Page 44 of Victoria's Embrace

Chapter 26

Thegan fought through the onslaught of beings that descended upon them at Salesh’s order—punching, kicking, and shooting—all while trying to keep an eye on Vee.

He looked away for a bare second to aim and fire at an incoming enemy. When he looked back to where she’d been, alarm shot through him. She wasn’t there.

“Vee!”

He searched for Tesha’s brightly colored mane, knowing the beast would be by Vee’s side, instead of trying to find his tiny mate among the madness. Spotting the animal, he veered that way, his gaze locked on so he didn’t lose them again, but the distraction cost him. A blow from the side knocked the tranq gun from his hand, sending it flying off into the roiling mass of bodies.

Snarling, he turned and barely missed the blade aimed for his stomach. Fury that this male dared to stand between him and his mate robbed him of caution. When the male lunged again, Thegan grabbed his wrist and twisted viciously, feeling the bones crack under his grip, then landed a brutal punch to the male’s face.

Stepping over his unconscious body, Thegan barreled through anyone that stood in his way, fighting to make it back to Vee’s side, but enemies came at him one after another, and she kept getting farther and farther away.

* * *

Victoria advanced steadilythrough the skirmish with Snitch, in his big form, and Tesha guarding her sides, acting as a buffer and taking down anyone who tried to flank them while she fired shot after shot, tranqing everyone who passed her line of sight.

They were almost to the center of the room, just under the edge of the atrium, when she heard her name over the thunderous uproar. Darting a quick glance around, she realized Thegan was no longer behind her. Heart leaping into her throat, she spun in a circle, searching for his tall form among the sea of battling bodies.

She spotted Vi’kail and Luna’eva working together a ways off to the left, his body a blur as he took down anyone who came near. She found Thorn farther back in the open room, but where was Thegan?

“Thegan!”

She started to spin to her right to search for him on that side but froze mid-turn when she heard Salesh yell, “Stop, or I kill them!”

Whipping back around, she found Salesh standing in front of her throne, holding up some kind of device and looking right at her, a malicious expression twisting her features.

“The collars and stasis tubes are all set to detonate the moment I lift my finger.”

A dead man's switch.

Oh fuck. Fuckfuckfuck.

Victoria felt the blood rush from her face. Time slowed to a crawl.

Why hadn’t she thought to check the other rooms on the lab level? Bree had told her Salesh was blackmailing people into submission by threatening their loved ones. She’d just assumed that meant she had them imprisoned somewhere in the complex. Why hadn’t she considered that Salesh would use the original bodies as a threat?

The risk they’d all taken of dying during this fight hadn’t been much of a risk at all, not when they could just get another clone. But if they diedandthe original bodies were gone… they’d just be dead. Hundreds of people. Gone, wiped out in an instant.

Oh god.

She didn’t know what to do. She still had her tranq gun raised. She could shoot Salesh right now, but what if she wasn’t lying? None of them were close enough to get to her in time to keep her finger on the trigger.

Smiling victoriously, Salesh purred, “Put down your weapons, or you and all your people will die.”

She didn't know what to do. If they surrendered, they'd either die or be slaves. If they didn't, she had no doubt Salesh would follow through on her threat.

* * *

Thegan moved silentlythrough the room, creeping between bodies, making his way closer to Salesh. He’d been on the edge of the battle when she spoke, trying to get back to Vee’s side. Using the distraction, he stripped and went invisible, keeping only a blade and leaving everything else in a pile.

Six feet. Three.

Coming to a stop at the base of her throne, he raised his blade and reached for the hand holding the device. He’d grab her hand and strike at the same time.

Mid-lunge, Salesh whipped around, moving so fast she was a blur. Teeth sank into his neck. Fire raced through his body. Agony unlike anything he’d ever experienced consumed him.

Teeth gritted, body snapping taut, he tried to scream.

---