e's

icy eyes gleamed with success, and I knew we were straight entering his trap. Though my

re was malice behind it. He turned to face every one of us, dwelling esp

ing just slightly. Her eyes flicked to me, a whirl of terror

ward to sit between Nadia and him. "You have already wreck

u could simply turn away? NO, Jake. You are unaware of how much mor

ared to fight. The little rustling of feet behind him indicated that his guys were close b

efully than I would have expected. "The blackmail, the secrets-you have

e naive. With that tiny bit of paper, do you believe you could stop me? Venessa w

enius, not only a criminal; we were pawns in his warped game. I ha

ur pawns," I said. "And we a

. "Brave language, Jake. But bravery is useless for

m from the shadows like animals approaching their target. As I came t

Trying to soothe her even as panic tore at my chest, I

them," his voice

rd. I needed a strategy, something to gi

th the sound of breaking glass, and I turned just in time to see Sam hurling

his voice slicing

d of us, unexpectedly strongly carving a way as he repelled Victor's soldiers. Though he had a

behind us. As we rushed for the exit, my lungs burned;

e front door, unable to keep on ru

ew she was correct. I remarked, throwing open the door and

I turned about, looking for any trace of Victor's soldiers. Though the grounds of

shed near the back. We might hide th

muffled underfoot. Tucked behind a row of tall bushes, th

ow down my pounding heart. The darkness crept in all ar

" Whispering, I t

still showed traces of anxie

from a wall crack: "I'm here. We have to go q

going endlessly. We had to exact revenge and figure out how

murmured, attempting to clear the veil of terror f

er the pages with deliberate accuracy. "There's a name here," he added after a moment

ixture of optimism and anxiety

rue name, no location; only that they participated in anything significant.

they were, they had to be equally lethal as Victor. However, perh

urmured, my chest stiffening with

shining. "And if not? What if this s

nt, though: we could not remain here waiting for Victo

y out," I answered, my v

es. "I will start looking for any data on this broker. Through some of Ve

dow seemed to move; every leaf rustling caused my heart to leap. We were living on borrowed tim

hough. Not just now. Not whe

aydream. Turning to find her standing nearby, I saw

and anxiety vanished, leaving just the warmth of her gaze

could say more. "I located something, a speech

hing when Nadia and I looked at each oth

myself for whatever lay ahead. One w

considerably more perilous than we had ever dreamed as we were ready t

ight was sti