Unleashed: The Cursed Trilogy, Book Two by Betty Legend (little bear else holmelund minarik .TXT) 📗

going to do about this?” I ask aloud. “I’d like to move as quickly as possible. I don’t imagine he has much time left.”

“It’s a bait trap,” Kristo replies, removing his long coat. “They want you to come.”

“Of course, I’m going to, but we need a plan.”

Kristo lays his jacket over his arm. “We can assist you in getting him back. Between all of us, it should be a fairly easy task.”

“I think we should move tonight. We should go right through the door and kill anyone who gets in our way.”

Leo leans against the nearest wall, a smirk rising. “I like the way you think.”

Griffin glances at him, giving him a disapproving stare.

“We need to have a plan of action. You and I can open locked doors. Killian can give us coverage with fog.”

“We’ll need to move fast and organized,” Killian adds in. “They have weapons. Bullets and knives can injure any of us, and we don’t know what other weapons they’ve purchased on the black market.”

“If we feed beforehand, we’ll be able to take bullets and heal rapidly,” Kristo shares.

“I’m not going to be in the front, so I can be a walking target for these wretched humans,” Andrea complains.

“Of course, I didn’t expect you to participate,” Kristo sneers. “We don’t want you breaking a nail.” With a disappointed glare at her, he grimaces. “I’ll have other members of our coven assist.”

Killian meets Kristo’s gaze, this time with respect. “We appreciate the assistance.”

“Of course. Phoenix is a valuable member of our coven and a key to breaking this oppressive curse.”

Andrea flicks her wrist, waving her hand in the air. “Daddy wants his powers back and more blood-sucking children.”

“Andrea,” Kristo growls. “Wait in the car. I don’t have the patience for your behavior.”

Andrea snaps her tongue against her cheek, her fangs revealed below her curled lip. “Fine.” High heels tap across the hardwood floor, each step exasperated.

Kristo exhales. “Excuse my daughter. It’s been a while since she’s fed.”

Emeric snickers. “I don’t think it’s the lack of blood, Mr. Artino. She’s just a bitch.”

Leo’s mouth curls, his head dropping before he looks at Kristo. Kristo ignores Emeric, but we all know he’s right.

“Let’s discuss this plan in better detail, then I’ll need to make a few phone calls.”

Around the room, we share our ideas and solidify our plans.

With Andrea taking the SUV back to the Artino home, the rest of us use a portal to get to Phoenix’s house. From there, we separate to track down every old, retired church building within a hundred-mile radius.

Emeric and I find the right location. Sitting behind the coverage of darkness, trees, and parked cars, we watch the entrance, confirming our suspicion when we see the familiar jacket of one of the Accolades.

When Killian, Cyrus, and Leo arrive, Killian sniffs the air and points to the black van close to the door of the church. “Phoenix was in that van. I can smell his blood.”

“I can too,” Leo reveals.

The two of them crouch next to us. Behind us, another portal opens. Griffin and Kristo step out of it.

“We got your message,” Griffin whispers.

Another man comes out of the back door of the church.

“I think they’re taking shifts,” I say. “Let’s get a layout of the exterior.” I look over my shoulder, and most of them are already gone. Damn, they’re quiet.

Emeric winks at me. “Tonight, you’ll see a different side of us.”

“What side is that?”

“The predator.”

Cyrus, the only one left with me besides Emeric, massages my tense shoulders.

“We’ll get him back.”

“I hope so, for his sake and the lives of supernaturals.”

Killian emerges from the darkness, his shimmering amber eyes the first thing I see. Squatting next to us, he points to the back door.

“They’re only using that exit.”

Kristo and Leo step out from behind a truck, wiping blood from their lips as they join us.

“The two in the parking lot are taken care of.”

Griffin slips out from between a few trees.

“I unlocked the front door, opened it, and looked inside from a distance. I couldn’t see movement in the nave or altar, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t far.”

“Well, should we just walk in the back door?”

“We can’t try to draw them out.” Kristo leans against a tree, his shadowy figure molding into the darkness. “If we do, they’ll use Phoenix as a bargaining tool and kill him when he’s no longer of use to them.”

Tying his hair back, Griffin’s gaze sweeps over us. “We need to move inside quickly. I say we go in through the front door.”

Biting the inside of my bottom lip, I glance at the others.

“Once they know we’re all here and ready for battle, won’t they kill him? That’s what they want, right? To kill him and us? What if it’s just me? What if I knock on the door and bargain with them?”

Cyrus shakes his head, his eyes widening. “No, that’s not what we planned.”

“She’s right,” Kristo tells him. “She should go in first. She can buy us time while we wait for reinforcements from our coven.”

“Screw waiting for reinforcements,” Killian replies. “If she goes in, we’re going in shortly after her.”

Looking at the roof of the church and its aged clay shingles, an idea forms.

“Griffin, can you get Killian on the roof?”

“Of course.” His brows furrow as he wonders where this is going.

“Killian, would you be able to use your magic to give the building a sensation of an earthquake?”

Curious eyes meet mine. “Yes, I can.”

“I have a new idea.” After I explain, we separate.

Killian uses his earth magic, creating a fog around the church grounds. Disappearing into the thickness, they follow the plans to use Griffin’s water magic to lift them onto the roof. Kristo and Leo hide among the vehicles in the parking lot, the cloudy veil concealing them. Emeric lifts off the ground, his wings carrying him into the fog, where he’ll hover above the exit door.

“Your turn, Cy. Keep them from exiting all other doors and windows.”

Cyrus raises his palms outward,