Page 3 of Kiss the Dawn (Order of Helsing #4)

PADMA

M y mouth tastes like mothballs, and my head feels like someone’s filled it with cotton wool. Whatever drug the bastard Shay used on us is potent. Even my vision is slightly blurry.

Edwin is still passed out on his side, his bandaged arm facing the ceiling. I’m tempted to wake him, but I’ll give him a few more minutes of blissful oblivion. It’s not like he can do much even if he does wake.

We’re in a bare room of a warehouse perhaps. Abandoned, obviously, because where else would you keep your kidnap victims? The floor is dusty and looks rotten in places, and the windows are boarded up so only bars of moonlight can get through. It smells of mildew and damp. There’s only one exit, which is open, letting in enough light to dispel the gathering shadows. Shay knows we can’t make a break for it with our hands tied behind our backs and feet bound. It took me almost twenty minutes to get myself into a sitting position when I woke. Thank goodness for strong core muscles.

My arm throbs beneath the bandage. What did he do to us?

As if summoned by my thoughts, Shay enters the room carrying a takeout cup of coffee and eating a donut.

“Oh, good, you’re awake. I was starting to worry.”

“What the fuck are you playing at, Shay?”

“Just trying to get a job done. I need your friend Orina, and you’re my bait.”

“A job? What job involves assaulting a woman and kidnapping her friends?”

“Look, I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I will do whatever it takes to claim my bounty.”

“Orina has a bounty on her head?”

“Oh yes. And it’s a big one.” He takes a bite of his donut and jam dribbles out, but he catches it with his tongue and licks his lips clean of the sugary mess before continuing. “One that’s worth killing for.” He winks.

Killing for? “You’re crazy.”

“No, just resourceful.”

“She’s not just going to walk into your trap because you claim to have us. ”

“Oh, I know, which is why I sent her proof.” He points at my arm. “A little skin with your tattoo on it.” He cants his head. “Cute, by the way, that you got matching ones.”

My cheeks heat, and my lungs grow tight with rage. “You desecrated my blessing?”

“Your what?”

“That mark is a blessing from the white wings, you bastard!”

He winces. “Sorry.”

“You could have just taken a fucking photo of us and sent that.”

He makes an ‘o’ with his mouth. “Shit. Didn’t think of that one.”

I want to throttle him. My mark. My sacred mark. Tears blur my vision, and I blink them back. “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to find a way to get free, and I’m going to smash your face.”

He faux winces and shakes his head. “I’d worry more about the strange rash that’s crawling up your arm. You might want to get that looked at.”

“Shay? Food’s on the table,” someone calls from the other room.

He wipes his donut hand on his pants and backs up. “Best go and make nice with the help.”

How many of them are there? “So you’re going to split your bounty with your buddies. How many slices of the pie are you going to lose?”

He opens his mouth to reply then snaps it closed and smirks. “If you want to know our numbers, all you need to do is ask.” He sips his coffee, brow arched, waiting for me to do just that. I want to tell him to go fuck himself, but that won’t get me the information I want.

Heck, asking for it probably won’t. But on the off chance that it does— “How many of you are there? You know, so I know how many asses I need to kick.”

He lets out a bark of laughter. “You’ve got fire. I like it. Five including me. So if your friend brings backup, which I’m sure she will despite my instructions to the contrary, I’ll be ready for her.”

“Shay!” his comrade calls.

He heads for the door. “Get comfortable. You’ll be my guest for the next two hours.”

This time he closes the door firmly behind him.

Maybe my threat got to him after all.

With the light gone, the shadows surge closer, and a prickle rushes over my skin. A chill brushes my nape, and I twist to look behind me. Is there someone there? Not someone… something . Hidden in the deep pocket of darkness.

I strain to see and am sure I make out a crouching form. Bulky but humanoid. My pulse hammers in my throat. The bastard Shay has left someone in here to keep an eye on us. He’s probably been in here all along and the reason I felt I was being watched. Like hell am I going to be intimidated by the sneak.

“I know you’re there. I can see you. Show yourself! ”

The figure doesn’t move, but I can make out its shape clearly. A man crouched, head bowed.

“Oi! I can fucking see you; keeping your head down doesn’t make you invisible.”

The head slowly lifts, and amethyst eyes glow in the dark.

My pulse stops. I know those eyes.

I’ve seen them close up. “You…”

He slowly unfurls his frame to stand almost seven feet tall. Larger than I recall. Broader. Fearsome.

My stomach tightens, and it’s suddenly harder to breathe. “Who are you?”

“You don’t remember?”

“The thing from the teapot…”

He moves closer. “How much more must I do?”

“What are you talking about?”

He leans in, and I try to shuffle away but end up toppling onto my side. “Fuck!”

He closes in, his shadowy frame filling my vision as it wraps around me. “Tell me…anything…whatever it takes…” There’s a plea in his voice as his icy breath skims over my face. “Tell me, damn you!”

“Get away from her!” Edwin falls through the figure and lands on the floor beside me.

