches. “I fucking hate you!”

Rusty’s sister manages to parry most of Zoe’s punches, and as she steps back and Zoe follows, consumed by rage, it looks like the Reapers’ Mama is leading my princess somewhere.

My eyes catch on Slasher’s who’s closer to where Hunt’s sister is, and we use our fucking eyes to communicate, and somehow, it works. Slasher gives the slightest nod and starts to weave through the crowd, to get closer.

Suspecting something is up, I ease back out of the thick of the crowd, and make my way toward the treeline closest to Irina.

It wouldn’t surprise me if they have some Reapers on standby near that treeline to grab Zoe and haul her off.

I can’t fucking let that happen. If they take her away again, I may never get her back.

The crowd cheers as something happens, and just as I reach the treeline which I now see lines a steep embankment, I hear a scream before a body falls over the edge and disappears into the darkness.

I’m already rushing down, hoping no one fucking spotted me, while trying to be as quiet as possible.

Twigs snap and I hear a faint thud, but with the roar of the crowd at the top of the hill, I’m pretty fucking certain they can’t hear what’s going on down here.

My heart thrashes in my chest as I force my eyes to fucking acclimate to the sudden darkness, and I hurry in the direction I heard the thud.

Chants up on the hill float into the night air. Some are chanting “Gunner. Gunner. Gunner.” While others are chanting, “Trick or Treat. Trick or Treat.”

Fuck.

I get the feeling this isn’t over.

Up ahead, my eyes just make out a lumpy form on the ground, and fuck I hope it’s my princess and not a fucking log.

I hurry forward, seeing the silhouette of a figure closing in from the other side.

No.

My knife is in my hand a second later, and as I near the form on the ground, the figure puts his hands up.

“Gray. It’s me.”

Fuck.

I breathe out a fucking sigh of relief at hearing Slasher’s whisper before we both come to stop at the figure sprawled on the ground.

There she is.

My princess.

“Trick or Treat, Sugar! It’s time to fuck!”

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