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What had happened?
It came back in a flash. My head had hit the window when the car rolled. It had landed right-side up, but my brain felt scrambled.
I had to get out.
My seat belt had tightened until it was practically strangling me. I stabbed at the buckle, my hand shaking. My peripheral vision caught one of the trucks backing up, preparing to ram me again.
I opened the door and fell out of the car and onto the grass, my head spinning. My Beretta was in my hand automatically, and I aimed at the men pouring from the other two cars.
Where was the third truck?
To my left. Roaring toward me. I rolled down the shoulder of the road, and the truck rammed my car.
My ward was created with a thought, and I managed to stumble up to my feet, surveying the men who’d surrounded me on three sides.
“Give it up, witch. You’re outnumbered.”
I narrowed my eyes at the speaker—a weasel of a man with short legs and wide shoulders. “What exactly did you expect to happen from this rendezvous, gentlemen?”
“Come with us, and no one else needs to get hurt.”
I smiled, taking in the empty street. “I don’t see anyone else. Do you?”
He spat on the street, and my smile widened. My instincts had been spot-on when they’d urged me to get away from humans who could be used as leverage. Still, just because I wasn’t in a busy area didn’t mean someone wouldn’t drive down this street in the next few minutes.
“We don’t want to hurt you,” another man called. He was wearing a suit for this little mission, and something told me he was more dangerous than Weasel. My gaze dropped to the syringe in his hand, and I laughed.
“Let me tell you where you can stickthat.”
One of the men fired, and his bullet ricocheted off my ward. I couldn’t hold a ward this thick for long. I was still recovering from the power drain in the seelie realm. But hopefully they wouldn’t know just how much it sapped my energy.
“Looking a little tired,” Suit said. “That was a nasty bump to the head. Wonder how long you’ll be able to keep us away from you.”
Okay, so they definitely knew. Really, I shouldn’t be surprised that HFE knew exactly how my power worked.
“More than long enough.” I smiled.
I closed my eyes, ignoring their murmuring. Then I reached for my mate bond. I could almost picture it in my mind’s eye, silver and twisted andstrong.
I tugged.
“What’s she look so happy for?” one of the men muttered to Weasel. He ignored him.
“Why exactly do you want me?” I asked, killing time.
The bond was the clearest it had ever been. I didn’t know why—maybe because of my desperation? But I could feel Nathaniel’s rage. Could feel his fear for me. He’d felt my terror, and he was on his way. Wherever he had been, he was moving toward me now.
Suit took another step closer. “You belong to HFE. Just like all the other lab brats. You’ve had your taste of freedom, and now it’s time to return to your owners.”
The thought made nausea swim through me.
Other lab brats.
I was going to free those kids, no matter what it took.
“It won’t be that bad, darling,” Weasel crooned, as if attempting to tame a wild animal. “You’re powerful. HFE will give you more freedom than the others.”
I mentally weighed which of them would know the most. Weasel was doing the talking, but the other men were flicking glances toward Suit. I’d paid enough attention to the werewolves’ body language that I’d learned how to tell who was in charge.
