Page 95 of Bonded By Blood

His heart pounded in his chest at the sound of her voice in his head, a little stronger now.

Describe where you are, how you got there.

When they...elevator...floors...old infirmary. Please hurry...they took...

I’m coming, Kenz.He’d find her somehow.

He made it through a series of doors onto a cell block. It appeared to be some sort of solitary confinement, as each cell was its own little room. He ran from door well to door well, flattening himself against each as he advanced. Voices. At the far end. He tried the door handle pressed to his back. Locked. Changing the hold on his blade to a throwing grip, he slowly peered around the corner. Two medical personnel in white lab coats walked through the intersection of the corridors and disappeared.

Were they coming or going from her location? He counted to ten, then took a step in their direction. The pull of Mackenzie’s presence weakened slightly. Going. They were definitely going away from her. He turned the other way and saw a stairwell leading down. The pull was definitely stronger this way.

He’d made it down three flights of stairs when he noted the sensation felt stronger than ever. She was somewhere on this floor. He opened the door a millimeter at a time and the strong smell of sweetbloods nearly knocked him to his knees. A few metal gurneys lined up against the wall and the sound of crying came from somewhere nearby. He glanced in both directions. The steel doors all had small barred windows.

Kenz, I’m on your floor. Are you here? Can you stick your fingers out of the bars of your door?

I’m not...individual room. I’m...exam...viewing window...strapped to a table. Dom, I... other room. Careful...

Damn. Where was she? He stepped out of the stairwell. The crying was louder, and he heard the low murmur of voices. He looked through the bars of the nearest door.

It was a large cell with several groups of people huddled together in twos and threes. Corey stood alone, the only one dressed in street clothes. The rest were in hospital gowns. Mackenzie wasn’t inside.

“Hey,” Dom whispered through the bars. “Corey, man, where’s Kenz?”

A young Asian kid nearest the door jumped up. “Who are you?”

“I’m here to get you out.” Dom rattled the door. It would easily cave, but he feared the noise would attract attention.

“Dom, thank God.” Corey approached the door, dark circles under his eyes. He looked like shit. “Kenzie knew you’d find us.”

“Where is she?”

“In the testing room.”

“I’ll be back.” He turned to leave. He’d get them out later after he had Mackenzie.

“Wait, you can’t just leave us here,” someone said. “They could be back for any one of us at any time.”

“What if something happens to you?” the Asian kid asked.

Dom turned around and saw the renewed terror in everyone’s eyes. Damn. “Where’s the guard with the keys?”

“He comes off and on. They know we can’t get out so they’re not always outside.”

“How many are there? Guards, medical staff, everyone.”

“Five guards, one doctor—if you can call her that—two nurses, and that nightmare they call m’lord.”

“Blake, don’t forget the new guy,” someone said.

“Oh, yeah,” Blake said. “A new guy we hadn’t seen before came in earlier today. Or maybe it was yesterday. We kind of lose track of time down here. He’s tall and quiet. Watches everything, but doesn’t say much.”

“Ten total?”

Blake nodded his head. “Plus, Marsha and Nick are down there, too. Marsha’s been there awhile and Nick—they just came for him. They looked really excited when they took him away.”

“Where are the guards stationed?”

“Around the corner to the left. Sometimes they’re in the back room watching TV and other times they’re sitting at the desk.”