Forbidden - Page 169

BOOM!

The truck swerved violently, throwing me to the side. I slammed against something before I was thrown backwards. Tires squealed. The crack of gunshots rang all around us.

“FUCK!”A guard amongst us roared.“Who the fuck ARE they?”

I couldn’t see them. I couldn’t see anything at all. I grabbed the Daughter in front of me and held on.

The truck swerved once more, only this time even harder, bouncing us before I felt the tires lift from the road. But then we were slowing…and slowing…and slowing until the squeal of brakes sounded and we came to a jarring stop.

There was nothing for a second.

No sound.

No breaths, just an agonizing silence.

“Get read—” One guard started as the rear door of the truck flew open.

Daughters screamed. I screamed with them, throwing my hands over my head as shadows appeared.

Crack.

Crack.

CRACK!

I jumped with each sound. The piercing wails filled my ears.

Until there was that emptiness, that crushing heaviness ofnothing.

“Get them out.” A deep rumble came from somewhere.

I dared to lift my gaze.

“You’re safe now.” Another murmured as he helped one of the Daughters to stand. “You’re safe.”

Safe.

What did that word even mean anymore?

I scanned the towering men who stood inside the rear of the truck, unable to see their faces…until I realized why.

They wore masks.

Every single one of them.

My gaze went to the one who didn’t move. To the one I was sure gave the commands and as two more of his men moved in, pulling the women all around me to their feet, he fixed those unflinching eyes on me.

The guard who held me prisoner moaned and turned his head. My eyes widened and my body froze. The soldiers snapped to attention, one leveling his gun at this guard’s head.

“No.” The leader murmured, watching my every reaction. “We take him with us.”

They moved instantly, wrenching his gun away, and dragged him forward. I couldn’t help but stare as he was shoved from the end of the truck and onto the hard pavement.

Still, the soldiers gently lifted more of us to our feet and helped us out, until one reached for my hand.

“No.” The commander ordered. “She’s with me.”

He was a mountain cramped inside the metal box of the truck. A man who seemed to suck all the air from my lungs as he stepped closer. I stared up at him, desperately trying to map the face behind the mask. All I saw was violence. All I saw was rage…and a flicker of something deeper…something that seemed likehunger.

He held his massive .50 cal rifle toward the roof and reached out with his other hand for mine.

The gloves he wore were dirty and worn. Thick fingers waited.

“Who the fuck are you?” I whispered and slowly met his gaze.

Sparks detonated in his eyes as he answered. “My brothers call me Hunter…I guess you can too.”