From Burning Ashes (Collector Series #4) Read online

  During a moment of quiet, only our breaths could be heard.

  “You really like those shoes.” Croygen broke the silence, his eyebrows lifted in amusement, adjusting Lexie in his arms.

  “Yeah. They’re my favorite pair.” I shrugged and got to my feet, snatching Sprig on the way up. “They are also my only ones.”

  Croygen and Ryker knew perfectly well why I fought so hard. The Lia Fáil, the extremely powerful, mythological Stone of Destiny, lay unceremoniously in the heel of my boot.

  So many enemies had come after us for the gray rock, and they’d stop at nothing to get it. Especially Vadik. Ryker had put it there when we were in Peru, knowing if he were caught, they would search him. It had a chance to stay undiscovered with me.

  Vadik, that evil son-of-a-bitch demon, was Ryker’s father. It turned out Ryker was part demon. Only twenty minutes earlier he had told me this while trying to kill me. My mind still struggled to accept this news. I couldn’t fathom how Ryker was taking it.

  Focus, Zoey. You can think about that later.

  The elevator shot up, passing each floor. Almost there. Almost there. I bobbed on my feet nervously. I should have known it was too easy.

  The elevator dinged, alerting us we were arriving at level two, when an intense grinding sound clanged above us. The box came to a sudden rattling halt.

  “That’s probably not a good thing, huh?” Croygen glanced at Ryker and me.

  I swallowed and set Sprig on Lexie’s chest. My free hands investigated every elevator button, searching for any kind of override switch. Of course Rapava would have complete control of the elevator system, just in case a situation like this presented itself. “We need to get out now. The stairs out to street level don’t go below level two.”

  “But there are six more levels down.” Croygen secured Lexie higher in his arms, rustling Sprig.

  “I don’t know where those stairs are. Did you ever see any on the floor they kept us on?”

  “No.” A hint of panic coated Croygen tone. “I didn’t.”

  “The top two levels of DMG are for the hunters, offices, and government-approved testing labs. Everything below those floors is hidden from the world, probably even from parts of the government itself. He doesn’t want to make it easy for anything locked up below those levels to escape.” I ran my hands along every panel, desperate for anything to help us. I knew what was coming, and it didn’t take long before my fears were confirmed.

  The elevator gave an abrupt jerk, my stomach slipping down to my feet. Shit! Ryker and I both flew for the doors, digging our fingers in the space to pry them apart.

  Frantic terror ripped through my body as the doors fought against us, stealing the last seconds we had to get free. Finally with a grunt from Ryker, the doors gave, opening to another pair of doors, a number two painted on them. Instantly, Ryker and I began to tear into them, separating them enough to fit through.

  The elevator jolted again, this time lurching us down, dragging us back to the depths of hell.

  “Croygen, go!” I screamed.

  Croygen tossed Lexie into Ryker’s arms and took a running start, the second-level opening starting to shrink. He got through and spun, motioning for Lexie. “Hand her to me!”

  Ryker offered Lexie and Sprig to Croygen in a blink of an eye. The opening thinned, collapsing with every second. I could barely breathe. Croygen was not gentle as he yanked Lexie and Sprig, her head scraping the top of the elevator as we continued to plunge.

  I didn’t even have time to feel relief as her body slipped through the tiny gap before Ryker turned to me. He grabbed my legs, lifting me to the ceiling.

  “There should be some kind of emergency exit. It’s probably locked, but you can break it open!” His hold on me tightened as he shoved me higher up. With his momentum and my adrenaline it took me only two hits to pop open the lock and shove off the cover. I pulled myself up on top of the box.

  “Go. Use the cables attached to the elevator and climb up.” He pointed at the pulley running the elevator up and down.

  “What about you?” I looked back down on him.

  “Don’t worry.” His eyes darkened and his pupils became vacant. “I’m coming for you, human.” He leaped up, his hands gripping the edge of the opening, starting to pull himself up.

  I knew that look. From the guy who wanted to kill me.

  Shit!

  Climbing a rope was one of the training exercises I hated most. I would have rather sparred or done pretty much anything else. Because of that, Daniel made me do it all the time. I caught on quick. Right then I had to admit to being glad he forced me do it so often.

