Cruel Seduction (Underground Kings 2)

Poor Syrup. That puppy was so cute.

I shake the old memory out of my head and raise the binoculars again to see guys in black robes setting up a stage. A large pentagram stands like a cross would, and it has different flowers draped over it along with meat.

God … what kind of meat?

“They are getting ready. We need to hurry,” I say.

“Everyone suited up? And Owen?”

“I know. I know. Listen to Sebastian,” he mumbles.

“I’ll just stay here, I guess,” Heaven plays with a frayed end on his cast. Since he has a broken leg, he can’t be much help, but he can stay in the boat and keep a lookout. If he has to, he can come to shore and pick us up after we destroy this place.

“You’re an important member of the team, Heaven. Don’t look so sad,” Grayson says.

“Says the guy who got his stitches out yesterday,” Heaven pouts. “Just go. Bring Gabby back.” He cocks his gun. “I’m ready for anything even if I’m stuck here.”

Owen, Grayson, Jaxon and me sit on the edge of the boat and gently lower ourselves in the water so we don’t make any noise. Heaven heaves the weapons bag over the boat and hands it to Jaxon, and then we are on our way to the rocky cliff. How the hell Gabriella survived that fall, I’ll forever be baffled.

I thank my lucky stars every day for her return to me, though.

I hold my breath and dive under the water. The sea is dark and cold, but we manage to swim to the cliff without having to come up for air. We are professionals like that.

“Okay,” Jaxon says. “Owen and Sebastian, you take right. Grayson and I will go left. Wherever she is, we will bring her home, Sebastian.”

“Don’t kill my brother. He’s mine and Gabriella’s.”

“Noted,” Grayson says, changing out of his wetsuit into tactical gear. We all follow suit, dressing in black, and we strap our weapons to our thighs, arms, and waist. I have a gun, but I want to use a knife. They are quicker to use.

“There are a lot of robes showing up, guys,” Heaven says into the earpiece. “Dozens. Can you believe these freaks exist? Who the hell does sacrifices?”

“Think we can take on dozens?” Owen asks, a mad gleam in his eye as he twists the silencer on his gun.

“We have before,” Grayson says.

“Moon’s in the sky, guys. Time to get going,” Heaven informs.

I turned my head to the sky as I lace my boots. The night is still young, and the moon isn’t full yet. I see the orange hue surrounding it, normal for a harvest moon, and I know I don’t have long to get her out of there.

We give each other one last nod before we go our separate ways. Owen and I climb up the cliff. There is a pretty worn path in the rock. People have come down to this beach before. The cliff gets steeper and we grab onto jagged rocks to keep ourselves from tumbling down. The closer we get to the top, the more I hear the conversations of the wannabe wizards.

“Can’t believe these people actually believe in this. My cousin told me about this get together and when he said there was free ass? I knew I had to come.”

“Right? Me too. I hear the girl is hot too. I wonder if it’s really a sacrifice.”

“No, it’s just a prostitute putting on a show.”

Owen and I dart into the woods and he presses his finger against his lips, telling me to remain silent as the two young guys that are talking come down the cliff. As they pass us, Owen and I creep out from the trees, and I run my knife through the neck of one. Owen aligns his gun to the back of the guy’s neck and shoots.

No one will be able to hear since the silencer is on the gun.

The bodies drop, and I feel the adrenaline pumping my heart. Usually, I’m not into killing, but I’ll kill for Gabriella.

“Two down, few dozen to go,” Owen says, kissing the barrel of his gun. He picks up his kill, and I grab mine before hiding them in the woods.

We keep ourselves low to the ground and stay in the trees instead of on the path. It seems too well used, and we don’t want to get caught. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, we get to where the main event is.

“Holy shit,” Owen says in disbelief.