Page 99 of Fae Devoted
The queen was farther away, and Ethan’s lightning and fire casts were useless so long as Charlie remained the man’s living shield. The spillover of heat and electricity would kill an unprotected child in such close proximity to his target.
A bullet to the human’s brain would take him down before he could flinch but delving into the mating bond told him holding the weapon steady was taking everything Jo had. He didn’t want her to have to make the hard choice to risk Charlie with a less than perfect shot. Lydia might have the skill with a gun, but her angle was all wrong.
Yet they couldn’t allow the madman to leave with the witchling either. The American government managed to keep the facility a secret for decades, and there was no guarantee other facilities didn’t exist across the country. It could take them years to find her again.
“On second thought,” he said, moving the gun underneath Charlie’s chin. “Miss Eriksen, come open the door for me and thewitchling.”
“No, do it yourself you motherfucking coward.”
“Language, Miss Eriksen,” he tsked, then rammed the point of his pistol into Charlie’s skin until she screamed in pain and terror. “Do it now.”
The atmosphere was steeped in anticipation so thick Tucker could smell it in the night air.
“Let go,” she told Jeremiah with barely a quiver, her mind made up. He released her.
Hannah took a small step, then another. Each stride surer than the last.
“Hurry up, or I’ll kill her.” The Director tightened his grip on Charlie’s waist.
“No, you won’t.” Hannah’s smile was gentle, her voice reassuring as she focused on Charlie, ignoring everything and everyone else. “Trust me, honey. He won’t hurt you.”
“You’re willing to gamble with this young one’s life?” he asked, backing up another step. Charlie kicked and lost a slipper, her tiny foot now bare.
“No, I’m not.” The woman’s words were bitter shards of ice as her gaze rose to the man threatening someone she obviously loved. “Charlie’s too valuable, isn’t she?” Her focus left the Director and zeroed in on her scared charge. “Or did you forget? I’ve seen what this little girl can do.”
“Yes, you have, haven’t you?” He paused, the groove between his brows pinched. “That could become a problem with your recent betrayal.”
Jeremiah growled, and Hannah came to a halt just beyond the wide entrance, making no attempt to obey the man’s demands.
“I want Miss Hannah,” Charlie stuttered, renewing her struggles. “Let go. Let go.”
“I’m sorry, my dear, but sacrifices must be made,” he mumbled under his breath, then removed his gun from beneath Charlie’s chin and aimed it at Hannah.
Charlie screamed and chaos erupted.
A blast of hot air hit Hannah before the Director could fire, her entire body lifted and thrown backward. Charlie’s narrow chest rose as if drawing a deep breath, and the barn’s reinforced steel doors slammed shut, locking them inside.
The magical storm the witchling somehow conjured continued to rage all around them, and Jo yelled in fear and frustration. She leaned her battered body into the gale-force winds as she tried to get to Charlie. Rutgers’ and the queen’s valiant efforts to reach the trapped child were stunted; their enhanced speed useless against the hurricane-like gusts. Electricity crackled on Ethan’s fingertips while the tattooed knuckles on Lydia’s fist shone like a beacon in the dark. Yet neither witch could move forward, the magical walls of their shields allowing them to remain upright but not push ahead.
Jeremiah used brute force to plow the few yards to where Hannah ended her flight. His big body curved over hers,blocking the bulk of swirling wind and flying debris from pummeling her fragile, human flesh.
Tucker’s gray tucked his broad shoulder into the tempest, powerful thigh muscles bulging as he pushed in front of Jo.
The wind died as abruptly as it was brought to life. The sudden absence of sound in the surrounding woodlands, which should be teeming with the nocturnal orchestra of a thriving eco-system, was loud in its unnaturalness. Charlie screamed again, breaking the eery silence. Her rage and despair creating a tone higher in pitch than a child’s vocal cords should be able to produce.
The heart-wrenching cry spurred everyone into motion.
Jeremiah scrambled to his feet as the queen leaped forward, followed closely by DuPont’s thlán. The trio made it halfway to the barn before it exploded into flames.
“Charlie,” Hannah cried, rolling to her hands and knees, crawling toward the blazing inferno.
“No,” Jo gasped and collapsed onto Tucker’s wolf’s back.
Lady Rose raised her arm to cover her face from the extreme heat, inching forward despite its intensity. Ethan ran to her side, grabbed onto her elbow, and cast his protective shield. Lydia did the same for Rutgers.
Jeremiah continued to advance. His exposed skin blistered and healed. Blistered and healed. Tucker’s heart broke as he watched his brother refuse to give up on a little girl he’d vowed to save.
The barn doors exploded outward, and Jeremiah dove out of the way. One of the heavy panels bounced off Ethan’s protective shield and landed fifteen feet away. The translucent walls shimmered as it was hit, but the magical shell held. Ethan and the queen were unharmed.
