Chapter Forty-seven
Something was up. Sarah twisted around on the uncomfortable examining table they'd handcuffed her to and watched that bitch Edwards scurrying around the lab like one of her rats. She was backing up computer files like crazy while grabbing every piece of paper she could get her hands on and throwing it all into packing boxes. Like that was going to fool anyone. She had an entire fricking lab down here. Did she think no one would notice? That she'd actually get away with this? The stupid woman had spent months working with vampires and she still thought she could hide from them? Her life wouldn't be worth two cents if she went public with any of this stuff.
"They'll kill you, you know,” Sarah said, conversationally. Edwards ignored her, sitting down at her computer and switching out the flash drives. Clearly there was a lot of data. Sarah wondered just how long this project had been going on. Longer than anyone suspected, that was for sure. “They'll hunt you down and kill you. Probably painfully,” she added.
"Shut up, you stupid bitch!"
Sarah smiled. The good doctor was sounding a bit shrill. She hoped that meant help was on the way because she had a feeling these guys wouldn't want to leave any witnesses behind.
The basement windows rattled, as what seemed like a whole convoy of trucks arrived, followed by the sound of several voices. She looked up automatically, but couldn't see anything. The damn windows were completely blacked out. But that didn't stop Edwards from staring up at them in shock, just before she began ripping cables out of the back of her CPU. “Fuck this,” the woman swore beneath her breath. “I'll just take the whole damn—"
Whatever she was going to say next was lost as a wave of power picked up the house and shook it like a child's piggybank, shattering the blackened basement windows and sending shards of glass flying. Edwards gave a panicked shriek and dropped under her desk, arms covering her head. When she finally looked up, her face was deathly pale and the wide-eyed gaze she turned on Sarah was full of fear.
Sarah just grinned. “My boyfriend's back."
Raj glanced around as he slid out of the backseat of the SUV. He'd wanted to drive, but Em had bullied him into the backseat of the big truck, muttering something about how he'd better get used to it. That and more, apparently. When he started up the driveway toward the two-story colonial where Jozef had set up his little project, he was surrounded by a security cordon that rivaled anything deployed for a world leader. He sighed, wondering if he'd ever get to drive his BMW again.
"Em.” She glanced over at him from her position at his left shoulder. “I'll go in fir—” He paused mid-word as she gave him a filthy look. “I have to do this,” he said patiently.
Her mouth tightened in irritation. “At least let us go in ahead of you and make sure there's not some sort of booby trap or something. Fucking Jozef has to know he doesn't have a chance in hell in a stand-up fight."
Raj smiled, amused by her assessment of Jozef. His attention was drawn suddenly to the house and his smile fled. The front door opened and Jozef stood there, flanked by Serge and Charles, who were most obviously not being held against their will. He couldn't help wondering if Nina realized that Serge hadn't been taken, but had abandoned her to her fate. Not that the bastard would live long enough for anyone to worry about it.
"Move,” Raj said. His vampire cordon split, and he strode forward until only a few feet separated him from Jozef and his flunkies.
Raj growled. “Where is she, Jozef? I want Sarah out here now."
"Don't listen to him, Joey!” He heard Jozef's wife's shrill voice just before she shoved her way around the vampires and out onto the porch. Her pointed, little face was twisted in outrage, her kinky hair sticking out wildly, looking as if she'd been recently electrocuted. She stepped to the edge of the short porch and screamed at him, spittle flying. “Who the f**k do you think you are to come here and tell my Joey what to do? Are you the one who put up with that crazy old man all these years, bowing and scraping and getting nothing but leftovers?” she demanded. “Not you, not the great Raj. You flew off to the big city, the big man in Manhattan. Well, not anymore. My Joey's taking over here and we'll say what happens, not you!"
Raj was struck speechless for a full three seconds, and then he laughed. “Are you f**king kidding me, Jozef? You let this human bitch talk you into this? Does she understand nothing? Do you f**king understand nothing?" His voice had risen, growing louder and more furious with every word. “ON YOUR GODDAMNED KNEES, NOW!” he roared.
His command hit the house like a tidal wave, a blast of lethal force that shattered every window and sent a rain of glass showering down in the darkness. The three rebellious vampires were crushed by the power of Raj's command, driven to their knees where they cringed away from the rage on his face. Jozef dared to raise his head, but even he could only stare in open-mouthed shock.
"Did you think Krystof gave me Manhattan because he liked me, Jozef?” Raj demanded in a harsh, low voice. “You of all people should have understood his reasons.” He strode forward, taking the steps to the porch to stare down at the defeated trio with utter disgust. “Did you really think you could get away with this? Are you that f**king stupid?"
With a high-pitched screech, Celia launched herself at his back, blunt teeth bared, red-tipped fingers curving like claws. Raj didn't bother to turn, repelling her with a punch of power that hit like an invisible battering ram, slamming her off the porch to lie on the glass-covered ground like a pinned insect.
"Celia!” Jozef croaked and would have gone to her, but Raj stopped him with a cold look.
"Don't worry, Jozef. She's not dead yet.” Jozef's head swung around, his eyes filled with fear.
"It wasn't her fault, Ra—I mean, my lord. Please, let her live."
Raj stared down at the big vampire, his lip curling in disdain, but all he said was, “Her life is bound to yours.” He held out his hand and Emelie slapped a smooth, wooden stake into his palm. He curled his fingers around its cool shaft and said pleasantly, “Go to hell, Jozef."
Jozef found some last shred of pride and snarled, “I'll see you there, you Pollack bastard."
Raj smiled, dipped his head in agreement and said, “Maybe you will.” He swung his arm down in a smooth arc, shoving the stake so hard and deep that his fist hit the vampire's thick chest with an audible thud. Jozef fell backward with a gasp, a look of disbelief flashing briefly across his face before he disappeared in a shower of gray dust. Raj heard a long exhaled breath behind him as Celia died along with her mate, their lives wound far too tightly by the long mating bond for her to survive his death.
Serge and Charles fell to their faces, groveling, begging for their lives, in what they had to know was a useless effort. No one involved in this operation could be permitted to live. It violated the most basic tenet of Vampire. Raj didn't even spare them a glance, stepping over the pile of dust and entering the house. Em could take care of these two. He wanted to find Sarah.
Chapter Forty-eight
In the basement, Sarah watched with some amusement as Estelle Edwards tried to jam the desktop computer into a narrow box. The doc was sweating buckets and grunting like a pig with the effort, but it wasn't working. She finally gave up, letting the awkward CPU drop to the floor with a crash. She was swearing viciously, using words Sarah knew existed, but had never actually heard spoken before. Wow.
The door at the end of the corridor thundered open, hitting the wall with more force than usual. Edwards looked up in panic before her mouth tightened into a grim line of determination. This was not a woman who gave up easily. She pulled the keys from the pocket of her white lab coat and quickly uncuffed Sarah from the table, grabbing a fistful of her hair and dragging her backwards across the room to face the door. Sarah stumbled, her bound feet struggling to find purchase, but the woman only tightened her grip, bringing tears to Sarah's eyes. It felt like her hair was being torn out by the roots.
"Don't say a word, bitch,” Edwards hissed in Sarah's ear, and she could feel the sharp point of something poking into her back just above her kidney.