Chapter 19

MARKS GLANCED AT the door. “We’re not to be disturbed.”

There was a pause and then the same voice answered. “It is imperative. There has been a breach on level five.”

Marks raised an eyebrow and looked at Thompson. “You had better check that out.”

Thompson nodded and went to the door. He used his swipe card and was about to turn the handle when the door was forced into him. He went flying back against the wall. Before he could react, he was shot in the head.

Marks reached for his sidearm and aimed it at the door just as a guard was thrust inside the room. Marks shot him, unloading several bullets into the man before Jack grabbed the colonel’s arm and wrenched it up. Bullets were shot into the ceiling, ricocheting in all directions.

Marissa winced as a shard of metal from the table flew up and hit her cheek. She pushed back from the table and dropped to the ground. It wasn’t a guarantee of safety, but it made her feel better. She watched the scuffle of feet all around her until a few seconds later, the Colonel’s dead body dropped to the ground.

The body of the security guard joined the colonel.

Marissa shut her eyes and covered her mouth so she wouldn’t scream.

Several seconds of silence followed, and then someone touched her arm. A shiver went through her and she knew immediately that it was Firbin. He’d come for her. Somehow he’d been able to sense that she was in danger and he’d found her. It seemed impossible, but she didn’t care.

She scrambled out from under the table and threw herself into his arms.

“How did you know?”

“We are connected.” Firbin’s voice was strong as he squeezed her in a hug and then put her down on the ground. “Who is this?”

He was pointing a pistol at Jack.

Jack was also pointing a gun at Thero.

“This is my brother, Jack.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at her. “Get away from him.”

“They’re here to help.” Marissa left Firbin and touched her brother’s arm. “They rescued us. They are not the enemy.”

Jack tightened his grip on the weapon in his hand. “I don’t care who you think they are. I’m taking you out of this place and bringing you to the proper authorities. They’ll be able to sort this mess out.”

Marissa let go of Jack’s arm as if she’d been burned. “I won’t go back there.”

“You must.” Jack’s voice was harsh. “It is the only way to get out of this mess.”

“Marissa goes with us.” Firbin’s voice was a low growl. “I will not let the Albireons harm her.”

“I don’t know who you guys think you are, but you’re messing with the law and I can’t stand by and let that happen.”

“These men were not acting with the authority of your government.” Niail spoke for the first time. “We are here to destroy the Albireons. These humans made a poor choice in their allegiance.”

“I don’t have a clue who you are, but my sister and I are walking out of here.” Jack took a step toward Marissa. “It’s your choice whether you live or die.”

Firbin stood in front of Marissa.

All she could see was Firbin’s back.

She tried to move away, but he held her in place. She knew he was protecting her, but she couldn’t let her brother be killed. Somehow, she had to make Jack see sense.

“They were the ones who rescued me to begin with.” Marissa raised her voice from behind Firbin. “Don’t do this, Jack.”

The noise of a scuffle and then a gunshot reverberated in the room.

Marissa tried to get around Firbin, but he held firm.

“Let my sister go.”

Firbin moved away suddenly. Niail took his place, but for a brief second she was able to see Jack pinned against the wall. Thero was pulling the gun out of Jack’s hand and Firbin was holding her brother. Jack was trying to break Firbin’s hold, but Marissa knew that despite his training, Jack was no match for the strength of a Hunter.

“She is my pair bond and I will protect her against all dangers. This is my vow.”

“What?” Jack’s voice was filled with anger. “She is no man’s anything.”

“I am not any man,” Firbin snarled. “I am a Hunter. There is no breaking my bond or word.”

The sound of her brother struggling ceased.

“Don’t kill him.” Marissa shouted.

“I would never harm your family.”

The words came to her as a whisper in her mind. The tension in Marissa eased and she leaned her head against Niail’s back. Firbin’s assurance was all she needed. Jack wouldn’t be hurt.

“I thought you were an urban legend.” Jack’s voice was hesitant. “There is no humanly way you can do what they claim.”

“We are real.” Firbin’s tone was less aggressive. “We may not be from Earth, but we are human.”

“Aliens?” Jack snorted. “How did my sister get involved with you?”

Niail stepped away from Marissa so that she could see her brother. Firbin was still holding him, but he was no longer being pinned against the wall. Jack glanced over at her, his eyes wild with indecision and disbelief.

“Firbin saved me.” Marissa said. “I tried to explain this to you earlier, but you just thought I was delusional.”

“You didn’t mention Hunters.”

“Why should I?” Marissa’s voice held hurt. “You stopped listening when I told you I’d woken up to see aliens probing me. What difference does it make who saved me?”

Her brother exhaled and pushed away from Firbin’s hold. “I’ve heard about Hunters. As a matter of fact, I’ve been sent on missions to find them.”

“Unsuccessful, I imagine.” Firbin’s voice held sarcasm.

Jack nodded. “We were always too late.”

“Why would you be chasing us?” Niail crossed his arms and glared at her brother. “We right wrongs.”

“You break the law!” Jack’s voice rose.

Firbin grinned. “Then your laws are wrong.”

“Enough chatter. We need to continue.” Niail went to the door. “There is still one more level to be checked.”

Firbin held his arm out to her and she rushed to his side. Peace and contentment filled her. Gone was her fear and worry. It felt right to be at his side. She might not have asked for love in her life, but she’d found it.

She never wanted to be separated from Firbin again.

