Page 20 of Pride
“Axel Alvares, sir.” He darted a glance through the two-way mirror to where Despair still glared, and did a double take before his eyes went wide.
“Eyes on me, Faithful.”
Axel snapped his attention back to Julius. He tried to hide his distaste, but Julius could see it painted all over the man. Not used to torture. Would he be of any use?
Julius bit his tongue and tapped his finger on his chest. With Despair out of action, he would take anyone’s help to complete this last leg of his plan.
“I’ve heard you are a man of action,” Julius said. “You get the job done and you think on your feet.”
“I do my best, sir.”
“I have a job for you. If you can prove your worth, then I will promote you to fill the shoesthatwoman left. Do you understand?”
“You want me to be your lead enforcer?”
Julius gave a curt nod. “Can you handle the kind of work she did?”
“If it brings me closer to replication, then I’m ready, sir.”
“Good. Listen closely…”
9
Parker retracted his claws,furious that he’d been forced to reveal The Beast when it was the other, unseen parts of his new abilities that were superior. He could run faster, jump higher, and always land on his feet, but demonstrating that was far more cumbersome in this space. The claws and teeth were just an ugly symbol of something he wasn’t. He was not an animal.
The Sinners circled him, each tensing and ready for action. Revolver in one hand, sword in another, dagger in a third’s hand. He’d addressed their leader, the old nun, but he had no doubt that the real person he needed to convince was Alice. He may have followed her here with espionage intentions, but he wasn’t going to take her against her will. He never intended to. There were still too many unknowns on the bridge between them.
The buxom redhead pointed at Parker. “You expect us to let Alice leave with you now? You’re a...”
Beast. Monster. Freak? He dared her to say it and bared his teeth, now wholly human but still a threat. “Alice can handle herself.”
The rainbow-haired one shrugged. “He’s not wrong—”
Something small bounced down the steps, trailing smoke behind it.Flashbang.
Parker launched himself onto Alice, throwing her to the ground, his body protecting her. A wall rattling bang. A blinding flash. Smoke. No… not smoke. Some kind of gas.
Alice looked up at Parker, confused.
They both knew a flashbang was harmless—designed to disorientate but not injure—yet Parker’s instinct had been to protect his mate.
He’d followed her to this cathedral, but someone had followed him. The Sinners moved like synchronized swimmers, perfectly harmonious. They surrounded their Reverend Mother and prepared for battle. It would do them no good. He could smell and identify the gas. It wasn’t a nerve toxin or tear gas. It was a sleeping agent he recognized.
Nothing could fight sleep—he knew this firsthand from Sloan. All he could do was hold his breath and hope for the best. Hopefully, the five minutes he could manage would be enough for backup to arrive. The Sinners were only human. Their lung capacity probably failed after a maximum of two minutes.
The shock wore off, and Alice’s scowl was like a kiss to him. If there ever came a day she failed to revolt against him, he would be disappointed. If this was any other moment, he’d be aroused.
Parker activated the panic button on his Deadly watch. He had a small moment to appreciate there might be a need for that bionic arm after all, but then his pride won over. He would manage better just the way he was.
“It’s a sleeping agent,” he said, waving his hand through the gas rising from the floor. “Don’t breathe it in if you can help it.”
He would be okay for a few minutes, but the rest of them would be susceptible. He searched the basement for another exit. Only the cooling vents and ducting in the ceiling. He’d never squeeze through, but maybe Alice might.
“You did this,” she said, covering her mouth. “You brought this on us.”
He gripped her shoulder. “Get to the cooling vent. I’ll lift you.”
The gas was rising. He heaved in a breath filtered through his sleeve and held it, then bade her to do the same. Her eyes said she wanted to cut him in two, but she had no choice. She held her breath.
