Page 6 of Taming Seraphine

Crouching beside her, I pull up my mask and whisper, “Can you hear me?”

The girl doesn’t move, but her breathing stills for a moment before resuming. She’s probably terrified. Who knows how long she’s been down here and what she’s suffered?

“The people who did this to you are dead,” I say, my voice soft. “I’m going to get you out of here, but you’ll need to stay quiet, understood?”

She cracks open her swollen eye and inhales a sharp breath.

“Is your collar alarmed?”

She nods.

Fuck. I could cut the mansion’s power, but there’s no time. Any sudden lack of lighting might also alert the guards. I clench my jaw so tightly that my molars grind. Anton has always said there’s a loophole to every alarm. I just need to ask the right question.

“Does it sound in the house?” I ask.

She shakes her head.

My jaw unclenches. “Does the alarm alert a device?”

She nods.

“Whose?”

She lowers her lashes.

“Leroi,” Miko whispers. “The guards are making the delivery guy unload his van.”

My pulse quickens. Time is running out. By now, I should have found the alleged second safe and retrieved the secret weapon. There’s only so much time the guy I paid to pretend to have the package can keep the guards occupied before they point a gun to his head and tell him to get lost.

Fuck the secret weapon. This innocent girl needs saving. I need more information on the workings of this collar. And fast. Without thinking, I raise a hand, and she flinches.

“Hey...” I lift my palms. “I won’t hurt you, but I need you to answer some more questions. If I disable your collar, will any of the guards know?”

She shakes her head.

My adrenaline surges. I could ask if anyone other than the Capellos would know if I tampered with the collar, but this going back and forth is already taking too long.

I reach into my backpack, extract a set of bolt cutters, and snap the D-ring. The chain attached to it falls, but I catch it before it hits the floor.

The girl shuffles to the corner of the bed, wraps her arms around her chest, and gazes up at me through terrified, blue eyes.

I slide off my jacket and toss it in her direction. “Put this on.”

Even with my head turned away and the light shining in another direction, I’m aware of her scrambling into the jacket. Her desperate little breaths awaken long-forgotten stirrings of conscience. Did I really consider putting a bullet through her head?

In the twenty years I’ve spent on this job, I’ve never felt an ounce of emotion for any of my targets—not even contempt. That spreads to the rest of my life. The only exception is the small family I’ve formed with Anton and Miko. Seeing this girl chained up like a dog reminds me too much of the reason why I became an assassin.

As soon as I’m sure she’s ready, I offer her my hand. “We need to go.”

The girl stands on trembling legs, her arms wrapped around her middle. She’s vulnerable and small and still hasn’t uttered a word. What did those sick bastards do to her?

“Come.” My fingers twitch.

She motions with her head at something over my shoulder. I turn to find what’s on the monitor. It’s a shirtless and emaciated man sitting up on a bed with his head bowed. The rise and fall of his chest is the only thing indicating that he’s alive.

With his surroundings so dark, there’s no telling his location. But one thing’s for damn sure is that we need to leave. Now.

“The driver’s backing out,” Miko says into my earpiece.

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