Bloody Broken (A Bloody Series Book #2) (11 page)

    “Pauly said Matt likes you.” He said it as a statement but there was a question there too.

    “I’ll admit me and Matt have been casual off and on for awhile. But that’s all it’s ever been. Casual. His fiancé was taken seven years ago. He won’t do serious, even if that’s what I wanted, which it wasn’t.” She watched for a reaction. If he was upset by it, he didn’t show it. Which reminded her about Dominic’s comment from before. “So what about you? Have you been seeing anyone?” She asked as she pulled her t-shirt back on. He turned and grabbed two Glocks and handed them to her before responding.

    “Not seriously,” he said, a little too smoothly.

    “So what Dom said about you sleeping with everything that walks by is true?” She stood in front of him, trying to catch his eye.

    “I’ve been restless lately. That’s the only way I can describe it. Nothing seems to interest me anymore. I must be getting old," he hedged. Admitting to being Broken was out of the question but he could admit to that much.

    “I would have said you started getting old seven hundred years ago,” she teased. He glared at her, but with a hint of a smile at his lips. “So this thing between us? Am I just another way to pass the time?”

    “No. From the second I saw you laughing at the pub, I wanted to know you. It has only grown since we’ve been together. I genuinely like you.” He reached out and tugged on one of her curls.

    “You don’t have to sound so surprised,” she said. When he cupped his hand around her cheek, she snuggled into it.  He bent to kiss her, but before he could Dom called out.

    “Enough of that you two. If you’re ready, let’s get this over with.” It wasn’t until he said it that she realized they had been standing no more than three feet from the others, not in their own little bubble. She smiled in apology. Gloria smiled back at her in that girl way that said, “I get it.”

    “The King says he’s sending everyone. Even Ethan and Alex are coming. He’s trying to get a hold of anybody in Boulder, but he says no one is responding to his calls.” Dom told Adam.

    “Hopefully he hasn’t already had Master Orleans killed. I’m sure that’s not the case. He’d want to do it himself, right?” Adam looked to Vic. She swallowed a lump in her throat.

    “Yes. I’m sure the King will get through to them soon. Alright, let’s go.” She pulled the cell out of her pocket and tried Colin's number again. He finally picked up on the fourth ring.

    “Vic? Where are you?” He asked, impatient.

    “North side, heading to the entrance. You?” She asked.

    “You’ll run right into me. We’re all waiting,” he said.

    “Alright. I’m on my way.” She hung up. “They’re waiting for us. Everybody all set?” She looked back at Chris and the other two. He gave her a thumb up. She always liked Chris, since she had known him as a pup. He was a good kid. As they started walking an idea popped into her head. She turned and jammed her hand into Adams jacket pocket for the keys to the van.

    “What are you doing?” He asked as she started back towards the van.

    “I want to grab something else real quick.” She unlocked the van, and after sifting through some things in the back, she spotted what she was looking for. She grabbed two and put them into the inner pockets of Matt's coat. She closed and locked the doors and ran back to the group.

    “What did you need?” Adam asked her, taking the keys back.

    “Insurance. Now I’m covered.” She smiled at his confusion, opened her jacket and showed him what she had grabbed. He cocked his head in confusion. "Just in case." She turned to Chris. “When was the last time you reported in to the Beta?”

    “This morning. Why?” He answered.

    “Does he know anything? About me or the group?”

    “Just what we got out of Pauly. We told him about Adam going to your place but last I heard he hadn’t found anything, so that’s what I told him.”

    “So, you could walk me inside pretending you had found me at the last minute and he would be none the wiser.” She was brilliant.

    “Yeah, I guess. Yeah," he said, catching on. "Then I could say I patted you down already and we could get close enough to get Cora out and maybe even take out the Beta. You’re brilliant.” He laughed.

    “I know. And I’ll do you one better. Pretend like you shot me with the Sodium Pentathol. That will throw them off for a minute while I’m stumbling and incoherent.” They all looked at her like she was crazy.
Yeah, crazy like a fox. Or wolf.

    “It actually isn’t a bad idea. They’ll be confused. It might buy us some time,” Adam said. She beamed up at him.

    “Is the tranq gun still in my bag Brandon?” Chris asked the other Were.

    “Yeah, right here.” He dug it out of the carrying case he was holding and handed it to Chris.

    “Good. You three escort me in, and the rest of you stay outside in case we need you,” she said as the saddled up to the side of the building. Colin, Devin, Matt, and the rest were waiting, crouched down behind the line of cars along the side of the road. They crossed the street and came along side.

    “Who the hell are all these guys? Chris? What the hell are you doing here?” Devin whispered. Colin was turning an interesting shade of red. It matched his hair. She tried not to laugh.

    “It’s a long story guys. Just trust me; they’re all on our side. I explained everything.”

    “Everything?” Colin asked significantly. She gave him a look and ignored him.

    “Chris and the guys are going to walk me in. We’re pretending that he shot me with the tranq gun but it was filled with the Sodium Pentathol instead of the tranquilizer.” Devin snorted. “That should buy us some time. I want the rest of you to stay out here unless we need you,” she explained.

    “The hell you say. That’s my wife in there,” Colin practically yelled. She slapped her hand over his mouth.

    “Colin, we’ll never get her out if we storm the place. It’s impossible,” she whispered calmly in his face.

     “She’s right. It’s a sound plan. Crazy, but it’s the best shot we have,” Devin said.

    “Thank you.” She told him, and then let go of Colin's face when he looked to be considering what Devin said. He looked across the cars at everyone lined up.

    “Alright, but I want to know what’s going on inside. You still have Matt's phone?” Colin asked.

    “Yeah, right here.” She pulled it out.

