Diamond Kisses (The Jewelry Box #4)

The monster inside me stalked and slobbered for blood.

So…I fed it.

I hunted them.

Three guards charged me.

I parried and slashed, trying to incapacitate them so I could slaughter every monster in this cave. I didn’t stop to wonder if these men were the guards who Stewart and Ben had been liaising with.

I didn’t care.

I smashed my chains, freed the darkness, and as Ily’s gentle wonderful voice echoed in my head, forgiving me for so many sins, I took my final breath as Henri and became something else.

Barrelling through the wall of guards, I launched myself at Victor. His eyes flared in panic as I managed to get through two of his protectors. But then three more grabbed me, throwing vicious punches and knocking me to the ground.

I didn’t stay down.

Adrenaline fed me.

Fury ignited me.

I lost it.

Springing upright, I threw myself into war.

Just like the fugue that came over me the night of the treasure hunt, everything happened in a blur. I kicked, punched, stabbed, and slashed.

Blood and screams.

Bellows and pain.

The entire chamber erupted with violence.

“Someone stop him!” Victor snarled.

More arms came at me. A few guns aimed in my direction.

“No, don’t shoot. Just…incapacitate him!” Victor barked, slipping through the crush of cloaked Masters to stand safely by the exit. “Get him shackled. Now.”

Two guards came at me.

I managed to kick one and stab the other. Not a fatal wound but still a decent cut as he cried out and snatched his bicep where blood seeped.

Someone struck me from behind. I whirled on them and threw a wild punch.

Eight guards had entered the Temple with us. One bled out by the altar while the remaining seven swarmed me, tripping over the two dead Masters on the floor.

They corralled me back toward the stone table where Ily lay bound. “Get her out of here, Peter!” I glanced over my shoulder, my stomach freefalling as I noticed he’d already unbuckled her ankles and worked on unhooking her cuffed wrists.

If he could get her out.

If they could swim away.

At least, I would die for something worthwhile.

I snarled and threw myself against the guards crushing me.

Fists pummelled my ribs. Knuckles crunched against my face.