“Okay, Jeeze. I got it,” Lucas muttered, saliva hanging from his quivering lips.
Chest pumping, he turned to search for his counterparts, but he was left breathless when he noticed they were nowhere to be found. Separated and alone, he held his tongue and carefully scanned the area for any exits.
Out of all the prisons they had seen and experienced, this was one of the worst. The guards paced around the exits, rifles firmly rooted within their palms. Others circled the inmates, making sure that they sat obediently, backs bent enough so that they were staring at the dense mud below.
Lucas wondered when the contractors might finish cementing the area, but as time passed, he was forced to listen to the harsh cries of the other prisoners—nobody was fixing this place. If anything, this prison was created to fall apart. Perhaps it was made for this one moment alone. If that were the case, this would surely become their death day.
But Lucas wouldn’t give up without a fight. He was particularly good at remaining quiet and selective with his decisions. Analytical to the core, he studied the boundaries of the prison for hours until he held the blueprint inside his mind’s eye.
He then focused his eyes on the locks of his cuffs. When Rae freed them near the stables, she’d given them a set of keys. At the time, he hadn’t thought much of it. Now, it was an obvious way out. Was it possible that the master key might work? He had to try.
He knew he had to be careful. Although they were hundreds of feet underground, he could practically feel the security cameras fixed on him. Not to mention, there were enough prisoners near him to cause a ruckus he didn’t want.
Lucas eyed the man shackled next to him. He was an old militant, weakened by starvation and abuse. Eyes closed, the man silently moved his lips in prayer. Lucas couldn’t be sure, but he thought he heard him whisper, “The meek will inherit the earth.”
Lucas hoped he was right. He was sure the meek could bring a swift and brutal punishment to their overlords.
Cautiously, he leaned forward to unhinge the heel of his boot. The ring of keys fell onto the dirt, alongside some loose coins and an old medallion from when he was a child. The keys jingled loudly, but he expected it.
A group of guards nearby stopped. They lowered their gaze, sniffing and pausing as they passed Lucas’s stationary position. As the seconds passed, he snuck a peek to the side of him, praying that the old man wouldn’t give him away. When his eyes opened, Lucas knew he was fucked.
“You…” the militant prisoner said.
Lucas spoke without moving his lips. He focused on the guards’ boots, as well as the cameras above. “Don’t do it, old man. I can get you out of this place. Just shut your fuckin’ mouth, and we will both be free.”
But the man’s pupils expanded before a giant smile twisted onto his face. A wave of energy shook him onto his feet. The man’s mouth fell open, issuing emotional cries to pull the attention of the sentinels. “Guards! Guards! I have something for you!”
“You dumb bastard,” Lucas growled and bent toward the floor. He took the keys in his hand, quickly unlocking himself. Rolling back, he prepared for the bullets that sank into the soil near his body.
As if the guards were ready for their sudden escape, red lights flashed above their heads and the trumpets of alarm echoed madly throughout the hellish prison. Lucas tensed as the guards circled him, and he might have thought he was caught. Luckily, he might have been the cockiest son of a bitch they had yet to face. Even luckier was the fact that the key actually fucking worked.
“Vash!” he called out. “Gonna need you over here, buddy.”
As soon as he saw Vash’s head dart up, he threw the keys. Exhaling sharply, he felt his energy build. “Here, we go again,” he muttered.
He ran toward the guards like a bowling ball to a set of pins. Just as the Ouroboros taught him, he went for the ankles, tersely twisting and knocking them down like a lawnmower. He spun back, taking one guard by the throat and crushing the Adam’s apple. “This one is for Killian!” He frothed at the mouth. With his other hand, he caught a guard’s eye sockets and tore in until he felt the spongy material collapse.
Lucas knelt, chest and back rising as he caught his breath. He slowly revealed the two automatic pistols from underneath him. Before he unleashed the weapons’ fury, he grinned. “This one is for my wife and children, you cunts.”
