Page 49 of Terror

“Maybe another day. Not today.”

“You think they shot at me because of the reward?”

“Does it matter? You can’t control what other people do.”

When the dust of Kade’s truck settles, another bigger truck pulls up. I recognize the smiley-balloon logo as the truck rounds the fountain and stops. “Damn it. It’s my party supply people. I never called to cancel.”

“Indeed,” Arkin says. “Go downstairs and lock yourself inside the panic room. Do not come out until I get you. If I don’t return, the Hordesman you know as Seer will retrieve you.” Arkin peels my hands away from his body and turns around. “You’re the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me. I am honored to defend you.”

“I’m confused. What’s going on?”

He kisses the top of my head and spins me around by my shoulders, then pushes me away.

“Hey!” I lurch forward.

Arkin goes outside. The door slams closed.

I grab the handle but can’t open the door. I yank and break my nail. Shit! I get back to the window.

Outside, Miyo trots up the steps. Arkin spreads his arms and shouts, “You want my Omega? Come and get her, motherfucker.”

I try the door again and it opens. Yes! The hound stands before me and rattles out a terrible sound. It stops me dead in my tracks. His hackles rise, his head dips, and he points his tail up like a scorpion ready to strike. He bares his frightening big teeth, black eyes pinning me in place.

From next door, Alpha males shout. Fever Hordesman comes running through the gates, several males in tow, their armor erected and bloody. They hop in the truck, and Fever breaks the driver-side window. He shouts something I can’t understand and jumps off again. The truck explodes, shattering all the windows. I crouch and cover my ears, watching in horror as the bodies of the Alphas litter my yard.

Arkin stays in place.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He doesn’t answer.

He doesn’t have to because I see them.

Out of the tents across my property crawls a small army of men dressed in black combat uniforms. They rush, laser guns firing.

Miyo tackles me down, jaws closing over my shoulder. Under him, I can’t move, but I hear the door slam. Laser heat sears the house’s walls. Miyo retreats and stands at the door, watching me. I crawl back away from him until I hit the basement stairs. He follows.

I sprint down, Miyo at my heels. In record time, I punch in the code, and the panic room’s heavy door clicks open. I squeeze inside, and just when I’m about to close it, Miyo sticks his head through and pushes his way inside. Oh God, I’m stuck here with a man-eating hound.

He sniffs around the room and settles on the sofa, taking up the whole thing. Okay, then. “Nice boy,” I say, my voice trembling. I close and lock the door, then command the screen to show me the front of the house.

Arkin leaps onto the fountain and bellows a battle cry as he lands atop the small army firing at him. He topples a few men and rips into them while the others join in, but not all. Some stand on the outskirts still firing, trying to get a shot at him. Amid the pile of black uniforms, emerald green armor is hard to miss. Arkin cries out. They’re gonna burn through his armor and kill him.

The camera flickers.

“No.”

I command it to turn back on. I don’t want to watch, but I can’t look away. Then it hits me. I scramble to the emergency ground line and dial.

“Yello!” a man answers.

I frown. “Is this 911?”

“This is Stronghold’s command center. Christy on call here because I got nothing better to do but babysit Omegas.”

“Shut the power down.”

“No fucking way. Have ya lost your mind?”

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