His Broken Angel (Glorious Victorious Darcys #1.5) by Beth Ciotta

Author:Beth Ciotta
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2013-05-07T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Even though they hadn’t been greeted by a league of gun-toting Fighters, Doc sensed they were being watched from several vantage points. He held Lily close, trying to keep her warm as Snoop deactivated an alarm and triggered a geared mechanism. With a hiss and several metallic clicks an iron door slid open, revealing a dimly lit foyer. No furnishings. No people. Just dank walls brandishing crude oil lamps. Must and smoke curled into Doc’s nostrils as they stepped inside and the door groaned shut behind them.

Lily clung tighter. He didn’t blame her. He felt it, too. Tension. Danger.

An armed guard stepped out of the shadows.

“They’re with us,” Snoop said.

“Where’s Jasper?” the man asked in a gruff voice.

“Wrangling a bounty hunter along with Joey and Viper.”

Another Fighter appeared, decked out in leather and brass armor. “Strangers aren’t welcome. Especially now.”

“Don’t get your codpiece in a twist,” P.J. said. “This is Jasper’s brother, Blue, and his wife, Lily.”

Doc blinked down at the aviatrix who hushed him with a nudge of her boot.

“We’re here on Jasper’s orders,” Snoop said. “He’ll be here soon.”

The Fighters exchanged glances. “Keep them out of sight until he gets here,” the first one said. “For their own safety.”

The intimidating pair melted into the shadows and P.J. grunted. “I’d say they’re more bark than bite but they aren’t.” She hurried toward a crude elevator. “Going up,” she said in a pithy voice.

Once inside the rickety contraption, Lily looked in the woman’s general direction. “Why did you lie about me?”

“The outpost is teeming with rowdy men,” P.J. said as the elevator jerked upward. “Taking you off the market seemed wise.”

“But you’re a single woman.”

“She’s a Fighter,” Snoop said.

“I’ll pop into Central Communication,” P.J. said while tugging off her gloves. “See if anyone’s heard anything about Jasper or the investigation.” She passed Snoop a key. “Put them in K-4. Help yourself to my wardrobe, Gentry, such as it is. As for you,” she said to Doc, “don’t venture out. Easy to get lost in the grids, plus folks are twitchy about the traitor.”

The shaft squealed to a halt. The doors opened and P.J. dashed to the right. Snoop peeled left and Doc followed. “What’s this about a traitor?”

“Later.”

Arms locked tight around Doc’s neck, Lily spoke in a hushed tone. “I think P.J.’s in love with your brother.”

“Most women are.”

“Not this woman.”

“You might feel different once your sight returns and you get an eyeful.”

“You don’t think it’s permanent? My blindness?”

“No, angel. I don’t.”

She squeezed him tight and smiled against his neck. “I can’t wait to see you.”

Doc tensed. As long as Lily was blind, he was perfect. She wouldn’t feel that way once she got a look at his defect. Gut knotted, he followed Snoop through a tangle of torch-lit corridors. He looked for visual markers but every hall looked the same and none of the doors they passed were marked. Plus they hadn’t passed a single soul.

“Where is everyone?”

“Never you mind.” Snoop stopped sudden like at an unremarkable door and shoved the key into the lock.

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