Quinn's Undying Rose
Page 96
“If you insist.”
“Don’t mind if I do.”
With Keegan by her side, Rose rounded the desk and faced the wall. She tapped the painting that hung there, and it swung toward her, revealing the safe behind. Rose hesitated.
“Open it,” he ordered.
“It’s not in there.”
Keegan bared his teeth in a flash of anger. “You fucking bitch!” He turned his head toward his associates, ready to spout another order.
“It’s here,” Rose said quickly, pointing to the back of the painting.
As Keegan turned back to her, she put her hand to one corner of the frame. The little wooden piece that held the corners in a 90 degree angle, created a little pocket between frame and canvas. She fished for the flash drive, pulling it out of its hiding place a moment later.
Keegan instantly snatched it from her fingers, inspecting it.
“Looks like it. But I’d like to make sure. You understand, don’t you?”
Of course she did.
Slowly she turned to their host, connecting with her dark eyes. “Vera, you don’t mind if we use your computer for a moment, do you?”
“Be my guest.”
Rose nodded briefly then glanced at Blake, who was watching them intently. She also noticed how the three thugs weren’t standing as close to him as before, the two heavier set ones now fanning themselves in obvious discomfort.
Get ready, she advised Blake using mind control. You can trust Vera.
She brought her attention back to Keegan as he inserted the flash drive into one of the USB ports on the computer. He drummed his fingers on the desk, impatiently waiting until the drive was recognized and the explorer opened.
When the window popped up and he clicked on the only folder that was on the drive, a curse was already forming on his lips.
“Bitch!” he screamed as he realized that the folder was empty.
Within a split second he had her by the throat. But Rose didn’t care. From the corner of her eye she saw how the thugs made a step forward, toward them, ready to help their boss if need be. For good measure she thrust her knee up, aiming for Keegan’s jewels.
It did the trick, and one of the thugs rushed toward them, ready to help his employer.
It was all the distraction she needed.
“Now!” she screamed and saw the blur with which Vera charged toward Blake and grabbed him before the other two vampires could react. Without stopping, Vera flung Blake toward the open window.
Jump! Rose sent her order to him, employing mind control. Her grandson would have no choice but to obey. Now!
Vera used karate kicks to fend off the two thugs, preventing them from stopping Blake as he launched himself out of the window.
Relieved, Rose’s heart finally started beating again, only to stutter to a halt when Keegan’s hand squeezed her throat harder and his fangs approached her face, murder in his eyes.
Fuck! Now he was pissed.
“Reinforcements, now!” she heard one of the vampires order into his walkie-talkie.
“You tell me now where it is, or your friend is toast,” Keegan threatened, motioning his head toward a spot behind her.
She twisted her head enough to see that Vera had been captured by two of the vampires. One pointed a stake to her heart.
I’m sorry, she mouthed.
“Don’t be,” Vera said, lifting her chin in defiance. “I’ve been spoiling for a good fight. It’ll be fun bashing those guys’ nuts in.”
35
The two vans in front of the building were empty and unlocked. One of them still carried Rose’s scent and in the other Quinn could still smell Blake.
“We’re at the right place,” he confirmed to his colleagues, then gave the address to Cain and Eddie who were on the other end of the phone, on their way back from the Lyon’s steps. “Get here as fast as you can.”
Then he quickly assessed the situation and motioned to his friends. “Zane, Oliver, you’ll take the front door, then take the second floor. Wesley, Amaury, check if you can break a window on the other side and gain access that way. You’ll secure the first floor. Thomas, you’ll come with me. We’ll take the fire escape to the top. Once your floors are secure, work your way up.”
As everybody nodded and dispersed, Quinn rushed down the little alley next to the house. He’d seen the fire escape from the street. It wouldn’t take much to get up there.
As they reached it, Thomas put his hands together providing a step. “I’ll catapult you up.”
Quinn put his foot into Thomas’s palms and jumped, reaching his arms over his head. His fingers grabbed the fire escape, and he pulled it down, landing back on the ground.
