Page 66 of Owned By Shadows

“I’m fine. Focus on Iris,” I reply, and she shakes her head a little but shrugs.

“Let me know if it becomes a problem,” she commands, and the nurse goes to push Iris, but Hunt takes the handles from her.

“I’ve got it. Lead the way,” he says, and we all follow the doctor and nurse up the dock and up to a modern-looking building that screams medical facility.

It’s small, but looks state-of-the-art, and I wonder why someone would need this on a private island. And why they’d let us use it.

“Who owns the island?” I question Nik as we walk through the automatic doors and into a brightly lit space. It’s clean, and there’s a receptionist, but otherwise it’s quiet and empty.

“Someone called Mr Black, Alexei said. He trusts him, says The Enlightened use this place if they need R&R, so it’s got the best equipment.”

A shiver travels up my spine at the mention of the Society that The Fallen belong to. There’s a lot of fucking secrecy about The Enlightened. I just know that, like The Fallen, we shouldn’t mess with them or piss them off. They have more power in this world than anyone has the right to, and that’s scary as fuck.

“I guess it’s the best we can do at the moment, but I’m not sure I trust it,” Roman says as he comes up next to us, all of us still following Hunt, Iris, and Dr Shelia.

“We can trust Alexei,” Nik states, looking around as we make our way to the lift, Dima, Andrei, and Bubby following behind us. “He wants the same thing I do, to rid the world of our father scum, so he’s trustworthy.”

We all pile into the lift, our conversation halted because of the strangers in our group.

“Now, I can’t have all of you with us while I do my checks,” Dr Shelia states as we exit and take a left down the bright corridor. One side is windows that face the sea, giving us a stunning view. Although my skin prickles with how exposed I feel. “So I’ll take one of you, plus Andrei, as you’ve been looking after Iris up to this point. The rest of you can wait here, or come back later.”

Hunt says with his eyes and grip on Iris’s chair, that he’ll be the one to stay with her.

“We’ll get the new place set up and come back in a bit, okay,Dorogaya?” Nik asks, bending down so he’s looking into Iris’s eyes.

“Okay, Nik,” she whispers back, sucking her lower lip in. I hate that she’s nervous, that we all can’t be with her, but at leastthis way we can make sure things are sorted for her if she’s allowed to leave the hospital.

Nik presses a soft kiss to her lips, then Roman does the same.

“We’ll see you soon, Princess,” he murmurs before stepping back and letting me say my goodbye.

“It’ll be fine, Lamb,” I tell her, crouching down and taking her cheek in my hand. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

“Love you, Roo,” she says, and my lips pull up into a smile that still feels unfamiliar on my face. Before her, I didn’t use to smile.

“Love you back, Lamb.”

I give her a quick kiss, then we stand there as Andrei and Hunt take her into a room that looks spacious from the glimpse we get as the door opens.

“I don’t enjoy being so far,” I grumble, my eyes on the now closed door.

“Me neither,” Roman agrees with a huff. “But she needs the care, and this is the best place for her.”

“Come, let’s go to the new place, check it over, and make sure it’s safe, at least for now,” Nik suggests, turning on his heel and heading back the way we came, Dima following by his side.

With a sigh, I follow, Bubby and Roman on either side of me.

“Will you teach me how to throw a grenade like that?” Bubby asks as we get into the lift, and I chuckle.

“Not a fucking chance, Bubs,” Roman warns as the lift goes down. “Hunt would kill you both, and I don’t even think Rowan would be able to get hold of any more…” He cuts off when he looks at my face, at the smirk that is on my lips. “No, Rowan.”

“I didn’t say anything,” I reply, getting out of the lift, my smirk widening.

“You didn’t need to. I know that look.”

“What look?” Bubby questions, and I turn to him, giving him a wink.

“The one where he’s going to cause mayhem and doesn’t give a shit,” my brother grumbles, and I can’t deny it. He knows me too well. “How the fuck will you get hold of grenades?”

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