There was a time for violence, and that time was now. With gleaming satisfaction, he hugged his fingers tightly around the triggers. As far as Lucas was concerned, the guns were painting a magical picture of death and destruction. Death to the empire, death to the rulers who never gave them a chance at having true love. Death to anyone who stood in their way.
It was their crudest attempt at escaping. Vash joined alongside the onslaught, tossing the key ring to another prisoner. Hordes of guards ran to subdue the getaway, but the tables had already turned. The riotous group of prisoners, alpha men who had been chained to their posts for years on end, outnumbered the guards.
Both Vash and Lucas raised their fists into the air, showing their Ouroboros hand tattoos. The old insignia held weight nowhere in the world except this ruinous penitentiary. Catching sight of their beloved insignia, the prisoners roared with might. Now, it was clear how many of them there were. The guards didn’t stay to find out who might fight better.
Lucas waved everyone forward. “Let’s get the hell out of here!”
They ran toward the exits, climbing up the ladder that led back into the city. Outside, the streets broke out into mass terror. Bombs exploded as people ran in every direction. Lucas searched for the news on one of the many new plasma screens that hung above the city. When he saw no news about Rae, he had a feeling that she was somewhere near, planning a takedown of her own.
Vash grabbed his arm and shook him out of his trance. “Time’s ticking. Do you have any clue where the fuck we’re headed?” Vash asked.
Lucas scowled and searched the horizon for any clue. The devastation was rolling across the towns, and the city was imploding with terror—it felt all too familiar.
In the distance, the searchlights from the two marble towers scoured the night sky alongside the bright and golden wave of fire. “How much you want to bet that Killian is still alive?” Lucas asked.
Vash gave the kind of laugh that filled his eyes with tears. “That son of a bitch better be…”
Lucas turned to face the prisoners. “Whoever wants to leave, leave now!”
Amidst the chaos, one prisoner in particular marched forward. “We’re not stopping until they’re all dead.”
Lucas tossed him a gun. More alphas marched forward, screaming with brutality and rage. One by one, they were armed. They might have been from a different time, and they certainly aimed for different goals, but they were more than willing to come to their aid for this battle. “Good. We’ll take over the subway line and head to the marble towers. In just an hour’s time, we’ll be the ones laying out the terms.”
Killian leaned against the frame of the door to Ruby’s room, smearing his bloodstained fingerprints over the gold edges. The last guard had been killed, but he didn’t feel any safer. He still had to be quiet. Lucky for him, the door was cracked open. It only took a slight push to gain access, and when he did, he found Ruby in bed, tossing and turning in her sleep.
For at least an hour, he sat and watched her shiver and moan from what appeared to be a fever from her head wounds. He weighed the pros and cons of killing her before she woke up. Strangely, he chose to let her dream a little bit longer.
If it were years ago, he would have gladly choked her to death. Now, the scales of justice meant a little more than a quick kill count. There would be blood in these halls—there was no doubt about that. However, he didn’t wish to be cruel. He was trying something new by following the rules of patience. As she turned another time, her eyes opened to tears.
Killian brought out his blade and felt the sudden urge to drive it into her throat. He even placed h
is foot inside the room before deciding it wasn’t the right time. It was Rae’s decision, not his.
The fact that Ruby didn’t scream for help but merely wept and recoiled saddened him. Truthfully, he hadn’t seen an enemy react this way. If anything, it reminded him of the countless omegas who were stolen and killed by his pack in the past.
“Ruby! The communication lines are down. Dammit, answer me!”
Footsteps echoed behind Killian. He turned wildly and grimaced when he heard the voice shout again. It was Severin, his father’s voice that stirred his heart. Ruby’s feverish eyes turned toward the door. Hastily, he ran toward her, leaping onto the bed. He held the bloody blade in front of her lips and whispered, “Don’t say a word, or I’ll add your heart to my collection.”
Luckily, Ruby was weak from Rae’s attack from nights before. Tears fell from her eyes, and her teeth chattered weakly. With a confused gaze, she nodded. “I… I won’t say a word,” she said. “Just don’t kill me. Please. You don’t understand the position I’ve been put in.”
