ISABELLA
Demitri climbs up into the ventilation system, and then he reaches down for Alexei.
We’ve wrapped one of the sub-machine gun’s straps around his right hand to try and stop the bleeding. A frown settles on my forehead when Alexei gives Demitri his right hand instead of his left.
My eyes scour his left side, and then I see the blood dripping to the floor. “Alexei!”
The two men freeze, and Alexei’s head snaps to me. “What?”
I dart forward and begin to inspect his arm, finding a bullet wound just above his elbow. “Fucking asshole! You got shot and didn’t tell us?”
“It’s nothing,” he says, then he looks up at Demitri, “Are you going to pull me up?”
Demitri tugs hard, yanking Alexei up into the vent. For a moment, there’s a flash of pain on Alexei’s face, and it makes anger and worry bubble in my chest.
So fucking reckless! The man will be the death of me today.
Because Winter is shorter, I grab hold of her hips, and then I shove her into the air. Demitri grabs hold of her hand and quickly pulls her into the vent. Then he leans down again, holding his hand out to me.
Jumping, my fingers wrap around his wrist, and then I’m tugged up.
It’s one hell of a tight fit for the men, and I have to leopard crawl over his back until I come up behind Winter. Demitri brings up the rear as Alexei takes the lead. The crawl goes slow, especially when we reach a corner. The men struggle through the tight space, but I’m just glad no one’s claustrophobic.
With every vent opening, Alexei checks if we can go down into a room or hallway, but most of the ground has been blown away.
“Check-in,” I hear Alexei say, his breathing labored.
‘No sign of Sonia,’ Carson replies.
When there’s silence following his report, Alexei asks, “Semion? Lev?” No reply comes from the two Russian men. “Fuck,” Alexei curses.
‘We’re near the front. I’ll check on them,’ Carson’s voice comes over the earpieces.
Suddenly there’s a spray of bullets where Winter is, and then the ceiling gives way, and she drops.
My breath rush over my lips as I bring my gun up, and then I inch forward.
“Careful,” Alexei whispers.
I peek over the hole and then pull the trigger, hitting Oscar, one of my mother’s men, in the collarbone. Then, I fire another shot, and giving him a third eye, I watch as he falls forward and into the rubble beneath.
I lean over and glance around. Not seeing anyone else, I say, “Clear.”
“Winter?” Alexei calls, then he asks, “Can you see her?”
I search for her between the rubble. “No. I’ll go down.”
“No!” Alexei orders.
‘What happened?’ Damien asks.
“Nothing,” I answer him, not wanting to cause him worry. “Winter just took a detour.”
‘Princess?’ His voice is tight. ‘Winter!’
“We’re still assessing the situation,” Demitri tells his brother.
‘Your fucking position. Now,’ Damien demands.
I glance around again as I pull myself forward, bracing against the sides. “Looks like the dining room. I’m going after Winter.”
“No!” Alexei snaps, unable to turn around to stop me.
I let go of the sides and drop down.
“Mother fucking Christ,” Alexei’s shout follows me down.
My feet hit a slab of concrete, and then I have to move, jumping from one piece of debris to the next until I’m able to stop the momentum the drop gave me. Crouching down, I take a couple of breaths, my heart pounding in my chest. “Made it.”
‘I’m going to fucking tan your ass!’ Alexei hisses in my ear.
‘Keep the kinky talk off the earphones,’ Lucian says with a chuckle.
Demitri thinks to ask, ‘Can you see Winter?’
I start to inch my way deeper into the rubble, and then I see a flash of red hair. “I have eyes on her.”
‘We’re moving forward to find a place where we can get out of this fucking tunnel,’ Alexei says.
“Don’t get yourself killed,” I mutter, and then I slip down the concrete pieces until I finally reach Winter. She’s covered in a grey layer of dust, but then she blinks at me and lets out a groan.
“Winter’s conscious.”
‘Thank fuck,’ Damien breathes.
When I move in next to Winter, she starts to push herself into a sitting position. “My leg.”
I glance down and see that her left leg is wedged between two slabs of concrete. Placing my hands against the one slab, I push it away from her, and then I take in the huge gash on the side of her shin. I take my jacket and armored vest off, then pull my shirt over my head. After putting the armored vest and jacket back on, I remove my belt and wrap the t-shirt around her leg, securing the fabric with the belt. Winter clenches her teeth, letting out a pain-filled groan.
“Are you hurt anywhere else? Gunshot?” I ask.
Winter shakes her head. “I lost my earpiece.”
Taking mine from my ear, I place it in Winter’s. “Tell your man you’re okay.”
“Damien. I’m fine,” Winter says.
“My fucking heart!” His voice sounds somewhere above us.
“Damien?” I call out.
“I’m coming down.”
“No. Wait up there. I’m going to need you to pull Winter out.”
Wrapping an arm around her back, I pull Winter up against my body, and it has her letting out another pain-filled groan.
I give her a moment, then ask, “Ready?”
Winter nods, and then I begin to climb over the debris with her. It takes longer than I’d like, but finally, Damien comes into view.
Tired, I push Winter up the last part. Damien grabs hold of her hands and yanks her to him, embracing her tightly.
I pull myself over the edge and into the foyer and climbing to my feet, I glance around at the bodies and destruction.
“No sign of my mother?” I ask.
Damien shakes his head.
Where the fuck is she?
“She’s fine, Alexei!” Winter hands me my earpiece back. “Your turn to talk to your man.”
Placing it back in my ear, I nod. “I’m going after my mother.” As I jog to the entrance of the Castle, I say, “Are you still in the vents?”
‘So help me, God!’ Alexei rages. ‘We’re on the south side.’
“I’m at the front, moving around the left side of the castle. I’m coming to you.”
As I round a corner, a palm slams into my nose, and I stagger backward, and then my tearing eyes focus on my mother.