Mine for Eternity [Council Enforcers] (Siren Publishing Classic)

it away from the wall revealing a set of stone steps leading down.
    Mitch’s watch alarm chose that moment to beep, signaling him it was time to get out. The noise seemed to set everyone off, and everything went crazy. Ben’s eyes snapped open and stared directly into his. He didn’t have that dazed and confused look of a man who had just regained consciousness, letting Mitch know he had been faking the whole time just waiting for the perfect moment to attack. He watched as Ben’s clawed hand came up and raked across Jerry’s wrist, shredding it to the bone. The gun he had been holding clattered to the ground.
    With the threat of Ben’s life taken care of, and a roar from his lion, Mitch lunged for Percival, intent on finishing the man. Before he could get there, the little weasel grabbed the woman and yanked her in front of him.
    “Stay where you are, or I will rip her throat out.” Percival’s hand sported three-inch claws to back up his threat.
    Before he could react to the tear-filled eyes of the woman staring up at him, there was a deafening boom as the floors began to shake, nearly bringing Mitch to his knees. A howl sounded behind him, and he turned just in time to see Ben dive at Percival and the woman. All three lost their balance and tumbled through the darkened stairwell that Percival had revealed.
    “Ben!” Mitch shouted and ran over to the doorway just as another explosion sounded. Debris began to rain down from the ceiling.
    “I’m okay!” Ben yelled. “Go, get out. I will find another way.”
    “No, I’m not leaving you here. Can you get back up the stairs?”
    “No. It’s blocked down here.”
    “Stay there, I’ll figure somethi—” Another explosion cut him off, throwing him to the ground. He was barely able to roll out of the way before a large chunk of the ceiling came crashing down in the spot he had just been in. Mitch coughed from the dust and smoke choking him.
    “Mitch! You have to get out now. That was the third bomb going off. The last one will bring the entire house down. Get out now! I will find another way.”
    Mitch hesitated not wanting to leave his friend behind, but Ben’s next words cut him off.
    “Think of Tessa and Nico. They need you. Run, Mitch!”
    That got him moving. “Don’t you dare die on me, Ben!” Mitch shouted as he stood and ran for the closest window. He dove through ignoring the pain of the glass slicing into him. The last bomb exploded before he hit the ground, sending a rush of heated air his way and throwing him about twenty feet across the lawn.
    Mitch landed with a grunt as pain radiated down his spine. He could smell burning skin, but what worried him the most was the smell of singed hair. His last thought before darkness took him was of how pissed his lion was going to be to lose his mane.

Chapter 13
     
    Tessa ran her hands through her hair for what felt like the hundredth time. She knew it was probably standing on end, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Mitch hadn’t woken up in over forty-eight hours since Ken and Ryan had brought him home covered in burns all the way down his back and legs. At some point he had shifted into his lion and Nico hadn’t moved from his side since. While she paced, he just lay there and stroked Mitch’s fur. The guys had told her the sleep was helping him heal and that he would be okay, but Tessa wanted to hear that from Mitch. She wanted to see his eyes open and hear his deep, growly voice before she could let herself believe that he was going to be fine.
    To make matters worse, Ben was missing. Ryan and Ken had tried to search for him until they had no choice but to get Mitch help. They had gone back out to search for him once they had Mitch home, but they had come back looking dejected and empty-handed. They said not finding his body was a good thing, but it hadn’t made any of them feel better. She had a feeling Mitch was going to be carrying a lot of guilt when he woke up. If he wakes up. No, don’t think like that. Stay Positive. Tessa admonished herself for the negative thoughts.
    In the short amount of time she had known Mitch, he had become her other half. It would rip her heart out to lose him. She would carry on because she had to for Nico’s sake, but half of her soul would be gone. Tessa couldn’t imagine life without her golden lion in it.
    “If you keep pacing like that, I’m going to have to sand the rest of the floor to make it even with the hole you’re carving,”