Killian understood enough, but he wouldn’t kill her yet. She was worth more than Severin. Not to mention, it was Rae’s decision to keep her alive or dead.
Without a word uttered, he slipped into the closet but made sure to leave a sliver open to see a clear path. If she spoke up, he would dive out and end them both, but he had a peculiar feeling she would not.
The footsteps came closer. Severin slammed the door open. The golden knob loudly cracked the wall open before Killian could see his father fall to his knees and take Ruby’s shoulders. “Get the fuck up, dammit! We have a situation.”
Ruby sat doe eyed and fearful. Her lips quivered, which seemed to anger Severin further. He shook her shoulders violently, but she recoiled as much as she could, mumbling words that were difficult to make out. “He is—he is—”
“Should have known the bitch would sell me out,” Killian said as he held his blade, ready to move quickly.
Nails digging into her shoulders, Severin shook her. He knelt over her, eyes flashing with rife indignation. “You haven’t made it out of bed yet? What is wrong with you, woman? The Republic is crumbling! I need you to make a decision.”
Ruby closed her eyes and trembled before him, flinching until her wound soaked into the pillow. “He is—he is right th—”
Before she could finish telling him where Killian was hiding, Severin wound his arm back to abuse her. As soon as the smack echoed throughout the chambers and long hallways, Killian lowered his eyes and gazed at his own hands. If Killian had spared any of the nearby guards’ lives, some might have peered in, but alas, there was no one in this section of the building. The only witness was him, and it disgusted him to see his own father abuse more and more women.
Severin leaned his chin forward and lowered his voice. “You are as useless to me now as she was and always has been. Do you hear me? Utterly useless,” he said.
Severin sat, looking as if he expected a reply. However, when she didn’t give him anything except tears, his rage intensified. Taking her arm, he twisted until her mouth gaped, saliva falling weakly over her chin.
“You can’t lead. You can’t even open your mouth to form a fucking sentence. You don’t want to answer me? Fine,” he said, smacking her cheek once more. “But know this, my dear slut wife. You couldn’t even bear children for me. What exactly is your purpose here?”
This time, Ruby answered him. “To serve you,” she said. Her eyes were fierce and punishing. Perhaps she’d known she was being used all along, or perhaps it was the first time she understood the level of his games. Either way, she had lost in the worst way possible.
“And you’ve done such a poor job, whore,” he muttered.
Ruby choked on her tears. “At least we know where we both stand,” she cried but kept her chin raised proudly in the air.
Killian watched his father undo the zipper of his pants. Roughly, he reached down and took out his cock. It was hard and pulsing, oddly ready to pulverize and penetrate. Ruby kicked forward but only managed to slip farther into his grasp. Although Killian would have loved to kill Ruby for what she’d done, he couldn’t help but feel a level of sympathy.
“Keep your eyes fixed,” Severin growled. “Gaze into my eyes as I sink into you.”
He forced her to turn by her hair. She should have shouted in pain, horror, and disgust. Instead, she turned silent. The resemblance to Rae was so uncanny Killian soon felt as if he were watching her suffer. He couldn’t take it anymore.
He kicked the door out of the way and ran forward with his blade drawn. His eyes quickly went to the pistol resting on his father’s hip. Diving forward, he tackled Severin, pulling the weapon from the holster. “You son of a bitch,” he growled. “Don’t touch her!”
Severin struggled to get out of Killian’s grasp, Killian wrestled him to the floor. “Don’t fucking move. Don’t fucking speak. Better yet, don’t fucking do anything,” Killian said.
“I am your maker. Bow before me,” he grunted.
Before Killian knew what hit him, Severin drove a blade into his side. He felt the icy cold betrayal turn into a searing pain. Nearly collapsing, he grunted and struggled to maintain his dominance. “You… you bastard!”
Severin showed his teeth, arrogantly wielding the blade to stab again. “I should have never fucked the slut who gave birth to you,” he said.
Killian felt the rush of confusion and rage overwhelm him. The pain from the knife wound wouldn’t let up. “Shut up! Just shut the fuck up!”
