Fractured Hearts (Shattered Lives, Book Three) (54 page)

As much as Thomas showed Henry he was collected, the truth was that he was a wreck on the inside. He knew what Henry and Gunther could do. Their fighting and marksmanship were far beyond anything Thomas could imagine. And knowing there would be more like them coming intensified his fear.

Henry shouted from behind the school. Thomas rose to his feet and looked around at the blackness surrounding him. Deciding to go around the right side, he wanted to be available for assistance if Henry needed him.

Sidling against the brick wall, Thomas slowly worked his way around until he felt the bush. Knowing the corner was a few steps away, he took a breath and made sure the safety was off on his rifle.

Gabriel leaned against the corner of the building, watching Thomas through his night vision goggles.
Let the games begin,
he thought. His demented smirk was lost in the dark of night, but would still ring true through his actions.

Just as Thomas took another step, Gabriel reached out and snatched him, pulling him tight to his chest and slapping a hand even tighter over his mouth and nose. Thomas’ cheeks puffed out as he fought to breathe through Gabriel’s grip.

“Well, well, well… A little Liam recruit,” Gabriel rumbled in Thomas’ ear, then ran his tongue up and around the edge, biting down on the lobe. Thomas tried to yell, but was stifled. “Now, now, lad. This will be over soon.” Admiring the rifle in Thomas’ grip, he pulled it off and slung it over his own shoulder.

The disarming and promise of death made Thomas frantic. Remembering a move Henry taught him, he twisted his leg around Gabriel’s and tried to pull it out from under him.

Gabriel chuckled. “You must try harder than that, lad. It’s almost offensive how lame the attempt was.” Wrapping his arm around Thomas’ waist, Gabriel picked him up and walked to the back corner. Henry shouted again and the sounds of a fist hitting flesh filled the darkness.

“Would you like a play by play?” Thomas shook his head. He tried to calm himself, but an uncontrollable tremble coursed through his body. “Too bad. Rhys just clocked Liam pretty good, but I do expect Liam to take control. He was always the best fighter in our group.”

What little oxygen Thomas was able to suck in through Gabriel’s hand wasn’t enough to keep him from feeling the effects. Panic bloomed in his body as his breath shortened and he felt dizzy.

Elaina’s voice echoed behind him and Gabriel. Thomas struggled, but Gabriel stepped around the back corner of the building, pressing flat against the wall. They watched her, Chris, and Jake pass by. Thomas wanted to shout a warning…something, anything. His eyelids fluttered and his body fought Gabriel’s strength.

A snapping sound traveled toward them. Gabriel chuckled into Thomas’ ear. “Whoopsie. Looks like Rhys is no longer. I suppose it’s my turn to have a little fun with Liam.” Thomas flailed around with the last of his strength. “It’s been great fun, lad. Enjoy your trip to the other side.”

Gabriel reached behind his back, unsheathed his knife, and brought it around, viciously jamming it into the side of Thomas’ head. Yanking the knife out, he licked the blood from the side of the blade. A groan slipped out over the metallic warmth tantalizing his taste buds.

“Mmm… So delicious. If I had time, I would suck you dry,” he murmured in Thomas’ ear. Without another thought, Gabriel threw Thomas to the ground and stalked off.

“Henry!” Elaina swiveled around and around. “Strip him of any weapons,” she ordered Chris and Jake. Then she looked around again as if she could see.

Henry was still yelling for Thomas. Elaina decided to walk a little. She had no idea what direction she was moving, but she had to help find Thomas, especially if he was in need of medical attention.

Henry’s voice was getting further and further away. Elaina stopped and tried to get her bearings. She turned around several times, then was startled when a hand wrapped around her mouth and pulled her into a hard body.

“Well, hullo there, little bird,” the rough British voice growled in her ear. In an instant, the sadistic sound made Elaina’s legs get weak. He plucked the axe out of her hands and threw it aside, pulled the handgun out of her pants and tucked it in his. “I suggest that you do not scream. If you do, my recruits will beat Liam to the brink and he will turn. I’m going to remove my hand from your mouth.
Do not scream.
Am I understood?”

She nodded, allowing the tears hovering on the rims of her eyelids and clinging to her lashes to roll down her face.

When he released her mouth, she took advantage of it. “Henry! Help me!”

“You bitch!” The man popped her in the mouth. While holding her tight to him, he searched himself, then tied a gag around her mouth. He yanked her arms behind her back, securing them.

“Elaina! Elaina!” Henry yelled through the darkness, but what she heard next tore at her every fiber.

The agonizing, pain-filled scream that came from Henry left her panicked. She realized that, because she had a beef with authority figures and didn’t like to follow orders, she just made her husband true dead. The sobbing hit hard, knowing it was her fault.

She had killed Henry.

An evil laugh stabbed at her. The man picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder. Flailing around like a fish out of water, she wanted to scream, but it was useless. Hearing Henry let out that scream left her with no will.

“Stop fighting me or I will send more of my recruits into your little hideout and make everyone true dead. So if you want all your little friends to live, I suggest you stop fucking around. Understand?” Elaina nodded and her sobs became more intense to the point that she was nearly throwing up. “There, there, little bird,” he murmured, petting her like a dog. “When I get you back on the ship, I’m going to tend to your needs.” He chuckled.

Elaina’s skin crawled. Petrified, she hoped he would just kill her and be done with it. She didn’t want to live knowing it was her fault that Henry was gone forever.

I ran toward the direction of Elaina’s screams. She was in trouble. I was worked up, knowing she didn’t listen to me, but knowing she was in danger threw me into overdrive. As I ran, it was like I hit a brick wall. “What the fuck?” I growled, stumbling back.

