Blood Assassin (The Sentinels #2)(107)

“Is the witch in there?” he demanded.

“Yes.” Bas gave a sharp nod, concentrating on his former employee. “She hasn’t sensed me yet, but it’s only a matter of time.”

“How are you going to get us in?” he demanded of Bas.

The assassin pointed toward the side lot where several expensive cars were parked.

“Jael took me through an employee entrance at the back. We should be able to sneak in unnoticed.”

Serra barely heard Bas’s words, her entire body going rigid as her mind-sweep touched on the small, terrified mind she’d been desperate to find.

She held her breath, concentrating on the fragile connection as she reached into her pocket to pull out the tiny ribbon she’d been carrying.

Yes. The child was sleeping, but there was no mistaking it was Molly.

About to release her breath, Serra was baffled by the odd sense of another mind reaching out to the child.

Shit. She yanked her mind away. Was the child being watched by a high-blood who was monitoring her on a psychic level? There hadn’t been any hint of malevolence in the mind. Actually, it’d seemed more . . . protective.

Still, she might have given away the fact that they were searching for the child.

“She’s here,” she breathed softly.

Bas glanced at her in confusion. “Jael?”

“Molly.”

The assassin made a choked sound, grabbing the door of the black Mercedes that Kaede had parked at the corner of the block before jogging off to search the neighborhood.

“She’s alive?” he rasped, his skin paling to a pasty gray.

Serra gave a swift nod. “Yes. She’s sleeping.”

He released a shaky breath. “Where?”

There was the soft sound of footsteps as Kaede returned, but no one spared him a glance. The men kept their gazes focused on Serra as she closed her eyes and concentrated on her fragile bond with the child.

“I can’t pinpoint her exactly,” she said softly, slowly opening her eyes. “But she’s in that building.” She gestured toward the small brick structure at the back of the parking lot that looked as if it’d been renovated into a private residence.

She’d barely gotten out the words before Bas was shoving away from the car and heading down the street.

“Let’s go.”

Fane moved with blurring speed to stand directly in the assassin’s path, one hand pressed to the middle of Bas’s chest.

“Wait.”

The bronze eyes narrowed. “Release me, Sentinel, or—”

“You can’t rush in there without a plan,” Fane interrupted, his expression carved from granite. “Not unless you want your daughter to die.”

Snapping his fingers around Fane’s wrist, Bas trembled with the need to battle his way past the large Sentinel. Then, with a visible effort, he swore beneath his breath.

“Christ.” Bas released Fane’s wrist to shove his fingers through his hair. “There’s no way for me to approach without Jael sensing me.”

Serra turned to glance at the club. It was a large structure, but once Bas entered any high-blood in the building would recognize his presence.

“She’ll be expecting you and Kaede,” she said slowly, thinking out loud. “But she won’t be expecting us.”

Bas jerked his head to send her a suspicious frown. “What are you suggesting?”

“You and Kaede go through the employee entrance and track down Jael,” she said. “That’s what she’ll be anticipating.”

“And you?” Bas pressed.

“I’ll find Molly.”

The bronze eyes narrowed, the air vibrating with his tension. “How can I trust you?”

Serra shrugged. “Because you have no choice.”

Fane abruptly stepped to stand at her side. “She’s right.”

Bas pressed his lips into a flat line, his hands clenched into tight fists.

“Molly . . . is an innocent.”

Serra stepped forward, her face flushed with annoyance. “For God’s sake, there’s nothing in this world that could make me harm a child,” she snapped, pointing a finger in Bas’s face. “Not even you. Now go.”

Without warning Kaede placed a hand on Bas’s shoulder, his manner deliberately calm.

“She’s right. We have to go before Jael realizes we’re here and they lock down the club.”

Bas closed his eyes, sucking in a deep breath to regain his shaky composure. At last he lifted his lids to stab Serra with a fierce glare.

“Get her out and keep her safe.”

Bas sent her one last warning glare before jogging silently across the street and becoming lost in the shadows of the night.

Fane waited until the two men had time to round the building before lightly touching her arm.

“Ready?”

She nodded, following his silent path down the sidewalk to approach the back building from the side drive that led to the parking lot.

They both halted beneath the branches of a large oak tree, studying the building in silence. It looked empty. The square windows were dark, and the front gate heavily locked.

But Serra easily picked up the buzz of at least three human brains nearby.

Fane leaned down to speak directly in her ear. “Wait here until I scout for guards.”