Page 21 of Sergi
“So happy they meet with your approval. I’ll be back in an hour to check your work.” Then he strode away.
My body relaxed now that I was alone to work. I used the allotted time cleaning and disinfecting the floor, then turned my attention to the instruments, where bits of flesh still clung to them.
The vampire never moved during the entire time I’d been there, but after I dumped the last bucket of bloody water and sprayed the instruments with disinfectant, I glanced up at him one last time.
His head was still lowered to his chest, but his eyes flashed open and caught mine. I took a step back, not expecting the look in his gaze. Even in his current state, he must know I was a shifter. And after such a severe torture session, I was expecting to see anger, disgust, or fear.
I saw none of that. Rather than clouded in pain, his eyes were clear. They were a deep brown, warm and gentle. They reached into my soul without judgment or hate.
“I’m sorry.” His voice was raspy. Then his eyes closed, and his head dropped lower. He’d passed out.
My wolf whined.
“Hush,” I told it. I rushed out and stacked the rest of the cleaning supplies on my cart just as the guard rounded the corner.
I waited the few minutes it took him to review the room and bar the door behind him.
“Gheata will be pleased,” he said. “Make sure you keep it that way. We don’t have the resources to watch you every minute. Now, let’s go. They’re waiting for you in the labs.”
His words echoed in my ears. They didn’t have the resources. What did that mean? Was that why there didn’t seem to be as many guards today? And if they were waiting for me in the labs, then I missed lunch. I didn’t think I could eat anyway after cleaning all the blood.
I should have focused on what his words revealed, but as I followed him, pushing the heavy cart over the rough stone floor, all I could think about were the words the vampire said. “I’m sorry.”
Why would he be sorry for me?
My wolf whined again, and this time, I didn’t bother to hush her.
Chapter Nine
Devon hurrieddown the hall buttoning his shirt. He ran a hand through his tousled hair as he stormed into his office.
“Give me the basics.”
Bella glanced up from where she’d pulled a chair up to his desk to use her laptop. She pressed a button, and the display over the fireplace lit up. Jacques finished an espresso and handed it to him as he dropped onto the couch.
He took two long sips, needing the caffeine to clear the cobwebs. He’d only been down an hour when Bella alerted him of a change in their monitoring of Sergi’s team. The single red dot pulsed on the screen just south of Brasov.
Two days ago, he’d watched this same screen as two dots disappeared and another moved away from its original position. Its movement was erratic, and, at the time, what was left of his shrinking cadre had agreed that the single remaining dot was on the run.
With Sergi in Romania, Simone on a short research mission, and Lucas at Oasis, Bella and Jacques, by extension, were the only remaining cadre at the mansion. Cressa and Decker were currently taking their own well-deserved downtime.
Ever since they noted the slow movements of the dots in the general vicinity of the expected lab, which had been an indication that the team was on foot, they’d been monitoring the situation 24/7. There was no indication of who the red dots belonged to, and as worried as he was about each of his three-member team, his chest tightened at the thought Sergi might have been lost.
Decker kept Remus updated every hour, even though The Wolf had been provided his own access to monitor the team. Each team member carried a burner phone, but if they were being chased, they wouldn’t use it until they were in a secure location.
“We received a call from Rafael about ten minutes ago.”
Devon’s chest clamped tighter. “Play it back.”
After a minute, the recording started.
“This is home station. Report.” Bella’s voice answered the special line that had been established for the mission. She followed standard protocol. Under no circumstance were names or locations revealed unless necessary.
“This is Team Beta.” Rafael’s voice was calm and clear. “Target was achieved but guarded by two underground blinds. Team Alpha and Charlie were taken. I’ve been followed for the last two days but am now clear. Tails have been eliminated.”
They had decided not to identify how many team members had been sent, so if anyone was somehow listening, all they would know was that three teams had been sent and not that each team only had one member.
“Roger, Beta. Teams Alpha and Charlie are dark. I repeat, Alpha and Charlie are dark.”
