Varick
The first guard I met, I Charmed, yanking him practically off his feet as I forced him to look into my eyes. “Where do they take prisoners for questioning?”
“Down there - third room on the right,” he answered immediately, pointing down the corridor. The smell of sweat rolled over me. Somewhere, he was bleeding, though I couldn't see the wound. I snapped his neck, throwing him to the floor and running in the direction he'd pointed.
“He could have told us more,” Cass hissed at me, but I ignored her. The girl had never liked me much. That had been obvious from day one. But to be fair, I hadn't liked myself much either in the past. And she had damn good reason to hate me. For Selena's sake, I guessed she'd gotten over it for the most part. But I didn't imagine she'd ever warm to me entirely.
I reached the third door, trying the handle before pounding my fist on it. “Brother – are you in there?”
The door wrenched open and I met Jameson's eye, his face bruised and his lip split. He had a severed thumb in his hand which he quickly tossed aside.
“Christ.” I stepped into the room, gripping his shoulder. “Are you well?”
“Couldn't be better.” He grinned and I relaxed, spotting Sakura and Twyla-Rae behind him, their mouths stained red from a recent kill. My eyes fell on Mercy, her whole body soaked in blood, her white dress stained dark red.
“What's going on?” Cass demanded, narrowing her eyes on Mercy.
“I released the Vs,” she announced, folding her slim arms.
I looked to Jameson and he shrugged, smiling his head off. “Girl's got balls.”
“Where's Selena?” Twyla asked in her southern tones.
“Back in the ballroom.” I pulled the handgun from the back of my trousers, hesitating before holding it out to Mercy. “Are you with us?”
She reached out, her fingers meeting my skin as she reached for the gun. I fought the urge to flinch, holding her azure gaze. Pity struck a chord in my heart. Forgiveness wasn't easy for me at the best of times, but a part of me wanted to be capable of it at that moment. Perhaps we were all doomed anyway. And I didn't fancy heading into death with unfinished business.
Mercy took the gun, her eyes never leaving mine. An apology blazed in them. Tension spanned through the room in waves. I was going to have to be the bigger man here. Besides, if I showed unity with Mercy, the rest of our allies might be more easily persuaded to do the same. And something told me trust was going to be important soon.
“We've both done terrible things under the Helsing name,” I said and Mercy's gaze ignited with hope. “Perhaps it's time we left those things in the past. I believe we are both owed a second chance.”
Mercy's mouth gaped for a moment, then she rushed forward and threw her arms around my waist. I stiffened, patting her awkwardly on the back.
“You have no idea how much that means coming from you,” she whispered into my chest.
“Yes, well-” I cleared my throat, gently pushing her away. “Let's not dwell on it.” I turned toward the door, my focus shifting dramatically and wholly to Selena. I glanced back to make sure the others were following, finding them looking to me for orders.
Opening the door, I hurried into the corridor, running in the direction of the ballroom. Gunfire rattled through the hotel. It came from all directions. Above us, below, all around. My heightened senses were drowned in screams, pounding footsteps and gunshots.
A door flew open to my right and guards poured out, clad in silver-plated armour with heavy helmets over their heads. Two, three, four, five-
I grabbed the first one by the back of the neck, using his own momentum to ram him head-first into the wall opposite. He crumpled like paper and I spun around, swinging the rifle over my shoulder. I cocked it before pulling the trigger close-range in the next guard's face. He flew backwards, taking two of his comrades out with him. But more were coming, three already engaged with Twyla and Sakura, keeping them at bay with a spray of gunfire.
Someone caught my arm, yanking me backwards and a bullet whistled past my ear.
“Just like old times, huh?” Jameson pressed his back to mine, using his fists to fight the guards off. He focused on their defences, ripping the silver armour from their bodies. I grinned as the plates clattered to the floor. Jameson sprang aside, letting me take his place.
I unleashed the rampant, hungry monster inside me, cracking ribs and burying my hands in warm bodies, tearing them limb from limb. In seconds, the corridor was quiet. Blood dripped from me in a steady stream. Mercy was hugging the handgun I'd given her, her back pressed to a wall. As far as I could tell, she hadn't fired a single shot.
Twyla and Sakura were further down the corridor, surrounded by their own massacre.
Jameson barked a laugh. “Well that was-”
A guard sprang up amongst the bodies, his gun aimed at me.
BANG.
My ears rang, my vision trembled. The guard crumpled to the floor with a tremendous crash, shaking the floor beneath my feet.
A clean bullet hole was carved through his helmet. A frighteningly clean shot.
I lifted my head, finding Mercy holding her gun high, the barrel smoking. She gazed at the dead man, panting slightly.
I nodded my thanks to her. Had Mercy Helsing just saved my life?
“Holy shit, Baby H.” Jameson slapped her on the shoulder, sending her stumbling. “You've got some aim in those beanpole arms of yours.”
She danced away from him, offering him a flirtatious laugh reminiscent of her old self.
Another door opened ahead and I braced for an attack, my upper lip curling back into a snarl. A girl appeared in a maid's uniform, nearly falling over her own feet. She stiffened as she spotted us, freezing like a rabbit in the headlights.
“Please! Please don't hurt me!” she wailed, falling to her knees, her hands clasped together in a prayer.
Twyla prowled to my side, baring her teeth. “Should I kill her?”
I glanced at her, her eyes dark and honed in on the maid.
“We only kill those who would see us dead.” I glanced over my shoulder, adding, “That's an order.”
Jameson bobbed up and down on his heels. “Yes, captain.” He grinned, taunting me.
I headed up the corridor, passing the squealing maid.
Before I reached the door to the ballroom, a scream cut through the air that I'd have known anywhere, in any world, in any lifetime.
I was already running as I roared, “Selena!”