to where more drones flew in, and grinned behind my mask. Drake had escaped the arena and had taken control of them. A drone hovered above, its huge eye twisting as if looking for someone. It rested on me and I allowed my wolf to rise to my eyes, hoping Drake could tell it was me. Then I raised my weapon and released a blast into the drone. Hopefully, he’d get the message; run! The drones loosed a barrage that had the guards ducking behind their shields, giving the shifters a chance to retreat.
Zander nudged my arm. I gave him my attention. He was right, he carried Ember, but I needed a reason to get in that wing. I tried not to gape as the guards reached down and picked up a body in each hand. Those bodies were shifters, some still in Were form, some in full shifted animal and some in human form, either way they would be heavy. These guards picked them up as easily as lifting a shopping bag. It was insane. Zander looked out of place carrying Ember so carefully with one hand under her thighs and one around her back, her head lolling against his chest.
These guards were not remotely careful.
I caught up with Zander and kicked his ankle, gesturing to the dead. He understood and lowered Ember gently to the ground. I was ready to lend him some power to do what the other guards were doing, but he merely leaned down and scooped a body up in each arm. I blinked. He was a strong motherfucker, as strong as the guards surrounding us.
Gratitude filled me. He was handing Ember back to me. My stomach churned and my legs shook as I studied the stab wound in her chest. My mind couldn’t process what I needed to do. It was all I could do not to turn us around and run at the thought of taking my beautiful mate into the warden’s lair, but neither could I go in and leave her behind. I couldn’t deal, so I called upon my wolf. He growled in understanding, and I allowed him to take control. The symbiont shadow inside me surfaced, but I held it back, allowing it just enough freedom to temper my human emotions. I scooped up the limp body of the woman I loved in one arm and grabbed another body by its ankle, dragging it behind me.
We joined the guards who were ferrying the dead into the corridor beyond the doors. The warden stood just inside, watching the bodies pass him by with a gleaming hunger on his face.
“Wait,” the warden ordered as I came level with him. My heart rate sped up and my body tensed, ready to strike.
He stroked his fingers through Ember’s hair, such a ravenous expression on his face, I readied to drop the other body I held and bolt with her.
“This way,” he ordered, then murmured something to the guard by the door.
I followed him down the corridor. Zander was one guard back when the warden strode into a small room with a metal table, a sink and little else. It stank of old blood, with an underlying aroma of faeces and fear. I swallowed down my panic, searching for an escape route. This wasn’t supposed to happen. But, then again, I was just winging this whole situation; there was no plan between Zander and me now that we were in this place.
“Put her on here.” The warden seemed unable to tear his hungry gaze from Ember’s face.
I let go of the other body. Large slash wounds gaped open on its neck. I ignored it, and using a huge amount of self-control, relinquished my mate, placing her on that hateful metal table. I couldn’t move away as the warden approached. With every fibre of my being, I wanted to break his neck and stop him getting close enough to infect her with his evil. But, despite my power, he was capable of feats far greater than my brute strength. No matter how much I wanted to rid the world of this evil creature, I wasn’t strong enough, not alone. He was pure evil, something way beyond my comprehension.
The newly risen creature in my soul cowered away from the warden. That in itself was enough to prevent me from even trying to end him. I ground my teeth and held myself and my spirits in check, knowing no matter his strength, I would sacrifice everything I was