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The blaring alarms and flashing lights in the narrow stairwell added to his foul mood. Ashtoret wasn’t very kind as he hauled the human down the stairs. He knew they were getting close when human warriors opened fire from below.

“Unless you want to be killed by your own people, call them off,” Aculus informed the captive commander.

“As you can see, your weapons have little effect on us,” he added.

“Hold your fire!” the male bellowed as they continued downward.

The human warriors didn’t listen to their comrade and kept firing. Ashtoret wasn’t cruel, despite how incensed he was. He shoved the poor fool behind him as they descended. Sadly, it wasn’t enough. Several ricocheting bullets struck the male and he dropped. Aculus shook his head as he stepped over the body.

It took little effort knocking out the other humans as they reached the lower level. Frustratingly, the metal door that greeted them didn’t have an electronic lock.

“Get these humans out of blast range,” Aculus commanded as he placed a charge on the door.

They each grabbed two unconscious human warriors and hauled them up to the next level, then descended again. The metal portal blew off its hinges, flying into the corridor, crushing the stone wall beyond. They stormed into the hall before the dust could settle. He growled in annoyance seeing more of the stubborn humans.

“Give up. You’re not keeping me from my mate.”

Beyond the squadron, people were fleeing down the corridor in both directions. His team fired on the human warriors, ignoring the ones who were unarmed and not in uniform.

“The females are this way.” Aculus looked at his handheld and pointed down the hall.

As they stepped over the unconscious humans, a faint but recognizable roar captured his attention and his head swiveled around.

“Vintor!”

“We’ll go get him. You find your bonded,” Terentius said, then he and Cerdic ran toward the barely discernible sound.

The rest of them continued forward, taking a left down an intersecting passage. No sooner had he turned the corner when an undeniable scent gripped him.

Abby!

He raced down the hall with Aculus and three others hot on his tail. He no longer needed the locator to tell him where his mate was, the conjugo bond led the way.

Abby

Abby jumped when the alarm started blaring.

“What’s going on?” she asked her father.

“I don’t know, Peanut.” Brennan pounded on the door, but there was no answer. “Dammit, someone let us out!”

None of the people they heard running past the locked door bothered to stop and help them. Her father cracked his knuckles several times and she knew this was bad.

“Abby!”

Her head shot up hearing the muffled roar.

“Nadzia.”

“They really came for us.” Hope jumped up.

“We’re in here!” Abby pounded on the door.

“Stand back!” Ash bellowed.

“The cavalry’s here, Dad.” Hope tugged their father away from the door.

“We are, but it’s a small room,” she yelled.