  Every Collector in this place, along with an enraged Viking, was up my ass. His eyes were set on me with determination as he tugged himself through the opening and latched on to the pulley.

  “When I get my hands around your neck this time, no one will be around to save you.”

  Sweat trickled down my face, my arms shaking as I heaved myself higher. The second-level opening still remained over a floor away.

  My smaller frame gave me speed, but Ryker’s arm strength outperformed me. He rapidly gained on me, rage radiating from his eyes and coiled muscles.

  “Come here, little human.” His fingers wrapped around my ankle, tugging me down.

  “Ryker, stop.” My arms trembled violently, trying to pull myself away from him.

  “I’ll stop when you’re dead.” He yanked at my leg again. I squirmed to free myself from his grasp, but he held on. I bit down on my lip and did the only thing I knew to do. It had worked with Liam. With as much energy as I could muster, I slammed my heel into his forehead. A burst of energy exploded inside me and down my leg.

  Wanderer. The stone’s voice sounded like a harsh shove. Ryker’s neck snapped back, his body sliding a few feet down the rope. She is mine.

  Ryker’s white-blue eyes blinked, and within them I saw the man I knew. He swore, turning his head away with guilt.

  Wow. The stone wanted to protect me. That was interesting.

  “Come on. We don’t have time for awkward apologies.” I continued up the rope, and the second floor came into view. Croygen was gone. Hopefully hiding or well on his way out.

  Ryker moved quickly behind me, swinging the rope till I got close enough to jump. The edge of the floor crushed into my ribs as my fingers scrabbled on the tile for purchase. I grunted, forcing my knees up enough to push myself to my feet.

  Ryker leaped and moaned in pain when his legs bashed into the ledge.

  “Serves you right.” I leaned down to grab his arms.

  “Don’t.” He hissed through his teeth. “Don’t touch me.”

  The quick stab of rejection stung, but I swung around searching for signs of Croygen.

  “They’re on level two! Near the north elevator,” a man’s voice barked from the maze of hallways. “Orders are shoot to kill. Except her. The doctor wants to keep her alive.”

  I’d rather they just kill me.

  Ryker tapped my arm and ran down the corridor. Toward the voices. His gaze narrowed on an open corner room.

  I ran after him. Sometimes the best escape was letting them pass you. We slipped into the room. Ryker shut the door, leaving a sliver to watch through.

  “If you keep sneaking into my room,” a voice whispered from behind, lips nipping at my ear, “your boyfriend’s going to get the wrong idea.”

  “Holy shit.” I spun around. The dark, almond-eyed bandit stood there with a smirk on his face. Lexie and Sprig lay on the open bed. “Don’t do that.” I smacked his chest.

  “Shut up.” Ryker glared at us before looking back out the gap, his muscles rigid. We were inches from being discovered.

  “Doors are open, sir. They are somewhere on this level,” a man’s voice I didn’t recognize spoke from right outside the room. My curiosity got the better of me. I knew all the Collectors’ voices. I slipped soundlessly next to Ryker, peeking through the gap.

  A man a few inches ta
ller than me stood so close on the other side I could reach out and tap his shoulder. He appeared to be of Asian descent and someone I remembered seeing in the cafeteria on the lower level a few times. But he was a scientist. Why would he be in on the search?

  A muffled voice over a walkie-talkie responded. I couldn’t make out the words, but I recognized Rapava’s evil tone.

  “I promise, sir. They will not get past us. I have men stationed at every corner and entrance. If they are here, we’ll find them.” He put his hand on his hip, brushing back his lab coat. On his hip he had the government-issued guns: one dart, one fae-made.

  When Ryker had kidnapped me the first time, stashing me away in a grungy hotel room, the FBI had come searching for Sprig and me. I understood Rapava had access to the FBI, if needed. I never realized he had people right on the premises, undercover. How naïve had I been?

  A call from down the hallway took the scientist away from the door. Ryker shut and locked it, whirling around to me. “What the hell, Zoey? Did you know Rapava had undercover agents here?”

