When Broni went into Jace’s room, Tank’s victim was awake. Nikki was sitting on the side of the bed, holding the terrified woman.
“I want to go home!”
As Nikki looked at her helplessly, Broni took a step forward.
“My name is Broni. What’s your name?”
She quit crying, staring at Broni hopefully. “Abby. Will you take me home?” Broni could see the hope in her eyes.
Broni didn’t directly answer her question. “The town is rioting now. It wouldn’t be safe to leave. The police aren’t even on the streets any more.” Broni didn’t tell her that most of them were dead.
“A riot? The Hills doesn’t have riots. It will be safe there.”
“We’re on the opposite side of town. We wouldn’t make it through downtown.”
“I want my parents. They will be frightened out of their minds. I have a little sister that isn’t well. I don’t want any of them to worry about me.”
“Write your number down. I’ll call them and tell them you’re okay, then you can get some rest.”
She looked like she was going to argue further but gave in when Broni handed her the pen and paper she found on top of Jace’s nightstand. When she finished writing down her number, she handed Broni the paper.
“You’ll call them right now?”
“Yes.” Broni turned toward the door.
“Thank you.”
Broni blinked back her tears, wishing she could help the girl, but she had a terrible feeling the girl’s family wasn’t still alive. However, Broni would try to delay the horror of what was going on in the outside world for as long as she could. It was bad enough that she had been kidnapped and beaten, but when she found out about her family, it would be a devastating blow.
The men were sitting around the clubroom when she entered the room, everyone’s eyes going to her. She walked behind the counter, pouring herself a cupof coffee. Layla threw her a hateful glance, which Broni ignored, taking a sip of her coffee.
She tensed when Layla started to say something, but her mouth suddenly closed. A look entered her eyes that had Broni freezing in place, knowing that Layla was no longer there. She set her cup down on the counter, backing away. Layla’s hand tightened on the knife that she’d picked up off the counter.
“Layla, stop!” Broni said, remaining calm.
“Layla!” Rhys’s yell from across the room didn’t stop the Drearien that had taken over Layla’s body, the body that was moving toward her.
Broni braced for the attack as Layla ran at her, the hand with the knife raised to strike. When Broni would have blocked her arm, Adam pushed Layla to the side. He raised his gun, pointing it at Layla, but before he could pull the trigger, the clubhouse broke into chaos.
Layla wasn’t the only one to have turned. Rucker was attempting to kill Adam and Rhys was fighting off two of the other bikers. It became pandemonium as they fought each other, trying to figure out who had turned and who was simply fighting for their lives.
When Layla came at her again, Broni’s hand snapped out, knocking the knife from her, but it didn’t stop her. Broni picked up one of the wooden chairs, using it to keep a distance between them. Broni didn’t want to hurt her, yet she had been given no choice.
She maneuvered herself to the counter, throwing the chair at Layla, giving herself the split second she needed. Her hand slid under the base of the bar, sliding her sword out from where she had hidden it the day of the auction.
Her familiar weapon in hand, she lithely regained her feet just as Layla sprung toward her. Broni took a step forward, plunging her sword into her heart, saying a prayer for her soul.
She quickly looked at Rhys, seeing he had his knife in his hand and was fine for now. Adam was not, though; Rucker had a gun to his head. Broni ran forward, her sword going through his side, and he fell to the floor in a pool of blood.
Adam’s shock when he saw who had saved his life was priceless, but Broni wasn’t amused. She was too busy fighting off two other bikers that had turned. Her sword found the heart of one and Adam put a bullet through the other one’s head.
“What do we do?”’ Adam asked.
“Why are you asking me that? You’re the one with military background,” Broni said, perfectly willing to take his lead.
“Yeah, well, ask me to defuse a bomb or deal with a sniper, but I don’t know what the hell is going on with this Voodoo crap.”
“This is not Voodoo!” Broni snapped.