Kane was on the male in the next second, slamming his palms into the pillow on either side of the guard’s head, that injured body jumping in response.
“Where is she,”he gritted out.“The nurse.”
The guard just shook his head, his eyes widening, although it was clear that he feared whatever his leader would do to him more than whatever was facing him now.
The gun came forward before Kane was aware of taking the weapon out of his waistband, and he put it into the male’s nose, shoving the barrel so hard, the guard groaned.
“I will paint the wall with your brains,” Kane said grimly. “Tell me where the nurse is.”
“They took her.”
The answer came from the patient in the bed next door, and Kane’s head jerked to the side. “Where.”
“They think she killed one of us.” The male shook his head slowly and winced, like any movement hurt him everywhere. “I don’t believe… it. She… saved me. She saved… all of us. Don’t know… who you are… but don’t… hurt her.”
The glistening in the guard’s eyes reflected the light from overhead.
“—Kane?”
Someone was saying his name, but he couldn’t look away from the other guard.
“She saved me, too,” he said hoarsely.
“The Wall,” the male whispered. “That’s where they’ll take her. And they’re going to work fast. You need to go now.”
“Fuck,” Apex said.
Kane wheeled around. “Where is the Wall.”
Mounted like one of those Victorian bugs set on pins.
That was what she was, Nadya thought as she stared into the eyes of the head of the guards. They were unusual eyes, with flecks of yellow in the darker base, and the dilated pupils seemed like black holes to swim in. To die in.
When the female brought her dagger up higher, the blade winked as it caught the light.
“You will spare me the pain when you kill me,” Nadya said softly. “I was defending the male I love. You lost one of your guards, but I lost him. There is justification.”
“What makes you think I care about love.”
“You are alive, not dead. That is why.”
For a moment, the female seemed frozen where she stood, even though she was such a source of power in the world they lived in, god-like in her influence.
“I will spare you nothing,” she said grimly. Then she frowned. “Why don’t you have a restraint collar on?”
“Because I came here voluntarily.”
The head of the guards laughed. “Why the hell would you do that?”
“I wanted to be of service to the female who saved my life. She took care of the prisoners, and I learned everything I know about healing from her.”
“Aren’t you a saint—”
Footfalls sounded out. Coming fast. Closing in.
Nadya turned her head as a guard shambled in from around the corner, his distraction and gait nothing like the coordination that the males usually displayed, his uniform partially untucked. There was blood on him, and it was fresh, going by the scent.
His leader lowered her knife. “Shut up,” she told him. Then she pointed the tip of her weapon to the door that was centered among the sets of pegs. “In there. Both of you.”