Page 71 of Guarding Salvation

More gunfire filled the comms unit as the three of them moved down the stairs. A man rounded the corner and Bram took him out with a single headshot. As they descended the stairs two more attacked from the side. Aoife was thrown sideways, her head hitting off the dado rail at the bottom of the stairs. Rykov was fighting two men hand to hand as Bram held off a swathe that came through the door.

“I need help in the main front hall.”

Aoife remembered the gun in her hand and fired at a man about to shoot Rykov in the back. He fell, holding his side and Rykov turned with a grin so sexy she thought it would melt the fires of hell.

“Thanks.”

“Aoife, get to the library and help Snow. I need Bás with me.”

It was only a few feet, but it felt like miles as the bullets flew and the grunts of people fighting filled her ears. Moving toward the library, her back against the wall, she felt like a coward running away when they were fighting men that seemed to multiply as fast as they fell.

Pushing down on the door handle, she knew her leaving was for the best and Bás would be way more help than she ever would.

Closing the door, she looked around in the darkness and wished she had a light to help her. With no streetlights, the only light they had was on the weapons and the night vision goggles the others wore. She now wished she’d accepted them when offered but she found them too confusing and disorientating.

“Aoife?”

“Snow?” Aoife rushed toward the sound and found Snow leaning against the back of the couch. She couldn’t see much more but could hear the pain in her voice.

“Where are you hurt?”

“Caught a damn bullet in my side. Don’t think it’s life threatening but I can’t run. Bás totally overreacted and sent me in here.”

“What can I do?”

“Watch the door. I need to watch the window.”

“I can do that.”

The sounds of gunfire were getting less now, and she could hear the tides turning in their favour. But her father was still missing, that slippery son of a bitch had probably escaped again.

Just as the thought entered her head, a sound from the opposite side of the room made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

“Oh, Aoife. Is that my princess I hear?”

Snow gripped her hand tight, and she wished again she could see in the darkness. It wasn’t as bad as before, her eyes slowly adjusting but all she could make out was shadows and the voice which could paralyse her with fear.

“Now, don’t hide from me. I just want you to come home where you belong.”

Aoife turned her body toward the direction she could hear him and saw his outline in the dying embers of the fire that had been extinguished in haste.

Aoife moved sideways so she could keep him in sight, knowing that her heart was probably beating loud enough to give her position away.

“It’s over, Aoife. You need to do your duty and come home. I’ve had enough of this shite from you.”

Anger was building inside her as she moved closer so she could face him. Standing, she raised her gun and her father swung around to face her.

“There she is, my little princess.”

“I’m not your anything. You’re nothing to me but my jailer and captor.” She could see he had a weapon trained on her too and if she had to die taking this evil man from the world then so be it but first, she’d tell him what she really thought. “You’re a coward, a murderer, and a sexual predator. You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”

“You ungrateful bitch. You’re the biggest disappointment of my life. I should’ve strangled you at birth.”

“No wonder my mother hated you.”

“She was nothing but a whore anyway.”

“I hope you rot in hell.”