Jace took off.
“We’ll get her back,” Rhys said grimly. “Go stay in the bedroom. Adam and I will follow behind the others.”
Broni nodded her head, watching as both men left. She stood at the door for several minutes before realizing the futility of staring at the empty yard.
Slowly, everyone started coming back inside the clubroom.
“Are you okay?” Dee asked.
“I’m fine. Let’s get the room straightened.”
It took an hour to right the room and clean the broken glass up from the floor. Afterward, Broni couldn’t bring herself to go to the bedroom without knowing how Abby was. Dee and Nikki both sat down with her while Jessie stood uncertainly at the counter. The men, subdued, had ignored her the rest of the night.
Relief flooded through her when she heard the sounds of the motorcycles approaching the gate. The men came in tired with expressions that told the news wasn’t good.
“Tank took her to a YMCA at the edge of town. It’s been taken over by a large group,” Rhys told her.
Broni’s eyes filled with tears, imagining Abby’s terror.
“We’ll get her back, Broni. We have to figure a way that won’t get her killed first, though.” Broni leaned against Rhys when he pulled her up from the chair.
“I know you will. Let’s get some sleep.”
They went to their room, neither speaking until they slid into the bed.
Rhys pulled her close and Broni slid her arms around him, holding him tight, shivering in the warm night.
“Why did you try to protect me when Tank shot at me? The bullet couldn’t hurt me.”
“Reflex. I’m so used to protecting you I didn’t think,” Broni admitted.
He loomed over her in the darkness. “If you died on Earth, what would happen?”
Broni was silent.
“Broni?” His voice turned harsh.
“If I die on Earth, then Cara will come for my soul.”
“Where will she take it?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
“How do you go home again?”
“I don’t.”
Chapter 27
Broni moved through the silent street, trying to remain in the shadows for the brief moments they would last; the sun would be up soon. She had sneaked out of the clubhouse while everyone still slept.
She edged a little closer, seeing the bikes parked outside the YMCA the Road Demons had taken over. Broni was sick at the thought of how many survivors they had killed taking it. The government had already disposed of the bodies while the few survivors that remained were held captive inside to serve them.
And Abby was now one of them. She swore she would kill Tank for kidnapping her and giving her to the monsters inside.
Adam and the men were planning their attack after having Balder watching them the last three days. Broni had every confidence they would succeed, but in the meantime, Abby was suffering. She knew the men in the club better than they did. If they were like the ones she’d left behind, they would be passed out. She was going to take the opportunity to steal Abby back.
Gripping her sword hidden under her cloak, she walked confidently toward the building with her heart in her throat.
“Where do you think you’re going?” A thin scraggly youth guarded the door.
“Tank sent for me.” The boy nodded, opening the door.
Broni inched inside to a large, empty room with broken furniture, glass, and trash everywhere. The stench was terrible. When Broni accidently kicked a bottle that had rolled across the floor, she paused, unsure of where to go now.
Taking a deep breath to gather her courage, she began searching the rooms, and what she found sickened her. Broni hated to leave anyone behind, but knew she wouldn’t stand a chance of taking more than Abby with her.
She slowly unlocked a small door, peeking inside. The flickering light showed it was a small closet, and sitting on the floor was the child Broni recognized from the fire. She had aged since she had last seen her, however Broni easily recognized her.
Broni squatted down before her. “Zandra? Can you hear me?”
The girl’s frightened eyes flickered open and she was about to scream when Broni quickly put her hand over the girl’s mouth.
“Sh… they’ll hear me. I can help you get out of here, but you have to stay quiet, okay?”
The terrified girl nodded her head. Broni carefully removed her hand. “Okay, follow me and be as quiet as you can.”
Broni closed the closet door, moving on to the next room.
“Stay here,” she instructed Zandra.
Broni opened the door quietly to find an empty room. She motioned for Zandra to come inside. Broni closed the door once she entered then went to the window which was probably why they didn’t use the room; it was too vulnerable. She gave thanks to Mother when the window slipped open.
“Zandra, I want you to climb out and run to that building there. I’ll meet you there when I find my friend, then I’ll take you somewhere safe.”
The girl nodded, climbing out the window with Broni’s help.
As soon as she made it to the building, Broni resumed her search for Abby. When she finally found her, Abby was lying under Tank with her eyes open. What he had done to her friend was the most horrific sight Broni had ever seen. For a second, she thought she was too late, however, the movement of her blinking had Broni breathing a grateful breath.
There were two of Tank’s buddies lying on the floor near the bed. Broni put her sword silently in the loop of her pants, pulling out a dagger she kept hidden in her boots. Saying a brief word to Mother for the demise of their souls to Hades, she moved to the first man.
Broni felt the ice cold presence of Grimm as she slit the sleeping man’s throat. Swallowing down the bile, she moved to the other man on the floor, slitting his throat without remorse. Both men were too drunk to feel the knife at their throat.
Broni really wanted to use the sword on Tank, yet she was too frightened she would endanger Abby. Raising the knife, she was prepare
d to drive it into his back when Tank rolled over suddenly as she plunged the knife downward. Unable to stop her forward momentum, she barely managed to change her trajectory, driving the knife deep in his chest.
He sat up with a roar, and if Broni didn’t shut him up instantly, they would be found. Not wanting to take a chance with the knife again, she reached over to the nightstand and picked up a bottle that was almost full, hitting him on his temple. Thankfully, he fell off the bed, unconscious.
“Abby? Baby, do you hear me?” Broni picked up the sheet from the floor, wrapping it around the woman, attempting to tug her up. When she didn’t make a sound, Broni became more scared than she had ever been in her life at her vacant look.
“Please, Abby, you have to help me. I can’t pack you out of here.” Broni tried to shake her, but there was nothing inside the glazed girl’s eyes.
Broni sighed, sitting down on the side of the bed and coming to a decision. She couldn’t leave the girl. Come what may, she would accept what happened next as long as Abby would know she wasn’t alone any more.
Broni took her hand in hers and waited.
It didn’t take long before the door slammed open. Broni blinked her eyes twice at the man standing in the doorway.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing sitting down? Get her the hell out of here,” Adam said, coming into the room, slipping in the blood. “Jesus Christ. Did you do this?” His amazed eyes took in the carnage.
“Yes. I can’t get her to move.”
Adam went to the door, motioning to someone outside. Ransom came in, carrying a gun. “Get Abby out of here.”
The man didn’t waste words, picking the girl up and running out of the room. No sooner had he left than Adam motioned her to come to him in the doorway. Broni was walking across the room when Tank rose from the floor. He raised her knife, striking out to plunge it into her back when Adam fired his gun, shooting him through the heart. The man fell forward, knocking a stunned Broni down. Adam pulled the limp body from her.
“What the fuck? I thought he was dead.” he said as he helped her to her feet.