Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4)(126)

“They are as scared of you as you are of them.” Zander caught Miranda’s hand. “Now let’s go, and no more light.” Miranda let Zander lead

her, straight into the darkness, straight into the unknown.

*

An hour had passed. They had nothing. Perry couldn’t think straight. He sat in Burnett’s office going through everything he knew, hoping to

offer something helpful.

Burnett was interviewing some of the guards to see if they knew anything that could help. They didn’t, but several of them jumped at the

chance to confess and get off easy, eager to restart their lives.

Perry just wanted his one chance at life, but she was missing. What would have made Miranda take off? Blackmail, Dr. Whitman had said. Kylie

thought it had to do with a premonition. His mind raced. His heart ached. Why would Miranda do this to him and everyone else? That wasn’t like

her.

Burnett walked in. “You okay?”

Tears suddenly filled his eyes. “She looked so damn innocent this morning.” Perry raked his hands through his hair. Then he kicked a chair

and knocked it across the room. “Why would Miranda do this to me? To all of us?”

“I don’t know.” Burnett put his hand on Perry’s shoulder.

Then Perry remembered. “What about my parents?” Damn, he didn’t think he could deal with all of this at the same time. Then he realized in

an instant how unimportant dealing with his past was, when his future stood in crisis. All this time he’d spent looking in the rearview

mirror, he should’ve been focusing on the damn windshield.

“You said they weren’t supposed to see Jax until Sunday.”

“Right,” Perry said.

“Then let’s worry about that tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” Perry inhaled and tried to control the panic clawing at his insides. “Let me at Jax. I’ll make him talk. I will.”

“No,” Burnett said. “They are interviewing him now.”

“But…” Perry drew his fist and slammed it into the plastered walls. “Where is she? Damn it, I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

“Then do something,” Burnett said. “Go soar the sky, look for Miranda and Tabitha. I’ve got six other shape-shifters doing that right now,

too. Go help them.”

*

Miranda followed Zander’s order. She didn’t say another word the rest of the way. Finally they got to a turn in the cavern, a few feet in she

saw where the rock wall appeared to have been dug out, and bars had been placed in front to create a cell. Oddly enough, Zander had a key and

locked them inside.

Miranda couldn’t help but wonder how long Zander had had the key to her own prison.

Zander had literally just pushed Miranda inside when footsteps sounded. Zander motioned for Miranda to sit on the cot.

An extension cord running through the bars gave power to one small lamp on the floor. The footsteps echoed closer. Voices rose. Miranda’s

heart thumped faster.

“Slow your breath. Do as they say. Don’t talk unless spoken to,” Zander whispered. “Don’t let them see your tattoo. Keep your hand and arm

covered.”

What about my face? Miranda wanted to ask. But fear washed over her and threatened to drown her. She caught the air in her lungs and held it,

slowly letting out her next breath.

Three men approached the bars. Two wore white robes. “Stand up!” the taller man ordered.

Sensing the order was for her, Miranda stood. Her pulse raced, and the sound of blood rushed in her ears. Her lungs begged for more air. She

took in a mouthful. Then she noticed Zander, huddled on the cold floor, her shoulders hunched over in terror. And just like that, Miranda’s

fear turned to rage.

“You are right,” the older robed man said. “She is fine. When will we have her sister?” he asked the unrobed man.

You already have her, idiot. She felt her arm begin to itch. Her tattoo wanted to come out and play. Not now. Not now.

“I am told soon,” the man answered.

The younger man wearing a robe neared the bars and leered at her.

“Then why not wait until you have both?” the older man said.

“Why wait when we can start building our army now,” the younger man answered. “She’ll make fine soldiers for us.”

Balls, eyes, and throat. The words ran through her head. No holding back. She stared at the men and made herself a promise. No one would ever

get close enough to make anything with her.

Just their words made her feel dirty. She looked at Zander staring at nothing. Miranda’s heart hurt for what this woman had endured.

The men walked away. Hugging herself because she needed a hug so bad she wanted to cry, she stood silently. Her heart still raced from the run.

Only when Miranda could no longer hear their footsteps did she speak.

“What’s the plan, Zander? How are we going to stop these *s!” Miranda felt her arms tingling, the tattoos racing across her skin.

Zander didn’t move. Finally she spoke in a low whisper. “When the sun goes down they will take you outside for the ceremony. I will follow as

soon as they pass the first bend, so they will not hear me. I will shut down the lights and lock the gates. The guards in the east will not get