“Hullo, mate.” It was a familiar voice. Had to be another recruit. Finlay, maybe? I couldn’t place it. “You forget your manners? A proper hullo back would be lovely.” The voice circled me. I reached for the rifle I had slung over my shoulder, but realized I had left it back where I was minutes before. I pulled out my knife. “You think that’ll stop me? I can see you,” he taunted. “I’m using this great technology called night vision. Sadly, you aren’t. This should prove to be exciting.”

Turning around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from, I whispered, “Finlay?”

“Oh, bloody hell… You guessed. You take the fun out of the surprise.” Finlay laughed with such venom that I growled.

I was kicking myself for not investing in night vision supplies. Continuing to circle, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from, more shuffled footsteps approached from behind. I worried because they had Elaina and possibly Thomas, as well, but I worked hard not to show my weakness.

The shuffled steps stopped. “Finlay, my mate! Look at what you’ve found. You’ll be rewarded greatly for this.” I ran the voice through my head.
Gabriel
, I thought, clenching my teeth. Gabriel was a friend and my former roommate at the complex. “So what do you say? Shall we get this show on the road?”

“Absolutely!” It was apparent to me that Finlay and Gabriel were completely pleased with themselves.

The knife was firmly palmed in a reverse grip in my right hand while I continued to circle.

Stopping and listening, I envisioned Finlay’s and Gabriel’s physical size, remembering their strengths and weaknesses. During training, I had taken on two recruits blindfolded many times. I didn’t always win, but I usually fared well.

I calmed myself mentally and prepared for the battle. Focusing, I shut my eyes and steadied my breathing, heightening my senses, locking myself into program mode.

There was a cool breath pushing toward me from my left side. The air moved behind me and I lunged to the right with my knife.
Missed.
A low growl sounded behind me. All of a sudden, blaring pain screamed through my shoulder and I cried out.

The malevolent laughter began again. “What happened to Drew, Dex, Malcolm, and Bas?” Finlay asked.

“I killed them. All of them!” I spit out while feeling the blood run down my arm. I was seething that he cut me.

“They never completed their mission…or did they?” Finlay and Gabriel erupted in laughter.

Rage filled me. I remembered the feel of Quinn’s lifeless body in my arms and the sight of Gunther crumbling into millions of pieces. He would never be the same. His emotional pain was far superior to any physical pain I was feeling at the moment.

I was going to avenge the both of us.

Snap out of it
, I told myself. “Where did you take her?” I growled.

An air of joy filled Gabriel’s voice, “Who might you be speaking about?”

“I want her back right fucking now!” I yelled.

“Oh no. That won’t happen. Roger’s probably fucking her right now. Our turn later,” he taunted.

They continued their vicious prodding, trying to make me crack. I tightened down my jaw and mind. The air moved to my left. Once again, I lunged, connecting this time.

It was my turn to laugh.

“Fuck!” Gabriel screamed. “Finlay!” he coughed.

I had stabbed Gabriel right in the chest.
Perfect.
When he fell to the ground, I yanked out the knife with a twist, making him scream again. Then the sounds of bubbling came on hard and heavy when he tried to breathe. Raising the knife over my head, I used both hands and jammed it down, right into his head.

One down.

I stood, chest pumping. The adrenaline coursed through me, allowing me to feel the sounds in the air crawling over my skin.

“Come on, Finlay!” I screamed in rage. “Let’s have a go!”

The air swirled around me. Finlay whispered in my ear, “I never liked Gabriel anyway.”

“Quit fucking around, you lass. Fight me like a man!”

“Now why would I want to do something like that?”

“You wouldn’t because you know I will beat you. I have many times, you pussy. You’re
weak
! You can’t
think for yourself
! You are
useless
and nothing but a motherfucking pawn in a game that Roger will lose. This is
my
game to win and I will see to it that you’ll never become anything more than true dead!”

“I have one advantage. I can see you,” he taunted.

“Then fight me!”

The air stirred in front of me.

A snapping twig sounded to the right. “Oh, look. You have mortal saviors.” Then the air stirred to my left.

“We stand together,” Chris’ voice echoed in the darkness.

Finlay buckled in laughter, then a punch connected to my face. I fell to the ground. Feeling around, I grabbed Finlay’s legs and pulled them out from under him. Launching myself on top of him, he flipped me onto my back. The knife was still palmed, but Finlay held my arm, working to twist it around to use against me. His free hand grabbed around my throat, squeezing hard, trying to choke me. My injured shoulder was giving way to his weight. The pain was nearly unbearable, and I was losing consciousness. Someone grabbed Finlay and choked him.

My voice strained, “Chris…Jake! Kill him!”

I don’t know who did it, but the knife was torn from my hand. There was a sickening crunch and Finlay went limp on top me. I pushed him off and got on my hands and knees, trying to catch my breath.

“You all right?” Jake asked.

“No. My shoulder… I’m bleeding badly,” I growled. I felt hands feeling around, grabbing at me. “We have to find Elaina and Thomas!”

“We already found Thomas.” Chris paused. “He’s severely injured. It doesn’t look good, but Cora and Gunther are tending to him right now.”

My stomach knotted. If he was dead, it would kill me.

I needed to focus on finding my wife before I could even think about Thomas. He was in good hands. I staggered to my feet and screamed, “Elaina!” Nothing but silence filled my ears. Tears formed in my eyes.
My love, where is she?
“Elaina!” My voice echoed through the still night air. “Elaina…” I dropped to my knees. “He took her!”