Page 109 of Raze
I smack his hand away from my face. He scowls, and Vera’s smirk intensifies. “I’d rather die than go back with you. Take this collar off and let me fight you to show you I’m not that scared little girl anymore. If I win, then you let us off the island. If you win, then you’ll take us with you and get Jack to a doctor. He’s worth more to you alive than dead.”
I’m making this up as I go, but all that matters is protecting Jackson. Even if they have him, too, I know he’ll be okay. They won’t be able to hold him for long, and at least he’ll get treated first. My chances against Gordon are pretty slim, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take rather than give in. Kellan’s taught me a lot in the months I’ve been with them, and I’d rather go down fighting.
“You bring her back, andI’llkill her,” Vera snaps to Gordon. “She owes me her life.”
Gordon frowns at her. “Are we going to have a problem?”
The sound of feet pounding on sand draws all of our attention to the opening of the shed. I stand and move in front of Jackson on instinct. Two others I don’t recognize are already standing in front of the shed, blocking me in with Gordon and Vera, but they aren’t the ones coming this way.
“Raegan!”
I startle at the deep voice that I’d recognize anywhere. How did he find me? Kellan, Aiden, Dane, and the teleporting guy—Reid—all stop a few paces back from the shed.
“Vera!” Dane shouts when he sees his sister in the shed.
Aiden looks at me with a pinched brow. I’m probably covered in blood, but none of it is mine. His gaze moves past me to Jackson,and his face tightens further as he realizes the predicament we’re in.
“Holt,” Gordon says in a bored tone. The man in front of the shed steps forward and raises his hand to the sky.
I watch the second they all look up before lightning crashes down on each of them. They fall to the ground when he doesn’t let up, the electricity turning their muscles to jelly and keeping them from moving or fighting against it.
“Stop! You’ll kill them!” I rush at Gordon and grab his arm to turn him to look at me when he ignores me. He’s grinning until he’s forced to look at me, and then it drops to a smirk. “Make him stop.Please.” I know how much he likes begging, and I’ll do anything right now.
Gordon snickers like he’s won something. “Ah, good to see you haven’t forgotten everything. Holt, that’s enough.”
The lightning stops, but all the guys are still twitching and lie immobile on the ground.
Vera’s watching Dane with an unreadable expression, and I wonder if she would have tried to stop it for her brother or if she would have just watched him die without feeling anything.
“Let them go,” I plead, my brain scrambling to figure out what I can even offer him for their freedom.
“And why would I do that?” Gordon asks.
“New deal,” I begin hurriedly, my voice breathless in my rush to keep his attention and somehow turn this in our favor. “We’ll trade. Vera doesn’t want to be around me anyway, so me for her. You let her go home with them, and I’ll come with you.” He doesn’t look convinced so I add, “Willingly. I won’t try to run or escape. I’ll staywith you and do your training or whatever you want, so long as Vera is with them.”
“No!” Kellan shouts from outside. He and the others have crawled back up. Some on their knees with Aiden working to stand. “Fight him, beautiful. Don’t just hand yourself over.”
He doesn’t know that my gift is blocked, but it doesn’t matter. Even with that, I can’t touch Gordon. Not if he doesn’t want me to. I’d never win against him.
I ignore him and lock my gaze with Gordon’s. He likes that I didn’t answer Kell and that I’m keeping my focus on him. Even if he doesn’t like me looking him in the eyes, it’s enough that I see him considering my offer.
No running away. No trying to escape. No trying to kill him to get away.
The perfect pet.
It’s everything he could want. He just has to give up Vera and the guys.
Gordon looks over to Vera, who gapes at him. “Are you serious?”
He gives her a look. “Don’t you want to spend some time with your dear brother again? Without her around?”
Vera shoots a glance my way and then over the other side to Dane. Then back to Gordon. “Yes.”
“Good. I like this deal. It’s a waste to kill gifted folks, and I’ll be leaving with what I came to this awful island for.”
I plaster a fake smile on for his benefit, even though my insides are twisting with panic at what I’ve done. He probably thinks he’ll brainwash me enough to get Vera back in the end, anyway. This dealwill get me, and once he sinks his claws back in, he can do whatever he pleases from there.
He holds out his hand. I don’t hesitate to take it. I have to show him that I’m all in on this deal. Because if anything happens to the guys or Vera leaves them, then the deal is off. I’ll uphold my end of the deal so long as he does his.
