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“There’s no time. Look.” I pointed at the screen as the snowmobiles and truck approached. The truck rammed into the gate, but it didn’t budge. It did it again, and again, and then with no warning the power went out, plunging the room into darkness.
A few gasps circled around me as I squeezed Juliet’s hand, my other gripping onto Cian’s bicep for dear life. A moment later, emergency lamps flickered on, casting a light red glow over the room. Thora ran to the window and peeked behind the curtains.
“They’re still not through. We need to move, Cian. We’re sitting ducks here.” She checked the rounds in her magazine and pushed it back into her gun with a flick. Fuck, why hadn’t I brought my gun with me?
Because I’d thought I was safe. Which was exactly what Ryzen had wanted. That sick son of a bitch. Rage bubbled inside of me, blocking out most of the fear. My heart was beating so fast, but not because I was terrified—because I was ready to end his fucking life once and for all.
“Um, can someone get these handcuffs off me? Because I don’t want to die like this.” Elsie held her hands above her head and Orin reached in his pocket and tossed her the keys. Within seconds, she was free, rubbing her wrists. She looped the cuffs through her belt and wiped her forehead.
“Can we run?” Sophie asked as she glanced around the room. “What if we just ran? Maybe we could get away through the woods?”
My heart ached for her at that moment. She shouldn’t have to go through this. None of us should. This was all my fault. If I’d just listened to Kaviathin or talked to Cian… we could have dug for details, investigated, made sure it had been Ryzen’s body in that van.
“I counted six men out on the trail,” Orin said. “Three more on the snowmobiles out front, plus however many are in the truck.”
“We don’t have enough weapons. We’re outnumbered.” Eros exhaled sharply.
“The hunting shed.” Cian looked around the room. “If we can get to the shed and get the rifles, then we have a chance. But we need to move now.”
“But how?” Sophie asked.
“The tunnel in the cellar.” I snapped my fingers. If we could sneak through and get the weapons before the men outside found the shed, then we had a fighting chance. “OK.” A smidge of hope bloomed in my heart. “Let’s do it.”
“No, not you,” Cian growled and cupped my jaw with the tip of his fingers. “Get into the panic room with the others. I’ll come back for you when it’s clear.” His mouth crashed into mine, a desperation in his kiss I hadn’t tasted in a long time.
“But…” My words trailed off as Thora whistled.
“They got part of the gate down. We need to move now.” Her nostrils flared as she backed away from the window.
“Valik, Harvey, Eros, Orin, you’re with me,” Cian commanded. He turned to face Kaviathin and Althazair. There was a look in his eyes that promised death if Kaviathin made one wrong move. “You protect my future wife like she’s your blood or I’ll kill you myself.”
“Understood.” Kaviathin smirked and held up his gun. “We’ll stay with the women. Go. Now.”
Cian turned to me, an unspoken promise said. I gripped him as tight as I could, kissing him one last time. “Come back to me,” I whispered against his lips.
“Always.” He pressed his forehead against mine before ripping himself out of my arms. “Get to the panic room.”
I nodded, my heart breaking into a million tiny pieces as the five of them hurried down the stairs to the cellar. Miss Longfellow helped Felix stand and Milliani rushed to help him. A loud screech could be heard outside, and I knew they were about to break through the gates at any second.
“Nova, let’s go.” Juliet tugged me towards the stairs, but I yanked my hand free.
“Wait.” I crouched down as low as I could and rushed over behind the Christmas tree. I ripped the box open and reached in for the two daggers. Fucking Kaviathin had been right, just like he had been right about Ryzen. Thora stood in the doorway and gestured for me to hurry.
Everyone raced up the stairs, Althazair practically dragging Felix up all on his own. My fingers trembled as I entered the security code, the steel door flying open. The room was made of steel-clad walls strong enough to withstand a tornado and had food, water and its own air filtration system. It was small, though, only intended to fit four people at most. But I had no intention of squeezing myself into that room with them. I wasn’t leaving it up to chance that Cian would make it safely to the weapons and that they could take out all those men. There was no way in hell I wasn’t going to fight until my last dying breath.
Miss Longfellow pressed a few buttons and within seconds the security feed was back up and running. You could see every corner of the property on a bank of monitors, the ones the intruders hadn’t knocked out. On the bottom right side, I gasped as I saw they had made it through the gate. The truck that Ryzen was in was staying far back, like the coward he was, while the snowmobiles raced up the slopes to the first set of little cabins.
Men jumped off and kicked the first door in. You could see their flashlights through the window. They were looking for us. We were under attack with nowhere to run, in a remote location with only one road in and out. It was the perfect trap.
The attackers spread out methodically, surrounding another cabin as one man kicked in the door. They were hunting for victims. Well, they were in for one hell of a surprise. Images flashed in my mind of Ryzen’s and my wedding, where those men had tried to kidnap me, but Cian had saved me. Was the universe trying to play a joke on me? Or just trying to give me a chance to serve some karmic justice? I hoped it was the latter.
“Get in.” I ushered them through the door, and Althazair dumped Felix into a corner before coming out of the room. Miss Longfellow scurried in after him, then Sophie and Milliani. Juliet squeezed into the room, and I shivered at the thought of being trapped in there for who knew how long.
“Let’s go, Nova.” Juliet held out her hand to me.
“No.” I shook my head fiercely. “I’m not letting him fight this asshole on his own. Not again.”
She sighed and stepped out of the panic room. “Then I’m coming with you.”
