“Understood, and you have nothing to fear from me.”
“Okay.” She didn’t see what other choice she had. After what she witnessed here, she’d require his help to get Aida back, and he hadn’t done wrong by her yet. Lowering the rifle, she slid it over her shoulder and secured it against her back with the strap connected to it. “Don’t make me regret trusting you.”
“I won’t.”
Mike didn’t tell her he’d easily be able to take the weapon from her now that it wasn’t aimed at him. He had no intention of taking it from her. Allowing her to keep it would help build her trust in him, and the rifle could kill any enemy who came after them.
“Please let us out of here,” a woman pleaded from the shadows.
Mollie gulped as she examined the numerous cages. There were so many of them, but which ones contained humans, and which ones were vampires? She’d prefer not to have more of the bloodsuckers crawling around this place. Mike had agreed to help her, but that didn’t mean the others wouldn’t eat her the first chance they got.
She shuddered as Mike knelt next to the body of the bastard she’d taken the gun from. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Looking for keys.”
He would not leave here without Jack and Doug, and he’d like to get as many of the others free as possible. Some of the vampires had been here too long. They would have to remain caged as he couldn’t trust them around Mollie and the other humans he intended to free, but the other vamps would provide an excellent distraction to the Savages who would pursue them. Some of the vamps would flee, but others would seek revenge.
The enemy of my enemy and all that.
Something jingled behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to discover Mollie dangling a set of keys from her hooked index finger. “I already took them from the guy.”
Rising, Mike walked over and held his hand out to her.
“Are they going to eat me if you let them out?” she demanded.
“I’ll never let them touch you, and I’ll kill anyone who tries it.”
The fevered tone of his words eased some of her wariness, but she hesitated before handing the keys over to him.
“Thank you,” Mike said. Clasping her elbow, he hurried her through the cages until they stood outside Jack’s.
Jack’s eyes burned with rage when he crawled toward the door of his cage. “You took your sweet-ass time killing them,” he muttered.
“Glad you’re alive too,” Mike replied and slid the only silver key on the ring into the lock. He’d try the other keys if it didn’t work, but he was hoping the silver key went with the silver cages.
“More of those fuckers are going to be coming for us.”
“I know.” Mike turned the key, the lock clicked, and the door swung open.
Jack crawled out and rose with a groan. His hand went to his back as he remained stooped over like an old man. Rising, Jack groaned again and cracked his back. “You okay?” he asked Mike when his eyes focused on the bullet hole in his shoulder.
“Fine.”
“I thought she was going to shoot you.” Jack gave Mollie an irritated look; she scowled back at him and gripped the strap of her rifle.
“Me too,” Mike admitted. “Jack, this is Mollie; Mollie, this is one of my best friends, Jack.”
“So, he’s a vampire too?” she asked, eyeing Jack like he were about to eat her.
“Yes, but you’re safe with him,” Mike promised before focusing on Jack. “Check the other dead security guards for keys, and if you find a set, start turning vamps and humans loose.”
“You can’t let more vampires loose!” Mollie protested.
“We have to,” Mike replied. “They’re as innocent as you or me in all this. Plus, some of them could be helpful against the bastards trying to hold us here.”
Mollie opened her mouth to argue further, but the words died in her throat. If these vamps were also innocent in this, she couldn’t leave them here, even if they survived on blood. She ate things others thought were disgusting too.
Yeah, your obsession with pickles on pizza is totally the same thing as drinking someone’s blood.But it didn’t matter; she couldn’t leave them caged.
