Page 139 of Darling Wildfire
“Speak,” Albatron demanded.
“These four escaped,” Vetticus said. “I was punishing them.”
There was silence for a beat.
“Who is the girl?”
“Kraven’s daughter,” Vetticus answered.
“What is her purpose?”
Vetticus lifted his head to look at Albatron in confusion. “To teach Kraven a lesson in obedience.”
Albatron’s gaze shifted to me briefly before locking back on Vetticus. He stared at Vetticus for an uncomfortably long time and as each second ticked by, Vetticus seemed to shrink under his scrutiny.
“Inside,” Albatron finally said.
He moved past Vetticus and disappeared into the house. Vetticus scrambled to his feet and quickly followed. I knelt in the dirt in a daze, staring across the space at Emersyn. She was still crying, the occasional whimper continuing to shred my sanity.
I saw Preacher move out of the corner of my eye. He groaned and struggled to his knees. We all still had guns to our heads but it was clear none of us were in any condition to stage an uprising. Atlas still was leaning heavily against the grill of the SUV. Nyx was the only one who seemed alert, albeit a little on the pale side.
There weren’t any sounds coming from the cabin and there was an uneasy energy being shared amongst Vetticus’ men. They kept glancing at Albatron’s men who were still posted around the car. One of them stood at the steps to the house, facing out as though on guard. They all wore full tactical gear without any distinguishing features.
Finally, the door of the cabin squeaked open and Albatron strode out with Vetticus right on his heels looking grim and more than a little worried.
Albatron stopped at the bottom of the steps and pulled his gun.
Everyone tensed.
Albatron leveled the gun at one of Vetticus’ men and pulled the trigger.
Before the man even hit the ground, he’d shot another one, then another.
Then his gun leveled at Preacher and before any of us could move, the shot rang out.
Preacher fell.
Preacher.
I saw Nyx jolt in shock and my breathing picked up as anguish twisted inside me.
But then Albatron turned to Emersyn.
“No! No…no—”
He pulled the trigger.
It took a moment to register as I watched blood pour down her face and then my ears were ringing, I was shouting and men were rushing to restrain me. It took several of Vetticus’ men to beat me down until I couldn’t see because of the dust and my breath was stolen from me.
Through the silence, I heard Albatron fire his gun again.
I couldn’t even see who that bullet was for.
“Stop playing around, Vetticus,” Albatron said. His smooth voice slid through the silence and the anger that was loudly roaring through me. “Don’t make me come out here again.”
I heard car doors slamming and the rumbling of an engine rose and fell before silence descended on the clearing. I lifted my head to see Vetticus standing on the steps looking more than a little ruffled and pissed off. He bared his teeth in the direction the car had gone.
“What was that about?” One of his main guards asked.
