A Glimmer of Hope (The Avalon Chronicles #1)(92)

Layla took a step toward Shane, paused as she saw him breathe, and went to Chloe. “Are you okay?”

Chloe let herself be helped up, using Layla as support. “Exhausted,” she said. “Just exhausted. And really sore. I may have pulled a few things fighting him.”

An explosion tore through the night, followed by shouts that drifted all around them. Several armed men and women ran to the rear of the building, close to Layla and Chloe, followed by Remy screaming obscenities at the top of his voice.

“Hey,” he said, stopping beside Layla. “You two okay?”

Layla nodded as Diana ran down from the hill, a broadsword in one hand. She stopped beside the group and took Chloe from Layla.

“She needs rest,” Layla said.

“I’ll take her to the cars out front. Come join us when you’re done.” With Chloe in her arms, Diana ran off without another word.

“And the sack of shit on the floor?” Remy asked, pointing at Shane. “Is he a pin cushion, or is he there for a more helpful reason?”

“He needs to be questioned.”

Remy stared at the wires hanging from Layla’s hands, as more shouts and the sounds of fighting left the farmhouse. “You going to join in?”

“There are people here from the train depot. Elias had them captured.”

Remy shouted at one of the nearby armed men, who nodded and was soon carrying Shane away, although he was considerably less careful about it than Diana had been about Chloe.

Remy drew his broadsword and smiled. “Let’s go find your friends, and give some people a really bad day.”

Layla followed him into the farmhouse expecting to find chaos and insanity all around her, but whatever action there was had been quick. Three dead blood elves lay by the front door, as Tommy organized a search of the property.

“How are you?” he asked Layla. “I’m sorry it took so long to get here. We had to make sure we weren’t going to cause your death by triggering an alarm or trap.”

“I’m fine,” she told him. “You tracked me?”

“Well, Grayson did, but he’s back at the mansion now. Any idea where Elias is?”

Layla shook her head and explained about the train-depot captives.

Tommy sniffed the air. “There’s a bunch of scents coming from upstairs. Remy, you go with Layla and find these people.”

Remy nodded.

“What about Reyes and the Japanese ghost lady?” Layla asked.

“Masako? No sign of either. I’m thinking they rabbited the second we came through the doors. This place is huge, so it’ll take a while to search.”

“And did you find the ogre?”

“Not yet, but it’s an ogre, how hard can it be to find? Go look for these people. When you’re done, Jared’s in the building across the yard; it’s the one with a thatched roof. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“She’s fine, Dad. Stop fussing,” Kasey said as she exited a nearby room.

She walked over to Layla and hugged her. “Glad you’re okay,” she whispered. “I’ll come upstairs with you and help you search.”

The three of them reached the landing, and while Remy walked away toward one side of the huge building, grabbing a few agents on the way, Layla and Kasey took the other.

They both stayed silent as they looked through the many rooms, most devoid of anything larger than rats and mice.

It wasn’t until they turned the corner that they heard muffled screams. They ran toward the end of the hallway, the noise growing by the second. Kasey had already changed into her werewolf form the second she ploughed into the door, tearing it apart.

Layla stepped inside and saw the bodies on the floor, four blood elves standing above them, while more captives cowered in the corner.

Layla recognized several of the people as those she’d worked with. But the second she saw Star’s horror-filled gaze from where she huddled in the corner with two more of her old co-workers, Layla lost control.

She reached out with her power, grabbing hold of any metal in the floorboards, and dozens of small nails and screws slammed into two of the blood elves at high speed, ripping through them like paper. A quick punch with a metal-wrapped fist to both of them, and they were down on the floor a moment later.

Kasey had thrown one of her two blood elves through the barricaded windows, while she snapped the neck of the second.

The screams and cries grew louder as Kasey—all fangs, claws, and blood-splattered fur—turned to speak to the captives.

“Get some help up here,” Layla told Kasey, who nodded and ran off.

“You’re okay,” Layla said soothingly, but no one was listening. They’d all been through so much, and her appearance had only made them even more terrified. She waited until several agents arrived, and left them to deal with the survivors. She hoped they would all recover, but was saddened and angered by what they’d gone through.

Layla walked away, leaving the farmhouse as Shane was led into the back of a BMW X5. His face was no longer a bloody mess, but he still looked like he’d remember what Chloe did for a long time. Layla couldn’t say she was upset about that.

She crossed the courtyard and found the front door to the smaller building open. She stepped inside, blinking a few times into the darkness beyond. “Jared, you in here?”