Adam (The Protectors #5)(24)
“Jesus.” Adam’s eyes found Angelina’s again. “I didn’t know.”
Gently, she put her hand on his arm, as if reassuring him. “I know.”
“But I read you.” Confusion filled his voice as did regret. Her eyes, though shadowed, looked at him no differently than she always did. It almost brought him to his knees. He had walked away, left her to God only knew what horror, yet she still looked at him with love. He walked toward the bed and gently set the woman in his arms down; the women immediately surrounded the weak woman. Hearing a loud bang below them, he turned and rushed for the door.
“Be careful.” Angelina followed closely behind.
“I’m going to close the door and I want you to lock it.” He took out a set of keys, taking one off the hook. “Stay back away from the door and be quiet.” He looked at all the women as he gave the orders. Knowing if he looked at Angelina as she made her way to the door to lock it, he wouldn’t be able to not take her in his arms, and now wasn’t the time. He had to find Lana. Closing the door firmly, he waited until he heard the lock click. Forcing the mis-fitted key in the hole, he broke it off. Now, no one with a key would be able to get in without breaking the door down, and hopefully he would hear that and be able to get back here fast. Turning away, he cleared his mind to focus on what needed to be done, and that was to find Lana. If something happened to her, his life would be over; Sid would kill him.
Heading down the steps, his gaze missed nothing. Stopping at the bottom, he listened, and within a second, he heard the click of a gun to his right.
“Don’t move!” the voice behind the gun ordered, his voice shook showing his nervousness.
Adam fangs instinctively lengthened at the threat, his golden eye turning black and a grin of anticipation curved his lips. “And if I do?”
“You’re a dead man.” The man took a step forward. “Now, put your hands on your head.”
“You said don’t move,” Adam reminded him, hearing the man moving closer behind him. Yeah, keep coming, dumb ass.
“Do it now or I’ll pull the trigger.” The man was right behind him, the barrel of the gun pushing on the back of his head.
Adam’s grin grew as he turned with vampire speed, knocking the gun from the man’s grip with one hand, while grabbing his throat with the other. Squeezing hard, it was enough to make the man’s eyes pop open wide. “You should have pulled the trigger.” Adam head-butted him, knocking him out instantly. Dropping him to the floor, he stepped over the unconscious man to continue his search for Lana. Three down and he had no idea if anyone else was in the house other than himself, Lana and the women upstairs.
Heading down another hallway, he kept his senses alert. A door was slightly open; he passed it, sticking his head into the kitchen finding it empty. Turning back to the door, he opened it slowly so he could fit through and cringed at the squeal it made. Stopping, he listened as he looked down the steps into darkness, but he didn’t hear a sound, yet something told him Lana was down there.
Trying to reach out to read her, he felt nothing except the nagging feeling grinding in his gut. With no thought other than Lana, he rushed into the darkness his one golden eye seeing perfectly. Turning the corner, there were three more steps. Lana lay at the bottom facedown, not moving.
“Lana!” Adam jumped over her before kneeling down, not knowing what to do. Touching her shoulder lightly, he nudged her and repeated her name. When she didn’t respond, Adam felt panic at the back of his throat. If he had failed to keep her safe, he wouldn’t be able to live with that, not to mention what Sid would do to him. No, she had to be okay. Moving her hair away from her face, his gut clinched again seeing the blood oozing from her temple and nose. Panic gripped him as he shook her harder. He could hear her breathing, which set him at ease, but he didn’t know how much damage had been done or how hurt she really was. “Lana! Come on. Wake up.”
Hearing heavy footsteps above them spurred Adam. “Shit!” Just as he was about to pick her up to hide her, she rolled, her gun aiming straight at his face. He knew she couldn’t see anything and he could feel her fear.
“Back off, you son of a bitch!” Her voice was tinged in pain, but held an unwavering strength.
“Lana, it’s me,” Adam hissed, not liking that this was the third time a gun had been aimed at his head in less than thirty damn minutes. “Put the damn gun down before you take my head off.”
Lana moaned, dropping the gun to her side. “What the hell happened?”
“Looks like you took a trip down the steps.” Adam looked up as more heavy footsteps pounded above them. “Come on. We have got to get you out of here.”
“I’m fine.” She tried to stand, but wobbled. “I can’t see a damn thing.”
The door to the basement squealed open. Adam moved quickly, pulling Lana behind him backing up, his eyes searching for a way to get Lana out. He didn’t give a shit if she was a cop or not. She was his responsibility and he was going to make damn sure she lived. He tried not to think of Angelina upstairs with the other women, helpless and waiting for him. Where in the hell was his back up? Oh, that’s right. He was a dumb ass and didn’t tell anyone where he was going. Shit!
Lana stepped back around him, aiming her gun toward the stairs. “I thought you said you couldn’t see anything,” Adam whispered, still watching the steps.