Immortals After Dark 09 - Pleasure of a Dark Prince

sneered. That was why the
Contessa
hadn’t left them. These bastards had been lying in wait with hostages.
    All three had eyes glazed with fanaticism and bloodstained robes. Though they brandished guns, their customary weapons were holstered at their hips—swords with Cruach’s horned symbol on the hilts, and more blood smeared on the blades.
    “You’re the ones who killed the
Barão
’s passengers,” Lucia said.
Not
Damiãno.
    The eldest Cromite, clearly the leader of the trio, answered, “All were sacrificed in his name.”
    The shifter had merely picked up the machete that Izabel had dropped. Of course, then he’d been quick to shove it against Lucia’s neck.
    “And you brought guns?” MacRieve scoffed. “Did you come here to tickle me?”
    “Give us the dieumort,” the leader said. “Or we’ll kill these two.”
    MacRieve shrugged. “So be it.”
    Schecter gave a cry, seeming to go weak in the knees, grasping Izabel’s arm. The girl flung him away.
    “Are you crazy?” Schecter said. “Just give them whatever they came for.”
    “You canna comprehend the shite day I’ve had.” MacRieve’s expression was thunderous. “I will no’ be giving anything to anybody!”
    The leader said, “I’ll shoot
you
.”
    “At your bluidy leisure.” MacRieve’s beast was already stirring. “Let’s do this—”
    “We don’t actually care about retrieving the dieumort. We only want it destroyed.” The leader motioned to the youngest-looking one, and the man opened his robe, displaying a belt laden with explosives. He raised his shaking fist, his thumb just above a red button on a detonator.
    MacRieve muttered, “You’ve got my attention.”
    “Don’t give it to them!” Lucia said. “They’re going to try to kill us all anyway. They’d love to sacrifice themselves.”
    MacRieve shook his head. In a low tone, he told her, “This could actually kill you.” His eyes flickered pale blue as he gazed at her face. “I canna risk it—”
    Suddenly, a deafening boom sounded. The bomb man’s head burst, blood splattering the wall map behind him.
    Lucia jerked around. Travis sagged against the wall just outside the salon doorway, with his shotgun smoking and his head bandaged. “Run, Izabel!” he yelled. “Go!” She and Schecter were already darting through the doorway.
    The remaining two Cromites turned to their dead comrade. And aimed their pistols.
    “MacRieve!” Lucia screamed. “They’ll shoot the bomb!”
    He was already diving in front of the fallen man, intercepting the bullets, his pale blue eyes locked on the ones shooting.
    Knowing the carnage to come, Lucia shoved the door shut in Travis’s ashen face, slamming the bar lock in place.
    Under a hail of fire but still shielding the bombs, MacRieve lunged for the two Cromites, slashing out at their throats with his claws. The two crumpled to the floor, one nearly decapitated, the other futilely clamping his hands over his severed jugular.
    Dashing to MacRieve’s side, she cried, “Ah, gods, look at your chest!” It was riddled with bullets.
    “Reminds me… of our first date.”
    “You crazy Lykae.” She pressed her lips to his forehead.
    “He wants you, Lucia,”
the last living Cromite gurgled, making her entire body tense.
    She leapt up, reaching the mortal, then gripped his bloody head.
Broken neck day, paying it forward.
    “Wants Lucia av—”
    She twisted, gazing at the ceiling as satisfaction rushed through her. Every time she slew one of these followers, she imagined the Broken Bloody One
felt
the pain.
    And that was just a hint, husband. I’m about to teach you what misery is….
    With effort, MacRieve turned to her. “We could’ve used him for information.”
    “My temper got the best of me. Sorry,” she said, returningto his side. She hated lying to MacRieve, but she was so close to keeping her secret buried forever. And somehow her motives for secrecy had shifted from concealing her shame to protecting her Scot.
    “Lousha… think one o’ these bullets is inching to my heart. Might pass out for a bit. You stay out o’ trou—” He went unconscious.
    Banging sounded on the door, and Travis yelled, “I’m about to blow this fucker down!”
    “You’ll hit us,” Lucia called. “Just give us a second. We’re fine.”
    Yes, fine, yet with gored bodies to get rid of.
Can’t get discovered now!
She was already in enough trouble.
How to get rid… how to get rid… ?
    Her gaze fell to one of the