Rowan sat anxiously in the SUV’s passenger seat, hoping Lachlan and the others were okay.

She drummed her fingers against the dash. People were still fleeing the Venetian, and she kept her gaze trained on the casino, hoping to see Lachlan and his team come out soon.

As people ran screaming past her vehicle, she saw a small boy stumble and fall, tears streaming down his face.

Screw this. Rowan pushed open the door and scooped the boy up. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

“Ryan!” a woman yelled.

Rowan handed the boy over to the hysterical woman. More people staggered past and she had to force herself to stay where she was and not run into the casino.

Then she saw the creature rush out of the casino entrance.

Rowan sucked in a sharp breath. Big, with white frost slicked over its body, and ice forming on the ground where it walked. It got closer, and that’s when she saw its face.

No, not an it. A she. This had to be Airman Kowalski.

The mutated woman reached the sidewalk, looked confused for a second, then turned and loped off down the road.

God, they couldn’t lose her. Rowan still didn’t see Lachlan or the others. She dived back into the Suburban and climbed into the driver’s seat. She started the engine and pulled out onto South Las Vegas Boulevard.

She peered at the sidewalk ahead, trying to keep Airman Kowalski in view.

She stabbed the buttons on the dash. “Brooks? Can you hear me?”

“Rowan?” Brooks’ startled voice. “Where are you?”

“I’m in one of the SUVs. I’m following Airman Kowalski.”

Brooks sucked in a breath. “Lachlan is going to lose his mind.”

Probably. But Rowan couldn’t worry about that right now. “Can you patch me through to him?”

“Sure thing. Give me a sec.”

Airman Kowalski turned down a side street and Rowan cursed. She swung the wheel to follow, tires screeching. From somewhere behind, a horn blared. “Sorry, sorry.”

“Rowan.”

Lachlan’s voice came through the dash and she winced. He was not happy.

“I’m in the SUV. I’m following Airman Kowalski at a distance. Uh, she took off down South Las Vegas Boulevard, and we’ve turned onto…” Shit, she had no idea what street they were on.

A strangled noise came through the line. “Stop the vehicle, Rowan.”

“No, Lachlan. We’ll lose her and the artifact.” Rowan saw Airman Kowalski turn again. “Hang on.”

She was on a smaller street now, moving into a more industrial area.

“We’re in the other SUV and tracking you,” Lachlan said. “We’re just a few minutes behind you. Do not get out of the car.”

“Okay—” Rowan slammed on the brakes and gasped.

She stared through the windshield, her mouth going dry.

“Rowan?”

Ice slid through her veins. Airman Kowalski, looking huge and menacing, stood in the center of the road, staring through the windshield at Rowan.

“Ah, we might have a problem.”

“What?” Lachlan snapped.

“She spotted me.”

“Hang on, Rowan, we’re almost there.”

Airman Kowalski leaped into the air, and Rowan’s hands clenched on the steering wheel. The changed woman landed on the hood and set the SUV rocking. Metal crumpled and the engine cut out.

“Lachlan? Brooks?” The comm line had cut off.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Rowan yanked her seatbelt off.

Airman Kowalski took a step closer, the hood crunching under her large feet. Rowan gripped the door handle.

Then suddenly, Airman Kowalski’s big body started shuddering like she was having a seizure.

What the—? Rowan frowned. There were wires embedded in Airman Kowalski’s side. Rowan swiveled her head and watched a team of soldiers wearing dark-gray uniforms moving in on her vehicle.

One soldier was holding some sort of weapon, and the wires were coming from it. It had to be some sort of high-tech, heavy-duty Taser.

Then, Airman Kowalski roared, tearing the wires free. She leaped off the hood. When she landed, she sent soldiers scattering. But some stayed on their feet. They converged on Airman Kowalski, firing their weapons.

Come on, Lachlan. Rowan had no idea who these people were, but they were clearly after the artifact.

Suddenly, Rowan’s door was yanked open. A hard hand wrapped around her arm and wrenched her out of the vehicle.

She looked up into the impassive face of a bearded soldier.

Shit.

* * *

Lachlan tried to control his rage.

“Sorry, Lachlan, we’ve lost comms,” Brooks said. “I’m pulling up satellite feed now. Give me a minute.”

Rowan might not have a minute. His hands clenched on his CXM7 rifle now resting in his lap. The little fool.

