Forbidden - Page 166

“You need us,” Kane croaked, pleading. “We’re important to you or Hale or whoever is running The Order.”

“You’re mistaken.” Coulter answered as the cold, hated edge of steel pressed against my skull. “You were important, but you’re not anymore. We have everything we wanted.”

I opened my eyes to find the desperate stares of my brothers. But it was the faint cloud of dust that demanded my last moments here on earth. Particles of dirt danced in the sun.

I’d failed her…

Again.

My knees trembled, then gave way. I threw out my hands as I hit the hard concrete, and my brothers and Walker followed, dropping beside me.

The booming of my heart muffled the steps of the guards.

Crack!

Walker slumped forward and hit the floor face-first beside me, blood spraying the concrete where he fell. I stared at the body of the man I’d known for the last ten years as that blood spread out.

He was theonlyman I trusted with my lifeand with hers,other than my brothers.

“It’s done.” Coulter said behind me as that gun pressed harder against my skull. “You’re out. It was always going to be this way.”

The dust.

That’s all I stared at.

As I whispered. “I’m sorry…”

FORTY-ONE

Helene

NOOO!

I screamed the word, but the sound was muffled. Sweat and salt and savagery smashed my lips against my mouth as I was dragged from the loading dock and forced into the rear of the truck.

“Scream and I’ll make this trip fucking hell for you.” The guttural snarl came in my ear.

I bucked, fighting as he spun and dragged me all the way to the front of the cargo hold.

“All of you get in there.” The commands were barked.

I thrashed, drove down my fists into his thighs, and tried to reach up to claw his face. But the hold over my mouth didn’t move. Instead, it crushed against my face harder, covering my nose until I couldn’t breathe.

RIVEN!

RIVVVEEEENNN!

The Daughters were pushed into the truck after me, filling the front as the doors to the loading dock opened and Kane, Thomas, and Walker stepped out.

“So close, right?” Coulter’s guard snarled in my ear.

I screamed, but the sound was muffled under the truck’s engine noise.

“That’s the last of them.” Someone called from outside.

“Wait!”The faint, familiar roar came as the doors swung closed.“You’re making a fucking mistake.”

I saw him then, hurling himself upwards from the side of the loading dock to stumble toward the others.