immediately flooded outside but hung back, guns raised, as I passed them without a word. They knew to expect me. I never failed. This was like any other retrieval.
I dragged Zaal forward as I entered the back door of the mansion. I felt Zaal tense as the door closed behind us. I knew it was because he was about to see his sister, Zoya. I could only imagine what I’d be like if I saw my sister again after all of these years.
My heart started pumping in relief, because I would see her again today. If this plan worked, I would see her again within the hour.
We walked down the hallway toward the room Mistress always stayed in—the one where she had drugged Zoya and me. As we reached the door, I kicked it open and threw Zaal inside. Zaal stumbled into the room. When I heard an immediate roar pull from his throat, I reached out and took him again in my grip.
Zaal’s body shook. I kept my eyes forward, fighting the urge to look at what he was seeing. I couldn’t, though. I, under the influence of the serum, would never look. My heart beat fast, knowing Zoya must still be on the table where Mistress had strapped her down. Fear mixed with rage when I wondered if the evil bitch had killed my kotyonok. If Mistress had beat her or tortured her in some way.
Mistress suddenly appeared from the back room and her heels clapped on the hard floor. I fought back a wince at that sound. I hated that sound. My blood rushed through my veins at the thought that her life would soon be mine. That I would soon see her blood. That I could soon torture her.
Mistress stopped before us, and I saw her eyes light up with excitement. “Well done, 194,” Mistress praised, and ran her hand over my scarred cheek. I fought with everything I had not to break her wrist. Her free hand reached out and she touched Zaal’s chest, her skin flushing in anger and her lips thinning.
“Get the fuck off me,” Zaal threatened, the anger he felt toward this female showing in his deep voice.
Mistress pulled back her hand and smiled. “Levan said you were big and strong, but I never knew you looked like this. And susceptible to the serum, too? You were a dream for my love, weren’t you, 221? Until you killed him like the Kostava dog you are.” Zaal’s body shook harder as she called him by his number. I pulled on his roped hands warning him to keep his shit together. Suddenly I heard three small raps on the wall of the hallway—the sign that the Bratva had moved in. I knew Zaal had heard it, too, when he froze and his skin rose in temperature.
Out of sight from the Mistress, I discreetly untied Zaal’s binds until his hands were free. Mistress stepped back. I tracked the path of the Wraiths in the room. I pressed my finger into the left side of Zaal’s back twice, telling him to take the two Wraiths to the left. I would take the one to the right.
Then Mistress would be mine.
A loud noise sounded from outside—the distraction. Like lambs to slaughter, the Wraiths moved to see what the noise was. As they did, Zaal and I launched forward, blood about to be spilled.
I turned to face the Wraith on my right, but just as I did I saw Zaal pull out two black sais from his pants. He spun them in his hands as he charged at the first Wraith. The Wraith raised his gun, the second guard beginning to fire shots. But their aim was off at the sight of a feral Zaal running for them. The spikes of his sais sliced into their flesh.
A bullet flew past my ear as I ran at the Wraith guard to my right. I heard the hallway door burst open and feet enter the room. Luka and his men had arrived.
The Wraith cocked his gun ready to shoot, but as he did I slammed my body into his, my hands twisting his head until his neck snapped. I launched to my feet, but as I did my eyes landed on the small bed to my right. My stomach sank, and my heart almost stopped, as I saw my Zoya lying still in the bed. Her skin was pale and for a moment I thought that Mistress had taken her