Lover Uncloaked (Stealth Guardians #1) - By Unknown Page 0,96
disconnected.
“His cell,” Logan urged.
She speed dialed Pearce’s cell phone, but after three rings it went to his voicemail. She pressed the disconnect button.
Her pulse raced. “We have to get to the compound.”
“We have to deliver Deirdre to the council first. Call Aiden,” Logan ordered and for once, Enya didn’t mind his commanding tone.
THIRTY-FOUR
Leila couldn’t see the face of the man who was holding a dagger to her throat, his other arm holding her in a vice-like grip. The cold blade pressing against her skin was disincentive enough to turning her head.
“Now listen very carefully, or I’ll carve up your pretty neck,” he hissed into her ear.
Her vocal cords clamped down, and she didn’t dare nod; however, her attacker seemed to take her silence as an agreement.
“Good. Into the command room, now. Move.”
He pushed against her back, making her move forward with tentative steps, always aware of the knife that remained at her throat as he held her arms behind her back with his free hand.
“Leila? Where are you?” Pearce’s voice came from the dark room.
Her captor catapulted them inside, just as lights flickered above and suddenly illuminated the room.
“Finally, the backup generator kicked in,” Pearce acknowledged with relief in his voice and turned on his chair.
His expression turned to horror as he saw her.
“Fuck!” Pearce cursed.
“Couldn’t have said it any better,” the men behind her drawled.
“Council member Finlay,” Pearce greeted him with an icy voice, his eyes darting about the room as if looking for something.
Would he help her? Would he be able to defeat her attacker?
“So it’s you.”
“Indeed,” Finlay acknowledged. “But you green boys thought I was stupid and would fall for your little tricks. I’ve been around longer than you, and you think you could put a simple trace on my cell?”
“You found it then.” Pearce seemed calm now.
Was he not going to do anything to help her? Leila gave him a pleading look, but he concentrated on Finlay instead.
“Of course I did. That’s why my cell phone is still at the council building.”
Pearce tipped up his chin. “What do you want?”
“Isn’t that obvious?” He laughed, the cold sound making her shiver despite the jacket she wore. “I want Dr. Cruickshank.”
“To kill her?”
“To trade her. But enough of it. We don’t have much time. Your friends will call in soon and realize you’re not answering. And I want to be far away from here by then.”
“You’ll never get away with it. The council will hear of this.”
Finlay chuckled. “The council? I don’t give a fuck about the council! They have no power.”
“So what? They can’t stop me now. Neither can you. The real power is with the demons.”
“How can you betray us like that? They’re evil.”
“Evil? That’s just a matter of perception. You think you’re so much better than the demons? We all have our agendas. And the Stealth Guardians’ doesn’t suit me anymore. They’re stifling my ambitions.”
He tugged on Leila’s arms, pulling her backwards.
Pearce took a step forward.
“No farther!” Finlay warned. “Or I’ll kill her.”
As if to prove his intent, he pressed the knife harder to her skin. She gasped.
“You won’t kill her. The demons want her,” Pearce guessed. “A corpse won’t do them any good.”
Finlay grunted. “A little cut won’t kill her, but I’m sure it’ll hurt.” He moved his mouth to her ear. “Won’t it, dear?”
“I’ll never help the demons,” she professed. She would never betray Aiden like that. She’d promised him that.
“Oh, trust me. You will. They have ways of making you submit.”
As he slowly moved the knife downward, fear and pain collided. She felt a burning sensation, then liquid trickling down her skin. He’d cut her.
“No!” she begged.
“Stop!” Pearce ordered.
“Well, then we’re all in agreement, aren’t we?”
Finlay’s nonchalant tone seemed to infuriate Pearce.
“No, we’re not in agreement, council member. You’re a traitor, and you will pay for this.”
Her attacker simply laughed at Pearce’s warning. “Get real.”
Clearly scrambling to buy more time, Pearce made another attempt at engaging Finlay. “What are the demons promising? What is it that you don’t already have as a council member?”
“Power.”
Leila couldn’t see Finlay’s eyes, but she imagined how they lit up now.
“Yes, power. Real power. The council has no true power. All they do is talk and vote and discuss everything ad nauseam. I’m sick of nobody ever taking real action. We could have taken over the world long ago, made the humans work for us instead of the other way around. What are we? Servants? Why should we devote our