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The motel creaked just before the roof caved in and the entire building collapsed behind her. A giant plume of smoke and dust rose in the air, and then the motel manager stepped out of the office and shouted across the lot.
“Who the fuck are you guys?”
17
RAVEN
I landed on both feet, then snatched the bag off the pile of leaves that had built up along the motel. When Nicholas didn’t immediately follow me out the window, I slung my bag over my shoulder and took off through the woods behind the motel. I could still hear the heavy gunfire as I raced through the trees and underbrush.
Branches scratched at my face and tore at my clothes, but I kept going. I didn’t particularly like the idea of leaving Nicholas behind, but I didn’t really know him. Sleeping with him didn’t tell me a whole lot. Besides, he wanted me to return the eggs. That would be a death sentence for me.
I ran for what felt like hours, but was really just minutes. Blood coated my skin from the multiple scratches and my thighs burned from running so hard. I glanced back to see if I was followed, and that’s when it happened. I tripped over a root sticking out of the ground and fell forward, right down the slope of a ravine. I tumbled head over heels the whole way down, unable to slow my descent. The eggs dug into my back as I rolled over them.
If they were damaged, they would be useless in any sort of trade.
I finally skidded to a stop, landing on my chest with my face in a pile of dried-up leaves. Blowing out a harsh breath, I rolled over and stared up at the sky through the thick branches overhead. A crunch sounded to my right and I jerked my head just as a gun appeared in my face.
A man in all black stood just a few feet from me, but it was the gun in my face that I was most worried about. “On your feet.”
His accent was thick, but it was the menacing scowl and the Eastern European features that gave him away. I knew better than to argue with a man holding a gun. Slowly, I rolled to my knees and got to my feet, holding my hands out the whole time.
A quick headcount showed three men spread out within a few feet of me. I had no idea where they came from or if there were more, but one thing was for sure. If I went with them, I’d never see the light of day again.
I had the upper hand, though. All men considered women weaker. Even Nicholas thought that when I first met him. He couldn’t even fight because he was so shocked a woman was taking him down.
“Don’t shoot,” I whimpered.
“Give us what we want and we will consider sparing your life,” one of them chuckled.
I let my chin wobble and fell back on my days of playing the helpless victim. Tears filled my eyes and with a shaky hand, I removed the strap from my shoulder. “Please…”
The man walked forward, chuckling as he grabbed the bag. “Maybe I have other use for you.” His hand brushed down my cheek as he leered at me.
I waited for my moment, waited for him to get really close. My eyes flicked to the man to my right and a twitch crossed my lips just as I slammed my knee up into his groin, grabbing the gun still in his hand and firing at the man to my right. I swung him around, using his body as a shield as I ended the man to my left.
Slamming my elbow back into the man’s face, I removed the gun from his grip as he fell to his knees before me. Blood oozed from his nose and his eyes welled with tears. He was about to make a move when I pressed the barrel of the gun to his forehead and smiled down at him.
“What were you saying about having another use for me?”
His eyes widened just before I pulled the trigger. I didn’t like to kill people, but I would never back down when someone was trying to take me out. I shoved the gun into the back of my pants and bent over, rifling through the man’s clothes. I came up with a money clip filled with hundreds, a pack of gum, and car keys.
Grinning, I kept the money and the car keys, then grabbed my bag and raced up the other side of the ravine. I ducked down, hiding in the trees as I scoped out the area. There was a single car parked alongside the road with no other men in sight. I raced toward it and got inside, slamming the door.
I didn’t know where I was going, but far away from here was an excellent idea. I took off down the road and drove for hours, hoping I was far enough away from the chaos when I finally pulled over. I needed to get these eggs as far away from me as possible. It wouldn’t necessarily take the target off my back, but I had no other solutions at the moment.
I ran down my list of known fences, trying one after another. When I got to Rooster, I prayed he would take them.
“Yo, this is Rooster.”
“Rooster! It’s Raven.”
“Hey, girl. Whatcha got for me? Something good, I hope.”
“Oh, it’s good. Worth fifty million.”
“You know I’m in. What’s the score?”
“Three Fabergé eggs from the Imperial Royal Family.”
