Kiss of Midnight_ A Midnight Breed Novel - Lara Adrian [139]
When she didn’t move, the big Minion at her back shoved her into motion. She drew up just an arm’s length away from the vampire Master.
“You smell delicious,” he hissed slowly. “Like a flower, but there is something…else. Someone has fed from you recently. A warrior? Don’t bother to deny it, I can smell him on you.”
Before she realized it, he grabbed her wrist, yanking her to him. With rough hands, he pushed her head to the side, moving the hair that concealed Lucan’s bite and the other, more damning mark, beneath her left ear.
“A Breedmate,” he growled, smoothing his fingertips over her skin. “And newly claimed at that. You grow more fascinating by the second, Gabrielle.”
She didn’t like the intimate way he whispered her name.
“Who bit you, Breedmate? Which one of the warriors did you permit between those long, lovely legs?”
“Go to hell,” she said, through gritted teeth.
“Not going to tell me?” He clucked his tongue, slowly shook his head. “That’s all right. We can find out soon enough. We can make him come to us.”
He drew back from her at last, and motioned for one of the Minion guards. “Bring her to the roof.”
Gabrielle fought the grip of her captor, but she was no match for his brute strength. She was forced toward a red exit sign and a door with an information placard affixed to it, marked “Helipad Access.”
“Wait! What about me?” Kendra complained from within the suite.
“Oh, yes. Nurse K. Delaney,” her dark Master said, as if just now remembering her. “After we leave, I want you to come out to the roof. I know you’ll find the view from the ledge to be spectacular. Enjoy it for a moment…then step off.”
She blinked at him dully, then bobbed her head, completely under his spell.
“Kendra!” Gabrielle shouted, still desperate to reach her friend. “Kendra, don’t do it!”
The one in the black coat and dark shades strode past without a care in the world. “Let’s go. I’m finished here.”
With the last block of C4 in place at the northern end of the asylum, Lucan navigated his way through a ventilation duct that led to the outside. He removed the loosened grid and hoisted himself out onto the ground. The grass crushed beneath him as he rolled onto it, fresh air crisp in his mouth as he came up on his feet and started to jog toward the perimeter fence.
“Niko, how’re we doing?”
“We’re good. Tegan’s on his way back and Gideon should be right behind you.”
“Excellent.”
“Got my finger on the detonators,” Nikolai said, his voice nearly drowned out by the low chop of a helicopter encroaching on the area. “Say the word, Lucan. I’m dying to light this sucker up.”
“Me, too,” Lucan said. He scowled up into the night sky, searching for the bird. “We’ve got incoming, Niko. Sounds like a chopper heading right for the asylum.”
As soon as he said it, he saw the dark shape appear over the tree line. Small lights flashed as the helicopter angled for the roof of the asylum and began its descent.
A breeze kicked up as the propeller beat its steady rhythm. Lucan smelled pine and summer pollen…and another perfume that made his blood run cold in his veins.
“Oh, Jesus,” he gasped as the trace scent of jasmine registered. “Do not touch the detonators, Niko! For chrissake, whatever you do, you can’t let that fucking building blow!”
CHAPTER
Thirty-three
A volatile mix of adrenaline, rage, and absolute, marrow-chilling fear vaulted Lucan to the roof of the old asylum. The helicopter had barely touched down on its landing rails as he thundered toward it from the edge of the building. Lucan was vibrating with fury, more explosive and unstable than a tractor trailer packed with C4. He fully intended to rip the limbs off of whomever was holding Gabrielle.
He approached from behind the helicopter, careful not to be seen as