Page 53 of Siren's Gift

"Thank you,” I said to the fae woman. “Can I trust you to keep this between us?”

She raised an eyebrow. "You’re askin’ me, of all people? I can keep a secret. You have my word. This stays between us."

I nodded, relieved. A fae’s word was absolute.

"But like you said earlier, we need to get outta here in case another bomb goes off."

After helping Keiko to her feet and making sure she wouldn’t immediately collapse, we climbed through the wreckage and out the remains of the front door, now a mere memory. Across the street, a familiar face caught my attention—Kenzo. He was speaking into his phone and flipped me off as soon as he noticed me watching him. Then he disappeared around a corner.

Frowning, I considered his presence. There was no way he could pull off something of this magnitude. Not without fucking it up somehow. Although some might consider the fact I was walking out alive as a pretty big fuck up.

My phone dinged and I pulled it from my pocket.

He’s in the same lab, read Aaron’s text message.Meet me there ASAP.

I stilled, a deadly calm washing over me. Nearly killing Keiko to get to me was the last straw. Once we freed Rin, I would accept the old man’s challenge and destroy him.

No more waiting.

CHAPTER 26

Dominic

After getting Keiko back to her place for a shower and, with any luck, some rest, I drove to the lab. I didn’t tell her I was leaving; she would only try to follow me.

Unlike the night before, I gave zero fucks if anyone saw me at the lab now. I would make everyone present pay for what they’d done. Not just to Rin, but to all the dragons involved. At the very least, they’d allowed these atrocities to continue.

Ignoring the guard post and barrier gate, I threaded my motorcycle through the gate arm gap and sped toward the lab’s front door. My tires screeched in protest as I slid to a halt. I removed my helmet and stalked toward the door.

Alarms had blared the moment I’d first ridden past the gate, and several pairs of boots thudded toward me. I ignored it all, focused solely on my task—Rin.

Before I could rip the front door from its hinges, three security guards with a death wish closed in, surrounding me.

"Stop!" the man facing me barked out. "Keep your hands where I can see them."

I met his gaze and relished the resulting look of fear as he met his end. He raised his gun to shoot, but it was too late.

As their bullets raced toward me, Jou ripped from the tattoo on my back in a blaze of fury. The bullets slammed into my dragon-hardened skin and clattered to the ground. My dragon roared and dove at the guard confronting me.

I paid the others no heed as I entered the building. Behind me, the bullets and screams faded.

Because it was still normal business hours, more people would be inside that I would have to face. Good for my sake and my need for revenge, but a shame for them. I would kill any who confronted me for their role in this nightmare.

Heat and rumbling against my back announced Jou had taken care of the guards. He was eager for more bloodshed. The three outside had only scratched the surface of his desire for vengeance.

A man in a lab coat emerged from a room just ahead of me. His eyes widened as he took in the two raging beasts thundering toward him.

Before he fled, or tried to at any rate, I had him pinned to the wall by the throat. "Where is Rin Sato?" I growled, my voice low and raw as my fangs elongated. His fear was like nectar—each terrified gasp fanned the bloodlust surging through my veins, a primal call that tempted me to take a taste.

For a moment, I let that familiar hunger rise within, urging me to let go completely, to let the beast inside take over. But I didn’t give in. Even as the violent craving throbbed with every beat of my heart, I fought it back. I clung to the cold, calculated part of me that had learned to control this monstrous power that came with the dragonbond.

The man gurgled and tugged at my hand in vain. I loosened my grip only slightly, just enough to allow him to speak.

"Number four," he gasped out.

With a jerk of my wrist, I broke his neck. His body slumped to the ground, a last testament to my resolve. I stared downat him as the feeling of satisfaction intermingled with a subtle sorrow. It was a better death than he deserved.

I approached the fourth door and looked through the small window. My breath caught in my throat as the scene inside unfolded like a nightmare.

---