“He’s blocking their body heat,” Echo whispers from where he’s perched. “I can’t make out anything inside. I’m useless up here.” That’s not surprising. Someone of this male’s power and knowledge would ensure he’s not a target. But by kidnapping and selling paranormals, he already is. Like every other evil being out there, I have no doubt he believes he’s untouchable. I hope we take him down tonight and free whoever he’s holding.
“Echo, join Thay and Austin. We handled everyone we could outside. We could use you with us.”
“Copy.”
We wait as Echo joins his group and lets us know when he’s ready. Then it’s a countdown and a go from Aries and we’re moving.
I use a tiny burst of magic to open the door between Cam and me. He slips in first with me behind him. One male is there and turns to us with surprise, but I shoot him between the eyes before he can do anything. Cam is fast as lighting to catch him before he crashes to the ground. Thank fate for the silencers on the guns and for fast paranormals.
We move through the room, keeping to the walls. It’s a big, open space with the ceiling above us partially collapsed. I can see up two floors. A stable building this is not, which sends worry coursing through me, but I don’t have much time to think about the building landing on my mate or the other members of my team before Cam is leading us through another door and another until we meet Aries and Sevan. The four of us start climbing the stairs. At the top, we find Austin, Thay, and Echo. Austin lifts his finger to his lips to remind us to be quiet then points to his ear.
That’s when I hear it. A voice. A male speaking in rushed, harsh tones. “Hurry up,” he growls.
“I’m trying,” a female seethes. “What did you do to him anyway?” A whimper is heard. Someone on the floor above us is hurt. I can’t tell if they are male or female.
“Don’t worry about it. Just slap the handcuffs on him while I get the others.”
No sounds of shoes. Just a rustle of fabric as the male leaves the room he was in. We wait until it sounds like he’s across the warehouse before we’re ascending the next set of stairs. They’ll be easier to take down while they’re separated.
At the top of the stairs is a door cracked open with a low light coming from around it. Aries points for Cam and me to take it as the rest go the other way. They’ll need a bigger group to fight the male and who knows how many others. I have no doubt there are more guards up here.
Cam flattens himself to the wall beside the door and gives me a sharp nod. He can’t always be the one to go in first. We had a long talk about it. I’m not someone who needs to be coddled or thought inferior. Cam doesn’t think I am, but at the same time, I’m his mate and he would risk his life to protect me. I can understand that, although I need to do this. I need to be as much a part of this team as everyone else and that means being an equal, regardless of my age or experience in this dark side of the paranormal world.
I’m two feet into the room with my gun drawn, keeping my magic in check to not alert others to us if I use it. There is a female on the ground hunched over another being. Her back is to us as she secures handcuffs on their captive.
Cam comes in behind me and goes forward until his gun is on the back of her head. We aren’t sure what she is, but if she’s rolling with the powerful male we’re after, then she’ll be no weakling.
“Turn around slowly,” Cam says quietly.
The female’s shoulders tense and she slowly raises her hands. Magic starts to build in them. I feel it like one would feel a powerful storm rolling in.
I let my gun go, the strap on my shoulder allowing it to swing until it’s by my side so I can call upon my own magic.
Three things happen at the same time. The female turns toward us. I shoot my magic out at her to contain her and keep her from harming Cam. And another male teleports into the room with a