It’s fucking Christmas, Easter, and Halloween at all once. Boom, baby, yeah! Fuck, I hope Ryan will let me drop the rest of the missiles later. I’d love to blow this fucker up. Ryan takes us on a few circular tours of the grounds, watching intently as the Bannermans and Jase jump the wall and start killing. I know it’s not Jase’s favorite thing to do; he’d much rather remain behind and deal with the computers, but he’s still good at it.
“That’s my baby!” I shout when I see him mow two guards down with a spray of bullets. He issogetting dick tonight.
Our gaze goes to the second helicopter, now landing by the SUV after dropping off the other passengers along the west wall. Movement catches my eye—a group of ten guards crawls along the roof, heading right toward Rebecca and Trey’s group.
“There!” I shout to Ryan, and he turns the Apache just right. Taking control of the helicopter’s guns, I spray a line of bullets, watching in satisfaction as they rip into the guards.
Trey waves to us and I whoop, too much adrenaline running through me.
“Ready to head in now?” Ryan asks and I agree. He sets the copter down at the front gates and we jump down, throwing on bulletproof vests and loading up our weapons. As we pass through what’s left of the gates, I can’t help but admire my handiwork. Damn, I really blew a hole in that.
Stepping over dismembered arms and legs, we make our way toward the house. Through our earpieces, Ryan orders, “When you’re done, meet us at the rear patio.”
The others confirm, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Trey’s group start to head our way. As we walk, I’m able to truly admire our work. Bodies are everywhere; some shot, some stabbed, some blown up—yay, me!—others so mangled it looks as if animals got to them.
I’m a little disappointed that there seems to be no one left to kill. It’s quiet now, even the birdsong has been silenced. As we climb the stairs toward the meeting place, I crack my neck. Hopefully, there are more inside waiting for us. I need some blood on my hands.
Eric Bannerman
I grab Nate’s arm and swing him around. His eyes hold a feral glint and blood drips freely from his face. I groan, the sight too much for me, and threading my fingers into his hair, I press my lips to his, moaning at the heady taste of him mixed with the tanginess of the blood. He opens for me, and our tongues duel, both fighting for dominance until we agree to settle for a truce. He and Tessa are everything, my whole world.
Never did I dream I could be so happy. Our jagged, broken pieces fit together to make something so darkly beautiful, I regularly have to catch my breath. I need them so badly, but this isn’t the time. Tearing myself away, my chest heaves as I gasp for air. “Later, Nate. I want to fuck your ass while you fuck our wife. As soon as we get back to the Waverley Building. Promise me.”
Nate grabs my hair and pulls me close, pressing one final kiss to my lips. “Promise.”
Tessa comes sauntering up to us, waving her hand like a fan. “I’ll never get enough of that, not even if I live to be one hundred.” Nate scoops her up, spinning her around as she giggles, rubies of blood dripping from her golden hair. We both kiss her, then race up the steps to meet the others.
Trey Williams
As we round the side of the house and head toward the patio, I stop for a moment and remove the pouch attached to the back of my Kevlar vest. My hands trace around the object inside, and the old feelings flicker through me before disappearing like ghosts.
I was once known as The Unseen, a living ghost that traveled the world unnoticed, unloved, and unseen. Rebecca destroyed that, truly seeing the monster within me and loving me anyway.
Reaching inside, I pull out the mirrored mask I used to wear so often and stare at it. I never thought I would need it again, but it seems appropriate for today. Slipping it over my head, I then reach inside for the other item I tucked away in it earlier. It’s a little battered and bruised from the journey, but it’s still beautiful in its own way.
Rebecca comes up to me, placing her hand alongside the mask. “I see you, Unseen,” she murmurs, repeating what she said to me the night we met in person. My heart warms, and I brush a strand of her curly hair to the side, tucking the white rose behind her ear.
“I love you, Rebecca.”
“I love you too, Trey. Always.”
I take her hand, leading her and the rest of our group up the stairs where the others are waiting, just catching the delighted smile on Susannah’s face as she witnesses her niece’s happiness.
Jase Adams
I fucking hate this shit. I would rather be in my office, surrounded by screens, than on the ground killing people. I know, I know. I joined the Charon Group, and it’s what we do. It’s not that I’m not good at it; on the contrary, I’m excellent. But each kill seems to chip away a small piece of me, and I worry that one day, there will be nothing left.
Kian doesn’t suffer from the same attacks of conscience. He sees the world in a myriad of grays, nothing is black and white with him. Do these people deserve to die? Some might argue that working for a man like Vincenzo assures their guilt. I don’t know. I’m not God, nor their judge. But today, I play their executioner, and later, I’ll need Kian to ground me, to bring me back to the real world.
By the time I make it up the steps, I’ve killed four people, my hands stained with their blood. I shake it off for now, there’s more to be done, and I have to play my part.
Pulling out the remotes for the drones, I send two to circle the perimeter of the property. I’ll get an alert if they detect movement. Sliding the house’s bifold doors open, I send the third drone in, letting the cameras search this level for movement. When there is none, I set it to hover and let Ryan know it’s safe for us to go in.
Special Agent Susannah Gerhardt
I’m devastated, of course, by what my niece has lived through. Witnessing her parents’ murder, then eleven years of torture, rape, and psychological warfare. She’s survived so much, and I am proud of the woman she’s become.
But one good thing to come from it is Trey. That man loves her with a devotion and single-mindedness that borders on a dangerous obsession. Not dangerous for her, but for anyone that hurts her. Trey would destroy anyone that so much as breathes on her wrong, and after the life she’s led, it’s exactly what she needs.
