When Lightning Strikes

by Sedona Venez

  Celina squeaked, stepping back. “What? No. I love you. I stole their stupid fucking client list. I killed the reporter. I did it all for you.” She looked at him with panicked eyes. “I thought that’s what you wanted.”

  He sneered. “That’s what you get for thinking.”

  Celina’s eyes darted around, looking for an exit. “Please. We’re good together.”

  Thomas scoffed. “You were a good fuck, but I would never spend my life with a wolf-shifter.”

  Celina growled. “No. It’s all her fault. It’s always about those fucking Credence women. They killed my brother and threw his body into the river like he was trash. They can’t get away with it.” She ran toward me with rage-filled eyes. The guard snatched her back, and I watched in horror as she lost a chunk of her hair. She screamed in pain, backing up.

  Thomas laughed. “Well, that’s one thing you got wrong, Celina. I killed your brother Nolan. Just like I’m going to kill you.”

  “You told me the Credences killed him.”

  He shrugged. “I lied. How else would I have gotten you to help me? On your knees. Right now.” He didn’t wait for her to comply. Pushing on the back of her legs, he sent her to the ground hard.

  I was still trying to understand. “Nolan?” I couldn’t believe what was happening. I was silent, trying to work through what I was about to see.

  A guard moved behind Celina, aiming his gun, flexing to pull the trigger. Shots rang out. Celina fell forward, dead.

  “Wha—” I was shaken, both physically and psychologically, trying to process everything that had happened in the last five minutes. I looked at Celina’s body sprawled out on the ground. I tried to catch my breath and compose myself.

  “You’re a fucking psycho.” I licked my lips nervously. “Why am I here?”

  He nodded to the monitors lining the walls, and Ryker’s profile popped up with information about him.

  “Why are you doing this?” I pleaded.

  He smiled condescendingly. “To protect your ancestors’ legacy and you.”

  I looked at him incredulously. “So by killing innocent people, you think it justifies your mission?”

  He didn’t say anything. I kept going. “You’ve killed humans and Others. What’s next?”

  He shrugged. “Destroy the Others. This is what they would want.”

  “You are a nut. And I’m out of here.” I turned to leave. The guards aimed their guns at me.

  He clasped his hands behind his back. “It will never be that easy, Light. You leave, you die. It’s simple.” His phone rang. He pulled it out, looking at the display before giving me a bone-chilling smile. “It’s for you.”

  “How is it for me? No one I know would be calling you.”

  He arched a brow. “It’s the dog you mated.”

  The fact he knew about Ryker caught my attention.

  “You should let him know you’re safe.” He handed me the phone.

  Confused, I did as instructed. I cleared my throat before answering it. “Ryker?”

  “Are you okay?” Ryker’s voice was tinged with desperation.

  My eyes darted to Thomas. “As okay as I can be.”

  “Put me on speaker,” Ryker demanded.

  My fingers fumbled when I pressed the button.

  “Thomas, I know who you are and what you want, and if you touch one hair on her head, I. Will. Kill. You.” Ryker retorted in a cold, deadly voice that sent chills through my body.

  “I’m afraid not, Mr. Alfero. I am the one holding her. And if you value her life, you will stop the peace treaty negotiations.”

  Ryker growled. “This has nothing to do with the peace treaty. You want to use Light to create a new race of Fae.”

  Thomas laughed. “Ah, I see you found the mole in your pack. I knew Bones was the weakest link. No matter. He served his purpose when he gave us intel on your meeting with Orlov.”

  My mouth dropped open. First Noah, now Bones. How many people had the Shadows corrupted?

  Thomas continued. “So tell me. When you were done torturing him, did you bury him in the backyard like the dog he is?”

  I hissed with eyes snapping to him. He was a rude fuck who needed to be taught some manners.

  “I swear, if you don’t let her go…” Ryker barked.

  Thomas prowled over to me, snatching the phone from my hand. “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? I will kill her if you don’t walk away from the treaty and her.”

  “So I do both or you’ll kill her? You’re a sorry sack of shit.”

  “What can I say? I’m greedy. And I have no intention of letting my beautiful granddaughter go.” He looked at me with a sick possessive stare, making my stomach turn. “My family has been waiting centuries for Light, and I have no intention of ever letting her go, except in a body bag.”

  “You sick bastard. You would never kill her. You need her too much,” Ryker hissed.

  Thomas ran a hand over my hair. I pushed him away with a snarl. “My family and the Shadows have killed many people to get what we want. And we’re willing to make more sacrifices, starting with her.”

  “And the end game?” Ryker snapped.

  “Don’t be coy, shifter. You know what we want… the annihilation of all Others.” He smiled at me. “And the creation of a new race.” He paused. “Now, I know about your little plan to rescue her, and if I were you, I’d rethink it. If I even smell a wolf-shifter anywhere near my compound, I will put a bullet in her brain,” he snapped before hanging up.

