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“So it will be at least him and Carter,” Bec said with a nod. “Not good odds.”

Mila thought about all the people she’d become friends with in a short time. “I don’t think it’ll be only them.”

“Unless he brings an army, it won’t matter much," Bec grumbled.

Mila would’ve grinned if her face didn’t hurt so much. “They might have an army. But it’s not going to be like any you’ve ever seen before.”

“What?”

“Dave and those others are crazy,” Mila said. “But not for the reasons you think. Gio is a vampire. Carter is a wolf shifter. They have friends that are vampires, chimera shifters, and bear shifters. That’s all true.”

Bec looked at her with pity. “He hit you really hard. I think you might have a concussion.”

“You don’t need to believe me, but when you start seeing weird stuff, don’t get scared. They’re here to save us,” Mila told her. “The thing we need to figure out is how to help our rescuers.”

Bec nodded her head at a table loaded down with random items. “I might have an idea, but it’s going to be risky.”

Mila rolled her eyes. “Really? We’ve been kidnapped and threatened with all kinds of bodily harm, and you're worried about a risky plan?”

Bec stifled a laugh. “Right, sorry. I’m familiar with the cautious, sane Mila. Not this woman who’s ready to take on a bunch of crazies with only me at her back.”

“Get used to the new me,” Mila said, fighting back her fear. “I have no intention of going back!”

Chapter 28

Mila

“Maybe you’re not so precious,” Dave said, stalking close to her and Bec. “It’s several minutes after midnight, and he hasn’t shown up. Leave it to some woman to fuck up all my plans.”

Mila didn’t point out that she wasn’t a willing part of his plans and would like nothing better than to see everything go wrong for Dave and his men. She kept quiet and stared at the floor between them.

“Please,” Barb said, pulling Dave’s attention away from Mila. “We’re all innocent. My husband is seriously ill, and my daughter is a naive, sweet girl. If you let us go, we won’t tell anyone about this place.”

“No one is innocent,” Dave said. “All of you are guilty by association. Vampires are minions of Satan. Shifters are abominations. You people might be human, but you’re in league with evil. I come from a long line of hunters who—”

His self-righteous speech was cut off when a man near the truck yelled across the hangar.

“He’s here!”

“Raise the door,” Dave shouted back, rushing to the front of the hangar. The massive front door that took up the center third of the front wall lifted to reveal Gio standing there with a large duffle bag hanging off his shoulder.

He walked forward with both hands up. “I’m unarmed.”

Mila’s heart beat fast, and she looked over at Bec. Her friend nodded, it was now or never.

Before moving, Mila looked at Barb. “When things start happening, try to get Dad in the office.”

“What do you think you're doing?” Barb whispered, shaking her head. “Mila, don’t be stupid.”

Mila leveled her mom with an angry look, all the years of insults flashing through her mind in an instant. “According to all your little comments, it’s too late for that warning.”

She knew her parents loved her, but she could finally admit the relationship was one-sided and probably toxic. If they survived this, things were going to change.

Turning her back on her mom, Mila got to her feet and ran to the back of the hangar. Bec made her way in the same direction but veered to the table full of items.

Mila’s face still throbbed in pain from the punch and one of her eyes wasn’t focusing well. That couldn’t be good, but there was no point in worrying about it now.

“Drop the duffle and step back,” Dave ordered Gio. Mila spared a glance over to see Gio following instructions. She couldn’t believe he’d come alone. There were so many people in their life, how could he have—