CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

C raig and Brayden strode through the lobby of the building and stopped at the elevators. Craig pushed the button while Brayden reached out to Willow for the nine thousandth time.

Baby, I'm coming. Can you hear me?

Silence.

Yet again.

Brayden's fingers curled back into the fists they seemed to be permanently in, and he forced his fangs back.

The doors opened, and a couple stepped out, smiling politely then reacting appropriately to two of the most powerful vampires on the planet. They quickly moved away.

They wouldn't know why they felt fear. It was nature. Humans, even in their mostly unconscious state these days, still had an innate ability to sense a predator.

In his current state, Brayden was ready to scatter bodies.

"What floor, Ms. Congeniality?" Craig asked as they stepped in.

"Best guess, the penthouse," Brayden replied and crossed his arms as he stood in front of the door.

He'd laugh later.

If he was right, the moment the doors opened, a whole bunch of Bratva would greet them.

If he was right, Elizabeth and the child inside her belonged to Nikolay Mikhailov.

Beside him, Craig stared at the floor numbers, his body humming. "Probably should have asked this earlier, but what is the plan?"

"Like I said, we are taking her, and I'll exchange her for Willow," Brayden said.

Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five.

"He probably doesn't give a shit about her." Craig uncrossed his arms that he'd just crossed, his body coiling, ready to fight.

Thirty-three, thirty-four, thirty-five.

"We will soon find out."

Ping.

The two of them stepped out, kind of bumping into each other's bulked-up arms, and were greeted by four men in black suits. Their guns lifted.

"Put them down," Craig growled.

As one of them reached for a smaller weapon, which he'd put money on being a serum gun, Brayden and Craig vamp sped across the floor.

Snap.

Snap.

Bullets went flying from one of the weapons and grazed Brayden's arm.

"Motherfucker," he growled, snapping the guy's neck.

God, that felt satisfying.

"Done. Fuck, I've missed this." Craig dropped the fourth guy onto the group.

"Grab the serum gun," Brayden said and reached for the door. It flew open and two more men in the same black uniform faced him. One with a Glock pointed at his face. The other Brayden already had his hand around his neck.

"Shooting me won't do anything," Brayden said, shoving the human he was holding backward, forcing the armed man to move.

"Let him go," the Russian ordered.

Craig snorted behind him.

Brayden reached with his other hand and snapped his hostage's neck and tossed him across the room.

A woman screamed.

"Hello, Elizabeth," Brayden said quickly, glancing over.

"I'll shoot." The last standing Russian yelled, his gun now shaking in his hand.

"You could and I'll make your death really painful and drawn out," Craig said. "So, please, do me a favor and shoot."

"Shoot him, not me, if you two are going to play." Brayden rolled his eyes and walked around the stunned human.

"Hey!" Craig called out behind him. "That's not fair."

Snap.

He didn't bother turning around. Clearly the man was now deceased, and Craig had decided to not enjoy himself.

His choice.

"Oh, my god. Please. Don't kill me." Elizabeth was climbing up the back of the sofa, her hand protectively around her unborn child.

Brayden stalked over and stood staring down at her. A coldness snaked through his veins. Which is why Craig was here.

He wouldn't let him hurt this human.

It was in their DNA to protect females. Unless you were creeping close to your sanity because your mate had been taken from you.

"If you want money, I can get it. Please, my husband is rich."

"She married the asshole? Wow. Bad life decision." Craig shook his head when he walked up beside him.

"Nikolay has my...wife," he said, choosing the human term to appeal to her. It was mostly irrelevant; she would talk if she wanted to protect her child.

Which she would.

"No, he doesn't," Elizabeth gasped. "He's in Seattle for business. I'd know if he was with another woman."

"Christ." Craig half laughed. "You in la-la land? What do you think he does, sell photocopiers?"

Brayden snorted.

He could tell by her expression she wasn't completely oblivious to the Russian mob boss's activities. But her outburst was informative.

Sliding his hands into his pockets, he watched her for a moment longer, letting the fear percolate.

Nikolay was in Seattle.

Were Willow and Isabella there or still in New York? It was hard to know with just that small piece of knowledge.

"Here's how this is going to work, Elizabeth," Brayden ground out. "You're coming with us—"

"No!" she cried.

"And you will ring your husband and tell him you've been kidnapped."

A moan escaped her.

"Second time, huh? I wouldn't buy a lottery ticket." Craig shrugged. Brayden glared at him. "What? It's pretty bad luck."

"I'm with child." She rubbed her stomach, ignoring their banter.

Brayden's fangs itched and he decided now would be an excellent time to let them lose. Sliding from his flesh, the long incisors nipped the edge of his lips – purposely to coat with blood – and he bared them at the woman.

Elizabeth screamed.

Brayden teleported, closing the gap, and leaned over her as she cowered on the sofa.

"He has my child. And my wife. You will come with us and do as we say. If they are returned, no harm will come to you."

Fury thrummed through his veins.

He could kill her right now, his control fading.

He wanted to kill her...

"Yup. Let's take a step back," Craig said, his hand on his shoulder.

Brayden stood and teleported again to the other side of the room as Elizabeth continued whimpering.

"Pack a bag," Brayden growled. "It's more care than my wife was given."

Then he glanced at Craig and nodded to let him know he was reining in his need to kill.

Just.

"Come on." The commander lifted Elizabeth to her feet and grabbed her chin with his fingers. "Look into my eyes and all that. You will remain calm for the baby and do as we say. Do you understand?"

He was using the mind control vampires were able to use on humans to get them to be more compliant. They could also wipe memories.

She nodded.

"Pack an overnight bag for a few days. Let's go." Craig programmed her. Elizabeth walked robotically through the penthouse and the commander followed.

"I'll clean this up." Brayden nodded at the bodies on the floor. "We have about three minutes."

Lifting his arm to glance at the hole in his jacket, Bray noticed he was already healed.

Stupid fucking mafia cunts.

They wouldn't win.

He should ring Vincent, but first they would get Elizabeth to the hotel room and speak to Nikolay.

Willow, baby, I am coming. Stay alive, please.

Stay fucking alive.