The Devil In Disguise (Bad Things #1)(45)

He was going to burn his enemies to ash. Anyone who got in his way, anyone who tried to stop him from taking what he wanted…

I will burn you all.

***

“Aw, hell,” Leo muttered as he rose to his feet. Blood poured down his chest, but he ignored the pain. It would stop, soon enough. The injuries would heal. He’d recover, as he always did.

His gaze was on the sky, a sky that was lit every few moments by a blast of fire. His twin had transformed completely, losing the body of a man in favor of his dark beast. The beast’s body blended perfectly with the night. Were it not for those flames…no one would ever know he was there.

But then, he knew that was what Luke wanted. To blend with the night.

I hope I didn’t just screw us both even worse. He rolled back his shoulders. His wings scraped over the rooftop. He didn’t transform fully—after all, Leo knew the danger in that, but he took to the sky, his wings beating at the air around him.

There had been such fury in Luke’s voice when he spoke of Mina James. Such possession. Luke had always enjoyed owning things. Taking. He saw, he coveted, he owned. That was his brother’s way.

But it wasn’t the way things would work with Mina. They couldn’t work that way.

She wasn’t meant to be one of the dark ones, losing her soul bit by bit until there was no goodness left in her. She was meant for far more, and he would not let her fall for his brother.

No matter what battle he had to fight.





Chapter Twelve


It was a fast, dangerous plan. It could also be a really, really shitty plan, but it was the best that Mina had been able to come up with on short notice—and since Luke is gone.

They didn’t have his paranormal mojo to back them up, so they were winging things.

Julian stood to her right, wearing the clothes and gear and ID he’d taken from an unconscious agent back at their big fight scene. Madeline was to her left, her eyes glassy and her body tense. She was still under Mina’s control, and they were going to use that fact to their advantage.

“You sure about this?” Julian whispered as they approached the gates that led to the Naval Air Station. Madeline had revealed that her team had been given a special wing in that facility for their work.

Work. More like torture.

Mina lifted her cuffed hands. She rather thought the handcuffs made a nice touch. Added a bit of authenticity. “I am not in the least bit sure.” What she did know…well, it was that Eli was in that place. Luke had been determined to get him out and she…she was doing this. And Rayce, you’d better be finding a certain Lord of the Dark, right away.

The plan—such as it was—consisted of her playing the role of prisoner. Since the agency had been so determined to get her back, she figured they’d be jumping with joy when they saw her. So they’d all go inside, they’d be led to the prisoner holding section, and them, bam—Julian did his panther thing, Madeline attacked her fellow agents and, Mina got Eli out of there.

Simple. Desperate.

“Garrick is the one we have to worry about,” Mina murmured. She didn’t know why they hadn’t seen him yet. She’d been surprised that he hadn’t been lurking around the dock, waiting to pounce on them. He’d sent his goons and hadn’t come to the scene himself, something that still bothered her. “Keep your eyes out for him.”

“Looking for your ex, check.” Julian’s voice was barely a breath of sound.

Madeline wasn’t making any sound at all. Mina elbowed her. “Call out to the agents in there. Tell them who you are and that you have me. Instruct them to let us inside immediately.”

Madeline didn’t hesitate. They were just a few feet away from the imposing gates that surrounded the station, and she called out, “I’m Agent Slate, and I’ve secured the prisoner we sought. Open the gates so that I can immediately confine her to the holding area.” She lifted her ID and a bright light shone on them.

Mina’s eyes watered in the face of that spotlight. This has to work. It has to—

There was a loud screeching as the gates opened. Uniformed men rushed out and surrounded them. Her breath eased out in a relieved sigh when she saw that Garrick wasn’t among that group.

“She isn’t gagged!” One of the men snapped. “She isn’t secure! She can talk, she can—”

Julian slapped his hand around Mina’s mouth, and he jerked her back against him in the same move. His body was tight, scarily muscled, and for a moment, she felt a flutter of fear. “I’ve got her,” he stated coldly. “Satisfied?”

The guards exchanged uneasy glances, obviously not satisfied.

“Her throat was damaged during the fight,” Julian added, voice rough. “A whole lot of agents were taken down and this lady—she didn’t give up easily. So I had to punch her in the throat.”

Hardly a good image. She squirmed against him, trying to make the scene look real.

“We need to get some back-up to the agents at the dock,” Julian blasted when the others just stood there. “Agent Slate and I will take the prisoner inside. You guys get out there and help our team.”

Finally, finally, the men nodded.

And a few moments later, with Julian’s hand still covering her mouth, Mina walked back to the prisoner holding area.