  “I had no clue.” I rubbed my head. “I knew he could call on the FBI in case of emergencies, but not that they were here, posing as doctors.”

  “He might be a doctor, but he’s also been trained to be a soldier,” Ryker responded curtly.

  “How do you know?”

  “I just know. I’ve been around for a long time. They hold themselves differently.”

  “And I can guarantee every man he has ‘stationed’”—Croygen curled his fingers in quotes—”around this level is trained as well.”

  I shouldn’t have been surprised. Rapava’s paranoia about a fae attack had long been acute. I should have expected he would have more than just the Collectors trained for battle. How many men did he have here? How many on call? I realized now I’d never known the true depth of the secrets and lies to Rapava’s scheming.

  “What the hell are we going to do?” Croygen broke into my thoughts. “It’s not going to take them long to find us. And we can’t just stroll down the hall.”

  “No, we won’t be using those passages, but…” My eyes drifted up.

  Croygen followed my gaze. “Oh hell no.”

  “We have to.”

  “Are you kidding me?” Croygen exclaimed, knowing what I planned. We had done it plenty of times before. “Lexie’s out cold and Ryker probably won’t even fit in the openings.”

  “What choice do we have?”

  Croygen opened his mouth and then shut it with a sigh.

  “We drag Lexie and Sprig on a sheet behind, like a cart.”

  “And let me guess, I’m the horse?” Croygen rolled his eyes at us.

  “More like a nag,” Ryker muttered.

  I grinned. “You do like the fillies.”

  Croygen glowered at both of us but shrugged. There was no other way.

  “It won’t lead us out or to the first floor, but it will get us closer to the stairs,” I continued.

  “Then we jump down and go kung fu on their asses and run out.” Croygen put his hands on his hips.

  “Exactly.”

  “Excellent plan, Zoey. Stellar, really,” Croygen said dryly.

  “I thought so.”

  We all knew it would be nowhere near simple, but time was running out and our window of surprise was shrinking to a sliver.

  ###

  The vents squeaked with our weight, even though we spread out as far as we could. Ryker struggled to scrunch his shoulders narrow enough to writhe through the small space. Being the leader, I checked on our location status, while poor Croygen dragged Lexie and Sprig in the middle, and Ryker brought up the rear, staying as far from me as possible.

  If Rapava was aware of my use of the vents, he had yet to block them, for which I felt grateful. I couldn’t believe just a few hours ago Delaney had given me the code to get Ryker out. I had crawled up into these vents and set this whole plan in motion. The “borrowed” elevator card dug into my hip. If we did get out of here, I hoped neither Kate nor Delaney would be suspected of aiding us.

  I slipped down onto the pipes and peeked through a panel. Shit. Rapava had this place a lot more secured and ready for an attack than I thought. Five men dressed like they were about to stop a deadly bank heist blocked the door to the stairs, primed and ready for action. Armed with bulletproof vests, walkie-talkies, helmets, each appeared to be prepared to shoot the fae guns they were holding, while automatics and stun guns hung from their belts.

  With a sigh I set the board down lightly and twisted to face the guys with only my head poking into the vent. It was almost pitch dark, but I could just barely make out their outlines. “Good news. We’re here. Bad news. There’s the cast of S.W.A.T. team watching the stairs.”

  “Dammit,” Croygen whispered.

  “It’s clear he has his own soldiers permanently stationed here, ready to go on a moment’s notice.” Ryker’s quiet voice held a note of annoyance.

  They’d probably been here the whole time, disguised as staff or kept hidden from view.

  “Croygen, Ryker and I will take care of the men. You wait here. When they’re dealt with, you bring Lexie down.”

  “Can I leave the rodent?”

  I ignored Croygen’s question. “You run up those stairs to the top level. I don’t care whatever locks, alarms, or blockades are put between you and freedom, go through them. We are too close now. When you exit the door, there will be a tunnel. Go to the left and just run. The outside door is a block from there. “And if anything happens to me. You get out. Rapava wants me more than anyone.”

