Page 17 of Warrior Unraveled

Virginia ripped free of Barclay’s hold and charged out of the council chamber. Guards were swarming the corridors, running in one direction. She raced past them, veered off into the next hallway, then barreled down one flight of stairs, toward the cell.

She’d let her feelings—her irrational physical attraction to a damn witch—cloud her judgment like a fogged mirror. She’d been ready to volunteer shadowing him to find out what he was up to. She’d been prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt. But she had no doubts any longer.

Somehow, Wesley Montgomery had led the demons to their stronghold.

And for that he’d pay with his life.

Virginia ran faster, hoping she wasn’t too late, hoping the demons hadn’t already freed their accomplice from the lead cell.

As she approached, she heard Wesley’s voice echoing in the corridor.

“Hey! What’s going on there? Somebody get me out of here!” he yelled through the slit in the door. “Can anybody hear me?”

“I can hear you,” she murmured to herself. “Don’t you worry. I’ll take care of you.”

With one hand she pulled her dagger from the sheath at her hip, with the other, she unlocked the door and yanked it open.

“Thank God it’s—” His voice died mid-sentence, his gaze pinning the dagger in her hand. “What the fuck?” He stumbled backward, farther into the cell.

“You led the demons to us! You’re dead, witch!” She lunged at him, following him into the lead cell. A mistake, she realized immediately, but she was armed, and he wasn’t, and if she was quick about it…

“Virginia, don’t!” Wesley yelled, throwing his arms up in defense, blocking her dagger.

Shit! She should have had no trouble killing him with one well-aimed thrust.

But the lead in the cell was already starting to drain her supernatural powers. No matter. She would still kill him.

Again, she lunged at him.

~ ~ ~

Wesley ducked sideways. Virginia meant business. She really wanted to kill him. The dagger in her hand said as much. And if that wasn’t enough, her eyes spewed pure venom.

“Shit, Virginia! I don’t wanna hurt you!” Though he had to defend himself.

“But I wanna hurt you!”

He walked backward, and like two fighters in a ring, they started circling each other. Somehow he had to get her to listen to him. Before she managed to drive that dagger into his flesh.

“Please, Virginia. I’ve done nothing.”

“You led the demons to us. It was you!” she hissed. “It couldn’t have been anybody else. I don’t know how you did it. But you did.”

“No! I would never hurt you or your people. You have to believe me.”

“Liar!”

She charged toward him, and he had no choice but to act. He deflected the dagger by raising his arm and pushing against her, driving her back. The move was surprisingly easy, as if she wasn’t trying very hard. Why wasn’t she using her supernatural powers against him? She could have easily smashed him against the wall and pinned him there, slit him open with her dagger without much effort. What was holding her back?

When she jumped toward him again, he managed to grab her dagger hand, wrapping his hand around her wrist and thus disabling her. She tried to pull free of him, but failed.

That’s when it hit him: the lead cell. Aiden hadn’t wanted to enter it either. What had he said? Something about the lead draining his energy. Wes realized it then: being inside the cell was weakening Virginia. It meant he had a chance.

“Fuck, Virginia! Stop this. I’m not gonna hurt you.” How could he when he wanted nothing more than to kiss her?

“You betrayed us!” She glared at him. “You’re a dead man!”

She kneed him in the balls, a move he hadn’t seen coming.