Page 5 of Bind Me

Crap! Did we miss him, or is he already somewhere in the building?

Instead of heading toward my hiding place, the stranger veers into the next office over—the one I haven’t checked yet. Part of me breathes easier, grateful he’s not on a collision course with Scout. My plan is to wait and see if Zane appears.

As I steady my rapid breathing, the smallest sound, a faint shuffle, catches my attention. It’s close, too close. Heart in my throat, my gaze darts around the dark room I’m in, when the sound comes again.

Fuck.

I’m not alone in the room.

Adrenaline surges through me. I can’t believe I didn’t search the area properly before throwing myself in here. I blame Scout for distracting me with his stupidity. With my back to the wall, I reach for the small flashlight I keep with my house keys.

With a cautious flick, light sputters to life, casting a weak beam across the room. Except it’s not just any room—I’ve stumbled into a lab.

The beam dances over shelves packed with jars containing murky liquids and powders. Along the length of the room runs a long table cluttered with all kinds of scientific equipment, while on the floor, cages are haphazardly stacked. Their bars imprison animals that we’re here to stop Zane from trafficking. Tiny eyes stare back at me. A pair of green squirrels, twitching nervously, three-legged frogs with small horns. The poor things were terrified, stuck in a metal cage, too scared to even move. But they don’t look harmed, which is good.

When I rise up from my crouched position, another cage with an animal on the table catches my attention. It’s small, curled up, its fur patchy, skin marked with splotches of raw, irritated flesh. The creature’s eyes meet mine, filled with pain and fear. It whimpers softly.

It’s an otter.

The acrid smell of chemicals becomes more distinct now, more disturbing.

As I stand there, the ache in my heart deepens as I stare at the otter, leaving me completely devastated for the little thing being tested on. I’ve always had a soft spot for animals, caring for strays and volunteering at shelters. So, the sight in front of me stirs a deep anger that drowns out the earlier tension of the hunt. I now want to really hurt Zane and his accomplices.

Still huddled in the corner of his cage, the otter’s terrified eyes stay locked on mine as it trembles uncontrollably. Tears prick my eyes while fire burns my chest. As I step toward the trembling otter, intent on easing its fear, the room suddenly erupts with a sound like thunder. A spark explodes, and I sense the sharp bite of magic coursing up my arms.

I flinch back, heart pounding against my ribs, fearing I’ve accidentally triggered a trap. Before I can even begin to make sense of what’s happening, a loud click resonates through the room, eerily similar to the sound of a gas oven igniting.

In seconds, flames shoot up from the base of all the walls in the room, racing upward as if the walls are lined with kindling. Heat engulfs me instantly, the heavy stench suffocating.

Panic throttles me, and I’m shaking furiously. I stumble backward, my head spinning with dread and confusion. The heat intensifies, slamming into me like a physical blow while the cries of the animals in their cages pierce through the chaos.

From the doorway, I desperately scan the warehouse. Fire is climbing the walls out there, too, a monstrous, ravenous entity consuming the building. It’s clear something triggered the inferno… was it me?

Through the growing blaze, I spot Scout in the open doorway of the other office across from me, and I know instantly the disaster is his fault. The door handle is half hanging near him, a clear sign of forced entry into a room locked and secured by a purge trigger. He’s stumbling forward as the wall behind him catches in flames.

“Idiot!”

Break into the office, hit the trigger, and the whole place lights up, destroying every bit of evidence and potentially killing anyone inside to cover Zane’s tracks.

Anger and fear drum through me. We need to get out… now!

Before I take a step forward, Zane races into the warehouse from the rear of the building, a massive figure with a handlebar mustache that does nothing to soften his bulldozer-like appearance. He rushes toward the front door, screaming out something about collecting some files. I assume he’s screaming at his friend in the other office.

Shit!

That’s when his gaze swings in Scout’s direction, then mine, finally spotting us… the intruders.

“Son of a bitch, fucking bounty hunters,” he growls, and he’s suddenly bolting to the front door as his buddy emerges from the other office, looking terrified with panic twisting his features.

I’m running after them in a second flat, even while the fire grows fast, too fast. The place is going to collapse in seconds. With my taser extended, I shoot, needing to slow him, but despite his size, he dodges with surprising agility. Scout’s there, and the heat is becoming unbearable, my throat raw, my nostrils stinging from the smoke.

“Stop them,” I yell out at Scout as the wall to one of the offices shatters, collapsing with a tremendous thud near the forklift. It’s also when the heartbreaking sound of cries behind me stops me in my tracks. The animals, still trapped in their cages, grab my attention, their actions growing more frantic the worse the fire inflames.

Zane and his friend dart outside the front door, Scout on their heels.

“Sasha, hurry the fuck up,” he yells, then he’s gone.

I know this is my chance to catch Zane, that he can’t get away from us, but I glance back, my insides aching at the sounds of the animals crying, knowing they will die.

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