    “Hey, can I get that back?” Matt asked, reaching across Colin and Devin for it. Devin snatched his sleeve. “Alright, damn. I want it back after though. My coat too.” He tried looking tough and failed while Devin still had a hold of his arm.

    “Call my phone.” Colin told her. She redialed it and when he picked up she slid the phone still open back into the jacket pocket. “Okay, now as your walking into the building, try to give us directions to where they’re taking you. That way if you need us, we can get to you fast.” He instructed. She nodded along.

    "Don't forget to mute on your end," she told him. "Another thing, I don't want anyone shifting in there. The less people shifted the easier it will be to tell good guy from bad if the shit hits the fan. I also don't want anyone caught if humans should get involved. Sound good?"

    "Agreed." Devin answered, looking to everyone. They all nodded. She glanced up to meet Adams eyes, and smiled. He didn’t smile back. He hated that she was doing this without him, she could tell, but he didn’t say anything. That alone was worth trying to see where things went with him. He was a rare breed of man, and his Breed had nothing to do with it. She stood and the guys stood with her. Chris nodded for her to go ahead. She turned to go but before she could even take a step Adam reached out and grabbed her hand. He had her pulled up into the hottest, most desperate kisses she had ever had before she could make a peep. Not that she peeped. He forced every bit of his reluctance to let her go into the kiss. She quite forgot that there were other people standing there again until she heard Colin growl. Adam pulled back from the kiss, but only so he could turn his head and snarl at Colin. He didn’t put her down yet. When he turned back she smiled at him. His fangs were down and he looked like he was going to be ill.

    “I’ll be fine,” she whispered.

    “But what if you’re not?” He whispered back. He let her slid down his body back to the ground.

    “Then come save me.” She gave him her goofiest smile, she was sure. “Hey, look at it this way, the Beta is probably going to torture me before he kills me, since I’ve been such a pain in the ass. That should buy me some time.” She slapped him lightly in the face and then turned and walked away. He didn’t say anything as they turned the corner.

Chapter Nine

    “Give me your guns.” Chris held his hands out.

    “No way!”

    “Yes, way. They might see them when we’re walking in.” She huffed but drew them out of her waist band and handed them over. Once he handed them to Brandon to put in his bag, he grabbing her under her legs and lifted her up.

    “Is this necessary?” She asked, somewhat embarrassed.

    “Well, you wouldn’t be able to walk in of your own violation if I had really shot you, so yeah. Now, I hope you can still act your ass off,” he said as they walked up the steps to the Consulate building.

    “What do you think I’ve been doing for the last fifty years?” She whispered. He looked down at her sadly.

    “If I could have helped Miss Lizzy…” He started to say, but she cut him off before he could say anything damaging.

    “You were a pup then Chris. There was nothing you could have done. You’re helping me now, more than I’ll ever be able to repay you for,” she said.

    “You could finish teaching me how to Lindy Hop,” he said with a cheeky smile. She laughed out loud, having forgotten teaching little Chris how to swing dance.

    “How long do you think it would take them to decide to shoot us if we broke out doing the Charleston?” She asked. He laughed with her.

    “You two are both nuts,” Derick said. It was the first time she had heard him say anything. He was a smart guy apparently. They got quiet as they entered the Lobby. It was empty except for the Were at the front desk. She knew he was a Were only because he didn’t look surprised to see Chris carrying her inside. Which meant he had been warned she was coming.

    “One prisoner for Beta Orleans,” Chris announced congenially. The Were picked up the phone to call up.

    “You tell him I don’t want to speak to him.” She practically yelled at the guy. Acting drugged was going to be fun. He paused only for a second before ringing upstairs. He explained their arrival, and she could faintly hear the Beta's surprised answer. Apparently he was expecting her to arrive with Colin. He ordered the guard to send out a patrol to search the area.

    "No need," Chris interrupted, "I have men circling as we speak." She hoped everybody outside got the hint and backed up a few blocks. Just in case. The guard repeated Chris's statement back to the Beta and it seemed to work. He looked back to them and hung up.

    “I’m to escort you up. Come this way.” He didn’t so much as blink at her. They must pay him a fortune. Chris carried her to the elevators following the brute, Derick and Brandon trailing behind.

    “It’s good to see you alive, Miss. Too bad the Beta is going to kill you when he gets his hands on you.” The brute said when the doors closed behind them. She didn’t know this Were, but he knew who she was. Of course he did.

    “I sure hope not,” she said in her tiniest voice, eyes wide.
He’ll suck a fat dick before I let that happen.

   
“What exactly is this woman’s crime, if I might ask?” Chris asked him. She hoped nobody would remember Chris was her maid’s son. If they realized he knew her, it was over.

    “You may not ask,” the jerk replied. The elevator doors opened and they piled out.

    “Ding! Fourth floor: menswear, sporting goods and steroid induced assholes.” She remembered to let the guys know where she was. Might as well have some fun while she was at it. As they passed by a bank of windows she looked out.

    “We’re so high up! I think I can see my house from here.” She flailed around in Chris’s grasp, looking like she was still trying to see out. Chris gave her a look, but she had succeeded in letting Colin know they were facing south now, towards her apartment.  They walked further down the hallway and stopped in front of a doorway, the brute waved them inside.

    “Thanks Douche Bag.” She turned in Chris’s grasp to wave at him as they walked in. “Honey, I’m home!” She yelled as she turned back. But when she turned the sight greeting her was worse than any she had ever seen. They were in a large room; she likened it to a medium sized ballroom, which had mirrors along the walls. There were three chandeliers lighting the room. There were only three Weres present. Dante, the Beta, who stood at the far wall, hands held in front of him. He hadn't changed in the fifty years she's last seen him. Still as oily as a snake. Cora stood to the far left of him, hands tied in front of her and her mouth gagged. And a Priest stood in the middle. She tried not to recognize the scene for what it was, but failed.