Page 26 of Fire And Ice

Then they saw them, only this time the wolves were in human form and they were carrying flaming torches. They surrounded the clubhouse and Griffen stepped forward with his blazing torch. “Amira, get out here and talk to me,” he demanded.

Luther turned his head and stared at Amira.

She stood at Rissa’s side and she looked fearless. Her head was raised with pride and she snarled at the shouted command.

Luther looked around the room and motioned to a few more of his men to go up to the roof.

They were quiet as they made their way to the top of the building and each took his place...then they all got a bead on one of the men holding the torches.

Luther then nodded at Amira.

She walked to the front door and opened it. “What do you want?” she called out.

Milo snarled at her when he saw her. He was holding his side while his shirt was bloody and he looked disheveled. “You owe me girl. I took you in, fed you, and raised you. You owe me.”

“No Milo, I don’t owe you a damn thing. Unless it’s pay for keeping me in a cage,” Amira shouted back. “You barely fed me and I lived in rags. You never raised me...You HID me! You stole me away from my mother the day I was born, you kept me hostage. You kept me locked inside your house every day of my life. You came and went all the time with no thought and no care of me. You once left me alone for four days when I was only four years old. There was no food in the house most of the time and while you were out eating steak, I had nothing to eat. I don’t owe you a damn thing.”

“Oh, poor you!” Milo yelled. “You survived.” He winced as he pressed his hand into his side, then he glared at her. “But I might not if those fucking loan sharks find out I’m still alive.”

“Oh, poor Milo,” Amira said, mimicking his reply. “Now, it sucks to be you, doesn’t it?”

Just then, a shot rang out.

Amira tipped her head up, raised her hands and the bullet deflected from hitting her.

An audible gasp came from the men surrounding the house when the bullet fell to the ground.

If it had made it to its target, it would have been a head shot.

This set off a firefight from the roof. The noise was almost deafening. After a few minutes when the shooting died down, wolves were lying on the ground.

Luther came over to look through the doorway. Torches laid on the ground, some smoking but some were burning, giving off enough light to see.

Milo was down but he was still groaning and moving, so he was still alive.

Griffen was down and moving but he too, was bleeding badly.

Kinsen walked outside and checked the men. Rammish was dead. He found the gun in Rammish’s hand.

Lawson and Reads were dead as well. He checked on Billy Joe and found him wounded but alive. Milo’s numbers were dropping fast.

Kinsen then walked toward where Griffen and Milo were sitting.

Both were shot, Milo a second time, Griffen was hit in the leg and bleeding but alive. He was trying to tie a tourniquet around his leg and when he tightened it, Griffen groaned.

Kinsen turned to look at Milo and asked, “Was it worth it? You did wrong when you took that girl from her mother, leaving her to die, then you held her hostage all her life. Now, you try to force her to do something you know she won’t do, just to save your miserable life. Was it worth it?”

Milo snarled. “She was supposed to be my golden ticket and she still will be.”

Kinsen shook his head. “She will never do what you want.”

Milo grimaced at him then turned his head and his eyes widened as Rammish’s body burst into flames. He gasped at the symbolism. Then he turned to Kinsen and asked, “Please don’t tell me Rissa is here.”

Kinsen’s eyes hardened as he nodded. “She is. Your game is over, old man. She warned you when you snatched Amira from her mother’s arms. Apparently, she meant that for anyone that would harm her granddaughter, not just you.”

“Tell me something betrayer, can you see the mountain?” Milo wanted to know.

Kinsen shook his head. “Now, why would I tell you that?”

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