“Neither do I,” he admitted, but what choice did they have?
He had no idea what they would do if the keys weren’t in the boathouse. He might be able to figure out how to hotwire a boat if he had to, but David was the one who knew the most about boats. Mike could operate one, but hotwiring one was an entirely different ballgame. It didn’t matter, hewouldfigure it out if it were possible.
He kept Mollie and Aida in front of him as Doug led the way across the wet sand to the boathouse. Reaching the door, Doug glanced back at him before turning the knob. The door creaked open, and Doug poked his head inside before entering. Mollie and Aida stepped into the doorway, but only walked a few feet inside before stopping.
Sliding in behind them, Mike closed the door as he examined the boathouse. White tiling made up the flooring, and at the far end of the building, a spiral staircase led to a loft with a bed and a white comforter. The tiki bar under the loft faced the sliding glass doors overlooking the beach.
“Wow,” Aida breathed while Doug made his way around the white, wicker furniture with its blue cushions.
Mike glanced out the windows facing the beach they’d left behind, but the sand remained deserted.
“I think someone lives here,” Mollie whispered.
Mike frowned as he took in the boathouse again. “What makes you say that?”
“It’s too… too homey,” she murmured. “You don’t make a place you’re only shuttling guests through thisnice.”
“There’s a lot of money tied up in this operation, and the vampires who arrive here expect the best. Presentation is key,” Doug said as he searched the white bookshelves closest to the kitchen.
“Do they expect food too?” Mollie asked. “The kitchen in the mansion was explained by Scott cooking for the prisoners, but why would they have a kitchenhere? This building looks newer than the others; it’s more modern.”
Mike glanced at the small kitchen with its white cabinets, blue countertops, and island with an oven. The refrigerator hummed, and a towel sat neatly folded next to the sink. The building smelled of the sea and lavender; he didn’t detect another presence inside, but then, he couldn’t see all of the loft.
If there was another door or balcony up there, someone could be hiding outside and could enter again. The club had humans like Scott working for them; they moved freely through the day and would happily slaughter anyone if it would help and increase their chances of becoming immortal.
“No, they wouldn’t expect food too,” he murmured. “Doug, we have to go.”
Mike’s hand fell on the knob again as a step sounded from above, and a shadow fell across the wall of the loft. Someone was up there.
“I’ve got the keys!” Doug cried and hefted a key ring into the air.
The keys jingled at the same time a shot rang out and an alarm blared.
Chapter Forty-Three
Mollie criedout when the bullet slicing across her arm tore away a chunk of her skin. Instinctively, she closed her hand over the wound to staunch the flow of blood. It was only a flesh wound, but it burned like someone had taken a hot poker to her arm.
“Mollie!” Mike roared when the scent of her blood hit the air.
Leaping forward, he threw himself on top of her and shoved her to the ground as the next bullet burrowed into the back of his thigh. “Son of a bitch!” he snarled as fire lanced up his leg.
“Are you okay?” Mollie demanded.
“Yes.” Mike positioned himself more firmly over the top of her to make sure little of her remained exposed.
“Where’s Aida?”
She struggled to find her sister, but all she saw was Mike’s solid body covering hers, and the white, front door only inches away from her fingertips. They were so close to freedom, but the way they were lying blocked the entrance and the easiest escape route for Aida and Doug.
Mike lifted his head as Doug ran for Aida and, grabbing her arm, raced with her toward the sliding doors at the back of the house as bullets slammed into the floor. Shards of tile burst into the air around them, but none of the rounds hit their target before Doug and Aida ran under the loft and out of the shooter’s range.
While the shooter was distracted trying to take out Aida and Doug, Mike dragged Mollie to her feet. He kept her in front of him, offering his back as a target while he stepped back and flung the door open.
Lifting Mollie against him, Mike staggered into the day. Bullets followed them out the door, but no more struck him or Mollie as they fled the shooter.
And then he saw they were no longer alone on the beach.
Mike pressed his back against the boathouse. He kept Mollie in front of him to protect her from any bullets that might come through the wall as he surveyed the ten vampires gliding across the sand toward them. Dressed all in black, Mike recognized the golden, triangle patch on their coats as the same ones the security in the barn wore.