  I couldn’t hide my shock and damn confusion. “Did you just threaten to kill me?”

  His eyes narrowed into cold slits. “And never doubt that I would. Because I know what’s at stake. A new beginning. And despite my followers’ beliefs that you’re simply not ready, I know you are.” He smiled. “Because I know what kind of asset you can be.” He moved past me. “The powers you have can change our world, creating warriors with untold powers.”

  My eyes widened. “So you think I’m going to breed a race of warriors like some animal?”

  He laughed. “This has absolutely nothing to do with sex. You are precious. And when you come into your powers, you will be able to share your gifts with the Shadows, breeding a new race of warriors.”

  “Do you really think it will be that easy? The Others will hunt you down and kill you.”

  “We are strong.” He smiled arrogantly. “There have been Shadows in existence before you and I were born and they’ll be around when we’re dust in the ground. This time we will win and all Others will bow at my feet.”

  “What makes you think I will help you?”

  He touched my cheek. “Because I will kill everyone you love if you don’t” He sighed tiredly. “I’m also smart enough to know Ryker will keep pursuing the treaty and you, no matter what I say.” He shrugged. “It’s his nature. But you need to know this story will end badly if he does.”

  I tried to process this without bawling like a baby. “Well—that’s—”

  He gestured to the monitors displaying all of Ryker’s and my family’s information. “You cooperate with me and they live. It’s simple.”

  My heart raced. “So the deal is I live as your prisoner for the rest of my life or my family and mate dies?”

  “Yes. And if you even think of escaping, I’ll kill them one by one for fun.” He paused, looking at me expectantly. “What’s your answer?”

  I was resigned at this point and knew I was fighting an uphill battle. I looked over at the monitors. He got no answer, so he grabbed the remote, shutting the monitors off. “You have a little bit of time to think about it, Light.”

  I stepped forward. “I’ll do anything for my family and mate. But know you’re playing with dynamite. Be careful it doesn’t blow up in your face, Thomas.”

  He smiled like a Cheshire cat. “Good. Now we leave.” He snapped his fingers at the armed guards. “Sanitize this place from top to bottom. We don’t need the shifters finding any intel.” He pointed to th
e interrogation room. “Start there first.”

  At that moment, something exploded outside the door. The blast shook the walls and floor. “Go, you idiots!” He snarled at his guards before snatching me by the neck with a gun pointed at my head. The guards rallied in front of the door with guns drawn.

  RYKER NODDED TO SOAR. “DO it.” They stepped back as he set the explosive. The room’s door blasted open. Jackal, Rip, and Soar barreled into the room, raining gunfire on the guards, mowing them down. Ryker stepped into the room with his gun drawn, stopping when he saw the terrified look on Light’s face as Thomas held a gun to her throat.

  “You shoot, she dies! Everyone back up now!” Thomas said coldly.

  “How are you, darling?” Ryker moved, keeping his gun out of sight.

  Light shrugged. “Peachy. As you can tell, this family reunion is absolutely fabulous.”

  Thomas started dragging Light over to the door of a glass-walled interrogation room. The fear Ryker smelled wafting off Light’s body sent his beast into panic mode. He pushed down the beast, fighting him for control and the right to protect Light.

  He lurched forward, watching as Light fought Thomas all the way over to the interrogation room. “No! God, Thomas. Let me go. No! Let me go. Please!” she pleaded.

  Ryker raised his gun, aiming at Thomas’s head, but he didn’t have a clear shot. “Don’t, don’t do it!” he barked at Thomas.

  Thomas pressed the gun into Light’s neck. “Before you let off one round, she’ll be dead. Back up now!” He slammed his hand against a biometric pad to open the door and backed in. The door slid shut and Thomas stood in front of the glass, staring at Ryker with a smug smile.

  He turned to Rip, his weapons and technology expert. “Open that fucking door!”

  “On it.” Rip pulled off the cover on the biometric pad.

  Ryker dropped the gun to his side, knowing without a doubt the glass was bulletproof. His fists clenched. “I love you, Light,” he hissed with emotions choking him.

  The tiniest smile passed over her mouth as she realized what he said. His heart lurched when he saw tears trailing down her cheeks. His eyes narrowed as the glass turned opaque. He could no longer see Thomas and Light. “What the fuck did you do, Rip?” he barked.

  “Nothing. That’s not me. Thomas did it,” he grunted. “Stand back. I’m in.” They all waited, surrounding the door with guns drawn as the door opened.

  Ryker stared in shock. The room was empty. “Search the room for any hidden exits.” The pack fanned out, searching the room thoroughly.

  They all said in unison, “Nothing.”

  Ryker stood with his hands clenched. “I will find you, Light. And Thomas will die. This I promise.”

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