Page 52

WREN

Smoke clogged the air as shouts sounded from outside. The fire department was here. Good. That was good. We just had to get the last few people out.

“Help!”

The word was more croak than scream, but the force behind it told me someone was desperate. I glanced at Brix, but he was already moving in that direction.

I coughed, covering my face with my arm as if that might help protect me from the smoke. I cursed myself for wearing the stupid corset. If I had on my usual T-shirt, I’d at least have something to use as a mask.

Brix and I moved through the rubble, looking for signs of life. I still hadn’t seen Clyde and hoped like hell someone had gotten him out. My stomach cramped at the thought of the man who’d become like a father to me, being hurt or worse.

“Help.” The call was weaker this time. I wasn’t sure it would’ve been audible to anyone other than shifters, but Brix and I heard it.

We both stilled, looking around. And that’s when I saw it. A soot-streaked face peeking out from beneath a pile of rubble. Broken tables. Part of a beam. Who knew what else?

Juan.

I rushed over to him. “Shit, Juan. Are you okay?”

What a stupid question. Of course, he wasn’t. I instantly began clearing the detritus piled on top of him.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he rasped. “I mean, you’re always nice to look at, but—” He started coughing, cutting off his words.

“Save the hitting on her for later,” Brix said, hurrying to help me clear the rubble.

“But she probably feels bad for me now. I gotta shoot my shot,” Juan whispered, his voice fading.

“Gonna tell all the girls at the gym that you fought fire and lived to tell the tale,” I said, my eyes filling with tears. “Get ready for all that attention.”

“Think…they’ll…play…nurse?”

I choked on some combination of a laugh and a sob. “I’m sure they’ll be fighting over the costume.”

Juan’s eyes fluttered. “Good…did you get Clyde?”

I stiffened, my gaze shooting to Brix. “No. Where is he?”

“Back. Hall. We tried to get out there. Door. Locked.”

Fuck. When I found out who’d done this, I was going to relish helping Brix and Ender with their torture.

My hands moved faster, pulling away broken boards from Juan’s body. Blood oozed from his shoulder, and I could see where one of his legs was pinned.

“I lift, you pull him out,” Brix said.

I jerked my head in a nod. “Then I’m going for Clyde.”

“Wren—”

“Lift the damn beam,” I clipped.

Brix lifted it, and I slid Juan out, his breathing labored.

“Go!” I yelled, already running for the back hall.

Brix hollered after me, but I didn’t stop. I knew he’d do the right thing. He’d get Juan out and then come back and help me.

The smoke thickened in the back hallway, and I fought to breathe, crouching lower. Fire raged in the kitchen, and I struggled to round the entryway without getting burned. Something sounded up ahead. Banging maybe?

I tried to stand, squinting as the smoke cleared. And that’s when I saw it. Two firefighters at the end of the hall, and they had Clyde. Relief swept through me.

We were okay. We were going to be okay.

And then one of the firefighters tipped up his mask.

Everything in me stilled. Dark eyes. Hair and nose so similar to mine. But everything about him was pure coldness.

“Bastian,” I croaked.

“Little Flower,” he cooed. “It could’ve been so easy. You could’ve submitted to my authority, and no one would have been hurt. But now you’ve gone and put everyone in your life at risk.”

My breaths came quicker—short, smoke-filled pants that made me cough even harder.

“What about this poor, elderly fool whose only mistake was letting you into his world?” Bastian singsonged as his minion held Clyde in a firm grip. Bastian unsheathed his claws. “I could gut him right here. Should I do that, Little Flower?”

“No!” I cried.

Clyde tried to fight against the enforcer’s hold, but he was weak from smoke inhalation.

“You have a choice,” Bastian snarled. “You come with me, and he goes free. Or you fight, and you both die here and now. Your head on a spike will serve as a reminder to everyone to never disobey me, never betray me, and proof that you can NEVER escape my wrath.”

“Don’t,” Clyde whispered, his head starting to droop.

Tears filled my eyes as I turned to Bastian. “Let him go. I’ll submit.”

The words were just out of my mouth when I felt a prick in my neck. I tried to swat it away, but it was too late. I was fading.

And when someone caught me, they said, “I can’t wait to make your life a living hell.”