In her heart, she knew that Firbin and the other Hunters would keep her safe and protect her no matter what happened. She straightened her shoulders. There was still more they needed to accomplish.

The main thing was to get out of this place alive.

“What’s above us?”

“Hopefully the weapon.” Firbin grabbed her hand and followed Niail from the room.

“What weapon?” Jack followed.

Thero brought up the rear.

“The one that vaporizes everything.” Marissa rolled her eyes. “I told you about it already.”

“I thought it was in your imagination.”

“It is very real.” Thero shut the interrogation room door. “We must find out how many they have produced.”

“That’s why we have to search the upper level.” Firbin’s voice held a note of apology. “I would never risk you being so close to a battle if it wasn’t necessary.”

“That’s fine.” Marissa gave Firbin’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “I know you’ll protect me.”

A wave of gratitude came her way.

A whisper of approval.

Marissa knew without being asked that Firbin had sent her these messages through mind connect. It wasn’t a perfect communication, yet it was there. Fleeting as the sensation of connection was, Firbin had told her the truth about bonding. That was the only explanation for him having found her in this obscure place.

They reached the central elevator that had brought Marissa and her brother to this floor. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the empty hallways. Niail hesitated a second at the bank of elevators and then motioned for Thero to follow him.

“Where are they going?” Jack’s voice held suspicion.

“To make certain everyone on this level is dead.” Firbin’s voice was devoid of emotion. “It would be careless to allow ourselves to be attacked from the rear.”

“You’ll never be certain of that.” Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “They could be bringing in reinforcements as we speak.”

“Perhaps.” Firbin shrugged. “They will have to come to the surface and fight us from above though. We have secured all the lower levels.”

“How?”

“We killed everyone.”

Jack opened his mouth and then shut it.

Silence followed until Niail and Thero returned. Niail moved into the middle elevator and the rest of them followed. Firbin stood in front of Marissa so that she couldn’t see what was happening. The sound of the assault rifles being checked for ammunition and then the ding of the elevator reaching the floor were the only things she heard.

Firbin positioned her against the sidewall and continued to protect her.

A barrage of bullets rang out as the elevator door opened.

There was no turning back now. Marissa winced as the loud reverberation of the gunshots echoed in the small elevator space. Firbin kept her protected in the corner. She could smell the acrid odor of gunfire. She took a deep breath and sent a wave of protective energy toward the Hunters and her brother.

“Someone throw me a gun.” Jack’s voice rose above the roar of gunfire.

Niail threw a pistol over to her brother.

Jack was crouched low on the ground beside her. She watched as he aimed his gun around the edge of the open door and fired. After several shots, his gun jammed and then he threw it out of the door.

“I need another weapon.”

Firbin handed Jack his rifle. Before Jack could make a comment, Firbin jumped into the gunfire. Marissa clung to the corner. She watched Firbin roll out of the elevator and along the floor taking out the legs of several of their attackers. As they fell to the ground, he grabbed one of them by the neck, twisted, and then grabbed the discarded weapon and started to fire at the others who were still attacking.

It happened so quickly that Marissa barely had a chance to take a breath before Thero jumped across from the other side of the elevator and protected her with his body. Her view was blocked after that.

“These guys are crazy,” Jack muttered as he took aim and started to return fire.

It took a couple more minutes before silence filled the air.

The attack was over.

Marissa heaved a sigh of relief as Thero moved away from her. He stopped her from leaving the elevator until Firbin came to take her with him. Marissa left the small confined space with a shiver. She doubted she would ever look at an elevator in the same way again.

“Are there any more?” Her voice was a low whisper.

“They have retreated to a large area on the north side of the structure.” Firbin smiled. “It will not take us long to defeat them now that they are cornered.”

“Are you nuts?” Jack picked up a couple of rifles from the dead soldiers. “They probably have a better defense set up there. You can’t go charging in.”

“We do not charge.” Niail picked up some weapons by their straps and slung them around his shoulder. “We have to find the plans before we do anything. We’ll start a room by room search. Firbin, prepare the explosives.”

Niail, Thero, and Jack started their sweep.

She stayed at the elevator with Firbin.

Firbin dropped his bag on the ground. Marissa leaned against the wall and tried to avoid looking at the blood and dead bodies that littered the floor. This was worse than before. These were not aliens and she didn’t want to think about their families who were expecting them to come home.

“They knew what they were doing when they agreed to this job.” Firbin’s voice was so low that Marissa wasn’t certain that he’d spoken aloud.

“I know, but it still bothers me to think of them losing their lives for something so senseless.”

Firbin stopped and looked up at her. His eyes were fierce with emotion. Marissa’s heart started to beat at a frantic pace and her breath caught in her throat. Through all of the danger and fighting they’d experienced, she’d never seen him this intense about anything.

“Keeping you safe is not senseless.” Firbin’s voice shook. “It is the most important thing to me and I will not fail. No matter how many men or weapons stand in our way to freedom, I will make certain that you are safe.”

Marissa’s mouth went dry. “Is that why you do this?”

“I have been bred to fight and obey orders.” Firbin nodded. “I have always known that death will be my reward for doing my duty with honor. You have given me a reason to do it with purpose and hope.”

“How can there be hope when others are dying?”

“There is always the chance that they will surrender and their lives can be saved.” Firbin grimaced. “Unfortunately I have never seen that happen. Instead, I fight so that you and other humans may live.”

“And that gives you hope?”

“Definitely.” Firbin grinned. “I have faith that one day you will accept our bond and agree to be my mate.”