Killian head-butted Severin’s nose, making sure the crack was loud enough to spell out a break in the cartilage. Severin let go of the blade, and Killian quickly took it into his hand. His father grabbed the butt of Killian’s weapon, and the pair wrestled near the bed. “Father, I will end you!”
The blood from Killian’s wounds spilled against Severin’s lips, dribbling down his chin. A wicked smile formed on his face, and the blood soon filled the recess of his mouth. “Kill me. It won’t change the fact that you are my son.” His growl turned into terrifically loud laughter. “Put the knife down and take a firm grasp of power. Once we rape the world, we’ll have everything.”
Killian didn’t waste time dreaming of what could have been. The days of mending the past were long gone. Severin pushed against Killian’s forceful hand, but, slowly, the serrated blade came closer and closer to the center of his neck. Killian ground his teeth because, truthfully, it hurt him to see his father suffer. Still, he made sure to lean his mouth near his ear so he could hear what he had to say. “Mark my words. Blood or not, you were never my father.”
“You fool,” Severin said. “That’s all I’ll ever be.”
And with those words, Severin kneed into his gut, forcing Killian off him. He kicked the blade away, stepping onto his hand and kicking his jaw. Killian was shocked. He had fought countless men in battlefields all around the globe, but he still harbored love for his father, and that turned out to be one of his biggest weaknesses.
Laughing hysterically, Severin reached into his pocket and pulled out a pistol. He aimed it straight at Killian’s head. “I should have ended you the moment you were born.”
In times of war, a soldier must learn how to remain silent. He must train himself to dismiss the last sounds of his dying friends, the bullets and bombs that explode nearby, and the thought of home. A soldier is trained to think of Death as his comrade.
Killian closed his eyes and waited for the release he knew might come. He pictured himself as a younger and better man. In his imagination, he walked through a grove of green and blooming oak trees. Everyone was near him—Lucas, Vash, Rae, and, of course, their children. It was the most peaceful image he had ever seen.
“Goodbye, Dad,” he muttered.
Three shots rang out. The cold spray of blood splashed across his face. It was over. It was—
Ruby smacked his cheek until his eyes opened. “Get up,” she said.
Killian glanced down at h
is father and then at his own wound. He growled with pain, shuffling back against the bedpost. “Ruby? What are you doing?”
Ruby stood above him, handing him the gun. “Saving your life.”
Killian took one last glance at his father. The evil that once graced his eyes was completely gone. He was an empty vessel. Killian had spent so many days in his prison cell wondering who his family was. Now, he knew. It was Rae, Vash, Lucas, and the children. His father meant nothing.
A fit of rage rushed through him as he pictured once more the idyllic scene in his head. Severin had robbed Killian of a real life. All of the men’s fathers did. Now, they just had to live and deal with the consequences of another broken world.
He tried to stand but quickly collapsed onto the floor. Alphas were not supposed to feel this much, but redemption didn’t come easy for him now. It was full of madness and terrifying regret.
“Father,” he cried. “I’m so… Oh God. What have I done?”
He soon felt her hand smooth against his shoulder. Like a snake, her palm slithered up his neck, meeting his jaw. “He raped me nearly every day of my life,” she admitted.
Killian felt the urge to turn and do the same to her that she did to his father. He could barely even focus on the severity of her words. The only thing that stopped him from killing Ruby was the sight of his father’s ravaged body staring back at him. He feared he might be haunted by his lifeless image forever.
“I’m leaving,” Killian said.
Barefoot, Ruby stepped onto the blood-soaked carpet. Killian noticed her limbs were still shaking. “Don’t just leave me here,” she begged. “I am nothing to these people now. They’ll murder me.”
“You’re right. If you don’t leave the towers at once, I can’t promise that you’ll be spared,” he said.
She fell next to him, wrapping her arms around him, begging for her life. “Please,” she said. “Don’t leave me here to die.”
Killian shook her off him and stood up. He felt his wound, wincing as his finger slipped inside the flap of skin. “Damn it all,” he muttered, tense.
Born Claimed: A Dark Omegaverse Romance (Broken Angel Book 2) Page 16
