Page 21 of Lady of Darkness

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“So… are you going to cooperate, or not?”

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Once the Lords are here, they will burn this entire building to the ground. For now, I need to pretend–again.I need to figure out a way out of this.

I need to make it believable.

Again.

Pretend, pretend, pretend.

Isn’t that what this job is all about?

I just need to buy myself more time.

“Why would I do that?”

Luka grins. “You have to choose. Save Gemma or save the Lords.”

“That’s an easy answer. I will always choose Gemma,” I tell him. It’s not a lie, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. Hopefully, I won’t need to choose.

“Then you will do as I say. Otherwise, Gemma will be killed.”

“And if I cooperate? You’ll leave Gemma alone?”

He smiles, brushing a finger along his lips and leering down at me. “Yes. I will leave her alone for good. But you…” he purrs, his eyes skirting down my body. “You will be mine.”

Please, God, let the Lords take this vile man down.

My lip wobbles as I nod.I can lie. I can do this. I can buy myself–and the Lords–time.

He’s lying, but they’re on their way here.

I can lie, too.

“Okay. I’m in.”

CHAPTEREIGHT

Gideon

Sometimes,I really fucking love my job. Today is one of those days, despite our circumstances. The guards of the Acadian compound nearly shit their pants when they see the four of us stalk up with no warning. We have a… reputation. And they are more than willing to sell us information to save their lives.

I kill them anyway for being a part of this whole fucked up plan.

For helping totakewhat was ours.

No one here deserves our mercy.

We have an entire van of ammo–and weapons only certain militaries have access to.

And I am ready to burn the entire place down.

Raze it to the fucking ground.

But she isn’t here. We’d killed at least fifty guards for nothing, and our little monster isn’t even here.

No one knows anything about her or her whereabouts.

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