“Don’t mind if I do.”
With Keegan by her side, Rose rounded the desk and faced the wall. She tapped the painting that hung there, and it swung toward her, revealing the safe behind. Rose hesitated.
“Open it,” he ordered.
“It’s not in there.”
Keegan bared his teeth in a flash of anger. “You fucking bitch!” He turned his head toward his associates, ready to spout another order.
“It’s here,” Rose said quickly, pointing to the back of the painting.
As Keegan turned back to her, she put her hand to one corner of the frame. The little wooden piece that held the corners in a 90 degree angle, created a little pocket between frame and canvas. She fished for the flash drive, pulling it out of its hiding place a moment later.
Keegan instantly snatched it from her fingers, inspecting it.
“Looks like it. But I’d like to make sure. You understand, don’t you?”
Of course she did.
Slowly she turned to their host, connecting with her dark eyes. “Vera, you don’t mind if we use your computer for a moment, do you?”
“Be my guest.”
Rose nodded briefly then glanced at Blake, who was watching them intently. She also noticed how the three thugs weren’t standing as close to him as before, the two heavier set ones now fanning themselves in obvious discomfort.
Get ready, she advised Blake using mind control. You can trust Vera.
She brought her attention back to Keegan as he inserted the flash drive into one of the USB ports on the computer. He drummed his fingers on the desk, impatiently waiting until the drive was recognized and the explorer opened.
When the window popped up and he clicked on the only folder that was on the drive, a curse was already forming on his lips.
“Bitch!” he screamed as he realized that the folder was empty.
Within a split second he had her by the throat. But Rose didn’t care. From the corner of her eye she saw how the thugs made a step forward, toward them, ready to help their boss if need be. For good measure she thrust her knee up, aiming for Keegan’s jewels.
It did the trick, and one of the thugs rushed toward them, ready to help his employer.
It was all the distraction she needed.
“Now!” she screamed and saw the blur with which Vera charged toward Blake and grabbed him before the other two vampires could react. Without stopping, Vera flung Blake toward the open window.
Jump! Rose sent her order to him, employing mind control. Her grandson would have no choice but to obey. Now!
Vera used karate kicks to fend off the two thugs, preventing them from stopping Blake as he launched himself out of the window.
Relieved, Rose’s heart finally started beating again, only to stutter to a halt when Keegan’s hand squeezed her throat harder and his fangs approached her face, murder in his eyes.
Fuck! Now he was pissed.
“Reinforcements, now!” she heard one of the vampires order into his walkie-talkie.
“You tell me now where it is, or your friend is toast,” Keegan threatened, motioning his head toward a spot behind her.
She twisted her head enough to see that Vera had been captured by two of the vampires. One pointed a stake to her heart.
I’m sorry, she mouthed.
“Don’t be,” Vera said, lifting her chin in defiance. “I’ve been spoiling for a good fight. It’ll be fun bashing those guys’ nuts in.”
35
The two vans in front of the building were empty and unlocked. One of them still carried Rose’s scent and in the other Quinn could still smell Blake.
“We’re at the right place,” he confirmed to his colleagues, then gave the address to Cain and Eddie who were on the other end of the phone, on their way back from the Lyon’s steps. “Get here as fast as you can.”
Then he quickly assessed the situation and motioned to his friends. “Zane, Oliver, you’ll take the front door, then take the second floor. Wesley, Amaury, check if you can break a window on the other side and gain access that way. You’ll secure the first floor. Thomas, you’ll come with me. We’ll take the fire escape to the top. Once your floors are secure, work your way up.”
As everybody nodded and dispersed, Quinn rushed down the little alley next to the house. He’d seen the fire escape from the street. It wouldn’t take much to get up there.
As they reached it, Thomas put his hands together providing a step. “I’ll catapult you up.”
Quinn put his foot into Thomas’s palms and jumped, reaching his arms over his head. His fingers grabbed the fire escape, and he pulled it down, landing back on the ground.
