Sucker Punch (First Fangs Club #3) - Kristen Painter Page 0,52

landing and went down two more steps. Three fae guards were shooting dice in front of a barred door. Rows of cells were visible through the bars.

She inhaled. And smelled wolf more strongly than she had since LV and Toni had joined them.

Ishalan tugged her along. “Brought a present for the king.”

The guards looked up from their game. The one nearest the door started to rise. Ishalan released her, then threw his dagger into the man’s throat.

Donna pulled her sword free and caught the middle one cleanly, lobbing off his head before he had a chance to speak.

At her back, Ishalan had the third up against the wall, his hands gripping either side of the man’s head. A sharp wrench left, the cracking of bones, and the last fae slumped to the ground. Ishalan bent and retrieved the keys from the man’s belt. He dangled them on his finger. “Let’s go get your wolf.”

The rest of the team flowed down the stairs, but she stood there, a little numbed by the sight of the purple blood staining her sword. It wasn’t the first time she’d killed someone. But it was the first time she’d done it with intent.

Her stomach twisted again.

Cammie caught her by the elbow. “Tuck it away for later. Those feelings aren’t going to help you now.”

She nodded. Compartmentalize. Temo had said she was good at it. Didn’t feel that way right now, but she did her best.

Ishalan had already unlocked the door.

Donna lifted her head. “Right.” With bravado she didn’t feel, she wiped her blade on the dead fae’s clothes and slid it back into its scabbard.

Ishalan pulled the door open and smiled. “After you, Governor.”

“You first, fae,” Cammie answered. She pointed down the long hall of cells with her sword. “Go.”

Ishalan frowned but started walking. Donna followed, almost pushing him along to make him go faster.

“Rico,” she hissed. No response. Was he unconscious? She glanced back to check on her team. Immediately behind her were LV and Toni, still in wolf form. Temo had stopped halfway. Kace, Will, and Cammie were at the door.

Ishalan slowed as they approached the end of the row, key ready in his hand. He looked into the last cell, confusion on his face.

Donna peered in. It was empty. She whipped around. So was the cell across from that one.

They were all empty. Rico wasn’t in the dungeon.

LV and Toni snarled.

Donna turned on Ishalan, livid. Her fangs punched through her gums. “You set us up.” She grabbed him by the collar of his tunic and shoved her arm against his throat so that her iron bracelet caught him squarely.

The sizzle of flesh rewarded her, as did his grimace of pain. “I had nothing to do with this. I swear on my wings.”

“Then where is he?”

“I don’t know.”

A ripple of energy at her back pulled Donna’s attention. She turned to see LV and Toni standing there in human form.

Toni was staring down Ishalan with the most murderous glint Donna had ever seen. “Let me kill him now.”

Donna needed to defuse the situation. “Can either of you pick up Rico’s scent?”

LV looked at her like she was a little crazy. “His scent is everywhere. It’s like they deliberately put him in each cell. Add to that the stink of the fae, and finding him is impossible.”

Donna turned back to Ishalan. “Where would he be?”

The fae swallowed. “There is one possibility.”

“Where?”

“Dredward’s chambers.”

“Why would Rico be there?”

“Dredward has been known to keep high-value prisoners close during daylight hours as an extra precaution.”

She glared at him, letting anger make her eyes shine bright. “More information that would have been useful earlier.”

“I never assumed—”

She grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him close. Almost nose to nose. Her fangs were out, and she was almost snarling as she spoke. “What else haven’t you told me?”

“Nothing. I swear.”

“Where is Dredward’s chamber?”

Ishalan raised a single finger to point skyward. “Main turret. Top floor.”

Her lip curled back. “I could kill you now.”

He nodded as best he could with her fingers digging into his neck.

She used her hold to steer him toward the entrance. “You’re going to take me there. And if this is some kind of trap, I promise that I will take you down before I die.”

As they rejoined the rest of the team, she yanked him to a stop. “Rico’s being held elsewhere. I need cover.”

Cammie nodded. “A distraction?”

“Exactly. Ishalan and I alone will get Rico. The rest of you raise havoc and draw all of