Chapter 32

MATEO

Damn it!

I leaned against the pillar, trying not to make a sound. I listened to the number of footsteps entering. By my count, there were five of them.

“Chain him up in the basement,” I heard one guy instruct.

Leaning around, I spotted a group of them standing around Lucifer. They seemed hesitant to follow his orders.

“Are you deaf? Pick him up and carry him out.”

Steadying myself, I decided I needed to make my move. I couldn’t just let them take Lucifer.

Taking a deep breath, I rose from my hiding spot. Calling on my dragon, I let a shadow of fire cover my body.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I warned.

Their heads snapped in my direction. I watched the panic flash across their eyes, then watched them draw their guns.

Fae people used guns? Why?

Upon seeing the guns, I let an armor of scales cover my skin.

“Stay right where you are!” the leader shouted.

I smirked, trying to embrace my inner Kol. Only confidence and malice would get us out of this situation.

“I’m not the one who will be moving. Drop him now,” I commanded.

The leader stepped back, making sure the others were front and center. They dropped Lucifer, now focusing all of their attention on me.

I was hoping to get in and out of here with no problems. I didn’t want to harm innocents who were simply doing their job.

But for my mate, I would.

“Just walk away and no one gets hurt,” I said.

The leader scoffed.

“Kill him.”

Immediately they fired their guns, but the bullets bounced right off my scales. One thing about dragon scales—only certain materials could penetrate them. Bullets weren’t one of them.

“Does anyone want to leave before I take my turn?”

Crossing my arms, I eyed them all down. I was genuinely surprised when two ran out.

Damn, was I really that intimidating right now?

“Okay then, the rest of you will meet your death.”

Ah, could’ve worked on that line.

LUCIFER

I listened to Mateo as he threatened the Fae. Honestly, I didn’t know he had it in him. He strangely reminded me of Kol right now.

If only I could open my eyes and watch the scene unfold. But I must continue to fake being drugged.

While Mateo had them distracted, I’d swipe the Light of Betrayal. I felt it the moment we walked in. But I also knew this place was booby-trapped.

Commotion had me peeking one eye open, just in time to see a flaming body fly over my head. That was my cue.

I hopped up from the floor, dusting myself off in the process. The leader who had been hiding behind his men turned around and noticed me.

The second his mouth opened, I flicked my wrist, cutting off his air supply. Silently he choked, too far from his men to ask for help. The perfect death for a coward.

My eyes honed in on a sword against the wall. It was hiding in there.

I looked over, noting that the dragon was in a five versus one. I pondered if I should help, then decided no. He could handle it.

Calmly, I walked over to the wall. I smashed my hand against the sword statue, watching it crumble. A blinding orange bolt of light greeted me in its wake.

“Perfect.”

Snatching up the Betrayal, I secured it to my back. Time to leave this place.

Mateo had one guy left to dismember, and I watched in surprise as he did it. He elbowed the guy in the face, then grabbed him by the back of the neck, slamming him to the ground.

Standing on his neck, he grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled, ripping the head from the body. Well, I’d be damned.

“Let’s go before more come.”

From the way he jumped, it was clear he hadn’t noticed me.

He frowned.

“I thought you were knocked out.”

“As if a few tranquilizers could take me out. I just wanted to know how many would come in.”

Walking to the door, I looked back once to make sure he was following me.

“Now let’s go.”

MATEO

We arrived back at the castle in no time. I left Lucifer in the foyer, too excited to see my mate.

Rushing up the stairs, I made a beeline for her room, only to be thrown against the wall.

“Where is she?”

I was startled by the vicious snarl on Kol’s face as he pinned me against the wall.

“What?”

I was confused. Why was he asking me where Catalina was? Weren’t they on the same retrieval team?

Suddenly, he was pulled away from me. Lucien glared at him.

“Use your brain; he just got here.”

Kol growled at him, wrenching his arm from his grasp. He used his shadows to disappear.

I turned to Lucien, confusion etched on my face.

“Is he okay?”

Lucien shook his head.

“No, and you won’t be soon either.”

“What’s going on?”

He looked visibly shaken.

“Catalina is missing.”

I felt my heart stop.

“What?”

“We woke up and she wasn’t there. We searched the entire house. She’s gone.”

“No… That doesn’t make any sense.”

Why would she just leave? No, that couldn’t be it. If she didn’t decide to leave, then…

“Someone took her.”

Lucien nodded.

“That’s why Kol has gone feral. He’s lost it since we realized she’s gone.”

“And it’s time to go find her.”

Lucifer stood at the top of the stairs, his eyes glowing red.

“We let her slip through our fingers. We weren’t on our guard.”

He eyed the two of us.

“We won’t make that mistake again. I’ll get Kol. We’ll start looking at the school.”

He still had the Light of Betrayal strapped to his back, making it clear it was war time. The time for plotting and planning was over.

We’d let our mate slip through our fingers one too many times. And now our child as well.

“We kill until someone gives us answers.”

Lucien gave me a sidelong glance, not expecting such bloodthirsty words to flow from my mouth. But I was tired of playing nice. All it did was put my mate closer to harm.

Now, they’d learn why dragons once ruled.

“Let’s go.”

I made sure to broadcast my words to the rest of her mates.