About a mile from the gate, they dropped Evie off. Before she could clear the vehicle, Blue reached through the open window, grabbed her by the nape, pulled her close, and kissed her hard.
“Be careful,” he whispered against her lips.
“No probs.” Her gaze was grim. “But you, too. I mean it, Blue. You have no idea the fury I’ll unleash on you if you allow yourself to get hurt.”
“Get hurt, and delay our snugs time? No.” He gave her another kiss before letting her go.
Leaving her was tough. He had to force himself to nod to Solo. The otherworlder drilled the pedal into the floorboard and zoomed to the gate blocking the public road from the private driveway. They emerged. As cameras watched their every move, Blue set a small bomb on the left side and Solo set one at the right.
They turned their backs, and boom!
The charge was small enough, and isolated enough, that he felt only a whoosh of white-hot air along his back and a slight burn on his neck and arms. As pieces of metal sprayed over the ground, he and Solo climbed inside the car and sped forward.
Armed guards rushed from the house, but Solo didn’t slow. He’d taken control of the vehicle and disabled every sensor, allowing him to run into one man, then another. As they tumbled over the hood and screamed, the other males jumped out of the way.
When he reached the porch steps, he slammed the car through the front door. Bricks and other debris flew in every direction. Blue palmed his weapons as he got out. Moving faster than any gaze could track, he wove through the guards, shooting one, stabbing another. Shooting, stabbing. Grunts and groans sounded. Bodies fell to the ground, never to get up again.
He and Solo left no survivors.
They stomped inside the estate, alert, scanning for Star senior as well as any soldiers who might be lurking nearby. Blue’s gaze caught the barrel of a pyre-gun peeking from around the corner of the far wall. He motioned to Solo, then launched forward, whizzing around, secretly closing in on the man.
A stream of yellow light sprayed at the other warrior. The fry setting, rather than stun. Solo dodged, but not quite swiftly enough. His arm was grazed by one of the flames.
Blue reached his target a second later and shot him in the temple.
“The others are running outside,” Solo called. “Either they’re afraid of us or they know something we don’t.”
An angry voice spilled from an intercom system. “They know something you don’t.”
Star.
While Solo searched for the reason the men had run, Blue ground his teeth and sought out the camera. There had to be one, and it had to be—there! In the corner, beside the entrance to the office. He glared into the lens. “You got something to say?”
“If you haven’t already guessed,” Star said, “I’m not there.”
“Too bad.”
“I thought we reached an understanding, Mr. Blue.”
“We did. You tried to kill me and my woman, and I struck back.”
A low growl echoed over the airwaves. “You murdered an entire contingent of my men and destroyed my home. Aren’t you afraid of what I’ll do to your friend?”
“Yes. But you should know, anything you do to John, I’ll do to you. Twice.”
“I do not appreciate threats, Mr. Blue.”
Using his most insulting tone, Blue said, “I don’t make threats, Mr. Star. I make promises.”
“Bomb,” Solo suddenly shouted. “Two minutes.”
Blue leapt into action, moving to Solo’s side and tugging him outside. They were at the gate by the time detonation occurred, but it was still a strong enough blast to knock them off their feet.
Blue was thrown into one of the fake trees, hitting with so much force he knocked the entire thing to the ground. A sharp sting in his side made him look down. A piece of metal protruded from his stomach.
Blood and his Arcadian power were hemorrhaging from him, draining him fast. He used what he could to lumber to his feet and check on Solo. The agent’s cheek was badly cut, and crimson smeared the lower half of his face, but he was steady, unwavering.
“We need to leave before the authorities arrive,” Solo said, even as sirens echoed in the background. “Or before Star sends more men.”
Their car was in pieces, so they hoofed it deeper into the trees. Then, two yards before they reached the road, a group of Star’s men stepped from behind the trunks, surrounding them—aiming pyre-guns.
* * *
Evie squeezed the trigger.
Pop!
Turned, aimed through the scope. Squeezed the trigger.
Pop!
Turned, aimed through the scope. Squeezed the trigger.
Pop!
Every time the pop sounded, another guard dropped—and very little was left of his head. Star’s men soon figured out that anyone who dared raise a weapon against the Arcadian died.
Can’t look at Blue. Can’t run to Blue. Not yet.
If she looked, she would cry. That spike . . .
If she ran, she would give the enemy time to reach him.
The remaining men fired at the agents. Bright yellow lights erupted. Pretty. Like a display of fireworks. Blue and Solo managed to dodge, but Blue lost his footing and fell. He landed with a hard thump, the spike sinking deeper. He grimaced—and stayed down.
Dang it. She’d looked. And she was already crying.
With a roar, Solo collided with one of the males, and the two thudded to the ground.
His body expanded several inches. His skin took on a crimson glow. Spikes grew from the tips of his ears, and claws sprouted from his nails. Just then, he was a monster feared by other monsters, and yet the guards didn’t run screaming.
As she picked off another of Star’s men, she wondered if they were all under compulsion to stay and destroy. That would explain a lot. And it was possible. Star employed many different alien races, including Arcadians.
She peered through her scope, but the men were now being careful to remain in a state of constant motion. She could still hit a target, but it would take more time.
Pop!
Another went down. Only five more to go.
Solo disarmed one with his claws. A hand went flying—without an arm. Blood sprayed.
Four more to go.
Blue got to his feet, wavered. “Evangeline,” he shouted. “Your three.”
Understanding, she swept her gun to the right. A male had gotten down on one knee to aim a grenade launcher in her direction. She nailed him between the eyes, but it was too late. The rocket had been released. She fell to the ground, hands over her head to act as a small measure of protection. Only, the blast never came.