Page 229 of Malice and Surrender
“Go, all of you, go and fight. This is our home, kill all who try to take it in the name of all that is holy,” Father yelled.
As soon as everyone left, Father turned his glare on Dave. “Did you let them follow, you fool?”
He dropped to the floor, and I could just make out the top of his head. “No, Father. I’d never do that. I was careful.”
The screams were getting louder along with the gunfire, and an explosion erupted outside. The entire building shook, toppling over a couple of the candles. The shrieks of women reached a new level as they ran into the room where we were and kept going toward the back of the building. Father looked around and then down at Dave.
“Guard her. I’ll be right back.” Father looked at me, and our eyes locked.
He wasn’t coming back.
He was a weak man who hid behind the men and women he manipulated to get what he wanted—the thrill of the kill. I’d gotten away once and could see the emotion in those dark eyes, he was torn, but his self-preservation won out. He sprinted in the direction the women had run.
Dave went to one of the doors and stood to the side, staring out. He didn’t consider me a threat, but that was his mistake. I tested my shoulders, lifted my arms, and squeezed my hands to make sure everything worked. I wanted to scream as I forced myself into a sitting position while all my muscles slowly came to life and burned worse than the brand on my arm.
I kept an eye on Dave while my fingers fought with the leather buckle attached to the cuff on my ankle. My fingers were moving but didn’t have much strength, and I was sweating by the time I got the first one off. Another explosion shook the building, and a tall candelabra toppled over, hitting the wood paneling along the edge of the room. Within minutes the dry wood caught fire.
My hands shook harder, and I bit my lip to help concentrate on loosening the second cuff. Dave turned and looked over his shoulder in my direction, and there was a brief pause before his brow furrowed.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
A scream rippled up from the depths of my body as I pulled on the strap three times before the buckle gave way. Dave growled as he stomped toward me, and not caring how much pain it caused, I rolled off the other side of the table and landed hard on the floor. I winced with the impact, but something shiny caught my eye. A small table had been set up with various tools for the ceremony, which was really public torture.
Not hesitating, I reached out and gripped the handle of the ceremonial curved knife. The metal felt cool in my palm, and a sense of empowerment washed over me as a hand grabbed my ankle. I screamed and kicked out violently with my heels, catching Dave in the chin with my foot.
“Let go of me!”
My eyes locked on the large hand wrapped around my ankle, the fingers pressing into my skin. Those fingers had gripped me like this once before, but there was no way it would happen again.
11:13AM
Kaivan
The transport truck pulled up to the meet with something loaded on the back. Wilder jumped out of the driver’s seat while Avro got out the passenger side and undid the straps holding the massive canvas covering in place. I stared at the shape.
No…this couldn’t be what I thought it was, could it?
“Did they bring a fucking tank?” Roach asked.
Before I could answer, the last strap was freed, and my eyes bugged out at the sight of the massive tan-colored tank.
“I believe they did,” I said.
“Wow.” I looked at Jace and his surprised expression. “I mean, I knew Avro had family in the army, but I was not expecting this as the favor he asked for,” Jace said.
“You and me both.”
“Do you think they robbed a museum,” Roach asked.
“Anything is fucking possible at this point.”
The long line of motorcycles and men waiting for the gates to be opened all stared on as Wilder climbed inside and Avro dropped the ramps down.
Avro walked over, his knee looked like a football with all the supports he had strapped in place, but he wouldn’t even consider being left behind.
“Well, that should take their gate down,” Avro said as he wiped his hands off.
I didn’t give him time to think about it and grabbed him, pulling him into a hug. He held himself perfectly still but then slowly hugged me back. “Thanks, man. I don’t know what you had to promise to make this happen, but thank you.” Pulling back, I gripped Avro’s shoulders.