The figure vanishes, and we both stare at the spot it was in a moment ago.

“You saw him.” My words are a whisper.

“Yeah…yeah I did.” He groans and manages to sit up on the first try. Now that’s some core power right there. “What the fuck happened?”

“Shay happened.” I try to sit up and fail. “Fuck.”

“Swing your legs out first,” Edwin says. “So that your body makes an L shape. That’s right. Now try.”

It works, and I’m upright.

“Now tell me what I missed.”

Edwin and I sit back-to-back working at the knots in the ropes that bind our hands. The bastard Shay has tied us up good, and the knots aren’t ones I’m familiar with, but like heck am I giving up.

“I think I feel a little slack,” Edwin says.

“Really?”

“No,” he admits.

A surprised laugh escapes my lips. How can he make me laugh at a time like this?

“Let me try,” Edwin says.

I stop fiddling with his bindings, and he sets to work on mine.

“How long do you think we have before Orina gets here?” he asks.

“Shay said two hours, and I think it might have been that…I don’t know. I can’t see my watch.”

“We have to be free by then so we can help her kick ass.”

Because despite what Shay thinks, if he’s asked her to come alone and threatened to hurt us if she doesn’t, then she’ll come alone. At least into the building. She’ll need us there to back her up.

We have no weapons, but we have our fists, and we can use them as soon as Orina gets here. Together we’ll help her get the fuck out of here.

“I think I have it,” Edwin says.

And I feel the slack. “Yeah, it’s working.” I throw a glance at the door. Still shut. Please don’t let Shay come check on us now.

“I got it.” Edwin practically vibrates with triumph, but he has every right to be excited because he’s done it. He’s freed me.

I shuck off the ropes and sigh in relief as I bring my arms forward to rub my wrists.

“Quick, now do me,” Edwin says.

“One second.” I untie my feet then turn my attention to his bindings. Two minutes later we’re both free and at the door.

Edwin opens it a crack, and light spills into the room. He peers out. “A corridor,” he whispers. “There’s another door at the end, and it’s slightly ajar.”

I drop him a nod, and we slip onto the dimly lit corridor and hurry down to the door, beyond which I’m sure Shay and his minions are waiting.

Edwin takes the lead and gets to the door first. He peers through the gap and then steps back and holds up five fingers, confirming what Shay told me earlier about there being five of them.

Someone laughs in the room beyond and gets cursed out for it.

What are they doing? I mouth.

Edwin mouths back, Playing cards.

I want to see the layout of the room, so I nudge him out the way and take his place at the gap. Not much of the room is visible, just the back end where there are old crates piled up. Shay has his back to us, and three more guys are huddled around the table holding hands of cards.

Wait…that makes four at the table. Where’s the fifth?

The door flies open, and a man with bright red hair and a too wide mouth points a blade at us. “Boo.”

Edwin draws me back and steps in front of me. “Back off.”

“Not bad,” Shay says, his back still to us. “I tied those ropes tight, and you still got out. I’m impressed.” He sets his cards down and turns on his stool to look at us. “But what was your plan next? You have no weapons, and you’re outnumbered. How did you expect to get away? Unless…” He lets out a bark of laughter. “You were waiting for Orina to arrive so you could fight us together. I like your optimism.” His expression sobers. “But it’s misplaced. There is no getting away from this situation. Once she walks through those doors,” he says, indicating the main exit ac ross the room, “she’ll be trapped in here with us.” A stone appears in his hand, glinting red in the lamplight. “I have her blood. Well, the blood of her bloodline, which is enough for a holding spell. Once she’s inside, she’ll be powerless to leave unless I break the spell.” He turns back to his cards. “Take them back to the storage room and tie them up.”

“Or we could simply kill them,” dagger boy says. “We don’t need them. Not really. You said yourself, she’s too much of a do-gooder not to come for them.”

“I told you I don’t want the hassle of cleanup,” Shay says with a sigh.

“I’ll do it,” dagger boy says, his attention on us with wicked intention.

“Fine. Do it,” Shay says without looking our way, as if we’re nothing.

“Yes!” Dagger boy moves toward us, and I launch myself at the red-headed bastard, thumbs aimed for his eyes.

Pain grips my head in a vise, and I drop to my knees, screaming in agony.

“Stop!” Edwin yells, and then he simply yells, his pain echoing mine.

Laughter erupts around us.

I want to curse at them, but my throat is otherwise occupied with screaming, and I can’t see. I can’t fucking see, but I feel the hand in my hair as dagger boy grabs a fistful and yanks my head back. I want to fight, but pain holds me immobile. The cold pinch of steel kisses my throat, and terror starbursts in my chest. I’m about to die.

Icy wind hits my back, and the splinter of wood drowns out the laughter.

The pain stops as if someone has flipped a switch.

My sight returns in time to see Crush step through the busted doorway, three hulking figures at his back. “Hello, Shay,” he says in his gruff, growly voice. “I think you and I are due a chat.”

Edwin grabs my arm and hauls me out of the room just as all hell breaks loose.