Chapter 6
The armored transport vehicle was parked outside and waiting, but the Keepers had yet to move to get Sam into the back. No, they held her outside where Rohm was speaking to her. Keo kept an hand locked around her bicep. Her hands were cuffed in front of her, her angry blue eyes narrowed on Rohm, but she didn’t respond to whatever it was he was saying to her. Every few seconds though, her gaze would leave his and she’d study the Estate. He was thinking the same thing she was, that now would be the best time for the Megalya to make a play for her if they were going to.
“Tell me again why we’re not transporting her by air?” Bellis didn’t even glance at King as he waited for explanation.
“The attack on the estate drew the attention of local law enforcement, as well as showing up on the radar of the United States Air Force.” There was an air force base located in the town of Great Falls, a mere fifty miles from where StoneCrow was nestled in the Highwood Mountains. “We’re going low key until this blows over. As it stands, Monroe’s got officials coming up to investigate. They weren’t satisfied with the excuses we’ve provided.” He titled his chin toward the sky. “Probably got satellites or drones watching us at this moment.”
Enough! Exiting the main Estate house, Bellis locked eyes on Rohm. “Get the prisoner in the transport vehicle. Now!”
Rohm’s head snapped to the side, his odd, clear eyes locked on Bellis. His jaw clenched but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he looked back at Keo and nodded. The Keeper hauled Sam to the back of the truck and Bellis followed. Before Keo could pull his key free from the open door, Bellis had his hands circled around Sam’s waist and lifted her into the vehicle. Keo shot him a dark look, but Bellis ignored it. The kid had a shit-ton to learn about giving dirty looks.
Pulling himself into the back of the vehicle, Bellis secured the cuffs around Sam’s wrists to the metal rod down the center of the floor. He took the seat beside Sam, and when Keo climbed in and stared at Bellis as if he expected the Walker to move, Bellis jerked his chin toward the bench on the opposite side of the truck. Keo sat hard, and glared at Bellis.
Several minutes later the back doors were secured before two more doors slammed shut and the vehicle lurched into motion. Bellis knew the Keeper’s North Fortress was in the Crazy Mountains. There were two routes they could take, the faster route through the Lewis & Clark National Forest. If they were ambushed there, it’d be better for trying to make a break for it on foot. The other route was through the prairie, which meant they should be able to see an attack coming, but would have no cover if shit went down. If it were up to him, he’d go through the forest, but who knew what the Keepers would decide. Either way, they were looking at about three hours.
After a half hour or so of silence, he asked, “What was Rohm spewing off about?” He looked at Keo, but the Keeper looked away in annoyance. When he thought his curiosity would have to go unsatisfied, Sam spoke.
“He warned me not to try and tempt any Keeper into claiming me in hopes of escaping my fate. He said it wouldn’t work anyway, because I am not like women Keepers desire. He said I am not beautiful or desirable to them. Rohm explained my status.”
A muscle in Bellis’ jaw twitched. Not beautiful? Clearly, the fuckers were blind. She was beautiful, fuck that, she was gorgeous. Everything about the little traitor was sexy as all get out, from her silky cropped hair to that goddamn suit that clung to her like he wanted to. Her lips were lush and full, and those damn eyes could make a Walker feel like he was drowning. “And what did Rohm say your status was?”
Sam stared at the far side of the truck. “I have no value. I am insignificant. Unwanted. He said I’m not viable. That I’ll be a prisoner until I’m…” Finally, she showed some emotion by swallowing hard. “Discarded.”
Bellis’ tongue darted out to lick his lips. “Does your status offend you?”
“No.”
Lie.
“Why would it? I’m not expecting to be spared, Demon, and I could give two shits about whether they think I’m cute or not.” She shook her head and let her eyes fall closed. “Stupid fucking Keepers.” She muttered, almost as if to herself, “Wouldn’t have to give me the speech about not ‘luring’ a Keeper in if it weren’t an actual possibility. Should’ve just kept his mouth shut.”
Bellis’ gaze shot to Keo. and when a muscle in the Keeper’s jaw twitched, he knew Sam was right. Stupid fucking Keepers. He looked back at Sam who kept her eyes closed. She was damn good at reading situations and people. It made him wonder how long she’d been in the game. It must have been a long time, and that knowledge angered him. What would a woman, hell a person, have to endure to turn them into this?
Glancing back at Keo, he caught the Keeper staring at Sam. It pissed him off. An unwarranted flare of jealousy surged up, and he shocked himself when he growled at Keo, “She’s not viable, Keeper. That gonna be a problem?”
Keo’s gaze jerked to Bellis and his jaw clenched again. Instead of responding, Keo turned his head to look out the small back window and the black ribbon of highway unfurling behind them.
When Bellis looked back at Sam one of her eyes was cracked open and she was smirking at him. “Is it gonna be a problem for you, Demon?”
Bellis snorted and ignored her.
After about an hour the view out the back window and the rocking motion of the vehicle indicating numerous curves in the road indicated the Keepers had chosen the route through the forest. Good.
Beside him Sam’s eyes finally opened and she arched her back in an attempt to stretch. He felt a little bad, because with her cuffs linked to the bar in the floor, she couldn’t lift her arms at all.
“You know,” she began, smiling at Keo.
Bellis knew that smile. It meant she was about to give the Keeper shit. She didn’t get the chance.
Out of nowhere something slammed into the side of the truck, throwing Keo across the small space and onto Bellis. The Walker snarled and shoved the Keeper off.
The vehicle rocked but stayed upright, and now he could hear the Keepers in front barking orders to someone. He assumed it was the Walker team that was accompanying the convoy to the North Fortress.
Sam’s startled gaze shot to him. “Uncuff me,” she commanded.
Bellis shook his head.
“Come on! I’ll get my fucking arms ripped off!”
Tough. Bellis crawled to the back of the truck and looked behind them. There was a fast approaching vehicle headed their way with what looked like someone standing, their upper body poking out of the sunroof. Bellis narrowed his eyes and realized the person held something that looked like an AR braced at their shoulder and pointed at the truck. “Fuck!”
It wasn’t an AR. The muzzle was wide. It was a fucking grenade launcher!
He saw a recoil and smoke a second before he realized they’d fired. “COVER!” he bellowed and threw his body over Sam’s, which was stupid as shit. She was the enemy, the expendable, and most likely the reason they were currently under attack, but old habits die hard and it wasn’t in him to not protect a female.
There was a loud blast and the back of the truck raised up off the ground, the doors exploding inward as the vehicle skidded and veered off the road as it slammed back to the blacktop.