Page 70 of Deceived

I flip open the hatch and slowly rise above the door, looking for any signs of people. I can smell them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything when they walked past here recently. When I’m sure the path is clear I climb out. I help Griffyn, then Anna out behind me before turning around and taking in my senses, while the rest get out.

Something seems off but I can’t put my finger on it.

The house’s flood lights come on, momentarily blinding me

We are surrounded by a group of menacing demons, all holding weapons.

They’re deceit demons. They can play tricks on your senses and I fell for it.

I don’t dare reach for the gun, knife, or sword strapped to my body. My heart is pounding as I search for a way out.

The Garmentas step closer. I don’t know who they have here with them, but it’s four other people. We could fight our way out if they didn’t have guns trained on us. Specifically, the one pointing at Anna makes me hold still.

These people have demon poison growing in their cellar, I don’t know what that bullet is made of and I’m not taking any chances with my mate’s fate.

Adrenaline surges through my veins as my body locks up in preparation for an attack.

“What are you doing here?” Mrs. Garmenta asks.

“Especially you Aksel Lenoir, your father would not approve of this visit to our home,” Mr. Garmenta says.

“You have wev growing in your basement. You are under arrest,” I say.

The woman throws her head back and laughs. “You won’t be getting far enough to arrest us.”

I call on my inner animal, drawing him to the surface so I can shift at a moment’s notice.

“Let’s all calm down and put the guns away.” Griffyn has his hands held up in front of his face.

One of the gun holders glances at the Garmentas, giving Anna the perfect opportunity to hit the other one.

A blur of speed flashes across my eyes and my heart kicks into overdrive.

A gun goes off, hitting the wall in the exact spot Anna just was. I don’t waste a second, shifting into my snow leopard as I pounce on the second gunman.

I rip his throat out, hot blood filling my mouth but not before a bullet embeds itself in my thigh.

I can hear fighting all around me as the bullet forces my snow leopard to recede. Something isn’t right. I shouldn’t have been forced back into my body unless there’s wolfsbane in those bullets.

Do they have more than just wev?

I shout a warning to my team and mate. “Don’t get shot! You’ll lose your other form!”

I hear grunting and more bullets fly around me. I launch my naked body at my next victim, taking him down and punching the shit out of him.

He stabs me with a dagger, making me hiss in pain. I return the favor with my own knife, slitting his wrist tendons so he can’t move but not drawing enough blood to kill them.

Brian will kill me if they’re all dead.

A shout sounds out from the woods behind the house as a team of five people come rushing into the fight.

Perfect timing. Like he heard me, Brian and his team show up and move right into the action.

I called in a favor with one of my buddies from the academy who works in the drug department. We need help.

I better warn my team. “They’re friends! Let them work!”

I see Aksel glaring at me, as I move off my victim, allowing Brian to restrain him.

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