“Hurry up,” he barked at Seth.

“Going as fast as I can.” Seth took the corner fast, the back end of the SUV swerving.

Once again, cold, hard fear splashed over Lachlan. Come on.

“Okay, I have images,” Brooks said. Then the sound of him sucking in a breath burst through the line.

Lachlan’s heart hit his ribs. “Brooks, talk to me.” He leaned forward, willing the cars in front of them to get out of the way.

“The SUV is wrecked. A military team is attempting to contain Airman Kowalski.”

Fuck. “Rowan?” They screamed around another corner.

“Fighting with a soldier.”

“These guys any of ours?”

“Negative.”

“We’re going in hot.” Lachlan checked his rifle. “Seth, get us as close as you can.”

The man nodded. In the seats behind, he heard everyone checking their weapons. They’d all donned Kevlar vests.

They turned another corner, and he spotted the black SUV ahead, Airman Kowalski struggling against several gray-clad soldiers.

Seth sped up and then jerked on the brake. He slid their SUV to the side to give them cover. The vehicle screeched to a halt, rocking slightly.

Lachlan shoved his door open and leaped out. As he lifted his weapon, Blair and Axel flanked him.

He sighted the first soldier and fired. He heard Airman Kowalski roar, but blocked it out. The soldiers had her trapped under a net and she was fighting it.

He dropped down behind the hood of their vehicle. Bullets slammed into the metal. He caught Blair’s eye. She nodded and they popped up again, firing.

Lachlan spotted Rowan off to one side. She was struggling with a soldier who was trying desperately to subdue her.

Screw this. He reloaded. “Cover me.”

“Lachlan, wait—”

Ignoring Blair, he leaped out of cover and ran toward Rowan. He pulled the trigger. Bam. Bam. Bam. More soldiers fell.

Several soldiers scattered for cover. Airman Kowalski managed to get free, tearing the net off. She let out an ear-splitting roar and charged at the nearest soldier. She grabbed the end of his rifle in a massive fist. With one crunch, it was nothing but a length of twisted metal.

The man staggered back, wide-eyed. Airman Kowalski grabbed him, lifting him over her head. The man screamed.

Even from a distance, Lachlan felt the blast of cool air. The screams cut off and he watched the man literally freeze.

Fucking hell. Lachlan ducked, racing closer to Rowan, but keeping his eye on Kowalski. He touched his ear. “Callie, take her down.”

Bullets whizzed past Lachlan and he dropped down behind a parked car. Airman Kowalski roared again, and when he peeked around, he saw the bright-red feather of the tranq dart against her neck.

She staggered, tearing at the tranq. Suddenly, a soldier rounded the car and Lachlan leaped upward. He kicked the man’s weapon out of his hand and fired his own.

The man fell with a cry, clutching his shoulder.

Lachlan touched his earpiece. “Contain Airman Kowalski and then round up these assholes.”

He scanned around and saw the man who had Rowan dragging her down an adjacent alley. They disappeared from view.

Shit. “I’m going after Rowan.”

“Wait!” Seth called.

But Lachlan wasn’t waiting. He ran for the alley.

As he turned the corner, there was a volley of gunfire. He felt a burn on his arm and ducked back. Shit. He pressed his back to the wall.

He glanced at his arm and saw where the bullet had grazed his bicep. It was bleeding, but it wasn’t a life-threatening wound.

“Come any closer and I’ll kill her,” a gravelly, French-accented voice shouted from the alley.

Lachlan crouched, and pulled a small device off his belt. He flicked open the small mirror and turned it around the corner. The guy had a gun to Rowan’s head. Of course, she didn’t look afraid, but instead looked angry.

“You aren’t after her,” Lachlan called out.

“I wasn’t, but now she’s my way out of here.”

Lachlan tried to calm his pulse and pulled in a deep breath. Usually, it was easy to find the combat calm he’d perfected over the years. But now, that feeling eluded him.

Rowan’s life depends on you, asshole. Lachlan gripped his weapon and stood. He counted to three, then spun around the corner, raising his weapon.

The bearded soldier holding Rowan narrowed his gaze. “Merde. Stay back!”

Lachlan fired.

At the same time, Rowan yanked down hard and kicked her captor’s shin.

Lachlan’s bullet hit the man between his eyes.

But the soldier’s weapon discharged as well. Right at Rowan’s head.