‘I’ve got some money if we can get to an ATM,’ Evie said suddenly. ‘It’s not much but it’ll pay for a motel for the night until we figure out what we’re going to do.’
‘What about Victor?’ Ash asked suddenly. ‘What if they’ve found him too?’
Cyrus stared at them all. Vero had explained to him all about this other Hunter guy called Victor and what he’d done to Evie and Lucas as well as to his own mum, and Cyrus had made a silent promise to himself that, when Evie decided the time had come to kill Victor, he’d be right by her side.
‘He has weapons too,’ Vero said quietly, ‘and we’re all out.’
Cyrus stole a glance at Evie. Her body was pulsing with anger; it was radiating off her in waves. He could hear her heartbeat banging against her ribs hard enough to crack them. Having to see Victor and collaborate with him – given all he’d done to her – must be killing her.
Cyrus was on the point of suggesting that they forget about checking on Victor and head to a motel as Evie had suggested, when she huffed loudly and stormed over to the bike.
‘Fine,’ she growled. ‘Let’s just check he’s alive and tool up.’
Cyrus paused before walking over to join her. He swung his leg over the seat and when she wrapped her arms around his waist he felt the same thrill rush through his body as before. He revved the engine, taking off down the street so fast that he heard her inhale sharply and press herself closer against his back.
Chapter 24
Ash knocked on Victor’s door.
Evie was standing behind the others, her hand clasped around the knife she was holding. It would be so easy to shove them aside and plunge the tip of the blade into his chest the moment Victor appeared in the doorway. She eased forward, pushing her way between Vero and Ash so that she’d be in a better position to strike but, as if he could read her mind, Cyrus turned around to face her, blocking the doorway with his broad shoulders.
His gaze fell to her hand – the one clutching the knife – then lifted slowly to her face. She glared back at him defiantly.
‘If he’s alive you’re not going to kill him, are you?’ Cyrus asked.
She didn’t answer him.
‘I think Ash is right about us needing him,’ Cyrus went on. ‘Can we try to work around that? When we’re done using him then I’m right with the others. I’ll load your gun, I’ll sharpen your sword, I’ll hold him down while you beat him to death, I’ll stand to one side and film it … whatever you want, but right now I think we need to hold off.’
Evie chewed the inside of her cheek while he continued giving her that look, the same look her principal had given her when she was called to his office after she’d slammed Kaitlyn Rivers into the wall. A look that said: You know I’m right. Don’t even try to argue with me. Finally, Evie rolled her eyes, sighed and made a loud and ostentatious show of sheathing the knife.
The door swung open just as she did this and Cyrus turned around, keeping his eyes on Evie for as long as he could, making sure she wasn’t calling his bluff. His hand hovered close to her waist, as if he didn’t trust her not to make a move.
She edged around him, squaring her shoulders, and did a double take when she saw that it wasn’t Victor standing in the doorway at all – it was just some kid.
Evie blinked at him in shock. Who was he? And what was he doing in Victor’s house? A sinking feeling in her stomach and a chemical buzz flying through her bloodstream told her that she already knew the answer to both questions.
‘Hey,’ the kid drawled in a bored voice, ‘you must be the rogue Hunters.’
Evie’s eyebrows shot up another inch.
‘I’m RJ,’ he said. ‘Victor said you guys might show up.’
‘Is he here?’ Ash asked, trying to peer over the kid’s shoulder.
‘No, he’s out. On a mission. He told me to invite you in if you came by.’ He stepped aside, letting the door swing open. ‘You’d better come on in,’ he told them.
The four of them exchanged glances. Then, shrugging, Ash and Vero walked into the house. Cyrus hung back, letting Evie go ahead of him. She stomped over the threshold.