  “Zoey—”

  “This is not up for debate. Not this time. You get my sister out of here,” I growled. He should have been gone, far from here, but he came back for me. To save me. “Ryker, you ready?” I didn’t wait for a response before I bent down. The vibration of someone landing behind me shook the metal.

  “I’m with you, human.” His deep voice snaked up through my hair to my ear. “Till the end.”

  “If you have the opportunity, you better run too.”

  “Not a chance.” He stood so close I could feel his hot breath on my neck.

  “Okay, on three.” I leaned over, grabbing a ceiling panel.

  “One,” he said and jumped down.

  “Fucking fae.” I grumbled and dropped down after him. My feet hit the laminated flooring, ready to fight. Five men dressed in military garb stood sentinel in front of the stairs. Ryker pounced on the one who went for his walkie-talkie. He twisted the soldier’s neck so harshly it did a one-eighty, winding his spine like a clock. Crack. The Wanderer pushed the limp figure away, eager for the next.

  The second man came for me, drawing a gun toward my head. I spun out of the line of fire, knocking his arms, rocking him to the side. He caught himself, volleying back, bashing the weapon into the side of my face. Blood instantly coursed down my cheek. Bastard. I grappled for the gun, latching on to the dangerous end and twisting it out of his grip. The moment it was in my hands, his fist crashed into my face, exploding pain through my temple, his fingers greedy to take it back. Hell. No. I twisted around as he struck my arms; the gun slid from my fingers and away from both of us. His eyes went to the weapon. I took the moment to strike him in the stomach, ramming his groin with my knee. He hit the floor as I swiped for his dart gun. Click. The tranquilizer flew from the gun and embedded itself deep in his heart.

  The faster it got into this blood system, the better.

  He gaped in surprise, looking at his chest then up at me before he fell over. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting a girl my size to kick his ass so fast.

  “They’re here! Stairs on the east side,” one of the guards yelled into his walkie-talkie. My fist came around, plowing into the soft part of his throat. He bent over, gasping and choking. I swung my elbow up, sending it crashing down into his upper back as my knee jammed up into his face, snapping his nose against my thigh. He dropped hard.

  When I turned to check on Ryker, the two
other men fell to the floor like sacks of rice. Fresh cuts and bruises lined Ryker’s face.

  “I always forget how good you are. You didn’t even need me.” A slight grin hitched the side of his mouth then twisted around. “Croygen, we’re about to get company,” Ryker hollered up, standing below the opening. Lexie’s body dropped, falling ungracefully into Ryker’s arms, but she didn’t even stir. The drugs kept her deeply unconscious. Sprig’s sleeping form roughly landed on her, then Croygen followed. I kept quiet, thankful Croygen had pitched Sprig down at all.

  Without a word, Croygen took Lexie back from Ryker, tucking her into his arms. I whirled for the door, bolting up the stairs. My body shook with fatigue, but the stone pulsed up my leg with excitement, giving me just enough to keep going. It was as though the adrenaline and fear burning through me stimulated it.

  I burst through the first set of doors at the top, hitting the tunnel. There were still so many things that could go wrong, but the taste of freedom slid over my skin. Shouts and alarms rang in my ears as we bolted through the fae detectors. Men streamed behind us like ants.

  A gunshot whistled by my ear as did a command I didn’t stop to hear, then a hailstorm of bullets. The darkness of the tunnel kept them from finding their true targets. Their orders were shoot to kill. We weren’t supposed to get this far.

  We weaved, making it hard to get a clear shot on any of us. The casings bounced off the cement ground as they unloaded on us. My shoulder slammed into the final door, ready for freedom to engulf me.

  It didn’t budge.

  Locked.

  “Noooo!”

  With a roaring bellow, Ryker’s body seemed to triple in size along his shoulders, fury radiating off him. He ran into the doors like a linebacker, cracking the lock with a single hit. The exit flew open, all of us stumbling forward into the budding light of day.

  We didn’t hesitate. We burst out, bullets and shouts thundering behind us. Dawn crept over the buildings, coloring them in a golden glow. Not a good time to escape. The dark shadows we could slip into were evaporating before our eyes. Unsuspecting civilians were still snuggled in their beds, leaving us with no witnesses against DMG chasing and shooting at us.