Chapter Nineteen
Quintus spotted Allison in the middle of the Glycons as she struggled to make her way to the side.
When the doors opened, light flooded the room. The creatures scattered. Although they weren’t as sensitive as some of the ones he’d heard about, it was still clear the creatures were susceptible enough to the touch of the sun.
Quintus rushed in, followed by several other hybrids.
“They’re stronger than the ones we fought at the mountain,” Rem shouted to his men. “Don’t give them the chance to get their hands on you.”
Rem was right. These creatures weren’t like the ones they had seen at the mountain when they’d made their escape from the Horatius Group. Someone like Marcus would have ripped through a half dozen of those like nothing, but when he’d faced one of these newer Glycons, he’d been hard-pressed to take it out.
Likely Agatha had gone back to help free and collect this newest model of Glycon.
Quintus growled. He’d lost sight of Allison. No matter what else happened, he needed to make sure she escaped.
“Quintus!” she called out.
He heard her shout and was moving before he ever knew what was happened. In the distance, he spotted Agatha pulling hard on her arm. Allison fought, but it was clear Agatha was much stronger than she looked.
A giant Glycon slammed into his side, taking advantage of his distraction. He could hear the ribs crack as he landed against a pillar with a thud. Pain shot through his body.
Allison’s scream echoed in the large room.
Still dazed, Quintus looked over and watched as Agatha pulled Allison through a metal door at the back of the room.
He had to get to her. No matter what. He’d protect his Vestal even if it cost him his life.
“Get up!” Vitus shouted at him as he kicked back the Glycon that had charged him.
Quintus grunted through the pain as he stood and nodded to his friend.
“Get your woman,” Vitus said, and gave him a wink. “Make babies and name one after me.”
Quintus let out a small laugh that only pulled on the muscles at his side, summoning spikes of pain.
Doing his best to ignore his pain, he rushed through the battlefield, ignoring the screams and thuds as claw met fist around him. Blood splattered the floor around him, and he couldn’t tell if it was hybrid or Glycon. He only hoped that his brothers would come out victorious. For now, he had his own mission
When Quintus reached the door, he yanked it open and stepped into the quiet on the other side.
* * *
Allison grunted and struggled against Ms. Anderson’s vice-like grip on her wrist as she was pulled through the rows of pipes and machines. At least in here, she could somewhat make her way around. Parts of the roof had rusted away, creating holes just big enough to let a bit of sunlight through.
If it were any other time, Allison might have admired the beauty of the light filtering through the holes. The dust particles were caught in the light, making it look like a beam straight from heaven.
“Looks like you overpaid for the place,” Allison mumbled as Ms. Anderson tossed her hard against the back wall. She winced.
“Now sit nicely, or I’ll have to let Thrax eat you.”
She watched as a huge Glycon emerged from nearby. The creature made a large man like Quintus seem normal in comparison.
The Glycon stared down at her. Unlike the others, there was something about the way he looked at her that made her wonder just how much he understood. Not mindless, not just a killing machine.
He nodded in her direction. “Vestal.”
Ms. Anderson turned to frown at her. “I see. Is that what that smell is? The whole damn town reeks of it. What a disgusting stench.”
Allison frowned. The whole town smelled like Vestals? That seemed highly unlikely.
“Her bonded will be here soon,” the other woman said to Thrax and then glanced over to her. “Kill him.”
“No!” Allison’s scream echoed across the quiet room.
Ms. Anderson glared at her as she stomped her way over and cracked her hard across the cheek. Allison’s head slammed against the wall, and she slumped down on the ground.
She’d been expecting something slightly painful, but the woman’s blow was as bad as a much larger man punching her.
“Allison!” Quintus cried out in the distance. She opened her mouth to call out to him when a cold, bony hand clamped over it.
“Now let’s let the boys have a little fun,” Ms. Anderson whispered to her. “It’s always fun when the boys fight over you, right?”
Allison moved her head up and down as if she were in agreement with her.
“Oh, I’m so glad we agree,” Ms. Anderson said, her red eyes gleaming in the darkness.
They waited in silence. Quintus crept around the corner, and Allison could just make out his dark form in the distance. The hulking Glycon knelt on top a machine, waiting for just the right moment to pounce.
She had to do something. If she didn’t, Thrax would kill Quintus.
Doing the only thing she could, Allison bit down hard against the hand covering her mouth. The copper taste of blood filled her mouth, and the other woman finally let go.
“You fucking cunt!” Ms. Anderson screamed.
Allison spit out the filthy woman’s blood before slamming her head back into the face behind her. Pain pulsed through her head, but she was sure from the wailing that she’d managed to break the other woman’s nose, or maybe even more.
Not bothering to admire her handy work, Allison pulled away from her and ran toward the dark shape she thought was Quintus.
“It’s a trap,” she shouted. “There’s a Glycon here.”
Allison didn’t know if her words had reached him, but she knew by the scream that came from behind her that she had bigger things to worry about at the moment.
She turned the corner and then again. She’d nearly run past it when she spotted a long metal tube attached to the wall. It wasn’t the best spot, but it might hide her until Quintus could find her.
Another scream pierced the air, and she knew that Ms. Anderson was close now.
Feet first, Allison slipped into the tube.
It was luck that it wasn’t all that steep inside, and she could still see out directly in front of her.
Nearby, she could hear footsteps on the metal floor, tapping their way into the deepest parts of her living nightmare.
“Since you’ve taken a taste of me, I think it’s only fair I get a taste as well,” she could hear Ms. Anderson call out.
Allison shivered at the thought.
The woman wasn’t far away now. The sound of her footfalls grew closer and closer.
“I was wrong. It’s not a disgusting stench. That sweet Vestal smell is telling me just where to find you, even with my nose not in the best shape.”
Allison looked around wildly in the space she was in. If she didn’t cover up her scent somehow, she’d be found in no time, if not by Ms. Anderson, then by a Glycon.
Soot covered the floor. She heard that coal was used as a filter for water. She only hoped that it might help mask the smell she was giving off, at least for a small bit.
As quickly as she could, Allison rubbed the black dust all over her. Even her hair where she was sure she was sweating.
The footsteps grew closer and stopped just outside her hiding spot.
Allison stilled every last bit of her body. She even tried to calm her erratic heart, just praying that she wouldn’t be found.