Lover Uncloaked (Stealth Guardians #1) - By Unknown Page 0,97
lives to this ungrateful race?”
Leila swallowed hard, almost choking on the lump in her throat. She felt the hatred rolling off him in waves, the frustration that must have built up over years if not centuries. And now she was at his mercy.
“Why me?” she whispered, careful not to move her neck to avoid being cut again.
He pulled on her arms, making her bend her head back.
“Because you’re the key to world domination. When I deliver you, I’ll become their leader. Nobody will be more powerful than I!”
An ice-cold shudder ran down her spine, chilling her to the core. He was crazy. Consumed by delusions of grandeur.
“Finlay, don’t do this,” Pearce warned.
“We’ve wasted enough time,” he suddenly said and motioned toward Pearce. “It’s the lead cell for you.”
Pearce’s eyes flashed in panic.
A chuckle was Finlay’s response. “You didn’t think I’d leave you here so you could alert your friends, did you now?” Then he moved the knife in an unmistakable gesture. “Now, lead, or I’ll carve her up.”
“What’s a lead cell?” Leila asked.
“Shall I explain it to her, or would you?” Finlay answered.
Pearce gave her a resigned look. “It’s a room lined with lead. If a Stealth Guardian is locked up there, it drains all his powers, making it impossible for him to walk through walls or make himself invisible. If left there for too long, the loss of power is irreversible.”
Her breath hitched. People were being hurt because of her. She couldn’t allow this.
“Don’t do it, Pearce. Let him kill me.”
“So heroic all of a sudden?” Finlay hissed at her ear. “And here I had you pegged for a coward. Or maybe you’re just bluffing. I know a thing or two about that. Trust me, once you’re in the demons’ hands, you won’t be that brave anymore. Once you stare death in the face, you—”
Finlay’s voice died as Pearce unexpectedly charged him. In the same instant, Leila felt Finlay’s arm push her away from him with such force that she lost her balance and slammed against the wall. As she scrambled to get up, pain radiating up her side, Pearce and Finlay were already engaged in a fight. An uneven one, she realized with horror, because Pearce had no weapon.
Yet that didn’t seem to stop the younger Stealth Guardian from fighting as ferociously as if he were armed to the teeth. With cunning Karate kicks and blows, he kept Finlay’s dagger at bay. But the traitor was strong and agile. Evading yet another kick, he whirled sideways, managing to slice Pearce’s bicep open with his dagger.
Leila witnessed as blood gushed from the wound, but Pearce didn’t even stop for a split-second and launched another blow at his opponent. Angry grunts and groans accompanied every blow and kick, every punch and strike.
She wanted to run and get help, but the two fought too closely to the door, making her escape impossible. Her heart beat frantically as she had no choice but to watch the fight.
All of a sudden, Pearce seemed to gain the upper hand, knocking Finlay off his feet with a vicious kick. But even lying on the floor, Finlay didn’t give up. As Pearce moved in to finish him off, the council member’s dagger hand lashed out with lightening speed.
Pearce’s scream filled the room.
Confused, Leila watched as he fought to keep his balance, but lost the struggle and fell to the floor. When his hands went to his foot, she finally saw what had happened: Finlay had sliced through Pearce’s Achilles tendon. Blood gushed from the wound.
Triumphantly, Finlay jumped up.
“Bad move, boy. Hope you’ll enjoy your lead cell.”
Leila shivered and cast the wounded Stealth Guardian a sad look. Now another person was hurt because of her. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
Pearce motioned his head toward Finlay, his face a mask of pain. “It’s not your fault, it’s his.”
A tear loosened from her eye and rolled down her cheek. “Tell Aiden, I’ll never betray him. Please.”
Finlay let out an evil laugh. “Oh, you will betray him. Trust me on that.”
The hatred that fumed in his eyes chilled her to her bones.
THIRTY-FIVE
“Pearce is not responding.” Aiden felt his heart stop when he heard Enya’s words coming through the phone.
“What do you mean?”
“We tried the compound and his cell. He’s not replying. And he never warned us about Deirde’s approach. Something is wrong.”
Aiden cast a quick glance at Hamish and Manus, whose concerned looks told him that they’d overheard Enya’s words.
“We’re heading there right now.” He pressed the disconnect button and